Gun Buyback Follows 3 Fatal Shootings in 3 Months

Evanston held its first gun buyback Saturday, Dec. 15. The program was spearheaded by Carolyn Murray, whose 19-year-old son, Justin, was shot and killed Nov. 29.

Two weeks after her 19-year-old son, Justin, was shot and killed, Carolyn Murray stood at Christ Temple MB Church in Evanston, watching as dozens of people turned over rifles and handguns during the city’s first gun buyback program. In a tragic irony, Murray actually started trying to organize a gun buyback last summer, months before her son’s death. When 14-year-old Dajae Coleman was shot and killed in September, the city got behind her efforts, and a date was set: Dec. 15. In the three months between Coleman’s death and this Saturday’s gun buyback, there have been two more fatal shootings, including Justin’s death, and one shooting that left a 20-year-old Evanston man hospitalized in critical condition. Police say the most recent …

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ETHS Superintendent On Shootings: 'Safety...is Our No. 1 Priority"

Evanston Township High School Supt. Eric Witherspoon released a statement on Thursday, Dec. 13, after two fatal shootings and one shooting that left the victim critically injured.

Following three shootings in less than two weeks, Evanston Township High School Supt. Eric Witherspoon released the following statement on the District 202 website. It was also sent to parents via e-mail or in a letter. We have printed the statement in full below. Dear ETHS Parents and Guardians,  By now you have probably seen or heard reports of the recent shootings that have occurred in the Evanston community. We want you to be assured that Evanston Township High School (ETHS) has made many preparations to help keep our school and campus safe and secure. Our goal is to be as prepared as we can be for any potential situation. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our number one priority. The Evanston Police Department (…

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About Town

A Search For Balance

Can we each find our share of happiness in Evanston?

The word balance, used as a noun, is defined by Dictionary.com as: 1. a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc. 2. something used to produce equilibrium; counterpoise. 3. mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behavior, judgment, etc.   With so many questions swirling around Evanston these days, it’s hard to find answers – let alone balance  -- when the topics themselves aren’t exactly black or white.  For instance... Why are there so many shootings in Evanston? Do our children receive a decent public education? How can we attract more business to Evanston? Should we ban plastic bags altogether? Why does Trader Joe’s avoid coming here? Should a business like The Tilted Kilt open in the…

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Richard Schulte

4:46 pm on Sunday, May 22, 2011

Tom, clicked on the link above and this is what I got: "This video contains content from EMI, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds. Sorry about that."   more ›

About Town

Ebony Barber Shop

Proving it's in an open relationship with Evanston.

While waiting for my son to finish his bass guitar lesson at Boocoo tonight, I noticed a huge crowd inside Ebony Barber Shop, 1702 Dodge Avenue.  Everyone appeared to be laughing and having a great time.  I’ve passed that corner of Church & Dodge in my car many a time, never looking in the windows of the barbershop. I’ll also admit, with much shame, that many times I’ve come to a red light at that intersection and wondered how safe it was.  Recent news of shootings, other shootings, still more shootings have left me paranoid about safety on that corner of my town.  And yet, as I witnessed laughter and relaxation inside Ebony Barber Shop, I wanted to go in and be a part of it. I walked into the shop, nervous that the familiar crowd might …

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