DEAF WORKERS OF ORANGE COUNTY PROJECT -- DEAF WORKERS WEEKLY BULLETIN -- OCTOBER 16, 1999 Greetings, DID YOU FEEL IT? I DID! IT WAS AN EXCITING AND ROLLING EXPERIENCE. However, we are pleased that very few people got hurt largely due that the epicenter is in a sparsley populated area. To refresh everyone on this list on earthquake preparedness, I have listed reliable tips from the American Red Cross: ---/\/\---BEFORE THE QUAKE---/\/\--- Prepare a Home Earthquake Plan ------------------------------ --Choose a safe place in every room--under a sturdy table or desk or against an inside wall where nothing can fall on you. --Practice DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON at least twice a year. Drop under a sturdy desk or table, hold on, and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm. If there's no table or desk nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases, or tall furniture that could fall on you. Teach children to DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! --Choose an out-of-town family contact. --Consult a professional to find out additional ways you can protect your home, such as bolting the house to its foundation and other structural mitigation techniques. --Take a first aid class from your local Red Cross chapter. Keep your training current. --Get training in how to use a fire extinguisher from your local fire department. --Inform babysitters and caregivers of your plan. Eliminate Hazards, Including ----------------------------- --Bolting bookcases, china cabinets, and other tall furniture to wall studs. --Installing strong latches on cupboards. --Strapping the water heater to wall studs. Prepare a Disaster Supplies Kit For Home and Car, Including ----------------------------------------------------------- --First aid kit and essential medications. --Canned food and can opener. --At least three gallons of water per person. --Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags. --Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries. --Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members. --Written instructions for how to turn off gas, electricity, and water if authorities advise you to do so. (Remember, you'll need a professional to turn natural gas service back on.) --Keeping essentials, such as a flashlight and sturdy shoes, by your bedside. ---/\/\---DURING THE QUAKE---/\/\--- --DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! Move only a few steps to a nearby safe place. Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you're sure it's safe to exit. Stay away from windows. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake. --If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow. --If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground. --If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place (as described above). Stay in the car until the shaking stops. ---/\/\---AFTER THE QUAKE---/\/\--- --Check yourself for injuries. Protect yourself from further danger by putting on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, and work gloves. --Check others for injuries. Give first aid for serious injuries. --Look for and extinguish small fires. Eliminate fire hazards. Turn off the gas if you smell gas or think it's leaking. (Remember, only a professional should turn it back on.) --Listen to the radio or watch television for instructions. --Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one, DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! --Inspect your home for damage. Get everyone out if your home is unsafe. --Use the telephone only to report life-threatening emergencies. I hope our readers can make good use of this information. One more tip is DONT PANIC. Richard Roehm ---- THE JOHN F. KENNEDY, JR. AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE In his brief life, John F. Kennedy, Jr. embraced the principles and legacy of his father, mother and the Kennedy family to contribute back to society's less fortunate and to recognize those who made a difference in that struggle. John F. Kennedy, Jr. especially encouraged young people from all walks of life to be involved in the body politic and to constructively interact with the important issues of the day. In that same spirit, the California Democratic Party will begin in 2000, at our State Convention, the awarding of the first John F. Kennedy, Jr. Award for outstanding public service by a young person in California. The qualifications are: ( All applicants must be between the ages of 18-35 years (the same requirements to be a Young Democrat in California). ( All applicants must be registered Democrats in California. ( All applicants must have displayed outstanding leadership qualities in the service of others in California. ( All applicants have made a substantive difference affecting the lives of Californians in their communities. An applicant must receive the recommendation of at least three different people who can attest to the applicant's contributions, character and integrity. All applications and recommendations MUST be submitted to the California Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento no later than January 10, 2000. An executive committee composed of the statewide elected officers of the California Democratic Party shall review all applications and make a selection of one male and one female honoree. These awards will be presented at one of the General Sessions of the California Democratic Party's State Convention at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, February 11-13, 2000. APPLICATION FOR THE JOHN F. KENNEDY, JR. AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE Please complete the following and submit no later than January 10, 2000: JFK, Jr. Award, California Democratic Party, 911-20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-3115, 916.442.5707 / FAX 916.442.5715, HYPERLINK mailto:info@ca-dem.org info@ca-dem.org ( ) Yes, I'd like to recommend an outstanding young person (applicant) for the JFK, Jr. Award: A. APPLICANT'S INFO Her/his last, first name ________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________ Home phone ( ) ______________ Work phone ( )_______________ Is applicant between the ages of 18-35? ( YES Is applicant a registered Democrat in California? ( YES Using a separate sheet of paper, please answer: How has applicant made a substantive difference affecting the lives of Californians in their communities? How has s/he displayed outstanding leadership qualities in the service of others in California? B. RECOMMENDER'S INFO Your name ________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________ Home phone ( ) __________ Work phone ( )__________________ Email _________________________ FAX ( )___________________ How long have you known applicant? _____ years or _____ months In what capacity?________________________________________________ Please list the names of two other persons who can attest to the applicant's contributions, character and integrity. IMPORTANT: To be considered for the JFK, Jr. Award, an applicant MUST receive the recommendation of three (3) persons; therefore, the following two persons MUST ALSO agree with your statements. NAME (Last, first) WORK PHONE NO. HOME PHONE NO. Thank you. ( EDITOR'S NOTE : Guess I'm too old for this.... ) ---- FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL SEEKS REPRESENTATIVES I wanted to bring to your attention that the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council (FICC) is beginning recruitment for new Parent Representatives. This is a marvelous opportunity for parents with special needs children under the age of twelve to have a voice for system change on a national level. The recruitment period is open until January 15th, 2000 and any help in spreading the word to other parents would be greatly appreciated. I, currently, am serving my three year term on the FICC and I can attest to the importance and value of the experience for any parent. This position takes me to Washington DC four times a year adding up to about 20 days out of the year that I am away from home. While it takes careful planning it is an opportunity I am so privileged to have found out about. By simply sending a blank email to this address: nomination@fed-icc.org a parent application packet can be received directly in your email box. It would be wonderful if you could consider adding a link to this email application to your site. If I can provide you with further information please let me know. Gratefully, Hedy S. Hansen 12361 Lewis St., Site 101 Garden Grove, CA 92840 (714) 748-7491 ---- NEWS FROM THE DISABILITY FRONTLINES COALITION HOLDS 11TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE-The Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities in Mississippi held its 11th annual conference-Preparing for the Dawn of a New Millennium and a Society that Empowers All-in Jackson on September 30 and October 1. Keynote speakers included Frank Bowe (professor, Hofstra University) and Steven Gold (attorney, Public Interest Law Center) among other nationally-recognized professionals. ADA HEARING IN TENNESSEE-The State Government Subcommittee of the House Committee on State and Local Government is convening hearings pursuant to House Resolution 109 (passed earlier this year). The Resolution concerns the policies and procedures used by the state to implement the ADA. Some citizens have asserted that certain state practices are discriminatory toward people with disabilities. Read the full resolution at www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/101gahtm/BillLookUp.asp . Hearings will take place on Thursday, October 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. in Room 16 of the Legislative Plaza, Nashville and Friday, October 8, from 9 to noon, same location For additional information, or to get on the list to testify, call Brian Dauer, House Research Division, at 615-741-3123. The number for the House Comm. on State & Local Government is 615-741-4881. DISABILITY ENFORCEMENT UPDATE MGM Grand Hotel, Casino and Theme Park to Become Fully Accessible to People with Disabilities (September 16, 1999)-Visit http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/1999/September/412cr.htm Justice Dept. Settles Lawsuit Against City of Chicago for Discrimination Against an Employee with a Disability (September 24, 1999)- Visit http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/toledo.htm Standardized Testing Agencies to Settle Allegations of ADA Violations Under Justice Dept. Agreement (September 28, 1999)-Visit http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/1999/September/448cr.htm Greyhound to Improve Bus Service to Passengers with Disabilities, Under Justice Dept. Agreement (September 30, 1999). Visit http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/greyhnd.htm Public Eye Restaurant Fined $1,000-The U.S. Attorney's Office and Memphis ADAPT announced [September 9, 1999] that the Public Eye in Overton Square has agreed to changes that will make the restaurant accessible. It is the first time the U.S. Attorney's Office has intervened in a lawsuit involving the ADA. "It is important for the businesses in this community, both public and private, to make sure that their establishments are accessible to all citizens within the bounds of the law,'' U.S. Atty. Veronica Coleman said in a press conference. Coleman said she hopes the ``message in today's announcement is voluntary compliance,'' but said the federal government is ready to take other similar cases to court. In Memphis, questions about transportation, curb cuts, and captioned movies for the hearing impaired have been raised in recent months. Deborah Cunningham, Executive Director of the Memphis Center for Independent Living and a member of Memphis ADAPT said she and other ADAPT members had tried for several years to meet at the Public Eye, but the owners failed to provide necessary access. So she filed a federal lawsuit last year. The U.S. Attorney's Office intervened and negotiated a settlement with the restaurant owners. The Public Eye agreed to create barrier-free entrances and interior floors, and to place signs showing the locations of accessible entrances. Restrooms and public phones must be accessible, menus should be available in Braille or tape, and employees must be trained to help disabled customers. The restaurant must pay a $1,000 fine to the Justice Department. The building's owner, Overton Square Investors LLC, has agreed to donate $5,000 to Memphis ADAPT. State of TN Sued for Inaccessible Courthouses (The Tennessean August 21)-A court reporter with paraplegia and a man who lost a leg in a traffic accident are suing the state of Tennessee and 25 counties for maintaining inaccessible courthouses. George Lane, an amputee, had to crawl up the stairs of the Polk County Courthouse to get to his first appearance on misdemeanor charges in 1996, said his lawyer, William J. Brown. Judges, lawyers and sheriff's deputies have had to carry court reporter Beverly Jones up the Jackson County Courthouse stairs in their arms, Jones said. "Every time I'm carried up the steps, I lose my independence, and I'm not being treated equally," said Jones, who was paralyzed below the waist after a drunken driver hit her car in 1984. Brown says he found the 25 counties by having an investigator call and ask them questions. However, he suspects there may be many others. For example, courtrooms may need to design special systems for people with hearing problems. Lane and Jones filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Nashville on behalf of all physically disabled Tennesseans. "I'm hoping as a result of this lawsuit, the state of Tennessee will do a review of access" in all its counties, Brown said. Most of Tennessee's counties still use grand old courthouses build more than a century ago, when few architects considered the needs of people with disabilities. Jones said she is frustrated at counties who plead that the changes cost too much money. There are many inexpensive, space-saving alternatives to elevators, such as chair lifts that can hoist a wheelchair up a staircase. "...It's not our physical disability that makes us disabled. It's that there are stairs we can't get up, restrooms that we can't get into. Those are the things that make it incapable for us to carry on a life." ---- DEAF WORKERS AID BUSINESS By Anne Miller Express-News Staff Writer Nabiel Mtawie has five employees who never hear a word he says, and that's just fine with him. Mtawie oversees the food court at the San Antonio International Airport as the general manager of CA One Services, where for the past two years he has employed several deaf workers. Mtawie has trained them to sweep floors and cook pizza. At the same time, he has held sign language classes at the airport for hearing employees, some of whom now can converse fluently with their hands. He said he hired the deaf because he wanted to help the disabled, and he keeps hiring them because they are hard workers. Because of his efforts to integrate the deaf into the workplace, his business was chosen as Employer of the Year over all other mid-sized companies in the state by the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities. "They prove to me that they are hard workers. They did exceed my expectations," he said in a crisp Arabic accent that demonstrates his Egyptian roots. He has worked for CA One since 1989. "I have 85 employees, and I don't even mind if all these 85 are hearing impaired or deaf," he said. "I feel very good every time I walk around and see our deaf employees working and communicating with other employees." The deaf aren't the only minority group Mtawie has helped. Two years ago, he hired several refugees from Iraq, Vietnam and Bosnia, who had relocated to San Antonio through the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. "They went overboard in accommodating the deaf," said Jon Blanks, an employment consultant who first placed the deaf workers with Mtawie. "We've placed hundreds of people with hundreds of companies," he said. "Certainly CA One has embraced them (in a way) you just don't see." © 1999 San Antonio Express-News ---- CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION TAKES NEW STEPS TO INCREASE THE EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES October 16, 1999 In his Saturday radio address, President Clinton will take action to increase employment of people with disabilities, issuing a landmark plan to make the Federal government a model employer. This action will enable the federal government to benefit from a broader pool of job applicants and help sustain the nation's record economic growth by bringing more people with disabilities into the work force. The President will also call upon Congress to pass the bipartisan Work Incentives Improvement Act to help people with disabilities who wish to join the workforce overcome one of their most significant barriers - the fear of losing health care coverage. Today, the President will: DIRECT FEDERAL AGENCIES TO IMPLEMENT PLAN FOR HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. Since the beginning of the Clinton-Gore Administration, the American economy has added more than 19 million new jobs, and unemployment is at a 29-year low. Yet over 75 percent of individuals with severe disabilities are unemployed. Last year, Vice President Gore asked the Office of Personnel Management to develop a model plan to bring more adults with disabilities into the Federal workforce. Today, the President will release that action plan and direct the Federal government to implement it immediately. The plan, Accessing Opportunity: The Plan for Employment of People with Disabilities in the Federal Government, along with a companion Employment Guide, provides detailed resources for federal employees as they recruit, hire, train and promote people with disabilities. Under this plan, the Federal government -- the nation's largest employer with almost 1.8 million workers -- will do more to: * Recruit people with disabilities for positions at all levels of government; * Provide opportunities for students with disabilities; * Ensure career opportunities for people with disabilities; * Collect and maintain data to monitor success of people with disabilities in the federal workforce; and * Provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. CHALLENGE THE CONGRESS TO PASS THE BIPARTISAN WORK INCENTIVES IMPROVEMENT ACT. Under current law, people with disabilities often become ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare if they work, forcing many to choose between health care and employment. The bipartisan Work Incentives Improvement Act helps address this problem by giving workers with disabilities more options. President Clinton today will call on the House, which is scheduled to vote on this legislation next week, to finish the job so that people with disabilities who want to work do not have to wait another day. On Thursday, the House Ways and Means Committee passed its version of this legislation. While an improvement over the version passed by the House last year, it still does not guarantee funding for vital health care and employment incentives. In particular, it does not include: (1) mandatory funding for infrastructure grants which provide an incentive for states to adopt the Medicaid buy-in portion of the legislation; (2) a mandatory demonstration that allows people who are not yet too disabled to work to buy into Medicaid; and (3) a guarantee of Medicare coverage for eligible individuals returning to work. In contrast, the bill that has passed the Senate 99-0, as well as the bill voted unanimously out of the House Commerce Committee, provide mandatory funding of the grant and demonstration provisions within this legislation. Under the leadership of Senators Jeffords, Kennedy, Roth and Moynihan, and Representatives Bliley, Dingell, Lazio and Waxman, this version of the bill has received broad bipartisan support. CALL ON CONGRESS TO PASS RESPONSIBLE, LONG OVERDUE HEALTH AND BUDGET LEGISLATION THIS YEAR. The President today will also reiterate the call he made in his press conference Thursday to pass a strong, enforceable Patients' Bill of Rights and enact a responsible budget that strengthens Social Security, strengthens and modernizes Medicare, and pays down the debt by 2015, keeping interest rates low and the economy growing. THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION'S LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. Today's action is the latest of many executive actions taken by the President and Vice President to increase the employment of people with disabilities, including: issuing an executive order in June expanding hiring opportunities for people with psychiatric disabilities; putting in place new regulations in February to make work pay for people with disabilities receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), by allowing them to earn more and still receive critical cash and medical benefits; creating a task force last year to create coordinated national policy to increase employment of people with disabilities in all sectors of the economy; and including in his budget a historic $2 billion initiative to provide a $1,000 tax credit for work-related expenses for people with disabilities, invest in technology to help more people with disabilities work, and provide better health care and employment options for people who work by fully funding the Work Incentives Improvement Act." Fred Fay Chair, Justice For All jfa@jfanow.org http://www.jfanow.org ---- VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE STATEMENT ON CLINTON'S PLAN TO BRING MORE JOBS TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES October 16, 1999 STATEMENT BY THE VICE PRESIDENT THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Vice President _______________________________________________________ For Immediate Release Contact: Saturday, October 16, 1999 (202) 456-7035 STATEMENT BY THE VICE PRESIDENT Every American ought to be able to contribute to their full measure and people with disabilities should be respected for their abilities. That is why last year I asked the Office of Personnel Management to develop a plan to bring more adults with disabilities into the federal workforce. Today I am proud that the President is releasing our comprehensive plan and directing federal agencies and departments to implement it immediately. Under this plan, people with disabilities will find new opportunities and this country will unleash the untapped energy and creativity of millions of capable Americans. By addressing the untolerably high levels of unemployment among people with disabilites -- more than 75 percent -- we not only strengthen American families, but promote a stronger economy and ensure future prosperity. I am proud of this administration's proven record of helping to bring new opportunities to people with disabilities, and I promise to continue fighting. I join with the President in calling on Congress to work together to pass the Work Incentives Improvement Act that will help more people with disabilities go to work and ensure that they can keep health care coverage when they do. ---- OCDAC WEBSTORE SUPPORTS THE DEAF COMMUNITY OCDAC WebStore is packed with items for use by people with hearing disabilities and a few extras. OCDAC WebStore can be found at: Http://www.deafadvocacy.com/product.htm ---- GUN INCIDENT DRAWS ATTENTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW Kristen Kromer - Staff writer Kyle Yancey feels threatened. Like most of Lakeside High School's student body, he's worried that a fellow student might return to class after being expelled for bringing a gun to school. "It's horrible," said Yancey, 17. "I think most of us feel scared that someone can bring a gun to school and then be allowed to come back." Despite claims of zero tolerance, school administrators are limited in how they deal with special-education students -- like the one at Lakeland -- who bring weapons to school. A 1975 federal law, called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, protects special-ed students from being denied an education. An overhaul in 1997 made it easier to discipline violent or dangerous students who take special-ed classes, but they are still treated differently than mainstream students. According to the law, the Lakeside boy who was expelled can be held from school only up to 45 days. Mainstream students could be expelled for a year. The incident at Lakeside has brought the ramifications of that law into shocking clarity for the Nine Mile Falls community, prompting some students, parents and administrators to call for change. The student, whose name and grade level has not been released, brought the gun to school Sept. 14. A classmate told a teacher and, within five minutes, the boy was in the office and his parents and police were called. As days passed after the expulsion, Lakeside neighbors started getting antsy about the boy's return to school. Rumors spread, community members got angry and they started directing their ire toward the school. "People thought the school was letting him come back," Yancey said. But that's not the case, Lakeside Principal Mike Parker said. "If Mike Parker the parent was to make a decision it would be different than one made by Mike Parker the administrator," said Parker, who has three children of his own at the high school. "As an administrator, I have to follow certain laws." Lakeside officials want parents to know that federal law dictates what happens to the expelled student next. But Parker said it would be "presumptuous to say he's coming back" to the school. "The law is complicated with regard to special-ed students," he said. "Even if we remove a special-ed student, we still need to provide services for the kid." That doesn't necessarily mean those services have to be provided at the school, Parker said. School officials are talking to the district's attorney to decide what to do. One option might be an alternative program in a different building. Because of the rumors flying at Lakeside, Yancey and two other members of the Students Against Destructive Decisions group made a presentation to the students Tuesday explaining the situation and current laws. The 70-member group -- which started as an anti-drunken driving club -- is planning a rally, tentatively set for Oct. 27, to raise awareness of the different rules for special-education students. Local politicians, state representatives and other schools will be invited. "We're going to try to change the law," Yancey said. "We feel the intentions were good, but now special ed is so broad it hits too many people. It's going overboard." The students have asked for help from U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, who has long been lobbying for a change in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. He wants discipline policies to be consistent for all students and to be set at the local level, his spokeswoman said. But other Lakeside students seem to want something more immediate. Some have distributed fliers calling for a walkout Monday to call attention to the issue. "Do we really want this kid with a gun coming back to our school?" the flier asks. Parker, who supports the planned rally, said a walkout would be too disruptive. "We have to focus on the law, not the kid," Parker said. "Which one of us hasn't made a serious mistake?" Yancey said he thinks some students may still walk out, but he's optimistic some good could come out of the student involvement. "We're hoping for a positive spin off this incident," he said. ----End of Article---- Dave Reynolds Spangle, Washington USA AFCI@usa.net Advocates for Full Community Inclusion ============================================================== DEAF WORKERS OF ORANGE COUNTY Orange County, California Richard Roehm President Internet : Deaf@activist.com Deaf_Workers_OC@usa.net Website Nesmuth@worldnet.att.net Http://www.i-sphere.com/eyedeaf/dwoc.htm =============================================================== Feel free to redistribute this newsletter in it's entirety and if you are planning to add a mailing list as a subscriber then let me know for my records. Thank you. =============================================================== Deaf Workers of Orange County will continue to aggressively pursue justice, fairness, and equality for the Deaf Community. =============================================================== Education is the best gift that lasts a lifetime! Help someone subscribe to Deaf Workers Weekly Bulletin =============================================================== SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION To be added to the mailing list, send "ADD WORKERS BULLETIN" To be deleted from the mailing list send "DELETE WORKERS BULLETIN" to this address Deaf_Workers_OC@usa.net Mailing lists are never sold/given to anyone. =============================================================== Need to stay on the net? Try DeafWatch's own "Keeping You Connected" page which is packed with graphical links to FREE email providers. ===============================================================