Tag:

Disabilities

32-Year-Old Former Child Star Among Those Killed In LA Wildfires 32-Year-Old Former Child Star Among Those Killed In LA Wildfires
32-Year-Old Former Child Star Among Those Killed In LA Wildfires A former child star and motivational speaker is among the victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, his family has confirmed. Click here for a new, updated story - Death Toll Hits 16, With 40,000 Acres, 12,000 Structures Destroyed Rory Sykes, 32, an Australian who gained media attention as a boy for sharing his experiences living with disabilities, died on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at his family’s estate in Malibu, his mother, Shelley Sykes, announced in a post on X. “It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son @Rorysykes to the Malibu fires yeste…
Freezin’ for a Reason: Westport Polar Bear Plunge Makes Waves For Local Nonprofit Freezin’ for a Reason: Westport Polar Bear Plunge Makes Waves For Local Nonprofit
Freezin’ for a Reason: Westport Polar Bear Plunge Makes Waves For Local Nonprofit Chilly waters and warm hearts will collide at Compo Beach on New Year’s Day for the inaugural “Freezin’ for a Reason” Polar Bear Plunge to raise money for Abilis, a local nonprofit supporting over 800 individuals with disabilities and their families across Fairfield County. Organized by Weston residents Gena and Billy Mann, the plunge promises more than just a bracing dip — it’s an opportunity to help renovate Abilis Gardens & Gifts, a retail and training space offering meaningful job opportunities for individuals with disabilities. The plunge takes place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1…
Fredericksburg Man Accused Of Touching Students With Disabilities On School Bus: Spotsy Sheriff Fredericksburg Man Accused Of Touching Students With Disabilities On School Bus: Spotsy Sheriff
Fredericksburg Man Accused Of Touching Students With Disabilities On School Bus: Spotsy Sheriff A 22-year-old Fredericksburg man is behind bars after allegedly sexually abusing multiple disabled children on a school bus in Spotsylvania, the sheriff's office announced on Saturday. Miguel Velasquez Velasco has been arrested and charged following an investigation into reports of students that were inappropriately touched on a bus, officials say. According to a spokesperson from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office, Velasquez Velasco was arrested on Thursday by members of the agency's "Child Victim Unit."  It is alleged that Velasquez Velasco assaulted three separ…
Nassau County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues Nassau County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues
Nassau County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues A New York county’s controversial mask ban is already facing legal challenges. Click here for a new, updated story: Mask Ban Arrest: Hicksville 18-Year-Old First Person Charged Under Controversial Law In a class action lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of New York on Thursday, Aug. 22, Disability Rights of New York argued that Nassau County’s law barring face coverings in public violates federal law and discriminates against people with disabilities. The filing came a little more than a week after Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, signed the “Mask Transparenc…
Details In Housing Discrimination Cases Against People With Disabilities Released By NJ AG Details In Housing Discrimination Cases Against People With Disabilities Released By NJ AG
Details In Housing Discrimination Cases Against People With Disabilities Released By NJ AG The New Jersey Attorney General's Office has announced eight more cases of management companies and housing providers who discriminated against tenants on the basis of disability. The companies and housing providers denied rental opportunities to people with disabilities, permitted severe or pervasive harassment of tenants based on disability, or denied reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities, in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), according to AG Matthew Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) The eight Findings of Probable Cau…
Hundreds Turn Out For Funeral Of Former Pascack Valley HS Football Captain Devin Wolfe, 30 Hundreds Turn Out For Funeral Of Former Pascack Valley HS Football Captain Devin Wolfe, 30
Hundreds Turn Out For Funeral Of Former Pascack Valley HS Football Captain Devin Wolfe, 30 Joe Wolfe always knew his son was well-liked, but he didn't fully understand how loved he was until his funeral last week. Devin Wolfe, 30, who grew up in River Vale, died in a car accident on Long Island on Saturday, Sept. 9. His former teammates, friends from childhood, peers from college at Johnson & Wales University, coworkers, coaches, teachers, and relatives flew and drove out to Bergen County for Devin's services Thursday, Sept. 14 and Friday, Sept. 15. Seeing the nearly one thousand of them lining up for visitation at Becker Funeral Home and spilling out of pews at the funeral…
Peabody Cafe Closes After Fire, Putting Its Good Works On Pause Peabody Cafe Closes After Fire, Putting Its Good Works On Pause
Peabody Cafe Closes After Fire, Putting Its Good Works On Pause A coffee shop that gives back to its community is now asking for a helping hand of its own. Breaking Grounds, a coffee shop located on 67 Main Street in Peabody, brews up opportunities for people with disabilities and autism, but a fire that broke out on Wednesday, May 10 will keep the cafe closed for up to six weeks, according to the Breaking Grounds site.  Operated by Northeast Arc, Breaking Grounds provides jobs and career training for people, and has successfully placed more than 30 people in jobs throughout the North Shore.  Its job training program, called Project Perk, is …
How New Jersey's 'Deaf Strongman' Found Happiness Amid Hearing Loss How New Jersey's 'Deaf Strongman' Found Happiness Amid Hearing Loss
How New Jersey's 'Deaf Strongman' Found Happiness Amid Hearing Loss The moment Nick Gentile lost his hearing will never leave him. The Fort Lee native was working as a salesman, and was on a sales call, when suddenly his hearing disappeared from his left ear. Gentile had been having hearing troubles in both ears since elementary school, but he never thought it would come to that. The now-28-year-old walked out of work that day nearly deaf in his right ear and fully deaf in his left. He went on disability for months, the gym his sanctuary, as he made sense of his new life. Lifting with a focus on becoming a professional powerlifter — along with helping ot…
Missing Senior Last Spotted In Delco: Police Missing Senior Last Spotted In Delco: Police
Missing Senior Last Spotted In Delco: Police An 81-year-old man is missing, and was last known to be in Nether Providence, authorities announced.  James Lee was last seen at around 11 a.m. near the 700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue on Thursday, Jan. 19, a loved one told Nether Providence police.  Lee is disabled, but does not have his cell phone or his hearing aids with him, officials said. Loved ones say it's unlike him to disappear, and that he has no connections in the immediate area, so it's unclear where he might have gone.  He "may have access to public transportation," police noted.  James Lee is 5-foot-2, …
Popular Eatery To Open Hudson Valley Location Popular Eatery To Open Hudson Valley Location
Popular Eatery To Open Hudson Valley Location A popular chain will soon hold the grand opening of a new Hudson Valley location. The event for the new Robeks smoothie shop is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 17 in Putnam County from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., representatives announced.  The eatery, located at 1081 Stoneleigh Ave. in Carmel, will have a ribbon-cutting event, live music, face painting, and other entertainment, according to the announcement.  The grand opening will also be a fundraiser for Putnam Service Dogs, an organization that provides free trained service dogs to individuals with disabilities. The Robeks menu include…
Former Boston Educator Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Child With Disabilities Former Boston Educator Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Child With Disabilities
Former Boston Educator Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Child With Disabilities A former Boston Public Schools employee was sentenced to 12 to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing a child with developmental disabilities, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said. Jose Melendez, age 55, was previously convicted four counts of aggravated rape of a child and one count of aggravated assault and battery on a child on May 31, the office reports. The counts stem from his time as a paraprofessional at Mario Umana Academy in East Boston, during which he abused a male student from 2015 to 2016. "Before, [he] would want to go out, but after he stopped and never w…
Police Search For Duo Accused Of Stealing Donations From CT Organization Police Search For Duo Accused Of Stealing Donations From CT Organization
Police Search For Duo Accused Of Stealing Donations From CT Organization Police have asked the public for help identifying two people accused of stealing donations from a Connecticut organization. Connecticut State Police reported that an unidentified male and female stole donated cans and bottles from the ARC Emporium located in the Windham County town of Woodstock at about 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 4. No age description was provided for the two suspects.  Police said the suspects returned at about 8:10 p.m. on Sunday, June 5, and stole more cans and bottles. The ARC is an organization that accepts donations from the community and uses the donations to he…
UPDATE: Missing Woman Found Safe UPDATE: Missing Woman Found Safe
Update: Missing Woman Found Safe UPDATE: The woman has been found safe and unharmed. ORIGINAL STORY: Authorities are seeking the public's help locating a woman who they say was last seen at Newark Penn Station. Magdalena Diaz was last seen by her mom at the New Jersey train station on March 21 at 1:15 p.m., according to NJ Transit officials. Diaz was captured two days later on surveillance footage at Penn Station in New York around 7 a.m., NJ Transit officials tell Daily Voice. Diaz is known to have severe learning deficiencies, mental health disabilities and physical limitations. Anyone who sees her or who knows where …
Authorities: Street Evangelist Stalked Englewood Abortion Doc With Drone Authorities: Street Evangelist Stalked Englewood Abortion Doc With Drone
Authorities: Street Evangelist Stalked Englewood Abortion Doc With Drone A self-described Christian missionary from Westchester was arrested after Englewood police said he used a drone to peer into the second-floor office of an abortion doctor he was stalking. Daniel Stephen Courney, 36, of Scarsdale, NY was caught piloting the device -- equipped with a camera and speaker -- outside Metropolitan Medical Associates on Engle Street, where he and other pro-lifers have frequently protested over the years, Detective Capt. Timothy Torell said. Detective Ron Layne learned that Courney had been terrorizing the doctor over a four-month period by “purposely and repeatedl…
MassHealth Initiates Plan To Cut Off Worcester Nursing Home Due To Poor Care MassHealth Initiates Plan To Cut Off Worcester Nursing Home Due To Poor Care
MassHealth Initiates Plan To Cut Off Worcester Nursing Home Due To Poor Care A Worcester nursing home is among three facilities MassHealth is threatening to cut off due to alleged poor performance. Hermitage Healthcare in Worcester, as well as Town and Country in Lowell, and Wareham Healthcare in Wareham, were issued initial termination notices Monday, Aug. 3, according to the Boston Business Journal. The notice is the first step in the process to close a facility off from the state health insurance program for low-income families and those with disabilities. If MassHealth would cut off the facilities, it means that MassHealth would not pay for any of its clients to…
Neighbors Say They're Being Terrorized By Escaped West Milford Group Home Patients Neighbors Say They're Being Terrorized By Escaped West Milford Group Home Patients
Neighbors Say They're Being Terrorized By Escaped West Milford Group Home Patients First he smashed garage windows and ripped out a light fixture. Then he was banging his body against a front door trying to get inside. This is how West Milford neighbors are saying a patient who escaped a nearby group home has been terrorizing them, according to a report in NorthJersey.com. The home on Longhouse Drive is run by Bellwether Behavioral Health for people with disabilities and psychological conditions in treatment programs. The incidents and the home are under investigation by the state Department of Human Services, the report says. Some of the patients have traits including "…
Molinaro Rips Cuomo For Disability Joke About His Brother, CNN Anchor Chris Molinaro Rips Cuomo For Disability Joke About His Brother, CNN Anchor Chris
Molinaro Rips Cuomo For Disability Joke About His Brother, CNN Anchor Chris Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, who was just nominated as the Republicans' choice to challenge New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s seat in office, has come out firing in response to a tongue-in-cheek comment the governor made about his brother. Cuomo drew the ire of local politicians and residents this week when he made a joke that his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, “has certain development issues.” “This morning, I did CNN," Cuomo stated. “I have a brother. He’s not a natural brother, he’s adopted. But we treat him like he’s a natural brother. “It’s actually a funny story. He was…
Westchester Developer Will Pay $175K To Settle Fair Housing Lawsuit Westchester Developer Will Pay $175K To Settle Fair Housing Lawsuit
Westchester Developer Will Pay $175K To Settle Fair Housing Lawsuit A prominent Westchester developer has reached a $175,000 settlement with federal officials for violating the Fair Housing Act by failing to make a pair of Rockland County developments not properly accessible to people with disabilities. Geoffrey Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced on Friday that Valhalla-based Ginsburg Development Companies reached the settlement from a 2016 lawsuit alleging that two developments in Haverstraw, with several hundred units, were inaccessible. As part of the agreement, Berman said that Ginsburg has agreed to make…
Shelton Mayor Gives Kennedy Center A Holiday Surprise Shelton Mayor Gives Kennedy Center A Holiday Surprise
Shelton Mayor Gives Kennedy Center A Holiday Surprise SHELTON, Conn. — The Kennedy Center got a surprise this holiday season — a $5,000 donation from Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti. Lauretti made the donation through proceeds from his annual Mayor’s Charity Golf Tournament. “We want to personally thank Mayor Lauretti and the supporters of his golf tournament for their generous donation to The Kennedy Center,” said Martin Schwartz, president and CEO of the Trumbull-based organization that supports people with special needs.  “This substantial contribution has been earmarked for general operating expenses, which will benefit the 2,000 people with …