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sner@shawmedia.com Meghan Landers says goodbye to her third-grader, Ava, on the first day of school at Whittie r School in Downers Grove on Thursday, Aug 26, 2021.

Thursday-Friday, October 21-22, 2021

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PHOTOS

Shaw Media • October 2021

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Geoff Stellfox – gstellfox@shawmedia.com Alex T. Paschal – apaschal@shawmedia.com

DIxon’s Ryan Pitzer makes a diving stop Friday, April 16, 2021 against Rockford Christian.

Andrea Kanive holds her son Marion Rickmon as his new pet chickens brush against his face on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, at their home in Joliet, Ill. Marion is autistic and sensory-sensitive, and his chickens have become a way to better connect with the world around him.

Our Favorites

The past two years have been anything but typical. Our photographers have been out on the front lines during the pandemic, capturing images that record important, historic, and interesting events as they unfold. The images you see in this special section are an important documentation of our society and the things we have done in 2021.

Sandy Bressner – sbressner@shawmedia.com

DiAndre Harris works with the Montini football team during practice in Lombard on Friday, March 12, 2021.

These photos are some of our favorites from 2021 by our photographers out covering our local communities. Some capture the lighter side of life, some record strong newsworthy moments, and some we just love. We hope you will love them too.

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Bride-to-be Natalie Barclay tries on a new wedding gown for her mother, JoAnna Barclay, and bridesmaid Megan Colbert on Thursday, April 1, 2021, at Simply Luxe in Algonquin.

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Tulips are in bloom for the Richardson Adventure Farm’s Tulip Festival on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Spring Grove.

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FAVORITE PHOTOS | Geneva High School cheerleaders tape their routine for a virtual competition.

Sandy Bressner – sbressner@shawmedia.com

Geoff Stellfox – gstellfox@shawmedia.com

A referee wears a matching face mask on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, at Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, Ill. The Raiders defeated the Griffins 73-67..

Sandy Bressner – sbressner@shawmedia.com

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Zoey Werner, 3, of Geneva, blows bubbles during the Blackberry Polo Club’s Batavia Art’s Council Tournament on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021.

Tara Fugate and Andrea Perrin, of DeKalb, wave flags during at the Pride parade event in downtown DeKalb. The event was hosted by the Egyptian Theatre, Safe Passage, DeKalb Public Library, Prism NIU, Queer-Oriented Rural Resource Network and the NIU Center for the Study of Women Gender & Sexuality.

Shaw Media • October 2021

Alex T. Paschal – apaschal@shawmedia.com

Makenzie Toms (left) and Emma Olson get hugged by a hippo outside of Reagan Middle School. The hippo was played by Makenzie’s mom, Paige. Approximately one dozen parents donned inflatable suits to greet and, perhaps, embarrass, their eighth grade graduates at ReaShea Lazansky – slazansky@shawmedia.com gan Middle School in Dixon on their last day before joining high school next school year. CreaThe Summer Carnival brought the rides and fun of the annual event to Oswego, as the regular tures ranged from the classic T-Rex to the “wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube-mom” PrairieFest celebrations were been pushed to Labor Day weekend due to the COVID-19 pan- as they hugged, high-fived and cheered the students as they exited the junior high door for the last time. demic.

Shaw Media • October 2021

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Shea Lazansky – slazansky@shawmedia.com

Yorkville High School’s Class of 2021 tossed its caps in celebration at the end of the school’s commencement exercises at Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Stadium, Friday, May 21.

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Caleb Linneman, 11, of Harvard, unloads sheep at the McHenry County Fairgrounds on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, in Woodstock.

Scott Anderson – sanderson@shawmedia.com

Kimberly Buckwald, of Chatham, uses her glow in the dark hula hoop while dancing to music of Tracy Byrd at the 100th annual Marshall-Putnam Fair in Henry on Thursday July 15, 2021.

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Deangelo Coleman, 5, of DeKalb, stands with other protesters in front of the DeKalb Police Department. The protest, organized by the group For the People-DeKalb, was marching against police brutality on the heels of Duante Wright’s shooting by police in Minnesota, the Derek Chauvin trial for the death of George Floyd and the release of the video of the police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in Chicago.

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Police officer and former Marine Tim Mitsven carries a large American Flag as he listens to the Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 31, 2021 in Crystal Lake. The parade began at Crystal Lake Central High School and continued through downtown, ending at Union Cemetery with a ceremony.

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FAVORITE PHOTOS | Alex T. Paschal – apaschal@shawmedia.com

A car sits fully engulfed near the corner of Hoyle Road and Bloody Gulch just south of Dixon Friday, May 28, 2021. Firefighters arrived just shortly thereafter.

American Legion Post 171 Commander Charlie Morgan salutes the flag as Dana Robinson sings the National Anthem during a Patriots Day rememberence for the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021 at Union Cemetery in Crystal Lake.

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Property owners and neighbors look over the damage Monday Aug. 9, 2021, at a home on Airport Road in Sycamore after severe weather rolled through the area.

Several funnel clouds and tornados were reported in DeKalb County Monday afternoon.

Shea Lazansky – slazansky@shawmedia.com

Yorkville pitcher Madi Reeves sends the ball flying to a batter during the IHSA Class 4A Sectional match June 10 against Neuqua Valley High School.

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Officers in protective gear search a car that crashed into the Sycamore Police Department on DeKalb Avenue on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.

Shaw Media • October 2021

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Addison Cunningham, 12, of Harvard, pets Tabbi, a Guernsey show cow, as Cunningham waits for her turn to use the hose to wash her cattle at the McHenry County Fairgrounds on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, in Woodstock.

Shaw Media • October 2021

| FAVORITE PHOTOS

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Geoff Stellfox – gstellfox@shawmedia.com

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Minooka players warm up in the sunset on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at West Aurora High School in Sycamore wrestlers cheer on their teammate during the match that clinched the Interstate 8 Conference championship over Kaneland at Sycamore High School.

Aurora, Ill.

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Rosemarie and Lloyd Lesmeister, both 93, flip through their wedding book from 1947 as they pose for a portrait on Friday, April 9, 2021, at their home in Crystal Lake. The couple got married at 19 and will be celebrating their 74th anniversary this year.

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

Crista Mundil, a nursing student at McHenry County College and volunteer at the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Huntley High School, fills a syringe with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, March 12, 2021 in Huntley.

Alex T. Paschal – apaschal@shawmedia.co

Upon hearing about the gun disturbance on July 4, 2021 at Dixon’s Petunia Fest, local activist Mark Stach took to the corner for a call for peace. “This needs to stop,” he said, “I’m just so sick of this.”

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FAVORITE PHOTOS | Geoff Stellfox – gstellfox@shawmedia.com

The 75th Annual La Grange Pet Parade took place in La Grange on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.

Sandy Bressner – sbressner@shawmedia.comcom

Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com

President Joe Biden visits Crystal Lake to promote his “Build Back Better” agenda at McHenry County College on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Crystal Lake.

Shea Lazansky – slazansky@shawmedia.com

P.H. Miller Elementary School Principal Laurel Mateyka (left) went on Facebook Live with kindergarten student Luna LaPlume Aug. 18 to celebrate the first day of the 2021-2022 school year.

Sandy Bressner – sbressner@shawmedia.com

Two-year-old Elaina Bretz helps her mom, Christi, attach dog tags to flags in the Field of Honor, with over 1,500 flags representing the MIAs and POWs from the Vietnam War, in Langum Park in St. Charles on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021.

Shaw Media • October 2021

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Northern Illinois Huskies quarterback Rocky Lombardi stiff-arms Maine Black Bears defensive Plainfield East players and coaches celebrate the team’s State Championship victory on Satback Kolubah Pewee Jr. to pick up extra yardage during their game Saturday, Sep. 25, 2021 in urday, June 19, 2021, at DuPage Medical Group Field in Joliet, Ill. The Bengals defeated the Huskie Stadium at NIU in DeKalb.

Lancer 6-5 to win the IHSA 4A State Baseball Championship.

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Shaw Media • October 2021

| FAVORITE PHOTOS

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