WEATHER

LOCAL BIZ SPOTLIGHT

EVENTS

Events For Kids:

• Halloween Campfire Stories 

  THURS OCT 26 · 4:30 pm · The Book Stall

  Recommended Ages 8-13

• Glencoe Park District Boo Bash

  FRI OCT 27 · 5-7 PM · Takiff Center

• Northfield Boo Bash

  FRI OCT 27 · 6-7:30 PM · Willow Park

• Wilmette Linden Square Pumpkin Walk

  SAT, OCT 28 · 10-12PM · Linden Square, Wilmette

• Harvest Hayride

  SAT, OCT 28 · 4-7 PM · Golf Maintenence Center

• Family Campfire 

  FRI, NOV 3 · 5:30-7:15 PM · Crow Island Woods

• Dog Safety at Kohl’s Children’s Museum

  NOV 1, NOV 15, DEC 6, DEC 20: Learn some simple “dog language” and watch man’s best friend perform some smart tricks!

Events For Adults:

Chicago Sporting Events This Week:

Got an upcoming event you want us to share?

LOCAL NEWS

Proposed Bylaw Change Sparks Debate in Lake Forest Caucus

In several North Shore communities, local municipal caucuses play a crucial role in populating government boards with individuals possessing the requisite skills and experience to solve community problems. This was the consensus reached during an Oct. 17 forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff, where representatives from Lake Forest, Winnetka, Glencoe, and Lake Bluff all emphasized the importance of their respective caucuses. Despite the unique operational strategies of each caucus, their shared objective is to identify and nominate community members equipped to serve on local government boards. In Lake Bluff, candidates are chosen every other year in a general membership meeting prior to municipal elections, a practice that is touted as "small town democracy at its finest." Winnetka, on the other hand, does provide a platform for aspiring candidates, which is considered a key element of their caucus process.

Changes are on the horizon for the Lake Forest Caucus, as a proposed modification to its bylaws could see the removal of the vote of the general membership at its annual meeting. This proposal comes in the wake of last year's contentious mayoral selection process, during which the Caucus Committee's endorsement was not supported by the general membership. Benes, the Lake Forest Caucus President, voiced the need for a revision to prevent small groups from disrupting the process and undermining the efforts of those proposing suitable candidates for the community. A vote on the bylaw change is scheduled for a Nov. 7 annual meeting. The panelists were unanimous in their support for the right of residents to back independent candidates, with a lack of community interest and difficulty in finding volunteers identified as potential issues moving forward. They also endorse candidates for school board positions in the various school districts they serve.

Glencoe District 35 Proposes Property Tax Levy Increase and Plans Expansion of Administrative Offices

District 35 of Glencoe has declared its plan to raise the recent property tax levy by nearly 8%. This announcement was made by Jason Edelheit, the Director of Finance and Operations of District 35, during a school board meeting on October 12. While the total levy hike would be 7.93%, the hike would be 5% for existing property taxpayers, with the higher percentage being targeted at new property introduced into the municipal property tax rolls. For context, Edelheit explained that for a property tax bill of $30,000, the rise for existing taxpayers would be approximately $500. The school district's budget for the 2023-24 school year is projected to be about $30 million, and this proposed levy hike could generate an additional $1.5 million. Edelheit also highlighted that District 35 constitutes roughly a third of the overall Glencoe property tax bill. The school board is expected to vote on this levy hike in December, and property tax owners can expect to see its impact on their bills starting from spring 2024.

CRIME

Unrest at Skokie Rally Leads to Hate Crime Charges for Local Skokie Man

A man named Zevulen Ebert, 33, who participated in a Solidarity With Israel rally in Skokie on Sunday, was charged with hate crimes and felonies following his alleged use of pepper spray against pro-Palestinian protesters, as reported by Skokie police. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Ebert, a resident of Skokie, with two counts each of aggravated battery and hate crimes. The charges followed his arrest near the Ateres Ayala kosher event hall where the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Midwest Regional Office was hosting a solidarity event. The conference involved discussions about the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, the kidnapping of Jewish hostages, and potential future actions for Israel.

Pro-Palestinian protesters had gathered in the event hall's parking lot prior to the commencement of the event, displaying banners and chanting slogans in support of Palestinians affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict. According to the police report, some of the demonstrators migrated from Skokie into Lincolnwood across Touhy Avenue. A series of incidents ensued in Lincolnwood, including a gunshot fired into the air and a hit-and-run incident involving a protester, both initiated by the same man who was later taken into custody. Despite these occurrences, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office declined to press charges against him. Following the charges against Ebert, the U.S. Palestine Community Network, which had organized the protest, expressed its approval in a statement issued on Tuesday night.

SPORTS

BEARS

Key Players to Watch in the Upcoming Chargers vs. Bears Clash

The Chicago Bears (2-5) are carrying the momentum from their impressive Week 7 victory as they prepare to clash with the Los Angeles Chargers (2-4) in the upcoming Week 8 game.

Last week, the Bears pulled off a surprise 30-12 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, with Tyson Bagent making his NFL debut. Filling the shoes of the injured Justin Fields, the ex-Shepherd University quarterback completed 21 of his 29 passes for 162 yards, scoring a touchdown. The Bears' rushing attack, led by D'Onta Foreman with his 89 yards and two touchdowns, contributed an additional 173 yards. As Fields continues his recovery, Bagent is slated to start again.

The Chargers, on the other hand, struggled in their divisional game against the Kansas City Chiefs and suffered a 31-17 defeat. Justin Herbert, the league's second-highest-paid player, completed 17 out of 30 passes for 259 yards, scoring a touchdown but also throwing two interceptions. He was sacked five times. Star running back Austin Ekeler, still on the mend from an ankle injury, managed 14 carries for 45 yards, averaging just 3.2 yards on the day.

Betting Odds for Chargers vs. Bears

• Spread: Chargers (-8.5)

• Moneyline: Chargers (-450); Bears (+350)

• Over/under: 46.5

BULLS

Bulls Eyeing Improved Offensive Rebounding as Regular Season Kicks Off

The Chicago Bulls had a shaky preseason, only managing one win out of five games. However, Coach Billy Donovan sees a silver lining and hopes to carry it into the regular season. The team has shown an impressive strategy, which Donovan describes as needing players with a particular mentality. This mentality was evident when the Bulls eked out a 133-124 overtime victory against the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets.

The Bulls have struggled in the past with offensive rebounding, ranking 28th in offensive rebounding percentage last season. But in their game against the Nuggets, there was a marked improvement with 26 offensive rebounds secured, 21 of which were claimed during regulation. Donovan has placed emphasis on the roles of 'go guys' and 'get back guys' within the team. With the regular season opener against Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, the Bulls' new strategy will be put to the test.

Dustin Kelly to Continue as Hitting Coach, Bolstering the Prospects for Chicago Cubs in 2024

The Chicago Cubs have seen some significant shifts in their organization this offseason. They've lost one of their valued executives to oversee another team's baseball operations and parted ways with two of their coaches who were associated with manager David Ross since his appointment. Despite these departures, The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney report that the team will retain their hitting coach Dustin Kelly for the 2024 season. Manager Ross has expressed his confidence in the hitting department, equating it with the already trusted pitching group. The team's 2023 performance, marked by its rank as the sixth-highest run-scorer, supports this confidence.

The team's improved performance from 2022 to 2023 can be attributed to Kelly's guidance. Kelly, who served as the Minor League hitting coordinator for two years, was promoted to the role of hitting coach prior to the 2023 season. Lauded for his communication skills by Ross, his approach has clearly propelled the team's hitters as they transformed into a highly effective offensive unit over the year. Kelly is tasked with readying young prospects for Major League as they are expected to be called up in the near future. If the team's current trajectory is anything to go by, these potential players are in excellent hands and could make swift and impactful contributions.

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