During his final days, my brother Larry repeatedly tried to get all of us to rally not just around him but each other. He did this from his recliner and hospital bed. Did we hear Larry? Are we doing what he asked? Did my niece, nephew and I really hear the final request of their father, ...

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“We are diverse in so many ways. We’ve become so accepting,” said Jane Larson of MCTC. Yet despite progress, difficulties remain for some Minnesota college and university students who use service animals. Office of Students with Disabilities staff from Metropolitan State University and Disability Resource Center at Minneapolis Community Technical College (MCTC) outlined the challenges. Eve Nichols ...

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The tragic death of Andy Virden, an 83-year-old advocate for the blind, has saddened me and many other Minnesotans. Virden was struck and killed by a motor vehicle March 11 as he crossed a street in Waite Park. Nobody should die that way, especially Andy. He dedicated his life as a mentor to all, blind and ...

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Helping immigrants with disabilities find meaningful employment is a focus for the Disabled Immigrant Association (DIA). The organization has exceeded its goals of helping clients find employment, despite a tough economy. DIA’s ambitious employment program will further expand through a new focus on mentoring for the organization. DIA started in 2005 and has grown to include ...

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The Minnesota Fighting Lions represented Minnesota at the 2010 Beep Baseball World Series in Rochester, August 2-7. The Lions finished with a 1(W)-6 (L) record. Although the Lions didn’t finish among the top teams, the tournament was an incredible learning experience for everyone on the squad. Teams were from all over the world, with the ...

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Larry Long is ...

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Beepball or beep baseball is making a noisy comeback in Minnesota. The revitalized Minnesota Lions will be playing the beepball World Series Aug. 3-7 in Rochester. It’s a success story for a team that was inactive only a few years ago. The tournament is hosted by the Rochester Amateur Sports Commission and will be at the ...

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John Hemp has a particular interest in improved public safety because he is blind. As Hemp walked to a neighborhood bus stop a couple of years ago, a man attacked him. He was knocked to the ground, lost his white cane, glasses and sustained a bloody nose. His assailant then helped Hemp to his feet ...

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This is the latest in a series about writer Clarence Sha-degg’s trip to Mexico. As we continued our Mexican Riviera cruise, I wondered; How do people of another country respond to people who are blind? How will they react to my dog guide? I would soon find out. The Star Princess dropped anchor at four ports along ...

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Dr. Stephen Miles is a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School and a faculty member of its Center for Bioethics. He is also a practicing physician. Two of his books outline his concerns for victims of torture and veterans with disabilities. In 2006 Miles wrote Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity and the ...

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How Minneapolis should handle civil rights complaints is a topic the City Council must make decisions on in the weeks ahead. As a budget-cutting move, Mayor R.T. Rybak has proposed shifting responsibility for civil rights complaints from the city to the state. Any changes how to handle complaints must be made beforeyear's end as it impacts ...

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[caption id="attachment_1463" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Nancy, Clarance and Telly-the dog guide "][/caption] Today was the day for dog guides to meet about 100 human Star Princess passengers. My dog guide, Telly led me to  the pool area shortly after 10:00 a.m. where the gathering was held. Before we stepped through the heavy metal gate, I removed Telly's harness ...

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[caption id="attachment_1466" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="A Sister Kenny golfer enjoys a day at the links."][/caption] Golf is a sport many people with disabilities can enjoy, thanks to adaptive equipment and people dedicated to sharing their love of the game. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Sister Kenny Institute’s golf league and the 26th year of ...

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Our cabin was an inner ship cabin without windows. The room was a comfortable size for all of us: Nancy my wife, Telly my dog guide and me. We had a nice sleep, wakening on this second day of our journey with 3,700 others. First thing, Telly went from one side of the bed to the ...

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Persons with disabilities should find it easier to get updates on crimes in their communities, thanks to the 2009 Minnesota Legislature’s passage of the Accessible Crime Alerts Law. The new law was signed into effect by Gov. Tim Pawlenty on April 16, following unanimous approval by the House and the Senate. It took two tries for ...

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I awoke at 5:30 a.m. My wife, Nancy was still asleep. This was the day we’d board the Star Princess. I had lots of questions, including: How will my dog guide do on board the ship? I put Telly’s harness and leash on him and took him outside him to relieve himself. Once outside, Telly ...

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My dog guide ate a smaller portion of his dry dog food the night before we left for San Francisco. He would eat less and relieve more prior to our flight so there’d be no accidents on board the plane. No breakfast for him on trip day. He’d eat when we got to our hotel. Our ...

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Newman, a Golden retriever, is trained to help Wally LaBerge, an eight-year-old boy with autism. The two have been together since May 2008. Having Newman as his service dog keeps Wally focused and calm. Victoria and Tim LaBerge, Wally's parents, want Wally to have the best educational experience he can. However the St. Paul Public School ...

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The government's responsibility to victims of chemical weaponry in wartime Exposure to chemicals during wartime can cause lifelong disabilities for those who fought and those who were close to the fighting. Few know these issues better than Veterans For Peace (VFP) member Paul Cox, a former U.S. Marine who served in Vietnam between 1969 and 1970. ...

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Improving communications and access to information for people who are blind or are visually impaired are goals for Audio Point and its new Voice to Text Service (VTS). Audio Point founder Brian Lichorowic said the adaptive technology began "with phone calls directly to my engineers!" E-mail by phone has been available for several years, but it ...

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Attack on Justin Hamilton has provoked outrage, as well as community support Lakeville resident Juttin Hamilton’s life has been forever changed by a vicious attack, which was instigated by a person he considered a friend. The attack on Hamilton, who is developmentally disabled, occurred over the period of two days, Oct. 10-11. It is a crime ...

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Effort to improve circumstances for people with disabilities after prison and treatment Mental illness is a common struggle for many people who’ve been released from prison. How communities of faith can develop and continue relationship to help inmates and former inmates with mental health issues was one of the many topics addressed at Open Doors Open ...

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National Federation of the Blind praises new online accessibility More than two years after filing a lawsuit against Target Corporation over Web site access, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the retailer have reached a settlement agreement. The NFB contended that Target’s online shopping Web site was inaccessible to blind people who use a ...

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What works and what doesn't for JAWS users Target Corporation recently settled a lawsuit with the National Federation for the Blind over access to its Web site, target.com How do other Web sites compare? Access Press contributing writer Clarence Schadegg tests a few: With the use of my screen reader, Job Access With Speech (JAWS), I was ...

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Open Doors and Open Hearts is an upcoming conference, put together by a dedicated group of socially active people of diverse faiths and backgrounds. Former prison inmates, people in recovery, government and community service professionals, and representatives from Twin Cities-based spiritual communities will cooperatively share viewpoints and ideas. The conference will be a time of ...

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