Mike Palmer says he and his wife, Bev, just wanted to help the community of Griggsville when he loaned a fellow church member $10,000 to help pay back taxes on a local restaurant. “We figured, you know, he’s Christian and everything, so we offered to loan him $10,000 on our credit card, as long as […]
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
Minorities press for representation in redistricting
Minority groups in Springfield and statewide are calling for better representation as the Illinois legislature mulls redistricting plans. At an Illinois Senate Redistricting Committee hearing April 4, groups representing African Americans, Asian Americans and Muslims shared concerns about “packing, cracking and stacking” – gerrymandering tactics that dilute minority voting power. Illinois draws new electoral districts […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Marathon time
Once again, I must apologize for being so lackadaisical about posting here. I’m happy to report, however, that I haven’t stopped blogging because I’ve fallen off the wagon. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I’ve been training intensely for my first marathon, and the big day is this Sunday! I’ve put in my double-digit miles […]
Posted inNews
State’s power buyer under fire
The state agency responsible for buying Illinois’ electricity is under fire after an annual audit showed numerous problems with accounting and transparency. A March 24 report by Illinois Auditor General William Holland says the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) needs to correct 35 “weaknesses” in financial transparency, rulemaking and more. The report admonishes IPA for storing […]
Posted inNews
UI tuition hike follows raises for selected faculty
Certain University of Illinois employees together received $9.7 million in raises this fiscal year, according to an Illinois Times analysis of UI salary data. Meanwhile, the state’s largest public university system instituted a 6.9 percent tuition hike for the next academic year due to $477 million in late state funds. Constituting about one percent of […]
Posted inOpinion
Who will bring Springfield together?
Every day, the rusty steel rails of the 10th Street railroad tracks carry trainload after trainload of coal, manufactured items and raw materials through Springfield. But those tracks carry more than just freight trains. They carry the potential to unite or divide Springfield, depending on how the city adapts to a proposed plan to consolidate […]
Posted inNews
Minorities, women poorly represented on city payroll
Minorities are poorly represented in the City of Springfield’s work force, according to an Illinois Times analysis of city employment data, which shows that white workers make up more than 92 percent of city employees. Data filed by the City of Springfield with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission show that as of June 30, […]
Posted inNews
Mayor candidates break from the past
Reform is the theme in the race for mayor, as the candidates begin outlining their plans to change how the city operates. At a public forum on March 3, three of the four candidates for Springfield mayor addressed issues of transparency, political patronage, minority representation and more, each saying their administration would represent a break […]
Posted inNews
Houston calls for better enforcement on blight
Springfield has too many abandoned buildings, according to mayoral candidate Mike Houston, but he says he has a plan Standing in front of the dilapidated, boarded-up house at 826 N. Fourth St., Houston told reporters on Feb. 24 that he will attack Springfield’s problem of abandoned properties if elected mayor. The frontrunner in the […]
Posted inNews
Springfield weathers economic storm better than other cities
Springfield took an economic hit during the recent economic recession, but the city fared better than much of the country, according to new data from the federal government. Data released Feb. 24 by the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) shows personal income in Springfield grew throughout the recession, even during times […]
Posted inNews
Quinn calls for cuts to social services
Gov. Pat Quinn wants to borrow billions of dollars to pay the state’s backlogged bills, but social service providers could still face cuts. Illinois owes billions in overdue payments to mental health clinics, long-term care facilities and numerous other service providers statewide. In his Feb. 17 budget address, Quinn proposed borrowing $8.75 billion to pay […]
Posted inNews
Advocates: ‘Don’t prosecute teens for consensual sex’
If Romeo were alive today, he would be a sex offender. That’s the situation with Illinois sex offender laws, say reformers calling for changes to laws they say unfairly stigmatize low-risk teenage offenders. Illinois law criminalizes so-called “Romeo and Juliet” relationships, in which two consenting teens have sexual contact but one is under the age […]
