Latest news with #JoeJackson
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Wanted: more empathy as federal cuts threaten safety nets for the poor
When is a lemonade stand more than a lemonade stand? For one thing, it becomes something special when it is run by your seven-year-old granddaughters…with assistance from two of their best buddies and, of course, a hefty lift from their mom and dad. It gets even more noteworthy when it's featured on the Yorkville Police Department's Facebook page, which gave the girls' enterprise a '10 out of 10' for decorations and attitude, also ranking the 'excellently refreshing lemonade and drive-in-drive-out access as superb.' Even more impressive: Their few hours peddling regular and pink lemonade in the hot sun brought in well over $300 …much of which came from generous 'tips' that far exceeded the dollar-a-glass-price. Among those giving patrons: the immigrant owner of a construction company working in their subdivision who recalled how at age seven in his native Mexico he began selling candy at school – then later his grandmother's home-baked goods – which fueled his eventual entrepreneurship here in this country. Who knows. Perhaps last weekend's successful concession business (homemade cookies and snack bags were also for sale) will spark an entrepreneurial passion in one of the little girls. What I loved most about this mid-summer project, however, was that all proceeds from the lemonade stand were delivered to Hesed House on Wednesday, an idea that came from the twins after learning more about the homeless shelter in Aurora. Which would make proud any parent or grandparent who knows it's never too early to help kids understand there are so many people out there far less fortunate than they are. It's hardly breaking news that social workers are concerned about the rising rates of homelessness locally and across the nation. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, over the last eight years, there has been a 40% increase in the number of unhoused Americans; with 2024's rate the highest since since the US. Department of Housing and Urban Development began keeping statistics nearly 20 years ago. At Hesed House in Aurora there are currently 280 adults in the shelter, another 59 in the family shelter, with 120 more living in off-site locations. But those numbers are a 'drop in the bucket' compared to what we will see in the future with federal government changes that greatly impact the poor, said Joe Jackson, executive director of the homeless facility. He's especially concerned about how this administration's so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' will impact 'permanent supportive housing,' which is intended for those with disabilities. Hesed House has 100 men, women and children who are benefiting from this help but there are, he said, 'tens of thousands across the state.' In a best-case scenario, Jackson said, 'if the funding for this program gets cut 50-60% and is left up to states' to figure out how to distribute it, 'Hesed House will fall under a grant for emergency solutions. And that means it can't be used for permanent supportive housing,' which he notes, 'has been scientifically proven as best practice for ending homelessness' because it is not only more dignified housing but is cheaper than shelters. Jackson's most immediate short-term concern is cuts to Medicaid; not just for people Hesed House serves but from partner agencies like the Association for Individual Development, which gets 80% of its funding from Medicaid. And Hesed House, he told me, 'does not exist without AID,' which is connected to so many of the homeless shelter's services, including on-site mental and behavioral health counseling and street outreach. 'I don't mean to be a doomsday predictor,' Jackson said. 'But if things go through as is currently set up, we will see record numbers of homelessness … it will not just overwhelm the homeless system. It will collapse.' Lore Baker, executive director of AID, is equally concerned. For one thing, the agency that serves those with developmental, intellectual, physical and/or mental health challenges and covers Kane, Kendall, DeKalb, McHenry, northern Cook, western DuPage and parts of Will counties, relies on SNAP benefits to feed residents in its group homes. And she worries that changes to this program, as well as Medicaid, will involve an insurmountable volume of red tape as these individuals try to traverse a complicated processing system that can be intimidating even to those without disabilities. Both executive directors bristle at the notion too many are taking advantage of welfare programs. If you look at Medicaid fraud, for example, 'the vast majority are from fraudulent billers,' not the patients, said Baker. And how often do you hear 'these people just need to get a job,' said Jackson, adding that 80% of Hesed House residents work but don't make enough money to afford a home, along with food, utilities and other expenses. He also pointed out that the number of calls to the shelter's Homeless Prevention Program, which is set up to keep people from losing the roofs over their heads, 'is beyond anything we've seen in the past.' From 2022 to the present, there have been 2,292 instances of people being able to stay in their homes.. And all these cases are 'people who live locally, our neighbors, with plenty working multiple jobs just to keep the lights on,' Jackson said. 'Without this type of program, they would already be on the streets or in shelters.' On that same topic, Baker points out that people on social security disability receive $997 a month, which would not begin to cover most rent these days. 'I've worked in this business for 30-plus years and have never seen anything like the way HUD has raised its fair market rent,' she said, referring to the 40% increase a couple years ago, following by the more recent 20% uptick. 'It is a basic misunderstanding of the way the world works from those who do not have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck,' insisted Baker. 'There is a vindictiveness and unkindness that is not warranted. Even able-bodied people are working their buns off to be able to survive.' Lazarus House Executive Director Kristi Athas, noting there are 'few entry level jobs out there right now for our guests' has 'yet to meet someone working the system.' And she invites anyone who believes differently to take a tour of the St. Charles shelter she leads. 'I promise you will see people who look like you and me; working at your bike store or bagging your groceries … ,' she said. 'It doesn't matter who you are. When you see a mother and child being homeless, how can that not impact you and push us all to do better?' There's no question it's also been a challenging time for social workers in the trenches. Baker admits she's shed plenty of tears in recent months, 'and I'm not a crier.' What's referred to as 'compassion fatigue' is a real thing, with nonprofits under tremendous pressure to deal with the surge in need. Unfortunately, 'based on what we're seeing' at Hesed House, said Jackson, 'faith organizations are also stretched to capacity … there is only so much water you can wring out of a towel.' Athas sees the breaking point as well. 'All the points in the system are being pinched,' she said. 'We are all pulling every lever we have; but there is only a finite amount of levers we can pull.' All of which brings us back to the need for more empathy. It's a characteristic that can't be instilled too early, agrees Athas, who sees youngsters once or twice a week show up at Lazarus House with sandwiches for residents; and Jackson, who is encouraged when children raise money for the Aurora shelter. Whether it's a neighborhood lemonade stand or a Scouting project or individual kids donating their birthday money, the payout far exceeds the dollar amount, he said. It's not only 'teaching empathy toward others,' it is showing those who are homeless 'there are people who really do care.' It 'means the world to them,' Jackson concluded; then added a sentence I've heard him say frequently and with conviction. 'It gives them hope for a better tomorrow.'
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Jackson's fixation on cosmetic surgery ‘sparked by childhood humiliation at hands of his dad'
Michael Jackson's fixation on cosmetic surgery and appearance was sparked by childhood humiliation at the hands of his father, a new book claims. The singer, who was killed by a drugs overdose aged 50 in 2009, was renowned for his addiction to changing his appearance, and Michael's former lawyer John Mason has now stated in his memoir it was down to abuse of the star by his domineering dad Joe Jackson. John, who is now in his 80s, says in his book Crazy Lucky: Remarkable Stories from Inside the World of Celebrity Icons in an extract obtained by Michael told him his father 'told me I had a big nose' early in his life. The ex-attorney added: 'That was just the beginning of Michael's obsession with his looks.' John worked with the Jackson family during their transition from Motown to Epic Records in the 1970s and goes into detail in his book about the emotional and psychological toll inflicted on the young Michael. He said: 'In 1964, Michael, who was six years old and driven to sing and dance, went to work. Michael would remember years later that his father didn't praise his singing ability after that first performance or his magical moves.' That early criticism, John writes, 'planted the seeds for future plastic surgery adventures in the name of finding true 'beauty'.' Despite Michael's public insistence he had only undergone two nose surgeries, his continually changing appearance fuelled long-standing speculation over the extent of his cosmetic procedures. John described his time with the family as strained and uncomfortable, particularly due to Joe Jackson's harsh methods. 'Back in the day, Joe made all the calls,' he said – adding: 'He would sit at rehearsals with a belt in his hand in case he had to punish any mistakes or misbehaviour.' He added: 'There was never a fun moment. Joe's way of approaching people was to be intimidating. He would shake your hand and try to crush it.' Michael's death was caused by acute propofol intoxication combined with sedatives and ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles County coroner's office. His personal physician Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 for providing the singer with the hospital-strength tranquiliser, which Michael called his 'milk' as he said it was the only thing that helped him sleep.
The Guardian
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
MLB commissioner Manfred admits he ‘paid attention' to Trump when overturning Pete Rose ban
Donald Trump's support of Pete Rose was among the factors weighed by Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred when he decided last month that permanent bans by the sport end with death, which allows the career hits leader to be considered for the Hall of Fame. Manfred announced the new interpretation on 13 May, and that decision allows Rose and 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson to be considered for a Hall committee vote in December 2027. '[Trump] was one of a number of voices that was supportive of the idea that this was the right decision,' Manfred said Wednesday during a news conference at an owners meeting. 'Obviously, I have respect for the office, and the advice that he gave I paid attention to, but I had a lot of other people that were weighing in on the topic, as well.' Rose and then-commissioner A Bartlett Giamatti agreed to a permanent ban in August 1989 after an investigation commissioned by MLB concluded that Rose repeatedly bet on the Reds as a player and manager for the team from 1985 to 1987, a violation of a long-standing MLB rule. The Hall of Fame in 1991 decided people on the permanently banned list were ineligible for consideration. Manfred on Wednesday discussed a number of other topics affecting MLB. ROBOT UMPIRES: Computer technology to appeal ball/strike calls could be in place for the 2026 regular season, and Manfred said use of the automated ball-strike system was likely to be considered by the 11-man competition committee, which includes six management representatives. During a spring training experiment in 288 games, teams were successful on 52.2% of their ball/strike challenges using the automated ball-strike system. 'I do think that we're going to pursue the possibility of change in that process and we'll see what comes out at the end of that,' Manfred said. 'The teams are really positive about ABS. I do have that unscientific system that I use: my email traffic. And my distinct impression is that using ABS in spring training has made people more prone to complain of balls and strike calls via email to me referencing the need for ABS.' An experiment with a technology system to challenge checked-swing calls started in the Class A Florida State League on 20 May. That is not under consideration for MLB use in 2026. 'I think we've got to get over the hump in terms of either doing ABS or not doing it before you'd get into the complication of a separate kind of challenge,' Manfred said. 2028 OLYMPICS: MLB is considering whether to allow big league players to compete at the 2028 Games, as baseball is returning after being played from 1992 to 2008 and then in 2021. MLB did not allow players on 40-man rosters to participate in the 2021 Olympics, and many teams discouraged top eligible prospects from playing. 'We made some progress with LA 2028 in terms of what it could look like,' Manfred said. 'We have some other business partners that we need to talk to about – changes that would need to be made in order to accommodate the Olympics. I think we're going to go forward with that process.' Manfred said the players' union appears to be supportive. POSSIBLE SALARY CAP PROPOSAL: A decision on MLB's bargaining positions with the players' association, including whether to propose a salary cap, will be made after this season, Manfred said. Bargaining is likely to start in spring 2026 for a successor to the five-year agreement with the union that ended a 99-day lockout on 10 March 2022. The deal expires on 1 December 2026. An ownership economic study committee was formed in early 2023, sparking speculation about a renewed push for a salary cap system aimed at decreasing payroll disparity. 'Payroll disparity is such a fact of life among the ownership group that there's not a lot of need for talking about whether we have it or not. Everybody kind of gets it,' Manfred said. 'We understand that it has become a bigger problem for us, but there has not been a lot of conversation about that particular topic.' When MLB proposed a cap in 1994, players went on strike for nearly eight months in 1994 and 1995, leading to the first cancellation of the World Series for the first time since 1904. 'Obviously, over the winter, we're going to have to decide what is going to be out there from our perspective, but no decisions on that topic so far,' Manfred said. BROADCASTING: MLB hopes to reach a deal before the All-Star break on a Sunday night national broadcast package and for the Home Run Derby to replace the agreement that ESPN is opting out of after this season. Manfred said MLB is negotiating with three parties and is weighing traditional broadcasters and streaming services, who might pay more but have a smaller audience. Manfred said he regrets giving ESPN the right to opt out, which is causing a negotiation for rights lasting three seasons. MLB's contracts with Fox and Turner end after the 2028 season. 'If you're talking about what we're doing for the next three years, I would overweight reach,' Manfred said. 'The larger negotiation we'll have for the post-'28 period and we continue to believe that reach drives our live business.' LAS VEGAS BALLPARK: A formal groundbreaking hasn't taken place for the Athletics' planned ballpark to open in 2028, though work is being done at the site and a ceremony could be held this month. 'My understanding is they believe they're going to make Opening Day '28,' Manfred said. ATTENDANCE UP: Attendance averaged 28,081 through Tuesday and 900 dates, up 1.4% from 27,687 through the same point last year, when MLB finished with a 0.9% rise to 29,568 for its highest average since 30,042 in 2017. MLB could finish with an average increase in three straight years not impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic for the first time since 2004-07. TARIFFS ON BASEBALLS: MLB is not concerned about Trump administration tariffs raising the cost of big league baseballs, which are manufactured in Costa Rica. 'The minor league baseball is made in China,' Manfred said. 'That's more of an issue.'
Miami Herald
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Poll Dance: Stanley Cup Final. Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers. Who'll win? Vote now!
Poll Dance is back after a week off just in time for the NHL's Stanley Cup Final to have been set as we await Wednesday night's Game 1 in an Edmonton Oilers-Florida Panthers rematch. So who's gonna win? Panthers won last year's Cup in a Game 7. They're the reigning champions. Oilers have the revenge factor, the home-ice edge and Connor McDavid. It's Repeat vs. Revenge, the betting odds are near-even and there is a great argument for either side winning. So now it's our turn. Who do you think will win? Vote as many times as you'd like or until your fingers ache. GREG COTE POLL DANCE: STANLEY CUP FINAL REMATCH: WHO'LLWIN?: Previous Poll Dance verdict: Strong support for Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe in Hall: We asked, 'Should Pete Rose or 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson be voted into Baseball Hall of Fame? You said: Yes both should be 68%; No neither should be 15%; 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson only 11%; and Pete Rose only 6%.
CNN
25-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Inside the GOP negotiations to pass Trump's agenda bill
Inside the GOP negotiations to pass Trump's agenda bill CNN's Manu Raju breaks down how President Trump and House Republican leadership managed to win the support of a key bloc of conservative hardliners to pass Trump's agenda bill, and looks ahead to the obstacles the bill may face in the Senate. 02:26 - Source: CNN Automated CNN Shorts 11 videos Inside the GOP negotiations to pass Trump's agenda bill CNN's Manu Raju breaks down how President Trump and House Republican leadership managed to win the support of a key bloc of conservative hardliners to pass Trump's agenda bill, and looks ahead to the obstacles the bill may face in the Senate. 02:26 - Source: CNN Where Kermit the Frog's tea meme came from Kermit the Frog tells CNN's Sara Sidner his thoughts on being an infamous part of meme culture. 00:41 - Source: CNN See what Gaza's hotels looked like before the war When Donald Trump announced his plans to turn war-torn Gaza into the "Riviera of the Middle East," many Palestinians were angered. CNN spoke to two hoteliers, who explained what life was like before the war and their hopes for the future. 01:51 - Source: CNN Dad rows 157 miles to help save son Joe Jackson's son, William, is 6 years old and has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease that can claim the lives of boys and young men. Through the organization Cure Rare Disease, the family found a potential treatment option that comes at a big cost, so Jackson set out to raise some of those funds by rowing 157 miles nonstop through rapids over the course of 31 hours. 02:29 - Source: CNN Video shows explosions in Kyiv as Russia launches renewed air attacks Ukraine's capital Kyiv came under a large-scale drone and missile attack by Russia, just hours after Russia and Ukraine began a major prisoner exchange. More than a dozen were injured across multiple districts in the city, according to Ukraine's police. 00:59 - Source: CNN Harvard foreign student describes atmosphere of 'pure panic' CNN spoke to 20-year-old Abdullah Shahid Sial, a rising junior and student body co-president at Harvard University, about his reaction to the Trump administration's decision to revoke the university's ability to enroll international students. A federal judge temporarily halted the Trump administration's ban on Friday, after the nation's oldest and wealthiest college filed a suit in federal court. 01:29 - Source: CNN This Indian YouTuber is accused of spying An Indian travel vlogger has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Pakistan just days after tensions soared between the two longtime rival nations following an attack last month that left 26 tourists dead in India-administered Kashmir. Police say that 'in the pursuit of views, followers, and viral content, she fell into a trap.' 01:46 - Source: CNN Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains Billy Joel's rare condition Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), the condition Billy Joel was diagnosed with, and explains its effects on the brain. 01:45 - Source: CNN 'The Points Guy' on the best deals for summer travel Brian Kelly, founder of breaks down the best deals for summer travel and how to make the most of your frequent flyer miles. 01:00 - Source: CNN Is the U.S. on the brink of fiscal crisis? President Trump's economic agenda is expected to add nearly $4 trillion to the US national debt. CNN's Phil Mattingly breaks down what that could mean for the economy. 01:48 - Source: CNN Verdict reached in Paris robbery of Kim Kardashian After a weekslong trial, eight people behind the multimillion-dollar armed robbery of Kim Kardashian in Paris were found guilty. Most of them received prison sentences, portions of which were suspended, but all will walk free due to time already served. 00:43 - Source: CNN
