Briefs: Libertyville rate increase

Water and sewer rates for Libertyville property owners will increase 3 percent effective Jan. 1. The village is reminding residents the rates also will increase 3 percent in each subsequent fiscal year, effective May 1, 2010. Minimum bimonthly rates will rise in January from $37 to $38, which includes 4,000 gallons of usage. Rates for each additional 1,000 gallons will increase from $4.40 to $4.50 for water and $2.60 to $2.70 for sewer. Senior citizens will continue to receive a discount of $8.95 per billing period. The increases will partially fund more than $7 million in improvements to the village's water, sewer and wastewater systems in the next four years.

Meetings not on TV or Web

Monday's Lake County Board and Lake County Forest Preserve District board meetings were not televised on the county's LCTV cable channel or available live on the county's Web site despite a recent publicity push that promoted the newly revamped site as a way to watch governmental meetings without going to Waukegan. The meetings were blacked out because they were special sessions and not regularly scheduled monthly gatherings, said Jennie Khoen, the county's communications manager. That's been the practice for a while, Khoen said.

Woman guilty in cop attack

A Round Lake Park woman will be in jail for the next 18 months when she is not working or attending counseling after admitting Monday she attacked several police officers. Tara Searal, 23, was also ordered to spend 30 months on probation and perform 200 hours of public service. Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Reginald Matthews said police were called to Searal's home at 418 Forest Glen Drive about 11 p.m. on Oct. 17 because of a domestic disturbance. Searal repeatedly kicked, bit and spit on officers, who eventually used a Taser weapon on her, Matthews said. After shocking Searal, Matthews said, she continued to resist and kicked an officer who was carrying her to a squad car. She pleaded guilty to aggravated battery during a hearing before Circuit Judge Fred Foreman.

WXLC, WKRS team up for Toys for Tots drive

The U.S Marine Corps Reserve and radio stations WXLC and WKRS will hold a Toys for Tots broadcast on Friday, Dec. 5 outside the studios at 3250 Belvidere Road, Waukegan. The station is asking listeners to donate new and unwrapped toys during the daylong broadcast. The toys will be given to needy children in Lake County. If you can't make it to the station Friday, toys can be dropped off at the following NorthSide Community Bank locations: 5103 Washington St., Gurnee; 800 N. Route 83, Mundelein; and 1155 Milwaukee Ave., Riverwoods.

Shulman wins chess bronze

Barrington's Yury Shulman helped the U.S. chess team nab a bronze medal at the Chess Olympiad in Germany last week. Shulman, a grandmaster who runs the International Chess School in Barrington and teaches throughout the Chicago area, won a U.S. chess title earlier this year. Shulman, a native of Belarus, helped the U.S. stage an upset victory in a tiebreaker against Ukraine. Armenia, the defending champion, won the Olympiad, with Israel placing second.