In the early morning hours of Mother’s Day, Blake Ross, 20, was shot and killed on the south side of Chicago. Ross was a former student at Evanston Township High School. The following day, a PA announcement informed students at ETHS of Ross’ death. A moment of silence was called for, and grief counseling services were offered. Patch posted a story about his death and the moment of silence--and then the comments started flying. For more community conversation and Evanston news, like Patch on Facebook. “Why was ETHS involved at all? The [guy] was a gang banger and the school has no obligation …

Growing up, I never had the guts to perform on stage. Believe me, I wanted to be a star – anyone from a singer like Debbie Boone to a bunhead like Princess Leia; from the ultimate older sister, like Marcia Brady, to rainbow-chasing Dorothy Gale; from adorable baby sister Gretl to any one of the sassypants actresses in the 1982’s Annie. Instead, I could only imagine the applause while belting out Olivia Newton John songs in front of the bathroom mirror and admiring all the kids who’d found their way onto a stage. I’m happy to report that, thanks to the heroic efforts of Mudlark Theater Company…

The following arrests and incidents were reported by the Evanston Police Department: Witness Reports Seeing Man With Gun, Hearing Shots Fired A witness reported seeing a man with a gun and hearing shots fired in the 2000 block of Wesley Avenue at 3:32 p.m. Sunday, May 5, according to police. Arrests: Disobedience to Police, Forgery Bertrum Therrod Anderson, 19, of the 300 block of Lee Street in Evanston, was arrested and charged with disobedience to police at 2:08 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, police reported.  Tytiana Nmi Hill, 21, of the 3300 block of West Warren in Chicago, was arrested and …

After hearing several neighbors complain about mail delivery in Evanston, I called the Main Post Office last Friday with questions, explaining that I’m an Evanston resident and an opinion columnist for Patch.com. Anita Shields fielded the call, introducing herself as a Supervisor of Customer Service. Shields explained that the Postmaster, Benny Green, wasn't available. “Okay, then maybe you can help me," I said. "What I’m trying to figure out is why so many people seem to be complaining about their mail service being slow and inconsistent. Has something changed?” Earlier: What's Going On With…

Recently, some Evanston neighborhood email listserves lit up with complaints about slow and inconsistent mail service. I was intrigued, especially since we've been receiving mail after 6pm for quite some time, not to mention the fact that we lost our longtime mail carrier, Nenette. She wasn't just a carrier. She treated her route the way a good teacher treats her classroom, with responsibility and kindness. Nenette knew neighborhood dogs by name and pointed out that your flower pot looked thirsty. She knew her customers and stopped to talk to them. She’d leave holiday cards…though not because…

Last Friday, April 26, I joined hundreds of people on Ridge Avenue for the Evanston YWCA's 2nd Annual Stand Against Racism. It was my first time attending, and I'd so looked forward to it. Unfortunately, the event fell flat for me. Perhaps it was just where I stood along Ridge Avenue with my youngest son's 4th grade class, near Lee Street. Aside from an occasional orange balloon tied to trees along the east side of Ridge and the sporadic honks from drivers passing by, the gathering didn't live up to my expections. I think I'd hoped to hear more. Maybe an announcement or declaration from …

After the events in Massachusetts last week, ending with Friday’s capture of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, I experienced a physical sense of relief, particularly for residents in Watertown who’d been instructed to remain indoors while door-to-door searches were conducted and armed forces surrounded their homes. I’ve never been to Watertown, but I’ve tried to imagine what life must have felt like. Watertown’s Wikipedia page lists the town’s motto as In pace condita, Latin for “In peace making” or “In the foundation of peace”. What’s Evanston’s motto, I wondered? Our …

After writing a column in February expressing my frustration about the seemingly slow progress of Evanston’s West Side — including a statement that the area’s been plagued by gun violence — 2nd Ward Alderman Peter Braithwaite contacted me. He was not happy. It was clear Braithwaite didn’t appreciate the negative press about his ward. We spoke for over an hour and, by the end of the conversation, he’d invited me to attend a 2nd Ward meeting to learn about the progress and positivity in and around the area. Also invited was Scott Inbinder, principal of Bonnie Investment Group, the company that …

Two days ago, I sat with my laptop in Panera, taking in all the bustle of a Saturday morning in Evanston. Northwestern students crept in, bleary, stressed out and in search of coffee and bagels. Older women sat together, drinking coffee and smiling at the young moms trying to corral their toddlers. A businessman in his 30's talked loudly on his cell phone with a colleague in Chicago. "I'm telling you," he said, unaware of how booming his voice was, "you've gotta move to Evanston. Seriously, it's where it's at." I was intrigued. He'd just been talking about P&L's and LLC's and stock offerings…

Last week, my nine-year-old son and his three friends played catch after school in the vacant lot behind our house, passing the time until their ride to hip hop class arrived. When my friend pulled up and the boys began piling into the car, I came outside to lend a hand, but my son stood behind, searching the open field for something. “Come on, Buddy,” I said. “Everyone’s waiting for you.” He kept walking back and forth across the lot, searching… “What are you looking for?” I asked, coaxing him toward the car. “I…I left my iPod Touch right here,” he said, pointing to the frozen grass. “You …

A postcard arrived in my mailbox last week announcing the final three months of a three-decade old business at 711 Main Street: Toys et Cetera closes its doors on June 15, 2013, for good. I'll admit that when I first saw that postcard, I crossed my fingers that it was just marketing schtick. If you've ever passed a That's Our Bag store in Chicago, you know exactly what I'm talking about (One reviewer on Yelp says of That's Our Bag: "Every few months, they post signs that say, 'Going out of business' and 'Closing our doors after 20 years.' BOGUS!! The scam is clearly geared towards the …

Think shoveling doesn't matter? Think again. Here's what happened to me during one of our most recent snowstorms. 8:18 a.m. My neighbor shows up at my front door just as I’m rushing to get the last of my kids off to school before the approaching winter storm. I am, as usual, running late, scrambling upstairs, as always, for something I cannot find. I hear him before I see him. “Christine?” I figure he’s here to borrow his spare key, but I am wrong. I am not yet aware that he’d just slipped on the ice one block away and broken his wrist. Now, he stands in my doorway, one arm draped across his …

There’s money to be made in Evanston for anyone willing to offer options for kids. Having raised all three of my children here from birth – they’re now 15, 13 and 9 – I guarantee there’s a need for kid-friendly options, particularly for kids’ apparel and indoor activities. According to GreatSchools.org, the greater Evanston, Illinois, area sees kids enrolled in 29 Preschools, 18 Elementary Schools, 11 Middle Schools and 3 High School programs.  Take a look at this list of Evanston-area schools, followed by the kid-friendly private-sector clothing and activity offerings -- then tell me there …

It may seem like old news that the city of Evanston shuttered the South Branch of the Evanston Public Library in 2011, but the saga continues. While the citizen-run Mighty Twig became the Chicago Avenue/Main Street (CAMS) Branch as of January 12, 2013, many residents are frustrated to see the city offer new businesses – such as bars – cash incentives while volunteers continue to scrape together funds to keep our branches open. As the economy dipped, cities across America closed library branches. Money was tight and tough decisions were made. I, for one, wasn’t someone who fought against the …

I shouldn't be surprised when people ask, "What's the point of preschool?" Prior to earning a degree in early childhood education and becoming a parent, I hadn't appreciated its true value, either. I do now. The whispers about preschool began before our first child was even born and we'd just moved to town. "You've got your name on the lists, right?" my new neighbors asked. "For what?" I asked. "For all the preschools. They fill up fast." What?! My baby wasn't even born! Preschool wasn't on my radar. I was a college-educated woman who'd grown up in a comfortable middle-class family. How did I…

Last week, I wrote about how Evanston’s west side appears to languish behind the rest of the city. This week, I wanted to get some answers. So I met with City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz and economic development planner Paul Zalmezak. Here's a summary of our conversation. Did Dominick’s prevent Planet Fitness from locating at Evanston Plaza? I hear the grocery store has a right to refuse certain properties there. I’m here to tell you: Dominick’s didn’t force Planet Fitness out of Evanston Plaza. According to Bobkiewicz, Planet Fitness changed its mind and went to Main Street Commons—although the…

According to the Handbook of Crime Correlates by Lee Ellis, John Wright and Kevin M. Beaver, "Poorly maintained neighborhoods correlate with higher crime rates." If the authors' theory proves correct, then Evanston's west side has a lot of work to do, beginning at the city level. I moved to Evanston 1997, when my husband and I were expecting our first child. We lived within walking distance of Evanston Township High School and the intersection of Dempster and Dodge. When we first moved to the area, realtors and neighbors insisted that the west side of Evanston was up and coming, poised for …

The Evanston Life section of the City of Evanston website includes an "Arts and Culture" tab with the following claim: "Evanston boasts one of the largest and most diverse arts communities in the state. Not only are the arts celebrated often, there are abundant opportunities to get involved in the arts here in Evanston." However, in the interest of full disclosure, it's my opinion that this claim should include an asterisk: *If, however, you seek opportunities to book, view or perform in a live theater venue with a capacity beyond 250 attendees, please take your disposable income to one of …

The comments on my column last week (about teens and marijuana) reminded me just how many voices exist on any given topic, so today's column asks for your voice on how our city's doing. What's YOUR opinion? If that's too abstract, try answering any or all of these questions: 1. How would you describe Evanston in one word? 2a. What are Evanston's top three greatest challenges right now? 2b. Who's best suited to solve these challenges? 3. List Evanston's three greatest assets. 4. What does Evanston NEED and why? 5. What's your favorite restaurant and why? 6. Which public figure (political/…

Last week, a friend with older kids mentioned how easy it is to buy marijuana at the high school. “It’s everywhere,” she said.  I’ve always heard phrases like, “It’s so easy to get drugs” or “You wouldn’t believe what goes on…” but now that I’m the mother of a high schooler, I’m listening a lot more closely. Personally, I didn’t take a lot of chances in high school (at least until I was a senior, but that’s another column altogether). As a freshman, I firmly believed alcohol and drugs would only weaken a laser-sharp focus on my two greatest interests: good grades and cute boys. My deepest …