NW Illinois News

State Representative Bradley Fritts announced the postponement of the Senior Health Fair in DeKalb following a threat against Representative Jeff Keicher. "Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances outside of our control have led us to the determination that the best decision is to postpone tomorrow’s Senior Health Fair and reschedule the Fair for a future date," Fritts stated in a July 17 Facebook post.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, the annual Senior Health Fair is being postponed and rescheduled to a future date," said Bradley Fritz, according to Facebook. "Our goal as legislators is always to provide the best services possible to our constituents. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances outside of our control have led us to the determination that the best decision is to postpone tomorrow's Senior Health Fair and reschedule the Fair for a future date. We did not make this decision lightly, but we feel it is the best decision to ensure we provide the best services to our constituents."

Forrest R. Brandon, 58, of DeKalb was arrested on July 18 after allegedly leaving a phone message at the office of State Representative Jeff Keicher. According to the Daily Herald, Brandon questioned what was happening at DeKalb High School that Keicher was hosting and said, "Maybe I might assassinate you, I may. Not saying I will. Just saying I may." The message included an expletive about Republicans. As of July 19, Brandon was lodged in the DeKalb County Jail with a bond hearing set for July 20.

Screenshot of Rep. Bradley Fritts' July 17 Facebook post | State Representative Bradley Fritts Facebook page

The event in question is an annual Senior Health Fair hosted by Senator Sue Rezin, Senator Dave Syverson, and Representatives Tony McCombie, Bradley Fritts, and Jeff Keicher. According to a news release from Fritts' office, the event brings together various local organizations providing services for senior citizens and includes health services such as vaccinations and blood pressure checks.

Legislators involved in the event released a joint statement following the incident: "Our goal as legislators is always to provide the best services possible to our constituents. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances outside of our control have led us to the determination that the best decision is to postpone tomorrow’s Senior Health Fair and reschedule the Fair for a future date. We did not make this decision lightly, but we feel it is the best decision to ensure we provide the best services to our constituents. We apologize for any inconvenience to those who planned to attend the Fair tomorrow," they wrote in a July 17 news release from Fritts’ website.

Bradley Fritts is the State Representative for District 74 and took office in January 2023. He is a lifelong resident of Illinois; when he’s not in Springfield, he works as a substitute teacher and farms with his family. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and consumer economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.