Evanston RoundTable

The fifth community fridge will officially open at the Women’s Club of Evanston on Sept. 22 at 1702 Chicago Ave. Evanston Community Fridges is adding a new location to its growing network of free food pantries across the city, with a fridge planned to open later this month, on Sept. 22, at the Woman’s Club of Evanston.

An Evanston man has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies for selling drugs on the same block as Albany Care, the psychiatric rehab facility at 901 Maple Ave., the Evanston Police Department announced Friday. Evanston police arrested Andre Riley, 63, of 900 block of Hinman Ave., after executing search warrants for his home and vehicle in southeast Evanston, where officers recovered two firearms and an unstated amount of ammunition, drugs and money.

The National Weather Service has announced a Beach Hazard Statement in effect through 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, due to high wave action and dangerous currents. Waves of 3 to 6 feet are expected. Swimming conditions will be life threatening. Community members should stay out of the water when no lifeguards are on duty and red flags are posted, as conditions can be dangerous. Please do not venture out onto piers, jetties, breakwalls, or other shoreline structures.

Mandolin superstar Sierra Hull will perform on the Evanston Folk Fest Main Stage at 5:45 p.m. Saturday. The Saturday schedule of the 2026 Evanston Folk Festival is stacked with heavyweights. The teams at SPACE and 16 on Center have an expansive definition of the folk music universe. On Saturday, you can catch blazing bluegrass instrumentalists, multi-genre innovators, a Saharan desert blues star and some good old country music.

Gilo Logan, son of Evanston’s first Black police chief Bill Logan and children’s book author, has entered the race for next year’s special mayoral election. Logan, 60, filed his political bid with the Illinois State Board of Elections on Friday, Sept. 4, allowing him to begin raising and spending money on a campaign. He is now the seventh person to publicly indicate his bid to succeed incumbent Mayor Daniel Biss, who is resigning Oct.

Saint Francis Hospital nurses will vote on joining the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), on Thursday, Sept. 17, union organizers announced Thursday, Sept. 3. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a notice of election for the hospital. All “full-time, regular part-time, and per diem Staff RNs and Cath Lab RNs” will be eligible to vote, according to the notice.

Suite Mollie closes out Downtown Summer Sounds. Downtown Summer Sounds wrapped up the season with a big crowd turning out for local favorite Suite Mollie. Guests arrived early to browse the final Thursday Night Market of the season, visit event sponsor tables and purchase food from local vendors. Guests dance the night away at Downtown Summer Sounds. The brass section delivers a high energy performance. The final Thursday Night Market runs concurrently with the concert.

In the wake of plans for a restaurant at 1826-1830 Dempster St. falling through this spring, the neighboring Heartwood Center has announced that it intends to use the building as event space. The new space will open Oct. 1. The previously vacant commercial building at 1826-30 Dempster St. is seen alongside the neighboring mural on the Heartwood Center’s west wall in January 2026.

The results are in from Evanston’s Green Homes Pilot, a multi-year program that wrapped up this summer: Energy retrofits of 50 households, coordinated in a “one-stop shop” model by city contractors, resulted in lower utility bills, lower greenhouse gas emissions and positive reviews by participating residents.

“First we pray for the city,” said the Rev. Father Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan, who led prayers in front of the St. James Armenian Church, 816 Clark St., to start the Taste of Armenia. “It’s an opportunity for us to pray for the people of this city, this country and for our country. So we begin our picnic with this good tradition.” The event, in its 38th year, is a fundraiser for the church. It attracted about 1,000 people. (Photo by Richard Cahan.)