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Editor’s note: This newsletter has updated to correct the score of Saturday’s ETHS girls basketball game.
Good Sunday morning, Evanston!
It was too cold to decorate cars yesterday for the MLK Dream Drive at District 65’s Martin Luther King Jr. Literary and Fine Arts School, but the showcase of student talent and hard work demonstrated that the civil rights leader’s legacy lives on. Enjoy this photo essay by RoundTable photographer Joerg Metzner. (For more from Metzner, don’t miss the item below on his Picturing Evanston project.)
Now, in case you missed any of the news last week, here’s a roundup of the top stories people have been reading at the RoundTable, as well as a few new ones well worth your time.
“We will not stop the process and the progress of building a school for our babies in the Fifth Ward,” District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton said Saturday at the first of three community engagement meetings. Take a look at the latest design concept for the $43 million project.
- The city and District 65 are struggling to gather feedback on the issue. But online surveys and information may not be enough.
- In an open letter, Janet Alexander Davis, a Fifth Ward resident for more than 73 years, urges the community to speak up and get involved.
Seventh Ward residents voiced concerns Tuesday night about zoning proposals to allow concerts at a new Ryan Field. Northwestern has filed an application for a zoning change to allow up to 10 public concerts a year at the new stadium. And the RoundTable continues to get letters such as this one from The Central Street Neighbors Association about the project.
Although Katharine Friedrich and Christian Harkna grew up in the same Evanston neighborhood, went to the same high school and attended the same university, it wasn’t until after college that they began dating. Elizabeth Handler Krupkin shares their love story in They Do, the RoundTable’s wedding column.
Photos by the talented Joerg Metzner are on display at Don’t even think about it, an exhibition running through March 10 at Evanston Pour, 528 Dempster St. It highlights his Picturing Evanston project, which he started in 2018 to celebrate his community. Here we celebrate Metzner and his RoundTable contributions.
The ETHS girls basketball team defeated New Trier in a 68-58 come-from-behind win Friday, while the Wildkit boys just missed their shot at an upset, losing 57-55 to the Trevians. But here’s an update: At Saturday’s E-Town Showdown, the boys upset Glenbard West in a thrilling 66-64 overtime win, while the girls lost to Hersey, 60-51. Stay tuned to the RoundTable for more sports coverage.
Two of the 16 people who were selected a year ago to receive $25,000 reparations grants aren’t homeowners and have yet to see a dime of that money. Now they’re running out of time. The Reparations Committee announced it is kicking off quarterly listening sessions in March to gather feedback.
The Citizen Police Review Commission sent a case back to the Evanston Police Department for a third review. The complaint concerns an off-duty officer’s remarks after his vehicle struck a teenage bike rider, which were “clearly improper,” said Commissioner Juneitha Shambee.
The bitter cold is no joke: Connections For the Homeless ran out of coats and winter gear and urgently seeks donations. Local seniors are staying cautious and bundling up. The city has issued shelf ice warnings and snow removal advisories.
Usually cold weather causes a dip in crime, but the Evanston Police Department warns car and catalytic converter theft is on the rise. Sgt. Chelsea Brown offers tips to deter crooks but cautions not to confront them: “It’s just not worth your life.”
After the release of video showing police in Memphis, Tennessee, beating Black driver Tyre Nichols before his death, graffiti appeared across Evanston demanding “Justice for Tyre.” Evanston Police Chief Schenita Stewart, who issued a statement about the “crisis of confidence” in police, and the Rev. Michael C.R. Nabors, who also released a response, have organized a community gathering at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Second Baptist Church, 1717 Benson Ave.
Columnist Les Jacobson has found “the happiest place on earth.” And no, it’s not Disneyland. It’s much closer to home.
Tinsel, twinkle lights and a shimmering sequin wall: To celebrate the end of third graders’ fairytale unit, Walker Elementary School threw a Sneaker Ball. Ruffles, gloves, crowns, suits, ties, and all the bling were a go.
Dear Gabby: A recent airline traveler encountered some unexpected personal turbulence surrounding the retrieval of her baggage in the rear of the plane. So our advice columnist Gabby offers some plainspoken instruction on plane etiquette rules.
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