Last Week in Evanston - Evanston RoundTable

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Good morning, Evanston.

In case you missed any of the most important news last week, here’s a roundup of the top stories from the RoundTable this past week.

City News

In his final State of the City address, Mayor Stephen Hagerty said the community will pull together to rebound from the ravages of COVID-19. (Screenshot by Heidi Randhava)

Mayor Hagerty’s State of the City Address Focuses on Challenges and Opportunities Ahead. Mayor Stephen Hagerty delivered his 2021 State of the City Address at the Evanston Chamber of Commerce’s State of the City Luncheon. The format of this year’s virtual event included a live question-and-answer session and recorded messages. Last year, the event was canceled because of the global pandemic.

Officials Begin Laying Plans for Process Around $45.8 Million in Federal Stimulus Money Heading City’s Way. With cost-cutting and even revenue gains in some places, the City was able to absorb revenue losses due to COVID-19 in 2020 and even manage a small surplus at year’s end. This year will provide a whole different and much more preferable challenge with $45.8 million in federal stimulus money heading Evanston’s way.

Plan Commission to Continue Hearing on Kensington Proposal. The City’s Plan Commission continued its hearing on the planned development at 2715 Hurd Ave. – a two-story Kensington daycare center and preschool with an outdoor play area.

Evanston and Skokie Enter New 20-Year Water Contract. The City of Evanston and Village of Skokie are planning to enter into new long-term water contract through which Evanston will continue to supply Skokie homes and businesses with Lake Michigan water.

Sixth Ward Incumbent Suffredin Outspends Challenger Trippi in Aldermanic Election. Incumbent Ald. Thomas Suffredin raised twice as much money as challenger Katie Trippi, and outspent her campaign by a factor of three and a half.

Campaign Financing Information for First and Fourth Ward Aldermanic Races. Two more aldermanic contests have filed March quarter campaign disclosure reports with the Illinois State Board of Elections: the First and Fourth Wards.

NU Students Provided Strong Margin in 1st Ward Aldermanic Race, Precinct Results Show. Northwestern University students have been a hit-or-miss factor in past City elections but may have been key in challenger Clare Kelly’s bid to become the next First Ward Alderman, precinct totals show.

COVID-19 Update on April 16: Seven New Cases in Evanston, 3,866 in the State. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced “College Vaccination Days” to encourage all community college and public and private university students across Illinois to get vaccinated at mass vaccination sites.

Schools

District 65 2020 Achievement Report: More Limited in Scope, But Same Trends. At their April 12 meeting, District 65 School Board members discussed the District’s 2020 Accountability and Achievement Report. Due to limitations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the report provides more limited data.

ETHS to Begin Hybrid Instruction on April 14. At the April 12 District 202 Board meeting, Peter Bavis, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, described the Evanston Township High School hybrid learning plan that will go in effect on April 14.

As ETHS Prepares to Open, Air Quality Remains a Question for Some. At the last District 202 School Board meeting, held just two days before Evanston Township High School is scheduled to open for hybrid learning, administrators described the ongoing efforts to make the school safe for students, faculty, and staff. A lingering question for teachers is whether the air quality in the building is as safe as administrators have said it is.

District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton Proposes New School Board Committee Structure to Provide More Transparency. At the District 65 School Board Policy Committee meeting on April 12, Superintendent Devon Horton proposed a new School Board committee structure that would provide more transparency and afford the public the right to observe deliberations of members of the School Board with administrators on some key aspects of the District’s business.

Arts & Life

artruckish Is Now Live. Artist Julie Cowan has reinvented her reinvention of an art gallery for all. artruckish is the temporary incarnation of artruck, the semi-annual community gathering of artists, art-lovers, and others on Ashland Avenue.

Wendy Pearlman Recounts Conversations with Syrian Refugees. The Levy Lecture Series speaker on April 6 was Wendy Pearlman, a professor of political science at Northwestern University specializing in the Middle East. She described the presentation as a “microcosm” of her third book, “We Crossed a Bridge And It Trembled: Voices from Syria.”

Why Can’t I Appreciate My Husband? Dear Gabby, I’m in my sixties. Not long ago my friend lost her husband suddenly and is very unhappy. She says she wishes she appreciated him more. My husband is very much alive, on the couch, watching sports, and getting crumbs on the coffee table. So why can’t I appreciate him?

Andrew Gallimore, pictured with daughter Madelyn, unearthed 35 irregular shaped parcels such as this one at 1918 Noyes St., which could house smaller-sized homes. (Submitted photo)

A Big Effort Behind City’s First ‘Tiny Home’ Ordinance. Andrew Gallimore already knew a little about “tiny houses” before he found a lot in Evanston where he might like to build one.

Social Justice

Pandemic Silver Lining: Ending Homelessness in Evanston. Jennifer Kouba says that the community can end homelessness in Evanston. The pandemic has proved it is possible. Ms. Kouba is the Associate Director for Development at Connections for the Homeless, where the mission statement is to end homelessness one person at a time.

Dorothy Headd (Photo from Environmental Justice Evanston)

“Miss Dorothy Headd Way” Street Name Sign to Honor Her Work as a Crossing Guard and Efforts Toward Environmental Justice. As a beloved crossing guard at the corner of Grant Street and Prairie Avenue, Evanston’s Dorothy Headd worked hard to ensure the safety of families as they walked to and from Kingsley Elementary School each day. But she went beyond that, too, said Kingsley parent Elizabeth Newton.

Public Square

Les Jacobson: Take My Earth Day Challenge. Imagine a day dedicated to being nice. They could call it, “Don’t Be a Jerk Day.” One day a year everyone has to be jerk-free, has to restrain their Inner Jerk. The other 364 they can be as big of a jerk as they want. Ridiculous? Well-intentioned as it is, Earth Day has a similar issue.

Peggy Tarr: It Is Earth Month. The age of the children was only four. A group of them came running and laughing out the door.

Sports

Big Plays Boost ETHS Football Over Glenbrook South. In a normal high school football season — remember what that was like, when games weren’t played in April? — now might be the point in time where high school offenses are starting to hit their stride and catch up with the defenses. Five games into the 2021 campaign, that’s what’s happening at Evanston. But unfortunately for the Wildkits, there’s only one more week left in the season.

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