Samuel Johnson of Springfield believes he was illegally stopped in November 2013 because of his skin color. Johnson’s stop was ruled improper by a Sangamon County judge in July. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Just before midnight on Nov. 4, Samuel Johnson of Springfield was returning home from Bloomington when he saw a police cruiser in […]
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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Medical pot regulations approved
Dan Linn, executive director of the marijuana advocacy group Illinois NORML, holds a canister used by the federal government to mail marijuana to one of the last remaining participants in the federal medical marijuana program that began in 1978. In May, Linn and others spoke at a public hearing in favor of making medical marijuana […]
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Missing the money
Computer tampering charges have been dropped against a defendant in a bizarre court case involving supposed computer hacking at a defunct Illinois nonprofit. Still, millions of dollars in state and federal grants are missing, and the nonprofit’s director has yet to account for the money. Annabel Melongo of Chicago was found not guilty of computer […]
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Supreme Court reinstates lawsuit over state retiree health benefits
Lawsuits against the State of Illinois over retiree health benefits can proceed, thanks to an Illinois Supreme Court decision today which reversed a Sangamon County judge’s ruling.The decision reinstates four lawsuits against Illinois’ Central Management Services agency. The lawsuits claimed changes in certain retirees’ health benefits packages were unconstitutional. In July 2012, a new law took […]
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Forging a new path
An artist’s rendering of how a revamped pedestrian-friendly Jackson Street might appear, from Fifth Street looking west, with the Executive Mansion grounds on the left. MASSIE MASSIE AND ASSOCIATES In the 1820s, when Springfield was still changing from a sleepy frontier settlement to a bustling metropolis, a small creek ran through what is now the […]
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Woman priest defies Catholic diocese
Mary Keldermans (left) of Springfield leads Holy Family Inclusive Catholic Community, while John Freml (right), also of Springfield, serves as the church’s spokesman. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE By most measures, Mary Keldermans of Springfield is a good Catholic. She was raised in the church, volunteered and for many years helped convert people to Catholicism. She […]
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State police spying on smartphones
Long before Edward Snowden revealed the existence of a massive cell phone spying program by the federal National Security Agency, law enforcement agencies around the country were using devices capable of extracting data from cell phones, including the user’s precise location. One of those agencies was the Illinois State Police, which acquired such equipment in […]
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Science to solve tomorrow’s problems
Cover: Deeptha Murali (left), B.K. Sharma (center) and Jennifer Deluhery (right) show off the reactor used to extract useful fuel from plastics that might otherwise end up in a landfill. PHOTO BY L. BRIAN STAUFFER It looks like an overgrown garbage disposal from a kitchen sink, but the large metal cylinder sitting in B.K. Sharma’s […]
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No quick resolution for pension lawsuit
Despite a weak defense by lawyers for the state, it will likely be several months before Illinois’ pension reform lawsuit is settled. On June 26, Sangamon County judge John Belz declined to act on a motion which could have pushed the case to the next stage: the Illinois Supreme Court. While Belz is being careful […]
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SIU makes up with AFSCME
Employees at SIU School of Medicine protested in April after being told they were no longer part of the union. Photo BY PATRICK YEAGLE They took a firm stand, and then they promptly retreated. In late April, SIU School of Medicine in Springfield surprised about 230 employees by not deducting their union dues from their […]
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Giving them something to strive for
Lanphier senior forward Kalvin Caesar drives to the hoop against three defenders at the Boys and Girls Club in Springfield. Photo BY PATRICK YEAGLE It’s already warm outside at 85 degrees on a breezeless summer evening in Springfield, but inside the gym at the Boys and Girls Club, it seems even hotter. The gym, sans […]
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EPA to step up water pollution enforcement
It has been on the books since 1972, but the federal Clean Water Act has always been a bit unclear about exactly which waterways it protected. That’s set to change with a rule proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but business groups are pushing Congress to block the change. The rule change would specify […]
