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December 26, 2019
Dear Neighbors,
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Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year! All Lake County offices will be closed on New Year’s Day, Wednesday, Jan. 1.
We look forward to serving you in 2020.
Happy Holidays!
Angelo Kyle
District 14
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County News
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Recreational Cannabis Q&A
As of Jan. 1, the recreational use of cannabis in Illinois for persons 21 and older will be legal. Under the law, jurisdictions in Illinois can ban recreational cannabis businesses within their boundaries or, alternatively, establish regulations to allow businesses engaged in the production, transport and sale of cannabis. Lake County has developed an informational Q&A to provide answers to questions you may have about the new law. Read more
New Illinois Laws for the New Year
In addition to the cannabis law, more than 250 new laws will go into effect in Illinois beginning Jan. 1, which will impact nearly all Illinois residents. These include minimum wage increases, requirements to have diaper changing stations in every public building with a public restroom, increased fines for passing a stopped school bus and many more. Learn more
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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
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.
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 maintenance and custodial staff, summer camp counselors, swim instructors, front desk staff, recreation staff and more;Wednesday, 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. Learn more
Mundelein Park District – Job Fair
Learn about a wide range of summer job opportunity at Mundelein Park District, Friday, Jan. 3, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Learn more
Zion Job Fair
Meet more than two dozen Lake County area employers, and get a free professional headshot to use in your job search; Thursday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Zion-Benton Public Library, 2400 Gabriel Avenue, Zion. Learn more
Recruiting Events at the Job Center of Lake County, 1 N. Genesee St., Waukegan:
Consumers Credit Union – Wednesday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Laser Precision – Wednesday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
SMS Solutions – Wednesday, Jan. 8 and 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Midway Staffing – Thursday, Jan. 9, 16, 23 and 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Kaleida Scope Education Solutions - Wednesday, Jan. 15, 22 and 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Find even more recruiting events by visiting the Job Center of Lake County's website.
What Happened in Committees?
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Rules Committee
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At its Dec. 19 meeting, Rules Committee members discussed rules pertaining to reimbursement for travel expenses for County Board members who attend professional conferences, and rules pertaining to public comment at County Board meetings for members of the public who are candidates for public office. Watch the discussion
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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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Transportation News
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New Year’s Resolution: Keep an Emergency Supply Kit in Your Car!
Resolve to stay safe this winter! The Lake County Division of Transportation encourages all residents to keep an emergency supply kit in their cars. Head down to the hardware store, pick up some jumper cables, tow rope, a bag of sand, a flashlight, a small shovel, a travel blanket and an ice scraper, and start out safe in the New Year!
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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.
Environmental News
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Recycle Your Holiday Lights
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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. Click here for drop off locations.
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Holiday Tree Recycling
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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Sheriff News
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Crisis Outreach and Support Team Records Successful First Year
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
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in 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
Lake County registered voters can now request an application for 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.Friday, Jan. 10, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Genesee Theater, 203 N. Genesee Street in Waukegan. RSVP by Jan. 6.
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 January 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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Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with your community. Sunday, Jan. 19, 6 p.m. First Corinthian Baptist Church, 1529 Elizabeth Avenue, North Chicago. Learn more
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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21st Annual Waukegan Polar Bear Plunge
Take a plunge into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan, Wednesday, Jan. 1. 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Waukegan Municipal Beach, 201 E. Sea Horse Drive, Waukegan. Tickets at the event, $20 from 9 a.m. Advance registration, $15 through Monday, Dec. 30, 4 p.m., at Belvidere Recreation Center, Field House Sports, Fitness & Aquatics Center, Jack Benny Center for the Arts, or online waukeganparks.org/wpbp.
Proceeds go to the Special Recreation Services of Lake County, helping individuals with disabilities. Learn more
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