Good day Evanston! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Fundraising in the Age of AI and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What did the wall say to the other wall. 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. North Shore Donors Asked To Help As Red Cross Reports National Blood Crisis (patch.com) — Evanston and other North Shore residents are being urged to donate blood as the American Red Cross declares only its second-ever national blood crisis, driven by low summer donations and high hospital demand. Several local drives, including two on Aug. 27 in Evanston and an ongoing donation site on Main Street, offer nearby options, with August donors receiving a $20 Amazon gift card. The Red Cross says just a few more donors at each drive could help stabilize supplies.
2. Tax report: Residential bills up 5%, down for business properties (evanstonroundtable.com) — Evanston homeowners are seeing a roughly 5% jump in median property tax bills this year, while many business properties are paying slightly less. A new Cook County report shows the tax burden shifting further onto residences, details how much revenue goes to local schools and city government, and reminds owners they can appeal assessments through Sept. 1 for future bills.
3. Youth sports facility advances at Council (evanstonnow.com) — Evanston's proposed Ishbia Family Foundation youth sports facility on Green Bay Road cleared its first City Council hurdle, with alders tweaking alley width and lighting rules before a final September vote. Council members also pressed a Central Street townhome developer for a much higher affordable housing contribution, signaling they don't want to weaken the city's inclusionary housing requirements.
4. Two longtime city staff retiring (evanstonnow.com) — Two deeply rooted Evanston public works leaders, Kevin Johnson and Stefanie Levine, are retiring after decades shaping city services and parks used daily by residents. From maintaining complex operations to transforming parks like Robert Crown, Penny Park, and the Evanston Skate Park, their work has quietly influenced how Evanstonians gather, play, and move through the city for years.
5. Sweepstakes machine rules sent to committee (evanstonnow.com) — Evanston's decision on how tightly to regulate sweepstakes machines is on hold after City Council sent a proposed ordinance back to the Economic Development Committee. The measure would cap machines citywide, limit them per location, require registration and impose a temporary moratorium, with further debate expected at the committee's Sept. 23 meeting.
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Ok Evanston! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Meet me at the corner. (Thank you Earlene M. for sending it in!)
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