Evanston aldermen tonight are scheduled to vote on a special use permit for a new burger joint downtown. The Five Guys Burgers and Fries chain is seeking to open a store at 816 Church St. The city’s Site Plan and Appearance Review Committee and the Zoning Board of Appeals have recommended approval of the proposal. […]
Posted inGovernment
Civic Center roof work back on track
After a delay caused by an area-wide construction workers strike, work has resumed on replacing the Evanston Civic Center’s roof. Aldermen tonight are scheduled to vote on a change order to the $1.48 million contract to spend an additional $58,511 to repair water damage to the roof structure discovered when the old roof surface was […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Hundreds without power
Some ComEd customers in northwest Evanston are reported to still be without power this afternoon after severe weather overnight cut power to as many as 1,700 homes. The count of homes without power had been cut to about 300 by late this morning, and the largest single cluster of homes still affected was reported to […]
Posted inGovernment
Heavy rains drench city
City officials say parts of Evanston have receive as much as 3.65 inches of rain since midnight. At 2:35 a.m. the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District opened the North Shore Channel locks in Wilmette to let water from the channel flow into Lake Michigan. City crews so far report they haven’t found any flooded streets but […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Lightning blamed for early morning fire
Evanston fire officials say a lightning touched off a fire early this morning in a home at 1334 Asbury Ave. Fire Division Chief Tom Janetske says a passerby saw the lightning strike about 1 a.m. and alerted the five residents of the home to the fire. The first engine company on the scene reported flames […]
Posted inGovernment
Heat emergency declared
The City of Evanston late this afternoon declared a heat emergency in the city — opening a number of cooling centers that people without air conditioning can go to to get out of the heat. The Robert Crown Center at 1701 Main St. will be open until heat emergency is no longer in effect. Several […]
Posted inBusiness, Government
City keeps top bond rating from Fitch
Fitch Ratings today announced it has assigned its top-level “AAA” rating to new general obligation bonds Evanstion is scheduled to issue this year and is maintaining its “AAA” rating on the city’s $151.5 million in bonds already outstanding. Fitch Ratings today announced it has assigned its top-level “AAA” rating to new general obligation bonds Evanstion […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Heat advisory in effect
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the Chicago area effective until 7 p.m. tonight. And Evanston health officials have asked us to remind you about a set of tips for dealing with the heat they issued earlier this month. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the Chicago […]
Posted inGovernment
Gabel flip-flops on ballot access
State Rep. Robyn Gabel of Evanston, who said she favored equal ballot petition requirements for all candidates before she was appointed to office, offered a different view at a public forum Thursday night. State Rep. Robyn Gabel of Evanston, who said she favored equal ballot petition requirements for all candidates before she was appointed to […]
Posted inBusiness, Real Estate
Evanston on ‘best’ list for rich and single
Evanston has made CNNMoney.com’s list of the 25 best places in the nation to live if you’re rich and single. But some of us may be terribly disappointed to learn that we ranked 16th, three places behind the only other Chicago-area community on the list, Oak Park. And they do like our beaches, but it’s […]
Posted inWellness
Schakowsky backs public option health bill
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston today announced introduction of H.R. 5808, the Public Option Act. The bill, introduced with 128 original co-sponsors, would establish a public health insurance option that would compete with private insurers in the Health Insurance Exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act, Schakowsky said in a news release. U.S. Rep. […]
Posted inBusiness
Jobless rate jumps
Evanston’s jobless rate rose by half a percentage point last month to 8.2 percent. The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported today that the number of people with jobs in the city increased 27 people last month to 39,225 but the number of people looking for work grew by 221 to 3,487. Evanston’s jobless rate rose […]
Posted inGovernment
Libertarian kicked off fall election ballot
County elections officials have kicked the would-be Libertarian candidate for the state house seat representing Evanston off the ballot, leaving Democrat Robyn Gabel, unopposed in November’s election. Funk says his only options now are to file a court challenge, which he’s not sure he has to money to pay for, or run as a write-in […]
Posted inGovernment, Public Safety
Fireman’s Park restored and re-dedicated
Evanston’s Fireman’s Park, restored in recent weeks in a volunteer project by local firefighters, was re-dedicated this afternoon in a ceremony at the park at Maple Avenue and Simpson Street. See full photo coverage of the event in our photo gallery. Evanston’s Fireman’s Park, restored in recent weeks in a volunteer project by local firefighters, […]
Posted inBusiness
Library board eyes forcing 50 percent funding boost
The Evanston Library Board has scheduled a special meeting for Aug. 4 at which it’s scheduled to consider a power play against the City Council aimed at forcing up to a 50 percent increase in taxpayer funding for city libraries. The Evanston Library Board has scheduled a special meeting for Aug. 4 at which it’s […]
Posted inGovernment
Ballot dispute over House race continues
The Libertarian candidate to represent Evanston in the state legislature continues to fight challenges from supporters of State Rep. Robyn Gabel to his petition signatures. There’s another hearing today at the County Clerk’s office in Steve Funk’s battle to get on the ballot. The Libertarian candidate to represent Evanston in the state legislature continues to […]