Serving the Northwestern and Evanston communities since 1881
The Daily Northwestern Find us online @thedailynu
Monday, April 8, 2024
DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM 4 A&E/Jeni’s
GAMES/NU Mini
8 SPORTS/Lax Gamer
Eclipse-themed ice cream launches at Jeni’s
Solve in seconds with The Daily’s first-ever mini crossword
NU holds on to No. 1 spot against Maryland
High 68 Low 45
Low turnout a call to action Advocates push to get out the vote in November general By LILY OGBURN
daily senior staffer @LilyOgburn
Jerry Wu/The Daily Northwestern
The discussion panel on Saturday featured guest speakers from the Potawatomi tribe speaking on cultural language, historic preservation and leadership.
Potawatomi panel talks tribe unity CNAIR event sparks conversation on language, historic preservation By JERRY WU
the daily northwestern @jerrwu
The Center for Native American and Indigenous
Research hosted the Potawatomi Confederacy Panel Discussion addressing topics on language, historic preservation and leadership in the Potawatomi Nation at Norris University Center on Saturday.
The program is part of a two-week event arranged by this year’s CNAIR Artist in Residence, Madalene Big Bear, a citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. She is also a Pokagon cultural keeper,
with expertise in material culture, culinary traditions, art and storytelling. Beginning the panel, Corinne Kasper, an enrolled
» See POTAWATOMI, page 6
Evanston political organizations and voter advocacy groups are ramping up efforts to increase voter turnout after only 17.95% of registered voters in the township cast their ballots in the March primary. Fewer Evanston residents voted in the 2024 primary than the 2020 presidential primary, which had a voter turnout of 29%. With President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump likely to earn their respective party’s nominations, the presidential primary was uncompetitive. However, several local elections were competitive, including the Cook County State’s Attorney race. According to Kathy Hayes, a Democratic Party of Evanston board member, many voters feel overwhelmed by the research and knowledge voting often requires. She added that voters often skip over elections for local positions like judges.
“(Some) people are very apathetic about the whole thing, and then you have others that are invigorated by the possibility of exercising their individual vote,” Hayes said. “I would have loved to see more activation and more voter turnout.” Hayes said DPOE is working to increase Democratic turnout in Evanston by hosting rallies, posting on social media, delivering signs, calling residents and knocking on doors. She added that it’s important for DPOE to reach voters outside of Evanston. DPOE extends its outreach to Wisconsin in areas that are “teetering on becoming purple,” she said. “We believe that all of the ballot is extremely important to the outcome and quality of life for residents here in Evanston and Cook County,” Hayes said. “Here in the Midwest, it is about beating the doors and meeting the phones and really having one-to-one contact with individuals.” While overall voter turnout was low, Evanston saw an increase in Republican votes. About 750 votes were cast in the Republican presidential
» See TURNOUT, page 6
NU to open pub Evanston cuts ribbon on skate park at Norris in 2025 New venue fosters community but not ‘street cred,’ some skaters say Renovations to include outdoor patio and more By BEATRICE VILLAFLOR
daily senior staffer @beatricedvilla
Northwestern will renovate and rename the Norris University Center’s East Lawn this summer, the University announced Friday. The new campus hub will feature a glass-lined pub with a stage for bands, DJs, comedy troupes and more, according to a Friday morning news release. A rooftop patio over the space will be connected via a staircase and will provide a dining space for students. There will also be a stage pavilion and open-air plaza to host events and seasonal activities. Norris previously hosted a bar — known as The Gathering Place — from 1982-92, but the facility closed more than 30 years ago due to low sales and concerns about
Recycle Me
underage drinking and drunk driving. The greenery on the East Lawn, soon to be renamed Cohen Lawn, will also see the addition of an oak tree grove and a native plant garden. “By creating this vibrant green space, we’re providing a dynamic hub for relaxation and socialization — with everything from planned outdoor events to casual interactions,” Associate Vice President of Operations and Services in Student Affairs Jeremy Schenk said in the release. The renovation, first announced in October 2022, will be funded by donations from University Trustee Paul Schneider (Weinberg ’96, Kellogg ’11) and Nicole Sc h n e i d er ; Un i ver s i t y Trustee Frank Cohen (Weinberg ’95) and Julie Cohen; and NU parents Jana and Ken Kahn. Construction is expected to be completed by summer 2025.
» See PUB, page 6
By COLE REYNOLDS
daily senior staffer @charcole27
Local skater Adam Eichorn turned toward two police cars guarding the entrance to the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Evanston’s new skate park, took out his phone and snapped a picture. He laughed to himself, eyes crinkling behind sunglasses and a white trucker hat. “That’s a great picture,” Eichorn said. Many of the older skaters have stories of ducking police to skate in Evanston parking lots or on street curbs. Now, they watched police cars guard a collection of concrete hills and metal rails at the tip of Twiggs Park. Saturday marked the grand opening of the Evanston Skate Park — a $1.7 million project soft launched in December — and the endorsement of skateboarding by a city that, according to some, hasn’t always been the most hospitable to its participants in the past. The ceremony brought
upwards of 200 people to Twiggs Park — skaters lining the tops of the smooth concrete slopes and observers eating from food trucks. At some points during the event, the skate park became so crowded that it led to several near collisions and deterred Prospect Heights skater Robert Breton from skateboarding altogether. However, Breton said Saturday was an example of what skate parks represent. He said they were places where the skating community merged — where skaters could see and be seen by others in their community. “This is home,” he said. Skate parks offer kids permission to skate, said Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th), who is active on the Evanston skate scene. Kids that don’t have access to local parks either don’t have an outlet or are forced to duck police to skate the streets, skaters at the event said. Growing up without many skate parks nearby, Breton said he was arrested for street skating. In contrast, the constant availability of a skate park makes it a better foundation
Cole Reynolds/Daily Senior Staffer
The Evanston Skate Park had its grand opening Saturday after launching in late December.
on which to form a stable community, according to Eichorn. “There’s no barriers (here),” he said. “It brings people together. It forces people to see each other.” Many skaters at the Evanston Skate Park — while
grateful for the park and its support from the city — hold the freeform street skating in higher regard than the more organized version found in parks.
» See SKATE PARK, page 6
INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | A&E 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8