For the Younger Set Radio Talking Book's volunteer Arlene Cardozo has retired. For the last twenty years, Arlene has recorded our children’s program, Once Upon A Time.  During that time, she has done research on new books for children and become a great resource. We are changing the format of the program with her departure. The ...

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Here's the .pdf of the October 2011 Issue.  Enjoy!

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Open Access Connections, which provides free voice mail for people with disabilities, low income people and the homeless, has been forced to lay off staff and scale back services in the wake of a state funding cut. The nonprofit agency, which is based in St. Paul, laid off its staff Aug. 12. Two full-time and three ...

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Many deserving and hard-working people were nominated for the 2011 Charlie Smith Award, given every year at the annual banquet hosted by Access Press. Here are their stories: John J. Barrett John J. Barrett is the president of Rise, Inc. The agency just celebrated its 40th anniversary. Barrett was hired as executive director in the summer of ...

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The Board of Directors of Access Press has selected Jeff Bangsberg as the 2011 Charlie Smith Award recipient. It’s been a real honor for me to have Jeff as a mentor and friend over the years. I look forward to Nov. 4 and the opportunity to honor Jeff and congratulate all the nominees. There were many deserving ...

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While there are close to 50 million Americans living with disabilities, Lives Worth Living is the first television history of their decades-long struggle forequal rights. Produced and directed by Eric Neudel, Lives Worth Living is a window into a world inhabited by people with an unwavering determination to live their lives like everyone else, and ...

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  Forty years ago, Minnesotans with significant disabilities still lived in state hospitals. Special education wasn’t very special. Most people with disabilities didn’t plan to have careers or live on their own in the community. It was a different world then. Clients, employees, friends and supporters of Rise Inc. are looking back on those days at ...

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Construction of the Central Corridor light rail project is more than 20 percent complete, according to project staff. Parts of University Avenue, including the stretch from Emerald to Hampden, are complete on the south side. That means switching the work and the worst impacts on businesses, to the north side. For people with disabilities who must ...

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Ongoing Central Corridor light rail construction in downtown St. Paul continues to create problems in terms of skyway access. The project is also raising questions about the need for an elevator connection near the planned Fourth and Cedar station is being debated. While many skyway users see an elevator as a basic need for skyway ...

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Adam was nine years old with a diagnosis of autism. Some people didn’t understand Adam’s lack of eye contact and social awkwardness. Two of his classmates began to bully him. At first they called him names, “weirdo” and mimicked how he walked. It escalated into shoving and tripping, usually at lunch when adults weren’t watching. This went ...

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The start of the school year is here, and The Arc Greater Twin Cities has tips for parents of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities to help their children get the year off to a great start. Visit the school—it will help your child become familiar with the building. Introduce him/her to the teachers and staff. ...

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Obama wants to help veterans During a speech at the national American Legion convention in Minneapolis Aug. 30, President Barak Obama vowed to ensure that returning soldiers have the job skills they need to succeed. He pledged to create a job training “boot camp” for veterans who are struggling to find employment in the private sector, a ...

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Brown is winner of award Nick Brown, owner of Brown’s Lawn Service in Shakopee, is the winner of the 2011 Judd Jacobson Memorial Award. The award will be presented Oct. 5 at a ceremony at Courage Center in Golden Valley. Brown is an enterprising 18-year-old who has been mowing lawns since age 12. That wouldn’t be unusual ...

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The sudden death of Tim Nelson, chief executive officer of Hammer Residences, Inc, and board chairman of The Arc Minnesota, has stunned and saddened those who worked with him.  Nelson, 58, died Aug. 16 while hiking with his wife, Jean, in Colorado. His life’s work in helping people with developmental disabilities began early. Nelson’s youngest brother Doug ...

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Our Economy - on the RTB Lately, everywhere that people access the news, they hear stories of economic crisis, both on a state and federal level. Unemployment is increasing, stocks have been somersaulting in value, and economists are adding an extension to the Great Recession.  Since the Minnesota Radio Talking Book is one resource of information, the ...

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It’s the best party of the year for Minnesota’s disability community. And you and your friends can make it better. Access Press hosts the Charlie Smith Award Banquet Friday, Nov. 4 at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott, Bloomington. Attendees enjoy music, a delicious meal and the presentation of the Charlie Smith Award, which is given annually ...

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The Minnesota Consortium for Citizens for Disabilities (MN CCD) hosts a series of town hall forums this fall to explain the various state budget impacts, and to gather information from the public. Policymakers will be on hand to listen to concerns. Weeks after the 2011 special session of the Minnesota Legislature, advocates that serve people with ...

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Here's the .pdf version of the September 2011 Issue.  Enjoy!

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When the 2011 Minnesota Legislature’s special session adjourned July 20, Minnesotans with disabilities and their families faced a dizzying array of changes in the adopted health and human legislation and budget. For the short term, many people will see cuts to services or changes in how services are delivered. Over the long term, Minnesotans can ...

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For organizations that serve Minnesotans with disabilities, the historic state shutdown and its aftermath have created a flurry of activities that for some, are far from over. For agencies that had to shut down and then start up, the complications have been many and varied. A few of the complications were unintentionally humorous. One agency that ...

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It’s the best party of the year for Minnesota’s disability community. And you and your friends can make it better. Access Press hosts the Charlie Smith Award Banquet Friday, Nov. 4 at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott, Bloomington. Attendees enjoy music, a delicious meal and the presentation of the Charlie Smith Award, which is given annually ...

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During the government shutdown in July, Ramsey County District Court Judge Kathleen Gearin ruled that certain government functions must be provided and paid for even though the Minnesota Legislature and the governor had not agreed on an appropriation act. Years earlier, in a different context, U.S. District Judge Earl Larson issued a similar order in ...

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The state shutdown was truly a catastrophe. Although disappointing, Gov. Dayton made the right decision. He did what had to be done to get the state back to work, even though he knew he was accepting a budget that will not solve any of our financial woes but only put them off for another budget ...

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Twin Cities bus and rail transit are among the state-supported services that dodged a bullet during the 2011 special session of the Minnesota Legislature. That’s crucial to people with disabilities that rely on regular Metro Transit route service. The fate of Twin Cities transit service had been up in the air for months. At one point ...

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Here is an overview from Courage Center of the 2011 Minnesota Legislature special session. The end of the longest shutdown in state history and the conclusion to the 2011 legislative session brings some relief. At Courage Center it’s not a return to business as usual. The agency has difficult work ahead to provide clients with the ...

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