Ex-pastor arrested, accused of church fraud

Good Wednesday morning, Evanston.

Above, Ruth Foreman's family gathers in front of a new mural Honoring Evanston Women that was dedicated to Saturday. According to son Rich Foreman (left), Foreman helped more than 200 relatives emigrate from Jamaica to the United States. “She wanted people to experience a better life,” he said. (Photos and story by Richard Cahan, plus Read more about all 111 women named on the wall.)

Ex-pastor arrested: The former pastor of Springfield Missionary Baptist Church, 1801 Emerson St., was arrested Tuesday. Emmitt Williams III is from Olympia Fields accused of defrauding the church among other things, by taking out unauthorized loans on his property. He was fired as pastor of the church in January. Evanston Police Chief Ryan Glew said Williams turned himself in, was arraigned at the Skokie courthouse and released pending his second court appearance this afternoon.

ERT investigates: A resident contacted the RoundTable Maintenance concerns of the Merrick Rose Garden on Lake Street – and we investigated. City spokeswoman Cynthia Vargas acknowledged that both the weather and staff shortages may have impacted the garden, which is looking better after recent rains. Meanwhile, the Levy Senior Center's Rothschild Gardens, which also needed some TLC, were spruced up. The Levy Senior Center Foundation, in collaboration with the city, Nature's Perspective and the Garden Club of Evanston, created a plan to renovate and take over garden maintenance.

More RoundTable Readings

New city property: The City of Evanston has received the deed for an abandoned building (2221 Keeney Ave., above); Now it has to decide what to do with it. At a Ninth District meeting Monday, Councilman Juan Geracaris said ideas include a commercial kitchen for the group Evanston Latinos, a Reprise Coffee Roasters location, an equipment warehouse for landscaping companies or a mechanic shop.

MashUp 2024: The Evanston Chamber of Commerce Signature event brought hundreds of Evanston colleagues and professionals to the Autobarn on Tuesday to chat, chat and eat, Carrie Jackson reports. See who made the scene using the photos by Heidi Randhava and Jörg Metzner.

Keeping art public: Haven Middle School graduates Gay Riseborough (above left) and Paula Danoff arranged a special tour to view the art, including WPA murals, on display at their old school and at Oakton Elementary. “We want the public to see and enjoy this art before it is lost like so much else,” Riseborough writes.