The Zion-Benton Public Library is seeking donations of American Girl dolls to help grow its circulating doll collection. (American Doll)

Lake County 

 Lake County firm earns Manufacturer of the Year Award 

Lake County Partners, a Lincolnshire-based economic development corporation dedicated to maintaining economic vitality in Lake County, reported that Libertyville-based Noise Barriers, LLC recently was presented with the Lake County Manufacturer of the Year Award by the Alliance for Industry and Manufacturing (AIM). Noise Barriers, a premier supplier and manufacturer of architectural, industrial and environmental noise control products and solutions, has been operating in Lake County for 13 years with a proven history of success. AIM, a major force in industrial retention for more than 40 years, addresses skills gap issues through various activities and workforce training initiatives, and also works with stakeholders such as Lake County Partners to draw attention to the critical role that manufacturing plays in the regional economy. For more information, call (847) 597-1220 or visit www.lakecountypartners.com.

Highland Park 

City of Highland Park offers volunteer snow shoveling program 

The city announced that it is coordinating a volunteer snow shoveling program designed to serve low-income elderly and disabled residents of Highland Park and Highwood. Through the program, students from Highland Park High School will join other community volunteers to provide qualifying residents with snow shoveling assistance. After snow accumulation of at least two inches, residents who are registered in the program may request assistance with shoveling their home’s driveway and walkway. A volunteer team then will be contacted, and should be able to assist within 48 hours. The registered homeowner or renter will be responsible for providing snow shovels along with ice-melting materials. Due to safety issues, snow blowers will not be allowed. Volunteers and participating residents will be required to compete City of Highland Park liability waivers. For more information about program qualifications, to register for shoveling assistance or to become a volunteer, contact Highland Park Social Services Coordinator Jennifer Aiello at (847) 926-1868 or via email at jaiello@cityhpil.com.

North Chicago 

Pair of North Chicago police officers earn safety leadership award 

The city announced that two North Chicago police officers, Sgt. Freddrick Diez and Sgt. Eric Martin, have received the prestigious Public Safety Executive Leadership Award from the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety. Diez and Martin received the award during the center’s School of Police Staff and Command 400th Graduation Ceremony, held in Skokie on Dec. 9. The two officers earned the award for successfully completing the center’s entire sequence of management programs: Supervision of Police Personnel; School of Police Staff and Command; and Executive Management Program. For more information, call (847) 596-8640 or visit www.northchicago.com.

Zion 

Zion-Benton Library seeks donations of American Girl dolls 

The Zion-Benton Public Library is seeking donations of American Girl dolls to help grow its circulating doll collection. The library is accepting American Girl dolls, clothing and accessories in any condition. Donations can be dropped off at the Youth Services Desk or mailed to Zion-Benton Public Library, 2400 Gabriel Ave., Zion, Ill. 60099. For more information, call (847) 872-4680 or visit www.zblibrary.info.

Waukegan 

Host of Waukegan High seniors named Illinois State Scholars 

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 announced that 26 Waukegan High School seniors were recognized as Illinois State Scholars earlier this month by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The honor is given annually to students across the state who rank in the top 10 percent of their high school class while also earning high scores on SAT, ACT and/or Prairie State Achievement exams. The students who were recognized are Jazzmyn Albarran, Victoria Amponsah, Sean Bertram, Josie Blake, Abigail Crombie, Maureen Dudley, Rachel Dudley, Katherine Flesher, Carlos Flores Gaytan, Liesl Greider, Katrina Lutka, Helen Luu, Jonathan Marquina, Misael Martinez-Tolentino, Jacqueline Moran, James Morgan, Dulce Olmos-Ocampo, Juan Ortega Gutierrez, Eliana Pabon, Nestor Padilla, Rebecca Quinonez, Laura Ross, Cesar Silva, Cristian Solis, Victoria Vargas-Castro and Johana Zaldivar Lopez. For more information, call (224) 303-1000 or visit www.wps60.org.

Vernon Hills 

Village of Vernon Hills offers holiday tree recycling program 

The village announced that the Vernon Hills Public Works Department will collect holiday trees for recycling from Jan. 3 through Jan. 13, 2017. All lights, ornaments, stands and bags must be removed from the trees. Trees should be placed curbside by 7 a.m. the day of the scheduled pick-up. To view a detailed pick-up schedule, visit the village website at www.vernonhills.com. After Jan. 13, trees can be placed with regular trash for pick-up or residents can bring trees for recycling to the Public Works Department, 490 Greenleaf Drive. For more information, call (847) 367-3700 or visit the village website.

Gurnee 

Drabicki earns Lake County award for stormwater management 

A report stated that Gurnee Village Engineer Scott Drabicki, also the past chairman of the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC), is the 2016 recipient of the Richard A. Welton Stormwater Manager of the Year Award. Drabicki was instrumental in shifting MAC from a forum for discussion of stormwater issues to a group that provides tools to municipal stormwater managers and a beneficial shared service for local units of government in Lake County. As Gurnee’s Village Engineer, Drabicki has been a leader in the village’s flood mitigation efforts, resulting in numerous buyouts of flood-prone properties and subsequent conversion to publicly beneficial open space. For more information, call (847) 377-2000 or visit www.lakecountyil.gov.