Fighting4Freeport

06/05/2026

💡 MORE STREET LIGHTS MAY BE COMING TO FREEPORT

At Monday night's Committee of the Whole meeting, Alderpersons 5th Ward Alderwoman Cecelia Stacy and Rachael Simmons are asking the City Council to revisit a second list of street lighting locations identified as potential public safety concerns.

Many residents may remember that Alderwoman Stacy led the effort last year to install additional street lighting in portions of Freeport's east side after concerns were raised about crime, visibility, and neighborhood safety.

Now comes the obvious question:

Did it work?
Have crime rates decreased in those immediate areas?
Do residents feel safer walking and driving those streets at night?
Have police officers seen any benefit from the additional lighting?

Those are important questions because if those lights proved successful, then the argument for expanding the initiative becomes much stronger.

If improved lighting helps deter crime, improves visibility, and makes residents and officers safer, then absolutely move forward.

If it did not, taxpayers deserve to know that as well before investing additional money.

Residents may also remember the political battle surrounding the issue last year.

During those discussions, Mayor Jodi Miller publicly argued that she did not want to move forward with installing only a handful of lights on the eastside unless additional lights were also installed on the westside.

That debate ultimately raised larger questions about whether public safety investments should be prioritized based on need, crime data, and police recommendations—or whether resources should be distributed equally throughout the city regardless of where the need is greatest.

Monday's discussion may provide an opportunity to revisit those questions.

💡 If the first lights worked, should the city expand the program?

💡 If they didn't, what lessons should the city learn before expanding the program?

💡 And most importantly, what do the residents living in those neighborhoods think?

We will be watching.

We will be watching to see whether City of Freeport IL - City Hall comes prepared with the updated list of locations.

We will be watching to see whether a funding plan is presented.

We will be watching to see whether the Police Chief provides any assessment of whether the first round of lighting improvements improved public safety.

And after more than two years of Alderwomen Stacy and Simmons pushing this issue, we will be watching to see whether City Hall comes prepared with answers—or simply more delays.

06/05/2026

🚑 FROM $1,200 TO $2,000

That's what Freeport residents could soon pay for an ambulance transport under a proposal headed to City Council.

But that's not the most shocking thing we found.

Buried inside the agenda packet was a detail that raises a much bigger question:

How did City Hall allow this situation to happen in the first place?

After reviewing the documents, we discovered something that completely changes the conversation surrounding this proposed 67% increase.

We also uncovered:

💰 How much ambulance revenue the city collected last year.

💰 How much of that money was transferred into the General Fund.

💰 What residents would likely be paying today had City Hall followed its own policy.

And one question City Hall still cannot answer.

Before Monday's meeting, residents should know the facts.

📖 Read the full story at Fighting4Freeport.com

🔗 Link in the comments.

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

THE TRAVEONTAYE BERRY INVESTIGATION | D2026TB-02

On June 17, Traveontaye Berry returns to court.

Before we can understand what happens next, we need to understand the rules that governed what happened thirteen years ago.

What does a fair trial actually mean?

What is the burden of proof?

What does "beyond a reasonable doubt" really require?

And why is Berry back in court after all these years?

Part 2: The Rules of Justice examines the legal principles that shaped the original trial and continue to shape the case today.

Because confidence in the outcome depends on confidence in the process.

⚖️ Why Fair Trials Matter in Illinois Murder Cases

Read now at

What does a fair trial actually mean? Explore the presumption of innocence, burden of proof, reasonable doubt, jury responsibility, and post-conviction relief through the lens of the Traveontaye Berry case and the upcoming June 17, 2026 hearing.

06/05/2026

🔓 FROM THE F4F ARCHIVES

Two months ago, F4F Insiders were already reading about a proposal from State Representative John M. Cabelloo that would require greater transparency when utility rate decisions could lead to job losses.

Now, that article is available to everyone.

When regulators make decisions that affect utility rates, should the public also know how those decisions might impact local jobs?

That's the question behind HB1020.

Whether you agree with the bill or not, understanding how legislation could affect your wallet, your community, and your local economy matters.

📖 Read the full article now on Fighting4Freeport.com

⭐ Want the facts when we get them—not months later?

Become an F4F Insider today and get immediate access to exclusive articles, investigations, analysis, special offers, giveaways, and more.

Use Promo Code: SUMMER26 for your FREE 30-day trial.

Because by the time everyone else is reading it...

Our Insiders are already discussing it.

An in-depth look at Illinois House Bill 1020, which would require the Illinois Commerce Commission to disclose potential job losses tied to utility rate decisions, and what it could mean for transparency and local communities.

06/05/2026

🚨 MAY WAS ANOTHER HUGE MONTH! 🚨

Just under two years ago, Fighting4Freeport was little more than an idea.

Today, because of YOU, it has become one of the most-read independent sources of local news, information, and accountability in Northwest Illinois.

In the month of May alone, Fighting4Freeport generated:

📈 Over 700,000 Facebook Views
👥 Grew to More Than 3,700 Followers

Every view, share, comment, message, tip, and subscription helps us continue our mission:

✅ Asking questions others won't ask
✅ Following the money
✅ Covering the meetings
✅ Filing FOIA requests
✅ Holding elected officials accountable
✅ Giving our community the information it deserves

For nearly two years, Fighting4Freeport has operated on a simple principle:

Facts over rumors.
Facts over advertisers.
Facts over politics.

Those 700,000 views aren't just numbers.

They represent hundreds of thousands of moments where someone chose to become more informed about their community.

They represent a growing demand for transparency, accountability, and honest conversations about the issues affecting Freeport, Stephenson County, and Northwest Illinois.

Most importantly, they represent a community that refuses to stop paying attention.

Whether you accept the facts, take issue with them, subscribe, share our content, send us tips, challenge our conclusions, or simply stop scrolling long enough to read what we publish, you have helped make Fighting4Freeport what it is today.

To everyone who has joined us on this journey:

Thank you.

Thank you for your trust.

Thank you for your support.

Thank you for helping prove that local issues still matters.

🔥 The fight continues.

06/05/2026

🎡 ONE YEAR AGO TODAY… 🎡

On June 5, 2025, Fighting4Freeport published one of the most controversial articles of the summer after allegations surfaced that a resolution connected to Tutty Baker Fest had been quietly placed into the City Council consent agenda without separate public discussion.

At the center of the controversy were concerns about transparency, conflicts of interest, use of taxpayer resources, and the relationship between the City of Freeport and Freeport Festivals Inc. — an organization closely associated with Mayor Jodi Miller.

The article reflected growing frustration among some residents who believed major decisions involving public resources, city staffing, and festival-related support deserved open discussion rather than being bundled into routine agenda approvals.

Supporters of the event argued Tutty Baker Fest had become an important community tradition that brought entertainment, tourism, and economic activity into Freeport.

Critics questioned whether the public had enough transparency regarding the city’s involvement, financial support, and use of municipal resources connected to the festival.

One year later, the larger debate still feels familiar:

Where should communities draw the line between supporting local events and ensuring full public accountability when taxpayer resources are involved? 🎪🏛️

As part of our growing 2025 archive collection available without a subscription, we are reposting this article for residents to revisit and reflect on one year later.

Because regardless of political opinion, most residents would likely agree on one thing — important public decisions should never feel hidden from the public.

👉 Looking back one year later, do you believe Freeport residents receive enough transparency regarding how city resources are used to support local festivals, events, and private organizations?

A controversial Tutty Baker Fest permit tied to Mayor Jodi Miller’s Freeport Festivals Inc. was quietly approved through Freeport City Council’s consent agenda, sparking accusations of political favoritism, misuse of taxpayer resources, and a lack of government transparency.

06/05/2026

If you know you know!
So proud of his racism, he changed his picture.