An East Dundee Fire Protection District trustee says former fire chief Mark Rakow was placed on administrative leave last month because he refused to obtain certification that is expected of the highest-ranking member of the department. In a letter ...

The year 2009 brought its share of tragedy, worry and financial hardship; but it also proved to be a year of some progress. As judged by the Daily Herald staff, here are the top 10 stories we'll remember 2009 for. Economy takes toll on towns If har...

A look back at some of the notable deaths of 2009 in the Fox Valley: • Marty Jordan of St. Charles gave his life saving those of others. The 45-year-old St. Charles man drowned in August while rescuing a group of struggling children, including his s...

The East Dundee and Countryside Fire Protection District board voted 2-1 Friday to remove Chief Mark Rakow from the position he's held for 23 years. Rakow, who took over as chief after his father, Eugene Rakow, retired in 1986, will remain on paid l...

Retirements typically become effective at 5 o'clock on Friday afternoons, but firefighter-paramedic isn't the most typical of careers. For Barrington Assistant Fire Chief Lenn Grant, the end of his last shift after 37 years with the department came ...

A search party is being organized for Sunday afternoon for a Barrington-area man who disappeared more than a month ago. Family members say 47-year-old Robert "Bob" Nelson of unincorporated Lake County was last seen around 11:30 a.m. Oct. 7 at a bank...

On one of Jim Hollister's last days before death ended his 67-year career running the projector at Barrington's classic Catlow Theater, a button broke minutes before the Saturday showtime. The movie would be too blurry to watch unless the 84-year-ol...