ROUND LAKE BEACH – The Cultural and Civic Center of Round Lake Beach will host the Round Lake Area Schools Young Artist Exhibition. 

SPRING GROVE –  Army Spc. Andrew Ernst was welcomed home March 5 by a crowd of well-wishers who had come to express their appreciation and gratitude.

As the economy continues to slide and the unemployment rate plummets, there is an interesting dynamic happening in our community.

GURNEE – Gurnee-Woodland Community Consolidated School District 50's Parent Teacher Association will host its general meeting "Please ... Don't Tease" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 10, at the Intermediate School, 1115 N. Hunt Club Road, in Gurnee.

Imagine riding in a roller coaster and taking that first sharp turn after coming down a large hill. Now imagine that same feeling, turn after turn, for 30 laps.

It’s been about a year since stock prices hit their low point during the long bear market. Since then, of course, we’ve seen a big rally, but some of the decisions you made when the market was at its lowest point may still be affecting your portfolio’s performance and prospects. So, now that we’ve reached the one-year anniversary of the market bottom, it’s a good time to see where you are today and how you can prepare for tomorrow.

LAKE COUNTY JOURNAL

FOX LAKE – The Fox Lake/Volo Business Family Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at Grant Community High School.

The much-improved Illinois Freedom of Information Act that took effect Jan. 1 lasted two weeks before the General Assembly successfully rolled it back.

GRAYSLAKE – The Lake County Fair Association will host its "Spring Fling" fundraiser from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, March 20, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, in Grayslake.

GURNEE – A concert that started out in support of a Future Business Leader of America officer diagnosed with cancer is marking its 10th year on March 14.

• Alcoholic's Anonymous meetings. Several meetings throughout Lake County on a daily basis. Call 847-362-1811 or visit www.district10nia.org for meeting information.

WAUKEGAN  – Lake County Sheriff’s investigators have charged two Lake County residents with multiple counts of possession of cannabis with intent to deliver following a two-day investigation.

ROUND LAKE BEACH – Gary Bitler has been appointed as Chief of Police of the Round Lake Beach Police Department, village officials released earlier today.

MUNDELEIN – For 8-year-old Steven Wolff, nothing seems to beat a session at Partners for Progress in Mundelein.

MUNDELEIN – The Carmel Catholic High School girls gymnastics team took gold in the IHSA state meet Feb. 19 and 20.

The initiative for orphans in Pignon, Haiti, continued last month.

WAUCONDA – Injuries can be setbacks, but they don’t have to end athletic careers.

Exhibiting boats at the Chicago Boat, RV and Outdoors Show has been a long-time tradition for the staff at Sequoit Harbor in Antioch and numerous other boat dealers across northern Illinois.

ROUND LAKE – Dorothy Kou has worked hard her entire high school career.

WAUCONDA – Sometimes a little investigative work can garner great results.

ISLAND LAKE – In response to a standing ovation, Sgt. Adam Colon smiled and ducked his head after giving some pretty good advice to the students at Cotton Creek Elementary School in Island Lake.

Normally, when you ask people about their occupation, they tell you about one thing, such as, “I’m a truck driver,” or “I’m a school teacher.”

GRAYSLAKE – Film fans clear your calendars. The seventh annual Lake County Film Festival is taking place this weekend from Thursday, March 4, to Monday, March 8.

A proposed loan program for homeowners living along the Chain O’ Lakes seeks to provide them with a financially feasible way to protect the shoreline along their property.

LAKE VILLA – The Chicago Kickers Soccer Club will host its annual venison dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at the American Aid Society Hall, 259 W. Grand Ave., in Lake Villa.

INGLESIDE – Athletes from around the world have concluded their participation in the 2010 Winter Olympics after two weeks of competition in Vancouver. But the celebration was not limited to arenas and ski slopes north of the border.

WAUKEGAN – Donning pink T-shirts and gloves to match, students and staff at Greenwood Elementary School in Waukegan welcomed back second-grade teacher Janet Cesar with a special assembly March 1.

LAKE VILLA – Poetry and song lyrics chronicling life experiences both good and bad comprise a new book by a local author.

If you’re like many people, you may pay a lot of attention to the day-to-day price movements of your investments. But to create and maintain an effective investment strategy, you also need to look at the “big picture,” specifically, the economic and market forces that can affect your investments’ performance. And one of those factors is inflation.

WAUCONDA - Improvements to the intersection of Fairfield Road and Route 176 in Wauconda were up for discussion Feb. 25 as county residents came to an open house at Wauconda High School hosted by the Lake County Division of Transportation.

Keeping an eye on the health of a whole county is a big job.

Shaw Suburban Media, publisher of the Lake County Journal, and Paddock Publications announced Feb. 23 that they have entered into a printing agreement that will begin in the spring.

New sports complex, parks have bettered quality of life for Round Lake-area residents

Social studies instructor passionate about his work at Grayslake Central High School

Woman brings day-at-the-lake experience to local children

Former Allendale Association student returns as a mentor

Network organizer helping to provide food, clothing and supplies to those less fortunate

Best friends helping those near and far with support of those around them

Executive director of advocacy organization feels blessed to be helping kids

Chief of fire district serving community where he grew up

One year ago this week, the Lake County Journal relaunched in its new format, committed to providing its communities with local news and information.

GRAYSLAKE – “Beyond Pixeltorialism: Digital Imaging in the 21st Century” will open Friday, Feb. 26, at the Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., in Grayslake.

ISLAND LAKE – The students at Cotton Creek Elementary School  in Island Lake have been keeping their hands busy.

ROUND LAKE HEIGHTS – On the second floor of Round Lake Middle School, 19 freshly-hung documents are passed by students on their way to and from classes.

MUNDELEIN – The Carmel Catholic High School girls gymnastics team finally did it. For the first time since the 1992-93 season, the Corsairs took it all.

ANTIOCH – Even though prime motorcycle season is still months away, a new store in Antioch aims to provide riders with all the gear they need for a summer full of cruising.

ANTIOCH – I showed up at the Antioch Pizza Shop one recent evening with a late-night craving for pizza.

HAINESVILLE – Mayor Linda Soto said she was a bit puzzled following a town hall meeting where the future of the Hainesville Police Department was discussed.

FOX LAKE – The centennial anniversary celebrated last year by the Fox Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is now captured in a book highlighting 100 years of business in the community.

MUNDELEIN – Rahul Sethna, the head swimming and diving coach at Mundelein High School, has been voted Sectional Coach of the Year by the coaches at the sectional meet.

A bill introduced in the state senate would award the Fox Waterway Agency with $2 million for shoreline restoration.

GURNEE – Some advantage is better than no advantage on the street.

• Alcoholic's Anonymous meetings. Several meetings throughout Lake County on a daily basis. Call 847-362-1811 or visit www.district10nia.org for meeting information.

WAUKEGAN – Waukegan Community School District 60 unveiled a redesign of its Web site, at www.wps60.org on Feb. 19.

With her opponent running as the “Tea Party candidate,” U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean said she would rely on her record to keep her seat.

The Member Services Board of Gurnee Community Church would like to thank everyone who helped make the “150 Years of Community” potluck dinner a huge success.

WAUCONDA - It probably felt like they'd been there before. Nearly a year ago, the Wauconda girls basketball team had stood on their own home floor, having just lost the IHSA Class 3A regional championship title to Johnsburg.

Approximately 1:10 p.m. on Feb. 19, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a structure fire at 24626 W. Clinton Ave. in unincorporated Lake County near Round Lake.

ANTIOCH – Greg Buchanan has been named the new superintendent of Antioch School District 34.

ANTIOCH – The Antioch Township Democrats group will host its regular montly meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Antioch Township Building, 1625 Deep Lake Road, in Lake Villa.

DeKALB – Police have a suspect in custody after an early morning shooting left one person injured at Northern Illinois University.

Despite losing the championship game of the IHSA Class 3A Lakes regional, the Antioch Sequoits girls basketball team looks to have an awfully bright future.

WAUCONDA – Pay freezes, staff eliminations and increased student fees all are viable options Wauconda Community Unit School District 118 is looking to incorporate to reduce its projected budget deficit for the 2010-11 school year.

WAUCONDA – Do you like Snickers bars? Fannie May chocolates? How about Butterfingers, Tootsie Rolls, Nerds and Runts or even Cracker Jacks?

WAUCONDA - The Wauconda girls basketball team played at a slower tempo than usual in its IHSA Class 3A regional semifinal against Vernon Hills on Feb. 17.

WAUCONDA – Sometimes, parents just need a break.

ISLAND LAKE – Few answers are expected to come out of a hastily arranged special meeting to discuss the suspension of Island Lake’s police chief.

ROUND LAKE – Two brothers have been charged for their alleged involvement in an armed robbery that took place Feb. 4 in downtown Round Lake, police said.

WAUCONDA – In an effort to continue cutting village expenses, the Wauconda Village Board voted Feb. 16 to reduce its brush pick-up service to two days a year and contract out that service instead of keeping it in house.

ANTIOCH – Some came for the fishing, while others came for the company. Some even came for the on-ice grilling or ice-cold beer packed neatly into the snow.  

When Shelly Sun and her husband J.D. co-founded BrightStar home health care in 2002, they did so with a mission to provide others with a peace of mind they were not fortunate enough to enjoy.

Eight years ago, Heidi May organized the first Relay for Life in the Gurnee/Wadsworth area to not only build support for cancer survivors like herself, but also to raise money for the organization that she credits for helping to save her life.

LIBERTYVILLE – I’ve had quite a few orders of eggs Benedict in my day. And when I popped into the Liberty Family Restaurant in Libertyville one recent sunny morning, I thought I’d add one more order of the fabulous eggs to my list.

LAKE VILLA – The Lake Villa train station is getting an artistic makeover thanks to a local photographer and painter.

The first Lake County Fielders Fan Fest is ready to hit a venue near you this weekend.

FOX LAKE – The village of Fox Lake is looking for a new head to its building department after building commissioner Bill Hart announced he would retire at the end of the month.

ROUND LAKE – The magic number for the fitness center at the Round Lake Area Park District is 401. That's the number of yearly memberships needed to keep the fitness center open and break even financially.

INGLESIDE – A 42-year-old Ingleside resident is in custody following a dispute over a small amount of marijuana that left a 19-year-old teen dead, police said.

ANTIOCH – State Bank of the Lakes is currently collecting donations for care-packages to be sent to service men and women abroad.

ROUND LAKE – Lauren Siems is used to having numbers attached to her.

WAUKEGAN – Waukegan High School senior basketball player Jereme Richmond has been named to the 2010 McDonald’s All-American High School Basketball Boys Team. Richmond was one of just 24 student athletes nationwide selected to participate in the prestigious basketball game, which will take place March 31 in Columbus, Ohio.

SPRING GROVE – The Spring Grove Fine Arts Leage will host a wine tasting event from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, at the Old Town Art Gallery, 1928 Main St., in Spring Grove.

GURNEE – Following a disagreement over the development of a veterans memorial, Trustee Kirk Morris and the Pfc. Geoffrey Morris Memorial Foundation have filed suit against the village of Gurnee and Mayor Kristina Kovarik.

Most investors pay a great deal of attention to the price of their investments – yesterday’s price, today’s price, tomorrow’s price, next year’s price and so on. And that’s understandable, because we always want the prices of our investments to rise. Yet, if you focus too much on prices, you could end up making some costly mistakes.

Richard J. Kingsley, 59, a resident of McHenry for the past 28 years and formerly of Elgin, died Feb. 10 at his home.

WADSWORTH – Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Cashmore was involved in a serious car accident on Route 41 in Wadsworth during the early morning hours of Feb. 12, according to a release from the Lake County Sheriff's Department.

MUNDELEIN – The St. Norbert College music department will present the junior trumpet recital of Aria Glielmi and the flute recital of Mallory Lemme at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, in the Walter Theatre, Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts. Admission is free and open to the public.

GURNEE – With the Winter Olympics around the corner, the world will be watching sports like curling, which is typically relegated to areas north of Illinois.

WAUCONDA – Kingergarten pre-registration will take place at the three elementary schools in Wauconda Community Unit School District 118 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 10.