Lake County Gazette

• Rock and Dodge: Police Department Dodgeball Tournament
• Highland Park Awards
• Bike Count: Call for Volunteers
• COVID-19 Updates
• Sharps Program Update
• Recycling Center Open April 2
• Ravinia Fire Station Update
• Donation Drive for Ukraine
• St. Patrick's Day Safe Driving Campaign Results

Rock and Dodge: Police Department Dodgeball Tournament

Calling all middle and high school students! Grab your friends and get a team together: it's time to play dodgeball with the HP Police Department! Free T-shirts are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and winners will get a gift card and swag bag!

Registration at cityhpil.com/dodgeball is required, and parents must complete a signed waiver before students can participate. Participants are asked to bring a non-perishable donation for the Moraine Township Food Pantry. Many thanks to our partners: the Park District of Highland Park, North Shore School District 112, Highland Park High School, CTAD: Community - The Anti-Drug Coalition, and Moraine Township.

Register your middle or high schooler to play!

The City of Highland Park is pleased to announce the 2022 Highland Park Awards recipients. Presented annually, the awards recognize those who have made positive, sustained and impactful contributions to the community in their respective category. The Arts Award, honoring The Art Center Highland Park, the Environmental Award, recognizing Go Green Highland Park, the Humanitarian Award, celebrating the service of Nancy Mills, and the Character Counts Pillar Awards will be presented by the City, North Shore School District 112, Highland Park High School, and the Park District of Highland Park at a ceremony on April 5, 2022, 7:00 PM at the Highland Park High School auditorium. The ceremony will be open to the public. 

Congratulations to all the winners!

Learn more about the 2022 Highland Park Awards winners.

Planning is underway for the Spring 2022 Bike & Pedestrian Count, to be held on May 3, 4, and 7! Since the passage in 2012 of Highland Park’s first Bike and Pedestrian Plan, now called MoveHP, the City and community volunteers have been counting walkers and cyclists at various intersections almost semi-annually. These counts help the City plan for future street and sidewalk improvements. This year, there are 5 different time slots and several locations around Highland Park where volunteers will be counting - and we need your help! Volunteers are invited to sign up for a shift (or two), and a virtual training session will be available for new counters.

Learn more and volunteer!

• The FDA has authorized a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals age 50+ and eligible immunocompromised individuals age 12+.
• The CDC has launched a new quarantine and isolation calculator to help individuals better understand when to isolate, quarantine, or take other steps to prevent spreading COVID-19.
• As a reminder, face masks continue to be required on public transportation, including Metra trains and Pace buses.

Sharps Program Update

The City's sharps disposal program is now housed at Fire Station #33 (1130 Central Ave.) To dispose of sharps, visit Station #33 during regular office hours, Tuesday – Friday, 7 AM – 4 PM. Proof of Highland Park residency is required.

Please note that due to a State of Illinois change in snap-container providers, the City currently does not have any new snap-containers to provide. When the State approves a new vendor, distribution of sharps containers will resume.

Recycling Center Open April 2

The Highland Park Recycling Center is open every Tuesday and the first Saturday of the month, including this Saturday, April 2, from 7 AM - 1 PM. Visit cityhpil.com/recyclingcenter for a full list of accepted/unaccepted items. If the items you would like to recycle are not accepted at the Recycling Center, visit swalco.org to learn about other opportunities for recycling or disposal.

Learn more about the Recycling Center.

Demolition of the Ravinia Fire Station has begun. The Fire Department has transitioned operations for the Ravinia Fire Station to the station's temporary home at Brown Park. There will be no interruption to public safety services during the construction of the new station. Occasional, temporary road or alley closures may be required during construction, and residents will be notified in advance. Please be alert for construction traffic when driving in the area. If individuals wish to receive email updates about this project, please provide your name and email to the City Manager’s Office at cityhp@cityhpil.com.

Donation Drive for Ukraine

In partnership with the Lake County Superintendents Association, North Shore School District 112 is collecting supplies to support the Ukrainian people. Needed items include:

• Medical supplies
• First aid kits
• Hygiene kits
• Socks
• Sleeping bags
• Baby powder
• New baby clothes

Please donate items in their original packaging. Items may be dropped off at North Shore School District 112, 1936 Green Bay Rd., by Friday, April 15. Individuals who prefer to make a financial contribution may do so through the First Bank of Highland Park or through Rotary International. Learn more about making a financial contribution

St. Patrick's Day Safe Driving Campaign

During the St. Patrick’s Day Holiday, the City of Highland Park was successful in educating drivers to drive responsibly and fasten their seat belts. The campaign took place from March 13 through the 17th. There are a number of advantages to wearing a seatbelt and ensuring that all passengers, especially children, are properly buckled up: 

• Seatbelts provide safety to everyone in the vehicle.
• Seatbelts are designed to work with your airbags.
• Avoid fines for not wearing your seatbelt.
• Seatbelts reduce the risks of serious injuries and death.

As a reminder, in Illinois, children are required to be in a car seat or booster seat until at least age 8 and all children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat. In addition, adult rear passengers are required to wear seatbelts in Illinois. 

The Police Department collaborated with the Illinois Department of Transportation and law enforcement throughout the state to encourage occupant protection. The Illinois Click It or Ticket campaign is administered by IDOT with federal highway safety funds managed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.