Lake County briefs

Man faces gun charges:

A 24-year-old Winthrop Harbor man is facing multiple charges for having an illegal gun, Lake Villa authorities said. Police officers stopped a car on a routine traffic violation at Route 83 and Grand Avenue at 3:30 a.m. Aug. 9, according to Chief Ron Roth. The officer who had made the stop noticed two bullet loaders with live rounds sitting on the back seat. A loaded .357 caliber handgun was found in Michael J. Haight's possession, police said. Haight, of the 900 block of Landon Avenue, was a passenger in the vehicle. Haight attempted to conceal the weapon by placing it under his seat in the vehicle, police said. The weapon was found to have its serial number filed off, police said. Haight was charged with possession of a firearm without a Firearms Owner Identification Card, defacing identification marks on a firearm, possession of ammunition without a Firearms Owner Identification Card and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, all felonies. Haight was taken to the Lake County jail pending bond court.

Road project Web site:

A new Web site launched by the Illinois Department of Transportation provides up-to-date information on active construction contracts, including those funded with federal stimulus money. Users can search dot.il.gov/dashboardpublic for contracts by location, IDOT district or contractor. The site also allows users to view the location on a map and provides the status and details of the work. The site will be updated daily, according to IDOT.

Clean up river:

Members of the Water TrailKeepers and Lake County Forest Preserve stewards will tackle a major cleanup effort along the Des Plaines River in Lake County on Saturday, Aug. 29. The event will start at 9 a.m. in the Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods. Anyone older than 12 can help clear trash, nonnative invasive plants and other debris from the riverbanks. Volunteers will work until about noon. For more information, call (847) 367-6640 or visit lcfpd.org.

Mundelein park chat:

A new playground, free kids crafts they can make and take home and ice cream treats will be among the attractions from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at Wortham Park, on Wortham Drive off Midlothian Road south of Route 60/83, Mundelein. The activities are part of the Mundelein Park District's "park chats," a meet and greet program held at various locations throughout the year. Call (847) 566-0650 or visit mundeleinparks.org.