How do you feel about the Fair Tax Amendment to the Illinois Constitution that will be on your ballot Nov. 3. And what about the Tax Increase Amendment that, not coincidentally, will also be on the fall ballot? They are, of course, the same thing. When you vote, you won’t see the terms “fair tax” […]
By Larry Lough September brought several days of rain that the drought-stricken Woodstock area desperately needed. Lack of rain in July and August had left a lot of Woodstock lawns in various shades of brown. In fact, Woodstock might have had the brownest lawns in the state. “One for the record book,” Mary Moltmann wrote […]
Suicide Prevention Month aims to save ‘at risk’ lives September is Suicide Prevention Month, and it’s important that we are there for each other and take steps to prevent suicide. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s theme for the month is to #KeepGoing by taking simple actions to safeguard our mental health and save lives. […]
“COVID Free” was the goal of long-term care facilities in Woodstock after dealing with a rash of infections to their residents and staff along with more than two dozen deaths during May and June. But during August, despite all of their cleaning and precautions, they found they were not so free of the disease, reporting […]
By Cheryl Wormley My first COVID-19 column was March 19. That’s just 10 days short of six months ago. I was my usual optimistic self, titling the piece “This too shall pass.” We didn’t know much about this particular coronavirus then, and we don’t know much more now. Then, we were told to wash our […]
By Jan Bosman The other day I knelt to tie my running shoe. While I knotted the laces in probably less than 20 seconds, my mind was somewhere else – so far away that when I finished, I was mystified by how unconsciously I had performed that simple task. I wondered how many times I […]
Nine weeks from today, we will know the results of the most memorable, perhaps most consequential election of our lifetimes. At the federal level, we will elect a president and determine political majorities of the U.S. Senate and House as Washington is struggling to contain a pandemic that has left 180,000 Americans dead and 10 […]
By Cheryl Wormley First of all, how can it be September already? It feels as if I’ve been treading water since late March. I’ve kept my head above water, strengthened my arms and legs, but for the most part, I haven’t gone anywhere. Maybe you are feeling the same. Still, days, weeks, and months have […]
Project for Route 47 could defeat city’s ‘walkable’ goal In all the discussion about the widening of Route 47 through Woodstock, I have seen no mention of pedestrian crossings. Route 47 will become a continuous, non-stop flow through the city because of multiple roundabouts. There will be no way for people on foot to cross […]
For all the misery it has brought, all the damage it has wrought, the coronavirus pandemic has offered us one gift: it has opened our eyes and our lives to the future, whether we’re ready for it or not. As we observed a couple of months ago, many Woodstock restaurants and retailers have rebalanced their […]
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.
