Folk, food, fun – three words that describe my October 2024 travels. Usually, I’m a one-destination-at-a-time traveler. But last month, opportunity knocked. I joined my high school friends in Charleston, S.C., Oct. 1 to 5, took in Washington, D.C., with my husband, Jim, and my sister Lois and her husband, Russ, Oct. 8 to 11, […]
Growing up as a “tomboy” in the older part of Woodstock, I despised the color pink. When I was a child, pink was about being girly, fancy, and high maintenance. I was more of an orange girl. Orange was the color of a basketball – my true love. Even as a teenager and into adulthood, […]
Newspapers … archaic? I hear people say, “I get my news for free. Why should I pay for it?” Like everyone, I try to make good decisions about what I choose to spend my money on. I ask myself … if I weren’t working for The Woodstock Independent, would I pay for a subscription? The […]
This column has been rolling around in my head for a couple of weeks. A bit of background: my husband, Jim, borrowed a book from the Woodstock Public Library. As he read it, he shared bits with me and suggested I might like to read it, too. So, I did. I’m a slow reader. It […]
Woodstock is a cultural hub – home to a plethora of festivals, fairs and art tours, an award-winning farmers market, venues, locally owned businesses, filming sites, family farms, and so much more. We also are home to the historic Woodstock Opera House – a structure that has served the community for over a century. The […]
You read our community’s weekly newspaper last week, and here you are reading it again this week. Welcome! So far this year, the teachers of 241 students – fifth-graders to high school – in Woodstock School District 200 have asked to have The Woodstock Independent Tuesday. NIE stands for Newspaper in Education. Newspapers, like The […]
Imagine the loneliness of a 9-year-old girl whose mother is wrongfully incarcerated. That was Dr. Amanda Allard. She faced the depths of loneliness and found a way through it. Now, she’s bringing her powerful story and expert insights to the McHenry County Mental Health Board’s Community Connections Summit on Friday, Sept. 13, at McHenry County […]
It’s August, which in Edinburgh means that the city’s population doubles. The streets overflow with locals and tourists from all over the world. The racket of loud crowds, bagpipes, and the shouts of a street magician on every corner is the soundtrack for the entire month. Locals and tourists flock to colorful circus tents scattered […]
“Starting this fall, we have 100 students.” Those were Clint Gabbard’s first words when we greeted each other at the University Center ribbon cutting Aug. 1. Clint Gabbard is Dr. Gabbard, president of McHenry County College. The University Center is a dream come true for MCC graduates and everyone else with an associate’s degree who […]
I haven’t experienced a first day of school since I retired 23 years ago. A lot has changed since then—a different calendar, new teaching methods, the integration of technology into the classroom, and more. As I remember it, the lead-up to a new school year was always the same. Around July 4th, thoughts of 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.
