November 2021 Edition - Access Press

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Volume 32, Number 11

November 2021

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In the spirit of diversity, equity and inclusion, the Access Press Board of Directors seeks to expand its membership by three additional directors. Please indicate your interest to be considered for board membership by contacting Access Press at access@ accesspress.org Access Press is a 501 c 3 nonprofit.

Board members are volunteers, with varying time commitments. The board holds one regular meeting each month, with other strategic planning and committee meetings as needed.

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National Guard members were vaccinated earlier this year. Now they are helping with rapid testing stations and are ready to help at long-term care facilities.

As COVID-19 pandemic goes on, National Guard is stepping in The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to greatly affect Minnesotans with disabilities, although some bright spots are appearing. There is hope that a summer-fall wave of cases is cresting.

The news that children ages 5-11 can get vaccinated as soon as November is also welcomed, especially for families whose children with disabilities are immunecompromised.

But the strains on the health care and long-term care systems continue to be concerning. At a news conference outside North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, Gov. Tim Walz announced in mid-

October that members of the Minnesota National Guard would be put on alert to help in long-term care facilities. Guard members would help during an ongoing surge of COVID-19 patients.

By mid-October there were more than 400 patients being treated at Minnesota hospitals who were ready to be discharged. But some of the long-term and transitional care facilities they would typically go to were lacking staff and unable to admit new residents.

Transitional care facilities not only help

His story continues Page 4 PCA wage increase set Page 5 Kudos to care providers Page 7 Tune into Radio Talking Book Page 10

COVID-19 To page 9

Registering at the polls is convenient but takes planning Throughout Minnesota, voters go to the polls November 2. While many people appreciate the convenience of early voting, others like the experience of going to the polls, seeing neighbors and casting a ballot.

For voters with disabilities, voting the day of the election is also a good chance to check out polling places and make sure they are accessible. Reporting polling place access issues can be a great service to other voters. (See related story.)

Several steps should be taken to make sure the voting experience goes smoothly for voters with disabilities. Busy presidential or state elections can mean taking along water to drink or any needed medications as waits to vote can be long. Having a phone or device fully charged is also a good plan.

The long waits may not be the case this year in most communities this year, although polls in St. Paul and Minneapolis may be busy with mayoral elections and ballot questions.

There are other ways to prepare to vote, especially if there is a need to register at the polls.

Minnesota offers the benefit of same-day

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NATIONAL GUARD

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DSPs are the lifeline to services and supports for people with disabilities.

Election judges will be ready to see voters November 2. registration for voters. Voters can register if accompanied to the polling place by someone who is already registered in the precinct. This process is called vouching.

But not everyone knows their neighbors.

Being able to register to vote at the polls is a great convenience. Having the

Access Press thanks this month's issue spotlight!

correct documentation makes the process go smoothly. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office has a helpful information sheet that can be downloaded and used for reference, at https://www.sos.state.mn.us/ POLLS To page 5

November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

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Access Press exists for you; support opportunities available

By Holly Anderson, Executive Director In this season of giving thanks, through volunteering and with your proudest gifts, we ask you to remember the value of the disability journalism Access Press offers. There are no dedicated disability-only news beats in Minnesota’s mainstream media, yet more than a half a million people with disabilities live in Minnesota. Every year people with disabilities face state cutbacks on much needed assistance, challenges finding care providers, and employers who don’t understand what accommodation means.

Parents struggle to get the help they need from schools and the community for their children with mental health, developmental and physical disabilities.

We cover that. We help sift through everything happening at the legislature and in the disability community throughout the state. We exist for and with you.

Many don’t know that Access Press is a 501-c3 nonprofit. We depend on

donations and sponsorships to continue to produce the paper you know and trust. We are Minnesota’s Disability Community News Source. We promote the social inclusion and legal rights of people with disabilities by providing a forum for news, features, opinion and conversation to benefit people who are often invisible and marginalized in mainstream society and the people who care for them. We have a lived knowledge of disability through our incredibly committed board and our staff. Our editor is an award-winning journalist with a long history of excellence in covering these issues. We are one of only a few multi-disability-focused newspapers published in the United States.

Access Press board members and staff have a strategic plan to expand access to disability news in Minnesota. What this means is distributing more of our newspaper statewide. We will expand our Twin Cities and greater Minnesota distribution sites and subscriptions

with the goal of reaching Minnesotans wherever they are.

With your help, we will develop a stronger and accessible online presence.

We will build a social media strategy that will include live features of social media to extend our presence and offer different ways to access our important journalism, be a part of the conversation on a pressing issue or learn more about a bill proposed at the state capitol. Our website will be re-built to include more news and timely information. We will ensure every part of our website is accessible.

We will introduce new social and educational events that are accessible, give the disability community a chance to come together and connect before hearing from current newsmakers and experts on timely issues in news, the arts and other areas. These events will start not only in the Twin Cities, but also in communities across the state.

Having access to us means more than providing an important news source, to

When you invest in Access Press you are investing in the entire disability community, including yourself. We need your help to continue this important work.

us it also means bringing people together safely and ensuring many voices are heard.

You will play a role in this vision if you want. We expect these voices to come through social media, storytelling, video, podcasts and in letters and editorials.

Why should you invest in Access Press?

When you invest in Access Press you are investing in the entire disability community, including yourself. People with disabilities depend on us. Caregivers depend on us. Disability organizations depend on us. We need your help to continue this important work. Please make your proudest gift today. There is no number too small, or too big. If you are unable to give today, can you create a legacy gift by including Access Press in your will? Can you volunteer your time to help us find new advertisers?

Pablo Picasso said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Please share your gift with Access Press and invest in a half a million people in Minnesota with a disability and the people who love them.

You can donate online (AccessPress.org/ donate), send a check, give through Give to the Max Day on Thursday, November 18 or make a distribution through your IRA or Donor Advised Fund.

HISTORY NOTE

Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities celebrates gains Minnesotans with developmental disabilities in October celebrated the 50-year anniversary of the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (MNCDD). The following is excerpted from a presentation.

In September 1950, Gov. Luther Youngdahl spoke at the first Arc Convention in Minneapolis. He provided hope, speaking of the rights of people with developmental disabilities including the rights to happiness, to play, to companionship, to respect, to develop, and to love and affection.

The Minnesota Division of Public Institutions was issuing an opposite message: "No state institution building will be empty." By 1960 a peak was reached with 6,008 people with developmental disabilities in state institutions, with waiting lists and overcrowding.

Worse yet, a 1962 survey found that many Minnesotans supported institutionalization. They believed that people with developmental disabilities should not drink, drive a car or even vote.

President John F. Kennedy and his

brother, Sen. Edward Kennedy, helped change those attitudes. But change took time. On October 30, 1970, almost 20 years after Youngdahl's speech, President Richard Nixon signed the Developmental Disabilities Act into law.

One year later the first state council was appointed by Gov. Wendell Anderson. “As governor in 1971, I announced the formation of a Developmental Disabilities Council. It was my hope that it would coordinate state services for people with all neurological disabilities. I can proudly say that the (council) has far exceeded my expectations."

The 1970 act required states to begin planning services. Finally, states were held accountable for supporting people with developmental disabilities beyond state institutions.

Parents recognized the importance of this as a stark contrast to the longtime absence of community services. The 16 basic services mandated by law ranged from diagnosis to treatment to education to recreation. The council funded small demonstration projects in 12 areas

statewide. The council also funded regional development commissions as a part of the planning mission.

The council was guided by Wolf Wolfensberger's wisdom, that "If it doesn't involve risk, inconvenience, and sacrifice, it probably isn't advocacy."

Countless advocates took this risk and helped create change. (Wolfensberger was a pioneering academic who greatly shaped disability policy and practice during that time.)

In the 1970s, another significant council project was the Community Alternatives and Institutional Reform Report, the CAIR Report. The council also initiated a public information campaign that included billboards and a set of stories called “Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom.”

A functional approach set the stage for the next decades. When the 1980s began, small grants continued, and the council concentrated all funding for three years on respite care. Sixteen organizations provided respite care for 918 individuals, and provided information and referral because of the council's support.

A grant from the McKnight Foundation funded training for staff and boards, resolving existing service delivery problems, and increasing physical accessibility of facilities.

Other important studies and policy analysis, involvement in legal actions and ambitious new programs continued after those early years. MNCCD has it fingerprints on everything from the groundbreaking Partners in Policy advocacy program to jobs creation and meaningful employment Changing lives and changing the societal view of people with developmental disabilities has been at center of MNCCD’s work for 50 years.

See The New Stargazers: 50 years of Bold Achievement at https://mn.gov/ mnddc/ The History Note is a monthly column produced in cooperation with the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. Past History Notes and other disability history may be found at www. mnddc.org

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.

Website: accesspress.org email: access@accesspress.org phone: 651-644-2133 Executive Director.......................................................................................................................................Holly Anderson, 612-384-6433 Managing Editor...................................................................................................................................................................... Jane McClure Advertising Sales..............................................................................................................................................Staci Reay, 218-779-1534 Board of Directors.............Mohamed Alfash, John Clark, Shannah Mulvihill, Walt Seibert, Joel Ulland, Kay Willshire Columnist.............................................................. Tim Benjamin Production............................................................ In-Fin Tuan

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November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

GT INDEPENDENCE

GT INDEPENDENCE

CHARLIE SMITH AWARDISSUE DETAILSSPOTLIGHT FORTHCOMING|

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Michael and Holly record a podcast.

Crystal and Lucy

Children denied lifesaving treatment due to disabilities Lucy, a Minnesota native, was born with a condition called PMM2-CDG. It’s a rare disorder that has less than 900 diagnoses worldwide. When Lucy’s mother, Crystal, tried to get her on the transplant list, they were denied because of Lucy’s disability. Instead, Lucy was sent home on palliative care, where she would have died without a transplant. But thankfully, this story has a happier ending.

(Hear the whole story at gtindependence. com/episode-02.)

While Lucy’s story ended happily, this is often not the case. On October 8, 2021, Zion Sarmiento, an infant with Down Syndrome, died after being denied the heart transplant he needed to survive.

This is a gross violation of human rights through eugenics. And it's only one story out of countless currently happening across the country. To learn more about Zion, follow his family’s group on Facebook, Zion’s Army. Or contact the National Down Syndrome Society.

Holly Carmichael, CEO of GT Independence, has a daughter named Maggie with PMM2-CDG, just like Lucy.

Holly says, “This discrimination is not rare.

This is happening all across the country.

In fact, 85% of pediatric transplant centers consider a child's intellectual or developmental disability when factoring whether or not they qualify. They're making this judgment based on this child's perceived quality of life, what their contribution to society might be.

The American Academy of Pediatrics came out with a policy statement, a paper clarifying heavily that this does not impact the success of the transplant or the health of the participant in any way, and it's downright wrong.”

There is still time to stand up and end this violation of human rights. In fact, it’s possible for each one of us to make an incredible difference—all in less than 10 minutes.

First, legislation must be passed that makes sure that this discrimination

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corporations, small businesses or the legal profession are welcome.

Board members are not expected to take on the day-to-day activities of running a small community newspaper.

Like many other nonprofit newspaper boards, the Access Press board is typically most active with issues of newspaper promotion, policies and fundraising. Other tasks may include working on events and special projects.

doesn't happen. In the last few years, half the states in the U.S. have passed legislation to prevent this discrimination.

But 21 states still allow this violation of human rights. To take action on national legislation, call your representatives in Congress to support H.R. 1235. This is also called the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act. The act prohibits disability-based discrimination to get an organ transplant.

Second, support the National Down Syndrome Society. They advocate for Down Syndrome throughout

communities. They do this by focusing on areas of resource and support policy and advocacy, community, and engagement.

They are doing a lot of work to pass this national bill. Visit their website (ndss.org) to offer your support.

Third, educate yourself. In the latest episode of the Disability Garrison Podcast, Holly Carmichael (CEO, GT Independence) and Michael Murray (CRO, GT Independence), discussed this issue alongside Crystal, Lucy’s mother.

Listen to the 30-minute episode and hear the full story.

Michael Murray states, “Just like a

garrison is a safe place where an army gathers, the Disability Garrison Podcast is a place for the army of disability rights advocates to gather and discuss complex issues. We are unafraid to identify problems in our world and have difficult conversations about them. But we are not just here to complain. We spend our time brainstorming solutions with generals in the disability rights movement. Together, we take action to make positive change and lead the fight for justice and equality.”

Join Holly and Michael on gtindependence.com/episode-02 and listen to Lucy’s story. Then take a look at all the ways you can take action in less than ten minutes. From calling your representative, to supporting the National Down Syndrome Society, to signing up to donate organs, there’s a way for everyone to make an incredible difference.

Visit gtindependence.com/episode-02 or Google “Disability Garrison Podcast” to take steps to end discrimination in transplants. For Lucy and Zion—let's make change happen.

November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

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FROM OUR COMMUNITY Lacking staff, he again found himself in transitional care that time Gov. Tim Walz had observed a day in the life of a PCA, to put a spotlight on the challenges such workers face.

The visit was followed by print and broadcast media, and by members of Minnesota’s disability community. The visit has drawn a mixed reaction from community members, with some saying they appreciate Walz’s efforts and others questioning if the event was simply for the cameras. The event was called “Walk a Day with an HHA” with HHA standing for home health aide.

Walz used the occasion to highlight the need for the state to invest in people with disabilities, and allow them to stay in their own homes. When Walz made his visit there were more than 8,000 job openings for home care workers.

Here are comments Lovold sent to WCCO-TV after seeing its report.

After seeing your story about the PCA situation, I decided I wanted to write an email to the governor telling him about my situation of lack of PCA services due to the fact that we have a PCA shortage going on seriously right now. All because of the pay!

PCAs can’t survive on what they make. I’ve spent half of this year in Minneapolis in a TCU or transitional care unit because of this situation. I also am a recipient of the PCA services. I’m a disabled man from birth who relies on these services every day of my life.

I thought you might like to hear another side of the story that doesn’t get talked about much. What happens to us when we don’t have the care in our homes?

Lovold lives in Oakdale.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

by James "Jimmy Wheels" Lovold I’d like to call this 2019 Revisited. To me it's just another chapter in my life regarding the personal care assistant (PCA) shortage which I wrote about two years ago. Here's the continuation of the story. Just recently it happened again!

Another trip to south Minneapolis to what I call my Minneapolis home. This time it was because my one and only PCA was on vacation and there wasn't anyone else to come in and cover her hours. Here I go again, making arrangements with the transitional care unit for me to take up one of their beds, again. Something so very unnecessary.

My letter writing skills might have to come back into play, and send the governor another letter like I sent him before that. I'm guessing that he never read it. By the way, this last visit was one day short of a week.

The governor still needs to give the PCAs the money to do the job they do for us, the people that rely on the PCAs each and every day.

Because nothing has changed in the two years that I started writing about this, I've decided to go a different way. The Consumer-Directed Community Supports (CDCS) way! I'm hoping because of this change that I will be making will make a big difference. When I'm done I'll be able to hire and release people when needed.

Plus, here's the bonus, I hope, is that I'll be able to pay these PCAs what they're worth. That's my new chapter in 2019 REVISITED. Keep your eyes open for more writings. I don't think I'm done yet.

Editor’s note: And here is what Lovold wrote in 2019. At

James "Jimmy Wheels" Lovold and Amelio

Metropolitan Regional Arts Council works toward greater accessibility

by Scott Artley Recently, I hosted an accessibility training for the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) staff. It was jam-packed with resources I had prepared in the last two years about things like preferred language for disability, how to host an accessible Zoom event, how to make an accessible document, where to find ASL interpreters, and more. In that meeting, for the first time in a while, I took a step back and saw how far MRAC has advanced its journey to better serve people with disabilities.

We’ve made a number of changes (big and small) in the last two years, but I want to highlight four specific steps forward in our accessibility journey that represent where we’re going: Arts and disability community research - Through surveys, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and statistical analysis of past grantmaking, we dug deep into the community to determine where there were challenges and opportunities for MRAC to support the expanded participation of people with disabilities in the arts. While

the pandemic changed our plans to develop new grant programs specifically for this work, the lessons that came out of this research and community engagement process brought insight and urgency to embedding accessibility in every aspect of our new programs.

Accessibility resources - My experience as an independent consultant before I joined MRAC showed me that accessibility resources are almost never targeted to small cultural organizations and their unique needs. I developed an access workbook and related training, a new do-it-yourself approach to addressing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This training is available on our Accessibility Resources for Arts Organizations page, along with a hefty list of resources for groups to begin tackling accessibility one concrete tactic at a time.

Alternative applications - Recognizing that our typical written application process in the online grant interface is inaccessible to some people with disabilities, we began accepting applications in alternative formats. For some, that meant filling out a Word document outside of our grant interface, and for others that meant working with an

Consider, mitigate disabling effects of LED lighting Editor’s note: The first paragraph of this letter was garbled when the October issue was put together. It is printed in its correct form. We apologize for the error.

by Heidi O’Leary There are 3.5 million people nationwide that suffer from epilepsy. For me, and for so many of us, we cannot tolerate LEDs, especially the strobing LEDs. They trigger grand mal seizures, headaches and nausea. They have been proven to be dangerous for the health of everyone.

Daily we are bombarded with seizure triggers: *LED car headlights and strobing brake lights *LED lighting in stores, offices, schools *Children’s toys containing flashing-colored LEDs *Bicycles with strobe lights *Trash, recycling and emergency vehicles *Gas pumps with small strobes to indicate where to insert your credit card Many of us need to use incandescent light bulbs as opposed to LEDs in our homes because LEDs cause muscles to twitch and/or cause cluster headaches and nausea. We're scrambling around to stores everywhere to purchase as many incandescent as possible before they’re phased out. Because of these retailers using these bulbs, it’s getting more difficult to shop or eat like other people.

It’s cutting short our rights. How can we even visit doctors’ offices? We’ve become prisoners in our own home.

There are no medications for this type of epilepsy.

Even anti-seizure medications on the market cause light sensitivity. It’s disturbing to know these medications are being approved, when they aren’t truly helping, but harming.

I have reached out to senators, as well as Gov. Tim Walz and those in charge of the ADA, alerting them to

the dangers of LEDs and how this is discrimination. I received a flippant response from the head of the U.S. Access Board.

The people who have been elected or assigned to help those with disabilities seem to be turning a deaf ear to our pleas.

I am currently giving my time to Soft Lights (www. softlights.org). It is an advocacy group dedicated to protecting civil rights of those with light sensitivity disabilities. This includes people with autism, epilepsy, lupus, PTSD etc. We are desperate, that these lights get changed and the strobes outlawed.

The invention of LED lights for illumination has dramatically changed the world in an incredibly short amount of time. Citizens and government leaders alike jumped at the chance to save energy.

We need your advocacy.

Heidi O’Leary lives in St. Paul.

Be part of our

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Next edition: JANUARY 2022 Call 651-644-2133 to be included!

MRAC staff member to submit an audio application. We worked closely with each applicant and found solutions that were unique to their needs.

People with disabilities as decision-makers - Panelists are the heartbeat of MRAC’s grantmaking process.

They represent the region and bring their expertise in the local arts community to help the board of directors make funding decisions. We increased the number and proportion of people with disabilities who served as panelists (11 percent in 2020), and offered new access services to panelists (like ASL interpretation for panel orientations).

We also engaged Cow Tipping Press, a creative writing organization, to pilot a new process that engaged panelists with developmental disabilities and neurodivergence.

Applying their mission and experience to the panel process was a radical reimagining of how people with disability, often the stated beneficiaries of MRAC-funded projects, could be vested with the same decision-making powers as their peers.

Scott Artley is the MRAC accessibility program director.

November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

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NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL Personal care assistant wage increase has finally taken effect, started October 1 Personal care assistant (PCA) workers in Minnesota will see higher wages and other new benefits, starting October 1. The statewide minimum wage for PCAs rose from $13.25 to $14.40 per hour effective Oct. 1, then increases again to $15.25 on July 1, 2022.

The move was celebrated around the state and came after years of work at the capitol. The pay increase is the result of an agreement reached during the 2021 legislative session between the state and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which was recently granted federal approval.

There were fears among some disability rights activists that the agreement and wage increase wouldn’t get federal Gov. Tim Walz approval in time to start October 1.

PCAs preform essential work, helping people with disabilities with daily activities such as eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, going to the restroom, and getting around. In some cases, they prepare meals, do light housekeeping, administer medications, help people find jobs, manage challenging behaviors, and provide

support with assistive technology.

The agreement will help address a variety of challenges facing PCAs and the organizations that manage their work, challenges which have led to a PCA workforce shortage. One point disability rights advocates have raised is that their staff members can get paid more working fast food or other jobs.

“The more than 40,000 PCAs working in our state are a lifeline for people with disabilities and essential for them to live active lives in their communities,” said Human Services Assistant Commissioner Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa. “We hope improved pay and benefits can help draw more talented people into this critical profession.”

“Personal care assistants help Minnesotans with disabilities live fulfilling and independent lives, and I’ve had the privilege of seeing firsthand just how hard that work can be,” said Gov. Tim Walz. “The Minnesotans who dedicate their lives to this important work are heroes, and I am proud that this wage increase helps recognize the vital role they play in the lives of people across the state.”

“Thousands of Minnesotans with disabilities rely on personal care assistants to maintain their in-home services and quality of life,” said Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. “This wage increase recognizes the hard work of PCAs, helps ensure that this essential work is sustainable for workers, and keeps these services accessible to those who need them.”

In addition to the pay increase, changes include: • One hour of paid time off for every 30 hours an individual provider works; • An increase in the number of paid holidays from five to seven; and • Funding for the Minnesota Department of Human Services to continue working with SEIU on voluntary training opportunities.

The agreement also increases budgets for Minnesotans who participate in the consumer-directed community supports program that enables them to design the services and supports that fit their needs and hire their own PCAs and for the Consumer Support Grant program, which is an alternative to Medical Assistance for some Minnesota residents.

SEIU doesn’t represent all PCAs, but federal requirements do not allow differential payment rates based on union membership, so the rate increases apply to all PCAs and providers.

Watch out for, know how to report polling place access issues Many people with disabilities have heard the phrase, “Well, it’s just one step.” Or accessible entries aren’t labeled and are hard to find, prompting a hunt outside of a building. While those situations can be an everyday, annoying occurrence, encountering access problems when going to vote is a serious issue.

Federal and state laws require that all polling places be accessible and usable by elderly voters or voters with disabilities. “Voting is one of our nation’s most fundamental rights and a hallmark of our democracy.

Yet for too long, many people with disabilities have been excluded from this core aspect of citizenship,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

People with intellectual or mental health disabilities have been prevented from voting because of prejudicial assumptions about their capabilities. People who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids, such as walkers, have been unable to enter the polling place to cast their ballot because there was no ramp. People who are blind or have low vision could not cast their vote because the ballot was completely inaccessible to them.”

“Important federal civil rights laws were enacted to combat such forms of discrimination and protect the fundamental right to vote for all Americans.” The Department of Justice offers guidance to states, local jurisdictions, election officials, poll workers and voters on how the Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal laws help ensure fairness in the voting process for people with disabilities. Go to https://www.ada.gov/ada_voting/ ada_voting_ta.htm According to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office, minimum requirements for accessibility include: • At least one set of doors must have a minimum width of 32 inches if the doors must be used to enter or leave the polling place.

• Any curb adjacent to the main

POLLS

From page 1 elections-voting/register-to-vote/register-on-election-day/ First-time voters need to register, as do voters who have moved. What sometimes comes up for people with disabilities and elders is if they have moved to a different room or suite in assisted living or a senior building. That requires a changed registration so let the election judges know. Also, if there is a name change, let the election judges know.

Election judges need to know identity and residency when voters register at the polls. Register with ID with current name and address, such as a valid Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit or ID; or a receipt for any of these. A tribal identification card with name, address, photo and signature may also be used.

Another option is to use a photo ID, which proves identity and a document with the current address, to prove residency. The ID can be expired. Proper forms of ID to take the polls are a driver's license, state ID or learner’s permit issued by any state; U.S. passport; U.S. military or veteran ID; tribal ID with name, signature and photo; Minnesota university, college or technical college

entrance to a polling place must have curb cuts or temporary ramps. Where the main entrance is not the accessible entrance, any curb adjacent to the accessible entrance must also have curb cuts or temporary ramps.

• Where the main entrance is not the accessible entrance, a sign shall be posted at the main entrance giving directions to the accessible entrance.

• At least one set of stairs must have a temporary handrail and ramp if stairs must be used to enter or leave the polling place.

• No barrier in the polling place may impede the path of persons with disabilities to the voting booth.

• At least one parking space for persons with disabilities, which may be temporarily so designated by the municipality for the day of the election, must be available near the accessible entrance.

• The doorway, handrails, ramps and handicapped

ID or Minnesota high school ID. An approved document can be shown on an approved device or be a paper document. Documents can include a bill, account or start-of-service statement due or dated within 30 days of the election for phone, TV or internet; solid waste, sewer, electric, gas or water; banking or credit card, or rent or mortgage. Another approved document can be a residential lease or rent agreement valid through Election Day. A current student fee statement can also be used.

Attending college this fall? Colleges and universities may send election officials a student housing list. A student on a list can show a college photo ID to complete registration.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the cancelation of many community festivals where people would be encouraged to register, some voters often register just before an election. Sometimes voters get what is called a “notice of late registration” if registry was made within 20 days of the election. Bring that notice to the polling place and use it as proof of residence to register before voting.

Elections coverage is provided in cooperation with Ramsey County Elections.

parking must conform to the standards specified in the state building code for accessibility by persons with disabilities.

When voting takes place in a building where other uses are going on, such as a school, place of worship or community center, access issues can pop up during the day. It’s not unheard of to have a door temporarily obstructed with an object, a delivery vehicle blocking the curb cut or other issues. Let the head election judge in the precinct know immediately about these problems.

If a polling place has physical problems that cannot be quickly rectified, contact local election officials. Cities, counties and townships choose polling place locations and are responsible for polling place accessibility.

Contact an election office, or city or township clerk to report access problems.

A local official can only choose polling places that meet these standards unless no available place within a precinct is accessible or can be made accessible. Some communities move polling places to adjacent precincts to find accessible locations.

City and township clerks are to visit polling locations periodically to check that polling locations are accessible.

The Office of the Secretary of State's Polling Place Accessibility Diagnostic Tool gives instructions on how polling place inspections should be performed. Learn more at https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/ election-day-voting/polling-place-accessibility/

November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

Pg 6

PEOPLE & PLACES The Institute on Community Integration is moving to the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, from its longtime home at the University of Minnesota’s Pattee Hall. The move ushers in a new era of collaboration across the University of Minnesota designed to advance brain health in support of each person’s lifelong journey as a valued community member.

ICI brings more than 35 years of disability research, advocacy, and education/training, joins researchers, clinicians, and specialists from the University’s Medical School, M Health Fairview, and the College of Education and Human Development to the 116,000-square-foot building at 2025 W. River Road Parkway, Minneapolis.

The site is a familiar one to Minnesotans with disabilities, as it was home to Shriners Healthcare for Children for many years.

The university’s Board of Regents approved purchase of the property in 2019.

“As an organization, we actually outgrew our space in Pattee Hall in the early 1990s, and the opportunity to now have fully accessible space that encourages collaboration with colleagues and that lets us welcome community partners is the culmination of our collective work over decades to make life better for people with disabilities through our research and its influence on changing policy and practice,” said Amy Hewitt, director of ICI. Named in recognition of a gift from Minnesota Masonic Charities, the brain institute officially opened November 1.

It offers collaborative interdisciplinary research, early neurobehavioral and mental health assessment, innovative targeted interventions, informed policy-making, compassionate advocacy, and community engagement and education.

“Learning about the different ways our

ICI

Institute on Community Integration moves to brain development institute

The Institue for community Integration is moving to a new home, which may look familiar to some disability community members. colleagues think, and the context they bring to their work, will help us break down barriers and make our work more relevant to the community,” said Damian Fair, University of Minnesota Medical School Redleaf Endowed Director with the brain institute. “Once we begin digging into how we approach care for people with disabilities, we see some of the old labels pitting the medical and social models against each other are not accurate and that both approaches have already been coming together. The hope is that by breaking down walls and creating safe spaces to talk about different approaches, we’ll improve all of the ways we work for families navigating the critical issue of brain health.”

Sharing space in the new building gives the organizations housed on East River Parkway the chance to collaborate. f

Erickson dedicated to advocacy Catherine Erickson was a staunch champion for people with developmental disabilities, Erickson died in October after battling pancreatic cancer for more than four years.

She was 69 and lived in Minneapolis.

Erickson grew up in Mondovi, Wisc., where her many youthful activities including volunteering with the “teenettes” at the Mondovi Hospital. She completed a B.S. in nursing in 1975 at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, which launched her lifelong dedication to a neonatal nursing career. She worked at hospitals in Eau Claire and Madison. She came to the Twin Cities in 1981 to work in the neonatal intensive care unit at Minneapolis Children's Hospital, later transitioning into consulting work in risk management and work injury and disability care coordination. She became a medical case manager, and in 2019 earned a clinical doctorate degree in nursing at the University of Minnesota. Her doctoral studies focused on the transition from pediatric to adult health care for children with complex medical needs. She retired from Hennepin County Medical Center.

Erickson was most proud of her daughter, Margaret “Maggie” Erickson, who was born in 1991. Her daughter’s disabilities prompted Erickson to become a strong disability rights advocate, and to win state and national honors for her work championing work and education opportunities.

Residential and outpatient substance use treatment for adults with TBI,

cognitive deficits or multiple disabilities.

The new brain institute will be composed of several independent research cores, including TeleOutreach, that will provide support and expertise in neurodevelopmental research, integrated data collection, and analytical and intervention services under one roof.

The TeleOutreach Center, directed by ICI’s Jessica Simacek and Adele Dimian, associate director, was created under a philanthropic gift from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, providing research, training, and technical assistance through innovative and secure technology to address barriers to care for children, youth, families, and professionals. Under a new $600,000, three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, researchers from ICI and the Medical School’s Department of Pediatrics

In Memoriam

f

She served on the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota board several times, and before her death was involved in setting up a fund in her name to continue support for individuals with Down's syndrome. She also advocated for people with Down syndrome to be married, and was proud when her daughter was wed.

The Ericksons also spent much time on the Jack’s Basket program, welcoming new babies with Down's syndrome into the world and supporting their families. Mother and daughter were also active in Gigi's Playhouse, Special Olympics and events at Arc Value Village.

Cathy Erickson was also involved in the American Lung Association and volunteered as camp nurse for many years at Camp SuperKids.

A professorship at University of Wisconsin Madison,

the Catherine A Erickson chair, is awarded to a faculty member from an underrepresented group in the computer, data and information sciences school.

Consideration is given to work with K-12 students, who desperately need foundations in computing to pursue careers in any discipline.

Erickson is survived by her daughter, Maggie and Maggie's husband, Aidan Kilgannon; and her four siblings and their families. Services have been held. Memorials preferred to the Catherine Erickson fund at the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota (DSAM). The fund supports efforts and programs for individuals with Down syndrome as they transition to and grow through adulthood, increasing access to high-quality healthcare and support.

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will conduct a large-scale, randomized control trial assessing intervention and diagnostic services delivered via the TeleOutreach Center to families awaiting formal autism spectrum disorder evaluation or intervention.

ICI’s Minnesota Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Program is another existing ICI program that already has fostered deep connections across more than 16 academic disciplines at the University, Hewitt said.

Each academic year, a cohort of fellows comes together under funding from the U.S. Maternal & Child Health Bureau to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes to make informed, committed action in the areas of neurodevelopmental and related disabilities.

Hewitt said advances in the fields of both medical and social policy are critical to understand together.

“In the past we made assumptions about how clinicians, physicians, and bench scientists think and act, but we don’t really know,” said Hewitt. “They have the same ultimate goal we do, which is that we want people with disabilities to have good lives.

Today’s clinical advances in holistic medicine are just one example of a whole new way of looking at our work. And if we don’t really know what’s going on at the clinical level, we can’t change policies and practices.”

“Viewing disability as a unique difference rather than a problem to be solved is a foundational aspect of ICI,” Hewitt said.

“Our approach to supporting people with developmental and neurodevelopmental disabilities throughout their lives will inform the work of (the brain institute) and create more inclusive communities for many years to come.”

Read a longer version of this article at https://ici.umn.edu/

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Brainerd Area Skeeter Carkhuff P 218.322.5021 skeeter.carkhuff@numotion.com

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November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

Pg 7

PEOPLE & PLACES Direct support professionals honored for great work by MOHR Recipients of the 2021 Direct Support Professional (DSP) Award include Jay Storlie of Epic Enterprises of Northfield, and Daniel Hedstrom Jr. of MSS of Oakdale. Two other winners were being honored after Access Press deadline and will be featured in a future issue.

The awards are given by the Minnesota Organization for Habilitation and Rehabilitation (MOHR), with honors for the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota areas.

“DSPs are the lifeline to services and supports for people with disabilities and we thank them,” said award organizer and MOHR Board Member Lynne Megan. “There are amazing creative supports that are happening each and every day by DSPs across our state.”

Hedstrom is not only a dedicated support professional, he is also a jack of all trades and a talented artist. Hedstrom received DSP honors for the metro area “Enrichment Focus” category. The DSP Award for “Enrichment Focus” recognizes individuals for exemplary work, skills, impact and the “creation and implementation of innovative and proactive services” for people with disabilities.

Chief among Hedstrom’s recent accomplishments are his exemplary work ethic and diligent assistance to MSS, which collectively created remote programming during the pandemic closure, said MSS Program Supervisor Fawn Beckman.

“Dan has been positive, creative, ambitious, courageous, dependable, sympathetic and much more,” said Beckman. Art and music have been a focus at MSS. She pointed out Hedstrom’s experience and wealth of knowledge in those areas.

A drummer for 16 years and student of great bands, Hedstrom brings other artistic experience to MSS, which specializes in such programming. He works in pen and ink, charcoal and sculpting.

For online gatherings of people with disabilities served by MSS, Hedstrom stayed as positive as possible. Hour long Zoom meetings with 15 to 20 individuals happened frequently. “Being over-zealously goofy created a moment of getting away from the news and being in the present, laughing together,” he said. “Laughing together through a screen was all that mattered.”

Hedstrom’s approach lifted people’s emotional and mental wellbeing to keep thriving during difficult times, Beckman said. His ideas in the art world established a sense of safety, inclusion and fulfilled the

Daniel Hedstrom Jr.

Linda Hibbard presents the award to Jay Storlie.

social desires that MSS individuals with disabilities were seeking.

“Being able to facilitate my passion and having the chance to teach it is the most radical feeling to have,” said Hedstrom. He has seen people grow and progress in their life skills and have fun, which he called “extremely rewarding.”

Epic Enterprise job coach Storlie brings lived experience with disability as he supports others to maintain employment.

He has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair to get around. Storlie was honored by MOHR for Greater Minnesota Employment Service and his exemplary work, skills, impact and the “creation and implementation of innovative and proactive services” for people with disabilities.

“Being a disabled person myself, I get how the next person feels,” Storlie said. “Because my life’s been all about change … and I f

Ruoho never forgot Vietnam Ray E. Ruoho wrote an autobiography, sales of which raise funds for a school for people with disabilities in Vietnam. Ruoho died in October after a long battle with Lewy body dementia. He was 79 and lived in Duluth.

Born in Little Fork, he attended Orr High School and Virginia Junior College. He studied electronics at Dunwoody Industrial Institute in Minneapolis and received his bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and master’s degree in

thought, ‘well, maybe I could help somebody else to overcome their needs, as well.”

After working in a cabinet shop for 17 years and running a woodworking business at home, Storlie came to Epic Enterprise four years ago with a desire to help others with disabilities. His focus is to learn as much as the individuals with disabilities do, and they can figure it out together, said Epic Enterprise Executive Director Linda Hibbard.

Job coaches accompany individuals with disabilities on the job, teach soft skills, interact with managers and provide other assistance. Hibbard said the job coach pays close attention to each person and learns how to provide supports for their independence and success.

One employer said Storlie holds himself to a high standard and an even higher one for the employees he’s serving.

Storlie’s introduction to the field resulted

In Memoriam

from a desire to get out of his woodshop.

“I can get out and make a difference in somebody else’s life as well as my own, actually,” he said. Storlie still does some woodworking in his free time.

Human service work is all about patience, he said. It’s better to sit back and analyze a situation before jumping in, the job coach said. He’s also seen how people with disabilities change the lives of others in work settings. Social skills increase, there’s camaraderie and people look forward to going to work.

MOHR represents about 100 disability service providers across the state. Members are committed to respect for each individual, a person-centered approach and expanding work opportunities. More information is available at mohrmn.org.

f

education from the University of Arizona, Tucson.

His career included teaching electronics at Tucson high schools, and as in coal and copper mining in Wyoming and Arizona.

Ruoho was a Vietnam veteran and received medals including the Army Commendation Medal for setting up protocol for prioritizing transportation of wounded to available facilities during his service in 1965-1966.

His autobiography, Minnow, is about his growing up in northern Minnesota in the 1950s and 1960s. Proceeds

from the book, which is available on Amazon, go to the Nguyen Nga Center, school for the disabled in Quy Nhon, Vietnam, which he visited and assisted with on a visit there in 2010. The school was dear to his heart and a large part of his life after the trip back to Vietnam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB9FM02ubNM Ruoho is survived by his wife Bea, three children and their families, and many nieces and nephews. Services have been held. Memorials preferred to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, www.lbda.org.

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November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

Pg 8

REGIONAL NEWS The fall semester brought the establishment of the new Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender and Sexuality Studies (RIDGS) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. It arose from a 2015 initiative and years of work, looking at the center’s work and intersectionality with disability.

The new RIDGS Center will be headed by Director Keith Mayes, the Minnesota Daily reported.

"The reformation of the center around disability … I think becomes an opportunity for students to understand that there are opportunities to communicate and share interests, research and other ideas about disability in that framework," said David Johnson, chair of the University's Disabilities Issues Committee.

The Critical Disability Studies Collective was ultimately responsible for the incorporation of disability into the formal title and scope of the new center.

“The (collective) is really an organization that's working to enhance and foster an intellectual and academic community, in the Twin Cities and at the University of Minnesota, around complex understandings about disability,” Angela Carter, the founding chair of the CDSC, said. “We think of disability as a social, historical, economic and political category rather than a medical problem that an individual needs to fix or address.”

During her graduate studies at the University, Carter said the lack of disability community groups for students was the reason she founded the collective. “I just didn't

Website outlines rights, responsibilities

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry is urging personal care assistants (PCAs), Community First Supports and Services (CFFS) workers and employers to use a new online resource. The new web page is www.dli. mn.gov/pca The state agency created the web page to provide relevant information for workers and their employers.

In addition to the webpage, the state has published a new informational video (https://youtu.be/78Og1C3M8Y) geared toward PCAs, home health care workers and employers.

State officials remind community members that employees such as PCAs or CFSS workers who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement may have different or additional rights not listed. Employees should check their bargaining unit for details or visit Service Employees International Union Healthcare Minnesota’s website Employees have rights, including the right to be paid the minimum wage; receive pay at least once every 31 days; get work breaks and rest periods; receive overtime pay; get accurate pay stubs and get final pay when terminated or quit.

Employers must follow applicable laws, including providing employees with employee notices upon hire and when any changes to the notice are made. Employers must classify workers as exempt or non-exempt. They must complying with recordkeeping requirements and follow sick and safe leave requirements.

Contact state officials at dli.laborstandards@state.mn.us or 651-284-5075.

(Source: State of Minnesota)

Mental health unit announced

Children's Minnesota has announced plans to open an inpatient mental health unit for children and adolescents at the hospital's St. Paul campus. The goal is to open the facility at some point in 2022.

Marc Gorelick, president and CEO of Children's Minnesota, said the mental health center will serve about

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

University center includes disability focus

have that community that I needed.”

In 2015, a few of Carter's friends and colleagues joined in the creation of the group. The following year, Jessica Horvath Williams, a postdoctoral associate in English, became a co-chair of the group. Carter and Horvath Williams' worked together to make the collective an official affiliate of RIGS in 2017.

For the past four years, Carter and Horvath Williams worked alongside others to formally include disability in the title of the center.

Learn more about the center at https://cla.umn.edu/ ridgs/about (Source: Associated Press, Minnesota Daily) 1,000 adolescents and children a year with severe mental health issues. By rearranging clinical programs, Gorelick said the hospital will be able to repurpose space in order to make room for 22 mental health rooms, which will be large enough for parents to stay with their children. Those beds will also be located in an area with outdoor access and group programming capabilities.

“We do have other health systems that provide mental health services, but there aren't enough,” Gorelick “said in an interview with KARE-11. "What we have now is an expanded capacity in the community to deal with kids who have the most severe problems. That's been lacking in this community and we're stepping in to help meet that need.”

The pandemic has exacerbated growing mental health problems among young people. Gorelick said that the Children's Minnesota Emergency Room has seen a 30-percent increase in children with suicidal thoughts over the past year, mirroring nationwide trends at other hospitals.

According to Children's Minnesota, the new unit in St. Paul will be the first in the east metro to serve children under 12 years old, in addition to being one of the few in the state to admit all children, even those with other complex medical conditions.

(Source: KARE-11)

Remote work option hailed

In the early weeks of 2020, when a mysterious new virus began making headlines, South St. Paul resident and St. Olaf College faculty member Steve Romenesko watched the news closely. With many things still unknown about the rapidly spreading coronavirus, it became apparent the infectious disease would prove more deadly for organ transplant recipients like Romenesko.

Today, Romenesko, 32, is continuing his work with students at the college through remote work accommodations. He’s one of many Minnesotans urging that remote work and public meeting options adopted during the pandemic continue after the pandemic subsides.

“When set up the right way, I think we’re at a

crossroads of a wonderful opportunity to allow the disabled community to be involved,” Romenesko said.

The call for more teleworking and participation opportunities is nothing new for the Minnesota Council on Disability. David Dively, the executive director of the council, said people with disabilities have sought teleworking capabilities for many years.

The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act both broadly address issues of discrimination and workplace accommodations. However, Dively said it’s been difficult over the years for people with disabilities to be granted teleworking capabilities out of necessity for their health.

“There was extreme hesitancy by supervisors and human resources managers,” he said, adding employers often raised concerns about whether or not they had the capacity to accommodate telework for a disabled employee.

Dively said the community of those with disabilities hasn’t missed the irony of often being denied individual accommodations in the past, and now, during the pandemic, watching entire corporations switch to remote work. But that’s how many issues have played out for decades.

“For some reason, the framing of it as a disability rights issue automatically makes it a harder thing to achieve, and that shouldn’t be the case,” he said.

Having equal access to government at all levels, thanks to virtual meetings, has been one of the few bright spots during the pandemic.

A wide range of disabilities carry protections under the ADA, including some individuals experiencing long-term effects from COVID-19. Dively, an Eagan resident who himself is hard-of-hearing and grew up with deaf parents, said the pandemic creates an opportunity to reshape public policy in a way that better serves people with disabilities.

“It is a pivotal moment for us and the work that we do,” Dively said.

(Source: Southwest Media)

Mobility devices reimagined

Growing up, Steven Bleau saw how multiple sclerosis complicated his dad's mobility. Bleau said he noticed how others with the same condition used mobility devices when he volunteered at the MS Society’s youth camp.

“You'd see all the parents using a wide range of products that helped with their mobility and other symptoms,” he said. But while the products were helpful and improved quality of life, there was something missing from the helpful, ubiquitous walker with wheels. Rollator walkers are typically designed with elderly patients in mind, He began tinkering with mobility aids in his design class at the University of Minnesota and began to redesign the rollator walker for younger users. He took the design to a Carlson School of Management course called entrepreneurship in action. There he joined three other classmates, Morgan Kerfeld, Rick Pradhan and Beth Urbanski.

The group loved the idea of a rollator walker for younger people and began meeting with potential customers and physical therapists. The students founded the company Telo.

"We decided to flip the frame from living in front of you to behind you,” Kerfeld said. “So it has integrated back support, allows you to have proper posture, but also gives you enough room in front of you so that you can take natural strides and maintain your proper walking posture and habits."

The students won several competitions and grants with their project. They've since graduated and started their company, Telo.

Now they are adding technology to measure speed, REGIONAL NEWS To page 9

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November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

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Children’s vaccines, rapid testing allay concerns about pandemic News that children ages 5-11 could get COVID-19 vaccines is welcomed by many families, especially those including children with disabilities. But Minnesota school officials still want the state to do more, in light of the first report student death this school yar. That is on top of two more school staff deaths.

The Minnesota Department of Health announced the deaths during the October 20 update. The age of the student and where people lived was not disclosed.

That alarms the state’s teachers’ union. “Five school staff members and one student have died of COVID-19 this school year and it’s only October,” said Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota. “There is no excuse for any district leader to ignore the guidelines for masking, social distancing, quarantining and vaccinations set out by state and federal public health authorities.”

“The loss of this student is a tragedy that every educator will feel,” Specht said. “We’re asking parents to please reduce the risk of another tragic death of a student by

vaccinating their teens. When the vaccine becomes available to younger children, vaccinate them, too.”

The recent fatalities increased the total number of school fatalities since the start of the pandemic to two students and 13 school employees, including five workers this year.

While cases of coronavirus in schools has been on the decline, parents around the state still report illnesses and cases where students have to quickly pivot to online learning.

State officials are poised to help get more people vaccinated, and are encouraging much more testing.

Gov. Tim Walz has announced steps to expand rapid COVID-19 testing opportunities to help Minnesotans find free, accessible, and quick testing resources in their communities. The National Guard is helping set up new, free rapid testing at community sites in Stillwater, Hutchinson, and Crookston, and at least three additional sites. These sites will allow Minnesotans experiencing

COVID-19 symptoms to take an antigen test and receive results in a matter of minutes.

Walz also announced additional COVID-19 rapid testing opportunities in partnership with local public health agencies statewide.

“As our local communities experience a surge of cases, we are working very closely with our local health care providers to fill gaps and ensure our communities have access to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations,” said Chera Sevcik, Executive Director & Community Health Services Administrator at Human Services of Faribault & Martin Counties. “Our ability to provide testing each week helps free up crucial resources with our local health care providers so they can focus their efforts on treating patients.”

Find resources on vaccines, booster shots and rapid testing at https://mn.gov/covid19/

COVID-19

filled hospitals. Intensive care beds have been scarce, with 5 percent or fewer beds open statewide at times.

COVID-19 patients or others needing trauma or critical care have had to wait or be transported long distances.

Use of National Guard members would also help facilities where staffing is short. Some long-term care facilities have stopped admitting new residents because they lack adequate staff.

The staffing issues are serious. Recently health care industry leaders indicated that there are more than 23,000 care positions open in Minnesota.

“Rising COVID-19 cases have left our hospitals too crowded, and we need action now,” said Walz. “That’s why I’m putting the National Guard on alert and taking critical steps to help free up hospital beds and make sure that Minnesotans can continue to get the care they need.”

“We are proud of our continued partnership with Governor Walz and the Minnesota Department of Health and are thankful the Administration is doing what it can to address hospital capacity concerns,” said Dr. Kevin Croston, CEO, North Memorial Health. “This surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations has been overwhelming our transitional care units, causing significant backups—we

are hopeful that today’s announcement will provide much-needed relief.”

“More than 18 months into the pandemic, our statewide health system is undergoing another intense stress test. Many of our hospitals are seeing a sharp rise in patients requiring hospital-level care – from emergency departments to intensive care units. Minnesota’s hospitals and health systems are working together 24/7 to meet this challenge, coordinate resources and provide the highest possible level of care to Minnesotans statewide.

We appreciate the ongoing public-private partnership in Minnesota, with our elected officials and state agencies, as we all focus together on improving the health of each and every Minnesotan,” said Dr. Rahul Koranne, President and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association.

“Our health care staff are true heroes, and we need Minnesotans to partner with us to halt the spread of this virus. The mitigation measures are familiar, but still as important today as they were many months ago –get vaccinated, get your booster when eligible, wear a mask, social distance, and stay home when you are sick. Our hospitals and health systems need you to act.”

From page 1 people with disabilities make the change from hospitals to home life, the facilities have also served an important need during the ongoing personal care attendant shortage.

Their beds have also been in demand for Minnesotans who find themselves lacking adequate care staff. But about 70 of the states long-term care facilities aren’t admitting new residents due to staff shortages.

National Guard members will also be helping at additional community rapid testing centers that are opening up.

Yet another directive expands access to the COVID-19 emergency staffing pool, which allows long-term care facilities to request short-term emergency temporary staffing if they’re experiencing a staffing shortage due to an outbreak of COVID-19 at a facility.

Walz also asked the Minnesota Department of Human Services to free up capacity at long-term care facilities.

“We have over 400 patients who … are in hospital beds taking up the space that is needed for the next group of folks to come in,” he said.

Throughout the pandemic COVID-10 patients have

PEOPLE AND PLACES “Wilderness Inquiry has an outstanding team and a national reputation for ensuring all people feel welcome in America’s outdoor spaces, regardless of ability or background,” said Rivers. “The organization is poised to enrich even more lives through innovative expansion of its programs to new audiences in the coming years, and I am thrilled to be part of that journey forward.”

Rivers succeeds Kim Keprios, who provided interim leadership,. and Greg Lais, who founded and led Wilderness Inquiry for more than 40 years.

Linda Hibbard presents the award to Jay Storlie.

Erika Rivers Rivers takes helm at Wilderness Inquiry Wilderness Inquiry’s Board of Directors has announced the selection of Erika Rivers as the new executive director, as of November 30.

Rivers brings two decades of experience in the field of conservation and outdoor recreation, with a specific focus on strategic planning and communications, as well as creating welcoming outdoor environments for historically underserved audiences. She will help strategically advance the organization’s mission to connect people to one another and the natural world through outdoor adventure.

Rivers most recently served as director of Minnesota State Parks and Trails at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

“Rivers’ passion, energy, and expertise is clear,” said Ed Spencer, Wilderness Inquiry’s board chair. “She also brings a collaborative leadership style that is a perfect fit with the current team at Wilderness Inquiry.”

Understanding inclusion and lifting up the organization’s mission are crucial parts of the executive director’s job description. Rivers’ past experience positions her strongly to do this.

Appointees named to state groups Appointees have been named to state boards, commissions and committees, including some disabilityrelated groups. Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announced the appointed.

Mohamed Mourssi-Alfash of Woodbury was reappointed to the Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing. The Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing serves as the principal agency of the state to advocate on behalf of the deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Minnesotans by working to ensure those persons have equal access to the services, programs, and opportunities available to others.

Thomas Heinl of Maplewood was appointed to the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind, representing an advocacy organization. He replaces Ronald Woelfel.

The State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind’s duties include advising the Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development about programs of State Services for the Blind (SSB), coordinating between SSB and centers for independent living, and advising the governor on vocational rehabilitation programs.

Brent Olson of Ortonville was named to the Council on Disability. Olson replaces Lauren Thompson. The Council on Disability advises and aids the governor, state agencies, and the public on policy and the administration of programs and services for people with disabilities in Minnesota. The council works to empower all people with disabilities and expand opportunities and improve the quality of life for its constituencies.

Kyle Shelton of Minneapolis was appointed to the Governor’s Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles. Shelton replaces Laurie McGinnis. The Governor’s Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles studies and prepares for the opportunities and challenges associated with the widespread adoption of connected and automated vehicles and other transportation technologies. The council’s work includes reviewing connected and automated vehicle developments and trends, exploring partnership opportunities, proposing policies to safely test and deploy connected and automated vehicles, and consulting with communities experiencing transportation barriers not represented on the council.

REGIONAL NEWS From page 8

distance and weight reliance on the device. The upgrades are meant to give accurate readouts of physical therapy progress.

They also like that the design puts people and not the walker out front.

The Telo team’s current prototype is made from a humble, nonload-bearing material: bent PVC piping. They hope to build metal devices by early spring and begin testing them.

The team came together in the virtual classroom last December, and never actually met each other in person until April.

If all goes as planned in testing and development and with a crowdfunding campaign they hope to start early next year, they expect to sell to customers by fall 2022.

(Source: Minnesota Public Radio)

Thankful to be your choice for medical equipment and supplies TWIN CITIES MANKATO

651-644-9770 handimedical.com

November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11 Pg 10

RADIO TALKING BOOK Use an app instead of a receiver Radio Talking Book is not just for listeners with visual disabilities. It can be an asset for people whose disabilities limit hand movements, making it difficult to read a book. The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Many more programs and books are available.

The service has phased out its longtime receivers. Enjoy programming anytime and anywhere on a hand-held mobile device, for either iOS or Android. Just visit the Apple App Store for iOS, or Google Play for Android, and download the Minnesota Radio Talking Book app. It’s quick, it’s easy, and provides a convenient way to tune in wherever and whenever.

Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available for loan through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. The catalog is at www.mnbtbl.org, click on the link Search the Library Catalog. Call the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library at 800-722-0550, Mon-Fri, 9 am - 4 pm CST for details. 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.

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.

The NFB-NEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers, plus information on COVID-19 in the “Breaking News” section. To learn more, visit www.nfb.org/programs-services/ nfb-newsline.

Donate to the State Services for the Blind at mn.gov/deed/ssbdonate Listen to RTB’s live or archived programs online at www.mnssb.org/rtb Chautauqua* Monday – Friday 6 a.m.

Soon, nonfiction by Andrew Santella, 2018.

A tongue-in-cheek exploration of why we procrastinate, and a look at history’s great procrastinators. Don’t put off listening to this one. Read by John Mandeville. Six broadcasts; begins Mon, Nov. 8.

Hanukkah in America, nonfiction by Dianne Ashton, 2013. Publisher and scholar Dianne Ashton presents a guide to the evolution of the Festival of Lights in America. Read

by Pat Kovel-Jarboe. 13 broadcasts; begins Tue, Nov. 16.

Past is Prologue* Monday – Friday 11 a.m.

We Gather Together, nonfiction by Denise Kiernan, 2020. Journalist Denise Kiernan examines the cultural, religious and secular customs behind Thanksgiving, and the campaign to make it a national holiday.

Read by John Gunter. Eight broadcasts; begins Wed, Nov. 17.

A Hanukkah Present, nonfiction by Mark Binder, 2008. Storyteller Mark Binder tells of the Festival of Lights in the village of Chelm, Poland. Read by Carol McPherson.

Three broadcasts; begins Mon, Nov. 29.

Bookworm* Monday – Friday noon Meet Me in Another Life, fiction by Catriona Silvey, 2021. Thora and Santi meet in a university in Cologne, Germany. She is a student, he a custodian — or at least they are when we first meet them. But over the years they reunite and recognize each other as kindred spirits and leave a mark on each other within each life they live.

Read by Karen Ray. 11 broadcasts; begins Thu, Nov. 18.

The Writer’s Voice* Monday – Friday 1 p.m.

His Very Best, nonfiction by Jonathan Alter, 2020. Jimmy Carter’s achievements, during his presidency and after, are momentous.

Columnist Jonathan Alter provides a studied and engaging journey through the life of this remarkable American. Read by Stevie Ray. 36 broadcasts; begins Tue, Nov. 16.

Choice Reading* Monday – Friday 2 p.m.

Alone at the Top, nonfiction by Lonnie Dupre and Pam Louwagie, 2018. Arctic explorer Lonnie Dupre climbed Denali in the harshest conditions and was caught in a storm for five days. Read by John Potts.

Five broadcasts; begins Wed, Nov. 17.

How to Spell Chanukah, and Other Holiday Dilemmas, nonfiction by Emily Franklin, 2007. Writers share tales about Chanukah and American Jewish life. Read by Michele Potts. Six broadcasts; begins Wed, Nov. 24. – L

Afternoon Report* Monday – Friday 4 p.m.

The Aisles Have Eyes, nonfiction by Joseph Turow, 2017. Retail executives observe in-store shoppers with data mining, instore tracking, and predictive analytics to manipulate how we shop. Read by Robb Empson. 10 broadcasts, begins Thu, Nov. 18.

Night Journey* Monday – Friday 7 p.m.

Can’t Judge a Book By Its Murder, fiction

by Amy Lillard, 2019. As bookseller Arlo Stanley prepares for her small-town class reunion, she finds the body of a former classmate outside her shop. Her book club ladies, who’ve been around forever and know every secret in town, are thrilled to help as Arlo chases clues. Read by Gary Rodgers. 10 broadcasts; begins Thu, Nov. 11. – V, L, S Dog Drama, fiction by Leslie O’Kane, 2017.

Dog therapist Allie Babcock helps a theater train a dog for a play. Within an hour, a light fixture crashes to the stage. By that evening a cast member is poisoned, and Allie receives an anonymous, threatening note. Can she thwart a determined killer?

Read by Jan Anderson. Seven broadcasts; begins Thu, Nov. 25. – V, L, S Off the Shelf* Monday – Friday 8 p.m.

Journeyman, fiction by Marc Bojanowski, 2017. Nolan Jackson is a wanderer by nature, but an accident makes him settle in one place and build a meaningful life. Read

by Don Gerlach. Nine broadcasts, begins Thu, Nov. 11.

The Thursday Murder Club, fiction by Richard Osman, 2020. The Thursday Murder Club are residents at the Coopers Chase Retirement Village. But when a local developer is found dead, the club finds itself amid their first live case. Read by Michelle Juntunen. 12 broadcasts; begins Wed, Nov. 24. - V, L Potpourri* Monday – Friday 9 p.m.

The Secret World of Weather, nonfiction

by Tristan Gooley, 2021. Scientist Tristan Gooley shows how to read nature: not only to detect what the weather is doing; but to enter a secret wonderland of new sights and sounds. Read by Brenda Powell. 14 broadcasts; begins Thu, Nov. 4.

All times listed are Central Standard Time.

Abbreviations V – violent content R – racial epithets L – strong language S – sexual situation G – gory descriptions Good Night Owl* Monday – Friday 10 p.m.

Barn 8, fiction by Deb Olin Unferth, 2020.

Janey and Cleveland conceive a plot to steal a million chickens ― an entire farm's worth of animals. They gather a ragtag band of ne’er-do-wells and descend on the farm on a dark spring evening. What could possibly go wrong? Read by Jack Rossmann. Nine broadcasts; begins Tue, Nov. 9.

Terrier Terror – Fiction by Leslie O’Kane, 2019. Dog therapist Allie Babcock and her boyfriend Baxter help at a Colorado dog show. But when a dog handler is murdered, Allie and Baxter's livelihoods and reputations are in deep jeopardy. Read

by Greg Olson. Eight broadcasts; begins Mon, November 22. – V, L, S RTB After Hours* Monday – Friday 11 p.m.

Humans: A Brief History of How We F----d It All Up, nonfiction by Tom Phillips, 2019.

History is filled with instances of how several human screw-ups have made a lasting impact on world history. Read by Scott McKinney. Nine broadcasts; begins Mon, Nov. 22. – L Weekend Program Books Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents The In-Betweens by Mira Ptacin (L), read

by Beverly Burchett.

Rated R, 11 p.m. Sat, presents Revenge of the Crafty Corpse by Lois Winston (L), read

by Therese Murray.

For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents Crap Kingdom by D.C. Pierson, read by Jim Tarbox.

Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Cowboy Poetry, edited by Hal Cannon, read

by Scott McKinney.

The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents Secret Partners by Tim Mahoney, read by Jim Gregorich.

All times listed are Central Standard Time.

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November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11

Pg 11

ENJOY! Metro Arts and Disability Forum Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) hosts the Twin Cities Metro Arts & Disability Forum, 6-7 p.m. Thu, Nov. 18 via Zoom. The public conversation with four Twin Cities artists with disabilities will explore how people with disabilities are making, sharing and experiencing art in the Twin Cities Metro region––and what needs to be done to fully include disability communities in the region’s cultural fabric. The hour-long virtual event is appropriate for arts groups seeking to be more accessible, arts groups serving and/or made up of people with disabilities, and individual artists with disabilities who want to learn from peers who have found some success at MRAC. The event, held on Zoom, will be interpreted into ASL and live captioned, and will be archived on the MRAC YouTube channel for future viewing.

Preregister and indicate if additional accommodations are needed, using the registration form or email sam@mrac.org or 651-523-6388. FFI. www.mrac.org Puzzle competition is Nov. 6 The 4th Annual AuSM Connections Jigsaw Puzzle Competition will be offered in both an in-person and virtual format in 2021.

Between 9am-3:30pm, Nov. 6, teams of puzzlers will gather at the Mall of America TCF Rotunda and on Zoom to put their skills to the test while supporting the local autism community.

Organized by the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) in partnership with PuzzleTwist and Games by James, the competition offers the opportunity for teams of up to four, located anywhere in the U.S., to put their jigsaw puzzling passion to the test by competing for the fastest puzzle completion time. The event will feature two team divisions including the 500-Piece Division (9am-12 pm) and the 1,000-Piece Division (12:30-3:30pm) in both in-person and virtual formats.

Team fee is $60, and puzzles will be provided. Check to see which categories are open. FFI: www.ausm.org Steve Martin at PACER The accomplished comedian, actor, musician, writer and producer, headlines PACER’s Annual Benefit Sat, Nov. 13, at 7:30 pm. Martin co-created and currently stars in Hulu’s smash hit comedy series, Only Murders in the Building. His movies include The Jerk; Parenthood; Little Shop of Horrors; Planes, Trains, and Automobiles; and the Father of the Bride films. For safety reasons, the benefit will be held virtually this year — enjoy it from the comfort of home. A silent auction is offered. Tickets are available. FFI: 952 838-9000, www.PACER.org 2022 Arc Gala The Arc Minnesota has set its gala date for March 5, 2022 at the Depot, Mpls. Save the date and join in for a night of celebration, acknowledgement, and commitment.

Proceeds support Arc and its many statewide advocacy efforts and activities.

Plan to attend in person by purchasing tickets, or attend virtually for no charge.

Tickets start at $175. Sponsorships available.

FFI: www. https://arcminnesota.org/ Open Flow Forum The Artists with Disabilities Alliance meets via Zoom 7-9 p.m. the first Thu of the month. Upcoming dates: Nov. 4 and Dec. 7. Join artists with disabilities and supporters to share visual art, writing, music, theater and artistic efforts or disability concerns. Facilitators are Tara Innmon, Kip Shane and Springboard for the Arts. The gatherings are fully accessible. Anyone needing special accommodations should contact Andy Sturdevant, Springboard for the Arts. Funding is available for access needs. FFI: 651-294-0907, resources@ springboardforthearts.org

OPPORTUNITIES Advocate

Join statewide council The Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council (MNSILC) is seeking applicants to fill positions opening up in January 2022.

Anyone with an interest or knowledge of the independent living philosophy is welcome to apply. Individuals with disabilities, parents, guardians, representatives of service providers or businesses are also urged to apply. Appli-cants are sought from throughout the state.

The council meets 10 times per year. Until further notice meetings will be held via Zoom or through a call in option.

To apply visit the Boards and Commissions section on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. Include a cover letter expressing interest in serving on MNSILC and a resume with the online application. View Member Responsibilities on the Members tab of the MNSILC Website (www.mnsilc.org). Assistance is available to complete an application. FFI: 612518-1497; mnsilc1215@gmail.com

Resources

The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities has announced three new products to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Council’s formation.

The New Stargazers: 50 Years of Bold Achievements is a short documentary that describes the major milestones of the council's work across the last half century. Brittanie Hernandez-Wilson, council member and Partners in Policymaking graduate, is host.

Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities: 50 Years of Empowering Advocacy, Expanding Capacity and Envisioning Systems Change is a book that organizes the council's work around the federal Developmental Disabilities Act requirements of advocacy, capacity building, and systems change. The second publication, entitled inVISIBILITY, depicts the progress made from 1905 through 2021 in a series of photo collections. FFI: www.mncdd.org

Children & Families

PACER Center offers workshops sampling Many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources for families of children with any disabilities are online and livestreamed at this time. Advance registration is required for all workshops. At least 48 hours’ notice is needed for interpretation. 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.

Back on Track for School Success: Mental Health and Education is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thu, Nov. 4. Many children and youth experienced new or different challenges managing their mental health and emotional wellness over the last school year. Webinar provides information and strategies for supporting school success and looking at how mental health impacts learning.

Reading Tools for Chrome is 2-3 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 9. Learn about the many tools on the Chrome web browser that can assist with reading such as audio options, visual customizations, and study supports.

An Overview of Bullying Prevention is 6:307:30 p.m. Thu, Nov. 11. Webinar provides an overview of how bullying is defined, the roles involved, and helpful tips to address bullying behavior. It includes a discussion of the laws and steps required in addressing bullying of or by students with disabilities.

Tech for Girls Club Into Space: Comets is 10-11 a.m. Sat, Nov. 13. Head into space and explore what elements comets are made of and then make comets using household items.

Working Together: Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health Needs at School is 6:30-8 p.m. Tue, Nov. 16. The training will discuss how mental health challenges can impact children and youth engagement at school and strategies for working with schools when educational progress becomes a concern.

FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org

Info & Assistance

Interested in service dogs?

Can Do Canines hosts an open house 6-8 p.m. Thu, Nov. 11 at its campus, 9440 Science Center Drive, New Hope. Potential clients, volunteers, or anyone interested in supporting the organization is invited to learn how an assistance dog changes the life of a person with a disability. The organization is especially excited to offer this open house, because there is a currently a minimal wait list for some types of assistance dogs. All Can Do Canines dogs are provided to clients free of charge.

Through a self-guided tour, attendees will be able to watch a trainer working with an assistance dog, talk with a Puppy Program volunteer, and meet graduate teams from each of the five types of areas Can Do Canines trains dogs: hearing, mobility,

A Christmas Carol The Guthrie Theater presents a reimagined version of A Christmas Carol, Nov. 10-Dec. 27. For the first time since 2010, the theater has invested in reimagining the physical production, with new. scenery, props, costumes, lighting and sound for a fresh take on the holiday tradition. Single tickets start at $15 for preview performances (Nov. 10–11).

All other performances range from $29 to $134. Accessibility services (ASL-interpreted, audio-described, open-captioned, family-friendly and relaxed performances) are available on select dates. A relaxed performance is 1 p.m. Sun, Dec. 5. All ticket holders must show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 PCR test result and a valid photo ID to attend a performance at the Guthrie. Ticket holders under age 18 may provide a school photo ID or an official school document with the student’s name. Masks that securely cover the nose and mouth are required regardless of vaccination status. A complete list of Guthrie requirements for masking, vaccination and testing is available at www.guthrietheater.org/health. FFI: 612-377-2224; www.guthrietheater.org Less to Enjoy!

Restrictions have eased in the entertainment world, but with the spike in COVID-19 cases, arts organizations are making contingency plans. It’s more important than ever to check on events and activities before heading out.

Some of the museums, arts and theater groups have moved to online services or

are offering in-person services with social distancing and safety measures. Others are offering their art in-person. Please check with a venue or organization before making plans. See what classes and performances are offered online. See what is available through the Minnesota Access Alliance and its calendar, at https://mnaccess.org/

seizure, diabetes and childhood autism.

No preregistration is required. FFI: www. candocanines.org Support group offered in Waconia Led by trained facilitators who also have a family member with mental illness, a new family support group will meet the first and third Thu of each month, 6:30-8pm, St. Joseph Catholic STEM School, 41 E. 1st St. Online family groups also offered. FFI: Jan, 612-554-0825, www.nami.org New website announced The System of Technology to Achieve Results (STAR) Program has a new website for its library of loanable devices. Visit Minnesota Assistive Technology for All (MNAT4ALL) at https://mn.at4all.com/ and check out the new database. The STAR Program site features images of devices and links to manufacturer websites. MNAT4ALL allow users to create their own account, track the items they have borrowed, request loans and demonstrations, and complete surveys.

FFI: 651-201-2640; 1-888-234-1267; MN Relay: 711 or toll free at 800-627-3529 Online mental health support NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offers free online peer support groups for adults and young adults living with a mental illness, their families, friends, spouses/partners, as well as parents of children and teens. Led by trained peer facilitators, the support groups help individuals and families learn coping skills and find strength through sharing their experiences.

Three new groups are offered: BIPOC Connections Support Group: A peerled support group for people in BIPOC (Black, indigenous, people of color) communities who live with mental illness. Meets 10-11:30 a.m. 2nd and 4th Sat. Young Adult Family Support Group: A young adult peer-led support group for families and friends of a person living with a mental illness.

Meets 5-6:30 p.m. the 4th Wed. BIPOC Family Support Group: A peer led support group in BIPOC (Black, indigenous, people of color) communities for families and friends of a person living with a mental illness.

Meets 5-6:30 p.m. 1st and 3rd Sat. Find support groups, meetings and how to join in by going to namimn.org and clicking on “Support Groups”. FFI: https://namimn.org/ support/nami-minnesota-support-groups/.

Calendars are available Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota’s 2022 calendars are available and will ship in November. Two formats: wall calendar (12 by 18.5 when opened, $20) has

the most pictures of DSAMN’s community.

Cards are 8 by 5.5 inches and includes display easel, $24. Proceeds support activites for people with Down syndrome. FFI: http:// weblink.donorperfect.com/DSAMNCalendar Centers for independent living statewide Minnesota centers for independent living have gone to more in-person operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically centers offer an array of classes, training programs and other services tied to independent living. Centers that proving PCA, homemaker and other staffing for clients continue to do that in person. Check with a local center for open hours. FFI: www.macil.org/

CLASSIFIEDS Employment

STAFF ATTORNEY Central Minnesota Legal Services seeks full-time attorney for its St. Cloud office.

Fam. Law; some work in other poverty law.

Licensed in MN pref’d. Post-law school pov. law exper., fam. law or clinical exper. pref’d. Spanish or Somali language a plus.

Salary $53,500-$64,737 D.O.E. Excellent benes. Apply online at: https://secure. entertimeonline.com/ta/CBIZ20278.

Careers?CareersSearch Deadline: 11/05/21 or until filled. EOE.

For Rent

Metes & Bounds Management Company manages the following Section 8 properties in Minnesota: Greenwood Wadena 218-631-2575 Mission Oaks Plymouth 763-559-5770 Rustic Creek Two Harbors 218-595-1018 Todd 27 Long Prairie 320-732-6154 Town Square East Grand Forks 218-773-3631 Boardwalk Wayzata 952-473-0502 Dewey Place/The Pines Foley 320-968-7791 Highwood Homes Prior Lake 952-447-6961 Income and rent restrictions apply Metes & Bounds is an equal housing opportunity housing company 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

Classified rates: $14 (first 12 words); 65¢/word beyond 12.

Deadline: 20th of each month.

Email classified to access@accesspress.org We will email total cost of classified ad.

November 2021 Volume 32, Number 11 Pg 12

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