SWALCO (Solid Waste Agency of Lake County) will host two Household Chemical Waste Drop-Off events — from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 14 and Jan. 23 — at its Gurnee facility, located at 1311 N. Estes Street.

Lake County 

Ela Township Blood Drive to be held at Lake Zurich office 

The Ela Township Blood Drive, in conjunction with National Blood Donor Month, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Ela Township Offices Board Room, 1155 E. Route 22, Lake Zurich. Appointments are recommended; walk-ins are welcome. Donors should bring an ID, and are advised to eat well and stay hydrated in preparation for blood donations. To schedule an appointment, visit www.lifesource.org or call LifeSource at (877) 543-3768.

SWALCO to host pair of household chemical waste drop-offs 

SWALCO (Solid Waste Agency of Lake County) will host two Household Chemical Waste Drop-Off events — from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 14 and Jan. 23 — at its Gurnee facility, located at 1311 N. Estes Street. To ensure safety and efficiency, appointments (free of charge) are required for both events. Collections are for residential waste only. No business waste will be accepted. Acceptable items include CFL bulbs, unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medicines and supplements (people and pets), household cleaners, gasoline, garden chemicals, pesticides, oil-based paints (no latex) and varnishes, and other household chemicals. To schedule an appointment, and for a detailed list of all acceptable and non-acceptable items, visit www.swalco.org. For further information, call (847) 336-9340 or (847) 377-4950.

Buffalo Grove 

Village of Buffalo Grove  begins planning process for Lake Cook Corridor project 

The village announced that work is underway for a Market Study and Plan for the Lake Cook Corridor. The project’s goal is to explore how the village can best re-position the Lake Cook Corridor to optimize its growth potential. The Lake Cook Corridor, considered a key asset to the community, encompasses more than 472 acres of land and includes more than 1 million square feet of commercial space, residential dwellings, the village campus and a municipal golf course. The Corridor also serves as a gateway to the village, connecting Buffalo Grove to the regional network of expressways, highways and other major roads. The Market Study will examine various Corridor development scenarios aimed at improving the village’s identity, vitality, and economic and fiscal sustainability. The end result will be a visioning plan for the Corridor that is comprehensive, grounded in market realities and achievable. The project, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017, will implement action steps from the approved Buffalo Grove 2016 Economic Development Strategic Plan. A consulting team — led by international design firm Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum (HOK) — is in the process of gathering information. An initial public meeting will be held in early 2017 to provide an overview of the project and hear public comments. For more information, and to sign up for the project’s mailing list, visit www.vbg.org — or call (847) 459-2500.

North Chicago 

Rockingham named chairman of Military Communities Council 

The city announced that North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham, Jr. has been appointed as chairman of the National League of Cities’ 2017 Military Communities Council. Members of the council represent municipalities that either host or are in close proximity to a military installation. Naval Station Great Lakes, located on Missouri Street in North Chicago, is the largest training center in the nation for United States Navy recruits and the second largest military installation in Illinois. Points of interest to the council include transportation and infrastructure concerns that come with having a base in town or nearby; strategies for collaborating with local military leadership; ways and means to assist in the process of retention of mission and to attract additional mission sets to supported installations; and ideas and programs designed to successfully integrate veterans and troops into the fabric of the community. For more information, call (847) 596-8610 or visit www.northchicago.org.

Lake Forest 

Lake Forest marketing campaign focus of Community Engagement Forum 

The city announced that it will host a Community Engagement Forum, focused on the “Welcome to Lake Forest” marketing campaign, from 7-8:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at LifeWorking, 717 Forest Ave. Ald. Prue Beidler and the city’s marketing campaign team will be on hand to gather input in an effort to help promote the city and its assets in attracting new residents, young families, students, businesses, visitors, shoppers and diners. Data will be shared from the recent Resident Survey, and multiple conversations and interviews will be conducted by the team. The event is open to all city residents; no reservations are required. For more information, call (847) 234-2600 or visit www.cityoflakeforest.com.

Lake Villa 

 Lake Villa Village Board chooses no increase for property tax levy 

The Lake Villa Village Board announced that the property tax levy will not increase with the inflation amount as permitted under state law. As a non-home rule municipality, state tax law allows Lake Villa to capture the same amount of property taxes equal to property taxes in the previous year. In addition, the tax cap law allows the village to collect taxes from new properties and improved property. The Village Board decided not to collect the permitted amount from inflation, and decided to hold the amount collected at last year’s level, voting to adopt a property tax levy of $2.26 million. For more information, call Village Hall at (847) 356-6100 or visit www.lake-villa.org.

Grayslake 

Heritage Center to host Grayslake Arts Alliance Art Show 

The village announced that the Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum, 164 Hawley Street, will host the Grayslake Arts Alliance Art Show from 5-8 p.m. Jan. 14. The show will feature artwork by members of the Arts Alliance, a new community group dedicated to promoting the arts and bringing them to Grayslake through education, participation and development of a strong arts community. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (847) 543-1745 or visit www.villageofgrayslake.com.