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Good morning Wednesday morning, Evanston.
Declan O’Leary, five, and his brother John Paul O’Leary, 2, go to the Evanston Fire Department on Saturday open day. “They are exceptionally attracted to fire trucks,” dad Joe O’Leary said. (Right now photo by Richard Cahan)
Evanston woman and daughter vacationing in Israel missing after Hamas attack and we fear having been kidnapped. Judith Raanan (left) and her teenage daughter Natalie were celebrating holy days and visiting family and friends. They lived in Nahal Oz, a kibbutz near Gaza. “When the attack started, Natalie texted her father…from the bunker where they were hiding. That was the last communication,” said Rabbi Meir Hecht of Chabad of Evanston, a family friend.
A proposal 17.5% increase The city’s water rate for 2024 is moving quickly through the system and nearing a final vote. The Administration and Public Works Committee supported the rate hike Monday; the question is submitted to the municipal council on October 23. In a memo, Bureau of Water Production Chief Darrell King blamed the cost of lead service lines and replacing water mains. City staff projects annual rate increases of more than 13% through 2029, which would represent a total increase of 66% over 2023 water and sewer bills.
After two meetings and nearly 10 hours total of testimony and questions, the city’s Planning Commission is expected to deliberate and vote on Northwestern’s Ryan Field project this evening. After the committee’s advisory vote, the issue then goes to the city council. To find out where things stand, read the Roundtable coverage on First of all And second Meetings of the Land Planning Commission, and our guide to the hearing process.
More reading on the Round Table
The number of emerging multilingual students with a native language other than English has exploded at ETHS in recent years, and these students, many of whom are immigrants, now make up 10 percent of the student population. In response, the school is launching a new Multilingual Services Department.
Athanasios Douvikas was just 12 years old when his family emigrated from Greece in 1955. “When we went through immigration, the agent asked me my name and I replied: ‘Athanasios.’ He said, “Okay, your name is Thomas,” and from then on I became Tom. Tom and his brother Pete eventually opened D&D Finer Foods. The meeting on rue Noyes celebrated its 50th anniversary on Sunday.
Saturdays E-Town Community Literacy Festival featured food, crafts, games, music, raffles and… oh yes, books. Many books! (Above, Annette Fox helps her granddaughter Alana demonstrate her choices.)
Guest essay: Post-appeal property value assessments are underway, and Evanston’s total assessed value increased 28 percent this year, to nearly $1.5 billion. Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi explains what these numbers mean for homeowners.
Letter to the editor: “Do we want to miss this extraordinary opportunity that will bring enormous long-term economic and social benefits when the outstanding issues can be resolved? Seventh Ward resident Michael Davis asks about Northwestern’s proposed rebuild of Ryan Field.
The Roundtable welcomes letters to the Editor from all sides of Ryan Field’s proposal. We love hearing from our readers and encourage a diversity of perspectives and topics in our letters. Here’s how to submit your letter.
Bulletin board
Evanston police launch community investigation. The anonymous questionnaire aims to assess residents’ experiences with local police. You can fill it here.
Oakton College partners with Evanston groups to address child care worker shortage. The new program offers dual certification in early childhood education and teaching English as a Second Language (ESL).
