Lake County briefs
Third graders get dictionaries:The Mundelein/Vernon Hills Rotary Club will give more than 1,000 dictionaries to all third-grade public and private school students in Mundelein and Vernon Hills. Last year, Rotary distributed more than 2 million dictionaries throughout the country. The Mundelein/Vernon Hills club has been providing this service for the past six years.Dog exercise hours extended:Dogs owners are reminded that hours at Lake County Forest Preserve District dog exercise areas have been extended to 6 p.m. or sunset, whichever is later. The areas open at 6:30 a.m. Dog exercise areas are at: Independence Grove (entrance off Milwaukee Avenue) near Libertyville; Lakewood near Wauconda; Prairie Wolf near Lake Forest; and, Duck Farm near Lindenhurst. Permits are required. The annual permit allows access to all four sites, and daily permits can be purchased at a self-pay station at each area. They are available at lcfpd.org, by calling (847) 367-6640, or at the general office, 2000 Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville or at the operations office at Lakewood Forest Preserve, 24237 W. Ivanhoe Road, Wauconda. The annual permit fee for one dog is $44 for Lake County residents.Police academy set:The Mundelein Police Department will launch a new citizens police academy April 1. It's open to people who live or work in the Mundelein area and who are between the ages of 18 and 55. The program will teach people about police operations and help them understand how police officers do their jobs. Classes will run every Thursday for 10 weeks. To apply, call (847) 968-3770.Youth employment hotline:A summer youth employment hotline is up and running at (847) 377-3443. The Lake County Workforce Development Department has received funding to continue a youth employment program for 2010. The program is open to Lake County youth aged 14 and 15 who meet the program's low-income criteria or youth aged 14 to 21, who have an I.E.P. through school. Walk-in or mailed information also will be accepted for waiting list placement at Workforce Development, 1 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Applicants are asked to leave only one message on the hotline system. Those accepted will be contacted beginning in late March.High School winners on YouTube:The Lake County Fire Chief's Association 2009 High School YouTube Video Contest for Fire Safety Burn Prevention winners have been announced and posted on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/FIRESAFETYCHIEFS. First place is "Crossfire" produced by Mathershan Vimalesvaran from Warren Township High School, second place went to Will McCracken, Alex Sherman and Kurt Wickboldt of Vernon Hills High School for "Right vs. Wrong" and, third place was "Fire Safety Man" created by Jayce Nall of Libertyville High School. Coordinated by Tony Rodkey of the Countryside Fire Protection District, the program encourages students to create videos showing safe behaviors to peers while combating the growing threat of incorrect and dangerous information about fire disseminated on the Internet.State cash for Warren Township:Illinois Department of Natural Resources has awarded a $750,000 grant to Warren Township government toward the purchase of 50 acres for athletic fields and a recreation area. Voters who attended a town-hall meeting in October approved buying the land near Stearns School Road and Mill Creek Drive, northwest of Gurnee Mills in unincorporated Lake County. Bicycling and hiking trails and picnic and playground facilities also are planned. Township officials say it may take about three years to make improvements to the property before play can begin on the fields. Warren Township includes some or all of Gurnee, Waukegan, Grayslake, Lindenhurst, Beach Park, Park City, Third Lake and unincorporated Lake County.