Resume Mchenry County Update – Tourism is back!

Through our collaboration with McHenry County, we will continue to share important information on stimulus programs, PPP loans, COVID-19 updates and more through its Resume McHenry County Updates.

Please take a moment to scroll down to see new advancements this week as we move to open McHenry County. If MCEDC can be of any help, please call. Forward this email to your friends and family to help get the word out!

President Biden came to McHenry County last Wednesday to discuss his Build Back Better plan.

We’re always happy to see an important official visit McHenry County, and this was the first by a sitting president.

Among the topics Biden touched on during his speech at McHenry County College were offering free community college for first-time students and workers wanting to earn a degree, increasing Pell Grants, and investing in apprenticeship programs. Biden also talked about the plan’s proposal for free preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds, increasing the federal child tax credit, and funding child care support for community colleges to assist people returning to school.

The president also stumped for deep investments in infrastructure – he mentioned the Randall Road improvements nearing completion – including giving Americans access to high-speed Internet.

Resume McHenry County isn’t political – our sole mission is to help McHenry County recover from the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Having said that, President Biden’s visit went off without a hitch, and we would like to thank MCC, the men and women of law enforcement, and everyone else who helped make it happen.

In a world of polls, numbers, surveys and statistics, sometimes you just need to trust what your eyes and ears are telling you.

Or as Bob Dylan once sang, you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

From what we’ve seen and heard, the county’s Independence Day displays in Crystal Lake, Woodstock, Huntley, and Spring Grove were packed. Crystal Lake’s display was the capstone of the annual Lakeside Festival and the Fourth of July Parade, both of which were packed as well.

We’ve come out of quarantine and restrictions, and there’s a palpable spirit of wanting to move forward and make up for lost time.

In short, all signs point to McHenry County being happy to be Together Again.

We have to give credit where it’s due – “Together Again” is the awesomely named theme for this year’s Algonquin Founders’ Days festival, which starts Thursday, July 22 – click here to learn more.

Farmers and agricultural businesses are now eligible for emergency relief due to the ongoing drought in northern Illinois.

Last week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack designated McHenry County and 12 neighboring counties disaster areas, which allows farmers hurt by the drought to pursue emergency loans.

The US Small Business Administration subsequently made Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to small businesses such as agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture, farm markets, nurseries and others.

Small businesses can learn more and apply through the SBA’s online portal at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s, or by calling 800-877-8339. Farmers can learn more about the drought loans and other recovery tools available to them at www.farmers.gov.

The eligibility area for the farm and SBA loans also includes Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Ogle, Will and Winnebago counties.

With COVID-19 restrictions lifted, Resume McHenry County will continue to highlight the return of McHenry County’s iconic attractions.

Resume McHenry County isn’t just about highlighting the return of beloved annual events – we’re all about helping cultivate new ones, too!

Rockstock had a great inaugural live music bash in 2019 on the Woodstock Square – after all, what better place for live outdoor rock like a place called Woodstock? And it’s ready to make up for lost time in 2021.

Its first free concert on the Square will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 24, with Rockstar Roadshow, a tribute experience that recreates the live performances of rock legends AC/DC, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and Van Halen. While the event is free, wristbands for people 21 and older who wish to buy alcohol will be on sale for $2.

Click here to learn more about the event.

Rockstock is also hosting a Tacos and Tequila event on the Square from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 23, so if Mexican food and good drink are your thing, be sure to stop by – click here to learn more.