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NATIONAL
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Philadelphia, PA
DEAF PA. TEEN ADOPTED FROM CHINA TO SIGN IN FRONT OF POPE FRANCIS
As a deaf child in a Chinese orphanage, Sophie Roberto, then known as Zheng WuMei, was unable to communicate except through some self-taught gestures. After MaryAnne and Matt Roberto of Bensalem, Pa., began the process of adopting Sophie eight years ago, they sent her flash cards with pictures of themselves and their four birth children, along with the signs for various family members and a few other words in ASL. On Saturday evening, Sophie will get to sign in front of Pope Francis and an expected audience of more than a million pilgrims at the Festival of Families in Philadelphia following the World Meeting of Families Congress. / Burlington County Times
New Haven, CT
DEAF WORKER'S SUIT CLAIMS SIKORSKY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST HIM
A veteran employee at Sikorsky Aircraft who is deaf is suing the company, claiming it violated federal anti-discrimination laws by failing to accommodate his disability as well as demoting him. The lawsuit by James M. Cadoret of Bethany was filed late Tuesday. Cadoret has worked for Sikorsky since 1987 and communicates primarily with American Sign Language, according to the lawsuit, which was filed by the New York City law firm Eisenberg & Baum. / New Haven Register
Detroit, MI
DEAF MOTHER WINS LEGAL BATTLE WITH DPS
A deaf mother has won a legal battle with the Detroit Public Schools, which is now required to provide sign language interpreters to deaf parents whose children attend DPS so that they can actively participate in their education. U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade announced the new requirement Wednesday, saying her office has reached an agreement with DPS that ensures parents with hearing problems can effectively communicate with DPS teachers and school personnel. / Detroit Free Press
South Abington Twp., PA
COMMUNITY MEMBERS LEARN ASL AT SCRANTON SCHOOL
For those who walk the halls at the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children (SSDHHC) on a regular basis, the world is often divided into two types of people: hearing and non-hearing. For one who is of the latter category, meaningful communication with those of the former can be almost non-existent, leading to feelings of isolation, even within his or her own family. Which, according to Hannah Thebarge, SSDHHC sign language interpreter, is why it means so much when a hearing person takes the initiative to learn how to talk and relate with the deaf and hard of hearing community. / Abington Journal
Payette, OR
GRANDFATHER REQUESTS SIGNS FOR DEAF GRANDCHILD
Signs for deaf children, vendor bills, dog licenses and the Apple Blossom Festival were featured in Monday night’s Payette City Council meeting. Alan Turner, of Payette, made an agenda request that councilors help him get proper road signs near his home to protect his deaf grandson. He said the toddler escaped through the gates of his home recently, which had him concerned about people speeding down North Iowa Avenue and Center Avenue. “This is a safety issue that needs to be addressed,” he said. / Argus Observer
Washington, DC
A CITY BUILT FOR THE DEAF
Gallaudet University, the private school for the hard of hearing located in Washington, D.C., is a haven for the deaf. The school is officially bilingual, which means students are taught in both English and American Sign Language (ASL). It also has the same sorts of extracurriculars you would see at any liberal arts university, like Greek life, a football team, and a campus television station. Still, a specific deaf culture flourishes in Gallaudet, defined by the school’s unique history, literary traditions, and behaviors. And its architecture. / GOOD
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INTERNATIONAL
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London, England
DEAF PEOPLE HELPED CONMAN TO SCAM GOVERNMENT OUT OF £800K
A group of profoundly deaf fraudsters helped a conman scam the government out of hundreds of thousands of pounds by claiming to be working for his bogus companies, a court heard. Shahab Reza netted £800,000 intended to help some of the country’s most isolated people into fulfilling jobs through his complex fraud. The 53-year-old from Perivale, who is completely deaf, even drew his wife and doctor son into the con to profit from the Department of Work and Pension ’s Access to Work scheme. / Get West London
East Staffordshire, England
DEAF PEOPLE MAY LOSE FREE HEARING AIDS DUE TO CUTBACKS
Hundreds of people in East Staffordshire with mild to moderate hearing loss may no longer be eligible for free NHS hearing aids, if new proposals come into force. East Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is one of four CCGs looking at changing the way it commissions services for hearing aids to save money. The changes would mean that anyone with hearing loss of less than 41 decibels and those with moderate hearing loss (41 to 55 decibels) would no longer be eligible for hearing aids on the NHS, unless their hearing can be shown to affect their everyday life. / Burton Mail
London, England
COCKER SPANIEL LEARNS SECOND LANGUAGE GIVING DEAF OWNER A HUGE CONFIDENCE BOOST
A cocker spaniel has transformed the life of its deaf owner by learning a SECOND language. Ginger, a four-year-old hearing dog, was trained to respond to commands in English. But owner Neil Smith decided he wanted to learn Gaelic so he could get out and meet more people and build his self-confidence. He took Ginger along to a local language class and the dog has picked up the notoriously difficulty second tongue in just three weeks. / Mirror
Edinburgh, Scotland
NEW LEGISLATION MARKS HISTORIC MOMENT FOR DEAF COMMUNITY IN SCOTLAND
The Scottish Parliament is to be congratulated on voting to pass the British Sign Language (Scotland) bill into law on Thursday (17 September). The passage of the bill marks an historic moment for the entire deaf community across Scotland, many of whom have British Sign Language (BSL) as their first or preferred language. By ensuring public authorities promote and raise awareness of BSL, the bill – the first of its kind in the UK – will help to embed the language more fully into Scottish society and culture. / Third Force News
Glasgow, Scotland
HEARING DOGS ARE CHANGING LIVES
A campaign to raise awareness of deaf people has been launched in Glasgow schools. Charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is arranging visits to city primary and secondaries to teach children the alphabet in British Sign Language (BSL). And pupils will also get the chance to meet a hearing dog and find out what life is like for a working pooch. Lyndsay Campbell, Community Fundraising Manager for Hearing Dogs in Scotland, said: “Let’s Hear It is an important campaign to raise awareness of deafness in schools. / Evening Times
Milton, ON, Canada
BOB RUMBALL ASSOC. FOR DEAF VICTIM OF BREAK-IN THEFT
The executive director of the Bob Rumball Association for the Deaf (BRAD) is heart-broken that someone could steal cash from the non-profit organization. “To steal from a charity just breaks my heart,” Karen Chambers told the Champion, following a weekend break-in to the group’s driving range clubhouse. “It’s very sad that someone would steal from a charity and take away from the people that we support.” / Inside Halton
Australia
CABBIE JAILED FOR 'HEINOUS' ASSAULT OF DEAF GIRL
A taxi driver has been sentenced to at least 10 years in jail for repeatedly sexually assaulting a profoundly deaf girl while dropping her home from her primary school. Osman Chamseddine, 65, was sentenced to 15 years with a non-parole period of 10 years by Judge Brian Knox, who described his offending as “reprehensible” and “heinous”. Chamseddine was found guilty in May of sexually assaulting the girl, when she was aged 10 and 11, as he took her home from school in his mini van for disabled children. / news.com.au
Ghana
DEAF SOCIETY CALLS ON DVLA TO GRANT THEM DRIVING LICENSE
The Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) has called on the Board of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to establish systems and processes that would enable deaf persons in the country to own driving licenses. Speaking at the annual meet- the-press program in Accra to deliberate on challenges facing deaf people, President of GNAD Emmanuel Sackey, said driving is a visual activity which has to do with the brains and therefore there should not be any impediment for deaf people to acquire licenses. / Pulse
Murang'a, Kenya
MURANG'A SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF GETS NEW I.T. LAB
Murang’a School for the deaf on Saturday benefited from a fully equipped computer lab donated by the Thika Rotary Club. The Sh5.5 million ($52,000 US) project is expected to assist the school which has a total of 280 students to embark on an E-learning program and ensure the students get IT skills. According to the club’s president, Betty Wariari, about 30 teachers in the institution would also benefit from the program as they would be trained on basic computer skills to enable them to operate the lab. / Citizen TV
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LIFE & LEISURE
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Minot, ND
DEAF AND HEARING WORLDS UNITE: DES LACS COUPLE SHARES STORY
It's said that marriage is the ultimate partnership. And perhaps no two people know that to be true as well as Darrell and Susan Francis. Tonight the couple shared their experiences with Minot State University students and community members, as part of National Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness Week. Susan has been deaf since birth; Darrell is hearing. The Des Lacs couple told stories and took questions about their forty-two year marriage -- what it was like to meet, date, get married, and raise three children in a hard-of-hearing environment. / KXNews
Quincy, IL
MEMBERS OF THE DEAF COMMUNITY GET A SPECIAL TOUR OF A QUINCY FIRE STATION
Members and students of the Deaf community got a firsthand look on Monday at where first responders spend a lot of their time. Quincy's Fire Chief Joe Henning gave the group a tour of the Central Fire Station, with Quincy University students interpreting. Henning is the son of Joe and Janice Henning, members of the Deaf community. Henning says this was a great opportunity for them to learn exactly what goes on at the fire station. / WGEM
West Palm Beach, FL
FIFTH-GRADER GIVES BACK BY RAISING MONEY FOR DEAF COMMUNITY
Rarely does a trip to the beach stir as many emotions as the one the Pride family experienced about 10 years ago. Noelle Pride wasn’t even a year old and she had recently had surgery to receive one cochlear implant. Profoundly deaf from the time she was born, Noelle was finally beginning to realize what it meant to hear sounds, thanks to the implant. But she was still too young to talk or explain what was happening. She didn’t have to. / Palm Beach Post
Devils Lake, ND
NATIONAL DEAF AWARENESS WEEK IS SEPT. 20-26
This is National Deaf Awareness Week and I thought it would be a good time to discuss the School for the Deaf and the many changes happening here. Our name has changed to North Dakota School for the Deaf/Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NDSD/RCDHH). We are a resource center for parents, teachers, care givers, adults, and other agencies across North Dakota. One of our goals is to make sure all students who are deaf or hard of hearing have access to appropriate services in all school in North Dakota. / Devils Lake Journal
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Do you love to go on a cruise vacation . . . or ever want to go on one?
You can join deaf group cruise or create your own for you and family and/or friends and even groups. This Full Time Cruise Travel Agent is Deaf. You can call 801-331-5235 VP. It is a free service. You can see at www.MyDeafCruise.com to see available deaf group cruises. They are going to Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean, South America, Etc.
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WORKING WORLD
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Washington, DC
NEARLY $15M IN GRANTS TO EXPAND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Six states will receive grants totaling $14,911,243 to improve employment opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities, the U.S. Department of Labor announced today. The grants to Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, New York and Washington are being awarded as part of the Disability Employment Initiative, a joint initiative of the department's Employment and Training Administration and the Office of Disability Employment Policy. / U.S. Dept. of Labor
St. Paul, MN
STATE GRANT HELPS JOBS PROGRAM FOR DEAF
A Twin Cities employment program for people who are deaf is expanding services statewide with a $500,000 from the state Department of Employment and Economic Development. The Minnesota Employment Center, based at Lifetrack Resources in St. Paul, helps find jobs for people in the Twin Cities who are deaf, both deaf and blind or hard of hearing. The new appropriation from state workforce development funds allows the nonprofit to bring services to Duluth, St. Cloud, Rochester/Faribault, Virginia, Moorhead and Mankato. / TwinCities.com
New York, NY
SUPERSTORM SANDY SIGNER: LYDIA CALLIS AN ALLY FOR DEAF
Lydia Callis is the sole member in a family of six who isn't profoundly deaf. The eldest child, she stood by her mom and dad during medical appointments, trips to the store, family gatherings and parent-teacher conferences, mediating the world for them -- even handling situations some would consider too mature for an 8-year-old. That sense of loyalty and calling brought Callis unexpected fame as a sign language interpreter for then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg during Superstorm Sandy and its aftermath. / CNN
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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San Francisco, CA
BURNIE GIPSON, HARD-OF-HEARING DANCER, WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
After dancing for 20 years, Hard of Hearing (HoH) dancer, instructor and DJ, Burnie Gipson, was awarded first place at the 2015 American Lindy Hop Championships on Sunday, September 13. Over the past three years, Gipson, 44, had been both a judge and instructor for the championships; this was his first year as a competitor. On being the champion of an event that had primarily hearing competitors, “I feel like my hard work has paid off,” said Gipson. / San Francisco News
Seattle, WA
'SOUND': DEAF AND HEARING ACTORS BRING NEW PLAY TO LIFE
Allison is caught between her two long-divorced parents. Custody isn’t the issue. Their fierce tug of war is about whether their daughter, deaf like her father, should get a cochlear implant — a choice she’s made that’s supported by her (hearing) mother. From the opening moments of “Sound,” Don Nguyen’s intriguing and empathetic (if overly didactic) drama tackles the issue square-on. “Sound” is in its world-premiere run at ACT Theatre. And to the credit of Nguyen, and co-directors Desdemona Chiang and Howie Seago, this Azeotrope production tries to treat a hotly contested issue even-handedly. / The Seattle Times
San Francisco, CA
ASL EPIC SHOW FOR DEAF AWARENESS NIGHT
Celebrating the one-year anniversary of ASL Epic and honoring Deaf Awareness Night, ASL Epic will be hosting a special open show on September 27 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Sweet Inspiration Bakery in the Castro area. The night will begin with an ASL “gather and chat” for the first hour. From 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. the open ASL Epic show will begin. From 9:00 p.m. onward, there will be an informal, after-party hosted by the San Francisco ASL Meet-up and Social at bar nearby that is yet to be determined. / San Francisco News
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SPORTS
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Ventura, CA
FIRST DEAF WOMAN SWIMS ANACAPA CHANNEL
A swimmer from Colorado made local history being the first deaf woman to complete the Anacapa Island Channel swim. Micki Poole, a 50-year-old deaf competitive swimmer from Greeley, Colorado completed the swim on September 12th in 7 hours, 2 minutes off the Santa Barbara coast. Poole became the first deaf person to finish the 12.4 mile feat. / Santa Barbara Edhat
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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). To place your ad, send the announcement to mail@deafweekly.com.
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Company: ZVRS
Position: Account Manager
Locations: Check our job posting on website!
Summary: The Account Manager, reporting to the Sales Manager, will be expected to work closely with customers within their assigned area. The Account Manager will also assist the customer with product installation and train on our features and services. After installation, the Account Manager will focus on customer retention. The Account Manager will also provide follow-up training, continued education and introduction of ZVRS’ features and services, both current and new whenever scheduled, requested or necessary. The Account Manager may also be asked to represent ZVRS at presentations, workshops and tradeshows. Apply at: jobs@zvrs.com
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Rochester Institute of Technology
Coordinator - Sunshine Too
Your friend has found job(s) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) that you might find interesting. Located in Upstate New York, Rochester is a metropolitan area that provides a world class quality of life.
Rochester Institute of Technology is a privately endowed, coeducational university with nine colleges emphasizing career education and experiential learning. The RIT student body consists of approximately 14,750 undergraduate and 2,900 graduate students. Enrolled students represent all 50 states and more than 100 countries.
RIT offers degree programs ranging from AS to PhD in over 80 disciplines from fine arts to business to computing and engineering to sign language and liberal arts, to name a few.
To apply: http://apptrkr.com/674134
To view these or any of our jobs, please visit our Career site at http://careers.rit.edu
View details 1969BR - Coordinator - Sunshine Too
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Come Work With The Best!
Northeast Arc has full and part-time positions, working with adult individuals who are deaf, available in Lynn, Salem, Swampscott and Beverly, MA. You'll be working with deaf individuals using various communication skills including gestural, written and Signed English. Do you know ASL? If so, I'd like to speak with you about our direct care positions. We offer an excellent benefits package, paid trainings and the support you will need to become a successful part of our experienced, long-term team of professionals. For additional information or to send your resume, please email Kathy Tracy Ktracy@ne-arc.org.
Compensation: $12 for per diem shifts and $14 for PT/FT shifts.
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A Division of Salisbury Behavioral Health