By Bob Seidenberg Northwestern University officials assured residents Thursday, Oct. 27 that they would take steps to manage noise spilling into the neighborhoods from the school’s Foster-Walker complex. At the first fall meeting of the Northwestern-City Committee, NU officials responded to some residents’ complaints of noise from late-night games at the court by the complex,…
By Bob Seidenberg Evanston City Council members on Monday, Oct. 24, unanimously approved a request for $500,000 in federal COVID-19 recovery funds to establish a welcoming center for new residents, providing an array of services as they acclimate to their new community. Council members voted 9-0 to support Family Focus, one of the city’s longest-established…
By Bob Seidenberg If Evanston is to eventually achieve its goal of carbon neutrality, the city will have to invest in projects that are renewable locally, said Cara Pratt, the city’s Sustainability and Resilience Coordinator, in an Oct. 24 report to the Evanston City Council. To date, the city has met priorities by pursuing “low…
By Bob Seidenberg A new study of Evanston’s parking system recommends that officials consider raising their $2 per hour off-street parking rate downtown and hike rates in other areas of the system too, generating revenue to bolster aging infrastructure. The study also addressed parking around Northwestern University’s Ryan Field during special events and football games…
By Bob Seidenberg Public safety and addressing understaffing in the Police Department were identified as top concerns by a number of candidates for a vacant Second Ward City Council seat who spoke at a lively Sept. 6 forum. Mayor Daniel Biss posed a question about public safety at the forum at the Morton Civic Center…
By Bob Seidenberg About 1,300 teachers and staff from District 65 gathered at the 65,000 square-foot Quad Indoor Sports for a spirited convocation Monday, Aug. 22, preparing for the start of school. District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss were among the leaders addressing the audience, and both brought messages of unity. It…
By Bob Seidenberg Evanston City Council members are next up, deciding where they stand on city of Urbana administrator Carol Mitten as the city’s next City Manager, in a process that has already resulted in two failed searches. Council members had shown the requisite amount of support for Mitten as their lone finalist in order…
A WGN sponsored mega block party for Evanston’s downtown has been canceled in light of the recent events in Highland Park.
By Bob Seidenberg A Fair Work Week ordinance that assures certain workers’ rights recently received support in a city committee and is approaching final draft form. Members of the city’s Economic Development Committee spoke in support of the ordinance, modeled after one in place in Chicago, at their May 31 meeting. A final version is…
By Bob Seidenberg Evanston officials moved forward this week on a proposal that would recognize the special character of longstanding businesses and fashion a program to help ensure they remain in the city. Members of the city’s Economic Development Committee (EDC) strongly backed city staff’s proposal at their May 31 meeting to create a…
