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Articles by Dennis Anderson
Dennis Anderson: Conservation council would help save what Minnesotans love most
MINNEAPOLIS - Brian Myres of Clear Lake is a thinker. So are Dave Zentner of Duluth, Matthew Smith of Willmar and Greg Kvale of Baxter. They're also cabin owners, some of them; walleye fishermen, all of them; and hikers, campers, hunters, paddlers and boaters. They're active, also, in Ducks Unlimited, the Izaak Walton League, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Pheasants Forever and other conservation groups. Like a lot of Minnesotans, their outdoor interests help define their lives.
Dennis Anderson: Minnesota's outdoors needs more role models like these two
Noted river angler Danny Suggs has helped organize multiple fishing tournaments. (Dennis Anderson/The Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS) MINNEAPOLIS - The other day at Game Fair, Danny Suggs was spinning tales about river fishing. Expert in the pursuit of smallmouth bass, he knows where these fish hang out as water spills and bends downstream, congealing in riffles and pools, seams and eddies.
5 Questions: 60-Year School Bus Veteran Norman Mars Reflects on Career
Norman Mars is celebrating his 60th year in the transportation industry. His first job at age 18 was as a school bus driver. Today he’s the director of transportation at Harmony-Emge School District No. 175 in Belleville, Illinois. This is Mars’ 53rd year in student transportation management. His first management role was dispatcher and operations manager in 1971. “I tried retirement for about six weeks in 2018, but that just wasn't for me,” Mars said.
School Bus Carrying Football Team Crashes, Other Driver Arrested
Here is a round up of school bus-releated news this week. School Bus Carrying Rome High School Football Team Crashes, Other Driver Arrested A driver has been taken into custody in connection with the crash that caused a Rome High School bus carrying a football team following a scrimmage to overturn on Thursday night. Details here.
Keynote Speaker Lt. Colonel Dan Rooney Confirmed for SBFX
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Rooney will be the keynote speaker at School Bus Fleet ConneX (SBFX) on Sept. 23 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Rooney is a decorated F-16 pilot and the founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation, a nonprofit providing scholarships to families of fallen or disabled military and first responders. Since 2007, the Folds of Honor foundation has awarded nearly 44,000 scholarships totaling $200 million.
New Executive Editor Arrives with School Bus Experience
Storytellers rely on new experiences and connections to inform their work, and I’ve had a lot of new experiences and opportunities in the past year after my newspaper career ended. I’ve worked on a successful campaign to change the public funding mechanism for mental health care in my home county. I’ve been a full-time substitute teacher. I’ve written freelance articles for School Bus Fleet magazine. And now I’m SBF’s new executive editor.
Safe Routes to School: Reducing Traffic and Building Community
It's been nearly 20 years since Congress created the Safe Routes to School program aimed at helping communities reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions, as well as encouraging children to walk or bike to school. In that time, individual programs have evolved. Some communities, such as Lawrence, Kansas, have seen their Safe Routes to School programs grow to exceed Congress's original objectives.
Flexibility and Future Planning Keys for Keeping Large School Bus Fleets
Wisconsin-based Kobussen Buses once experimented with standardizing its vehicles when it opened a terminal with all new school buses. “Guess what happened,” said Dan Kobussen, vice president of Kobussen Buses and president of the National School Transportation Association. “All the tires wear out at the same time. Or if there is a warranty issue with one bus, say with a door or something, there’s a similar problem with every one of them.
From Pen to Pixel: The Digital Transformation of School District Field Trips
Spring is a busy season for school district transportation officials as teachers plan end-of-the-year field trips and athletic departments experience a wave of weather-related postponements. Until recently, planning and scheduling for these school district field trips and special events often required putting pen to paper. But that’s changed with the advent of GPS-supported technology.
FROM THE PUBLISHER: My mother was an immigrant
At the Feb. 6 Montrose County School Board meeting on the consent agenda was the purchase of 14 electronic translators at a cost of $30,786, plus a three-year service agreement with annual costs associated. During the public comment period, a former Montrose County commissioner spoke in opposition to the purchase, citing this is America and English should be spoken here.
My mother was an immigrant
At the Feb. 6 Montrose County School Board meeting on the consent agenda was the purchase of 14 electronic translators at a cost of $30,786, plus a three-year service agreement with annual costs associated. During the public comment period, a former Montrose County commissioner spoke in opposition to the purchase, citing this is America and English should be spoken here.
Mark Roeber campaigns as House District 58 representative Original
Encouraged by others and with support of his family and friends former Delta County Commissioner Mark Roeber is throwing his hat into the ring for District 58 House Representative. HD-58 is an open seat because current Rep. Marc Catlin will be term limited out. Catlin announced earlier this month that he would be campaigning for the Senate District 5 seat currently occupied by Perry Will.
Local politicians still have local focus
I was watching a discussion on one of the national news channels. I should know better. It’s not a normal thing for me to do. The discussion was about how the national party divide is affecting local elections. “Even the dog catcher races are susceptible to the party extremes,” one commentator quipped. I know it was hyperbole, but it gave me pause. The election season is heating up, and the DCI is out on the campaign trail hosting candidate forums.
Delta County Independent to move its publication day to Thursday
The changing landscape of the newspaper industry has been a 25+ year evolution. As the digital age came to be, newspapers weren’t sure how to embrace it, particularly their own websites and social media. But in the last 10 years the picture has become clearer and a digital presence has become an asset as opposed to a disruptor. There is no better example of a newspaper embracing digital than the DCI. It’s something that our team is very proud of with Managing Editor Lucas Vader leading the way.
Johnsburg musician to hit Water Lantern Festival stage
By Dennis Anderson Shaw Local News Network Posted7/13/2023 7:19 AM Recording artist Russell Anderson of Johnsburg is making it to his first summer festival stage. He will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at the Water Lantern Festival at the Lincoln Park South Lagoon in Chicago.
Violent storm in McHenry County leave behind damage
Amid tornado sirens, a storm ripped through McHenry County Wednesday night leaving damage in its wake. With a tornado warning in effect from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m Wednesday, the storm traveled east and affected Huntley, Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Crystal Lake, Cary and Fox River Grove. The National Weather Service in Chicago reported tornados in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago, Hodgkins, Streamwood, South Elgin and near O’Hare airport.
Crystal Lake police searching for missing woman, 82
The Crystal Lake Police Department is looking for assistance with locating a missing 82-year-old woman. Jackie Fuhler was last scene leaving her residence on Lee Drive at approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday, July 9. She was wearing green pants, an off-white jackets and white sneakers. Police says she has apparent onset of dementia, gets confused and hallucinates. She is not known to walk off, police said.
Johnsburg recording artist to play Water Lantern Festival in Chicago
Recording artist Russell Anderson of Johnsburg is making it to his first summer festival stage. He will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at the Water Lantern Festival at the Lincoln Park South Lagoon in Chicago. The festival is part of the floating lantern events held across the country in which attendees at sunset “launch thousands of lanterns adorned with letters of love, hope and dreams reflected upon the water.” The festival supports water.org.
After earning 137 merit badges, Eagle Scout ready for his Court of Honor
David Etling has a competitive drive few young people could match. That happens when you are the youngest of four brothers growing up in a family with seven children. Also consider his three older brothers are all Eagle Scouts, the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America. So, Etling, 20, of Crystal Lake was destined to also become an Eagle Scout. But the competition doesn’t stop there. His brothers earned a combined total of 133 Boy Scouts merit badges in their quest for Eagle.
McHenry County featured in new book ‘100 Things to Do In Illinois Before You Die’
A summer vacation doesn’t have to involve a trip to Europe, the East or West Coast or even a jaunt over the border to Wisconsin. There are a lot of things to see in the Land of Lincoln. And Illinois author Melanie Holmes has a list of them in her new book “100 Things to Do In Illinois Before You Die” (Reedy Press, 192 pages, $22.50). McHenry County appears in the book two times and gets a nod in a third – for deep-dish pizza.
Northwest Herald returning to 7 days with Sunday eNewspaper
Starting Sunday, the Northwest Herald will again be publishing seven days a week. Yes, you read that right. Being able to publish eNewspapers, like we do on Mondays, gives us the opportunity to produce a newspaper every day of the week. We publish a print newspaper Tuesday through Saturday, and now we will be producing an eNewspaper on Sunday and Monday as well. Earlier this year we turned our Monday paper into an eNewspaper.
Shaw Media newspapers win 54 journalism awards
Shaw Media newspapers won 54 awards from the Illinois Press Association and Illinois Associated Press Media Editors at this week’s IPA convention in Bloomington. Shaw Media won 12 IAPME awards, including reporter Amanda Marrazzo of the Northwest Herald collecting the Sweepstakes honor for the top news story in all news categories in Division I for “.” She also won first place for general news for the same story.
Want to serve on a Northwest Herald reader panel?
Most of the tips I receive about subjects for this Community Exchange column come directly from you, our Northwest Herald readers. I appreciate the leads and the opportunity to talk to interesting people throughout McHenry County. It’s a lot of fun, and I appreciate your feedback. Please keep sending ideas my way. Today, I’m making another request.
Meet the Northwest Herald’s McHenry County Women of Distinction
Last month, I had the privilege of meeting 10 women who know how to get things done. They are the people the McHenry County community counts on when a project needs a guiding hand. They help families who are struggling in the wake of tragedy. They match youngsters with mentors. And they even may have taught you how to perform CPR. They are the Northwest Herald’s McHenry County Women of Distinction.
Huntley High School grad already a successful businessman
Saturday is a big day for Parker Schuring. The 18-year-old graduates from Huntley High School and soon will be off to Northern Illinois University to study business and play baseball on a scholarship. But Schuring, of Lakewood, likely could teach some of his NIU professors a few things about starting a successful business.
Community Exchange: Newsmaking ‘Incubator Twins’ lived most of their lives in McHenry County
Jane Umbarger of McHenry had a knack for making big news, even if she wasn’t aware of the significance at the time. The first time she made headlines was when she and her twin sister, Jean Harrison of Algonquin, were born on Aug. 17, 1934. They were born prematurely and lived for their first two months in an incubator that was on public display at the 1933-34 Chicago World’s Fair. Thousands of people saw them each day.
Anderson: Community Exchange
Dennis Anderson’s Community Exchange column will return next Saturday. If you have a story to share about you or your neighbors or special events and happenings in McHenry County, please contact him at danderson@shawmedia.com.
Anderson: Welcome back to Thank You, Teachers
When we were planning the inaugural Thank You, Teachers edition last year, I had a strong feeling we’d be doing the project again this year. There were so many more stories left for us to tell. And here we are with Thank You, Teachers Part II. Thank You, Teachers is about recognizing educators for the work they do to prepare the next generation for the future, and life.
SWAT 4
User information * Email Address Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. We won't share it with anyone else. * Password Create a password that only you will remember. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. * Confirm Password Contact information Mailing lists Join our mailing lists Get the latest news updates right to your inbox Newspaper E-Edition Receive the digital, interactive PDF of the newspaper in your inbox.
Big Oil Certiorari Denial May Alter Climate Change Litigation
On April 24, the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a heavy blow to Big Oil defendants seeking to remove climate change cases to federal court by refusing to hear appeals in five... To view the full article, register now.
Big Oil Certiorari Denial May Alter Climate Change Litigation
By Dennis Anderson and Deepa Sutherland (April 26, 2023, 7:27 PM EDT) -- On April 24, the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a heavy blow to Big Oil defendants seeking to remove climate change cases to federal court by refusing to hear appeals in five high-profile cases.... Stay ahead of the curve In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know what's happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries.
It's a bird, It's a plane, No it's Easter eggs!
User information * Email Address Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. We won't share it with anyone else. * Password Create a password that only you will remember. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. * Confirm Password Mailing lists Join our mailing lists Get the latest news updates right to your inbox Newspaper E-Edition Receive the digital, interactive PDF of the newspaper in your inbox.
Marengo ranch provides a home for animals needing rescue
Jennifer Finkelman is a lifesaver for animals. As she walks around her 40-acre Glory Bound Rescue Ranch, 1404 Busse Road in Marengo, she’s greeted by a menagerie of four-footed friends such as ponies Petunia, who is older than 30, and Littlefoot, 42. All of the more than 90 animals at the ranch found their way there by being at risk of death, abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Dennis Anderson: Young musician has her eyes on different career
Trini Feng started playing the piano in kindergarten. Today, as a senior at Crystal Lake South High School, she had a solo in the school’s band concert, and in January, she played with some of the best high school musicians in an all-state performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With such success on the eve of heading off to college, one might expect she’ll be embarking on a career in music. “I’m going to major in computer science,” the 18-year-old told me.
Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade queen hails from McHenry
Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. But in Chicago, everyone is Irish on Saturday, March 11, when the Chicago River is dyed green and the city hosts the 68th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. And McHenry County has a reason to pay special attention to this year’s parade: Casey Doherty of McHenry is the parade’s queen. Doherty was crowned in January by Plumbers Local 130 UA, sponsors of the Chicago parade. Local 130 has an office in Volo.
Access to Northwest Herald eNewspaper is quick and easy
One of the unique benefits of being a subscriber to the Northwest Herald is unlimited 24-hour access to our websites, including NWHerald.com. Our websites provide the most up-to-date news and additional community coverage compared with what you can find in our print newspapers, including our eNewspaper. And starting Saturday, March 11, our eNewspaper will include Weekend Extra, which will offer more news, sports, recipes, photos and interactive puzzles.
Community Exchange: Cafe Olympic’s firecracker server marks 30 years with diner
Most Sunday mornings you can find my wife and me at Cafe Olympic in Crystal Lake enjoying breakfast. It’s a popular spot with good food and a manageable wait. The staff is a fun group, including Carrie Timmons, a firecracker of a server. You can’t miss Carrie as she zips throughout the cafe taking orders, delivering dishes and filling coffee mugs. And she always remembers that my wife and I like a cup of extra ice with our iced tea.
Dennis Anderson: Welcome to the Community Exchange for McHenry County
Welcome to the Community Exchange. In this space each Saturday, I plan to introduce you to people, places and things in McHenry County you need to know about. I graduated from Leadership Greater McHenry County in June 2022 along with 30 of my fellow classmates. Our class was a mix of community leaders from nonprofit and for-profit organizations, health care, clergy and small-business owners.
OPINION: Boebert called out by voters
The fact that Incumbent Lauren Boebert holds a less than half of a percent lead over challenger Adam Frisch is shocking. Well, maybe not to Frisch — he’s been broadcasting his chances since he won the Democratic primary back in June. Is Colorado’s Congressional District 3 moving more purple, or did Boebert, through her antics the last two years, make this race closer than it should have been? Let’s take a look at some numbers that should bring clarity to the results to date.
OPINION: Boebert called out by voters
The fact that Incumbent Lauren Boebert holds a less than half of a percent lead over challenger Adam Frisch is shocking. Well, maybe not to Frisch — he’s been broadcasting his chances since he won the Democratic primary back in June. Is Colorado’s Congressional District 3 moving more purple, or did Boebert, through her antics the last two years, make this race closer than it should have been? Let’s take a look at some numbers that should bring clarity to the results to date.
Celebrating Newspaper Week and asking candidates questions
Bob Anderson (no relation) of Wonder Lake is on a mission. He wants Illinois to get rid of township government. He’s also a regular newspaper reader and has written dozens of letters to the editor about township government. Earlier this year, Bob met me at my office to talk about his favorite topic. He arrived with a packet of documents and a large poster outlining his argument against townships. We had a good visit, and he made a promise I will continue to receive his letters to the editor.
Opioid Case May Guide Climate Change Insurance Suits | JD Supra
Law360 Insurance Authority May 11, 2022 To read this article in PDF format, please click here. The rising tide of climate change lawsuits is sure to bring with it a wave of declaratory judgment actions on the issue of whether liability insurers have an obligation to defend fossil fuel producers and other climate change defendants.
Dennis Anderson: Teachers will always have a profound impact on our lives
It’s been four decades since I graduated high school. Those days of gym class, spelling tests, pizza day at lunch, baseball practice, reading “The Outsiders” and “The Red Badge of Courage,” term papers and school dances remain, mostly, fond memories. That’s why when my boss John Rung, president and CEO of Shaw Media, suggested today’s Thank You, Teachers project, I was excited.
Kendall County Now
NewsSubscribePrep SportseNewspaperElectionObituariesEvent CalendarStarved Rock CountryGames and Puzzles A tribute to education's local heroes Kendall County Now/Shaw Local News Network Thank you, teachers We all have a close friend or teacher in our family. They are the ones who you just knew from a young age they would go into the field. They wanted to share their love for knowledge, reading, history, math or other subject close to their heart.
Reader election poll: Taxes, crime, ethics top your concerns
By Dennis Anderson April 09, 2022 at 5:01 am CDT Questions about taxes, crime, voting rights and government accountability are some of the most important issues you want candidates to address this campaign season. Over 1,500 readers – subscribers and non-subscribers – responded to our survey earlier this year of what issues are most important to you. We proposed more than a dozen potential campaign issues and asked you to rank them in order of importance to you.
Anderson: Shaw readers to determine questions for candidates
You, our readers, have a lot on your mind when it comes to what you want to know from this year’s crop of candidates seeking election this year, including U.S. Congress, governor, Illinois General Assembly and various county offices. More than 1,400 of you already have completed our online Shaw Local Election 2022 Reader Survey (jotform.com/220325900118141). We will use the results of our reader survey to determine what questions to ask the candidates in advance of the June 28 primary and the Nov.
OPINION: It’s time to move on from Boebert’s antics
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Herald-News to stop using Morris High School nickname in its coverage
The Morris Community High School District 101 Board last May heard a presentation and recommendation from a committee that it change the school’s nickname, the Redskins. The Herald-News agrees with the recommendation, and starting this school year, this newspaper will no longer use the nickname in its coverage. We consider the name to be offensive and demeaning to Native Americans.
Anderson: Making our coverage more about the issues and less about personality
Our goal is to provide unbiased information about the candidates in the hopes readers learn enough about the campaigns. By Dennis Anderson March 18, 2021 at 2:24 pm CDT Elections should be about the issues and how candidates can best serve constituents. That’s the focus we have when we determine news coverage about a race. When a reporter sits down with a candidate, often they are asking questions gleaned from covering their beat, as well as conversations they have had with community members.
OPINION: Your truth, my truth - and the truth
The truth can be a fickle thing when facts aren’t researched. Lately Bill Bennett, a regular contributor to the Montrose Mirror has made some assertions about the Montrose Daily Press that are woefully inaccurate. In the March 1 edition of the Mirror in his column “Moving forward, ask the public,” Bennett asserts that the MDP ran a survey asking whether our readers support the amphitheater project and that once the results reached a 60% against results the survey question magically disappeared.
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