Legislative Updates from Rep. Fritts

I had the honor of presenting my 2023-2024 Educator of the Year award to Ben Snow, a middle school social studies teacher at Challand Middle School in Sterling. The Educator of the Year is a new annual award that asks all local school districts to nominate exceptional teachers who go above and beyond for their students. 

After careful consideration of all nominees, Mr. Snow stood out for his remarkable dedication, innovation, and mentorship in his role as a middle school social studies teacher. I am grateful for Mr. Snow’s commitment to education and his positive influence on our students and community.

In the wake of the negative climate surrounding public education, I am truly excited to recognize one of the best educators our district has to offer. There are so many excellent teachers within our communities who give their all to enriching the education of their students. This new annual award will shine some light on the educators who deserve to be recognized for all they do. I look forward to continuing this award and highlighting more amazing educators in the future.

My main priority as a State Representative is to advocate for the people I represent. That is why I spent my summer completing my second annual Summer Tour. This year, I made 42 stops across District 74, consisting of traveling office hours, coffee & conversation events, local business tours, and more. 

From business owners to community leaders to educators and everyone in between, I am proud to have spent my summer engaging with the incredible people who make up this district. All of the feedback I received will help guide my legislative efforts when I return to Springfield next spring.

Thank you to everyone who came out to speak with me this summer and attended one of the events! It is an honor to serve you!

For a full list of events, click here.

I am excited to offer an upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Collection Drive, alongside House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, Sauk Valley Community College, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

Join us on Saturday, October 26th from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Sauk Valley Community College, located at 173 IL-2 N in Dixon. I encourage residents to come out and utilize this free service that will make our community safer!

Reservations are required and can be made by clicking here. For more information, including a list of accepted items, visit my website at RepFritts.com.

I had the chance to visit the ADM campus in Clinton, Iowa, alongside some of my fellow legislators and new friends from the Iowa General Assembly! 53% of the corn processed here comes right from our own corn farmers in Illinois. Such a cool experience to learn more about their work and chat with other state legislators about their efforts to make a difference in Iowa!

Thanks to the Lee County Farm Bureau for welcoming me to your legislative breakfast! I took this opportunity to discuss agricultural legislative updates in Springfield and to catch up with some of my fellow local farmers.

I recently stopped by the Sterling Fire Department to talk with the mayor, fire chief, deputy fire chief, and the firefighters on duty about how I can help them. We discussed the need for increased recruitment and retention, which is a concerning issue for fire departments statewide. Thank you all for your service to our community!

My office hosted a Hunter Safety Course to educate constituents on how they can remain safe this hunting season. I want to extend a special thank you to our volunteer instructor Sergeant John Kaltenbach for hosting this event and offer my congratulations on retirement after 21 years at the Rochelle Police Department!

I had the honor of attending and speaking at the Patriot Day Commemoration at Steward Elementary School. I was able to share more about what patriotism and civic engagement mean to me and how Americans of all ages can do more for our communities. Thanks to Steward Elementary for inviting me to this event!

I had the chance to see Big Boy 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, as it came through Sterling on its Heartland of America tour. It was such a fun event with great turnout from our community!

Thanks to my staff for attending the ice cream social hosted by Heritage Square in Dixon. I’m pleased to see such great turnout for one of our best retirement living communities in the area!

I was thrilled to attend the recent groundbreaking ceremony for a new water tower and well in the Village of Lee! This is a much-needed upgrade that will improve the water supply for residents in the area.

The United Way of Whiteside County recently hosted their annual community awards ceremony. Did you know that in 2023, United Way of Whiteside County served over 25,000 individuals in need? Thank you to the people who make this possible, our community is truly so grateful for the work you do!

Congratulations to Grit & Grace Fitness in Dixon on your grand opening! We are so thrilled to welcome you to the community.

Click here to visit my website. There you can contact my office, see what legislation I am working on, and more.

Click here to “like” me on Facebook for more frequent updates.

I will continue to update you via this e-newsletter to keep you up to date on my efforts to pass bills in Springfield and serve you in the district.

Talk to you soon,

State Representative Bradley J. Fritts

District 74