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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 gathered July 17 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 will open to the public July 30, 2018. Watch this video to learn more.
Assessment notices for the 2018 tax year will be mailed this
week to Libertyville 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. 14 and 21 at the College of Lake County Southlake Campus in
Vernon Hills and Aug. 8, 15 and 22 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 Libertyville Township is Aug. 27. 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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 Curbside recycling keeps so much out of our
landfills, BUT did you know there are items that you should not put in your
recycling bin such as plastic bags and Styrofoam containers? Watch this video, and get an inside look of the recycling process at the Waste
Management Recovery Facility in Grayslake. *Note* You'll notice items like
plastic bags get wrapped in the machines. Before you add items to your
recycling bin, check these guidelines from the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County.
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 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.
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 Another television show will be riding with
members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office beginning this month. 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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 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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 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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 Forest Preserve News
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 Gospelfest
Be
inspired by Lake County’s gospel voices on July 29 at the Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago. This
annual favorite feature choirs, solo performances and praise dancers that bring
you to your feet. Children can also enjoy fun nature activities during the
event. 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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