Crystal Lake

State champion wrestler recruited to play college football

Romeo McKnight set his sites to play college football his freshman year at Crystal Lake Central. After the Nike Combine he went from an unknown to multiple offers. He received his first Big Ten offer from Iowa. Bowling Green also made an offer, and McKnight met with Penn State’s coach. Representatives from Michigan State and Indiana are McKnight’s next visitors. He also holds offers from Toledo, Buffalo, Western Illinois.

Fox River Grove

Downtown Redevelopment project officially proposed.

Gart Partners presented a Planned Unit Development to the Village Planning and Economic Development Commission May 19. The Plan includes 500 apartments, about 70,000 square feet of retail and services, a marina, and possibly some kind of hotel or motel. The next official step is a public hearing and another PEDC meeting, planned to occur on the same night. Both are necessary before the proposal can be brought before the village board.

Huntley

Former postal worker murdered by wife

Jene Bruno worked as a mail carrier for 15 years before marrying Kendra Bruno, 43, and moving to Genoa. Police found Jene on May 4 stabbed to death in a domestic dispute with his wife. A fleet of Huntley-based mail carriers joined the funeral procession for Gene.

Lakewood

Helicopters to spray for gypsy moths

Two areas of Lakewood cannot be reached using ground-based treatment, so the village will use aerial treatment. The treatment uses naturally occurring bacteria, Bacillus Thuringiensis, which disrupts the gypsy moth reproductive cycle. It does no harm to water supplies and is non-toxic to humans, birds, fish, and other animals.

Marengo

Locals remember reason for Memorial Day

On Memorial Day, the Marengo High School band performed in front of the Marengo Fire Station on Prairie Street, followed by a procession down Prairie Street to Marengo Cemetery. American Legion Post 192 honored deceased veterans a.m. Riley Cemetery, Maple Street Cemetery, Catholic Cemetery, Calvin Spencer Park, and Marengo Cemetery.

Richmond

Main Stay breaks ground on new equine therapeutic center

In January Main Stay launched “Build a Barn – Build a Life campaign. With a recent grant of $75,000 from Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, the campaign is 80% complete. The 40-acre property was donated to the organization and put into a conservation easement with the Conservancy of McHenry County. Main Stay provides therapeutic riding, animal-assisted learning, and nature-based programs for up to 100 people a week. The organization works in partnership with agencies such as Family Alliance, One Hope United, Big Brothers Big Sister, Pioneer Center, and Child Advocacy Center, along with several school districts.

Woodstock

County cannot defend and prosecute former Coroner

Marlene A. Lantz, 68, was charged with official misconduct and forgery in the case of “Baby Doe” who died in 1992. Lance failed to have the remains of “Baby Doe” properly buried or cremated. Normally, the State Attorney’s Office defends charges against a public official. However, in this case the State is prosecuting Lance. McHenry County Judge Robert Wilbrandt asked that other state’s attorney’s offices provide defense services. “Baby Doe” died a result of miscarriage, as determined in an autopsy in 1992; or she died as a result of asphyxiation after being delivered into a toilet at a Crystal Lake restaurant, as a February 2014 autopsy indicates. Lantz pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Oldest baseball field to get makeover.

City officials received an $80,000 grant from a Major League Baseball program to spruce up Main A Ballfield at Emricson Park. The field will get new lights, turf treatment, dugouts, fencing, and water drainage improvements. For decades, Emricson Park hosts various Woodstock Little League games and family softball nights. Work will begin in July, after the Little League season.