A message from Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss: Yesterday, a tragedy occurred in Highland Park. A gunman fired repeatedly into the Independence Day parade, taking six lives and wounding dozens. The suspected shooter was taken into custody in the early evening, more than eight frightening hours after the shooting. Given that situation, we quickly decided to…
By Bob Seidenberg Three hours before the city’s first parade in three years, some volunteers for the event had already begun to arrive. One group, the Mid-USA Falun Dafa Association, a Buddhist group that promotes wellness and peace, had already assembled their 60-foot float near the city’s Bent Park, located just off the parade route….
By Bob Seidenberg An honorary street sign ceremony turned into an all-out pre-July 4th celebration for a prominent member of Evanston’s Haitian community and his considerable achievements July 3. Community members gathered at Harbert Park, just east of the canal, and celebrated in speech and song Cook County Judge’s Lionel Jean Baptiste’s many contributions to…
By Bob Seidenberg Evanston officials have seen smaller-than-expected turnouts at some recent events billed as town hall meetings over the past few months, including a recent one where residents were invited to weigh in on the attributes they would like to see in the city’s next police chief. Members of the city’s newly-constituted Redistricting…
By Bob Seidenberg Waiving discussion, members of the city’s Evanston Development Committee (EDC) recommended in favor of a $55,739 membership fee for Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CNSCVB), with representatives of local business districts also weighing on the group’s value. Evanston is a founding member of the CVB, which is a State-certified Department…
Karen Danczak Lyons reflects on ten years at the helm of the Evanston Public Library By Bob Seidenberg Evanston Public Library officials were at a definite crossroads in 2012 when they reached out and hit a home run, landing Karen Danczak Lyons as the city’s new library director. Members of the Board of Trustees were…
By Bob Seidenberg Evanston Public Library trustees have put in a process to select the library’s next executive director, Board President Tracy Fulce said June 16. Approaching the search, the Board established three committees groups, including one that will support Heather Norborg, EPL’s adult learning and literacy manager, who the Board tapped to serve as…
By Bob Seidenberg The Rev. Monté L. G. Dillard, pastor at the First Church of God Christian Life Center Evanston, offered to respond to the first question posed at a community listening session at the west side church seeking input of residents about the kinds of characteristics they would most like to see in the City’s…
By Bob Seidenberg Ann Arbor Assistant City Administrator John Fournier told the city he won’t be taking Evanston’s City Manager job, after the sides failed to come to a final agreement on his employment contract, according to a city news release May 27. And it appears that the city news release and Fournier’s letter to…
By Bob Seidenberg Evanston City Council members approved the appointment of Ann Arbor assistant city administrator John Fournier as the city’s next city manager at their May 23 City Council meeting, in the third attempt to fill the city’s top job in less than three years. Council members voted 9-1, meeting the seven vote minimum…
