PHOTO BY RANDALL HILL/TNS You can find them in gas stations, golf courses, restaurants, liquor stores and even a TV repair shop. More than 19,000 video gambling machines had spread across the state by the end of 2014, turning thousands of businesses and other establishments into what one lawmaker calls “mini casinos.” Now, he’s trying […]
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.
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Rising child poverty makes it a bad time for budget cuts
PHOTO BY Sharon Gekoski-Kimmel/TNS One in four children in Sangamon County lives in poverty, according to one group warning of dire consequences if Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed budget cuts are implemented. On March 5, Voices for Illinois Children released its annual Illinois Kids Count report, detailing a sharp increase in poverty among families with […]
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Pension tension
The Illinois Supreme Court will hear arguments on a lawsuit over public pension benefits next week, bringing to a head fundamental disagreements over the rights conferred by Illinois’ constitution and whether an emergency justifies overriding the constitution. If state employees and retirees are successful, they’ll see a law which undisputedly reduces the value of their […]
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Menard County board says ‘no’ to hog farm
The Menard County Board of Commissioners voted not to recommend approval of a proposed hog farm near Petersburg on Tuesday night. The recommendation is nonbinding, however, and the farm may still be approved by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The county board’s decision comes after a contentious eight-hour public hearing last week during which opponents […]
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iPods for Alzheimer’s
A patient in a Wisconsin nursing home listens to music on her iPod through a state partnership with New York nonprofit Music and Memory. PHOTO BY MIKE DE SISTI/TNS It had been a while since James could recall holding his newborn son in his arms. Listening to his new iPod, however, brought that memory to […]
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An end to 30 years of hell
Christopher Abernathy walked free on Feb. 11 after spending more than 60 percent of his life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE The morning of Feb. 11 started like any other for Christopher Abernathy: wake up at 6 a.m., make coffee in his prison cell, then get ready to […]
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Promises, promises
Springfield has never elected a black mayor. It’s been 16 years since an African-American candidate even ran for mayor. Allan Woodson was one of Springfield’s first black aldermen and the last black person to run for mayor. Following a historic voting rights lawsuit and resulting transition from the commission form of city government in 1987, […]
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Springfield group earns freedom for wrongly convicted man
A judge vacated the conviction of a Chicago man today in a 1984 murder, thanks in part to the efforts of the Illinois Innocence Project in Springfield. Christopher Abernathy of Midlothian, then age 17, was convicted in 1987 of the murder of 15-year-old Kristina Hickey in Park Forest. He is due to be released today […]
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Coal mine plan halted near Peoria
Joe Cooper (right, with map) owns a farm across the road from the planned mine site and opposed the mine. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE A community group near Peoria defeated a coal mine project last week, and its victory could have far-reaching effects for coal projects around the state. That’s because the group discovered that […]
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Lawmakers call for oversight of rail project
Job opportunities for minorities and women on Springfield’s 10th Street rail relocation project aren’t living up to promises by the city and state, according to one community group. Meanwhile, leaders from the city and the project’s main engineering firm say they’ve actually exceeded their obligations. The apparent confusion led two lawmakers representing Springfield to propose […]
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Crisis for Christians in Iraq
Sister Marcelline Koch (top right) and other Dominican Sisters of Springfield visited their fellow Dominican Sisters in northern Iraq earlier this month to witness the ongoing crisis there as Christians and others flee the terrorist group ISIL. PHOTO COURTESY OF SR. MARCELLINE KOCH The drive from Qaraqosh to Erbil usually takes about 40 minutes. In […]
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Packing heat
More than 2,000 Sangamon County residents received a license to carry a concealed firearm in the first year under a state law enacted in 2014. The Illinois State Police released data showing 2,081 people had active concealed carry licenses in Sangamon County by the end of the law’s first year, ranking the county 10th statewide. […]
