Reminder: The Annual Town Meeting is held on the second Tuesday of April every year unless the date conflicts with a holiday. This year it does NOT conflict with a Holiday and will be held at Shields Township Offices Board Room as scheduled.

It’s officially November, which means woody yard waste burning season has begun in unincorporated Lake County. Woody yard waste burning season runs from November 1 through March 31, so residents may now burn sticks, branches, and tree limbs.
Although open burning of woody materials in the unincorporated area during the off-season (April 1 to October 31) must be confined to a 3x3 foot area, the ordinance does not restrict the size of the wood-burning fire during the wood-burning season (November 1 to March 31). As leaves continue to fall, please note that the burning of leaves as a means of removal is prohibited year-round.
The full Lake County Open Burning ordinance can be found here: 94.05 “Exterior Property Areas” Part I.

​Union Pacific, which owns and maintains the three UP lines in the Metra system, will replace approximately 68,000 ties between Kenosha and the line’s Ravenswood Station in Chicago. To lessen impacts on the current train schedule as well as the communities along the line, work will occur between 7 PM and 5 AM seven days a week through November. Union Pacific believes that this schedule will allow the work to progress more quickly, lessening the impact to communities along the line.

“Tie replacement is essential and must be done at regular intervals to maintain track speeds and service levels,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski. “We understand that track work during the evening overnight hours will affect the communities near the work zones and that any delays are an inconvenience for our riders. However, accelerating the work schedule and doing it during off-peak hours should minimize these impacts.”

Metra riders may experience minor delays during the evening and some late-night train schedules may be adjusted as the work moves closer to Chicago. Communities along the tracks will experience increased noise levels, including train horns, during work periods. Federal law requires trains to sound their horns when entering a track work zone even if the work takes place in a community that is regulated as a quiet zone. Union Pacific believes that the accelerated work schedule will mean that each community should only experience direct impacts for two to three days as the project moves down the tracks.

Track changes may occur as trains work around the track workers, and customers are advised to listen for platform announcements throughout the project to verify the boarding platform well in advance of a train’s arrival at their station.

The project is expected to last through the end of November. For more information, visit Metra's website.

Effective as of June 1, 2022, new restrictions include:

• No burning non-woody yard waste (i.e. leaves and grass)
• No burning of woody yard waste between April 1 and September 30
  • Recreational wood-burning fires that are no larger than 3’ x 3’ x 3’ are always permitted "if  used for warming, cooking, and other recreational purposes"

Burning garbage and construction materials is now and has been prohibited for years before the new ordinance.
​ 
​For more information, see the announcement posted by Lake County's Planning, Building and Development.

To report a suspected open burning violation occurring in the unincorporated area, please call the Lake County Open Burning Hotline at 847-377-2999.
​

Following governmental guidelines on the COVID-19 pandemic Shields Township Building will be closed to the public but will continue to conduct business regarding food and emergency assistance.  Passport services will be suspended until further notice as a non-essential service.

Please contact us for details regarding food and assistance and to make a reservation at 847-234-0802.  We will be assisting people by appointment during the following hours:

Hours: Monday – Thursday, 9:00-3:00

PLEASE CONSIDER GIVING TO OUR PARTNERS:

Mother's Trust and Phoenix Rising