Local News in Evanston
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Evanston Folk Fest: Rounding up two days of music on the lakefront
Two jam-packed days of folk music had attendees soaking in the chill atmosphere by the lake in Dawes Park. The third iteration of this now-annual music festival had everyone in a good mood, no matter the hot — and then rainy — weather. Here’s a roundup of the festival in…
Day two of the Evanston Folk Festival focused on songwriters
The old saying regarding Chicago weather echoed in my head as I prepared to hit the second day of the Evanston Folk Festival: “If you don’t like the weather in Chicago, just wait a minute.” The heat and sun on Saturday shifted to cool temperatures and drizzle on Sunday. There…
Community members unite for summer send-off at Evanston en Blanc
Draped in crisp white linen, long communal tables in Fountain Square heralded the return of Evanston en Blanc on Saturday. Hosted by Black Women of Evanston, the annual September event welcomes all community members to bid farewell to summer in style. Now in its fourth year,…
Day one of the Evanston Folk Festival was hot (in more ways than one)
Saturday’s opening day of the 2026 Evanston Folk Fest was blessed with mostly sunny weather, but it was a bit warm — the temperature stayed in the mid-to-upper 80s throughout the day. This didn’t seem to sap energy from the performers or the audience (although your intrepid music…
Here in Evanston: More thoughts on waste transfer station
A group of concerned residents under the aegis of Environmental Justice Evanston is taking a hard look at what can be done about the solid waste transfer station at 1711 Church St. Visually, the place is easy to drive past with a glance at the trees along railroad berm on the…
Celebrating 20 years of service at Evanston Animal Shelter
Vicky Pasenko’s work at the Evanston Animal Shelter reached a big milestone this summer: 20 years of service. The volunteer who became executive director has been instrumental in changing the culture and impact of the organization in dramatic ways, including increasing the number…
City honors Afghan refugee, former interpreter for U.S. military
The city on Saturday honored Abdulhaq Sodais, an Afghan immigrant, a former interpreter for the United States military and, most recently, an Eighth Ward resident. Sodais and his wife moved to the United States in December 2025, 13 years after beginning his long asylum trek from…
City Council approves youth sports facility in north Evanston
North Evanston is getting a new place for kids to play ball next year, as the City Council approved the development of a youth sports facility at 2722 Green Bay Rd. on Monday night. Three weeks after grilling project organizers over light spillage and alleyway traffic, most on…
How Union Squared’s bocce league serves as hub for growing game
Every year on April 1, Heather Behm, co-owner of Detroit-style pizzeria Union Squared, posts on social media that sign-up for the bar’s spring bocce league has officially begun. Intrepid local bocce players, undeterred by the potential for April Fools’ Day shenanigans, snap into…
Guest essay: Interim superintendent writes about building sustainable financial future for district
Dear Evanston/Skokie community, At the beginning of this school year, I shared a simple idea: The best way to predict the future is to create it. Serving various school systems as a superintendent over nearly four decades, I have come to believe deeply in this idea. I believe…
ETHS student athletes, IT staff honored at school board meeting
The Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education kicked off its first board meeting of the new school year by recognizing several student athletes for their achievements in fencing, gymnastics and track and field. The board also recognized the entire information…
ETHS passes balanced budget for 20th straight year, approves financing for solar
The Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education approved a final budget of $118.5 million for the 2026-2027 school year at its Monday meeting, marking the 20th year in a row the school has passed a balanced budget. The total represents just a 0.02% increase over…