Lake County in 60 seconds

Fire pit embers cause blaze

Embers from a fire pit caused a Sunday morning fire that destroyed a shed and damaged a home in Grayslake. Fire Capt. John Cokefair said neighbors of 394 Attenborough Court noticed the fire around 8:15 a.m. One person was home at the time and got out of the house uninjured, officials said. Cokefair said embers put in a garbage can ignited the shed then spread to the exterior of the house. The shed and its contents were destroyed and the siding of the house was burned. Some smoke damage occurred inside the house, Cokefair said. The initial damage estimate was around $10,000.

VHHS raises cash for Uganda

Vernon Hills High School has raised nearly $21,000 to help build a school for the children in Kapeeka, Uganda, according to officials from Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128. Children in the Ugandan town now attend school in stick and mud buildings that must be rebuilt after each heavy rain.

Spending sales tax revenue

How Lake County plans to spend an estimated $29 million in new sales tax funds will be discussed Wednesday by the county board's public works and transportation committee. Projects will be included in the 2008-2013 highway improvement program. The new revenues come from an additional one-quarter percent sales tax authorized by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich earlier this year for mass transit funding and reform. Funds have been collected since April 1. The meeting begins at 10:30 a.m. in the 10th floor assembly room, Lake County Building, 18 N. County St., Waukegan.

Milwaukee Avenue repairs

Potholes will be filled and curbs will be fixed next month along Milwaukee Avenue between Adler Drive and Greentree Parkway in Libertyville. The Illinois Department of Transportation will pay for the work through its "extraordinary maintenance funding" made available to municipalities because of the harsh winter. The Libertyville village board recently approved a contract of $37,308 t o Peter Baker & Sons of Lake Bluff to do the work. The work must be completed by June 30.

Round Lake Blues Festival

The village of Round Lake Park will hold its third annual blues festival from 5 to 10 p.m. June 21 at Greenwood Park. There will be live music, food and an antique car display.