We all complain about our property taxes and we are about to elect the people who spend about 87% of our property tax dollars on April 7th.  Will you be voting?  The county clerks office will have your sample ballot available on Monday or Tuesday of next week.  To access that information click here.

If you would like to vote in the April 7 election by mail, your ballot cannot be mailed before an official request is received by the Clerk's office. Requests can be made electronically (without a voter signature), or by signing a printed request form and mailing it to the election official. Ballots will be mailed beginning March 13, 2015. You may use the "Request a Ballot by Mail" button found on the Voter Power page to print, sign and mail your paper request. You will be prompted to enter your information in order to access the personalized portal which contains voting information specific to you. For more information, email VotingByMail@lakecountyil.gov or call (847) 377-2406.

Snowbird Program
Registered voters who seasonally vacation outside their precinct can automatically receive a printed request for ballot by mail. Join the program using the online fillable enrollment which can be printed, signed and mailed to the Lake County Clerks office.  Click here and enter your information and the form will be available.

Student Program
Available to students away at school, this program simplifies voting for students who are registered to vote and request the ballot at their school address. Enrollment is valid for two years and each summer the Lake County Clerks office confirms the student address at school for the coming year. Complete the enrollment form which can be printed, signed and mailed to their office.

The last day to register to vote for the April election is March 10. Early voting is from March 23 to April 4. If you aren't registered and would like to be, call Diana or Chris at 847 223-2847. Not sure if you are registered to vote?  Click here

Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend-at 2:00 A.M. on Sunday, March 8.

Before going to bed on Saturday, March 7, remember to "spring forward" by setting your clocks 1 hour ahead. 

Birth Certificates for children born at Lake Forest Hospital available at the 

City of Lake Forest.

Illinois schools require a certified birth record when registering children for school for the first time in kindergarten or first grade, or students moving to Illinois from out-of-state. For children born at Lake Forest Hospital within the last ten years, a certified birth record may be obtained in person at City Hall. Applications for Certified Birth Certificates can be found at the front counter. Office hours: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  For more information click here 

The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is hosting an open house to begin the process of studying potential improvements to the intersection of Fremont Center Road and IL Route 60, as well as the area bounded by Peterson Road, IL Route 60 and IL Route 83 in the villages of Grayslake and Mundelein, and Fremont Township. The purpose of the meeting is to introduce the project to the public, present the project schedule, and seek public input regarding transportation issues and concerns in the study area. No options or alternatives will be presented at the meeting. Representatives from LCDOT and the project team will be present to discuss the project and answer any questions. 

The meeting will be held  March 18, 5 - 7 p.m.at the Fremont Intermediate School, 28754 N. Fremont Center Road, Mundelein, IL

The meeting will be accessible to persons with a disability. Anyone in need of special assistance and planning to attend should contact project manager Darrell Kuntz at 847.377.7400.

Red Rose Children's Choir of Lake County Summer Camp June 8-11

Open to all singers (non-auditioned) grades 2- 5. This workshop will immerse young singers in singing and performance. Each day will focus on vocal training, movement in performance, playing percussion instruments in ensemble, reading the choral score, and dramatic and creative improvisation. Singers will gain confidence in their singing through playful encouragement of solo singing. This year's theme will encourage cultural exploration through songs from many of the countries the Red Rose Children's Choir has traveled to through the years. Current Red Rose singers will join with any interested singers in this fun filled performance based workshop.

The people who die from heroin-related overdoses in the U.S. now tend to be young, white and live in the Midwest, according to a government report.

That's a shift from 15 years ago when the death rate was highest among older blacks and the West and Northeast had the biggest heroin problems.

The report released Wednesday examines the rising trend in fatalities involving heroin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, based on death certificates from 2013, tallied drug overdose deaths across the U.S. in which heroin was a contributing factor.

OVERDOSE COUNT

There were 8,257 heroin-related deaths in 2013, compared to 5,925 the previous year. The rates have increased significantly since 2010, when deaths numbered about 3,000. Heroin-related deaths increased in both men and women, in all age groups, and in whites, blacks and Hispanics.

CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS

A few of the increases were particularly striking, said Dr. Holly Hedegaard of the CDC, one of the authors of the report. In 2000, the highest death rate from heroin overdoses was in blacks ages 45 to 64. But in 2013, whites ages 18 to 44 had the highest rate. Whites in that age group accounted for more than half of the heroin-related overdose deaths that year.

And the region with the largest heroin overdose problems shifted to the Midwest. The West and Northeast had the same highest rate in 2000. The report did not provide state breakdowns.

A GAP IS CLOSING

Overall, there were about 44,000 drug overdose deaths in 2013. More than 16,000 of them involved a type of powerful prescription painkillers, such as Vicodin and OxyContin. Those deaths were nearly twice as high as the heroin-related deaths in 2013. However, painkiller-related deaths held steady for two years while those involving heroin climbed. The report didn't explore why heroin deaths are increasing. Other experts have said recent restrictions on prescribing painkillers may be reducing supplies at a time when the heroin supply has been increasing.

 CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/  

Grand Dominion Home and Business Expo

The Lakeside Lodge at Grand Dominion

3555 Grand Dominion Circle, Mundelein, IL

Saturday April 11, 2015 from 8:30 am to 2 pm 

If you know of residents or neighbors who may not receive my e-newsletter, please forward this to them and invite them to sign up.  Anyone can join by clicking on the join my mailing list link or by emailing me directly.  Thanks for passing on the news. 

If you need to contact me, please call the office at 847 223-2847 or my cell at 847 833-1019.

Diana O'Kelly

Fremont Township Supervisor