Health fitness

0 This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own. Community Corner The upcoming holiday weekend is a kickoff to summer that can include outdoor celebrations and cookouts. Vicarious Public Relations , Community Contributor Posted Reply The Memorial Day holiday brings with it the excitement of summer’s start and the many outdoor celebrations that happen during warmer weather. These events and activities can also present dangers related to fires, and residents are encouraged to review fire and burn prevention tips, provided by Camp I Am Me (formerly the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance). “This is the time of year where residents can take advantage of being outdoors, as they attend barbecues, go camping or enjoy other activities where fire or other burn dangers can be present,” said Camp I Am Me President, and Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District Chief James Kreher. “We urge … [Read more...] about Outdoor Fire and Burn Safety Reminders as Memorial Day Approaches

10 Politics & Government Evanston councilmembers voted 6-2 to grant final approval to a special use permit and operating agreement with Connections for the Homeless. Jonah Meadows , Patch Staff Posted | Updated Replies EVANSTON, IL — The Margarita Inn has become Evanston's first licensed year-round homeless shelter, as the City Council approved a special use permit and operating agreement with the local nonprofit that turned the former hotel into transitional housing during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. Councilmembers voted 6-2 on Monday to grant final approval to the permit and authorize the city manager to execute the agreement with Connections for the Homeless, which has operated the shelter at 1566 Oak Ave. for more than three years . By working with the city to provide emergency housing in his vacant 46-room hotel, the Margarita Inn's owner, Michael Pure, was able to work off the nearly … [Read more...] about Evanston Licenses Margarita Inn As First Permanent Homeless Shelter

0 Kids & Family Nearly 1,500 kids have been given access to swim lessons since the program began – and its next session starts soon. Press Release Desk , News Partner Posted Reply EVANSTON, IL - From the Evanston YWCA: Evanston Swims!, a community collaboration that gives second graders access to free swimming lessons, began simply as an idea. It was conceived in 2011 as part of a visioning project to mark the 150th anniversary of Evanston. Although it was bold, the idea was simple: give all Evanston children access to swim lessons so they can be safe around water. Just one year later, this lofty goal took shape as a pilot program centered on water safety. The pilot worked, and, in the fall of 2013, the program was officially launched. This year marks five years that it has been in place. “By the end of this school year, we will have reached almost 1,500 kids since the program’s inception,” said Mary Miller, who … [Read more...] about ‘Evanston Swims’ Celebrates 5 Years Of Free Lessons

T he bald eagle, a bird that lives only in North America, is sometimes mistaken for an idea. Take the Great Seal of the United States: The eagle clutches an olive branch in one claw, a set of 13 arrows in the other. His wings stretch out tall and wide from behind a shield, and his fulsome beak holds a ribbon inscribed with Latin: “ E pluribus unum .” That is a collage of symbols about peace and war and history and unity, not a bird. A real bald eagle is made of flesh and feathers and talons — a thing of nature, not a pastiche of concepts. Noble virtues do not map neatly onto apex predators, a fact that troubled Benjamin Franklin as early as 1784. In a letter to his daughter, he wrote: “I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly.” But the first time Will Harris saw a bald eagle on his farm, six years ago, Franklin’s lesson was one he had not yet learned. Harris, the owner … [Read more...] about When the National Bird Is a Burden