 
Thursday, May 6, 2021 | View in browser
Good afternoon,
Read below for information about upcoming construction projects, Public Service Recognition Week, the Sustain Evanston program, and COVID-19 updates. Plus, see which Evanston restaurant was recognized as one of the nation's top brunch spots by Yelp.
It's Public Service Recognition Week!
May 2-8 is national Public Service Recognition Week! We'd like to thank our City staff, nonprofit organizations, and educators for everything they do for our community year round, but especially for all of their hard work over the past year to keep us safe and healthy.
 Construction season is here
Work has begun on multiple construction and infrastructure projects throughout the City, including:
Alley maintenance: Beginning in the spring, the City periodically grades unpaved alleys throughout Evanston in order to improve travel and reduce puddling. View the 2021 Alley Maintenance Schedule.
Public combined sewer line rehabilitation: The City began rehabilitating a portion of its public combined sewer lines this week using the Cured-In-Place Pipe process. The project is anticipated to be complete by July 9. View location map.
Asphalt pavement patching: The City will continue patching large areas of asphalt pavement in Evanston through mid-May. View location map.
Church Street resurfacing: The Illinois Department of Transportation has contracted road resurfacing work on Church Street from Gross Point Road in Skokie to Dodge Avenue in Evanston beginning this week. The project is anticipated to be complete by the end of September.
Stay in the know about construction projects in Evanston by signing up for Construction and Traffic Updates to receive email or text alerts.
 Become a Sustain Evanston business
Evanston businesses, are you ready to up your sustainability game? The City is relaunching its sustainable business recognition program, Sustain Evanston, which encourages local businesses to make sustainability improvements in order to reduce their environmental impact.
Businesses that complete the program will receive recognition from the City, a $350 cash incentive, and a communications toolkit!
Interested in participating? In order to become a 2021 Sustain Evanston Business, you must complete 10 sustainable actions and submit documentation to the City by Sun., July 11. Visit SustainEvanston.com for checklists, resources and submission information.
COVID-19 Update
 The City continues to work with local public health partners, non-profits, and faith-based organizations to make vaccines accessible to all community members. (Photo: Vaccination event at Faith Temple Church in partnership with NorthShore University HealthSystem, April 22.)
Situation Report
Confirmed daily cases decrease
 Click to enlarge.
Evanston’s seven-day moving average of daily cases decreased to 8.14 new cases per day, compared to 11 new cases one week ago. Fourteen cases were reported today in Evanston. The city has had 4,565 total confirmed cases to date, and 117 residents have died of illness or complications related to COVID-19.
As of May 5, the seven-day rate of new cases per 100,000 residents decreased in Evanston (68.05), Skokie (141.95), Chicago (132.52) and Illinois (141.61).
 Thanks to a community-wide effort, including extensive contact tracing by the City's Health & Human Services Department, Evanston has limited the spread of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic. Evanston’s seven-day average of new cases per 100,000 residents has remained below that of our neighbors and the state of Illinois for much of the last 12 months.
Positivity rate decreases
The City’s seven-day moving average positivity rate decreased to 0.77 percent compared to 1.17 percent one week ago. Local COVID-19 hospital admissions are stable.
Vaccinations
 Evanston continues to outpace county, state and federal vaccination rates. As of May 3, nearly 8 out of 10 eligible Evanston residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine and more than 5 out of 10 are fully vaccinated. (Source: IDPH and U.S. Census data.)
Vaccinations this week
The City continues to host vaccination events each week to administer doses received from the State. This week, in-home vaccinations continued for homebound individuals, and several on-site community vaccination events were held in partnership with local public health and community partners, including 2nd Baptist Church, AMITA Health, and NorthShore University HealthSystem.
View the City’s updated data dashboard (view on mobile) for the latest Evanston-specific vaccination data from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). You can also view vaccines distributed and administered directly by the City’s Health & Human Services Department.
Do you have a 12 to 15 year old at home? Complete the City’s Vaccination Contact Form!
In the coming weeks, the FDA is anticipated to approve the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 to 15 years old. If you haven’t already, please be sure to complete the City’s COVID-19 Vaccination Contact Form (español) for every member of your household, no matter their age. This will ensure that the City can contact them as soon as the vaccine is available.
Need assistance scheduling an appointment?
If you need assistance or lack online access, call the toll-free, multilingual IDPH hotline at 833-621-1284 to book an appointment. Evanston residents may also call/text 847-448-4311 or email vaccine@cityofevanston.org for questions about vaccine registration in Evanston.
Progress Updates
Video: Watch Today’s ‘Coronavirus Q&A’
 Click to watch video.
Today, Mayor Hagerty was joined by members of the City’s Health & Human Services Department as well as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers for a “Coronavirus Q&A.” Learn about the City’s progress to date as well as the tremendous efforts of local volunteers. Watch the video.
Illinois to Enter “Bridge Phase,” May 14
Today, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that Illinois is on track to enter the “Bridge Phase” on Fri., May 14, further increasing capacity limits at certain businesses as the state moves towards a safe recovery.
Please remain vigilant: Continue to follow public health guidance, including practicing social distancing, wearing a face covering when maintaining a six-foot distance from others is not practical, washing hands frequently, and staying home when you’re sick.
Mask up: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. created a video encouraging community members to #maskup.
More news and events
What's happening at Northwestern in May?
Enjoy a wide variety of virtual community events at Northwestern University in May, including group exercise classes, educational online lectures, an art exhibit, and more!
Food resources available this month
Producemobile: The Greater Chicago Food Depository's Producemobile
will distribute boxes of fresh produce to community members in need at the Levy Center parking lot, 300 Dodge Ave., from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tues., May 11.
Pop-up Food Pantry: Temporary pop-up pantries take place on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Eligible participants must register in advance by calling 847-448-8630. The next pantry is this Sat., May 8.
Yelp reveals Ovo Frito as a Top 100 Brunch Spot!
Yelp’s team of data scientists looked at reviews in the “Breakfast and Brunch” category and considered both the rating and the volume of the reviews to determine their Top 100 Brunch Spots in the U.S. list. Congratulations to Evanston's very own Ovo Frito for making the cut!
Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in May
Join The Kitchen Table Stories Project in celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in Evanston. Visit their website for resources and a calendar of activities. Also, make sure to get out for the AAPI Festival in Fountain Square on Sat., May 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring speakers, performances, and a community art project.
Community Calendar
 May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. Each week, we'll be featuring an Evanstonian who is a member of the AAPI community!
This week, we're featuring Sandy Chen, owner of Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge, for her contributions to Evanston. Read more.
That’s it for today's e-news. Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
The City of Evanston Communications Team
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