Has your time on the roads been a little bumpy lately? Road crews are hoping a break from the snow will allow them to catch up on the recent crop of potholes following the freeze and thaw cycles.  If you encounter potholes or any road issue on a county road, you can report your concern to the Lake County Division of Transportation. If it’s a state road, report to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Here’s how to report:

Report concern to the Lake County Division of Transportation

Report concern to the Illinois Department of Transportation

K9 Dax, who works for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office was recently voted the K9s of Valor Foundation “K9 of the Year!” K9 Dax and Deputy Forlenza were nominated for their many successful tracks locating dangerous criminals and citizens in need of help. Learn more

K9 Boomer, who works for the Lake County Sheriff's Office will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from the non-profit organization, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies across the country. Since its inception, the organization has provided over 3,300 protective vests at a value of $5.7 million. Learn more

Meet Mitch, Hitch, and Browser, the amazing Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office four-legged staff members.

Mitch provides comfort to child victims. Hitch is assigned to the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit's Therapeutic Intensive Monitoring Program, which includes specialty courts such as Mental Health Court, Drug Court and Veterans Court. And Browser is trained to sniff out electronic devices for criminal investigations.

Watch this video and learn about the incredible work these dogs are doing!

Starting the week of Feb. 25, you can tune in to www.lakecounty.tv to watch all Lake County Board standing committee meetings. The Finance and Administrative (F&A) Committee recently approved filming these meetings to enhance transparency and increase access to local government. At the committee level, board members spend a significant amount of time discussing and evaluating significant financial and policy matters before these items are sent to the full board for final approval.  Filming committee meetings will allow the public to see all the work that goes on at the committee level and have a deeper understanding of the issues.

The meetings will not be broadcast live but can be viewed anytime at www.lakecounty.tv. The meetings also will be replayed frequently on LCTV, which is available on Comcast Cable, either channel 18 or 30, depending on where you live in the county. AT&T Customers can view LCTV on channel 99.

The Lake County Board recently acted to increase the County’s transparency and accountability. Learn about a new process where vendors that submit a proposal to Lake County will need to disclose the name of family members working for Lake County and campaign contributions to Lake County elected officials. Also, hear about a legislative initiative to allow counties to remove its board chair, and find out about a new task force that will prepare guidelines for those who want to use solar arrays and further the County’s efforts towards using environmentally sustainable practices. Watch Video.

Enjoy 10 Days to Savor! 
Explore new places to dine or enjoy old favorites during Lake County Restaurant Week, which runs March 1 to 10. Participating restaurants will offer either a specially designed prix fixe menu or a special dining offer. View the participating restaurants.

Job Fair
The Waukegan Park District has great jobs available for individuals looking for full-time, part-time, and/or seasonal opportunities! Learn more at their job fair March 28 at the Waukegan Field House, Sports, Fitness and Aquatics Center. Learn more

One Earth Film Festival
The Midwest's premiere environmental film festival, the One Earth Film Festival is running March 1 through 10. See a series of powerful, solution-oriented environmental films in a variety of venues across the county. Learn more.

This year, 87 volunteers took part in the Point-In-Time Homeless Count, searching across Lake County to help document the need in communities by gathering data and providing outreach to the homeless. Volunteers made contact with 29 people experiencing homelessness, compared to 24 last year.

Learn more about this year’s Point-In-Time Homeless Count and find out how you can make a difference in ending chronic homelessness. Watch Video.

Forest Preserve News

Dunn Museum Behind the Scenes Tour
Take a rare peek at the Dunn Museum collections care and storage facility on Thursday, Feb. 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Guided by our collections staff, experience an in-depth tour focused on unique objects in our collection. Learn more »

Enjoy free programs every first and third Thursday evening at the Dunn Museum sponsored by USG. Experience the Museum after hours to learn more about your local history and environment, engage in hands-on programs for all ages, and expand your curiosity. 

Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross Opens March 9
The work of a renowned comic book artist is coming to the Dunn Museum in Libertyville. Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross will be on exhibit from March 9 through Sept. 8. 

Considered one of the greatest artists in the field of comic books, Alex Ross has created some of the most iconic images known to fans today. For nearly 30 years, he has revitalized classic superheroes into works of fine art by illustrating characters including Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Storm from the X-Men, the Avengers, Black Panther and many more. Learn more »

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. 

Healthy Hedges
The Lake County Forest Preserves has partnered with other organizations to create a resource for homeowners who want to know what to plant following buckthorn removal. European buckthorn is an invasive species that is detrimental to native flora and fauna, and now unfortunately makes up about 40 percent of our canopy in the Chicago area. Learn about recommended species that can be planted in its place to maintain privacy screens and shady areas. Here is an example of a backyard landscape following buckthorn removal and the addition of native plants.