Beautiful weather greeted marchers and spectators for Evanston's Fourth of July parade Friday.

The Evanston City Council has scheduled a special closed-door meeting Monday evening at which the aldermen are expected to discuss a response to the lawsuit filed by the National Rifle Association last week challenging the city's ordinance banning the possession of handguns.

Slumping home prices across the nation are also hitting the North Shore, although Evanston hasn't been as hard hit as many neighboring communities.

Northlake-based Farmer's Best Markets owner Nick Merikas says he now has a signed lease for the old Osco drug store building at Asbury and Oakton and plans to open the store in about five months.

Evanston police say 42 percent of the 19 bars and stores checked last week flunked a test of their procedures for keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors.

Evanston police say a 51-year-old woman was sexually assaulted by a man who invaded her Florence Avenue home Saturday morning.

Keep Evanston Beautiful held its 19th annual Garden Walk Sunday afternoon showing off gardens at seven private homes and two local school sites.

Alderman Steven Bernstein, 4th Ward, says he made a promise to himself when he first sought the job in 1997 that he would never change as a person despite the internal bickering and pressures of being an alderman.

The Fountain Square Arts Festival reopened on schedule for its second day this morning, despite disruption caused by high winds and rain late Saturday afternoon that left seven people injured.