I was beyond thrilled last week to give a presentation and appear with Lake County Division of Transportation officials, County Board Chair Sandy Hart, along with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinckle and Cook County and Illinois Department of Transportation officials to celebrate the completion of the first phase of major road repairs and upgrades to Lake Cook Road in our area. I also want to thank Congressman Brad Schneider for his partnership with both Lake and Cook Counties to bring this $60 million road project to fruition.

The completion of this project will help move traffic more efficiently, easing the burden on commuters trying to get to work and assisting the transport of goods and services that help our local villages and the county continue to thrive economically. We are excited to welcome Phase 2 of the Lake Cook Road construction later this year that will take place in the area of Lake Cook and Arlington Heights Roads onward toward Route 53. These major infrastructure investments are absolutely critical to the continuance of major commercial businesses being attracted to our area as well as a crucial component for constituents looking for viable places to choose as a home base. 

Tomorrow, the State's Attorney's Office will be announcing a new Gun Violence Prevention Initiative Team that will be taking on this concerning issue for our area. As we watch some startling events taking place around the country, it is important at this time for our county to be implementing new measures to keep all of the communities safe.

As this task force begins its work, I will certainly be reporting back with updates on measures being taken to safeguard our schools, our places of business and other places we believe we need to increase the safety and security for all. 

I also was excited to participate in the Village of Buffalo Grove Pride Flag raising yesterday evening. I could not be more proud to represent this village that remains inclusive in every way and fully supports our LGBTQ+ community. Everyone should have the freedom to be themselves and experience the diversity we all enjoy living in Buffalo Grove and Lake County.

I hope everyone will join us at the Pinta Pride Parade that will step off in Buffalo Grove this Sunday at 11 a.m. Go to the Pinta Pride Facebook Page or website for parade details. 

Don't forget to get outside and enjoy our beautiful weather at Buffalo Creek and other fabulous forest preserve trails in our area. Independence Grove Forest Preserve will soon start having weekly concerts. See the Forest Preserve website for details. 

Best,

Election News

In-person early voting is available during regular business hours now through June 10 at the Lake County Court and Administrative Complex lobby, 18 N. County St., Waukegan. In-person early voting at other locations across the county will begin June 13 and continue through June 27. 

Log onto LakeVoterPower.info to see address, map and driving directions for:

• The early voting site closest to your home
• A complete list of all early voting sites, and
• Your assigned Election Day voting site

For everything you need to know about voting in the June 28 General Primary Election, visit the Lake County Clerk’s Homepage.

Property Tax News

The first installment of your Lake County property tax bill is due Monday, June 6. There are quick, easy ways to pay your property taxes. Some people go to the Lake County Treasurer’s Office to pay in person, but you can also pay without driving as far. Learn more about your payment options.

EMA News

The Lake County Emergency Management Agency, in collaboration with the Lake County Health Department, reached a major milestone in May, distributing five million Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items and supplies out to the community since the start of the pandemic response.

PPE items included gowns, face shields, masks of various types for both children and adults gloves, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, thermometers, and rapid tests. Over 400 entities have received PPE and supplies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Volunteers and staff have been an integral part of distributing PPE year round to facilities most in need all across the County. This milestone would not have been possible without the dedication of the volunteers who distributed items, sometimes in extreme heat and cold, to get items to communities in need.

Check out where PPE was distributed throughout the County via this distribution map: Personal Protective Equipment Distribution - Lake County, Illinois (arcgis.com)

Lake County Government News  

Permanent landscape waste burning restrictions within unincorporated Lake County have gone into effect, beginning June 1, 2022. Additionally, new consolidated waste service within certain townships of unincorporated areas have begun. Learn more

Property Assessment News

The final filing date for the 2022 Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze, taxes payable 2023 is July 31. You may qualify if you did not file for 2022 and you were 65 or older in 2022, your total household annual income was $65,000 or less in 2021, and your property was owner occupied as the principal residence on January 1, 2021 and 2022. Learn more

Forest Preserves News 

From Beatles to the blues, from rock and bluegrass to swing and jazz, there’s something for just about any music taste when award-winning performers play under the stars at the annual Concerts in the Plaza music series. Nine concerts will be held at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, June 21 through August 16. 

The concerts are held at the preserve's outdoor Millennia Plaza overlooking a 115-acre lake. A friendly reminder, dogs, horses and other pets are not permitted at Independence Grove. A concert will also take place Thursday, June 23 at the outdoor amphitheater at Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago. View full band descriptions and 2022 concert lineup.  

Ecologists from the Lake County Forest Preserves are working with expert veterinarians to monitor Blanding's turtles in this area and develop protocols in an attempt to keep them safe from a fungus recently detected within the population in Lake County that may lead to turtle shell disease.  

Over the past 13 years, Gary Glowacki, manager of conservation ecology at the Lake County Forest Preserves, and his team have grown and stabilized the largest Blanding’s turtle population in the state. Through routine health assessments done as part of the turtle recovery program, it has been discovered that three Blanding’s turtles that are part of this program have contracted Emydomyces testavorans, a fungus that is known to be highly associated with turtle shell disease. Learn more »

Lake County COVID-19 Update  

• Find a Vaccine 
• Find a COVID-19 testing location  
• Illinois Vaccine Administration Data 
• Lake County Coronavirus Data Hub 

Get Help 

If you need help finding food, shelter, rent or utility assistance, or other essential services, call 211 or text your zip code to 898211 to speak with someone who can help 24/7.  Speak to a person in English or Spanish when you call. The 211 team will also interpret more than 150 other languages. Learn more 

The Job Center of Lake County is your career solution! Their mission is to cultivate and connect Lake County employers and workers to fuel economic growth and well-being in Lake County. View the full Job Center calendar to learn about various upcoming events and resources.  

Check Get Hired Illinois 
The State of Illinois launched Get Hired Illinois, designed to connect workers with available job and career training opportunities across the state.

Community Events and News

A rich variety of scenery in Lake County is eye-catching, no matter how you frame it. Any shutterbug can find a plethora of options to take a picture that will never need a filter or touch-up. Check out and show some love to these top 20 spots across Lake County to snap a picture for your Instagram.

Watch All County Board and Committee Meetings