With Gov. Mark Dayton heading the executive branch and Republican majorities steering the Minnesota Legislature, the 2011 session began Jan. 4 with a daunting task: plug the state’s $6.2 billion budget deficit before the fiscal year ends July 1. At roughly 19 percent of the state’s overall budget, the gap between projected spending and anticipated revenue ...

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Thank goodness for the Billy Golfuses of the world.  They serve as our canaries in the mine shaft, taking great risks to tell us when things are becoming difficult, unfair or untenable.  Golfus’ commentary reflects the harshest realities of today’s torn social safety net and failing medical system which for folks who are living in ...

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Table of Contents: State Faces Massive Budget Deficit by Anne Henry Pawlenty Names Goodno As Commissioner by Tim Benjamin The Republican Win by Laurie Eckblad Anderson The “New” Mayors: One Year Later by Access Press Staff Disability Culture: The Bakken Model by John Tschida No Gifts for the Manger by Pete Feigal AT for the Visually Impaired by Jeni Mundl The Gift Of Acquiescence by Ellen Houghton The Check is in the ...

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Table of Contents: Minnesota in Mourning - Remembering Paul and Sheila Wellstone by Access Press Staff Health Care & Disability: Lack Of Access A Problem by Jeff Nygaard National Disability Mentoring Day by Laurie Eckblad Anderson Grassroots Advocacy For Brain Injury Association by Pete Takash No More Candlelight Vigils — We Want “Root Beer Float Days” by Pete Feigal People Don't Have Souls by Ellen Houghton The Extra Mile: Part II ...

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Next year, the disability community will be losing one of its strongest advocates when State Representative Kevin Goodno retires.  Goodno, 39, says he plans on spending more time with his two daughters and his wife, who is expecting a third child in August. Disability advocates and legislators alike all agree that perhaps the single most important ...

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Table of Contents: Wheelchair Accessible Taxi-Cabs by Tim Benjamin To Clone or Not To Clone by John Tschida People First Of Minnesota Is Building Strength by Christen Opsal Systems Change Grant Conference by Karen Pederson Holy Relics by Pete Feigal The Fight For Nursing Home Alternatives by John Tschida Remember Me: An Easter Blessing by Linda Larson Assistive Technology Adds Fun To Summer by Jeni Mundl Access North:An Internet Community by Jon Kauppi Southeastern MN ...

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Table of Contents: Legislative Watch: Mental Health Update by Sue Abderholden Redistricting and Beyond by Joel Ulland Behind The Scenes of The History Of Bowling by Tim Benjamin Buck Humphrey Visits Access Press by Tim Benjamin The Effects Of A Cure On The Disability Community by Steve Miles, M.D. HHS Approves Prescription Drug Demonstration Projects by Access Press Staff Vincent's Ear by Pete Feigal Your Inner Dancer by Sister Jo Lambert The Dome ...

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Table of Contents: News from the Capitol - State Budget Deficit Grows Worse by Anne Henry NAMI-MN Celebrates 25th Anniversary by Karen Trudell and Sue Abderholden “Common Vision” Yields Immediate Results by Tim Benjamin Lobby Day by Tom Kelley March is Mental Retardation Awareness Month by Access Press Staff EEOC vs. Wafflehouse Inc. by Kathleen Hagen It Don't Mean Nothin' by Pete Feigal Scientific Research Debate by John Tschida Don't Forget the Simple Answers by Jeni Mundl Coming ...

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This is the fourth in a series of profiles designed to share personal accounts of how people with disabilities are doing in the community. In this profile, I talked with John Tschida. John works at Courage Center as the Senior Director of Public Affairs and Research. Born and raised in St. Paul, John currently resides ...

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Fifty years ago, people with disabilities in the United States had many battles to fight, and were marginalized, isolated, and in many cases institutionalized, because their minds and bodies failed to meet society's definition of "normal." Today in Poland, the disabled are facing these same challenges and more. There is a social revolution going on ...

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Research findings unveiled in late October at the seventh National Disability Statistics and Policy Forum show that many challenges still face a majority of individuals with disabilities. Despite record economic growth throughout the 1990s, a series of presentations by national experts in disability research showed that the disabled continue to lag behind their non-disabled peers in ...

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Table of Contents Light Rail Transit: How Accessible Will It Be? by Jeff Nygaard Cemetary Dedication by Charlie Smith Editor’s Column by Charlie Smith Technology Loan Network by Access Press Staff Y2K and Interdependence by Donna McNamara  Russion Delegates Visit by Christine Tomlinson News In Brief - November 1999 by Access Press Staff Mental Illness Groups by Access Press Staff "Wounded Healers" by Pete Feigal David and Mephibosheth by Linda Larson Kudos ...

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