Deafweekly May 12, 2010

deafweekly

May 12, 2010
Vol. 6, No. 28

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers on Wednesdays and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. These are the actual headlines and portions of recent deaf-related news articles, with links to the full story. Minor editing is done when necessary. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2010 and any unauthorized use is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly.

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Last issue's most-read story: REST IN PEACE, TODD SILVESTRI, GREAT FOOTBALL, ALL-AMERICAN WRESTLER STAR / Under the Hill
Last week's website page views: 4,738
Deafweekly subscribers as of today: 3,873

ADVERTISE IN DEAFWEEKLY FOR AS LITTLE AS $18.46 PER WEEK.

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DEAFLYMPICS
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Frederick, MD
CANCELLATION OF THE 17TH WINTER DEAFLYMPICS IN SLOVAKIA
It is with great regret that the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf Executive Board announces the cancellation of the 17th Winter Deaflympics in Slovakia. The games were scheduled to take place in February 2011. Unfortunately the Slovakia Deaflympic Organising Committee were unable to secure confirmation of funding and expected high standards in preparation for the scheduled games to take place. / CISS

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FCC & VRS
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Salt Lake City, UT
FCC THREATENS FUTURE OF VIDEO RELAY SERVICE
Imagine a future without Sorenson VRS (SVRS) and without a videophone. The future of Sorenson VRS is in the hands of deaf and hard-of-hearing users like you. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a rate for VRS that would be the end of SVRS as we know it today. It is not an exaggeration to say that under the proposed new FCC rate, most VRS providers would lose money. If these rates go into effect, Sorenson VRS will go bankrupt. / SVRS

Washington, DC
FCC COMMENTS ON HEALTH OF VRS
A Message from the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau to the VRS Community: You may have seen claims that the video relay service (VRS) program is threatened. This is not true. The FCC is committed to ensuring the provision of high quality VRS to all individuals who need this service. The VRS program will continue to provide the excellent communication service that you need. / Ed's Telecom Alert

Austin, TX
FCC'S PUBLIC NOTICE ON VRS RATES
On April 30th, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that they are thinking about decreasing the rate that Video Relay Service companies like Convo that provides high quality VRS. We feel that this rate cut will change the current experience of VRS. Lower funds means that our industry will have to be creative in finding ways to continue to hire top-quality interpreters, process calls quickly, and offer clear picture quality which will not be easy. / Convo Relay

Internet
JON ZIEV DISPUTED SORENSON'S CLAIMS ABOUT VRS BEING ENDANGERED
Jon Ziev, a deaf consumer advocate, disputed with the latest Sorenson's usual fear tactics about the VRS industry being endangered. Steve Baier aka the Deaf Sherlock posted the Sorenson's video to mobilize the deaf VRS users to call the FCC in protest of the commission's new proposed policy. "Under the Hill" blogger also posted the NCEA's proposal and Sorenson e-video. / RLMDEAF

Stockton, CA
VRS RATE CUTS NOT THE DEATH OF VRS
I was going to let this go past without writing a post on this, but I’ve been getting quite a lot of calls on the concern about VRS rate cuts being the end of VRS. So I figured I’d write a post on it. As many of you already know, I am employed by PurpleVRS as a tier 2 tech support dude. So I’m in an unique position to be able to tell you whether the rate cut has a significant impact on the VRS industry. In layman’s terms: VRS will not die or go bankrupt. Purple will be fine. The other VRS providers will be fine. The only difference is that greed is now no longer an option. / Don's Blog

Clearwater, FL
GUEST EDITORIAL -- LETTER FROM SEAN BELANGER, CEO OF CSDVRS (ZVRS)
Most of you are well aware the FCC is proposing a rate cut. This cut would be bad for us. It would not be catastrophic to us and it would not bankrupt us. In regard to Sorenson, they have been hit with a proposal for a potentially damaging rate that we believe is not fair to Sorenson. We support Sorenson in their fight at the same time we support the FCC and their effort to allow ALL providers a fair rate of return and not one provider a huge return while others struggle. / Dr. Z and You

Internet
DO VOIP SERVICES HAVE TO PAY INTO TRS? YES AND NO!
Caption Action 2 was both right and wrong about Voice Over IP (VOIP) services not having to pay into the Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) fund. Here is why, and what we learned after consulting with both the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. (NECA), as well as doing some additional research. The information in this post is very important because it affects the health of the TRS fund! / Caption Action 2

See Also FCC PUBLIC NOTICE ON NEW VRS RATES, NAD TO FILE COMMENTS / NAD
See Also SORENSON SCARE / Echo
See Also IF VRS WERE TO BE CUT TODAY / DeafCartoon.com

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Sonic Boom "The Skull" Alarm Clock New at Harris Communications!

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Check out the Skull on our website or contact us at: mailto:info@harriscomm.com.

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callVRS is exercising the freedom of choice! How about you?

We choose to answer to the Deaf community. We choose to treat our interpreters with honor and respect. We choose to be ethical and fiscally accountable. We choose to be the VRS Company that focuses on the interpreter along with the callers to make the VRS experience better for everyone. Find the interpreter to meet your many needs. Skilled, Ethical, Professional, and Friendly are all a part of your choice. Experience the freedom! www.callvrs.org. dial callVRS.info on your video phone today! Hearing callers dial 877-241-1411 (VRS 2 411 411)

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NATIONAL
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Frederick, MD
FORMER MSD WRESTLER PLEADS GUILTY TO ASSAULT
A former wrestler at the Maryland School for the Deaf pleaded guilty earlier today in Frederick County District Court to second-degree assault in an attack last year of a fellow student that Judge W. Milnor Roberts called "degrading” and “disgusting. Tyler Daniel Dilks, 20, of Whiteford, Md., admitted pulling down the pants of a 16-year-old and penetrating him with a Mountain Dew bottle Oct. 28, according to court documents Roberts said he wasn’t swayed by defense attorney Timothy Ryan Streett's explanation that his client was guilty of roughhousing and horseplay. / Frederick News Post

Green Bay, WI
PRIEST TO DEAF COMMUNITY SAYS 'THEIR HEART IS BROKEN' BY HIS TRANSFER
The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay won't name a new pastor for St. John the Evangelist Parish for a few more days. The diocese delayed an announcement about a successor for Father Guy Blair, who the diocese announced is being transferred to St. Paul's Church in Combined Locks to deal with a priest shortage. Father Blair is fluent in sign language and was brought to St. John's to integrate the deaf community into the Church. Parishioners held a candlelight prayer vigil last Monday evening, asking the diocese to keep Father Blair at St. John's. / WBAY

See Also DIOCESE MOVES FORWARD WITH FATHER BLAIR'S TRANSFER / WBAY

Hayward, CA
OPPOSE AB 2072 -- KILL THIS BILL!
Here is a recent comment that I made in regards to AB 2072 on a local radio station. Feel free to take a listen for yourself. I am a mom with two sons. My youngest son is 7 yrs old and Deaf. We were fooled by the audiologists who informed us of our "communication options" and "choices" but never once was LANGUAGE and the importance of language, regardless of what we chose, given to us. The audiologist lead us to believe that our Deaf son needed to be fixed. / Thru This Mom's Eyes

Detroit, MI
WOMAN 'DEVASTATED' BY DISCOVERY THAT HUSBAND HAD 2 OTHER WIVES
A Michigan mom was married for more than a decade to a man who called her his soul mate and his companion for life when she discovered that he was keeping a devastating secret. Faye Miller's husband was also married to two other women. Like many spouses, Miller struggled to keep her marriage to Kenneth Mitchell afloat after 21 years together. During the course of their relationship, she says she made sacrifices, including giving up her career as a PhD-educated teacher of the deaf to support his career as a successful podiatrist and care for their two young boys. / ABC News

Morganton, NC
NCSD SUPPORTERS VOICE CONCERNS
Alumni, parents, friends and supporters of the North Carolina School for the Deaf came out last Friday morning to share their stories and thoughts on the possibility of the school's closing due to state budgeting concerns. The State Employees Association of North Carolina hosted the open forum to hear concerns from the community about the state talks of closing or consolidating the three blind and deaf schools in Morganton, Raleigh and Wilson. Ardis Watkins, SEANC legislative affairs director, said the blind and deaf schools now seem to be "perpetually under attack." / The News Herald

Scranton, PA
SCHOOL FOR DEAF MAY MOVE TO ABINGTONS
The Scranton School for Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Children may be moving to South Abington Twp. School officials are negotiating the purchase of the Lourdesmont school, according to a letter from the school for the deaf's superintendent. Sister Monica Nowak, R.G.S., coordinator of administrative services at Lourdesmont, confirmed the negotiations on Thursday evening but said she was "not free" to talk about them or where Lourdesmont would move. / The Times-Tribune

San Diego, CA
DEAF STUDIES PROGRAM CLOSED
Repercussions from the state budget crisis and the CSU system budget cuts are still affecting San Diego State students. The School of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences has suspended the American Sign Language / deaf studies concentration as of last fall semester after the College of Health and Human Services took a cut of $1.5 million last year, according to Beverly Wulfeck, director of the School of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. The decision was strictly a budgetary decision and only one of many difficult decisions, Wulfeck said. / The Daily Aztec

Santa Barbara, CA
SIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES EXPOSE HEARING COMMUNITY TO UNFAMILIAR DEAF CULTURE
City College's Sign Language program has seen some of its classes cut because of the budget crisis, including the elimination of high-level sign language courses, said the college's only deaf full-time faculty member. Ignacio Ponce, an instructor in the college's School of Modern Language department who has been teaching Sign Language since 2007, said, "The school is cutting in almost every department and ASL [American Sign Language] is no exception." / The Channels Online

New York, NY
EDUCATION DEPT. IGNORES NEEDS OF DEAF STUDENTS WHO NEED SPACE TO SIGN
Across the city, teachers and parents bristle at sharing space with other schools, but the uproar is especially passionate at a Manhattan school building for deaf students. Squeezing kids into a small room at the E. 23rd St. school could mean they can't arrange their desks in a U-shape - and therefore the students can't see each other sign. And learning in close quarters with hearing kids could cause friction, since deaf students don't respond to yells and often stomp to get each other's attention. / NY Daily News

Southold, NY
TEEN LEADS FIGHT TO SAVE HELEN KELLER HOUSE
Ian Toy has been walking past the crumbling Southold home on his way to the beach for much of his young life. "My mom told me Helen Keller once lived there," said the eighth grader. Local historians say the deaf and blind woman spent the summer of 1936 in the Southold home with her long time teacher, Ann Sullivan. It was their last summer together. Sullivan died in the fall of that same year. The home remained in private hands until the 1960's when Suffolk County took ownership. It is scheduled for demolition this summer. That's where young Mr. Toy came in. / NBC

Knoxville, TN
STUFFED BEARS FROM TSD SOFTEN BLOW OF TRAUMA FOR CHILDREN
The Knoxville firefighters from Station 10 pulled up last Thursday morning at the Tennessee School for the Deaf in bright red Engine No. 10. But there wasn't any fire emergency. Rather, the firefighters were at the South Knoxville school to receive more than 50 teddy bears, along with a cookie jar shaped like a firefighter's uniform. Teachers and staff at the school donated the stuffed bears to the Knoxville Fire Department in thanks for the firefighters' community service -- and to pass along comfort to small children in crisis. / Knoxville News Sentinel

Washington, DC
DR. ROBERT G. SANDERSON TO RECEIVE HONORARY DEGREE FROM GALLAUDET
Robert G. “Sandie” Sanderson will be awarded an honorary doctoral degree by his alma mater, Gallaudet University, at the institution’s 141st commencement ceremony May 14, 2010. For more than 60 years, the now 90 year-old Utah native has been a strong advocate for the state’s deaf and hard of hearing citizens. In 1965, Sanderson became a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the Utah Division of Rehabilitation Services; by 1985 he was the director of all state programs serving deaf people. A member of the Gallaudet Class of 1941, Sanderson has remained a steadfast friend and supporter of the university since his graduation. / GU News

See Also GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT T. ALAN HURWITZ / GU News

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The Z™ offers the best in videophone technology, providing equipment options to meet customers' individual needs and offering features not available through other VRS providers. Professional, nationally certified interpreters follow standards of service excellence above and beyond FCC requirements. Dedicated to a spirit of innovation and commitment to excellence, The Z™ continues to set the industry standard as the nation's premier VRS provider. Go to www.zvrs.com for more information on all of our products, services and features. Don't have a Z phone? You can still join The Z™ Life by calling 888.888.1116 to connect to ZVRS from any videophone!

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Do you wear an Advanced Bionics HiRes90k or Clarion II Cochlear Implant?

Weitz & Luxenberg P.C., a leading plaintiffs’ litigation law firm, is expanding litigation against Advanced Bionics related to defective cochlear implants. If you believe that you may have received an “Important Notification” letter from Advanced Bionics about your HiRes90k or Clarion II cochlear implant in either 2004 or 2006, we urge you to contact us to receive important legal information - even if you CI is working. Many of our clients’ cochlear implants stopped working prematurely as described in the letter. We have a Deaf attorney and VP available. To find out more, please click here and follow instructions on the screen or go to www.weitzlux.com/failed-cochlear-implants_1937570.html.

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INTERNATIONAL
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London, England
NEW BRITISH TV SHOW FOCUSING ON DEAF WOMAN MOVES INTO PRIMETIME SLOT
The broadcast date for Dearbhla Walsh’s latest television drama, "The Silence," which filmed on location in Dublin, has been moved to a prestigious “Event TV” primetime broadcast slot following a preview viewing of the first episode by BBC Scheduling head, Jay Hunt. "The Silence" sees deaf actress Genevieve Barr play the role of Amelia Edwards who has recently been fitted with a cochlear implant, enabling her to hear. Breaking free from her over-protective parents, she goes to stay with her party-loving cousins, homicide detective uncle Jim and aunt Maggie. / Media dis&dat

Bristol, England
OUR PETITION HAS GONE OVER 2,000 SIGNATURES!!!
This was expected because we know the support that is out there for our campaign and people’s love of the work that Staff and Students at Centre for Deaf Studies do. Over 2,000 signatures in less than three days -- that’s the support of academics, members of the Deaf community from around the world and supporters of our cause putting their names where it counts. Please sign our Petition to show your support and then we can tell Bristol University’s Council that we don’t support the cuts, people from around the world don’t support the cuts and YOU don’t support the CUTS! / Save Deaf Studies

York, England
CHARITY'S EARPLUGS GIVEAWAY AT DEAF AWARENESS EVENT
A York charity is asking people to “switch off their ears” at a special deaf awareness event this weekend. Representatives of the charity Lollipop were in St Sampson’s Square with the Yorkshire Belles double-decker bus on Sunday to hand out earplugs to shoppers. Andrea Gitsham, founder of Lollipop, said the aim was to raise awareness of the isolation deafness can cause by encouraging people to experience it for themselves. / York Press

Walthamstow, England
POLICE OFFICER HONORED BY DEAF CLUB
A retiring police officer who set up sign language surgeries has been honoured by Waltham Forest Deaf Club. PC Barry Anderson, who retired from the Metropolitan Police Service this week after 17 years service, was awarded the first honorary lifetime membership of the club at a ceremony on Wednesday. The police surgeries have been running on the first Wednesday of every month for the past three years to help members of the community with hearing difficulties. / Guardian

Palmerston North, New Zealand
DEAF OFFICE LOSES HEARING STAFF
Redundancies at Manawatu's Deaf Aotearoa branch could cause problems in future because the remaining staff are hearing impaired and hearing people will have trouble communicating with them, says former regional manager Graeme Love. Mr Love was made redundant last week as part of a restructure. He said he could not say anything about why he was made redundant, or how things would work. A second hearing member of the branch's staff is also about to be made redundant. When she goes, hearing members of the public who cannot use sign language will have to write things down. / Stuff.co.nz

Quezon City, Philippines
IN HER SILENT WORLD, JAMI GO SHINES THROUGH
Jemima Ming Go is one of the proud graduates of the University of the Philippines Diliman Batch 2010. A member of the Philippine Figure Skating and Ice Hockey Team, an awardee of the Support Fund for Young Artists thesis grant, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Visual Communications, Jami is outstanding. Even more outstanding is this: Jami is deaf. / GMANews

Jodhpur, India
SOCIAL WORK FOR DISABLE, DEAF AND DUMB CHILDREN INDIA
Netraheen Vikas Sansthan is a welfare organization that is working for the rehabilitation of disable, blind, deaf and dumb students in India since last 31 years by providing free education with boarding and lodging facility separately for boys and Girls. The School was started on 15th August 1977 with only two blind students the number of which has gone to 247 at present out of which 90 are girls. The Students of the school have been awarded several times Medals and Prizes. / PRLog

Wanyee, Nairobi
UPHILL TASK FOR DEAF PARENTS NURTURING HEARING CHILDREN
Rolling his round, innocent eyes, baby Jimmy Boss scans the crowd, soaking in his surroundings without a murmur. Jimmy does not respond when his name is called out. It takes five long minutes for the boy to acknowledge his name and warm up to the adult holding her. Jimmy is eight months old and in his short life, he has learnt that crying rarely elicits any attention. His mother, Hannah Wanjiku, 26, is deaf and cannot communicate with her son. "Since I cannot hear my baby cry," she said, "I sleep with my hand on him all night." / The Standard

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
DEAF, MUTE TEEN GANG-RAPED
A 17-year-old mute and deaf girl from Pongola in KwaZulu-Natal is pregnant after she was allegedly gang-raped by three teenagers, police said on Monday. “The girl was allegedly raped during the Easter weekend in Nongoma when she visited her relatives. She did not report the incident because she can’t speak and she cannot hear,” said Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mdunge. The teenager’s guardians found out about the rape when they noticed she was pregnant, he said. / Times LIVE

Suva, Fiji
NEW LOOK FOR DEAF SCHOOL
Staff of Bank of South Pacific and Colonial National Bank Samabula Branch and their families and friends finished painting Gospel School for the Deaf last Saturday. Colonial Fiji's Akuila Rawaqa said about 20 branches Fiji-wide were given $20,000 each to carry out community projects. He said the Samabula Branch chose to carry out their project at the school. About 17 staff had been going to the school every Saturday for the past three weeks to carry out the work. / Fiji Times

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The Sprint Relay Store is excited to introduce another color to the popular BlackBerry 8530 Curve family. Check out the new Ruby Red BlackBerry Curve 8530 for $49.99 after Mail-in rebate with a two-year agreement and the unique $29.99 Sprint Relay data only plan for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing through the Sprint Relay Store. Other colors available are Black and Royal Purple. For more information on these and other popular devices, visit: www.sprintrelaystore.com.

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Affordable Housing for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Deaf-Blind seniors.

Featuring a deaf manager, communications technology and design features to enhance the lives of people with hearing loss.

Daily activities:
-Club room with kitchen;
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-Safe area for walking
-Pets allowed;
-Too many features to list here.

Check out this link: http://www.cardinalcapital.us/rentals_hearing_impaired.html
Contact: Carol Comp - 414.937.5841 ccomp@cardinalcapital.us

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LIFE & LEISURE
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Dallas, TX
NEW SITE FOR LGBT DEAF PEOPLE IN THE WORKS
It can be pretty difficult to find some place other than a bar to find and connect with other LGBT people, especially if you don’t live in a city big enough to have an organized LGBT community of some sort. And it can be even more difficult for LGBT people with special circumstances -- like being deaf. So Michael Bamford has created FriskyHands.com, a website that “allows the gay deaf community (in all English-speaking countries) and their supporters to interact through a ‘Live Chat’ function, as well as e-mail,” according to a press release about the new site. / Dallas Voice

Fort Collins, CO
A DEVASTATING ILLNESS, AN UNTIMELY DEPARTURE
On May 29, Mandy Harvey will stare down the aisle of the LifeBridge Christian Church in Longmont, looking at her soon-to-be husband Greg Bland. But just four years ago, the rising northern Colorado jazz vocalist stood looking at a darker, more confusing crossroads. Then a CSU freshman, Harvey spent the first months of her spring semester slipping into silence until her hearing finally “pooped out” in February 2007. The budding music education major had gone deaf, a fate she’d faced since her first diagnosis the previous September. / The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Atlantic City, NJ
SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY CHURCHES MINISTER TO THE HEARING-IMPAIRED WITH SIGN LANGUAGE
On Sunday at Praise Tabernacle on Ocean Heights Avenue in Egg Harbor Township, the morning’s song leader, Jack Ryan, was leading the congregation in a modern hymn, “Dance With Me.” For those who couldn’t hear the words of praise, a sign-language interpreter weaved back and forth, almost seeming to dance, in time with the music. A number of local churches are reaching out to the deaf and hearing-impaired in an effort to include more people. / Press of Atlantic City

St. Louis, MO
KIDS DEAF IN ONE EAR FALL BEHIND IN LANGUAGE
Hearing loss in a single ear of a child hurts his ability to comprehend and use language, says a new study. "For many years, paediatricians and educators thought that as long as children have one normal hearing ear, their speech and language would develop normally," says study leader Judith EC Lieu, ear, nose and throat specialist of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "But then a few studies began suggesting these children might have problems in school." / The Times of India

Vineland, NJ
DEAF PIT BULL SHARES NEW OWNER'S DISABILITY
Daniel Kohr knows what his new pet is going through. Kohr and his fiancée Andrea Parkhill adopted a deaf, white pit bull they named Bali from the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on April 21. Kohr, who is deaf, and Parkhill, a sign language instructor in the Atlantic City school district, have already begun teaching him American Sign Language. "He's picking it up really fast," Parkhill said. "So far, everything's been good." / The Daily Journal

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Save 15% off Serene Innovation VibraQuartz Watch from WCI!

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WORKING WORLD
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Skokie, IL
RABBI TURNS 65, MAKES HIS MARK IN SKOKIE
Rabbi Douglas Goldhamer forgives you for showing a trace of incredulity when he reveals that he is turning 65. You're not the first one to think he's much younger. The rabbi of Congregation Bene Shalom Hebrew Association of the Deaf doesn't look anywhere near his age, but his 65th birthday was a cause for celebration this weekend at Chateau Ritz in Niles. Given Goldhamer's life accomplishments, you might expect him to have some family history with deaf people. But he didn't. Instead, his mission became crystallized as a student at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. / Pioneer Press

Pocatello, Idaho
STUDYING THE DEAF IN NEPAL
Bethany Hundley, a graduate student studying deaf education at Idaho State University, is 80 percent deaf, and her deafness has gradually worsened over the years. “Until recently, I wasn’t sure what my skills were, or whether or not I would have anything to offer,” she said. Hundley, who is slated to finish graduate school at Idaho State University this summer, has been awarded a Fulbright Research Scholarship. The prestigious award will allow her to travel to Nepal to conduct a study of deafness there. / Idaho State Journal

Internet
DEAFWEEKLY -- WHERE DO YOU FIND DEAF-RELATED NEWS
I am impressed with http://deafweekly.com/. It gathers all kinds of news relating to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community from all over the world and puts the news on a central website. That is really neat. I took the liberty to contact Tom Willard, the founder of Deafweekly, and conduct a short interview with him via emails. Here is what I have learned. / InMyLingo Blog

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Sorenson Video Relay Service® (SVRS®) is an industry leading communication tool for the deaf community provided by Sorenson Communications. Created with high-quality video technology, SVRS brings life into the conversations of our customers as they call family, friends, and business associates at no cost through a professional SVRS sign language interpreter and a cutting-edge videophone. SVRS is provided 24-hours a day, and 365 days a year, connecting the deaf and hard-of-hearing to anyone at their convenience. For more information, visit the SVRS Web site at www.sorensonvrs.com.

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ASL/ITP Faculty Across the U.S. Are Using the Sony Virtuoso™ and Soloist® ASL Software Suite.

One ASL/ITP Lead Faculty in TX comments: “With the Sony Soloist software I now have the ability to record video and audio for multiple students at one time as opposed to the old way --- one at a time with a camcorder. It’s really nice for my students to have digital recordings of their voiced and signed interpretations to help them build resume portfolios.” Contact SANS Inc. at sales@sansinc.com for a product preview CD or to arrange a demo or visit at www.sansinc.com.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Cleveland, OH
SOUTH HIGH DEAF AND HEARING STUDENTS IN 'CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY'
Growing up, deaf kids almost never get to be a daisy or a bookworm in a school play. For the teenage deaf students at Cleveland's South High School, their stage debut is no less sweet for having been delayed. They are starring in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" -- with professional sets and costumes -- in which they will use sign language while hearing students provide the characters' voices while sitting offstage. / The Plain Dealer

Santa Ana, CA
DRUMMER TEACHES THE BEAT TO DEAF STUDENTS
On a recent Wednesday morning at Taft Elementary School in Santa Ana, a group of deaf and hard-of-hearing kindergartners and first graders gathered in a bungalow on the edge of campus for their music class with Andrew Grueschow. Grueschow, a burly man with bright eyes and a sweet demeanor, is a percussionist and he had an array of instruments ready for the children. A signer stood to Grueschow's side, translating his instructions, the children sitting in a semicircle in front of him, tubanos at the ready. / The Orange County Register

Coeur D Alene, ID
SIGNERS CLUB PRESENTS 'DEAF STORY NIGHT'
Students and community members gathered on April 23 for a night of skits, stories and snacks. The NIC Signers Club hosted a Deaf Story Night in place of their usual Game Night. There was a sense of silence walking down the stairs of the SUB. If it hadn't been for the last-minute billiard game being played before the event commenced, one might have figured they had canceled. The cross-room conversation was abundant as about 40 students, family members and friends signed swiftly and precisely. / The Sentinel

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Keith Wann's ASL Comedy Tour 2010

Keith Wann, renowned for his hilarious, sidesplitting comedy performances, is now producing and hosting the ASL Comedy Tour 2010, which will travel the U.S. this year. With American Sign Language (ASL) artists presenting solo performances incorporating comedy, skits, songs, improvisation, and stories, each show lasts two hours. Sponsored by www.CallVRS.org, the multi-city tour is designed to be affordable for each location - making it ideal as a fundraiser for participating organizations.

“We really want to reach out to all communities, so we are sharing in the costs and profits at each location. We will work closely with booking parties to maximize profits for their organization and to bring in as many people as possible for a night of laughter, socialization and fun,” Wann said. “We also offer workshops by some of our performers, which can be held the day of the performance. People can come to our workshops, and then unwind by attending the comedy show that evening.”

www.aslcomedytour.com
Contact KemiProductionsInc@gmail.com.

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SPORTS
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Chicago, IL
CHICAGO FORCE'S KATIE ROMANO ON BEING DEAF, PLAYING FOOTBALL
Katie Romano is new to the Force but has played with the D.C. Divas. This is an edited e-mail interview. Q What's your day job? A. Looking for job ... applying for Peace Corps. Q. Tell me about your hearing impairment. A. I was born profoundly deaf. I'm proud being deaf, and I know it won't stop me from doing anything. Q. You're a soccer player. Did you play around here? How did you find your way to the Force? A. I grew up playing soccer for a Bartlett travel club and two years on Bartlett High School's varsity team. I'm a member of the USA Deaf National Team, and we won two gold medals in Deaflympics 2005 and 2009. / Chicago Tribune

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COMING EVENTS
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Long Island, NY
DEAF LESBIAN FESTIVAL
What do Deaf Lesbians do at the festival? There are a variety of activities and there is a balance of work and play. There are workshops where we look at ourselves as lesbians, from all walks of life. There are also workshops that focus on health, aging, spirituality, domestic violence, understanding laws, and financial advice. What do we do for fun during festivals? Arts and crafts, cruises (whale watching in Provincetown), dancing and swimming, to name a few. / DLF

New York, NY
D.E.A.F. (DEAF EMERGING ARTISTS FESTIVAL) 2010 AT IRT THEATER
The IRT Theater Deaf Emerging Artists Festival (D.E.A.F.) is an annual one-week program of performances, screenings and workshops aimed at creating common ground for Deaf and hearing artists.
D.E.A.F. 2010: June 1-6
All events at IRT: 154 Christopher St., #3B
Individual Tickets $9.99 for Shows and Workshop / IRT

New York, NY
MICA RUNWAY HAS ARRIVED AND IS CELEBRATING TEN-YEARS
The theme this year is GREEN FASHIONOLOGY, a fusion of eco-fashion, futuristic and technology. MICA Runway 2010 will be a 3-day extravaganza filled with a plethora of talent showcasing through film, fashion, technology, and the arts. This is not only an outstanding opportunity for those participating, but also for investors and supporters alike, thus opening the door for networking and new business opportunities. MICA Runway Founder, Ann Marie “Jade” Bryan, is a woman who has years of experience as a talent manager, fundraiser, theatre director, and producer of films and fashion shows. / MICA Runway

Washington, DC
DEAF APPRECIATION DAY AT PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S COTTAGE
Take a guided tour of President Lincoln’s Cottage on the site’s first Deaf Appreciation Day! Select Cottage tours on Saturday, June 5, 2010 will include ASL interpretation provided by Birnbaum Interpreting Services. These tours will be reserved exclusively for deaf and hearing-impaired visitors. Deaf Appreciation Day tours will be offered at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm. This special day at President Lincoln’s Cottage is co-sponsored by Birnbaum Interpreting Services and made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. / President Lincoln's Cottage Blog

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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). Start spreading the news! To place your ad, send the announcement to mail@deafweekly.com.

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EXCITING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AT GLAD, INC.

* Community Advocate - Bakersfield, CA
* Community Advocate - Riverside, CA
* Community Interpreter - Los Angeles, CA

To learn more about these positions, please visit our website, www.gladinc.org.

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Division of Student Services, Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf
Superintendent, School for the Deaf
SALARY: $83,210.10 - $116,476.58

Administration of educational, residential, support and operational programs and services designed to meet the needs of over 200 Deaf and hard of hearing students. Provide direction for the provision of outreach services throughout the state in accordance with school’s mission to serve as the state’s center on deafness. Lead the school in meeting entrepreneurial objectives including but not limited to collaborative efforts with other educational and state agencies and organizations.

REQUIREMENTS:
Master’s degree required, doctorate in education preferred. A minimum of eight years of employment in educational programs, experience with Deaf and hard of hearing students, Pre-K-12 preferred. A minimum of four years of administrative experience, with demonstrated organizational, managerial and interpersonal skills required. Candidates should demonstrate experience in management of educational programs, supervision of staff, operation of school facilities, and development of comprehensive budgets. Candidates should possess the knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA). Candidates should be knowledgeable of the components of the deaf culture e.g. sign language, residential life and the unique needs of Deaf Community. In addition, candidates should possess the knowledge of code and laws applicable to education in a residential setting.

CERTIFICATION: Must possess or be eligible for New Jersey certification as a School Administrator.

Special Note: Appointees to the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf must be able to communicate effectively in American Sign Language or utilize the resources available to sufficiently perform the duties of the position.

Note: All final candidates must be fingerprinted and bear the $78.00 cost of the criminal history check in order to qualify for employment at the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf.

For more information on the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf, visit www.mksd.org.
Please forward resume by June 1, 2010 to:

Personnel Director
New Jersey State Department of Education
Reference #: DOE-005-10
PO Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
Resumes may be e-mailed to: resume2@doe.state.nj.us
EOE/AA

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Program Developer
Part-time Non-Exempt
San Leandro

DCARA has an opening for the Program Developer position, which is part-time (30 hours/week). This position is responsible for all aspects of program development. This includes working with program and finance staff to ensure compliance with all grant reporting requirements. The major tasks are researching and developing summaries of potential funding sources for administrative staff; making recommendations regarding various aspects of potential funding resources; coordinating the development of goals and activities for funding proposals; writing proposals and attending pre/post meetings needed to draft proposals; submitting required reports; and monitoring the program and financial requirements of the funder. This position reports to the Director of Client Support Services and is effective July 1, 2010.

Responsibilities:
-- Work with program and finance staff to ensure compliance with all grant reporting requirements
-- Maintain current grant records in database and in paper files, including grant tracking and reporting
-- Track statistics in conjunction with program staff
-- Researches and makes recommendations on appropriate funding sources
-- Works with Management Team to develop appropriate goals and activities for applications
-- Develops and coordinates the proposal process
-- Attends pre/post meeting with funders
-- Monitors evaluation and measurement tools
-- Prepares statistical and narrative reports for all funders in a timely manner
-- Maintain strong and consistent relations with funders
-- Work with Director of Client Support Services to provide input for all written materials (including Annual Report and quarterly newsletter)

Required Skills:
-- BA degree in Social Services or Business field or five years of professional experience in diversified funding development activities
-- Knowledge of nonprofit organization structure
-- Excellent communication and writing skills
-- Strong organizational and analytical skills
-- Proficiency in American Sign Language
-- Proficiency in MS Windows including MS Word and MS Excel

Desired Skills:
-- Master’s degree strongly desired

SALARY & BENEFITS: Salary is negotiable dependent on experience and education. DCARA offers full medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits in addition to 11 days of holiday leave plus one week paid winter holiday.

DEADLINE (EXTENDED): Friday, May 28th, 2010, 5:00pm

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Send an application (available at www.dcara.org, click on “Jobs” under “About”), cover letter, three references and resume to:
Human Resources
14895 East 14th Street, Suite 200
San Leandro, CA 94578 or hr@dcara.org

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POSITION AVAILABLE

St. Rita School for the Deaf is an academic 10-month program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing impaired children from birth through 20 years of age. St. Rita School is an equal opportunity employer/educational private institution. Skills in Total Communication are required of all personnel.

TITLE: RESIDENT ADVISOR - WEEK / FOR 2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR

AREA: GIRLS DORMITORY

NATURE OF WORK: This is a live-in position.

QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Special Education or related Field.
2. Proficiency in Sign Language.
3. Knowledge of child growth, development and behavior.
4. Physical stamina, emotional maturity and patience needed for residential living.

REPORTS TO: DIRECTOR OF STUDENT LIFE

SUPERVISES: Students in the dormitory and students in the after school programs.

JOB GOAL:
To assist the student in group living, personal hygiene, interpersonal relationships, social graces, and spiritual and moral development.
To create a healthful living situation in which the student can mature and develop as an individual with unique needs and personality.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:
To care for the student at all times outside of class time.
To maintain a neat, clean and pleasant dormitory and social area.
To provide a good health care program including: appropriate diet, rest and exercise, personal hygiene, care of sick student.
To assign and monitor student duties.
To assist the students in caring for and managing their money.
To guide and assist the students with planning of recreational activities and the utilization of their leisure time.
To discipline inappropriate behavior according to school policy.
To advise and counsel both the student and the parents.
To provide an area and time for studies and intellectual pursuits.
To support the philosophy and objectives of the school.

Submit cover letter and resume to:
Peter Keller
Director of Student Life
St. Rita School for the Deaf
1720 Glendale Milford Road
Cincinnati, OH 45215-1258
E-mail pkeller@srsdeaf.org

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JOB OPENING
MassRelay Community Relations Manager

Hamilton Relay in Massachusetts currently has a full time position open for a “MassRelay Community Relations Manager”.

Position summary:
Position is responsible for Community relations including educating and marketing to consumers and businesses about the services available through Mass Relay. Individual will be required to travel as needed.

Preferred education, experience and skills:
Experience in public relations activities
Excellent presentations skills
Demonstrate Knowledge of the users who would benefit from Relay Services
Senior Citizens Communities
Hard of Hearing Communities
Deaf Communities
Knowledge of Telecommunications Relay Services
Knowledge of and ability to understand various communication modes used by current and potential relay users.
Strong written, analytical and interpersonal skills.
Ability to organize and prioritize work and meet deadlines
Knowledge and Usage of Microsoft Office tools- Microsoft Word, Office, Excel and especially PowerPoint.
Associate or Bachelor’s Degree or comparable work experience
Hold a valid driver’s license and ability to travel independently.

Hamilton Relay is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.

Hamilton offers competitive wages with Full Time Company paid benefits package.

Interested individuals may apply online at: www.hamilton.net/careers or contact our Human Resource Department by May 21, 2010

Hamilton Relay, Inc. is a division of Hamilton Telecommunications based in Aurora, NE.

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Title: Director of Sales Operations (Full Time)
Location: Clearwater, Florida

Description:
Director of Sales Operations individual will help plan, build and manage a world-class operations
organization in support of our direct US Sales organization with strong business analytics and process
management capabilities. The individual will design reports, policies, processes, strategies and approaches
for the sales operations function. The position takes responsibility of, and manages sales operations on a
day-to-day basis including the design and successful adoption of CRM tools, automated quoting, proposals,
pricing exception approval tracking and commissions. Additionally, the position provides sales metrics
information and business analytics such as customer contact, call frequency, call points, product data, and
progress against Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s). This position will interact extensively at both a
senior management, field management, and the sales team. A Director with cross-functional departmental
interactions teams including sales, finance, legal, customer service, Technical support, IT and marketing.

Responsibilities:
• Help manage CRM reporting; provide training on “Best Practices” to effectively utilize CRM and develop
process documentation, training and continuous process improvement
• Ensure account information is up-to-date and relevant in helping drive account strategies
• Ensure account assignment process is effectively managed, tracked and reviewed to ensure resources are
aligned, assigned and communicated to optimize sales effectiveness.
• Assist the VP in the establishment and management key financial and non-financial performance metrics,
targets, and tracking processes to be used for performance measurement
• Build and run sales reports, including pipeline reporting
• Assist in the identification and resolution of most significant operating bottlenecks impeding revenue
delivery and recognition
• Establish and maintain sales quotas and compensation plans
• Develop, maintain and report progress against the operating budget for the Sales department

Qualifications:
• Degree preferred in Business
• Minimum 2 years experience in a business setting

Requirements:
• Experience in assisting with CRM design, deployment and operation
• Strong work ethic and flexibility with ability to put in the extra hours during peak times (especially end of
quarters)
• Experience working in a fast-paced, constantly-evolving team environment. Strong project management,
problem solving, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills essential
• Previous experience and strong aptitude for working with numbers and profitability analysis
• Experience in design and implementation of sales compensation programs
• Experience time management and organizational skills to juggle competing priorities with limited
resources
• Excellent strategic, analytic, communications, and presentation skills

Salary:
Commensurate with experience and qualifications. Please send salary requirements to be considered.

Benefits:
Group Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, Paid Time Off, Short/Long Term
Disability, 401K, Paid Holidays and Employee Assistance Program

Application Deadline:
Open until filled.

Send Resume and Cover Letter to:
jobs@zvrs.com

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Two new DS therapist- Adults & Children at BJC Behavioral Health in St. Louis, MO.

Therapists will work with individuals, families, and groups to address and treat mental & emotional disorders. Flexibly to work within various structures in the community mental health system.

Job duties includes, therapy, intakes, clinical case management, triage/crisis intervention and EAP therapy. Must have a Masters or Doctorate in Social Work, Counseling, or Psychology. Need a LCSW or LPC, 2-4 years experienced required. Fluent in sign language

Please forward resumes to Mark Stansberry, Executive Director, BJC Behavioral Heath, 1430 Olive, Suite 400, St. Louis MO 63103

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