On March 7, the Lake County Health Department announced an official mumps
outbreak after the third case of mumps was confirmed at Barrington High School.
The Health Department continues to monitor suspected and probable cases of the
disease in the county. The Health Department will regularly be updating its mumps web
page, where you can find the current status of mumps
in the county, information about mumps, and helpful resources related to mumps.
The
Lake Zurich Village Board recently approved a preliminary development plan for
the K-Mart property at 225 S. Rand Road. The K-Mart property has been vacant
since 2002. The proposed redevelopment of this seven-acre property includes 162
luxury apartments and approximately 19,000 square feet of restaurant and
commercial space. Learn
more
The April
4 Consolidated Election gives Lake County
residents some real voter power as they will be electing their local mayors,
presidents, supervisors, clerks, commissioners, alderman, councilmen, and
assessors. Also on the ballot will be park, library, and school board district
candidates along with eight public questions.
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Grace voter registration is available at all early
voting sites, which are open now through April 3 as well as at the assigned
Election Day voting site and the County Clerk’s Office on April 4. Registered
voters are encouraged to log onto LakeVoterPower.info to confirm their registration records reflect their current name and
address.
Vote
by mail
Registered voters can request a ballot by mail until March 30. Voting by
mail is so easy that even a couch potato can do
it!
Early voting
Early voting will run through
April 3. Vote at any early voting site regardless of where you live. View
the early voting sites, dates and hours.
Election Day
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 4. Use the polling
place locator to find your assigned voting site.
Preview your ballot
Registered Lake County voters can preview their
ballot at LakeVoterPower.info after logging in to confirm their registration status.
Get up-to-date
election information by visiting the County
Clerk’s website as well as by following the County Clerk’s Office
on their Facebook
page and on Twitter.
The Board approved two significant actions at its March meeting,
one that approves a half million dollars to support people with gambling
addiction and other behavioral health issues, and another that creates a
commission on governmental accountability and reform.
Lake County collects a portion of the revenue generated from
video gaming in the unincorporated areas of the county. Consistent with its
policy to allocate those funds to support social programs, the Board approved
$545,000 in grant funding to several local agencies for gambling addiction and
other behavioral health services.
The
Board also took action to create a bipartisan commission to evaluate proposed reform
measures and report on key findings that enhance accountability to the public, provide for an
effective and responsive government structure, maintain strong professional and
ethical standards, as well as redistricting reform to mitigate political
influence. The group will consist of community members, elected officials,
faith leaders, major political party representatives, and other advocates of
good government. The action is in response to proposed State legislation that
would require a referendum for voters to decide whether they support a
countywide elected chairman--fundamentally changing Lake County’s current
structure where the Chairman is selected by county board members every two
years. Learn more.
The Lake County
Stormwater Management Commission saw great changes in 2016 and has several
noteworthy accomplishments to report. The 2016 Annual Report breaks down major
projects from the Des Plaines River Watershed planning effort, to floodplain
buyouts, and the Wetland Restoration and Preservation Plan (WRAPP). The report
highlights some policy changes, project leveraging numbers, and will give you
an idea of what to expect in the coming year. Check it out!
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Take Action for Better Health on Diabetes
Alert Day Diabetes Alert Day is Tuesday, March 28. This annual observance
reminds us about the seriousness of diabetes, the seventh leading cause of
death in the United States. The Lake County Health Department and Community
Health Center wants you to take action in three ways:
-
Take the Diabetes Risk Test to determine if you may be at risk for pre-diabetes, The screening test takes less than one minute to complete.
- Talk to your doctor
about additional testing if your score indicates you are at risk for
developing Type 2 diabetes. If you do not have a doctor, call the
Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center to make an
appointment at 847-377-8800.
- Visit the Health Department's Facebook page to watch a Facebook Live healthy
cooking demonstration with
certified dietitians on Diabetes Alert Day, at noon March 28.
The Health Department offers
diabetes prevention and treatment programs at the North Chicago Health Center,
Belvidere Medical Building in Waukegan and North Shore Health Center in
Highland Park. To make an appointment with a Health Department provider, call
847-377-8800. Learn more about diabetes prevention and treatment.
Spring
pet vaccination clinics begin April 1
The Lake County Health Department will offer
spring pet vaccination clinics starting April 1 at locations across the county.
These low-cost clinics provide a convenient, affordable way to keep pets up to
date with their shots and rabies tags. Learn more about the clinics and all upcoming dates.
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Lake County Public Works will begin its semiannual water hydrant flushing
program April 3. After flushing, you may notice a slight discoloration of the
water. You are urged not to do laundry during flushing periods in your
area to avoid staining of clothing, which may occur due to the disturbance in
the water main. This is not harmful and will dissipate after a short
time. It is recommended to run cold water for several minutes to clear
your pipes. View
the schedule.
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Lake County Sheriff Mark C.
Curran recently completed a five-week corrections officer training at the Lake
County Jail and then was responsible for a 60-inmate pod for five days. Watch this video to learn more about his
experience and the responsibilities of a corrections officer on a typical day.
Sheriff's Office warns of telephone
scam The Lake
County Sheriff’s Office has received reports of residents receiving fraudulent
telephone calls from individuals falsely representing themselves to be from the
Sheriff’s Office and serving the caller with a collection notice to collect
money. Residents should be aware the Sheriff’s Office never calls to
solicit money for any reason. Find out more
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Please join the Lake
County State’s Attorney’s Office in recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights
Week on April 4 at the College of Lake County A wing lower level auditorium in
Grayslake. The resource fair will run from 5:30 to 6 p.m., and the program will
follow. This year’s theme of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week reflects a
vision for the future in which all victims are strengthened by the response
they receive, organizations are resilient in response to challenges, and
communities are able to seek collective justice and healing.
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Forest Preserve News
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Trout season opens April 1
Banana
Lake at Lakewood Forest
Preserve in
Wauconda opens for rainbow trout fishing on April 1, following the release
of roughly 500 to 600 rainbow trout. For details and a free fishing guide,
visit LCFPD.org/fishing.
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Move more in April
Every April, the American Heart Association celebrates physical activity and
encourages all Americans to commit to being more active on a regular basis.
Your forest preserves are the perfect place to hike or stroll while improving
your health. Join an Rx for Health walk, bringing together naturalists and health professionals
for guided tours of some of Lake County's most breathtaking scenery. Learn more
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Junior high and high school girls, parents, and
role models are invited to join the annual Girl-Wise
Conference from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 8 at the College of
Lake County. This annual conference offers the girls an opportunity to attend
workshops that promote creativity, healthy bodies, healthy minds, and taking
charge of their lives. To
register, call the Girl-Wise Hotline at 847-377-7909, or fill out an online registration form.
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University
Center to hold free open house March 30
The University Center of Lake County will hold a
free open house from 6 to 8 p.m. March 30 at the University Center's Grayslake
facility, 1200 University Center Drive. The event will showcase the 130
academic programs available in Lake County for adults who wish to complete a
bachelor’s degree, earn a graduate degree or pursue professional
certificates. Register for the event,
or call 847-665-4400.
University Center honored for its college outreach program
The University Center of Lake County recently
received the Innovative Initiative Award from the Illinois Council on
Continuing Higher Education for its First Generation College Outreach
Program. This program works to help strengthen students’ path to
college by collaborating with schools, businesses and public libraries across the
county. Learn more
about the program.
Apply for scholarships awarded by Illinois Counties
Association
The Illinois Counties Association is taking applications for its 2017-18
scholarships. Applications must be completed online before midnight April 28.
Eligibility is limited to applicants who live in counties that participate in the
Nationwide Retirement Solutions 457 program, of which Lake County does
participate. Learn more about the scholarships and the application process.
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Barrington Chamber to host family expo Save
the date as the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce holds its family expo from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 9 at Barrington High School. The event will showcase
business, community and educational resources. For information, call
847-381-2525.
Learn about rain gardens at free Lake Zurich program Learn the benefits, beauty and value that rain gardens can add to home
landscape at 7 p.m. April 5 at the Ela Area Public Library. This free program is offered by the Ancient Oaks Foundation. Register by visiting the Ela Area Public Library website or call 847-438-3433.
Save the date for Barrington's first public town hall forum Featuring updates from local taxing bodies, the public is invited to attend the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce's first public town hall forum April 26 at the Makray Memorial Golf Club. For information, call the chamber at 847-381-2525.
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