Rod Lane, executive director of Helping Hands, says the lack of a state budget threatens the homeless shelter’s existence. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE At least one homeless shelter in Springfield is facing cuts as the state budget impasse drags on. Helping Hands of Springfield is one of more than 100 anti-homelessness groups across the state […]
Patrick Yeagle
Patrick Yeagle started writing for Illinois Times in September 2009. Originally from Farmer City, Ill., he graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in political science and a second major in journalism. He then graduated from the University of Illinois-Springfield in 2009 with a Master's degree from the Public Affairs Reporting program. In addition to Illinois Times, his work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, the Peoria Journal-Star, the Northern Star, the Parkland Prospectus and other publications. Yeagle writes about state government, the environment, energy, healthcare, elections, education, community issues, and more. He enjoys taking photos of news events, cityscapes, very small objects and wildlife. He enjoys running and has completed a marathon, three half-marathons, a 198-mile relay race and several shorter races. Other hobbies include cooking, gardening, making music and outdoor activities.
Posted inNews
Sweetening the deal?
Call it a case of a rogue advertiser: An Illinois business group is bewildered after an unknown someone paid Internet users to sign their petition against a proposed tax on sugary drinks. The Illinois Coalition Against Beverage Taxes says it didn’t have anything to do with paid petition signatures solicited through a popular rewards website […]
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Health insurance rates could jump in 2016
Some consumers may pay significantly higher health insurance premiums in 2016 if insurers in Illinois get their way. At least 14 plans on the Illinois health insurance exchange could see double-digit rate hikes next year, some in excess of 30 percent. While the federal health insurance reforms known as “Obamacare” give federal and state governments […]
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A kinder, gentler juvenile justice system
Nine years after splitting from its parent agency, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice continues to struggle at fulfilling its mission. However, a new action plan released earlier this year seems to be pushing the agency in the right direction. The plan calls for both legislative and procedural changes that would see fewer young people […]
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Balancing school books
Diamond Jackson, the student member of the Springfield school board. Photo by Patrick Yeagle. It’s only the fourth day of the school year in Springfield Public School District 186, but already Teresa Holton has her AP literature and composition students at Southeast High School reading Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, a challenging book in many ways. […]
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Early prisoner release saved Illinois $11 million since 2013
Illinois’ early prisoner release program saved the state more than $11 million in the past two years, according to data from the Illinois Department of Corrections. These savings come as a state panel works to reduce Illinois’ prison costs by reforming the correctional system. During the state’s 2015 fiscal year, which ended on June 30, […]
Posted inOpinion
“Mr. Robot” a thought-provoking, harrowing ride
Rami Malek is Elliot Anderson in “Mr. Robot.” Photo courtesy USA Network Who hasn’t dreamed of exacting revenge against an evil so obtrusive and dominating that it seems untouchable? That’s the driving force behind “Mr. Robot,” a new show that premiered on USA Network in May. The season finale is scheduled for tonight, after […]
Posted inOpinion
REEL BIG FISHES
Jacob Branham (left) and John Bowling Jr. (right) There are monsters in Lake Springfield. Just ask John Bowling Jr. of Springfield and Jacob Branham of Chatham. On April 22, they pulled a 21.3-pound catfish out of the lake to win the 6th Annual John Montgomery Memorial Catfish Tournament held by the Downtown Rotary Club of […]
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New rail ombudsman to oversee land acquisition
The Carpenter Street underpass is the first piece of the rail consolidation project, with construction on two additional underpasses slated to begin in summer 2016. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Landowners along the 10th Street rail corridor have a new ally when it comes to sacrificing their property for the rail relocation project. Eve Blackwell-Lewis of […]
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Rauner wants to cut home services for 34,000
Gov. Bruce Rauner PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE A proposal to save the state money on independent living services could mean dire consequences for as many as 34,000 people. Gov. Bruce Rauner wants to decrease the number of people in Illinois who receive in-home care, a move disability advocates say could put people on the street. […]
Posted inOpinion
Will the REAL Pat Yeagle please stand up?
On Aug. 10, the Illinois State Fair Museum Foundation announced the winners of its “Illinoisan of the Day” promotion, honoring people around the state who have made contributions to Illinois through “service activities, educational projects, and/or youth programs supporting agriculture; and have an affiliation with state and/or county fairs in Illinois and show their true […]
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Steady progress on criminal justice reform
Illinois could save millions of dollars annually by implementing reforms to the criminal justice system, according to a new report from a conservative think tank. Meanwhile, the state’s criminal justice reform group is working out the details of making changes, which aren’t always as simple as they seem. In February, Gov. Bruce Rauner created the […]
