Good afternoon,

Read below for information about Bike the Ridge this Sunday, Hispanic Heritage Month events, a new Bird-Friendly Building Design ordinance, and more!

Plus, find out why Evanston barbers and stylists are a cut above the rest!

Top Stories

Get out and 'Bike the Ridge' this Sunday!

Pedal up and down Ridge Avenue this Sun., Sept. 25, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., as part of the annual "Bike the Ridge" event! Stop by Ridgeville Park for live music, bike repairs and more! Rain or shine, join the ride. 

What drivers should know: Ridge will be closed to vehicles from Howard to Church streets from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. EPD traffic control officers will facilitate east-west cross traffic at select streets. Learn more.

Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing!

Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15 through October 15! Celebrate at a variety of upcoming events in Evanston.

Latinx Heritage Month Celebration: Enjoy free food, a traditional clothing competition, raffle prizes, a Starlight showing of Encanto, and much more at Elks Park this Sat., Sept. 24, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Una Fiesta Hispana: Come together with Evanston's Hispanic and LGBTQIA+ communities to celebrate on Thurs., Sept. 29 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Fountain Square. Enjoy food and entertainment, including a performance by the Mariachi Sirenas! More information.

Evanston is helping birds migrate safely

Evanston skies will become safer for approximately 280 species of resident and migratory birds following the City Council's adoption of a new Bird-Friendly Building Design ordinance! The measure establishes bird safe standards (.pdf) for new development projects and alterations of existing buildings.

Why it matters: Evanston and the Chicago area serve as a major aerial corridor for migratory birds, which are a critical part of a healthy environment both locally and globally. Bird-friendly building design will support a safer journey, reducing bird collisions and death.

A whopper of a training session

This week, the Evanston Fire Department conducted search-and-rescue and ground ladder training operations in the 1700 block of Orrington Avenue – the site of the former Burger King and an adjacent residential building. Check out more photos of the training in the Evanston RoundTable's Photo Essay.

What's next for the site? Following demolition, the site will be developed into a 10-story office building with research and development lab space, bringing new businesses and workers to downtown Evanston.

Some quick reminders...

Wheel tax payments due soon: The deadline to pay the 2023 Wheel Tax is Fri., Sept. 30. Save time by paying online! Visit our online portal.

Fall bulk trash pickups underway: Fall bulk trash pickups take place on Fridays through through Oct. 7, and are scheduled according to your normal refuse pickup day.

Gas-powered leaf blowers: The use of gas-powered leaf blowers is prohibited through October 14.   

COVID-19 Update

Cases: Evanston reported 321 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the last seven days, compared to 53 for the week prior. (Important note: Due to a lab reporting delay, the State reported a large backlog of cases for Evanston this week. For this reason, the City is not including the seven-day moving average or community risk level in today's report, as they are not accurate representations of current cases and risk. The City is seeking clarification for the cause of the reporting delay.)

To date, Evanston has had 16,533 total confirmed cases, and 156 residents have died of illness or complications related to COVID-19. View the City’s interactive COVID-19 dashboard (view on mobile). 

Hospitalizations: View local COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines 

Increase your protection against COVID-19 ahead of the fall and winter months. Contact your local pharmacy or primary care physician to get your updated Pfizer or Moderna bivalent booster, or visit www.vaccines.gov to schedule an appointment. 

Due to the wide availability of vaccines, the City is focused on providing booster vaccines to residents who are homebound due to medical conditions or a disability. Please complete the City’s In-Home Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine Booster survey.

More News and Events

Help Evanston business districts thrive!

The Evanston Thrives Retail District Action Plan aims to improve the quality and mix of retail, food and entertainment offerings in Evanston’s eight business districts. Share your thoughts through a community survey.

Evanston Health and Human Services Department recertified

The City’s Health and Human Services Department has been recertified as a local public health department by the IDPH. As part of the process, the department adopted a community-driven, five-year strategic plan.

Provide input on lakefront repairs and improvements

- Take our survey: The City has begun long-term planning for shoreline repairs and potential lakefront improvements. We want to hear from you! Take the survey.

- Attend an Open House: Head to the Evanston Public Library’s Community Room on Wed., Oct. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to share your thoughts regarding potential improvements to Evanston’s lakefront parks and shoreline. 

Evanston Police Department: Scam Alert

The Evanston Police Department has received numerous reports today from members of the community who have been contacted about unpaid citations with threats of arrest if there is no immediate payment. This is a scam. No members of the EPD have placed these calls.

Get Engaged

- Virtual 5th Ward Meeting, Sept. 29

- Virtual 8th Ward Meeting, Sept. 29

- "Ask CTA" Engagement Event, Sept. 29

Community Calendar

- Downtown Evanston Farmers' Market, Sept. 24

- West End Market, Sept. 24

- Northwestern vs. Miami football game, Sept. 24

- Tuesday Repair Café, Sept. 27

- FAN Zoom Event - The No Club: Putting an End to Women’s Dead-End Work, Sept. 28

- FAN Zoom Event - The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, and How Parents and Schools Can Help Them Thrive, Sept. 29

- Evanston Dance Ensemble presents: "Common Ground," Oct. 1

- Step Up for Recovery, Oct. 1

- First Saturday Evanston art events, Oct. 1

- Starlight Movie: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Oct. 1

A cut above!

One hundred and thirty Evanston youth received free back-to-school haircuts and styles as part of the City's 8th annual Free Haircut Day last weekend!

Shout out to our barbers and stylists: The annual event was held in partnership with Cutting Edge Hair Gallery, Ebony Barbershop, Ikandi Hair Studio, Legacy Barber College and Reese's Barber Studio.