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June 02, 2026

What began as an attempt to formally censure Fifth Ward Alderwoman Cecelia Stacy quickly evolved into one of the most explosive and revealing Freeport City Council meetings in recent memory. Packed chambers, heavy police presence, accusations of intimidation, emotional public testimony, debates over race and professionalism, and a failed vote exposed deepening fractures inside Freeport City Hall — and left many residents questioning who local government is truly serving.

June 03, 2026

After publicly claiming that Juneteenth supporters are "destroying the community," Lena resident Korey Merkel became the center of a heated social media controversy involving racial and homophobic comments directed at Fighting4Freeport Chairman Joshua T. Atkinson. A review of more than twenty years of publicly available court records reveals a history of felony convictions, misdemeanor convictions, jail and prison sentences, probation violations, court-ordered treatment programs, and a recent Order of Protection. The findings raise an important question: Who is really destroying the community?

June 04, 2026

Leadership. Transparency. Integrity. Public Trust.

For two weeks, Freeport Township officials lectured the public on each of these values while simultaneously attempting to wash their hands of any responsibility for Freeport's growing sex offender crisis. Then, because Fighting4Freeport asked a simple question — How many registered sex offenders are receiving Township assistance, and how much taxpayer money is being distributed to them? — taxpayers were treated to a political production of explanations, excuses, delays, extension requests, and claims that the answer was simply too burdensome to provide.

Fourteen days later, taxpayers have received lectures on transparency.

They are still waiting for transparency itself.

June 05, 2026

Freeport residents could soon face a 67% increase in ambulance transport fees under a proposal headed to the City Council. But the bigger question may be why City Hall never implemented the smaller annual increases already authorized by ordinance. Fighting4Freeport examines the proposed rate hikes, the $755,550 already transferred from ambulance revenue into the General Fund, and how much residents might be paying today had the city followed its own policy.

June 10, 2026

Most Freeport residents have likely heard fireworks throughout the city every Fourth of July. But according to Freeport's municipal code—and confirmation from the City Clerk's Office—setting off fireworks within city limits is illegal unless part of an approved public display. As Independence Day approaches, Fighting4Freeport takes a closer look at the ordinance, the history of fireworks in America, and the confusion surrounding a law many residents never knew existed.

On May 20, 2026, Fighting4Freeport submitted a FOIA request seeking a simple answer: How many Township assistance recipients have felony convictions or are listed on the Illinois Sex Offender Registry, and how much taxpayer money is being distributed through those programs? What followed was a series of responses that raised more questions than answers, leaving taxpayers to wonder whether Freeport Township is being transparent—or whether it even knows where our tax dollars are going.

Juneteenth commemorates the day freedom finally reached thousands of enslaved Americans in Texas more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. More than a Black holiday, Juneteenth is an American holiday—a celebration of liberty, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union. Understanding its history helps us better appreciate the freedoms we enjoy today and the responsibilities that come with them.