Fourth suspect pleads in case of slain Vt. man Oct 27, 2009
NORTH HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) -- A New Hampshire man charged in the murder of a developmentally disabled Wal-Mart cashier who'd been flirting with his girlfriend admits he helped plan the attack. Nineteen-year-old Michael Robie was originally charged with conspiracy to commit murder but pleaded guilty Monday to four lesser charges in exchange for a 20-to-40-year prison term. (Concord Monitor)
Arc Employment Services feels the economic burn Oct 27, 2009
It s especially hard for Minute Man Arc s Employment Services program, which contracts with about 40 area businesses to secure employment for 81 of its developmentally disabled clients. It s a tough time to place people, said David Doss, the Arc s director of employment services. (Concord Journal, MA)
Jealous teen admits arranging Vt. cashier killing Oct 27, 2009
NORTH HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) -- A New Hampshire man charged in the murder of a developmentally disabled Wal-Mart cashier who'd been flirting with his girlfriend pleaded guilty Monday to lesser charges, admitting he helped orchestrate the attack from his jail cell. Michael Robie, 19, who became enraged after being told of the advances by victim Christopher Gray, was captured on recorded telephone calls plotting to avenge them. (Concord Monitor)
Alleged Murder Mastermind Sentenced Today Oct 26, 2009
A fourth suspect will be sentenced for masterminding the murder of a developmentally disabled man. Michael Robie is charged with conspiracy to commit murder. (WCAX.com, VT)
Training sessions will help those who work with developmentally disabled residents Oct 26, 2009
CHARLESTON -- Training sessions scheduled for this week will help social service workers help developmentally disabled people who might be the victims of sex crimes ... She said the developmentally disabled can be some of the most vulnerable to sex crimes ... Buckley said the state department likely chose the county to be part of the project because there are several organizations and facilities here that work with the developmentally disabled. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Hearing on Nov. 2 for new zoning class Oct 25, 2009
The zoning class would allow assisted-living programs like Sycamore Ridge, a proposed community for developmentally disabled adults. Planners are considering only whether to add the new zoning class, not whether to permit Sycamore Ridge. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Calif drops pledge of $250 bonus for state workers Oct 25, 2009
Place an obit: (559) 441-6228. Web Search powered by YAHOO. (Fresno Bee -- State)
Last suspect in cashier killing could plead guilty Oct 22, 2009
NORTH HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) -- A newspaper says the fourth person charged in a plot that ended with the killing in North Haverhill, N.H., of a developmentally disabled Wal-Mart cashier is getting ready to plead guilty. The Caledonian Record of St. Johnsbury, Vt. (Concord Monitor)
Millcreek man gets up to 8 years in beating of toddler Oct 21, 2009
The injuries left Autilli developmentally disabled in speech and motor skills -- injuries that "might possibly be long-term," Connelly said. He said the victim, as a small child, was one "of the most helpless and vulnerable" members of the community. (Erie Times-News, PA)
Mental health coalition seeks help from NC gov Oct 21, 2009
RALEIGH (AP) Advocates for the mentally ill, developmentally disabled and substance abusers have complained for years that North Carolina state government hasn t spent enough on treating and stabilizing patients. Advertisement. (Roanoke Rapids Daily Herald, NC)
The Giving Garden donates produce to food pantries, developmentally disabled Oct 20, 2009
All of the produce was donated to the Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, St. Joe s Food Pantry and the St. Francois County Board for the Developmentally Disabled. All the pumpkins were donated to the Southeast Missouri Family Violence Council, Children s Haven and the Children s Advocacy Center. (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
Coles County Poor Farm: Local resident recalls memories of living there during her childhood Oct 20, 2009
The building later housed developmentally disabled adults prior to closing in 1987 because of health violations. It was called Ashmore Estates. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
'The beginning of the worst' Oct 19, 2009
The office is seeing more elderly and developmentally disabled people who need assistance. "When the economy slows, the developmentally disabled are the first to lose their jobs," Budenske said ... This can put an additional financial strain on the parents of a developmentally disabled person who has been living at home. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
No jail sentences, but plenty of hurt for DDSO defendants Oct 18, 2009
When Oneida County prosecutors began probing an alleged bid-rigging scheme at a state agency serving developmentally disabled individuals, there was a concern that certain people were lining their pockets with taxpayer dollars. But in the end, prosecutors determined, those worst fears weren t warranted: No evidence of kickbacks was ever found in the probe of contracts handed out for maintenance projects by the in Rome. (Utica NY Obserer, NY)
At Perkins School for the Blind, new building reflects new vision Oct 18, 2009
Now the campus is filled with students in wheelchairs, students pushing walkers, students who are developmentally disabled. And the number of blind students with other disabilities is expected to continue growing. (Boston Globe)
Teens becoming independent (2) Oct 18, 2009
Published: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 2:43 PM PDT Becoming Independent an organization more than 30 years old that serves over 1,100 developmentally disabled people in Sonoma, Napa, and Solano counties has opened up its first ever after school and summer program for kids at Healdsburg High School. In conjunction with the Healdsburg Unified School District, the Teen Zone program will run as a half-day service for developmentally disabled people from ages 13 to 22 ... The free program... (Sebastopol Sonoma West Publishing, CA)
Brookline gala organizers hope to meet goals for rehab center in down economy Oct 17, 2009
Wicked Local staff photo by Kate Flock Adam and Michelle Fineberg's parents founded the Barry L. Price Rehabilitation Center, after Adam, who is developmentally disabled, was born. Adam now works at the center and Michelle is on the Center's board. (Wellesley Townsman, MA)
Project Happy Feet Meeting Set Oct 16, 2009
(0) The next meeting of Project Happy Feet will be at 5:30pm on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in (Madison County Council on Developmentally Disabled) MCCDD's building 610 S. Chamber Drive. There will be a discussion on our next fund raising Walk-A-Thon scheduled for November 14, 2009. (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
N.H. brain injury unit to close Oct 15, 2009
According to union officials, there have been eight layoffs so far at the state s nursing home for mentally ill or developmentally disabled elderly adults, three at the state veteran s home, and seven at the Department of Revenue. The union also said it has heard about a small number of layoffs at other state agencies, including the agriculture, information technology, and treasury departments. (Boston Globe)
LETTER: Parents need options for special needs kids Oct 14, 2009
I have been a nurse in this community for 28 years, worked with developmentally disabled adults and children at Graywood, volunteered as friend for a day at Special Olympics and have spent plenty of time at Armstrong and TLC both as a visitor and while working. I want these facilities to remain open and operate just as they are now so that they may continue to provide the wonderful care and nurturing environment that they have given, since my now grown children, were students. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Marvin J. Franz Oct 13, 2009
He worked at the Northern Center for the Developmentally Disabled for many years and also Benish Trucking. He was a member of Moose Lodge #246, American Legion Post #77 and Notre Dame Church. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
New ailments Bollywood's ticket to spicing up box office Oct 11, 2009
Characters with special ailments gathered focus when Hrithik Roshan played a developmentally disabled youth in Koi Mil Gaya (2003). A slew of films highlighting such conditions have followed since: Aamir Khans Taare Zameen Par (2007) created huge awareness about dyslexia, a condition where a person has difficulty in reading and writing. (India Times, India -- Community News)
Melwood tournament moves to University Oct 10, 2009
Melwood, an organization that trains developmentally disabled people, inked a five-year deal with the PGA Tour in 2006 to establish the tournament. Most Read Stories. (Washington Business Journal, DC)
Caregiver pleads guilty to abusing disabled adults Oct 9, 2009
BALTIMORE The office of the attorney general said a former caregiver at a Westminster home for the developmentally disabled has pleaded guilty to two counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult ... Gambill was a paid assistant residential adviser, caring for two developmentally disabled men who lived at a group home in Westminster. (Carroll County Times, MD)
COLUMN: Dorothea Dix and visiting those in prison Oct 9, 2009
By 1848, she had traveled an estimated 60,000 miles, and visited more than 9,000 mentally ill, developmentally disabled and epileptic people confined to thousands of institutions. Later, in another trip to Europe she would meet with Pope Pius IX to talk to him about the deplorable conditions among the mentally ill in Italy. (Easton Journal, MA)
Hearing planned on project for disabled Oct 8, 2009
com WINTERVILLE - The Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing next month about a new zoning class proposed by a nonprofit working to build a community for developmentally disabled people ... WINTERVILLE - The Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing next month about a new zoning class proposed by a nonprofit working to build a community for developmentally disabled people. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Rapper Jim Jones pleads guilty to NYC assault Oct 6, 2009
Christopher Gray, a developmentally disabled cashier, had eyes for 17-year-old Amber Talbot. She worked in the health and beauty aids department - and she already had a boyfriend. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Battling the Scourge of Illiteracy Oct 5, 2009
30 Million Americans Cannot Read, But There Is Hope and Help. CBS News' Byron Pitts spent many agonizing years overcoming his illiteracy and in this report he travels from Pittsburgh to Baltimore to meet those who are also faced with this disability. (CBS News)
Janice C. McCord-Burgess: Sycamore Ridge is good project Oct 5, 2009
A recent letter to the editor regarding Sycamore Ridge, a planned community for the developmentally disabled proposed for the city of Winterville that is on the agenda for today's city council meeting, said the development would be "nothing different than the services offered at the Central State institution ("," Sept. 25). That's totally erroneous. My experience with individuals who may not be able to live independently - keep a job, pay bills, enjoy life, etc. - in a self-contained housing... (Athens Banner-Herald)
Police appeal for information in slaying of Kingston woman Oct 4, 2009
Published: Saturday, October 3, 2009 6:19 AM EDT CATSKILL State police are reaching out to the public for assistance in the two-year-old unsolved murder of a 59-year-old developmentally disabled Kingston woman. Linda Holgerson, of 132 Clinton Ave., in Kingston, was found dead on Nov. 4, 2007 at the end of a driveway on Route 23A in Prattsville, down an embankment between two unoccupied homes. (Catskill Daily Mail, NY)
High court says state can't raid transit funds Oct 3, 2009
In their latest budget action, the governor and the Legislature approved a plan in July to close a $24 billion deficit, in part by siphoning $138 million from the public transit account to the Department of Developmental Services to pay for transporting developmentally disabled persons to regional centers. The July plan also counted on taking $254 million from public transit to repay transportation bond debt payments. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Disabled more likely to be crime victims Oct 3, 2009
The first national study of its kind found that a wide range of disabled people -- including blind, deaf, developmentally disabled, and others with physical and mental limitations -- were victims of assaults, rapes and robberies in 716,000 cases in 2007. The study by the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics said instances of violence against disabled people occurred overall 1; times the rate of those without disabilities, but the numbers varied by age group. (CNN -- Law)
The Friendship Home groundbreaking: PHOTO GALLERY Oct 2, 2009
After many years of fundraising, the Friendship Home project, which will construct a respite home for developmentally disabled adults and their families, officially got under with with a groundbreaking on the United Church of Christ property in Norwell. Loading commenting interface. (Norwell Mariner, MA)
10 things to do this weekend Oct 2, 2009
Oct. 3, 9 a.m. 5 p.m., Oct. 4, 11 a.m. 5 p.m. Free, proceeds benefit the New Horizon Center for Developmentally Disabled and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. 6701 W. Forest Preserve Drive, (773) 308-7000. (Crain's Chicago Business)
Seclusion hearing scheduled Sep 30, 2009
A judge will hear the school district s defense for allegedly locking a 9-year-old developmentally disabled student in a seclusion room after stripping him down to his underwear. The hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday in Maury County Chancery Court. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Ready, willing and able Sep 30, 2009
Developmentally disabled adults can earn less than minimum wage. The Labor Department has created a special wage, which is based on productivity. (Coos Bay-North Bend The World, OR)
Troubled Nebraska center loses Medicaid funding appeal Sep 26, 2009
The state was notified Friday of the decision issued earlier this week. It was not unexpected given the problems that have plagued the Beatrice State Developmental Center. (Sioux City Journal)
Roger K. Gindt Sep 26, 2009
He had worked at the Northern Center for the Developmentally Disabled and the Chippewa County Health Care System. He was a member of Notre Dame Church. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
Disaters' damage Sep 26, 2009
It wasn't until last year when she, her great-grandson and 39-year-old son, who is developmentally disabled, started coughing and getting sick that they moved into her daughter's home. But it was a strain with seven people living in her daughter's home. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
Norwell family shares what life is like with an autistic child Sep 24, 2009
Though Michael is developmentally disabled, he will likely have a normal life span. Lori and I joke around, Mike said. (Norwell Mariner, MA)
Schools defend isolation rooms Sep 24, 2009
In Arkansas, a developmentally disabled 9-year-old girl was suspended from school after she refused to enter a small wooden box in the corner of the classroom. Children in Colorado were placed in time-out rooms and not allowed to use the restroom. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Worker fired after disabled adults are left alone Sep 23, 2009
(AP) A community services agency in Frederick says it has fired a caregiver charged with leaving three blind, deaf and developmentally disabled men in a locked car for an hour while he ate lunch at a diner. MedSource Community Services Executive Director Robert Claxton said Tuesday that MedSource has severed all ties with 47-year-old Brian Fleming, of Fairfield, Pa. (Carlisle Sentinel, PA)
Predicament of the Haves Sep 22, 2009
That includes lower-paid staffers who work at resident group homes for the developmentally disabled. Because of the population we re recruiting from, a lot of them are sitting right on the cusp of state-supported mandates, Sabol says. (San Jose Business Journal, CA)
Too much complaining, not enough doing Sep 21, 2009
Would voters rather build more jails, penitentiaries and group homes so that kids who fall into the educational abyss of inadequate teacher to student ratios, absent early development programs and missing assistance for increasing numbers of developmentally disabled and at-risk students can be more expensively accommodated at a later date. In addition to school employees, thousands of volunteers now mentoring in public schools see and know the need, but adequate support is frequently sabotaged... (The Herald-Palladium)
Mom: School officials stripped, locked up son Sep 21, 2009
A mother of a developmentally disabled student at the school alleges her son was stripped down to his underwear and ordered to stand in this room as punishment ... A Maury County judge has issued an emergency injunction against educators at Joseph Brown Elementary School after a developmentally disabled student was allegedly stripped down to his underwear and locked in a seclusion room ... sparky wrote on Sep 20, 2009 11:06 PM:" contd.Our system is reactive and mainly concerned with how to get... (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
KDS has reason to celebrate Sep 20, 2009
The curriculum is designed to help the developmentally disabled live more independently. KDS was evaluated by the Council on Accreditation, an independent international accreditor of community-based behavioral healthcare and human services organizations. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Nonprofit seeks new zone class Sep 19, 2009
com WINTERVILLE - A nonprofit organization working to build a planned community for developmentally disabled people may ask the city of Winterville to create a new zoning class ... WINTERVILLE - A nonprofit organization working to build a planned community for developmentally disabled people may ask the city of Winterville to create a new zoning class. (Athens Banner-Herald)
As it turns 20, Anchor to Windward parties, bids director adieu Sep 18, 2009
Quietly doing important work on behalf of developmentally disabled adults, Anchor to Windward is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. The local non-profit has experienced many incarnations over the years but has never wavered in its mission to develop the full potential of special-needs adults and adolescents by teaching a variety of social and daily living skills and offering a selection of recreational programs. (Marblehead Reporter, MA)
Suspect to plead in disabled man's slaying Sep 17, 2009
NORTH HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) -- A suspect in the fatal stabbing of a developmentally disabled Groton, Vt. man plans to enter a plea. (Concord Monitor)
Mesa police find missing woman Sep 15, 2009
A developmentally disabled 34-year-old Mesa woman who was reported missing on Friday has been found, police said. Josette Sinatra was found near the 4300 block of Bell Road Monday. (AZCentral -- News)
Bubbling with support: PHOTO GALLERY of Norwell Labor Day picnic Sep 15, 2009
The Labor Day festivities served as a fundraiser for Friendship Home, Inc., a Norwell based charity that will construct a respite home for families of developmentally disabled adults, on property owned by the United Church of Christ on Route 123. Bubbling with support: PHOTO GALLERY of Norwell Labor Day picnic. (Norwell Mariner, MA)
Word on the Street: Business finds perfect fit for women Sep 14, 2009
A business that finds family homes for developmentally disabled adults has opened in Fresno. Family Options helps adults with elderly parents or families who are otherwise unable to care for them. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
Police searching for mentally ill woman Sep 13, 2009
A Mesa police statement said Sinatra is developmentally disabled and suffers from mental illness. Police said she is without medications and can become aggressive. (AZCentral -- News)
Wrongful convictions proveweakness in judicial system Sep 13, 2009
False confessions lead to wrongful convictions in approximately 25 percent of the cases, many involving defendants under 18 years of age or developmentally disabled persons. To prevent coercion and to provide an accurate record, all police interrogations should be electronically recorded, says the Project. (NJ.com -- Times)
Multifaceted, experimental Thorny Brocky Sep 13, 2009
Novik says, "I feel the musicians (in Thorny Brocky) create the sounds I hear in my head, and I am eternally grateful to them. They are all good friends of mine, great musicians, they know what I want, and forgive so much!" For his next release, Novik is working with Mission "outsider" poets, setting librettos to words written by local homeless, mentally ill or developmentally disabled poets. Line-up: Aaron Novik, composer, bass clarinet; Dina Maccabee, violin; Lisa Mezzacappa, bass; Mari Abe,... (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Community Living Toronto returns for MSU game Sep 12, 2009
Michael Ward of Shelby Township arranged for 10 developmentally disabled adults from Community Living Toronto to attend the Sept. 5 MSU-Montana State football game ... Ward, of Shelby Township, treated 10 developmentally disabled adults from Community Living Toronto to the game in what's become a Detroit-area sports tradition. (Shelby Twp Advisor & Source, MI)
Remembering Sally Wilson Sep 11, 2009
Admitting that she didn t have the slightest idea where to begin, Lannon nevertheless jumped into the task head first and soon had made arrangements for the five developmentally disabled students to compete ... Wilson, who started working with developmentally disabled children in her own basement and eventually moved the program to the Keyser Presbyterian Church, had that kind of affect on people. (Keyser Mineral Daily News Tribune, WV)
Obituaries (405) Sep 10, 2009
She worked with mentally challenged adults when she served as the Director of Community Life Services and in other positions for the Arkansas Enterprises for the developmentally disabled ... For those who wish to honor Lucy for her service to the church, her work with mentally challenged adults, and her tireless devotion to helping those who have a variety of special needs, please consider making a donation to: Lakewood and First United Methodist Churches in North Little Rock; Campground United... (Paragould Daily Press, AR)
Police use billboard to hunt for clues Sep 10, 2009
The department has erected a billboard on Santa Fe Pike and James Campbell Boulevard, asking for tips in the murders of Nastasia Mosley and Relland Stovall, a 36-year-old developmentally disabled man who was killed by a stray bullet in April. Police say there is likely someone in the community who knows something that could help solve these cases. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Shriver raises Kennedy family flag Sep 5, 2009
On Sept. 12, she will star at her signature charity event, the annual Audi "Best Buddies" charity bicycle ride on Highway 1 through Big Sur, which has raised $3 million for services for the developmentally disabled, the lifelong passion of her mother, who founded the Special Olympics. In October, she will preside over the annual women's conference that has showcased world leaders, celebrities and political figures from Oprah Winfrey to the Dalai Lama. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Politics)
Cincinnati ONE Awards names nine finalists Sep 4, 2009
The 2009 finalists are: Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati; Caracole Inc.; Cincinnati Union Bethel; Dan Beard Council of Boy Scouts; Easter Seals Work Resource Center; Focus on Youth; Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled (LADD); Pro Kids; and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati. The winner will be announced and the finalists honored at a luncheon to take place Oct. 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Millennium Hotel downtown. (Cincinnati Business Courier, OH)
Thorny Brocky Sep 4, 2009
Michelle Broder Van Dyke. Thursday, September 3, 2009. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Franklin securities broker barred from practice Sep 2, 2009
7 million from more than 30 clients including widows, Alzheimer s sufferers, elderly people and a developmentally disabled individual. Neither Spencer nor Sullivan admitted nor denied wrongdoing but agreed to have the findings entered. (Nashville Business Journal, TN)
Business notes Aug 30, 2009
Registered nurses, Renita Thonvold and Janine K Van Engen have worked as employees of the state assigned to some of the most challenging mentally ill, elderly and developmentally disabled persons in Minnesota. The class will meet in C225. (Brainerd Daily Dispatch)
Change starts with us Aug 30, 2009
I witnessed it firsthand 34 years ago in New York with the treatment of the developmentally disabled -- called "retarded" back then ... But today, community-based housing and services for the developmentally disabled are the norm. (Albany Times Union)
