Read below for information about Shop Small Saturday, reminders for fall cleanup, and recycling tips!

Plus, Evanston plow crews work hard to take the drama out of wintertime driving – but that hasn't stopped them from taking center stage in an off-Broadway production!

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Shop small on Saturday, November 26

Get in the gift-giving spirit by supporting local businesses this holiday season! Pick out all of your holiday gifts on Shop Small Saturday, Nov. 26. Check out promotions happening in Downtown Evanston, the Main-Dempster Mile and Central Street.

Fall is beautiful, but it sure is messy!

As leaves continue to fall, the City is reminding residents about seasonal services and cleanup activities.

Additional Fall Street Cleaning: Street cleaning continues through December 15 with dates added for residential streets. View the schedule and sign up for parking notifications.

Food and Yard Waste Pickup: The final week for 2022 food and yard waste pickup is December 5-8. Food and yard waste is collected on residents’ normal refuse pickup day. 

Winter Composting: The City’s exclusive food scrap hauler, Collective Resource Compost, provides a 16-week Winter Gap composting program, with collections beginning the week of December 5. Sign up today!

Leaf Blower Reminder: Backpack-mounted or handheld gasoline-powered leaf blowers can be used through December 1 during set hours.

Recycle, don't wish-cycle!

America Recycles Day was November 15. Recycle responsibly and avoid "wish-cycling," or placing items you're unsure about in the recycling bin. View a list of accepted and unaccepted items.

Speaking of recycling...Congratulations to the winner of the City's Youth Recycling Wrap Competition, Zeynep Bilgic from Chute Middle School, whose cool dolphin design will adorn a City of Evanston recycling truck!

Congratulations, arts award recipients!

he Evanston Arts Council announced this year's Mayor’s Awards for the Arts recipients:

-   Vernon Clark and the Heirs of Joy, who have inspired intergenerational music lovers in Evanston for more than 30 years with their holistic African American Gospel Music

-   Evanston Dance Ensemble, which has brought dance into the lives of young people and audiences for over 25 years

-   Evanston Mural Arts Program, the public art arm of Art Encounter, has brightened walls across the city, creating approximately 25 murals in the past five years.

Celebrate the winners and Evanston's vibrant arts scene this Sat., Nov. 19 at the annual "A Bright Night for the Arts Celebration." RSVP to attend!

They help make Evanston sparkle

Say hello to Kim, Anton, Candace, Alexander, and Johnathan, the new "Streetplus Evanston Clean Team!"

Starting this week, the Clean Team is providing enhanced cleaning, maintenance and landscaping services in retail areas across the city, including downtown Evanston.

COVID-19 Update

Cases: Evanston reported 111 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the last seven days, compared to 112 for the week prior. The current seven-day moving average of daily confirmed cases is 15.86.

COVID-19 Community Risk Level: MEDIUM. The Risk Level increased from Low to Medium this week due to an uptick in the number of local COVID-19 hospital admissions.

Hospitalizations: View local COVID-19 hospitalizations.

To date, Evanston has had 17,319 total confirmed cases, and 157 residents have died of illness or complications related to COVID-19. View the City’s interactive COVID-19 dashboard (view on mobile). 

Stay up to date on your COVID vaccines

Everyone 5 years and older is strongly encouraged to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Contact your local pharmacy or primary care physician to get your updated Pfizer or Moderna bivalent booster, or visit vaccines.gov to schedule an appointment.  If you’re homebound due to a medical condition or are otherwise unable to visit a provider, complete the City's In-Home Bivalent Booster Vaccination Survey

More News and Events

Thanksgiving service schedule changes

The City has announced service changes and facility closures for the Thanksgiving holiday. No refuse collections will occur on Thurs., Nov. 24.

Fifth Ward Campus Community Meeting, December 6

Attend an informational meeting on Tues., Dec. 6, at 6 p.m., at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center to share your thoughts on proposed site concepts for District 65’s new 5th Ward school and the future of the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. 

Property Tax payments are due December 30

Cook County’s Second Installment property tax bills have been posted at cookcountytreasurer.com, where bills can be viewed, downloaded and paid. Bills will also be mailed to property owners by the end of the month.

Provide comment on the 2023 Action Plan

The City’s Housing & Community Development Committee will hold a public meeting to hear comments on the 2023 Action Plan on December 13. 

Help facilitate equitable zoning in Evanston

Joining Forces for Affordable Housing is conducting an Equitable Zoning Project to identify the impacts of Evanston's current zoning code on residents' ability to access housing that is equitable and affordable. You can help by taking the survey or signing up for a project focus group.

Looking for a used kayak or paddle board?

Evanston's Parks & Recreation Department is holding an auction of vessels previously used for rentals and aquatic camps. The vessels have reached the end of their useful life for City use, but they still have some life left in them for personal use. View the items up for bid.

Get Engaged

-  Virtual 7th Ward Special Topic Meeting: Ryan Field, Nov. 17

Community Calendar

-  Ecology Center Fall Speaker Series: Designing Nature Play Spaces, Nov. 17

- FAN Zoom Event - Healing Developmental Trauma, Nov. 17

-  FAN Zoom Event - GRAND ROUNDS: Healing Developmental Trauma: The NeuroAffective Relational Model for Resolving ACEs and C-PTSD, Nov. 18

-  Fran Randall Concert: Manou Magdalena Chakravorty and Piotr Nowak, Nov. 18

- "Matilda Jr. The Musical," Nov. 18 - 20

-  2022 Holiday Bazaar, Nov. 19 & 20

-  Backpack & Winter Gear Give Away Drive, Nov. 20 Tuesday Repair Cafe, Nov. 22

Evanston’s Snow and Ice Operations Take Center Stage

Evanston’s snow command center is located just off Ridge Avenue, but now it’s off-Broadway, too!

“Evanston Salt Costs Climbing,” by Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Arbery, is now on stage at New York’s Pershing Square Signature Center. The play follows City of Evanston salt truck drivers as they confront winter’s – and humanity’s – challenges. See the writeup in the Chicago Tribune and The New York Times. (Note: There may be a paywall to access these articles.)

The true story: See how the City's Snow and Ice Operations team really prevents salt costs from climbing!