The Lake
County Health Department and Community Health Center has opened its new Zion
Health Center, which will greatly expand access to quality health services for
residents of northeast Lake County. Located at 1911 27th St., the site was
fully renovated to provide integrated health services, including primary care,
dental care, behavioral health, women’s health, nutrition services, case
management, and more to provide patient-centered care under one roof. Watch this video to learn more about the new center.
Open House Aug. 17
To celebrate National Health Week, which is running now through Aug. 18, the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center will host a public open house from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 at the new Zion Health Center. Tour
the new facility and learn about Health Department services, enjoy fun
activities for children, and schedule appointments, including school
physicals and immunizations. Learn more
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Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Jay Ukena, Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor, along with judges, county board members, elected officials, justice partners and others recently came together for the ribbon-cutting of the new Court Tower in downtown Waukegan. The ceremony also included the dedication of the Audrey H. Nixon Pedestrian Bridge.
The new eight-story, 200,000 sq. foot court tower houses 12 new courtrooms, jury assembly space, various administrative services and room for six future courtrooms. The tower construction began in June 2016 and opened to the public July 30, 2018. Watch this video to learn more.
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Watch this edition
of Your Courthouse at Work as Lake County judges share information about the
guardianship help desk, bond court, and small claims court. Also, take an
inside look at the first Annual Veterans & Family Services RUCK March and
an update on new laws and changes at the 19th Judicial Circuit. Watch
now.
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From your Mailbox to the Ballot Box
Lake County residents correctly registered with their current name
and address can now complete the required application to request a ballot by
mail for the Nov. 6, 2018 election. This is an ideal voting option for snowbirds,
students away at school, and those who will be traveling on Election Day as
your ballot can be mailed anywhere. Completed applications must be
submitted to the Clerk’s Office by noon Nov. 1. According to Illinois state
statute, ballots cannot be mailed to the voters until late September.
Electronic and paper forms are
available by:
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We Need Election
Judges Fair and accurate elections are incredibly important to all
of us, and attentive election judges are enlisted for the meaningful
responsibility of processing voters. Join our amazing election judge team and
take on the rewarding role of working in your neighborhood Election Day voting
site. Reserve your seat
in an upcoming training.
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Students will soon be returning to the classroom, so let’s make sure
they are safe this school year! This means keeping an eye on the road for
school buses and students walking to school and making sure students stay safe
by using their technology responsibly. Watch this video as
the Lake County Sheriff’s Office gives you safety tips.
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Another television show will be riding with members of the
Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The show, “Women on Patrol”
will ride along with our Highway Patrol Division and provide an inside look at
the responsibilities of the Sheriff’s Office and the variety of calls Sheriff’s
Deputies respond to. This is not the first time the Sheriff’s Office has been
featured on a television show! Watch this video to learn more
about the Sheriff’s Office on “Live PD.”
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If you or someone you know is feeling alone, do not be
afraid to ask for help. Immediate mental health assistance is a phone call or a
text away. Learn more about services in Lake
County including Text-A-Tip and the Lake County Health Department and Community
Health Center’s Crisis Care Program.
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Assessment notices for the 2018 tax year have been mailed to Newport and Zion Township residents.
What is A Property Assessment?
It may help to
think of the property tax process like a pie. Taxing bodies, including school
districts, villages and the county (and many other taxing districts) determine
how much they need to collect in taxes. That determines the size of the pie,
and the property assessment determines how the pie is cut up. The assessment process
ensures property taxes are fairly distributed. Elected township assessors are
primarily responsible for appraising properties and determining a property’s
value, which ultimately determines the portion of the total tax burden (or
piece of the pie). If you have questions or concerns regarding the assessed
value of your property, you should discuss this with your
local township assessor’s office.
Meet with a
Taxpayer Advocate Individuals can
get free one-on-one assistance with evaluating your assessment at a tax
assessment help center. Centers will be provided on Aug. 21 and 28 at
the College of Lake County Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills and Aug. 22 and 29 at the University Center of Lake County in Grayslake. These centers will
meet from 4 to 7 p.m. More dates will be released on the Chief County
Assessment Office website.
Taxpayer advocates also are available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday at the Chief County Assessment Office, 18 N. County
Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan.
Should You Appeal Your Property Assessment?
View the five steps to determining if you
should appeal your property assessment.
Filing
an Appeal? Use our Online System
The final filing date for assessment appeals in Zion Township is Aug. 24, and the final filing date for assessment appeals in Newport Township is Sept. 7. Our quick and
convenient Online Appeal Filing System allows you to
get your appeal information to the Board of Review without the hassle of
mailing or hand delivering them to the Chief County Assessment Office in
Waukegan. Watch
this video to learn more about the process to file an appeal online.
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Discover opportunities for professional growth, abundant
career choices, and jobs that offer variety and the chance to make a meaningful
difference. These are a few of the reasons that Lake County employees love
working for us! Watch this video
and discover why Lake County is a great place to work!
Lake County Is Hiring Lake County is currently hiring for a variety of positions,
including nurses, counselors, maintenance workers, and court security officers.
View the
job openings!
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Returning citizens and individuals with a criminal
background can learn the skills needed in today’s workplace through a new
program through Lake County Workforce Development 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 are
required to attend an information session at the Job Center’s Waukegan
location. View the schedule.
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Apply Today to Adopt A Highway
The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is
currently looking for volunteers to help pick up litter and debris along Lake
County highways and bike paths. Volunteers adopt a section of a county highway
and commit to cleaning it twice a year.
There may be a section of county highway or bike path
in need near you. Several sections that haven't been available for years,
have recently opened up. Please take a look at the available
sections, fill out an application, and join us! Applications
need to be submitted by Aug. 31.
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County's 2018-2023 Highway
Improvement Program Lake
County’s 2018-2023 Proposed Highway Improvement Program is now available. Review
the five-year plan to learn more about how
the program is created and to see which projects are currently funded in the
next five years. More information
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Lake County Implements Speed
Studies
The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is
responsible for setting the speed limit for county highways under our
jurisdiction and township roads. Safety on the roadways is always a top
priority and guides everything we do, including the determination of speed
limits. What is a speed study, and how does the process work? Learn
more
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The Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center is
committed to providing a safe environment for child victims of abuse.
The center wouldn’t be possible without help from community partners. Watch
this video as the State’s Attorney’s Office took time to recognize
these individuals.
Save A Life
The Lake County Opioid Initiative will be hosting its
first Annual “Save a Life” fundraising event on Sept. 14 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Mundelein.
Join us to support a significant cause and to continue our battle the against the
opioid/heroin epidemic. Learn more
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Do you know an Illinois veteran whose contributions are above and beyond
the call of duty? In partnership with the Illinois Bicentennial Office, the
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting nominations to honor the
work of 200 veterans from across the state. Nominations will be evaluated on
their achievements and on the extent to which their contributions have aided,
benefited and provided inspiration to their community. Learn more, including the
qualifications and how to nominate someone. The deadline to apply is Aug. 31.
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Forest Preserve News
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2018 Hike Lake County
Challenge
Studies show spending time outdoors interacting with our natural
world makes us healthier, happier and more mindful. Activate the power of
nature for your good health by taking part in the annual Hike Lake County
Challenge. Enjoy fall breezes and autumn colors while exploring designated
“Hike Lake County” trails with family, friends or canine companions. Complete
just seven of the hikes before Nov. 30 to earn a commemorative
shield. View this
year’s hike locations.
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Kids
Nature Funfest Enjoy an
afternoon of nature activities that grow a child’s love of the outdoors at Kids Nature Funfest on Sunday, Aug. 19
from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago.
See live animals, build a fort, net some insects, make creative arts and
crafts, and take part in nature activities with several of our community
partners. Open to families with children ages 12 and under, the event is free.
No registration is required. Dress for the weather; event runs rain or shine.
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Bess Bower Dunn Day
Celebrate Bess Bower Dunn’s birthday on Aug. 23
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission to the new Dunn Museum in
Libertyville and special activities throughout the day. Learn more
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Strategic Plan Update
Forest preserves benefit you 24 hours a day, even if you don’t visit
them. Here’s a fun assignment: next time it rains, find a storm drain or
creek as it enters a forest preserve. Scoop up a jarful of water. Now trace the
flow until it leaves the site. Take another scoop and compare the two—cleaner
water! The roots of trees and other native plants filter the water,
protecting waterways and community water supplies from sediment and pollution.
A key purpose of our conservation goal is to improve the water quality and
aquatic habitat that forest preserves and other natural lands and waters in
Lake County provide. We’re doing this by amending management and development
practices on our lands. August is National Water Quality Month. Learn ways
you can help protect water sources at EPA.gov. Learn more
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Fort
Sheridan Reopens with Lake Michigan Overlook
The Lake County Forest Preserves announces
the reopening of Fort
Sheridan Forest Preserve in Lake
Forest with new and improved features that provide greater access to the site’s
natural beauty and rich military history. Following more than a year of
construction, visitors will once again be able to enjoy portions of the
preserve’s scenic trails and access to the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Improvements include:
- Three scenic observation areas, including a 70-foot
overlook of Lake Michigan, with new and relocated educational exhibits
that tell the story of the area’s unique history and include new
information about the Lake Michigan Bird Flyway.
- Nearly a mile of new accessible paved trails and
conversion of the woodchip section of the Hutchinson Trail with new
bridges and boardwalks.
- Redesigned main entrance on Gilgare Lane, widened to a
full two lanes, which leads to a new 45-car parking lot with five
accessible spaces and an evaporator toilet building (an innovative waste
disposal method that is odor free and saves water).
- Improved north parking lot with new paved trailhead and
an evaporator toilet building.
- Restored shoreline with native plantings.
- Remaining portion of George Bell Road and gates removed
and area restored with native plantings.
Public access to the
restored 1.8-mile mowed grass trail will remain closed until summer 2019 to
allow time for the grass surface to become better established for foot
traffic. Management and monitoring of the 73-acre woodland, prairie and
savanna portions of the site will continue in perpetuity. Learn more
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