A school board is set to terminate a longtime Libertyville middle school teacher, who is a father, after prosecutors say he recorded students and used AI to create child sexual abuse material. A special Board of Education meeting for Libertyville School District #70 has been announced for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Education Resource Center […]
Sam Borcia
Sam Borcia is the CEO and Publisher of Lake and McHenry County Scanner based in Gurnee, Illinois. His focus is reporting on local news covering crime, government, traffic and more around Lake County, Illinois and McHenry County, Illinois. Sam founded Lake and McHenry County Scanner in January 2012 and has extensive experience covering news. His reporting has garnered coverage by major national and international outlets. He graduated from DePaul University in Chicago. You can get in touch with Sam by emailing [email protected].
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Probation for man who pleaded guilty to trying to lure child to sit on his lap outside bar in Woodstock
A 57-year-old man has been sentenced to probation after he pleaded guilty to trying to lure a young girl riding her bicycle to sit on his lap and kiss him while he was on the Woodstock Square. John R. Luna, 57, of Woodstock, was charged in August 2025 with grooming, a Class 4 felony, and […]
Posted inLocal News
‘Service, dedication, and kindness’: 28-year-old Mundelein police officer laid to rest after being killed in McHenry crash
Funeral services were held this week for a 28-year-old Mundelein police officer who died in a motorcycle crash in McHenry, as he is remembered for his “unwavering dedication” to protecting others. Paul Viduya Jr., 28, of McHenry, was found dead around 1:15 a.m. on June 28 in the area of Charles J. Miller Parkway and […]
Posted inLocal News
Driver arrested after nearly running over bystanders, police officers, causing chaos at Scoop event in Waukegan
Chaos ensued after a driver nearly ran over bystanders and police officers at the Scoop event in Waukegan and then struck vehicles while fleeing police and being taken into custody Friday evening. A Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted a woman driving on the wrong side of the road in the area of Washington Street […]
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Man with extensive criminal history arrested for repeatedly punching woman in public at Crystal Lake festival
A Crystal Lake man who has an extensive criminal history is accused of punching a woman multiple times in the face and pulling her hair in public at a festival in Crystal Lake. Thomas D. Craft, 58, of Crystal Lake, was charged with domestic battery causing bodily harm, domestic battery physical contact and obstructing identification. […]
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Cary police officer arrested in Florida after allegedly slamming woman to ground, repeatedly stomping on her face
A Cary police officer was arrested in Florida and has since resigned after a report says he slammed an apparently random woman to the ground and then stomped on her face, causing her to lose consciousness. The incident happened just after 2 a.m. on March 1 at Gateway Live, which is a bar in Sarasota, […]
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Resident left homeless after fire leaves home uninhabitable with heavy damage in Marengo
A resident was left homeless after a fire broke out in the attic of his home in Marengo and left it uninhabitable with heavy damage Friday morning, fire officials said. The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts was dispatched around 9:10 p.m. Friday to the 1100 block of North Hale Street in Marengo for a report […]
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Part of Route 31 shut down for over 6 hours in Crystal Lake after work van becomes engulfed in flames, causing hazardous situation
Part of Route 31 was shut down for over six hours in Crystal Lake after a work van became fully engulfed in flames and a hazardous materials situation unfolded, fire officials said. The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department and Crystal Lake Police Department responded around 2:56 p.m. Tuesday to the area of Route 14 and […]
Posted inLocal News
Police seek public’s help in locating 20-year-old man who disappeared from Huntley
Police are seeking the community’s help in locating a 20-year-old who disappeared from Huntley and was spotted in Crystal Lake on Wednesday evening. The Huntley Police Department announced late Thursday evening that they were working to locate Sean Giebelhausen, a 20-year-old from Huntley. Giebelhausen is a male white, approximately six feet tall and 130 lbs, […]