Broadcast News

During her 40-year career in broadcast journalism, Susan Caraher bore witness to watershed moments in American history: the birth of the world’s first known surviving septuplets; the execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh; the school shooting at Columbine, and the Gulf War. In 2000, she spent six weeks in Tallahassee, Florida, awaiting the Supreme Court decision in Bush v. Gore after a contentious vote recount process left the office of president hanging in the balance as the nation held its breath.

Growing up, Caraher watched Nancy Dickerson, a pioneering TV newswoman, report on John F. Kennedy. “I thought, I want to be a part of that,” remembers Caraher.

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The year of the wood snake

My 2025 word of the year came to me without me having to search for it. My coworker mentioned offhandedly that, according to the lunar calendar, 2025 is the year of the wood snake.

“It fits with all kinds of metaphors,” she told me. “A snake sheds its skin, it lives close to the earth, things like that.”

My vote for word of the new year

Although we’re only a few weeks into the new year, let me be the first to suggest that the 2025 Word of the Year should be “Oligarch.”

It’s a fun word to say. Try it. “Oligarch.”

Work share

Huntley High School’s Career and Technical Education Department Chair, Nick Wedoff, emphasizes the invaluable role Sun City residents can play in shaping the future for students.

“Your expertise is not just a resource but a catalyst for our students’ growth. They need to hear what the day-to-day experience in the workplace is like and what opportunities there are for their interests,” he said.

U.S. public health: A look back at 2024

An end-of-year comprehensive report by the John Hopkins School of Public Health reviewed 10 major public health news events of 2024 and concluded with this headline describing the past year: “A rollercoaster for public health, with historic firsts, unwelcome comebacks, and rays of hope.”

Local author shares her research on the store that helped build Chicago, Marshall Field’s

Marshall Fields has been gone from Chicago since Macy’s, Inc. acquired it in 2005 and ceased operations on September 9, 2006. It was a high-end department store founded in 1852 by Marshall Field. Some still miss the store.

Author Gayle Soucek shared her knowledge of one of Chicago’s famous residents and his store with Sun City residents. Soucek is a historian and freelance editor with over a dozen books and numerous magazine articles.

Rotary Club hosts new mental health lecture series

This March, the Huntley Rotary Club invites Sun City residents to listen to a series of speakers organized by the Rotary’s Mental Health Task Force. The Rotary Club has long been involved in mental health and wellness initiatives. Rotary’s culture of “Service Above Self” builds community and promotes acts of kindness.

Jim Uszler, a Sun City resident and Rotarian, said, “This series on mental health created by Northern Illinois Rotary clubs welcomes all residents to view on Zoom. The Rotary Club of Huntley focuses on many local health issues that impact our community. If you would like to learn more, visit HuntleyRotary.org.”

A gathering of Chicago sports fans began new year with trivia at the Huntley Library

A gathering of Chicago sports fans began the new year with testing their knowledge in a fun atmosphere at Huntley Ares Public Library.

La Pelusa said, “We started the initiative in 2008, but we were making toys before that. The shop was there, but there was no charter club. A lot of work had to go into starting the club. Safety was the first consideration and still is.”

An audience of one

I’m handling my heart with kid gloves this season. I’m typically a newshound, but for the past month or so, I’m choosing my news carefully. TV news is completely off the table for now, and I’m being selective with print news, too. This won’t go on forever, but for right now, my heart is too raw, too tender to take on the pain and hurt of the entire world. I’m giving myself a break.

Waiting to exhale over holiday greetings

With Christmas lurking just behind the next snowflake, I find myself waiting in breathless anticipation for The Arrival.

No, it’s not Santa’s arrival that I find my heart a-flutter for. It’s not the Star of Bethlehem or midnight madness sales or Bing Crosby film reruns. “It’s a Wonderful Life” would have been a good guess, but it’s not that either.

Step into one resident’s home featured in Holiday House Walk

A holiday tradition that truly embodies the spirit of our Sun City community is the Holiday House Walk, organized by the Sunflower Garden Club.

The event has become quite popular. Four hundred tickets are sold for the Walk. They go on sale at the yearly SC Artisan Faire, which is held in mid-October. The tickets sold out by early November. Each homeowner who participates in the Walk chooses a charity for which a portion of the sales will be donated. One of the homes featured this year belongs to June Vedder.

Christmas cookie tradition involves whole family

Every year around Christmas, the women, and even a few boys, of Sun City resident Linda Dungey’s family merge to bake holiday cookies.

Dungey said, “My sister, Joan, and her friend, Debby, started baking cookies for Christmas forty-two years ago. They were both teachers, and after school for several days, they would get together and bake cookies in the evening. The tradition grew to include family members. Later, an annual date was set to help with the planning. It is scheduled for the first Saturday in December. We have only skipped one, 2020.”

Holidaze

Like all hectic Christmas seasons, plans can be dashed in an instant. Sadly, dear readers, this was the case with this review. The allure of a Barbenheimer experience with Wicked and Gladiator II is just not in the cards. And unfortunately, some of the latest awards hopefuls were a week or two away on streaming to catch in time for deadline. But, regardless of those setbacks, no fear here. Upon browsing through the annals of Netflix, I found a couple appropriately themed movies and specials just in time for a night-in with friends or a slow evening alone.

Ask an Angel: December 19, 2024

As the holidays are fast approaching, I’m struggling to find the perfect gifts for my aging parents. Although they are still independent, they are not thriving as much as they used to. My mom has a passion for gardening, and my dad loves to tinker with various projects. They used to be avid adventurers, but they’re not traveling as much these days.

Jolly Holiday Happenings Near Huntley!

Welcome, December! Hopefully everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Many new and exciting things are happening in and around the Huntley areas! Create lasting memories during this wonderful season. Wishing everyone safe and happy Holidays!

2024 B.E.L.C.H.

Another year bites the dust. It is a time for reflecting on old times and fond memories. Being the foodies that we are, our thoughts go to past tasty dishes. We remember the good old days, when breakfast cereals didn’t try to hide the sugar, such as Sugar Pops and Sugar Smacks. We remember past food fads, such as when anything and everything could be encased in a Jell-O mold. We reminisce about food favorites from our childhood such as fried baloney on Wonder Bread. Since Wonder bread is no longer available here, our neighbors Mary and Bruce on their trips back to the East coast bring us a loaf. And if that’s not enough, even our son sends us loaves by Fed Ex from Florida.

Political Place: December 19, 2024

Note: The views expressed in these political submissions do not reflect those of the Sun Day, its staff, or those associated to the Sun Day.

Hang Your Hat: December 19, 2024

Letters for the week of December 19.

Back on track

Many Sun City residents fondly recall the train display at Prairie Lodge. This year, the Model Railroad Club has a special gift for all.

“Our Christmas surprise to the community will be a train layout set up under the tree on Friday, November 25. It will be a G-scale train layout, a project we’ve all been eagerly working on, Joe Vavra announced.

The project coordinators, Dale Svoboda and Mike Nicholson, planned this year’s display and the train’s return.

To the dad who loves us

I am fortunate to still have both my parents, who have been married for 66 years. Mom is 89 and Dad just turned 95.

Back in November, finishing up Dad’s birthday cake at my sister’s large dining room table, we reminisced about our childhoods.

When life gives you lemons, make mullets

Let’s face it, there’s really no excuse, is there? If you want to get from point A to point B, just follow the directions and everything will come out alright.

That turkey you want to roast? Just buy the right bird, season it according to the recipe, check the temperature and the time, and you’ll be fine.

Pierogi party for the holidays

Food traditions can connect family members across generations. Traditional Christmas foods worldwide include Italy’s Feast of Seven Fishes and England’s Christmas pudding. Another family food tradition might be rising before the sun and making frybread or tamales for hundreds of others, or simply eating a particular food or beverage together over conversation. Food connects us, and its preparation and consumption are activities that can bridge members of multiple generations.

Never forget

John Zingale, a Sun City resident, was in New York on September 11, 2001.

“I was at work, and I always had on the radio. Over the airways came the news that the first tower was hit. I knew that this was no accident; no plane could accidentally fly into the building,” he said.

Proudly Serving the Community of Sun City in Huntley

Proudly Serving the Community of
Sun City in Huntley