Pandemic and protests propel the news

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and protests related to police killings around the country dominated the news in Evanston last month.

Here’s a rundown of the top 10 most-read stories:

1. E-learning inevitable in E-town this fall — June 9 — Most schools are used to dealing with A, B, C, D and F. This fall, Evanston Township High School will also be dealing with E … as in E-learning
2. Looting adds to jitters as downtown stores reopen — June 1 — Some downtown Evanston merchants, who have just re-opened their stores after more than a two-month shutdown due to coronavirus, are concerned about outbreaks of looting in the city — though so far the targets have been limited to major chain stores, like Best Buy.
3. COVID-19 death toll soars at Evanston care homes — June 2 — The state health department and county medical examiner now report a total of 37 COVID-19 deaths linked to Evanston long term care homes, up from 23 at our last report 10 days ago.
4. Target reopens Evanston stores after disturbances — June 3 — At least one national chain that closed its Evanston stores after looting incidents at stores around the country in recent days reopened those stores today with limited hours.
5. Evanston business owner charged with COVID relief fraud — June 16 — Evanston business owner Rahul Shah has been charged by federal authorities with filing a fradulent bank loan application seeking more than $400,000 in a forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loan under the federal CARES Act.
6. Phase 4 reopening off to slow start here — June 26 — Phase 4 of Gov. J.B Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” plan seemed more like Phase 3.5 today, as Evanston restaurants and other businesses now allowed to have customers indoors saw few people show up.
7. First alderman endorses defunding Evanston police — June 19 — Alderman Cicely Fleming, 9th Ward, in a newsletter to supporters today, said she supports defunding and even abolishing the Evanston Police Department.
8. City releases body cam viedeo of arrest — June 5 — Evanston police now have released police body cam footage of the May 27 arrest of Trenton Alexander Hunt that caused controversy after Hunt posted his own video of the incident online.
9. District 65 consideres four reopening scenarios — June 9 — Evanston School District 65 will consider four options for the return to school this fall, incoming superintendent Devon Horton said at a board meeting Monday night.
10. Letter carriers honor memory of colleague — June 27 — More than 50 uniformed letter carriers gathered outside the downtown Evanston post office this morning to honor a colleague who was killed in a car crash.