Chain O’ Lakes

Rockin’ the Spectrum, a nonprofit dedicated to providing support, resources and advocacy for families and individuals with special needs, has opened a new location at 829 S. Virginia Road in Crystal Lake.

A 33-year-old McHenry man who died in a watercraft crash Sunday afternoon on the Fox River in McHenry has been identified, officials reported.

The Fox River is adapting to a new flow through Carpentersville as crews continue to work on removing a dam.

Hurricane on the Chain powerboat races take place Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22.

McHenry's Miller Riverfront Park set to close for two weeks to boaters during a parking lot reconstruction.

A memorial will be held Sept. 7 for James “Jimmy” Forbes, longtime owner of Port Barrington Marina on the Fox River, described by those who knew him as “genuine” and a “sweetheart” always willing to help.

The Loop the Lakes event shows the popularity of personal watercraft, but there's not always ample parking for them along waterways. Mike Missak and his employer, Nielsen Enterprises, is trying to change that along the Chain O' Lakes.

The Chain-O-Lakes Eagles R/C Airplane, Helicopter and Drone flying club had to leave its Ringwood location and are now flying out of Hebron, want to find permanent home for organization.

The fire near Spring Grove and Nippersink Lake killed two dogs and took several hours to put out completely.

Tony Borcia was killed by an intoxicated boater on the Chain O' Lakes in 2012. Now a new sheriff's marine patrol boat has been dedicated in his honor.

The new cannabis dispensary in Fox Lake, Smokehouse, boasts something new for Illinois' marijuana marketplace: boat slips for customers on the water.

High water levels and swift currents have created “conditions significantly hazardous” for boaters on large portions of the Fox River in McHnery, Lake, Kane and Kendall counties and the edge of La Salle County.

Dillon and Michelle Streit used shipping containers to create a boat rental business and the Retro Retreat Beach Bar in McHenry's Miller Point Park – one of several of the couple's ventures.

Two teenage girls killed in a collision between a Yamaha WaveRunner and a boat on Lake Marie on the Chain O’ Lakes near Antioch were identified Thursday.

A teenage girl from Long Grove and another from California were killed when their jet ski crashed into a boat, Lake County authorities announced.

The Fox Waterway Agency has suspended the commercial use permits for Anchor Pointe Marina (also known as AP Marine), located at 42125 N. Fourth Ave. in unincorporated Antioch, authorities said in a news release.

McHenry County is dealing with both a flood risk and a winter weather advisory that could bring more snow.

The McHenry County Sheriff's Office and McHenry have been working towards a permanent building for the sheriff's marine unit.

Richmond, Spring Grove, Fox Lake and Volo village presidents share their state of the village reports at annual Chain O' Lakes Chamber of commerce luncheon.

Margaret Borcia, whose son Tony was killed by a drunken boater, now works in McHenry and Lake county courthouses as an AAIM advocate.

Holly Blanchette received the Aqua Award at Lake Homes Realty’s National Agent Summit for her exceptional achievements in real estate.

As the leaves begin to change fall lovers may be seeking out the best places to enjoy the bliss of Mother Nature’s canvas. Here are five locations in McHenry County recomended by Naturally McHenry County.

A 25-year-old man from Kenosha, Wisconsin, died June 4 after jumping into a water channel just north of Petite Lake.

McHenry County – and more broadly northern Illinois – area holds a distinct reputation for having some of the strongest fishing spots in the state, said a fisheries biologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Jenni Kempf, of Algonquin, is one of the highlights of "Watershed Warriors," set for its premier Thursday in Elgin. The film highlights work done by Friends of the Fox River to monitor and educate on the waterway.

The Fox Waterway Agency is warning of “an abundance of debris on the water” as the 2023 boating season approaches.

January and February are the ice fishing season in northern Illinois, but thin ice has been keeping anglers off the lakes, one local guide said.

Over the last six years, Scott Uglinica, of Volo, with a 1928 Ford Model Popcorn Wagon in tow, has raised thousands of dollars to help children in need in McHenry and Lake counties.

Village presidents from Fox Lake, Spring Grove, Richmond and Volo say development, business and growth are coming to their towns.

The fourth annual “It’s Our Fox River Day,” was on Sept. 17, and was initiated by Dundee Township-based Friends of the Fox River, for which Schiavone is staff educator.

Jenni Schiavone of Algonquin had canoed sparingly along the Fox River before deciding she would travel the entire 200-mile length this year to promote “It’s Our Fox River Day.”

An Ingleside man, who police say attacked and choked a woman on his boat after she asked to return to shore, is charged with domestic battery and unlawful restraint.

The Tim Harrison family and the McHenry County Historical Society invite the general public to attend the plaquing ceremony of Cabin No. 8 at the former Pink Harrison’s Resort, 804 Harrison Lane in Johnsburg. The plaqing will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 16.

An annual boat-in music festival returns Friday to the Chain O’Lakes.

Two Naperville men found found dead Sunday in Pistakee Lake near Johsnburg were in the area ice fishing, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.

Two Naperville men were identified as the pair found dead Sunday in Pistakee Lake near Johnsburg, the McHenry County coroner said.

The bodies of two missing men were found Sunday afternoon in Pistakee Lake near Johnsburg, the McHenry Township Fire Protection District said.

A man being pulled on a tube by a boat Friday morning in Fox Lake is believed to have died after falling into the water, while two children who were on the tube and wearing life jackets survived, police say

Michael Jacobs, 43, of Joliet, was trying to help a girl struggling in the water, police said

With boat sales surging, so are memberships in boat clubs that keep different types of vessels ready to take on the water.

New, follow-up coalition has been discussed but not yet formed, Fox Waterway Agency executive director says

New $1.2M processing facility could add revenue to Fox Watery Way agency budget that officials say is underfunded

Interest in leaving shown by Dubell Park residents, but lack of funding will keeps homes at risk

Boat dealers in and near Lake and McHenry counties had a huge year in 2020 as people refrained from traveling and flocked to outdoor activities as the pandemic limited entertainment options.

Surging interest in buying, renting, joining clubs as manufacturers struggle to get raw materials

Fox Waterway Agency issues notice warning residents to use ‘extreme caution’

People eager to rest after a night spent ringing in 2015 can travel home faster along the interstates around Chicago, starting New Year's Day.