There’s no denying that the 4th of July in Wonder Lake will be different this year. Public fireworks generally just aren’t happening this year due to COVID-19. That includes Wonder Lake’s annual 4th of July Parade and Fireworks. Gathering in large crowds just won’t do when the risk of coronavirus is high. And large crowds are an integral part of Wonder Lake’s traditional 4th of July celebrations.

One characteristic of the COVID-19 lockdown is hard to escape – monotony. You might say that the ‘shelter-in-place’ order in response to the virus has interrupted the natural, and annual, experience of escaping from winter’s cabin fever. If you drive a 4-wheeler, you may have a solution that will offer a little relief. Take that baby off road. The exhilaration of hitting the trails in a factory

All this sheltering-in-place has one bright side – most of us are not spending as much on transportation costs. In other words, you’re probably not driving your car, truck, or SUV too often or too far from McHenry. In the process, you’re making fewer stops at the gas stations. Less driving also means less wear and tear and your car, truck, or SUV. Ah, but don’t assume you can just wait until

Isn't it time to show a little gratitude for those who have played importantroles during the pandemic? The last few months have been challenging for Americans, including those in McHenry County. But through it all, there are people who have performed important roles despite increased risks. These are the first responders, the nurses, doctors, and caregivers. While many of us have ‘sheltered

You come out to your car one night in McHenry and find that someone has broken a window, slashed a tire, or otherwise vandalized your car. At the very least, it’s annoying. Probably, it’s infuriating. If the vandalism has rendered your vehicle inoperable, it can be more than that. Is there anything you can do to ensure that no one vandalizes your car? Probably not. But there are some measures

Many cars today have aluminum wheels with openings through which you can see the disc brake rotors and calipers inside. You may have noticed that, if it rained overnight, when you came out to the car in the morning, there was a thin layer of rust on the brake discs. Morning dew can do the same thing to the discs. This is generally not a significant problem. You’ll get in the car and start driving.

This weekend was the unofficial start of another McHenry summer. While, officially, summer runs from June 20 to September 22, most of us think of summer as running from Memorial Day to Labor Day. With the continuation of the governor’s ‘shelter-in-place’ order, this year, it may not feel like summer has really kicked off this weekend. Staying indoors for extended periods is something we do in

Not to worry – you can have your car picked up and dropped off for service It happens this way about this time every year, and the coronavirus can’t stop it; weather in McHenry begins to warm and AC in your car becomes essential. Meteorologists have indicated that we will see evidence of the coming summer will start building up this week. The temperatures will build from a high of 56 degrees on

On the news the other day, a reporter introduced a guest as a healthcare authority. While discussing the idea that passengers will probably be required to wear facemasks on airplanes for quite some time, the guest added that the air in an aircraft is actually quite good. Modern airliners have effective cabin filtration systems. With everything going on these days it’s nice to know that your car has

The governor of Illinois has imposed new coronavirus guidelines that include a requirement that we all wear facemasks when out in public. Do you need to wear one while operating your car, truck or SUV? Of course, that doesn’t make a lot of sense, unless you are stopped, with the window open and speaking with someone outside the vehicle. But in this day of the pandemic, people often just don’t know. The