It’s the time of year to take precautions against
ticks, which can be most active during the warmer weather and can carry
diseases such as Lyme disease. Once considered a rare illness in Lake
County, Lyme disease is becoming more common in the area. The Lake
County Health Department and Community Health Center provides tips to help
protect yourself from exposure to ticks:
- Clear leaf litter under trees, and keep the ground clean
under bird feeders
- Keep grass near playground equipment short.
- Install a wood chip or gravel barrier between lawns and
wooded and tall grass areas.
- Minimize wood piles as these are attractive to small mammals
such as mice, which can carry ticks.
How to remove a tick
Whether it’s rubbing alcohol, nail polish, or a burnt
match, there’s a lot of misguided folklore when it comes to how to remove a
tick. Watch
this video as Lake County Health Department Senior Biologist
Mike Adam explains the proper techniques to remove a tick.
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The County Board works for all residents to deliver services
and solve problems that impact their daily lives, from property taxes to roads
to jobs. The Lake County Board recently updated its strategic plan, which
serves as a road map for county government and influences how we prioritize and
invest our resources. Residents and local leaders provided input on their
priorities through a variety of channels, including two telephone town hall meetings,
a survey of Lake County residents, and a series of Leaders Round Table meetings.
View a summary of the
input as well as highlights from the plan, and the entire plan.
Learn how to improve your resume, perfect your job
search, overcome barriers and much more at the series of workshops offered this
month by the Job Center of Lake County. The center also offers ongoing services including
adult education, disability services, and legal services. View
the Job Center’s May schedule to learn more.
Join
Lake County government’s workforce Lake County government offers career opportunities that cover a wide spectrum
of fields including law, law enforcement, corrections, nursing, finance and
budgeting, highway maintenance, and much more. View the
current job opportunities available.
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Get an inside look at what it’s
like to work in the Lake County Jail as County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor explores some of its
"tough" jobs. Watch this video and see him do some of the daily tasks at the jail
like laundry and food preparation, and learn how the jail keeps clean.
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This week, we
join the nation to celebrate National Correctional Officers Week and recognize
the work that these men and women do each day to help protect our county.
Recently, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran went behind the bars, completing 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 what a correctional officer’s responsibilities would be on a typical day.
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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.
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Caterpillar
has selected Deerfield as home to its new corporate headquarters. Caterpillar
initially plans to relocate approximately 100 employees to its new site
immediately, but that number is expected to triple in coming years. The move
adds high quality jobs and a new global brand to Lake County’s bustling
economy. Caterpillar, a Dow Jones 30 company, joins 11 other Fortune 500 companies
that call Lake County home. Watch this video as County Board Chairman
Aaron Lawlor speaks with Deerfield Mayor Harriet Rosenthal and Lake County Partners President Kevin Considine to
welcome Caterpillar to Lake County and discusses working together to ensure
that the transition is smooth and successful.
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Join
Lake County’s single largest gathering of business and community leaders to
discuss ways to strengthen, sustain and leverage the County’s economy. The Lake
County Partners Big Event will take place June 23 at the Lincolnshire Marriott
Resort. Registration is now open. Learn more
Property tax bills have been mailed and are on their way to
your mailbox. Tax bills are for the 2016 tax year and are due in two equal
installments on June 6 and Sept. 6. Visit the Treasurer’s Office
website to view
your property tax bill, get answers to frequently asked questions, and learn how
to make a payment. Keep in mind, while you send your payment to Lake County,
the County only keeps a small portion (about 7%), and the rest is distributed
to many other taxing districts. Visit Lake County’s
property tax information page to see
what Lake County does with its portion.
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Forest Preserve News
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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.
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Independence
Grove Beach
Grab
your swimsuit, towel and sunscreen, and head to the beach at Independence Grove, open only on weekends May
27 to June 4. The beach will open daily beginning June 5. The beach offers
400 feet of sand along the lake's South Bay. Learn more
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Wildlife in
the Preserves
By early June, coyote pups
begin to venture out of the den that has sheltered them since birth. In
early summer, we often receive reports of sightings due to increased daytime
activity. When dens are located near trails, staff will install signs to inform
trail users about coyote behavior and how to safely respond if you see a
coyote. Learn more
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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.
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Unveiling a new vision, Healthy
Choices. Healthier People. Healthiest Communities, the Lake County
Health Department plans to use data to maximize resources and work with local,
state and federal leaders to shape policy, improve systems and advocate for
environmental change in the county. Watch this video to
learn more about the department’s exciting direction.
Learn More About Hepatitis
Prevention, Care at Free Health Fair Learn more about hepatitis
prevention, care and treatment as well as information regarding overall health
at a free health fair from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 18 in the County Building
lobby, 18 N. County St., Waukegan. Free hepatitis C and HIV tests also will be
offered the day of the fair at the Lake County Health Department Sexually
Transmitted Infections program’s office, 2400 Belvidere Road, Waukegan. Learn more
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Learn
to Manage or Prevent Diabetes
The Lake County Health Department offers a variety of
diabetes prevention and treatment programs, which help people with diabetes
learn how to take care of themselves and reduce their risk of developing
complications. Program staff provide group and one-on-one instruction, and
services are available in English and Spanish. Watch this
video to learn more.
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