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Press and Journal
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Press and Journal
REVEALED: The English Premier League star Aberdeen winger Shayden Morris watches before games for inspiration
Aberdeen winger Shayden Morris has revealed he studies footage of an England international and Premier League legend in a bid to further improve his game. Morris played a pivotal role in the Dons' Scottish Cup final win against Celtic as the Reds won the trophy for the first time since 1990. The 23-year-old made an explosive impact off the bench when his cross was parried into his own net by Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel. In a memorable season, Scottish Cup-winning hero Morris also scooped the Aberdeen Player of the Year award – voted for by supporters. However, he is constantly striving to improve his performances and watches footage of Raheem Sterling for inspiration before matches. Sterling, 30, won four Premier League titles, an FA Cup and five League Cups with Manchester City. Currently at Chelsea, the winger – capped 82 times by England – has scored 174 career goals and spent last season on loan at Arsenal. Morris said: 'I still watch clips of Raheem Sterling from his Manchester City days to study his movement. 'Of course, at Arsenal he hasn't been the same as he was before at City, but it's him as a person I look up to. 'I want to improve so even before games sometimes I'll study Sterling online. 'He has pace, but he's also got the skill to make the most of that, so I'm trying to add stuff that he did. 'I like to think I'm slowly getting better at that so I can help the team as much as possible.' Signed from Fleetwood Town in summer 2022, Morris endured a frustrating first two seasons at Pittodrie due to injury. In his debut season, the winger suffered a hamstring tear which ruled him out for four months. There was a further injury setback in the 2023-24 season when Morris was ruled out for three months with another hamstring injury which required surgery. However, under manager Jimmy Thelin, the wing star has delivered a breakout season with five goals and 13 assists. In his constant pursuit of improvement, Morris has also sought advice from former Scotland international winger Robert Snodgrass. Former Leeds United, Aston Villa, West Ham and Norwich City star Snodgrass is now an agent. Capped 28 times, Snodgrass is with the same agency as Morris' representative. Morris hopes guidance from Snodgrass can help him develop into 'something really special'. He said: 'I've also got a good support system around me with my agent Joe Bolger, as we do a lot of analysis. 'Robert Snodgrass is also part of the agency and we do a lot of stuff together as well. 'He was a winger and quite a technical player – although he didn't have as much pace as me. 'In fact, he told me: 'I didn't have your pace, but I've got the other side of the game'. 'So if he can help me with that other side then hopefully I can merge into something really special.' Morris may have been seeking advice from Snodgrass and inspiration from Sterling on how to elevate his game to the next level. However, he has also been passing on his own knowledge to help younger players develop. Morris helped fellow Londoner Alfie Dorrington during his loan spell at Pittodrie from Tottenham Hotspur. Centre-back Dorrington started the Scottish Cup final win against Celtic at Hampden. The 20-year-old has now returned to his parent club. Prior to joining Aberdeen on loan. Dorrington signed an extended contract with Tottenham until summer 2029. Morris said: 'When Alfie first came up, I knew he hadn't played much first-team football so I really tried to help him. 'I told him how things were really different compared to London, and he settled in well. 'Alfie showed he's a really good player technically and built on that physical side. 'I think he's only going to get better and better – you can see why Spurs rate him so highly.'
Chicago Tribune
04-04-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Lake County organizations scrambling in face of federal funding cuts; ‘There's a lot of anxiety'
The Lake County Health Department said it's still trying to figure out what the recent $125 million cut in federal funding to Illinois for combatting infectious diseases, announced last week by the Illinois Department of Public Health, will mean for the county. Health department and county representatives did not say what the exact amount and impact of the grant cuts will be. According to the department's 2024 annual report, roughly $26.8 million, about 30% of the LCHD's budget last year, came from state and federal grants. 'The county is actively evaluating all available options, in the event of a funding impact, across our various federal funding sources to support the numerous departments that depend on these resources to deliver their essential services,' a health department spokesperson said. According to an IDPH press release, the federal funding was awarded to Illinois through 14 separate budget lines in the federal bipartisan CARES Act passed during the first administration of President Donald Trump. Another $324 million for future work to prevent and treat infectious disease in Illinois was also being blocked, the release said. The money was meant for disease surveillance and vaccination activities, with the $125 million meant to strengthen COVID-19, measles and H5N1 disease surveillance, and to prepare for future potential pandemics. The threat of various federal funding cuts, whether announced or only rumored, has sent shockwaves through numerous sectors in Lake County beyond the health department. Nonprofit leaders working in housing, healthcare, education and more describe a general uncertainty and anxiety over funding issues, with organizations making plans to tighten their budgets in anticipation of possible cuts and reaching out to county partners in hopes of making up for any shortfalls. 'In the social service sector, there's a lot of anxiety about just how to prepare,' United Way of Lake County President Quinton Snodgross said. He warned that even if their partners in the county, some of whom rely on federal funding, are not directly impacted by cuts, the current uncertainty could mean reductions in services. 'There's a lot of nonprofits that are still trying to understand the situation they're in and what is coming down the road,' Snodgrass said. 'A lot of people are making preparations for things that haven't necessarily happened yet and trying to adjust for what they could do.' He warned cuts would have 'immediate and compounding effects' on already vulnerable families. Gale Graves, vice president of community impact with United Way, said officials there are already seeing ripple effects from cuts to the USDA, ending funding for farmers who were supplying food pantries. Both warned that cuts to anything, whether related to healthcare, housing or food, have ripple effects that appear in seemingly unrelated issues. 'The whole ecosystem is connected,' Snodgrass said. 'When one nonprofit loses funding, like if a clinic closes, those patients are going to be pushed to ERs or other places. A cut in shelter funding, whether for emergency shelter or rental assistance, is going to increase homelessness. That impacts education, because student mobility is a key factor in student success. It's going to impact health outcomes, and a slew of other things.' Even delays in funding can be detrimental for some smaller organizations. Graves recalled prior to the pandemic, when social service funding was held back under then Gov. Bruce Rauner. Some organizations, unable to weather the delay, closed their doors before the money finally arrived, she said. 'There are several places where funding is being delayed, and that's equivalent to a cut. Most nonprofits do not have a large operating surplus,' Snodgrass said. 'If they're looking at 30% of their budget being delayed by three, four, five months, that will cause an interruption in service.' Snodgrass expects the number of people who fall under the 'ALICE' designation — 'Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed' — to rise as federal funding is lost. These are people and families who are above the federal poverty rate, but below United Way's calculated survivable wage for the county. 'It's going to be a domino effect that agencies are going to feel,' Snodgrass said. 'But also individuals in our community are going to feel because they're reliant on services that maybe they don't know, or aren't expecting, to be impacted.' Eric Foote, director of finance and operations at Lake County PADS, said about 13% of their budget, roughly $675,000, comes from federal funding. Cuts could be 'devastating' to their work, which includes combating homelessness. 'One of the things federal dollars are focused on is paying for people that are chronically homeless to have housing,' Foote said. 'That's hard to privately fund for; it requires steady and consistent funding.' Federal funds support marginalized communities in the county, and if resources drop, PADS is 'going to have to make some terrible decisions,' he warned. 'We're not in the business of making money; we're in the business of turning resources into support for people,' Foote said. In the face of a 'growing crisis' with homelessness, they were 'getting squeezed from both ends. We've got more demand and less resources.' Rachel Chenier, executive director of Family First Center of Lake County, said officials there 'just don't know' what the future holds. Chenier compared the situation to the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was 'a lot of information swirling around, but nothing concrete.' 'You're trying to prepare for something you don't really know how to prepare for because you aren't able to pinpoint it,' she said. As uncertainty mounts, organization leaders said they're doing their best to adapt and address any shortfalls that may come. That includes leaning on local philanthropy, as well as other local municipal funding sources. They also emphasized building up their local partnerships with other area organizations, noting the resiliency of nonprofits after making it through the pandemic. Chenier said Family First Center is trying to be adaptable in the event that federal funding is cut. 'I think of the word 'pivot' a lot,' Chenier said. 'We've tried to learn how to find more revenue in non-traditional ways so that we're not as affected by the government funding cuts.' Snodgrass emphasized the importance of community support to addressing the issues. 'Everybody needs to work together in tandem to understand that any changes are impacting our entire community,' he said. 'It's up to us to come together and find ways to address it.'
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Creston Police: Creston woman beaten, strangled by boyfriend
Apr. 1—Joshua D. England, 44, of Creston, was taken into custody Friday, March 28, on two counts of harassment, first degree — threaten forcible felony. He was transferred to the Union County Jail where he was released after posting $4,000 cash or surety bond. No other information was available. — — — — — Zaniel A. Reiss, 21, of Creston, was taken into custody 2:54 a.m. Saturday, March 29, in the 800 block of West Adams Street on the charges of domestic abuse assault — impeding air/blood flow causing injury; false imprisonment and obstruction of emergency communications. According to a Creston Police report, officers were dispatched for a report of domestic assault. When officers arrived, they spoke with a female victim who had bruising on her neck, ears and face; shallow lacerations and broken blood vessels in her eye. The victim stated she has lived with Reiss for a year, and they are in a relationship. She said he struck her repeatedly in the face with his fists. She attempted to escape multiple times, but Reiss stopped her from doing so. He also had possession of her cell phone. The victim yelled for someone to call 911, at which point Reiss strangled the victim, causing her to almost lose consciousness. The victim was able to escape, run to a relative's house and call for help. Officers were able to locate Reiss at an apartment on West Adams Street. Reiss was transferred to the Union County Jail on a $6,300 bond. — — — — — Nicki R. Jones, 42, of Creston, was taken into custody 3:46 p.m. Saturday, March 29 on Irving Street on the charge of driving while barred. According to a Creston Police report, officers stopped a 2002 Chevrolet K1500 Silverado on Irving Street for failure to yield. They made contact with the driver, identified as Nicki Jones, who was found to have a barred driver's license. Jones was cited and released from the scene on a promise to appear. — — — — — Aiden R. Snodgrass, 18, of Creston, was taken into custody 11:59 p.m., Sunday, March 30, in the 800 block of Park Street on the charge of public intoxication, first offense. According to a Creston Police report, an officer was driving south on South Park Street when he noticed a red Chevrolet truck quickly exit out of Quiet Harbor Estates, almost failing to stop at the intersection. The officer noticed a man, later identified as Snodgrass, standing a few yards away from the truck, appearing to be getting picked up. When Snodgrass saw the officer, he turned and took off running across a large grass field and behind some buildings. The officer followed Snodgrass in his vehicle, activating his lights. Snodgrass looked back several times, but continued to run. The officer exited the vehicle and began giving commands. Snodgrass was able to be detained. Officers observed the smell of alcohol, bloodshot watery eyes and him stumbling when attempting to walk. Snodgrass was transported to the Union County Jail where he was cited and released on a promise to appear. — — — — — Todd C. Lacina reported a brake pad was thrown through his window in the 800 block of West Mills Street at approximately 1:30 a.m. Monday, March 31. The damage was estimated at $100. Taylor McCaulley reported a rock was thrown through their window in the 300 block of North Sycamore Street at approximately 2:25 a.m. Monday, March 31. The damage was estimated at $100.
Chicago Tribune
10-03-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Incoming county United Way head warns of potential impact of federal cuts; ‘I don't think our communities know … what the next three and six months are going to look like'
United Way of Lake County's new incoming president and CEO Quinton Snodgrass warned cuts to federal funding could hurt nonprofits and charities across the county, and the tens of thousands of Lake County households that rely on them. Snodgrass, whose career in nonprofits spans over two decades, is taking the nonprofit's lead on April 1 in what he calls a time of 'flux' for many nonprofits. He succeeds Kristi Long, who announced in November she would be retiring after serving 23 years as president and CEO. He has served as UWLC's vice president of resource development for the last eight years after moving up from Chicago, and has had a 20-plus-year career in leadership work at local, national and international health and human services organizations. Snodgrass said he appreciates the 'wholly local' aspect of United Way, with its efforts impacting 'people that I live with.' UWLC has two primary focuses; youth education and the 211 program. Its education-related work includes afterschool and summer programs, literacy development and college readiness, Snodgrass said, among other efforts. UWLC partners with schools to get connected with families, and offers kindergarten prep and classes for young students and parents alike. The 211 program, launched in 2019, acts as a connection point to numerous other resources in Lake County, to make it easier for residents in need to find and connect with services. Snodgrass said it is an issue the pandemic highlighted, with many people who had never needed services before finding themselves struggling with 'basic services,' including food, rent and education assistance. The program is largely funded by state and county money, as well as a 'large coalition' of individual and corporate donors, Snodgrass said. But while United Way isn't reliant on federal funds, the same isn't true for other nonprofits and charities in Lake County, including many with which UWLC regularly works. 'There's lots and lots of programs that people in Lake County use where if they're disrupted, people are going to feel it,' he said. 'And when we make referrals to programs for people to get assistance, we'll feel it because the assistance won't be there.' The impact will be felt across Lake County, Snodgrass warned. According to UWLC data, about 86,000 Lake County households, roughly a third of the county's 260,000, are struggling financially in some way. About 8% of households fall under the federal poverty line, which is better than the state average, but 25% fall into the 'ALICE' designation. ALICE stands for 'Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed,' sometimes called the 'working poor,' Snodgrass said, although he considers the term a misnomer. 'These are not people living off of federal stipends,' he said. 'They're trying to do everything right.' These are individuals or families who sit in the gap between the federal poverty line — about $32,000 a year for a family of four — and UWLC's household survival budget for Lake County, which is about $92,000 for a family of the same size. Snodgrass said people are often surprised to learn what Lake County's survival budget is, but between housing, food, child care and more, costs add up. The calculation is also based on 2022 data, meaning it doesn't account for any price increases since then. 'There's a disconnect between what people think it takes to survive, what the basic survival income is … versus what that income really is,' he said. While families under the poverty limit are eligible for a variety of benefits and services, as their income passes the poverty line, they lose that support, Snodgrass said. These are households still 'struggling every month to balance that paycheck.' That gap above the poverty line is really only covered by charities, nonprofits and townships, Snodgrass said, and if federal funding is cut, some 65,000 Lake County households could face the consequences. 'Without those funding pieces, and without agencies that are able to provide those services, people are having to make choices between, 'Do I cover my food, or do I have a car?'' he said. 'That's the sweet spot where the impacts are going to hurt, and they're going to hurt people that are working but below survival income.' One of the issues with public understanding in Lake County is the difference between people's image of the county and its reality, something Snodgrass understands personally. Prior to moving to Lake County, he said he largely imagined Lake Forest and other affluent communities when thinking about Lake County. 'But it's not,' he said. 'There's a lot of families here that need assistance, and I think it's a matter of getting that word out and building advocates who will talk in their communities, will talk in their companies, will talk to their legislators and really lean into this and understand what the issues are.' Discussion around federal cuts is highly political, but Snodgrass emphasized that UWLC is a nonpartisan organization. Its work isn't a political issue, he said. 'Being able to pay for your rent, being able to feed your children and being able to have access to childcare isn't about politics,' Snodgrass said. 'It's something that everyone needs to have.' Some residents will be in for an unfortunate shock if federal funding is cut, Snodgrass said, as family members lose services. He warned of the 'ripple effects' residents would see. Future instability could mean more difficulty funding solutions that have already come to bridge the existing gaps, and companies could start drawing down support. Snodgrass hoped to continue to inform the community about the importance of UWLC's work, as well as keep its community and corporate partnerships strong as it enters a 'changing time.' The current environment makes it all the more important, 'to engage, lean in and learn about what's happening in our local communities, regardless of how people fall down into politics,' he said. 'I don't think our communities know exactly what the next three and six months are going to look like,' Snodgrass said. 'Funding is going to be a challenge.'
