Evanston RoundTable

This summer was a busy one for several karate athletes who train at Fonseca Martial Arts‘ flagship dojo (a dedicated space for practicing martial arts) at 823½ Chicago Ave. along the Main-Dempster Mile. Fonseca offers classes and private lessons in karate, jiujitsu and self-defense. Children as young as 4 years old can take lessons.

Sidewalk repair in 2023. … that our sidewalks could be fixed nine years sooner — that is, in 17 years instead of 26 — if the City Council can come up with an additional $150,000 every year. “Still absurd, but far, far better,” Murphy Monroe, said of the shorter timeline. Monroe chairs the city’s ADA Advisory Committee. Check out Alex Harrison’s report, “City should boost budget for annual sidewalk repairs,” for the full story and a colorful map to see whether your neighborhood is included.

Enjoy an evening at James Park from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, with a free Jamming Jean concert featuring Soul 2 The Bone. With a repertoire spanning more than seven genres, Soul 2 The Bone brings a vibrant mix of Motown, R&B, pop, light rock, neo-soul, jazz and more. Their lively performances are all about creating a fun, memorable experience for audiences. Food from Tacos 606 will be available for purchase. All ages are welcome to this community-friendly event.

There are still a few chairs open, but after mass resignations earlier this year, a nearly intact Evanston Public Library Board got down to business on Wednesday. A partially reconstituted Evanston Public Library Board is back to square one, filling committee positions, setting its schedule and moving forward on its budget, which typically goes to the city in October.

Dan Coyne filed his economic interest form with the Cook County Clerk Sept. 16, 2026, and is pictured here holding the receipt. Dan Coyne, who served as a social worker in Evanston/Skokie School District 65 for 10 years, has started the process to run for District 65 school board, he confirmed to the RoundTable Thursday.

It’s time for me to share something important: Over the past weeks, multiple Evanston small business owners have reached out to me to say that they are near their breaking point. Our small, independent businesses are the backbone of Evanston’s local economy. They create the vibe that draws people to Evanston. These owners are part of our Evanston family. This year, in particular, the economy’s been tough, the weather’s been tough and the online competition has been tougher.

Kingsley Elementary School closed at the end of school year 2025-26 as part of District 65’s attempts to address the district’s structural deficit. Following the news Monday that Evanston/Skokie District 65 administrators will formally present plans next month to slash $20 million from the budget and close at least two more school buildings, community members expressed shock — but not necessarily surprise — at the news. “It’s all been very clear, you know, over a year now.

After closing on July 20 for renovations, the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum at 3001 Central St. is preparing to reopen next month, with four completely new exhibits. The new exhibits will be open Oct. 1.

Led by the Northwestern Marching Band, the Class of 2030 took its symbolic first steps onto campus Wednesday in the annual March Through the Arch tradition. Students walked through the Weber Arch and on to Deering Meadow, where they heard speeches from Northwestern officials. Credit: Joerg Metzner Credit: Joerg Metzner Credit: Joerg Metzner Related Stories Joerg Metzner is a portrait, architecture, and editorial photographer (joerg-metzner.com) based in Evanston.

On a block in central Evanston, a steel-gray box the size of an air conditioner now sits in Jordan McClure’s backyard. It may not look like much, but it represents a growing trend in how local households store and use electricity. The unit on McClure’s property is a battery from Base Power, a Texas-based startup specializing in home energy storage. McClure, like many other area residents, came across Base Power through social media advertising earlier this summer.