The County Board had a busy month acting on various measures that will directly impact transportation and sustainability in Lake County. The board reaffirmed the countywide State Highway Consensus Plan that identifies transportation projects to relieve traffic congestion and approved a contract to ensure all County-owned street lights use LED’s. Additionally, the board appropriated funds for a new court case management system that will make more court documents available electronically, cutting the need for paper. Watch this video to learn more.

A recent audit showed that one in four items placed in recycling bins are not recyclable. To help reduce contamination, a statewide task force created new local recycling guidelines. As not everything can go in recycling containers, these guidelines help determine what you should and shouldn’t recycle curbside. Watch this video to see how easy recycling is if you do it right.  

Help prevent substance abuse and theft by safely disposing your home of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. The Lake County Sheriff's Office is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27.

This year, the Sheriff's Office has increased the drop-off locations from three to seven. One of the locations is at Harbor Chase of Long Grove, 1190 Old McHenry Road. View all the drop-off locations.

Remember, the Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement agencies also provide drug disposal boxes at locations across Lake County where your unwanted and expired prescription drugs can be disposed safely all year round. Find a drug disposal box near you

The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is seeking public input as it conducts a wayfinding and signage study to make it easier for users to find their location on the trails and help them travel to connecting destinations.

Provide your feedback and get your questions answered by attending an open house between 5 and 7 p.m. May 1 at LCDOT’s building, 600 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville. Watch this video to learn more about the study.

Lake County property owners can now apply online for certain homestead exemptions using the new Smartfile E-filing Portal. Homestead exemptions can provide tax relief to eligible homeowners, as it exempts taxable value prior to the calculation of property taxes. In Illinois, exemptions are available for a general homestead, senior, disabled person, disabled veteran, returning veteran (within the last two years), and for home improvements.

The Chief County Assessment Office launched this new tool to make it more convenient and efficient than using paper applications. All you need to sign up is a valid e-mail address.

Forest Preserve News

Concerts in the Plaza at Independence Grove
Music lovers, dance lovers, outdoor lovers, get ready for award-winning performers playing under the stars at the annual Concerts in the Plaza music series. Eight concerts will be held at Independence Grove in Libertyville at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, June 18 through Aug. 6. From Beatles to the blues, from rock and bluegrass to swing and jazz, there's something for just about any musical taste in this season's entertainment lineup. This year's concerts are supported by North Shore Gas (Platinum sponsor), Blue Oak Financial Services (Gold sponsor), Libertyville Bank and Trust, A Wintrust Community Bank (Bronze sponsor), and Lake County Journal (Media sponsor). Learn more »

How to Stay Connected to the Lake County Forest Preserves
In this interview with Katherine Hamilton-Smith, Director of Public Affairs and Development at the Lake County Forest Preserves, she tells us more about her role, how she got started, how we can connect with the Forest Preserves and some new interesting facts you may not know. Learn more »

Drop the phone, slow down, and drive safely! Through April, which is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, motorists will see increased patrols and enforcement zones. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving blind at 55 miles per hour for the length of an entire football field.  Get tips on how to avoid distracted driving.

Real-time weather reports, provided by severe weather spotters who can detail hail size, wind speed and tornado development, are critical to issue warnings and to help save lives. Their data serves as a critical link for the National Weather Service between radar indications and what’s happening on the ground. Learn how to become a Severe Weather Spotter at a FREE training May 7 in Vernon Hills. No registration is required. View additional spotter trainings.

Come to Lake County’s largest gathering of business and civic leaders to focus on economic growth and innovation. Hosted by Lake County Partners, the Big Event will take place May 17 at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort. Register today!

Five Steps to Your Next Job
Are you transitioning careers? Attend “5 Steps to Your Next Job” to launch your next job search. The next session will meet from 10 a.m. to noon May 6 to 10 at the Warren-Newport Public Library 224 N. O’Plaine Road, Gurnee. Register today!

Veteran/Military Job Fair
A Veteran/Military Job Fair will run from 2 to 6 p.m. May 14 at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. Veterans, active duty military, retirees, reservists, eligible family members and DoD employees are welcome to attend. Learn more

Look Who’s Hiring
There are many job opportunities across Lake County! Visit the Job Center of Lake County's website to learn about upcoming recruitment events.

Healthy meal prepping doesn’t have to be hard! Watch this video as Lake County Health Department nutritionists LaiSha Ponder and Christopher Arty provide easy recipes and tips to get you started on your meal prepping journey.