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Happy Friday morning, Evanston!
Last night the city was strolling and sipping at the Evanston Arts & Craft Beverage Crawl, co-sponsored by the Main-Dempster Mile and Evanston Made. This morning you can scroll and sip: Get some coffee and view Joerg Metzner’s photo gallery.
After a harrowing Jan. 9 incident at the Evanston Public Library’s main branch in which an off-duty officer working as a security guard drew his gun, the Library Board debated Wednesday about how to handle security. Trustees questioned a potential contract with Phoenix Security, asking whether its procedures are in line with the library’s emphasis on de-escalation rather than a policing-first approach.
Court update: Preliminary hearings for the Evanston man charged in the April 12 Clark Street Beach shooting concluded Thursday at the Cook County Skokie Courthouse. Jalen Murray’s arraignment, at which he will enter a plea, is set for June 1. Murray, 20, is accused of killing Jacquis Irby, 18, of Skokie, and wounding Irby’s two 15-year-old brothers.
Ahead of a highly anticipated City Council vote this Monday on whether to approve the Margarita Inn as a permanent homeless shelter, Evanston officials and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (above, second from left) rallied outside the former hotel Thursday. “This is the right thing to do, and maybe the discussion should end there,” said Council Member Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th Ward). The zoning measure won 6-2 support in a May 8 preliminary vote.
RoundTable weekend roundup
Ice cream social: STEM School Evanston, Northwestern and the Digital Youth Network offer sweet treats and family fun from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight in Mason Park, Church Street and Florence Avenue.
Evanston Garden Fair: Native plants and vegetables will be sold from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Independence Park, Central Street and Stewart Avenue.
YEA! Festival: Local students’ art will be displayed 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in Raymond Park, Chicago Avenue and Grove Street, with food trucks and youth musical performances.
Dillo Day: Northwestern’s sold-out music festival is all day Saturday at the lakefill. The city’s 311 line will be staffed 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to take residents’ calls.
ETHS graduation: Celebrate the Class of 2023 at 10 a.m. Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena, 2705 Ashland Ave. The ceremony will be livestreamed at this link.
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More RoundTable reads
North Evanston residents gathered for the Central Street Neighbors Association’s annual meeting on Wednesday, and speakers (above, Kitty Kurth and Jeff Smith) talked tactics in the group’s fight against zoning changes sought by Northwestern for its Ryan Field redevelopment.
Buckthorn has taken over many acres of Illinois forests and parkland, and now the fight against the invasive species has taken over the east side of the Evanston Art Center. The new mural saluting local volunteers will be up through June 23.
Evanston has won a $3 million grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation to build a bike path along Church Street (in pink above) and study extending a north-south path along the east side of the North Shore Channel (in yellow).
Photos from our readers
Beaches reopen and lifeguards return Memorial Day weekend. Laurel Covert captured the lakefront scene until then. Send your photos to news@evanstonroundtable.com for a chance to be included in this newsletter.
Around the web
Northwestern dominates Loyola (MD), 16-6, advances to Final Four. The Wildcat lacrosse program is heading to the final four for the fourth straight year.
Zen Leaf dispensary can’t move into new Rogers Park store after competing pot shop wins approval to open nearby. Evanston’s approval of OKAY Cannabis came just in time to block a rival from relocating nearby.
Joel Murray talks hosting Canal Shores Invitational Golf Tournament. Murray plugs the May 22 golf tournament that benefits first responders.
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