The Harbor Freight Tools parking lot where James Foster of Springfield was alleged to have sold a coworker one ounce of marijuana. Foster was acquitted of the charges, but lost his state job anyway. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE A decade ago, $100 apparently bought one ounce of marijuana. That’s how much pot James Foster of […]
Patrick Yeagle
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Officials calming fears over Common Core standards
As schools across Illinois prepare to roll out new educational standards, officials are working to battle negative perceptions by the public. The state’s new Common Core learning standards are benchmarks for what students should be able to do at each grade level. Leaders from business, labor and education spoke to a gathering of parents and […]
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Retirees rankled over health benefits audit
A new package of health benefits for state retirees comes with a string attached: an audit to make sure every dependent on the new plans is eligible for coverage. But some retirees say the audit is skewed to kick people off of the rolls. Historically, most state retirees have paid deductibles and other costs for […]
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Illinois approves same-sex marriage
The “score board” in the House shows votes on SB10, the same-sex marriage bill that passed the House today. Patrick Yeagle Gay and lesbian couples in Illinois will soon have the right to be married, following the passage today of a highly contentious bill that was years in the making. House sponsor Rep. Greg Harris, […]
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The end of the rainbow?
The Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission voted last week not to allow a parolee housing organization to remain in a north side neighborhood, but the final say will come from the Springfield City Council next month. House of the Rainbow, which offers temporary housing for recent prison parolees at four houses on north 10th […]
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Marching for marriage
Supporters of same-sex marriage fill the intersection of Second Street and Capitol Avenue in front of the Illinois Statehouse, demanding passage of a bill lifting the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Supporters of same-sex marriage rallied at the Illinois Statehouse this week, demanding that the legislature pass a bill lifting the […]
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Graffiti grows up
Ryan Wilson (left) and Spencer Stokes show off a graffiti work in progress at Clay’s Popeye’s Barbeque in Springfield. They are part of Total Visual Renewal, a newly created graffiti crew in Springfield.. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Though it started as mere vandalism, modern graffiti has become an art form, and it’s making an appearance […]
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Coal ash ruling could mean new restrictions
A federal judge has ordered the United States Environmental Protection Agency to pass regulations on disposal of coal ash, which could have far-reaching implications for Illinois’ rebounding coal industry and coal plant operators like Springfield City Water, Light and Power. The Illinois-based environmental group Prairie Rivers Network participated in the lawsuit that prompted the decision […]
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Judge rejects retrial in ‘shaken baby’ case
Pamela Jacobazzi A former day care worker accused in 1995 of killing an infant by shaking him was denied a retrial last week, dealing a rare setback to the Springfield-based Illinois Innocence Project. DuPage County Circuit Judge Robert Kleeman on Sept. 20 declined to grant a retrial to Pamela Jacobazzi, 58, who has spent the […]
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Community clinic begins expansion
Breaking ground on the new expansion for Central Counties Health Centers is (from left to right) CCHC board chairman Bobby Hall, Springfield mayor Michael Houston, Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner, and CCHC president and CEO Craig Glover. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE A clinic offering health care to underserved people in and around Springfield started an […]
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‘Green’ moves beyond recycling
Forget about recycling for a minute. Being “green” is more than just keeping glass out of the landfill. That was one message of the 10th Annual Green Symposium, a conference held in Springfield last week to promote sustainable business practices. Hosted by the American Institute of Architects and Resource One office furnishings of Springfield, speakers […]
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Employers bullish on economy
Employers at a Springfield job fair last week tried to fill hundreds of jobs, showing cautious optimism that the economy will continue its slow recovery. More than 30 businesses – some of them recruiting workers for other companies – attended the Job and Career Fair held Sept. 25 at the Crowne Plaza hotel by the […]
