I joined mayors from across the country and some of the nation’s
best thinkers on mental health to ignite a movement to revolutionize how
communities identify, think about, and treat mental illness. More than 200
people, including mayors, health care leaders, first responders, and community
activists from 60 cities and counties across 30 states recently participated in
the Cities Thrive
National Mental Health Leadership Conference in New York City. The purpose of
the conference was to discuss how local communities can learn from each other,
share best practices, and brainstorm new solutions. I had the opportunity
to speak on a panel about the work of the Lake County
Mental Health Coalition and its focus on data-sharing to address the
mental health crisis.
|
Lake County property owners can make a prepayment for the
2017 tax year to the Lake County Treasurer’s Office. Due to the high interest in
the prepayment program, changes to the process have been made to make it easier
for taxpayers to submit a prepayment. This includes accepting online bill
payments made through a bank's online pay service, and mailed prepayments that
are postmarked by Dec. 29, 2017, will now be accepted. Learn more about the prepayment program.
The Illinois State Treasurer is holding $2.5 billion in unclaimed funds
for Illinois residents. The State holds these lost funds until they are claimed
by either the original owner or their heirs. Property is returned at no cost
with the proper identification. Find out if you have
unclaimed funds. |
|
|
Fellow members of the Lake County Board and I recently hosted an Illinois Bicentennial Flag ceremony to kick off the yearlong statewide bicentennial celebration, which honors the many ways that Illinois has influenced American history, achievement, culture, and innovation. The Illinois Bicentennial Flag will be displayed in the Lake County Courthouse lobby until Illinois' 200th birthday on Dec. 3, 2018. Be a part of the Bicentennial celebration by visiting the web site illinois200.com.
|
We’re entering the final phase of
construction and the installation of exhibitions at the new Bess Bower Dunn
Museum of Lake County, set to open to the public on March 24, 2018. The
new Collections Care and Storage Facility in the lower level of the Dunn Museum
is complete. It offers stable environmental conditions suitable for protecting
the Museum’s irreplaceable historic collections. To date, we have moved the
entire Lake County History Archives and a significant portion of the object
collections. Work will continue over the coming months to complete the
move.
The Lake County History Archives
includes a new public research center, which is almost
complete. Installation of a commissioned life-sized Dryptosaurus dinosaur
is also nearly complete. With guidance from Native American tribe members on
authenticity, the build-out of the wigwam is moving along. The wigwam will serve
as an in-gallery teaching space for programs and an interactive space for
visitors. Learn more
|
December is Here!
SNOW SEASON is Upon Us!
Have you ever
wondered what it looks like from behind the wheel of a snow plow? Watch this
video taken from a dashboard camera last winter, and learn more
about our operations as the plow clears Lake County highways. Which roads do we
maintain? Map of LCDOT Snow Routes.
|
|
|
Lake County PASSAGE: View Camera
Images from Major Intersections
Did you know that you can look in on the road conditions from your computer
or mobile device before you hit the roads? You have access to the PASSAGE
cameras which means you can look at real-time snapshots from major intersections,
like this image taken last winter. Go to LakeCountyPASSAGE.com, turn on camera
images in “Layer Options” at the top right, find intersections along your
route, and check road conditions in each direction.
Other
Resources: LCDOT Snow Season
Story Map: This interactive mapping tool explains everything you need to
know about our snow and ice removal operations.
Don’t Crowd the Plow: Watch
this to learn valuable safety tips. Give plow drivers space to do their jobs,
and we can all get to our destinations safely.
Ask A Snow Plow Driver: You
asked your questions, and our plow drivers answered! Hear directly from them
about what they see on the roads, and the challenges they face when clearing
the roads for you. If you have additional questions, you can submit them
here: Ask A Snow Plow Driver.
Build an Emergency Kit for Your Vehicle
You may have an emergency supplies kit for your home, but
what about your vehicle? Make sure to keep a shovel, blankets, booster cables,
and these other items in your
car this winter.
|
Program to Help Revive the Job Search
Returning citizens and individuals with a criminal
background can learn the skills needed in today’s workplace through a new
program the Lake County Workforce Development will launch early next year
called Revive Lake County. Individuals who successfully complete the program may be eligible
to receive financial aid for job training or a paid work experience. Interested individuals must attend a Job
Center information session by Dec. 29. View the schedule.
Engineering
Internship and Job Fair Don’t miss a unique chance to interview with Lake
County’s top employers in engineering, med-tech, automation, biopharma, precision
manufacturing and more at the Lake County Engineering Internship and Job Fair.
The fair will run from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 5 at the College of Lake County. Learn more
|
|
|
The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission recently
hosted the 2017 Homeowners Floodproofing Expo and Workshop, a great opportunity
for homeowners and property owners to learn about products, services, and
solutions to minimize flood damages to homes and properties. If you couldn't
attend the workshop, don't worry! Check
out this video to learn more, and connect
with additional flooding resources and information. |
Forest Preserve News
|
Middlefork Bridge and
Trail Connection Now Open
The Middlefork Bridge
and Trail Connection is now open. The new bridge connects 4.5 miles of trails
at Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve in Lake Forest to the Lake
Forest Academy and Townline Community Park and provides trail users a safe
passage over the Metra Railway. Other new elements include a scenic
overlook and crosswalk improvements at the intersection of IL Route 60 and
Academy Drive. This project is part of a larger effort by several organizations
to connect Middlefork Savanna and the Middlefork Trail and Greenway to the
Des Plaines River Trail at MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve in Mettawa. We are
pleased to have worked with the following partners and donors to make this
project possible: City of Lake Forest, Lake Forest Academy, Lake Forest Bank
& Trust, Lake Forest Open Lands Association, and Richard and Elizabeth
Uihlein. View
Map.
|
Join the Preservation Foundation Carol and Ed’s home is surrounded
on three sides by a beautiful forest preserve. Appreciation for their Forest
Preserve neighbor and a life-long love of nature led Carol and Ed to support
the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves in their will. If you are grateful for all the Lake County
Forest Preserves provide, consider making a planned gift through your will or
estate.
There are many ways to leave a
legacy, including gifts of cash, land, a vacation home, or life insurance.
Whatever you choose, the impact of your gift will live on for years to
come. Carol and Ed are extending the impact of their legacy gift by
joining the Preservation Society. Why join them? Because we want to acknowledge
your gift and celebrate your commitment to the Lake County Forest Preserves.
Also, allowing us to recognize you in our publications lets others know that
the Forest Preserve mission is worth your investment. For more information
or to become an inaugural member of the Preservation Society, contact Ellen at 847-968-3448.
|
Special Feature: Science in
the Preserves
Finding eight common garter snakes under your first cover board of
the day is a good start for John Vanek and wildlife technicians Katherine
Waguespack and Elizabeth Mullen. “The technicians write down where we are,”
said Vanek, a graduate research assistant completing his Ph.D. in the
Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Illinois University. “They record
surrounding habitat conditions, such as the height of the vegetation and the
amount of shading. Those variables help us figure out why snakes and other
species are in one place and not another.”
For his dissertation, Vanek is
working with Forest Preserve wildlife biologists, Gary Glowacki and Andrew Rutter,
to study how habitat restoration and other factors affect animals in the
preserves. “We are at an exciting point where our data can tell us how wildlife
responds to the way we restore and manage our land,” Glowacki said. “This will
allow us to more effectively manage our natural areas and better conserve
biodiversity.”
Vanek is also analyzing our
wildlife monitoring program, drawing on the accumulated knowledge of our
Natural Resources Department. “One of the most important facets of the
wildlife monitoring program is diversifying our sampling methodologies,” said
Rutter. “Different species call for different sampling techniques, which we
employ in an attempt to confirm the presence, abundance, and diversity of
wildlife on our lands.” By the end of his three-year tenure, Vanek will
have sifted through a decade worth of data containing more than 180,000
records, identifying trends and ways to improve our restoration actions. Learn more
|
|