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Dear Neighbors, |
I was honored last week to participate in handing out awards to young members of our community who participated in the local Brain Fusion academic program. I was proud of these children who worked hard trying to improve their education.
I am also pleased to report that the County Board approved the next phase of spending of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, which will help boost many mental health programs across the county, among other things. One of these mental health programs will bring new services to our county veterans as well as our first responders, who are dealing with difficult situations every day.
Lastly, I want to remind everyone of a simple three-digit number to use if you or someone you care about is in crisis. The number 988 should become embedded in everyone’s mind across the county to dial for mental health support.
If you have a loved one or friend who you believe is having serious mental health issues and needs support, dialing 988 is the way to go. We want this crisis line that is staffed by mental health professionals to become a valued support for our residents. Read more below about this valuable tool.
Please continue to enjoy the outdoors during these gorgeous summer months. If you have not gotten out to Buffalo Creek this summer give it a whirl. I love all of our walks in this pristine place.
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Lake County Government News
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County Board Appropriates Remaining $15.6 Million of ARPA Funds
At the Aug. 8 meeting, the Lake County Board approved to appropriate the remaining $15.6 million of the $135.2 million of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. These funds were provided to Lake County Government for direct local recovery assistance following the COVID-19 pandemic. There will be no additional rounds of funding planned at this time.
View the list of projects that were approved to receive funding, including a brief description of each one and the amount that was allocated.
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County Board Newsletter Can Be Translated Into Over 130 Languages
 Did you know that my County Board Member e-newsletter can be translated into any language that is available through Google translate?
Click the “translate” link at the top of this newsletter, and once there, you can select from over 130 languages used around the globe to translate the newsletter content.
In Lake County, we embrace diversity and want to ensure that no matter the language you speak, the county news and information shared through this newsletter is accessible to you. Please note that accuracy currently is at approximately 70 percent.
Transportation News
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Aptakisic Road Construction Progress
A 1.2 mile stretch of Aptakisic Road from IL 83 to Buffalo Grove Road is being expanded to a five-lane roadway cross-section, and gaps in the bike path and sidewalk will be connected.
Crews will begin paving asphalt on the south side of Aptakisic Road and then a traffic switch will occur to start construction on the north side of the road. The temporary signal at the intersection of Brandywyn Lane and Aptakisic Road is now directing traffic. Work on relocating communications cables has begun and will take several weeks.
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Pace Helps Move People Across Lake County
Pace offers several tools to help plan your next trip. Within their website, riders can view all routes that Pace operates, and when selecting a route provides the times those buses operate along that route.
Riders also can visit the Google Transit trip planner that offers directions to/from points all around the six-county Chicago region, using Pace, CTA, and Metra fixed route transit service.
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Health News
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Providing A Crisis Lifeline in Lake County
People can call or text 988 for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. 988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress, including thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance abuse crises, emotional distress or other reasons.
Callers with a Lake County area code who call 988 are routed to the Health Department Crisis Care Line. In some instances, the person over the phone can be provided referrals to resources such as shelter, food pantry, Wellness Center or other social service agencies.
If in-person intervention is requested, the Health Department Mobile Response team will respond to the individual wherever they are.
Watch this short video to learn about the ways the Mobile Response Team supports our community.
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TB Clinic Provides Free Blood Testing
The Lake County Health Department provides services for newly arrived Ukrainian refugees to Lake County.
Individuals are required to do a Tuberculosis (TB) blood test within 90 days of arriving in the United States. The Health Department provides free testing through its TB clinic in Waukegan. Appointments are highly recommended as there is limited walk-in availability. TB is caused by a bacteria that usually attacks the lungs, but can attack different parts of the body.
View this flyer in English and Ukrainian to learn more
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Election News |
Candidate Information Session Planned Aug. 22
The Lake County Clerk’s Office invites potential candidates for office for the 2024 elections to a candidate information session from noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 22.
The session will go over the petition packet, what to expect during filing, and share resources that are publicly available at the County Clerk’s and Illinois State Board of Elections' website. Be advised that this is strictly for informational purposes and the County Clerk’s Office does not provide legal advice.
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Get Help
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Use 211 to Get Connected to the Help You Need
Finding the help you need may be three numbers away. If you need help finding food, healthcare, shelter, or other services, call 211 or text your zip code to 898211 to speak with someone who can help 24/7. Speak to a live person in English or Spanish when you call. The 211 team will also interpret more than 150 languages. The service is free and confidential. Learn more
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Job Center of Lake County Is Your Career Solution
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 Hire Lake County
Check Hire Lake County for information about job opportunities and businesses vetted by the Job Center’s business service team.
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Forest Preserves News
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Horizons Magazine Earns Awards
The communications and design division of the Lake County Forest Preserves earned two national awards through APEX, the Annual Awards for Publication Excellence Competition. The awards are related to Horizons, available in print and online. The free quarterly magazine features articles, resources and news about conservation, wildlife, trails, recreation, nature and history education.
The Forest Preserves earned a Grand Award–the top honor–for the fall 2022 issue of Horizons in the “newsletters” category. An Award of Excellence was garnered for a feature story, “Growing Through Change: Preparing for the Future Climate” in the spring-summer 2022 issue of Horizons. This feature was entered in the “environment–climate change/eco-friendly” category. Read more »
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Program Planned About Illinois Black Codes
A free program about the Illinois Black Codes takes place virtually from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, August 17. USG is sponsoring the program, “Lives in Code, Stories of African American Resilience Under the Illinois Black Codes.” The codes regulated the lives of enslaved people, indentured servants and free Blacks and lasted for 46 years from 1819-1885. Despite intense restrictions, African Americans in Illinois persevered.
This event is being produced in partnership with Illinois Humanities. The Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Speakers Bureau invites Illinois authors, artists, and educators to share their expertise and enthusiasm with people throughout the state, enabling local nonprofit organizations to present free-admission cultural programs to their communities. Registration is required. Learn more »
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Community Events & News
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Summer Isn’t Over Yet! Fill Your August with Fun
August is jam-packed full of splendid warm-season events for you and the family to put on the docket. From festivals to food trucks and music events, there is so much to do across Lake County to savor every last morsel of summer. Enjoy!
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Watch All County Board and Committee Meetings
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All Lake County board and committee meetings can be viewed on lakecounty.tv and on cable television (Comcast channels 18 or 30, depending on where you live, and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99).
The public also is welcome to attend all meetings in person at the Lake County Administrative Tower, 18 N. County Street, Waukegan or may attend meetings remotely using the registration link on the front page of each meeting’s agenda.
Individuals attending meetings in person or remotely may present their public comments during the meeting. Those not in attendance may provide written public comment via email or by mail. View the current meeting schedule. All meetings are recorded and are posted on the Lake County website.
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