Lake County briefs
House District 59 candidates forum Sunday:The League of Women Voters of Lake County and the Daily Herald host a forum featuring the candidates vying for the state House District 59 seat in the Feb. 2 primary. It will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, at the Laschen Community Center, 294 Evergreen Drive, Vernon Hills. All five candidates are expected to attend. Democrats, state Rep. Carol Sente and Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Harstein will be there along with Republicans Mohan Manian, Cynthia Hebda and Dan Sugrue. Candidates for Judge in the Appellate Court, and 19th Circuit Court, will present their qualifications, but will not participate in a formal question period. The 59th District includes portions of Buffalo Grove, Green Oaks, Gurnee, Indian Creek, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Long Grove, Mettawa, Mundelein, Northbrook, North Chicago, Park City, Riverwoods, Vernon Hills, Waukegan and Wheeling.McHenry County candidates' forum:Patriots United will hold a forum for candidates for McHenry County Board at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, in the conference center in Building B at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake. Moderators will offer questions and topics of discussion important to all McHenry County voters for the candidates to discuss while they reveal their visions for the future of the county. Registration is at 6:30 p.m. Debate begins at 7. Time permitting, there will be a question/answer session with the audience.New Web site a hub for housing:A new bilingual Web site, ilhousingsearch.org, features statewide property listings that are available to help renters find homes. The site allows users to search a range of features to find a home that would fit their needs. Housing can be searched by rent range, accessibility features, location, number of bedrooms, screening criteria, acceptance of vouchers, school district, allowance of pets, deposits and fees, and proximity to public transit. It also provides an affordability calculator, moving cost estimates, a rental checklist and other tools. The same service is available through a toll-free, bilingual call center (877) 428-8844.Pollwatcher credentials now available Pollwatcher credentials for qualified political organizations for the Feb. 2 primary election are available at the Lake County Clerk's office. All pollwatchers are required to have credentials to observe at voting sites. Pollwatchers may represent candidates, established political parties, qualified civic organizations and organized proponents or opponents of ballot propositions. A pollwatcher training class will be offered at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21 at the county building, 18 N. County St., 10th Floor Assembly Room, Waukegan. Requests for credentials and registration for the class can be made via email to elections@lakecountyil.gov or by calling (847) 377-2314. The guide also can be downloaded from lakecountyclerk.info.