June 17, 2025
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Evanston RoundTable

Free Flow restaurant owners Nichole Pinkard (at lectern) and Nina Wade fielded questions at the meeting. City of Evanston screenshot

New west side restaurant to receive assistance to fix exhaust system

Bob013 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Evanston’s City Council approved on Monday night an $82,510 loan to new restaurant Free Flow Kitchen, 1623 Simpson St., to install a new exhaust and fire suppression system and rejected an amendment that the owners be held personally liable to pay it back if the venture fails. Councilmembers voted 6-3 in support…

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Addressing the city’s Planning & Development Committee June 9, Laurie Jacobs speaks in support of making a residence at 2222 Grey Ave., a full time vacation rental. City of Evanston screenshot

Committee votes 5-0 against couple’s vacation rental request advancing

Bob013 mins

By Bob Seidenberg A City Council committee on Monday night shot down a request from a couple to make a single-family residence on the 2200 block of Grey Avenue into an all-year vacation rental, siding with a group of residents who argued it would have negative effects. The Planning and Development Committee voted 5-0 against…

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From left: Nina Wade and Nichole Pinkard talk about their request for $82,510 in financial assistance to cover the cost of a new fire suppression system at the EDC meeting Wednesday. “Our goal was to do this all on our own,” Pinkard told the committee. “ We did not initially assume we we were going to need to ask for funds.” Credit: Bob Seidenberg

Free Flow Kitchen wants city loan to take restaurant to next level

Bob013 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Nina Wade, the co-owner of the Free Flow Kitchen restaurant, said she and her panini press have been “hand-in-hand” since the restaurant opened May 20. She produces breakfast sandwiches with it in the morning, and then turns back, cranking out Tuscan sandwiches, to-go soups and salads for lunch. She and co-owner Nichole…

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Evanston City Manager Luke Stowe talks with Pastor Ken Cherry and family members after they complained of harassment of a longtime resident following a domestic dispute shooting in their neighborhood.

Pastor, family members say homeowner harassed after domestic shooting

Bob09 mins

By Bob Seidenberg The pastor and family members of an 86-year-old Evanston woman say she is being harassed by unfounded police calls and parking enforcement after a May 3 domestic-related shooting at her residence on the 2300 block of Greenwood Street. During the public comment portion of Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Pastor Ken Cherry and…

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At a meeting at Evanston Fire Department headquarters Thursday, Jack Mortell (left), president of the Evanston Firefighter’s Pension Board, and Hitesh Desai (center) the city’s chief financial officer and treasurer, discuss public safety pensions. Credit: Bob Seidenberg

City treasurer questioned over lack of transparency on pension tax

Bob08 mins

By Bob Seidenberg The president of the Evanston’s Firefighter’s Pension Board pushed the city Thursday to disclose how much of a special tax is being used to pay retiree pensions. Jack Mortell, the board president, pressed Hitesh Desai, the city’s chief financial officer and treasurer, to release figures for the revenues generated through the personal…

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People using the limestone amphitheater steps at Grey Park. Credit: Bob Seidenberg

Preservation Commission raises concerns over Grey Park dog park design

Bob015 mins

Historic amphitheater an issue By Bob Seidenberg Members of the city’s Preservation Commission on Tuesday sharply criticized some design features proposed for a new city dog park at Grey Park, raising concerns that the project would undermine the park’s core feature and also limit access for some current users. Staff’s plan calls for the dog…

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(Left) Donna Robinson-Smith and daughter Jennifer Smith celebrated Mother’s Day and Jennifer’s birthday in a special way May 11. (Photograph by Carlton Rosemond).

Library leaves ‘a good feeling’ for one local family on Mother’s Day

Bob07 mins

CBy Bob Seidenberg Jennifer Smith remembers making her first visit to the Evanston Public Library. Her mom brought her and her sister “to the library shortly after we moved to Evanston in 1995 [from essentially across the street in Rogers Park] when I was around 5 and my sister, 2, to get us library cards,”…

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Members of the 82nd Evanston City Council will tackle a revision of the ‘Council Rules’ as one of their first actions.

City Council to consider rule changes, including to mayor’s voting power

Bob017 mins

Staff propose giving the mayor a chance to weigh in when an ordinance is one vote away from adoption but multiple councilmembers are absent By Bob Seidenberg The current “Rules and Organization of the City Council of the City of Evanston,” more commonly referred to as “Council Rules,” were initially drawn up to serve as…

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New Adirondack chairs are now in place for the dining terrace at Independence Park.

Programs to enhance city’s business districts moving forward piece by piece

Bob011 mins

By Bob Seidenberg Evanston economic development officials reported making headway last week on a number of initiatives included in the Evanston Thrives report designed to activate the city’s business districts. At the April 23 Economic Development Committee meeting, officials provided a status report on the projects — many having grown out of the 2023 Evanston…

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