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Pretty good turnout for March 15th primary. Locally, the Highwood fire contract with Highland Park got a big Yes vote and the School District 112 198 million bond referendum was defeated 2 to 1. Unofficial Lake County results from the March 15 election are at www.lakecountyclerk.info. Election results will not be final until 14 days after the election allowing for late arriving ballots voted by mail to be tabulated. View results |
 Highland Park is scheduled to close their recycling center effective April 26. While this seems to be inevitable because of the State of Illinois not providing the funding to keep the electronic waste out of the landfill, we are vigorously working on another stop gap measure to keep facilities open at least through 2016. We are also pressing our State legislators to come up with a permanent fix. SWALCO's Board of Directors will meet on April 14th to discuss this matter before the shutdown deadline. I would strongly suggest if you have electronic waste to recycle, bring it to our drop-off center on Half Day Road soon. Watch this video to learn more.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), working
through the Great Lakes Fish and Ecosystem Restoration program
(GLFER), is collaborating with the City of Lake Forest, Lake County
Forest Preserves, Lake Forest Open Lands, and Openlands on a
large-scale coastal ecosystem restoration project.
Extensive construction and restoration work
will be conducted in the uplands, ravines and along the Lake Michigan
lakeshore. The project will extend from Lake Forest Open Lands property to the
north of Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve and south
through the Openlands property. During the course of the project, closures
of preserve sections and lakeshore will be required for public safety.
Project schedule and construction details
- Construction within
McCormick and Janes Ravines and along the lakeshore has begun. This work
requires complete closure of lakefront access at Fort Sheridan Forest
Preserve, now through October 2016.
- Access to the southern
lakeshore of Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve via Bartlett Ravine (Openlands
property) will remain open until work begins on Scott Ravine, which is
likely to start in May/June 2016, or when ACOE notifies project
partners that work has begun. After construction starts within Scott
Ravine, the entire Fort Sheridan lakeshore area will remain closed through
October 2016.
- Habitat restoration has
begun within the uplands and ravines. This work will continue through
December 2016, and will require brief, intermittent closures only during
times of restoration activity. Watch for signs from the contractor and the
Lake County Forest Preserves identifying the closed areas.
- From late 2017
through 2018, work will occur on in-water structures. Closures may be
required.
After the restoration efforts above are completed,
ACOE and its contractor will conduct maintenance and adaptive management in
these areas until 2021. This work will include the management
of invasive species, and may require brief closures of preserve sections.
Check status of preserve
To check status of construction work and closures
within Fort Sheridan Forest
Preserve as a result of this ACOE project, please check the Lake
County Forest Preserves website at www.LCFPD.org/Closures.
Obey construction signage
For your safety, during times of construction and
closures please use caution, follow detours and obey all posted closure
signs and fencing.
Questions
Please contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
at 312-846-5330 with questions regarding this project.
 Forest Preserve News
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Spring trail alerts
Although spring brings warmer trail-going weather, it also brings
increased rainfall, putting trails at greater risk for flooding. After
submerged sections dry, maintenance crews are quick to regrade and repair any
water damage. Check the
status of trails and preserves. |
Spring burn season
March and April are busy months for Lake County Forest Preserve burn crews as
they conduct controlled fires to revive natural areas. Fire is the most
efficient and economical tool for managing Lake County’s natural
communities, improving habitat by decreasing invasive plants, removing
dead leaves and exposing the seedbed to the sun. Learn more |
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Around the World in 180 Days: Adlai E. Stevenson II 1953 World
Tour
See never-before-seen photographs document Adlai E. Stevenson II while on
assignment for Look magazine at the Lake County Discovery
Museum. Stevenson was hired to go on a six-month tour of Europe and Asia to
report on social, political, and economic conditions in over 30 countries.
Follow Stevenson as he meets with the young Queen Elizabeth II in England,
Prime Minister Nehru in India, Prime Minister Ben-Gurion in Israel and other
heads of state, interacts with local citizens, and sneaks out to visit local
markets, all while assuming the role as America’s unofficial diplomat to the
world. Learn more. |
 Rainbow
trout fishing opens April 2
Lakewood Forest Preserve in
Wauconda will open for rainbow trout fishing on
April 2 following the release of roughly 600 pounds of trout in Banana
Lake. Fishing in the Lake County Forest
Preserves is free. View the fishing
guide for details.
Join our
conservation volunteers
Join our conservation volunteers who work year-round to improve our
preserves. Typical activities include invasive plant removal, native plant
seed collection and processing, and tree and shrub planting. Restoration
workdays happen every weekend at preserves across the county. Learn more.
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Independence
Grove beach season passes are available
Season passes are on sale for Lake County residents. Save 10 percent if passes
are purchased on or before May 1. Get unlimited access to the 400-foot sand beach that runs along the
South Bay of Independence Grove's
115-acre lake. The pass also includes participation in Family Fun Friday
activities. Learn more |
 Share Fun Moments in the Preserves on Instagram
Join us on Instagram for a simple and fun way to share moments spent in your Lake County Forest Preserves.
Want To Learn More? Check Out Our Blogs
Learn more about natural events in Lake County and discover the county’s history by subscribing to our Lake County natural and cultural history blogs. There’s also a blog to check out the Lake County Discovery Museum’s Curt Teich Postcard Archives, the largest public collection of postcards and related materials.
Adopt an acre or a mile, and keep forest preserves beautiful
The Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves offers Lake County Forest Preserve users the opportunity to help make a difference by adopting an acre of their favorite forest preserve or a mile of their favorite trail. Donations to the Adopt An Acre or Adopt A Mile program support long-term maintenance of the preserves and trails you love. More information
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LCFPD Calendar of Programs and Events
Hike our LCFPD Trails
Take an online quiz to see how much you know
about weather alert radios, and get a chance to win one. The Weather Alert
Radios Save Lives contest is available on the Ready Illinois’ website and will run through Thursday, March
31. A total of 100 weather alert radios will be awarded to participants who
register after reading information about the radios and complete a
five-question quiz. Take the
quiz! |
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Take the free prediabetes risk test
Learning if you are at risk to develop diabetes can be key to preventing
health problems such as heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. In
recognition of American Diabetes Alert Day on March 22, the Lake County Health
Department invites you to watch this
month’s Healthy Lake County and learn about a free prediabetes
screening test you can take to learn your risks. |
Learn the “Beat the
Blame Game” from 6 to 8 p.m. April 14 at the College of Lake County in Grayslake.
The Lake County State’s
Attorney’s Office is
hosting this event in recognition of National Victim's Rights Week. This year's
theme, "Serving Victims Building Trust Restoring Hope" underscores
the importance of early intervention and victim services, which in turn begins
to restore their hope for healing and recovery. Learn more |
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Attend a free oral cancer screening April 24
Attend a
free oral cancer screening from 9 to 11 a.m. April 24 at the NorthShore Medical
Group Gurnee Ambulatory Care Center, 7900 Rollins Road, Suite 1100, Gurnee. The
screening will include a visual exam of the neck, mouth and throat and an exam
of the salivary glands, lymph nodes of the neck and thyroid gland. You
can register
for the screening online or by calling (847) 570-5020.
Feel free to contact me at 847.456.6933 or smandel@lakecountyil.gov.
It's an honor to serve you.
Sincerely,
Steven W. Mandel
Lake County Board Member / Lake County Forest Preserve Commissioner
District 11, Highland Park - Highwood - Deerfield
2157 Saint Johns Avenue, Highland Park, IL 60035
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