Spring made an appearance a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, winter made a repeat performance and beat spring back for a while. For many of us here in McHenry County, that was discouraging news. We were ready for spring. We were even eager for spring.Many mothers and fathers here in McHenry County have a very good reason for welcoming the arrival of spring; they’ve noticed that their children

Mother surveyed the boxes of presents on the table, as well as a basket with cookies and pie. Out the window, as the darkness gave way to early morning light, she could see Father leading Sunshine, their Arabian mare, from the stable as the white-and-speckled horse pulled the buggy behind her.Mother worried the buggy was too small for the presents, the food, Father and herself. But, with the snow,

How do avoid these excessive and costly automotive repair bills or breaking down unexpectedly on the side of the road somewhere while traveling miles from McHenry? The answer to both questions is simple – automotive maintenance. If you take care of your car it will take care of you. If you treat it badly and let it lapse into disrepair, don’t be surprised if the additional costs and unreliability

That last-minute shopping for the holidays can run a bit hectic. The malls are packed, the roads are busy and, to add to the mix, the roads are often slick and dangerous this time of year, too. For shoppers, with their focus on making their final purchases before December 25th, keeping their attention on driving is a challenge. Since other drivers are facing the same dilemma, the potential for fender

The holidays are, for many, a wonderful time of the year. Parties, great food, fun with family and friends, parties, gifts, holiday decorations and, of course, parties. Parties are great the way airplane rides are great; you love them as long as the landing comes off without a hitch. Unfortunately, parties gone bad is less of a concern when the party is a dud. The real problem is when other negative

There are several parts on cars that are made of rubber including the tires, windshield wipers and the seals around doors and windows. These rubber items play a vital role in the summer keeping the car on the road, the windshield clear and water from running inside the car’s body. In the winter, their roles are even more essential. Windshield Wipers Windshield wipers only have to wipe the rain

Tic, tic, tic, tic, tic – no, that’s not the sound of a clock; that’s the sound of someone trying to start a car with an almost-dead battery. Instead of turning the engine over and initiating the chain reaction known as internal combustion, a nearly dead battery falls short and, when this happens, all you’ll often hear is a discouraging tic, tic, tic sound. Imagine you were out doing holiday

Winter can reach bitterly cold temperatures here in McHenry County. With wind chills, winter carries potentially fatal consequences across the barren landscape. Traveling on such days is a challenge – a challenge to safe and warm even in your car. But, when you turn on the heat in your car the heated air pours out of the vents and warms you to the bone, right? It all depends on whether your car’s

In the summer, it’s not a big deal if fueling the car is an afterthought, as long as you don’t run out of gas. Here in Northern Illinois, however, it’s not such a good idea to let the gas tank run low in the winter time. Gasoline won’t freeze until it hits 97-degrees below zero. However, that big cavity above the gasoline in a near-empty tank is an invitation to humidity laden air. Water freezes

Have you ever seen someone trying to drive while looking through a small patch of window they’ve scraped clean of snow and frost? You watch them cautiously trying to drive by touch and you shake your head at the insanity. You want to shake them and tell them to just take the time and clear their windows properly. Not only can they receive a ticket driving that way, they also are at risk of having