Prepare for Emergencies 

The month of April has historically produced more tornadoes, and more tornado fatalities in Illinois than any other month. Violent tornadoes have recently devastated areas across the country, including the strong twister that recently hit southern Illinois destroying hundreds of homes and businesses, killing six people, and injuring and displacing hundreds more. In this edition of County Update, Lake County Emergency Management Coordinator Kent McKenzie provides some important information on how to prepare for severe weather and other emergencies.  Watch now (30 minutes).

 

April 28, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Vernon Township and SWALCO will be collecting items at the Vernon Township Highway Department office at 3050 N. Main St. in Buffalo Grove.

 

 

 

View flyer for full list of items.

The Treasurer's Office will be mailing tax bills to Lake County property owners in the first week of May. Homeowners that depend on the US Postal Service to "Temporarily Forward" your annual tax bill to a second location should be aware that due to new postal regulations, your bill may not be forwarded as it was in the past. If this applies to you, sign up for the Treasurer's e-news service and an email will be sent when your tax bill is available. If you have not received a bill by mid-May please visit the Treasurer's website or call the office at 847-377-2323 for more information.  Due dates are June 6 and September 6.

On Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., public safety departments across Lake County will hold their National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

 

The service, provided in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, gives the public an opportunity to safely dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription or over-the-counter drugs and prevent pill abuse and theft.  Only solid medications can be accepted; the service does not include liquid products such as intravenous medicines or syringes.

 

Improperly disposed medication that is flushed down the drain leaves traces of chemicals in our water that sewage treatment facilities cannot remove entirely.  These chemicals reenter lakes and rivers and threaten our drinking water supply and our natural ecosystem.  Make your home and community safer by turning in your medications!

 

Find a participating take-back site near you by clicking here.

The Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 94) Rehabilitation Project between Lake Cook Road and Half Day Road and between Atkinson Road and Illinois Route 176 (Rockland Road) began overnight on April 23. Work includes concrete repairs to provide a new, smooth surface and extend the life of the roadway. The project is scheduled to be complete by this fall.

 

To minimize the impact of construction on daily commuters, the Tollway is limiting all lane closure to overnight hours.  A 45 mph speed limit is in effect 24/7 in all construction zones, whether or not workers are present. Drivers should continue to watch for changing traffic patterns and use caution at all times.

 

Click here for more project information from the Illinois Tollway.  Before your commute, check current travel times using Lake County Passage.

With the population in Northeastern Illinois projected to grow as much as 38% over the next 40 years, we must plan for our future water supply. The Lake County Water Supply Advisory Committee, a partnership between municipalities, the county, and other stakeholders have been working to establish sustainable policies and practices in order to ensure there is available, clean, safe, and cost-effective drinking water in the future. Read the report.

Recently, the Lake County Recorder of Deeds office has been getting phone calls from concerned residents about a deed scam. There are two companies soliciting Lake County homeowners - "Local Records Office" and "Illinois Deed Providers" - offering to provide them with a certified copy of their deed. The Recorder's Office is asking residents to be on the lookout for solicitations from these two companies, because they are charging $89 plus $4.50 for postage and handling.

There may come a time when you need to reference the deed to your home. As often happens, people misplace their deeds or in some instances, never actually received the original deed at the time they purchased their home. For your protection, all requests for copies of deeds should be handled directly through the Lake County Recorder's office. The average deed is four pages or less, with a copy fee of only $1 per page. Seniors may request a copy for free. As you can see, these fake businesses are roughly making a $90 profit on every request they handle.

If you have any other questions or concerns, you can contact the Lake County Recorder of Deeds office at 847-377-2575.  View the PSA from Recorder of Deeds Mary Ellen Vanderventer here.

In this challenging economy, youth are facing higher unemployment rates than adults, but the Job Center of Lake County can help! The Job Center offers a variety of programs to help teens gain valuable skills so they can land jobs. Currently, grant funds are available to students 18-21 years of age for vocational training programs.

 

Contact the Training Hotline at 847-377-3444 to find out about eligibility and how you can apply for these funds. 

 

Vocational Grants Flyer

Video: An Inside Look at Youth Services

Baxter International Inc.  recently announced that it will create more than two hundred new positions in Lake County, including jobs associated with expanded filling and finishing capacity at its existing manufacturing facility in Round Lake. The new jobs at the Round Lake facility will support production of FLEXBUMIN, a preparation of plasma-based albumin treatment in a flexible container.  The company announced the additional jobs in Lake County along with news about plans to build a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Georgia to support growth of its plasma-based treatments.

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, cancer, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma and other chronic and acute medical conditions.

 

Rain Barrel, Compost Bin, Native Plant Sale 

(plant sale runs through Sunday, May 13)
Independence Grove Forest Preserve, Libertyville  

Village of Buffalo Grove

BG Park District

Indian Trails Public Library

Vernon Area Public Library