I am very proud of the residents and partners coming together to help out with all of the flooding. We have a lot of resources for flood victims and many great organizations with assistance across Lake County. Tomorrow, there is a disaster/flood center opening up at the old Garden Fresh location in Round Lake Beach. More information below.

Please pass this information on to anyone you know who has had flooding or been affected by it. There are forms for them to fill out and clean up kits available.

If you want to make donations please contact the help center opening tomorrow or call the Donation Hotline @ 888-369-1349.

For those of you who are so inclined, please keep the family's who have been affected by the flooding in your prayers.

I am honored being a voice of reason for fiscal responsibility while representing our district on the Lake County Board and as a Forest Preserves Commissioner.

I am looking forward to a great year here in Lake County!

Respectfully,

Tom Weber

Significant flooding continues in Lake County from the Chain O’Lakes, Fox River and Des Plaines River. Visit our 2017 Flood Information page for the latest updates.

Form to Help Report Flood Damage
Let us know if you've been impacted by the recent flooding by filling out the form below. A full and complete understanding of the impacts of this disaster is a necessary part of the flood response process. We need your help to properly quantify damages in Lake County. Please fill out the form today! 

Check Lake County PASSAGE 
Major roads have opened up. This includes US 41 between IL 21 and Delany Road, IL Route 60, 173, and 120! For updated road conditions, visit Lake County PASSAGE or listen to 1620 AM.

Be Aware of Flood-Related Fraud
Residents should be aware of the increased risk of scammers attempting to capitalize on those impacted by flooding. Some safety tips include:

• Check with the Better Business Bureau and your insurance company to determine the credibility of the service provider.
• Do not let anybody inside of your home, unless you have initiated the appointment. 
• Obtain several (three or more) estimates for repair work.
• Take photographs of your contractor and any work vehicles.
• Before work begins, obtain a written contract.
• If you see or detect anything suspicious, contact your local law enforcement agency.

Check Good Standing of Businesses – IL Secretary of State 

Report fraud to the IL Attorney General

 On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Northeast Illinois Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD) will join other disaster service organizations as part of a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC). Residents impacted by the floods can come to this one-stop, resource center in Round Lake Beach to meet with trained counselors for resources, obtain housing and insurance information and other assistance from team representatives. Also, the MARC will offer free in-kind donations. There will be Spanish translators available. News Release.

Where
965 E. Rollins Road, Round Lake Beach, (The old Garden Fresh location)

When
Thursday, July 20,  11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Lunch and dinner will be provided to clients.
Friday, July 21, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Lunch and dinner will be provided to clients.
Saturday, 9 a.m. – noon, Snacks will be provided to clients.

Drop-Off Donation Site 
To help ensure victims/clients receive the items they need, the Salvation Army has created a toll-free Donation Hotline (888-369-1349) for donors to call and get information on the specific items needed. Callers will be asked to identify what items they have to donate and if they are not usable items specifically for this flood, the Salvation Army will decline receiving the donation at this site. If they are non-perishable items that can be used in this disaster (or future ones), they will be given an Authorization Code and times the MARC is open to accept their donation. With the Authorization Code, they may drive to the MARC at their convenience any of the three days and drop off their items with designated Donation Management personnel. Callers can leave a message and get a call back should they call after hours or during times of heavy call volume. We are unable to accept spontaneous donations during this event, you must go through this process.

Understanding your property assessment
As blue property assessment notices continue to be mailed to residents across Lake County, residents may have questions about their property assessment, how a home’s value is determined, and how the assessment then calculates your property tax bill. Watch this edition of Lake County Update as County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor and Chief County Assessment Officer Marty Paulson address common questions residents have with their property tax assessments.

Filing an Appeal? Use our Online System
Our quick and convenient Online Appeal Filing System allows you to get your appeal information to the Board of Review without the hassle of mailing or hand delivering them to the Chief County Assessment Office in Waukegan. Watch this video to learn more about the process to file an appeal online.

Did you know 68 percent of Lake County residents have continued schooling beyond high school, and 43 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher? That exceeds the national average by 13 percent! Learn more about Lake County’s workforce by viewing Lake County Partners 2016 annual report.

And, government, business and community leaders are continuing to work together to grow our talent economy. Watch this video to learn more as leaders came together to discuss how to attract businesses to the county at Lake County Partners' Big Event. 

Mosquitoes in Illinois are beginning to test positive for West Nile virus. The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center urges you to “Fight the Bite” and protect yourself and your family. Make sure to follow the 4 D’s of Defense to help prevent breeding and protect yourself from mosquito bites.

Call the West Nile hotline at 847-377-8300 to report areas of stagnant water, report locations of dead birds, and learn the signs and symptoms of West Nile virus.

Protect your dog and family from ticks! Dogs love to roll around in the grass, jump in brush and walk in wooded areas – ALL places ticks may live. Watch this video to find out the proper way to check and remove ticks from your dog from Heidi Johnson, who works in Animal Care and Control for the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center.

Drivers with outstanding fines and costs for traffic violations in Lake County can pay off their outstanding traffic tickets at their original cost during the County’s “Operation Green Light” initiative now through Friday, July 21. 

Operation Green Light payments can be made over the phone or in person at one of Lake County’s branch courts.  Find out more, including where to pay.  

Locating missing persons, finding weapons and drugs, tracking suspects and inspecting for bomb threats are some of the ways our K-9 Unit has made an impact in our communities. Watch this video, and see how Dax, Diesel, Duke, Boomer and their handlers work to help protect Lake County.

This summer, join the fight against opioid addiction. Here’s how:

• If you know someone who is addicted to opioids, find help.
• If you know someone who is dealing opioids or other drugs, report a tip.
• If you have unused or expired prescription drugs, bring them to one of these drug disposal box locations. 

Lake County will now get 25 percent of its electricity from “Green power” or electricity from renewable resources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal. This is an additional 20 percent from its previous electricity rate contract.  Green energy has proved to be environmentally preferable to electricity generated from conventional sources, including coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on average, replacing each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of traditional power with renewable power avoids the emission of more than one pound of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas. Lake County will purchase 9.98 million renewable energy kWH(h) under this contract, which is the equivalent of more than 15 million pounds of carbon dioxide. Lake County has received an Environmental Stewardship Certificate for its commitment to investing in green energy.

Forest Preserve News

Gospelfest
Be inspired by Lake County’s gospel voices on Sunday, July 30 at the Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago. This annual favorite feature choirs, solo performances and praise dancers that bring you to your feet. Children can also enjoy fun nature activities during the event. Learn more

Wildlife Homes
Discover with your little explorer the places animals make their homes. Hands-on nature activities include a hike, story, craft, and interaction with live animals. This event takes place select Thursdays in July and August at Independence Grove, and it is open to children ages 4-5 with an adult. Register today

Family Fun Fridays at Independence Grove
The beach at Independence Grove gets even better on Fridays with games, contests and prizes around a different theme each week. Join the party from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays. These events are open to all ages and free with beach admission. No registration is required. Learn more

Preservation Foundation Helps Fund Ranger Training
Lake County Forest Preserve Ranger Police patrol 10 percent of the land in Lake County, making ours the second largest jurisdiction. As part of their work, rangers often encounter people with emotional, cognitive, and mental health challenges. The Preservation Foundation’s Board of Directors recently approved a grant for Crisis Intervention Training to provide all full-time rangers with skills to deescalate interactions with people in crisis and connect them with health services. This specialized training will directly improve public safety in your forest preserves. Learn more about how you can stay safe in the preserves with these safety alerts and tips.

Gateways Grants Open the Door for Schools 
As budgets shrink, field trips are increasingly out of reach for Lake County schools, especially in low-income communities. Since 1991, Gateways Grants have made field trips possible for tens of thousands of students. They benefit from “school” in outdoor and museum settings, where learning is experiential and profound. School districts with a low-income population of 40 percent or more are eligible. Gateways Grants cover program fees and provide a bus stipend. Donations fully fund this program. Our goal is to raise $5,000 in Gateways Grants by the start of the school year. Help make field trips possible.

The 89th annual Lake County Fair will take place July 26 to 30 at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake. Don't miss family fun, including the livestock barns, rodeo, carnival rides, music and much more. Learn more

Individuals who struggle with substance abuse can get directed quickly to treatment through a pilot program called “A Way Out." The program is offered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at participating police departments in Lake County. Individuals, who possess narcotics or paraphernalia, enter a participating police department and tell an officer they are requesting help will avoid criminal charges if the participant seeks assistance. Watch this video to learn more about the “A Way Out” program.

The Lake County Courthouse Expansion project is well underway! Watch this edition of Lake County's Dirty Jobs as County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor tackles an important task and sprays fireproofing material on the steel beams in the building, which will make it safer in the event of a fire. This project, which is anticipated to be completed in summer 2018, is designed to increase the efficiency of the justice system and support growth of the justice agencies out to the year 2030 and beyond. 

Lake County Public Works is committed to providing safe water to our customers. In accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, we publish an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) describing the sources, treatment and chemical analysis of each water distribution system.

Learn more about what we are doing to protect your local drinking water quality and find out where your water comes from in this video.

Summer is the time for picnics, warmer weather, and salespeople at your front door. Solicitors seeking door-to-door purchases or orders are required to comply with a County Board adopted ordinance when working in unincorporated Lake County.

Each solicitor must:

• Appear in person and register annually with the County Clerk’s office. Registration is free. View the Solicitor Registration Information and Application web page.
• Work only between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Carry his/her own Certificate of Registration bearing the salesperson’s name, employer’s name, manufacturer’s name, type of business, and an embossed seal.
• Observe “No Solicitation” signs.
• Respect occupant’s request if asked to leave.

Residents should ask to see the vendor’s certificate and report any violations to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 847-549-5200 where fines and penalties can be enforced.

This ordinance applies only to unincorporated Lake County and provides exemptions for religious groups, candidates, and minors under age 18 who participate in fundraising activities. If you live within municipal or village borders, check with your local officials for your specific ordinances.