 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 this past 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.
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 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
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 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.
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The Illinois Department of Transportation has
announced that improvements to Grand Avenue from west of Interstate 94
(Tri-State Tollway) to Green Bay Road in Gurnee and Waukegan will require lane
closures.
The project consists of pavement patching and resurfacing as well as curb and
sidewalk replacements. The work is expected to be complete by July 2019, weather
permitting. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips
through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and
signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for
workers and equipment.
The Illinois Department of Transportation announces that the Greenwood Avenue bridge reconstruction over Illinois 137 (Amstutz Expressway) in Waukegan has transitioned to a new traffic configuration with continued lane closures.
A width restriction of 9 feet 6 inches will be in place for vehicles on Greenwood Avenue, with one lane of traffic maintained in each direction. The eastbound and westbound exits from the northbound Amstutz Expressway will remain open. The southbound ramp from eastbound Greenwood Avenue to the Amstutz Expressway will remain open, but the entrance ramp from westbound Greenwood Avenue will be closed. The work is expected to be complete by end of November.
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.
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 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!
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 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.
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Today is the final day the Lake County Health Department is reducing its water
testing fee for homeowners who use well water as their primary drinking water
source. About 90,000 Lake County residents rely on groundwater to supply their
private wells. Annual water testing and well maintenance are recommended to
ensure the water meets minimum drinking standards and to help prevent
waterborne illness. Sterile test bottles and sampling instructions are
available at the Lake County Central Permit Facility in Libertyville, health
department in Waukegan as well as township and municipal offices across Lake
County. Find
out more
 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
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Fellow members of the Lake County Board and myself recently approved a resolution endorsing the "Undetectable
Equals Untransmittable" (U=U) Consensus Statement issued by the Prevention
Access Campaign. This international health equity initiative aims to end the
dual epidemics of HIV and HIV-related stigma and affirms Lake
County’s commitment to dismantle HIV stigma and barriers to diagnosis and
treatment for people living with HIV.
To
prevent new HIV infections in Lake County, the Lake County Health Department’s Need2Know
Lake County program assists clients with HIV testing, medical benefits navigation, ART and PrEP medication, adherence counseling; and linkage to other health services. Learn more
 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 picks up some produce from the Green Youth Farm in North Chicago and then shows you how to
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!
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The Lake County Stormwater Management
Commission has entered into a contract with Christopher B. Burke Engineering,
Ltd. to review the proposed Foxconn development and related adjacent
improvements due to concerns of adverse impacts on flooding and water quality
along the Des Plaines River in Lake County. The Foxconn site is in the
headwaters of the Des Plaines River Watershed, which is immediately upstream of
Lake County and encompasses a major source of surface water. Learn
more
 Forest Preserve News
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 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.
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 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!
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 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.
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 If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at 847-721-1563 (cell) or email me at mcunningham@lakecountyil.gov.
I encourage you to forward this update to others who may be interested in Lake County news. Residents who wish to automatically receive my bi-weekly newsletter can email me, or click the “Newsletter Sign Up" button at the top of the newsletter.
Thank you,
Mary Ross Cunningham
Ms. Cunningham, County Board member and Forest Preserve Commissioner, serves on:
Lake County Board, 9th District:
Diversity and Inclusion Committee, (Ad-Hoc), Chair
Lake County Law and Judicial Committee, Chair
Lake County Health and Community Services
Lake County Rules Committee, vice chair
Lake County Government Reform Implementation Committee
Lake County Forest Preserves, 9th District:
Operations Committee, Vice Chair
Diversity and Cultural Awareness Committee
Gospelfest Committee, chair
Other appointed positions:
National Association of Counties (NACo), Board Representative
Lake County Community Health Center Governing Council, secretary
Lake County Board of Health Personnel Committee, Chair
Community Action Partnership of Lake County, Board Member
Lake County Domestic Violence Council
Lake County Sexual Assault Coordination Committee
Waukegan High School Advisory Board
Lake County Veterans Advisory Board
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