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The Daily Northwestern DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Find us online @thedailynu
NU, city recover from polar vortex
Remembering MLK
By Ciara McCarthy AND Ally Mutnick daily senior staffers @mccarthy_ciara, @allymutnick
Brian Lee/Daily Senior Staffer
A DREAM DEFERRED Evanston residents gathered at Alice Millar Chapel for the vigil Monday night in memory of Martin Luther King Jr. The candlelight service was sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
After more than two feet of snow blanketed Evanston in a one-week period earlier this month, the city shelled out more than $400,000 in a complicated cleanup effort. Northwestern faced similar challenges, bringing in extra help and working nearly around the clock to clear the aftermath of the polar vortex from sidewalks, staircases and parking lots. The combined 26.5 inches of snow that fell at the beginning of January represent the area’s second snowiest week ever, according to the National Weather Service. Public Works Director Suzette Robinson said the total was three inches higher than the average annual snowfall for Evanston. Robinson presented a report to City Council last week on the city’s operations during the severe winter weather. The city has budgeted $685,000 to spend on snow-related activities in 2014, Robinson said. The combined costs of the two major storms and other recent inclement weather have left just $165,000 to handle further adverse winter weather, according to city documents. The high cost of snow removal is due largely to equipment rental costs. The snowfall was so heavy that
additional equipment was required to remove snow from downtown and business district areas, Robinson said. The storm also required extra work from cleanup crews, meaning Evanston has spent more than it budgeted for overtime, Robinson added. Snow cleanup is factored into NU’s Facilities Management’s budget, but the department can ask for extra funds in the event of a snowheavy winter, said Steve Camburn, assistant groundskeeper foreman. Crews are still working to clean the leftover snow and ice — though most of the job is complete. The University brought in contractors and called on carpenters and painters to help the 19 full-time grounds services staff remove large amounts of snow and ice. “This one stretched us,” Camburn said. “It was hard on the machines and hard on the guys, but the snow is relatively light. … It’s just the sheer volume of it.” Plows and shovelers began their work while snow was still falling to prevent massive buildup. When the University closed Jan. 6 and 7, Facilities Management staff remained to clear pathways and sidewalks. The snow removal has been especially difficult because freezing temperatures caused the snow to crystallize, meaning salt does not » See CleanUp, page 10
SafeRide expects Concert benefits employees February app launch of burned Davis St. businesses By Paige Leskin
the daily northwestern @paigeleskin
The long wait times that accompany SafeRide services may now be a thing of the past, SafeRide Coordinator Bernard Foster said. At Associated Student Government’s weekly Senate meeting Wednesday, a new smartphone application for Northwestern’s taxi-like transportation service was introduced. Foster said the app aims to make the process of getting a ride easier and faster. “We want to make it more efficient,” Foster said. “It can be a hassle ... to get through to a dispatcher.” The app, called TapRide, was originally developed for the University of Florida. But, with some help from Northwestern University Information Technology, Foster said the app is being designed for NU’s Evanston campus and is slated to launch in early February. Users select pick-up and dropoff locations on a virtual map and TapRide alerts available drivers in the area. Once a driver accepts the request, the app notifies the user. An estimated time of arrival is given, and the user is sent a notification when the driver gets to the pick-up spot.
“There’s so many things that this program can do for us,” Foster said. Through the development stages, SafeRide has designated several riders per night to use the application. So far, Foster said, the results have been positive and promising. McCormick freshman Jake Heggestad, who has never used SafeRide before, said the potential for shorter wait times makes him more likely to use the car service. “I hope that SafeRide will be more reliable,” he said. “I know it’ll be there.” Yet some more seasoned SafeRide users expressed apprehension about the app and its capabilities. McCormick freshman Adam Jalali has often had to wait for long periods of time for SafeRide to pick him and his friends up. He said he doesn’t think that will change even with the introduction of the app. “Everyone’s going to be using (SafeRide) more, so the wait will be even longer,” he said. Foster said even with the new application, the ability to call SafeRide will still be an option for cases in which the application fails or users do not have access to the app. The app will be available to those with Apple and Android phones. paigeleskin2017@u.northwestern.edu
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
By ROSALIE CHAN
the daily northwestern @rosaliech1
At least $12,000 has been raised to support workers who lost their jobs after a massive fire destroyed three Davis Street businesses in December. Local restaurant 27 Live, 1012 Church St., hosted a concert Saturday to benefit the Davis Street Fire Fund. The fire occurred Dec. 29, burning down Pine Yard Restaurant, Taco Diablo and TechniColour Nail & Day I thought since Spa. “I came we were a with neighbor close up the idea by, and we have because I a stage, it would was looking on be a good idea Facebook, to hold a benefit. a n d s o many peoNili Yelin, ple were 27 Live marketing commentdirector ing on how their neighbors lost their livelihoods,” 27 Live marketing director Nili Yelin said. “I thought since we were a neighbor
close by, and we have a stage, it would be a good idea to hold a benefit.” More than 400 people attended the concert, and others who could not attend also donated, Yelin said. The money raised will help pay expenses for worker’s who lost their source of income after the fire. 27 Live worked with Gina Speckman, executive director of Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Dan Kelch, owner
of LuLu’s and Taco Diablo, to host the event. “When I heard the news, I thought it was a devastating thing,” 27 Live owner John Tasiopoulos said. “I knew Dan and how hard he worked. We’re going to do everything we can to support them and help them rebuild.” Various Evanston businesses and » See Fire Benefit, page 10
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Source: Giselle Coindreau on Twitter
FROM THE ASHES A fire destroyed three Davis Street businesses Dec. 29. The Davis Street Fire Fund has raised $12,000 to support employees of the affected businesses.
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