December 18, 2019
County News
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EPA Grants Will Help Improve Water Quality in Lake County
The Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) was recently awarded a $1.2 million Section 319 grant by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to implement seven projects identified in local watershed-based plans. These projects will reduce non-point source pollution and improve water quality in the Des Plaines River, North Branch Chicago River, and Fox River watersheds. Learn more
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Board Enacts Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a Fixed Holiday
In December, the County Board passed a resolution that will establish Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a fixed holiday for County employees, beginning as early as 2021. Currently, the day is considered a floating holiday, where most County offices remain open for business, but individual employees have the option of taking the day off for pay or working that day and saving the time to use at a later date. Under the change, all County offices would be closed, and all employees, except those involved in public safety and emergency operations, would have the day off with pay. The change from a floating holiday to a fixed holiday is contingent upon agreement by the affected employee bargaining units. Watch the board discussion
Prepay your Property Taxes
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The Lake County Treasurer's office is accepting prepayments for tax year 2019 due in calendar year 2020 from now through Dec. 27. Prepayment amounts are limited to the tax amount due in 2019 as a maximum. Payments should be made by check, clearly identified as a property tax prepayment, and include your PIN number. Checks can be brought in person or mailed to Lake County Treasurer’s Office,
18 N. County St., Room 102 Waukegan, IL 60085.
Learn more
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Transportation News
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Provide Input: Hunt Club Road and Washington Street Intersection Improvement
The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) hosted a public information meeting on Dec. 10 to discuss the upcoming Hunt Club Road and Washington Street Intersection Improvement Project. Safety is the main concern for this intersection, as it averaged more than 35 crashes per year between 2012 and 2016.
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The proposed improvements include the addition of dual-left turn lanes and right turn lanes at the intersection, along with two key regional non-motorized
travel connections.
LCDOT encourages the public to provide feedback on the project. Those who were unable to attend can visit the project website to learn more about the study and submit comments online. The public comment period is open until Dec. 23.
Holiday Gift Idea: Give Your Loved Ones an Emergency Supply Kit!
The Lake County Division of Transportation has the perfect gift idea this holiday season: Head down to the hardware store, pick up some jumper cables, tow rope, a bag of sand, a flashlight, a small shovel, and an ice scraper, and give it to your loved ones this holiday season. An emergency supply kit is a gift no one will ask for, but they will think of you if their car ever breaks down or gets stuck during the winter. |
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Winter Vehicle Safety Tips
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Keep your gas tank full in case of evacuation or power outages. A full tank will also keep the fuel line from freezing.
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Install good winter tires and ensure they have adequate tread or any jurisdiction-required chains or studs.
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Beware of icy conditions, and drive at lower speeds and brake slowly. Use caution when approaching intersections, ramps, bridges and shady areas. All are prone to icing.
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Don’t crowd the plow. A snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see them, but they may not see you. Any plow that’s hit must be pulled out of service, resulting in one less piece of equipment responding to snow and ice.
What Happened in Committees?
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Public Works, Planning and Transportation Committee
Update: Recreational Cannabis in Unincorporated Lake County. The recreational use of cannabis in Illinois will become legal effective Jan. 1, 2020. Under the law, jurisdictions in Illinois can ban recreational cannabis businesses within their boundaries or establish regulations to allow the production and sale of cannabis. This includes Lake County government, which enforces zoning regulations for unincorporated Lake County. |
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At its Dec. 4 meeting, the Lake County Public Works, Planning and Transportation (PWPT) Committee voted not to move forward at this time with a County Board resolution initiating the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) public hearing/zoning process for unincorporated recreational cannabis business regulations. The committee asked staff to compile further information for future committee discussion including additional business location mapping scenarios and more information on community, health and law enforcement impacts. This will allow the committee to make a more informed decision on the next steps at a later date. An update will be provided at the next PWPT meeting in January. Watch the discussion from the meeting.
Energy and Environment Committee
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Yard Waste Pickup and Leaf Burning Restrictions: Committee members continued their discussion of the possible potential options for leaf burning restrictions and yard waste pickup services for unincorporated Lake County.
Current regulations state that yard waste and leaves are allowed to be burned in the unincorporated
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areas, outside of a specific designated area, however, it is a violation of the County’s nuisance ordinance to burn items like garbage, refuse or construction debris on all unincorporated properties. The committee discussed waste hauling options and health and enforcement considerations if yard waste and leaf burning restrictions were adopted for unincorporated Lake County. The committee’s discussions at the meeting were preliminary, and no official action has been taken. Draft ordinance amendments and the cost of waste hauling options are expected to be discussed at a future committee meeting. Watch the discussion.
Watch All County Board Meetings
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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 board meetings and standing committee meetings anytime.
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Environmental News |
Recycle Your Holiday Lights
To help Lake County green the holiday season, SWALCO is offering no-cost opportunities to recycle your old and unwanted strings of lights. Wire string holiday lights and extension cords will be accepted. Drop off locations: |
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Grant Township: Road District Facility, 26535 Molidor Road, Ingleside, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Grayslake: Village Public Works Facility, 585 Berry Avenue, Grayslake, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to Noon.
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Highland Park: City Recycling Center, 1180 Half Day Road, Highland Park, Tuesdays 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and first Saturday of the month 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Village of Mundelein, various locations, including Village Hall, the Public Works Facility, and Fire Stations #1 and #2, Monday -Friday 8 :30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Holiday Tree Recycling
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Don’t send your Christmas tree to the landfill, drop it off with the Lake County Forest Preserves for recycling. Donated trees are chipped and used for trails and landscaping. Bring your tree to one of eight forest preserve drop-off locations between Dec. 26, 2019, and Feb. 1, 2020. Learn more »
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Job News
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Looking for a job? There are many recruiting events and job fairs to help you land your next job! Click on each link below for full details.
Lake County Engineering Internship & Job Fair
Attention college students: Set yourself up for success this summer while you’re home over winter break!
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Top engineering firms such as HydraForce, Flex, Culligan, and MacLean-Fogg will be under one roof looking to connect with students in various engineering fields. In one afternoon, you can meet directly with hiring professionals to discuss your goals and launch your career. Employers are hiring for summer internships and permanent positions. Please bring copies of your resume. Business attire encouraged. Learn more and register in advance at this link. Friday, Jan. 3, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington Street, Grayslake.
Zion Job Fair
The Job Center of Lake County and the Zion-Benton Public Library are hosting a job fair, where you can meet more than two dozen Lake County area employers. A photographer will be on hand to provide free professional headshots to job seekers, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Zion- Benton Public Library, 2400 Gabriel Avenue, Zion. Learn more
The Waukegan Park District – Job Fair
The Waukegan Park District has great jobs available for individuals looking for full-time, part-time, and/or seasonal opportunities! On-site Interviews for: - Parks Maintenance Staff - Summer Camps Counselors - Swim Instructors - Front Desk Staff - Recreation Staff - Custodial Staff. Jan. 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Waukegan Field House Sports, Fitness & Aquatics Center, 800 Baldwin Avenue, Waukegan. Applications must be submitted online at
waukeganparks.org/employment.
Apply for Census 2020 Jobs
The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting thousands of people for temporary jobs across the country. Apply, and with one application you may be considered for several positions, including census taker, recruiting assistant, office clerk, and supervisory staff—and help your community while getting paid. Learn how to apply
Find even more recruiting events by visiting the Job Center of Lake County's website.
Health News
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Protect Against Pertussis
The Health Department is investigating 151 cases of pertussis (also known as whooping cough) in Lake County this year—an increase from the previous two years. Symptoms of pertussis usually develop five to 10 days after exposure. Early symptoms of pertussis include runny nose, low-grade fever, mild coughing, and apnea. |
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Later-stage symptoms include fits of rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched “whoop” sound, and vomiting and exhaustion after coughing fits. Anyone showing symptoms of pertussis should avoid going to school or work until they are evaluated by a healthcare provider and/or appropriate treatment is provided. The best way to protect against pertussis is by getting vaccinated. The Health Department offers the DTaP and Tdap vaccinations by appointment at its Community Health Centers throughout Lake County. To make an appointment, call (847) 377-8800.
Sheriff News
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Crisis Outreach and Support Team Records Successful First Year
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The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce a successful first year for the Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COaST) in Lake County’s ongoing efforts, to help those with mental illness.
Since beginning this initiative, sheriff’s deputies made 785 referrals to COaST, a program launched in
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October 2018 to support Lake County residents with mental or behavioral health illness who have law enforcement interaction. Of those referrals, COaST personnel successfully made contact with 654 individuals and offered additional resources, including referrals to the Lake County Health Department and other health service providers. Learn more
County Clerk’s Office News
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Make Sure You’re Ready to Vote in the March 17, 2020 Primary
If you are a registered voter, you can confirm that your voter registration record is up to date with your current name and physical Lake County street address by logging on to
LakeVoterPower.info.
If you need to update your record or register for the first time, visit our Voter Registration web page for qualifying
requirements and in-person, online, or by mail registration options.
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Apply to Vote by Mail
Beginning Wednesday, Dec. 18, Lake County registered voters can submit the required application to request a ballot by mail for the March election.
Severe winter weather could prevent you from going to your voting site on Election Day. Lake County Clerk Robin M. O’Connor is encouraging Lake County registered voters to vote by mail, including students away at school, traveling snowbirds, and those who be out of town on Election Day. This option allows any registered voter to receive and mark a ballot from the comfort of his or her own home or have a ballot sent to a temporary alternate address.
It's simple to vote by mail. Complete the short, required application form and return it to the Lake County Clerk’s office before noon on Thursday, March 12.
Applications are available by:
State Attorney's Office News
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Interfaith forum – Jan. 10
The City of Waukegan, the Waukegan Police Department, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the United States Department of Justice Community Relations Service will host an interfaith forum entitled “Protecting Places of Worship”. The event is open to all faith-based leaders and community members and will discuss ways to prevent and respond to hate crimes against places of worship. Jan. 10, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Genesee Theater, 203 N. Genesee Street in Waukegan. RSVP by Jan. 6.
To RSVP or receive more information for the event, please contact Jackie Quinn of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office at jquinn@lakecountyil.gov,
Maria Borjon from the City of Waukegan at maria.borjon@waukeganil.gov, or Kenith Bergeron at kenith.bergeron@usdoi.gov.
Learn more
Forest Preserve News
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The Story of Lake County
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Every item in the collections of the Dunn Museum
tells a story. In the Libertyville museum’s exhibit
galleries, objects from the collections are rotated on and off of exhibition to tell stories about Lake County. When not on exhibition, the collections, which comprise nearly 20,000 artifacts and 1,000 linear feet of archival materials, are securely housed in a modern, environmentally-controlled care and storage facility in the museum’s lower level. Learn more »
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Snowmobile Safety Course Offered
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Forest Preserve Ranger Police are leading a snowmobile safety education course on Jan. 18, 2020. Completing eight hours of instruction and passing a written exam at the end of class allows youth ages 12 and over to earn a state of Illinois Certificate of Competency so they can operate a snowmobile on their own. In addition to teaching basic safety principles, the course is designed to instill the proper attitude of respect of others and the environment. Call 847-968-3404 to reserve a spot in the free course.
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Reset Your Winter Clock Walk
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Start the New Year with a peaceful morning hike. Learn how we, along with the natural world, are attuned to the changing amount of daylight
during the winter months. Geared for adults, the free program runs from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, at Pine Dunes Forest Preserve in Antioch. No registration required. Meet at the Hunt Club entrance. Learn more »
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Community Events and News
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Holidays Around the World – Gurnee
The multicultural program for families will celebrate the traditions of Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Chinese New Year at one event!
Thursday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Warren-Newport Public Library, 224 N. O’Plaine Road, Gurnee. Register
Frosty Fest
Enjoy ice sculpting, horse-drawn carriage rides, dog–sled demonstrations, sledding, snow fun, festive winter games and more with family and friends. On Saturday, Jan. 11, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bittersweet Golf Club, 875 Almond Road, Gurnee. Learn more
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Free Health Screening – Gurnee
Community Care Connection of Rosalind Franklin University Health Clinics will provide free screening for blood pressure, cholesterol (must fast 12 hours prior), blood sugar/diabetes, waist measurements, BMI (Body Mass Index), and sports physicals. Tuesday, Jan. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at FitNation, 1655 Nations Drive, Gurnee.
Be sure to arrive before 11:15 a.m. as the Community Care Connection takes its last patient 15 minutes before the close time. For more information
visit or call 847-578-8670.
Gurnee Holiday Guide
Gurnee has it all - Holiday in the park, photos with Santa, craft shows, great shopping and more. Check out Visit Lake County’s Gurnee Holiday Guide to find activities to enjoy with family and friends in Gurnee. Read more
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