Lake County briefs

Kids health fair:The 18th annual Kids 1st Health Fair is from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4 at Miguel Juarez Middle School, 201 N. Butrick St., Waukegan. The event provides an all-in-one location for parents to get required health screenings for their children in time for school deadlines. The fair is free for Lake County families who meet specific income guidelines. Qualifying children in kindergarten through ninth grade will receive physical and dental exams, immunizations and blood work required for entrance into school. Visit www.lakecountyil.gov/health for details.Aquatic plant workshop:The Lake County Health Department with the Illinois Lakes Management Association and Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) will host a workshop on Aquatic Plant Identification from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7. The workshop will teach participants how to identify common and invasive plants and how to prevent problems and promote healthy environments. The event begins at the Lake County Central Permit Facility, 500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville with a lecture from Ben Dolbeare, IDNR Invasive Species Project Manager, on identification of common and invasive plants. It continues with lunch and an optional field identification at Butler Lake. RSVPs must be received by Wednesday, Aug. 4. Call (847) 377-8030. There is a $10 charge for the field identification and lunch at Butler Lake.Gurnee firefighter honored:Gurnee Fire Department public education officer Christopher Koehn has received a statewide honor from the American Legion. Koehn recently was named winner of the 2010 "Department Firefighter of the Year Award" at a Springfield convention. Koehn will now be Illinois' firefighter nominee for the American Legion's national convention. Koehn works to create awareness of fire danger and steps that can be taken to minimize risk. Gurnee Fire Chief Fred Friedl said Koehn's work has made a difference. "His hard work, dedication and broad base of knowledge make him an invaluable asset to not only the Gurnee Fire Department, but also the entire community that we serve," Friedl said.Washington Street open house:An open house and public information meeting regarding the widening of Washington Street from Hainesville Road to Lake Street in Grayslake, Hainesville and Round Lake Park is from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12 at Prairieview School, 103 East Belvidere Road (Route 120), Hainesville. Representatives from the Lake County Division of Transportation will present proposed improvements and schedule, and will gather public input. A PowerPoint presentation and exhibits will be shown at the open house. Call Chuck Gleason, project manager, at (847) 377-7447.