Southern Illinois News

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to Alexander County on October 7, 2024. The request was made by Southern Illinois News, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.

The FOIA request seeks records of all FOIA logs sent to the county from January 1, 2024, until October 7, 2024. The specific fields requested include the requester's name and organization, the content of the request, the date of the request and its completion date, as well as the status of the FOIA.

At Southern Illinois News, we believe that access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. As members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.

In related news, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced in July 2023 an extensive multi-year program called Rebuild Illinois aimed at improving and repairing all modes of transportation. Governor JB Pritzker stated that over $40 billion would be invested over six years into bettering roads and bridges, modernizing transit and aviation systems, and expanding passenger rail service.

Rebuild Illinois has planned or implemented ten major projects in Chicago alone with an investment of $396 million. Three projects are scheduled for completion in 2024 while seven others will span from 2025 through 2030. Additionally, Kane County will see seven projects worth $107 million under this program. Central Cook County will also benefit from this initiative with an investment of $220 million towards ten projects for constructing roads and bridges.