The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced a $700,0000 grant to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to continue building on efforts to reform the local criminal justice system and safely reduce the Lake County Jail's population. The grant is part of the Safety and Justice Challenge, a $148 million national initiative to reduce over-incarceration by changing the way America thinks about and uses jails. I recently joined fellow County Board Commissioner Carol Calabresa at the Safety and Justice Challenge Network Meeting where members addressed shared issues. Read the news release.
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 Grace Voter Registration
Grace voter registration is available at all early voting sites now through Nov. 5 and at the voter’s assigned Election Day site. Applicants must meet all voter registration requirements, provide valid identification, and vote at the time of registration.
Preview Your Ballot
Registered voters can preview their personalized ballot before heading to the polls by logging onto LakeVoterPower.info. Then, print your ballot preview to take into the voting booth as a reference.
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 Vote Early
Early voting is available now through Nov. 5 at 16 sites throughout Lake County! Find an early voting site near you by using this locator. Hours vary at the 16 different sites, and some locations even offer weekend and evening hours. View dates, locations, and hours of sites.
Main Courthouse Entrance on Nov. 3
If you plan on voting early at Lake County’s Main Courthouse on Saturday, Nov. 3, use the east pedestrian entrance, near County and Madison streets on the north end of the County building. The west pedestrian entrance on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, will be closed for construction.
Metered street parking is available along County and Madison Streets. The parking garage entrance is on the north end of the County building on County Street.
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 Vote on Election Day
Those choosing to vote on Election Day, Nov. 6 must go to their assigned polling location. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find your assigned voting site.
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Raise Your Voter IQ
To help raise your voter IQ, the Lake County Clerk’s office put together some factoids based on the most common questions asked by Lake County voters. Make sure to check these out: View Factoids.
View Live Election Results
The County Clerk's homepage will feature a link with election results beginning right after the polls close at 7 p.m. on Nov. 6. Make sure to check out this web page throughout the night as results are sent in.
Lake County voters will see a question on their November ballot that reads: “Shall the Illinois General Assembly amend the State Constitution to ban the creation of a new statewide property tax?” The Lake County Board approved placing this advisory (or not-binding) referendum on the ballot (by an 11 to 6 vote) earlier this year in response to reports that the State Legislature was considering enacting a statewide property tax to pay for obligations, such as state pension. The results of this advisory, non-binding referendum question will be shared with the state legislature. An individual voting ‘Yes’ would be supporting a State Constitutional ban creating a new statewide property tax. An individual voting ‘No’ would be opposing a State Constitutional ban creating a new statewide property tax.
 Lake County has been chosen to receive a national grant to help reduce the number of people with behavioral health issues who are detained in the Sheriff’s Adult Corrections Facility when they could be better served in supportive housing. Working in partnership with the health department, sheriff’s office, the county’s law enforcement and criminal justice system as well as local agencies, Lake County Community Development is one of three providers across the country to receive the Pay for Success grant.
Find out more: Watch Video | Read News Release
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 Looking for a career in healthcare? Meet with healthcare employers and training professionals throughout Lake County at the upcoming Healthcare Job Fair! Register now to reserve your spot, and watch this video to learn more about the job fair.
When: 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7
Where: Lake County Health Department, 3010 Grand Ave., Waukegan
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Speak with faculty and staff about transfer and career programs, take a campus tour, speak with current students and more as the College of Lake County hosts an open house. The open house will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the college’s Grayslake, Lakeshore and Southlake campuses. Register today to attend!
 Don't throw away your pumpkins after Halloween! Pumpkins are full of nutrients that are good for the soil which makes them excellent to compost. Drop your pumpkins off at one of two upcoming events, or at the two year-round food scrap public drop-off sites. View the drop-off sites.
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 Now is the time to get a flu vaccine and protect your family before the flu begins spreading in your community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommends everyone ages six months and older get an annual flu vaccination. The Lake County Health Department offers the flu vaccine by appointment at its Immunizations Clinic and Community Health Centers throughout Lake County. To make an appointment, call 847-377-8800.
The vaccine also is available at many sites throughout Lake County. Find a convenient location.
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 The Lake County Regional Office of Education’s Attendance & Truancy Division invited all Lake County schools to participate in the Annual Fall Attendance Competition in Lake County. The Attendance Competition promotes improved school attendance at the beginning of the school year and emphasizes the need to attend regularly to receive full educational benefits. Watch this video to learn more.
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 Using salt to de-ice roads is a common method to make roads less slick, but that salt washes away into lakes and streams or seeps into groundwater supplies which can threaten aquatic plants and animals, and even human health. Lake County makes it a priority to use salt wisely while maintaining the highest level of service.
Watch this video to learn more how Lake County agencies are working with public and private partners to take steps to reduce salt by using safe alternatives - like beet juice. This is the 10th year that the County hosted the Annual Deicing Workshop to promote alternative winter maintenance practices and the importance of responsible road salt use to snow and ice professionals.
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Getting to and from work on Metra just got easier for those that live in Chicago and commute to major Lake County employers like AbbVie, Horizon Pharma and others. Metra is testing new reverse-commute service on the Milwaukee District North Line. It is the result of a shared-cost partnership between Metra and Lake County Partners to improve reverse-commute service to Lake County in order to effectively recruit and retain employees living in Chicago. Previously, the schedule was not ideal for reverse-commute riders to and from Lake Forest because there were no morning outbound express trains, and the afternoon trains were either too early or too late for most workers. Learn more
Metra Announces No Fare Increase in 2019 Budget Metra has proposed a 2019 operating budget of $822 million that does not include a fare increase. The public is invited to attend a series of public hearings to provide comments on the proposed budget. View the proposed budget and hearing schedule.
 Forest Preserve News
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#OptOutside This Black Friday
Skip the stores and #optoutside in your forest preserves on Friday, Nov. 23. Share your photos with us using hashtags #LCFPD and #optoutside. Learn more »
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 Fall Family Fest
Celebrate the season at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville, on Saturday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Create fall-inspired crafts, experiment to see if a pumpkin sinks or floats, and learn how the Potawatomi lived hundreds of years ago. Learn more »
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 Thanksgiving for Nature Scavenger Hunt Discover what we should be thankful for in nature on Sunday, Nov. 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Van Patten Woods in Wadsworth. Find clues along the trail in this self-paced activity. Learn more»
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 Annual Fund Breaks Records
Thank you to all who contributed to the Preservation Foundation's Annual Fund before June 30 and helped us exceed our $100,000 goal for the fiscal year! With your help, we raised more money than ever before for this fund, which provides a flexible source of funding for all areas of the Lake County Forest Preserves mission. In the past year, Annual Fund grants supported education loan boxes to put learning tools in the hands of Lake County teachers, helped staff assess the health of our Blanding’s turtle population, and supported habitat restoration and volunteer engagement at Greenbelt Forest Preserve in North Chicago. Support the Annual Fund today »
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Energy Fair
Community Action Partnership of Lake County's Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Program will host an Energy Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 10 at Avon Township, 433 E. Washington St., Round Lake Park. Come meet your utility companies who will provide resources and information. Residents who seek to obtain help with energy bills and have not applied for LIHEAP may call to schedule an appointment for that day. Learn more
Free School Uniform Event
The Community Action Partnership of Lake County will hold a Free School Uniform Event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 5 to 9 at 213 Water St., Waukegan. Learn more
Holiday Basket Program
The Holiday Basket Sign Up will begin Nov. 13. Offered by the Community Action Partnership of Lake County, the number of baskets available will be limited. Appointments will be taken on a first come, first serve basis. Learn more
 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), Member of Community, Economic and Workforce Development Policy Steering Committee
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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