UPDATES AND ARCHIVES

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Disability Activists Mark Schiavo Anniversary, Express Concerns. Click here for press release.

Schiavo family feud reaches bookshops.Nearly a year after the death of Terri Schiavo, a family feud over the irreversibly brain damaged woman has been further strained with the release of competing memoirs by her husband and parents. Click here for more.

Books by Terri Schiavo's Family Are Coming Out. Click here for article.

Bush Visits Autistic Teen Hoop Star

Hoops Hero Inspires Producers, Parents.Click here for more.

Athena student on ESPN, CNN, ABC. (February 23, 2006) — Greece Athena's Jason McElwain, who thrilled fans by scoring 20 points in just four minutes last week, was featured on ESPN's SportsCenter last night and this morning – and has since been picked up by CNN and other network TV and radio shows.Click here for article.

Team Manager Catches Fire. When the autistic team manager of a high school basketball team got his chance in the spotlight, he shattered everyone's expectations by scoring 20 points in four minutes. Click here for video.

Christopher Reeve's Widow Dies at Age 44. WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Dana Reeve, the singer-actress who married the strapping star of the "Superman" movies and then devoted herself to his care and his cause after he was paralyzed, has died of lung cancer, a year-and-a-half after her husband. She was 44. Click here for article.

UPDATE

March 7, 2006: Dana Reeve, dead at 44.Widow of Paralysis Activist Christopher Reeve Dies of Lung Cancer

Non-smoking 'Superman' widow has lung cancer

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Dana Reeve, the widow of "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve,
announced on Tuesday that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Click here for article.

Olympic flag passed onto Vancouver mayor. Click here for article.

Vancouver Mayor's Special Flag-Waving. Click here for article.

 Vancouver's quadriplegic mayor wittily outlines closing-ceremony role.

For NBC, lowest-rated Olympics predictable and profitable. Click here for article..

In NYS: David Paterson Shocks Friends And Allies By Agreeing To Run With Spitzer. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer set off a wave of criticism by asking David Paterson to join him on the Democratic ticket as his choice for lieutenant governor. Click here for article.

[No] Choice and Access of Durable Equipment in Medicare

These decisions will be driven by what's best for the bottom line - NOT what's best for patients. Click here for message.

Gov't Cracking Down on Wheelchair Fraud

WASHINGTON - Alarmed by an enormous increase in spending on power wheelchairs, the government is going after providers who charge for equipment never delivered or offer products to Medicare beneficiaries who don't need them. Click here for article.

An Op-Ed from the New York Times:

"How Not to Fix Medicare". Click here for article.

Andrea Yates taken to mental hospital; faces retrial in deaths of her children. Click here for article.

Texas child-killer Yates will have second trial-Parnham said Yates would not be released, even if she is found not guilty in a second trial, and he hoped she could be placed "where she is cared for mentally and physically." Click here for article.

"U.S. Fails to Support International Disability Rights"

But does the U.S. government support this work? No. The Bush administration has taken the position that disability is neither a human rights issue nor a predicate for international law but strictly a domestic policy matter. Click here for article.

Jim Brady, 25 Years Later. (CBS) A quarter of a century has passed since Ronald Reagan was sworn in as president – and it's been almost as long since a lone gunman forever changed the lives of a top White House aide and his wife. Click here for article.

BUSH'S STEALTH ATTACK ON SOCIAL SECURITY; Mark Alan Hughes--The president got it wrong,though, because he did not acknowledge that African-Americans benefit disproportionately from the survivor and disability benefits that are integral to the program. Now this omission has resurfaced with a vengeance in a proposal to limit access to the disability benefits. Click here for article.

Signing To Toddlers

As CBS News Correspondent Sandra Hughes reports, a growing number of young mother's believe sign language soothes frustrated babies. In La Jolla, Calif. some young moms have taken the trend in hand. Click here for article.

Disabled Program Changes Decried Former RSA Chief Faults Consolidation

The woman who, until recently, led the federal government effort to get the nation's disabled into the workforce is lashing out at the Bush administration, saying it is quietly attempting to "dismantle" programs critical to helping the blind, deaf and otherwise disabled find jobs. Click here for article.

WCC FEATURE: Disability rights and wrongs. To a casual thinker, if someone is blind, or has lost a limb, or has cerebral palsy, it's only humane to want to fix it, and if it can't be fixed it is a matter for regret. Click here for article.

Breaking Down Barriers: Disability rights pioneer to speak.The mission of the World Bank is to alleviate poverty, but Judith E. Heumann says that's not possible unless the organization considers the wide-ranging needs of people with disabilities.

French Face-Transplant Patient Tells of Ordeal. Click here for article.

Alito Is Sworn In as Justice After 58-42 Vote to Confirm Him . Click here for article.

NCIL: Don't Rollback Disability Rights! Say No to AlitoBy John A. Lancaster. Click here for more.

Alito Confirmation Supporters Look Strong. Click here for article.

Alito appears headed for confirmation; Leahy cited the case of Terri Schiavo...Click here for article.

Alito to Senate: Good Judge Has No Agenda.Click here for article.

 Building the Beloved Community, By Coretta Scott King (1927-2006) Click here for more.

Communities mourn King's passing. Click here for article.

Coretta Scott King,
widow of Martin Luther King, has died. Click here for more.

Coretta King remembered. Click here for article.

37-pound woman has healthy baby. Eloysa and Roy Vasquez gazed down at their healthy newborn son Thursday in the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital neonatal ward, their beaming faces a reminder that every birth is a miracle. Click here for article.

Reaction Mixed To Dick Clark's TV Return--As the Washington Post reported, some saw it as "courageous" while others thought it was "morbid." Click here for article.

"The Ringer." What's So Funny About Disability? Well . . . WHEN Edward Barbanell was growing up in Florida, he didn't have a quick retort for the kids who would bully him and call him names on the playground. "I just learned to walk away from it," said Mr. Barbanell, an actor who has Down syndrome. "They can call me what they want, but I am not a 'tard." Click here for article.

Medicare v. Social Security: Who’s on First? When the Social Security and Medicare trustees reports were released last month, two of the Medicare trustees wrote that their own program's "financial difficulties come sooner — and are much more severe — than those confronting Social Security." Click here for more.

Report Emphasizes Shortfall in Medicare The independent trustees overseeing Social Security and Medicare, in a break with the Bush administration, said Medicare is in greater financial distress than Social Security and said the health care program is in urgent need of attention. Click here for article.

Bionic Arms Replace Lost Limbs. Click here for article.

Michael Schiavo Launches PAC --Michael Schiavo, whose effort to end life support for his brain-damaged wife divided a nation, is starting a political action committee that will challenge candidates based on where they stand on government's reach in private lives. Click here for article.

White House may put less value on seniors, disabled. Click here for article.

Air Marshal Kills Passenger, Citing Threat-According to a witness, the passenger ran down the aisle of the Boeing 757, flailing his arms, while his wife tried to explain that he was mentally ill and had not taken his medication. Click here for article.

UPDATE:'I love being alone on the water'. Click here for article.

The Channel Challenge was Hilary Lister's successful attempt to become the first quadriplegic to sail, single-handed, across the English Channel. Click here for more

British woman aims to make world's longest solo sail trip by quadriplegic. Click here for article.

SAG Reports on Disabilities. Click here for article.

Scope of 'disability rights' must be expanded The landscape of our nation is changing so subtly that we may not notice. Sidewalks have ramps cut into curbs at corners. The new McDonald's has wide spaces between its tables. Some rows in the new movie theater have a few seats missing at the ends.Click here for article.

Stem Cell Treatment Improves Mobility After Spinal Cord Injury treatment derived from human embryonic stem cells improves mobility in rats with spinal cord injuries, providing the first physical evidence that the therapeutic use of these cells can help restore motor skills lost from acute spinal cord tissue damage. Click here for article.

Stem Cell Therapy Cures Rat Paralysis Click here for article.

Jim Kelly's son leaves behind legacy of hope. BUFFALO, N.Y. — Hunter Kelly, 8, whose battle with a nervous-system disease inspired his Pro Football Hall of Fame father Jim Kelly's charitable works, died yesterday. Click here for article.

The Hockenberry Family in tomorrow's Parade Magazine.

In this week’s issue, renowned journalist John Hockenberry celebrates 15 years of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) in Parade Magazine.

Woman Details Her 20-Year Coma. (CBS) For 20 years, Sarah Scantlin was seemingly unaware of the world around her after she was hit by a drunk driver in an accident that sent her into a comatose state in September of 1984. Click here for article.

Disability group grounds Ryanair award--A leading disability group has called for a boycott of Ryanair after some partially sighted passengers were ejected from a flight. Click here for article.

DISABLED OUTRAGE OVER WHEELCHAIR CALLED THE SPAZZ FURIOUS --disability groups have blasted a wheelchair company for calling their new product The Spazz. Click here for article.

DISABLED FACE SCARCER JOBS, DATA SHOW. Outsourcing and the growth of low-paying service positions are likely to make it tougher for disabled workers in the U.S. to find jobs, despite advances in technology and more favorable attitudes among employers, experts say. Click here for more.

Frustrated, Lawyers Leaving Justice's Civil Rights Division--The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, which has enforced the nation's anti-discrimination laws for nearly half a century, is in the midst of an upheaval that has driven away dozens of veteran lawyers and has damaged morale for many of those who remain, according to former and current career employees. Click here for article.

Medicare Drug Program Enrollment to Start - Click here for article.

Advocacy Groups Sue Over New Medicare Plan--WASHINGTON - Eight advocacy groups asked a federal judge on Monday to ensure that no elderly or disabled Americans lose access to their prescription drugs as they enroll in the new Medicare drug plan. Click here for article.

Prescription drug help

People afflicted with a disability and living on a fixed income, need not watch prescription medicines devour much of their budget. Sandra Beasley Independent Living Center offers assistance in getting those medicines reduced and maybe even free of charge. Clik here for article.

Review of 72,000 veterans' disability claims canceled --WASHINGTON — The Veterans Affairs Department has canceled a controversial plan to review the disability status of thousands of veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder. Click here for article.

The Problem With an Almost-Perfect Genetic World--MIA PETERSON is not a fan of tests. Because she has Down syndrome, she says, she cannot always think as fast as she would like to and tests end up making her feel judged. Click here for article.

In Special-Ed Case, Court Backs Montgomery Schools--In a case involving the Montgomery County schools, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday that parents of special-education students disputing proposed instructional plans for their children have the burden of proving why the plans are inadequate. Click here for more.

Access for disabled remains elusive --A Supreme Court decision on Monday seems to make equal education harder to obtain for special needs students. In Schaffer v. Weast, the court ruled that parents have the burden of proving that the school system does not provide a free, appropriate education. Click here for article.

Disability Lawsuit-- Two people with disabilities have filed suit in federal court alleging discrimination by the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal park. Click here for article.

Codey moves to boost share of state business for disabled workers--In an appearance at the First Occupational Center of New Jersey, Codey signed an executive order mandating that state agencies strive to achieve the goal by directing contracts to organizations under the auspices of the Association for Choices in Community Supports and Employment Services, or ACCSES. Click here for article.

"A Cause for Alarm" by Frank Bowe

I am writing this because I worry that many advocates have not yet recognized just how dire are the current prospects for disability rights and services in
Washington. Click here for more.

Time to fight the good fight again-Some time ago in an interview I was asked if people treated me any differently after I had become quadriplegic. A little, I said. Click here for more.

Dueling textualists: Scalia thumps Alito today and look at a 2003 case, Barnhart v. Thomas (disability benefit case), in which the Supreme Court, by Mr. Justice Scalia, reversed 9-0 a Third Circuit decision authored by Judge Alito. Click here for article.

Medicaid recipients with disabilities who direct their own supportive services were significantly more satisfied and appeared to get better care than those receiving services through home care agencies. Click here for article.*

Panel examines disability as part of diversity Click here for article.

Martin Won't Be ForgottenSo you can finally close this chapter in Martin's saga, a combination of will, honor, perseverance, skill, humor, conflict and humanity that golf has never witnessed before and might never see again. Click here for article.

Disabled actress a hit at Disability Awareness Event-Actress Anita Hollander performed her one-woman show, "Still Standing," at NSWC Dahlgren's National Disability Employment Awareness Month event held at the Aegis Auditorium on Tuesday, October 18, 2005. Click here for article.

FDA Asked to Require ED-Blindness Label.-- WASHINGTON - A prominent consumer advocacy group is calling for the government to add the most serious of warnings to the labels of Viagra and other impotence drugs, noting that some users have gone blind. Click here for article.

Deadline nears to purchase voting machines--New Mexico is not alone in its struggle to find reliable voting machines that meet state standards and are accessible to disabled and non-English-speaking populations. Click here for more.

Disability advocates hitting road against group homes URBANA – Evoking the civil rights spirit of the 1960s, disability advocates will embark on a "freedom ride" Sunday to push for an end to institutionalization of those with disabilities. Click here for article.

Lot of eastern Europe's disabled kids little improved: UNICEF Click here for article.

Cold Treatment Protects Against Infant Disability and Death From Oxygen Loss Click here for more.

Screening Said Lax in Disabled Adoptions Click here for article.

11 disabled children found in cages at foster home. ELEVEN disabled children have been found locked in cages less than three feet high in the home of their foster parents in Ohio. Click here for article.

WWII veteran wins fight over disability payment. WASHINGTON — Fighter pilot Frank Fong, who lost sight in one eye as he battled Nazis during World War II, has finally won his war against the Department of Veterans Affairs. Click here for article.

Protestors occupy the reception lobby of Sen. Charles Grassley's, R-Iowa, on Capitol Hil, Monday, Sept. 19, 2005 in Washington. The group protested the effects of congressional funding decisions on low income people with disabilities. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

ADAPT Gets Commitment From HUD Secretary Jackson on Voucher Implementation. Click here for more.

Disability advocate takes test drive in revolutionary moblity system Canady recently got an opportunity to "road test" the iBOT (tm) Mobility System, a revolutionary new system. Click here for article.

Inherited child blindness probed UK scientists are exploring a way to stop babies being born with a form of blindness that runs in families. Click here for article.

Justice Department Settles Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Against Spokane, Wash. Developer and Architectural Firm. Click here for press release.

Disabled students to be allowed to graduate without passing exit exam-Thousands of disabled high school seniors will be able to graduate next spring without having to pass California’s exit exam, under an agreement reached Friday in a four-year-old lawsuit. Click here for article.

New EEOC guidance addresses cancer as a disability--To help root out job discrimination against working adults who have cancer and those with a history of the disease, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a new publication on the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to persons with cancer. Click here for article.

Justice Department Obtains Over $1 Million Settlement In Major Disability Discrimination Suit Involving 49 Apartment Complexes Click for press release.

THE COLOR OF MONEY: Social Security has kept many from poverty Click here for article.

Medicare Drug Benefit Could Do Harm to Poor, Elderly, Disabled-Click here for article.

Disability Voices Heard This Year, Despite Media Resistance--Disability activists achieved an almost unprecedented amount of press coverage this year, largely due to two stories that grabbed media attention – Million Dollar Baby and Terri Schiavo. Click here for press release.

Teen struggles with disability after parents are denied visas Click here for more.

New Jersey Star Ledger editorial on voting paper trails Click here for article.

Disability workshop for journalists held. Click here for article.

Female Boxer Dies After Bout CBS/AP) A woman who won a regional boxing title three years ago died from a head injury sustained in a Golden Gloves competition. She is believed to be the first woman to die in a sanctioned amateur match in the U.S. Click here for article.

'I Am A Fighter' Real Million Dollar Baby Story.Click here for articloe.

Blind Protest in India

A blind Indian man walks during a protest in New Delhi January 9, 2006. Thousands of blind men took part in a protest on Monday to demand for special provision for persons with disabilities in general, and the blind in particular. The protesters also wanted a certain percentage of jobs and employment opportunities to be reserved for them. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP) - A disabled man who slipped and fell in his bathtub was trapped there for six days before he was rescued by a van driver who arrived at the house for a scheduled trip. Click here for article.

43 Years Blind, Man Regains Sight. Click here for article.

Steve Inskeep talks with Michael May, who after 43 years of blindness, recently had his sight restored. Click here for article.

An autistic 8-year-old boy who died after he was wrapped in sheets during a prayer service suffocated, the medical examiner’s office said Monday. The death was ruled a homicide. Click here for article.

Disability complaint spurs city probe

DURHAM -- Investigators from the U.S. Department of Justice arrived in Durham this week to begin measuring doorways, counters, bathrooms and other public access points in city buildings as part of the department's probe into the city's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Click here for article.

Scientists Developing Mind-Controlled Wheelchair:

LONDON (Reuters) - Swiss and Spanish scientists are developing a mind-controlled wheelchair that could one day give severely paralyzed patients new independence. Click here for article.

The Journal Sentinel reported Sunday that contractors who were hired to ease disability claim backlogs threw out medical evidence and other documents belonging to at least 570 people, including 120 from Wisconsin. Click here for article.

From ABCNEWS: Lawmakers Push for Disability Claim Probe

Reports that the Social Security Administration's disability claims office had boxes of unopened mail and hundreds of backlogged cases prompted two members of Congress to ask for an investigation. Click here for article.

FIGHTING BUDGET CUTS:

Resist funding reductions for independent living program. Click here for article.

Activists: Health cuts decimate safety net. Click here for article.

Fighting Cuts in New York State:

Albany, N.Y.:Disabled groups press agenda. Click here for article.

New era awaits coma victim

Mountain View, Ark. - The last time Terry Wallis was conscious of the world around him, Ronald Reagan was president, Bill Clinton was the governor, the Soviet Union was the enemy and the World Trade Center still stood. Click here for article.

Olmstead Implementation in New York

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. CLICK HERE,

Prepared by The Coalition to Implement Olmstead in New York (CTIONY). Click here for paper.

Sign on to CTIONY Policy Paper

WASHINGTON - The government lacks a systematic way to track and investigate hiring complaints from the disabled, resulting in inconsistent enforcement of a law barring discrimination, investigators say. Click here for article.

Businesses Can 'Do Good' and 'Do Well' through Tax Breaks Offered to Companies That Hire People with Disabilities Says Labor Department.
Click here for article.