McHenry County | featured news

NEW YORK — Boston accents got poked. “Groundhog Day” got – surprise – resurrected, complete with Bill Murray. Google pulled out tears, and Cheetos and Doritos danced.

All to the tune of $5.6 million for 30 seconds — to reach 100 million people with your product.

During advertising’s biggest night, Super Bowl Sunday, marketers battled it out to bolster their brands. Some got it exactly right. Some didn’t.

The Polar Plunge, presented by Law Enforcement Torch Run and GEICO, is a unique opportunity to support Special Olympics athletes by taking a flying leap – a leap into the frigid waters of Lakefront Park. Participants must raise $100 in donations from friends, family and co-workers in exchange for jumping into the icy waters.

Sales of recreational marijuana during the first month since it became legal approached nearly $40 million, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

In a news release, the department said statewide adult-use cannabis sales since purchase became legal on Jan. 1 totaled $39,247,840.83.

Some came from around the area, while others came from other states, waking up in the early morning hours, to see Woodstock Willie predict six more weeks of winter during Woodstock’s annual Groundhog Day Prognostication on Sunday.

Speaking at the ceremony in the historic Woodstock Square, Rick Bellairs, chairman of the Woodstock Groundhog Days Committee, said the crowd was by far the biggest the annual event has drawn.

A polka band played a variety of songs to mark the occasion and wake Woodstock Willie from his winter

NEW YORK – During advertising's biggest night, Super Bowl Sunday, marketers battled it out to bolster their brands and promote new products. Advertisers paid up to $5.6 million for 30 seconds, and almost 100 million people tune into the big game.

This year, Hyundai and Jeep scored with whimsical humor by poking fun at Boston accents and reuniting the “Groundhog Day” cast, Punxsutawney Phil included. Google struck heartstrings with a quiet message about aging and remembrance.

The wrong New York Times crossword puzzle appeared on page 28 of Sunday’s Northwest Herald. The correct puzzle will appear in Tuesday’s edition. The Northwest Herald regrets the error.

Woodstock Willie predicted six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow during the celebration. The 1993 film "Groundhog Day," was filmed in Woodstock.

Calista Pollack, a junior at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake, said she never expected to use the CPR training she learned in health class in real life.

But that’s exactly what she did recently when she saved the life of a man having a medical emergency.

Pollack was dropping her brother off at the man’s house so he could get something signed for Boy Scouts. Her brother went to the door, and the man’s wife said she needed help. Pollack’s brother came to get her from the car.

BEIJING – China completed building a 1,000-bed hospital for treating victims of a new virus that has caused 362 deaths and more than 17,000 infections at home and abroad, according to the latest figures Monday.

Reopening of schools was also delayed in hardest-hit central Hubei province, where the specialized hospital in the provincial capital Wuhan was completed in only 10 days. A second hospital with 1,500 beds is under construction.

LONDON – A man recently released from prison after serving time for terrorism-related offenses strapped on a fake bomb and stabbed two people on a busy London street Sunday before being shot to death by police, officials said.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lucy D’Orsi said police identified the attacker as 20-year-old Sudesh Amman.