Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 | View in browser
Good afternoon,
Read below for information about the expiration of Evanston's mask and vaccine mandates on Feb. 28, the beginning of street cleaning operations, two upcoming construction projects, and more!
 Evanston will lift mask and vaccine mandates beginning Monday
Evanston’s COVID-19 metrics have improved dramatically over the last month. Along with the rest of Illinois, including Chicago, Cook County and Skokie, Evanston’s Health & Human Services Department will lift its indoor masking and vaccination mandates on Monday, Feb. 28, consistent with Governor Pritzker’s timeline.
What does this mean? The City of Evanston will no longer require masks to be worn in indoor public spaces, such as stores, recreation facilities, community centers, libraries, entertainment venues, restaurants, and other spaces. In addition, businesses and venues will no longer be required to verify patrons’ proof of vaccination (though they may choose to continue to implement their own mask and/or vaccine requirements for patrons).
Where will masks still be required? Masks will continue to be required where mandated by the state or federal government to protect vulnerable populations, including healthcare settings, long-term care facilities, congregate settings such as shelters, and public transportation.
Learn more and view additional FAQs.
 Beleaf it or not: Street cleaning operations begin on Tuesday!
Street cleaning operations will begin on Tuesday, March 1 and run through December 15, weather permitting.
Parking restrictions: Parking signage posted at the beginning and end of each block indicates the specific days and times that parking restrictions will be in place on each street. Parking is prohibited only on the sides and dates indicated on the street signs.
Please follow the posted street signage even after street cleaning vehicles have come through, as operations may require return visits.
How can I stay informed? View the 2022 street cleaning schedule and sign up for courtesy email or text notifications on our street cleaning page.
 Plans this summer? Find a great job on March 12
Evanston youth age 14 to 18 years are encouraged to find their perfect summer job at the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP) Job Fair on Sat., March 12, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at ETHS.
Students: Register now to skip the line at the job fair!
Employers: Complete the 2022 MSYEP Job Request Form to recruit for open positions at your organization.
Volunteers: Help make this year's job fair great! Sign up to lend a hand.
 Pardon our dust
Keep an eye out for two major capital improvement projects set to begin next week in Evanston.
Water Transmission Main Rehabilitation Project: The City will begin rehabilitation of its 30-inch water transmission main next week on Colfax Street at Sherman Avenue and Church Street at Benson Avenue. This 8,200-foot-long pipeline increases the resilience of the citywide system and serves as a primary water supply for residents and downtown businesses.
Central Street Bridge Replacement Project: The City is working with the Illinois Department of Transportation on the final stage of replacing the Central Street Bridge over the North Shore Channel. This includes construction of the northern half of the bridge, which will begin next week.
COVID-19 Update
 Click to enlarge.
Cases: Evanston reported 92 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the last seven days, compared to 122 for the week prior. The current seven-day moving average of daily confirmed cases is 13.14. To date, Evanston has had 10,998 total confirmed cases, and 142 residents have died of illness or complications related to COVID-19.
(Please note: The City has updated its interactive COVID-19 dashboard (view on mobile), which now displays the seven-day moving average of daily cases. Updated IDPH data resulted in slight changes to the City’s total number of reported COVID-19 cases and fatalities. IDPH data will be checked for corrections weekly on Monday)
Positivity rate: The City’s seven-day moving average positivity rate is 0.90 percent, compared to 0.96 percent for the week prior.
Hospitalizations: Local COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased by more than 80 percent over the last 30 days.
Vaccinations: 97.1 percent of residents 5 years and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 87.2 percent are fully vaccinated. View the City’s vaccination data dashboard (view on mobile) for the latest Evanston-specific vaccination data from the IDPH.
More News and Events
Mayor Biss appoints Juan Geracaris to 9th Ward Council seat
After a public search process for the next 9th Ward city councilmember, Mayor Biss has announced his appointment of Juan Geracaris to fill the position pending approval from City Council on February 28.
Funding available for artists and arts organizations
The Evanston Arts Council has opened applications for two arts grant programs totaling $195,000! Interested in applying? Learn more and fill out application forms at cityofevanston.org/artsfunding.
Local historians win Outstanding Public History Project Award
The National Council on Public History has awarded an Outstanding Public History Project Award (.pdf) to Shorefront Legacy Center's “Dino” Robinson, Jr. and Evanston History Center's Jenny Thompson for their report, “Evanston Policies and Practices Directly Affecting the African American Community.”
Free marketing assistance for Evanston businesses
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 danielro2025@u.northwestern.edu.
Get Engaged
Community Calendar
Featured Evanstonian: Sarita Smith
In honor of Black History Month, we’re featuring Sarita Smith, a lifelong Evanstonian who grew up in the 5th and 2nd Wards.
As a passionate individual who saw firsthand the struggles many students of color face in the public school system, Sarita is working to bridge the education gap.
That’s it for today's e-news. Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
The City of Evanston Communications Team
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