Intelligent Lives Page 12
Volume 30, Number 4
April 10, 2019
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PROVIDER TAX To page 5
"Kindess is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Mark Twain ARRM/MATTY LANG
NEWS DIGEST
Disability Services Day at the capitol drew a large crowd. One focus was pay for direct support staff.
Legislature reaches mid-point, but much remains unfinished by Jane McClure As the mid-point of the Minnesota Legislature’s 2019 session passed, dozens of bills supported by the disability community are at very different stages. As Access Press went to press, many efforts were still moving ahead, either in omnibus bills or as separate legislation. But for others, the cry of “wait until next
year” has already been heard. The largest of the disability advocacy rallies wrapped up in March, including Disability Services Day at the Capitol. The event, hosted by the umbrella groups ARRM and MOHR, drew a massive crowd of advocates from around the state March 12. Advocates, with dozens of banners from their organizations, line all LEGISLATURE To page 5
Light a candle Page 2 Special Olympics spared Page 6 Twenty years' service Page 13 Directory of Organizations is here Pages 7-10
Building a system is mental health focus by Access Press staff In 2017, 783 Minnesotans died by suicide. Reversing that trend is one of many goals for Minnesota mental health advocates this legislative session. But it will take building a mental health system that works for the state’s residents and addresses a wide array of mental health needs and issues. “The mental health system isn’t broken,” said National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Minnesota Executive Director Sue Abderholden. “It was never built.” Busloads of mental health advocates from around the state flocked to the capitol March 14 for Mental Health Day on the Hill, filling a church for an information session and then packing the capitol rotunda to hear from legislators and leadership. One recurring theme was that mental illness doesn’t define people, but their strength and courage does. What struck many people at the capitol rally was the number of legislators who drew on their own family’s experiences with mental health issues. One powerful message is that as mental health awareness and efforts to reduce the stigma of mental illness have gone on, issues are discussed more openly. Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Vernon Center) has been a state lawmaker since 2002. “And then you did not talk about mental health,” Rosen said. “But it was always there.” Speaking openly about mental health and mental health program needs is the way to get those needs taken care of. Rosen and other lawmakers said they want to help. “Please do not give up on
NAMI MINNESOTA
Don’t let the sun set on Minnesota’s health care provider tax. A Preserve the Provider Tax rally March 21 at the capitol drew dozens of advocates determined to save the tax, which funds critical health care programs. The rally was organized by the coalition This is Medicaid. Selfadvocates, doctors and legislators were joined by Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in the call for the tax to continue. The two percent tax on medical bills and hospital stays was created 27 years ago by state legislators to pay for MinnesotaCare and other health care programs for low-income people. The programs serve about 1.5 million people. That tax generates more than $600 million per year. The two percent tax will expire at the end of 2019, unless it is extended. Walz and House DFLers are determined to save the tax but are running into staunch opposition from the Republican-controlled Senate. Walz told the crowd he is “not willing to compromise peoples’ health for the sake of some fake bipartisanship.” He said tax foes need to step aside “and all ow us to continue to do the right thing.” Supporters contend that the tax is the time-tested way to fund needed health care programs. Most states have a similar tax in place. With one in five Minnesotans using Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare programs, the tax is needed to provide health care access for all. They want the debate framed as one about health care needs, and not as a focus on taxes. Patsy Murphy has had epilepsy since infancy. She also lives with a traumatic brain injury sustained in a fall at age 26. In 1991, doctors said she would live in a persistent vegetative state. But she has been able to get needed care and rehabilitation services and remain active in her community. “Medicaid has been a lifesaver for me,” Murphy said. “It’s important for people with disabilities to have care when they need it.” Riley Schumacher lives with Common Variable Immune Deficiency, a disorder that impairs the immune system. His parents had to fight for his health care needs, while hoping he’d make it to adulthood. He’s now a student, starting his own business. “This is all because of the provider tax.” Schumacher receives Medical Assistance now, which covers very costly, needed medications. “We shouldn’t put people in costly and dangerous situations,” he said. “I constantly worry that I might lose my coverage … Let’s create a future where everyone has what they need to thrive, and not just survive.” Flanagan spoke of being a child with asthma. “Medicaid saved my life,” she said. “Access to health care is a basic human right,” said Walz. Continuing the tax is “morally and ethnically right.” The state tax becomes more important with the threats at the
Mental health advocates from around Minnesota brought their message of hope and support to Mental Health Day on the Hill. us because we haven’t given up on you,” she said. One message from several advocates is that people who live with mental illness, or who care about someone with a mental illness, need state lawmakers and Gov. Tim Walz’s administration to address mental health needs in a multi-faceted way. Although many mental health-related bills are in the hopper this session, leaders emphasize that it is difficult to set priorities when there are so many pressing needs. That’s why so many different issues are being brought
forward as a group. Shannah Mulvihill, executive director of Mental Health Minnesota, said there are some encouraging signs this session, as bills have met a positive response. Still, leaders said that advocates need to continue to contact state lawmakers and share their stories. Walz included suicide prevention as a focus in his budget proposal. House and Senate members have been receptive to many proposals brought forward. MENTAL HEALTH To page 4
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April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
EDITOR’S DESK
Tim Benjamin It’s finally starting to warm up and it feels good. Although the snow is beautiful for the first couple of months, I think we’re all fine with seeing it disappear now. A highlight of the last couple weeks was that I was able to tour the new soccer stadium in St. Paul. Allianz Field, in the Midway district, is a beautiful facility. There are, however, lots of accessibility issues that need to be corrected. As I moved from my van to the front door I noted that there are only two curb cuts in the front of the building near the main entry. The two curb cuts were only about six feet wide. I know that when I leave the building I’m going to make sure I’m not in a crowd. As users of wheels all know, driving off a curb is not a fun trip, and can be dangerous. As I went in through the gate I could see the field, which is plush real grass. The accessible seating right there is outstanding, as you are right on the level of the field, or the pitch, as they
Allianz Field...is a beautiful facility. There are, however, lots of accessibility issues that need to be corrected.
call it in soccer. There were other things that I found questionable. Many of the tables in the lounge area were bar height. A lowered section was available at the end of the bar but you’d have to get through the whole crowd of people before you could sit with your friends at the bar—or rather, with your friend, as there is only room for two people. I went over to the elevator, where there was a garbage can located right in front of the call buttons, so I couldn’t reach it. Once I got an able-bodied person to push the buttons it was a very nice large elevator. Getting out of the elevator onto a nice tile floor on the second of the three levels made for smooth rolling until I hit the giant area rug that had a tiny lip. It didn’t present any particular trouble for my power wheelchair, but I did notice others in push chairs having trouble with their front small casters wheels. I imagine walkers, canes, crutches and other devices
Further down University Avenue, at the capitol, the situation is a little more disappointing.
might have similar trouble. I was relieved that my “easy lock” bolt at the bottom of my chair did not catch on the rug and roll it up underneath me. There are several nice concession stands with chair-height countertops. On the second level there is a lot of box seating as well, most of them already marked with sponsor signs. There are many wheelchair/accessible seats on this “concourse” level. The group I toured with went down to the brew hub where there were no less than 15 different kinds of beer available and many rows of picnic benches, many of them with open spaces on the end for wheelchair seating. In my chair, my knees did not fit underneath the table, which isn’t unusual. There’s hardly ever a table that I can fit under. But the more we looked around in this blue-collar beer joint I noticed that it had garage doors open to the outside. That seemed very cool; so with the garage doors open, the whole place will feel like you are outside. But after a closer look for accessibility outside by some of my peers, we found there were no wheelchair-height vending stalls outside to buy yourself a brew. So in order for someone in a wheelchair to get a drink they would have to come in through the crowd to get their barley pop.
The real kicker was that there are only four electric power doors for entrance and exit in the whole building. Every bathroom door has a pull opening, and they must pull with less than five pounds of resistance to be within code. I think the maintenance crew may have to go check every door before every event. Overall, it’s exciting to have this new sports venue in town, and I’m looking forward to watching more soccer and learning about it. I expect the Allianz folks to keep making adjustments to resolve the accessibility issues we found. Further down University Avenue, at the capitol, the situation is a little more disappointing. I haven’t been able to spend as much time as I should this session, watching and getting involved in committee meetings. It just seems like few issues are getting traction and the things that are, tend to look more like Band-Aid fixes instead of addressing systemic causes. There are several good things happening for driverless cars. There are several good things happening for the opiate crisis. But there is very little happening for our workforce crisis. Keep watching HF1225 / SF968 and HF1298 / SF2135, and contact your legislators! ■
HISTORY NOTE
Candles provided employment, homage to a legacy A recently unveiled history project reminds us that great tragedies can bring about small and unexpected ways to honor a legacy and help others. President John F. Kennedy’s great concern for people with disabilities is well-known. Out of the Kennedy family’s experience with a sister with disabilities came the Special Olympics, Very Special Arts and disability-focused legislation. When Kennedy outlined his “New Frontier” vision for the United States, he said, “We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light a candle that can guide us through the darkness to a safe and sure future. For the world is changing. The old era is ending. The old ways will not do.” After he was assassinated in November 1963, Kennedy was memorialized in many ways. One tribute, meant to provide work and raise money for people with developmental disabilities, was the production and sale of the John F. Kennedy Flame of Hope molded candles. During the 1960s and early 1970s the candles were manufactured at 12
sheltered workshops around the United States, including Opportunity Workshop in Richfield (now Opportunity Partners). A search of newspaper archives shows that community service groups sold the candles around the country. A Bemidji Pioneer article describes how the Mrs. Jaycees group there was selling candles as a fundraiser in 1971, to pay candlemakers and to support Camp Friendship. “The objective of the Flame of Hope program is to demonstrate to the American public that many of this country’s (disabled) men and women can be employed and trained and given the opportunity to work,” the article stated. A May 2003 Hartford Courant obituary describes how Connecticut resident Daniel O’Leary traveled the United States, teaching workers how to make the molded candles. O’Leary would go to work for greater community inclusion. A well-known and widely published 1968 United Press International photo shows the late president’s mother, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, admiring candles in a
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Co-Founder/Publisher............................................................................................................Wm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-96) Co-Founder/Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief.............................................................................. Charles F. Smith (1990-2001) Board of Directors................................. Mohamed Alfash, Brigid Alseth, Stephen Anderson, John Clark, Jane Larson, ........................................................................................................................................Julius Williams, Kay Willshire, Mark Zangara Advertising Sales......... Michelle Hegarty, 612-807-1078 Cartoonist......................................................Scott Adams Executive Director.....................................Tim Benjamin Production........................................................ In-Fin Tuan Managing Editor........................................ Jane McClure Distribution............................................ S. C. Distribution Business Manager/Webmaster......... Dawn Frederick EDITORIAL: Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press. ADVERTISING RATES: Display Ad: $12 to $28 per column inch (size and frequency of run). Classified Ad: $14, plus 65¢ per word over 12 words. DEADLINE: 25th of each month. CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION: 11,000 copies are distributed the 10 th of each month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 450 copies are mailed to individuals, including political, business, institutional and civic leaders. SUBSCRIPTION: $30 per year. Low-income, student and bulk subscriptions available at discounted rates. ABOUT ACCESS PRESS: A monthly newspaper published for persons with disabilities by Access Press, Ltd. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at the St. Paul, MN 55121 facility. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Access Press at 161 St. Anthony Ave, Suite 901, St. Paul, MN 55103. INQUIRIES AND ADDRESS CHANGES should be directed to: Access Press, The Capitol Ridge Inn Offices 161 St. Anthony Ave; #910, St. Paul, MN 55103; 651-644-2133; Fax: 651-644-2136; email: access@accesspress.org www.accesspress.org
Boston area shop. The candles were of different designs and colors, with the tapers having a star at the base. Many sets were sold with matching matches or glass holders. An April 1966 Minneapolis Star photo was captioned “Candlemaker – Trimming surplus wax from a candle was Dennis Acker, who works for the Opportunity Workshop. The workshop is one of 12 sheltered workshops in the country selected to manufacture the John F. Kennedy ‘Flame of Hope’ candle. Present plans call for utilizing 10 workers with developmental disabilities in the project and producing 540 pairs of candles each week. The candles will go on sale the week of May 23 in selected area stores.” Another photo showed Muriel Humphrey, wife of then-Vice President Hubert Humphrey, touring the $165,000 expansion project and viewing the candles in November 1967. The Kennedy candles still show up from time to time on online auction sites, selling for as much as $50. The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental
Dennis Acker Disabilities is researching and sharing historic photos of people with disabilities, which provided the impetus for this story. ■ The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mnddc.org or www.mncdd.org and www.partnersinpolicymaking.com.
April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
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PHOTOS BY ARRM/MATTY LANG
Minnesotans pack the capitol to call for their civil rights
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April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
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One concern Mulvihill raised is that with the closing of Canvas Heath’s Crisis Connection hotline last year, many Minnesotans in crisis have their calls directed to another state. Another focus on the suicide prevention front is a to make sure that teachers get training on suicide prevention, so that they know what to do. Effective online training has been found but needs support. “We’re hearing that kids are really struggling,” Abderholden said. Mental health legislation encompasses a very wide range of proposals, including children’s mental health and school services from early years through college. Independent and supportive housing, filling gaps in the mental health treatment system, culturally specific mental health programs, additional public defenders and staff, helping people find employment, and corrections-related programs are among the many issues on the table this session. Jinny Palen, executive director of the Minnesota Association of Community Mental Health Programs (MACMHP), spoke for the need to improve access to needed mental health services. She was among speakers urging that past gains not be rolled back. “This is about keeping mental health services intact,” she said. One focus this session is parity, of having mental health conditions covered equally in insurance plans. Too many services aren’t covered by commercial insurance providers, another focus for advocates this session. Housing is another critical need, said Sam Smith of NAMI Minnesota. Too many of Minnesota’s homeless live with mental illness. “We’ve been talking about building a mental health system but if you don’t have a home it’s tough to get services,” Smith said. Advocates are calling for permanent supportive housing for people with mental illness, with what are described as wraparound or comprehensive services. Support for vouchers to help more people get into housing is also needed. As of Access Press deadline, NAMI Minnesota was praising a bipartisan effort to improve Minnesota’s mental health system. “We’ve gone from talking about the lack of access to actually doing something,” said Abderholden. “The investments being offered by the Senate and the House are a good starting point to continue to build our mental health system, but there is still much more that needs to be done between now and end of the legislative session.” Senate File 1 makes an impactful, one-time investment of $25 million towards the mental health system. The bill includes NAMI priorities including new funding for school-linked mental health grants, expanding the loan forgiveness program for mental health professionals who work in Greater Minnesota, a pilot project to connect students at colleges and universities with mental health professionals on campus, grant funding for mental health professionals to provide mental health services to youth in homeless shelters, and funding to help mothers with postpartum depression along with veterans and farmers. SF 1 also prioritizes the housing needs of people with mental illnesses through investments in permanent supportive housing, the Bridges housing voucher, and the Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund. Efforts are also made to divert people from the criminal justice system by increasing funding for mobile crisis services, establishing a competency restoration task force and funding of the Yellow Line project. Finally, funding is provided to increase our suicide prevention efforts. The House omnibus Health and Human Services bill also makes significant investments in the mental health system and features NAMI priorities like expanding the number of Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) beds for children with serious mental illnesses, funding to sustain and expand Minnesota’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCHBCs), school-linked mental health grants, and to provide child care for mothers who struggle with their mental illnesses.
NAMI MINNESOTA
MENTAL HEALTH From page 1
Parity was a theme at the March 12 rally.
NAMI MInnesota Executive Director Sue Abderholden spoke to the group. The bill also contains funding to support the transition to community effort to break the logjam at Anoka Regional Treatment Center, establishing a competency restoration task force. There is funding for homeless youth and to ensure children in foster care have access to needed services along with adding wait times to measure network adequacy. Finally, funding is provided to increase our suicide prevention efforts. Both the House and Senate are advancing legislation to provide the tools the Departments of Health and Commerce need to enforce mental health parity. The Senate has sent its mental health parity bill to the Senate Floor and the House has included language in its omnibus Health and Human Services bill.
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April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
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three levels of the rotunda. The message of “My rights, my choice, my life” resonated with service providers, self-advocates and the staff who give needed care and assistance. Those at the rally cheered when asked if they love their jobs and love the people they work with. Chants of “We want a livable wage” rang out through the capitol. One huge focus for those is the need to support competitive wages, to address the 17 percent wage disparity between disability services wages and the wages of the jobs competing for the same workers. More than 34,700 Minnesotans receive Home and CommunityBased Services. But the average wage for a direct support professional working in a community residential setting is just $13.04 per hour. Minnesota is facing a 30 percent vacancy rate for support professionals, with job openings all over the state. Not filling those jobs and forcing people with disabilities into institutional settings is happening more and more often. The savings in community-based over institutional care is estimated at more than $1 billion. One focus this session is to pass legislation that allows service providers to use staff in the most efficient ways possible, through increased use of technology, sensible training requirements and streamlining of regulations. The turnover of staff is increasingly difficult for clients. One sign stated, “When New Staff Come and Go, I’m Impacted.” Addressing unfunded regulations, changes to the termination of services requirements and the ability to seek rate changes for intermediate care facilities for people with developmental disabilities are among the many other issues the groups are seeking legislative action on. Legislators spoke to the need to raise pay for those who provide care and to address other funding inequities. “We have more than enough money to take care of you,” said Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Minneapolis). He and other lawmakers urged those present to keep coming to the capitol until the wage issues are resolved. Rep. Nick Zerwas (R-Elk River) said that the needs of the disability community have been heard, when it comes to pay for staff. “Your message has been sent. We need to raise (staff) pay … We need firm push back on moves to cut disability rates and to hold form on state funding for all disability services.” But despite the encouragement for people with disabilities to advocate for themselves, and the positive comments at rallies, there is growing frustration over the slow pace for some legislation. As of now, many key issues including personal care attendant (PCA) rate reform and ways to overturn a state mandate on incontinence products will need some heavy lifting if they are to be signed into law this session. What’s frustrated some disability groups and selfadvocates is a sense that things are stalled. Some measures that made it all the way through the 2018 process, and then were wrapped into vetoed omnibus bills, haven’t gotten nearly as far this session. Efforts to toward a smaller bonding bill are also stalled in the Senate. Another 2018 measure that needs a push is the effort to reduce the spend-down for Medical Assistance. Spenddowns are widely criticized because they force people with disabilities to live in poverty. The spend-down bill is active in the House and is in Health and Human Services Finance. It is likely to need an informational hearing in the Senate. There have been bright spots. Mitchell’s Law, which allows an individual to add up to three emergency contacts to the driver’s license data base, is moving ahead. Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance is behind that bill. The alliance is also supporting the hands-free cell phone legislation, which has made high-profile progress through the House and Senate. The bill prohibits cell phone use while driving, unless the phone is in hands-free mode. Many brain injury self-advocates have sustained their injuries as a result of careless driving by motorists who were talking on phones. Peoples whose loved ones have been killed by careless drivers have also joined the cause. Keep track of bills and find legislative contacts at www. leg.state.mn.us
PROVIDER TAX From page 1 federal level to health care problems. Rep. Alice Mann (DFL – Lakeville) is vice chair of the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee. She is also a doctor. “We need to get away from this fantasy that taking this away won’t hurt people.” “We must not let the sun set on the provider tax” said Dr. Mike Severson. He recalled when the tax was passed 27 years ago, by a bipartisan group of legislators described as the “Gang of Seven.” Severson said the tax has proven its worth, and its value in supporting the state’s health care system. “I have seen what access to quality health care can do. Right now, there is no better option than the health care tax,” he said. Keep up with legislative actions on the tax on the This is Medicaid Facebook page and on its Twitter feed. ■
ARRM/MATTY LANG
LEGISLATURE From page 1
A group from TSE attended Disability Day at the Capitol.
Disability Hub MN™: Helping people with disabilities live their best lives Disability Hub MN helps people with disabilities resolve issues related to money, work, housing, health care and more.
Knowing what — and who — to ask
See the Hub in action Work and money
A customer contacted the Hub to explore work as an option and asked about the $20,000 asset limit for Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD). Along the way, the Hub counselor explained how earnings would affect the customer’s benefits, how to keep her Medical Assistance while working and other ways to improve her quality of life while working toward self-sufficiency. The counselor also explained how to keep more assets through an Individual Development Account or an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account.
Housing
A customer contacted the Hub fearing homelessness if she was unable to find affordable housing. The Hub counselor reviewed the customer’s overall situation, including her Social Security Disability Insurance — which had mistakenly continued to count earned income that ended in 2015. The counselor helped to correct the error, which increased the customer’s ongoing income, and secured back payments stemming from the error. This unexpected income provided funds for the customer to meet her housing goals.
Medical care
A customer needed urgent medication, but Medicare denied the pharmacy’s bill. Upon investigation, Hub staff discovered that the patient was on Medical Assistance alone — so Medicare was being wrongly billed. With help from a Hub counselor, the pharmacy billed Medical Assistance rather than Medicare and the customer received the medication the same day.
The value of the Hub may be best stated in a customer’s own words:
“The biggest obstacle facing people with disabilities is something quite subtle. It is that we do not know precisely what questions to ask. There are many organizations, websites and information available to us but we need to figure out what to ask and where to ask. It was so refreshing that your staff listened and asked about the specific problems I faced. This is something I can communicate well. By doing this, your staff was able to ask additional questions that helped narrow down the options I had and where I needed to proceed. He figured things out for me. And I can’t thank all of you enough.”
Contact the Hub
Disability Hub MN helps people with disabilities solve problems, navigate the system and plan for the future. Hub counselors are experts at digging deep to ensure that you’re receiving the right benefits, information and support so you can live, work and enjoy life in ways that are most meaningful to you. If you need help, call the Hub at 1-866-333-2466 or visit DisabilityHubMN.org. Disability Hub MN is a strategy of Minnesota Department of Human Service to help people with disabilities understand options and make choices. DHS provides funding to two providers who provide services statewide through six sites.
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REGIONAL NEWS
MNCDD
Special Olympics spared federal funding cuts
An archival photo from the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities shows children competing in a long-ago Special Olympics race.
Ruling could open doors
Employment lawyers are buzzing about a recent Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that liberalized workers' compensation law to permit related discrimination suits under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. It reverses a ruling from three decades ago. Former Minneapolis firefighter Keith Daniel, 57 was forced into early retirement in 2016 by job-related injuries. He recently settled a workers' compensation claim for $125,000. In a 5-2 decision earlier this year, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Daniel can return to Hennepin County District Court to pursue a claim that was rejected earlier under the Human Rights Act. That’s because fire department management allegedly discriminated against him by refusing to allow him to wear doctor-prescribed tennis shoes that relieved his condition. Daniel wanted to wear the prescribed shoes around the fire house, but his bosses insisted that he wear standard boots that aggravated his ankle injury. Daniel alleged discrimination because the response to his disability not only prevented him from working but violated his civil rights by harming his dignity and self-respect as a disabled employee. “His claims arise under the human rights act's disability-accommodation requirement, which makes it unlawful for an employer to fail to make a reasonable accommodation to the known disability of a qualified disabled person unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an 'undue hardship' on the employer,” Justice Margaret Chutich wrote in the decision. “Unlike the workers' compensation act, the human rights act is a civil rights law that protects employees from unlawful employment discrimination.”
A Trump administration plan to cut $17.6 million in federal funding for the Special Olympics drew outcry around the nation. Games organizers in Minnesota joined their national counterparts in protesting the threatened cut, unveiled in March by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. In the face of outrage President Donald Trump announced that the cuts wouldn’t happen. According to the online news website Politico, the threat appears to have become a boon for the nonprofit. Rather than cutting off the Special Olympics from all federal funding, lawmakers are weighing a possible increase for the fifth year in a row as high-profile advocates rally behind the organization and its programs in thousands of schools. The social media outcry over the threat to its funding stream is boosting the Special Olympics' message — and private donations are expected to surge. It also shows the political risk when an educational program beloved by Democrats and Republicans alike becomes a target. “In some ways the most powerless, vulnerable, forgotten people in the country brought to their knees the most powerful people in the country,” said Tim Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics International, speaking to advocates gathered at the Save the Children
Emma Denny, employment lawyer with Minneapolis-based Halunen Law, called the decision “quite significant” and estimated that “this means hundreds more employees every year will be able to bring disability discrimination claims under the Minnesota Human Rights Act in addition to pursuing remedies under the Workers' Compensation Act.” The Daniel case now goes back to Hennepin County District Court. (Source: Star Tribune)
County adds Vitals app
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office has announced that deputies will begin using the Vitals First Responder App in April. The Vitals app provides first responders with crucial information about vulnerable individuals, increasing the effectiveness of situational response and vastly expanding the potential for successful and safe resolutions. Vitals enrollees, or their family members, voluntarily provide the individualized information in this cutting-edge program revolving around technological innovation. “We are actively looking for ways to better respond to people with disabilities that we may encounter,” said Hennepin County Sheriff David P. Hutchinson. “Vitals will help us do our jobs even better. We will use this technology to help keep our residents safe and help engage the county’s diverse communities on the topics on mental health and cognitive disabilities and conditions.” Hennepin County has a population of approximately 1.3 million and more than 35 municipalities. Law enforcement responded to 1,660 mental health crisis calls in 2017. More than 280,000 Hennepin County residents qualify for social services supporting mental health, intellectual, developmental, and behavioral conditions and disabilities, as well as elderly services.
and Save the Children Action Network Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. “Probably in my 39 years of professional life, I’ve never had more attention than we got last week on anything I’ve ever worked on, honestly,” he said. Shriver, son of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, is the second generation of his family to lead the Special Olympics. Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded to the program. All of Trump's budget requests since he took office have proposed doing away with federal support for Special Olympics, and they've all been rejected by Congress. Instead, the funding has risen sharply from $7.6 million in fiscal 2015 to $17.6 million in fiscal 2019. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who heads up the Appropriations panel that funds education, is a Special Olympics champion. DeVos stuck up for the proposed cut before a Senate subcommittee but also pointed out that she didn’t “personally get involved” in the decision to slash funding. After Trump said the funding would be restored, she lauded the decision, saying she had fought for the money “behind the scenes over the last several years.” DeVos last year announced she would donate nearly $50,000, a fourth of her salary, to the Special Olympics. (Source: Politico)
“We are excited about adding Hennepin County to our growing list of locations. Our goal is to serve as many people as we can. Working with the largest county in Minnesota will help us reach thousands of people who can benefit from this new technology,” said Janeé Harteau, president of Vitals Aware Services. Dakota County and Crow Wing counties already use the app, along with 60 other public safety agencies. The service is free to people living with various conditions and disabilities. To sign up, text “vitals” to 797979, open the link and fill out the form. Registration can also be completed on the website at www.thevitalsapp.com (Source: Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department)
Survey shows challenges ahead
Nearly 3 ½ years after top Minnesota state officials pledged to embrace integration for people with disabilities, thousands of individuals are still living segregated and isolated lives. A rare and indepth survey, examining the quality of life of Minnesotans with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities, found that many of them still have limited freedom and little control over their daily lives. Everyday decisions that many people take for granted — such as where to live and the choice of pets — are often determined by others, including paid support staff whom they had no choice in hiring. The recently released survey also found that people who live and work in cloistered settings, such as group homes, are more isolated socially and have far fewer interactions with the community than other Minnesotans. The findings underscore the challenges ahead for the administration of Gov. Tim Walz, as it seeks to implement a state plan to move people with disabilities out
of segregated settings, help them live more independently and participate in community life. Despite marked progress in some areas, such as helping people obtain jobs in the mainstream workforce, Minnesota has struggled to improve access to community services and to comply with a 1999 Supreme Court Olmstead decision, which requires states to ensure that people live and work in the most integrated settings possible. Members of Walz's Cabinet, including the commissioners overseeing human services and housing finance, have publicly pledged to continue a multiyear effort to eliminate obstacles to integration. Yet their efforts have been impeded by a severe shortage of support workers who help people with disabilities live on their own; as well as a recent, 7 percent cut to rates paid through a state "waiver" program, which helps 47,000 Minnesotans with disabilities pay for services such as transportation and personal caregiving that help them live and work in the community. The survey and a larger survey that preceded it have given state officials much more sight into the lives of people with disabilities. For two consecutive years, the survey found that choice-making power can be severely limited for people who live and work in segregated settings. Large and small life decisions — including where to live, how to spend funds and even what foods to buy — are mostly left to paid staff, including guardians. Respondents with disabilities had about 30 percent fewer monthly outings into the community last year than the general population as a whole. The study also found that, among Minnesotans who live and work in segregated settings, poverty is pervasive. (Source: Star Tribune)
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April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
Pg 7
DIRECTORY OF ORGANIZATIONS ADVOCACY Advocating Change Together (ACT)
V-651-641-0297
TF-800-641-0059
www.selfadvocacy.org
Arc Greater Twin Cities
V-952-920-0855
F-952-920-1480
www.arcgreatertwincities.org
The Arc of Minnesota
V-651-523-0823x115
F-651-523-0829
www.thearcofminnesota.org
Association of Residential Resources in MN
V-651-291-1086
TTY-800-551-2211
www.arrm.org
Cow Tipping Press
V-507-521-2278
MCIL
V-651-646-8342
F-651-603-2066
www.mcil-mn.org
MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
V-952-818-8718
F-952-818-8719
www.mnccd.org
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
www.pacer.org
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota
TF-855-282-3769
www.UnitedCareWorkersMN.org
United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota
V-651-265-7361
www.ucpmn.org
Experiences & adventures for all abilities
www.cowtippingpress.org
ASSISTED LIVING V-651-645-7271
TTY-800-466-7722
www.accessiblespace.org
V-612-789-1236
F-612-706-5555
www.actg.org
Mary T. Inc. Supportive Living Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance
V-612-378-2742
TTY-800-669-6442
www.braininjurymn.org
Opportunity Partners
V-651-457-4756
V-952-500-8572
www.opportunities.org
V-612-224-9101
aburke@cipmn.org
www.cipmn.org
Avivo
V-612-752-8111
F-612-752-8101
www.avivomn.org
Vinland National Center
V/TTY-763-479-3555 F-763-479-2605
www.vinlandcenter.org
DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM)
V-612-362-8454
TTY-612-362-8422
www.dbsmllc.org
Living Well Disability Services
V-651-688-8808
F-651-688-8892
www.livingwell.org
Mary T. Inc. Supportive Living Programs
V-763-754-2505
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Metropolitan Center for Independent Living
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F-612-729-7382
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Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
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SMILES Center for Independent Living
V/TTY-507-345-7139 TF-888-676-6498
Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
• Summer, Day & Winter Camp • true StriDeS therapy horSeS • team QueSt Camp Courage Maple Lake
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Camp eden Wood Eden Prairie
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AUTISM SERVICES A Chance to Grow
BRAIN INJURY
952.852.0101 | truefriends.org
CASE MANAGEMENT Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
CHEMICAL HEALTH
COMMUNITY LIVING
www.smilescil.org
CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY SUPPORTS Accra
V-952-935-3515
TF-866-935-3515
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Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-866-454-2732
www.lifeworks.org
Coverage for all. UCare has been de-complicating health plans for people of all abilities for more than 30 years. Get started at ucare.org or call 800-707-1711 | TTY: 800-688-2534
April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
Pg 8
DIRECTORY OF ORGANIZATIONS CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY SUPPORTS MRCI-Client Directed Services
V-507-386-5704
TF-800-829-7110
www.mrcicds.org
SMILES Center for Independent Living
V/TTY-507-345-7139 TF-888-676-6498
www.smilescil.org
Avivo Institute of Career & Tech Education
V-612-752-8100
www.resource-mn.org
Children's Theatre Company
V-612-879-2680
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
F-612-353-6638
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Avivo
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F-612-752-8101
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Chrestomathy, Inc.
V-952-974-0339
F-952-974-0307
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Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-353-4595
V-952-854-9411
www.cipmn.org
Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-612-775-2569
Fraser Transition Services
V-612-767-5180
Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota
V-651-379-5800
Kaposia Inc.
V/TTY-651-224-6974 F-651-224-7249
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Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-651-365-3736
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Merrick, Inc.
V-651-789-6231
F-651-789-9960
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Metro Work Center, Inc.
V/TTY-612-729-7381
F-612-729-7382
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MSS, Inc.
V-651-778-1000
F-612-772-4352
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Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI)
V-651-999-8200
F-651-999-8242
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MOHR
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WACOSA
V-320-257-5191
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Work Incentives Connection
V-651-632-5113
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Minnesota Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800
TTY-800-945-8913
www.disability.state.mn.us
MN Gov. Council on Developmental Disabilities
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V-800-707-1711
TTY-800-688-2534
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A Chance to Grow
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Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
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HOUSING-RENTAL
DIRECTORY OF ORGANIZATIONS MEMBER
Resources for Individuals, Families and Employers 800.829.7110 MyMRCI.org
Canoeing at Vinland’s main campus in Loretto, Minnesota
Vinland Center provides drug and alcohol treatment for adults with cognitive disabilities. We make all possible accommodations for cognitive deficits and individual learning styles. Located in Loretto, Minnesota — just 20 miles west of Minneapolis.
866.956.7612 • VinlandCenter.org
NAMI Minnesota was established in 1976 as small coalition, eventually growing into an organization that has helped over 160,000 people statewide. NAMI Minnesota is an active member of Minnesota’s Disabilty Community in providing mental health services, support, and education. Their hard work has influenced laws, while changing the lives of the community it supports. NAMI Minnesota champions justice, dignity and respect for all people affected by mental illnesses. Through education, support and advocacy, NAMI Minnesota is removing the pervasive stigma of mental illnesses, affecting positive changes in the mental health system, and increasing the public and professional understanding of mental illnesses..
NAMI - MINNESOTA
Phone: (651) 645-2948• Online: www. namimn.org Did you know you can join the Directory for $60/yr? Available online year-round and in four print editions.
April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
DIRECTORY OF ORGANIZATIONS INFORMATION/REFERRAL RESOURCES ADA Minnesota; a program within MCIL
V-651-603-2015
TF-888-630-9793
www.adaminnesota.org
Minnesota Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800
TTY-800-945-8913
www.disability.state.mn.us
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
www.pacer.org
United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota
V-651-265-7361
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INSURANCE AssuredPartners of Minnesota, LLC
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LEGAL Minnesota Disability Law Center
MEDICAL SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENT Handi Medical Supply
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Phoenix Medical Services Inc.
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Avivo
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Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4434
V-612-362-4452
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Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
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National Alliance on Mental Illness of MN
V-651-645-2948
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Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
F-952-229-4468
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Vinland National Center
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MENTAL HEALTH
www.vinlandcenter.org
PHYSICIANS Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare
V-651-290-8707
Wound Healing Center
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RECREATION-ADAPTIVE HOBBY/EXERCISE/SPORTS/ARTS Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
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218-726-4762
www.allinahealth.org/couragekenny
Drama Interaction, 501(c)3
V-952-220-1676
www.cokartscenter.com/opportunitypartnersprog.html
Highland Friendship Club
V-651-698-4096
www.highlandfriendshipclub.org
Mind Body Solutions
V-952-473-3700
www.mindbodysolutions.org
Mixed Blood Theatre Company
V-612-338-6131
Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
F-952-229-4468
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Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
F-612-353-6638
www.upstreamarts.org
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RECREATION-DINING/BARS/CLUBS V-651-698-4096
Highland Friendship Club
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RECREATION-MOVIES/PERFORMING ARTS/SPECTATOR SPORTS/MUSEUM Children's Theatre Company
V-612-874-0400
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Highland Friendship Club
V-651-698-4096
www.highlandfriendshipclub.org
Pg 9
Stay Safe. Stay Warm. Stay Connected. Don’t Get DisconnecteD! enerGy AssistAnce cAn Help. Community Action Partnership of NEED HELP? Hennepin County’s Energy Assistance Program provides financial assistance to eligible Hennepin County residents, to help with home utility costs and energy related repairs. Energy Assistance Program offices are now open in St. Louis Park and 3 Minneapolis locations: Minnesota Council of Churches, Sabathani Community Center and Minneapolis Urban League
To apply, call 952-930-3541 E-mail eap@caphennepin.org or text 4WARMTH to 555888 www.caphennepin.org facebook.com/caphennepin twitter.com/caphennepin
RECREATION-TRAVEL/CAMPING Hammer Travel
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True Friends
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Ventures Travel
V-952-852-0107
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V-612-676-9400
TF-800-728-0719
www.wildernessinquiry.org
REHABILITATION (PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH, AUDIOLOGY THERAPISTS) A Chance to Grow
V-612-789-1236
V-612-706-5555
www.actg.org
Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute
V-763-588-0811
V-612-262-7979
www.allinahealth.org/couragekenny
DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM)
V-612-362-8454
TTY-612-362-8422
www.dbsmllc.org
Fraser
V-612-767-5180
F-612-861-6050
www.fraser.org
Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-290-8707
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
A program of Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County, sponsored by: The Minnesota Department of Commerce & The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
www.gillettechildrens.org F-763-546-1018
www.inhomepersonalcare.com
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April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
DIRECTORY OF ORGANIZATIONS REHABILITATION (PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH, AUDIOLOGY THERAPISTS) Fraser
V-612-767-5180
F-612-861-6050
www.fraser.org
Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-291-2848
TF-800-719-4040
www.gillettechildrens.org
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
F-763-546-1018
www.inhomepersonalcare.com
F-612-362-4417
www.cipmn.org
RESIDENTIAL/GROUP HOME PROGRAMS V-612-362-4403
Community Involvement Programs (CIP) Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
www.fraser.org
Hammer Residences
V-952-473-1261
F-952-473-8629
www.Hammer.org
Living Well Disability Services
V-651-688-8808
F-651-688-8892
www.livingwell.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-912-7475
V-952-930-4232
www.opportunities.org
Phoenix Residence
V-651-227-7655
F-651-227-6847
www.phoenixresidence.org
REM Minnesota
V-952-945-4952
F-952-922-6885
www.remminnesota.org
Restart, Inc.
V-952-767-3350
F-952-767-3351
www.restartincmn.org
Wingspan Life Resources
V-651-644-2665x100
V-651-646-3846
ww.wingspanlife.org
Can Do Canines
V-763-331-3000
F-763-331-3009
www.can-do-canines.org
Helping Paws, Inc.
V-952-988-9359
F-952-988-9296
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Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs)
V-612-643-5671
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SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES Ebenezer Care Center
V-612-879-2262
TTY-612-879-8889
www.fairviewebenezer.org
V-952-767-3350
F-952-767-3351
www.restartincmn.org
SOCIAL SERVICES Restart, Inc.
TECHNOLOGY Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-290-8707
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
www.pacer.org
www.gillettechildrens.org
SMILES Center for Independent Living
V/TTY-507-345-7139
TF-888-676-6498
www.smilescil.org
TRANSPORTATION RENTAL/SALES/MODIFICATION V-651-635-0655
TF-800-788-7479
www.imedmobility.com
Vision Loss Resources
V-612-843-3400
F-612-872-0189
www.visionlossresources.org
Volunteer Braille Services
V-763-544-2880
F-763-544-3612
www.vbsmn.org
IMED Mobility
ESR, Inc. IMED Mobility Minnesota Diversified Industries MRCI-Client Directed Services Natl. Handicapped Housing Institute Occupational Development Center, Inc. PAI, Inc. ProAct, Inc. Rock County Opportunities, Inc. Tamarack Habilitation Technologies TSE, Inc. WACOSA
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WAIVER CASE MANAGEMENT Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
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Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
F-952-229-4468
www.reachforresources.org
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GOLD ($500 - $999) Mary Benhardus Michael Bjerkesett (in memory of) Steven Dahl Mel & Georgia Duncan Julie Huffman Jane Larson Jim & Cindy Musselman Lynn Noren Debra Shriver Dick Van Wagner (in honor of) Mark Traynor Accra Ally People Solutions Best Life Alliance Choice, Inc. Chrestomathy, Inc.
VISION IMPAIRMENT
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Pg 10
Accessible Space, Inc. Accessible, Affordable Housing For adults with qualifying disabilities. Over 50 barrier-free apartment communities & homes throughout the Metropolitan Area, Greater Minnesota, & throughout the Midwest. Locations also available in many other states. Income limits apply. Immediate openings Marshall, Willmar and Hibbing, Minnesota
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April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
Pg 11
ENJOY! MS Society Twins Day MS Day at the Twins is Sat, April 13 at Target Field, Mpls. with game time at 1:10 p.m. Join the MS Society as the Minnesota Twins take on the Detroit Tigers. Festivities will include a pre-game parade on the field, open to all attendees. The top ticket seller will get to throw out the opening pitch, while the number two ticket seller will get to lead the crowd in the seventh-inning stretch. Tickets available online, with sections reserved for the MS Society. Both upper and lower deck seating available, with associated accessible seating areas. $5 from each ticket goes directly back into fundraising, FFI: Jake Langer, 612-659-3579, jakelanger@twinsbaseball.com Beach Boys at PACER benefit The Beach Boys changed America’s music landscape. They’ll take the stage at the annual PACER Center benefit Sat, May 11. Tickets start at $75. The event celebrates PACER’s work on behalf of families of children with disabilities and children and youth who are bullied. All proceeds support PACER’s programs. FFI: www.pacer.org
NAMI Spring Gala The Nationally Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Minnesota Spring Gala is Sat, May 11 at the Hilton in downtown Minneapolis. The gala features a silent auction, plated dinner, live auction and fund-a-need. Springtime attire, including floral fabulousness, is encouraged. Last year sponsors, donors, and attendees raised more than $107,000. Ticket packages will be available online soon. FFI: https://namimn.org The Hobbit Children’s Theatre Company presents a world premiere production of the story of Bilbo Baggins, at Children’s Theatre, United Health Group Stage, 2400 3rd Ave. S., Mpls. SF offered 7 p.m. Fri, April 12. Assistive listening devices, induction loop system, Braille programs and sensory tours available upon request. To reserve ASL and AD seating, visit https://my.childrenstheatre.org and click on the ASL or AD link at the bottom of the page. SF performances aim to provide a supportive and welcoming environment for children and families affected by autism spectrum disorders and sensory, social and cognitive disabilities. Features include reduction of loud or jarring sounds, reductions in flashing or strobe lights, modification of the house lights, audience members are free to talk or move during the show, extra staff and volunteer support, designated Quiet Room and Take a Break Space, guidance and sensory supports (fidgets, earplugs, noise cancelling ear-muffs) available in the lobby before the show. Audience members are welcome to bring their own manipulative items, seat cushions, comfort objects and extra support items to the show. Families may select their own seats, but if special assistance or a buffer seat is needed, call 612-874-0400 or email access@childrenstheatre.org. For pre-visit resources to prepare for a visit, go to www.childrenstheatre. org/plan/sensory-friendly-programming. Tickets start at $15. Discounts available FFI: 612-874-0400, www.childrenstheatre.org Cyrano de Bergerac Guthrie Theater presents a story of love and appearances, at Guthrie Theater, McGuire Proscenium, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls. OC offered 1 p.m. Sat, April 27. AD, ASL and OC offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, April 12. AD and ASL offered 1 p.m. Sat, April 13, with free sensory tour at 10:30 a.m. Tickets reduced to $20 for AD and ASL, $25 for OC (regular $15-93). FFI: 612377-2224, www.guthrietheater.org Dapper Purple Plushie Co. Smartmouth Comedy Company presents a tale of succession and conniving at a toy company, at Phoenix Theater, 2605 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. ASL and AD offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, April 12. Tickets $1518. FFI: 612-377-2285, www.smartmouthcomedyco.com Jesus Christ, Superstar Rochester Civic Theatre Company presents the musical about Jesus’ last days, at Rochester Civic Theatre Main Stage, 20 Civic Center Dr. SE, Rochester. ASL offered 7 p.m. Sat, April 13. Please indicate ASL seating when booking tickets. Tickets $31. Discounts available. FFI: 507-282-8481, www.rochestercivictheatre.org The Last Days of Commodus Four Humors presents the story about the worst leader ever, at Strike Theater, 824 18th Ave. NE, Mpls. ASL and AD offered 7 p.m. Sat, April 13. Off-street parking and the accessible ramp entrance are at the NW corner of the building, just off 18th Ave. Tickets in advance $10-$20 online, pay what one can, $20 suggested at the door. FFI: www.fourhumorstheater.com Sisters of Peace History Theatre presents the story of the Lake Street Bridge protesters for peace, at History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul. OC offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, April 13 and 2 p.m. Sun, April 14. Specify services needed. The accessible entrance is on the east side of the building off Cedar Street. The theatre has six spaces for wheelchairs, plus companion seats. Hearing enhancement devices and Braille or large print playbills are available. Tickets reduced to $25 for OC/AD/ASL patrons (regular $2556). Discounts available. FFI: 651-292-4323, www.historytheatre.com Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat GREAT Theatre presents the musical tale of Joseph and the coat of many colors, at Paramount Theatre, 913 St. Germain St. W., St. Cloud. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, April 12. Tickets zone-based seating, $32-36. Discounts available. FFI: 320-259-5463, www.GreatTheatre.org Jesus Christ, Superstar Rochester Civic Theatre Company presents the story of Jesus and the final days leading up to his crucifixion, at Rochester Civic Theatre Main Stage, 20 Civic Center Dr. SE, Rochester. ASL offered 7 p.m. Sat, April 13. Please indicate ASL seating when booking tickets. Tickets $31. Discounts available. FFI: 507-282-8481, www.rochestercivictheatre.org
HISTORY THEATRE
The Art of We Upstream Arts hosts The Art of We: Can Dance If We Want To, 6-9 p.m. Mon, May 20 at Bauhaus Brew Labs, 1315 Tyler St NE, Mpls. The event is free, but preregistration is required. Only 300 spots are available. Enjoy painting, poetry, dance, and a drop-in class, as well as free snacks, a cash bar and the chance to win prizes. The event is family-friendly and fully accessible. FFI: www.upstreamarts.org History Theatre's "Sisters of Peace" is onstage through April 14 in St. Paul. Accommodations are listed on the Enjoy! page.
Sensory Friendly Sunday at the Walker Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Mpls, hosts Sensory Friendly Sundays, 8-11 a.m. Sun, April 14 and May 12. Free. It is a monthly, free event for kids, teens and adults with autism spectrum disorder or sensory sensitivities and their families, offering the opportunity to make art together, explore the galleries, watch a short film, or just hang out in a different setting. The galleries will be closed to all other visitors, allowing guests to enjoy the museum in a safe environment where accommodations such as quiet spaces, headphones and fidgets can be provided. In order to ensure an optimal experience and avoid crowds, reserve space ahead of time online. This program was created in consultation with the Autism Society of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota’s Occupational Therapy Program. FFI: 612375-7610, www.walkerart.org Victor/Victoria Artistry presents the gender-bending musical, at Bloomington Center for the Arts, Schneider Theater, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd, Bloomington. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, April 14. AD offered 2 p.m. Sun, April 28. Tickets reduced to $30 (regular $46). Other discounts available. FFI: 952-563-8575, www.artistrymn.org Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street North Hennepin Community College Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning musical, at North Hennepin Community College Fine Arts Center, Mainstage Theatre, 7411 85th Ave. N., Brooklyn Park. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, April 19. Tickets $12. Discounts available. FFI: 763-493-0543, www.nhcc.edu/theatre Holmes & Watson Commonweal Theatre Company presents a twisted and tantalizing mystery, at Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N., Lanesboro. AD offered 1:30 p.m. Sun, April 28, with pre-show at 1:10 p.m. Ask for a noon tactile tour and make reservations for AD shows at least one week in advance. Two-week notice requested for a Braille program. Five-week notice requested for ASL interpreting. Assistive listening devices available at the box office. Special seating available for persons with mobility issues. Tickets reduced to $15 for AD/ASL patrons (regular $35). Other discounts available. FFI: 507-467-2525 or 800-657-7025, www.commonwealtheatre.org Science Museum Sensory Friendly Sunday Science Museum of Minnesota, 120 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, hosts Sensory Friendly Sundays, 9 a.m. Sun, April 21 and May 19. Early access to galleries, and a lights-up, sounds-down Omnitheater show, which starts at 9 a.m. Tickets $8.95 to $24.95. Discounts for individuals, families and groups with limited incomes and free for working direct support staff when visiting with a client. Other tools for making a museum visit successful for visitors with autism and other sensory processing issues include pre-visit social narratives available for download online, SF companion scripts for Omnitheater films, noise-dampening headphones, SF visitors’ guide, and a renovated wellness room designed to give visitors a private, out-ofthe-way space to nurse a child, pray or simply recharge away from the hustle and bustle of a busy museum. Located on level 4 near the Native American exhibition, the room is outfitted with soft lighting, a door that locks, a changing table, rocking chair, and other seating. Ask at the exhibits entrance for sound dampening headphones, a timer, or a kit containing headphones, fidgets, gloves, and sunglasses. It is available to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. The program was created in consultation with the Autism Society of Minnesota. FFI: 651-221-9444 or 800-221-9444, www.smm.org Fidgety Fairy Tales The 11th installment of the fairy tales are fun and educational musicals produced by the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH). An upcoming performance is 6:30 p.m. Wed, April 24 at Center for Changing Lives, 2400 Park Ave. S. Mpls. A community meal is served at 6 p.m. Free but preregistration required as seating is limited. FFI: 651-644-7333, www.macmh.org/fidgety Tony Wentersdorf CD Release Concert: Eerodynamic! Tony Wentersdorf, Mary Parker and Sally Kuehn perform at 7 p.m. Fri, April 26 at Walker United Methodist Church, 3104 16th Ave. S., Mpls. Freewill donation at the door $8. CDs available for $15. This concert of guitar, autoharp and vocals will feature new original songs by Tony Wentersdorf of Mpls on the theme Eerodynamic – Songs for Children. Guest performers include Mary Parker and Sally Kuehn. Wentersdorf is an artist with disabilities. FFI: afwentersdorf@hotmail.com
Sister Act UMD Theatre presents the story of a “non” on the run, at UMD Marshall Performing Arts Center, Mainstage Theatre, 1215 Ordean Court, Duluth. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, April 28. Tickets $21, Discounts available. FFI: 218-726-8561, www.d.umn.edu/theatre Cry it Out Yellow Tree Theatre presents the story of three young mothers bonding over their babies, at Yellow Tree Theatre, 320 5th Ave. SE, Osseo. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, April 28. Request ASL services no later than the Wed before the scheduled performance (which is pay-what-one-can). AD is offered if requested no later than two weeks before the performance. Large print playbill and advance script available with one-week notice. Assistive listening units available. Tickets $23-27. Discounts available. Ask about the Arts for All program. FFI: 763-493-8733, yellowtreetheatre.com Marjorie Prime PRIME Productions presents a tale about memory and artificial intelligence, at Park Square Theatre, Andy Boss Thrust Stage, 20 W. 7th Place, St. Paul, ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, April 28. AD offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, May 3. OC offered 7:30 p.m. Fri-Sat, May 17-18, and 2 p.m. Sun, May 19. Assistive listening devices available. ASL/AD/OC single ticket discount is half-price for patron and one guest with code ACC (regular $40, $60; previews $27, $37) FFI: 651-291-7005, www.parksquaretheatre.org Open Flow Forum The Artists with Disabilities Alliance meets the first Thu of the month, 7-9 p.m. at Walker Community Church, 3104 16th Ave. S., Mpls. Upcoming dates May 2 and June 6 before the group’s summer break. Join artists with disabilities and supporters to share visual art, writing, music, theater and artistic efforts or disability concerns. Informal, fragrance-free, with shared refreshments. Facilitators are Dan Reiva, Tara Innmon, and Kip Shane. Fully accessible, but anyone needing special accommodations should contact Jon at VSA Minnesota, 612-332-3888, jon@vsamn.org
ENJOY! To page 15
Cyrano de Bergerac Now – May 5 by EDMOND ROSTAND adapted and directed by JOSEPH HAJ
Metamorphoses April 13 – May 19
based on the myths of OVID written and directed by MARY ZIMMERMAN from the translation by DAVID R. SLAVITT
612.377.2224 • accessibility@guthrietheater.org www.guthrietheater.org/access
April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
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OPPORTUNITIES ADVOCACY Minnesota autism conference The 24th Annual Minnesota Autism Conference is April 24-29 at its new venue, Minneapolis Marriott Southwest, Minnetonka. Experts, educators, therapists, direct support professionals, parents, caregivers, and people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will connect, collaborate, advocate and educate. The conference is organized by the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM), the state’s oldest nonprofit organization. The goal of AuSM’s annual conference is to advance understanding of ASD through four keynote speaker presentations, 39 expert-led topical breakout sessions, exhibitors offering a variety of autism services and products, and resources provided through the AuSM Bookstore. Continuing education units (CEUs) from the Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy, the Minnesota Board of Social Work, and the Minnesota Board of Psychology available. The event ends with a gala, AuSM Fun & Games, 6-10 p.m. Fri, April 29 with food, drinks, games, prizes, a silent auction, and a celebration of those who inspire and support individuals affected by autism. FFI: 651-647-1083, www.ausm.org Free civil rights training Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities and Department of Human Rights have released a package of resources around the Bill of Rights for Supervised Living Facilities. The Package includes an easy-read guide, instructor handbook, resident workbook and four videos that help to explain four specific rights. Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan was developed to ensure that people with disabilities are living, learning, working, and enjoying life in the most integrated setting. Prevention of Abuse and Neglect is one of the topics included in a comprehensive plan to educate people with disabilities and their families, mandated reporters and the general public about how to identify and report abuse, and how to prevent it from occurring. FFI: www.mncdd.org
CHILDREN & FAMILIES Youth mental health first aid NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) hosts a free Youth Mental Health First Aid training course 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sat, April 27 at Progressive Baptist Church, 1505 Burns Ave., in St. Paul. Preregistration required. The course is designed to teach participants the risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents, build understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teach individuals how to help a youth in crisis or experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. Participants will also learn a five-step action plan to support an adolescent developing signs and symptoms of a mental illness or emotional crisis. FFI: 651-645-2948 or see classes at namihelps.org. PACER workshop sampling PACER Center offers many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources for families of children with any disabilities. Workshops are at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, unless specified. Workshops are offered throughout the state, with some workshops available online. Advance registration is required for all workshops. At least 48 hours’ notice is needed for interpretation. Many workshops are live-streamed. Check out PACER’s website and link to the newsletter of statewide workshops that allows participants to pick and choose sessions designed for their needs. Workshops are free but advance registration required. FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org Screening, Identification, and Effective Instruction for Students with Dyslexia is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mon, April 22 at PACER Center. Hear updates about dyslexia efforts in Minnesota. Topics will include Minnesota Department of Education guidance for screening and identification of dyslexia in schools, how to recognize when effective instruction is taking place, and questions to ask when students may need additional support. Participants will be given an overview of how skilled reading develops and where it can break down for students with known or suspected dyslexia. Becoming an Active Partner in Your Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tue, April 23 at PACER Center. Parents of children up to age 3 can get help to understand Early Intervention services, the IFSP, and how families can be involved in writing child and family outcomes and become an active participant in the IFSP process. Challenging Behaviors & School Success: The Role of Section 504 and Special Education is 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Tue, April 23 in Owatonna. The workshop will cover the role of Section 504 and special education as well as the importance of using a strengths-based approach when working with the school to address behavior concerns. Early Childhood Family Leadership Summit is 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sat, April 27 at PACER Center. Interactive training for parents of young children up to age seven with developmental delays or disabilities will help parents learn how to make their voices heard and enhance their knowledge of the early childhood special education process. Deadline to apply is Thu, April 18. Email jswett@pacer.org for additional information.
Dan Habib’s film Intelligent Lives stars three pioneering young American adults with intellectual disabilities. Micah, Naieer and Naomie challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college and the workforce. Academy Award-winning actor and narrator Chris Cooper contextualizes the lives of the central characters through the emotional personal story of his son Jesse, as the film unpacks the shameful and ongoing track record of intelligence testing in the U.S. A screening of the film is 6 p.m. Tue, April 30 at South High School, 3131 S. 19th Ave., Mpls. Or attend a discussion with Habib at 8:30 a.m. Wed, May 1 at John B. Davis Center, 1250 W. Broadway Ave., Mpls. Habib is the creator of the award-winning documentary films Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey?, Mr. Connolly Has ALS and many other films on disability-related topics. Habib is a filmmaker at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability. To register, go to www. eventbrite.com/o/minnesota-collaboration-18504405425 Additional screening partners, collaborators, sponsors and volunteers are sought. Contact intelligentlivesmn@gmail.com
instructor. FFI: 320-267-7717 The center offers additional activities. FFI: 320-281-2042 Mental health support offered In the Twin Cities NAMI has about two dozen family support groups, more than 20 support groups for people living with a mental illness, anxiety support groups, groups for veterans and other groups. Led by trained facilitators, groups provide help and support. Parent resource groups are facilitated by a parent who has a child with a mental illness and who has been trained to lead support groups. A group meets 6:30-8 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday at Eagle Brook Church, 2401 East Buffalo St., White Bear Lake. FFI: Jody Lyons 651-645-2948 x109. Family support groups help families who have a relative with a mental illness. A group meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Wed at Centennial United Methodist Church, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, Roseville. FFI: Anne Mae. 651-484-0599. Open Door Anxiety and Panic support groups help people cope with anxiety disorders. One group meets 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. the second and fourth Thu in Room 104, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul. Another group meets 6:30-8 p.m. the first and third Thu at Woodland Hills Church, 1740 Van Dyke St., St. Paul.
A peer support group is offered for LGBTQ adults living with a mental illness. The group meets 1-2:30 p.m. Sat, Living Table United Church of Christ, 3805 E. 40th St, Mpls. FFI: David, 612-920-3925, 651-645-2948. Young Adult NAMI Connection is a free support group for persons ages 16-20. One group meets 7-8:30 the first and third Thu at Friends Meeting House, 1725 Grand Ave., St. Paul. A group also meets 7-8:30 p.m. on the first and third Thu at Dental Office of Dr. Crandall & Associates, 2300 East Highway 96, White Bear Lake. The group is facilitated by young adults who live with mental illnesses and are doing well in recovery. A full calendar of all events is offered online. FFI: 651-645-2948, www.namihelps.org Vision loss group offers activities Vision Loss Resources provides free and low-cost activities in the Twin Cities for people who are blind or visually impaired. Life skills classes for those with low vision; card games, craft classes, book clubs, walking groups, dinners out, special outings and technology classes are among the offerings. Participants need to RVSP to participate, at least three working days prior to an event. The calendar is also available on the
OPPORTUNITIES To page 14
FUN IS GOOD ON ST. PAUL'S FRONT PORCH!
INFO & ASSISTANCE Classes and support in Sauk Rapids Independent Lifestyles, Inc., 215 North Benton Dr., Sauk Rapids, offers many groups and classes, for free or a small fee. New in 2019 is free adult coloring and conversation, 3-4 p.m. Tue, March 19. Bring supplies or use those at the center. Also new is the Adult Social Activity, with snacks, crafts and bingo, 1-3 p.m. on the fourth Wed of each month. Advocates for Independence meet 2-4 p.m. first and third Wed, for persons with disabilities who wish to increase leadership and assertiveness skills. Learn self-dense and improve fitness with a free one-month introductory classes, for both adapted martial arts and Tae Guk Known Do. Wear loose clothing and bring a bottle of water. Scott Ridlon is
TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 651-644-6659
saintsbaseball.com
April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
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PEOPLE AND PLACES Opportunity Services, a Minnesota nonprofit that assists adults with disabilities, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Central Minnesota this year. The nonprofit has helped adults with disabilities find identity in their work, gain self-esteem and obtain a true sense of community in St. Cloud for the last two decades. The Minnesota branch of Opportunity Services is part of a larger organization that has operated in Minnesota since 1973, starting in Red Wing. It has operations in Massachusetts and Florida and holds Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) status. It serves adults with disabilities who seek job assistance or community immersion and employers seeking to create a more diverse and richer workplace. Opportunity Services boasts more than 100 business partners nationwide. In Minnesota Opportunity Services has its corporate in Hennepin County. It serves clients in Minneapolis, Coon Rapids, Blaine, Savage, Woodbury, St. Cloud, Rochester, Byron, Kasson and Red Wing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is typically double the unemployment rate for the rest of the population. Currently, tight labor markets are forcing businesses to look at people with disabilities as a new, untapped resource. Employment is typically the catalyst of change for people with disabilities: with successful employment comes money, the skills to use public transportation, new living arrangements and total independence. Opportunity Services has a long history of helping people find supportive employment and providing day services. The nonprofit also helps clients move from group work settings to independent jobs. One proud piece of Opportunity Services’ past was in 1999, when two sheltered workshops in the St. Cloud area abruptly closed. The nonprofit quickly responded to a request for proposals prompted by the closing. Opportunity Services created an innovative and creative proposal, suggesting it could transform the lives of 150 adults with disabilities from sheltered work to community employment within 1-2 years. Much to everyone’s surprise, the change was made in only six months. Heath is another success story. Heath’s story is a great example of the Opportunity Services history brought to life. Heath was working at a sheltered workshop before 1999, making bolts every day. He is quick to tell anyone that he didn’t like the job because he yearned for real work in the community. Once Opportunity Services began the transformation, Heath was placed on a work team at the Holiday Inn. He enjoyed learning new work skills and interacting with hotel guests. After two years
OPPORTUNITY SERVICES
Opportunity Services marks 20 years in Central Minnesota
This archival photo shows Opportunity service clients hard at work.
on the team, Heath was ready for his own job. An Opportunity Employment Specialist met with him oneon-one to discuss his employment goals and identify potential employers in the community. Heath quickly got his own job at Walmart in maintenance. He’s been with Walmart for 18 years now! “I love my job,” said Heath. “I have Heath a lot of fun interacting with customers and I always greet everyone with a smile.” Rhonda Karels, Heath’s current employment specialist, enjoys visiting
∏∏∏∏∏f
Klas founded Tapemark fundraiser
Robert Klas Sr. is remembered as someone who tirelessly raised money to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Klas died in March at his Lilydale home. He was 91. Klas and his wife Sandy were the parents of two children with disabilities. In the 1950s it was suggested that they institutionalize their children. The couple rejected that suggestion and became active in the longtime St. Paul ARC group. Klas also was motivated to found and co-direct the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am Golf Tournament in 1972. The three-day golf tournament is recognized as part of the unofficial “grand slam” for the MN PGA Section. Over its 47-year history, the Pro-Am has raised nearly $8 million for children and adults with disabilities. Klas grew up in Wabasha, in a family of nine children. He held many jobs and owned a popcorn stand with his older brother. He also rode the rails looking for work during summer breaks. This strong work ethic carried over into U.S. Navy service and an education at Hamline University. At Hamline he met and married Frances Alexandra "Sandra" Boardman. They raised six children. After college graduation Klas was hired at the small Tapemark Company. He eventually purchased Tapemark, building it into one of the premier tape- and adhesive- label printing companies in the Upper Midwest before transforming the business into a medical device and pharmaceutical contract manufacturer with end-use customers located throughout the world. Later in his
him on the job. “Everyone knows Heath. Many of his managers and co-workers have mentioned how great he is for morale in the store. His big smile truly brightens up the place.” Following some initial training on crosswalks, Heath now walks to work every day. He loves his job at Walmart because he is out in the community and would like to work there forever. These and many other success stories show that Opportunity Services has stayed true to its mission and vision: to assist people with disabilities to make meaningful, individual contributions in the community and to see communities openly engaging in contributions from people with disabilities. By converting sheltered workshops into integrated, community employment, Opportunity Services has given these individuals the tools to change much more than employment in their lives. Opportunity Services is excited to look to the future, to the next 20 years in St. Cloud and beyond. Anyone wishing more information can go to www.oppserv.org
In Memoriam f∏∏∏∏∏
career, Klas led a turnaround of WTC Industries, serving as its chairman until the company was sold. He and Tapemark won many awards. Klas served on several boards and was a trustee for Hamline University, later being elected a lifetime trustee. The Klas family made many generous donations to Hamline, including a $7 million donation in 2003 to build a four-story multipurpose center and athletic field. Klas is survived by his wife, five children and their families, sisters, nieces and nephews. Services have been held. Memorials preferred to the United Church of Christ in Wabasha.
Cronin helped children, veterans
Bridget Cronin is remembered as a dedicated advocate for children with autism and veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Cronin died in March, as a result of as a result of injuries from a fall at her St. Paul home. She was 50.
In 2014 Cronin and others founded Ars Bellum Foundation, a nonprofit to provide art therapy programs to veterans and military family members dealing with PTSD and related mental health conditions due to service-related trauma, loss and grief. She served as its executive director. Her father was a military veteran. Another family member, a son with autism, prompted Cronin to lead effort to start the parent group Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) in 2001. The group evolved and is now the Minnesota Autism Center. Cronin took on many other roles. She served for a decade on the Inver Grove Heights School Board. She and her then-Husband Tony Sutton co-owned several restaurants for a time. A native of Kimball, Cronin was also active in the Minnesota Republican Party and served as its communications director. Cronin is survived by four children, her mother, former husband, siblings and other family. Services have been held.
Simplied & Dignified Solutions
Mona Siddiqui 763-442-1630 www.nehaadaptive.com nehaadaptive@gmail.com
Representing Silvert's Adaptive Clothing
April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
Polar Plungers start time of chills, thrills
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RADIO TALKING BOOK
Help with Radio Talking Book 50th anniversary Throughout 2019 Radio Talking Book commemorates 50 years on the air. The staff and volunteers are looking back with satisfaction and pride at the past halfcentury and are making plans to advance into the next 50 years. Feedback is sought from listeners old and new, so if anyone has memories to share, please do so. Please send an email to Scott McKinney, RTB Supervisor, at scott.mckinney@state.mn.us and thanks for helping with the celebration. Books available through library services Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. Call 1-800-7220550, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The catalog is online at www. mnbtbl.org, click on the link Search the Library Catalog. Persons living outside of Minnesota may obtain copies of books via an inter-library loan by contacting their home state’s Network Library for the National Library Service. Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either live or archived program from the last week, on the Internet at www. mnssb.org/rtb. The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Many more programs and books are available. Call the Talking Book Library for a password to the site. To find more information about Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network events go to the Facebook site, Minnesota Radio Talking Book. Audio information about the daily book listings is also on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for the NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424.
Access Press is featured on It Makes a Difference, 9 p.m. Sun. Donate to the State Services for the Blind at mn.gov/deed/ssbdonate Radio Talking Book and BARD The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) is a service of the US Library of Congress. Part of NLS is Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD), a free library service of Braille and audio material for individuals unable to use standard printed material. BARD provides access to thousands of books, magazines, and music scores, downloadable as compressed audio and Braille files. Radio Talking Book is one of 35 organizations that contributes to the nationwide BARD partnership. In less than five years, more than 100 Minnesota volunteer readers have provided 322 books for BARD participants. Books read by RTB volunteers that were added by BARD recently include Across the China Sea by Gaute Heivoll, read by Therese Murray; Dangerous Behavior by Nancy Bush, read by John Marsicano; Got To Be Something Here by Andrea Swensson, read by John Potts; Small Secrets by Joan Jacobson, read by Judith Johannessen; Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde, read by Esmé Evans and We Carry Our Homes With Us by Marisella Veiga, read by Andrea Bell. Chautauqua* Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m. The Breakthrough, nonfiction by Charles Graeber, 2018. Imagine a vaccine that can cure cancer; as this book assures us, that possibility may not be far off. Read by Yelva Lynfield. 11 broadcasts; begins Thu, April 18.
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Adapted hockey champs crowned Repeat champions highlighted the 2019 Minnesota State High School League’s Adapted Hockey Tournament, held in March at Bloomington Jefferson high School. The 2019 CI Division champions are again from St. Cloud Area. The Slapshots topped the South Washington County Thunderbolts, 16-5 in the title game. Brian Jones led St. Cloud with six goals and four assists. Jones finished the three-game tournament with a recordsetting 21 goals. Jordan Williams added six points (five goals plus one assist) for the Slapshots. South Washington County’s Tyler Tinucci had three goals for the Thunderbolts. This was the third overall title for St. Cloud Area. The Slapshots won their first championship in 2007. St. Cloud topped Maple Grove and New Prague/TCU/LSH/Belle Plaine/ Jordan to get to the title game. It was the second title in a row for St. Cloud, and the second championship win in a row over South Washington County. New Prague/TCU/LSH/Belle Plaine/ Jordan topped Burnsville/Farmington/ Lakeville for third place. Maple Grove defeated White Bear Lake Area for the consolation title. Other teams in the tournament were Anoka Hennepin and Dakota United. The CI All-Tournament Team members are Tavis Dean, White Bear Lake; Mohammed Konneh, Maple Grove; Lucas Alexander and Natalya Hawley, Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville; Blake Perry and Garett Gagner, New Prague/ TCU/LSH/Belle Plaine/Jordan; Nathan Ponder, Jack Swedahl and Tyler Tinucci, South Washington County and Matthew Neuman, Jordan Williams and Brian Jones, St. Cloud Area. In the PI Division the Brainerd Warriors won their second consecutive
Bookworm* Monday – Friday 11 a.m. Bowlaway, fiction by Elizabeth McCracken, 2019. At the turn of the 20th century, a mysterious woman opens a bowling alley in a small Massachusetts town and impacts the community for decades to come. Read by Don Lee. 13 broadcasts; begins Wed, April 17.
Night Journey* Monday – Friday 9 p.m. The Boy, fiction by Tami Hoag, 2018. A single mother is the victim of a home invasion, leaving her hospitalized and her young son dead. Two detectives seek the boy’s babysitter, who has disappeared. Read by Neil Bright. 19 broadcasts; begins Tue, April 23. – V
The Writer’s Voice* Monday – Friday 2 p.m. Miles Lord, nonfiction by Roberta Walburn, 2017. Judge Miles Lord rose from humble beginnings in Minnesota’s Iron Range to become one of the most memorable and powerful judges in the country. Read by Esmé Evans. 13 broadcasts; begins Mon, April 15.
Good Night Owl* Monday-Friday midnight Call Me American, nonfiction by Abdi Nor Iftin and Max Alexander, 2018. Abdi Nor Iftin’s journey from Somalia to America is a tale for our time, and a reminder of how America beckons to those looking for a better life. Read by Pat Muir. 11 broadcasts; begins Wed, April 17.
PM Report* Monday – Friday 8 p.m. Fortress America, nonfiction by Elaine Tyler May, 2017. Though safer than ever, Americans continue to protect themselves and their families against crime and terrorism. Read by Glenn Miller. Eight broadcasts; begins Wed, April 17.
Weekend Books Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents The Longevity Plan by Dr. John D. Day and Jane Ann Day, read by Beverly Burchett.
Crude Volatility, nonfiction by Robert McNally, 2017. The global oil market has been rocked by price swings over several decades. Researcher Robert McNally explains its history and offers ideas to create stability. Read by John Demma. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, April 29.
Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Words from the Garden by Isobel Carlson, read by Myrna Smith; followed by “Deaf Republic” by Ilya Kaminsky, read by Scott McKinney. (L)
Choice Reading* Monday – Friday 4 p.m. All That Man Is, fiction by David Szalay, 2016. Stories are told of nine men’s lives, as each finds his identity in a world of change. Read by Stephen Smith. 12 broadcasts; begins Thu, April 18.
OPPORTUNITIES From page 12 Vision Loss Resources website and as a printable large-print PDF document for those who wish to print their own or additional copies. FFI: RSVP hotline, 612-843-3439; activity line and audio calendar, 612253-5155, www.visionlossresources.org St. Cloud Area Parkinson's Disease group St. Could Area Parkinson’s Disease Support Group typically meets 1-2 p.m. third Mon of each month at ILICIL Independent Lifestyles, 215 N. Benton Dr., Sauk Rapids. Next meeting is Mon, April 15. Meetings are open to those diagnosed with Parkinson’s, their families, caregivers and the general public. The free group provides support, education, and awareness about the disease. FFI: 320-529-9000
title and fourth overall after defeating Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound Westonka 13-1. In addition to the past two years, Brainerd also won in 1998 and 2000. This was the second consecutive runner-up showing for the Robbinsdale/ Hopkins/Mound Westonka Robins. Seven different players scored for Brainerd in the final game. Tre’Von Otey, Blaise Edinger and Alex Goedker all had three goals in the game for the Warriors. The champions scored goals back-to-back. In each period they had a pair of goals between 24-46 seconds apart. Vincent Luu had the only goal for Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound Westonka. Brainerd topped Minneapolis South and Dakota United to reach the title game. Dakota United bounced back to take third place, topping Rochester. Maple Grove won the crown, defeating Anoka-Hennepin. St. Paul Humboldt was also in the tournament. PI All-Tournament Team members are Cole Andrzcyzak, Anoka-Hennepin; Hayden Audette, Maple Grove; Sam Gerten and Blake Jefferson, Dakota United; Blake Hillman and Garrison Israelson, Richer; Izear Joiner, Vincent Luu and Sam Roles, Robbinsdale/ Hopkins/Mound Westonka, and Matt Allford, Tre’Von Otey and Blaise Edinger, Brainerd.
MCIL hosts classes and activities The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living provides many life skills classes as well as fun outings and events for people with disabilities. MCIL is at 530 N. Robert Street, St Paul and most activities are there or start there. Classes and events are listed on the website, www.mcil-mn. org. Click on “Classes Groups and Sessions” for updated information or to print their calendar. Please give two weeks’ notice if the alternative format or other accommodations are needed. Events are free, accessible and mostly scent-free. The People of Color with disabilities group meets 5:30-8 p.m. the third Thu of each month. FFI: 651-603-2030 Hope for Recovery workshop NAMI Minnesota offers Hope for Recovery workshops, six hours of resources and help for family and friends of a teen or adult living with a mental illness. Next workshop is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat, April 13 in St. Paul. The workshops are also helpful for people living with a mental illness who are doing well in their recovery. Obtain information about mental illnesses, treatments, crisis management, suicide prevention, the mental health system and local resources along with practical strategies for helping a loved one or friend. This includes learning the LEAP strategy for improving communication: Listen, Empathize, Agree-on what you can, and Partner. Preregistration required. Bring a bag lunch. FF: www.namihelps.org Adult support groups offered AuSM offers free support groups for adults with autism spectrum disorder. Groups include those for adult family members, women with autism spectrum
For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents Welcome To the Dark House by Laura Faria Stolarz, read by Michelle Juntunen.
The Great North (4 p.m. Sun) presents The I-35W Bridge Collapse by Kimberly J. Brown, read by Jim Gregorich. Remember that all program times are U.S. Central Standard Time. ABBREVIATIONS: V – Violence, L – Offensive Language, S – Sexual Situations, RE – Racial Epithets, G – Gory Depictions
disorders and independent adults with autism. Check the website for upcoming groups. Groups meet at the AuSM offices at 2380 Wycliff St. FFI: 651-647-1083 ext. 10, www.ausm.org Depression in older adults Join NAMI Minnesota for a free class 10-11:30 a.m. Sat, April 27 at Guardian Angels Catholic Church, 8260 4th St. N., Oakdale. Talk about risk factors, warning signs, stigma, treatment, recovery and resources for depression in older adults. FFI: 651-738-2223, www.guardian-angels.org
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ENJOY!
Metamorphoses Guthrie Theater presents director-playwright Mary Zimmerman’s interpretation of Roman poet Ovid’s work, at Guthrie Theater, Wurtele Thrust, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD and OC offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, May 3. AD and ASL offered 1 p.m. Sat, May 4, with free sensory tour at 10:30 a.m. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, May 10. OC offered 1 p.m. Sat, May 11; Wed, May 15 and Sun, May 19. Tickets reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for OC (regular $15-93). FFI: 612377-2224, www.guthrietheater.org The Normandale Play Project Wonderlust Productions and Normandale Department of Theatre present a play based on the stories of the college’s people, at Normandale Community College, Fine Arts Building, Premanand Fine Arts Theatre, 9700 France Ave. S., Bloomington. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, May 3. Tickets $10. Discounts available. FFI: 952-3588884, www.normandale.edu/theatre Candy Box Dance Festival 2019 The festival featuring Mathew Janczewski’s Arena Dances, Chris Schlichting, April Sellers Dance Collective and STRONGmovement is at Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S., Mpls. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sat, May 4. Tickets $20. Discounts available. Ask about workshops and inprogress showings and check full schedule online. FFI: 612-804-0238, www.arena-dances.org Cry It Out Theatre B presents a story about new moms bonding over babies, at Lincoln School, 215 10th St. N., Moorhead. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, May 4. AD offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, May 11, or by advance request. Tickets $25. Discounts available. FFI: 701729-8880, www.theatreb.org Mamma Mia! Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre presents the musical about a young woman seeking her father, at the Stage at Island Park, 333 4th St. S., Fargo. AD offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, May 4, with pre-show description at 7:10 p.m. Tickets reduced from $21 to $10 for AD patron and companion. Contact box office for AD tickets as those aren’t available online. Discounts available. FFI: 701-235-6778, www.fmct.org La Traviata Minnesota Opera presents a show about living and dying for love, at Ordway Music Theater, 345 Washington St., St. Paul. Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage, 7:30 p.m. Sat. May 4, 11 and 18; Thu, May 9 and 16; Tue, May 14, and 2 p.m. Sun, May 12 and May 19. AD offered 2 p.m. Sun, May 19. Tickets $25165; Reduced to half-price for AD patrons. FFI: 612-333-6669, www.mnopera.org Fidgety Fairy Tales The 11th installment of the fairy tales are entertaining musicals produced by the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH). An upcoming performance is 2 p.m. Sun, May 5 at MN Adopt Fair, Brian Coyle Center, 420 S. 15th Ave. Mpls. Free but preregistration required as seating is limited. FFI: 651-644-7333, www.macmh.org/fidgety Shul Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company presents a story about Judaism and generations, at Highland Park Community Center Theater, 1978 Ford Parkway, St. Paul. AD offered 1 p.m. Sun, May 5. Tickets $23-38; AD patrons $23, FFI: 651-6474315, www.mnjewishtheatre.org The Most Magnificent Thing Stages Theatre Company presents the tale of a young inventor, at Hopkins Center for the Arts, Mainstage, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. AD and ASL offered 1 p.m. Sun, May 5. SF show 10 a.m. Sat, May 4 and Wed, May 8. Tickets $16, with discount for AD and ASL patrons. $10 tickets for sensory-friendly performances not available online; to reserve, call 952-979-1111, option 4. Other discounts available. FFI: 952-979-1111, option 4, www.stagestheatre.org Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook Lyric Arts Company of Anoka presents a play about youth and morality, at Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, 420 E. Main St., Anoka. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, May 5, reserve by April 14. Assisted listening devices available on request. Tickets $22-25; $5 discount for ASL seats. Lyric Arts reserves seats in Row I for parties including persons using wheelchairs or with limited mobility. ASL interpreters are provided at the
Tour for People with Memory Loss At 10 a.m. on the first Tue of every month the historic James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Ave., St. Paul, offers a sensory-based tour designed for people with memory loss and their caregivers. Each themed tour, usually an hour or less, highlights three rooms and is followed by an optional social time until 11:30 a.m. with pastries and coffee. Private group tours available for care facilities. Next tours Tue, May 7 and June 4. Free but reservations required. FFI: 651-297-2555, www. mnhs.org Young People’s Concert: The Tin Forest Minnesota Orchestra presents a sensory-friendly, exploration concert for children in grades 1-3 based on Helen Ward’s story, at Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls. OC and ASL offered 10 a.m. and 11:35 a.m. Wed, May 8 and Thu, May 9. Tickets $6.25 at the door. FFI: 612-371-5656, www. minnesotaorchestra.org Tinker to Evers to Chance Artistry presents a play about the Chicago Cubs, hope and hopelessness, at Bloomington Center for the Arts, Black Box Theater, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd, Bloomington. ASL and AD offered 2 p.m. Sun, May 12. Tickets reduced to $30; regular $46. Other discounts available. FFI: 952-563-8575, www. artistrymn.org Bakken Museum Sensory Friendly Sundays Bakken Museum, 3537 Zenith Ave S, Mpls. offers Sensory Friendly Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. the second Sun of every month. Next date is May 12. The days allow people with autism spectrum disorders and sensory processing differences to have an enjoyable and interactive learning experience in a comfortable and accepting environment. Events will include modified programming for diverse sensory needs and specialized staff training. Bakken Museum is the world's only library and museum devoted to medical electricity. Its SF program was developed in consultation with the Autism Society of Minnesota. The museum will continue be open to the general public from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Activities are free with museum admission, which starts at $10 for adults and includes discounts for children and seniors. FFI: www.thebakken.org The Government Inspector Duluth Playhouse presents a farce about small town intrigue, at NorShor Theatre, 211 E. Superior St., Duluth. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Thu, May 16. To reserve an ASL viewing seat, call 218-733-7555. (Make ticket reservations sooner than later.) Tickets $30-$40. Discounts available. FFI: www. norshortheatre.com Red Hot and Cole Theatre in the Round Players presents a musical celebration of songwriter Cole Porter, at Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Ave., Mpls. AD offered 2 p.m. Sun, May 19. Tactile tour at 1 p.m. upon request based on reservations. Largeprint programs and assisted-listening devices available at every performance. Tickets $22. Discounts available. FFI: 612-333-3010, www. theatreintheround.org Mary Poppins Lakeshore Players Theatre presents the story of a magical nanny, at Hanifl Performing Arts Center, 4941 Long Ave., White Bear Lake. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, May 19. (If no ASL seats are reserved within two weeks of the performance – by Sun, May 5 – the ASL-interpretation will be cancelled). Assisted listening devices available. Tickets $20; reduced to $10 for ASL patrons, who can purchase tickets online with a direct link that is active until two weeks before the performance. The $10 ASL seats highlighted in purple have the best view of the interpreter, are only visible via the link, and won’t be released to the general public until the Mon after the ASL reservation deadline. FFI: 651-429-5674, www. lakeshoreplayers.org Dirty Business: The Spy Musical History Theatre presents a play about World War II-era female spies, at History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul. ASL and AD offered 2 p.m. Sun, May 19. OC offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, May 25 and 2 p.m. Sun, May 26. The accessible entrance is on the east side of the building off Cedar Street. The theater has six spaces for wheelchairs, plus companion seats. Hearing enhancement devices and Braille or large print playbills are available. Tickets reduced to $25 for OC/AD/ASL patrons (regular $25-56). FFI: 651-292-4323, www. historytheatre.com
GUTHRIE
The Buddy Holly Story GREAT Theatre presents the story of musician Buddy Holly’s rise and tragic death, at Helgeson Learning Lab Theatre inside GREAT World Headquarters, 710 Sundial Dr., Waite Park. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, May 3. This is a dinner theater performance with a 6 p.m. meal start. Tickets $69 ($48 for subscribers). FFI: 320-259-5463, www.GreatTheatre.org
first Sun performance of each regular season production if a reservation is made three weeks before the show (reserve by Sun, April 14). If no ASL seating has been reserved, the ASL interpretation will be canceled and seats will be released to the general public. When ordering tickets, please indicate the need for seating in this section. FFI: 763-422-1838, www.lyricarts.org
Guthrie Theater presents Cyrano de Bergerac through May 5. Accommodations are listed in this month's Enjoy! section. Tuck Everlasting Youth Performance Company presents the story of a family who never grows old, at Howard Conn Fine Arts Center, 1900 Nicollet Ave., Mpls. Recommended for children in third grade and older. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, May 19. Tickets $15. Ask about VSA discount. Other discounts available. FFI: 612-623-9080, www.youthperformanceco.org Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical Children’s Theatre Company in partnership with the Old Vic presents the musical tale of young Matilda, at Children’s Theatre United Health Group Stage, 2400 3rd Ave. S., Mpls. AD and ASL offered 7 p.m. Fri, May 24. ASL offered 6:30 p.m. Sun, May 26. SF offered 7 p.m. Fri, June 21. Assistive listening devices, induction loop system, Braille programs and sensory tours available upon request. To reserve ASL and AD seating, visit https:// my.childrenstheatre.org and click on the ASL or AD link at the bottom of the page. Sensory-friendly performances aim to provide a supportive and welcoming environment for children and families affected by autism spectrum disorders and sensory, social and cognitive disabilities. Features include reduction of loud or jarring sounds, reductions in flashing or strobe lights, modification of the house lights, audience members are free to talk or move during the show, extra staff and volunteer support, designated Quiet Room and Take a Break Space, guidance and sensory supports (fidgets, earplugs, noise cancelling ear-muffs) available in the lobby before the show. Audience members are welcome to bring their own manipulative items, seat cushions, comfort objects and extra support items to the show. Families may select their own seats, but if special assistance or a buffer seat is needed, call 612-874-0400 or email access@ childrenstheatre.org. For pre-visit resources to prepare for a visit, go to www.childrenstheatre. org/plan/sensory-friendly-programming. Tickets start at $15. Discounts available. FFI: 612-8740400, www.childrenstheatre.org The Brothers Paranormal Penumbra Theatre and Theater Mu present the regional premiere of ghost-hunting brothers, at Penumbra Theatre, 270 N. Kent St., St. Paul. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, May 25. Call box office for an ASL discount. Tickets $40. Other discounts available. FFI: 651-224-3180, www.penumbratheatre.org Art Show by Jimmy Longoria Jimmy Longoria of Stillwater is the latest artist to have a display at Vision Loss Resources, 1936 Lyndale Ave. S. (at Franklin), Mpls. VSA Minnesota coordinates the exhibits. Longoria’s art is on display through April. Free. Watch for an upcoming reception. Longoria is recognized internationally as a fine artist and is the only Chicano/Latino/Hispanic artist to have been awarded an Archibald Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship in Fine Art. He is the only Minnesotan to have art in the permanent collection of Chicago’s National Museum of Mexican Art, the
CLASSIFIEDS
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largest collection of Mexican Art outside Mexico. Due to his practice of giving back to the community by producing murals that deter gang graffiti in communities suffering gang presence (using proceeds from his own art sales to do this important work) he has been honored to receive awards such as the Virginia McKnight Binger Award in Human Service, the Ordway’s Sally Award for artistic vision, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Living the Dream Award from the City of Mpls. Exhibit hours 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon-Fri. FFI: VLR: 612-871-2222, http://vsamn.org More events information VSA Minnesota’s Accessible Arts Calendar has been distributed monthly by email and online for many years in order that people with disabilities may participate in and enjoy plays, concerts, exhibits, readings, and other events with accommodations they need. The listings are on our website, on Facebook, and summarized on our voicemail each week. Note that in September 2019 VSA Minnesota will cease operations. The organization is working with potential stewards of its programs, including this calendar. Anyone with suggestions or a willingness to assist in this transition, can contact VSA Minnesota at 612-332-3888 or access@vsamn.org or info@vsamn.org. VSA MINNESOTA VSA Minnesota is a statewide nonprofit organization that works to create a community where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in and access the arts, at http://vsamn.org. The website has a comprehensive calendar at the upper right-hand corner of its homepage. For information on galleries and theater performances around the state join the Access to Performing Arts email list at access@ vsamn.org or call VSA Minnesota, 612-332-3888 or statewide 800-801-3883 (voice/TTY). To hear a weekly listing of accessible performances, call 612332-3888 or 800-801-3883. Access Press only publishes performance dates when accommodations are offered. Contact the venue to find out the entire run of a particular production, run times and if discounts for seniors, students, other individuals or groups are provided. VSA Minnesota advises everyone to call or email ahead, to make such that an accommodation is offered, as schedules can change. VSA Minnesota can also refer venues and theater companies to qualified describers, interpreters and captioners. Additional Resources A web events listing is http://c2net.org (c2: caption coalition, inc., which does most of the captioned shows across the country. Facebook is a way to connect with performances. Sign up to connect with Audio Description across Minnesota tinyurl.com/ d34dzo2. Connect with ASL interpreted and captioned performances across Minnesota on Facebook tinyurl. com/FBcaption. A resource is Minnesota Playlist, with a recently updated website calendar with all the ASL-interpreted, audio-described, captioned, pay-what-you-can shows and features. Go to http:// minnesotaplaylist.com/calendar
FOR RENT Calvary Center Apts: 7650 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MN. A Section 8 building now accepting applications for our waiting list. Call 9 am to 4 pm, Mon – Fri 763-546-4988 for an application. Equal Opportunity Housing. Find your new home with At Home Apartments. Call 651-224-1234 or visit AtHomeApartments.com for an apartment or town home. Equal Opportunity Housing. EMPLOYMENT Office Support Secretary/Client Services-Intake (FT or PT) Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. For more info go to www.mylegalaid.org/jobs. Classified rates: $15 (first 18 words) and 65¢ per word thereafter. Classified ads prepaid. Mail to: Access Press, Capitol Ridge Inn Offices; 161 St. Anthony Ave; #910; St. Paul, MN 55103; Phone: 651-644-2133; Fax 651-644-2136; Email: access@accesspress.org
Access Press April 2019.pdf
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April 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 4
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