The Daily Northwestern — September 24, 2020

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Thursday, September 24, 2020 PAGES 4-5

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Remembering Ruklick’s legacy

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MISPLACED HOPE

Despite speculation, NU climate scientists say COVID-19 is not slowing climate change

Illustration by Cynthia Zhang

By KATIE JAHNS

the daily northwestern @katiemjahns

With half the world’s population under lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19, some have observed improvements in air quality, cleaner waterways and the return of wildlife to populated areas. While some call this the “silver lining” of the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwestern climate scientists say otherwise.

Misplaced hope Earth and planetary sciences Prof. Daniel Horton is the leader of NU’s Climate Change Research Group (CCRG), which uses numerical models to recreate Earth’s climate system. The group’s research was featured in an article titled “The COVID-19 lockdowns: a window into the Earth System,” which included findings from accompanying research teams on the impact of COVID-19 on climate change. “Misunderstandings have arisen with regards to declines in carbon dioxide emissions

Council to review city manager applications

Grassroots orgs call for racial equity in hiring decision By JACOB FULTON

daily senior staffer @jacobnfulton

City Council will review the list of applicants to fill the city manager position and select candidates to move on to the first round of interviews in a executive session later today, closed to the public. On Friday, GovHR provided City Council with a comprehensive report of the applicants for the position. The first round of interviews for the candidates will take place during the week of Sept. 28. The city approved a contract with executive search firm GovHR USA in January to

facilitate the search for Evanston’s next city manager, and received around 70 applications for the position. The last person to hold the position was Wally Bobkiewicz, who served as city manager for 10 years before vacating the position in August 2019 to take a job as city administrator in Issaquah, Wash. Since his departure, Erika Storlie has served as interim city manager for over a year, after the selection process for Bobkiewicz’s successor was complicated by COVID-19. In May, City Council proposed eliminating the selection process and appointing Storlie to the position permanently, but after resident backlash, the

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resolution was withdrawn in June, and the selection process continued. “I’ve been here for 16 years. I know the public process has been at the core of what Evanston and who Evanston is,” Storlie said after the notion of her direct appointment received criticism. On the same day City Council received the list of candidates, nine grassroots organizing campaigns released a call for the city to demonstrate its commitment to racial equity with its hiring decision for the position. Some of the groups represented included Evanston » See MANAGER, page 6

caused by COVID-19-related disruption,” the article states. “With some interpreting shortterm reductions to suggest that austerity of energy consumption could be sufficient to curb the pace of global warming.” Following COVID-19 lockdowns, Los Angeles reported its longest streak of good air quality in decades. While some interpreted this as a hopeful sign, Ph.D. candidate and group member Stacy Montgomery explained » See CLIMATE, page 6

Harley Clarke proposals sent back to manager’s office Four groups share detailed plans for National Historic Landmark By JACOB FULTON

daily senior staffer @jacobnfulton

City Council sent proposals to repurpose the Harley Clarke Mansion back to the City Manager’s office for continued evaluation after four groups presented their plans to City Council and the community on Monday. Four organizations — Artists Book House, Evanston Community Lakehouse & Gardens, The Evanston Conservancy and ONECommunity Museum — shared their detailed visions for revitalizing the 93-year-old National Historic Landmark, which has remained vacant for five years since the Evanston Art

Center vacated the property in 2015. Each organization submitted their vision for how the building, which is located on Evanston’s lakefront at 2603 Sheridan Rd., would function within the Evanston community, and also explained the fundraising hurdles that stand in the way of their goals. Artists Book House detailed their vision to turn the lakefront property into a book-making and literature center, while Evanston Community Lakehouse & Gardens described a vision of Harley Clarke that was a multi-purpose community center. Highlighting financial sustainability, The Evanston Conservancy proposed a “nonlinear

funding” model which would utilize outside investors and lease the property to local businesses, and ONECommunity Museum presented plans to repurpose the mansion into the nation’s “first sustainability museum.” The proposals will undergo an evaluation through the City Manager’s office, where each proposal will be “scored” based on its community benefit and financial feasibility, among other factors. Ald. Judy Fiske (1st) said the City Manager’s office should prioritize timeliness during the scoring process because of the extended delay in the project. Previously, groups have proposed multiple plans for the » See HARLEY, page 6

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