What’s with the Minnesota weather? Could it be a nicer spring? It’s the beginning of April and we’ve already had temperatures well into the 70s: unbelievable. Speaking of weather, I think our legislators are getting serious spring fever also and trying to finish up early. Being the cynic I am, I wonder if they are trying ...
Posts Tagged ‘Tim Benjamin’
Editor’s Column – March 2012
This morning on the news the meteorologist said that today would probably be the coldest day for the rest of the winter. He said that we may see some snow, but first we’ll see 60° or even 70° temperatures. I’m all for that, but can we believe those guys? I’ll tell you the truth, after spending ...
Editor’s Column – February 2012
Well, winter is half over and we’ve hardly had any snow or cold. No one I talk to has had to complain this year about blocked access due to snowdrifts. Although I was born here and have lived in Minnesota for the past 40 years, I grew up in Arizona. Until I was in my ...
Editor’s Column – January 2012
With the start of the new year, the mass media is full of diets and fitness and other personal-improvement features. What’s on my mind is making life better for our community in general. We all have a lot to be thankful for; the advancements every year in independent living have been amazing. But this year ...
Editor’s Column – November 2011
By the time you read this, Access Press’s annual banquet will once again have taken place, but we’ll have gone to press a couple days before. I’m very excited to share all that happened with you, but it will have to wait until next month. At last count, we were looking forward to about 200 ...
Editor’s Column – September 2011
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 ...
Editor’s Column – August 2011
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 ...
Editor’s Column – July 2011
I hope by the time you read this the state government shutdown is over. As I’m writing this, though, I’m afraid that it won’t be settled. I don’t think the House and Senate leadership are able to make any guarantees on how their own caucuses will ultimately vote on any compromise. Gov. Mark Dayton will ...
Editor’s Column – June 2011
Summer is finally here and I’m so excited and thankful for the warmth. Although I’m a native Minnesotan (born in St. Paul), I grew up in the Southwest desert where there was summer pretty much year-round, and I hated it. Only after one winter back in Minnesota (about 40 years ago) did I start to ...
Editor’s Column – May 2011
The big news at our state capitol is that our legislators are flinging red herrings like there’s no tomorrow. By turning their attention to single-sex marriage and stadiums, they are really trying to keep out of the mainstream news the massive cuts that will be devastating to many Minnesotans. The budgets they are proposing now ...
Editor’s Column – April 2011
There has been so much happening at the capitol it’s hard to keep up. It’s impossible to say what will be law and what will be vetoed at this point. Some of the budget cuts that are being proposed would take away basic needs care for many individuals with disabilities. I’m not always sure that ...
Charlie Remembered
It’s been 10 years since my friend Charlie Smith passed away. Those of us who knew Charlie know we lost a strong advocate. Without Charlie Access Press would probably not exist. Legislatively, much of what we’re fighting for today, Charlie was involved in authoring the legislation or was there fighting to improve many of those ...
Editor’s Column – March 2011
Will the real Access Press please stand up? As you can see we’ve made some major design changes that we really hope you’ll like. We’ve tried to make the paper easier to read and a little more, as they say, 21st-century. I hope you’ll recognize the symbolism in the four boxes—all four are pretty much ...
Editor’s Column – February 2011
The 2011 legislative session is ramping up, and I have not been at the capitol nearly as much as I’ve wanted to be. To keep up-to-date with what’s happening, it’s important to be there. Off the hill, things seem like they’re moving along slowly. But in the halls and meeting rooms of the capitol, it’s ...
Editor’s Column – January 2011
Our 40th Governor, Mark Brandt Dayton, has taken the oath as Chief Executive Officer of Minnesota. His inaugural speech was loaded with themes of cooperation and our need to work together. He said, “Let’s get Minnesota working ... together. We can’t succeed without you. You can’t succeed without one another…. Let us recognize all that ...
Editor’s Column – December 2010
It might be a strange thing to say, but I’m looking forward to the upcoming year and what it has to offer us politically. Just the other day I ran into Kurt Rutzen, from the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration, and he said he was excited about the legislative session. He looks forward ...
Editor’s Column – November 2010
October was a month of celebrations and banquets in our community. The Minnesota State Council on Disabilities had an outstanding luncheon on Oct. 14 at the River Centre in downtown St. Paul. They honored many community members, including the artist who did the We Can Work posters for the State program Pathways to Employment through ...
Editor’s Column – August 2010
I am still thinking about what a great time I had, along with so many others, at the ADA 20th Anniversary celebration on July 26. It was a beautiful day at the Nicollet Island Pavilion, and being close to the river made it very cool and comfortable. The Minnesota weather couldn’t have been kinder to ...
Editor’s Column – July 2010
America’s Independence Day, the Fourth of July, has passed. Hope you had a good one! Many in the disability community think of personal independence as a primary goal. Of course, I do, too. But I also think improved interdependence might be a much better goal for all. None of us can be truly independent, whether ...
Editor’s Column – May 2010
At this amazing 20th anniversary of Access Press, I want to thank everyone for your patience with me back in September of 2001 when I was elected as executive director. It was a difficult transition for all of us; there just was no replacing Charlie Smith, who had lost his hard-fought struggle with throat cancer. Charlie ...
Editor’s Column – March 2010
This last month, many Minnesotans lost at the capitol. As you’ve probably heard, General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) will be discontinued as of April 1. The people who are on this program will be moved to MinnesotaCare if they can afford it. Of course, most of the people on this program have no income other ...
Editor’s Column – August 2009
[caption id="attachment_1519" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Tim Benjamin, editor"][/caption] July 26 marked the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has had incredible effects on all of us with disabilities. It's time once again to say a big thank you to all the authors and to President George H. W. Bush for signing the ADA in ...
Editor’s Column – May 2009
With all the concern about cuts to state-funded direct care, I decided to look back at the history of Minnesota’s personal care assistance program. There were several recurring themes throughout the program’s history; but guess what the main concern has been since 1977? Fraud. From 1977 to 1988, PCAs were paid directly by the department ...
Editor’s Column – April 2009
I want to thank the Minnesota Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) and all of the organizations that have worked so hard over the last couple of months to successfully organize rallies and lobbying efforts at the capitol and elsewhere. I know many of these people fairly well, and I’ve never seen before the distress ...
Congressman Ramstad receives 2008
National Courage Award Four others receive Jay and Rose Phillips Awards Courage Center presented U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad with its National Courage Award at its annual Medtronic Celebration of Courage Gala at The Depot in Minneapolis on September 13. The national award recognizes an individual’s contributions to the health, welfare and rehabilitation of people with disabilities. “Issues ...
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