The Paralympics is a relatively new sporting event, having made its first appearance in 1960. The Paralympics consist of both winter and summer events and was created with the idea of rehabilitation in mind. Dr. Ludwig Guttmann thought that injured and wounded soldiers during World War II would be able to enhance their physical abilities through sport. Today, the Paralympic Summer Games have proudly become the second-largest sporting event in the world. Held every 4 years for individuals with disability, the Paralympics is the equivalent of the Olympics and hosts many of the same sports. Each sport is divided into several classes: persons with visual impairments, physical disabilities, amputee athletes, individuals with cerebral palsy, individuals with spinal cord injuries, and any other person with a physical disability not mentioned.
YouTube Uploaded by AbilityRIC on May 16, 2011
Going back to its roots, the Paralympic association launched Paralympic military camps, which take place all across the nation. From California to Rhode Island, Paralympic Military Sports Camps offer servicemen and servicewomen the ability to experience a wide variety of events spread over a multi-day period. Camps commonly include events such as swimming, archery, power lifting, judo, biathlon, tennis, cycling, sled hockey, wheelchair basketball, sailing, and many more. In a recent military camp hosted by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, U.S. Marine Sgt. William White said, “the clinic was a surprisingly good opportunity to meet and see other injured persons from all branches of United States Services.” He went on further to say that “it wasn’t a pity-party but a celebration of all the things [they] had in common.”
Finding out when the next camp is taking place is easily done through the official website of the USA Paralympic team (www.usaparalympics.org). Future sports camps are listed almost a year out along with information on who to contact and how to attend. Selected applicants always attend cost-free; all travel expenses, food, and housing are paid for.
The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago hosts a Military Sports Camp annually, with the next camp coming up in August 2012. The most recent camp included wheelchair basketball, fitness demonstrations, power lifting, judo, sit volleyball, archery, track and field events, biathlon, sled hockey, kayaking, cycling, and golf. All of these events were taught by professionals of the sports, many of whom competed in past Paralympic events.
The RIC Military Camp often brings in current and former athletes to assist with the camp and its activities. This year, Patrick Byrne, a 2002 USA Paralympic Sled Hockey gold medalist, taught sled hockey, which is basically the same as traditional hockey, only the athletes use a small sled that’s generally fitted to the player with two blades in the rear and a runner in the front to keep the sled off of the ice. The players use two smaller hockey sticks to propel the sled. As sled hockey is a sport that isn’t played too often unless you’re on a team, some individuals were a little apprehensive at first, but once everyone started playing, all worries were forgotten and high fives, camaraderie, and encouraging cheers quickly filled the gym. It was a great experience for everyone and many of the participants came back for a second or third game.
Another event that was demonstrated at RIC’s camp this past year was the biathlon. The biathlon is any event made up of two sports, but it primarily refers to the Olympic winter game, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle-shooting. Adapted for the Paralympics, biathlon has divisions for standing, sitting, and visually impaired, so that all athletes compete against others who have a similar disability. Events are either long-distance or short-distance and shooting is always done from a prone position. Lacking snow, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago was still able to provide the biathlon experience for the participants. A carriage with wheels, instead of skis, was used, while participants used poles to propel themselves around a track. Once finished, participants lay prone and used infrared rifles to hit targets at a distance. For individuals with visual impairment, headphones were worn during the shooting component. A tone is played and the closer to the bull’s-eye a participant gets, the higher the tone gets. This event was challenging for the participants, but everyone who tried it did succeed, which was very motivating for everyone else.
These are just two examples of activities and events that were completed at the RIC Military Camp. It is truly a great experience for everyone involved and one that brings veterans together from all areas of the country.
For more information on the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s Military Sports Camp, go to: http://www.ric.org/healthinfo/fitness/sportsprograms/paralympicservices/militarycamp.aspx .
This fact sheet was last updated on 11-15-2011.
Disclaimer
"The information provided here is offered as a service only. The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, University of Illinois at Chicago, the National Center on Accessibility, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago do not formally recommend or endorse the equipment listed. As with any products or services, consumers should investigate and determine on their own which equipment best fits their needs and budget."
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
In Illinois What to do about parking scofflaws
Part of an on going article by;
Chicago Sun-Times
By MARK BROWN ; Nov 21, 2011
It’s been six years since Bill Bogdan took me fishing, and while it wasn’t quite as much fun as when I went with Sun-Times’ outdoor writer Dale Bowman, it had its moments.
The difference was that while Bowman and I were angling for lake perch, Bogdan took me in search of a species of bottom-feeding scum-suckers that made the occasional goby Bowman and I reeled ashore look like trophy lake trout by comparison.
I speak of disabled parking scofflaws, those incredibly loathsome individuals who pretend to have a disability to get an advantage on parking their car.
When Bogdan, the disability liaison for the Illinois Secretary of State, took me trolling through the parking lots of suburban parking malls in 2005, disabled parking scofflaws already were on the increase.
Even then, one big reason was clear — the rising cost of parking in the city of Chicago. That’s because individuals with state-issued disability placards are exempt by state law from paying parking meters.
That was three years before former Mayor Richard M. Daley cashed out the city’s future parking meter revenue by leasing the meters to a private company in a deal that sent parking meter rates soaring higher.
Suddenly the incentive to cheat was that much greater, and as a Watchdogs report last week by the Sun-Times’ Chris Fusco showed, that’s exactly what’s happening.
It only makes sense that in a world where able-bodied people don’t think twice about using their late mom’s parking placard to get a space at the mall that they certainly won’t have any pangs of conscience when it will save them $25 a day on downtown parking.
The question now is what to do about it.
Back in 2005, Bogdan was optimistic that newly increased fines for fraudulent use of disabled placards would convince local governments to crack down on abuse.
Naturally, that’s been the suggestion again this time. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has already introduced an ordinance calling for higher fines and even towing for someone caught in the act by a police officer. Secretary of State Jesse White is also looking at higher fines and possibly drivers license suspensions.
The track record indicates to me that you can’t enforce your way out of the problems. Enforcement is labor intensive and time consuming. In a city emphasizing the need to put more police officers on the street, it makes no sense to assign those officers to surveillance duty of disabled parking scofflaws.
Instead, we should think outside the box, as state Rep. Karen May (D-Highland Park) did last week in saying she will introduce legislation to do away with free parking for all but a select group of people with disabilities — those whose disability truly prevents them from feeding the parking meter or who meet certain income guidelines.
Take away the financial incentive and the demand for disabled parking downtown will decrease dramatically — as Fusco points out took place in Philadelphia.
May’s proposal is a gutsy stand for a politician, none of whom want to be portrayed as insensitive to the disabled. But she believes, as do I, that the right to preferred parking and free parking are two different questions, and that doing away with the freebie should free up more parking spaces for disabled individuals who need them.
May, who is leaving the legislature at the end of this term, admits she might not have stepped out front on this emotional issue if she planned to stay in office.
“It makes you very free to do what’s right, and that’s a great feeling,” May told me.
Reaction has been mixed. May believes her past work on behalf of autistic children makes clear that she is an advocate for the disabled, though not everyone calling her office is convinced. “I think the first reaction is ‘she’s a scrooge,’ ” May said.
But May says it’s “crazy” to assume that because a person is disabled, they are too poor to pay for parking. Some of her critics have pointed out that under the city’s parking meter lease deal, it would be the parking concessionaire that would benefit from making more people pay, not the city.
That may be true, but this also could provide an opening for the city to reopen negotiations on the meter lease, as a certain mayoral candidate promised to do.
# http://www.suntimes.com/news/brown/8992354-452/what-to-do-about-parking-scofflaws.html
Chicago Sun-Times
By MARK BROWN ; Nov 21, 2011
The difference was that while Bowman and I were angling for lake perch, Bogdan took me in search of a species of bottom-feeding scum-suckers that made the occasional goby Bowman and I reeled ashore look like trophy lake trout by comparison.
I speak of disabled parking scofflaws, those incredibly loathsome individuals who pretend to have a disability to get an advantage on parking their car.
When Bogdan, the disability liaison for the Illinois Secretary of State, took me trolling through the parking lots of suburban parking malls in 2005, disabled parking scofflaws already were on the increase.
Even then, one big reason was clear — the rising cost of parking in the city of Chicago. That’s because individuals with state-issued disability placards are exempt by state law from paying parking meters.
That was three years before former Mayor Richard M. Daley cashed out the city’s future parking meter revenue by leasing the meters to a private company in a deal that sent parking meter rates soaring higher.
Suddenly the incentive to cheat was that much greater, and as a Watchdogs report last week by the Sun-Times’ Chris Fusco showed, that’s exactly what’s happening.
It only makes sense that in a world where able-bodied people don’t think twice about using their late mom’s parking placard to get a space at the mall that they certainly won’t have any pangs of conscience when it will save them $25 a day on downtown parking.
The question now is what to do about it.
Back in 2005, Bogdan was optimistic that newly increased fines for fraudulent use of disabled placards would convince local governments to crack down on abuse.
Naturally, that’s been the suggestion again this time. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has already introduced an ordinance calling for higher fines and even towing for someone caught in the act by a police officer. Secretary of State Jesse White is also looking at higher fines and possibly drivers license suspensions.
The track record indicates to me that you can’t enforce your way out of the problems. Enforcement is labor intensive and time consuming. In a city emphasizing the need to put more police officers on the street, it makes no sense to assign those officers to surveillance duty of disabled parking scofflaws.
Instead, we should think outside the box, as state Rep. Karen May (D-Highland Park) did last week in saying she will introduce legislation to do away with free parking for all but a select group of people with disabilities — those whose disability truly prevents them from feeding the parking meter or who meet certain income guidelines.
Take away the financial incentive and the demand for disabled parking downtown will decrease dramatically — as Fusco points out took place in Philadelphia.
May’s proposal is a gutsy stand for a politician, none of whom want to be portrayed as insensitive to the disabled. But she believes, as do I, that the right to preferred parking and free parking are two different questions, and that doing away with the freebie should free up more parking spaces for disabled individuals who need them.
May, who is leaving the legislature at the end of this term, admits she might not have stepped out front on this emotional issue if she planned to stay in office.
“It makes you very free to do what’s right, and that’s a great feeling,” May told me.
Reaction has been mixed. May believes her past work on behalf of autistic children makes clear that she is an advocate for the disabled, though not everyone calling her office is convinced. “I think the first reaction is ‘she’s a scrooge,’ ” May said.
But May says it’s “crazy” to assume that because a person is disabled, they are too poor to pay for parking. Some of her critics have pointed out that under the city’s parking meter lease deal, it would be the parking concessionaire that would benefit from making more people pay, not the city.
That may be true, but this also could provide an opening for the city to reopen negotiations on the meter lease, as a certain mayoral candidate promised to do.
# http://www.suntimes.com/news/brown/8992354-452/what-to-do-about-parking-scofflaws.html
Washington Lawmakers Seek Social Security Check Protections : Nov 2011
By Associated Press : Nov 21, 2011
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fourteen Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee want more scrutiny of how the Social Security Administration oversees benefit checks sent to disabled adults and minors to make sure the money does not fall into the hands of predators.
A recent Philadelphia case found that a woman accused of locking mentally disabled people in a squalid basement was able to cash their benefit checks without being discovered by authorities.
For years, paroled murderer Linda Ann Weston brought several mentally challenged adults into Social Security offices to sign off as their representative payee, someone who helps manage their monthly benefits of about $600 to $900, authorities have said.
Advocates have said the case showed how vulnerable people with mental and physical impairments can be if they don’t have family or friends protecting them from predators attracted by their Social Security checks.
The lawmakers, in a letter on Friday, cited the “horrific example” of the Philadelphia case and asked the Government Accountability Office, which is Congress’ investigative arm, to evaluate the effectiveness of the Social Security Administration’s representative payee program for those who are legally incompetent or under the age of 15.
“The SSA’s oversight of representative payees remains a clear challenge,” wrote the lawmakers, including Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, who is chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security.
There are about 5.6 million representative payees managing about $61 billion annually for about 7.6 million beneficiaries in 2011, the lawmakers said.
Weston and three others were charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and other offenses after her landlord stumbled onto the four victims in a foul-smelling boiler room last month.
Weston and her daughter, Jean McIntosh, 32; Weston’s boyfriend, Gregory Thomas; and Eddie “the Rev. Ed” Wright, are accused of preying on mentally disabled adults, locking them in the basement’s boiler room and wresting control of their disability checks.
Investigators say they are still working to discover the extent of the alleged scheme after finding more than 50 Social Security cards, power of attorney documents and other forms of identification.
There are rules governing representative payees, such as the requirement that they pledge to use the money only on the individual’s care and upkeep, and a requirement that they file yearly reports on how the money is spent.
But some of the rules lack enforcement. For example, people who have served more than a year in prison are ineligible to be representative payees, but the reporting is voluntary, and the Social Security Administration does not make use of independent background checks.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fourteen Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee want more scrutiny of how the Social Security Administration oversees benefit checks sent to disabled adults and minors to make sure the money does not fall into the hands of predators.
A recent Philadelphia case found that a woman accused of locking mentally disabled people in a squalid basement was able to cash their benefit checks without being discovered by authorities.
For years, paroled murderer Linda Ann Weston brought several mentally challenged adults into Social Security offices to sign off as their representative payee, someone who helps manage their monthly benefits of about $600 to $900, authorities have said.
Advocates have said the case showed how vulnerable people with mental and physical impairments can be if they don’t have family or friends protecting them from predators attracted by their Social Security checks.
The lawmakers, in a letter on Friday, cited the “horrific example” of the Philadelphia case and asked the Government Accountability Office, which is Congress’ investigative arm, to evaluate the effectiveness of the Social Security Administration’s representative payee program for those who are legally incompetent or under the age of 15.
“The SSA’s oversight of representative payees remains a clear challenge,” wrote the lawmakers, including Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, who is chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security.
There are about 5.6 million representative payees managing about $61 billion annually for about 7.6 million beneficiaries in 2011, the lawmakers said.
Weston and three others were charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and other offenses after her landlord stumbled onto the four victims in a foul-smelling boiler room last month.
Weston and her daughter, Jean McIntosh, 32; Weston’s boyfriend, Gregory Thomas; and Eddie “the Rev. Ed” Wright, are accused of preying on mentally disabled adults, locking them in the basement’s boiler room and wresting control of their disability checks.
Investigators say they are still working to discover the extent of the alleged scheme after finding more than 50 Social Security cards, power of attorney documents and other forms of identification.
There are rules governing representative payees, such as the requirement that they pledge to use the money only on the individual’s care and upkeep, and a requirement that they file yearly reports on how the money is spent.
But some of the rules lack enforcement. For example, people who have served more than a year in prison are ineligible to be representative payees, but the reporting is voluntary, and the Social Security Administration does not make use of independent background checks.
Monday, November 21, 2011
What happens when autistic kids grow up? : article Nov 2011
Source: Chicago Sun-Times By: Ashley Johnson Nov 15, 2011
{photo: Ryan Wall, who has autism, with cheerleaders at a Naperville Central football game}
Like most teenagers, 18-year-old Ryan Wall enjoys playing sports, attending high school football games and dances, and socializing with friends. But as Ryan nears the end of his senior year at Naperville Central, his parents face an unsettling question … now what?
Theirs is not the usual anxiety of parents whose children must choose between college and work. Ryan is autistic. Although Naperville has a transitional program after high school to help prepare him for adulthood, those services will end the day before he turns 22.
For his mother and father, Jama and Bob Wall, thinking about the decisions that have to be made can be overwhelming. Where is he going to live and work? Who is going to take care of him when they are gone?
As Jama Wall said, “With more and more kids being diagnosed, what happens when they become adults?”
Transitioning
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 110 children have an autism spectrum disorder, a range of disorders characterized by communication and social interaction difficulties. That figure, from 2006, represents a 57 percent increase from 2002, in part because of increased awareness.
Ryan was diagnosed with autism around age 4. Looking back, his mother said there were red flags when he was just 2, such as repetitive behaviors and lack of speech.
“Having two other kids I saw things just were not right,” she said. “A mom’s intuition I think.”
Ryan is nonverbal. He communicates by typing into a device that speaks. Yet he is also highly social and energetic. He participates in Special Olympics sports — basketball, bowling and track — as well as other recreational activities.
However, Jama Wall said finding programs for him has not been easy, and even fewer opportunities exist for older individuals with autism.
To figure out the next steps, she turned to the “Transition Tool Kit” provided by advocacy group Autism Speaks. Launched in February, the tool kit address issues such as housing, post-secondary education, employment, legal matters and public benefits.
Liz Klug, executive director of the Chicagoland Chapter of Autism Speaks, said there is no consistent solution yet for families like the Walls.
“Once a person ages out of the public school system it’s a matter of then finding opportunities for that person to live a dignified life, earn a wage, enjoy life, live a life that’s safe, live in a community,” Klug said. “By and large every family’s blazing their own trail.”
Jama Wall first connected with Autism Speaks in 2004 by participating in the organization’s annual walk. Her family formed a team called “Ryan’s Hope.” The team has grown to include 50 to 60 people, she said, and last year raised about $9,000 for Autism Speaks.
A purpose in Naperville
Jama Wall envisions a future for her son that includes a purpose and a productive job. “I’m hoping that he will be able to find a job of some sort that he enjoys doing,” she said. “When that bus stops coming, I would like for him to have a place to go.”
As part of his education at Naperville Central, Ryan currently works in the billing department at Edward Hospital stuffing envelopes. That type of repetitive work provides comfort to some people with autism, Jama Wall said.
She stressed that autistic individuals have a lot to contribute to society. In fact, she has joined with other Naperville moms to form a nonprofit called Community Access Naperville to create local jobs and recreational opportunities for young adults with autism in the area.
“Most of these kids have lived in Naperville their whole lives and we want them to stay here,” she said. “We want them to have a place and a purpose in our community.”
# For more information visit: www.www.autismspeaks.org.
The Transition Tool Kit is located on the home page
# http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/lifestyles/8669566-423/what-happens-when-autistic-kids-grow-up.html
Like most teenagers, 18-year-old Ryan Wall enjoys playing sports, attending high school football games and dances, and socializing with friends. But as Ryan nears the end of his senior year at Naperville Central, his parents face an unsettling question … now what?
Theirs is not the usual anxiety of parents whose children must choose between college and work. Ryan is autistic. Although Naperville has a transitional program after high school to help prepare him for adulthood, those services will end the day before he turns 22.
For his mother and father, Jama and Bob Wall, thinking about the decisions that have to be made can be overwhelming. Where is he going to live and work? Who is going to take care of him when they are gone?
As Jama Wall said, “With more and more kids being diagnosed, what happens when they become adults?”
Transitioning
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 110 children have an autism spectrum disorder, a range of disorders characterized by communication and social interaction difficulties. That figure, from 2006, represents a 57 percent increase from 2002, in part because of increased awareness.
Ryan was diagnosed with autism around age 4. Looking back, his mother said there were red flags when he was just 2, such as repetitive behaviors and lack of speech.
“Having two other kids I saw things just were not right,” she said. “A mom’s intuition I think.”
Ryan is nonverbal. He communicates by typing into a device that speaks. Yet he is also highly social and energetic. He participates in Special Olympics sports — basketball, bowling and track — as well as other recreational activities.
However, Jama Wall said finding programs for him has not been easy, and even fewer opportunities exist for older individuals with autism.
To figure out the next steps, she turned to the “Transition Tool Kit” provided by advocacy group Autism Speaks. Launched in February, the tool kit address issues such as housing, post-secondary education, employment, legal matters and public benefits.
Liz Klug, executive director of the Chicagoland Chapter of Autism Speaks, said there is no consistent solution yet for families like the Walls.
“Once a person ages out of the public school system it’s a matter of then finding opportunities for that person to live a dignified life, earn a wage, enjoy life, live a life that’s safe, live in a community,” Klug said. “By and large every family’s blazing their own trail.”
Jama Wall first connected with Autism Speaks in 2004 by participating in the organization’s annual walk. Her family formed a team called “Ryan’s Hope.” The team has grown to include 50 to 60 people, she said, and last year raised about $9,000 for Autism Speaks.
A purpose in Naperville
Jama Wall envisions a future for her son that includes a purpose and a productive job. “I’m hoping that he will be able to find a job of some sort that he enjoys doing,” she said. “When that bus stops coming, I would like for him to have a place to go.”
As part of his education at Naperville Central, Ryan currently works in the billing department at Edward Hospital stuffing envelopes. That type of repetitive work provides comfort to some people with autism, Jama Wall said.
She stressed that autistic individuals have a lot to contribute to society. In fact, she has joined with other Naperville moms to form a nonprofit called Community Access Naperville to create local jobs and recreational opportunities for young adults with autism in the area.
“Most of these kids have lived in Naperville their whole lives and we want them to stay here,” she said. “We want them to have a place and a purpose in our community.”
# For more information visit: www.www.autismspeaks.org.
The Transition Tool Kit is located on the home page
# http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/lifestyles/8669566-423/what-happens-when-autistic-kids-grow-up.html
Federal Transit Administration Webinars list - Dec 2011
Calendar of Events
12/1/2011 - 12/2/2011 FY 2012 Triennial Review Workshop - Isla Verde, CA (Puerto Rico) This workshop is designed for transit professionals responsible for planning or managing transit service or compliance programs, as well as those responsible for developing grant applications and managing federally funded programs.
12/6/2011 - 12/7/2011 FY 2012 Triennial Review Workshop - Chicago, IL This workshop is designed for transit professionals responsible for planning or managing transit service or compliance programs, as well as those responsible for developing grant applications and managing federally funded programs.
12/7/2011 T3 Webinar: Introduction to Cyber Security Issues for Transportation For more information see: http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/s111207_cybersecurity.asp
12/8/2011 - 12/9/2011 FY 2012 Triennial Review Workshop - Chicago, IL This workshop is designed for transit professionals responsible for planning or managing transit service or compliance programs, as well as those responsible for developing grant applications and managing federally funded programs.
12/12/2011 - 12/13/2011 NTD Classroom Training for Urbanized Area Reporters - Fort Worth, TX The goal of this course is to help transit professionals learn the necessary skills for reporting data to the NTD internet reporting website.
12/12/2011 - 12/13/2011 FY 2012 Triennial Review Workshop - Philadelphia, PA This workshop is designed for transit professionals responsible for planning or managing transit service or compliance programs, as well as those responsible for developing grant applications and managing federally funded programs
# For the Federal Transit Administration webinars, registration -visit: http://www.fta.dot.gov/newsroom/calendar.html
12/1/2011 - 12/2/2011 FY 2012 Triennial Review Workshop - Isla Verde, CA (Puerto Rico) This workshop is designed for transit professionals responsible for planning or managing transit service or compliance programs, as well as those responsible for developing grant applications and managing federally funded programs.
12/6/2011 - 12/7/2011 FY 2012 Triennial Review Workshop - Chicago, IL This workshop is designed for transit professionals responsible for planning or managing transit service or compliance programs, as well as those responsible for developing grant applications and managing federally funded programs.
12/7/2011 T3 Webinar: Introduction to Cyber Security Issues for Transportation For more information see: http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/s111207_cybersecurity.asp
12/8/2011 - 12/9/2011 FY 2012 Triennial Review Workshop - Chicago, IL This workshop is designed for transit professionals responsible for planning or managing transit service or compliance programs, as well as those responsible for developing grant applications and managing federally funded programs.
12/12/2011 - 12/13/2011 NTD Classroom Training for Urbanized Area Reporters - Fort Worth, TX The goal of this course is to help transit professionals learn the necessary skills for reporting data to the NTD internet reporting website.
12/12/2011 - 12/13/2011 FY 2012 Triennial Review Workshop - Philadelphia, PA This workshop is designed for transit professionals responsible for planning or managing transit service or compliance programs, as well as those responsible for developing grant applications and managing federally funded programs
# For the Federal Transit Administration webinars, registration -visit: http://www.fta.dot.gov/newsroom/calendar.html
AgrAbility Unlimited - Provides assistance to Illinois farmers, farm workers and their families who have any form of disability Nov 2011
YouTube Uploaded by Purdueagriculture on Jan 12, 2011
What is AgrAbility Unlimited?
For the majority of over three million Americans who earn their living in agriculture, the work involved is not just their livelihood, it is their way of life; productive, satisfying and a great source of personal and professional pride. It goes without saying that agricultural production is hazardous. It is estimated that more than 200,000 farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers experience lost-work-time injuries and occupational illnesses every year, of which approximately five percent have serious and/or permanent results. Tens of thousands more fall victim to general health conditions, such as heart disease, arthritis, or cancer, as well as disabilities associated with aging.
The Breaking New Ground Resource Center estimates that more than 500,000 persons working in agriculture have physical disabilities that directly impair their ability to perform essential tasks on the farm or ranch. For those with disabilities who work or live in agricultural settings, the majority want to continue to do so. However, they are all too often frustrated by the many obstacles that make this difficult: limited personal and financial resources, rural isolation, and inadequate access to agriculture-oriented assistance, to name a few.
Illinois was one of the first states to benefit from the USDA initiative for a state-level program to provide information on accommodating disability in agriculture. Building on the strength of nationwide resources and a statewide network of agricultural, rural health, safety and social agencies, AgrAbility Unlimited offers education and assistance in identifying ways to accommodate disabilities, eliminate barriers, and create a favorable climate among rural service providers for people with disabilities. AgrAbility strives to help agricultural people maintain their livelihood by keeping them 'on the farm', providing information on safe, affordable modifications and solutions, regardless of disability, whether the farming operation is a large or small one.
Our Purpose
AgrAbility Unlimited, a joint program of the University of Illinois Extension and Central Illinois Easter Seals, seeks to promote independence in agriculture for people with disabilities and their families. Authorized by the 1990 Farm Bill, in 1991 the U.S. Department of Agriculture initiated funding for state-level programs to provide information on accommodating disability in agriculture. Twenty-four (24) states are currently operating individually with this funding, and together they represent a common national effort know as the AgrAbility Project.
As one of those states, Illinois has a service available called AgrAbility Unlimited. U of I Extension has combined with Central Illinois Easter Seals to establish this program, which offers comprehensive assistance to individuals and their families engaged in farming or a farm related activity and who have been affected by a disability.
Building on the strength of nationwide informational resources, along with a statewide network of agricultural, rural health, safety, and social agencies, AgrAbility Unlimited offers individualized services aimed at increasing self-sufficiency and independence.
Services
Through AgrAbility Unlimited farmers, their families and agricultural workers
will continue to enjoy their way of life. The program seeks ways to overcome
disabilities through:
*A toll-free information and referral hotline
*Networking with local agricultural and rehabilitation professionals
*Community Resource Coordination
*Equipment Modification Information
*Job Restructuring
*Alternative Job Development
AgrAbility offers:
*Comprehensive Assistance to farmers, farm workers, and their
families who have any form of disability.
*Individualized Services aimed to increase self-sufficiency and
independence.
AgrAbility assists with:
*On-Site assessments to determine adaptive requirements
*Equipment/Worksite Modification and Consultation
*Job Task Restructuring
*Agricultural Occupation Alternatives
*Stress Management Referral
*One-to-One Peer Support Network
*Safety/Secondary Injury Awareness
# For more on AgrAbility Unlimited visit;
http://www.agrabilityunlimited.org/index.html
For information, questions, concerns, please contact:
Dr. Robert Aherin, Program Director
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
1-217-333-9417
raherin@uiuc.edu
Easter Seals Central Illinois
2715 North 27th St.
Decatur, IL 62526
Phone: (217)429-1052
Seal: (800)500-7325
Fax: (217)423-7605
www.easterseals.com
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Chicago 2011 : Winter Holiday Season! : List of Events
Chicago Dazzles This Winter Holiday Season!
Celebrate in Chicago with Festive Events in November and December 2011
Christine Pundavela 312.742.1158; Christine.Pundavela@explorechicago.org
{NOTE: The info below is from the City of Chicago website. For people with disabilities, please contact the event location and inquire of the accessibility of the location. At end of article will be a list info that could be of use when planning your day}
For event details and more information on visiting Chicago during the festive November and December months, visit www.ExploreChicago.org. Admission for the listings below are FREE unless otherwise noted.
ANNUAL TRADITIONS
Macy’s on State Street: 104th Great Tree Lighting
November 5
Join Giuliana and Bill Rancic of the Style Network to kick off the holiday season in downtown Chicago with the lighting of Macy’s Great Tree in the famous Walnut Room at 12pm. The event will include a short performance by the award-winning Chicago Mass Choir.
Millennium Park: McCormick Tribune Ice Rink
November 18 through March 11, 2012 (weather permitting)
Kick off Chicago’s winter season with a fun-filled day of ice skating. The rink, now in its 11th season and drawing more than 100,000 skaters annually, is free and open to the public. Skate rental is available for $10.
Magnificent Mile Lights Festival® presented by BMO Harris Bank
November 19
The holiday fun begins at 11am with a day full of live musical performances, celebrity entertainers and family friendly activities along Lights Festival Lane at Pioneer Court. Mickey and Minnie Mouse serve as grand marshals of the evening parade, magically illuminating more than one million lights on 200 trees along The Magnificent Mile®. The parade, which features more than 30 spectacular floats, balloons and marching bands, begins at 5:30pm and is followed by a spectacular fireworks show over the Chicago River at 6:55pm.
Daley Plaza: Chicago Christmas Tree and Lighting Ceremony
November 23
Presented by The City of Chicago and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the 98th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is a highly-anticipated event drawing people of all ages to the heart of Chicago's downtown Loop. Live performances and festive holiday music begin at 4:30pm and the holiday season officially commences at 5:00pm, when the switch is flipped and the lights begin to sparkle in Daley Plaza.
Daley Plaza: UL Santa House
November 23 through December 24
Visit with Santa Claus, enjoy interactive activities and have your picture taken at the UL Santa House, a replica of Santa’s workshop where children can experience the wonder of the North Pole this holiday season.
Daley Plaza: Christkindlmarket Chicago
November 23 through December 24
Experience a traditional German Christmas inspired by the famous Nuremberg Christmas market dating back to 1545. Visitors will find Chicago’s iconic Picasso sculpture surrounded by red and white crested huts glowing with warmth and overflowing with curios. Daley Plaza is transformed at this outdoor market offering exquisite handmade gifts, unique ornaments and German delicacies like brats, goulash, potato pancakes, cookies and Gluhwein (a warm spiced wine).
McDonald's® Thanksgiving Parade
November 24
Ronald McDonald, Santa and a cast of thousands march down State Street as over 400,000 people line the route from Congress Parkway to Randolph Street. Whether you're gazing at the gigantic helium balloons, moving to the beat of the marching bands or waving at the entertainers in decorative floats, there is fun for all at the biggest holiday parade in the city and the only one in Chicago to feature inflatable balloons every year.
Millennium Park: Caroling at Cloud Gate
November 25 through December 16 – Fridays
Chicagoans and visitors alike are invited to Cloud Gate in Millennium Park to hear the beautiful voices of different Chicago choral groups and participate in a holiday sing-along at 6pm. After the holiday sing-along, everyone is encouraged to skate at Millennium Park's McCormick Tribune Ice Rink.
Art Institute of Chicago: Wreathing of the Lions
November 25
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of this Chicago family favorite tradition as the lions along the Museum’s Michigan Avenue entrance are adorned with evergreen wreaths. Performances by Wooten Choral Ensemble add melodic cheer outside during the ceremony and inside the museum immediately following. Families can stop by the Ryan Education Center to create wreaths inspired by the many treasures in the collection.
Navy Pier: Winter Wonderfest
December 2 through January 8, 2012
New this year, an added week of family fun at the 11th annual Winter WonderFest presented by Bank of America. Enjoy more time to have more fun inside with 170,000 square feet of rides, inflatable slides, stunning lights and holiday décor, entertainment and more.
YouTube Uploaded by cityofchicagotv on Nov 14, 2011
CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS, EVENTS AND SIGHTSEEING
Chicago Greeter: Magnificent Mile InstaGreeter
November 4 through December 31 – Fridays and Saturdays
Just in time for the holidays, Chicago Greeter will offer free, one-hour walks of North Michigan Avenue and the surrounding area with local residents who provide information and insights on the Streeterville and Gold Coast neighborhoods; landmarks such as the John Hancock Center and the former Playboy Mansion, historic hotels and cathedrals; and best bets for holiday shopping. Departing from the Water Works Visitor Information Center, all InstaGreeter walks are first-come, first-served and limited to groups of six or fewer.
Art Institute of Chicago: Holiday Thorne Rooms
November 11
General museum admission ranges from $12-18.
The tiny but joy-filled Thorne Minuture Rooms are back, trimmed in historic holiday finery. This year, the New Orleans and New Mexico rooms join the festive tradition, and the never-before-seen Americana Room from Marshall Field V’s private collection will also be displayed.
Museum of Science and Industry: Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light
November 17 through January 9, 2012
General museum admission ranges from $10-15.
A time-honored celebration, the Christmas Around the World exhibition includes more than 50 trees and displays decorated by volunteers from Chicago’s ethnic communities to reflect holiday traditions from around the globe. Holidays of Light, a multicultural display of holiday traditions that celebrate light or enlightenment, such as Diwali and Hanukkah, also illuminates the Museum’s halls during this time.
Lincoln Park Zoo: Zoo Lights
November 25 through December 11 – Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
December 9 through January 1, 2012 – Daily
Enter a winter wonderland illuminated by more than two million lights at Lincoln Park Zoo’s annual classic. Get a picture taken with Santa through December 23rd, prepare holiday crafts and watch ice carving. Then escape the cold and experience the climates, conditions and animals of four continents: South America, Africa, Asia and Australia in the zoo’s Regenstein Small Mammal Reptile House.
Shedd Aquarium: A Holiday Fantasea
November 25 through January 2, 2012
General museum admission ranges from $6-8.
Back by popular demand, the holiday multi-species aquatic show returns featuring your favorite marine mammals. Pacific white-sided dolphins leap, beluga whales breach and a sea lion saunters, showcasing their natural behaviors set to a festive soundtrack from around the world – and Santa makes a special appearance.
Lincoln Park Conservatory: Winter Flower and Train Show
November 26 through January 8, 2012
See model trains wind their way through a miniature village set amongst colorful Poinsettias. The village, comprised entirely of natural materials including willow, spruce and birch woods, features famous buildings and Chicago-style homes such as the neighborhood bungalow, Chicago Theatre and Water Tower Place.
Chicago Children’s Museum: Celebrations Around the World
December 1
Learn how different cultures celebrate important occasions through music, dance, demonstrations and hands-on activities, all presented by community partners.
Shedd Aquarium: Holiday Breakfasts
November 26 and December 10, 17, 24
Adults $44.95, Youth (Ages 3-11) $34.95.
Treat the family to a special holiday experience where after a full breakfast, it’s “All aboard!” for a private viewing of the 15-minute The Polar Express 4-D Experience, followed by a drawing for special prizes. The holiday fun continues during a visit with Santa. Snap a photo with him and receive a gift. Explore Shedd’s Polar Play Zone and finish your special day with reserved seats to A Holiday Fantasea.
John Hancock Observatory: Breakfast with Santa
December 3 though December 18 – Saturdays and Sundays only
Adults $39, Youth $29, Infant $19
Experience a magical holiday high more than 1,000 feet in the air. Bring the family to the 94th floor of the John Hancock Observatory for pictures with Santa Claus and enjoy a festive breakfast buffet.
Macy’s on State Street: Breakfast with Santa Claus
December 3-4, December 10-11 and December 17-18
Adults $16.95, Youth (Under 10 Years) $12.95
Enjoy a yummy plated breakfast, children's entertainment and a visit from Santa at this family-friendly event.
DuSable Museum of African American History: Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration
December 8 through December 9
General museum admission ranges from $3-10.
The Harambee Pre-Kwanzaa Festival is an exciting musical celebration of family, community and culture, featuring Kwame Steve Cobb and Chavunduka, performing songs from their highly acclaimed recording, Seven Principles. Their dynamic multi-media, concert presentation teaches the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa.
Spirit of Chicago Santa Lunch Cruise
December 10
Ticket prices range from $19.95-39.90
Dine on a festive lunch buffet and enjoy live performances and DJ entertainment while cruising the lakefront and visiting with Santa. See spectacular views of Chicago’s skyline from the warm climate-controlled decks.
Goodman Theatre: A Christmas Carol
November 18 through December 31
Tickets range from $16-45.
For three decades, Charles Dickens’ classic story, exceptional actors and miraculous stagecraft have made A Christmas Carol a perennial holiday favorite and beloved Chicago tradition. Audiences delight in the “Bah, Humbugs,” the arrival of the ghosts, the music and dancing and Scrooge’s joyful discovery of life and love.
Art Institute of Chicago: Midday Music
November 25 through December 31
General museum admission ranges from $12-18.
From gospel to jazz, traditional carols to klezmer, heavenly harp and lute to exhilarating pipa, Chicago’s finest musicians offer the sounds of the season in these free concerts held in Griffin Court of the Modern Wing.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: Harold and the Purple Crayon: A Dance Adventure
December 3 through 4
Ticket prices start at $15.
This enchanting program by Hubbard Street 2 (HS2), the second company of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, originally debuted at the prestigious Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and returns this December to the Harris Theater at Millennium Park. Families and their children ages 4 and up can help create Harold’s next adventure through their own exploration of movement at this hour-long, interactive dance adaptation.
Chicago Cultural Center: Dance Along Nutcracker 2011
December 4
Sugar-plum fairies and toy soldiers of all ages return once again at this interactive holiday event. Audience members, young and old, are encouraged to dress in their finest tutus and hit the dance floor alongside professional dancers. One hour before each Dance Along Nutcracker, younger participants are invited to special free ballet workshops in the Chicago Cultural Center.
Garfield Park Conservatory: Live Music in the Conservatory
December 4
Enjoy live music among living plants as Gina Gibson presents holiday selections including blues, jazz classics, pop standards and Broadway show tunes.
Joffrey Ballet Chicago: Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker
December 9 through December 27
Tickets range from $25-145.
One of Chicago’s most popular holiday traditions, Robert Joffrey’s production of The Nutcracker transforms the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University into a land of beauty, fantasy and wonder. The entire company celebrates with brilliant costumes, ingenious lighting, entrancing storytelling and Tchaikovsky’s magical score performed by a live orchestra. This holiday tradition creates wonder for children of all ages.
American Girl Place Chicago: Children’s Holiday Choir
December 10
Families are invited to celebrate the season with American Girl at this festive event, which brings students from the British School of Chicago Children’s Choir will sing a selection of holiday favorites.
Chicago Children’s Choir: Songs of the Season
December 11
Experience the joy and musical excellence of the Emmy Award-winning Chicago Children’s Choir as they perform at the Harris Theater at Millennium Park. The Concert Choir is joined by the Neighborhood Honors Choir and will feature the 2005 winner of the BBC Singer of the World Competition, Nicole Cabell.
A Christmas Story, the Musical
December 14 through December 30
Ticket prices range from $35-79.
This favorite Christmas movie comes to life on the stage of The Chicago Theatre. Chronicling the young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way toward the gift of his dreams, a Red Ryder Action Air Rifle BB Gun, it is a holiday classic that will entertain the whole family.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Welcome Yule
December 16-18 and December 21-23
Tickets range from $20-98.
The merry musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus promise a delightful program of new arrangements, cherished carols and some musical surprises. Join in the fun with sing-alongs and rollicking traditional tunes, including "Christmas in Chicago."
Art Institute of Chicago: Maxwell Street Klezmer Band
December 22
General museum admission ranges from $12-18.
On the second night of Hanukkah, Chicago’s own Maxwell Street Klezmer Band plays songs inspired by the works of Marc Chagall.
SHOPPING EVENTS
Glitter: a Holiday Shopping Event
December 1
Discover the best gifts for the holidays when local Chicago designers and boutiques celebrate the season with special holiday items, sales and original fashions at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Notebaert Nature Museum: Green Family Holiday Fair
December 10
Join the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum as they partner with the Green Parents Network for a special day of family fun and holiday shopping with plenty of green companies and their products.
Illinois Artisans Chicago Holiday Art Spree
December 14 through December 16
Juried artisans display and sell gift items in a three-day Holiday Art Spree in the James R. Thompson Center Atrium. Take home local Illinois-made items, from jewelry, photography, paintings and ceramics.
Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand
The Farmstand is the perfect place to find locally-made holiday gifts for the foodies on your list, and to buy ingredients and discover new recipes for holiday meals. Open year round, this specialty market offers edible local products, all sourced within 250 miles of Chicago, including fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs in season; baked treats; and a full range of condiments, preserves, seasonings and other dry goods items.
Holiday Shopping in Chicago Neighborhoods
Southport Corridor and Lincoln Park along Lincoln Avenue, Clark Street, Armitage Avenue and Halsted Street are home to specialty shops that carry the work of independent and Chicago-based designers. Division Street and Wicker Park along Damen, Milwaukee or North Avenue offer an even wider variety of shopping alternatives.
VISITOR INFORMATION RESOURCES
Visitors and Chicagoans planning to entertain out-of-town guests can receive trip-planning assistance and information by visiting www.ExploreChicago.org. Brochures and information on Chicago’s exciting events and activities are also available at the Visitor Information Centers. Friendly Visitor Representatives can answer questions and assist in planning an unforgettable itinerary. The visitor centers are located in two of the city’s most popular areas: across from Millennium Park in the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street; and at the historic Water Works pumping station, 163 E. Pearson Street at Michigan Avenue.
For daily alerts about fun and free things to do in the city, follow Explore Chicago on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ExploreChicago and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ExploreChicago, where you can also weigh in on your Chicago favorites. Get answers to your Chicago questions on the go, restaurant recommendations, and tips on citywide events and activities via the FREE Twitter Concierge Service @explorechicago available daily.
The Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture is dedicated to promoting Chicago as a premier cultural destination to domestic and international leisure travelers, providing innovative visitor programs and services, and presenting free world-class public programs. For more information please visit www.ExploreChicago.org.
# # #
http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/city/en/depts/dca/provdrs/tourism/news/2011/oct/chicago_dazzles_thiswinterholidayseason.html
# Chicago Transit Authority, trip planner & accessibility:
http://www.transitchicago.com/
# Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities:
http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/city/en/depts/mopd.html
# Cultural Affairs and Special Events:
http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/city/en/depts/dca.html
Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids 2011 : great resource, info
What is the Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids?
As a company that loves all kids, Toys"R"Us, Inc. has a long history of supporting the special needs community. For nearly 20 years, we have published the annual Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, an easy-to-use resource featuring specially selected toys that encourage play for children with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.
During the past several years, Toys"R"Us has worked with various personalities who have served as the "face" of the Guide. Among the many celebrities are Holly Robinson Peete, Whoopi Goldberg, Meredith Vieira, Maria Shriver, Marlee Matlin and John Ritter. This year's cover features actress and philanthropist Eva Longoria.
This complimentary, one-of-a-kind resource speaks to a child's individual needs and offers qualified toy recommendations based on research from the National Lekotek Center, a nonprofit organization that evaluates all of the toys featured in the Guide.
What does "differently-abled" mean?
We use the term "differently-abled" to stress that all children have unique skills and abilities.
Why was the Guide created?
resource. Since its inception, thousands of parents, relatives, friends and professionals have relied on the Guide to help them determine which toys are suitable for a child's particular abilities.
The Guide also offers the National Lekotek Center's "Top Ten Tips for Buying Toys," which encourages relatives and caregivers to ask pertinent questions before purchasing a toy for differently-abled kids, such as, "Will the toy provide a challenge without frustration?" and "Can play be open-ended with no definite right or wrong way?"
What do the symbols represent?
Because all kids are unique regardless of ability, toys are not categorized by disability; nor are they categorized by age. Instead, symbols are assigned to each toy so parents can find those that promote different skills, such as Auditory, Language, Social, Creativity and more. In this way, the Guide helps parents of all children choose toys that help build or reinforce a variety of skills. All toys in the Guide have been designated with at least two or more symbols. There is also an easy-to-use toy selection index that lists toys according to the skills they help develop, so parents can quickly find toys that most benefit their child's development and learning.
How are toys selected for inclusion in the Guide?
Toys"R"Us works with the National Lekotek Center, a nonprofit organization that evaluates hundreds of toys based on specific criteria during therapeutic play sessions to identify those items that best contribute to the development of children with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities. The National Lekotek Center carefully reviews hundreds of products, selects those with exceptional qualities and writes descriptive copy highlighting the features that make the items suitable for children with special needs. Toys featured in the Guide are everyday playthings suitable for children of varying skills and abilities.
For nearly 30 years, the National Lekotek Center has provided therapeutic play services to thousands of children in dozens of centers across the United States. As a result of this expertise, the organization has become the leader in determining appropriate toys for children with unique abilities. You can learn more about the National Lekotek Center by visiting www.Lekotek.org.
Are there Safe Play Tips specifically for children with special needs?
At Toys"R"Us, nothing is more important than the safety of your children. Included in the Guide are "Safe Play Tips," created with guidance from leading safety and special needs organizations to help parents and caregivers avoid playtime injuries.
Where can I buy the toys in the Guide?
All toys featured in the Guide are available at Toys"R"Us® stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com/DifferentlyAbled. Additionally, the microsite offers a selection of items that are only available online.
How can I get on the mailing list to receive the Guide next year?
The latest version of the Guide is available every September. You can e-mail DifferentlyAbled@toysrus.com to be added to next year's mailing list. If you are already on our mailing list, you will automatically receive a copy of the latest edition upon release. For a more environmentally friendly option. To receive an e-mail alert when the latest digital Guide becomes available online:
https://secure.ed4.net/toysrus/preferencecenter/prefs.cfm
# Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids , visit online;
http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3261680
#Lekotek The country's central source on toys and play for children with special needs, visit:
http://www.lekotek.org/
During the past several years, Toys"R"Us has worked with various personalities who have served as the "face" of the Guide. Among the many celebrities are Holly Robinson Peete, Whoopi Goldberg, Meredith Vieira, Maria Shriver, Marlee Matlin and John Ritter. This year's cover features actress and philanthropist Eva Longoria.
This complimentary, one-of-a-kind resource speaks to a child's individual needs and offers qualified toy recommendations based on research from the National Lekotek Center, a nonprofit organization that evaluates all of the toys featured in the Guide.
What does "differently-abled" mean?
We use the term "differently-abled" to stress that all children have unique skills and abilities.
Why was the Guide created?
resource. Since its inception, thousands of parents, relatives, friends and professionals have relied on the Guide to help them determine which toys are suitable for a child's particular abilities.
The Guide also offers the National Lekotek Center's "Top Ten Tips for Buying Toys," which encourages relatives and caregivers to ask pertinent questions before purchasing a toy for differently-abled kids, such as, "Will the toy provide a challenge without frustration?" and "Can play be open-ended with no definite right or wrong way?"
Because all kids are unique regardless of ability, toys are not categorized by disability; nor are they categorized by age. Instead, symbols are assigned to each toy so parents can find those that promote different skills, such as Auditory, Language, Social, Creativity and more. In this way, the Guide helps parents of all children choose toys that help build or reinforce a variety of skills. All toys in the Guide have been designated with at least two or more symbols. There is also an easy-to-use toy selection index that lists toys according to the skills they help develop, so parents can quickly find toys that most benefit their child's development and learning.
How are toys selected for inclusion in the Guide?
Toys"R"Us works with the National Lekotek Center, a nonprofit organization that evaluates hundreds of toys based on specific criteria during therapeutic play sessions to identify those items that best contribute to the development of children with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities. The National Lekotek Center carefully reviews hundreds of products, selects those with exceptional qualities and writes descriptive copy highlighting the features that make the items suitable for children with special needs. Toys featured in the Guide are everyday playthings suitable for children of varying skills and abilities.
For nearly 30 years, the National Lekotek Center has provided therapeutic play services to thousands of children in dozens of centers across the United States. As a result of this expertise, the organization has become the leader in determining appropriate toys for children with unique abilities. You can learn more about the National Lekotek Center by visiting www.Lekotek.org.
Are there Safe Play Tips specifically for children with special needs?
At Toys"R"Us, nothing is more important than the safety of your children. Included in the Guide are "Safe Play Tips," created with guidance from leading safety and special needs organizations to help parents and caregivers avoid playtime injuries.
Where can I buy the toys in the Guide?
All toys featured in the Guide are available at Toys"R"Us® stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com/DifferentlyAbled. Additionally, the microsite offers a selection of items that are only available online.
How can I get on the mailing list to receive the Guide next year?
The latest version of the Guide is available every September. You can e-mail DifferentlyAbled@toysrus.com to be added to next year's mailing list. If you are already on our mailing list, you will automatically receive a copy of the latest edition upon release. For a more environmentally friendly option. To receive an e-mail alert when the latest digital Guide becomes available online:
https://secure.ed4.net/toysrus/preferencecenter/prefs.cfm
# Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids , visit online;
http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3261680
#Lekotek The country's central source on toys and play for children with special needs, visit:
http://www.lekotek.org/
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Chicago: The trials of accomodating a deaf murder defendant - Gary Albert: 2011
(update Nov 22. 2011 - Gary Albert - Not Guilty - article below)
UPDATES BELOW...
By Lauren FitzPatrick Sun-Times Media May 04,2011
(photo: Hinsdale South High School yearbook photos show Dawn Niles and Gary Albert sitting next to one another in group shots for the school's deaf drama club and its chapter of the Junior Illinois Assocation for the Deaf)
Behind the glass doors of one of Bridgeview’s felony courtrooms, a tall white projection screen nearly blocked the action inside.
A giant TV sat near the judge, facing the jury box, and smaller TV monitors perched on the defense table. Throughout the room, hands were flying.
Accused murderer Gary Albert sat at the defense table, focusing on the face and fingers of one of several interpreters who will translate every word uttered aloud into American Sign Language during his upcoming trial.
Jury selection is scheduled to start in about a month, and at a hearing last week, Judge Joan O’Brien wanted to test some of the extra features Albert and other hearing-impaired participants in the case will rely on.
Born deaf, Albert is accused in the 1981 stabbing murder of Dawn Niles, his classmate at the Hinsdale South High School, which had a program for deaf students. He was 18 then, he’s now 48.
Niles, of LaGrange Park, was 15 and pregnant with his child when she was found in the Horsetail Slough Forest Preserve near 123rd Street and 104th Avenue in Palos Township. She had been missing for six days. She had been stabbed more than 30 times.
Her case was reopened in 2006, and Albert, her boyfriend at the time of her death, was charged in March 2008, after modern DNA tools linked him to the crime.
Albert, of Sugar Grove, reads lips poorly, a former attorney said, and needs a sign language interpreter to communicate with people. American Sign Language, rather than English, is his first language, attorneys said.
His current legal team has argued he wasn’t properly warned about his rights during a six-hour recorded interview with a Cook County Sheriff’s detective. The Chicago police officer who signed back and forth was not licensed; he was self-taught.
The judge will let prosecutors use the interview, but chided investigators last year for not giving Albert a written version of his rights or a licensed interpreter during the questioning.
So at trial, he’ll have at least three.
One will sit at the defense table, chatting with him and his attorneys, Thomas Breen and Todd Pugh.
One will perch in the open space in front of the judge, relaying every audible word to Albert.
When deaf witnesses take the stand, as is expected, one will sign questions and voice answers aloud, in the space between the witness stand and the jury box.
The third interpreter will have to fit near the witness stand, because, as the male interpreter explained aloud to the judge during the rehearsal, he can’t voice the witness’ testimony and sign it at the same time. It’s impossible to speak in one language and sign in another, and ASL isn’t English.
Fingers point out who’s talking. Hands race. Lips silently repeat the speaker’s words while eyebrows crinkle and soar to convey the tone and demeanor of the spoken voice.
So everyone in the room will have to remember to keep the sightline clear between Albert and the seated witness.
Plus the court reporter’s transcript will be projected live onto several of the screens, including the large white one facing the right half of the audience.
By the rehearsal’s end, the male interpreter is sweating, and the judge is satisfied that the proceedings afford Albert the same access to justice as anyone else.
As O’Brien leaves the bench, the defense team tests how they’ll confer privately, huddling behind the white screen that also will block their conversation from the eyes of anyone else who can read their words.
The attorneys practice a couple of key words that’ll come up a ton.
“OK,” they say, putting thumbs and index fingers together.
Then Breen hooks his index finger, deciphering another one:
“Question.”
###
UPDATE
Witnesses recall teen love affair as man stands trial for 30-year-old murder
Chicago Tribune By Steve Schmadeke Nov 15 2011
More than 30 years after the body of a pregnant, deaf Hinsdale South High School freshman was found in a forest preserve near Palos Park, her boyfriend went on trial for the murder Tuesday, with prosecutors arguing he was so intent on ending the pregnancy that he suggested she tell her mom she'd been raped.
Dawn Niles, 15, of LaGrange Park, was about three months pregnant when she disappeared on March 17, 1981. Her body, with 34 stab wounds, was later found by a fisherman on the bridle paths near Horsetail Lake, prosecutors said.
After her slaying, investigators quickly focused on Gary Albert, now 49 but then an 18-year-old senior who was also deaf and had a new girlfriend. Two witnesses testified Tuesday that they either saw Dawn leaving school that day in Albert's beat-up brown Chevrolet or walking toward his car.
Both witnesses admitted under cross-examination that police had shown them photos of only Albert's car and no others when they were interviewed after Cook County sheriff's police re-examined the case in 2006 at the urging of Dawn's sister.
Albert was charged with the murder in 2008 after DNA testing determined he'd had sex with Dawn shortly before her death. Assistant State's Attorney Kathaleen Lanahan said soil samples from Albert's car matched samples taken from near where Dawn's body was found.
"Make him accept responsibility for the murder of Dawn Niles," Lanahan told jurors.
Todd Pugh, one of Albert's attorneys, said police were so focused on charging his client that they ignored other suspects; failed to ask questions about why Dawn's family didn't report her missing for two days; and conducted an "intellectually dishonest, lazy" investigation that included the use of a "woefully unqualified" sign-language interpreter while questioning Albert.
"Over the 30 years in this case, Gary Albert has been prejudged; false assumptions have been made of him by the investigating officers," Pugh said.
Mary Augustyn, now 46 and living in Florida, smiled widely as prosecutors displayed a photo of her old friend Dawn.
Augustyn testified through a sign-language interpreter that she and Dawn were running laps during gym class on March 17 when Dawn said she was feeling sick, and they both huddled in a spot out of the view of the gym teacher for a conversation.
Dawn told her she was pregnant, but hadn't told her mother or seen a doctor, only confiding in Albert, who wanted her to have an abortion, Augustyn testified. The couple, who were in Drama Club together, had been "inseparable," Augustyn testified, but after breaking up a month earlier had been constantly fighting.
"Gary did not want to have anything to do with it," Augustyn testified. "He didn't want to support the baby."
She said Dawn told her Albert said, "Why don't you tell your mother that you were raped or that you were dating another guy?"
"Dawn was very upset with that," Augustyn testified.
"This was her first love and they'd broken up," she said, saying Dawn had seemed to have had an "emotional breakdown."
A close friend of Albert's, Robert Krueger, now 49 and living in Phoenix, testified he had seen Albert and Dawn having a physical confrontation at school sometime before she disappeared.
"I saw Gary and Dawn arguing and somehow Dawn was grabbing his arm and Gary was screaming and grabbed and slapped her and then Dawn slapped him and he slapped her back," he said.
### UPDATE
BY LAUREN FITZPATRICK : Chicago Sun-Times : Nov 18, 2011
{photo: Gary Albert in the Bridgeview Courthouse Tuesday. | Brett Roseman~Sun-Times Media}
Dawn Niles’ mother watched her daughter leave for school on March 17, 1981, wearing a striped turtleneck sweater she borrowed from her mom.
And when the 15-year-old didn’t come home that afternoon from the program for deaf students she attended at Hinsdale South High school, Sandra Boston assumed she was where she typically was: With her boyfriend, Gary Albert.
“I thought she was with Gary,” Boston testified Friday, more than 30 years after her middle child’s body was found in a Cook County Forest Preserve.
Albert, who in 1981 was 18 and attending the same program for the deaf, is standing trial on two counts of murder, accused of stabbing Niles 34 times because, prosecutors say, she was pregnant and he didn’t want to be a father.
Her body was found March 22, 1981, near Horsetail Lake in Palos Township, but the case went cold.
It was reopened in 2006 after DNA showed Albert had sex with Niles soon before she died, contradicting Albert’s claims at the time of her death that he hadn’t seen her in some time.
Albert, now 49 and living in Sugar Grove, denies killing Niles. His attorneys say police rushed to conclusions and ignored other leads and suspects.
Boston, now 67, said she became worried when her daughter didn’t come home to LaGrange Park the next day, either. Nor had she gone to school.
Her frantic phone calls to friends included a special call to Albert on March 19 at his Darien home through her daughter’s TTY typing machine for the deaf.
“I asked him where she was,” Boston said, trying not to cry. “He said he didn’t know. They had broke up on Feb. 18” — a month earlier.
State police crime lab analysts confirmed Friday that the sperm found in Niles matched Albert, though they couldn’t pinpoint exactly when the couple last had sex.
The sperm found was intact, forensic biologist Lisa Kell said, suggesting it had been within five days.
Defense attorney Tom Breen pushed her, in a testy exchange with Assistant State’s Attorney William Delaney, to consider a longer time frame, considering the condition of Niles’ body when it was found.
Boston said she knew her daughter was having sex with Albert. She didn’t know, she said while crying again, that the girl was pregnant.
Albert had told a friend after Niles’ funeral that he did know.
“He said that he was the real father of that baby, of Dawn’s baby,” Thomas Cole, now 50, testified through a sign language interpreter.
Albert also told Cole on March 20, 1981, that he’d last seen Niles on March 17, the last day she went to school.
“He said that he drove her off, and after that she ran away and went missing and that’s all he knew,” Cole testified.
###
Deaf man (Gary Albert) found innocent of killing deaf 15-year-old girlfriend (Dawn Niles) in 1981 : Nov 21, 2011
Source: Chicago Sun Times; BY LAUREN FITZPATRICK
Gary Albert, pudgier than his 1981 yearbook showed him and wearing glasses, walked out of the Bridgeview courthouse Monday night a free man, acquitted of the cold case murder of his pregnant, 15-year-old deaf girlfriend.
Jurors who heard five days of evidence against Albert, who 30 years ago was an 18-year-old deaf student at Hinsdale South High School, decided in less than an hour that he did not kill Dawn Niles as prosecutors had charged.
“Mr. Albert, you are free to go,” Judge Joan M. O’Brien told the 49-year-old, and once the American Sign Language interpreter relayed her words, Albert looked up at the ceiling. His mother uttered “Oh dear God” and burst into tears.
“I knew they couldn’t convict my son,” Diane Dzierzynski said. “I knew it 30 years ago.”
Niles’ family — her brother, mother and the sister who urged the reopening of the case of the murdered blonde teenager — sat stunned a minute then left the courtroom to hug and cry. They had nothing to say afterwards.
Niles, of La Grange Park, disappeared after school on March 17, 1981. Her body, three months pregnant and fully clothed, was found by a teenager riding a horse around Horsetail Lake in the Cook County Forest Preserves near Palos Park five days later.
Photographs taken of her body showed her comb still in her back pocket; her shoes remained on her feet, Assistant State’s Attorney William Delaney told jurors in closing arguments.
“These photos show she was comfortable with who she was with,” Delaney said. “Because it was Gary Albert, her boyfriend of 10 months.”
Prosecutors pegged Albert’s motive to the pregnancy. He told his girlfriend to tell her mother she’d been raped, or that she’d been going with some other boy, a high school friend testified at the trial.
While Niles was missing, her mother called Albert’s Darien home looking for her daughter. Albert told her that the couple had broken up a month before.
The DNA swabbed from inside her body in 1981 could be further tested after a Cook County Sheriff’s detective reopened the case in 2006. The semen belonged to Albert, now living in Sugar Grove, and its quality indicated he had sex with Niles in more recent days than he initially admitted.
He spoke with police in 2008 through an amateur interpreter, but prosecutors did not play the recording of the six hour interview.
“They want you to believe that semen proves he’s guilty beyond a reasonable doubt — bull!” Albert’s attorney, Tom Breen, shouted during closing arguments. “Just bull. It doesn’t prove anything other than they had consensual sex.”
Breen pointed to gaps in evidence — no specific date of death, no murder weapon, no indication of where Niles was punched in the face then stabbed 34 times before her body was dragged to the spot where it was found. He painted Niles, to her family’s hushed indignation, as a scared runaway who could have fallen prey to a dangerous stranger.
“It would be nice if they could get the person who killed her,” Breen said, dropping his voice.
“It would be real nice.”
# http://www.suntimes.com/8984700-417/man-found-innocent-of-killing-deaf-15-year-old-girlfriend-in-1981.html
UPDATES BELOW...
By Lauren FitzPatrick Sun-Times Media May 04,2011
(photo: Hinsdale South High School yearbook photos show Dawn Niles and Gary Albert sitting next to one another in group shots for the school's deaf drama club and its chapter of the Junior Illinois Assocation for the Deaf)
Behind the glass doors of one of Bridgeview’s felony courtrooms, a tall white projection screen nearly blocked the action inside.
A giant TV sat near the judge, facing the jury box, and smaller TV monitors perched on the defense table. Throughout the room, hands were flying.
Accused murderer Gary Albert sat at the defense table, focusing on the face and fingers of one of several interpreters who will translate every word uttered aloud into American Sign Language during his upcoming trial.
Jury selection is scheduled to start in about a month, and at a hearing last week, Judge Joan O’Brien wanted to test some of the extra features Albert and other hearing-impaired participants in the case will rely on.
Born deaf, Albert is accused in the 1981 stabbing murder of Dawn Niles, his classmate at the Hinsdale South High School, which had a program for deaf students. He was 18 then, he’s now 48.
Niles, of LaGrange Park, was 15 and pregnant with his child when she was found in the Horsetail Slough Forest Preserve near 123rd Street and 104th Avenue in Palos Township. She had been missing for six days. She had been stabbed more than 30 times.
Her case was reopened in 2006, and Albert, her boyfriend at the time of her death, was charged in March 2008, after modern DNA tools linked him to the crime.
Albert, of Sugar Grove, reads lips poorly, a former attorney said, and needs a sign language interpreter to communicate with people. American Sign Language, rather than English, is his first language, attorneys said.
His current legal team has argued he wasn’t properly warned about his rights during a six-hour recorded interview with a Cook County Sheriff’s detective. The Chicago police officer who signed back and forth was not licensed; he was self-taught.
The judge will let prosecutors use the interview, but chided investigators last year for not giving Albert a written version of his rights or a licensed interpreter during the questioning.
So at trial, he’ll have at least three.
One will sit at the defense table, chatting with him and his attorneys, Thomas Breen and Todd Pugh.
One will perch in the open space in front of the judge, relaying every audible word to Albert.
When deaf witnesses take the stand, as is expected, one will sign questions and voice answers aloud, in the space between the witness stand and the jury box.
The third interpreter will have to fit near the witness stand, because, as the male interpreter explained aloud to the judge during the rehearsal, he can’t voice the witness’ testimony and sign it at the same time. It’s impossible to speak in one language and sign in another, and ASL isn’t English.
Fingers point out who’s talking. Hands race. Lips silently repeat the speaker’s words while eyebrows crinkle and soar to convey the tone and demeanor of the spoken voice.
So everyone in the room will have to remember to keep the sightline clear between Albert and the seated witness.
Plus the court reporter’s transcript will be projected live onto several of the screens, including the large white one facing the right half of the audience.
By the rehearsal’s end, the male interpreter is sweating, and the judge is satisfied that the proceedings afford Albert the same access to justice as anyone else.
As O’Brien leaves the bench, the defense team tests how they’ll confer privately, huddling behind the white screen that also will block their conversation from the eyes of anyone else who can read their words.
The attorneys practice a couple of key words that’ll come up a ton.
“OK,” they say, putting thumbs and index fingers together.
Then Breen hooks his index finger, deciphering another one:
“Question.”
###
UPDATE
Witnesses recall teen love affair as man stands trial for 30-year-old murder
Chicago Tribune By Steve Schmadeke Nov 15 2011
More than 30 years after the body of a pregnant, deaf Hinsdale South High School freshman was found in a forest preserve near Palos Park, her boyfriend went on trial for the murder Tuesday, with prosecutors arguing he was so intent on ending the pregnancy that he suggested she tell her mom she'd been raped.
Dawn Niles, 15, of LaGrange Park, was about three months pregnant when she disappeared on March 17, 1981. Her body, with 34 stab wounds, was later found by a fisherman on the bridle paths near Horsetail Lake, prosecutors said.
After her slaying, investigators quickly focused on Gary Albert, now 49 but then an 18-year-old senior who was also deaf and had a new girlfriend. Two witnesses testified Tuesday that they either saw Dawn leaving school that day in Albert's beat-up brown Chevrolet or walking toward his car.
Both witnesses admitted under cross-examination that police had shown them photos of only Albert's car and no others when they were interviewed after Cook County sheriff's police re-examined the case in 2006 at the urging of Dawn's sister.
Albert was charged with the murder in 2008 after DNA testing determined he'd had sex with Dawn shortly before her death. Assistant State's Attorney Kathaleen Lanahan said soil samples from Albert's car matched samples taken from near where Dawn's body was found.
"Make him accept responsibility for the murder of Dawn Niles," Lanahan told jurors.
Todd Pugh, one of Albert's attorneys, said police were so focused on charging his client that they ignored other suspects; failed to ask questions about why Dawn's family didn't report her missing for two days; and conducted an "intellectually dishonest, lazy" investigation that included the use of a "woefully unqualified" sign-language interpreter while questioning Albert.
"Over the 30 years in this case, Gary Albert has been prejudged; false assumptions have been made of him by the investigating officers," Pugh said.
Mary Augustyn, now 46 and living in Florida, smiled widely as prosecutors displayed a photo of her old friend Dawn.
Augustyn testified through a sign-language interpreter that she and Dawn were running laps during gym class on March 17 when Dawn said she was feeling sick, and they both huddled in a spot out of the view of the gym teacher for a conversation.
Dawn told her she was pregnant, but hadn't told her mother or seen a doctor, only confiding in Albert, who wanted her to have an abortion, Augustyn testified. The couple, who were in Drama Club together, had been "inseparable," Augustyn testified, but after breaking up a month earlier had been constantly fighting.
"Gary did not want to have anything to do with it," Augustyn testified. "He didn't want to support the baby."
She said Dawn told her Albert said, "Why don't you tell your mother that you were raped or that you were dating another guy?"
"Dawn was very upset with that," Augustyn testified.
"This was her first love and they'd broken up," she said, saying Dawn had seemed to have had an "emotional breakdown."
A close friend of Albert's, Robert Krueger, now 49 and living in Phoenix, testified he had seen Albert and Dawn having a physical confrontation at school sometime before she disappeared.
"I saw Gary and Dawn arguing and somehow Dawn was grabbing his arm and Gary was screaming and grabbed and slapped her and then Dawn slapped him and he slapped her back," he said.
### UPDATE
When man had sex with teen at center of murder trial in girl’s 1981 death
BY LAUREN FITZPATRICK : Chicago Sun-Times : Nov 18, 2011
Dawn Niles’ mother watched her daughter leave for school on March 17, 1981, wearing a striped turtleneck sweater she borrowed from her mom.
And when the 15-year-old didn’t come home that afternoon from the program for deaf students she attended at Hinsdale South High school, Sandra Boston assumed she was where she typically was: With her boyfriend, Gary Albert.
“I thought she was with Gary,” Boston testified Friday, more than 30 years after her middle child’s body was found in a Cook County Forest Preserve.
Albert, who in 1981 was 18 and attending the same program for the deaf, is standing trial on two counts of murder, accused of stabbing Niles 34 times because, prosecutors say, she was pregnant and he didn’t want to be a father.
Her body was found March 22, 1981, near Horsetail Lake in Palos Township, but the case went cold.
It was reopened in 2006 after DNA showed Albert had sex with Niles soon before she died, contradicting Albert’s claims at the time of her death that he hadn’t seen her in some time.
Albert, now 49 and living in Sugar Grove, denies killing Niles. His attorneys say police rushed to conclusions and ignored other leads and suspects.
Boston, now 67, said she became worried when her daughter didn’t come home to LaGrange Park the next day, either. Nor had she gone to school.
Her frantic phone calls to friends included a special call to Albert on March 19 at his Darien home through her daughter’s TTY typing machine for the deaf.
“I asked him where she was,” Boston said, trying not to cry. “He said he didn’t know. They had broke up on Feb. 18” — a month earlier.
State police crime lab analysts confirmed Friday that the sperm found in Niles matched Albert, though they couldn’t pinpoint exactly when the couple last had sex.
The sperm found was intact, forensic biologist Lisa Kell said, suggesting it had been within five days.
Defense attorney Tom Breen pushed her, in a testy exchange with Assistant State’s Attorney William Delaney, to consider a longer time frame, considering the condition of Niles’ body when it was found.
Boston said she knew her daughter was having sex with Albert. She didn’t know, she said while crying again, that the girl was pregnant.
Albert had told a friend after Niles’ funeral that he did know.
“He said that he was the real father of that baby, of Dawn’s baby,” Thomas Cole, now 50, testified through a sign language interpreter.
Albert also told Cole on March 20, 1981, that he’d last seen Niles on March 17, the last day she went to school.
“He said that he drove her off, and after that she ran away and went missing and that’s all he knew,” Cole testified.
###
Deaf man (Gary Albert) found innocent of killing deaf 15-year-old girlfriend (Dawn Niles) in 1981 : Nov 21, 2011
Source: Chicago Sun Times; BY LAUREN FITZPATRICK
Gary Albert, pudgier than his 1981 yearbook showed him and wearing glasses, walked out of the Bridgeview courthouse Monday night a free man, acquitted of the cold case murder of his pregnant, 15-year-old deaf girlfriend.
Jurors who heard five days of evidence against Albert, who 30 years ago was an 18-year-old deaf student at Hinsdale South High School, decided in less than an hour that he did not kill Dawn Niles as prosecutors had charged.
“Mr. Albert, you are free to go,” Judge Joan M. O’Brien told the 49-year-old, and once the American Sign Language interpreter relayed her words, Albert looked up at the ceiling. His mother uttered “Oh dear God” and burst into tears.
“I knew they couldn’t convict my son,” Diane Dzierzynski said. “I knew it 30 years ago.”
Niles’ family — her brother, mother and the sister who urged the reopening of the case of the murdered blonde teenager — sat stunned a minute then left the courtroom to hug and cry. They had nothing to say afterwards.
Niles, of La Grange Park, disappeared after school on March 17, 1981. Her body, three months pregnant and fully clothed, was found by a teenager riding a horse around Horsetail Lake in the Cook County Forest Preserves near Palos Park five days later.
Photographs taken of her body showed her comb still in her back pocket; her shoes remained on her feet, Assistant State’s Attorney William Delaney told jurors in closing arguments.
“These photos show she was comfortable with who she was with,” Delaney said. “Because it was Gary Albert, her boyfriend of 10 months.”
Prosecutors pegged Albert’s motive to the pregnancy. He told his girlfriend to tell her mother she’d been raped, or that she’d been going with some other boy, a high school friend testified at the trial.
While Niles was missing, her mother called Albert’s Darien home looking for her daughter. Albert told her that the couple had broken up a month before.
The DNA swabbed from inside her body in 1981 could be further tested after a Cook County Sheriff’s detective reopened the case in 2006. The semen belonged to Albert, now living in Sugar Grove, and its quality indicated he had sex with Niles in more recent days than he initially admitted.
He spoke with police in 2008 through an amateur interpreter, but prosecutors did not play the recording of the six hour interview.
“They want you to believe that semen proves he’s guilty beyond a reasonable doubt — bull!” Albert’s attorney, Tom Breen, shouted during closing arguments. “Just bull. It doesn’t prove anything other than they had consensual sex.”
Breen pointed to gaps in evidence — no specific date of death, no murder weapon, no indication of where Niles was punched in the face then stabbed 34 times before her body was dragged to the spot where it was found. He painted Niles, to her family’s hushed indignation, as a scared runaway who could have fallen prey to a dangerous stranger.
“It would be nice if they could get the person who killed her,” Breen said, dropping his voice.
“It would be real nice.”
# http://www.suntimes.com/8984700-417/man-found-innocent-of-killing-deaf-15-year-old-girlfriend-in-1981.html
Friday, November 18, 2011
Illinois Hosts Summit to Promote Diversity in State Government Business -Officials showcase resources for doing business with the state : NOV 18, 2011
“One of our top priorities is to continue increasing diversity in our business practices and contracts, and create greater awareness of state government programs from which businesses can benefit,” said Governor Quinn. “The Business Diversity Summit offers a one-stop resource for companies to learn how to do business with the state, and gives us an opportunity to share important details that can help small and diverse entities grow, retain and create jobs and continue to drive our economy.”
Representatives from fourteen state agencies, several federal and local government agencies, and business and not-for-profit groups participated in the Business Diversity Summit at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Hermann Hall. Following a presentation by CMS, attendees met with government officials and current state vendors during a networking session.
“By providing access to our staff members and representatives of relevant government entities and business groups, we can foster more dialogue with companies and entrepreneurs,” said Acting Director Weems. “The goal is to help us better understand the changing needs of the business community.”
Participating entities included: the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Capital Development Board (CDB), the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), the City Colleges of Chicago, the Illinois Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDC).
Demonstrating the agency’s commitment to accountability, efficiency and service, Acting Director Weems also announced the launch of the new CMS web site, which is focused on enabling better feedback from stakeholders, including state agencies, employees, local governments and the public.
More information about the Business Diversity Summit and CMS is available at www.cms.illinois.gov.
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