Lake in the Hills police officers have a new workspace that officials say is more up-to-date, efficient, secure and provides more privacy for crime victims.

Beach season officially kicks off Saturday for Crystal Lake Main Beach, and officials hope newly installed technology will prevent closures the park district experienced last summer due to elevated bacteria levels.

Prairie Ridge held off a late Woodstock surge to clinch its third straight IHSA sectional boys track and field championship Wednesday. Woodstock, Johnsburg, Woodstock North, Crystal Lake South, Harvard, Richmond-Burton, Marian Central and Marengo all qualified events for state.

Crystal Lake Central's Kylie Gibbons hit a walk-off single as the Tigers came back to top Crystal Lake South in a regional semifinal, Hampshire, Richmond-Burton and Marengo softball also won regional semis, Burlington Central and Hampshire co-op girls lacrosse won, plus more.

A Marengo woman who was sentenced to prison time weeks ago for her 5th DUI got a new sentence for her 6th DUI.

McHenry senior Natalie Bender brought her cool and calm to the circle Wednesday, throwing a four-hit shutout to lead the Warriors past Jacobs 3-0 in the teams' Class 4A McHenry Regional softball semifinal.

A child suffered a traumatic injury and was airlifted to a trauma center after falling at a Crystal Lake elementary school Wednesday afternoon.

McHenry Chief of Police John Birk was appointed as interim city administrator on Monday's McHenry City Council meeting.

Raymond Link's public defender doesn't deny he committed a "horrific," near-fatal attack on a woman in a McHenry park. But the defense wants a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity verdict.

The IHSA girls track and field state championships run Thursday-Saturday at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Here is the full list of state qualifiers from the Northwest Herald area.