Thursday, December 16, 2021 | View in browser
Good evening,
Read below for information about the City's storm cleanup efforts, Evanston's What Works Cities Certification, upcoming community holiday events, the Mayor's Holiday Food, Book & Toy Drive recap, and more!
Plus, a COVID-19 update.
 Click image to watch video.
Evanston Police update
This afternoon, the Evanston Police Department held a press conference to provide an update on the large police presence and response at Evanston Township High School this morning. Watch a recording of the press conference (watch in Spanish) and read the update here.
 Storm cleanup continues throughout Evanston
Evanston Public Works crews are responding to a handful of reports of weather damage from yesterday's high wind event, including eight downed trees/limbs and five downed light poles.
 Evanston recognized for its effective use of data
The City of Evanston is one of 10 new cities to have achieved What Works Cities Certification, receiving a silver level certification for its exceptional use of data to guide decision-making and improve residents’ lives. Evanston is the first city in the country with a population under 100,000 to be recognized as part of the program!
What Works Cities Certification: This program, a Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative, assesses cities based on their data-driven decision-making practices as well as whether they're publicly and transparently communicating about their use of data.
 Celebrate the holidays with community events
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! Face coverings are required.
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.
 Click image to play video.
Support our local business districts
Still looking for the perfect holiday gifts for your friends and family? Look no further than Evanston's local business districts where you'll find unique, one-of-a-kind items! Remember, when you shop local, you're helping to put dollars back into the local economy. Meet a few of the people who make Evanston business districts vibrant and fun.
COVID-19 Update
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Cases: Evanston reported 311 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the last seven days, compared to 195 for the week prior. To date, Evanston has had 6,328 total confirmed cases, and 125 residents have died of illness or complications related to COVID-19.
COVID-19 cases continue to increase 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 3.42 percent.
Hospitalizations: View local COVID-19 hospitalizations over the last month.
Vaccinations: 91.7 percent of residents 5 years and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 82.8 percent are fully vaccinated. View the City’s updated data dashboard (view on mobile) for the latest Evanston-specific vaccination data from the IDPH.
Stay vigilant! Cases continue to rise
With COVID-19 cases increasing in Evanston, the state, and across the nation, it’s critical 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
Get to know Evanston police officers
Meet some of Evanston's local police officers at the "Coffee and Cocoa with a Cop" event on Sat., Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., on the corner of Church Street and Dodge Avenue. Chat with officers, ask questions, or share concerns while sipping a "cup-o-joe" or hot cocoa.
Thank you, Interim Police Chief Barnes!
After more than 25 years of dedicated service to the Evanston community, Interim Police Chief Aretha Barnes has announced that she will retire from the Evanston Police Department on January 3, 2022.
Share your vision for a more accessible Evanston
Make sure to 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.
Evanston Pace and CTA access improvements
The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) will partner with the City to convert all transit bus stops from flagged to posted stops, increasing transit ridership and accessibility by providing a physical location for stops and increased visibility. Improvements will include ADA compliant pads at bus stops, new bus shelters, pedestrian signals, and replacement of sidewalk.
Check the status of your parking citations online
Do you have three or more outstanding parking citations? Check the status of your citations online and find out if your vehicle is subject to booting. The City will resume vehicle immobilizations on January 3, 2022 after suspending immobilizations in March 2020.
Get Engaged
Community Calendar
Mayor's Holiday Food, Book & Toy Drive brings joy to 365 Evanston families!
 Thanks to generous donations from the community, City staff packed and distributed bags filled with non-perishable food items and brand new books and toys to 365 families in need as a part of this year's Mayor's Food, Book and Toy Drive. This annual event helps to ensure every family in Evanston gets to celebrate the holidays!
That’s it for today's e-news. Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
The City of Evanston Communications Team
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