It has been nice seeing so many
people out enjoying the weather with friends and family. Please remember to
stay safe, stay cool and stay hydrated in this heat.
Did you know that every 4th of July
the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped 13 times to commemorate the
sacrifices of the patriots of the original 13 American colonies. I did not know that but I thought that it was interesting.
From my family
to yours, I wish you a Happy Independence Day.
Respectfully, Tom Weber
Whether you’re looking for a parade, live music and delicious food
or a spot to set down your blanket and watch the fireworks, Lake County has
lots of ways to enjoy the Fourth of July. Check out Visit
Lake County’s Guide to the Fourth of July to
discover ways to celebrate.
Here is a local celebration to check out:
- The Round Lake area parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. July 4, starting at Cedar Lake Road and Hawthorne to Union Square Park. At 6 p.m. at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center, stop at park district tables for games, and enjoy the fireworks at dusk.
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Drivers across Lake County will be seeing construction
projects popping up along their commutes as the County continues its commitment
to investing in transportation. In this County update, County Board Chairman
Aaron Lawlor joins Lake County Division of Transportation’s new Director, Shane
Schneider, who talk about some of the projects such as Cedar Lake Road, Quentin
Road and the Millburn Bypass as well as the County’s innovative efforts to make
transportation more efficient for drivers with tools such as Lake County PASSAGE. Watch Now
Get Road Closure Updates Sent to
Your Inbox
Did
you know that you can have information about road closures delivered to your
inbox? The Lake County Division of Transportation has an email subscription
specifically for people who wish to be notified when roads are closed due to
construction. Sign Up for Road Closure Notifications.
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The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is
launching a data-sharing partnership with Waze, the free, crowdsourced traffic
and navigation app powered by the world’s largest community of drivers.
Partnering with the Waze Connected Citizens Program gives LCDOT traffic
engineers access to real-time road activity as reported by Waze users. Using
the data from motorist insights, with information already generated through the
Lake County PASSAGE system, operators can make well-informed decisions and act
to reduce congestion and help keep traffic moving. Learn
more
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Summer is here, and there is so much to do right here
in Lake County. In this video, get a sneak peek inside the new Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee and
find out all of the “Must-Do’s” in Lake County this summer. Also, learn how
tourism is big business with more than 10,000 tourism-related jobs and adding
more than $1 billion to our local economy annually. Watch
now.
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Boating
is one of the most popular activities in Lake County, and it’s no surprise as
the area has over 170 lakes, rivers and waterways to visit. Check out BoatingLakeCounty.com as your
resource, including maps of all the county’s public boat ramps, lakefront
dining, upcoming events and more.
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The
90th annual Lake County Fair returns July 25 through 29 at the Lake
County Fairgrounds and Event Center in Grayslake. Check out new attractions
including the Timberworks Lumberjack Show
and family activities presented by the Illinois National Guard.
Returning favorites include truck-and-tractor pulls, demolition derby, 4-H
exhibitions, and more. Visit www.lcfair.com for more information.
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Events in the Plaza is Independence Grove's outdoor summer concert
series featuring live music. Performances will be held Tuesday evenings to Aug.
7 (excluding July 3). View the 2018 entertainment line-up.
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Shop for fresh fruits, vegetables, baked treats
and more while supporting local businesses at one of Lake County’s farmers
markets. Check out our Farmers
Market Finder to find a farmers market
near you. |
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It’s time to lace up your walking shoes and GO
Lake County! Founded by the Gurnee Park District in 2016 and adopted by Live
Well Lake County, GO Lake County is a walking initiative that promotes healthy
and active living. Over 15 park districts and communities across
the County have partnered to create programs and events for children and
adults. These events are open to all Lake County residents. Visit the new GO Lake County web
page and navigate
the map and calendar to find a walk specific to your area. If you take a
picture at a GO Lake County program, share your photo!
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“Fight the Bite” this summer and protect yourself and your family
from West Nile virus, an illness spread by mosquitoes. The Lake County Health
Department and Community Health Center says to follow the 4
Ds of Defense to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding and to
protect yourself from bites.
Since 2002, there have been 64 confirmed human cases of West Nile
virus in Lake County as well as two confirmed deaths. The Lake County Health
Department’s Mosquito Surveillance Program collects mosquitoes in traps around
the county and tests them weekly for West Nile virus. Visit the Fight
the Bite website to find more prevention tips and information on West Nile virus.
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This summer, the Lake County Health Department
reminds you to take action to protect yourself from illness and prevent the
spread of germs when swimming. Here
are ways to protect yourself from illness at pools and water parks.
The Health Department monitors lake water for
bacteria in over 100 Lake Michigan and inland lake beaches to ensure that the
water is acceptable for swimming. Through Labor Day, beach closure information
can be found on the Health Department’s Beach Advisory web page, which is
updated daily by 10 a.m.
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Sheriff’s
Office Warns of Misleading Telemarketers The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has received calls from the public stating telemarketers are identifying themselves as calling on behalf of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and soliciting for donations and/or pledges. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office does not make phone calls soliciting money from the public. Learn more
Jury Duty Scam
The 19th Judicial Circuit
Court’s Jury Commission received notification of several occurrences where a
male identifying himself by phone as a Lake County Deputy Sheriff tells residents
they had failed to appear for jury duty and need to proceed to the Lake County
Courthouse in Waukegan immediately. Residents were told that they had failed to
appear for Jury Duty and needed to proceed to the Lake County Courthouse in
Waukegan immediately. Once at the Courthouse, they were instructed to call the
Deputy Sheriff stating that they had left their residence. Remember
these precautions to protect yourself.
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Lake County recently held two Telephone Town Hall Meetings.
County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor discussed the County’s current priorities
and residents participated by asking questions and sharing what’s important to
them. Listen to the recordings from the June 6 and June 20 meetings.
Make sure not to miss upcoming Telephone Town Halls the
County hosts! Sign
up today.
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Children don’t need to go
hungry this summer. Children ages 18 and under can receive free summer meals as
part of the Summer Food Service Program, funded through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. To find
the closest meal sites, visit summermealsillinois.org, text FOODIL TO 877877 or
call 800-359-2163.
Lake
County, along with the Lake County Opioid Initiative is working to combat
the increasing opiate problem. Hear from Lake County State's Attorney Michael
Nerheim and Bill Gentes, who talk about what is being done to combat the opioid
epidemic and learn about programs such as prescription drug disposal boxes and
the “A Way Out” program, which are part of the county-wide effort to prevent
opioid abuse, addiction, overdose, and death. Watch Now
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Those who struggle with substance abuse now have two more locations they
can go to seek help 24/7 as part of the “A Way Out” Program. With the additions
of Waukegan Police Department and Lake Zurich Police Department, there are
now 13 “A Way Out” police entry points 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 as long as the
participant seeks assistance. Learn
more
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The Lake County Coalition for the Homeless is looking for an
individual to help serve those who experience homelessness in Lake County. This
individual will help plan
the 2019 Homeless Point-in-Time Count and work on initiatives to ensure the
homeless have access to needed services. Apply
today.
Learn more about this position by reading
this blog about a VISTA member sharing his experience coordinating the 2018
Homeless Point-in-Time Count.
2018 Water Quality Reports
Available Lake County Public Works is committed to providing safe
water throughout the County. As strong supporters of the Safe Drinking Water
Act, Public Works releases annual water quality Consumer Confidence Reports
(CCRs) for the 12 water systems they own and operate. These reports describe
the sources, treatment, and chemical analysis of each water distribution
system. All Lake County systems passed testing requirements for the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency. Visit the water quality reports web page
to read your report.
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Using Technology to Plan for Repairs Much of the infrastructure owned and maintained by Lake
County Public Works is underground. In order for Public Works to monitor and
evaluate the condition of the overall system, they need to see what’s going on
underground. In this video,
travel along the pipes and learn more about the process for televising and
inspecting the sewer lines. This inspection identifies areas in need of repair
and sets in motion the planning and engineering needed to maintain the
infrastructure. Public Works uses this information to develop a multi-year maintenance
schedule to make sure they are investing in the system at the right time and in
the most efficient way.
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Forest Preserve News
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Family Fun
Fridays The beach at Independence Grove in Libertyville
gets better Friday afternoons with games, contests and prizes around a
different theme each week. Everyone can participate in the fun. Prizes awarded
in age categories for kids 15 and under. Programs are FREE with beach admission. No
registration is required. Learn
more
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Lunchtime
Tours: Civil War Stories
Tour
the exhibition galleries of the Dunn Museum in
Libertyville and hear stories of how men and women from Lake County were
involved in the American Civil War: The tours will be offered at noon July 11
and 20. Learn more
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Green Youth Farm Thrives, Thanks to Donors
Early summer lettuces and kale, beans and squash are ripening at
the Green
Youth Farm in Lake County, thanks to donors to
the Preservation
Foundation. Among the farm’s supporters in 2018, we are
pleased to thank Lake Forest Bank & Trust and Libertyville Bank &
Trust. The company’s $10,000 grant helped provide a paid summer job for North
Chicago and Waukegan high school students, who sow, tend and harvest fresh,
healthful food as they gain valuable work experience. Learn more
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Wine and Nine
Enjoy a 30-minute golf clinic and a round of 9 holes, followed by
hors d’oeuvres and wine tasting at ThunderHawk
Golf Club in Beach Park at 4 p.m. July 20. Learn more
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The Baldies are Back in Town
You’ll find bald eagles soaring high in the sky, slowly flapping over water,
perched in trees, or even on the ground. Look for them near rivers, lakes,
marshes and shorelines. Bald eagles mainly eat fish, but also hunt mammals,
waterfowl and carrion. Young eagles attain their white head feathers after
about five years, so don’t rule out the possibility that giant brown bird
overhead is a baldy. Look for a bright yellow, hooked bill and mottled white
feathers on the body.
Nests are built near the trunk, high in the tree but below the
crown. The diameter of a nest is typically 5 to 6 feet; height ranges from 2 to
4 feet. The nest may be reused (and added to) for years. We’ve confirmed a few
local nests in recent years, including this one photographed in April in
southwestern Lake County. Send us an
email and let us know if you see an active nest while out exploring
your preserves.
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Annual Fund Spotlight
When you give to the Annual
Fund, you help us do more. The Preservation Foundation board
recently approved a $24,000 grant from the Annual Fund to monitor the
population and health of Blanding’s turtles this summer–data that directly
strengthens our ongoing Blanding’s Turtle Recovery Program. Learn
how you can help.
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Did you know solicitors seeking door-to-door purchases or orders
are required to comply with a County Board adopted ordinance when working in
unincorporated Lake County?
Door-to-door salespeople must carry a solicitor’s certificate while on the job
and are allowed to work only between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. If a
solicitor comes to your door, ask to see the certificate before conducting any
business. You may report unregistered vendors to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office by calling 847-549-5200.
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 in a municipality or
village, check with your local officials for your specific ordinances. Learn more
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Recently,
the Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) submitted its annual facility
inspection report to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of
Lake County. This report is a yearly requirement for Lake County’s National
Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, which covers Lake
County’s municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) discharge activities,
provides monitoring and reporting requirements, and defines measurable goals
for water quality protection. For more information, visit the website and the annual
report.
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