Thursday, August 13, 2020 | View in browser
Good afternoon everyone!
We hope you're able to get out there and safely enjoy this beautiful weather. Read below for updates on Evanston beaches, information about paying your 2021 Wheel Tax, ways to sign up for mail-in voting, and more!
As a reminder, you can find the latest Evanston-specific COVID-19 updates on the City's website.
 An update on Evanston beaches
As seasonal lifeguard and beach staff return to school, the City is no longer selling daily beach admission passes. Season beach tokens are still available for purchase at a discounted rate, and those who have previously purchased daily passes for use at a later date will be able to use them. More information.
Updated beach hours: Swimming hours are now 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day (September 7). Weekday hours will remain 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Free beach days: Evanston residents can enjoy free beach access at Clark Street Beach on Mondays, Aug. 17, 24 and 31.
 Save time and pay your 2021 wheel tax online
Residents can now pay for their 2021 City of Evanston wheel tax, residential parking permits, and residential parking passes. As a reminder, the wheel tax must be paid by Wed., Sept. 30.
Renewal letters have been mailed with an online renewal link code and instructions. Online payment is strongly encouraged this year due to the pandemic; the Morton Civic Center remains closed.
 Up next on the big screen...
Head out to James Park on Sat., Aug. 15, to enjoy our next Starlight Movie in the Park, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. The movie will begin at dusk (around 8 p.m) and will be canceled in the event of inclement weather. Remember to wear a face covering and bring your own blanket and chairs!
 Next Q&A and discussion on policing
Join Mayor Hagerty, the Evanston Police Department, and guests for upcoming conversations on policing in Evanston this month. The next will take place on Mon., Aug. 17, at noon, and will focus on Police Use of Force - A Perspective from Impacted Residents. Tune in on Channel 16 or Facebook. Submit questions.
ICYMI: Earlier this week, Mayor Hagerty was joined by special guests for a discussion on Police Calls for Service.
Coronavirus updates
Situation Report
Below, you’ll find the latest COVID-19 data from the City’s Health and Human Services Department. Visit the City’s interactive COVID-19 dashboard (view on mobile) for information and metrics updated daily.
You can also view IDPH Restore Illinois indicators for Region 10, which includes Evanston, as well as the criteria that could cause our region to become more restrictive.
Confirmed daily cases
Over the last week, Evanston has seen an uptick in confirmed daily COVID-19 cases, with an average of five new cases per day reported over the last seven-day operational period, compared to three new cases per day for the previous seven days. Four new COVID-19 cases were reported today.
To date, Evanston has had 919 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Seventy-one Evanston residents have died of illness or complications related to COVID-19. Some positive news: There were no COVID-19 deaths reported in Evanston over the last month.
 Hospital admissions
COVID-19 hospital admissions remain low. As a reminder, AMITA Health St. Francis Hospital and NorthShore University HealthSystem have resumed non-emergency surgical, elective procedures, and in-office visits with enhanced safety procedures in place for patients and staff.
Testing
The City’s seven-day moving average daily test positivity rate (the percentage of those tested who tested positive for COVID-19 over a seven-day period) increased to 2.23 percent this week, compared to last week’s rate of 1.24 percent. Evanston’s seven-day test positivity rate remains below the State (4 percent) and County (5.9 percent).
As a reminder, residents can access free testing at the State's COVID-19 community-based testing sites, including the nearest Harwood Heights and Arlington Heights locations. (Please note: State testing at Rolling Meadows High School has been moved to Arlington Racetrack.)
Age and racial demographic data
Cumulative test positivity rates continue to decrease among all age and racial demographic groups:
Shop local, shop safe
Supporting our local businesses has never been more important. Please do your part to help Evanston recover safely by wearing a face covering.
 Lenice Levy, Good to Go Jamaican (photo by Annette Patko)
More news and events
Sign up to vote by mail
The presidential election is coming up on November 3. Due to COVID-19, voters are strongly encouraged to vote by mail. Any registered suburban Cook County voter may request a mail ballot by filling out an online application, calling the Cook County Clerk's Office at 312-603-0946, or calling the Evanston City Clerk's Office at 847-448-8189.
Protect Evanston trees
As a reminder, residents should not hang swings, slack lines, or other items on public trees, as this can cause stress to the trees. Letters will be delivered to homes violating City Code with a reminder to remove these items.
Apply for rental assistance today!
Illinois’ Emergency Rental Assistance program provides renters impacted by COVID-19 $5,000 for back rent and prepay through 2020, or until funds are exhausted. The application portal is open through Fri., Aug. 21, but due to high volume, the portal may close early. We encourage those who meet the requirements to apply as soon as possible. Learn more here.
Cook County's Rental Assistance Program helps suburban Cook County residents who are having difficulty paying their rent as a result of the pandemic. It pays up to three months of overdue or future rent, and rental payments will be sent directly to landlords by the Housing Authority of Cook County. The application portal is open through Tues., Aug. 18.
"Reparations: Women Drawing the Roadmap"
The City Clerk's Office is hosting a panel discussion on Tues., Aug. 18, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., entitled "Reparations: Women Drawing the Roadmap." This event will be live streamed on the City Clerk's Facebook page. More information/RSVP.
Get Engaged
Community Calendar
City Forestry Division Responds
 Storm cleanup
Earlier this week, City Forestry crews responded to more than 40 reports of downed branches and trees as a result of Monday's storm!
Emergency Notification System: An emergency alert message was sent prior to the storm warning residents of its severity and urging them to take precautions. If you did not receive a message, make sure to sign up to receive them in the future.
That’s it for today's e-news. Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
The City of Evanston Communications Team
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