IN THIS EDITION: Vaccination rate high among BG first responders

 When it comes to vaccinated first responders, Buffalo Grove appears to be bucking a national trend.

      According to a report in the Washington Post, the vaccination rate among first responders, especially police officers, is low. The Post reported that “hesitancy within police departments is rooted in some of the same concerns expressed by the general public, according to police chiefs, union officials and experts in policing and public health.

Officers, the Post reported, have voiced unease about the novelty of the shots and the speed with which they were developed, along with confidence that they can avoid the virus with proper protective gear. The vast majority of police are men, who are less likely than women to be immunized.”

      When it comes to major police departments, the Post said 80 percent of officers in Honolulu have received at least one dose, ranking it at the top of their survey. The Post noted that Hawaii has administered more doses per capita than all but four states.

      Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steve Casstevens told BGNI on Monday that the department has an 80 percent vaccination rate. The Fire Department, noted Chief Mike Baker, has a vaccination rate of 87percent.

      In its reporting, the Post noted that “of more than 40 major metropolitan police departments contacted by The Post, none had made vaccination compulsory for employees.”

      The Post also noted that “Other departments have only partial records. In Chicago, officers who received shots at department clinics, or who used a specific code to sign up as emergency workers beginning in January, number at least 4,000, out of 12,413 active officers, city officials said. But many may have gotten shots elsewhere.”

      Buffalo Grove does not have a policy mandating vaccination against COVID-19. Director of Human Resources, Art Malinowski said the village “strongly encourages its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.”

      Village Manager Dane Bragg said in an mail that “to date, 74 percent of the village’s workforce has received COVID-19 vaccines. Workplace safety protocols remain in place to protect employees against COVID-19.  The village has not had any employee COVID-positive cases in 15 weeks.”

 Lake County tax bills coming soon

Lake County property tax bills are being mailed this week. The first installment is due June 7, and the second installment Sept. 7. Lake County residents can pay their property tax bill online and pay by phone. New this year, individuals may choose to pay by e-check without incurring an extra fee. Learn more here.

A new e-billing option is available, beginning with next year’s billing cycle. According to the Lake County Treasurer’s Office, property owners may choose to take advantage of a new e-billing option to receive their property tax bills via email instead of receiving a paper bill.

When residents receive their property tax bill, they will notice a symbol with a registration code specific to their property index number (PIN), which should be used to sign up.

 Call 2-1-1 to for essential service help

Lake County residents who need help finding food, shelter, rent or utility assistance, or other essential services, can call 211 or text your zip code to 898211 to speak with someone who can help 24/7. To receive general COVID-19 information via text message, text "COVID19" to 211211. For more information, visit 211lakecounty.org.

 

Police Reports

Jewelry taken during burglary -- Police are investigating a burglary in the 100 block of Fox Hill Drive.  Police say that the homeowner reported that when he returned home from a walk, he found his front door ajar. Reports say the resident found belongings on the floor and cabinets open and that several pieces of jewelry pieces with a combined estimated total value of more than $3,000 were reported missing.

Seriously? -- A resident contacted police to report that someone removed the eggs from a mallard’s nest, destroyed the nest, and chased away the nearby ducks. Police say a possible offender denied any involvement.

 

We’re a finalist!

Buffalo Grove News and Information is a finalist for a Peter Lisagor Award in the "Best Continuing Blog – Independent" category. The awards are sponsored by the Chicago Headline Club, the largest local chapter in the Society of Professional Journalists.

The Headline Club established the Lisagor Awards in 1977 to inspire Chicago-area journalists to follow his outstanding example and to recognize truly superior contributions to journalism.

The awards are named in honor of Lisagor who was the Chicago Daily News Washington bureau chief from 1959 to 1976. He was one of the nation’s most respected and well-known journalists.

The full list of finalists can be found here.

 

Student Voices

Here are links to the student newspapers at Stevenson and Buffalo Grove high schools.

Buffalo Grove High School Charger

Stevenson High School Statesman

 

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