Former president Jimmy Carter pHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Decades of violence between Israelis and Palestinians could be ended by carving out space for a Palestinian state, according to Jimmy Carter. The 90-year-old former president visited Jacksonville Oct. 14 to promote a plan for peace between Israel and Palestine, but Jewish leaders in Springfield say establishing […]
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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Ad nauseam
An attack ad from Oberweis’ campaign claims Durbin has been in office too long and “broke Washington.” This is no David and Goliath battle. Here, “David” has little chance of winning, and “Goliath” has barely acknowledged there even is a battle. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Springfield, a Democrat representing Illinois, is seeking re-election against […]
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IDOT spends $143,000 on zombie-themed seat belt ad
IDOT’s “Driving Dead” short film on seat belt use features an armored Mustang with a machine gun and actor Michael Rooker from the “Walking Dead” TV series about zombies. PHOTO COURTESY IDOT In a dusty, dimly-lit warehouse, a horde of zombies closes in two men with high-powered firearms trying in vain to escape through a […]
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Ad nauseam
Mailed advertisements for Rep. Sue Scherer cover a variety of populist topics. In politics, no molehill is too small to be made into a mountain. The race to represent Illinois’ 96th House District pits incumbent Rep. Sue Scherer, a Democrat from Decatur, against Republican challenger Mike Bell of Edinburg. Attack ads are flying from both […]
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Ad nauseam
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, a Republican representing Illinois’ 13th Congressional District is running for re-election against Democratic challenger Ann Callis. pHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Part 1 – 13th Congressional District: Rodney Davis vs. Ann Callis William Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It is famous for the line “All the world’s a stage, and all the […]
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Police sued for racial bias
Samuel Johnson of Springfield is suing the city and two police officers for alleged racial profiling during a traffic stop that was later dismissed pHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE A Springfield man is suing two city police officers in federal court for alleged racial profiling following a traffic stop in 2013. Samuel Johnson, who is black, […]
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Springfield police officers sued for alleged racial profiling
A Springfield man is suing two city police officers for alleged racial profiling following a traffic stop in 2013. Samuel Johnson, who is black, says two Springfield police officers pulled him over without cause in November 2013, arrested him without justification and illegally searched his car. He is asking for unspecified damages, although he […]
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Businesses should lead the green revolution
Michael Higgins, chef and owner of Maldaner’s Restaurant in Springfield, says going green was a wise business decision for him. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Of the more than 83,000 chemicals registered with the federal government in the United States, only about 200 have been evaluated for potential threats to human health and safety, and only […]
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Appeals court upholds city’s panhandling ban
A federal appeals court upheld the City of Springfield’s anti-panhandling ordinance last week, but the panhandlers who challenged the ordinance aren’t giving up. In a 2-1 decision released Sept. 25, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that Springfield’s ordinance does not violate the First Amendment right to free speech. The […]
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Hope Institute CEO placed on administrative leave
The CEO of The Hope Institute for Children and Families has been placed on administrative leave. The move comes as the school implements changes to rebound from an abuse incident.The executive committee of Hope’s board of directors placed CEO Karen Foley on administrative leave on Sept. 29, temporarily promoting Clint Paul, chief financial officer, to fill […]
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Getting better
Springfield’s doctors want to know what’s making you sick. An upcoming survey will give residents a chance to sound off about health issues in the capital city and surrounding area, and those comments will help set the priorities of Springfield’s medical community for years to come. The Sangamon County Healthy Community Survey is a joint […]
