More than 200 Lake County leaders recently came together to take a stand for inclusion and unity and pledged to make Lake County an inclusive and welcoming community. Following increased reports of divisiveness, intolerance, and disrespectful actions across the country, Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor and State’s Attorney Mike Nerheim, along with The Partnership for a Safer Lake County hosted the Summit of Leaders to engage local leaders to have a meaningful discussion around inclusion and building respect in all aspects of community life. Watch this video to learn more about the summit.

From reducing CO2 emissions on the roads to providing more ways you can recycle, let us show you what Lake County departments are doing to make this county a vibrant, healthy place to live and work and how you can help too! Check our Sustainable Lake County website!

Also, check out these details about upcoming events across Lake County.

One Earth Film Festival is Coming to Lake County
The Midwest's premier environmental film festival, the One Earth Film Festival is coming again to Lake County March 4 to 11. Check out the full lineup of films as well as details of showings in Lake County. 

SWALCO to hold household chemical waste collections
The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County will hold its household chemical waste drop off events March 11 and 27 at its Gurnee facility, 1311 N. Estes St. Appointments are required at these events to ensure safety and efficiency. Schedule an appointment.

Join the Green Living Fair in Libertyville
Drop-off bikes, Styrofoam, printer cartridges, gym shoes and more for recycling, and learn about earth-healthy daily routines from over 40 exhibitors at the 2017 Green Living Fair. The fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 18 at the Libertyville Civic Center, 135 W. Church St. Learn more

Nearly 25 percent of Lake County commuters are finding ways to beat the traffic with alternative transportation such as carpooling and commuter rail service. Lake County now leads suburban Chicago counties in non-traditional commuters. Learn more about this transportation snapshot.

Learn more about job openings within the Lake County Sheriff’s Office as they host a job fair from 10 a.m. to noon March 11 at the College of Lake County Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan. Learn more  

Illinois Sheriff’s Association offers $500 scholarship
The Illinois Sheriff's Association will be awarding a $500 college scholarship to a local student seeking to pursue higher education during the 2017-2018 academic year. The scholarship is to be applied to tuition, books and fees only. Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents and be enrolled full time during the 2017-18 school year.

Applications are available at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office website. Complete the application, including a 350-word essay, and return all documentation to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, 25 S Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Waukegan by March 15.

Meet Erin Cartwright Weinstein, who was elected the new Clerk of the Circuit Court this past November. The office’s primary role is to handle court documents as well as manage passports, civil filings, and more. Watch this edition of Lake County Update as Clerk Weinstein discusses her priorities and shares more about the services provided in the Circuit Clerk’s Office. 

Forest Preserve News

Spring controlled burns
Each spring, our restoration ecologists conduct controlled burns across hundreds of acres of forest preserve land. Fire is the most effective and economical tool available for managing natural communities and improving habitat. Learn more and view an interactive map that shows where we are burning each day.

Volunteer with the Forest Preserves
Volunteers help the Forest Preserve District from public safety and habitat restoration to historic preservation and nature education. In 2016, volunteers contributed more than 36,000 hours. The value of this work exceeds $1 million and is the equivalent of nearly 20 full time staff members. At a recent volunteer recognition brunch, we introduced the Gilman Award to recognize an individual who proves dedication through service. Congratulations to the 2017 Gilman Award winner, Paul Klonowski! Paul, who began volunteering 15 years ago, helps with our paddle sports program and grew the Water TrailKeepers program from scratch. Learn how you can get involved.

More than 20 organizations, including members of the County Board and more than 200 leaders from hospital/health systems, schools and more came together to address the question, “How can we make Lake County one of the healthiest places to live, work and play” at the Lake County Together Summit. The summit was focused on learning and discussing how to collectively improve the health and quality of life of Lake County residents. Learn more about the summit.