About Town

Behind The Scenes: Evanston's West Side

Patch columnist Christine Wolf shares what she learned about efforts to revitalize the corner of Dempster and Dodge after a 2nd ward meeting hosted by Ald. Peter Braithwaite.

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 owns Evanston Plaza at Dempster and Dodge. Before I attended the April 11 2nd Ward meeting, I met with City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz, started an …

• Photos (13)

Evanston Residents Accuse City of Lacking Transparency in Police Outpost Decision

Some Evanston residents are unhappy with the lack of public discussion leading up to the construction of a police outpost at the Evanston Plaza Dominick's.

Whether Evanston residents like it or not, a police outpost has been built in Evanston Plaza’s Dominick’s grocery store, 1910 Dempster St., and will soon be staffed by city police officers. Still, near 50 Evanstonians showed up to a 2nd Ward meeting held at the Robert Crown Center Thursday night, many to voice their opinions on issues surrounding the new outpost. Located on the northeast side of the store, the outpost was built in response to reportedly high rates of juvenile liquor theft and theft-related violence in and around Dominick’s. Evanston Police Chief Richard Eddington has said that his goal in approving the outpost’s construction was to create a sufficient deterrent to prevent local youth from making poor decisions that might …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (2)

Evanston Police Chief Addresses Noise Complaint Concerns

Evanston Police Chief Richard Eddington addressed accusations Thursday that police failed to respond to noise complaints at a party where a violent fight occurred.

Addressing a crowd at Thursday night’s 2nd Ward meeting, Evanston Police Chief Richard Eddington countered residents’ previous allegations that the police department failed to respond to several noise complaints regarding a July 17 party where a fight took place that led to a man's death. Richard E. Munoz, 35, of Evanston has been charged with the first degree murder of 34-year-old Juan. L Sanchez, and is accused of beating Sanchez at a party both attended at 1225 Dodge Ave., inflicting him with wounds that eventually lead to Sanchez’s death by internal bleeding. (Read earlier: Munoz charged with murder after party fight.) At a July 28 meeting of the Dewey-Darrow and Florence-Crain Neighbors, several residents said that they had contacted …

• Photos (1)