The Daily Northwestern — April 8, 2026 by The Daily Northwestern

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Wednesday, April 8, 2026

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Residents split over mayor’s legacy Panel hopeful

Community members reflect on Biss’ tenure, potential replacement By WALLIS ROGIN and TAARIQ AHMED

the daily northwestern

As Mayor Daniel Biss eyes his potential departure to Washington, many Evanston residents are split on his tenure and setting expectations for his replacement. They also point to his response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, housing policies and democratic processes as features of his mayoral term. In March, Biss secured the Democratic nomination in the race to represent Illinois’ 9th Congressional District following a decade in public office. He previously served in the Illinois General Assembly and State Senate. Ninth Ward resident Paul Westbrook said he is dismayed that Biss, who was reelected in 2025, seems unlikely to complete his fouryear mayoral term. “I’m a little disappointed that when he got reelected a year ago, he promised that he was going to stay around,” Westbrook said. Westbrook said he’s been both supportive and critical of some of Biss’s actions during the mayor’s five-year tenure. Specifically, Westbrook said he is in favor of the work Biss put into projects like Envision Evanston 2045.

After nearly two years of union, citing updates to debate, City Council passed the city ’s Residential the Envision Evanston com- Landlord and Tenant prehensive plan, a vision Ordinance. document which outlines In addition to the city’s economic devel- debates tying rezonopment, housing, transpor- ing to affordable tation and environmental housing, Biss presided goals. over other conversaThroughout his mayoral tions related to zonreelection campaign, Biss ing. In a controversial championed the develop- move in 2023, Biss cast ment initiatives outlined the tiebreaking vote to in the plan, and it quickly allow Nor thwestern became a focal point of his to host concerts in the campaign. The zoning code new Ryan Field, in what revision remains under he later wrote would discussion. be “a generational Third Ward resident John investment” Storey Williamson, a founding member of the Evanston Action Coalition, said the comprehensive planning process raised questions regarding how decisions were made in the city. “ Ev a n s t o n w o r k s best when major policy changes follow a clear sequence of community input, Council direction and then staff implementation,” Storey Williamson said. “In several cases over Biss’s tenure, that sequence has felt reversed.” Alternatively, 3rd Ward resident Katie MacDonald said she appreciated Biss’ support on housing policies as a member of her tenant’s Illustration by Siri Reddy » See MAYOR REACTIONS, page 15

for AI’s future Experts optimistic about research and innovation By SYDNEY FELDMAN

reporter

Three artificial intelligence experts discussed AI’s potential in research and data analysis at a Tuesday afternoon panel in Norris University Center’s McCormick Auditorium. Hosted by the Northwestern Network for Collaborative Intelligence, the panel featured Sean Mooney, director of the Center for Information Technology at the National Institutes of Health, Abel Kho, NNCI co-director and NU Institute for AI in Medicine director, and Joe Paris, associate vice president of NU’s IT Services and Support. The session was moderated by Feinberg Prof. Kristi Holmes. “We need to be very careful about how we change human processes using technologies like AI,” Mooney said. While most current artificial intelligence training attempts to replicate human practices, Mooney said he hopes to see more AI developments aimed to complement rather than replace. Paris said the “biggest challenge and opportunity” with AI is its rapidly evolving landscape.

“Even the tool you use two to three months ago is different today,” Paris said. Kho agreed, adding that institutions and industries should remain flexible to adapt to the evolving AI landscape. Both Kho and Paris highlighted the prevalence of interdisciplinary collaboration at the University as a pathway to create opportunities to innovate. “NU is interdisciplinary and what we’ve consistently seen is a desire to work across different disciplines and skillsets to solve problems,” Paris said. The NNCI is working on a number of initiatives to promote interdisciplinary AI research such as The Forge and AI + X. These programs aim to bring students, faculty and outside partners together to better understand AI system applications, Paris said. While Kho acknowledged the ongoing uncertainty surrounding government grants to universities and other research institutions, he said the opportunities for collaboration “have never been better.” He said he sees students as one of the largest potential groups of innovators. “As a university, we need to do more to ensure students are engaged and bring ideas forward,” Kho said. s.feldman@dailynorthwestern.com

Cannabis tax fails NUDM weathers storm, dances on to meet high goals Despite rain, location changes, dance marathon raises $218,774 Revenue amounts to 10% of projected figure By MAX TURETZKY

assistant city editor @maxturetzky

Six years ago, Evanston tied its landmark municipal reparations program to a novel revenue source: a tax on recreational cannabis. However, the promised revenue has failed to materialize. In 2019, Evanston passed a 3% tax on cannabis sales, with the first $10 million in revenue earmarked for reparations to the city’s Black community for decades of racial housing discrimination. Initial projections suggested the tax could generate about $1 million per year. Instead, it has produced closer to $100,000 — about a tenth of what the city anticipated — said former Ald. Robin Rue Simmons (5th), one of the architects of the city’s reparations program and a member of the Evanston Reparations Committee. The city has previously declined to disclose the revenue

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generated by its cannabis tax, citing an Illinois law designed to protect tax confidentiality for businesses. In 2022, Evanston committed another $10 million to reparations from its real estate transfer tax, which has provided the bulk of the program’s funding and ensured the city meets its $1 million annual commitment. The city has used the funds to provide $25,000 housing grants to eligible residents and their direct descendants. So far, it has distributed $6.4 million in grants to at least 250 residents, according to data published in 2025 by the Reparations Committee. In February, the city approved payments to 44 more eligible residents. Despite the tax’s underperformance, using cannabis to fund reparations carried symbolic weight, Rue Simmons said. Data she obtained from the Evanston Police Department showed Black residents accounted for 71% of marijuana arrests, despite making up around 15% of the city’s population, she added.

» For CANNABIS TAX, see page 14

By OLIVIA MA

reporter

Backed by technicolor lights and the sound of classics like “Pump It” by the Black Eyed Peas, community members packed into a large tent on Norris University Center’s Cohen Lawn on Friday night, jumping shoulder to shoulder to kick off the annual Northwestern University Dance Marathon. Less than an hour into the event, stormy conditions forced NUDM to relocate to Norris’ Louis Room. By sunrise Saturday, participants had moved back to the tent and worked through weariness and lack of sleep to dance their way to the 15-hour mark. After being hosted at WelshRyan Arena for two years due to construction at Norris, the 52nd NUDM returned to its original location, continuing a tradition of music, dance and charity by raising $218,774 for the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation and the Evanston Community Foundation. Emceed by Weinberg senior Talia Squarer and Medill senior

Olivia Ma/The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern Dance Marathon took place from Friday 9 p.m. to Saturday 12 p.m. on Norris University Center’s Cohen Lawn.

Tobias Khabie, the evening was interspersed with performances from student groups like Thunk A Cappella and Purple Haze, and games like Four Corners. For students like McCormick first-year Cerys Hudson, who said NUDM was one of the reasons she applied to NU, the event was a way to have fun with friends despite their busy schedules. “I was like, guys, it’s (the) first week of NU,” Hudson said. “We

need to dance. We need to have fun for our last quarter of freshman year. And everyone showed up.” For others, NUDM serves as both a celebration and a pathway into campus involvement. Weinberg first-year and NUDM member Nyah Adiedo was drawn to the organization for its scale and its charity work. “I did a similar club in high school which was focused on cancer research, and I thought

that this would be a good way for me to get involved,” Adiedo said. “It’s such a big community, and it gave me the chance to know people in all levels of the school.” Behind the scenes, NUDM leaders followed a six-page, minute-by-minute schedule that accounted for every performance and transition throughout the 15-hour period. oliviama2025@u.northwestern.edu