Evanston Review

Schoenberg introduces bill on Evanston’s township-dissolution issue

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:18:01 -0600

City of Evanston officials have a binding referendum proposal to abolish township government in the works should their March 20 advisory referendum question pass. State Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg, D-9th, of Evanston introduced legislation Wednesday on behalf of the city that provides for a future referendum proposal — this one binding — that would abolish township government and turn its services over to the city, including administration of General Assistance and Evanston Township assessor tax-advisory programs. The city is currently holding informational issues on an advisory question on the March 20 ballot, asking voters whether the city should move forward on …

Voterama in Congress, week ending Feb. 10, 2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:20:02 -0600

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to bar members of Congress and their staff from using inside legislative information in personal stock trading. Members empowered presidents to veto discretionary-spending items providing that both houses of Congress then vote to approve of the rescissions. Members also required new rules for figuring the budgetary impact of federal loan programs. Senators, meanwhile, approved a federal aviation budget, and they advanced a bill to authorize federal road, bridge, transit and highway-safety programs through Sept. 30, 2013.

Snow, warmer temperatures expected this week

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:56:20 -0600

The bitter cold temperatures that hit the Chicago area over the weekend are expected to give way to snow Monday and then milder weather by the end of the week. Temperatures are expected to climb to 35 degrees on Monday, when there is an 80 percent chance of snow after 3 p.m., according to the National Weather Service’s website. About two inches of accumulation is possible by Tuesday morning. While the temperature is expected to climb from a weekend low of 10 degrees Saturday morning, wind gusts as high as 20 miles per will remain Monday afternoon, the weather service …

Kirk moved to Chicago rehab center

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:06:02 -0600

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who suffered a stroke nearly three weeks ago, was transferred Friday to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Second Ward meeting tackles vacancies, referendums

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:44:00 -0600

Residents pumped one of the new owners of the Evanston Plaza Shopping Center Thursday night for details about his group’s plans to get the vacancy-ridden retail center moving again. They also had plenty of energy left over to question city and school officials about their referendums on the March 20 ballot, at a lively Second Ward meeting. “Look at this turnout,” said District 65 School Board member Jerome Summers, one of the invited speakers, scanning the full house of residents who packed into the district’s board room at the J.E.H. Education Center. “This is fantastic. I mean the Second Ward …

Evanston police blotter for Feb. 10, 2012

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:38:00 -0600

A report of criminal damage to property, an incident of retail theft and a warrant arrest are among the reports listed in the Evanston Police Department’s Daily Bulletin for Friday, Feb. 10.

Snow makes its way back to the area Friday

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:02 -0600

Feeling a chill in the air? Snow will be back as soon as Friday when lake effect snow could hit the city and Northwest Indiana with six inches.

Evanston police blotter for Feb. 9, 2012

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:52:00 -0600

A burglary, four thefts and arrests on drug, assault and aggravated battery charges are among the reports in the Evanston Police Department’s Daily Bulletin for Thursday, Feb. 9.

Chew marks stir ‘beaver fever’ in Evanston

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:02:55 -0600

Some bark with chew marks found on the North Shore Channel near the Evanston Ecology Center has center staffers feeling “beaver fever.”

Evanston police blotter for Feb. 8, 2012

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:58:01 -0600

Three burglaries and two thefts were among the reports in the Evanston Police Department’s Daily Bulletin for Wednesday, Feb. 8

Evanston police blotter for Feb. 7, 2012

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:56:01 -0600

Police made one arrest on drunk-driving charges Friday, according to the Evanston Police Department’s Daily Bulletin for Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Catholic cemeteries offer to bury 300 bodies stacked at morgue

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:28:02 -0600

The Archdiocese of Chicago is offering to pay for up to 300 burials for the bodies being held at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Evanston denies harassment allegations in waste firm’s lawsuit

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:56:00 -0600

City of Evanston officials are firing back at Veolia Solid Waste Midwest’s lawsuit alleging harassment — saying the city has a duty to protect its residents from the effects of the waste site, and that steps taken, including a tax against the company for operation of its transfer station, fell squarely within the city’s home rule authority. City attorneys, at one point in their sharply worded response filed in Cook County Circuit Court Feb. 3, said the Wisconsin-based company’s attempt “to characterize the city as a villain” that has concocted “a grand and elaborate scheme” against Veolia “couldn’t be farther …

Ensemble revs up for Saturday’s Evanston Township High School Jazz Festival

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:19:31 -0600

The Evanston Township High School Jazz Ensemble will open the ninth annual Evanston Jazz Festival concert Saturday before trumpeter Orbert Davis and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic take the stage. Joining Davis’ group as special guest will be Victor Goines, a saxophonist, clarinetist and composer who has been a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra since 1993. The evening concert at 7:30 p.m. at Evanston Township High School will cap off a day of events focused on educating middle school and high school jazz musicians and showcasing their talents. Open to the public, the festival draws more than 400 student …

Superintendent: Survey shouldn’t be referendum on Evanston school principals

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:19:25 -0600

District 65 School Board members hope to induce more parents to complete a stake-holder survey in late spring by weeding out some redundant questions and allowing parents to answer specific questions related to their children’s schools. But Superintendent Hardy Murphy stressed Monday that the school-specific survey shouldn’t become a referendum on personnel. He cautioned that school principals may avoid unpopular decisions that move a school forward out of fear that parents will register their reaction through the survey. District 65 consultant Paul Brinson said the new survey, to be distributed in May, can shed light on the effectiveness of school …

Evanston’s downtown growth offset by neighborhood losses

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:19:14 -0600

A demographic snapshot of Evanston during the 2010 census found more residents living in the downtown area and fewer living in one-half of all neighborhoods throughout the city. The census captured higher headcounts in southeast and northwest Evanston than were recorded during the last official count in 2000. Meanwhile, areas of northeast, south and west Evanston showed population losses, according to an Evanston Review analysis of demographic changes in the city’s 18 census areas. Two west side neighborhoods that have been predominantly African-American, including an area once known as the Black Triangle, lost black residents during the past decade. The …