Deafweekly August 19, 2009 deafweekly

August 19, 2009 Vol. 5, No. 11

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers on Wednesdays and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. These are the actual headlines and portions of recent deaf-related news articles, with links to the full story. Minor editing is done when necessary. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2009 and any unauthorized use is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly.

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Last week's most-read story: POLICE: DEAF WOMAN ASSAULTED WITH MUG / The Star Last week's website page views: 2,775 Deafweekly subscribers as of today: 3,056

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NATIONAL +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pearl River, NY SNAP!VRS TO ACQUIRE VIABLE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Snap!VRS announced today its plans to acquire Viable Communications, Inc. The companies reached agreement on Friday and will immediately begin the difficult work of stabilizing Viable's business operations and restoring the confidence of its significant constituent base. Current Snap!VRS and Viable customers can continue to expect quality service as the transaction is finalized. More details of the transaction and the opportunities that it creates for customers will be made available in the next few months. / Snap!VRS

Rockville, MD EX-WORKER: VIABLE DIDN'T PAY WAGES John Yeh, president of Rockville deaf services company Viable, has been summoned to a Montgomery

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County District Court on a charge of allegedly failing to pay regular wages to an employee, according to court records. The plaintiff, Mary K. Moylan of Catonsville, said this week that she was laid off in early July along with numerous other workers. Managers told her that Viable's Ellicott City and Towson call centers were being shut down, she said. Moylan said she was not paid for several weeks and filed a claim for $7,450. Moylan said she has not been able to find another job and is receiving unemployment benefits. Some interpreter agency employees have told her they will not hire anyone who had worked for Viable, she said. / Gazette

Mobile, AL DEAF MAN'S FAMILY DISAPPOINTED The tasing of a Mobile man at a Dollar General store last month made international headlines and it probably will again after Mobile Police released findings from their internal investigation. Chief Phillip Garrett believes the tasing of Antonio Love was justified but the arrest after was not. Love is deaf and mentally-disabled. Police responded to the Azalea Road store after getting a call from the manager. He claimed that a man had been inside the rest room for an hour. / WKRG News 5

Milwaukee, WI FORMER DEAF-SCHOOL STUDENT SUES ARCHDIOCESE A civil lawsuit filed last Thursday against the Milwaukee Archdiocese is the first by a former student of St. John's School for the Deaf in St. Francis, where the late Father Lawrence Murphy is believed to have molested as many as 200 boys from 1950 to 1974. The lawsuit, filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court by Dean Weissmuller, 50, of Phoenix, is the 11th civil fraud case pending against the archdiocese alleging sexual abuse by priests. Documents filed as part of the lawsuit suggest that the archdiocese knew of allegations against Murphy as early as the 1950s and worked to protect his reputation for decades after. / Journal Sentinel

Rome, GA GSD PARENTS TO PROTEST BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE'S CLAIM TO PROMISED GAME SHOW WINNINGS A group of parents and Georgia School for the Deaf alumni are planning to picket the office of a bankruptcy lawyer who is working to get control of the $1 million in winnings the state’s top educator won on a game show and planned to give to schools for deaf and blind students. Organizer Kimberly McGuiness, an involved parent at the Georgia School for the Deaf in Cave Spring, said it’s time for people to see that this money was meant for the children and outright greed is keeping it from them. “These sharks have enough to eat without taking this charitably donated money for our children,” McGuiness said. / News-Tribune

Silver Spring, MD NAD BOARD ANNOUNCES CEO SEARCH The Board of Directors of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) announces that it has begun search efforts for a successor to Chief Executive Officer Nancy J. Bloch, in preparation for her departure on March 31, 2011. An internal succession planning committee has been formed by the Board of Directors to facilitate the search effort, which includes the formation of a CEO Search Committee (CSC) by the fall of 2009. Pertinent information concerning the CEO search will be posted at www.nad.org/ceosearch as the process unfolds. / NAD

Chicago, IL GROUP HELPING HEARING-IMPAIRED STUDENTS LEFT STRANDED AT OASIS The Hinsdale Oasis overlooking the Tri-State Tollway is no place to spend four hours waiting for a bus. But there were Raven Stromek and a group of families on April 27, waiting patiently for a ride to the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, west of Springfield. The bus, from Sleepless in the City Mini Bus Service Inc., never showed, Stromek said. The Melrose Park-based transit company did, however, cash the $1,725 check from the Illinois Service Resource Center for the phantom journey. Now, Sleepless in the City won't http://www.deafweekly.com/backissues/081909.htm[6/20/2011 1:11:04 PM] Deafweekly August 19, 2009

give the money back. / Chicago Tribune

Kent, WA CAREGIVER SENTENCED FOR RAPE OF DEAF, BLIND WOMAN A former assistant at a Kent assisted-living facility previously convicted in the rape of a developmentally disabled patient was sentenced last Friday to a minimum eight-year prison term, which could be extended to a life sentence. Following a bench trial, a King County Superior Court Judge Richard McDermott found Joseph Thurura guilty on July 16 of second-degree rape in the 2008 assault. Prosecutors had argued that Thurura impregnated a 45-year-old woman, who is blind and unable to speak or otherwise communicate due to her disabilities. The woman later had a miscarriage. / Seattle PI

Gainesville, FL FLORIDA MAN CHARGED WITH VIOLENCE AGAINST DEAF FEMALE RELATIVE A Micanopy man was arrested last Tuesday on three felony counts in connection with an incident involving violence against a deaf female relative. Joseph Davis, 55, of Micanopy, was charged with aggravated abuse of a disabled adult, domestic battery by strangulation and aggravated battery using a deadly weapon. According to the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, the woman told deputies what happened through an American translator. / The Gainesville Sun

Topeka, KS COMMISSION WANTS TO LOCATE SCHOOLS FOR BLIND AND DEAF ON SAME CAMPUS TO SAVE MONEY A state commission looking for ways to save money has rejected the idea of closing either the school for the blind or the school for the deaf, but wants to put the separate schools on the same campus. “We are not advising closing either the school for the blind or the school for the deaf,” Rochelle Chronister, chairwoman of the Facilities Closure and Realignment Commission, said Monday. But commission members were almost unanimous in wanting to explore the possibility of moving the Kansas State School for the Blind, which is currently in Kansas City, Kan., to the campus of the Kansas State School for the Deaf, which is in Olathe. / Lawrence Journal-World & News

Port St. Lucie, FL PORT ST. LUCIE REQUIRED TO IMPROVE ACCESS FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES Residents with disabilities are expected to get better access to city facilities, services and programs to meet federal standards. But the required changes at the city’s expense come during a struggling economy when officials face a $14 million deficit. The Justice Department announced an agreement earlier this week after negotiations with the city to improve access around town for people with disabilities. It was part of Project Civic Access, the department’s initiative to bring st ate and local governments into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. / The Port St. Lucie News

San Francisco, CA CITY HALL TO BEEF UP LANGUAGE SERVICES Board of Supervisors President David Chiu’s legislation to improve language services was a hit at the full board. It was approved 11-0. But Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier was upset it didn’t specifically include American Sign Language and braille. To that end she said she would introduce an amendment later on to ensure those services are included. The approved legislation requires the city’s largest departments to offer services in different languages, any language that is used by 5 percent or more of the total city population. / The Examiner

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Nassau and Suffolk County NY EXPERT TUTORING FOR HEARING IMPAIRED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ INTERNATIONAL +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Taipei, CITY CRITICIZED OVER MEMORABILIA Products for Deaflympics souvenir shops were not put through safety inspections, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor said yesterday, accusing the city government of damaging the nation’s reputation. The organizing committee for the 21st Summer Deaflympics in Taipei has opened two souvenir shops at Taipei City Hall and Taipei Dome to promote the upcoming sports event. However, most of the products — including stuffed toys, key chains and puzzles — did not undergo safety inspections and are not labeled with their place of origin, material or instructions, DPP Taipei City Councilor Hung Chien-yi said. / Taipei Times

Accra, GHANA WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN 2009 SUMMER DEAFLYMPICS Ghana will not be represented at this year's edition of the Summer Deaflympics slated for Taipei, Taiwan, http://www.deafweekly.com/backissues/081909.htm[6/20/2011 1:11:04 PM] Deafweekly August 19, 2009

from September 5 to September 15, 2009. Ghana's participation at the 21st edition of the Deaf version of the Olympic Games has been curtailed following the developments involving the Ghana Deaf Team's visa scandal in a football match against their Australian counterparts last month. Francis Sowah, Vice Chairman of the Association of Sports for the Disabled (ASFOD), the mother body of Disabled Sports Unions told GNA Sports, "We have put on hold all programs of the Deaf Sports Association until the dust on the Australian saga is settled." / Ghana News Agency

Lahore, LHC GRANTS BAIL TO FORMER DEAF CRICKET ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT Justice Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain of the Lahore High Court (LHC) last Wednesday accepted the bail application of former Pakistan Deaf Cricket Association president Abdul Salam, who is accused of misappropriating the association’s funds. The judge ordered that the accused be released on furnishing bonds of Rs 1.65 million [$34,275 US]. / Daily Times

London, England RNID CALLS FOR NATIONAL PROGRAM TO TACKLE HEARING LOSS RNID has called on the government to implement a national hearing screening program to address the effects of hearing loss, and reduce isolation and poor health in older people. The call follows the publication of a new RNID report which found that while some people delay seeking help for hearing loss because they see it as a natural part of the aging process, others delay seeking help due to stigma. The report – based on interviews with UK hearing aid users – also found that a lack of joined-up health services, and people’s attitudes to hearing loss, were preventing people from taking action to address the problem. / Nursing Times

Northampton, England DEAF POLICE OFFICER PUTS REST IN SHADE A partially deaf Northamptonshire Police officer, whose outstanding arrest figures led his force to describe him as putting his peers "in the shade," has been nominated for a national award. Pc Mark Holland, aged 29, arrested an "amazing" 88 people, submitted 188 intelligence logs and was named the best performing officer in his incident resolution team in March. Pc Holland had to overcome partial deafness in one ear to qualify for the police force, and had to be fitted with a specialist hearing aid and undergo medical testing before qualifying as an officer. / Northampton Chronicle & Echo

London, England DEAF MAN, 85, WALKS 146 MILES TO LONDON'S GLOBE THEATER Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart praised a deaf 85-year-old for boldly going from Stratford to London’s Globe theatre on a charity walk. Antony Sabin, from Great Rollright, spent three weeks walking the 146 miles, accompanied for some of the distance by his hearing dog, Branson, before arriving on stage to greet the cast of Romeo and Juliet. He raised £8,000 ($13,250 US) for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. / Witney Gazette

Reading, England DEAF SOCIAL CLUB REFUSED LATE LICENSE BECAUSE OF NOISE FEARS A club for deaf people has been refused a late-night entertainment license over fears that noise from the venue could disturb neighbors. Council officials received several letters objecting to The Reading Deaf Social Club's application to open until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Organizers had hoped to stage events for members such as cabarets with striptease acts. / Daily Mail

Aberdeen, Scotland STUDENT'S SIGN LANGUAGE SUCCESS Inverness woman Rebecca Goodall is one of Scotland’s first Modern Apprentices in British sign language interpreting. The 35-year-old recently began her training with nine other apprentices at the launch of the Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters project in Glasgow. This pilot scheme is part of the £1.5 http://www.deafweekly.com/backissues/081909.htm[6/20/2011 1:11:04 PM] Deafweekly August 19, 2009

million [$2,488,000 US] Building Bridges project, funded by the Scottish Government. / The Press

Melbourne, MAN WHO BASHED DOG BELONGING TO DEAF BOY HAS SENTENCE REDUCED A man who used a baseball bat to bash a small dog belonging to the 11-year-old deaf son of his former girlfriend has had his jail term reduced on appeal. Vanessa Hansen wept and screamed at her former boyfriend, 32-year-old Storm Oxburgh, as he was led into the cells after Judge Tony Duckett reduced an immediate minimum jail term of eight months -- imposed in Heidelberg Magistrates' Court earlier this year -- to an effective two-month term in the County Court today. The charges stemmed from an attack in which Oxburgh bashed Staffordshire terrier Rocco to within an inch of its life in September 2007 out of revenge. / Herald Sun

Skopje, Macedonia PHARMACISTS IN MACEDONIA TO STUDY SIGN LANGUAGE Pharmacists in Macedonia will study the sign language used by deaf people, Macedonian daily Utrinski Vesnik reports. Every municipality in the country will have at least two pharmacies with trained personnel for easier communication with citizens suffering from hearing impairments while in Skopje there will be about 10 such facilities. The idea was promoted by the Pharmaceuticals Bureau. / Focus Information Agency

Magaguadavic Lake, CHILDREN ATTEND CAMP FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING For the past 20 years, the Elks and Royal Purple have organized a camp for deaf and hard of hearing children. Now in its 21 year, 31 campers and 41 counsellors came to the YMCA camp at Magaguadavic Lake for a week of , crafts and games. "The first camp was held in 1988," said Chrissy Montgomery, director of the camp, "and the first full week of August is always reserved for the camp at Magaguadavic. I look forward each year to seeing the kids again." / The Daily Gleaner

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callVRS has a new facelift and continues to give you the "freedom of choice"! callVRS allows you to find your favorite interpreter for your many needs. Keith Wann is now showing his serious side by bringing us a VRS company that his parents would be proud of...and one where interpreters want to work. You have seen him do silly commercials for other VRS companies, but he is also a Nationally Certified Interpreter, NIC Master and CI CT and calls himself a profesional Coda interpreter. "For the other VRS companies, I was a paid actor, with callVRS my true voice can be heard... It's time we have a VRS provider focus on the interpreters along with the callers to make the VRS experience better for everyone!" www.callVRS.org - dial callVRS.info on your video phone.

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ LIFE & LEISURE +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wilmington, NC TEXTING YOUR EMERGENCIES TO 911 Text messaging technology has been around for years, but if you are in an emergency situation only one 911 call center in Iowa has the technology to handle texts, and they just got it this month. Now New Hanover County Emergency Services is taking steps to let your fingers do the talking when you can't. According to CTIA, the wireless association, cell phone users have sent more than one trillion text messages since the technology became available. None of them went to 911 call centers, but that could change in the near future. / WWAY-TV3

Silver Spring, MD EYEING SMALLER, FASTER, SMARTER EAR IMPLANTS Cochlear implant technology has been around since the early '80s, when adults first received them, says Gordon Hughes, program director of clinical trials at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. More recent scientific advances have made them more amenable to being implanted in the less fully formed skulls of babies and toddlers, Hughes says. Researchers are also now finding that placing implants in both ears (the protocol had previously been one ear), as well as using combo cochlear implant/hearing aids, appears to significantly improve a deaf person's ability to hear more nuanced sounds, Niparko says. "It's a fascinating story that's unfolding," Niparko says. / USA Today

West Palm Beach, FL HEARUSA MAKES HEARING AIDS AND CARE AVAILABLE TO AARP MEMBERS HearUSA, one of America's leading providers of hearing aids and hearing care, announced last Tuesday that it is launching the initial phase of a hearing care program designed exclusively for AARP members. The program is scheduled to be made available to AARP members in Florida and New Jersey this October and will eventually be extended to AARP members in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. "HearUSA designed the program to provide some relief from the high cost of hearing aids," said Stephen Hansbrough, CEO and chairman of HearUSA. / PRNewswire

Chicago, IL ONE-SIDED HEARING LOSS COULD BE CAUSED BY A RARE TUMOR Donna DeMuro thought her hearing loss was a natural part of the a ging process until her face began to tingle. A month after she told her doctor, she had brain surgery to remove a benign tumor the size of a golf ball. What her doctors found was an acoustic neuroma -- a term the Chicago secretary had never heard. "I just feel fortunate that they caught it when they did," said DeMuro, 53. / Chicago Tribune

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Sorenson Video Relay Service® (SVRS®) is an industry leading communication tool for the deaf community provided by Sorenson Communications. Created with high-quality video technology, SVRS brings

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life into the conversations of our customers as they call family, friends, and business associates at no cost through a professional SVRS sign language interpreter and a cutting-edge videophone. SVRS is provided 24-hours a day, and 365 days a year, connecting the deaf and hard-of-hearing to anyone at their convenience. For more information, visit the SVRS Web site at www.sorensonvrs.com.

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Sonic Boom Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker On Sale!

Don’t be late for the first day of school. WCI is here to help with this “timely” August special. Purchase either the Sonic Boom Alarm Clock or the Sonic Boom Alarm Clock with the vibrator at 10% off! It has many great features including a built-in receiver to pick up transmissions from other signalers. Call 1-800-233-9130 (V/TTY) or visit us at http://www.weitbrecht.com for more details. (Use code WCID808 to order) For a copy of our NEW catalog, email your request to: [email protected].

WCI. Your Single Source for Assistive Technology

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ WORKING WORLD +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Haverhill, MA LOCAL TEACHER INTERPRETS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE FOR DEAF Being in the same room with the president of the is not something most people have the chance to do. Being in the same room while helping to relay his message to deaf people in the audience is even more unusual. Luce Aubry, the newly hired coordinator of the deaf studies program at Northern Essex Community College, did just that last week. Aubry was chosen to be the sign language interpreter for President Barack Obama during his town meeting in Portsmouth, N.H. / The Eagle-Tribune

Columbus, OH TEACHER FURLOUGHS, OTHER ACADEMIC, ATHLETIC CUTBACKS WILL COST STUDENTS AT SCHOOLS FOR DEAF, BLIND As far as state officials are concerned, the Ohio School for the Deaf and the Ohio State School for the Blind aren't really schools. They're state agencies. So they have been forced, like other state agencies, to cut roughly 18 percent of their budgets since last school year and are struggling with where to make the largest of those cuts. Edward E. Corbett Jr., the superintendent at the deaf school, said he thinks students realize that, in a bad economy, changes must be made. At his school, 14 positions, including those of five teachers and a nurse, won't be filled, and substitute teachers will be used sparingly. Students might notice that their athletic activities will be cut back; already, the and football conditioning camps were canceled. / The Columbus Dispatch

Council Bluffs, IA IOWA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF COULD BECOME REGIONAL CENTER Iowa’s special school for the deaf at Council Bluffs includes some students from Nebraska because that http://www.deafweekly.com/backissues/081909.htm[6/20/2011 1:11:04 PM] Deafweekly August 19, 2009

state has closed its special school and is taking advantage of the close proximity of Iowa’s school on the western border. Iowa Board of Regents member, Robert Downer, says there are serious discussions with one other state to do something similar with the possibility of another state being added. Downer says Iowa's school could become a hub of learning for several states. / Radio Iowa

Novato, CA PURPLE COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER 2009 RESULTS Purple Communications, Inc., a leading provider of video and text relay services, and professional interpreting for deaf, hard of hearing, and speech impaired persons, announced results last Friday for the second quarter ended June 30, 2009. Total revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2009 was $32.5 million, compared to $30.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2008. Total revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2009 was $67.1 million, compared to $59.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2008. / PR Newswire

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Storewide Summer Savings Event Continues

Due to popular demand, Harris Communications has extended their Storewide Summer Savings Event until August 31, 2009. Save 15% on most products in our store!* Save on equipment, books, DVDs and novelty items.

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Keith Wann's ASL Comedy Tour 2009-2010

Keith Wann, renowned for his hilarious, sidesplitting comedy performances, is now producing and hosting the ASL Comedy Tour 2009, which will travel the U.S. this year. With American Sign Language (ASL) artists presenting solo performances incorporating comedy, skits, songs, improvisation, and stories, each show lasts two hours. Sponsored by www.CallVRS.org, the multi-city tour is designed to be affordable for each location – making it ideal as a fundraiser for participating organizations.

“We really want to reach out to all communities, so we are sharing in the costs and profits at each location. We will work closely with booking parties to maximize profits for their organization and to bring in as many people as possible for a night of laughter, socialization and fun,” Wann said. “We also offer workshops by some of our performers, which can be held the day of the performance. People can come to our workshops, and then unwind by attending the comedy show that evening.”

www.aslcomedytour.com Contact [email protected]. http://www.deafweekly.com/backissues/081909.htm[6/20/2011 1:11:04 PM] Deafweekly August 19, 2009

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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Rochester, NY NEW DOCUMENTARY ON ASL POETRY RELEASED A documentary featuring poetry done in American Sign Language in the 1980s and 1990s is now available for sale by Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf, which produced the two-hour film. "The Heart of the Hydrogen Jukebox" was directed by Miriam Lerner, a sign language interpreter at NTID. Don Feigel, a videographer/editor at NTID, was assistant director and editor/videographer. / NTID News

Los Angeles, CA THREE DECADES LATER, LESSER GOD RETURNS OK, so this is not exactly a homecoming, since the play in question was first produced before the nationally renowned Deaf West Theatre was even in existence. Still, there’s a certain cosmic synchronicity about Deaf West Theatre producing a 30th anniversary revival of Mark Medoff’s “Children of a Lesser God” some 10-15 miles down the freeway from the Mark Taper Forum where Gordon Davidson’s Center Theatre Group first put Medoff - and to some extent theater of and for the deaf – on the map. / LA Stage Scene Examiner

Howell, MI PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER FOR 2008 BUILDING A SENSATIONAL COMEBACK Amy Vashon won the 2008 Livingston Sensation People's Choice award and she's back again this year. She became a finalist after singing Sugarland's "You Just Might Make Me Believe" at the Sensation semifinals held in Brighton. Vashon is employed as a professional development manager for Communication Access Center for the Deaf, which is a Flint agency that educates job seekers. Her dream would be singing and signing a song at the same time. Her stepfather was deaf, and Vashon is fluent in sign language. / Livingston County Daily Press & Argus

Washington, DC AWARD TO HONOR TV COMMERCIAL FEATURING MOST AUTHENTIC DEPICTIONS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES American Airlines and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) have announced the creation of the “Altitude Award” honoring the best U.S. television commercials featuring authentic depictions of people with disabilities. “Many people get their information about disability from the media, in cluding television advertising,” said Andrew Imparato, President and CEO of the AAPD, in a recent press release. Submission rules state that entries should be “innovative, original television commercials that portray people with disabilities in a positive and progressive light.” / NY Disability Examiner

Greeneville, TN HARD-LEARNED LESSON: DRUMMER URGES HEARING PROTECTION Being a drummer, Brandon Hensley definitely wants you to enjoy music. But he wants you to do so safely.

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Hensley is only 27 years old, but he already suffers from hearing loss. The reason, he says, was long-term exposure to extremely loud music during his youth. Hensley, who now serves as drummer for the country music duo Bulls Gap, says he began to learn how to drum when he was just seven years old. "My method for learning to play drums was to set a huge stereo behind me, turn it up as loud as it would go, and play drums," he said. / The Greeneville Sun

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The long awaited coda Cruise...!!!

This is a chance for us to gather and share our stories not only with ourselves but with our loved ones... Codas of all ages and their Deaf parents are welcome! "Odas (...of deaf adults), including dodas, godas, sodas, wodas ... are welcomed here to share their stories and expereinces and relate to others who have had the same.

We will have many activities that help us to learn and share in a fun family-oriented atmosphere. Workshops, panel discussions, and performances that include you. The Workshops will be led by Arlene Malinowski, "Storytelling", and Alan Marcus, "Codas and their spouses". We will have workshops for both children and adults. The performance will be emceed by Keith Wann and have an open stage for you to come and share your hilarious stories. A children's show will also be led by Keith and Arlene. The panel discussion will be a great time for Deaf parents with young codas to ask questions...

It's now time to sign up at www.ASLcruise.com Any questions email [email protected]

Your Coda - Keith Wann

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The World Recreation Association of the Deaf (WRAD, Inc) is happy to host the 25th Anniversary Masquerade Ball at Treasure Island In Las Vegas on Wednesday July 21, 2010 from 5pm to 9pm with a buffet dinner and dancing. This is during the DeafNation World Expo from July 18-23, 2010. Cash prizes for the best costumes/masks or both. Early bird tickets including buffet is $58 per person before 9/1/09. Online orders accepted at www.wrad.org or mail checks to WRAD, PO Box 3211, Quartz Hill, CA 93586.

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SPORTS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Oahu, HI WOOD FEELS THE CROWD'S ROAR SINCE HE CAN'T HEAR IT Student and soccer enthusiast Chris Wood, was born deaf, but has never let that stop him from becoming good at what he loves doing most; soccer. He is currently part of the BYU-Hawaii men’s soccer team where he is showing his talents and abilities. Wood said he started playing soccer at the age of 2. His dad, who was a soccer coach for different clubs, coached him all through middle school until he was 14 years old. / Ke alaka'i

Rapid City, SD

http://www.deafweekly.com/backissues/081909.htm[6/20/2011 1:11:04 PM] Deafweekly August 19, 2009

HEARING IMPAIRMENT CAN'T SLOW ROBERTSON The Dakotas Tour is a place where everyone is looking toward something bigger and better in the golf world. Chris Robertson of Rittman, Ohio, is no different. Robertson, a 23-year-old graduate of Ashland University, is the only player at the Arrowhead Pro-Am wearing hearing aids, something he has done since he was 2 years old, when he was diagnosed with a birth defect known as Mondini Dysplasia. Being hearing impaired hasn’t slowed Robertson down at all, however, particularly after watching him fire a second-round 67 to move to 4- under par for the tournament and make the cut at the Arrowhead Pro-Am last Friday. / Rapid City Journal

Batavia, NY UFC FIGHTER MATT 'THE HAMMER' HAMILL TO APPEAR AT DWYER FOR MUCKDOGS GAME Matt "The Hammer" Hamill, a UFC fighter with Western New York ties, will appear at Dwyer Stadium on Saturday when the Batavia Muckdogs take on the State College Spikes. Hamill will be on hand to sign autographs for an hour before game time, and for an hour after he throws out the first pitch. The popular UFC fighter attended RIT and while a student there, he was was a three-time NCAA Division III National Champion in wrestling. Matt, who is deaf, also has a silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling and a gold medal in from the 2001 Summer Deaflympics. / The Batavian

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DEAF411 releases "Deaf-Friendly Cities in the U.S. report

NEW YORK CITY (Deaf411) - (12 August 2009) - Deaf411, a deaf marketing and public relations company, has released the final report and results of a year-long survey on which cities are considered “deaf friendly.” The final report, which lists 20 U.S. cities, was released today and is now available for public viewing.

This “Deaf Friendly Cities” report includes a narrative of a selected city from each of four U.S. regions, lists several community resources, and photos representing a variety of situations that are considered “deaf friendly” to deaf consumers or travelers.

"While research for this report should not be considered scientific," a Deaf411 representative explains, "this sampling of consumers with significant hearing loss who depend primarily on sign language provides solid criteria for evaluating cities for accessibility from a deaf friendly perspective."

DEAF-FRIENDLY CITIES IN THE U.S. Video & Free Online Report - http://www.deaf411online.com/51.html

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You can advertise your job openings here for just $20 a week (up to 100 words, 10 cents each add'l word). Start spreading the news! To place your ad, send the announcement to [email protected].

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P.R.I.D.E. Program Coordinator POSITION: Coordinator / P.R.I.D.E. Program (Full-time grant position)

http://www.deafweekly.com/backissues/081909.htm[6/20/2011 1:11:04 PM] Deafweekly August 19, 2009

DATE POSITION TO BE FILLED: As soon as possible

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: The Coordinator will assume and perform duties and responsibilities to provide employment training and job coaching to deaf adults who have additional disabilities. The Coordinator will supervise full-time staff; hire, assign, and supervise job coaches; develop and maintain interagency cooperation; develop consumer service plans; complete monthly, quarterly, annual reports required by RSD and VESID; administer program funds, check requests, purchase orders, and attend and lead meetings as necessary.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Human Service, Social Work, Counseling, Special Education, or Vocational Rehabilitation Prior experience in Employment Services Proficiency in American Sign Language required Prior experience with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds

FILE APPLICATION WITH: Harold Mowl, Jr., Superintendent/CEO Rochester School for the Deaf 1545 St. Paul Street Rochester, New York 14621

Applications received will be screened and the most highly qualified will be asked to interview.

CLOSING DATE: Open until filled

RSD is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of non- qualifying disability, race, religion, color, sex, marital status, age, national origin, and veteran status.

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