The Woodstock City Council postponed until August a vote on an ordinance that would create a four-way stop at the intersection of Country Club and Bull Valley Road/Club Road at its meeting June 4. Among concerns raised by some members of the council were questions about the necessity of the change to the intersection, the […]
Property owners looking to appeal their 2013 property tax assessments will need to do so earlier than in previous years. A change in statewide legislation means a change in the timetable used by township assessors and the McHenry County Office of Assessments. In past years, assessments usually had been published in local newspapers and mailed […]
Commercial printer D.B. Hess, which employs about 150 workers at its factory on McConnell Road, is expected to close soon, with a buyout from another printing company no guarantee that the facility will continue to operate. Executives from Ohio-based TPO Hess Holdings Inc. informed employees that the company will shut down production at its Woodstock […]
To those who have dedicated countless hours working to restore the corner-free Stickney House in Bull Valley, it can seem as though they are going around in circles. Yet they persist – not just for months or years, but for decades. “It’s just an ongoing thing,” said Stickney House Foundation volunteer Virginia Peschke. “I think […]
After 12 years of business that included rebuilding from the destruction of a fire, stretching funds through a recession and losing a loving wife and mother, the Walters family, owners of Edgetown Bowl, have decided to sell. The bowling alley at 1330 S. Eastwood Drive hosted its final night of bowling May 31 under the […]
An addition to the Woodstock City Code prohibiting “aggressive” panhandling and peddling was approved by the City Council May 21, targeting people who Police Chief Robert Lowen said “intimidate people into giving them a donation.” City Manager Roscoe Stelford said the city of Woodstock has received complaints regarding panhandlers and peddlers in front of stores, […]
The Woodstock City Council approved temporary traffic regulations for several upcoming events at its May 7 meeting. “The city of Woodstock has a long tradition of supporting the many community events that are held in the city every year,” a staff report stated. “One way that the city supports these events is to enact temporary […]
Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager said the city is “well-positioned” for economic growth during the annual State of the City address May 16 at the Woodstock Country Club. About 60 residents, politicians and representatives from area community organizations and businesses attended the luncheon, which featured speeches by Sager, City Manager Roscoe Stelford and Community and Economic […]
The Woodstock City Council passed an ordinance lowering speed limits within the Sonatas subdivision from 30 to 25 mph. The request was approved 6-1 at the council’s May 7 meeting after a brief discussion. The president of the Sonatas Homeowners Association approached the city requesting the change on behalf of residents in the subdivision. “The […]
A combination of state law and municipal policies makes awarding contracts in Woodstock a complex process. Under state statute, the city is required to complete a formal request-for-bid process for each purchasing order exceeding $20,000. According to City Manager Roscoe Stelford and Mayor Brian Sager, the city uses a more stringent $10,000 threshold for going […]
Larry Lough is editor of The Independent and reports local news.
Janet Dovidio has been a freelance correspondent for The Independent for eight years.
Susan W. Murray wrote for The Independent, covering various beats, from 2005 to 2008.
Tricia Carzoli is a freelance writer and photographer that on community news.
