 I hope you had a wonderful holiday season with friends and family. My husband, two children, and I spent Christmas morning at home, sufficiently (some might say ridiculously) surrounded by toys and wrappings and boxes. If the world ends, it will be because of plastic L.O.L. Doll packaging.
Committee meetings begin next week. A holistic transportation system, smart community planning, renewable energy, mental health resources, transparent government — these are all areas that I will continue to focus on and support. I have sent a list of recommendations to the Chair of the new Energy & Environment Committee.
I plan to host constituent coffees starting in the near future. I will also transition my campaign Facebook page to that of an elected official to allow me to link to it here. In the meantime, feel free to be in touch with any comments or suggestions.
Happy New Year.
Jessica
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More than 250 new laws have gone into effect in Illinois as of Jan. 1. This includes a new requirement for children to sit in a rear-facing car seat, background checks for ride operators, and expanded stalking laws to include messages via social media. View the complete list of new laws.
 On America Recycles Day, the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County and other agencies and communities around the state released a new set of guidelines for recycling. Since then, discussions with local recycling facilities have led to a few new updates. Please find the “recycling reboot,” the latest Lake County Recycling Guidelines. Take a special look at the NO list as these items can negatively impact recycling efforts in many ways. It’s estimated that as many as one in four items placed in a recycling cart is not accepted for recycling.
A New Year is upon us, and it’s a great time to review and make sure you are getting all the right things in and keeping all the wrong things out. You can find alternative recycling and reuse opportunities available in your community at swalco.org, along with more detailed information and frequently asked questions about recycling.
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 Holiday Tree Recycling
Donate your holiday tree to us and we’ll recycle it into woodchips for trails and landscaping at forest preserves throughout Lake County. Bring your tree to a drop-off site through Feb. 1.
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 Holiday Lights
Do you have strings of lights that you don’t need or that don’t work anymore? Don’t throw them away! The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County offers four locations across Lake County where you can recycle those lights for free. Visit the drop-off locations.
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 Electronics Recycling
Make sure you don't throw away your old electronics! Items such as TVs, computers, video game consoles, tablets, and printers are prohibited by State law from being disposed of in the trash. Lake County residents can bring their unwanted electronics to one of four year-round drop-off locations.
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 Officials recently broke ground on the new state-of-the-art Transitional Care of Lake County facility, formerly known as Winchester House. For more than 150 years, Winchester House has served the vulnerable elderly and disabled people of Lake County.
Located on Route 45 near the corner of Route 83 in Mundelein, the new facility will be operated by Transitional Care Management, which will continue the tradition of providing compassionate, high quality healthcare for Lake County residents. Watch this video to learn more.
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As individuals age, housing needs also change. Many homes were not built in consideration for older adults or multigenerational households, so communities are turning to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), also known as “granny flats.” Learn more about ADUs and the impact they can have on older residents’ lives at the Granny Flat Academy.
When: 5:30 p.m. Jan. 17
Where: Lake County Central Permit Facility, 500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville
Lake County is Hiring
Lake County government offers career opportunities that cover a wide spectrum of fields including law, law enforcement, nursing, finance, and more. View current job opportunities.
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 Engineering Internship and Job Fair
Over 30 top engineering firms will be under one roof to connect with students in various engineering fields at the third annual Lake County Engineering Internship and Job Fair. The event will run from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4 at the College of Lake County in Grayslake. Learn more
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 By putting riffles, which are comprised of large rock, into streams, the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission is able to mitigate streambed and streambank erosion and enhance the natural drainage system in Lake County. Watch this video to learn more.
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 Forest Preserve News
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 Lake County Forest Preserve Ranger Earns Military Honor
Paul Hettich, a Lake County Forest Preserve ranger police officer, was recently honored for his military accomplishments. Hettich, a part-time ranger for 30 years, was selected as an Illinois Bicentennial Honor 200 Veterans recipient. Hettich, an Army Reserve Officer, retired as a Colonel in the fall of 2017 after serving 30 years. Learn more >>
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Thank You to ComEd, Our 2018 STEM Education Partner!
Thank you to ComEd, our 2018 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education Partner! ComEd’s $20,000 grant allowed the Forest Preserves to hire an additional staff member in our education department – the ComEd Science Instructor – to expand our capacity to serve Lake County youth in 2018. Learn more >>
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Winter Horizons Magazine Available Online
The winter issue of our Horizons magazine is now available online. Horizons is the quarterly publication of your Lake County Forest Preserves, featuring articles on wildlife, nature and history, news, and a calendar of programs and events. You can also subscribe to receive our free magazine in print form. Read it today »
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