Lake County briefs

Suit vs. Lake Zurich ends:The husband of Lake Zurich Mayor Suzanne Branding has withdrawn a lawsuit against the village that sought to eliminate a special taxing district in town, officials said Wednesday. Frederick Branding had filed the suit in Lake County court in November to protect the bed-and-breakfast operation he owns in the village's tax increment financing district. He withdrew the suit Tuesday, Village Manager Bob Vitas said.All District 70 schools win state award:Each of the five schools in Libertyville Elementary District 70 has received the highest academic excellence award given by the Illinois State Board of Education. Adler Park, Butterfield, Copeland Manor, Highland Middle and Rockland schools were among 438 schools in Illinois to receive the award. The award was given to schools where at least 90 percent of students met or exceeded state standards in 2007-2009. Copeland Manor has won four times and the other schools twice each. All District 70 schools now are on the Illinois Honor Roll, which acknowledges schools with three kinds of awards: The Excellence Award, the Academic Improvement Award and the Spotlight School award.Late-night crackdown in Grayslake:Grayslake police announced a late-night enforcement crackdown targeting drivers who are impaired by drugs or alcohol will begin Friday and run through Sunday, March 21. Police said officers will focus on the midnight to 3 a.m. time frame because statistics show that's when the most crashes occur involving drivers with a blood-alcohol level beyond the legal limit of 0.08. Police said the wee hours typically find low seat-belt use as well.