I am very excited to let you know that the Lake County Forest Preserve and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District finally held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve to declare the project to update the preserve with new greenery and new trails finally concluded. I was honored to be part of that ceremony and thrilled to be able to work with the Forest Preserve staff on some helpful additions to the project.

The pandemic prevented these bodies from holding a ribbon cutting ceremony earlier to celebrate the conclusion of beautifying the most striking preserve in our area. During the pandemic, word spread that Buffalo Creek had some amazing updates and our community flocked there, probably quadrupling the number of visitors we had seen in years. Our numbers today tend to mirror the numbers seen the last couple of years.

If you have never been to Buffalo Creek, I am urging you to take some time and visit. Our Forest Preserve staff has truly created a magical place for our community to walk, bike and relax. The views are lovely, and the surroundings were created with a lot of planning and a lot of intentional thought on building a place that we can all enjoy for many years to come. There are several trails and a lot of areas to explore. We are all very lucky to have this gem in our backyard. See more information on this event below. 

I also want to call everyone's attention to the temporary closing of the Canadian National Railroad tracks on Buffalo Grove Road, south of Port Clinton, from Monday, Aug. 8 to Friday, Aug. 12 in the late afternoon. Please make your plans accordingly to avoid this area in a couple of weeks. See more information below. 

Lastly, I want to say how sad I am that Buffalo Grove felt the need to cancel its Buffalo Grove Days parade this year. Fear and sadness have fueled the lack of sign ups for the parade, and I hope we can all take this time to continue healing and continue working on ways to get a very critical assault weapons' ban in place. I am pushing the county to support an Illinois assault weapon's ban bill, which I hope to see passed in the coming months. 

Transportation News

Forest Preserves News 

We finally cut the ribbon at Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve in Long Grove. Though the ceremony was delayed due to the pandemic, the preserve has been open with new improvements.  

We partnered with the Village of Buffalo Grove and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to help support this large regional project and achieve shared goals of providing improved public access, natural resource restoration and reduced flooding. The most recent public access improvements at Buffalo Creek include the addition of 1.7 miles of trails, seven new boardwalks, two scenic overlooks and 39 additional parking spaces. Learn more » 

Vernon Hills-based Gewalt Hamilton Associates Inc. gave a generous contribution of $10,000 to the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). Todd Gordon, CEO of Gewalt Hamilton Associates, presented a check recently to Angelo Kyle, president of the Lake County Forest Preserves.

YCC participants Spencer Steeves and Debanhi Jimenez were at the event. The YCC program provides an opportunity to gain valuable conservation and forestry education and hands-on experience for high school and college students interested in preserving Lake County’s wetlands, prairies and woodlands. Learn more »

New Vizion, a music group from Washington, D.C., is the headliner at this year’s free Gospelfest event at Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago. The music festival takes place from 3–7 pm Sunday, July 31. The Greenbelt Cultural Center is located at 1215 Green Bay Road.

Admission and parking are free. All ages welcome. Concertgoers should bring a blanket or lawn chair and pack a picnic. A local vendor will also be available to purchase food. Waukegan resident Vernill Pipes will perform a solo during the festive event where other surprise guests will also sing. Learn more »

Lake County Government News  

Your feedback is requested to help the county identify local needs for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to aid in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and move Lake County forward. 

The final community input night will be held in person on August 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Round Lake Beach Civic Center, 2007 Civic Center Way. This event is open to the public to give residents an opportunity to learn more, share information, and provide their input. No registration is required.  

All residents are encouraged to complete the online survey to provide their input. Individuals can access the survey in English and Spanish. The deadline to complete the survey is 5 p.m. Aug. 11.

• Complete the survey in English
• Complete the survey in Spanish

Lake County recently held a virtual event that provided information and answered questions from residents about ARPA. Watch the recording in English or Spanish to learn more about the topics that will be covered at the Round Lake Beach event on Aug. 10.

Lake County is working with the City of Highland Park, governmental agencies and community organizations to provide resources and assist those affected by the tragic shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade. View the available resources, and be sure to follow HPStrong.info for the most up-to-date information.  

Ready to up your summer game? Watch this video to find out how Lake County can help you find different fun activities to do throughout Lake County including bike paths, forest preserves and the nearest farmer’s market.

Property News

The 2022 property assessment notices will be mailed to homeowners across Lake County through July and August.  It’s important to read and understand this notice for accuracy as it contains important information about your property. Taxpayers are encouraged to contact their local township assessor’s office if they have questions regarding the valuation of their property.

Appeal Information
Property owners that decide to appeal must do so electronically. Property owners can appeal their assessment on their own through the Lake County Board of Review. No attorney is required for a residential appeal. Appeals can be done in a few minutes by using the new SmartFile E-Filing Portal.

• Watch this video or view these printable instructions (PDF) to learn how to file an appeal online
• Begin filing an appeal online
• Learn how to use the Public Access Tool to research comparable properties and create a comparable grid that can be included in your appeal (PDF)

Learn more

Environmental News

The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) launched a new program to handle your "hard-to-recycle" items including small propane tanks, residential fire extinguishers and latex paint.  The items collected will be either recycled or refurbished for reuse.

There are minimal fees to help cover handling and processing costs. Schedule an appointment online to drive through and drop off materials on scheduled special materials event days.  Learn more

Health News

Do you know the 4 Ds of Defense to fight the bite this summer? Protect yourself and your family from West Nile virus and mosquito bites by following the 4 Ds of Defense and more helpful tips. Visit Fight the Bite to learn more.

During the summer months, the temperatures can reach dangerous levels. Extreme heat can be particularly hazardous for children, seniors, those with special needs, and pets. To protect yourself and others, familiarize yourself with these guidelines.

Clerk of the Circuit Court News

All collection fees and accrued interest will be waived on any past due criminal and traffic fines owed at the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Office for payments made Aug. 1 through 5. Full and partial payments will be accepted. Before submitting a payment, please contact the Lake County Circuit Clerk’s Office at any of their locations to find out the balance that is owed without the interest and collections fees.  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. 

The Job Center of Lake County can help you to transition careers, identify job opportunities and connect with employers. Watch this video to learn more about the virtual and onsite resources that are available to all job seekers through the Job Center partners. And 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

The 93rd annual Lake County Fair is taking place through Sunday, July 31 at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake. Enjoy motor cross, monster trucks, a demolition derby, pig races and more. From ferris wheels to funnel cakes, there’s so much to enjoy. 

Watch All County Board and Committee Meetings