Evanston RoundTable

Good morning, Evanston.

Despite a name that speaks of unity, the recently formed Evanston Together LLC Political Action Committee is exposing some political fault lines in the community. In today’s headline story, the RoundTable investigates who is behind this new PAC.

Formed earlier this month, Evanston Together LLC created a video attacking one aldermanic candidate and sent out mailers endorsing other candidates – some of whom told the RoundTable they did not seek the endorsement. The PAC has also asserted that certain candidates would abolish Evanston’s current form of government. Mayor-Elect Daniel Biss told the RoundTable, “I think it’s a real shame. I think the campaign [by Evanston Together] itself is misleading at best.”

“I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.” -Groucho Marx. We are a group that Groucho would join – a community of engaged citizens who believe in the importance of nonprofit, local, in-depth journalism. Become a member of the Evanston RoundTable today to help keep it free for all.

Spring is here! This week is spring break for District 65 and ETHS, and Northwestern students return for spring quarter classes starting tomorrow. With the forecast calling for mostly sunny skies for the entire week, spring’s early cheerleaders, including snowdrops, crocuses, dwarf irises, and daffodils, should be springing forth in full force.

Local Election News:

Early in-person voting is now open at the Civic Center for the April 6 election. Residents have until April 1 to request a mail-in ballot.

See Voting in the April 6 General Election and our Election Guide.

COVID-19 by the numbers: We are checking in with many sources to keep you updated on COVID-19 cases and vaccine information.

  • After bottoming in early March, the number of COVID-19 cases is rising in Evanston, suburban Cook County, and the State.
  • The number of COVID-19 cases in Evanston doubled to 63 last week from 31 the week ending March 21.
  • There were no fatalities reported last week. Evanston has lost 114 residents to the pandemic. 
  • Our City’s seven-day positive test rate is 1.5%; the test positive rate in suburban Cook County is 4.0%  and in Illinois it’s 3.2%, up from 2.5% the previous week.
  • The number of cases per 100,000 population over the last seven days doubled to 85 in Evanston, and rose to 98 in suburban Cook County and 125 in Illinois.
  • Illinois received 936,000 doses and used 875,900 doses of the vaccine in the past seven days. Illinois has used 83% of the 6.7 million doses received to-date.
  • As of Sunday, 2.1 million or 16.2% of Illinois residents are fully vaccinated, including 308,400 in the last week.    

Variants: The Illinois Department of Public Health now reports 250 cases of more infectious COVID-19 variants including 19 cases of variant P.1, first identified in Brazil.  

Evanston Vax Facts: Evanston received 1,256 doses of the vaccine last week. The City has “substantially vaccinated” individuals 65 and older and is now vaccinating Phase 1B and 1B+ individuals. 

The City reports, as of March 19, one-third or 20,901 of Evanston residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and a fifth or 12,372 of residents 16 and older are fully vaccinated. The proportion of Evanston seniors vaccinated is higher: 88% of residents 65 and older have received at least one dose and 56% are fully vaccinated.

Check the RoundTable’s resource page for vaccination and testing updates.

Elsewhere on the RoundTable website

How Much of School District 65’s Business Is Being Conducted by School Board Members in Private Meetings with Administrators? Two of the most important issues facing School District 65 in the past year are reopening the schools for in-person learning and addressing the District’s projected deficits.

Masked Person of the Day: Delores Holmes

Looking at the Week Ahead

Monday

Spring Break for District 65 and District 202. Classes resume April 5.

Nature Scavenger Hunt… in a Craft! Part of the Climate Resilient Communities Series starting this week, children of all ages can pick up sheets at Robert Crown Branch Library to make hunt-tellers and use this fun craft to explore Nature.

Tuesday

Levy Lecture Series: Join John Anderson, Emmy-winning director, producer, and editor, for The Cutting Room Floor, Adventures in Filming My Rock and Roll Heroes, 1 to 2 p.m. Zoom

Wednesday

Virtual Trans Day of Visibility, 6 to 8 p.m. Register to Join this Trans Day of Visibility event centering Evansonian Trans/GNC people of color, hosted by Evanston Main Library.

Rain Gardens Made Easy – Part of the Climate Resilient Communities Series, 5 to 6 p.m. Zoom event hosted by Robert Crown Branch Library. Learn how to make your own rain garden. 

Seventh Ward Special Meeting VIRTUAL, 7 to 8 p.m.

Thursday (April Fool’s Day) 

Third Ward Virtual Office Hours, 7:30 – 10 a.m.

Earth Month Kick-Off Webinar, noon to 1 p.m.  Learn about City-sponsored events and updates from the Office of Sustainability and Citizens Greener Evanston.

Housing & Homelessness Commission, 7 p.m.

Northwestern’s inaugural festival of student-written musicals premieres CHANGE MY MIND  at 8 p.m. on American Music Theatre Project’s YouTube channel. 

Friday

Spring Bulk Trash Pickups Begin April 2

Northwestern University’s Institute for Global Health Seminar Series on Zoom — COVID-19: Critical Lessons Learned from a Global Pandemic, noon to 1 p.m. Open to the public. Registration required.

Northwestern’s inaugural musical festival of student-written musicals premiers ALONE: A NEW MUSICAL at 8 p.m. on American Music Theatre Project’s YouTube channel.

Saturday

Northwestern’s inaugural musical festival of student-written musicals premieres A BRIDGE TO THE MOON at 8 p.m. on American Music Theatre Project’s YouTube channel.

Around the web

Like what you’re reading? Share it!

If you appreciate the RoundTable newsletter, please forward it to friends and suggest that they sign up!

Subscribe to the newsletter

Evan is the RoundTable's operations manager. When not at the RoundTable office, she is often spotted around town riding her tandem bicycle with her husband Michael.