SVM_Lake Lifestyle_January 2026

JANUARY 2026

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For a local high school wrestler, the mat adds up ... to one Home is where the hearth is for fans of fireplaces Lake Carroll residents turn their eyes, and lenses, to the sky for a spectacular light show People enjoy cold beer, warm hearts and hot food at a bar and grill A

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PUBLICATION

Paddles are up and spirits are le high in Lake Carroll, where peop who’ve picked up on pickleball e are having fun playing one of th nation’s fastest growing sports

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JANUARY 2026

CONTACT INFO

PUBLISHER Jennifer Heintzelman EDITING & PAGE DESIGN Rusty Schrader PUBLISHED BY Sauk Valley Media, 113 S. Peoria Ave. , Dixon, IL 61021 STORY IDEA FOR LAKE LIFESTYLE? E-mail rschrader@saukvalley.com FOR ADVERTISING Contact Jill Reyna at 815-631-8774 or jreyna@saukvalley.com ADDRESS CHANGE FOR LAKE LIFESTYLE? E-mail info@golakecarroll.com

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The

ball their s t r u o c IS IN

Paddles are up

ll, rro Ca ke La in H IG H E AR S AND SPIRITle who’ve picked up on where peop

PICKanLEd soBmeALLfriendly competition, are enjoying each others’ company

playing one of the nation’s fastest growing sports

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PHOT M O: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.CO

If you saw a friend who was in a Nick and Brittany real pickle, you’d probably ask, “Can Torres of Lake I help?”

Carroll (left) But if you saw a paddle in their and Lake Carroll hands? Then the question might be, property owners “Can I play?”

Cherie and Mark You wouldn’t be alone. A lot of peoLower of Lanark ple are lining up for their day on courts, enjoy playing a thanks to the growing popularity of the game with sport that’s picked a funny name. It’s called pickleball, and it’s one up in popularity: STORY of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. — and it’s pickleball. The AND catching on in Lake Carroll, too. couples first played PHOTOS According to a 2025 report by the Sports & together at a CODY Fitness Industry Association, nearly 20 million tournament at the CUTTER people picked up the paddles in the U.S. in 2024, Davis Community SAUK a number that surged 311% the previous three Center in Mount VALLEY years; and some of those millions can be found Carroll in 2023.

MEDIA getting in to the swing of things in Lake Carroll.

“I’ll meet up with Rallies stretch into the afternoons hours as Brittany, Cherie and friends meet on outdoor courts, trading shots Mark, or whoever and tips, and sharing in their triumphs in a sport is willing ... and that feels equal parts exercise, strategy, and we can do this for camaraderie. hours,” Nick said.

For Lake Carroll residents Nick and Brittany Torres and property owners Mark and Cherie Lower, the small clusters of painted lines on the court have become a gathering place where friendly competition, shared rhythms and a rotating cast of like-minded enthusiasts shape their weeks in ways both spirited and grounding. On warm afternoons at the lake, the sound of paddles and laughter drifts from the pair of outdoor pickleball courts beside Plumtree Lodge, or on a private court at the Lowers’ property.

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PICKLEBALL cont’d from page 5 Nick and Brittany picked up the game for its mix of fitness and friendship. What surprised Nick, though, was how naturally it accommodates both intensity and ease.

“You can make it as competitive as you want, or you can make it as recreational as you want,” Nick said. “It can be competitive to where everyone’s dripping sweat, or recreational to where we’re all having a beer and relaxing when the sun’s out and enjoying the weather.”

Whether it’s a game after work or playing on unhurried weekends, Nick doesn’t have much trouble finding partners.

“I’ll meet up with Brittany, Cherie and Mark, or whoever is willing to meet up and we can do this for hours,” Nick said. “Whether it’s the court, weather, wind – all of those things add a little different aspect to the game. Everyone’s going through the same thing, but if you keep practicing through those things, with small movements over and over again, things become more fluid.”

Pickleball, which celebrated its 60th birthday in 2025, blends elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, creating a fast-paced but easy-to-learn game for all ages and skill levels. Courts are about 40 percent the size of a tennis setup, and players use a square paddle that’s about midway in size between a ping pong paddle and raquetball racket to hit a perforated plastic ball, similar to a whiffle ball, over a low net on a badminton-sized court, either one-on-one or in doubles. After a serve made underhand and cross-court (which must be below one’s navel and out of one’s hand), teams exchange shots, aiming to keep the ball in play while avoiding faults such as hitting out of bounds or volleying inside the no-volley zone (also known as the “kitchen”) near the net. Points are scored only by the serving team, and games typically go to 11, winning by two (go to usapickleball.org/rules for all the rules).

PICKLEBALL cont’d to page 7

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PICKLEBALL cont’d from page 6 Cherie approaches pickleball with a strategist’s mind. She and Mark play often, and participate in several area pickleball tournaments when their schedules allow. She also paired with Nick to win a pickleball tournament held by the Lake Carroll Recreation Department in 2023 at the Davis Community Center in Mount Carroll.

It’s those experiences that have made her relish both the mental challenge and the variety of partners.

“I definitely like the strategy side,” Cherie said. “I prefer to play with people who have played longer, and that makes you strategize … You try to figure it out and work with your [doubles] partner, and then you have a new partner who’s someone who played for years. I love that chess game mindset.”

Still, she appreciates that the game welcomes all sorts of players and energy levels, and is willing to help newcomers — “A new person, all the better,” she says.

“Anybody can play it,” Cherie said. “It just depends on what level you want to be. I know groups of women who play after going for coffee, play for two hours and they’re done, with no real competition and a lot of giggles. When we play, it’s competitive.”

One of her favorite things about pickleball is its portability; a pair of paddles is essentially a passport to the court.

“I like the fact that we can travel anywhere to play,” Cherie said. “When we go to Arizona, Florida, wherever, we can take our paddles with us. There are several places online to find out where to play. You can be at any level and get in a game.”

Finding fellow pickleball players, and places to play, has become easier in recent years.

PICKLEBALL cont’d to page 8

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PICKLEBALL cont’d from page 7 The sport’s national governing body, USA Pickleball, reported that nearly 4,000 new pickleball locations were added in 2024, bringing the total at that time to 15,910; and with many locations featuring more than one court, the total number of courts was 68,458, an increase of 18,455.

According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, the top-playing pickleball age group are those 55 and older, with the second top group ages 18-34. The sport’s increase in popularity also has led to more opportunities to play for those with disabilities, leading to the National Championships hosting its first wheelchair division during the 2024 event in Mesa, Ariz.

Learning the game Because placement and strategy often outweigh sheer power, the sport favors patience, quick footwork and smart shot selection. Professional instruction is available at Westwood Sports Center in Sterling, which has six indoor pickleball courts, and where Chris Dudley offers group and private lessons in both pickleball and tennis.

A United States Professional Tennis Association certified coach, Dudley has played tennis since the 1970s and is the center’s racket sports coordinator. He has helped several players transition from playing tennis to pickleball, and vice versa. Like millions of others, he’s embraced the rise of pickleball, and has seen countless newcomers pick up a paddle for the first time. He remains impressed by how accessible the game is. An hour-long lesson can pass quickly because the sport’s mechanics are so approachable and the pace of play so steady.

PICKLEBALL cont’d to page 9

NICK TORRES

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PICKLEBALL cont’d from page 8 “I’m sort of a tennis traditionalist, but we’ve embraced pickleball and have way more pickleball players out here than tennis,” Dudley said. “Tennis is still a popular sport, and a growing sport, but pickleball is so easy to learn quickly. If I’m giving a pickleball lesson, and two people come out who have never tried it before, usually by the end of an hour they’ll play a real game, or at least try it — you don’t see that on a tennis court.”

That early success is part of what keeps beginners coming back. The first triumph often comes simply from getting the ball over the net, but the sport deepens quickly.

“There’s a lot of eye-hand coordination, a lot of agility,” Dudley said. “As you get better and more skilled, strategy comes into play. There’s that first level where you’re so happy just to hit it and it goes over the net, and then as you get more comfortable with it and get a little more skilled, then you can think about strategy, aiming, and recognizing that your opponent may not like to hit their backhands.”

Dudley encourages new players to take lessons sooner rather than later, so they can learn proper footwork, paddle position, and court awareness without developing what could become bad habits. In his view, pickleball has potential as a meaningful fitness tool as well — a kind of “Couch to 5K” equivalent for racket sports, he said, offering a gradual and social way to build cardiovascular health and agility.

Regardless of how you play, what you play with matters from the beginning. Good equipment is key, and Dudley urges players to choose true court shoes rather than running shoes, which aren’t built for the lateral movements that pickleball demands.

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PICKLEBALL cont’d to page 11

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m

coming to Terms A game called pickleball is bound to have a few terms that are as funny sounding as the game’s name. Below are just a few of the dozens of pickleball terms. For a more complete list, go to playpickleball.com/ pickleball-terms-definitions.

wanna have a Ball? Aside from the pair of outdoor

pickleball courts next to Plumtree Lodge in Lake Carroll, which are open only to members and their guests, northwest Illinois and eastern Iowa have several indoor and outdoor courts ...

INDOORS (drop-in use fees vary by location)

the N ame of th eg

Clinton, Iowa: River Cities Tennis and Pickleball, 315 Fourth Ave. South; 563-2198826; pickleball court availability varies, go to rivercitiestennisandpickleball.com/ monthly-calendar for times. Dedicated youth sessions from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Monday.

Dixon: The Facility, 1312 Washington Ave.; 815-284-3306; wood courts available from 8 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Bring your own paddle.

Oregon: Nash Recreation Center, 304 S. Fifth St.; 815-732-3101; wood courts available from 8 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Mount Carroll: Davis Community Center, 631 S. East St.; 815-244-5524; wood courts dedicated to pickleball from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, other times available according to calendar at daviscommunitycenter.org.

Sterling: Westwood Sports Center, 1900 Westwood Dr., building 3; 815-6226201; acrylic courts available from 8 a.m. to noon and 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. Tennis in same building; private lessons for pickleball and tennis available.

Byron: Joe Parks Athletic Parks, 1113 W. Second St., 815-234-8435 Clinton, Iowa: Riverview Park, 303 Riverview Dr., 563-243-1260 Dixon: Meadows Park, 1716 Washington Ave., 815-284-3306 Freeport: Krape Park, 1799 Park Blvd., 815-235-6114 Lena: Dodds Park, 206 Walnut St., 815-369-5351 Morrison: Kelly Park, 300 E. High St., 815-535-1105; find Morrison Pickleball on Facebook for summer lesson times Pecatonica: Sumner Park, 301 W. First St., 815-239-1083 Rochelle: Helms Park, 1120 N. Eighth St., 815-562-7813 Savanna: Old Mill Park, 9621 U.S. Route 52, 815-273-4549 Sterling: Thomas Park, 2301 12th Ave., 815-622-6200

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e m a Though there’s been some debate about

where pickleball’s name originated — a name inspired by a boat or a name inspired by a dog — the family who helped invent the game in 1965 said the boat story is the one that holds water. Joan Pritchard, wife of Joel, said the name was inspired by the term “pickle boats,” which are boats in crew races made up of “leftover” oarsmen, much like pickleball was made up from leftover sports equipment. While some contend that the game was named after the family pet, Pickles, Joan’s son Frank said the dog was named for the game, not the other way around. To read the full story, go to /thekitchenpickle. com/blogs/community/pickleballs-name-origin.

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BANGER — A player who consistently drives the ball or hits the ball hard, regularly choosing power over where they are placing the ball.

DINK — A ball hit underhand from (or near) your nonvolley zone into your opponent’s non-volley (or kitchen) zone.

GOLDEN PICKLE —To win 11-0 (or hold your opponents scoreless) with all serves coming from the first server of the game without ever losing serve.

NASTY NELSON — A serve that intentionally hits the nonreturning player of the returning team without bouncing.

This play awards a point to the serving team.

PICKLED — Losing a pickleball game without scoring, usually 11-0.

TWEENER — Returning the ball between your legs.

VOLLEY LLAMA — A shot where a player hits a volley in the kitchen, or non-volley zone. This shot is illegal.

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CH DU RIS DLE Y

PICKLEBALL cont’d from page 9 “There are so many lateral motions, and I’ve seen people roll their ankles with running shoes,” Dudley said. “There’s virtually nothing holding you in your shoe if you’re moving [left or right]; running shoes are made for going straight.”

Places to play Northwest Illinois and eastern Iowa offer several indoor and outdoor places to play pickleball, giving newcomers and regulars plenty of time and room to learn the game and to get to know fellow pickleballers. Beyond Lake Carroll’s member-only courts beside Plumtree Lodge, and the aforementioned Davis and Westwood centers, indoor facilities in the area also are available in Clinton, Dixon and Oregon. Outdoor courts, many of which were converted from tennis courts, are available in Byron, Clinton, Dixon, Freeport, Lena, Morrison, Pecatonica, Rochelle, Savanna and Sterling (see page 10 for a list of locations).

For all the talk of the game’s growth, its strategies, and tournaments and techniques, pickleball’s staying power rests on something simpler: the joy of showing up for one another, point after point. It’s a truth Nick often returns to, treating each point as its own moment — a philosophy that makes for minimal frustration and maximum fun.

“No matter how many times you do it for practice, you’re going to get into a game and you’re going to make a mistake,” Nick said. “It takes consistency, practice and a strong mindset. You’re going to make a lot of mistakes, so you don’t want to get aggravated. Just enjoy it and have fun. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

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A m t to The

add dds up ...

oNe A high school wrestler from Lake Carroll is built for the bouts, with a mindset that embraces the singular focus of the sport, knowing that when he faces off against an opponent, there’s only one person he can pin his hopes of winning on: Himself

by CODY CUTTER Sauk Valley Media

12 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026

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In the sport of wrestling, one’s fate solely falls on how well they do against the person they are competing against. No teammates, just strength, determination, and skills — everything hinges on what the wrestler does on the mat as they execute grasps and maneuvers to pin their opponent.

It’s that singular focus on success that Lake Carroll’s Kaenyn McCarren likes about wrestling.

Kaenyn, a senior at Eastland High School in Lanark, competes on the Polo Marcos cooperative wrestling team, made up of wrestlers from Eastland, Polo, Forreston and Milledgeville high schools.

Kaenyn McCarren

the sport’s s individuality, but also values Kaenyn not only likes wrestling’ gs he credthin — e -reflection and persistenc demands for accountability, self roving imp on and confidence. He’s focused its with teaching him discipline all als, while and sharpening his fundament his relentless pace on the mat, y as one of ng and leadership along the wa chi tea for sion pas a g erin cov dis the team’s three co-captains. year to improving Kaenyn is dedicating his senior of 25-16 (itself on last year’s win-loss record record in his 24an improvement over the 20 his first taste for sophomore year), and looking in February. It of sectional level competition to a high school would be a satisfying conclusion a freshman who had wrestling career that began as against more seanever wrestled before, going up d the sport as junior soned athletes who had learne n a quick learning process high or grade schoolers. It’s bee to that he’s focused his dedication for Kaenyn, helped by the fact y sport he plays. b in Freeport, succeeding by making it the onl the Alber Athletics wrestling clu for d stle wre nyn Kae , son sea School, and he During the offrs and coaches at Dakota High stle wre l sfu ces suc of ily Fam had college operated by the Alber graduates in May — he’s already he r afte e leg col in t ma the on hopes to continue his time roll since Kaenyn was in coaches reach out to him. arren, who’ve lived in Lake Car McC ra Ma and e om Jer of son Kaenyn is the up with Kaenyn to talk Lake Lifestyle recently caught . ton res For in d live usly vio ... fifth grade, having pre e to find out what he had to say the wrestling mat. Turn the pag on s nce erie exp his ut abo him to A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026 | 13

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What do you like and enjoy about wrestling?

I love the individuality of it. I like that the work I put into my wrestling, wrestling all year round and lifting [weights] in the off-season, translates onto what I do on the mat during the high school season. I love the team aspect of it, but I love that I can show my work on the mat.

What makes wrestling a sport worth taking up?

The individuality. If you’re on a football team, you can rely on your team. If you slack a little, your team can pick that up. In wrestling, all of that pressure is on you. It builds character and hard work, important characteristics that you’re going to use for the rest of your life. Wrestling has taught me so many lessons.

Lessons such as … ?

Hard work. Responsibility. Self-reflection is a big one.

After I’ve wrestled someone I faced in the off-season, and say I lose, but in the off-season I beat him, I do a little self-reflecting. Is it the pressure? What were some of the things that I could have done? What are the things that I didn’t do in this match? It makes me think about myself.

If it’s a hard practice, and if I’m thinking I can’t do something and should only go half-way, I’ll then think, “It’s not going to get me better.”

MCCARREN cont’d to page 15 CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

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JANUARY 2026

Also inside ...

For a local high school wrestler, the mat adds up ... to one Home is where the hearth is for fans of fireplaces Lake Carroll residents turn their eyes, and lenses, to the sky for a spectacular light show People enjoy cold beer, warm hearts and hot food at a bar and grill A

PUBLICATION

spirits are Paddles are up and e people ll, wher high in Lake Carro on pickleball who’ve picked up one of the g are having fun playin ing sports nation’s fastest grow

4

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CONTACT JILL at 815-631-8774 or jreyna@ saukvalley.com

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MCCARREN cont’d from page 14

One of the [slogans] I’ve picked up on is

“sprint the mile.”

Kaenyn McCarren

Anyone can run a mile,

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but the guy who can sprint that whole entire mile, that guy’s going to win every time.

Take us through the start of your wrestling involvement.

I started wrestling my freshman year. At the time, I was playing football. One of my friends suggested that I wrestle to get better in football. I walked in to the wrestling room and fell in love with it. I started wrestling all year round since my sophomore year. I had to do my fair share of catching up to these guys. A lot of these guys I’m wrestling are state-ranked and have been state qualifiers, and I have to catch up to them and work on my skills as long as I can.

What’s been the biggest improvement in how you wrestle since your freshman year?

Probably chain wrestling. Instead of going from one move and thinking about your next move, you go to not even thinking about it. I’ve really worked on not having to think about what I have to do, and it just being second nature.

Obviously the main goal in a bout is to pin your opponent, but what else do you want to accomplish while you’re on the mat?

One of the [slogans] I’ve picked up on is “sprint the mile.” Anyone can run a mile, but the guy who can sprint that whole entire mile, that guy’s going to win every time. Putting my pace on the guy and pressuring him to get him tired, and focusing on my shots; offense is the best defense. I really focus on setting my own pace and getting my own shots.

MCCARREN cont’d to page 16

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MCCARREN cont’d from page 15 Being on a team that is a cooperative arrangement with multiple high schools, what has it been like to be around teammates who aren’t in school with you?

It’s been great. When I first started, I knew a lot of the Forreston guys because we once went to school together, but it’s definitely great meeting new kids. We have a lot of freshmen from Forreston on the team this year, and it’s great to have them and introduce them to new stuff.

I really got close with Lucas Nelson last year [a senior teammate of his last year]. It’s great meeting new people.

What does it take to be a wrestler?

Heart and dedication. It takes heart just go to out on the mat in front of everyone, and it takes heart, discipline and dedication to put in the work. Some people say that the hardest conditioning is in wrestling, and to put yourself through that takes a lot of heart.

MCCARREN cont’d to page 17

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Kaenyn McCarren (top) spars with a teammate during wrestling practice at Polo High School.

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MCCARREN cont’d from page 16 Aside from the accolades like winning a state championship, are there any other goals you have for this year?

Definitely working on my offense. I really like gaining my shots. People love flashy moves, but the guys who win the matches are the guys who are perfect at the fundamentals. Getting near perfect on my simple fundamentals is something that I want to work on. Another one is “letting it fly” — so instead of being so worried about the match, or about your opponent being ranked, to not give into the hype and wrestle my match.

With all of this being said, is there anything else you’ve also come to like and enjoy about being in wrestling?

One thing that wrestling has taught me that I never would have thought — it’s taught me so many things — is that I like the teaching aspect.

If I’m good at a move, and I know how to show it, I enjoy showing it to other kids and watching my teammates progress. It wasn’t something that I thought I was into, but I’ve come to enjoy it. Then the whole leadership aspect: I wasn’t sure I was fit to be a leader, but I really enjoy it. n

David Skonieczny (top) grapples with Kaenyn McCarren at the Polo Wrestling Invitational at Polo High School on Jan. 6, 2024.

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People who want to give their home a cozy disposition are warming up to the idea of installing a fireplace — especially when they find out they can put their axes and saws on the chopping block If you want to watch a grown-up light up like a kid at Christmas, just give them a remote control and a fireplace.

Jay Doyle has seen those moments a lot. After nearly 20 years working with fireplaces, Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning’s sales manager knows the look well.

A customer decides to convert from a wood burning fireplace to natural gas, or maybe it’s their first time with a fireplace — but whatever the case, when they push that button, hear that click, and see those flames start dancing, they get a smile on their face and a sparkle in their eyes. There’s just something about the marriage of old-world ambiance with modern convenience that brings out the kid in them when their fireplace come to life for the first time.

It’s enough to make them want to break out the chestnuts and start roasting.

And part of the reason they’re smiling? They know the days of hauling in firewood and cleaning up ashes are a thing of the past.

“A lot of times people are getting older and they don’t want to chop wood anymore, or they don’t have a source for wood but still want a fireplace to have the ambiance of a fire,” Doyle said. “They’ll go to a gas insert or a gas fireplace, where they’ll turn it on with a flip of a switch rather than having to find and cut wood. At the click of a button, you can have a fireplace and have heat.”

LOESCHER cont’d to page 20

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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

LOESCHER cont’d from page 19 Loescher, which is located in Freeport and does heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical work throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, stepped into the fireplace world in 2007. Since then, the company has carved out a niche in both full gas fireplace installations and gas inserts for old wood-burning hearths.

Less work is just one benefit of having a gas fireplace. Another perk: increased efficiency. Today’s models are better at doing their job than their predecessors, which were more like decorative space heaters that tended to pull air from inside the home.

Gas fireplaces provide clean and steady heat, customizable flame heights, backlighting options, remote controls and thermostatic settings — all of which transforms a room in a way that’s both aesthetic and practical. The logs in the units may look real, but they’re actually made of ceramic fiber, and the flames mimic the curl and rise of burning wood, even if they don’t replicate the classic crackle (since there is no crackle in a gas fireplace).

Today’s models are a different species entirely, Doyle said.

“The new fireplaces are great to where they are very efficient and pull outside air rather than air through the inside,” he said. “The new fireplaces have an intake and an exhaust, so they can bring in outside air, combust that, and exhaust the air. A lot of them are over 80 percent efficient, just under what a gas furnace would be. A lot of people like them because they don’t burn the air from inside the house.”

Jay Doyle, sales manager at Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning in Freeport, shows off a gas fireplace model in the businesses' showroom.

LOESCHER cont’d to page 21

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LOESCHER cont’d from page 20 People who want to see what a gas fireplace is like can visit Loescher’s Freeport showroom, where different models are on display — both wall units and standalone models. Doyle guides customers through the features and benefits of each model, helping them find the right fit for their home. He’ll also go over the maintenance aspect of owning one, so customers will know what to expect before buying — and when he talks, he speaks from experience.

Doyle doesn’t just sell fireplaces. He lives with one, and like other fireplace owners, his stories are often less about thermodynamics and more about thoughtful moments.

“We have a study room where my wife goes to read books,” he said.

“You think about snow falling, looking out the window, and a fire’s going, and she finds her peace there reading a book, drinking hot chocolate by the fire and being relaxed. Our animals like lying by the fire and love sitting in a room with a fire, there’s something peaceful about it.”

They’re not the only ones. Doyle enjoys sitting by the fire while flipping through a golf magazine or reviewing a recording of a basketball game for the teams he coaches at Orangeville High School.

“A lot of times you have a room that you want to go to, rather than one with a TV,” Doyle said. “There’s something about going into a room that’s quiet and peaceful and warm.”

Can every home have one? These days, almost. As gas fireplace technology has improved, installation has become surprisingly flexible, allowing units to vent straight out the back with minimal clearance, making it rare that a suitable location can’t be found.

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

LOESCHER cont’d to page 23

Rustic, industrial, modern — Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning offers a variety of styles of gas fireplaces to suit different decors.

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Before

After

“You think about snow falling, looking out the window, and a fire’s going ... reading a book, drinking hot chocolate ... there’s something peaceful about it.”

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Whether you’re replacing an old fireplace or installing a new one, Loescher’s crew can help. Above: Jason Nesemeier installs a gas fireplace at a Freeport home, replacing the wood-burning one that had been in place. Right: Once a client’s fireplace is installed, a warm and toasty feeling is only a push button away, and lifelike logs and glass pellets add to the ambiance.

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LOESCHER cont’d from page 21 “Positioning in the log set matters,” he said.

If the homeowner has a “There’s a specific way they contractor on the job, Loescher need to sit. They come with an will work with them during the The instruction booklet and there installation process to ensure fireplace are pegs on the main logs so everything goes smoothly; showroom that they don’t shift, and there they can also recommend at Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning, 1860 are other logs that just sit on contractors. Doyle visits each S. Walnut Road in Freeport, is open 7:30 a.m. top. Sometimes people don’t house personally, measures to 4:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Find it on like [how it can look], and I’ll the space, shows booklets and Facebook, go to loescherhvac.com/fireplacetell them that’s how they are walks customers through their installation-repair or call 855-499-4328 to because they’re at a certain choices. schedule a setup or for more information. position in order for “I don’t want to sell the burn to work. The something to someone manufacturer’s look is if they don’t want it,” their design and how it goes; it’s something we can’t mess with.”

Doyle said. “I want them to be happy, but I also want them to unFireplaces offer more than supplemental heat: They can derstand what they’re going to get for the price. Fireplaces aren’t shape how a home feels and functions, becoming a gathering cheap. You want to be forthcoming with the fact that this one is place for friends and family, or simply a place where homeowngoing to give you this, and this one is going to give you this.”

He also makes sure people understand the care involved. One ers can sit back and relax at the end of a long day.

Once installed, they become part of a home’s personality. of the things people want when they put a fireplace in is that “They’re a focal point of your room,” Doyle said. “I tell people they don’t want you back every half-year working on a fireplace, that with the guys we have doing them, they make sure that Doyle said. Gas fireplaces are easier to maintain than wood when they’re done, everything is how they would want it in their burners, but they still need attention: Cleaning the glass with only soap and water, checking for fogging, watching for soot and own home.” n — most importantly — making sure the ceramic fiber logs stay Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at perfectly positioned.

815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

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NORTHERN

sauk valley media

Lake Carroll residents turned their eyes, and their lenses, to the sky when a perfect storm brought the cosmos closer to home for a S T O R Y : few nights, unfurling cc uot tde yr curtains of light across PHOTOS: you ... of lifestyle northern Illinois thelakereaders

sures

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nor thern lights

RE ADER PHOTOS What’s usually a spectacular spectacle in the Arctic region made a rare appearance in our neck of the woods, stretching south, well beyond its typical visibility zone. It’s a reminder of just how wild and wondrous our planet can be.

The phenomenon doesn’t visit northern Illinois often, but when it did this time, it ruled the night. The Northern Lights typically keep to the confines of places farther north, such as Iceland, Alaska and remote Canadian provinces where nights and lights go hand in hand. Yet on two November nights, the auroral oval dipped southward, pushed down by a geomagnetic storm sparked by a surge of charged solar particles.

What happened above Lake Carroll and elsewhere in northern Illinois was the result of a burst of solar energy: coronal mass ejections hurled outward from the sun, colliding

with Earth’s magnetosphere and turning invisible magnetic lines into curtains of color. The afterglow of that collision translated into light: faint greens, rosy smudges, a thin wash of various colors, depending on the hour.

It also translated into photos, countless images shown on TV and shared on social media, including some captured

by Lake Carroll residents, who aren’t totally unaccustomed to seeing the lights. (For those who want to grab a photo with their phone the next time the lights appear, it’s best to have your phone’s camera set to night mode). Lake Lifestyle reached out to residents and asked them to share photos they took of the lights, and several did, which you’ll see on the following pages.

LIGHTS cont’d to page 26

Just after dusk, a soft glow began to gather along the northern horizon. It started faintly, and then it spread: the Aurora Borealis — also known as the Northern Lights — had arrived in northwest Illinois. Improbable? Perhaps. Impressive? Definitely.

On the nights of Nov. 11 and 12, something ancient and electric slipped quietly over Lake Carroll.

of Lake Carroll

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PHOTO ABOVE

LIGHTS cont’d from page 25

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A sight like the night lights is bound to attract attention — and study, mainly by meteorologists and astronomers across the region, who were paying close attention. Among them, Alexander Gibbs, lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities, who shared some information with Lake Lifestyle.

“When the sun erupts, it sends a solar flare into outer space,” Gibbs said. “This flare can excite the solar wind. If it’s directed toward Earth, it interacts with our magnetosphere.

The strength of the solar flare, and how much of it hits Earth, affects the auroras.”

Gibbs noted that this particular burst followed an X5.1-class flare, which is among the strongest categories. While not a record, its direct path toward Earth and the strong southward pull of the solar wind led to the event, he said.

The timing of when the Northern Lights push into northern Illinois has no rhyme or reason — it comes at random.

“With the sun in its active sunspot cycle, we see more flares,” Gibbs said, “but for us to see the Northern Lights, all things must come together.”

Forecasting it, he added, is its own challenge. Flares can be modeled, “but until near-Earth satellites start detecting them, it is hard to say what will happen,” Gibbs said.

LIGHTS cont’d to page 27

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LIGHTS cont’d from page 26 Astronomers echoed that sense of unpredictability. Jim Dole, Director of the Doug Firebaugh Observatory in Freeport, has seen many auroras over the years, yet this one stood out.

Dole emphasized just how complex and elusive the science behind the lights is.

“The visibility and intensity of auroral display have historically been, and still are, notoriously unpredictable,” Dole said. “In the last decades, we now have orbiting spacecraft that are continuously monitoring solar activity, making predictions much better. Once a strong solar event is observed to be heading toward the Earth, it takes about two days for the solar wind particles to reach Earth. Our understanding of the sun and its effect on the Earth continues to grow. This event was the result of three coronal mass ejections heading toward Earth. A coronal mass ejection is a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s corona.”

The latest event was “very good,” he said – memorable not just scientifically but personally. “Notably, this was my wife’s first time to see bright auroras with the unaided eye,” he said.

Until the next light show, the memory of this one will linger, two nights when Lake Carroll and outer space didn’t seem so far apart, and the universe reminded us that we live under a sky capable of wonder. n

su bm itt ed

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Schricker

of Lake Carroll

Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

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SOURCE: CALPACLAB.COM/THE-AURORA-BOREALIS-INFOGRAPHIC

If you haven’t seen the Northern Lights, you’ve been missing out these past couple of years. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center said 2024’s displays were more frequent, longer, and brighter — and the Nov. 11 display throughout Illinois was even more eye-popping. Want to travel and have a good chance of seeing one? Here are some of the best places: FAIRBANKS, ALASKA Fairbanks is considered one of the best places in the world to view the Northern Lights, as it’s located directly under the auroral oval. A number of local tour companies offer a variety of viewing experiences, or you can plan your own self-guided driving tour.

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND October through March is the best time to chase the aurora borealis in Iceland. While there are numerous natural parks and attractions throughout the country where you can view the show, the capital city of Reykjavik also offers many options for accommodations, restaurants, tours, and other activities for your visit.

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MINNESOTA Located on the international border between Minnesota and Ontario, Voyageurs National Park is an approximately 218,000-acre labyrinth of boreal forests, lakes and streams. Additionally, Voyageurs provides opportunities to view the Milky Way on clear evenings, especially in the summer.

YELLOWKNIFE, CANADA Thanks to its position in the middle of the auroral oval, the city puts on one of the world’s most awe-inspiring light shows. The best window for spotting the aurora in Yellowknife typically falls between mid-November and the beginning of April.

Like the idea of viewing the Northern Lights from the water? Many cruise lines offer Northern Lights expeditions.

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Class has been dismissed for a long time in a village a few miles north of Lake Carroll, but people who stop by a bar and grill there can still learn a few things about small-town hospitality, country livin’, and how it became OK to slurp and burp in a school Drive a few miles northwest of Lake Carroll and you’ll find e yourself slipping into on ote of those stretches of rem ks forget farm country where fol they’re in a hurry. de right Blink and you might gli es peeled past it, but keep your ey lhouse, and an old white schoo al bell tower, complete with its origin ght not comes into view. You mi but inside is a know it at first glance, test of time, place that’s passed the mmunity for co remaining part of the t as a school, more than 100 years, firs r and grill. and in recent years a ba is Sandy’s That old school building

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big personwn bar and grill with a -to all sm a , ran Lo in rp Slurp ’n Bu uthwestern corner ftless Area hills in the so ality tucked into the Dri ds: in “greater down— or as a sign inside rea of Stephenson County re cows in the there are sometimes mo ere wh ce pla a ,” ran Lo town village than people. years, the busiof the local landscape for Though a familiar part d the bar: siblings d some new faces behin ness recently welcome as manager, and . Blair is the face of place, ore Mo ff Je d an ir Bla y Sand er duo from k over, the brother-sist too y the e for Be it. ns Moore ow the Ol’ Grizzly bar in ent four years running the Orangeville area sp before selling it last year.

Browntown, Wisconsin, ht them back to a behind a bar has broug p sto est lat gs’ lin sib e Th y want their home — which is what the at ht rig l fee y the ere place wh . customers to feel like, too he opportunity iry farm,” Blair said. “T da a on “We were raised t in the country being for sale, and it’s ou ce pla s thi th wi up ed open nted to make . We like farmers. We wa life m far e lik We it. e e else.” like we lik and farmers and everyon ity un mm co the for t ou it a local hang LORAN cont’d to page 36

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SLURP cont’d from page 35 Blair has been in the bar business or 40 years, many of those at Dave’s Place in Lanark, and brings a lifetime of experience flipping burgers, slinging suds, and listening to the countless stories that come with a job being everyone’s best friend.

Moore and Blair have kept much of the building’s unique architecture as an old school intact, and its history is still on display, including a bar bell. The school’s original bell from 1906, which weighs about 230 pounds, has been restored and hangs above the bar. The original 3/8-inch-thick blackboards also have been repurposed, listing the daily food and drink specials. Elsewhere, a photo on the wall shows what the building looked like during its school days.

That sense of history is part of the charm for the regulars who drop in several times a week, and for the travelers who find the place for the first time.

“We wanted “We have a lot of regulars who come in, and we get a lot of people to make it a who are from out of town that stop as they’re driving through,” Blair said. “We try to cater to everyone in the community and outside of Tucked away in the local hangout for the community. We have a variety of people, and the locals have been rolling landscape of the community really good with us.”

Stephenson County is There’s no shortage of tales from the building’s school days. A drum and farmers and the community of Loran, from the old school hangs inside, and black-and-white photos line the and a former schooleveryone else.” walls. Blair said she’s working with former owner John Knoup to bring in house-turned watering more mementos, and the historical society in Pearl City has pieces as well. hole: Sandy’s Slurp ‘n Burp.

She’s hoping to slowly assemble the pieces so that the place becomes more than Bar manager Sandy Blair said just a bar — a connection not only to the past but the way small communities such as she and her brother, bar owner Jeff Loran continue to play a role today.

Moore, are happy to get back to their roots in a farm community.

SLURP cont’d to page 37

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36 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026

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as manager of the renamed Sandy’s Slurp ’n Burp, where she oversees a staff of five at the bar and grill.

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“I want them to enjoy our food and the Sandy Blair has been in the bar business conversations in here, for 40 years, and her latest job is tending to and leave not as a a place with her name on it. Sandy’s brother, visitor but as a Jeff Moore, recently bought the Slurp ‘n Burp in Loran, and made his sister head of the class, friend ...”

HO W P

SLURP cont’d from page 36 “We like hearing about it,” she said. “Especially the elderly; they really inform you about a lot of stuff in here, and it’s been very interesting to learn about it. They like that they can sit here and talk with us about it.”

And talk they do. Chatting is a kind of currency at Sandy’s Slurp ’n Burp : locals catching up, farmhands comparing notes on weather and yields, hunters drifting in from the woods, travelers announcing where they’re from before they’ve even ordered.

Blair’s son Jordan, who also works behind the bar, says that’s his favorite part.

“I like the people here,” he said. “I like hearing the stories about when this was an old school.”

As for the irreverent rhyming in the bar’s name, that was Knoup’s idea. He owned the bar for nearly 15 years, and was also one of the students who went there when it was a school, a place where teachers would’ve frowned on slurping and burping. Knoup sold the bar in 2023 to Paul and Marilyn Loar, who sold it to Moore last year.

SLURP cont’d to page 38

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A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026 | 37

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SLURP cont’d from page 37 Blair has brought much of the menu from the Ol’ Grizzly to the Slurp and Burp, but made sure to keep some local favorites, like the Loran Burger, a Slurp ’n Burp tradition — a cheeseburger with barbecue sauce — which is a nod to the old owners and the tavern’s roots. Another item that stuck around, with a slight tweak, are the Farmer Fries, an appetizer that had been made with fries, bacon, queso cheese and jalapenos. Blair opted for tater tots instead, a change she said that fits the place.

“We changed it up some, but kept it basic,” she said. “I like to make food that I know country people like.”

One of the things that people like are her pizzas, another menu item she brought from the Ol’ Grizzly menu.

“They’re homemade, and everyone seems to love them,” Blair said. “We sell a lot of them. It’s very filling pizza, and we don’t skimp on them. For two people, it takes all they have to eat one.”

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

SLURP cont’d to page 39

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38 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026

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SLURP cont’d from page 38 Daily specials lean toward traditional bar and grill fare: tacos on Tuesdays, pizza specials on Thursdays, fish on Fridays (made with thin, beer-battered, deep-fried cod), and a little of anything on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The bar’s laid-back, friendly feel extends to everything the Slurp ’n Burp does: bands once or twice a month, a banquet room that seats 40 and hosts everything from snowmobile club meetings to family gatherings, and a deck that looks out to the surrounding countryside. The Loran Fest each August still fills the burg with vendors, bands and a tractor parade, which this last year became the event’s largest, with nearly 60 entrees. Trunkor-Treat brings out the kids in October.

Feeling lucky? You can try your hand at one of the five gambling machines at the bar.

While the food and drink keeps people in their seats, the atmosphere is what keeps them coming back.

“We want them to be able to come in, feel relaxed and make them feel like they’re part of the bar,” Blair said. “I want them to enjoy our food and the conversations in here, and leave not as a visitor but as a friend and come back.”

SLURP cont’d to page 40

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“I like hearing the stories about when this was an old school.”

Pieces of the bar’s former life as a one-room schoolhouse can be seen throughout the bar.

Sandy Blair’s son, Jordan, who also works at the bar, said locals like to come in and share stories about the school days.

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SLURP cont’d from page 39 Out in Loran, entertainment has always been more about ingenuity than amenities. Blair laughs when she tells a story about some recent visitors.

“I had a group of motorcyclists Sandy’s Slurp ‘n Burp, 4319 S. Loran come in from the Woodstock area, Road in Loran, is open from 11 a.m. and they asked me, ‘What do to midnight Tuesday through Sunday you do here for entertainment?’ I (kitchen is open until 9 p.m. each night). said, ‘You’re looking at it — we sit Find it on Facebook or call 815-205around and talk.’” She told them 4744 for carryout orders or more about the kids who make their own information. fun in the fields, even as the riders watched some climb haystacks outside.

“That’s what we did when we were kids,” she said. “We didn’t have all this technology.”

As long as a road sign along state Route 73 north of Lake Carroll keeps pointing the way toward Loran, travelers will continue to find “I like to the Slurp N’ Burp — some by chance and others by choice. It’s the kind of place that Blair and More want people to remember — just make food like the name. that I know “We’re just a local pub with cold beer, hot food and warm country people hearts,” Blair said, “and if you come in as a stranger, odds are you won’t leave that way. n like.”

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Have a sip or a slurp

Sandy says the bar and grill’s menu sticks to the basics, keeping some items from that customers have come to enjoy, while adding some that she and her brother brought with them from their former gig, running the Ol’ Grizzly bar in Wisconsin.

Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.

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40 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026

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A Guide To

Lake Carroll Real Estate

Are you looking to enjoy the Lake Lifestyle?

The following pages will show you the properties available to you right now!

A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026 | 41

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PROPERTIES SOLD BY RE/MAX TOWN LAKE & COUNTRY IN 2025

CLOSED JUNE 2025 LD SO

CLOSED AUGUST 2025 LD SO

CLOSED AUGUST 2025 LD SO

CLOSED AUGUST 2025 LD SO

13-89 Quail Hollow SALES PRICE $1,033,000

5-212 Heathcliff SALES PRICE $905,000

4-86 Beachcomber SALES PRICE $889,000

28-23 Southview Dr. SALES PRICE $750,000

CLOSED AUGUST 2025 LD SO

CLOSED MARCH 2025 LD SO

CLOSED SEPTEMBER 2025 LD SO

CLOSED JULY 2025 LD SO

23-4 Lake Carroll Blvd.

SALES PRICE $577,500

28-2 Colonial Ct. SALES PRICE $517,000

24-100 Shenandoah SALES PRICE $435,000

28-19 Southview Dr. SALES PRICE $420,000

CLOSED AUGUST 2025 LD SO

CLOSED SEPTEMBER 2025 LD SO

CLOSED AUGUST 2025 LD SO

CLOSED SEPTEMBER 2025 LD SO

3-454R Fawnridge Dr. SALES PRICE $410,000

23-28 Broadview Dr. SALES PRICE $402,000

17-94 Lake Carroll Blvd.

SALES PRICE $325,000

17-2 Lake Carroll Blvd.

SALES PRICE $315,000

CLOSED AUGUST 2025 LD SO

CLOSED OCTOBER 2025 CLOSED FEBRUARY 2025 CLOSED OCTOBER 2025 LD LD LD SO SO SO

CLOSED NOVEMBER 2025 LD SO

4-126 Beachcomber SALES PRICE $310,000

17-123 Hidden Cove SALES PRICE $305,000

4-15 Grandview Dr. SALES PRICE $300,000

31-58 Wakonda SALES PRICE $290,250

31-3 Lake Carroll Blvd SALES PRICE $265,000

CLOSED AUGUST 2025 CLOSED JULY 2025 CLOSED AUGUST 2025 LD LD LD SO SO SO

CLOSED OCTOBER 2025 LD SO

CLOSED JULY 2025 LD SO

3-415R White Tail Circle SALE PRICE $275,000

23-222 Brighton Ct. SALES PRICE $215,000

3-661 Fawnridge SALES PRICE $140,000

21-2 Lake Carroll Blvd.

SALES PRICE $235,000

2-288 Foothills SALES PRICE $225,000

www.buylakecarroll.com • email us at: BuyLakeCarroll@yahoo.com 42 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026

1766010970-zrxhh.indd 42

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A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026 | 43

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LAKE CARROLL PROPERTIES FOR SALE $589,000

$382,000

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44 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026

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12/18/2025 2:22:08 PM

80 UNITS SOLD

$610,619

95.51%

78

AVG SALES PRICE (Homes Listed)

SALE PRICE / LIST PRICE (Homes Listed)

AVG DAYS ON MARKET (Homes Listed)

LAKE CARROLL RECAP 2025 166 UNITS SOLD

$502,261

95.54%

108

AVG SALES PRICE (Homes Sold)

SALE PRICE / LIST PRICE (Homes Sold)

AVG DAYS ON MARKET (Homes Sold)

DATA FROM NWIAR MLS as of 12/16/25

FAWN RIDGE RECAP 2025

LOTS SOLD 2025 LOTS SOLD 2025 13-4 Spring Creek

$1

31-81 Country Club

4-178 Misty Ct

$1

28-57 Southview

$15,000

3-479 Shady Lane

$25

25-40 Old Mill

$20,000

17-81 Clearwater

$100

31-27 Cog Hill

$22,000

5-229R Heathcliff

$100

31-25 Cog Hill

$25,000

19-58 Woodland

$1,000

19-6 Timber Ridge

$25,000

18-8 LC Blvd

$2,000

27-65 Ridgeview

$27,500

17-5 Whitewater

$4,000

24-47 Carriage Hill

$29,000

26-4 Wynwood

$5,000

21-56 Old Wharf

$31,000

24-45 LC Blvd

$7,000

27-29 Ridgeview

$33,000

24-36 Ridgewood

$7,000

17-179R Harborview $185,000

$14,000

LAKE CARROLL HOMES SOLD 2025 2-288 Foothills

31-95 Wakonda

17-55 Lakeview

4-155 Beachcomber

16-34 Elmhurst

3-540 Fawn Ridge

13-18 Spring Creek

$225,000

$235,000

$240,000

$259,500

$265,000

$289,000

$318,000

28-60 Southview

1-13 Grandview

31-44 Wakonda

21-9 Timber Shore

4-124 Beachcomber

17-69 Lakeview

1-194R Ahab

$325,000

$325,000

$325,000

$325,000

$345,000

$385,000

$400,000

23-28 Broadview

23-10 LC Blvd

4-47 Grandview

13-150 Spring Crk

25-14 Country Hill

23-4 LC Blvd

5-115 Chadbourne

$577,500

$585,000

$402,000

$430,000

$443,250

$453,600

$460,000

24-37 Ridgewood

21-11 Timber Shore

22781 Zier Rd

4-90 Beachcomber

17-52 Lakeview

4-86 Beachcomber 13-89 Quail Hollow

$628,000

$699,000

$785,000

$800,000

$850,000

$889,000

$1,033,000

4-87 Beachcomber

25-64 Cottage Hill

21-43 Marina

25-76 LC Blvd

25-80 LC Blvd

$1,100,000

$1,185,000

$1,200,000

$1,230,000

$1,550,000

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A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026 | 45

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46 | A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026

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12/17/2025 4:36:12 PM

Amy Barnes Designated Managing Broker 815-238-8360

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SOLD

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Country View | 31-65 Wakonda Dr. | $25,000

SOLD 4-227 BEACHCOMBER LANE, LAKE CARROLL

SOLD 25-14 COUNTRY HILL COURT, LAKE CARROLL

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24490 Payne Rd, Shannon, IL A Shaw Media Publication | Lake Lifestyle | January 2026 | 47

1766010970-ue4bb.indd 47

12/17/2025 4:36:11 PM

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Check out our new website!

www.millersport.com

7,000 sq. ft. Showroom • Competitive Prices • Dedicated Staff Largest Accessory Dept. in the Area Quality Service from Factory Trained Technicians On Water Service • Indoor Storage • Dock & Lift

Falcon F205

Crest Pontoon

WINTER SALES EVENT

F195 Falcon

Crestliner 2050 Fish Hawk Raptor

Crest 22 Foot Model

Factory Authorized Repair Center Let Us Rig Your Boat!

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