Good Thursday morning, Evanston.
Evanston/Skokie School District 65 staff presented a pair of scenarios at virtual meetings this week, both of which would redraw school attendance areas, build a Fifth Ward school and close the Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies in 2024.
But if the school board approves either scenario, the K-8 magnet school would still remain open for this school year and the following two, so the district plans a marketing campaign for Bessie Rhodes to ensure families continue enrolling their children for now.
“Making sure that Bessie Rhodes doesn’t become a ghost town is very important to us,” said Sarita Smith, District 65’s Director of Student Assignment, at Sunday’s presentation.
At This Time: Wednesday at 11:20 a.m. A room full of Leos. Artist Leo Segedin, who turns 95 this month, has spent decades using himself as a model. An exhibition of his self-portraits just closed at Oakton Community College’s Koehnline Museum of Art, and a book, “Segedin x Segedin,” was recently published. (Photo by Richard Cahan)
Evanston City Council members have removed limits on service fees that third-party delivery systems can charge restaurants on delivery or takeout orders, maintaining the 15% cap was never meant to be permanent.
The City Council passed a resolution in November 2020 limiting the fees for restaurants, which were suffering during the pandemic. But at the Feb. 28 council meeting, Alexis Madden of DoorDash said COVID-19 restrictions were easing and “the time has come to lift the cap.”
COVID-19 by the numbers: Eight cases were reported on Tuesday, March 1, the last day the city updated case totals. The seven-day average is nine cases per day.
Elsewhere on the RoundTable website
The Lighthouse Keeper sees … that spring is in the air, snow and ice are melting and revelers may not realize where the shoreline ends.
The Aux receives $500,000 from NorthShore’s Community Investment Fund. The Aux said the contribution will help it build a thriving commercial space for Black-owned businesses focused on improving community wellness.
ETHS sophomores learn about civic engagement from community groups. Hundreds of students attended the Civics Fair on Tuesday and Wednesday, taking part in a yearly event informing students about civic engagement in the Evanston community.
Rank and File | World chess community responds to Russian invasion of Ukraine. “FIDE, the International Chess Federation, is removing the 2022 Chess Olympiad from Russia and terminating its sponsorship agreements with Russian firms,” writes columnist Keith Holzmueller.
Picturing Evanston. Double doors on Main Street, just east of Elmwood Avenue. (Photo by Joerg Metzner)
Peggy Tarr: Women’s March. Our columnist ponders Women’s History Month and the importance of fighting for gender equality, noting that “gender bias may have been weakened, but it is by no means broken.”
Letter to the editor: Life care residents rally for voice. Donald Scott writes to the RoundTable in support of Illinois House Bill 4180, which would grant residents of some retirement homes the right to participate in their governance.
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Around the web
Ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is indicted on federal racketeering charges. Federal prosecutors filed corruption charges against Madigan, who served as the Illinois House Speaker for a record 36 years.
Thousands more people would get access to Medicaid under a proposed Illinois law. A bill proposed in the Illinois statehouse would make 150,000 low-income residents eligible for Medicaid, including people who are undocumented or have been legal residents for less than five years.
A guide to mental health therapy resources in Evanston and Chicago. The Daily Northwestern compiled this list of local organizations and health care centers offering mental health support.
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