New Segment of Cedar Lake Road Open 

Travelers in Lake County now have a new county highway segment to help them with their daily commute. The Lake County Division of Transportation has opened a new segment of Cedar Lake Road to traffic between Illinois Route 120 and Town Line Road in the Round Lake area.

This new 0.75 mile long section of County Highway connects with existing sections of Cedar Lake Road. This will provide motorists with an important final link in this north-south travel corridor between IL Route 132 in Lake Villa and IL Route 60 in Round Lake. The project also includes new traffic signals and new turn lanes at the intersection at IL Route 120.

Read the full press release. 

Emergency Unemployment Insurance Continues 

The federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) insurance program will continue through December 2013 after Congress extended the program as part of the fiscal cliff negotiations. Illinois workers collecting EUC should continue to certify for benefits. Congress did not add new weeks to the federal unemployment insurance program, so those who have exhausted EUC are not eligible for additional benefits.

Celebrating 20 Years of Adopt-A-Highway 

Sign Up Through Jan. 31

2013 marks the 20th anniversary of the Lake County Division of Transportation Adopt-A-Highway program. There are seven groups celebrating this milestone that have participated since the Adopt-A-Highway program began: Allendale Association, Buffalo Grove Chamber of Commerce, Exchange Club of Grayslake, Gurnee Rotary Club, Lake Bluff Open Lands, Lake County Court Services and Paul's Landscaping.

Since 1993, these remarkable volunteer groups and hundreds of others have been provided with a commemorative sign at their adopted location, high-visibility safety vests, trash bags and safety information. Twice a year, volunteers remove litter from both sides of their adopted county highway, helping the environment, providing a valuable public service and promoting civic responsibility.

Don't miss out on your opportunity to be a part of the next 20 years. Open enrollment will take place Jan. 2-31. Participants must be at least 10 years of age, and anyone younger than 18 years of age must have adequate adult supervision.

Veterans Assistance Commission Volunteers Recognized 

Jim Reynolds of Grayslake was honored for his volunteerism as a bugler at military funerals.

Volunteers with the Veterans Assistance Commission (VAC) of Lake County have been recognized for giving 137,000 hours of volunteer service in 2012, including over 56,000 hours to the Lovell Federal Health Care Center.

Volunteers with the VAC have received the Presidential Service Award. President Barack Obama sent a letter of congratulation and the gold Presidential Volunteer Service Pin to volunteers Stan Villarreal, Bob Sittler, Norm Arnswald, Bob Cloud, Wally Frazier, Nick Konz, Richard Moy, Mike Kozar and Tom Marciciak. 

In addition, Michael Smith of Rosalind Franklin Health Services and Dr. Raymond Moy of Vernon Hills have received the Department of Defense Seven Seals award for their work during the 2012 Stand Down. During the event, over 239 veterans were given health care screenings, and Moy performed dental screenings. 

VAC Vice President Nick Konz also recently recognized Jim Reynolds of Grayslake for his volunteerism as a bugler at military funerals. Reynolds has played Taps at military funerals for the past 40 years, averaging 150 funerals a year.

Read more about the work of the Veterans Assistance Commission.  

Christmas Tree Recycling 

Don't send your Christmas tree to the landfill. Drop it off at a participating Lake County Forest Preserves location for recycling. Donated trees are chipped and used for trails and for landscaping at forest preserves throughout Lake County.

Bring your tree to a drop-off site at one of the following forest preserves, open daily from 6:30 am to sunset:

• Grant Woods in Fox Lake
• Greenbelt in Waukegan
• Half Day in Vernon Hills
• Heron Creek in Long Grove
• Lakewood in Wauconda
• Old School in Libertyville
• Ryerson Woods in Deerfield
• Van Patten Woods in Wadsworth

Drop-offs accepted at the marked sites until Feb. 1.

Only undecorated, real Christmas trees can be accepted; no yard waste. Commercial drop-offs are prohibited.   

Recycle Your Old Electronics 

If you received a new electronic device this holiday season, think twice before trashing the old one. According to state law, electronic items such as televisions, monitors, computers and printers are some of the most common items are no longer allowed in the regular trash.

The Waukegan Township Road District will host an electronics recycling drop-off event from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 12 at 36117 N. Green Place, Waukegan.

For a list of accepted items and other recycling events, visit the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County's website.

Check Out Lake County's Top Videos of 2012 

In this video newsletter, we take a look back at some of our top videos from this year, including an inside look at Naval Station Great Lakes, recycling do's and don'ts, stories from veterans, and more!  

What Lake County videos do you want to see in 2013? Let us know!

Aqua Center Passes on Sale Feb. 4 

The new Antioch Aqua Center, located in Williams Park at 741 Main St., is set to open this spring and season pool passes will go on sale Feb. 4. Season passes bought between Feb. 4 and March 29 will be discounted $10 per pass as an early bird special. Season passes bought between April 1 and April 30 will be discounted by $5 per pass. After May 1, season passes will be full price. The season pass fee for 2013 will be $70 for village residents (four-digit street address or less) or $80 for village non-residents. Season family passes will be $200 for village residents (four-digit street address or less) and $225 for village non-residents for a family of four. For more information, call 847.395.2160.