McHenry County | featured news

In the early hours of Nov. 5, 2019, after spending nearly two years in a federal United States prison, Neringa Venckiene was called to court, knowing she would not return.

"...I knew that since the Supreme Court has denied my appeal, there will be no more court hearings," said Venckiene, a former Lithuanian judge who fled to the United States and settled in Crystal Lake after exposing an alleged pedophile ring that she believed victimized her niece.

As January eases into February and the days inch longer into night, I sit with a drink in my hand and remember winters (and loved ones) past, and last night a winter memory of Dad brought a smile to my face.

Dad and I became hunting buddies from the days of my early childhood, when I would walk the fields with him as he stalked pheasants. At first I walked carrying a stick, pretending it was a 12-gauge Browning automatic shotgun, just like his.

FORT MADISON, Iowa – The Iowa caucuses could feature an attack of the “zombie” candidates.

As some Democrats prepare for Monday's contest, they say they're planning to side with candidates who have been out of the race for weeks, even months. By caucusing for Sens.

WASHINGTON – A flurry of newly released emails from scientists and top officials at the federal agency responsible for weather forecasting clearly illustrates the consternation and outright alarm caused by President Donald Trump’s false claim that Hurricane Dorian could hit Alabama.

A top National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration official even called the president's behavior “crazy.”

What the scientists and officials found even more troubling was a statement later issued by an unnamed NOAA spokesman that su

BEIJING – China’s death toll from a new virus increased to 304 on Sunday amid warnings from the World Health Organization that other countries need to prepare in the event the disease spreads among their populations as more nations report local infections.

Meanwhile, six officials in the city of Huanggang, neighboring the epicenter of Wuhan in Hubei province, have been fired over “poor performance” in handling the outbreak, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

It cited the mayor as saying the city’s “cap

WASHINGTON – The turbulence of impeachment, a contentious presidential campaign and a global virus health threat confront President Donald Trump as he prepares to deliver his State of the Union address Tuesday night. But one thing about the Trump era has remained remarkably steady: public opinion on the president.

Approval of Trump has stayed persistently in negative territory, and the country is more polarized now than it has been under any other president in recent history.

WASHINGTON – Two decades ago, President Bill Clinton addressed a nation transfixed by impeachment. He didn’t use the I-word once in a State of the Union address that ran on for 78 minutes.

Now, President Donald Trump prepares to address the nation under similar circumstances, with the added pressure of a looming presidential election thrown into the mix.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – When Bernie Sanders addresses throngs of supporters who gather at his rallies, the divisions that plague the Democratic Party can feel far away. The Vermont senator speaks of building a “mutliracial, mutli-generational movement” that will cut through economic divides, catapult him into the White House and transform the nation.

Some of the highest-profile surrogates campaigning on his behalf are less sanguine.

Speaking at a concert for Sanders on Friday night, Rep.

“OK, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties because it’s COOOLD out there today!”

If you’ve seen the movie “Groundhog Day," you should remember this line because you hear that DJ's voice about five times throughout.

Naval Station Great Lakes near North Chicago is calling off its popular Fourth of July celebration this year due to a large number of other events scheduled to take place at the base the same week.

Commanding officer Capt.