Carbondale Reporter

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to Williamson County, Illinois, on October 7, 2024. The request was made by the Carbondale Reporter, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.

The FOIA request seeks access to the county's logs from January 1, 2024, until October 7, 2024. Specifically, the Carbondale Reporter is asking for details such as the requester's name and organization, the content of the request, the date it was made and completed, and its current status under the FOIA.

As members of the media at Carbondale Reporter, we believe that access to public records is essential in fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.

In other news related to state-wide developments in Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker announced an extensive multi-year program called Rebuild Illinois back in July 2023. This ambitious initiative aims to improve and repair all modes of transportation across Illinois with an investment of over $40 billion spread over six years.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), ten major projects are being planned or implemented in Chicago under this program. A total investment of $396 million has been allocated for these projects aimed at improving safety and mobility on Illinois's roads and bridges. Three out of these ten projects are scheduled for completion in 2024 while the remaining seven are projected for completion between 2025 through 2030.

Furthermore, IDOT has announced an investment of $107 million towards seven projects slated for completion in Kane County under Rebuild Illinois. Central Cook County is also set to benefit from this program with an investment of $220 million towards the construction of roads and bridges across ten projects.