Lake County in 60 seconds

Trout fishing season opens

Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda will open for rainbow trout fishing April 5, following the release of about 600 trout into Banana Lake. Fishing in the Lake County Forest Preserves is free, but anglers 16 and over must have an Illinois fishing license. Trout fishermen must also have an Illinois inland trout stamp. Most of the trout here range from 0.75 pounds to 1 pound and the daily catch limit is five. Lakewood has four additional shallow lakes that contain largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. Black crappie, green and pumpkinseed sunfish, and golden shiners are also present in some ponds. A free guide to fishing in the Lake County Forest Preserves is at (847) 367-6640 or at www.lcfpd.org.

Steeple Chase to open

Steeple Chase Golf Club in Mundelein will open for play Friday, course conditions permitting. The Ken Killian-designed course, 1401 N. Midlothian Road, is operated by the Mundelein Park & Recreation District. Resident rates for 18 holes with cart are $49 weekdays and $55 weekends. Specials are available for nine holes and for families. Group and private lessons also are available. Call (847) 566-0650 or visit www.mundeleinparks.org.

Do you have old photos?

Copeland Manor school in Libertyville is asking alumni to contribute photos highlighting unique events, people or memorabilia as the 50th anniversary nears. The Libertyville Elementary District 70 school will host a special ceremony April 23 to mark the event. Former students, families and staff are invited to the school, 801 S. Seventh St., at 5:30 p.m. Tours will begin at 7 p.m. Current students have created special projects to highlight important events and cultural background from 1957, and will make predictions for 2057. A 14-foot ceramic mosaic mural created by students also will be on display. Items may be submitted at the school, by calling (847) 362-0240 or by e-mail to eyoungman@d70schools.org.

Workshop on native plants

Citizens for Conservation will present its third and final community education program for the 2008 winter season from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Barrington Area Library, 505 N. Northwest Hwy., Barrington. The presentation, given by Citizens for Conservation members Karen Hunter, Peggy Simonsen and Meredith Tucker, will focus on native plants in the home landscape, including the benefits of using them and the beauty of natives in sunny, shaded and shoreline gardens. The program is free, but donations will be accepted at the door. For more information or to reserve a seat, call (847) 382-7283.

Highland librarian honored

Highland Middle School Learning Center Director Erin Wyatt recently received the School Library Staff Member of the Year award from the North Suburban Library System. Wyatt is known for creating a book club that has students at the Libertyville Elementary District 70 school giving up their lunch recess to read. She also created a virtual learning center that has helped students and parents become information literate. The NSLS is a consortium of more than 650 academic, public, school and special libraries in north suburban Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties.