From jonathan at lyens.com Mon Feb 1 22:02:13 2010 From: jonathan at lyens.com (Jonathan Lyens) Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 01:02:13 -0500 Subject: [Cagdu] Support Training Staff at GDB Message-ID: Fellow CAGDUers, You'd be hard pressed to find a group of people more dedicated and passionate about their work than the training staff at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Together with the canine welfare technicians, resident attendants, training class specialist, and other members of the training department, the instructors work tirelessly to build the guide dog partnerships that have touched so many of us, in ways we could never have imagined. But they can't do it alone; they need partnerships of their own. That's why a majority of instructors and other training department staff have joined together to partner with a labor union - OPEIU Local 29. Organizing into a union will help instructors secure fair and safe working conditions, freeing these dedicated people up to focus their energies on what they do best - training guides and working with clients. Unfortunately, the leadership of Guide Dogs for the Blind is strongly resisting efforts of instructors to organize into a union. That's where you come in. If you support the instructors and training staff and their efforts to win safe, fair working conditions, please call or email Nancy Gardner, President and CEO of Guide Dogs for the Blind at 1-800-295-4050, or ngardner at guidedogs.com. If you have further questions about the union, please don't hesitate to contact me off-list for more information. Thank you for your support! Best- Jonathan Lyens jonathan at lyens.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20100202/bb663510/attachment.html From julietcody at cox.net Tue Feb 9 09:35:03 2010 From: julietcody at cox.net (Juliett Cody) Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 09:35:03 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] Fw: [Cabs-talk] Discrimination in Oakland Message-ID: Hello President Dillan and CAGDu ers, Do you have the contact of the Police Station from Oakland who send a policeman to our CAGDU seminar? If you do it would be good to posted on the NFB list serve so Chris would have it. Thanks, JC and M ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anne Ward" To: Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010 12:29 PM Subject: [Cabs-talk] Discrimination in Oakland > This was sent to me this morning by Judith Lesner, who asked me to > distribute it widely. > > Anne Ward > > > > Discrimination in Oakland? > > > > Last night my very good friend Marvelena Quesada was told that she had to > "sit in the back of the bus". In this case, an East Bay ParaTransit bus. > The person givithng the order was the bus's dispatcher. Marvelena's > status that led up to the banishment to the back of the bus was her > traveling with Darla. Marvelena is blind and Darla is her seeing eye dog. > > > > To start at the beginning, Marvelena and her husband Chris Gray came to my > house for dinner. They are both blind and Chris is the past president of > the American Council of the Blind which is a national consumer group. > They had arranged to be picked up by East Bay ParaTransit for a ride home. > At about 9:15 they got a call that their ride was outside. I walked out > with them to bus number 352. The driver asked if the dog was going along > too. Marvelena replied that it was. The driver then decided that her bus > was not positioned correctly and drove about a half block down the street. > By the time we got to her she was on her cell phone and refused entry to > Chris and Marvelena, yelling at them through the partially opened door > that no one had said anything about a dog and that she had "issues" with > dogs. She said they had to wait for another paratransit bus to come and > take them. Chris said that they had a legal right to get on the bus with > the dog and forced his way through the partially opened door and got on > the bus. The driver slammed the door and wouldn't let Marvelena and Darla > on the bus. > > > > Meanwhile the driver was speaking to her dispatcher on a speaker phone. > That was when the dispatcher made her Solomon like decision to end the > impasse, "Go take the dog and sit in the back of the bus". I informed the > driver and dispatcher that it was no longer the 50's where they could get > away with that. Chris and Marvelena said that she would not move to the > back. While this was going on, Marvelena and Darla managed to get on the > bus. Marvelena was calling paratransit and she and I and another friend > were conferring through the open door. At that point the passenger on the > bus said that she had had it with waiting so long and would walk the rest > of the way home. She got off the bus and left. The driver reported that > the passenger had left the bus because of the dog which was a baldfaced > lie. The driver then said that the company was sending another bus to > take them home. > > > > This all went on for some time when the driver closed the doors so that we > could no longer talk to Chris and Marvelena, turned out the lights and > left the bus. Marvelena and Chris were left alone in a locked bus while > the driver walked half a block away and spoke on her cell phone. Chris > then called 911 and two Oakland policemen arrived shortly there after. > > > > One of the police asked my friend and I what was happening. I explained > the situation. The policeman said something to the effect that it > depended on the bus company's policy. I said that was nonsense. That it > had nothing to do with the bus company, it was a federal law called the > ADA. Marvelena and her dog had the same right of access to public places > as Marvelena did on her own. He seemed unaware of the law. > > > > Finally, after the police arrived, another bus arrived to take them home. > The altercation took about an hour and involved the waste of two bus > drivers' time as well as that of two Oakland police personnel. > > > > Questions that arise: > > 1.. Why when so many people with disabilities are using service animals > does a company whose sole clientele are people with disabilities hire a > driver who will not drive a bus with a dog on it? > 2.. If the company feels compelled to hire folks who are afraid of dogs, > why do they not routinely ask passengers if they are traveling with > service animals so that they can send a not-afraid driver? > 3.. Why were the driver and the dispatcher not trained by the company to > know the laws about access and seeing eye dogs? > 4.. Why was the driver not trained in basic courtesy? She routinely > yelled at us, slammed doors and at one point told me to "move him." She > was referring to Chris. I explained that he was a person and he moved > himself, I did not move him. > 5.. Why are the Oakland Police not trained in the fundamentals of ADA > access laws? > > > Issues to note: > > 1.. Darla was wearing a regulation Seeing Eye harness, did not make any > noise, did not show any aggression despite the shouting of the driver and > lay on the floor of the bus near Marvelena's feet the entire time. > _______________________________________________ > Cabs-talk mailing list > Cabs-talk at nfbnet.org > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/cabs-talk_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > Cabs-talk: > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/cabs-talk_nfbnet.org/julietcody%40cox.net > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus > signature database 4849 (20100208) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > > From rstigile at sbcglobal.net Tue Feb 9 10:34:20 2010 From: rstigile at sbcglobal.net (Robert Stigile) Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:34:20 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] Fw: [Cabs-talk] Discrimination in Oakland Message-ID: <549851.70907.qm@smtp105.sbc.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Hello Juliet and All, I do not feel that this is necessary. First, Chris did not ask for assistance. Second, it mentions that 911 was called, so I think that is sufficient. Lastly, I do not believe, that we have heard all of the facts, Paratransit companies are not going to do this, if the person takes the responsibility to make sure they know the person is traveling with their dog, so I really do not feel CAGDU should be getting involved, as well as, Chris did not come to us for assistance, only to let us know of the situation. I may get some criticism for this, but this is how I feel. Take care, Robert Stigile E-mail: rstigile at sbcglobal.net Skype: Robertstigile ----- Original Message ----- From: "Juliett Cody" Hello Everyone- The California Association of Guide Dog Users board of directors would like to invite guide dog users and persons interested in learning about guide dogs to join us on Sunday February 21 at 6:30PM PST for our monthly board meeting. The call in information is: (712)432-0175 and the Pin number is: 184220. Looking forward to hearing from everyone. Sincerely, Tina Thomas Vice President (CAGDU) "Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else's." - Billy Wilder From tinadt at sbcglobal.net Wed Feb 17 07:31:42 2010 From: tinadt at sbcglobal.net (tina thomas ) Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:31:42 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Guide dogs attacked in Portland Message-ID: <811852.44668.qm@smtp101.sbc.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Guide dogs for blind people attacked in Portland By Lynne Terry, The Oregonian February 16, 2010, 4:19PM Faith Cathcart/The Oregonian http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/02/guide_dogs_f or_blind_people_at.html During his training as a guide dog, Ellery, a black Lab, was attacked this month in downtown Portland by another dog, apparently owned by a homeless youth. Guide dog trainers have run into an increasing number of aggressive street dogs in recent months.Crystal Lange was training a guide dog near Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland when her black Lab was attacked by a street dog. Lange, a two-year apprentice trainer with Guide Dogs for the Blind, said she put her body between her dog, Ellery, and the street dog until the owner retrieved it. "It was pretty frightening," Lange said. The attack was the second this month on a guide dog in Portland by a dog on the street -- alarming officials with the nonprofit dog-training group, which opened a satellite office near Southwest Yamhill Street and Third Avenue in April. "We saw this train wreck coming," said Jim Dugan, a training supervisor at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Trainers have run across a number of snapping and growling dogs owned by homeless youths since the agency opened the new office. In September, after trainers reported several encounters, Dugan sent a letter to Mayor Sam Adams and all the commissioners. "When we are preparing blind students for a life of independence and freedom," he wrote, "their greatest fear is an unprovoked dog attack." He asked the mayor to "work with us to resolve this dangerous problem." The nonprofit did not receive a response -- from anyone. Roy Kaufmann, Adams' spokesman, said his office has no record of receiving the letter but is concerned about the issue. "I think this is deeply troubling," Kaufmann said. "This is an organization that we value. It's another strong example of why we need to move forward with a sidewalk management plan." A draft plan is in the works to replace the sit-lie ordinance which was tossed out by a judge in June. In the meantime, officials agreed to set up a meeting with the nonprofit, bringing together law enforcement, animal control and downtown business leaders perhaps by the end of this week. Dugan said the problem could have been addressed before a dog was attacked. "We wrote this letter, saying 'this is our concern,' and they avoided it until now it's on our doorstep." Right after the attack on Ellery, Dugan and Lange tried to file a report at Central Precinct. Dugan was told to call emergency dispatchers, who told him to call animal control. Dugan wanted an officer to respond, citing an Oregon law which treats attacks against service animals more seriously than other animal attacks. "Most of the time where there's an animal-to-animal contact, it's an animal-control issue," he said. "But it's my feeling that when it's a service dog involved in an incident like this, it deserves a police officer at the scene." Eventually Dugan, a reserve deputy with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, was able to file a report after pressing a Central Precinct sergeant. But by that time, about two hours later, the two youths, who appeared to be homeless, had moved on with their two dogs. "We had expected a quick response but unfortunately that was not the case," Dugan said. Ellery was checked by a veterinarian and appears to be in good shape. But the nonprofit is watching the dog closely. "Even if the dog is not horribly bitten," said Brad Hibbard, training director for the nonprofit, "it's very easy for that dog to become aggressive to other dogs." Or it could become frightened and refuse to pass other dogs on the street. Either case would mean a loss of $60,000 -- the cost of training a guide dog. The growing number of dogs downtown creates not only problems for trainers but also for the blind, said Cheryl Vincent, another training supervisor. "If a person is not able to walk down the sidewalk because of an aggressive dog, that impedes their access," she said. "There are laws on the books that protect guide dogs specifically from attacks. We're not interested in changing laws, just enforcing leash and (pet) licensing laws" that already exist. Officials at the nonprofit hope the city and county agree to give service animal attacks a higher priority --without demonizing the homeless kids. "We want a solution, but don't want to be adversarial about it," Hibbard said. -- Michael Russell and Lynne Terry Guide dogs for blind people attacked in Portland By Lynne Terry, The Oregonian February 16, 2010, 4:19PM Faith Cathcart/The Oregonian http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/02/guide_dogs_f or_blind_people_at.html During his training as a guide dog, Ellery, a black Lab, was attacked this month in downtown Portland by another dog, apparently owned by a homeless youth. Guide dog trainers have run into an increasing number of aggressive street dogs in recent months.Crystal Lange was training a guide dog near Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland when her black Lab was attacked by a street dog. Lange, a two-year apprentice trainer with Guide Dogs for the Blind, said she put her body between her dog, Ellery, and the street dog until the owner retrieved it. "It was pretty frightening," Lange said. The attack was the second this month on a guide dog in Portland by a dog on the street -- alarming officials with the nonprofit dog-training group, which opened a satellite office near Southwest Yamhill Street and Third Avenue in April. "We saw this train wreck coming," said Jim Dugan, a training supervisor at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Trainers have run across a number of snapping and growling dogs owned by homeless youths since the agency opened the new office. In September, after trainers reported several encounters, Dugan sent a letter to Mayor Sam Adams and all the commissioners. "When we are preparing blind students for a life of independence and freedom," he wrote, "their greatest fear is an unprovoked dog attack." He asked the mayor to "work with us to resolve this dangerous problem." The nonprofit did not receive a response -- from anyone. Roy Kaufmann, Adams' spokesman, said his office has no record of receiving the letter but is concerned about the issue. "I think this is deeply troubling," Kaufmann said. "This is an organization that we value. It's another strong example of why we need to move forward with a sidewalk management plan." A draft plan is in the works to replace the sit-lie ordinance which was tossed out by a judge in June. In the meantime, officials agreed to set up a meeting with the nonprofit, bringing together law enforcement, animal control and downtown business leaders perhaps by the end of this week. Dugan said the problem could have been addressed before a dog was attacked. "We wrote this letter, saying 'this is our concern,' and they avoided it until now it's on our doorstep." Right after the attack on Ellery, Dugan and Lange tried to file a report at Central Precinct. Dugan was told to call emergency dispatchers, who told him to call animal control. Dugan wanted an officer to respond, citing an Oregon law which treats attacks against service animals more seriously than other animal attacks. "Most of the time where there's an animal-to-animal contact, it's an animal-control issue," he said. "But it's my feeling that when it's a service dog involved in an incident like this, it deserves a police officer at the scene." Eventually Dugan, a reserve deputy with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, was able to file a report after pressing a Central Precinct sergeant. But by that time, about two hours later, the two youths, who appeared to be homeless, had moved on with their two dogs. "We had expected a quick response but unfortunately that was not the case," Dugan said. Ellery was checked by a veterinarian and appears to be in good shape. But the nonprofit is watching the dog closely. "Even if the dog is not horribly bitten," said Brad Hibbard, training director for the nonprofit, "it's very easy for that dog to become aggressive to other dogs." Or it could become frightened and refuse to pass other dogs on the street. Either case would mean a loss of $60,000 -- the cost of training a guide dog. The growing number of dogs downtown creates not only problems for trainers but also for the blind, said Cheryl Vincent, another training supervisor. "If a person is not able to walk down the sidewalk because of an aggressive dog, that impedes their access," she said. "There are laws on the books that protect guide dogs specifically from attacks. We're not interested in changing laws, just enforcing leash and (pet) licensing laws" that already exist. Officials at the nonprofit hope the city and county agree to give service animal attacks a higher priority --without demonizing the homeless kids. "We want a solution, but don't want to be adversarial about it," Hibbard said. -- Michael Russell and Lynne Terry Ginger Bennett Kutsch Morristown, NJ _______________________________________________ nagdu mailing list nagdu at nfbnet.org http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu: http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/tinadt%40sbcglobal.ne t No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.733 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2692 - Release Date: 02/16/10 11:35:00 From tinadt at sbcglobal.net Fri Feb 19 13:26:49 2010 From: tinadt at sbcglobal.net (tina thomas ) Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:26:49 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: CAGDU board meeting conference call Reminder Message-ID: <140665.26683.qm@smtp109.sbc.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Subject: CAGDU board meeting conference call Reminder Hello Everyone- The California Association of Guide Dog Users board of directors would like to invite guide dog users and persons interested in learning about guide dogs to join us on Sunday February 21 at 6:30PM PST for our monthly board meeting. The call in information is: (712)432-0175 and the Pin number is: 184220. Looking forward to hearing from everyone. Sincerely, Tina Thomas Vice President (CAGDU) "Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else's." - Billy Wilder From kenvolonte at comcast.net Sat Feb 20 11:00:19 2010 From: kenvolonte at comcast.net (Ken Volonte) Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:00:19 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] Stockton Municipal Code, Charter, and Civil Service Rules (Stockton, California) Message-ID: <62F918AC58224D23B9F3B041442A9CB1@ken5f734aa928e> http://qcode.us/codes/stockton/ From shannonldillon at hotmail.com Tue Feb 23 13:20:50 2010 From: shannonldillon at hotmail.com (Shannon L. Dillon) Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:20:50 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Press conference - dog attacks on guide dogs - Wednesday, February 24, 2010 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Please see the message below. Thank you. SHANNON L. DILLON To: jsthom at comcast.net; mwillows at sbcglobal.net; shannonldillon at hotmail.com; Creature_girl at comcast.net; lauriemehta at yahoo.com; ngardner at guidedogs.com; rhill at gddca.org; DEHartford at GuideDogsofAmerica.org0xL1FFFFz CC: klaidlaw at gddca.org; LMBernson at GuideDogsofAmerica.org; jritter at guidedogs.com; Kimberly_Brown at dca.ca.gov; bbarragan at socal.rr.com; ERIC at EPHOLM.COM; ericholm at att.net; jneidich at sbcglobal.net; lschnaidt at aol.com; tbsfolsom at sbcglobal.net; acandela at dor.ca.gov; William.Herndon at sfgov.org; john.denny at sfgov.org Subject: Press conference - dog attacks on guide dogs - Wednesday, February 24, 2010 From: Antonette_Sorrick at dca.ca.gov Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:17:19 -0800 Dog Attacks on Working Guide Dogs for the Blind: More than a Tragedy, It?s a Crime Who: Board President Jeff Neidich; Board Member Eric Holm; Executive Officer Antonette Sorrick - State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind; SFPD Sergeant William Herndon and Officer John Denny, Vicious and Dangerous Animals Unit; Theresa Duncan - guide dog handler whose dog was attacked by off-leash Pit bull; Brian Francis - Director of Admissions and Graduate Services, Guide Dogs for the Blind. What: State Board, SF law enforcement, guide dog handlers, and guide dog school personnel, discuss how the public, law enforcement and guide dog users should respond to dog attacks on guide dogs, considered a crime under state law. Guide dogs are not pets but working partners. Guide dog owners and the public should respond to an attack by calling 9-1-1, rather than Animal Control. When: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 11 a.m. Where: San Francisco - Governor?s office, 455 Golden Gate Ave, 14th Floor Conference Room Background: >Recent brutal dog attacks on working guide dogs have received worldwide attention; the California State Board of Guide Dogs will discuss the devastating consequences of an attack on a guide dog. >When a guide dog is attacked, it puts both dog and human in immediate danger. For the visually impaired relying on the services of a guide dog, sudden disorientation may result in life threatening injuries, as in the recent case in Australia, where an attack on a guide dog has left a blind man in a coma. >State law requires a law enforcement response to such an attack. Police dispatchers are urged to accept these calls rather than referring the caller to Animal Control. Antonette Sorrick Executive Officer State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite S-202 Sacramento, CA 95834 (916) 574-7825 phone (916) 574-7829 fax Antonette_Sorrick at dca.ca.gov www.guidedogboard.ca.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20100223/8c9791f4/attachment.html From rstigile at sbcglobal.net Tue Feb 23 13:00:14 2010 From: rstigile at sbcglobal.net (Robert Stigile) Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:00:14 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] [Nfbsf] Press Release State Board of Guide Dogs Message-ID: <347614.1112.qm@smtp128.sbc.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> ---- Original Message ------ From: "Eric Holm" Recent brutal dog attacks on working guide dogs have received | | | worldwide attention; the California State Board of Guide Dogs | | | will discuss the devastating consequences of an attack on a | | | guide dog. | | | | | | >When a guide dog is attacked, it puts both dog and human in | | | immediate danger. For the visually impaired relying on the | | | services of a guide dog, sudden disorientation may result in | | | life threatening injuries, as in the recent case in Australia, | | | where an attack on a guide dog has left a blind man in a coma. | | | | | | >State law requires a law enforcement response to such an | | | attack. Police dispatchers are urged to accept these calls | | | rather than referring the caller to Animal Control. | |--------------+------------------------------------------------- ----------- -----| _______________________________________________ Nfbsf mailing list Nfbsf at nfbnet.org http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbsf_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Nfbsf: http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbsf_nfbnet.org/rstigile%4 0sbcglobal.net