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January 6, 2026

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Greetings Ivan! 

Here’s what you need to know this week:

⌛ ICYMI: 2025 is in the rear view – relive the highlights in our Skokie sing-along.

🌳 What’s that buzz: Routine parkway tree pruning is underway at locations throughout Skokie.

❄️ Outdoor chores: Need help with seasonal work, such as shoveling or raking? Learn about the Village’s TeenLink program.

Winter Market on Main. (Photo by Joerg Metzner Photography.)

Find your favorite Skokie Farmers’ Market vendors at the Winter Market On Main! 

Food and fun: The popular indoor/outdoor market returns this Sunday with an expanded lineup of 40 vendors at two locations – 4051 Main St. (The Storefront) and 4022 Main St. (Soul Good Coffee). Live music and s’mores start at 10 a.m.

Mark your calendar: The market will take place on select Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:

We’ll see you at the Market!

Pictured (clockwise from left): Joe Folise, Mayor Ann Tennes, Fine Arts Commission Chair Ellen Blum Barish and Peter Seman; canine nominee Nosi with Mayor Tennes and Desi Thorne; and Doris Liberman and Mayor Tennes.

On January 5, the Village Board recognized recipients of the Fine Arts Commission’s annual Awards for Artistic Excellence, honoring individuals and organizations that enrich Skokie through the arts.

Individual Award: Joe Folise, an artist and former Village employee, was honored for shaping Skokie’s visual identity. His work includes the Skokie Spirit stained glass window at Village Hall, the Village seal mosaic in Council Chambers, and contributions to the Skokie Sculpture Park.

Group Award: Seman Violins received the group award for its craftsmanship and community engagement. The Skokie-based shop, led by graduates of the Chicago School of Violin Making in Skokie, also hosts concerts in its state-of-the-art performance space.

The evening featured a special cameo by Nosi, the Village’s first canine nominee, fresh off her role as Sandy in a production by Music Theater Works. 

The Commission also named Doris Liberman as Commissioner Emerita, honoring her continued service and commitment to community involvement. Doris was kind enough to share her secret to success and fulfillment at the age of 97: “Participate in your community.”

Pictured from left: Chief Jesse Barnes, Deputy Chief John Oakley, Officer Michael Bauer, Officer Kaylan Acosta, Officer Keilee Tondryk, Officer Carlos Armas and Deputy Chief Denise Franklin

At the January 5, 2026 meeting, the Village Board:

Watch a recording of the meeting for a discussion of these items and more.

On Monday evening, the Village Board approved a Downtown TIF Rehab Program Grant for the buildout of 5118 Oakton St. as the future home of Hummingbird Hideaway restaurant, an acai bowl concept. 

The vision: The new restaurant, which plans to open in the Highpoint at 8000 North building, will offer nourishment to lift the spirit and fuel the body, building connections and inspiring mindful choices.

TIF Grants funds are provided on a rebate basis upon completion of the work and operation of the new business.

We look forward to welcoming this new business to Downtown Skokie.

Photo by Joerg Metzner Photography

Flu, RSV and COVID-19 activity has increased following the holiday season, with emergency room visits and hospital admissions rising sharply.

Protect yourself by: 

Get a free flu shot. Skokie Health and Human Services is offering free immunizations for Skokie community members every Wednesday in January at Village Hall (5127 Oakton St., lower level), from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. No appointment required; walk-ins welcome. For appointments outside these times, call 847-933-8252.

COVID-19 and RSV vaccines are also available for eligible residents through the Vaccines for Children and Adult Immunization Program. 

As you reset your home after the holidays, the Village is offering the following services to help you clean up and dispose of items responsibly.

CHRISTMAS TREE PICKUP

Public Works crews will continue to pick up Christmas trees through January 16. Pick-ups are made weather permitting and not on a precise schedule. Please follow these guidelines:

Trees will be chipped and turned into mulch.

BAGGED LEAF PICKUP

Public Works crews will continue to pick up bagged leaves through January 16. Pick-ups are made weather permitting and not on a precise schedule. Please follow these guidelines:

Alternatively, consider raking leaves into your landscape beds and around trees to improve soil health.

HOLIDAY STRING LIGHTING

Through Saturday, January 31, you can drop off holiday lights in the container located outside the Skokie Public Works main entrance at 9050 Gross Point Rd. Drop-offs are available 24/7. 

Accepted materials include mini-lights, C7 and C9 lights, rope lights, LED lights and extension cords. No other decorations are accepted.

ELECTRONICS AND PAPER SHREDDING, JANUARY 31

The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) will hold a winter document destruction and electronics recycling event at its Glenview Transfer Station, located at 3 Providence Way in Des Plaines, on Saturday, January 31, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Have you ever wondered how much of your personal information is being collected every time you click, tap or scroll?

Join the STAT Commission this Saturday, January 10 at 3 p.m. at Skokie Public Library (Radmacher Room), to learn how companies and data brokers compile everything from your browsing habits to your device details—transforming everyday consumers into one of the world’s most valuable products. Register in advance.

What you’ll learn: Explore the benefits, the risks, and what evolving privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA mean for your rights in the digital age. You’ll also learn simple, practical steps you can take right now to protect your privacy and regain control over your digital footprint.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

PUBLIC MEETINGS