Good morning, Evanston.
Local campaign finance reports are being filed this week. The Illinois State Board of Elections requires campaign committees to file financial reports by April 15. Here are campaigns that have already filed:
- Campaign Financing Information for First and Fourth Ward Aldermanic Races. In the First Ward aldermanic contest, campaign filings show challenger Clare Kelly raised twice as much money as Incumbent Alderman Judy Fiske and spent 35% more during the campaign. In the Fourth Ward aldermanic election, campaign filings show Jonathan Nieuwsma raised and spent 70% more than Diane Goldring. In the Sixth Ward, incumbent Ald. Suffredin raised twice as much money as challenger Katie Trippi and outspent her campaign by a factor of three and a half.
In a joint statement this morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration recommend pausing administration of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots.The United Center mass vaccination site in Chicago had plans to switch to the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine beginning next week.
Eligibility for COVID-19 Vaccinations in Illinois is now open for everyone 16 and over. However, given the limited supply of vaccines the City of Evanston is receiving, residents may be able to schedule an appointment earlier at vaccination sites in suburban Cook County, the State of Illinois or Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sites. The FEMA drive-through site in Gary, Indiana has appointments available as early as this afternoon. The site is located at Roosevelt Park, about a 70-minute drive from Evanston. For more COVID-19 news, see COVID-19 Update on April 12: Seven New Cases in Evanston, 2,433 in the State.
COVID-19 by the Numbers: We are checking in with many sources to keep you updated on COVID-19 cases and vaccine information.
- Seven new cases were reported yesterday in Evanston; the seven-day average is twelve.
- Northwestern University reported 44 new cases for the seven days ending April 11, which is similar to the previous week.
- There were no fatalities reported yesterday. Evanston has now lost 116 residents to the pandemic.
- Our City’s positive test rate for the past seven days is 1.2%; in suburban Cook County it is 5.7%, and in Illinois it is 4.4%.
- The number of cases per 100,000 population over the past seven days is 117 in Evanston, 157 in suburban Cook County and 184 in Illinois.
- Illinois received 1.2 million doses and used 925,000 doses of the vaccine in the past seven days. Illinois has used 80% of the 9.0 million doses received to date.
- About 2.9 million or 22.7% of total Illinois residents are fully vaccinated, including 510,000 in the past seven days.
Variants: The Illinois Department of Public Health now reports 917 cases of more infectious COVID-19 variants, including 724 cases of variant B.1.1.7 (U.K.), 129 cases of P.1 (Brazil) and 53 cases of B.1.427/429 (California).
Evanston Vax Facts: Some 51% of Evanston residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 24% of residents 16 and older are fully vaccinated. Ninety-three percent of residents 65 and older have received at least one dose and 65% are fully vaccinated.
Evanston received 1,306 doses of the vaccine this past week. Registration for City vaccination clinics is prioritized by age, from oldest to youngest, starting with those 60 and older this week. More details are available on the City’s Vaccine Dashboard.
The RoundTable is adding journalists to our stable of writers. As we expand our coverage, we’re looking for reporters interested in covering topics related to Evanston school, arts, business, and City news. Interested? Please email us at news@evanstonroundtable.com with a resume and writing clips.
Elsewhere on the RoundTable Website
A Big Effort Behind City’s First ‘Tiny Home’ Ordinance. Andrew Gallimore already knew a little about “tiny houses” before he found a lot in Evanston where he might like to build one two years ago. To be sure, some of his information came from watching TV shows which have gotten “a little ridiculous” on the subject, he said. In those portrayals, “they’re tiny houses on wheels, and they’ve got eight kids and a dog and, you know …” Mr. Gallimore said. His interest was a bit more practical. He envisioned building a tiny home on a small lot to provide an independent living opportunity for his older brother, who has special needs.
District 65 Students Stay Active During the Pandemic. District 65 teachers and students may not have been visible during the past year of mostly remote learning, but they have not been dormant. At the April 12 Board meeting, staff presented an overview of some of the activities and achievements of the district’s schools.
Masked Person of the Day: Mary Toussaint. Mary Toussaint and her sister, Marie Lynn, own Minouchic Boutique, Asbury Avenue at Emerson Street, where they sell clothing, jewelry and art.
Upcoming Events
Here are a few Earth Month activities going on around Evanston this week:
- Nature Scavenger Hunt… in a Craft! Part of the Climate Resilient Communities Series at the Evanston Public Library. Stop by the Robert Crown Branch Library or the Evanston Public Library Children’s Desk and pick up your unique scavenger hunt pages, then use this fun outdoor activity to explore nature (insects, birds, and mammals). In this self-guided event, you can learn about animal habitats around you (so many and so close!), the biodiversity of our area, and how you can help protect it.
- Evanston Made Art for the Earth. The public is invited to create visual treasures throughout Evanston to surprise and delight visitors. Join Evanston Made in creating outdoor nature art exhibits across Evanston in celebration of Earth Month, April 1 through 30.
- Climate Coffee with Kumar Jensen, Chief Sustainability and Resilience Officer, via Zoom, noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday.
For a list of other upcoming events and meetings, please check the RoundTable calendar. Have an event to publicize? Submit your event for inclusion on our calendar.
Around the Web
- Scores of students rushed to Norris University Center in the middle of the night Saturday for a chance to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. According to Ike Ogbo, head of Evanston’s Department of Health and Human Services, these last-minute doses did not come from the City of Evanston.
- As eligibility varies across the State, Evanston residents struggle to secure local vaccination appointments.
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