The restoration project is led by Desert Rat’s owner, Mike Kellner, who first found the plane chopped up into pieces back in 1984 in an overgrown field near Bangor, Maine, according to Desert Rat restoration volunteer, Bill Stanczak.

Visit the Chicago Botanic Gardens

Pictured below, the Chicago Botanic Gardens have so much to offer, including “Rose and Butterfly Gardens.” Give mom the gift of a great experience this year! They even offer “Botanic Arts, Photography, Nature & Birding classes” and much more for Moms to enjoy!

For $50 annually or $30 semi-annually, readers will enjoy a growing amount of news content and more variety than our current news options.

According to the district’s Director of Communications and Public Engagement Denise Barr, Castans has an extensive background in athletics, coaching, and educational leadership. Additionally, she brings along a wealth of experience and a passion for students that will help her succeed in her new position.

Castans has spent her entire career at D158, starting as a physical education teacher at Marlowe Middle School in 2009 until 2017.

Schwan, 75, beat four opponents to earn the gold medal. He edged Randy Scott of Griffin, Georgia (who lives at a Del Webb community) for the senior singles skill 4.0 crown in the finals as thousands looked on. Schwan won the first game, 11-3, then the second, 11-8.

This year, however, northern Illinois can expect to see the emergence of Brood XIII, the brood with the reputation for being the largest emergence for periodical cicadas in the state. Additionally, Brood XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of Illinois at the same time.

According to Ken Johnson, a horticulture educator with the University of Illinois Extension program, the emergence of two periodical cicada broods will be the first time this has happened since 1803, and will not happen again until 2245.

The game called Huntley-opoly is a monopoly-style game that features well-known Huntley properties and landmarks making the game a much more personal experience for those residing in the village. However, most will be surprised to know that Hasbro, the company behind the official Monopoly board game, is not involved in creating Huntley-opoly.

Huntley Deputy Police Chief Amy Williams praised the progress that has been made in not focusing on people's disabilities but abilities with the focus of the movement on more inclusion. She said there has been great support for the Law Enforcement Torch Run in Huntley.

The next total solar eclipse across the United States won’t occur until 2045. Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital made sure to make this day extra special for some of its youngest patients by providing a pair of sunglasses for all babies currently at the hospital.

The Second Annual First Responders Chili Cook-off at Sew Hop'd Brewery and Tap Room in Huntley supported future endeavors of the Huntley Community School District 158 Education Foundation. About 250 people attended, according to organizers.

“It was definitely a success as we had the place packed and were able to raise funds for scholarships,” D158 Education Foundation event organizer Steve Lulofs said.

The Inaugural Chris Pacana Memorial 3-on-3 Youth Basketball Tournament for boys and girls first through eighth graders will be held on April 6. It will benefit American Diabetes Association (ADA). Pacana was a long-time park district employee who passed away Jan. 1, 2023 at age 61.

The games will get started at 9 a.m.,

The theme for this year is “The Library is Your Literary Canvas,” which will allow residents to get creative and help design a new library card. Beginning on April 7, HAPL will have design forms available at all library service desks. Patrons can also download an online version of the form from the library’s website at https://www.huntleylibrary.org/nlw2024.

About 1,100 participants sought some of the 18,000 eggs which were scattered around the roped off areas, for ages birth to age 8. The top prize was a season pass to a family of four to the Stingray Bay Family Aquatic Center.

Huntley's Easter Bunny arrived on a Huntley Fire Protection Department fire engine.

John Schwan of Sun City  has qualified for the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships which will take place in Naples, Florida, April 13-20. A record 3,000 amateur and professional pickleball players will compete in the “most prestigious pickleball tournament in the world,” according to a press release statement.

Schwan, 75, will compete in the men's age 75 to 80 age bracket in singles. He has been playing pickleball at the Sun City Pickleball Charter Club for three years.

Head coach Carly Smith said the Hurricanes are comprised of eight athletes in grades six through eight with various disabilities.

The group will be at the Huntley Don't Be Fooled - By a Disability Special Olympics Illinois event fundraiser hosted by Huntley Police Department April 6.

As previously reported, the idea for the co-op was first conceived in 2014 by an organized collective of McHenry County residents that calls itself the McHenry County Food Cooperative. A groundbreaking ceremony was held last July to celebrate the initial construction phase of the grocery store.

Members of the public are invited by the Food Shed Co-op Board of Directors to celebrate the opening of the grocery store, which will feature brief remarks by co-op and community leaders, a symbolic ribbon-cutting, giveaways, and door-buster deals, according to a press release statement.

According to Huntley Community School District 158’s Director of Communications and Public Engagement, Denise Barr, the partnership is with First Institute of Crystal Lake, and the program is being offered to students interested in fast-tracking their medical careers.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that medical assisting is one of the fastest-growing careers in the country.

Area teams – Kaneland, Jacobs, Hampshire, Burlington Central and Lake Zurich, gathered to compete at Huntley's Field House one more time before heading outside, but more importantly, saluted a legendary coach.

Popenfoose, aka “Coach Pop” and the great memories was evident through the classic rock songs playing, the t-shirt with his picture and one of his favorite characters – big foot.

Irwin’s friend had just witnessed a dog being thrown out of a moving vehicle on Lake Cook Road in Barrington. The terrified canine was a six-month-old female American Staffordshire Terrier that Irwin ended up adopting after the dog was treated for its injuries at a local vet.

As previously reported, Kilian was diagnosed with cancer back in January 2023. His rapid decline in health and other complications relating to the disease eventually resulted in Kilian having to stop all treatment regimes in January of this year. On March 4, Kilian received the devastating news that the cancer was terminal.

According to his obituary, Kilian spent the remainder of his life at JourneyCare Hospice in Barrington, where he was surrounded by his family.

Fun fact and activity #1:

One belief “for the sea of green you see every St. Patrick's Day” according to The Daily Meal,  “revolves around Saint Patrick himself … many works of art depict Saint Patrick [holding] a sprig of shamrocks.” Also, the color green “still remains as one of three colors in the Irish flag.”