Evanston RoundTable

Volunteers gather for community planting day, hosted by Shorefront Legacy Center on Friday, July 10. Although they do not consider themselves gardeners, Rebecca Rwakabukoza and her daughter, Naigembe, 9, both say they enjoy dirt. They had a chance to sink their hands into mounds of fresh topsoil on Friday at a community planting day hosted by Shorefront Legacy Center.

A third candidate has entered next year’s special mayoral election, aiming to bring a younger and longer-term perspective to the city’s politics and development during what he called “a time of change” for the city. Elliot Oats registered a candidate committee with the state on Wednesday, and by Friday had already launched an ActBlue donation page. The 22-year-old works as a Teamsters union steward at UPS and is a local activist on bike infrastructure with the Evanston Transit Alliance.

Project description Over the next several months, the City of Evanston will be contracting for improvements at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center (1655 Foster St.). Work will include a new exterior patio space situated directly east of the community center. Project schedule This project is anticipated to begin in July and be completed in September. During construction, the exterior site immediately east of the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center will be closed to the public.

Ah, summer in Chicago. It’s either pouring rain or relentlessly hot and humid, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Here in Evanston, there’s plenty to talk about other than weather — the restaurant scene, for instance. We’ve got a lot here to unpack, from special menu offerings and al fresco dining spots to restaurant openings, what’s still on the horizon and some fond farewells.

To commemorate National Parks and Recreation Month, Evanston’s Parks and Recreation Department invites community members to discover their next adventure with the launch of “Choose Your Parks & Recreation Adventure,” a new year-round campaign designed to inspire exploration, connection and community pride. Beginning Thursday, July 16, community members can follow weekly Mission Briefings on the Evanston Parks and Recreation Facebook and Instagram pages.

Over a year after the last agreement between Metra and Union Pacific railroad expired, the two sides are still trying to finalize a new agreement to govern the use of Union Pacific North line and other UP-owned commuter lines. The Union Pacific North Line has three stations in Evanston. The line is not in danger of shutting down. On Sept. 3, the Surface Transportation Board (STB), the federal railroad regulator, the right to keep using the tracks as negotiations continue.

Fountain Square on a warm summer evening teemed with people enjoying Downtown Summer Sounds with the Trabuco Salsa Band, free salsa lessons and Downtown Evanston’s Thursday Night Market. Trabuco Salsa Band getting people to move to the rhythm. Credit: Joerg Metzner Click on any of the images below to view them larger. Related Stories Joerg Metzner is a portrait, architecture, and editorial photographer (joerg-metzner.com) based in Evanston.

Evanston police have arrested a fourth man in connection with the April 21 shooting at Howard Street and Custer Avenue. He is now charged with a felony count of mob action, according to the Evanston Police Department. Detectives arrested Evanston resident Damon Massie, 20, without incident on Wednesday after one detective “developed probable cause” to charge him through an “extensive follow-up investigation of the incident,” according to a police statement issued Thursday evening.

The Main Street Fair saw significantly larger crowds this year than last year, boosting foot traffic for vendors and drawing bigger audiences for performances. Organizers estimate that between 18,000 and 20,000 people made their way to the expanded fairground this summer, up from last year’s estimate of 13,000 at most. With extra space and extra people, though, the fair on June 27 also saw extra trash, overtaxed volunteers and a higher cost, organizers said.

Easels will pop up across Evanston next week as artists from around the country paint the city’s architecture and natural landscapes during the fifth annual Evanston Plein Air Festival. Plein air painting, from the French phrase meaning “in the open air,” is the practice of painting outdoors, capturing scenery in real time and in natural lighting. The festival, organized by Evanston Made, will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday, with a reception at the Saw Room Gallery, 1712 Sherman Ave.