The recent snowfall truly means winter is here, and our crews from the Lake County Division of Transportation are working to keep our County highways safe. Watch the video below to get behind the wheel of a snow plow to see all the work our crews do. And don't forget to also check Lake County PASSAGE to view the latest road conditions before you begin your trip.
The Lake County Forest Preserves is entering the final phase of construction and installing exhibitions at the new Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County, which is scheduled to open in March 2018. View the story below to learn more about the new museum.
Illinois has nearly 7,000 local governmental entities -- more
than any other state. Lake County has more than 200 local government units and
the County Board is taking steps to consolidate or dissolve those districts
(that it has control over) in order to enhance efficiency, accountability, and
cost-savings. Chairman Aaron Lawlor explains in this video, and learn more by reading
the Consolidation
Action Plan. |
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Lake County property owners can make a pre-payment for
the 2017 tax year to the Lake County Treasurer’s Office through Dec. 29. This could benefit you when
filing your 2017 income taxes. Visit the Treasurer’s
Office website to learn more.
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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. |
I recently joined fellow members of the Lake County Board to thank more than 300 people who serve on various County Board
appointed boards, commissions, and other special purpose units of government.
This ranges from drainage and fire districts to the transportation service
boards, human services boards and the Board of Review. These dedicated
volunteers make decisions and deliver services that our families and businesses
depend on every day. Watch
this video to see more from this event.
There are
opportunities for residents to serve their communities in an appointed
leadership role. Those interested are encouraged to view the County
Board's website.
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Approximately 200 people recently came to the third public meeting
for the Lake Cook Corridor Market Study and Plan, a vision for a key asset in the Village of Buffalo Grove. The meeting was an opportunity to view the draft vision and provide comments. Learn more about the Lake Cook Corridor Market Study. |
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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
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Traffic Detour Tentatively Starting Dec. 18 The Village of Buffalo Grove announced southbound Arlington Heights Road from Thompson Bouelvard to IL Route 83 will be closed for two weeks starting Monday, Dec. 18. View detour information.
Aptakisic Road Project The County Board has authorized an agreement with the Wisconsin Central Railroad Limited, appropriating $620,000 of the ¼% sales tax for transportation funds for the reconstruction of a railroad crossing, installation of pedestrian signals, construction of a concrete sidewalk, embankment, and landscaping along Aptakisic Road in Buffalo Grove. The project will include construction of a pedestrian crossing to connect the existing pedestrian facilities located on both sides of the railroad. This project was identified in the Non-Motorized Travel Study, which identified priority gaps for pedestrian facilities along County highways and is being completed in advance of the Weiland Road reconstruction project.
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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.
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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.
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Forest Preserves News
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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.
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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.
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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
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Start Your Job Search the
Right Way
Are you launching a new career in the new year? Learn some of the hottest
growing fields in Lake County and how the world of work is changing at a
workshop, “Career Trends for 2018.” The program will run from 10 a.m. to noon
Dec. 27 at the Job Center of Lake County. Reservations are recommended. Learn more
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
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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. |
Lake
County Public Works operates 35 active wells. To make sure customers have
a safe and reliable water source, we invest $125,000 per year to maintain and
preserve these wells. Routine maintenance ensures the pumps run efficiently and
water is delivered safely to our communities. This year, maintenance was
performed on wells in the following systems: Mill Creek, Oak Terrace, Brooks
Farm, Countryside Lake, and Pekara. Learn
more about the water distribution systems
operated and maintained by Lake County Public Works. |
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SAGES of Buffalo Grove (Senior Adults Growing and Exploring) Share knowledge, enjoy social time together and volunteer to better our community with a new group called Senior Adults Growing and Exploring. The group meets the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at the Buffalo Grove Alcott Center. Learn more
Enjoy the holidays in Long Grove Historic
Long Grove has a number of holiday attractions to enjoy. Complimentary
horse-drawn carriage rides will be offered from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec.
16 and Sunday, Dec. 17. Throughout the season, watch strolling costumed
carolers spreading holiday cheer. Learn
more about the holidays in Long Grove!
As always, I welcome your feedback. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please sign up to continue to receive news about Lake County and District 20.
Thank you, Sidney Mathias
Mr. Mathias, County Board member and Forest Preserve Commissioner, serves on:
Lake County Board, 20th District: Ad Hoc Legislative Committee, Co-Chair Ethics and Oversight Committee, Vice Chair Planning, Building and Zoning Committee Public Works and Transportation Committee
Lake County Forest Preserves, 20th District: Diversity
and Cultural Awareness Committee, Chair Planning Committee, Vice Chair Rules Committee
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