It may be cold outside, but our region's best winter fun is just heating up. We dare you not to find somethign to celebrate this season, as Chris Linden shares some of our favorites. ...

What good can one company do in helping Third World countries to obtain safe, clean drinking water? A lot, it turns out, as Karla Nagy learns how a St. Charles pond equipment maker is changing communities. ...

Once suffering from crime and blight, Elgin's inner city is enjoying a renaissance of sorts. Paul Anthony Arco explores how the city and its residents are restoring architectural history one block at a time. ...

Meet an Island Lake resident who puts her expertise to work at the nation’s oldest dog show. ...

Every region has its historical legends and fantastical stories, and our communities are no exception. Chris Linden shares incredible tales of Prohibition gangsters and criminals, ghosts and tall tales. ...

You may know it better as Dole Mansion, but creative types in Crystal Lake know this park for its rich performing and visual arts opportunities. Paul Anthony Arco leads a tour of this cultural haven. ...

This coast-to-coast byway still showcases lovely America in a way that I-80 and I-90 just can’t do. Louise Brass explains why it means so much to so many locals, and how its 100th anniversary is being celebrated this summer. ...

This St. Charles businessman and lifelong cyclist wants everyone to experience the joys of a bicycle. Karla Nagy introduces us to a dedicated father whose disabled son inspired Creative Mobility and Project Mobility. ...

What attracts nearly 30,000 boaters every weekend, and is one of the busiest inland waterways in America? Paul Anthony Arco finds out why this chain of 15 lakes is our region’s favorite summer playground. ...

Our open spaces are a treasure and refuge that too often go underappreciated. Karla Nagy explores our region’s efforts to reconnect the link between humans and nature. ...