Many who walk the streets of Evanston during the dead of winter appreciate thoughtful homeowners who meticulously clear sidewalks of snow and ice, grudgingly accept those who at least make some effort to clear though falling perhaps a bit short of ideal, and then shake our fists at those who do nothing. Walkers take to […]
Author Archives: Shawn Jones
Posted inArt & Life, Uncategorized
Chief Klaiber Rides Into the Colorado Sunset
Retired Evanston Fire Chief Greg Klaiber spent his entire 34-year professional career in Evanston. Recently, he announced his retirement from Northwestern’s Emergency Management department, and he will now spend his retirement in Colorado close to the children he and his wife, Nancy, reared here. All three children live near Denver. As he prepares to move […]
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Record Store Day Spins Through Evanston
Those wondering why crowds were gathered at the corners of Sherman and Main and Davis and Maple on April 13 need wonder know more. The reason was the 12th annual Record Store Day. Crowds waited for Evanston’s two main record stores, Squeezebox on Main Street and Vintage Vinyl on Davis Street, to open for business […]
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Muse of Fire Concludes Stellar Run With Brutal ‘Richard III’
All good things must come to an end. Having thrilled outdoor theater goers and Shakespeare enthusiasts for 10 years, Muse of Fire wraps up its stay in Evanston with a brutal, harsh, honest performance of Shakespeare’s meditation on violence and power, “Richard III.” This is by no means an easy or happy play. The subject is […]
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‘Merry Wives of Windsor’ Returns to Shakespeare on the Ridge
For nine years now, the Arc Theatre has been producing free, outdoor Shakespeare on the lawn behind the Ridgeville Park main building at Ridge Avenue and Seward Street. These Shakespeare on the Ridge performances are consistently fun, always clever, professionally produced and eagerly awaited by south Evanston residents. This year’s “Merry Wives of Windsor” show […]
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Top Dog/Underdog’ Pushes the Envelope
In the latest production by the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theater, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’ 2001 play “Top Dog/Underdog,” challenges the audience with its raw, painful depiction of two troubled men in an unnamed city. A character study revealing flawed characters who are both sympathetic and ultimately unlikable, the play asks the audience to process troubled […]
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Budget Discussions Preview Higher Taxes More Than Service Cuts
A City staff presentation labeled “2019 Budget Update” laid out a stark projected future for the 2019 City budget, estimating increasing expenses, decreasing revenues, and a City full of residents who do not want to see services cut. Staff made the presentation before City Council at a special meeting on June 18 – a night also […]
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Mudlark Kicks Off Outdoor Theater Season With a Study of Anger and Power
The annual summer theater in the park season got underway with a bloody bang June 22, 23 and 24 with a bruising, angry rendition of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” Mudlark’s Michael Miro and Andrew Biliter coaxed stellar performances from the production’s school-age actors. Despite threatening weather on June 22, crowds filled the outdoor stage area, and […]
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City to Explore Demolition Option for Harley Clarke
City Council on June 18 voted to authorize the City Manager to meet with the organization that offered to pay for the demolition of the Harley Clarke Mansion to explore costs and the parameters of an agreement. The vote makes real the possibility the City will accept the offer put forth by the group, the […]
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Aldermanic Demands Make Budget Cuts Difficult
City Council and residents have heard repeatedly from Evanston City staff about an impending budget crisis threatening service cuts or tax hikes or both in order to meet increasing capital needs and police and fire pension liabilities. As part of the process, Council, City staff, and the public have embarked upon a “priority budgeting” exercise […]