Deafweekly March 7, 2007

deafweekly

March 7, 2007
Vol. 3 No. 13

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers every Wednesday and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. Please visit our website to read current and back issues, sign up for a subscription and advertise. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2007 and any unauthorized use, including reprinting of news, is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly at no charge.

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NATIONAL
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JUDGE SIDES WITH SCHOOL IN HEARING-DOG DISPUTE

A federal judge has sided with the East Meadow (N.Y.) School District in its dispute with a 14-year-old deaf boy who wants to bring his hearing dog to school. U.S. District Court Judge Arthur Spatt conducted a six-day hearing after John Cave Jr.’s parents, John and Nancy Cave, brought a $150 million federal lawsuit against the school district for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. Spatt denied the family’s request for an injunction February 27, saying the school already provides an interpreter and other accommodations. According to Newsday, the family intends to appeal the decision. “We will take this to the Supreme Court if we have to,” said their attorney, Paul Margiotta.

FLORIDA MOTORCYCLIST WINS ADULT-SCHOOL LAWSUIT

A Florida woman who was denied an interpreter for an adult school class in motorcycle safety has won her battle, said the St. Petersburg Times. Merrie Paul tried to take the class in April 2005 so she could get a motorcycle driver’s license, but was told the district doesn’t provide interpreters for recreational classes. When she learned that it would cost her $2,340 for an interpreter, she hired a lawyer and sued the Hillsborough County school district under the Americans with Disabilities Act. On February 21, the school board agreed to pay her $7,500 for emotional distress and provide interpreters in its adult education classes.

MAN ARRESTED FOR STEALING HEARING DOG

Police in Sarasota, Fla. arrested the owner of an assisted living facility for allegedly sneaking into a deaf resident’s room and stealing her hearing dog. Geoffrey Kinne, owner of the McIntosh Manor Assisted Living Facility, tried twice to put the dog up for adoption with the Humane Society and succeeded on the second try by forging documents, said the Herald-Tribune. The dog’s owner, Joan Gurland, 64, paid $2,000 for the animal 12 years ago. Kinne tried to get the dog back after learning he was under investigation, but the new owner refused to give it up. Kinne was arrested February 20 for forgery, burglary and grand theft. Unfortunately, by that time Gurland’s dog had already been euthanized because of liver failure.

SHOOTER’S GIRLFRIEND GETS 20 YEARS IN PRISON

A San Antonio, Texas woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison February 20 after pleading no contest to murder in the July 2005 shooting death of Joe Albert Rodriguez, who was deaf. Delia Ann Marie Saucedo’s boyfriend, Jesus Trevino, was convicted in January and sentenced to 65 years in prison for firing the shot that killed Rodriguez, known as “Silent Joe.” Saucedo, 20, helped Trevino commit the crime by driving him to and from the scene and later searching for the murder weapon in a field where it was supposedly hidden, said the News-Express. Her lawyer, William Davidson, said she could be released in eight years.

HOSPITAL WORKER PLEADS GUILTY TO SEX WITH PATIENT

A deaf Greystone Park (N.J.) Psychiatric Hospital worker was sentenced Friday to three years probation and 100 hours of community service for having sexual contact with a patient. Marie “Terri” Battles, 61, of Netcong, was ordered to give up her job and future public employment as a condition of her plea deal, reported the Newark Star Ledger. Battles admitted performing oral sex on two occasions with the 30-year-old patient, who is also deaf. The patient told police the relationship was consensual but employees of the hospital are forbidden from having sexual relations with patients.

FLORIDA STUDENT ARRESTED FOR DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE

A senior at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind was arrested by campus police last Thursday and charged with making, possessing, throwing or discharging a destructive device. The charge against Eli Tambling, 20, of Jacksonville is a third-degree felony, FSDB spokeswoman Kathy Gillespie told the St. Augustine Record. Further details are being withheld until an investigation is completed but rumors that Tambling had a pipe bomb are false, she said.

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STATION FINED $16,000 FOR LACK OF CAPTIONING

WINK-TV, a CBS affiliate in Fort Myers, Fla., has voluntarily agreed to pay a $16,000 fine to the Federal Communications Commission for not captioning its coverage of Hurricane Charley in August 2004. According to The News-Press, WINK-TV provided hours of coverage by anchors, reporters and meteorologists but failed to make the information accessible to deaf viewers as required by federal rules. Two other stations - NBC2 and ABC7 - were each fined $24,000 in late 2005 for the same problem, but both stations have appealed the fines and the matter is still pending.

OHIO SCHOOLS FOR DEAF, BLIND TO SHARE ONE CAMPUS

Officials with Ohio’s schools for the deaf and the blind plan to present a $40 million plan to lawmakers later this year that would combine the two campuses, said The Columbus Dispatch. The schools are presently located next to each other on state-owned property in Columbus. The proposal calls for the schools to come together on the School for the Deaf’s site, which would allow sharing of expenses such as maintenance, food and health services. The state has already awarded $4 million for planning and is accepting bids from architects. “Both schools will retain their identities,” deaf school Superintendent Edward Corbett Jr. told the Associated Press.

NORTH DAKOTA NIXES STUDY OF SCHOOL MERGER

A proposal to study the merger of North Dakota’s schools for the deaf and the blind was rejected by the state Senate in January by a 40-5 vote. Sen. John Andrist, R-Crosby, introduced the proposal to spur discussion about the deaf school’s future, said the Bismarck Tribune. The Devil’s Lake school has only 26 students, and Gov. John Hoeven’s budget calls for $6.8 million for the school, or $261,538 per student. The campus has vacant buildings that the school for the blind, based in Grand Forks, could put to use, said Andrist. But a merger “would not be in the interest of either program or the individuals they serve,” said Sen. JoNell Bakke, D-Grand Forks.

MICHIGAN MAN SENT TO WRONG AIRPORT

The Oakland (Mich.) Press reported last week on the “nightmare” trip of John Karolski, a deaf Livonia man who was put on the wrong flight December 23 and ended up in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 225 miles from where his brother awaited him in Orlando. Karolski knew something was wrong when he landed and tried to get someone to call his brother, but four different Spirit agents refused to help. He eventually gave up and took a cab to Orlando. Spirit Airlines reimbursed Karolski for $634.70 in cab fare, refunded his $181.10 plane ticket, gave him a first-class seat for his return flight and sent a letter of apology. Still, said the report, he and his wife Kathy “were upset his pleas for help fell on deaf ears.”

HEARING OUTNUMBER DEAF IN FREMONT HOUSING COMPLEX

Anti-discrimination policies have had an unintended effect at Fremont (Calif.) Oak Gardens, an affordable housing complex that opened for deaf seniors in 2005. According to the Pleasanton Tri-Valley Herald, fair-housing laws require that housing such as Oak Gardens be open to all seniors. As a result, today there are 22 deaf and 28 hearing seniors living at Oak Gardens, with no deaf seniors occupying the lowest-rent units. Fremont can’t prevent hearing seniors from moving in if they qualify financially, said city administrator May Lee. “It’s very disappointing,” said Mary Dallas Herrold, who helped in the 15-year effort to create the $12.7 million senior housing complex. “Why not give us deaf a chance to enjoy an all-deaf community?”

RIT, HOME TO NTID, NAMES NEW PRESIDENT

The Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology announced Monday that William Destler has been named RIT’s ninth president, succeeding Albert Simone, who is retiring after 15 years with the school. Destler comes to RIT from the University of Maryland, where he is senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. He will assume his new position on July 1. RIT is home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, the world’s largest technological college for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, where more than 1,100 students are educated alongside RIT’s 14,000 hearing students.

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TRIO ARRESTED FOR SWINDLING 270 DEAF JAPANESE

Police in Tokyo, Japan arrested three people February 14 on suspicion of swindling 2.7 billion yen ($23.2 million US) from about 270 deaf people between 2000 and 2005. Yoko Kobayashi, 55, who learned sign language from a deaf family member, reportedly has admitted to the allegations. Also arrested were Eiko Machida, 56, a former employee of Kobayashi’s company that sells equipment to the disabled, and Norikiyo Machida, Eiko’s 28-year-old son. According to The Japan Times, the three promised higher interest rates than available from banks and guaranteed that money would be paid back when needed. But only 600 million yen ($5 million US) was returned, police said, and the rest of the money remains unaccounted for.

DEAF BOY STARTS FIRE THAT LEAVES 1,600 HOMELESS

A deaf boy in Uganda was blamed for starting a fire that destroyed 313 huts and left more than 1,600 people homeless in Koro Abiin Gulu district. “The fire was started by a deaf and dumb seven-year-old boy who lit a heap of grass which later spread to the huts, sparking off the fire,” camp secretary Francis Onekalit, told The New Vision. The matter was made worse when thieves from other areas took advantage of the fire and robbed the victims of their property. Officials thanked the soldiers who put out the fire and appealed to humanitarian organizations for relief.

AUSTRALIAN DAD JAILED FOR HURTING BABY

An Australian man’s deafness was offered as a reason for the injuries to his three-month-old daughter, reported the Herald Sun. The unidentified father’s excessive alcohol use and anger problem were also cited in a Melbourne court last Thursday when the man faced charges of fracturing his daughter’s legs and collarbone in 2005. He was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to intentionally causing injury. Noting that the infant suffered a total of 13 bone fractures, the judge said, “It is clear that persons with such a profound disability have grave problems in handling stress.”

SOUTH AFRICAN MAN ‘CHASED AWAY’ BY POLICE

A deaf South African man was “chased away” by police when he tried to report his son missing, said The Herald Eastern Cape. Mbulelo Faleni, 40, went to the New Brighton police station on February 4 in a panic after his 20-year-old son failed to return home the previous night. Instead of attending to Faleni’s complaint, police officers allegedly chased him away. The South African Human Rights Commission plans to investigate and says Faleni should file a formal complaint. “It’s absolutely unacceptable and a gross violation of human rights in a democratic country,” said Zonke Majodina, the commission’s deputy chairman.

BIKER VISITS NEW ZEALAND ON TRIP AROUND WORLD

Six years into his motorcycle trip around the world, Vladimir Yarets, 65, attracted a large curious crowd February 20 when he parked his motorbike on a street in Nelson, New Zealand. The deaf Belarus citizen, who hopes to get in the Guinness Book of World Records, communicated through gestures and by pointing at maps as he explained his trip, which began in May 2000 in Minsk. So far, he has traveled over 235,000 km (146,000 miles) through the former Soviet Union, Europe, North and Central America, and Australia. Yarets, whose progress can be followed at www.yarets.com, indicated with a Japanese-style bow that he is off to Japan next.

FILM ‘DEAFNESS MATTERS’ MAKES DEBUT

Eleven youngsters from Oxfordshire, England have created a film about the challenges faced by deaf people, reported The Oxford Mail. Deafness Matters, a 37-minute movie on DVD that shows a week in the life of deaf and hard-of-hearing young people, premiered January 13 at the Oxford Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center. It took the group seven days to make the film, starting with a weekend away at a youth hostel. The Royal National Institute for the Deaf is interested in making the DVD available to its members, and the film will also be offered to schools and libraries. To learn more, write to admin@oxforddeafcentre.co.uk.

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LIFE & LEISURE
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FIRE OFFICIAL, MOM TEAM UP ON SMOKE DETECTORS

Thomas Swigart, a Williamsport, Pa. fire inspector, and Melissa Engel, the mother of 10-year-old twin girls who are hard of hearing, have teamed up to develop a program to provide free smoke detectors to the deaf. The program is believed to be the first of its kind in the country, Engel told The Patriot-News. “There’s a huge need out there,” said Engel, whose daughters, Monica and Marisa, were among the first 20 people in Lycoming County to receive a free smoke detector. Now Swigart is applying for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to buy 300 more portable devices from Silent Call Communications.

COCHLEAR IMPLANT USERS WIN SCHOLARSHIPS

Five college students were named recipients of Graeme Clark Cochlear Scholarships, an annual award created five years ago by Cochlear Americas to note the accomplishments of people with Nucleus cochlear implants. They are: Rachel Chaikoff, Atlanta Georgia, filmmaking; David Duncan, Mount Pleasant, S.C., business; Datherine DeVleming, Clarkston, Wash., English and pre-med; Jordan Scott Sack, Providence, R.I., medical school; and Abigael Lee Brimhall, Mesa, Ariz., education. The winners were announced at the second Cochlear Celebration in San Antonio, Texas, which marked 25 years of Nucleus technology and attracted two special guests: Graeme Clark, cochlear implant inventor, and Rod Saunders, first recipient of the multi-channel cochlear implant.

FLORIDA HEARING AID DEALER MAKES HOUSE CALLS

Hearing aid dealer Roger Watkins of Naples, Fla. offers “a novel approach [that] few, if any, of his competitors offer,” said the Naples Daily News - he makes house calls. Watkins, who spent many years working for others in the profession before starting his own hearing aid sales and service business with his wife Peggy, regularly packs up his portable audiometer and laptop computer and travels to appointments in people’s homes. “There are many reasons why people can’t come to me for a hearing test,” he said, “so I go to them.”

HARRIS HELPS WITH TEXAS FAMILY’S HOME MAKEOVER

Harris Communications played a role in the February 18th episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The Eden Prairie, Minn.-based distributor of products for deaf and hard-of-hearing people donated a system from Silent Call Communications to assist the O’Donnell family of Austin, Texas, in which five of the six children are autistic. Silent Call’s product line includes the TransMatter, a pressure-activated floor mat that sends a signal when a person gets out of bed or exits a room. Harris, which is celebrating 25 years in operation, said it donated the products to “give the parents some peace of mind and improve their quality of life.”

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DCARA NAMES DIANA HERRON TO CEO POSITION

DCARA - the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency in San Leandro, Calif. - has announced the appointment of Diana Herron as Chief Executive Officer. Herron is currently the Supervisor of Career Center and Transition with the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, where she has worked the past 12 years. An Atlanta native, Herron attended the Georgia School for the Deaf and earned degrees from Gallaudet and the University of Phoenix. She and her husband, Ron Rhodes, have three children and four grandchildren. She starts her new job April 16.

SCHOOL FOR DEAF TO WELCOME HEARING STUDENTS

A Louisville, Ky. school for the deaf is opening its doors to hearing children, reported The Courier-Journal. The Heuser Hearing Institute, which operates the Louisville Deaf Oral School, will periodically merge its classes with those of the new Louisville Language Academy, a preschool opening next fall for hearing children ages 2-4. Many of the deaf school’s students have cochlear implants, said Heuser’s executive director, Mona McCubbin, and “with peers to interact with for speech, it will really help level the playing field.” The hearing students, McCubbin added, will benefit by gaining “a tolerance of differences.”

SCHOOL’S CREDIT UNION INSPIRED MICHIGAN WOMAN

ELGA Credit Union employee Sheila Bisaha is “90 percent deaf and and knows sign language, but she can also read lips and speak effectively to hearing people,” said The Flint (Mich.) Journal. Bisaha, 52, joined the credit union staff seven years ago and handles deaf and hard-of-hearing member services out of the Burton branch. “It’s nice to have Sheila use sign language and make them feel comfortable,” said Bisaha’s boss, Margie Gillean. Bisaha grew up in Nova Scotia and struggled in Catholic school, but was inspired by the school’s credit union. “I always dreamed, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to work in a credit union?’” said Bisaha, “and here I am.”

LIFELINKS VRS OFFERS FREE CALLS WORLDWIDE

Lifelinks Video Relay Service said in a recent news release that it has teamed up with Verizon to offer free calls to any country for deaf VRS users. The free international calls, made possible by a special low rate provided by Verizon to Lifelinks VRS, must originate with a deaf caller using American Sign Language within the U.S., Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. “Never before has a VRS company provided termination of calls to any country, served by Verizon, as Lifelinks VRS is now doing,” said Helmi Gomez, customer service manager for Lifelinks VRS.

MICHIGAN AGENCY OFFERS VIDEO RELAY SERVICE

A crowd gathered in Muskegon, Mich. on February 22 to mark the opening of the new Deaf/Hard of Hearing Connection office. According to the Muskegon Chronicle, the office houses the city’s first video relay service, which takes calls from people across the country. The call center houses two interpreter stations, and with interpreter Betsy Jackson busy all day taking calls, officials are already looking to add another interpreter.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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JAPAN: SUBTITLE SNAFU STYMIES DEAF ‘BABEL’ VIEWERS

Deaf people in Japan who worked on the film Babel have launched a petition asking that Japanese subtitles be added to the film. Babel, a best picture Oscar nominee, contains Japanese subtitles for scenes that are in English, Spanish, Arabic and sign language but does not have captions for Japanese dialogue. According to the Daily Yomiuri, the film’s distributor “apparently never thought about the problem” until contacted by sign language interpreter Ruruka Minami, who helped with casting. Minami attended an opening and noticed “blank faces” among deaf viewers afterwards. Said Yoko Hashimoto, who taught sign language to a cast member: “I just wondered what it was all supposed to be about.”

‘THROUGH DEAF EYES’ PROMPTS LIBRARY PLANS

The Library of Congress and libraries throughout the country will host a special program for the film Through Deaf Eyes, which premieres Wednesday, March 21 on PBS stations nationwide. Friends of Libraries for Deaf Action (FOLDA) Founder/President Alice Hagemeyer said in a news release that 12 libraries have scheduled screenings and audience discussions in coming weeks. The two-hour documentary explores nearly 200 years of deaf life in America. A companion book, Through Deaf Eyes: A Photographic History of an American Community, published by Gallaudet University Press, is due out in April.

THEATER FESTIVAL EXPECTED TO DRAW 2,500

California nonprofit Hands Across Communications has announced plans for the 2007 International Deaf Theatre Festival, which will take place October 25-27 in Woodland Hills. The three-day festival is expected to attract more than 2,500 theater patrons, said a news release, and will provide “a celebration of the rich heritage of sign language on an international level.” Special performances, a panel discussion and celebrity guest emcees are among the announced highlights. “I am proud and excited to have this festival in Los Angeles for the first time ever,” said organizer and deaf entertainer C.J. Jones. Tickets are available via website.

‘BRILLIANT CINEMA’ PLEDGED FOR WORLD CONGRESS

The World Federation of the Deaf will host its 15th World Congress in Madrid, Spain, July 16-22, and its organizing committee has received “tens of films” by deaf creators and artists for possible inclusion. A group of experts is now viewing the films and will decide which ones to screen during the Congress. “This will allow participants to enjoy a representative sample of the most brilliant Deaf and signing cinema ever seen,” said a WFD news release. To learn more about the Congress, visit www.wfdcongress.org.

ROCHESTER FILM FESTIVAL TO SPOTLIGHT ‘HEAR AND NOW’

The Second Deaf Rochester Film Festival is set for March 23-25 in Rochester, N.Y. Most of the films will be shown at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, but the feature presentation - Irene Taylor Brodsky’s Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentary “Hear and Now,” about her deaf parents’ decision to get cochlear implants - will be screened downtown at the Little Theatre. (Brodsky’s parents, Paul and Sally Taylor, are NTID retirees.) Wayne Betts, co-founder of California film production company Mosdeux, will be the keynote speaker. Other highlights include a filmmakers’ panel discussion, an awards brunch and dinner in NTID’s Dyer Arts Center. Tickets are $10 per night or $35 for a festival pass. Visit www.drff.org to learn more.

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SPORTS
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MARYLAND HOOPSTERS NAMED NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

The Maryland School for the Deaf has a third banner to go with its two national titles in boys basketball(1993-94) after easily winning its fifth straight ESDAA Tournament and finishing the season with a 26-1 record. MSD’s Orioles were named Deaf National Champions by DeafDigest Sports, which selects the team. “We deserved it since we had a great year,” MSD coach Vance Rewolinski told The Frederick News-Post. “I expected that our team would be national champions based on our record.” Rewolinski will coach the East squad at the East-West Deaf All-Star Game, a first-time event featuring the nation’s best deaf high school seniors competing against each other. It takes place April 14 in Indianapolis during the USA Deaf Basketball Tournament.

HAMILL DISMISSES OPPONENT WITH FIRST-ROUND TKO

Matt Hamill enjoyed the overwhelming support of 18,000 fans at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Columbus, Ohio Saturday night as he overpowered Rex Holman with a first-round TKO victory. Hamill, a three-time Division III national wrestling champion and World Games for the Deaf gold medalist, improved his mixed martial arts record to 3-0. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the fight was stopped by the referee at four minutes “with Holman lying prone, Hamill straddling his back, punching Holman’s head.” (A You Tube video of the fight can be seen here.) Hamill, who plans to compete for a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, “is widely regarded as one of the most successful deaf athletes of his time,” said the report.

CALIFORNIA WRESTLER FINDS CONTINUED SUCCESS

California School for the Deaf-Fremont senior Kyle Benedict “has never heard the roar of the crowd,” reported the Woodland Daily Democrat, “but he has made plenty of noise on the wrestling mat.” Benedict, who competes at 173, was 21-3 and preparing for his third North Coast Section Wrestling Tournament when featured on February 20. His teammate and fellow Woodland resident, Eric Taylor (22-12, 154 pounds), placed second at the recent Bay Shore Athletic League wresting tournament to also advance to the North Coast tournament. Benedict came back from a dislocated shoulder in football to improve on last year’s 28-7 record. “His deafness has not stopped him from doing anything,” said his mother Erin.

DEAF STRONGMAN GAMES PLANNED FOR 2008

Planning is underway for the first Deaf Strongman competition, which is expected to take place sometime next year. The North America Deaf Strongman (NADS) Games was originally planned for 2007 but was postponed to “better plan the event” with sComm, Inc., sponsor of the NADS Games and distributor of the UbiDuo communication device, which became available in January. Both novices and experienced competitors are welcome and awards will include cash, trophies and T-shirts. Several locations are under consideration and organizers hope to tie in with one of the DeafNation expos, which typically draw thousands of visitors. More information may be found at www.deafstrongman.com.

‘PEG’ PROGRAM BRINGS GOLF TO DEAF SCHOOLS

The U.S. Deaf Golf Association has launched a new program to introduce golf through physical education classes at schools for the deaf. The USDGA’s new Physical Education Golf (PEG) program is available free to all residential schools for the deaf in the United States; schools from eight states and the District of Columbia have already signed up. In 12 sessions, students learn fundamentals, swing technique and more. Participants progress through four levels, at which point they are ready to play on a school team. The new program is “unlike anything available in the world for deaf kids,” said USDGA Executive Director Rob Strano. Learn more at www.USDeafGolf.org.

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** TWO NEW BOOKS BY TOM WILLARD **

-- A Sorry Stick of a Man, Indeed ... And Other Short Essays on Deafness
-- Deaf Haiku --

Perfect for deaf and hard-of-hearing people and students of deaf culture, sign language and interpreting, and ideal for parents of deaf children.

For more information, please visit www.canalstreetpress.com

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COMING EVENTS
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TDI ANNOUNCES CONFERENCE IN CALIFORNIA

San Mateo, Calif. has been chosen as the site for this year’s 17th Biennial TDI International Conference, set for August 23-25. TDI - Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc. - has been working for nearly 40 years to make the world more accessible, and “Shaping an Accessible World” is this year’s conference theme. TDI will introduce new workshops for consumers, allowing them to interact with professionals and share their ideas on accessibility. The Marriott San Mateo is offering a special group rate of $139 per night. More information will be posted on www.tdi-online.org as details are finalized.

CONFERENCE TO CONSIDER ‘150 YEARS ON KENDALL GREEN’

The Gallaudet University Press Institute will host a conference April 11-13 titled, “150 Years on Kendall Green: Celebrating Deaf History and Gallaudet.” Three keynote presenters - Pulitzer Prize Winner James McPherson of Princeton University; Paddy Ladd of the University of Bristol, England; and I. King Jordan, president emeritus of Gallaudet - will join about 25 other presenters and many other respected scholars. Topics include deaf education and immigration, women at Gallaudet, deaf theater, education of deaf African Americans, and more. It all takes place at the Kellogg Conference Center on the Gallaudet campus. Click here to learn more.

THIRD N.J. DEAF EXPOSITION SET FOR APRIL 21

Al Lepre has announced plans for the Third Annual N.J. Deaf Exposition, to be held Saturday, April 21 at the Parsippany P.A.L. Center. Vendors may purchase an 8-foot table with two chairs for $200. April 15 is the deadline to sign up. Admission and parking are free. Exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Ed Chevy of Oahu, Hawaii will be performing from 2 to 4 p.m. To learn more, visit www.njdeafexposition.com or write to allepre@aol.com.

PAD TO MARK 80TH ANNIVERSARY

The Pennsylvania Association of the Deaf will be marking its 80th anniversary with a buffet dinner on Saturday, March 24 at Olympic Hall in East Pittsburgh. The event, from 5 to 10 p.m., will feature an open bar, Chinese and silent auctions, and door prizes. Admission is $45 with an RSVP deadline of March 20. Send checks payable to PAD with your name, address and number of people to Elaine Miffin, 331 Scotia St., Pittsburgh, PA 15205.

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MILESTONES
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SANDY HART, 46, ATHLETIC TRAINER

Sandy Hart, athletic trainer with Grant High School in Van Nuys, Calif., died January 8 from complications of a bone marrow transplant in Little Rock, Ark. Ms. Hart, who was 46, battled bone marrow cancer for 15 years, said the L.A. Daily News. Football players at the school were shocked when told by coach Miguel Gonzalez of Ms. Hart’s passing. “She just had this resolve,” he said, “this inner strength to just shrug things off.” She is survived by her husband, Robert, and son, Daniel, a senior athlete at Grant. To leave a tribute, visit www.carepages.com and enter username hartbunch and password care4me.

WILLIAM J. MORROW, 71, RETIRED TRANSPORTATION WORKER

William J. Morrow, 71, died January 23 at Samaritan Medical Center in Chaumont, N.Y. Mr. Morrow was diagnosed with Mesothelioma, a cancer usually caused by asbestos exposure, in November. Mr. Morrow was born in 1935 in Theresa, N.Y. and attended the New York School for the Deaf in Rome. He went on to work for the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation for 34 years as an equipment operator and truck driver, retiring in 1990. Mr. Morrow founded the North Country Club of the Deaf and served as president for 24 years. He is survived by his wife, Esther, three sons, a daughter, ten grandchildren, three sisters and six brothers. Donations may be made to the Ephphatha Parish for the Deaf in Syracuse, N.Y., where Mr. Morrow was a member and Lay reader for many years.

GEOFF MATHAY, 51, ASL INSTRUCTOR AT SEATTLE COLLEGE

Geoff Mathay, 51, a longtime American Sign Language instructor at Seattle Central Community College, died of a heart attack February 1 after falling unconscious at work. According to the Seattle Times, Mr. Mathay grew up in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area before earning a degree in geography from the University of Washington and learning sign language in SCCC’s interpreter training program. After earning a master’s degree in deafness rehabilitation from New York University, Mr. Mathay worked as a job-placement specialist at Gallaudet University, where he met his future wife, Vicki Moseley. They were married in 1989, the same year Mr. Mathay began to work at SCCC. “He loved going to work every day,” said Moseley. He also enjoyed white-water rafting, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. A blog entry about Mr. Mathay by his close friend Lorn Fant may be found here and a page of condolences and information on memorial donations is located here.

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READER RESPONSE
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DISAPPOINTED WITH ONSTAR SERVICE

The following is a recent response to an item in the June 8, 2005 Deafweekly titled, “Onstar Canada Introduces TTY Help Line” ...

This is nice but again, we Deaf are short changed. Hearing people have direct and real-time access to OnStar. Important during an emergency such as an accident or other medical event while on the road. I have a 2006 Impala. It came with OnStar. I asked the OnStar people about in-the-car access and was told to get a built-in TTY access, I’d have to buy a 2007 Impala. This is not like Wal-Mart where you can buy a watch for $9.99 without a backlight feature and then if I want one with that feature, spend another $9.99 for it. I suggested the possibility of a retro-fit, perhaps where a Sidekick or Nokia text messenger could be wirelessly linked to Onstar for real-time access. I got a snide generic answer that repeated the need to purchase a 2007 Impala. Based on this, I see no reason to renew my OnStar service.

-- J.R. WOMACK

SEEKING USER-FRIENDLY RELAY POLICIES

Hello, I am the organizer for the unionization of the Riverbank California Relay center. I was wondering if your organization would be able to provide me with any information about how the deaf community would like THEIR relay service ran. Any policy or procedure changes or anything that comes to mind would be of a great help. In unionizing the center, I’m hoping to ‘trade’ some of the less-popular corporate policies with some more user-friendly principles. Once again, any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you very much.

-- DANNY A. BROWN JR.
verizonunion@yahoo.com

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EMPLOYMENT
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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) and reach more than 6,400 Deafweekly subscribers. Our website gets an additional 4,000+ page views each week. Start spreading the news! To place your ad, send the announcement to mail@deafweekly.com.

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JOB OPENING
TRS OUTREACH COORDINATOR
Staffed in Baltimore, MD

Hamilton Relay Services Division in Maryland currently has a full time position open for “TRS Outreach Coordinator”.

This position will be staffed in Baltimore, MD.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.

Position summary: Position is responsible for providing and gathering information which will help improve the quality of the relay service and the number of customers served by Maryland Relay. Individual will devote 100% of their time to Maryland Relay specific business and will be required to travel throughout the state of Maryland as needed.

Applicants with the ability to communicate through the use of American Sign Language are preferred. An Associate or Bachelor's Degree or comparable work experience along with a minimum of three years public relations experience is preferred. Strong written, analytical and interpersonal skills as well as a driver's license and ability to travel alone are required. Direct work experience with a Telecommunications Relay Service is also preferred. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals are encouraged to apply.

Interested individuals may send all inquiries and/or resumes to www.hamilton.net/employment.html to the attention of Cindy Blase in Human Resource Department by April 6, 2007.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.

Hamilton Relay, Inc. is a division of Hamilton Telecommunications based in Aurora, NE. Hamilton offers a competitive wage. Contact our HR Dept. at: 800.821.1831 or at: www.hamilton.net/employment.html

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Non-Profit mental health agency in Edgewater, MD has positions available in Deaf Program. Applicants must be fluent in American Sign Language. Minimum qualifications are a high school diploma or equivalent, AA or BA/BS degree with coursework and/or experience in psychology or human services preferred. Must have valid drivers license.

Rehabilitation Specialist - Part Time and Full Time; Responsibilities include providing daily living skills support, medication monitoring, transporting clients to appointments, and applying crisis intervention when needed in a residential setting.

Interpreter/Mental Health Specialist - Full Time, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Mon-Thurs as Interpreter, other hours as needed for Mental Health Specialist (will include weekends). Interpreter must be able to interpret a variety of situations. Specialist duties include; coordination of doctor appts., transport clients to appts., medication monitoring, provide daily living skills & job support, and apply crisis intervention. Applicants must be fluent in spoken English.

Send resume and cover letter to: Arundel Lodge, 2600 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD 21037, fax (410) 841-6045, email: Lmurphy@arundellodge.org.

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT GLAD

GLAD is an Affirmative Action Employer with equal opportunity for men, women and people with disabilities. For more information on the following positions, please go to: www.gladinc.org. The status of all positions is: Regular, Full-time, Non-Exempt, Full Fringe Benefits unless otherwise noted. All positions are open until filled.

- Building Manager - Los Angeles
- Regional Director - Riverside
- Mexican Sign Language Interpreter - Riverside
- Job Developer/Interpreter - Crenshaw
- Community Advocate - Los Angeles
- Placement Coordinator - Crenshaw
- Placement Coordinator (Temporary) - Norwalk
- Hard of Hearing Specialist (Temporary) -- Los Angeles and Riverside
- Community Advocate (Temporary) - Riverside
- Community Advocate - Riverside

If interested for any of these positions then please submit resume and application to:

Jeff Fetterman
Human Resources Specialist
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc.
2222 Laverna Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90041
V/TDD: (323) 550-4207
Fax #: (323)550-4204
E-mail: jfetterman@gladinc.org

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Executive Assistant Position Announcement
Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency - San Leandro

Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency (DCARA) has a full-time (40 hours/week) exempt Executive Assistant position available. The Executive Assistant will work out of the headquarters office in San Leandro, CA and provides clerical and administrative support and reports to the Chief Executive Officer. DCARA offers extremely competitive benefits such as a 4 day work-week schedule, 12 days of holiday leave plus one week paid winter holiday and full medical, dental, vision and life insurances. For more details, see www.dcara.org.

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Director of Client Support Services Position Announcement
Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency - San Leandro, CA

This position directs and supervises all aspects of outreach and specialized services in San Leandro, San Jose, Fremont, Eureka, and Santa Cruz. Represents agency in educational, advocacy, and social service contexts; coordinates program development and evaluation; monitors department budget; and performs direct services to clients. DCARA offers extremely competitive benefits such as 4-day work week schedule (40 hours), 12 days of holiday leave plus one week paid winter holiday, and full medical, dental, vision and life insurances. For more details, see www.dcara.org.

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Client Support Specialist, Position Announcement
Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency - Fremont, CA

The Client Support Specialist will work with deaf, hard of hearing, deafened individuals and deaf senior citizens and provide services including peer counseling, advocacy, and community education on health issues, senior citizen issues, entitlement benefits and daily living issues. DCARA offers extremely competitive benefits such as 4-day work week schedule (40 hours), 12 days of holiday leave plus one week paid winter holiday, and full medical, dental, vision and life insurances. For more details, see www.dcara.org.

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