YEA! (Young Evanston Artists) will host YEA! Day at the Dempster Street/Chicago Avenue business district from 10am to 4pm on Sat., May 18, 2013. YEA! is a festival of visual art created by Evanston students. All public, private and parochial schools, pre-school through high school, were invited to exhibit students’ artwork in this inclusive, non-competitive festival. In addition to visual art, the performing arts stage features music and dance performances from Evanston youth.

Thousands of enthusiastic children and adults will crowd the sidewalks of the Dempster Street/Chicago Avenue business district to enjoy delightful artwork and upbeat performances from 10:00 am to 4:00pm. Special events at this year’s YEA! feature a raffle and silent auction. For more information, visit www.yeaevanston.org.

This year marks the third year of Evanston’s ban on hand-held cell phones while driving.  Recognizing distracted driving as a significant public safety issue, Evanston made the passage of this measure a priority for the safety of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians on Evanston streets. The Evanston City Council unanimously passed the ordinance in January 2010 with an effective date of March 2010. Over the last three years, the Evanston Police Department has issued more than 7,000 tickets to motorists driving while also operating a hand-held device.  The ordinance imposes a $50 fine, with an additional potential penalty of $200 if the cell phone violation is implicated in an auto crash. 

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that as a result of the April 18, 2013 storm, President Obama has declared all of Cook County (and other Illinois counties), including Evanston, a federal disaster area. Aid has been made available to the State of Illinois and its residents and federal aid has been ordered to supplement state and local recovery efforts. Individuals and business owners in Evanston affected by the late April flooding and storms are eligible to apply for grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and low-interest loans for uninsured property losses. More>>>

 Hundreds of Robert Crown Center's figure skating school students and professionals will perform to music as it relates to daily life–waking up, going to school, going to work, socializing, etc. Come see this unique show! This will be the Center's 37th annual spring ice show.

Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Fri., May 17 and Sat., May 18 and at 2:30 p.m. on Sun., May 19. The show is suitable for all ages. Tickets are $9 for general seating and $10 for reserved seating. Robert Crown Center and Ice Complex is located at 1701 Main St. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 847/448-8258.

An Artists' Opening Reception will be held for the "Fragments of Memory" art exhibition from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 19 at the Noyes Gallery, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. Admission is free and open to the public.  Light refreshments will be served. 

"Fragments of Memory" was curated by Alan Leder. It explores the work of three Chicago-area artists who employ uniquely dissimilar mediums that intersect at the crossroads of memory. Through their unique perspectives, Kass Copeland, Sarah Rehmer and S. Gayle Stevens address how the past interpenetrates the present. In each case, we are presented with new ways of seeing objects. The exhibition will be on display through June 27. More>>>

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will begin repair work on the Davis St. CTA viaduct starting Monday, May 20, with work continuing through June 10. The area affected by the work will be Davis Street, between Benson Ave. and Elmwood Ave. While progress sometimes comes with inconveniences, the CTA will do their best to keep them to a minimum. The work includes repairs to the north and south abutments of the CTA viaduct over Davis St. and there will be some noise while the work is being performed. Work will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays through Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. More>>>

In Celebration of Older American Month, Fleetwood-Jourdain Center will be transformed into the FJ Paradise Luxury Cruise Liner. Amenities include a stylish bar serving tropical virgin cocktails and fancy hors d’oeuvres fit for a Caribbean cruise. Enjoy a friendly game of shuffleboard, bingo or bid whist, or try your luck at the Vegas-style roulette table. There will be dancing and karaoke to great music spun by a DJ. The ship's captain and his crew will make sure the party never stops and that everyone is treated like a millionaire...bon voyage! The party is geared to adults age 50 and older and will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Center, 1655 Foster St. Admission is $5 in advance or at the door.

The Evanston Environmental Association (EEA) has announced that "Jonas Friddle and The Majority" will headline the 2013 Evanston Green Ball, Evanston's big "green" party. The Chicago-based "orchestral folk" group is known for its "huge sound combining string quartet, horns, and rock and roll drums” that inspires foot-stomping and dancing." The Green Ball, a brainchild of the EEA and the City of Evanston, was designed to benefit one of Evanston’s most valuable institutions, the Ecology Center. The Green Ball will take place from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, May 31 at the Levy Center, 300 Dodge Ave. More>>>

Alderman Peter Braithwaite will be holding a 2nd Ward at 7 p.m. at the J.E.H. Education Center, 1500 McDaniel Ave.

Alderman Delores Holmes will be holding a Fifth Ward meeting at 7 p.m. at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St.

Alderman Don Wilson will be holding a Fourth Ward meeting at 7 p.m. at the McGaw YMCA, located at 1000 Grove St. The meeting will take place in the Chinoock Lounge.

7 p.m., Council Chambers, 2100 Ridge Ave. Agendas here>>>

Come join the NU Black Alumni Association for the 8th Annual 5K Race for Diversity - sponsored by NUBAA! Funds will go to a new NUBAA undergraduate scholarship. The 5K is open to the entire Northwestern Wildcat community and the general public. For more information, click here>>>

Evanston residents may have noticed Buddha sculptures emerging in various locations throughout the neighborhood. But there’s more: Bridging Differences is an art-based workshop planned to address issues of difference, and create opportunities for dialogue, cultural understanding and peace. 1-4 p.m., Twiggs Park, Simpson St. at Bridge St. The workshop will include the Japanese tradition where in people write their wishes for peace on small, colorful strips of papers and hang them on tree branches. More about this project here>>>  or contact Indira Johnson.

Sign up by Friday, May 17 to compete in the May 25 Senior Spelling Bee to be held at 5 p.m. at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. Age: 50+
Admission: Free. More>>>