This time of year, there’s a good chance you’re planning to head out to the mall. After all, you may very well have gifts to buy for loved ones naughty or nice.As the season is often hectic, there’s a tendency among shoppers to think about their shopping before they enter the stores. In fact, the closer we get to the store, the more likely we are to feel distracted from our driving while contemplating

Denny Norton, the owner of Performance Unlimited, the premier auto repair shop at 5415 Austin Court, Ringwood, is coming to the end of a two-year term as president of the MC3 McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce business networking group. He was vice president for the two years prior to that and is stepping down from the prior position next month. During his tenure, the group has twice hosted Shop With

It’s Thursday evening and you’re driving westbound on Route 120 just a little east of the bridge going into McHenry. There you notice the sign for McHenry VFW and you suddenly remember, “Tonight is the night for the Shop With A Cop party.” You see that no one is behind you and you hit the brakes hard trying to make the turn into the VFW’s driveway. Problem is the brakes don’t react quite

There’s just something about that first snow, a blanket of white covering roads and landscape and sparkling under street lights at night. It brings out that youthful sense of wonder in even the most ardent individual who has sworn to have shoveled their last driveway. Of course, the wonderful world of snow leaves something to be desired when someone climbs behind the wheel and tries to drive on

MC3, the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce business networking group, is holding its annual Shop With A Cop fundraiser Thursday, Nov. 15, to benefit the McHenry County Police Charities effort for children of families struggling economically. Denny Norton, the president of MC3 and the owner of Ringwood based Performance Unlimited, described the MC3 event as a party that benefits a good cause.To be sure,

A streaky wiper blade is, at the very least, an annoyance in the summer. In the winter, it’s potentially far more dangerous. And this is the time of year to make sure that you have a set of wipers in your car that will provide a clear view of the road ahead.“Of all your senses, when you’re driving, none is more important than your vision,” said Denny Norton, owner of Ringwood based Performance

Dinner was great as you and your wife gazed into each other’s eyes across a candlelit table while the blowing snow whirled and howled outside creating a spinning backdrop of white on black in the window. Now, as they lock the door behind you, it’s time to go home. At the car, you open and hold the door for her while you wonder how you were ever so fortunate. Then, you slide behind the wheel feeling

“Sure, I have them change the oil filter every time I have an oil change.”Well, that’s a good idea, but that’s not the filter I was asking about. Actually, I was talking about …“You were talking about the air filter. Absolutely: I change that probably about once a year.”That’s also a good idea but …“OK, OK, you’re trying to trick me here but it won’t work. You’re talking

The auto repair shop at Performance Unlimited in Ringwood is usually full of cars, SUVs and pickup trucks as they receive the skilled attention of the auto repair technicians who make Performance Unlimited one of the premier auto repair shops in the region. Wednesday morning, Sept. 26, however, in the center of the shop were tables, chairs, breakfast and coffee. By 7:30 a.m., the chairs were full

This time each year, we welcome the return of that seasonal panorama of multi-hued reds, yellows, oranges, browns and greens as the leaves begin to change color. First on the trees, then descending to the ground, it’s a visual gift that softens the blow of an impending winter to follow.While it’s hard to compete with the natural aesthetic value of the changing autumn leaves, a mat of wet leaves