At today’s meeting of the Will County Board, members voted unanimously to pursue additional funds to continue heroin abuse prevention efforts in Will County. The board approved the county executive’s recommended application for a Justice Assistance Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.  The proposed work will utilize the Robert Crown Center for Health Education’s heroin prevention curriculum in the Lincoln Way High Schools and the Wilmington Community Unit School District. 

THE WILL COUNTY BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, IN COOPERATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND WILL COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS, WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING DURING ITS MONTHLY COUNTY BOARD MEETING ON THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016, AT 9:30 A.M., IN THE WILL COUNTY BOARD ROOM, 302 NORTH CHICAGO STREET, SECOND FLOOR, JOLIET, IL., TO DISCUSS THE ALLOCATION OF THE 2016 JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. 

   Officials from the Will County Health Department participated in a statewide emergency exercise to test the county’s response to a potential anthrax contamination on Tuesday, June 14. The exercise simulated a release of anthrax and the process of distributing antibiotics to local residents.

     An emergency POD (point of dispensing) was opened at Lockport East High School to simulate a distribution center for the antidote and employees of the health department followed practiced procedures to safely allocate the antibiotics to residents of Will County. 

Music can pick you up, bring back memories and get your feet tapping or get you dancing in your seat. In some cases it can help you forget pain. 

Kim Hasbrouck of Joliet has earned the Professional in Human Resources designation, the world’s highest standard in the field for more than 40 years. 

     A rabid bat was found dead on June 2 at the Crete Public Library, in Crete, IL. The bat tested positive for rabies on June 3 by the Illinois Department of Public Health laboratory. This bat has become Will County's second confirmed case of wildlife rabies for 2016. The first positive case was on May 5 in Braidwood. So far this year, there have been 15 confirmed cases across the state of Illinois.

     The bat was found in a locked, empty meeting room at the library. According to library officials, there was no known human contact with the bat, so no further safety precautions are recommended. 

Sixteen schools were honored by the Will County Land Use Department at the annual Earth Flag Award ceremony at the Rialto Square Theatre. 

     Will County residents who have their pets spayed or neutered at participating veterinary offices in June can receive a $40 county-sponsored discount.

     The discount applies for up to two animals per household and is exclusively for pet owners who live in Will County. More than 10,000 pets have been treated since the program originated in 2007. 

Workforce Services Division of Will County has announced the Mobile Workforce Center’s June schedule. 

Workforce Services Division of Will County has announced its June workshop schedule. 

Will County Executive Larry Walsh has issued an Executive Order to convene a special meeting of the County Board.  This is one of only a few times he has used this authority to call a special County Board meeting. The purpose is to address an emergency funding request for the Health Department. The meeting is slated to immediately follow the May county board meeting on Thursday, May 19. 

Will County Executive Larry Walsh said he is very disappointed with the action taken during the County Board’s Executive Committee yesterday. A request to extend emergency funding to the Health Department was ignored by a majority of committee members.

     “We are facing a real crisis in our health department,” Walsh said. “Because the State of Illinois owes our health department more than $2 million in funding, nine important programs are slated to be cut. These are programs that serve the most vulnerable residents of our county.”

The Will County Resource Recovery and Energy Division will host its annual textile collection through Friday, May 6. 

It’s time to start cleaning out bookshelves to make room for new titles, get rid of old ones -- or both.

Workforce Services Division of Will County has announced its workshop schedule for May.