Can’t find an image in our newsletter? Read it on the web instead.
Good morning, Evanston.
Lauren Schifferdecker and her husband, John, pictured above in sports jackets, cut the ribbon at Inspire Counseling Center on Wednesday. The office at 911 Church Street is Inspire’s fourth local location. “We really dreamed of having a retail space that was accessible and visible, which is rare in the mental health world,” Lauren says. (Photo by Richard Kahan)
When is an accessory dwelling unit too big to be “accessory” anymore? The city’s Preservation Commission recently addressed this question while considering plans for School District 65 school board member Omar Salem and his wife, Stephanie. The Salems want to demolish their current garage (above) and build a two-story ADU for their grandparents. Although some Judson Avenue neighbors objected (“This would put two homes on one of the tightest lots on our street,” says Thomas Breen), the commission ultimately approved the XL-sized ADU.
Bad news for customers who relied on Good News Laundry. After 50 years at 817 Noyes Street, the laundromat closed for good at the end of May. Owner Jeffrey Kelly put up a farewell sign with his phone number and said he gets two or three calls a day from concerned residents. The closure has left northeast Evanston looking like a “laundry desert,” with no laundromats north of Dempster Street and east of McCormick Street.
See more roundtable articles
The city’s compensation committee on Wednesday recommended about 26 percent pay increases for the mayor (new salary: $32,000), city clerk ($81,000) and city council members ($20,000). Employee salaries have been frozen since 2017. The vote was 4-1, with former city clerk Rodney Green (pictured above left) in favor of a smaller raise. The City Council has the final say on salaries.
Evanston Township High School’s new cell phone policy requires students to hand over their devices (pictured above, cell phone pouches) during class. Roundtable intern Will Creaman interviewed Superintendent Marcus Campbell, who said, “The new rule isn’t just about grades, it’s about student well-being.”
The city’s Housing and Community Development Committee on Tuesday refocused on a just-cause proposal that would limit when landlords can evict tenants or not renew leases. A majority of the committee indicated support for the basic policy, but it will likely need at least one more meeting to wrap up deliberations.
Fountain Square’s red sculpture, “Sea of Ears,” is supposed to move with the wind but has been slowing down or stopping recently, but it’s started moving again after Department of Parks and Recreation program coordinator Alex Tice (above) rushed to restore the work by Japanese sculptor Soga Takashi.
Public Square
Letter to the editor: “The city should remain proud of its groundbreaking role in establishing reparations,” wrote Ward 9 resident Mark Carlin, who is defending the plan now facing litigation. “Black people in the South may never have gotten their 40 acres and a mule, but at least in Evanston there is an effort to right the inequities of northern cities.”
Bulletin Board
The Chicago Duo Piano Festival will be in Evanston from July 7 to 15. Organized by the Chicago Musical Society, the festival is in its 36th year and will feature four concerts and master classes at Nichols Concert Hall (1490 Chicago Ave.).
As Pace Bus turns 40, ridership surges to highest level since pandemic, the bus transportation agency celebrated four decades of operation and approved a regional day pass pilot program on Wednesday.
Photos from readers
Laurel Covert photographed beachgoers swimming in Lake Michigan during this sometimes-hot summer. Submit your photo for a chance to be featured in this newsletter.
How important is local news and information to you?
At a time when local newspapers are closing at an alarming rate, The Roundtable is committed to bringing unbiased, in-depth local news to the Evanston community. We became a nonprofit news source in 2020. Today, reader contributions are more important than ever.
On the web
A man has died in a Rogers Park shooting, according to Chicago police. A man was shot and killed in the 1600 block of Howard Street in the Rogers Park neighborhood around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday. There are currently no detainees. [ABC7]
A man was shot and killed near the CTA’s Howard Red Line station. The shooting early Tuesday morning was the second near the L terminal in less than two weeks. Both incidents were in Chicago but near the Evanston border. [WGN-TV]
Highland Park victim’s family stunned as suspect rejects plea deal: “Today you saw absolute, pure evil” – Robert Climo III retracts plea deal in Highland Park shooting case. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Clark & Devon Hardware in Chicago is celebrating its 100th anniversary by offering free lunches to customers, and the Rogers Park hardware store, a local landmark, became employee-owned last year. [WBBM]
If you enjoyed reading this, please share it!
If you enjoy the RoundTable newsletter, please forward it to a friend and encourage them to subscribe.
Margo Milanowski is a reporter for Roundtable. She graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 2022 with a degree in journalism and a minor in environmental issues… More articles by Margo Milanowski
