Latest news with #socialservices
CBS News
19 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Man climbs light pole in Miramar, refuses to come down for nearly four hours
A strange site in Miramar on Monday morning, after a man climbed up a traffic light pole and refused to come down for almost four hours. According to Miramar police, this was not the first time the man had done something like this, it was actually the fourth. They said he's done it twice in Miramar and once in Miami Beach and North Miami Beach. Around 7:30 a.m., the man climbed up the pole at Miramar Parkway and State Road 7. While perched on the side of it, police said he waved to those below, blew kisses at them and sang at times. He also unleashed a string of profanities while speaking with crisis negotiators, according to police. As negotiators patiently tried for hours to get him to come down, he did so on his own around 11:15 a.m. "This has been his MO, it's not our first encounter with him. We had him about two years ago, and we successfully had him dealt with in terms of getting him the medical care he continue to work with him and his family. We responded with social workers so he gets the mental health care he needs," police spokeswoman Janice McIntosh said. Police said after he came down, the man was taken into custody with the arrest report noting he had mental health issues. After he's processed at the police department, social services will step in to determine what's next.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Raised in a council house, I never saw writing as a career'
Hanan Issa has just surpassed the halfway milestone in her five-year stint as National Poet for Wales. Growing up, she said she never saw writing as a viable career: "I'm working class, raised in a council house and to me, it wasn't considered an option." But as the 11-day Hay Festival draws to a close on Sunday, she has praised organisers for providing a space for people from marginalised backgrounds in what she said had traditionally been a "very white, middle class space". Hay Festival Global describes itself as "the antidote to polarisation", bringing together "diverse voices to listen, talk, debate and create", tackling some of the "biggest political, social and environmental challenges of our time". Unseen photos show iconic poet Dylan Thomas in fit of rage What does it mean to be Welsh? Palestinian writer's debut wins Dylan Thomas prize After graduating from Cardiff University, where she studied English literature, Hanan felt teaching was her only plausible career but knew it was not for her, having already had some experience in the field. "I was the first in my family to go to university and so I felt this pressure to have what's considered 'a proper job'," the 39-year-old said. Hanan went on to work in the voluntary sector, expecting a life-long career in social services. That was until 2016 when then-prime minister David Cameron said some Muslim women were not integrating into British society and were not learning English. "[He] spoke so ignorantly... I was like 'umm, hello! We're here you know'," Hanan said. This was the catalyst that turned Hanan's writing from personal to public, writing a spoken word piece that she posted online. Since then, poetry - which she did only for herself or as a gift for loved ones' birthdays and weddings - has become something she has shared publicly to connect with others. Hanan's first time at Hay Festival in the Powys town of Hay-on-Wye was seven years ago as a selected writer joining the Writers at Work programme, which aims to support emerging Welsh talent. She described the 10 days of workshops and events as an "eye-opener", helping to demystify the process of getting published and filling her with confidence as a writer too. "If it had just been a one-off, I would say that was a tokenistic opportunity. But it hasn't been. I've been asked back time and time again... as a performer onstage," she said. Some of Hanan's highlights of the festival this year included seeing Pulitzer Prize-winning data journalist Mona Chalabi in conversation, as well as Kehinde Andrews, the UK's first professor of black studies. Throughout her visit this year, the poet said she noticed "way more hijabis". "In a very sort of shallow aesthetic way, for me it's a natural thing to walk into a space and look around to see what the demographic is," she said. "It's not very often that I look around and see hijabis in literary spaces, put it that way, and it's been lovely." She said children were genuinely excited about writing a poem during one of her on-site events. "If kids are still excited about books, then there's hope," she said. "There's hope for that curiosity that we need to drive forward any kinds of progress and kindness in this world." For Jade Bradford, from Hertfordshire, it was a life-long dream to attend Hay Festival. As a communications and engagement manager for a social housing provider in south Wales, writing is Jade's second job. After growing up seeing the Guardian's Hay Festival supplement every year when her dad would buy the paper, this year she was in attendance as a Writer at Work. "Publishing, it can feel like a closed door sometimes and it's hard to know who you need to speak to, what it is you actually need, how you get an agent," the 39-year-old said. She said if audiences at events like Hay Festival were not representative they may not know their books are not diverse enough, or "that they need to hear other voices". Jade added the festival's efforts in engaging with TikTokers bringing in a younger audience and providing a space for all voices was "really making the difference". "I'm seeing younger people, more ethnically diverse people, a lot of really good queer representation happening... and that's really, really important," she said. "We're seeing a more modern Wales perhaps being represented whilst not losing that classic literary approach. "We have a really rich national history of literature and there's nothing wrong with being middle-class, there's nothing wrong with really literary writing like classic books. "There's just a place for all of our different types of writing. That's the most important thing." A highlight of Jade's week at Hay was going to see curator, writer and broadcaster Ekow Eshun "on a panel of black voices talking about black history", while another standout was attending a talk with the writer of the film Mr Burton. She said if someone were to tell her childhood self that she could go somewhere and meet writers, breathe the same air as Jacqueline Wilson and then in the future become a writer herself, "her head would explode". This year was also Rhys Thomas' first time at Hay Festival. He had a "full circle" moment watching poet John Cooper Clarke take to the stage, after first seeing him while working at his local festival aged 16. "I just didn't realise that poetry and literature could have that raw edge to it," he said. "He was funny, he was swearing. He's a rock and roll star who uses poems instead of guitar solos." Rhys, a journalist from Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, said it was not until he moved to England for university that he started immersing himself in books and writing. The 28-year-old described the literary world as "very elite", and said it could "feel alienating and inaccessible". "I didn't have any books in the house growing up. So I was both sort of economically and culturally not really someone you'd associate with the art world," he said. "Over time it has given me a lot of self doubt and confidence issues, especially around like, can I function in the world as a writer? But also in a bigger existential way of, this is a clash against the person I'm supposed to be." Rhys has been writing for a year and a half, and before applying for the competitive Writer at Work programme said he "didn't believe in himself". He said the scheme was "pretty full-on", with eight hours of activities a day helping to develop writing skills and tailored to all 10 emerging writers on the cohort. Rhys, who has already filled his 125-page A6 notepad up during the scheme, said he was one of the lucky ones getting to "spend 10 days or so really feeling like we can be in this world, without it breaking our bank accounts". "Even at a practical level, it's given me hope for when I'm scribbling away at the dead of night, it's not a pointless endeavour," he added. Hanan said she has now reached a point in her life "when you feel a space is not inclusive or open to you, you be the one to open that door and wedge a doorstop underneath". "If you can, then do it because you opening that door, wedging in that door stop, means that other people can walk through after you," she added.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- BBC News
'I never saw writing as a viable career', says Wales' national poet
Hanan Issa has just surpassed the halfway milestone in her five-year stint as National Poet for up, she said she never saw writing as a viable career: "I'm working class, raised in a council house and to me, it wasn't considered an option."But as the 11-day Hay Festival draws to a close on Sunday, she has praised organisers for providing a space for people from marginalised backgrounds in what she said had traditionally been a "very white, middle class space".Hay Festival Global describes itself as "the antidote to polarisation", bringing together "diverse voices to listen, talk, debate and create", tackling some of the "biggest political, social and environmental challenges of our time". After graduating from Cardiff University, where she studied English literature, Hanan felt teaching was her only plausible career but knew it was not for her, having already had some experience in the field."I was the first in my family to go to university and so I felt this pressure to have what's considered 'a proper job'," the 39-year-old went on to work in the voluntary sector, expecting a life-long career in social was until 2016 when then-prime minister David Cameron said some Muslim women were not integrating into British society and were not learning English. "[He] spoke so ignorantly... I was like 'umm, hello! We're here you know'," Hanan was the catalyst that turned Hanan's writing from personal to public, writing a spoken word piece that she posted online. Since then, poetry - which she did only for herself or as a gift for loved ones' birthdays and weddings - has become something she has shared publicly to connect with others. Hanan's first time at Hay Festival in the Powys town of Hay-on-Wye was seven years ago as a selected writer joining the Writers at Work programme, which aims to support emerging Welsh talent. She described the 10 days of workshops and events as an "eye-opener", helping to demystify the process of getting published and filling her with confidence as a writer too."If it had just been a one-off, I would say that was a tokenistic opportunity. But it hasn't been. I've been asked back time and time again... as a performer onstage," she said. Some of Hanan's highlights of the festival this year included seeing Pulitzer Prize-winning data journalist Mona Chalabi in conversation, as well as Kehinde Andrews, the UK's first professor of black her visit this year, the poet said she noticed "way more hijabis"."In a very sort of shallow aesthetic way, for me it's a natural thing to walk into a space and look around to see what the demographic is," she said. "It's not very often that I look around and see hijabis in literary spaces, put it that way, and it's been lovely."She said children were genuinely excited about writing a poem during one of her on-site events."If kids are still excited about books, then there's hope," she said."There's hope for that curiosity that we need to drive forward any kinds of progress and kindness in this world." For Jade Bradford, from Hertfordshire, it was a life-long dream to attend Hay a communications and engagement manager for a social housing provider in south Wales, writing is Jade's second growing up seeing the Guardian's Hay Festival supplement every year when her dad would buy the paper, this year she was in attendance as a Writer at Work."Publishing, it can feel like a closed door sometimes and it's hard to know who you need to speak to, what it is you actually need, how you get an agent," the 39-year-old said. She said if audiences at events like Hay Festival were not representative they may not know their books are not diverse enough, or "that they need to hear other voices".Jade added the festival's efforts in engaging with TikTokers bringing in a younger audience and providing a space for all voices was "really making the difference"."I'm seeing younger people, more ethnically diverse people, a lot of really good queer representation happening... and that's really, really important," she said. "We're seeing a more modern Wales perhaps being represented whilst not losing that classic literary approach."We have a really rich national history of literature and there's nothing wrong with being middle-class, there's nothing wrong with really literary writing like classic books."There's just a place for all of our different types of writing. That's the most important thing." A highlight of Jade's week at Hay was going to see curator, writer and broadcaster Ekow Eshun "on a panel of black voices talking about black history", while another standout was attending a talk with the writer of the film Mr said if someone were to tell her childhood self that she could go somewhere and meet writers, breathe the same air as Jacqueline Wilson and then in the future become a writer herself, "her head would explode". This year was also Rhys Thomas' first time at Hay had a "full circle" moment watching poet John Cooper Clarke take to the stage, after first seeing him while working at his local festival aged 16. "I just didn't realise that poetry and literature could have that raw edge to it," he said."He was funny, he was swearing. He's a rock and roll star who uses poems instead of guitar solos."Rhys, a journalist from Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, said it was not until he moved to England for university that he started immersing himself in books and 28-year-old described the literary world as "very elite", and said it could "feel alienating and inaccessible"."I didn't have any books in the house growing up. So I was both sort of economically and culturally not really someone you'd associate with the art world," he said. "Over time it has given me a lot of self doubt and confidence issues, especially around like, can I function in the world as a writer? But also in a bigger existential way of, this is a clash against the person I'm supposed to be." Rhys has been writing for a year and a half, and before applying for the competitive Writer at Work programme said he "didn't believe in himself".He said the scheme was "pretty full-on", with eight hours of activities a day helping to develop writing skills and tailored to all 10 emerging writers on the who has already filled his 125-page A6 notepad up during the scheme, said he was one of the lucky ones getting to "spend 10 days or so really feeling like we can be in this world, without it breaking our bank accounts"."Even at a practical level, it's given me hope for when I'm scribbling away at the dead of night, it's not a pointless endeavour," he added. Hanan said she has now reached a point in her life "when you feel a space is not inclusive or open to you, you be the one to open that door and wedge a doorstop underneath"."If you can, then do it because you opening that door, wedging in that door stop, means that other people can walk through after you," she added.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Tom White obituary
My friend Tom White, who has died aged 93, was director of social services at Coventry city council in the 1970s and 80s, before becoming chief executive of the National Children's Home (NCH), where he spent more than a decade until his retirement. When Tom first arrived at the NCH in 1985 it was running 128 projects on a budget of just over £22m; by 1996, it had changed its name to NCH Action for Children, and its spending had increased to £70m across 270 programmes, with the number of children it helped having increased fivefold. More importantly, however, Tom had helped to move the charity away from its image of providing children's homes (most of which have now closed) towards a wider range of preventative service for children and families within the community. Tom was born in Ystradgynlais in south Wales to Walter, a coalminer, and Annie (nee Williams), a parlour maid and cook. He went to the local Maesydderwen grammar school before gaining a social science diploma from Swansea University and then a social work qualification at the London School of Economics in 1957. Tom's first job was as a childcare office at Devon county council. He moved back to Wales in 1961 as deputy children's officer with Monmouthshire county council. From 1965 to 1970 he was deputy children's officer at Lancashire county council, moving to Coventry in the wake of the 1968 Seebohm Report, which recommended the amalgamation of council welfare services for children, older people and people with mental health issues. At Coventry he was appointed the council's first director of social services, remaining there until his move to the NCH, initially as director of social work before rising to be its principal and then chief executive. He and I first met in a professional capacity in 1979, when Tom, as president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, helped me when I was setting up Panahghar, a domestic violence refuge for Asian women in Coventry. A large section of the Asian community was opposed to the idea, but Tom took my side and helped the project get off the ground, despite attempts to block it. He retired from the NCH/Action for Children in 1996 and from then until 2004 he was a Labour councillor on Coventry city council, becoming a member of its first ever community wellbeing cabinet, responsible for elderly and disabled people as well as housing and equality issues. As a young man Tom had been chair of the Labour League of Youth (now known as Young Labour) before focusing on social work, and he met Eileen Moore, a history teache, whom he married in 1956, when they were both on its national committee. Eileen died in 2024. He is survived by two daughters, Viv and Ceri, four grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. His son, David, died in a car accident in 1972.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ernst doubles down on Medicaid comment with sarcastic video ‘apology'
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) doubled down on a recent quip about Medicaid in a Saturday post on her Instagram story. 'Hello, everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for a statement that I made yesterday at my town hall,' Ernst said in the clip, with a sarcastic tone. On Friday, the Iowa Republican was jeered after brushing aside life or death concerns about cuts to Medicaid, a public health insurance program for low income families and individuals with disabilities. 'See I was in the process of answering a question that had been asked by an audience member, when a woman who was extremely distraught, screamed out from the back corner of the auditorium, people are going to die,' Ernst said Saturday. 'And I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So I apologize, and I'm really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well,' she continued. The Iowa lawmaker then encouraged viewers who want to see 'eternal and everlasting life' to 'embrace' Jesus Christ. During her Friday event in Butler, Iowa, Ernst promised that Republicans would 'protect' social services for the most vulnerable. She suggested that those who work and have opportunity for benefits elsewhere 'receive those benefits elsewhere' and leave taxpayer dollars for those eligible for Medicaid. Under the current GOP-House passed spending bill, millions would lose access to healthcare if passed by the Senate. 'Children will get hurt. Women will get hurt. Older Americans who rely on Medicaid for nursing home care and for home care will get hurt. People with disabilities who rely on Medicaid to survive will get hurt,' House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during the debate on the bill, according to Politico. 'Hospitals in your districts will close. Nursing homes will shut down. And people will die. That's not hype. That's not hyperbole. That's not a hypothetical,' he added. Every Democrat who voted in the House, voted against the bill. Some Senate Republicans have pledged to make some edits to the legislation, objecting to changes to Medicaid, the proposed phaseout of clean energy incentives and an increase in the federal debt. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
