Lake County in 60 seconds
Wildlife habitat grants
Grayslake-based Liberty Prairie Conservancy has been awarded $70,000 in grants to protect ecologically significant natural areas in the Des Plaines River Valley. That protection involves conservation easements, which are voluntarily placed on private properties by their owners. The easement prohibits the owner and anyone who buys or inherits it in the future from developing the property. The grants were awarded by Ducks Unlimited through the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Visit www.libertyprairie.org.
A Safe Place lauded
A Safe Place/Lake County Crisis Center, which offers emergency shelter and other services to victims of domestic violence, has been awarded a $5,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to continue its efforts. A Safe Place also offers affordable transitional housing; 24-hour help line; court and non-legal advocacy; individual, group and child counseling; batterer intervention services; community outreach, prevention, education and training. The help line is (847) 249-4450.
Free light bulbs available
Starting Tuesday, Wauconda will give away free compact fluorescent light bulbs to residents while supplies last. The bulbs were obtained through the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Greenest Region Compact. Bulbs can be picked up at three locations: village hall, 101 N. Main St.; the environmental quality department behind village hall; and at the public works facility, 302 Slocum Lake Road. Used compact fluorescent light bulbs can be recycled but should not be placed with other household recyclables. Drop off locations for used CFL bulbs have been set up at village hall and public works. Residents can take used CFL bulbs to any household chemical waste collection event held by the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County. For collection dates, visit www.swalco.org. To learn more about CFL bulbs and their benefits, visit www.epa.gov/mercury/ or call (847) 526-9600.
New principal named
Brian Todd Greene of Vernon Hills has been named principal for the Prairie Crossing Charter School, Grayslake, effective Aug. 1. He assumes the vacant spot created by the resignation of Margaret Pennington. Greene most recently served as principal at Bronzeville Lighthouse Charter School in Chicago. He previously served as a principal in Hawthorn Elementary District 73 and Zion Elementary District 6. He will be formally introduced to the community at a welcome back to school event in mid August.
Senior picnic
Grant Township and the village of Fox Lake will host a Senior Picnic barbecue lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 17 at the Grant Township Center, 26725 W. Molidor Road, Ingleside. The cost is $7. For details, call the township at (847) 740-2233 or the village of Fox Lake at (847) 587-3944.