These kids have seen a lot: broken families, violence, drug use, poverty and despair. Now they’ve seen something else – something they probably never imagined: the Illinois Supreme Court justices sitting unrobed and absorbed with interest in their lives. The state’s highest court played host this week to a theater troupe composed of troubled kids […]
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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Inmate challenges faith-based rehab
Rayshawn Vonperbandt An atheist prisoner in Illinois is suing the state and a private prison contractor for alleged unfair punishment stemming from his mandatory faith-based rehabilitation. The inmate claims he was put in solitary confinement for refusing to stand during prayers that conflict with his beliefs. The case revolves around the First Amendment prohibition on […]
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McCann to face public hearing on mileage allegation
Sen. Sam McCann will face a public hearing on at least one campaign disclosure allegation, a state board voted today. The board’s vote comes one day before McCann faces a primary challenger backed by Gov. Bruce Rauner. The Illinois State Board of Elections earlier this year received a complaint from Kirk Million of Jacksonville regarding […]
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Death by a thousand cuts
ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH COPLEY Someone may have to die before this is resolved, and even that might not be enough. That’s the consensus among several social service agencies in Springfield which are running on fumes as a result of the state budget crisis. The list of organizations and programs being starved is long and sobering: […]
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McCann race tests governor’s influence
Bryce Benton. PHOTO BY PAT YEAGLE It isn’t often that an incumbent state legislator faces a primary challenger backed by a governor from his own party, but this isn’t a typical election year. Republican state Sen. Sam McCann of Plainview is fighting to keep his seat representing part of Springfield after crossing Republican Gov. Bruce […]
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So we don’t forget
Douglas King, president of the board for the Springfield and Central Illinois African-American History Museum. PHOTO BY PAT YEAGLE In a fitting spot above the water fountain at the Springfield and Central Illinois African-American History Museum is a photo of a public restroom with three doors. One is marked “LADIES,” another is marked “MEN,” and […]
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Panhandling case won’t go to U.S. Supreme Court
Don Norton, one of the panhandlers behind the lawsuit Patrick Yeagle The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that it would not hear an appeal by the City of Springfield on a case over panhandlers’ rights. The denial follows a lower court’s ruling that part of the city’s panhandling ordinance is unconstitutional. The case began in […]
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Prescription pad meets legal pad
Doctors at SIU School of Medicine have a new tool for improving the health of low-income patients around Springfield: the ability to “prescribe” a lawyer. SIU School of Medicine and Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance announced last week a “medical-legal partnership” meant to offer patients help dealing with legal issues affecting their health. The program […]
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Illinois behind on federal ID mandate
Illinois is having trouble complying with a controversial federal law on state identification cards, more than a decade after the law passed. If the state doesn’t comply or get an extension by 2018, Illinois residents would be unable to board airplanes in the U.S., among other restrictions. The federal REAL ID Act of 2005 required […]
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Rauner halted HIV/AIDS drug program before it started
Truvada, a newly FDA-approved drug to help prevent HIV infection. PHOTO BY ASTRID RIECKEN/TNS It was supposed to save lives. Now, it’s part of the rubble of a crumbling state. A state program which would have helped prevent HIV and AIDS was trashed last year before it started, another casualty of Illinois’ budget impasse. Now, […]
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Illinois State Museum could reopen to public
Illinois State Museum After more than four months closed to the public, the Illinois State Museum appears poised to reopen, although things wouldn’t be quite the same. The state agency which controls the museum system announced tentative plans on Monday to reopen the flagship facility in Springfield and three of its five satellites, pending legislative […]
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Obama to visit Hoogland Center
President Barack Obama’s visit to Springfield tomorrow will include a private event at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Obama is scheduled to speak to the Illinois General Assembly tomorrow at the Illinois Statehouse, but a private event is scheduled for the Hoogland afterward. The president’s other engagements in Springfield have been kept secret. The […]
