Will County recruiting new judges for upcoming November election
Will County is seeking to recruit and train about 500 new election judges from both major political parties to serve in the Nov. 5 election, a news release from Will County clerk’s office said.
Election judge applicants must live in Will County, be registered to vote and complete training, the release said. College students and high school juniors and seniors are encouraged to apply.
High school students must have a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and obtain written approval from a principal, teacher and parent. Student applications will be available when school begins, the release said.
Application forms are available at www.willcountyclerk.gov to apply and schedule training. Applicants can also email the clerk’s office at electionjudge@willcounty.gov.
Election judges receive $200 for training and working Election Day with other opportunities for additional pay.
Earlier this year, the clerk’s office trained about 1,500 election judges who served in the March primary election, the release said.
Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus in Will County
Mosquitoes collected in Joliet June 21 tested positive for the West Nile virus, officials with the Will County Health Department said.
No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported. These are the first West Nile-positive mosquitoes identified in Will County this year.
Health officials said West Nile virus can cause mild, flu-like symptoms. About one in five people will develop a fever and other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, a news release said, and most recover completely.
In some cases, however, it can lead to serious illness, especially in seniors, those with weakened immune systems or those with certain medical conditions, including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and organ transplant recipients, according to the release.
The Centers for Disease Control said about one in 150 people develop a severe illness that affects the central nervous system such as inflammation of the brain or inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
Wearing shoes, socks, long pants and long sleeves and applying insect repellent when outdoors can help avoid potential exposture to the virus, officials said. It’s also recommended that doors and windows be kept shut and disposal of standing water sources where mosquitoes can breed.
Residents can also report stagnant water in roadside ditches or flooded yards to the health department or local government so larvicide to kill mosquito larvae might be applied, the release said.
