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Dear Friends,
I hope this newsletter finds you well. Please join me for our next 2nd Ward meeting on Thursday, November 12, 7 p.m., at the J.E.H. Education Center, 1500 McDaniel Ave. Ward meetings are your opportunity to share concerns and discuss issues that impact our ward and the greater community. Evanston City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz will join us at the meeting as we recap 2015 and complete a goal-setting session for 2016. Refreshments will be provided.
Please share this information! My goal is to keep all neighbors in our ward informed about upcoming events and opportunities that they can benefit from. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments please feel free to contact me directly. I can be reached at pbraithwaite@cityofevanston.org or 847-801-9386.
I ask that you please spread the word in the community about this newsletter. If you or someone you know would like to be added to this newsletter, please follow the link: cityofevanston.org/newsletter.
Take care,
Ald. Peter Braithwaite
“We Are One Community”
 NorthShore University HealthSystem presented the City's Department of Health & Human Services with $10,000 in funding to support the Rethink Your Drink campaign.
The Evanston Department of Health & Human Services in partnership with NorthShore University HealthSystem is launching a city-wide campaign to educate residents on the harmful effects of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and encouraging healthier beverage options.
Campaign Objectives:
- Educate stakeholder organizations and community residents about the harms of SSB consumption.
- Educate stakeholders and community residents about the opportunities to reduce obesity, chronic disease, and health care costs through environmental changes, such as healthy vending, and changes to the beverage environment in schools, public buildings, worksites and hospitals.
- De-normalize consumption of SSBs.
The campaign formally kicks off with a week of outreach throughout the next 10 months. Evanston is asking employers, hospitals and healthcare institutions, schools and daycare centers to host Rethink Your Drink educational events and help residents make healthier beverage choices.
The campaign has two phases in order to accomplish objectives:
- Coordinated awareness campaign in various settings (worksites, schools, public places)
a. Campaign Kick-Off Week/General Education & Awareness
b. City of Evanston/City Council Education Week
c. After School Programs/Non-Profits Education Week
d. Schools/Northwestern Education Week
e. Worksites and Hospitals Education Week
2. Increase the number of policies that support the Rethink Your Drink philosophy
a. Worksite wellness polices that include vending machine standards
b. Comprehensive school wellness policies that include SSB policy addendum
Rethink Your Drink!
 Help make the holidays brighter for Evanston families in need by contributing to the annual Holiday Food & Toy Drive. The City is currently collecting new, unwrapped toys that encourage physical and/or social activities, in addition to non-perishable food items, at locations throughout the city. Financial donations can also be made online and by mail. I encourage you to donate and spread the word to your friends and neighbors! Click here for more information >>>
 I encourage everyone to view the fantastic artwork created by Evanston students decorating our City's snow plows! Ten schools participated in this year’s Paint Evanston Plows contest, including Dawes, Lincoln, Washington, Willard, and Lincolnwood elementary schools; Chute, Haven and Nichols middle schools; and St. Athanasius and Pope John XXIII schools. Thank you to all of the schools and students who participated. View the artwork and vote for your favorite plow >>>
 You can now pay your City of Evanston wheel tax and purchase residential parking permits for 2016. Convenient online payment is available. The deadline to pay the wheel tax and purchase parking permits is Tuesday, December 15. More >>>
 Due to the demolition of 1815-1819 Ridge Ave., there will be temporary traffic control plans in effect from Tuesday, November 10 through Saturday, November 14. The work will require a detour for southbound traffic on Ridge Ave. on Tuesday, November 10, and temporary lane closures Wednesday, November 11 through Saturday, November 14. There will be signage in the area to assist vehicles and pedestrians during working hours. Please use extreme caution.
For more information, please view the project newsletter >>>
 I encourage all residents to attend the Community Initiatives Network's Neighborhood Education Workshop (NEW) this Saturday, November 7, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Family Focus, located at 2010 Dewey Ave. The free event will showcase the skills and talents of our neighbors as they offer knowledge and expertise through community workshops. More >>>
Thank you to all of those who attended our community meeting this past Wednesday to learn more about the PharmaCannis Health & Wellness Center medical cannabis dispensary, located at 1804 Maple Ave. The next opportunity to learn more and get your questions answered will be an open house on Monday, November 9, between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. I encourage all those who are interested to stop by. Please note: After this open house, only card-carrying patients will have access to the dispensary.
For more information, view the City's Medical Cannabis Resource Guide webpage >>>
 If you're an Evanston resident interested in the trades and would like to learn about upcoming construction projects in 2016, I encourage you to attend the City of Evanston's Local Employment Program (LEP) Year-end Update Session on Thursday, November 19, 7 p.m., in Room 2404 of the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave. I look forward to seeing you there.
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