While floodwaters are gradually receding along the Fox River in McHenry County, officials are again asking residents to self-report their damage in hope of securing a declaration to unlock assistance.

Officials have reported a slow drop in water levels after a string of heavy downpours overflowed the Fox River, but more rain on Monday could erase any progress made last week.

The head of Cary‘s zoning board abruptly resigned after serving for 20 years, writing that the committee is being “manipulated in order to achieve specific outcomes" – something the mayor denies.

It could take a week or more – depending on weather – for the Fox River to recede to its banks but the crest could come Wednesday for parts of the river. Some parts of the Chain O' Lakes are now at major flood stage.

River Road near McHenry is closed because of floodwaters, the latest road closure resulting from the Fox River overflowing its banks.

Road closures, park closures, more sandbagging and – with a break in the rainfall – the waiting game for waters to top out were the focuses Monday along the Fox River in the McHenry County area.

A man is facing new felony charges just months after he was paroled from prison for burglarizing a Lakewood home, stealing from a vehicle in Crystal Lake and participating in mob action in Cary.

Friends of the Cary Area Library’s Spring 2026 Used Book Sale takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Cary successfully passed a balanced budget Tuesday, but not without some major changes from the draft presented last month, including an updated budget for renovations for a downtown alley that increased by over $500,000.

Friends since middle school, two McHenry County women have started Here for the Plot, a mobile bookshop that is making appearances at farmers markets, craft fairs and other events.

Cary-Grove vs. Prairie Ridge in a Fox Valley Conference baseball game on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at Prairie Ridge High School.

Another McHenry County student will be competing on the national spelling bee stage after taking home the top spot in the regional tournament last month.

Easter Egg hunters in Johnsburg would not be denied Saturday, as the village's 8,000-egg-strong Easter Egg Hunt went ahead after a couple of days of stormy weather and lots of rain.

Cary Mayor Mark Kownick used the annual state of the village event to warn residents of new state legislation that will put limits on local control from housing to parking.

Officially opening April 1, Cary Apothecary is expanding with wellness offerings with services like massages and Reiki sessions.

Cary-Grove face Woodstock North in a nonconference baseball game on Monday, March 30, 2026, at Woodstock North High School.

A rural residence in Woodstock that sold for $910,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in McHenry County during the past week

Real estate news: A 3,282-square-foot single-family Cary residence, built in 2002, has changed hands.

A lawsuit was filed against the Cary police for engaging in a police pursuit that resulted in a crash, permanently injuring a man last year in Crystal Lake.

For over 30 years, Cary-Grove High School has been renowned for its musicals and performing arts under the direction of Rob Boncosky, who is retiring at the end of this school year.

The Golden Ratio, a McHenry County-based robotics team for high school students, are Houston-bound in April after qualifying to compete in an international competition for a third consecutive time.

As McHenry County continues to digest the results – many still unofficial – of this year’s primary election, here are some oddities that flew under the radar this week.

A man pleaded guilty Thursday to attempted aggravated arson in connection with a fire he started in a Crystal Lake motel room.

Democrat Maria Peterson appears headed for a rematch with her previous opponent in the race for the 52nd state representative district.

A Cary man is charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a pedestrian near Barrington Monday night, authorities said.

As Shaw Media reflects on its long history of community journalism, we look back at four front pages from March 16, including this from 1993 on how two boys rescued a neighbor's pet from the freezing Fox River

A U.S.-based medical equipment supplier with a large operation in Cary experienced a “global network disruption” Wednesday caused by a cyber attack, Stryker officials reported.

The village of Cary is starting discussions on ways traffic can be calmed and mitigated now that a residential road will be connecting to Route 31 for a new mixed-use development.

After receiving an outpouring of support from loyal customers in its last week of operation, Tasty Bistro in Crystal Lake is reconsidering permanent closure.

A small business serving coffee, breaking and lunch items – for carry-out and curbside only – will soon be replacing the shuttered Burger King along Route 14 in Cary.

The Vintage Shop Hop, featuring vintage, thrift and antique stores across northern Illinois and Wisconsin, is March 6 and 7.

The Cary Fire Protection District presented multiple awards to those who helped save two people who had fallen through the ice on Lake Killarney last month.

The Barrington Area Democratic Organization condemned attack mailers from Erin Chan Ding’s campaign for the Democratic nod in the Illinois House 52nd District primary.

A beloved Crystal Lake sushi and Asian cuisine restaurant will permanently close next week, leaving Cary as its sole location.

A deck fire was quickly extinguished before spreading to a home late Wednesday morning in Cary, and officials warn residents to regularly check outdoor electrical wiring.

Cary School District 26 announced its new superintendent, who will be starting this summer after a months-long, nationwide search to replace Brandon White.

Cary is looking into sprucing up a downtown street that turns into pedestrian-only access during warmer months.

The Crystal Lake Park District Executive Director will be retiring after nearly 16 years of service, leaving the decision for the replacement up to the board.

Breaking Bread in downtown Crystal Lake is launching indoor markets and trading card shows this months with the hope of making them permanent monthly events. The first event is Saturday, Feb. 21.

A 24-year-old Cary man charged in the fatal crash in Barrington last year that killed decorated Glenview police officer Robert Fryc has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Democratic 52nd District Illinois House candidates Erin Chan Ding and Maria Peterson have similar views on immigration enforcement and the Illinois TRUST Act.

The two Democratic hopefuls in the primary for the 52nd state House seat shared similar views during a weekend League of Women Voters candidate forum at the Barrington Area Public Library.

More students from schools across McHenry County walked out of class Friday to protest the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Illinois was unsuccessful in appealing FEMA's denial of a major disaster declaration from storms that caused damage around the Chicago area last August.

About 100 Crystal Lake Central High School students walked out of class Monday to protest the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The McHenry County Board has had its say on a series of speed limit reductions proposed on county roads. Which ones passed?

A Cary man twice convicted of attempted murder in Cook County, and acquitted of murder as a teen in 1980, has turned himself in after being wanted on a sixth alleged offense of drunk driving.

After responding to a reported explosion, firefighters put out a garbage fire next to a home near Cary that officials said might have caused some tires to burst.

Real estate news: A 3,201-square-foot single-family house, built in 2004, has changed hands.

The Read with a Buddy program provides free children’s books paired with stuffed animals at local food pantries around McHenry County.