Dear Neighbors,
I am always looking for feedback on my newsletter as well as what's happening in Lake County. If you have any comments or concerns, feel free to send me an email, or give me a call at 847-513-1736. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please sign up to continue to receive news about Lake County and District 8.
The new year brings more than 200 new laws that have gone
into effect beginning Jan. 1. This includes lowering the organ donor registry
age, allowing motorists to pass bicyclists in a no-passing zone, and a new law
that protects consumers who leave negative online reviews. See the complete list.
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Forest Preserve News
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Experience Winter’s Beauty Hiking across the snow. Tracing figure eights on the ice.
Feeling the tug of a fish below the frozen water. Zooming downhill on a
snow-packed surface. These experiences and more await winter outdoor
enthusiasts at your Lake County Forest Preserves, where breathtaking scenery
goes hand-in-hand with exercise and fun. Before heading out, check online for current trail, snow and ice
conditions for sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, ice skating, and
cross-country skiing.
Take an Evening Hike on Solar-Lit Trails
With small solar lights to guide the way, hikers, skiers and
snowshoers can get some evening exercise along the 1.3-mile fitness trail
at Old School Forest
Preserve in Libertyville, and along a 1.65-mile hilly section of
the Millennium Trail adjacent to the Winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve in
Wauconda. Though regular preserve hours are 6:30 a.m. to sunset, the
illuminated trails and adjacent parking lots will remain open after sunset
until 9 p.m., daily, through March 11. Learn more
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Lake County History Symposium–Call for Papers
On April 29, the Dunn Museum (Libertyville)
will host the fourth Annual Lake County History Symposium. The Symposium is
open to the public and aims to bring together those interested in and actively
researching the history of Lake County. This year’s theme is History from
Objects. Proposals for presentations and posters are requested. Submissions are
due on or before Feb. 1. Submit yours today. |
Waukegan Park District Job Fair
The Waukegan Park District will hold a job fair from 11 a.m. to 7
p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4 at the Field House, 800 Baldwin Ave. Learn more
Zion Job Fair
Bring your resume and dress for success as the Job Center of Lake
County and the City of Zion hold a job fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 18 at
the Zion Benton Library, 2400 Gabriel Ave. A total of 20 employers are expected
to attend. Learn
more
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A Paratransit Market Study is underway in Lake
County to evaluate transportation options for seniors, people with
disabilities, and the general public. Please join us for the second round of
community meetings for the Paratransit Market Study. Lake County, in
conjunction with the Lake County Coordinated Transportation Services Committee
(LCCTSC), is conducting this study to evaluate transportation options for
county residents and to prepare an implementation plan to improve service. At
the community meetings, we will provide an overview of the draft analysis of
existing conditions and draft recommendations for service implementation. You
will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback and comments on
these findings to help shape public transportation in Lake County.
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 1 – 3 p.m. Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center, 2007 N. Civic Center
Way, Round Lake Beach
Wednesday, Jan. 24, 5 – 7 p.m.
Warren Township Senior Center, 17801 W. Washington St., Gurnee
The meetings will be conducted in an informal,
open house format so feel free to attend at any time during a session. The
same information will be provided at all meetings. Additional information can
be found on LCDOT’s website.
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Stay Green after the Holidays
The holidays are over, but don’t
throw those decorations away! Recycle your old and unwanted strings of lights
for free! View the list of locations and what items are accepted.
Donate your
holiday tree to the Lake County Forest Preserves, and we’ll recycle it into
wood chips for trails and landscaping at forest preserves throughout Lake
County. Bring your tree to a drop-off site now
through Feb. 1.
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Dispose Unwanted, Expired Prescriptions Safely
Dispose your unused, unwanted and
expired prescription drugs properly at disposal boxes across Lake County. The
service is free! Find a drug
disposal box near you, and learn what is not accepted.
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Donate Clothing and Textiles Donate your new and gently used clothing and textiles to be
reused, along with worn or stained items, which will be recycled. There
are several collection bins
in Lake County to donate your women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, including two new locations at the Waukegan Park District's maintenance facility and the Wadsworth Village Hall. View accepted and
unacceptable items.
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Reuse-A-Shoe
Donate new and gently used shoes to
SWALCO’s Reuse-A-Shoe program. Individuals or families with a few pairs can
visit the drop-off locations. Groups or families who have a large number of shoes or who want to
collect them can contact Merleanne Rampale at SWALCO at 847-377-4954 to set up
a seasonal collection site or drive. View acceptable and unacceptable items.
Remember the R’s Just as important as reusing or recycling is purchasing
eco-friendly items, including those that contain recycled content. There
are numerous markets out there, and even your local retailer offers
eco-friendly options. Visit SWALCO’s website
to learn more.
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The Lake County Commission
on Government Reform and Accountability held its last meeting in December 2017.
The bipartisan commission was created by the County Board to evaluate proposed
government reform measures and will be reporting their key findings to the
County Board for consideration. Some of their proposed recommendations include
ideas for local government consolidation and independent redistricting. Watch this video to learn more. |
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Lake County is on the front lines of addressing the mental
health crisis impacting our country and our communities. Over the past
year, the Lake County Mental Health Coalition has been
working diligently to study this issue at the local level and make
recommendations on how to better serve this vulnerable population in order
to maintain their health and well-being. Watch this video to
learn more. |
The minimum legal sales age to
purchase tobacco products has increased to 21 years old in unincorporated
Lake County as of Jan. 1, following an ordinance approved by the County
Board. Lake County is the first county in Illinois to raise the minimum
legal sales age to 21 in unincorporated areas.
The
Lake County Health Department provides FREE
one-on-one and group counseling with a certified tobacco treatment
specialist for adults looking to quit smoking or other their tobacco
use. Learn more
Lake
County property owners who sustained flood damage from the July 2017 flood may
be eligible to claim an income tax credit worth up to $750 under a new law
recently approved by the Illinois Legislature and signed by the governor. If
eligible, the income tax credit may be applied to the resident’s 2017 Illinois
income taxes. Learn
more |
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