Turning food scraps into compost is just one part of Lake County’s critical strategy to increase recycling across the county and achieve a 60% recycling goal. One way the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County is helping work toward that goal is through food scrap programs like the ones recently launched in Highwood and Lake Bluff, the first municipalities in Illinois to include year-round food-scrap collection programs in hauling contracts. Watch this video to learn more about this new program.

Did you know the Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) has about 60 miles of bike paths and bike lanes as part of the Lake County highway system? This is part of the over 550 total miles of trails and bike ways, connecting forest preserves and communities throughout the county! Plan your next trip by using the Bike Lake County application, where you can find all the trails, paths, and lanes you can use in Lake County.

Dan Krill from Lake County’s Planning, Building & Development Department has been using these bike paths and bike lanes while riding his bike to work every day (even in the winter) for the past seven years. Watch this video to hear his story, and learn how LCDOT continues to consider non-motorized travel a high priority.

Deerfield: The American Legion will again hold its Memorial Day services starting at 10 a.m. May 29 at the Veterans’ Memorial in Jewett Park. A procession to the Deerfield Cemetery will immediately follow.

Highland Park: Join a Memorial Day ceremony May 29 at Highland Park High School auditorium. Representatives from the American Legion Post 145, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4737, and Jewish War Veterans 29 will be present. The Highland Park High School Band will perform.  

As motorists take to the roads this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone to buckle their seat belts. Sheriff’s deputies will be enforcing seat belt laws, joining law enforcement agencies across the country in mobilizing the Click It or Ticket Border to Border Operation. Learn more

Road construction can cause delays, but don’t try to hurry through a work zone. Even if workers aren’t on site, work zone speed limits are in place AT ALL TIMES by state law. This is for the safety of drivers as well as the workers. Work zones have changing conditions, shifting or narrowing lanes, equipment and other potential hazards to motorists that are going too fast or not paying attention. Watch this video as Lake County Division of Transportation workers share a few safety tips and ask for your help to make sure everyone gets home safely at the end of the day.

Are you planning to go boating over the Memorial Day weekend? Boating is one of the most popular activities in Lake County, and it’s no surprise as the county offers so many lakes to visit as we enjoy the warmer weather. Check out BoatingLakeCounty.com as your boating resource including maps of all the county’s public boat ramps, lakefront dining and more. 

Forest Preserve News

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

Summer Camps
Select openings are still available. Our day camps are designed for summer fun and learning. Browse available camps and enroll online.

New Middlefork Savanna Trail Connection
We’re partnering with the City of Lake Forest and Lake Forest Academy to build a trail connection, which will link Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve in Lake Forest to other local trails and parks. Project elements include a 221-foot steel pedestrian bridge over the Metra Railway with a scenic overlook, new 10-foot-wide paved trails, and a revised crosswalk at IL Route 60 to improve access to Townline Community Park. View map. Construction started this spring and should be complete by late fall 2017. Learn more

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

Help Restore Nature
Spend a weekend morning restoring wildlife habitat. Gather with other preservation-minded volunteers, and help make a difference in the health and habitat of your forest preserves. No experience is required, and families and groups are welcome. Please RSVP so we can bring enough equipment for everyone. Learn more

Beyond Ribbit
Few sounds evoke summer in Lake County like the song of frogs. Listen for these late-season breeders at a preserve near you. 

Grey treefrog (Hyla versicolor)
Hearing birds singing at night? It may be the bird-like musical trill of this frog calling from the trees. Best bet: Van Patten Woods (Wadsworth), west of the river.

Green frog (Rana clamitans)
Listen at night near ponds and rivers for the sound of a loose banjo string being plucked once or twice. Best bet: preserves with ponds, such as Captain Daniel Wright Woods (Mettawa).

Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
Some use the mnemonic “jug-o-rum” for this common, but non-native, species. We prefer to imagine Star Wars light sabers in action. Best bet: Des Plaines River Trail and adjacent forest preserves.

Explore more of Lake County’s native plants and animals. 

The first installment of our property tax bills for the 2016 tax year is due June 6. The second installment will be due 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.

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. 

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 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.