Trash Pick Up Rescheduled

Kim Stone

The spring clean up days that were postponed due to Covid-19 have been rescheduled to August. The new dates coincide with your normal trash collection day. Monday collection: August 8, Tuesday collection: August 15, Thursday collection: August 22, Friday collection: August 29.

Electronics and recycling will not be collected during the special summer clean up days. Recycling should go out on your regular trash day. Electronics can be left out next to your trash on the first pick up of the month or taken to the City Recycling Center when they are open. You can take used clothing and textiles to the drop boxes at the Recycling Center or the HP Metra Station for reuse and recycling.

Remember that you can put out one large item with your trash each week rather than waiting for these seasonal pick up days.

Vote By Mail

Kim Stone

If you plan to vote by mail in the November election, you can now request a ballot online here. On August 1, the County Clerk will begin mailing vote by mail applications to registered voters who voted in elections or primaries in 2018, 2019 or 2020. You may fill in that application and return it to the Clerk if you prefer. More information about voting options is here.

Updated: Trash and Recycling

Kim Stone

Curbside bulk and electronic pick up has resumed. You may place one large (bulk) item out with your trash each week at no additional charge. On your first pick up day of each month, you may place one large electronic item or three small items out with your trash. More details are here.

The City Recycling Center at 1180 Half Day Road has reopened for drive up drop off of electronics, styrofoam, fluorescent bulbs, rechargable batteries, shoes (paired) and textiles. The Recycling Center is open from 7 am – 1 pm every Tuesday and the first Saturday of the month. More details are here. Clothing and textiles can be put in either the drop box outside the Recycling Center gate or the box on the south side of the Highland Park Metra station at any time.

As I walk around the neighborhood, I’ve been seeing plastic bags and styrofoam sticking out of recycling carts. Please take a few minutes to review this list of what is recyclable in Highland Park’s curbside program. Local grocery and big box stores have plastic bag recycling receptacles. Please do not bag your recyclables in plastic. Styrofoam should be taken to the City Recycling Center. To keep our recycling system clean remember: when in doubt, throw it out.

How Can You Help?

Kim Stone

Thank you to everyone who is supporting our front line workers – health care, grocery store employees, and pubic safety. They are working very hard, and it helps them to know that the community appreciates their efforts. Many people have lost jobs or income due to the pandemic and are struggling to pay their bills. If you are able to, please consider directing donations to Moraine Township Food Pantry or the Highland Park Community Foundation. Both of these organizations support those in our community who are in need of help.

Be Counted!

Kim Stone

While you are home, please fill out the Census here if you have not already done so. The Census Bureau advises completing the Census now, even if you haven’t yet received your 12 digit ID by mail. Your information is confidential, and your response helps to direct federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services.

Trash Service Updates

Kim Stone

There have been some temporary changes to trash collection due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Bulk and electronic waste pick up have been temporarily suspended, and the City’s recycle center has been temporarily closed. Spring clean up has been cancelled. It may be rescheduled at a later date. Regular trash and recycling pickup will continue. Please hold on to electronic waste, styrofoam, paired shoes, textiles and bulk items until these services resume. Thanks for your help in keeping City staff and trash haulers safe. When these services resume, information will be posted here.

Spring Clean Up Cancelled

Kim Stone

Due to the pandemic, the spring clean up days originally scheduled in April and May of 2020 have been cancelled. Here are some ways to get rid of unwanted items in the meantime.

Arts and Crafts supplies: donate them to the Brushwood Art Supply Exchange.
Bicycles: Donate to Working Bikes.
Household Chemical Waste: The SWALCO website has a schedule of Household Chemical Waste drop off events.
Medication:  Drop them off anytime in the disposal box at the HP Police Station, 1677 Old Deerfield Road. Details are here. 
Recyclables: Put these out on your regular trash day.
Textiles: Place in a sealed plastic bag and drop off anytime in one of the collection boxes located at the City’s Recycling Center or the Highland Park Metra Station (east of tracks and south of station).
Usable items: Donate to charity or use the Highland Park-Highwood Freebox page on Facebook to get unwanted but usable items to others in the community.

Learn more about how to recycle or dispose of unusual items here and here.  Here are some creative repurposing ideas for spring.

Coronavirus Information

Kim Stone

Covid 19 is a contagious virus that has been spreading rapidly around the world. There is no need to panic, but you should take precautions to avoid getting sick.

The City of Highland Park has an emergency operations plan in place and is prepared in the event our area is impacted by the coronavirus disease or other emergency matters. The City Manager’s Office, Police, and Fire Departments are in communication with Highland Park Hospital, Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center, and Illinois Department of Public Health in addition to area partner agencies, and all are taking steps to prepare, prevent and aid in recovery should our area be impacted. There is additional information on the City website, including links to the websites of the Lake County and Illinois Departments of Health and Centers for Disease Control.

Information on basic protective measures from the World Health Organization is available here.  Some of the recommendations are:
1. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
2. Disinfect frequently touched objects (phones, doorknobs, etc.).
3. Avoid touching your face – that’s a good way to spread germs.
4. Avoid contact with people who are sick.
5. Please stay home if you are sick. This will help stop the virus from spreading to others.

If you have travel plans, the Centers for Disease Control is recommending that people avoid non essential travel to South Korea, Italy, Iran and China as of this writing. Up to date travel advisories are here.

Be a Voter

Kim Stone

Your vote is important! The primary election in Illinois is March 17, 2020. Early voting will begin Monday, March 2, 2020 at the Highland Park Police Station and other locations in Lake County. (Early voting has already begun at the Lake County Clerk’s office only.) Lake County voters may vote early at any early voting site in the county. On Election Day, you must vote at your assigned polling place. More information on times and locations for voting is here.