Woodstock would be fortunate to have any one of the tenants who will occupy space in the Old Courthouse Center. To have them all is further evidence of Woodstock’s magic. Local residents are already looking forward to a meal at the Public House, which has been closed since fall for the extensive remodeling of the […]
By Cheryl Wormley Like a frog in a kettle of water is what best describes how I am feeling. I didn’t notice the fire under the kettle, and now the water is heating up. I began feeling the rise in temperature when the Woodstock city staff announced it would be selling ads in City Scene. […]
Friends of the Old Courthouse Following the success of the Week in the Life of McHenry County photo book, the Friends of the Old Courthouse board is working on its next publishing project. The focus of the pictorial book will be the history of the Old Courthouse and Sheriff’s House, now known as the Old […]
Five years ago, the Woodstock City Council approved a special use permit for Borrego Solar Systems to build a solar farm at U.S.14 and Lily Pond Road on the city’s far east side. If you’ve been past that site lately, you might have noticed what is not there five years later: a solar farm. What […]
By Cheryl Wormley Start with the headline and add “but today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.” Those were the first words of the text Denise Graff Ponstein, my friend and fellow-founder of The Independent, sent me Thursday, Aug. 4. I hadn’t heard. I responded, “Thanks, I needed a topic for Declarations.” Denise knows me […]
Gun possession is why we remain a free nation The Independent’s opinion column of July 19 illustrated an incredibly dangerous reaction that would have devastating circumstances for our country. Understandable outrage against those who willfully murder with firearms has spawned a serious threat to our democracy, a threat far worse that the horrific incidents themselves. […]
McHenry County Sheriff Robb Tadelman took the high road in his statement about the recent decision by the Illinois Supreme Court to uphold Illinois’ new SAFE-T Act, which eliminates the old cash bail system for criminal suspects. “While we are still reviewing the decision, we will continue to work with the State’s Attorney’s Office, Court […]
Newspapers are not always good at explaining why they do what they do. Because a newspaper is unlike any other business in the community, people sometimes don’t understand the decisions we make. Why did you report that story and not this one? How did you decide to put that story on page one rather than […]
By Darrell Moore Woodstock city planner When I reached out to the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office earlier this year to get its perspective on the Old Courthouse Center rehabilitation project undertaken by the city of Woodstock, I was expecting a reply with some well-worn platitudes about the importance of saving historic buildings. So, when […]
’Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free ’tis the gift to come down where you ought to be And when we find ourselves in the place just right ‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight. – Traditional/Shaker For me, the past 10 days have been filled with simple […]
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.
