Bridgette Fox

City politics (and a little bit of everything) reporter for Jacksonville, Illinois @jjcnews | likes/rts ≠ endorse

Tips➡️[email protected]

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

An @IDOT_Illinois employee was ticketed after deer carcasses were dumped on the bank of Apple Creek in rural Greene County. He wasn't cited until about a month after the incident, and I was originally told there were no records of a ticket by @IllinoisDNR.
https://t.co/BQ1J65oXjD

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

.@IDOT_Illinois "apologizes for any concern" after employees dump multiple dead deer into a Greene County creek used by farmers.

"We have since removed the animals to be properly disposed and reinforced with our staff not to use this particular location."
https://t.co/akpHgjJPsj

[Chicago Bears @ChicagoBears]

Statement from Chairman George H. McCaskey and President & CEO Kevin Warren:

[Sean Reed @SeanReedPress]

A late-night Springfield roundup:

- The Senate will move both the FY27 Budget and “megaprojects” (Bears Bill) from second to third reading shortly, ensuring both can proceed tomorrow.

- In what some might consider nothing less than holy intervention, Chicago is supposedly back on the menu, according to Sen. Bill Cunningham.

- Not much noise today on housing proposals, such as Pritzker’s BUILD plan. It could become a summer project that comes back in Fall veto session.

- Notably, but not shocking, the Portillos chocolate cake brought in to the press room by the wonderful @B_EmDash_Fox was devoured by some of the nicest and coolest people I could spend my birthday with.

[Sean Reed @SeanReedPress]

BUDGET IS OUT:

It is on ILGA, there is just too much traffic. Refresh until you get it. https://t.co/DYOfZq3Y11

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

@NowickiPress I was just gonna pretend I had rendered you speechless

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

Happy birthday to @SeanReedPress! He’ll probably be stuck in the Capitol all day covering the budget and the Bears, but I think that’s all the more reason to have a little birthday treat. Press are invited to partake, obv

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

@NowickiPress It’s beautiful

[Jerry Nowicki @NowickiPress]

Accidentally got stranded from my people and had to watch this from above. Never noticed how much the press corps moves like a school of fish

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

Jacksonville was going to bury its bicentennial time capsule in the downtown square until a live, unmarked wire was discovered during pre-dig work. People didn't find out about the delay until they showed up for the sealing ceremony. #JaxIL https://t.co/m4rDJQoX0G

[Governor JB Pritzker @GovPritzker]

Join me in congratulating our Huskies!

[Ben Szalinski @BenSzalinski]

Awkward......
This bill is actually sponsored by Republican Rep. Dave Severin.
But maybe some context-- Severin has survived challenges from the right for not being conservative enough https://t.co/8KYvCVnD3M

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

I’m so grateful to have my Healing Illinois 2025 Native American Advocacy Series nominated as a finalist for @headlineclub’s Peter Lisagor award for best feature news reporting series! It means so much to me.

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

@JeremyGorner Congrats to you guys! Well deserved

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

1.) The "play me out" soundtrack is 10/10
2.) I have continuously tried my damnedest to convince @skylerkisellus to stick with journalism after graduation (though I respect his choice)
3.) I'm not crying, you are

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

ICYMI: An 88-year-old retired Jacksonville superintendent and recipient of the Library of Congress Award for Children's Literature was arrested Friday on child pornography charges. #JaxIL
https://t.co/pdCc8J2koS

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

Jacksonville will begin Phase 1 of its 10-phase plan in the coming weeks to replace its lead service lines.

City officials estimated there are about 3,759 lead service lines in town. #jaxIL
https://t.co/ugSmHUIkjW

[Jeremy Gorner @JeremyGorner]

Illinois House Speaker Welch cites due process and victims' rights for his silence over embattled lawmaker https://t.co/lRariRrOcd

[Ben Szalinski @BenSzalinski]

Illinois House passes an amendment to rewrite the state’s redistricting laws. @SpeakerWelchIL introduced the amendment fearing SCOTUS will eliminate Sec. 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
It now goes to the Senate but will be up to voters

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

My editor does, in fact, know our readers. #JaxIL

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

In rural places like west-central Illinois, lots of people still listen to radio. Every time I go to the county clerk's office, someone usually has WLDS playing at their desk. When I tell people I'm a reporter, they ask if I'm either with the radio or the Journal-Courier.

[Bridgette Fox @B_EmDash_Fox]

Jacksonville radio station WLDS has let go four staff and said it will be a "one man news operation." It's also cutting its 6:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 4:30 p.m. and weekend FM news blocks.

Owner Gary Scott cites a drop in ad revenue and the loss of CBS News radio for the changes.