If you’re starting your spring cleaning, think recycle first, trash last. The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) offers many options to recycle your shoes, clothing and textiles, and household chemicals.

Household chemical waste: Don't miss the first mobile household chemical waste event of 2017 on April 29 in Fox Lake where you can get rid of unwanted pesticides, cleaners, batteries, gasoline, fertilizer and other household chemical waste items. SWALCO plans public drop-off events at SWALCO’s Gurnee facility as well as mobile collection events at locations across Lake County. These collections are for residential waste only. Learn more, including acceptable items and additional collections scheduled.

Reuse-A-Shoe: Don't throw away your unwanted shoes! Make sure they get recycled or reused! Drop off your shoes at one of several locations across Lake County. View Drop-Off Locations

Clothing and textiles: Did you know 85 percent of clothing ends up in the landfill? Instead, bring your new, gently used, and used clothing to be reused or recycled. Even clothes with stains or holes will be taken. Learn more, including what is acceptable and where to drop off your items.

Bring your electronics, such as monitors, laptops, cell phones, televisions, and small appliances to be recycled at Recycle-O-Rama from 9 a.m. to noon May 20 at Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills. Bring documents (limit two boxes per vehicle) to be shredded, and bring latex paint to be recycled for a small fee. There will be no household chemical waste recycling at this event. Learn more

Lake County businesses, schools, churches, non for profits and units of government are invited to bring broken and unwanted electronics to be recycled at a special collection event from 8 a.m. to noon April 27 at the Lincolnshire Corporate Center (West Parking Lot), 300 Knightsbridge Parkway. 

The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County provides free opportunities for residents to recycle electronics through a network of drop off locations. However, State law limits these locations to accept only residential electronics. Learn more about this collection, including what items will be accepted.

Forest Preserve News

Ticks and Lyme Disease
Ticks can infect humans and wildlife with bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause serious illness. There are two species of ticks in Lake County: deer tick (Ixodese scapularis) and wood tick (Dermacentor variabilis). Of these two species, only deer ticks can pass on Lyme disease. However, wood ticks, also referred to as American dog ticks, do have the ability to pass on other bacterial infections such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. Learn more

Summer Concerts
Get ready for award-winning performers playing under the stars at the annual Events in the Plaza music series. Eight concerts will be held at Independence Grove Forest Preserve at 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays, June 13 through Aug. 8. From Beatles to the blues, from rock and reggae, to swing and jazz, there’s something for any musical taste. View the concert lineup.

Marina Open Weekends at Independence Grove
The marina at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville is now open weekends only through May 21 and will be open daily May 27 to Sept. 4. Before heading out to the preserve, check here for status updates on swimming, the marina, summer concerts, and more. 

Check Status of Trails and Preserves
Preserve improvements, construction projects, controlled burns and weather-related events sometimes result in temporary detours or closures of trails, preserves or facilities to ensure public safety. Before heading out, check the current status of trails and underpasses. Also find construction alerts, preserve improvement projects and controlled burn sites. 

Lake County Board Members, judges in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, and others that have been a part of the Lake County Courthouse Expansion Project signed the last beam of the new court tower before it was put into place. The expansion project in Waukegan includes an approximately 200,000-square-foot court tower and a tunnel connecting the jail and current courthouse. The project will increase the efficiency of the justice system and support growth of the justice agencies for many years to come. Watch this video to learn more about the project. 

Volunteers who lend their time, talent and voice show they care about their community and can inspire others to take action and create change. Lake County offers many ways that you can contribute your time and help make a difference. As we approach National Volunteer Week, check out all these volunteer opportunities.

Find Help Lake County is a single point of access that allows you to connect with health and human services in Lake County. Let us know how well this free site helps you by taking this survey! The feedback will be used to improve the effectiveness of the website. The survey is available until April 26. As an incentive to complete the survey, one lucky respondent will win a $25 gift card.

Lake County's new integrated permit and inspection system is now available to the public! This new technology will improve inter-departmental efficiencies, enhance customer service, improve communication, and reduce the amount of time it takes for permits and inspections. Customers will be able to submit and pay for many permit applications online and review the status of their applications and inspections using their home computer. Watch this video to learn more. Visit the new Permit and Inspection Dashboard.