Disability News Now

In response to significant reductions in Portland Public Schools’ special-education department, concerned parents met with school-district administrators downtown last night for a two-hour, kvetching-and-answer session.

Shedding members, padding surplus and increasing profits continued

As the nation celebrates the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), hearing and visually impaired residents of Massachusetts will gain greater accessibility to movie theaters through a settlement reached between Attorney General Martha Coakley and the three largest movie theater chains in the commonwealth.

One of the most innovative voices in the health care debate, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), is accelerating the process of exempting his state from some of the national reforms passed under President Barack Obama.

“Incidence of disability increases during conflicts and disasters. Conversely, disability increases vulnerability to emergency situations,” said Akiko Ito, Chief of the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and UN Focal Point on Disability, in advance of the event. “Persons with disabilities tend to face added disadvantages and difficulties in having their needs met during the time of crisis when faced with a shortage of resources,” she added.

As president of the Karen Gaffney Foundation, she works to promote the inclusion of folks with developmental disabilities in schools, workplaces and the community, and has raised money for such groups as the Down Syndrome Foundation. But she’s never far from her first love, swimming, and works out 90 minutes a day at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland.

State agencies will submit proposals for cuts to reach a target estimated at 8 percent of their spending from the tax-supported general fund for the nine months (starting Oct. 1) remaining in the current budget cycle. Proposals will be gathered by state budget officials and posted online; Gov. Ted Kulongoski will review them. The Legislative Emergency Board is scheduled to meet Sept. 22-23 and could make some changes.

Because of a possible link to Agent Orange, about 270,000 Vietnam War veterans - more than a quarter of the 1 million receiving disability checks - are being compensated for diabetes, according to Department of Veterans Affairs records.

News that the Portland police Use of Force Review Board recommended firing Officer Ronald Frashour for the fatal shooting of Aaron Campbell was met with cautious praise from activists today.

News that the Portland police Use of Force Review Board recommended firing Officer Ronald Frashour for the fatal shooting of Aaron Campbell was met with cautious praise from activists today.

The decision makes the federal court in Portland the apex of a legal battle that stretches from Oregon to West Virginia, and from Indiana to Texas, over who is responsible for exposing American soldiers to a known cancer-causing chemical early in the Iraq war.

The decision makes the federal court in Portland the apex of a legal battle that stretches from Oregon to West Virginia, and from Indiana to Texas, over who is responsible for exposing American soldiers to a known cancer-causing chemical early in the Iraq war.

The action alleges that the Social Security Administration discriminates against employees with targeted disabilities by creating a glass ceiling and limiting promotions and other career advancement opportunities. The certified class includes all current and former employees with targeted disabilities at the Social Security Administration who, on or after August 22, 2005, have applied for promotions, appeared on a best qualified list and been denied promotion opportunities.

The action alleges that the Social Security Administration discriminates against employees with targeted disabilities by creating a glass ceiling and limiting promotions and other career advancement opportunities. The certified class includes all current and former employees with targeted disabilities at the Social Security Administration who, on or after August 22, 2005, have applied for promotions, appeared on a best qualified list and been denied promotion opportunities.

The government said the airline had violated rules governing assistance given to passengers during boarding, and that it frequently failed to provide an adequate written response to passenger complaints. The airline also failed to properly categorize disability complaints in reports it filed with the government.

The government said the airline had violated rules governing assistance given to passengers during boarding, and that it frequently failed to provide an adequate written response to passenger complaints. The airline also failed to properly categorize disability complaints in reports it filed with the government.

Deaf community in Rogue Valley promotes video remote interpreting technology to ease communication

Deaf community in Rogue Valley promotes video remote interpreting technology to ease communication

Thousands of foreign refugees, including many Cubans, are scheduled to lose Social Security disability aid in less than two months because they have not become citizens.

Thousands of foreign refugees, including many Cubans, are scheduled to lose Social Security disability aid in less than two months because they have not become citizens.