SkokieNews - New mural, pumpkin composting, and more!

The latest news from the Village of Skokie

October 31, 2023

Happy Halloween, Skokie!

Official Skokie trick-or-treat hours are today, Tuesday, October 31, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Bundle up – the forecast is downright frightening!

Tips for households: Homes participating in trick-or-treat are encouraged to turn their porch lights on to let trick-or-treaters know they’re open for business! Homes not participating are encouraged to turn their porch lights off and/or post signage (PDF).

Tips for trick-or-treaters: View these safety tips before you leave home. Please don’t trick-or-treat outside of official hours (3 p.m. to 8 p.m.) or ring bells of homes with porch lights turned off. The IDPH offers additional tips for a safe Halloween.

Got Leftover Candy Wrappers?

Between parties and trick-or-treating, Halloween creates a scary amount of candy and snack packaging waste.

How to recycle wrappers: The Village has placed a candy wrapper recycling box from TerraCycle at Kneads and Wants Bakery, 8042 Lincoln Ave. Once you finish treating yourself, stop by during business hours through November 11 and deposit your candy wrappers in the drop-off box.

Note: Candy wrappers cannot be recycled through the Village’s curbside recycling program. Please keep them out of your recycling bin.

Help us Smash our Pumpkin Record!

This Halloween season, give your pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns an afterlife…as compost!

Bring them to Oakton Street and Floral Avenue this Sunday, November 5, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., for the Village’s annual composting event. View pumpkin composting guidelines.

Fall Back this Sunday

Daylight Saving Time ends this Sunday, November 5 at 2 a.m.

Turn back the clock: Set your clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday and enjoy an extra hour of sleep!

Change detector batteries: When you change your clocks, also change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. A few minutes could save your life.

Final Farmers’ Market of the Season this Sunday

Stock up on your fall favorites and celebrate the end of another wonderful Farmers’ Market season this Sunday! The Market takes place next to Village Hall, 5127 Oakton St. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

https://youtu.be/Jj0OtX8K8G4?si=fc47ik8y4BmdwHbw

A Dynamic New Mural In Skokie!

Skokie artist Jay Ryan is putting the finishing touches on a dynamic new mural at Sketchbook Brewing made possible by the Village’s Public Arts Advisory Commission!

See it for yourself: Stop by Sketchbook for Art in the Alley this Sunday, November 5, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy a screen-printing demo and take part in an area litter cleanup.

Get a sneak peek: Jay Ryan shared the inspiration and process for creating the mural in a short video.

Niles Center Road Closed at CTA Tracks, November 2-11

Niles Center Road will be closed to all through traffic from Main to Dempster Streets beginning this Thursday, November 2 through Saturday, November 11 as the CTA completes railroad crossing maintenance work. Only local traffic will be permitted.

Work will take place on weekdays and weekends, with the potential for round-the-clock work as needed. The CTA will work to minimize inconveniences. View travel and neighborhood impacts.

‘Boomers and Beyond’ Resource Fair this Friday

Join the Village’s Commission on Family Services for the Boomers and Beyond Community Resource Fair this Friday, November 3 at Oakton Park.

What to expect: Receive information and expert advice about local resources, community-based programs, state and federal benefits, fitness and nutrition, legal assistance, financial products, lifelong education, senior housing, assistive devices and more. Health screenings will also be offered.

Four Firefighters Complete Paramedic Program

Did you know: All Skokie firefighters also train to become paramedics. Why? The Skokie Fire Department responds to nearly 11,000 calls annually, and approximately 65 percent of those calls are to provide emergency medical service.

Congratulations to Skokie firefighters Alex Berton, Nicholas Fontana, Connor Maloney, and Ray Roybskie, who graduated from the St. Francis Hospital Paramedic Program last week!

Your Safety Is Our Priority

The Village’s Public Safety Consortium came together last week for its regular quarterly meeting. During these sessions, representatives from all Village departments share updates, review emergency procedures, and walk through a fictional scenario to assess the Village's ability to respond and plan improvements.

Why it’s important: Exercises like these ensure that the Village will be prepared to assist our residents whenever the need may arise.

Village Offers Support Resources

In response to the ongoing international crises, the Village of Skokie Health and Human Services Department is committed to providing support to its residents, focusing on social and mental well-being during these challenging times. View a list of resources.

Diaper Donation Drive, November 4-10

The Village’s Commission on Family Services is hosting a donation drive, November 4-10, to collect one of the most requested items for families: diapers. All donations will benefit the Niles Township Food Pantry, which serves local families in need. View ways to donate.

Recognizing Excellence in Skokie

Submit Artistic Excellence Award Nominations

As Skokie Arts and Humanities Month draws to a close, the Fine Arts Commission invites you to nominate an individual Skokie artist or arts group for the 2023 Artistic Excellence Awards! Submit nominations by 5 p.m. on December 8.

Submit Technology Excellence Award Nominations

Know an organization or individual who contributes superb service to the Skokie community through access to technological resources, high-quality teaching or learning opportunities, or efforts that help community members navigate or move further into the 21st century? Nominate them for the Skokie Telecommunications & Technology Commission’s new Technology Excellence Award! Nominations are due by December 15.

Make an Appointment with a Health Care Counselor

Need help selecting the best Medicare Part D option? Starting November 1, call the Skokie Public Library at 847-673-7774 to make an appointment with a health care counselor from the Village’s Health and Human Services Department, Congresswoman Schakowsky's office, and North Shore Senior Center.

The Lowdown on Leaves

The final day for weekly bagged yard waste collection is this Wednesday, November 1.

Where to leave leaves: Instead of bagging leaves in landscape bags, residents can rake leaves into the street next to the curb in front of their home. Crews will collect leaves throughout Skokie every five to seven days, as weather permits, through early December. Review fall leaf collection guidelines.

Another option: Leaf Them Alone. Did you know that fallen leaves can help improve soil quality and provide nutrients to landscaping and lawns? Try raking a few inches of leaves into your landscape beds, or mulch leaves into your lawn.