By Bob Seidenberg Alcohol is not prohibited in Evanston and indeed the substance is “flowing through many livers,” in the city, observed Eighth Ward City Council Member Devon Reid at the city’s April 27 Economic Development Committee (EDC) meeting. Alcohol also has a number of detrimental health effects, particularly when overconsumed, Reid noted. Yet it…
By Bob Seidenberg Two city-owned properties at 1805 Church St. and 1708-10 Darrow Ave. lie within the West Evanston tax-increment financing district and are slated to be redeveloped several years down the road. Instead of sitting unused until then, though, one city council member is proposing that officials consider placing two street-soccer pitches – compact-sized…
By Bob Seidenberg Central Street where it crosses Crawford Avenue and, almost immediately, Gross Point Road at the far northwest end of Evanston poses plenty of traffic issues on its own – and no need for additional ones. “Central, Gross Point Road; Central at Crawford; and Gross Point Road and Crawford have been really tricky…
By Bob Seidenberg Members of a City Council subcommittee have hit an impasse on whether to recommend the city adopt a program requiring licensing for all rental properties and have sent the issue back to a Council committee for review. At their April 14 meeting, members of the Planning & Development (P&D) Housing sub-committee voiced…
By Bob Seidenberg Evanston has employed a lobbyist representing the city’s legislative interests off and on for more than four decades. The lobbyist has been the city’s point person in Springfield, and occasionally in Washington, advocating for the city’s needs and securing some major grants. One of those, funding the Clark Street CTA underpass and…
By Bob Seidenberg Northwestern University officials are still early in their Ryan Field stadium project and, understandably, did not have a lot of detail to provide residents at a Seventh Ward meeting March 23. But a University official at that meeting did have information about a noise issue that has been occupying a group of…
By Bob Seidenberg Starting from scratch nearly a year ago, a city team is now moving closer to a final design for a state-of-the-art skate park at Twiggs Park, which lies along the North Shore Channel between Green Bay Road and Bridge Street. At a public meeting held via Zoom April 5, officials presented two…
By Bob Seidenberg Police are investigating whether there are any additional victims after a recording device was discovered last week in a washroom used by employees at the downtown Whole Foods store, 1640 Chicago Ave. An employee at the store has been charged with one count of unlawful video recording, after one victim was identified…
By Bob Seidenberg Family and friends broke into applause after Evanston City Council members officially approved a resolution March 28 that designated a portion of McDaniel Avenue between Nathaniel and Greenleaf streets in honor of William “Bill” Logan, Jr., the city’s first Black Police Chief, for his service to the community. Council members voted 7-0…
By Bob Seidenberg With the department at its lowest headcount in recent history, city officials are consider lowering the service time police officers have to log with another department before eligible to join the Evanston force. Members of the City Council’s Administration & Public Works (A&PW) Committee on March 28 recommended in favor of moving…
