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Last issue's most-read story: PETA MURGATROYD 'HAD DOUBTS' ABOUT PERFORMING WITH NYLE DIMARCO AT FIRST / Enstarz
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NATIONAL
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Seattle, WA
FORMER SEAHAWK DERRICK COLEMAN TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO VEHICULAR ASSAULT, HIT AND RUN
Former Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman will plead not guilty to vehicular assault and felony hit-and-run charges after being formally charged on Friday. On Oct. 14 Coleman, 25, was behind the wheel of a Dodge Ram pickup truck in Bellevue when it slammed into the back of a Honda Civic traveling at more than 60 mph, according to police reports. The 56-year-old driver of the Civic suffered a fractured collarbone, and Coleman was said to have fled the scene on foot. He faces 12 to 14 months in prison should he be convicted. / Seattle Post-Intelligencer
New York, NY
MAN WHO THREATENED TO BOMB STATUE OF LIBERTY GETS THREE WEEKS IN JAIL
A West Virginia man who threatened to blow up the Statue of Liberty has made a deal with the feds to serve as little as three weeks in jail. Jason Paul Smith, 42, pleaded guilty in Manhattan on Monday to a hoax call to 911 that led to the evacuation of more than 3,200 people from Liberty Island in April 2015. In the call, Smith identified himself as “Abdul Yasin,” an “ISI terrorist,” and claimed that he and his cronies were preparing to blow up the tourist attraction. Smith, who is hearing-impaired, told Judge Vernon Broderick through an interpreter that he is currently being treated for a mental illness. / New York Post
Smithsburg, MD
WOMAN KILLED BY TRAIN MONDAY WAS DEAF
A woman's deafness may have contributed to her being struck and killed by a train Monday afternoon in Smithsburg, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said Kathy Lynn Williams, 51, of Smithsburg was walking southbound on railroad tracks toward an oncoming train when she was struck shortly after 1 p.m. in the area of Railroad and Water streets, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. An investigation showed Williams was deaf and might not have heard the train signalling as it approached. / Herald Mail
Houston, TX
DEAF WOMAN SUING APARTMENT OVER UNANNOUNCED ENTRY BY PEST CONTROL
Florence Danios, 73, has sued HomeTowne on Bellfort and pest control company Envirotrol, claiming that they had harassed her and explicitly ignored her simple requests to be left alone. “I was feeling helpless and hopeless," Danios said in an email, "because HomeTowne did nothing to protect or prevent their pest control contractor from coming to my apartment without prior notice." The attorney for the defendants said they would not be commenting because of pending litigation; the trial is set for July. / Houston Press
Rexburg, ID
SERVICES FOR DEAF SEE PROGRESSION
Ruth Peterson, the first deaf student to attend Ricks College in 1939, passed away on May 18 at age 94, according to the funeral service program. The Brigham Young University-Idaho Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services have changed since the first deaf student attended the university. “This is my second semester being an ASL interpreter on campus, and I can already see changes within the program from when I first started to now,” said Rashida Torres, a sophomore majoring in general studies. / Scroll
Jackson, MS
HOW DEAF KIDS LEARN IN MISSISSIPPI
The Mississippi School for the Deaf is the only school in the state that exists primarily to serve deaf children. To do it well isn't cheap. The school has both commuter and residential students, and though boarding there is not a requirement, 80 percent of students, some as young as four, may use the dorm services at some point during the school year, so the school must operate 24 hours, six days a week. Yet, like schools across the rest of the state, MSD is facing budget cuts this year. / Jackson Free Press
Frederick, MD
MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF GRADUATES CHALLENGED TO PUSH DEAF CULTURE FORWARD
Tomi Lisoyi and her brother Tobi, were born in Nigeria, but it wasn’t until they moved to Frederick that they found their true home. Both are deaf and and have spent time at schools for the deaf in Ghana and England. However, It wasn’t until 2012, when they enrolled at the Maryland School for the Deaf, that they began to find themselves. Tomi and Tobi, 21, were two of the 21 students who graduated from the school on Saturday. / Frederick News-Post
Falls Church, VA
CONFERENCE CELEBRATES UNPRECEDENTED HIGH LITERACY RATES AMONG DEAF CHILDREN
Top international researchers as well as visitors from around the United States, will converge at the 50th Anniversary of Cued Speech Conference, which celebrates the enormous success at increasing literacy among students who are deaf/hard of hearing since Cued Speech was invented a half century ago. The conference is from July 8-10 at the Westin Tysons Corner in Falls Church, VA and is hosted by the National Cued Speech Association. / PRNewswire
Trenton, NJ
PANEL APPROVES BILL TO ENABLE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF TO CONTINUE DRIVER'S ED
Legislation to enable the Katzenbach School for the Deaf to continue offering driver’s education for students was approved by an Assembly panel on Monday. The bill (A-2340) would allow a student enrolled in a state school to operate a state vehicle for the purposes of behind-the-wheel instruction as part of the school’s regular curriculum driver education course. / PolitickerNJ
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INTERNATIONAL
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Singapore
DEAF AND MUTE FOOD COURT CLEANER BERATED BY WOMAN INTENDS TO QUIT HIS JOB
The deaf and mute cleaner who was berated by a woman at the Jem food court is planning to quit his job this month. The cleaner, Mr Png Lye Heng, 64, indicated to The Straits Times on Monday (June 6) that he wanted to leave because of the incident. The incident at the Jurong shopping mall caught the public eye over the weekend. A video posted on Facebook showed a woman lashing out at a manager of the company providing cleaning services to the Jurong shopping mall food court. / The Straits Times
See Also WOMAN WHO RANTED AT DEAF CLEANER SAYS SORRY / The New Paper
Reykjavík, Iceland
DEAF VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING?
Police in the Greater Reykjavík area are investigating allegations of human trafficking in connection with the Icelandic Association of the Deaf. Last week, Vísir reported that an investigation was underway regarding a Russian woman who was hired to sell lottery tickets for the association. The woman has been staying at the Women’s Shelter in Reykjavík since the allegations were made. The police investigation now focuses on finding out whether there are other victims involved. / Iceland Review
Regina, SK, Canada
DEAF CROWS: ART OPENS UP A DIFFERENT WORLD FOR REGINA STUDENTS
The experience of growing up deaf or hard of hearing is a story that is rarely told. For many people in Regina, being unable to communicate with your parents, friends, and the hearing world brings isolation. But now, the youth from the hard of hearing and deaf program at Thom Collegiate in Regina are speaking out. They are sharing their personal narratives through art in a play called Deaf Crows. / CBC News
Melbourne, Australia
THREE DEAF ACCUSED MURDERERS RULED UNFIT TO STAND TRIAL OVER DEATH OF A MAN IN MELBOURNE
Three deaf people have been found unfit to stand trial over the death of a man they are accused of throwing off a balcony. Robert Wright, 36, fell to his death from the balcony of his apartment in the Melbourne suburb of Ringwood with police alleging he was thrown by two men and a woman. His deaf roommate Warwick Toohey, 37, was charged with murder along with co-accused Georgia Fields, 19, and Jake Fairest, 26, who are also profoundly deaf. / Daily Mail
Adelaide, Australia
NIGHTCLUB HITS BACK AT CLAIMS DEAF PERSONS REFUSED ENTRY
An Adelaide nightclub has hit back at accusations deaf patrons were refused entry because of a disability by releasing security footage from the incident. Red Square conducted an internal investigation after the popular nightclub was accused of discriminating against and verbally abusing a deaf group by refusing them entry and saying they were “too stupid.” Red Square posted the CCTV footage on their Facebook page and claimed accusations posted on social media by Adelaide student Ruby Tanner-cornish were “false and defamatory." / The Advertiser
Cape Town, South Africa
LOUD AND PROUD: THE COFFEE SHOP RUN BY DEAF PEOPLE
I Love Coffee‚ which was opened on Tuesday by Western Cape Premier Helen Zille inside a Claremont gym‚ is the brainchild of Gary Hopkins‚ 51‚ who has left a career in marketing with the dream of a national - and even international - chain of coffee shops and restaurants run by the deaf. With 24 seats‚ the pilot store has only three staff, but Hopkins said the response to the idea had been overwhelming. / Times LIVE
Bristol, England
DEAF TEENAGER'S HOME VIDEO WINS THEATRE SCHOOL COMPETITION
A home video of a 15-year-old boy signing Macbeth has won a professional theatre school competition. Ciaran O'Brien, who is deaf, impressed the judges to win a place on a prestigious workshop. He was spotted after his mum filmed him performing his favorite piece from Macbeth and sent it into the competition. / BBC News
Cornwall, England
CAMPAIGN TO SAVE CORNWALL'S LAST DEAF CENTER
Campaigners have launched a crowdfunding bid to save Cornwall's last center for the deaf from closure. Cornwall Deaf Centre in Camborne could fold unless financial support is found to help contend with the center's escalating costs.Center secretary Jackie Goldie said: "It would be a hammer blow if Cornwall Deaf Centre was to shut and horrendous for all our users." / Plymouth Herald
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LIFE & LEISURE
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New York, NY
WOMEN WHO ARE DEAF GET REAL ABOUT SEX AND DATING
A recent thread on Reddit featured a 20-year-old deaf woman who said she really wanted to have sex, but she was scared to. She said she worried about how she would sound to the people she had sex with, especially since she'd read a lot of comments online that mocked deaf people having sex. In this week's Sex Talk Realness, Cosmopolitan.com spoke with three women who are deaf to find out what it's really like to date as someone who is differently abled. / Cosmopolitan
Salem, VA
DEAF DOGS ROCK RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY
Taking in any rescue dog is a big commitment, but a dog that is deaf comes with its own unique and sometimes difficult challenges. That’s the choice that Chris and Christina Lee made six years ago when they adopted Nitro from the Salem Animal Shelter. “We started searching and there really wasn’t much information," says Chris. That’s when the couple created Deaf Dogs Rock, an online resource. Deaf Dogs Rock is a finalist for several awards at the Blog Paws conference in Phoenix. / WSLS
New York, NY
NO MORE DEAF DOLPHINS -- THE BIG PLAN TO QUIET NOISY OCEANS
A roadmap to less noisy oceans is on the way! NOAA (The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) recently released a plan to reduce noise pollution in oceans over the next ten years. Human life is increasingly becoming louder. Jackhammering into concrete as infrastructure expands, and endless other noises (often having a chicken v. egg effect on poverty), bombard daily life for millions. As this noise grows, aquatic life suffers. / Global Citizen
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WORKING WORLD
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Tulsa, OK
OKLAHOMA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF SUPERINTENDENT FIRED OVER APPARENT LACK OF CERTIFICATION
The Oklahoma School for the Deaf’s superintendent has been fired due to an apparent lack of certification, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services announced Wednesday. Valerie KaAnn Varner, who was hired in July 2011, was terminated on Tuesday. According to a department spokeswoman, Varner was hired with the expectation she would obtain superintendent certification. A May 13 letter from the Oklahoma State Department of Education states that it had no record of superintendent verification for Varner at any time, the spokeswoman said. / Tulsa World
Eugene, OR
SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS PURSUE PAY HIKE
Eugene School District interpreters who assist deaf and hard-of-hearing students want better pay, and they’re taking every step possible in an attempt to get it, including voicing their concerns to the Eugene School Board. Sign language interpreters in the district earn between $18 and $22.58 per hour, according to district spokeswoman Kerry Delf. But the interpreters say that’s not enough money to attract and maintain a qualified pool of interpreters to provide the services that they say are consistently needed by 23 students. / The Register-Guard
Southfield, MI
HEARING-IMPAIRED ATHLETE NAMED SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. is pleased to announce that Ellie Tjelmeland, of Springfield, Ill., has been named this year's recipient of the 2016 Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. Disability Scholarship. The annual award was established in 2013 as part of the law firm's commitment to helping students with disabilities or injuries who are in need of financial assistance for education purposes. Ellie, aged 17, said she will use the scholarship funds to pursue a degree in biological sciences. / PRWeb.com
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Los Angeles, CA
'SPRING AWAKENING' KICKSTARTER: DEAF WEST MAKES APPEAL FOR TONY AWARDS
If viewers of this year’s Tony Awards get to see a performance from “Spring Awakening,” they’ll have fans to thank for footing the bill. Deaf West Theater’s nominated revival has turned to crowdfunding to raise $200,000 to pay for the costs of staging a song on Broadway’s biggest night. But the efforts have raised some eyebrows. Is Deaf West — a scrappy, L.A.-based not-for-profit that integrates deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals into all aspects of its theater productions — trying to buy their way onto the telecast? / Variety
See Also TONY NOMINEE 'SPRING AWAKENING' OFFERED 'A WINDOW ON THE SOUL' / Deadline
Lincoln, NE
'SPRING AWAKENING' TO BE INTERPRETED FOR THE DEAF
One of this year’s featured shows at the International Thespian Festival -- the rock musical "Spring Awakening" -- will be sign-interpreted for the deaf and hard of hearing. The interpreted performance, staged by Denver School of the Arts, is at 7:30 p.m. June 23. The 2006 Broadway hit won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and this year’s Broadway revival by Deaf West, which featured a mixed cast of hearing and deaf performers, is nominated for three Tony Awards and slated for a national tour. / Lincoln Journal Star
Los Angeles, CA
'AMERICA'S GOT TALENT': A HEARING-IMPAIRED COMIC ADVANCES
America's Got Talent continued on Tuesday night with more singers, comedians and dancers. Tuesday's showcase included a hearing-impaired stand-up comedian, who advanced to the next round. D.J. Demers is a hearing-impaired stand-up comic from Canada who riffed on his disability and being gay. Demers received four yeses and a trip to the next round. / ABC Radio
Red Wing, MN
DEAF ARTISTS EXPLORE NEW TERRITORY AT TOWER VIEW
Five Deaf Community artists arrive at the Anderson Center this week for a monthlong residency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The five women — writers, artists and a scholar — represent the second artist residency at Tower View for Deaf artists. The NEA awarded a similar grant two years ago for individuals whose native or adoptive language is ASL. / Republican Eagle
Rochester, NY
'DWTS' WINNER VISITS ROCHESTER
Recent "Dancing With the Stars" winner Nyle DiMarco visited Rochester Saturday night. He hosted the ASL event at the Main Street Armory. DiMarco, who is deaf, helped rally the deaf community. / WHAM
Folsom, CA
VIDEO: DANCE BRINGS MUSIC TO THE EARS OF THE HEARING IMPAIRED
Dancers are bringing music to the ears of deaf people in a performance called "Sign of Life," which can be experienced at the Jill Solberg Performing Arts Center in Folsom. / KCRA
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SPORTS
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New Orleans, LA
MATTHEW KLOTZ BREAKS DEAF WORLD RECORD, QUALIFIES FOR U.S. TRIALS
American swimmer Matthew Klotz has broken, once again, his own Deaf World Record in the 100 meter backstroke. Swimming at an age group meet in New Orleans, hosted by the Nu Wave Swim Club, Klotz swam a 57.11 while reportedly unshaved. That breaks his own Deaf World Record of 57.40 done more than a year ago at the 2015 College Station Sectionals in Texas. / SwimSwam
San Angelo, TX
KOHL SET FOR WORLD DEAF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Her prowess on the volleyball court has opened a lot of doors for former Central High School standout Jordan Kohl, and she's never let obstacles stand in her way. On the heels of an outstanding sophomore season at Texas State University, the 6-foot-3 right-side hitter will be playing in the 2016 World Deaf Athletics Championships July 6-15 in Washington, D.C. It will essentially serve as a tuneup for the 23rd Deaflympics, which will be held July 18-30, 2017, in Samsun, Turkey. / Standard-Times
Faribault, MN
DEAF SPRINTER'S CAREER, FROM AFRICA TO FARIBAULT TRACK
It’s a simple fact of track and field — the sport revolves around the sound of the starting gun. Which makes things awfully tough when you’re deaf. “I became deaf from illness when I was newborn,” said Junior Peters, a senior sprinter at Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf. Although he is deaf, Junior doesn’t lift his eyes to watch for the smoke leaving the barrel, like most deaf runners do. His ears pick up just enough of a pop to register the sound. “I can hear a little bit,” he said. / WCCO
Chippewa Falls, WI
GUNDERSON'S DETERMINATION OVERCOMES HEARING LOSS
They are lightweight and rest in both of her ears. They have a modern look and technology, having Bluetooth capability. But her hearing aids aren’t the reason for the success of Chi-Hi graduating senior Shannon Gunderson. That’s due to her hard work and determination, whether it is in the swimming pool or the classroom. Next up for the 17-year-old is graduation, then it is off to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she will study journalism. / Chippewa Herald
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POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI) - Silver Spring, MD
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
TDI is seeking a talented and versatile professional for the position of Director of Public Relations. This position is based at TDI’s office in Silver Spring, MD. The ideal candidate will have a strong and clear commitment to developing and maintaining TDI’s public image via the TDI website, print, on the radio, TV, and various social media.
Here’s a link to the job posting: https://tdiforaccess.org/job/director-of-public-relations/
Join the national team at TDI!