Lake County & Forest Preserve News
Ann Maine
County Board District 21 Forest Preserve President November 2012 |
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I encourage you to to others who may be interested in Lake County news. Persons who wish to automatically receive these free updates should send their email address to me at amaine@lakecountyil.gov or click "join our mailing list" above.
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| Newsletter Archive |
Click here to view past issues of Lake County News from Ann Maine.
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A Note from Ann
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Dear Neighbors,
November is a time we traditionally honor our veterans. Many people are unaware of the strong military presence here. Lake County is home to the Great Lake Naval Training Center in North Chicago. Watch the video below to learn more about this important part of Lake County
Lake County is a beautiful and diverse place. We have museums, active libraries and communities and wonderful forest preserves. However, we also have our challenges, both with nature and in our communities. Please read below for programs on coyotes, as well as a sobering look at heroin use.
At the October County Board meeting we approved an engineering services agreement to monitor the flow in the Southeast Lake Sewer System. During heavy rains our system experiences very high levels of water from infiltration problems. This forces us to treat "clean water" as dirty water and raises cost. We need to address this problem, which occurs in Bannockburn, Deefield, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Buffalo Grove.
At the County we have been working on our budget for the 2013 year. There is still another finance committee discussion before it comes to the full board. You can look at the proposed budget. At the November 20 County Board meeting we will be voting on the 2013 budget.
Questions about where to vote or what is on your ballot? Visit County Clerk's office for answers.
Remember that you can view the agendas and watch the meetings for both the Forest Preserve and the County Board online, any time!
Please let me know if you would like me to come and meet with your homeowner's association, scout or other group to discuss local or county issues.
Sincerely,
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The Hidden World of Wolves
and Coyotes
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November 8, 7-9 p.m.
Greenbelt Cultural Center, 1215 Green Bay Road., North Chicago
$15 ($10 for members of Conserve Lake County, Friends of Ryerson Woods and Lake Forest Open Lands)
Did you know that coyotes live in almost every green space of any size in the Chicago metropolitan area? Did you know that their cousins, the wolves, are also thriving
across the state line in Wisconsin? Explore the hidden world of these fascinating predators and what their presence in our region means for people. Stan Gehrt and Adrian Wydeven, two of the foremost experts in the Midwest on coyotes and wolves,w ills hare an intimate look at these predators.
Program partners are Conserve Lake County, Friends of Ryerson Woods, Lake Forest Open Lands, Wildlife Discovery Center and Lake County Forest Preserve District.
Register online.
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Suburban Heroin Use
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November 12, 7-8:30 p.m.
Vernon Hills High School Auditorium, 145 N. Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills
Parents, students and community members are invited to a special forum, "Understanding Suburban Heroin Use." The forum is being sponsored by School Districts 125, 128, and 214, the Robert Crown Center for Health Education, the Office of Congressman Robert Dold and the Lake County Regional Office of Education.
The alarming rise in heroin use among teenagers is especially prevalent in the Chicago suburbs. This public health crisis affects everyone, and requires a community-wide response. Please join us for this important event to learn how you can be part of heroin prevention.
The panel for the evening will include Robert Crown Center Educator Joan Drummond Olson, Rush University Medical Center Physician Celeste Napier, Lake County Coroner Artis Yancy, a parent, and a recovering teen. Lake County Sheriff Mark C. Curran Jr. will moderate the panel.
Community treatment providers will have booths at the event, and will provide resource information before and after the forum.
If you haven't watched Sheriff Curran's video on heroin use in the suburbs, it is very powerful.
More information.
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An Inside Look at
Naval Station Great Lakes
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 Occupying more than 1,600 acres and training nearly 4 million trained recruits over the last 101 years, Naval Station Great Lakes is a massive presence in Lake County. But even people who live alongside the naval base have misconceptions about what goes on there.
The base's mission is training, but few people know that it functions much like a city. The base pulls its own water from Lake Michigan and produces steam for heating. It has its own fire and police departments to serve the 15,000-20,000 people living and working there each day. And the base's public works department can do everything from fixing a broken pipe to renovating a building.
With college facilities, restaurants and football fields on the premises, Naval Station Great Lakes is a city of its own. But sailors and staff also venture beyond the base's gates and contribute to the local economy and volunteer in the surrounding communities.
Watch a video about Naval Station Great Lakes' day-to-day operations.
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Forest Preserves News
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 The latest exhibit at the Lake County Discovery Museum celebrates 200 years of Charles Dickens. Hundreds of objects and documents from an exclusive private collection, together with a rare collection of first editions of his most famous works, tell the story of how Charles Dickens and his characters became enduring cultural icons. Learn more about this special exhibit open through February 24. Don't let the cold weather keep you inside. Take your preschooler to Hikin Tykes: Ducks and Geese for a nature-based story, craft and outdoor exploration (weather permitting) for you and your preschool child. Tues., Nov. 13 , 9:30-10:45 am
Independence Grove
Ages 2-4 with an adult. Registration is required. Check out the entire calendar for more activities. Take an Evening Hike Along Solar Lighted Trails  With small solar lights to guide their way, hikers, skiers and snowshoers can get some brisk evening exercise at Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville, and along a hilly, scenic section of the Millennium Trail adjacent to the Winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda, starting Sunday, November 4.
Though regular preserve hours are 6:30 a.m. to sunset, the illuminated trails and adjacent parking lots will remain open after sunset until 9 p.m., daily through Saturday, March 9, 2013. Bicycle and equestrian traffic is not permitted on the lighted trails after sunset. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed. To access the lighted trails, park at Lakewood's Winter Sports Area located on the east side of Fairfield Road just south of Route 176, or at Old School's main entrance lot located on the east side of St. Mary's Road just south of Route 176. Lake County Forest Preserve Rangers regularly patrol the areas. Featured Preserve: Sun Lake This preserve features a mosaic landscape of oak woodlands  and wetlands, including an outstanding example of an Illinois glacial lake for which the site is named. Three miles of trails and a footbridge provide access for hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and nature and wildlife observation. Learn more about this special place. Help us serve you better! Take our teacher/scout leader survey. You can download our app and stay up to date with happenings in your Forest Preserves. |
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Transportation & Construction Updates
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While many of the major projects are already complete, construction sites remain.
Waukegan Rd in Deerfield
There will be construction on Waukegan Road in relation to library construction that will
result in daily lane closures between 9 AM and 3PM. This daily lane closure will impact
one southbound lane. Construction will run through November 10, 2012.
Milwaukee Ave and Rt 137 The large excavation at the northeast corner of the 21/137 intersection is going to be a naturalized detention basin. They are currently excavating clay to use as embankment fill for the new lanes further north along 21. Everett Rd and Milwaukee Avenue Work on the railroad crossing has closed for Metra repair work. This should last until November 7. Traffic will be routed to Rte. 22 as a main artery, and to Old Mill Road to the south and Conway Road to the north as local alternates. Learn more about the City of Lake Forest Bicycle Master Plan.  Lake County PASSAGE provides real-time traffic information about local roads so you can anticipate, plan and avoid gridlock. With this information you can make better travel decisions and save time.
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Environmental Issues
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"I Recycle, Do You?" is the theme for this year's America Recycles. Residents from all over Lake County are invited to come out and help celebrate America Recycles Day, November 3. In honor of the day, SWALCO and Lake County are sponsoring an event that will allow residents to help the environment and dispose of a number of unwanted items they have around the house. The event will be held at the Division of Transportation campus at 600 W. Winchester Road in Libertyville on Saturday, November 3 from 9 am - 1 pm. For a full list of accepted items and to learn more about this event, please visit the SWALCO site.
Electronics Collection Site
Saturday August 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Village of Deerfield (Public Works Facility)
465 Elm Street
The following are year round collection sites:
Village of Grayslake (Public Works Facility, Recycling Center) 585 Berry Avenue
Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. 3:30 p.m.
Saturday - 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
City of Highland Park (Firearms Training Center) 1180 Half Day Road
ONLY Tuesdays and Fridays 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (excluding holidays)
(fluorescent light bulbs, foam containers and packaging materials are also accepted at the Highland Park Electronic Collection)
Vernon Township (Road District Facility) 3050 N. Main Street
Buffalo Grove
Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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Community Events
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is partnering with the national nonprofit Pajama Program. The Pajama Program works primarily with foster care organizations and family shelters to provide books and bedclothes to children in need. Some of these children have never before owned a pair of pajamas. Can you help? Donations should be new, unused sets of pajamas (or a nightgown) for children from infants to 12 years old. The program runs from November 10 until November 23, 2012. Get a new reading app from the Deerfield Public Library. You can also register to get email updates when your requested items have come into the library. It doesn't matter that the weather is colder. MainStreet LIbertyville still has a full calendar. First Friday is November 2 and the popular Dickens of a Holiday will be held December 1 and 8. The Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce offers seminars, networking opportunities and more.
is sponsoring Reading is So Delicious as well as
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