Rick West

Rick West is a reporter for the Daily Herald.

Lily Robledo, 3, of Elgin, plays with a puzzle at Wash Smart Laundry in Elgin on Oct. 21, 2026. The laundromat is one of several sites where Enriching Partnerships for Early Learning has installed children's spaces with messaging about The Basics, an initiative that offers parents and caregivers simple, everyday ways to support young children's development through five basics principles. (Rick West/Daily Herald)

Wash and learn: Program brings fundamentals to parents and kids at local laundromats

October 29, 2026 at 3:55 p.m.

Wash Smart laundries in Elgin are among several local sites with small “engagement stations” set up by The Basics of Greater Elgin.

The former Elgin Ace Hardware store at 1158 Lillian St. on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. A new grocery store is expected to open next year in the space. (Rick West/Daily Herald)

New grocery store expected next year in shuttered Ace Hardware location in Elgin

October 29, 2026 at 12:14 p.m.

A new grocery store is expected to open next year in the former Ace Hardware location in Elgin.

With students looking on, U-46 School Board President Melissa Owens cuts the ribbon outside Illinois Park Elementary for the Elgin school's new multipurpose room on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. The school reopened as an elementary school this year after serving as an early childhood center since 2006. (Rick West/Daily Herald)

Illinois Park Elementary in Elgin unveils new multipurpose room

October 29, 2026 at 10:50 a.m.

Illinois Park Elementary School in Elgin unveiled its new 6,500-square-foot multipurpose room with a ribbon cutting Tuesday.

Lily Robledo, 3, of Elgin plays with a puzzle at Wash Smart Laundry in Elgin on Oct. 21, 2026. The laundromat is one of several Elgin-area sites with "engagement stations" to help children learn. (Rick West/Daily Herald)

Wash and learn: ‘The Basics’ program brings fundamentals to parents and kids at Elgin laundromats

October 27, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

As dryers tumbled and washers churned in the background last Wednesday, children at the Wash Smart Laundry on Summit Street in Elgin were learning skills to prepare them for kindergarten.

Hawthorne Hill Nature Center in Elgin on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, which could soon have one of only two certified forest therapy trails in Illinois. (Rick West/Daily Herald)

Hawthorne Hill Nature Center in Elgin vying to have state’s 2nd certified therapy trail

October 26, 2026 at 12:09 p.m.

Elgin's Hawthorne Hill Nature Center is to undergo an evaluation potentially making it one of only 20 therapy trails nationally.

Elgin Community College is joining community colleges across Illinois to help address food insecurity through the third annual Feed The Need campus food drive. (Elgin Community College)

Elgin Community College hosting ‘Feed the Need’ food drive

October 23, 2026 at 1:28 p.m.

Elgin Community College is joining community colleges across Illinois in the third annual Feed The Need campus food drive.

Casa de Estilos beauty salon and barber shop at 301 Dundee Ave. in Elgin on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. The business received approval from the Elgin City Council for a parking variation so they could apply to add gaming machines and a bar. (Rick West/Daily Herald)

Elgin hair salon wins council appeal to add bar, video gambling

October 20, 2026 at 10:14 a.m.

Casa de Estilos hair salon can add a bar and video gambling machines after winning an appeal from the Elgin City Council.

Carpentersville man facing felony after dumping gas into storm sewer in West Dundee

October 19, 2026 at 9:39 a.m.

A 34-year-old Carpentersville man is facing a felony charge after draining gas from a vehicle into a storm sewer in West Dundee.

Larkin's Ivan Anderson (6) celebrates scoring a touchdown in the new stadium on Oct. 2, 2026. (Rick West/Daily Herald)

Larkin hosts its 1st varsity games at new on-campus stadium ‘in our backyard’

October 3, 2026 at 9:33 a.m.

For the first time in its 64-year history, Larkin High School’s homecoming games came with a real home field advantage.

Elgin Community College President Peggy Heinrich speaks during a grand opening celebration Thursday for ECC's new 150,000-square-foot Manufacturing and Technology Center. (Rick West/Daily Herald)

‘Designed for the future’: Elgin Community College celebrates opening of new Manufacturing and Technology Center

September 25, 2026 at 2:35 p.m.

Calling it a “building designed for the future,” Elgin Community College celebrated its Manufacturing and Technology Center opening.

All Stories