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 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 With gas-powered leaf blowers on their way out, Evanston officials are moving forward on a financial assistance program to ease the move for local landscape companies to quieter but more expensive electric- powered leaf blowers. At their May 31 meeting, members of the city’s Economic Development Committee (EDC) voted unanimously to recommend…
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 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…
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…
