Libertyville Mayor Terry L. Weppler and the Village Board recently entered into an agreement with the Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies to conduct a strategic plan for the village.

Lake County 

 County to host Veteran/Military Job Fair in North Chicago 

The Office of Lake County announced that its Veteran/Military Job Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 13 at the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (Bourke Hall, Building 4), 3001 Green Bay Road, North Chicago. The job fair is open to active-duty members of the military, veterans, retirees, reservists, eligible family members and DoD employees. Participants should bring military or family member ID, DoD ID, VA ID or proof of honorable discharge (DD-214) and resumes, and should dress in professional attire or in uniform. For more information, call (847) 688-3603, Ext. 100 or ext. 129 — or visit www.lakecountyil.gov.

Lake County 

County Sheriff’s Office hires pair of high-level administrators 

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office announced the hiring of David Hare as its new Chief of Administration, and Roy Garcia as its Director of Homeland Security. In his new role, Hare will oversee all of the administration divisions of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, including court security, warrants, civil process, records, community services, training and judicial sales. Hare began his law enforcement career with the Round Lake Beach Police Department, in 1992, and was promoted to Chief of Police in 2014. He also serves as an adjunct instructor at the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety. Garcia began his career in 1976 as a police officer in Calumet City, and then worked with the Illinois State Police. In 1998, Garcia was hired as the Sycamore Chief of Police, and served until 2001. He then worked at O’Hare International Airport, in the Transportation Safety Administration’s Department of Homeland Security, and began working for the Illinois Terrorism Task Force in 2010.

 Barrington Hills 

 Park Dist. to host 4th Annual Barrington Hills Festival 

The village and the Barrington Hills Park District will host the 4th Annual Barrington Hills Festival, “The Hills Are Alive 2016,” from 1-5 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Barrington Hills Park District Riding Center, 361 Bateman Road. The event includes live music, crafts, games, pony rides, family activities, demonstrations, representatives from local organizations, Kids Fly-a-Kite (open to the first 300 kids) and Sunset Yoga (bring your own mat) at 4:45 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, including how to volunteer and/or donate, contact Village Clerk Anna Paul at (847) 551-3000 or via email at fest@ vbhil.com — or visit www.barringtonhills-il.gov.

Deerfield 

 Pair of Dist. 109 schools awarded National Blue Ribbon status 

Deerfield Public Schools District 109 reported that Alan B. Shepard Middle School, 440 Grove Place, and Walden Elementary School, 630 Essex Court, have been named by the U.S. Department of Education as National Blue Ribbon Schools. A total of only 16 public schools from Illinois were selected among nearly 4,500 schools in the state. During the 2015-16 school year, students at Walden demonstrated growth as a school in the 96th percentile for math and 97th percentile for reading on the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments. Students at Shepard showed growth in the 98th percentile for both math and reading on MAP assessments. Representatives from both schools and District 109 will officially accept the awards at the National Blue Ribbon Award ceremony, to be held in Washington, D.C., in November. For more information, call (847) 945-1844 or visit www.dps109.org.

Mundelein 

 Village approves new waste collection contract with Groot 

The village reported that the Mundelein Village Board recently approved a new, solid waste collection contract with Groot Industries. The new contract, which became effective Oct. 1, lowers service rates and creates new options for service collection. In addition, the contract includes provisions for the collection of electronics and food scrap waste at no additional charge, expands leaf collection service, continues the spring clean-up and Christmas tree recycling programs, provides for recycling services at multi-family complexes, guarantees a monthly payment to the village for recycling materials, and freezes the new, lower rates until Oct. 1, 2017. Groot Industries is preparing an informational brochure that will be mailed to residents. The village is requesting that residents wait for the official brochure before contacting Groot or the village for more information.

Grayslake 

 Village to begin annual leaf vacuuming program   

The village announced that its annual leaf vacuuming program will begin Oct. 17 and run through Nov. 26. Vacuuming will take place one day per week, and may not occur on the same day as regularly scheduled garbage/recycle pick-up service, depending on the pace of falling leaves. Guidelines of the program include placing leaves into piles (not in bags) before 6 a.m.; placing leaf piles between the edge of the street and sidewalk; and placing leaves within seven feet of the edge of the street in areas without sidewalks. To view a detailed map of leaf vacuuming routes, visit www.villageofgrayslake.com. For more information, call (847) 223-8515.

Libertyville 

 Village to host meeting on strategic planning process 

The village announced that all Libertyville residents and business owners are invited to attend a meeting, focused on the village’s strategic planning process, at 6 p.m. Oct. 13 at Village Hall, 118 W. Cook Ave. Mayor Terry L. Weppler and the Village Board recently entered into an agreement with the Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies to conduct a strategic plan for the village. The purpose of developing the plan is to take a strategic and proactive approach to governing, and public policy decisions, as assurance that critical public services and programs will be addressed with a long-term vision for Libertyville’s future. For more information, call (847) 362-2430 or visit www.libertyville.com.

 Gurnee 

 Nypro to break ground on facility expansion project 

The village reported that Nypro Inc., a manufacturing and product design corporation in the healthcare and packaging industries located at 955 Tristate Parkway, has announced plans to break ground on an expansion project. The expansion will add more than 78,000 square feet to the existing 91,000-square-foot building, including a 36,500-square-foot warehouse, a new, 30,000-square-foot clean room and 45 plastic injection molding machines. In addition, the NyproMold division will add 11,500 square feet. Once completed, the expansion is expected to create as many as 60 new jobs. For more information, call Village of Gurnee Economic Director Ellen Dean at (847) 599-7574 or visit www.gurnee.il.us.