‘Am I getting fired?’: Panel backs ordinance providing protections for NU contract workers

By Bob Seidenberg Veronica Reyes, a longtime resident of the city, has worked the past 15 years as a cashier in food service for Northwestern University. When the university replaced food service operators Sodexo and Aramark with the Compass Group in 2018, she told members of the city’s Human Services Committee Wednesday night, “there was…

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Trump masks-wearing firefighters not “who we are…or represent”: Union chief

By Bob Seidenberg Taking the speaker’s stand, Evanston Firefighters Local 742 President Billy Lynch expressed regret at the Jan. 27 city council meeting on behalf of the union’s membership for the distraction caused over a photograph which showed firefighters at one of the city’s firehouses wearing matching Trump masks on inaugural day, celebrating his victory….

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Commission pushes for zoning protections for historic district

By Bob Seidenberg Members of the city’s Preservation Commission raised concerns Tuesday about height and density changes proposed for the Chicago Avenue corridor, leaning toward dividing zoning on the street to blunt the impact on homes in the Lakeshore Historic District, which sits just behind it. No final votes were taken. Boiled down, though, the…

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Residents weigh in on Chicago Avenue bike lane at packed meeting

By Bob Seidenberg Evanston city officials are looking at securing more off-street parking and establishing resident-only parking zones, responding to concerns from some merchants about the spaces that will be lost under the city’s plan for a protected two-way bike lane for Chicago Avenue. Officials went “back to the drawing board,” Sat Nagar, the senior engineer…

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Staff pushing for Council action supporting Chicago Avenue bike lane grant one night before meeting on the project

By Bob Seidenberg Once again, Evanston city staff is pushing for action backing funding assistance for a protected two-way bike lane running nearly the length of Chicago Avenue rather than spacing out discussion on the issue. Officials are recommending Council action on Monday night’s agenda for grant funds from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency (CMAP) to…

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