See Northern Illinois Airshow at Waukegan Airport
Witness an unbelievable flight performance by world-renowned aerobatic pilots at the Northern Illinois Airshow on Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Waukegan Regional Airport. Enjoy vintage military crafts, delicious eats, photo-ops with the brave pilots and more. 

Learn life-saving skills such as CPR and first aid. Check your insurance policies for hazards you may face. Know practical safety steps like shutting off water and gas. As Lake County joins in observing National Preparedness Month through September, work with your family and community to develop an action plan, so you can be prepared if an emergency should occur. Check out these resources that can help you plan. 


Learn How To Get Emergency Information 
A Tornado Warning was issued to those living in western Lake County over the weekend. An emergency can happen in your community at any time. Prepare yourself and your family for any emergency by seeking immediate and reliable information. Watch this video to learn how. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will issue a test of the Nationwide Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) which will be sent to all compatible cell phones on Sept. 20. Please note some older cell phones may not receive the test message. This test will be followed by a test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which is scheduled to last about one minute and will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages. Learn more

Property Tax Bill FAQs
Do you have questions about your Lake County property tax bill such as who determines your taxes and what are the different ways you can pay? Watch this video as Lake County Treasurer David Stolman answers these and other commonly asked questions. Watch now. 

Property Tax Process, Relief, and More
Learn more about what Lake County does with your property tax payment, property tax relief that may be available to you and more by visiting lakecountyil.gov/propertytax.

The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is reporting the first human case of West Nile virus in Lake County for 2018. A Waukegan resident in her 60s became ill in mid-August. To date, 61 pools or batches of mosquitoes and two birds have tested positive for West Nile virus in 2018. Learn more, including the 4Ds of defense to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes.

Lake County prides itself as being a leader in public health, working to enhance access to mental and behavioral health services through partnerships between the Health Department and law enforcement agencies, the work of the Lake County Mental Health Coalition, and addressing the rapidly increasing opiate problem through the Lake County Opioid Initiative. There are many services available 24/7 to those experiencing problems related to emotional and mental illness or drug and alcohol addiction.

In recognition of National Recovery Month, we ask that you help spread the word of these life-saving services. We've all been impacted in some way by mental health and substance disorders. Let's make it known that prevention works, treatment is effective, and recovery is possible. Learn more 

Looking for a job? The Job Center of Lake County will offer a variety of resources this month, including job fairs, tips to succeed in your next job interview and much more. View this month’s schedule.

Sign Up to Receive Job News by Text
Lake County Workforce Development is piloting a text-messaging service where you can opt in and receive occasional text messages regarding employment events, paid internships and more. You can opt out at any time. Sign up now!

Students in eighth through twelfth grade can now apply to join the Lake County State's Attorney's Office's Young Ambassadors Board (YAB). Applications are available online at www.lcsao.org and are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7. The Young Ambassadors Board members serve as partners to the State's Attorney's Office and are involved in various community outreach engagement efforts. Learn more, including how to submit your application.

Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Kilpatrick and his K-9 Boomer the Bomb Dog recently participated in the American Working Dogs & Vohne Liche Kennels 19th Annual Seminar and Certification Trials. The pair placed first in the following trials:

• Explosive Luggage
• Explosive Building
• Overall Explosive
• Overall Explosive Team

A total of 157 individual teams participated including teams from the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense Special Forces, as well as international participants.

Kudos to Dax!
Lake County Sheriff's Office K-9 Dax recently assisted deputies in tracking a package containing over 30 grams of cocaine following a call where deputies investigated a drug transaction between a driver of a vehicle and a pedestrian.

With so many farmers markets across Lake County, our residents have many options for picking up fresh produce, packed with nutrition and flavor. Watch this video as Chef LaiSha Ponder from the Lake County Health Department shares how you can bring that market freshness to your table with two easy, mouthwatering dishes, a summer ribbon salad and a sautéed vegetable mélange. Go to your local farmer’s market using our Farmers Market Finder and give these recipes a try!

Forest Preserve News

Carp-O-Rama
Help reduce overpopulation, win cash prizes and fish to your heart’s content at Carp-O-Rama on Saturday, Sept. 8 in the South Bay of Independence Grove Forest Preserve! Compete to catch the most carp by weight and the largest single carp by weight. Learn more.

Lakewood Forest Preserve Master Plan
We have initiated the master planning process for Lakewood Forest Preserve. The master plan will evaluate the existing conditions and uses of the preserve and will identify potential recreation, education and conservation improvements at the preserve. Learn more

We want to hear from you!
Please take our 10-minute survey below to answer questions that will help us understand how you enjoy Lakewood and what opportunities to explore for the preserve’s future. The survey will be open until Sept. 24. Take our survey!

Trail Extension at Lyons Woods
A newly completed 1.9-mile paved trail now connects Lyons Woods Forest Preserve in Waukegan to the Robert McClory Bike Path and local parks. The Lake County Forest Preserves, City of Waukegan, Waukegan Park District and the Village of Beach Park partnered to create this trail extension. It represents the first phase of a longer 6.9-mile regional trail that will continue west through Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve and eventually connect to the Des Plaines River Trail at Sedge Meadow Forest Preserve in Wadsworth. Visit Lyons Woods today.

Let’s Start a Movement
The spread of invasive species is recognized as one of the major factors contributing to ecosystem change and instability in our county, region and nation. These species have the ability to displace or eliminate native species, alter fire regimes, damage infrastructure and threaten human livelihoods. Invasive species are changing the iconic landscapes of our nation. To effectively control invasive species, removal needs to extend beyond the borders of natural areas. The invasive species European buckthorn is currently the most common tree in Lake County, making up more than 40 percent of our canopy, according to a 2010 tree census conducted by the U.S. Forest Service and The Morton Arboretum. It will continue to be an issue until the community is involved: from private landowners to homeowner associations, golf courses to garden clubs, businesses to school districts.

Want to join the movement? We invite all Lake County residents to help eradicate buckthorn. Several homeowners have already volunteered to help. Whether they have removed buckthorn from their yard or are simply considering it, every resident who participates will benefit the community. In the coming months we will distribute resources to help assess your yard, plus tips to remove buckthorn, landscape with native plants, and get further involved with this effort toward an even more beautiful, healthy Lake County. Join the movement.