aRound Evanston
Holiday Events

Evanstonians Reunite With Old Friends in Ghana.

Evanstonian Tom Jager, former director of Evanston United Way, returned to Ghana, West Africa, in October with his wife, Judy, following his retirement last year. Mr. Jager first visited Ghana as a volunteer teacher for the Peace Corps from 1962 to 1964. After 44 years he reunited with many former students and friends. The Jagers traveled throughout the country, staying with Ghanaian families and enjoying the local culture. In the photo, Mr. Jager, left, chats with former student Stephen Ameyaw in Hohoe, Ghana.

Fifth Ward Meeting Dec. 21

Alderman Delores Holmes schedules a Fifth Ward meeting on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster. The next meeting date is confirmed for Dec. 21.

Input Needed for Board, Commission Study

In June, the City of Evanston formed a joint committee with members of the League of Women Voters Evanston to review the City's 38 boards and commissions.

This review is an action item for the City's Strategic Planning Goal 11: More Effectively Utilize Boards and Commissions.

The joint committee has begun to review the function, responsibility and structure of all the boards and commissions to maximize their effectiveness.

Recommendations for changes on the individual boards and commissions will be submitted to City Council and the individual boards and committees. Improved recruitment processes, standardized training, orientation and succession planning for members and assigned staff, and routine periodic review procedures and oversight will be recommended for future development and implementation as a result of the study findings.

The review process includes analyzing findings gathered through interviews and questionnaires from members and staff of the City's boards and commissions. A resource sub-group is researching board and commission procedures, practices, and benchmarking techniques used in other cities.

As part of the review, the joint committee is also soliciting comments from City residents who have attended any City boards or commissions meetings regarding their experiences and suggestions.

Evanston residents who are not currently serving on a board or commission can fill out the short questionnaire online by going to www.cityofevanston.org/boardsurvey.

Alternatively, a copy of the questionnaire will be mailed to these contacting Jessie Feldman, 525 Grove St. #6A, Evanston, 60201.

Questionnaires will also be available at all locations of the Evanston Public Library and the City Clerk's office in the Civic Center, 2100 Ridge. For more information on the survey, contact Brad Yatabe in the City of Evanston Law Department, 847-866-2937.

Permit Required For Trapping

Evanston residents should be aware that trapping wildlife without a permit violates state law, which requires a permit for each animal trapped.

Evanston residents having problems with wildlife can rent traps from the City of Evanston and be covered with the State of Illinois under the City's permit. Contact Animal Control at 847-866-5080 to borrow a trap for problem wildlife.

Black Business Alliance Workshop

The Evanston Black Business Alliance will host a certificate workshop, to be conducted by Black Contractors United, for small- and minority- business owners who wish to obtain certification from the City of Chicago in order to do business with the City of Chicago.

The workshop will be held at 7 p.m. on Dec. 28 at The Lighthouse, 1607 Simpson St. Potential business owners are welcome. A donation of $10 is requested, to cover the cost of materials and handouts. R.S.V.P. by Dec. 16 to 847-864-9213 or calvin@ebba4ourcommunity.org.

Vehicle Stickers on Sale

Vehicle stickers and residential parking permits for 2007 are on sale in the City Collector's Office and Parking Systems in the Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.

The 2007 vehicle stickers are $60 and must be purchased and displayed by Jan. 10, 2007. City ordinance requires all vehicles registered to Evanston addresses to properly display valid City vehicle stickers.

A penalty of an additional 50 percent of the original fee will be added to all applications received after Jan. 10, making a passenger car vehicle sticker cost $90 rather than $60.
Senior citizens who meet income qualifications may receive a 50 percent discount on the price of the sticker.

Warm Soup Fills Empty Bowls at ETHS.

The budding chefs in Sharon Slack's Culinary 2 class at Evanston Township High School filled dozens of handmade ceramic bowls with their chili, chicken noodle soup and vegetarian minestrone last Wednesday, and the customers - ETHS students, faculty and staff - kept right on coming to purchase lunch - the bowl and the soup - for about $10.

The annual Empty Bowls benefit, a nationwide project now in its fifth year at ETHS, raises money for local soup kitchens.

Most of the bowls were created by ETHS students in Marla Siebold's class.

This year the project also received donations from the Pot Shop, the Evanston Art Center and the McGaw YMCA, said Ms. Siebold. With bowls and soup both donated, the proceeds of the lunch go to four local soup kitchens: Hemenway United Methodist Church (Soup at Six) and Beth Emet, and those operated by Interfaith Action Council and Good News.

"This year is even bigger than ever, with the private donations, including one from a parent," said Barbara Zimmer, community service coordinator at ETHS. "It's a great project," she added, "and many of the students volunteer at the soup kitchens as well."

The student cooks who filled the bowls are, left to right in top photo, Stacey Gill, Alicia Terrell, Andrea Poster, Nicole Starks, Danielle Ferrara and Marisa McPherson.
In photo at left Kirsten Roddy, Ms. Siebold, Liz Bell and Claire Bansberg display some of the empty bowls the students created.