Lake County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

An original building from the Lakewood Farms dairy is on land that is now the Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda. Lake County Forest Preserve staff is developing concepts and crafting a master plan for the county’s largest forest preserve.

COUNTY

Forest preserve’s future is being studied

Lake County Forest Preserve staff is developing concepts and crafting a master plan for the county’s largest forest preserve, the 2,835-acre Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda.

Since its initial 1,000 acres was acquired by the forest preserve in 1968, Lakewood has grown to its current size over 52 separate land purchases.

The site originally was used as the Lakewood Farms dairy in the 1930s.The central core of the preserve and focus going forward is the former dairy farm south of Route 176 and west of Fairfield Road. Buildings there have been used for various purposes, including the former Lake County Discovery Museum, Teich postcard archive, and a district maintenance hub.

Two or three concept plans will be prepared and be presented to the committee in advance of an informational open house, likely this fall, for public review and comment.

LAKE FOREST

Student gets summer research scholarship

Into Britt Dahlin, class of 2021, of Libertyville, Illinois was accepted into the Richter Scholar Summer Research Program at Lake Forest College, where she will spend part of the summer researching alongside Assistant Professor of Music Anne Barry.

Dahlin is developing a sight-reading curriculum for the college’s choir program to help build students’ skills so that they have confidence in their knowledge of music. Through her research, Dahlin is creating basic- to intermediate-level exercises, assisting in choosing a selection of pieces that allow the singers to apply their new skills, and designing a booklet of these exercises and samples using a music-notation software.

MUNDELEIN

Arts commission holds writing contests

The Mundelein Arts Commission is sponsoring two writing contests for anyone who lives or works in Lake County: one short story contest and one 10-minute play competition.

The short-story writing theme will be nature, with writers interpreting this concept however they choose. The theme could have to do with the natural world or human nature as the story’s focus, setting or background.

Entrants should keep in mind that this is a fiction contest, and any other form — creative nonfiction, essay or memoir — will not be considered. Writers should avoid gratuitous gore, sex and violence, and entrants will be judged on the use of fiction elements, including theme, language usage, tone, voice and structure.

Stories will be judged on the elements of fiction, including plot, conflict, character, point of view, setting, theme, language, narrative devices (dialogue, foreshadowing, irony, suspense), tone/voice, conventions (spelling, punctuation) and structure/organization. Stories are to be no more than 3,000 words, and the deadline is Aug. 3.

The 10-minute play contest gives playwrights — both aspiring and experienced — the opportunity to see their original work produced in a workshop environment. There is no specific theme, though plays must run no longer than 13 minutes. Playwrights are encouraged to submit shows with small casts and minimal technical requirements. Deadline for plays is also Aug. 3.

Cash prizes will be awarded for both contests. Story winners and honorable mentions will be published in the third edition of the anthology Mundelein Writes. Participants are advised to obtain and follow the necessary rules, information and entry form by contacting jlee@email.mundelein.org.

Winning playwrights will also have the chance to see their show produced for a public showing, tentatively set for Oct. 11. The commission is also seeking anyone interested in directing the winning plays, as well as actors to perform.

Anyone interested in either contest is encouraged to get the rules, information and entry form at www.mundelein.org/mac or email jlee@email.mundelein.org.

GRAYSLAKE

Taste of Grayslake June 30

The Taste of Grayslake Family Picnic and Fireworks will be held from 3-10 p.m.  June 30, in Central Park, 250 Library Lane, Grayslake. The event is presented by the Grayslake Park District, the Grayslake Chamber of Commerce, and the Village of Grayslake.

The Taste of Grayslake features live entertainment throughout the day, a climbing wall, kiddy rides, carnival games and bubble soccer. This year’s live music lineup includes The Complex from 3-6 p.m. and Mike & Joe from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Local businesses and community groups will also have booths lining the fields in Central Park.

A wide variety of foods will be available from local vendors. The Grayslake Park District offers a beer tent which includes beverages from Light the Lamp Brewery and Gluntz Family Winery & Cellars.

The event will conclude with a fireworks display at dusk. Parking is available at Grayslake Middle School and Grayslake Central High School.

For more information, visit glpd.com or facebook.com/grayslakeparkdistrict.

 

–Lake County News Briefs–