Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Arrest made in rape of woman on L.A. County bus

Excerpt from: The Oakland Press (click for full article)

 

For 10 agonizing minutes, an 18-year-old mentally disabled woman was raped in the back of a near-empty Los Angeles County bus as it rolled past a state park and a cemetery and no one did anything about it.

Several passengers and the driver were apparently unaware that a crime was being committed in the 45-foot-long bus, but one person on board tried to alert the driver and was unsuccessful. 

Authorities arrested Kerry Trotter, 20, on Friday thanks to an anonymous tip by someone who saw an image of the suspected attacker taken by a surveillance camera on the bus that was publicly released.

Trotter was booked for investigation of rape and was being held on $1 million bail, authorities said. It wasn’t immediately known if he had retained an attorney.

Wheelchair friendly curb projects get state funds

Excerpt from: The Union Democrat (click for full article)

 

Wheelchair-friendly curb ramps will be installed on Highway 49 at various points in Tuolumne, Calaveras and Amador counties with funding from the California Transportation Council.

Thirteen locations, including sites in Sonora, Angels Camp and San Andreas, were identified for $146,000 in State Highway Operation and Protection Program funds as part of CTC’s monthly allocation of funds. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pedestrian curb ramps will be installed at Highway 49 and Pesce Way in Sonora, at Highway 49 and Birds Way in Angels Camp, Highway 49 and Treat Avenue in San Andreas, Highway 49 and Gatewood Avenue and on Mountain Ranch Road in San Andreas as well as several locations in the city of Jackson and Amador County.

“We have to make sure our state right-of-ways are adhering to ADA curb ramp standards,” said Caltrans District 10 spokeswoman Angela DaPrato.

DaPrato said an additional 13 sites in the tri-county area have been identified for a future ADA curbing project once funding is secured. 

Those include the Highway 12-26 intersection in Valley Springs and Highway 49 and Russell Road in San Andreas.

Statewide, about $287 million were allocated to 23 projects in this round of funding, according to a statement from Caltrans.

“We are building transportation improvements that will benefit the state for decades and will also boost job growth in every region of California,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.

Disability.gov launches ‘What’s Your Connection?’ campaign to emphasize disability as a universal link, encourage inclusion in all aspects of life

Excerpt from: United States Department of Labor (click for full article)

 

The Disability.gov website has launched "What's Your Connection?" to commemorate the site's 10th anniversary. The initiative emphasizes that disability is a natural part of the human experience and focuses on the integral role people with disabilities play in American society. Disability.gov is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy in collaboration with 21 federal agency partners.

"There are nearly 57 million individuals with disabilities in the United States, and they are all connected to those around them — their family members, co-workers, neighbors and friends," said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. "By sharing how disability touches us all, we can reinforce and encourage the inclusion of people with disabilities in every aspect of daily life, in our homes, communities and workplaces."

People nationwide can participate in the campaign by submitting a captioned photograph or video that answers the question "What's your connection to disability?" Submissions will be accepted through July 31, 2013. More information, including rules and requirements, is available at http://s.dol.gov/XJ.

Disability.gov is the federal government's website for comprehensive information on disability programs and services in communities nationwide. Through the site, individuals with disabilities, their families, caregivers and others are able to connect to thousands of resources from federal, state and local government agencies; academic institutions; and nonprofit organizations. New information is added daily across 10 main subject areas: benefits, civil rights, community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, health, housing, technology and transportation.

Why We Need Accessible Public Transit for All People with Disabilities

Excerpt from: Disability Law

 

Regional Transportation Authority Chairman John Gates Jr. apologized Wednesday for referring to paratransit for the disabled as "federally mandated limousine service." 

Gates said he made the remark "without thinking" while trying to describe the difficulty of providing funding for paratransit service as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

"My comments were inappropriate and unfortunately could be misconstrued to suggest bias against the disabled community," Gates said at a meeting of the RTA board. "Nothing can be farther from the truth."

Separate paratransit systems for people with disabilities may be a necessary accommodation to sunk investments in inaccessible public transit systems, but, as Gates's comments show, they are stigmatizing.  Universally accessible public transit is far preferable.