Scott's Law, Recycling opportunities, and More

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JClark

April 10, 2019

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Dear Neighbors,

Spring has finally arrived! Each year my family visits the Native Plant Sale to purchase a new bush or tree for Mother’s Day. This year the Forest Preserve Native Plant Sale is on Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 at the North Bay Pavilion in Independence Grove. Flowers, shrubs, trees and even rain barrels will be available for purchase. Learn more

If you need help getting started with native landscaping, I highly recommend the Conservation@Home program, sponsored by Open Lands. When we had our visit, I was surprised to find that some of our shrubs were actually buckthorn. We immediately removed them and replaced them with beautiful native plants. We also received advice on planting an oak tree and the best positioning for shrubs and native flowers taking into consideration our soil, water run off and sun exposure.  

In our Public Works, Planning and Transportation Committee, we approved a contract to replace the last street lights in Lake County with LED lights. Last year, we completed the conversion of all traffic lights, underpass luminaires and the street lights at our roundabouts. With this final project, all remaining street lights will be converted bringing this project to completion. This will conserve power and save money. We are also in close communications with our state legislators to ensure that any potential state capital bill will include our Lake County projects. 

Construction season has begun. See a map of the upcoming road construction projects, including the resurfacing of Butterfield Road between IL Route 176 and IL Route 45.

Have you ever wondered if you can recycle old VHS tapes or a fire extinguisher? The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) has a great feature on its website called “Where Do I Recycle This?” that has a long list of items with information on where you can take them for recycling. And yes, you can recycle both VHS tapes and fire extinguishers at certain places. 

Please join myself, County Board Member Jessica Vealitzek and Sheriff John Idleburg for “Coffee and Conversation” at the Fremont Library (meeting room B) in Mundelein from 10 a.m. to noon May 11. We look forward to chatting about what is going on in Lake County and with our Lake County Forest Preserves.

Keep up to date on what's happening in Lake County and in District 15. It's easy to sign up to receive my newsletter. Text Lake Clark followed by your email address to 468311. 

Happy Spring!

Jennifer Clark signature

 


Scott’s Law – A Traffic Law You MUST Know

Scott's Law

In 2019, two Illinois State Troopers have been killed in crashes directly related to Scott’s Law violations. Scott’s Law requires all motorists to yield a full lane or, when unable to yield a full lane, reduce their speed upon approaching a vehicle with flashing lights. For everyone’s safety, if you see flashing lights, move over and slow down! Watch this video to learn more.


Health Department News

Ethylene Oxide Air Monitoring Plans Defined
Based on recommendations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Village of Gurnee, City of Waukegan, and Lake County Health Department officials have completed preliminary plans for outdoor air quality monitoring for ethylene oxide (EtO) near Vantage Specialty Chemicals in Gurnee and Medline Industries in Waukegan.

The preliminary plan includes one vendor being hired to collect air quality samples from four sites near Vantage and four sites near Medline. Samples will be collected at two additional remote sites to provide background levels of EtO. Learn more

Person with Measles Visited Locations Near Lake County Border
A person infected with measles visited locations near the Lake and Cook counties border. Individuals who visited the following locations on the following days and times may have been exposed to measles. If you are experiencing symptoms of measles, please call your healthcare provider. Learn more

mental health first aid training

Mental Health First Aid Training
The Lake County Health Department has openings for its Mental Health First Aid training class April 26 at the Zion Health Center. The eight-hour course teaches you how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Additional classes will be offered through May and June across Lake County. Classes are offered in English and Spanish. Register for the class.


Choose To Recycle First. Recycle Right

New Recycling Gudelines

It’s Earth Month, a great time to educate ourselves on ways to protect our environment. One way is by recycling! View Lake County’s Recycling Guidelines to make sure you keep the right things in and the wrong things out of your recycling bin.

Even if certain things can’t go in your recycling bin, there are ways to keep those items out of the landfills. The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County offers recycling opportunities for your electronics, household chemical waste, shoes, and clothing and textiles.

Where Do I Recycle This?
While large items like TVs, bicycles, and appliances can't be thrown in your curbside recycle bin, they CAN be dropped off at locations in the area. Use the "Where Do I Recycle This" finder to see where you can take these items to prevent them from heading to the landfill.


Special Electronics Recycling Collection April 23

electronics recycling

Lake County businesses, schools, churches, non-for-profits and units of government are invited to bring broken and unwanted electronics to be recycled at a special collection event from 8 a.m. to noon April 23 at the Lake County Division of Transportation, 600 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville. 

The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County provides free opportunities for residents to recycle electronics through a network of drop off locations. However, State law limits these locations to accept only residential electronics.

Learn more, including what items will be accepted. Remember, this is NOT for residential electronics recycling. County residents can bring their electronics to be recycled year round to any of the following locations.


New Programs Lead to Increased Recycling at the Jail

Food scrap program

Last fall, the Lake County Adult Corrections Facility opened its newly remodeled kitchen and implemented a food scrap program that has led to much less garbage! Approximately 125 tons of material will be composted and recycled this year instead of thrown away. That is equal to 243.75 metric tons/month of avoided CO2 emission, or taking 631 cars off the road. The program is essentially paying for itself, as the cost previously needed to transport waste to the landfill is now being used to compost and recycle food scraps. Watch this video to learn more.


Celebrate Earth Day

Earth Week

Celebrate Earth Day by checking out these family-friendly events across the county.

April 13: Art and Craft Swap 
Bring your quality craft supplies that you no longer need and swap them for ones you want as the Warren-Newport Public Library holds an Art and Craft Swap from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. Donated items can be dropped off between 1 and 6 p.m. Friday, April 12 or the day of the event.

April 14: Adler Center Earth Day Celebration
Volunteer to help the Adler Center clean up and beautify the grounds of the historic Adler Estate in Libertyville and participate in a variety of environmentally-themed activities! from 1 to 3 p.m. April 14. Also, bring new and gently used shoes, textiles and stuffed animals, glasses and hearing aids to be recycled. Learn more

April 20:  Earth Day Expo
Enjoy crafts, face painting and a performance by In the Green Productions from noon to 2 p.m. April 20 at Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills. Also, bring your unwanted shoes, new/unused travel sized toiletries and plastic grocery bags. All shoes will be donated to SWALCO as part of its Reuse-A-Shoe Program and toiletries to PADS of Lake County. 

Through April: Reuse-A-Shoe Drive
Bring in six or more unwanted pairs of shoes to the mall any day through April and receive a gift card as Hawthorn Mall supports SWALCO's Reuse-A-Shoe Program. Drop off shoes to the mall management office between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

SWALCO offers groups to be a part of the community-wide program to collect shoes. It's free! Learn more about SWALCO’s Reuse-A-Shoe Program.

April 22: Earth Day Family Event 
Enjoy family activities from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. April 22 at the Century Park Pavilion in Vernon Hills. Enjoy live music, nature walk, and take home environmentally friendly items.  No registration is required.


Community Events and News

Crime Victim Rights Week 2019

April 11: Learn About Scams, Cyber Safety  
Registration is still open to join the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office in recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center, 123 N. O'Plaine Road, Gurnee. Listen to presentations on protecting senior citizens from abuse and scam, identity theft, cyber safety and consumer protection, and a "Youth Handbook for Success." There will be resource tables, events for kids, refreshments and more. Register

Rx for Health 2019

Starting April 13: Rx for Health: Walking in Nature
Explore nature in Lake County’s breathtaking forest preserves select Saturdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. beginning April 13. Join a health professional and an environmental educator on these walks to explore the preserve as we improve our health. Walks are one to two miles in length. View upcoming walks >>

MetraMore launch

April 16: MetraMore Service Launch Party
Celebrate the success of the new MetraMore service, which makes it easier to get between Lake County and Chicago during peak commute hours, at a special launch party at 4:30 p.m. April 16 at the Telegraph Road Train Station. There will be guest speakers, refreshments, live entertainment and more. Learn more.

Vaping

April 18: Seeing Through the Vapor 
Parents are invited to join a workshop about vaping presented from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 18 at Woodland Middle School in Gurnee. Learn to recognize if your teen is smoking e-cigarettes, long-term effects and more. Also, help protect teens against drug abuse and overdose by bringing in your unused and expired medications where the DEA will safely dispose of them. Learn more.
 

4H academies

4-H Illini Summer Academies: 
High school students have a chance to explore topics like health sciences, disaster preparedness, sustainability, and more with university professors and get a taste of college life. This college exploratory experience, offered by Illinois 4-H, will take place June 23 to 29 on the University of Illinois campus. Applications are now being accepted. Learn more.


April 2 Election Results

election

View the unofficial results from the April 2 Election. Election results are unofficial and not final until 14 days after Election Day. There are votes to count from verified provisional ballots and mailed ballots with a postmark no later than Election Day sent by county results, military members and overseas citizens.


Recognition is Indicator of County’s Strong Financial Reporting

Lake County recently was recognized with a "Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting" by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). For many years, Lake County has earned this recognition which reflects the County’s commitment to meet the highest principles of governmental accounting, financial reporting and transparency, and shows Lake County satisfies nationally recognized guidelines for preparing a comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). While the annual budget provides the County’s financial plan for the next fiscal year, the CAFR is a set of independently audited financial statements which contains the results of the County’s prior year’s financial activities. Previous CAFRs are posted on Lake County’s website, and the 2018 report will be posted during the middle of this year.


Forest Preserve logo

Forest Preserve News

LCFPD fishing volunteers

Fishing Volunteers Needed
If you enjoy fishing and want to share your knowledge with children, the Lake County Forest Preserves is looking for volunteers for the summer.

"We are seeking volunteers to assist with our popular summer fishing camps," said Mark Hurley, volunteer coordinator at the Lake County Forest Preserves. The 8-week camps, beginning in June, are held in the mornings at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville. Campers are eager to learn more about fish, bait, lures and techniques.

Hurley said he is looking for volunteers who have a passion for the sport and want to share their experience with children. Volunteers will be provided training on how the camps are run and what they should be teaching the campers. "The fishing camps are a tremendous opportunity for volunteers to share their knowledge with young, eager children wanting to learn the skill," Hurley said.

Contact Hurley at 847-968-3324 or mhurley@LCFPD.org for more information. Learn more »

Marvelocity

How the Dunn Museum was Able to Capture Marvel Comic Book Artist
Alex Ross, referred to as the "Norman Rockwell of comics," has revitalized classic superheroes into works of fine art by illustrating characters including Spider-Man and Captain America. Steve Furnett, exhibitions and collections manager at the Dunn Museum, sent the initial Facebook message to Ross’ manager about six months ago asking about the artist's availability for a temporary exhibition. One thing led to another, and Ross accepted the offer. Less than two weeks ago, Ross, who lives in the Chicago area, welcomed more than 600 fans to the opening of his exhibition, "Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross" at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville, which is operated by the Lake County Forest Preserves. He autographed about 1,750 items on opening day. Learn more »


Join the Lake County Workforce

Lake County Careers

Lake County Careers
Visit the new Lake County Careers website to discover careers pathways, industry information, and career-focused programming.  The website is designed both for youth and adults who are researching career options.  Lake County Careers is brought you by the Lake County Workforce Ecosystem, a consortium made up of Lake County Workforce Development, College of Lake County, Lake County High Schools Tech Campus, and Lake County Partners.

WEL Program
Develop new skills in a variety of career fields by receiving training by industry professionals through the Work, Earn & Learn (WEL) program. Attend an information session to learn more about work opportunities in Lake County, including a full-time, six-month paid internship with the Lake County Division of Transportation. View the upcoming information sessions.

Lake County Seal

Lake County Passage

SWALCO

Forest Preserve logo (white)

Quick Links

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Community Links

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Mundelein Park District 

Lake County Opioid Initiative