Evanston RoundTable

By Bob Seidenberg Gabi Walker-Aguilar, owner of 4Suns Juice Bar, said at a protest rally Thursday that she and her partner Byron Glapion were looking forward to opening at 1826-30 Dempster St., and presenting a healthy alternative to the Popeyes chicken restaurant proposed for the vacant space. Their vision for the space “is to be called…

By Bob Seidenberg A coalition of residents and local businesses opposed to a Popeyes going into a vacant space at the corner of Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue is taking a different shape this week in the form of a new mural. The art — designed by artists El Paris and Kandi Jamieson — was…

Center would purchase building, then lease it to two local businesses — 4 Suns and Whole Woman Fitness By Bob Seidenberg (rseiden914@gmail.com) The Heartwood Center has made an offer to purchase the property next door to its center, at 1826-30 Dempster St., where a Glenview resident wants to put a Popeyes franchise. Nancy Floy, the…

Members of the Evanston Public Library Board have been in talks off and on with the city for years about repairing a leaky roof at the main library, 1703 Orrington Ave. At a meeting last week, though, trustees joined Executive Director Yolande Wilburn, emphatically rejecting the city’s suggestion the library pledge its reserve balance fund to…

Change follows opposition from group led by neighboring wellness center By Bob Seidenberg Several weeks after city staff approved a proposed Popeyes location at-1830 Dempster St., the franchisee has voluntarily withdrawn the zoning application and intends to reapply under a different category limited to table service restaurants, according to city officials. The change comes in…

By Bob Seidenberg Several members of the city’s Finance & Budget Committee expressed interest July 9th in exploring alternatives to replacing an expiring state grocery tax with a local one, considering other places to make up the lost revenue. Raising property taxes, as unpopular as it may be, may be a “cleaner” more upfront way…

By Bob Seidenberg Evanston City Council members plan to examine the budget from the ground up in one city department, hoping the exercise will yield clues over time for officials to tame the city’s structural budget deficit. In a 7-1 vote Monday, council members authorized an agreement with Cincinnati-based Raftelis Financial Consultants for $99,030 to…