Highland Park

New program offers job shadow experience for students

The city, Highland Park High School and the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce have combined to launch the Highland Park Exploration Program (HPCE), which provides opportunities for Highland Park High School juniors and seniors to participate in a job-shadow experience, in a variety of industries throughout the city. Job-shadow hosts will meet with students to discuss career aspirations, work initiatives and other professional inquiries, and feedback from the students and hosts will help identify future course choices and bolster student work readiness. As part of the program, participating professionals and students will meet up to three times for two-hour sessions each. For more information about the student participation process, contact Amy Burnetti of Highland Park High School at (224) 765-2173 or send an email to ABrunetti@dist113.org. Professionals interested in participating should contact the city at (847) 926-100 or complete an application at www.cityhpil.com.

Lake Forest

City reports progress on redevelopment plan

The city reported that the Lake Forest Plan Commission recently completed its review of the redevelopment plan for the Laurel/Western avenues site, and forwarded a recommendation for approval of the plan to the City Council. The plan includes a total of 164 residential units, including 110 apartments configured in three buildings, 42 condominiums in two buildings and 12 single-family homes. The plan also provides 260 underground parking spaces on the interior streets. Separately, 17 public parking spaces will be added to Western Avenue for customers of businesses in the area, with construction supported by revenues generated by the Tax Increment District. The next step is City Council consideration of the plan, and finalization of terms for

sale of the property. For more information, visit www.cityoflakeforest.com, contact Director of Community Development Catherine Czerniak by email at czerniac@cityoflakeforest.com or call (847) 234-2600.

 Lake Zurich

 Village to host annual Purple Plunge fundraiser

The village will present its third annual Purple Plunge at Breezewald Park and Beach, 125 N. Old Rand Road, on March 5. The Purple Plunge is a community fundraising event in which participants wade in or take a full plunge into the freezing water of Lake Zurich. Participants can collect pledges and form a team to take the plunge together or take part as an individual. All proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Lake Zurich/Wauconda/Island Lake. Registration is $20, and check-in will be held from 9-10:45 a.m. at Scoreboard Bar & Grill, 84 N. Old Rand Road. The first plunge is set

for 11 a.m. at Breezewald Beach, and a post-plunge party will be held at Scoreboard, beginning at noon. To register, and for more information, call (847) 317-0025, Ext. 3, send an email to maggie.parmelee@cancer.org or visit www.lakezurich.org.

Mundelein

Mayor to hold ‘State of Village’ meeting

Mayor Steve Lentz will hold a Joint Commission of the Whole State of the Village meeting — with the Village Board, the Economic Development Commission and the Planning and Zoning Commission — to address economic development in the village at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 29 at the Doubletree Hotel, 510 E. Route 83. Village residents are encouraged to attend, with the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments. For more information, call (847) 949-3200 or visit www.mundelein.org.

Barrington

Pair of new recycling programs in place

As part of a new Recycling and Refuse Agreement with Groot Industries, the village is offering two new residential recycling programs. The Electronics Recycyling Program, already in place, offers residents the opportunity to dispose of electronic materials (computers and monitors, video game consoles, printers, televisions, DVD players and

more) by calling Groot at 800-244-1977 to schedule a pick-up 24 hours in advance. The Food Scrap Composting Program will begin March 18 and continue until Dec. 16 before resuming again in March 2017. Residents will be permitted to place approved food scrap materials (including fruits, vegetables, breads, grains, pasta, cereal, eggshells, coffee

grounds and non-liquid dairy products) inside their 95-gallon compost carts along with yard waste. Carts containing plastic, biodegradable or compostable bags will not be collected. For complete details, visit www.barrington-il.gov or call Village Hall at (847) 304-3400.

Waukegan

City seeks grant funding for multi-use trail

As a follow-up to the Lakefront Active Implementation Plan recommendations and the 2015 Sustainable Shoreline Planning Grant work, the city announced that it is applying for IDNR Recreational Trails Program Grant funding of $200,000 to improve access to the Waukegan Municipal Beach through construction of a multi-use pedestrian and bicycle trail. The new trail will be located along a portion of Sea Horse Drive and the Waukegan Beach parking lot. The project will include all related amenities in a phased sequence of construction as funding allows. For more information, call (847) 599-2500 or visit www.waukeganweb.net.

Lincolnshire

Police Dept. to host program on business, residential safety

The Lincolnshire Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit will present Enhancing Business and Residential Security Through Environmental Design at 5 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Community Room at Village Hall, 1 Olde Half Day Road. The presentation will provide information on how the design and use of spaces influences the behavior of legitimate users, general observers and potential offenders — and will address how CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) strategies can lead to a reduction in the

incidence of fear and crime while creating an improved overall environment. For more information, call (847) 883-8600 or visit www.village.lincolnshire.il.us.

Moraine Township

 Township offers tax preparation assistance

Moraine Township — which serves Highwood, most of Highland Park, and portions of Deerfield and Lake Forest — is offering free assistance to low-to-moderate-income taxpayers filing their 2015 income tax returns through the IRS VITA (Voluntary Income Tax Assistance) Program. Volunteers, trained and certified by the IRS to prepare basic tax returns for taxpayers earning less than $54,000 in 2015, will be available (by appointment only) at the Moraine Township Office, 777 Central Ave., Highland Park. To schedule an appointment, call (847) 780-6644. For more information, send an email to

super@morianetownship.org or visit www.morainetownship.org.

— Lake County news briefs —