The Lake County Board meets monthly to approve funding and make policy decisions that have an impact on various public services and programs, from health to transportation to courts and public safety. In this County Board Wrap-Up, find out how grants are a critical funding source to improve residents’ mental and physical health, and learn about a new study that aims to help users of Lake County bike and walking paths find their way.  Watch Video.

An important change this year is that some committee meetings will take place at the Lake County Central Permit Facility in Libertyville, as well as Lake County Courthouse and Administrative Building in Waukegan. Previously, all meetings took place in Waukegan.

View agendas for all committee meetings and listen to audio recordings. You can also sign up to receive notifications of all County committee and board meetings through the County’s Notify Me® tool.

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.

Nationwide, individuals are unable to restore their driving privileges if their license is suspended for failure to pay a fine or appear in court. Lake County residents with a suspended driver’s license looking to restore their driving privileges are invited to attend a FREE education session with the Lake County Board, Illinois Secretary of State’s office, and Lake County Workforce Development on Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Waukegan City Hall. Learn about:

• Illinois Rules of the Road and Driver Safety
• Qualifications for Lake County’s Road to Reinstatement Pilot Program
• Lake County Employment and Training Resources

Register to Attend

Reboot for the Lake County Recycling Guidelines
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. 

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. 

Forest Preserves News

Profiles in Excellence: Power of Words
Join us for an inspiring afternoon on Sunday, Feb. 17 at the Greenbelt Cultural Center (North Chicago) in honor of Black History at the 36th annual Profiles in Excellence event: Power of Words with special guest speaker, Conni Marie Brazelton. Brazelton is an actress, born in Waukegan, known for her roles in The People Under the Stairs (1991), ER (1994) and Soldier (1998). There will be presentations, a performance by the Waukegan High School Choir, community honorees and refreshments. FREE admission. All ages. No registration is required. Learn more »

Where Will Your Kids Grow This Summer?
Registration for our 2019 camp season is now open. Camps are led by professional educators trained in supervision, safety and activity development. Early bird discounts are available through Feb. 15. Programs fill quickly so enroll early. Register online today »

New Special Exhibition at the Dunn Museum
Celebrate African American History Month by learning about the Booker T. Washington Progressive Club, an African American-led civic organization located in Zion, IL, from 1936–1982. The Club’s mission was to unite individuals “interested in promoting the cause of good citizenship, better civic relations and any topic that improved local relationships.” This special exhibition runs to Sunday, Feb. 24 at the Dunn Museum (Libertyville). The Dunn Museum is located in the General Offices of the Lake County Forest Preserves at 1899 W. Winchester Road and is within walking distance from multiple Pace bus stops. Plan your visit today »

Museum’s Collections Significant to Native Artists
Last summer, the Dunn Museum’s collections staff welcomed traditional Native artists and researchers, Pat Kruse, of the Red Cliff Band of Superior Chippewa Indians (descendent of Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe), and Terri Hom, of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (Ojibwe). Kruse was one of eight accomplished artists awarded the 2018 Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) Mentor Artist Fellowship. Kruse began a yearlong mentorship with apprentice, Terri Hom, to create birch bark quill art. Kruse and Hom researched the Dunn Museum’s Native American collection with special focus on 19th and early 20th century artifacts with cultural ties to their heritage and use of beadwork, quillwork and birch bark. Learn more about the Dunn Museum and its collections »

View the History of Your Forest Preserves
This time-lapse map depicts the Forest Preserves’ land acquisitions from our inception in 1958 to the present. In addition to seeing land acquisitions appear on the map year by year, the interactive map allows you to zoom into a specific area or preserve to watch its development over time. Zoom in close to see landscape, roads and improvements. This is just one of the tools available on the our Featured Maps site, which also includes useful information such as trail and underpass closures, the status of Independence Grove activities, controlled burn notifications, and the Interactive Trail Map, on which trail users can find their real-time location on a trail from their portable device. View time-lapse map »

Learn about the history of your forest preserves »

Grant Helps Songbirds, Monarchs and Students
Supported by funds from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a $77,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Great Lakes Coastal Program grant will benefit habitat restoration efforts and environmental education outreach at Greenbelt Forest Preserve (North Chicago). 

Grant funds will help restore 20 acres of wetland habitat and 20 acres of mesic prairie within the preserve, and be used to plant native trees, shrubs and herbaceous plant species in the restored areas. The project goal is to expand existing habitat for migratory songbirds and purple milkweed (Asclepias pupurascens), a regionally uncommon and favored host plant of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Coastal Program priority species. As part of the grant funding, Forest Preserve education staff will help connect over 1,000 students to this habitat restoration project through field trips and classroom programs. 

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 >>

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 >>

From exploring a winter wonderland to playdates with cold-blooded creatures to escaping reality in snowy murals, Lake County is the place to indulge in frosty festivities. Check Visit Lake County’s guide to winter festivals to warm yourself up.

While we’re hopefully more than halfway through another winter, February has proven to be one of the rougher winter months. There are things you can do to keep yourself safe this winter.

• We were reminded last week that Lake County can see dangerously cold temperatures. View safety tips and local resources.
• Monitor Lake County PASSAGE for local road information. View traffic cameras to see real-time road conditions before your travel.
• Stay back 50 feet from the snow plows so our LCDOT snow plow drivers have room to do their jobs. Learn more by watching this video.
• Make sure your car is ready for the extreme conditions, such as keeping an emergency kit. Put together your vehicle’s emergency kit.

Check Home for Radon Gas Levels This Winter 
Homeowners are urged to test radon levels in their homes and apartments during the winter months, when indoor radon levels are at their highest.

Radon is an odorless and colorless gas that naturally occurs in rock and soil and can seep into homes from the soil through cracks in the basement floors and foundations, crawl spaces, poorly sealed sump pumps, porous cinder block walls and other foundation floor and wall penetrations. Watch this video to learn ways to protect your home.

Breaking Ground on Transitional Care of Lake County Facility in Mundelein
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.

Summer Youth Employment Program 
Applications for the 2019 Lake County Summer Youth Employment Program are now being accepted through March 31! The program, funded by the Lake County Board, provides meaningful work experiences for participants, who will work at various sites in Lake County, including private employers and nonprofit organizations, local municipalities and community-based organizations.  Applicants should be age 14 to 18 (by April 15) or age 14 to 22 with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

• Learn more about the Summer Youth Employment Program
• Apply online

Local Government Job Fair
Attend and meet face-to-face with several of Lake County's government employers on Feb. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago. All of the agencies at our job fair have open positions they seek to fill.

Organizations that will be in attendance include the City of Zion, Deerfield Park District, Lake County Forest Preserves, Park District of Highland Park, Village of Buffalo Grove, Village of Lincolnshire, Waukegan Park District, and Waukegan Community Unit School District 60. These organizations are looking to fill full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions in various departments.

Tips for Success: Dress professionally—first impressions go a long way. Bring multiple copies of your resume. Bring a friend. All job seekers are welcome. Prepare a brief but effective “pitch” to let the people you meet get to know you. For questions or information, call 847-367-6640.  Learn more >>

Manufacturing Is Big Business in Lake County
Did you know more than one in seven jobs in Lake County is in the manufacturing industry.  In fact, Lake County manufacturers employ more people than any other private sector industry. Find out more in Lake County Partners’ latest economic update.

Starting to make your travel plans this year? Make sure getting or renewing your passport is part of your plans! Apply for or renew your passport at one of the several Mobile Passport Events the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Office will host this year. View the full schedule.

Passport applications also are processed from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Circuit Clerk's Office in Waukegan. View application requirements, including fee information.

Streambank Stabilization Techniques
Interesting! 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.

Keep informed about Lake County government! Watch County Board meetings live at 9 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. You can watch meetings live online or on Comcast channels 18 and 30, or AT&T channel 99. You can also view archived County Board meetings anytime.