Thursday, April 6, 2023 | View in browser
Good afternoon,
Read below for information about Earth Month events, Spring Bulk Trash Pickups, a Family Fun Fest, and more!
Plus, check out Fountain Square's new furniture!
 Evanston Repair Cafe
Earth Month events continue!
Enjoy eco-friendly community events and activities throughout the month.
Evanston Repair Café: Have a broken household item in need of repair? Don't toss it – fix it! Sign up for a timeslot at the Evanston Repair Café on Sat., April 8 at the Robert Crown Community Center. Volunteers will be on site to help you repair your items! Can't make it Saturday? There's another Repair Café on Tuesday.
Help downtown sparkle: Join Downtown Evanston by volunteering at their Spring Clean Up! Grab your friends and family to help pick up trash downtown on Fri., April 21. Gloves and bags provided. RSVP to attend.
Ecology Center Celebration: Stop by the Evanston Ecology Center on Sat., April 22, 10 a.m. to noon, for family-friendly Earth Month activities.
Spring Bulk Trash pickups begin this Friday
Spring cleaning? Dispose of bulk items for free this spring as part of the City's Bulk Trash Pickup program! Collections take place on Fridays, April 7 through 28, according to residents' normal refuse pickup day. View the schedule and guidelines.
Mark your calendar: Family Fun Fest, April 30
Don't miss the "My City, Your City, Our City" Safe Summer Initiative kick-off event, Evanston is Family Strong! Family Fun Fest. This free event, hosted in partnership with Be Strong Families, will take place on Sun., April 30 from noon to 4:30 p.m. at the Robert Crown Community Center.
Join in on the fun: Learn about community resources, meet other families, and enjoy music, art, yoga, games and other fun group activities.
Honor a local hero: Hosted in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, this event will honor the legacy of local pediatrician and violence prevention advocate Marjorie Fujara, MD.
 We're Out Walking (WOW) returns!
The City has relaunched its We’re Out Walking (WOW) program, a 12-week health and fitness initiative to motivate community members to increase their daily physical activity and improve their overall health.
Register: Participation is free and registration is open online. After registering, you'll be prompted to join a challenge through the platform MoveSpring and compete to win prizes. You can also participate in fitness classes and events hosted by local organizations.
COVID-19 Update
Cases: Evanston reported 68 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over the last seven days, compared to 75 for the week prior. The current seven-day moving average of daily confirmed cases is 9.71.
COVID-19 Community Risk Level: LOW.
Hospitalizations: View local COVID-19 hospitalizations.
To date, Evanston has had 19,208 total confirmed cases, and 167 residents have died of illness or complications related to COVID-19. View the City’s interactive COVID-19 dashboard (view on mobile).
 A message about rats
Spring is here and warmer weather is on the way! We’re not the only ones looking forward to it; rat activity tends to increase in the spring and fall seasons.
The Evanston Health and Human Services Department (EHHS) has hired two staff dedicated to helping control the rat population throughout the city. Transitioning this program in-house, as opposed to relying on a pest control contractor, has greatly increased efficiency and decreased response time.
The new staff are undertaking a training seminar with a world-renowned rodentologist in order to learn best practices when it comes to controlling and reducing the rat population. But they can’t do it alone. Controlling the rat population takes a community effort.
How to discourage rodents on your property
- Ensure garbage/dumpster areas are kept clean and containers are in good repair
- Control vegetation overgrowth
- Remove or consistently clean under bird feeders
- Clean up pet feces
Most importantly, if you see rat activity on your property, please call or text 847-448-4311 to notify our staff so they can assist.
More News and Events
What's happening at NU in April?
There are tons of great events and activities happening at Northwestern in April. Check out The Waa-Mu Show, a Spring Pow Wow, sports camps and more!
Schedule a pickup with Simple Recycling
The City has partnered with Simple Recycling, which allows you to easily recycle clothes and household textiles. All you have to do is schedule pickups online in advance or by calling 866-835-5068.
Participatory Budgeting moves on to the next phase
The Participatory Budgeting pilot program has moved into its next phase, proposal development. Community members will develop proposals for how to spend $3 million, which will eventually be voted on by the community. Stay up to date by joining the Participatory Budgeting newsletter list.
Congratulations to Sarah Flax!
After an external application process and several rounds of interviews, City Manager Luke Stowe has appointed Sarah Flax as the City’s community development director.
Help Evanston business districts 'Thrive'
The City has shared the draft Evanston Thrives Retail District Action Plan (.PDF). (Short on time? Read the Executive Summary.) The draft plan outlines key actions to help support our community's business districts through business supports, tenant attraction, placemaking, events, and marketing initiatives.
Thousands of voices were heard throughout the Thrives process, and we'd like your feedback on the report. Use this form to provide your input by Mon., April 10.
Get Engaged
Community Events
Have a seat at Fountain Square!
 New tables and chairs were installed last week in Fountain Square and are ready for your spring and summer al fresco dining needs.
That’s it for today's e-news. Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
The City of Evanston Communications Team
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