The Daily Northwestern

D65 failed to pass a single school closure scenario. What now? After the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board failed to pass a single school closure scenario at Monday’s school board meeting, the future of the closure scenarios seems to hang in limbo. Ever si...

The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board failed to pass a single school closure scenario at Monday’s school board meeting, and the board is set to vote on the Lincolnwood-only scenario on Thursday.
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Reported by Emily Dissanayake

BridgeNU hosts College Democrats, Republicans, YAF at forum BridgeNU hosted a bipartisan political forum between NU College Democrats, NU College Republicans and Young Americans for Freedom in Harris Hall on Tuesday. One major point of contention was food stam...

BridgeNU hosted a bipartisan political forum between Northwestern College Democrats, College Republicans and Young Americans for Freedom on Tuesday. Topics discussed included affordability, health care, academia and foreign policy.
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Reported by Max Turetzky

Meet ZYNITH: the first-year rapper bringing a new sound Finals week hasn’t landed yet, but for Weinberg freshman and rapper Zhaire Easley — known musically as ZYNITH — the pressure is building. Easley has kept busy by turning a dorm-room hobby into an oppo...

Freshman Zhaire Easley, known musically as ZYNITH, is an aspiring rapper balancing publishing new songs with life as a student.
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Reported by Emerson Leger and Carmen Gaskin

Biss discusses federal immigration, congressional campaign at Northwestern Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss spoke to Northwestern students and faculty members gathered in Harris Hall on Tuesday, delving into his experience leading the city amid heightened immigration enforcement a...

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss spoke to students and faculty about leading the city during heightened immigration enforcement and federal pressure. He also touched on civic engagement and his goals as a candidate for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District.
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Reported by Wallis Rogin and Sarah Park

‘Proving Up’ opera navigates the myth of the American dream Northwestern Opera Theater sold out Ryan Opera Theater from Thursday to Sunday with four performances of “Proving Up,” a production based on the eponymous short story by Karen Russell (Weinberg ’03). ...

Northwestern students performed Missy Mazzoli’s opera “Proving Up” to a sold-out crowd last weekend, challenging the attainability of the American dream.
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Reported by Sol Thomas

D65 board balks at school closure scenario voting The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education forgot to vote on one school closure scenario, stalemated on two and rejected a fourth at its Monday meeting. With former board member Omar Sa...

District 65 did not advance a school closure scenario at its official vote Monday night. Four hours, one huddle and a phone call to legal counsel later, the district set a Thursday meeting to vote on its last scenario — one it had forgotten until the middle of voting.
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Reported by @sidvaraman

Community demonstration urges Northwestern to 'stand strong' Over 20 members of the Evanston and Northwestern communities rallied to urge the University to refrain from making a deal with the Trump administration to restore $790 million of frozen federal fundin...

Over 20 members of the Evanston and Northwestern communities rallied at The Arch, urging the University “to stand strong” against capitulation to the federal government midday Monday.
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Reported by Nineth Kanieski Koso, @yongyuhuang.bsky.social and @lucaskubovchik.bsky.social"

Garrett-Evangelical maintains independence ahead of relocation plans As Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary prepares to relocate to the southern part of Northwestern’s campus in fall 2027, its over 170-year relationship with NU — shaped by a shared history and an ...

As Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary prepares to relocate within Northwestern’s campus, it maintains its 172-year partnership with NU while preserving theological independence.
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Reported by Gloria Ngwa

Performance meets code at Northwestern’s first music hackathon Over 30 students battled it out at Northwestern’s first-ever music hackathon, BitCrush, on Saturday evening, performing familiar hits and original compositions with an unusual instrument: code.  Conte...

Northwestern students combined music and code at University’s first-ever music hackathon, BitCrush, on Saturday evening, performing familiar hits and original compositions.
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Reported by Nicole Cheah

Meet 7 stakeholders at the heart of D65’s school closure debate When the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education votes on which school closure scenarios to advance Monday night, several school communities and parent groups will watch with bated breat...

Before District 65 votes to advance its final school closure scenarios Monday night, The Daily spoke to seven parent groups and school communities about what they think the board should do.
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Reported by @sidvaraman and Sophie Gardiner

Legacy Business Alliance preserves historic Evanston storefronts Legacy Business Alliance supports Evanston’s historic businesses In its second year, the Evanston Legacy Business Alliance has 51 members. As the city evolves, one constant is the significance of local businesses in the city — small businesses that have helped shap...

The Legacy Business Alliance highlights the enduring importance of small businesses in Evanston, read about three long-term Evanston storefronts and alliance members.
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Reported by Hannah Mehler and Hannah Brooker

‘Urinetown’ satirizes capitalism through song Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre previewed performances of “Urinetown” last weekend at Evanston’s Fred Anzevino Theatre.  Created by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, “Urinetown” opened on Broadway in 2001. In...

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre previewed performances of “Urinetown: The Musical” last weekend at Howard Street Theater in Evanston. The show will run until Dec. 21.
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Reported by Eliza Martin

Kat Abughazaleh pleads not guilty for actions tied to Broadview ICE facility protest A Congressional frontrunner, Kat Abughazaleh, and five co-defendants each pleaded not guilty to two counts related to protest activity at an arraignment at Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Court...

Congressional frontrunner Kat Abughazaleh and five co-defendants each pleaded not guilty to two counts related to protest activity at an arraignment Wednesday afternoon.
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Reported by @Marisa_G_Ech

Soul & Smoke’s community fridge feeds Evanston residents in need D’Andre Carter was always the first person to taste his grandmother’s cooking. As a kid, he never thought he would become a chef, even if being the oldest grandchild meant it was his job to be his grandmother’s sous chef.  Together, they catered any and every family celebration, from birthdays to graduations, firing up the...

Through their Community Fridge Initiative at Soul & Smoke, D’Andre Carter and Heather Bublick are feeding their community one meal at a time.
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Reported by Clara B. Freeth

New Evanston History Center director brings career experience in museum programming Nicole Kowrach grew up traveling from Michigan to the Chicago area to visit museums. But she only began considering working in a museum as a college student, after she switched her focus from biology ...

Nicole Kowrach was recently named executive director of the Evanston History Center. She said her love of history and previous educational experience led her to the job.
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Reported by Anna Caputo

Community remembers fallen NU NROTC alumni on Veteran’s Day The Northwestern University Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps honored alumni Nov. 11 who lost their lives in service during World War II and in the Vietnam War through the annual Veterans Day Wrea...

During the annual Veterans Day Wreath Laying Ceremony, NU NROTC remembers alumni who lost their lives in service.
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Reported by Natalie Kim

Northwestern’s first snow brings snowballs, shivers to students Northwestern students were greeted with a blustery blizzard late Sunday night in the first measurable snowfall of the season. Despite low visibility and strong winds, students built snowmen, participa...

Northwestern students were greeted with a blustery snowstorm just before 11 p.m. Sunday in the first measurable snowfall of the season. Despite low visibility and strong winds, students built snowmen and participated in snowball fights.
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Reported by @ryaninevanston.bsky.social

The Daily predicts 2026 Grammy Award winners The 68th Annual Grammy Awards nominations dropped on Friday, and members of The Daily’s Arts & Entertainment desk have some thoughts. Performing artists Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga lead this year’s n...

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards nominations just dropped Friday, and members of The Daily’s Arts & Entertainment desk have some thoughts.
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Written by Maya Wong, Emily Lichty, Clara Martinez and Clare Kirwan

City provides seed funding for new Evanston Community Cares Fund Just over a week after the Nov. 2 food drive at Evanston Township High School, which saw an outpouring of public support in aid of food-insecure community members, organizer and Art Makers Outpost own...

At Monday’s City Council meeting, the city committed an initial sum of $24,999 to new mutual aid initiative Evanston Community Cares Fund to combat food insecurity and support other community needs.
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Reported by @yong_yuhuang

Mary Beth Barone, Wally Baram announced as A&O fall speakers Comedic actresses Mary Beth Barone and Wally Baram will be visiting Northwestern as A&O Productions’ fall speakers, the organization announced Wednesday. In an Instagram post, A&O said the pair will m...

Comedic actresses Mary Beth Barone and Wally Baram will be visiting NU as A&O Productions’ fall speakers, the organization announced Wednesday.
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Reported by Maya Wong

Northwestern hosts ‘Sudan and South Sudan in Context’ lecture More than 50 people attended a lecture titled, “Sudan and South Sudan in Context,” by Loyola University Chicago history Prof. Kim Searcy on Wednesday evening. The talk, hosted in 620 Library Place, wa...

More than 50 people attended a lecture titled, “Sudan and South Sudan in Context,” by Loyola University Chicago history Prof. Kim Searcy on Wednesday evening as recent atrocities in Sudan spark international horror.
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Reported by Emily Dissanayake

Evanston wraps up tennis and pickleball court renovations Approaching the newly renovated James Park courts, the thwack of paddles on wiffle balls rings out. A group of onlookers in lawn chairs watches what has become a Sunday tradition — pickleball games.  ...

Renovations for the first-ever dedicated pickleball courts in Evanston were completed in October. After months of construction, games are already in full swing at the new courts.
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Reported by Eliza Goldwasser and @wallis_rogin

Evanston’s November map to local holiday events As leaves transform into autumn-ready colors, Thanksgiving slowly approaches and pies of a wide variety begin to bake, there are several events in Evanston to commence the holiday season. With most ev...

With Thanksgiving slowly approaching, there are a variety of events around the city celebrating the start of the holiday season. From artistic endeavors to a flannel fest, here are some of the festivities around town throughout November.
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Reported by @alexbespeakin

Residents host food drive amid SNAP reduction, immigration enforcement Hundreds of cars lined Evanston Township High School’s campus Sunday as volunteers carried food and household essentials into the Willie May Field House.  The community food drive, organized in just 1...

As uncertainty about the future of SNAP benefits looms, thousands contributed to a food drive at ETHS Sunday. Organizers and community members said such mutual aid efforts are critical as federal immigration enforcement activity increases in Evanston.
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Reported by @jdowb2005

Researchers with NIH grant terminations pursue reinstatement A slew of National Institutes of Health grant terminations in the spring left affected Northwestern researchers with few avenues to reinstate funding for their disrupted multi-year research projects. ...

A slew of NIH grant terminations in the spring left Northwestern researchers with few avenues to continue multi-year projects. Some had their NIH grants reinstated, while others were forced to lay off employees and abandon projects.
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Reported by Cate Bouvet

Latin music brings community together at Día de los Muertos event Dozens of students gathered at The Rock for food, drinks, Latin music and a candle-lit ofrenda at a Día de los Muertos celebration Sunday afternoon hosted by Mariachi Northwestern. Saturday night, stu...

Dozens of students gathered at The Rock for a Día de los Muertos celebration Sunday afternoon hosted by Mariachi Northwestern.
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Reported by @lucaskubovchik.bsky.social

‘She left a mark’: Loved ones afar, on campus remember Britney Perez Loved ones afar, at NU remember Britney Perez Whether it was grabbing spicy chips at La Michoacana in Chicago, singing at her family’s church or turning her kitchen into a “‘Cake Boss’ showdown,” Britney Perez had a way of turning ordinary moment...

Ahead of what would’ve been Britney Perez’s 21st birthday, Nov. 3, her loved ones from home and the Northwestern community commemorate who she was and the lasting impression she left on so many lives.
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Reported by @Janelle_Mella and @Marisa_G_Ech

Community vigil decrying ICE and Border Patrol enforcement draws hundreds About 250 community members gathered Saturday afternoon for a vigil at the Dr. Jorge and Luz Maria Prieto Community Center, protesting increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Pat...

Hundreds of community members gathered for a vigil just a day after widespread federal immigration activity in Evanston. Mayor Daniel Biss called the situation an attack on the neighborhood but emphasized the community’s resilience.
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Reported by @jdowb2005

Congressional frontrunner Kat Abughazaleh federally indicted This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. Last updated Oct. 29 at 2:01 p.m. Federal prosecutors indicted six individuals, including Illinois’ 9th Congression...

Federal prosecutors indicted congressional frontrunner and progressive content creator Kat Abughazaleh for protest activities at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois, sparking outcry among district Democrats.
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Reported by @Marisa_G_Ech

Northwestern Music Academy teaches students technique, theory As a child, Annie Hsiao (Doctorate ’04) would make a long trek to her piano teacher’s house in the dead of a hot Taiwan summer. Upon arrival, she would find her instructor in a fancy, air conditioned ...

The Northwestern Music Academy is a community-based music school that teaches students of all ages in the Chicagoland area. The Academy offers both group and individual piano lessons, focused on both technique and theory.
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Reported by Ivy Frater