Welcome back to news editor Ian Mitchell, who took the summer off to tour the RoundTable’s European bureaus with his family. (Here he is filing from Venice, Italy.)
Connections for the Homeless brought a double dose of community camaraderie to the 5th Ward Saturday, July 23, with a two-part block party last weekend. For the families at the afternoon party, there were games, art and a petting zoo.
Miles turned 3 years old this week. This joyful little guy was enjoying all of the attention garnered by his hat, though he was naturally more interested in chewing on his treat than posing for photos. His owners, Dave Dudek and Laura Papageorgiou, pose with the birthday boy.
The Merrick Rose Garden, 1426 Oak Ave., of All-American Rose Selections, Inc., is blooming. This award was given out for 73 years through 2013 for new breeds of roses. The RoundTable’s Evan Girard has captured a few of the beauties in bloom.
The Merrick Rose Garden is an All American Rose Selections, Inc. (AARS) display garden. The AARS is a not-for-profit consortium of growers and hybridizers. Each year the AARS selects and donates new varieties of roses for the Merrick Rose Garden to display the year before they are available in retail outlets. The new roses are identified in the garden, so you can pick your favorite to grow in your own garden next year. Credit: Evan Girard 
The Merrick Rose Garden is an All American Rose Selections, Inc. (AARS) display garden. The AARS is a not-for-profit consortium of growers and hybridizers. Each year the AARS selects and donates new varieties of roses for the Merrick Rose Garden to display the year before they are available in retail outlets. The new roses are identified in the garden, so you can pick your favorite to grow in your own garden next year. Credit: Evan Girard 
The Merrick Rose Garden is an All American Rose Selections, Inc. (AARS) display garden. The AARS is a not-for-profit consortium of growers and hybridizers. Each year the AARS selects and donates new varieties of roses for the Merrick Rose Garden to display the year before they are available in retail outlets. The new roses are identified in the garden, so you can pick your favorite to grow in your own garden next year. Credit: Evan Girard
The Centennial Fountain, originally erected in Fountain Square and dedicated on July 4, 1876, stood there until traffic congestion caused Evanston officials to take it down in 1946. It was restored, thanks to restaurateur Vera McGowan, and on July 4, 1951 – the 175th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence – she cut the ribbon at the dedication. It has been near the roses at the Merrick Garden ever since.
For more about the history of the Centennial Fountain and Merrick Rose Garden, see: https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/departments/parks-recreation-community-services/parks/merrick-rose-garden 
Evanston’s historic Centennial Fountain, formerly at Fountain Square, now resides at the Merrick Rose Garden, 1426 Oak Avenue. Credit: Evan Girard
There is a lot to look forward to in Downtown Evanston, including the soon-to-open Sky Zone Trampoline Park as well as the impending reopening of the Church Street Plaza movie theater by AMC.
Credit: Evan Girard