Thursday, December 9, 2021 | View in browser
Good evening,
Read below for upcoming holiday events, how to qualify for a lower water and sewer rate, an Evanston COVID-19 update, and more.
Plus, the EPD's gun buyback event takes 53 guns off the street.
 CTA Holiday Train
Holiday festivities continue!
Ride public transit with Santa: Join Santa and his elves as they ride through Evanston on the CTA Purple Line this Fri., Dec. 10 and Sat., Dec. 11! View the CTA Holiday Train schedule.
Enjoy the sounds of the season: Join the Evanston Symphony Orchestra for its annual Holiday Concert on Sun., Dec. 12.
Delight in a holiday spectacular: The Nutcracker on Ice, Robert Crown Community Center’s beloved winter ice show, will celebrate its 46th year entertaining families with three performances, December 17-19. Purchase your tickets today!
Ring in the New Year: Take a front row seat, in the comfort of your home, for a New Year’s Eve Virtual Variety Show with blues legend Corky Siegel and artists from Chicagoland and beyond as part of First Night Evanston.
 Photo by Karie Angell Luc
'Tis the season to give
Tomorrow, Fri., Dec. 10, is the last day to donate new, unwrapped toys, children's books, and non-perishable food items to the Mayor's Holiday Food, Book & Toy Drive. Help ensure that everyone gets to celebrate this holiday season.
 Need assistance paying your water bill?
Two new programs are available to assist income-eligible households with their water and sewer bills.
City of Evanston Affordable Rate Program
Do you participate in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)? If so, you qualify for a reduced City of Evanston water and sewer rate as part of the City's new Affordable Water/Sewer Rate Program.
Illinois Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program
Households may also qualify for the Illinois Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), which provides one-time payments of up to $1,500 to assist with water and wastewater bills.
COVID-19 Update
 Confirmed daily cases in Evanston over the last 30 days. (Click image to enlarge.)
Cases: Evanston reported 195 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the last seven days, compared to 103 for the week prior. To date, Evanston has had 6,017 total confirmed cases, and 125 residents have died of illness or complications related to COVID-19.
COVID-19 cases have increased both locally and across the state. All of Illinois is currently considered to be an area of high transmission. View state COVID-19 metrics.
Positivity rate: The City’s seven-day moving average positivity rate is 1.85 percent.
Hospitalizations: View local COVID-19 hospitalizations over the last month.
Vaccinations: 90.9 percent of residents 5 years and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 81.4 percent are fully vaccinated. View the City’s updated data dashboard (view on mobile) for the latest Evanston-specific vaccination data from the IDPH.
 The City hosted a booster shot clinic today at the Levy Senior Center. All eligible individuals are encouraged to get a booster shot.
Omicron variant detected in Illinois
This week, Illinois’ first known COVID-19 case caused by the Omicron variant was identified in Chicago. Public health officials anticipate further cases will be reported in the coming days and weeks.
What does this mean for you? While scientists continue to study and learn more about this new variant, it’s critical that we remain vigilant and continue to use all of the tools available to us to slow the spread of COVID-19, including:
More news and events
Sign up for winter composting
The City's weekly food and yard waste collections have ended for the season, but you can continue composting through the winter by signing up for the Winter Gap Composting Program offered by Collective Resource Compost, the City's exclusive food scrap hauler.
Stay up to date with the Evanston Police Department
Subscribe to the EPD's new weekly newsletter, which will recap some of the previous week's major incidents, provide crime prevention strategies and tips, and share upcoming events and news.
Share your vision for a more accessible Evanston
Share your thoughts on accessibility in Evanston by completing a survey available through December 18. Your feedback will help create a blueprint for enhancing accessibility as part of the City's ADA Transition Plan Update.
Check these items off your to-do list
Calling all pet owners! Don't forget to submit your 2022 pet registrations
by Fri., Dec. 31.
Planning to host an outdoor special event next year? Find out if a 2022 special event permit is required. Applications are due by January 31.
Get assistance with mortgage and rent payments
Have you been affected financially by COVID-19? Apply for the City's Mortgage and Rental Assistance program by contacting the Entry Point Call Center at 877-426-6515, Connections for the Homeless Prevention at 847-475-7070 ext.134, or prevention@connect2home.org.
Small business owners: Get free marketing assistance!
Form & Function Marketing is a student group at Northwestern dedicated to helping local businesses and organizations with their marketing efforts by providing free marketing services and expertise. Interested in working with Form & Function? Email didijin@u.northwestern.edu.
Get Engaged
Community Calendar
Gun buyback event removes 53 guns from the streets
Fifty-three guns were taken off the street at last weekend's Evanston Police Department gun buyback event at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Thank you to event organizer Carolyn Murray and all who participated. WGN was there to cover the event.
That’s it for today's e-news. Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
The City of Evanston Communications Team
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