Bob – Evanston Scribe

A sign of the times? Restaurant owner says he was confronted at charity event about signs he put out for Suffredin

Bob5 days ago5 days ago75 mins

By Bob Seidenberg The war of words and accusations between Sixth Ward candidates Council member Thomas Suffredin and challenger Candance Chow spilled over to a charity event for an Evanston group in Skokie last Friday. In an email sent out to several media outlets, and statement after, Patrick Fowler, charged that Chow’s husband, Daniel,…

Pension board leader accuses city of wrongly claiming pension funds as budget expenses

Bob7 days ago7 days ago015 mins

City says other neighboring communities do so as well and that there’s ‘no phantom’ budget item By Bob Seidenberg City says other neighboring communities do so as well and that there’s ‘no phantom’ budget item The city is following a practice used by a number of area communities by including public safety pension funds in…

Council approves lease to create an event venue at Harley Clarke

Bob7 days ago7 days ago18 mins

By Bob Seidenberg The Evanston City Council officially tied the knot Monday on a 40-year lease with the Celadon Construction Corporation, approving the company’s plans to convert the Harley Clarke mansion into a lakeside wedding and event venue, with the capacity to host as many as 150 weddings and other gatherings per year. Councilmembers voted…

Ward change catches one voter by surprise on first day of early voting

Bob7 days ago7 days ago08 mins

First day of early voting converges with change in ward boundaries, causing confusion for some ‘I thought I was going to vote for the Third Ward Alderperson. I was shocked to find out I had to vote in their Fourth Ward,’ says one. By Bob Seidenberg A few Evanston residents apparently encountered confusion Monday, arriving…

Evanston’s former community services manager has moved on since his ‘very painful’ termination in 2019 and is attacking gun violence at the state level

Bob2 weeks ago2 weeks ago01 mins

He’s backing Jeff Boarini in the mayoral election

City may start recruiting businesses to fill vacant storefronts

Bob3 weeks ago2 weeks ago014 mins

By Bob Seidenberg rseiden914@gmail.com Evanston Economic Development Committee members showed interest last week in a plan to recruit businesses to fill empty storefronts, taking advantage of new search tools that would allow them to find businesses that might be a good fit. “A lot of what drives our concerns about vacancy isn’t really about, ‘Why don’t…

Library officials explore potential cost of separating from the city

Bob4 weeks ago3 weeks ago012 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Evanston Public Library officials are continuing to explore different options for managing mounting maintenance costs at the main building on Orrington Avenue, including one path that would entail separating from the city and becoming an independent district. EPL Executive Director Yolande Wilburn briefed the board at its Feb. 19 meeting on a…

Preservation Commission members again question proposed code changes

Bob1 month ago018 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Frustration boiled over at times as members of the Evanston Preservation Commission met Feb. 11 for a second review of proposed city zoning code changes encapsulated in Envision Evanston 2045, raising concerns the recommended changes for greater height and bulk may be placing development over maintaining the city’s special character. “I think…

NU contract workers win protections in first-time ordinance supporting retention rights

Bob1 month ago3 weeks ago014 mins

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…

Commission pushes for zoning protections for historic district

Bob2 months ago2 months ago014 mins

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…