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Dear Neighbors,
Despite the rain, summer is here and there’s lot to do in
Lake County. There are festivals, concerts and many special events. Check out “Community Happenings” below. My Facebook page also has lots of
information. Unfortunately, the rain has
caused problems with some of the trails, especially the Des Plaines River
trail. So be sure to check conditions before you head out.
We continually look at new technologies to see if they will
work in Lake County. Two actions at our
June 12 Board meeting highlight this approach.
We will be using a new product on new asphalt roads that should extend
their life by five years. The product costs
$1 a square foot to apply in contrast to the $30 a square foot to build a new
road. We’re excited about this
development.
We also approved a contract
that will add 11 Pan Tilt cameras and 11,000 feet of fiber optic cable to the
Lake County PASSAGE system. This will
bring all county-county and county-municipal intersections into the PASSAGE
system, enabling us to alter traffic lights in response to traffic, crashes or
natural disasters.
Many of you have heard about the Foxconn development proposed
in Wisconsin. This project falls in the
Des Plaines River watershed. The State
of Wisconsin passed legislation waiving environmental regulations, including
filling 26 acres of wetlands without an Environmental impact study. We have grave concerns about how this will
impact flooding in Lake County. Due to
this as well as other environmental impacts, we passed a resolution urging the
State of Wisconsin to reconsider waiving enforcement of or compliance with regulations.
We also passed a resolution authorizing the Lake County
Sheriff’s Office to accept a $100,000 grant from the Healthcare Foundation of
Northern Lake County for Jail Diversion Case Management.
At the Forest Preserve meeting, we approved an
intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Third Lake for a path
connecting the village with Rollins Savanna. We also awarded a contract to study the drainage patterns at Lakewood
Forest Preserve.
We are interested in your concerns. I hope you can join the telephone town hall
meeting at 7 p.m. June 20. Directions on how to
sign up are below.
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. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please sign up to continue to receive news about Lake County and District 21.
Also, make sure to like my Facebook page where you can get relevant and up-to-date information important to District 21. Remember to hit "Like” at the top of the page!
Ann B. Maine
amaine@lakecountyil.gov
847-857-1732
Lake County Board, District 21
President, Lake County Forest Preserve District
 You're
invited to join our upcoming Telephone Town Hall meeting on June 20 at 7 p.m. During the Telephone
Town Hall, Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor will discuss our current
priorities, and you will be able to share your thoughts and ideas to make Lake
County a better place.
Participants will be
able to provide input in a variety of ways as Chairman Lawlor will answer
questions from residents during this live interactive discussion. If you would
like to take part in this event, make sure to sign
up to receive a call!
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 Forest Preserves News
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 Events in the Plaza Summer Concert Series
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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 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. The program is FREE with beach
admission. No registration is required. Learn
more
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Enjoy nature? Want to learn something new? Visit our Nature Blog, and if you enjoy history, be sure to read the History Blog by Diana Dreske. You'll be surprised at what you learn.
You can also view a full calendar of Forest Preserve events for more information.
 Lake County Begins A Busy
Road Construction Season
Spring has sprung, which means 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
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Bradley
Road Bridge Closes for Reconstruction
The Bradley Road Bridge, which carries traffic over
the North Tri- State Tollway (I-94) is now closed for bridge
reconstruction and is scheduled to remain closed through September. A detour
will be posted directing Bradley Road traffic along Rockland Road
(Illinois Route 176), St. Mary’s Road and Townline Road.
The Illinois Tollway will rebuild the Bradley Road
Bridge to replace the existing bridge, built in the 1950s, and provide a
longer and wider bridge to provide two, 12-foot lanes and eight-foot
shoulders. Read
this news release to learn more.
Transportation Links:
Tollway Construction
IDOT
Metra
Travel Midwest
Wisconsin Construction
 Summer is around the corner, 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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 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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Avoid Ticks and Lyme Disease
It’s the time of year to take precautions against ticks, which can be
most active during the warmer weather and can carry diseases such as Lyme
disease. The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center provides
these tips to help protect yourself from exposure to ticks:
- Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf
litter.
- Wear light-colored protective clothing, such as long-sleeved
shirts, pants, closed-toe boots or shoes, and a head covering or hat.
- Clear leaf litter, mowing grass, cutting back weeds, and keep
the ground clean under bird feeders.
 How to Remove A Tick
Whether it’s rubbing alcohol, nail polish, or a burnt match,
there’s a lot of misguided folklore when it comes to how to remove a
tick. Watch
this video to learn the proper techniques to remove a tick.
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 Protect Your Pets 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.
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 Protect Yourself While Staying Cool This Summer
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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 Addressing the Opioid Epidemic
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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 ‘A Way Out’ Program Continues Its Expansion
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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Taking A High-Tech Approach to Fight Repeat Drunk Driving
To improve public safety and reduce repeat offenses, the Lake County
State’s Attorney’s Office has launched a new program to monitor high-risk DUI
offenders 24/7 to ensure they aren’t drinking. As a condition of bond, drunk
driving offenders who cause a crash with serious injuries, those with multiple
DUIs and those who are arrested with a high BAC will be required to stay sober
and wear a high-tech anklet known as the SCRAM Continuous
Alcohol Monitoring. Also known as SCRAM CAM, this anklet automatically
tests the wearer’s perspiration every 30 minutes for alcohol consumption. Find Out More
 I recently joined more than 500 Lake County business and civic
leaders to celebrate 20 years of driving economic growth as Lake County
Partners hosted its annual “Big Event.” The Big Event focuses on
giving companies and communities the tools they need to fuel economic development.
This year’s focus was on business growth and innovation. In his remarks, Lake
County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor reflected on where we’ve been and where we
are going, affirming that Lake County is stronger than ever before!
Through the “Lake County
Workforce Ecosystem” established in recent years, Lake County Partners has
teamed with Lake County Workforce Development, the College of Lake County, the
Lake County High Schools Technology Campus and others to meet with company leaders,
identify and address critical marketplace needs and help attract top
talent.
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 Training and Employment Opportunities for Those Not in School
Individuals ages
18-24 who are not enrolled in school are invited to participate in Workforce
Essential Skills Training (WEST). WEST is an essential skills program that
leads to paid training, certifications, and employment opportunities. Attend an
information session to learn more.
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Make an Impact on Homelessness in Lake County
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.
 See How Public Works Uses
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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 Lake County was
recently honored with the 2018 Tyler Public Sector Excellence Award for
implementing an innovative new integrated permit and inspection system.
The Tyler Public
Sector Excellence Award is presented to organizations who exhibit leadership,
innovation, and excellence by using their Tyler product in new and effective
ways, Lake County's successful integration of the Tyler EnerGov system has
streamlined daily operations. In 2017, Lake County implemented a new integrated
permit and inspection software system in an effort to further integrate
multiple county departments into a single unified permitting system. This
allowed customers to submit and pay for many permit applications online and
review the status of their applications and inspections using their home
computer. Moving to a more streamlined and efficient permitting and inspection
software system provided a better customer experience and saved valuable time
and resources.
To learn more,
please view this news release.
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Deerfield's Summer in the Parks
The Deerfield Park District Summer
in the Parks kicks off its summer sampler concert series at Mitchell
Park. Concerts are Sundays from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and are free. See the schedule and plan to attend!
Free Garden Walk
The Gardeners of Central Lake County
are sponsoring a free garden walk on June 23. Get
directions.
Oak Grove Summer Reading
Oak Grove School has posted
its Summer Reading information.
Libertyville Days
The Libertyville Days Festival will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 14. Check out the
entire list of events.
Lake Forest Community Events
The City of Lake Forest Parks and
Recreation Department offers a number of activities at the beach. See
what is happening this week!
Grayslake Aquatic Center is Open
The Grayslake Aquatic Center is
open. Find out the hours of
operation.
Food Truck Fridays
The
Village of Lincolnshire's Food
Truck Fridays is back June 22. Come get food between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at 300 Knightsbridge
Parkway.
Visit Your Local Library
Your local library
offers programs for seniors, teens and everyone in between. Find your
library.
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