SPRING 2021 OHIO CONNECTION

***MEET OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS

At our November 2020 business meeting, we elected five people to our board of directors who have not served in that capacity before. Read on to learn more about two of them; the other three will be featured in the next issue.

D A Pimley, a member of the Cleveland chapter, is the treasurer of ACBO. He tells a little about himself:

Like many, I got my first jobs slinging hamburgers. I graduated to cleaning and maintaining a city pool, moved on to stocking shelves, then to pumping gas and washing cars. I joined the Naval Security Group during the Vietnam War and ended that career stationed in Puerto Rico. After the service, I worked in the instructional development world, designing and creating computer-based training, instructional and user manuals, and classroom training for commercial businesses and government entities. I ended my real career as the training department manager for a multi-billion-dollar company. Then I did a one-year stint in the electrical department of my local Home Depot.

My wife, Ann, lost her sight while we were living in Virginia. After she joined the Fairfax ACB chapter, I provided the occasional ride and helped schlep supplies for a few state conventions. When we moved to Ohio in 2015, I took her to her first Cleveland chapter meeting. I liked the folks I met, found out I could be a member, and joined that night. 

I was excited when I was first asked to join the state board. I bring commitment, flexibility, a willingness to help, and I am sighted. I’d like to see more frequent communication from the board to local chapters, perhaps through an ACBO agenda item at their meetings. I’d like to see more membership participation in committees. ACBO can use new, different, fresh ideas in order to remain vibrant. I’d like to see a sustainable means for raising funds/donations, something that we do throughout the year and not just at the annual convention or on Giving Tuesday.

Dana Metcalf, from Cincinnati, volunteered for the Red Cross for a while in the 1980s. He worked at a family-owned ribbon factory for a year and a half and worked at the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired for several years. In the late 1980s Dana met Jill Noble, who introduced him to ACB. He eventually joined in the ’90s. Dana says, “As a new member of the board, I hope to do the best job I can do. I would like to see the membership grow in size.”

***ACBO MATCHING GRANTS

Funds are available to any blind or visually impaired resident of Ohio, or any chapter of ACB-Ohio, to help cover the cost of adaptive equipment or chapter project, up to $500. Examples include screen-reader software, braille display, CCTV or other magnifier, fundraiser for a chapter project, or a talking blood-pressure monitor.

You can find information and an application on our website (acbohio.org). 
Submit the application with either an invoice showing the expected cost or a receipt from the vendor within 90 days of purchase. If an item has already been purchased, ACBO will send the buyer a check; if the purchase has not yet been made, ACBO will send funds directly to the vendor. To request an application or ask questions, contact the ACBO office at acbo.director@gmail.com or call 614-261-3561 or 800-835-2226. 

***HOTT PODCASTS
By Irwin Hott

It seems as though podcasts are multiplying each week, just as cassettes used to do, so I thought I would take an occasional look at some of the podcasts that are available. When I asked my Amazon Echo to define podcast, she said it is “a noun meaning a digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a themed series that can be downloaded from a website to a media player or computer.” 

If you can think of a topic, there is almost certainly a podcast about it. I primarily use my Victor Reader 2nd Generation Stream to receive my 66 podcasts. For example, I put the word “recipes” in the Title Search function on the Stream and got 162 choices. Many of these were not for cooking recipes but perhaps “recipes” for life or financial strategies.

A couple of podcasts that I particularly enjoy are “The Best of Car Talk” and “Short Wave.” Airing on NPR for many years, Car Talk was a show where wisecracking brothers Tom and Ray Magliozzi took calls about automotive issues. I first heard it in 1988 when my sister and I were driving out to California to visit our mom and the radio was on all the time. It took me awhile to figure out when the guys were serious or just having fun when giving an answer. 

New episodes stopped being produced in 2012, and, as time went by, NPR stopped airing reruns, but “The Best of Car Talk” can still be found as a podcast. Even though I remember some of the segments it’s still a lot of fun each week. If you need a weekly dose of humor, this is a great place to go.

“Short Wave,” also from NPR, takes a lighthearted look at science. NPR sums up the podcast as “New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, every weekday.” For example, the first part of the Valentine’s Day program discussed the science behind chocolate, explaining that its appeal is “as much about farming as fermentation,” while the second part covered strange courtship behaviors in the animal kingdom.

I have not had experience getting podcasts on any other devices, but, if you need help using your Stream to sign up for a podcast, drop me a line at Ishott263@att.net.

Happy listening!

***BOOK REVIEW
DADDY WON'T LET MOM DRIVE THE CAR: TRUE TALES OF PARENTING IN THE DARK, By J. E. Pinto
Reviewed by Jenna McCartney

If you are anything like me, you have grown up reading stories about all kinds of topics, from history to animals to Harry Potter, but never really found a story you can relate to when it comes to blindness. Sure, some stories have blind characters, but so many aren't realistic and are portrayed in a negative light. This year, I found a book that was just what I needed. 

At three months pregnant with my first child, I was excited of course, but also nervous. Having grown up as the only blind kid in town, I had never met a blind parent until college and had heard all the horror stories of blind parents (and those with other disabilities) having issues with nurses and other medical professionals thinking them incapable of caring for children, or being reported to social services for nothing more than going out in public with their child. 

Although I knew I could be a parent, I still had worries. That's when I found “Daddy Won't Let Mom Drive the Car” on Audible. This collection of stories reflects the author’s experiences as a blind mom. Pinto will make you laugh with "The Thorny Devil," a story of her daughter’s brutal honesty about her mother's age lines, feel annoyance when she describes being treated like furniture during a back-to-school shopping trip, and hungry with stories of baking and cooking adventures, and so much more. I even cried a few times. (Although, I was pregnant so that may have contributed to my emotions.) 

Pinto is unashamed to explain her thoughts and feelings and the sometimes-difficult lessons she learns along her parenting journey. I even picked up some tips for when my son is older and getting into coloring or is trying to survive classroom holiday parties. I highly recommend this book, not only to prospective blind parents, but to anyone who enjoys a good story with lessons to learn.

***2021 MEMBERSHIP CALLS
By Ann Pimley

Our monthly calls are a great way to have fun and learn a thing or two. ACBO’s membership committee started these Zoom/phone meetings around three years ago to help at-large members connect and soon found that many chapter members and visitors enjoyed participating as well. Please join us and invite others who you think might be interested. 

For some of these meetings we have a speaker and at other meetings we have a group discussion and share information. We always leave a few minutes for people to ask the speakers questions or to ask for information from other members. It is a great way to meet new people, learn about topics relevant to those who are visually impaired, and to exchange information and ideas. 

We meet the second Sunday of the month at 7:30 p.m. and are done by around 9:00. In March, we talked about NFB Newsline and had an update on ACB legislative imperatives. Here is what we have planned for upcoming calls:
 
•	April 11, Raul Gallegos from Houston’s RGA Tech Solutions
•	May 9, TBA
•	June 13, Preview of the ACB National Convention

What topics would you like featured? Let us know and we will try to cover them.
 
We use Zoom; join in one of the following ways: 
 
Use the link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6142613561, which will launch Zoom if you have it installed on your computer or mobile device. 

Call in on your landline or cell phone using 646-558-8656 or 669-900-9128. Whether you use a computer or a phone, enter the meeting ID 614 261 3561. If calling in, you have plenty of time to enter the meeting ID followed by the pound sign. When asked for a participant ID, press pound again. If you join before the host starts the meeting, you will hear that the meeting has not yet started and hear music. 
 
We hope that all of you will join us! If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Ann Pimley or Shawn Thiel.
 
Ann Pimley, Membership Chair
apomerai548@gmail.com
440-226-9141
 
Shawn Thiel, Executive Director 
acbo.director@gmail.com
Office: 614-261-3561
Toll-Free: 800-835-2226
 
***2021 ACB LEGISLATIVE IMPERATIVES

The following legislative imperatives represent several key issues in the 117th Congress that ACB believes will help us on our road to full independence and participation in our society.

Secure Independence for Seniors and Medicare Beneficiaries 
For more than a decade now, Medicare has refused to cover the cost of low-vision aids, due to an eyeglasses exclusion that prohibits the purchase of any durable medical good with a lens. While the regulatory exclusion was seen as cost-saving by not covering eyeglasses, it has had a negative impact on those who, through the use of special low-vision aids, could significantly increase their independence in the home. ACB believes that adaptive low-vision aids can have a significant impact on an individual’s ability to remain independent in the home. Such personal independence can have long-lasting effects toward aging in place, rather than necessitating costlier institutional services.

ACB calls on Congress to reintroduce the Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Devices Act, which would measure the various costs and benefits of removing the Medicare eyeglass exclusion. This bipartisan legislation is a smart approach to finding workable solutions that help seniors age in place. Offices in the House of Representatives interested in supporting reintroduction of this legislation should contact Danielle Sumner in the office of Rep. Maloney (D-NY-12), or Shayne Woods in the office of Rep. Bilirakis (R-NY-12).

The Disability Access to Transportation Act
Congress must reauthorize the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act by September of 2021. The FAST Act fulfills the constitutional directive that dictates that investment in transportation and infrastructure is a core federal responsibility. It oversees the development and maintenance of roads, bridges, public transit, and rails. As the language of the new bill is developed, language that would positively impact the transportation options and safety for the blind community must be included.

Specifically, ACB calls for the reintroduction and inclusion of the Disability Access to Transportation Act, or DATA Act. The DATA Act would provide greater flexibility in paratransit services to increase the independence and economic opportunity of disabled passengers; increase accessibility for pedestrian infrastructure; and modernize the U.S. Department of Transportation complaint process for consumers with disabilities. Offices interested in supporting the DATA Act, and including it in the FAST Act reauthorization, should contact Katherine Lee in the office of Rep. Langevin (D-RI-02).

The Exercise and Fitness for All Act
For the quarter of Americans with a disability, equal access to fitness or exercise equipment and instruction remains elusive. As a result, people with disabilities are more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

ACB calls for the reintroduction of the Exercise and Fitness for All Act. This legislation would require exercise and fitness facilities to provide a base level of accessibility for disabled consumers, both in the equipment as well as the instruction they provide. Offices interested to support the Exercise and Fitness for All Act should contact Kalina Thompson in the office of Sen. Duckworth (D-IL) in the Senate, and Sarah Jackson in the office of Rep. DeSaulnier (D-CA-11), or Kevin Swanson in the office of Rep. Young (R-AK-At Large) in the House.

For questions or further information on the 2021 ACB Legislative Imperatives, please contact Clark Rachfal, ACB’s Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, crachfal@acb.org,  or by calling 202-467-5081.
The American Council of the Blind greatly appreciates your support on these critical issues for 2021, and we look forward to working with you during the remainder of the 117th Congress.

***UPDATES FROM THE GREAT LAKES ADA CENTER
By Pete Berg

Provided below are informational updates that may be of interest to the blind community. The Great Lakes ADA Center is a resource on rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Persons may contact the Center by calling 800-949-4232 or by visiting www.adagreatlakes.org.

Inclusive Design of Autonomous Vehicles: A Public Dialogue
The U.S. Access Board, in partnership with other federal agencies, will host a series of virtual meetings on making autonomous vehicles (AVs) accessible to passengers with disabilities. The four-part series will provide an open forum where members of the public and stakeholders can discuss considerations, challenges, and solutions in designing accessible AVs. All are welcome to attend.

$2.25 Million Fund Available in Justice Department Settlement with Amtrak
Amtrak is accepting claims for monetary compensation for people with mobility disabilities who traveled or wanted to travel from or to one of 78 stations and encountered accessibility issues. Claims must be submitted by May 29, 2021. On December 2, 2020, the Department of Justice and Amtrak entered into an agreement that Amtrak will fix its inaccessible stations and pay $2.25 million to victims hurt by inaccessibility at 78 stations.

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Final Rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals
The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is issuing a final rule to amend the Department’s Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transport of service animals by air. This final rule is intended to ensure that our air transportation system is safe for the traveling public and accessible to individuals with disabilities.

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Over $41 Million in Awards for Innovative Technologies to Improve Transportation Mobility and Access for Persons with Disabilities
$41 million to 15 teams in 15 states through two Department of Transportation design challenges to improve transportation access to persons with disabilities and individuals with mobility challenges.

What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws 
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) continues to provide guidance on COVID-19 and the ADA and other laws enforced by the agency. The most recent update addresses issues around employers mandating employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

***GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER STATEMENT ON TESTIMONY BY THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET 

Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) is a non-profit, non-partisan, statewide organization with a mission to improve Ohio’s communities through smart growth strategies and research. They understand the importance of transportation for all citizens and support Ohio budgeting for all areas of transportation. At the February 2 Ohio hearing, funding was cut for the 2021-2022 transportation budget; below is a statement from Jason Warner, Director of Strategic Engagement. 

"It is disappointing that Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks did not even mention public transportation in his written testimony today provided to the House Finance Committee. Likewise, Greater Ohio Policy Center is disheartened to see the executive budget proposal backsliding and reducing state-based funding to only $15 million over the upcoming biennium, with a passing commitment to flex Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funds, without identifying a specific amount, for use by transit agencies.  The executive budget proposal ignores the important work the Ohio General Assembly did two years ago, which committed funding of $140 million over the biennium.
 
"The closure of businesses in the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in transit agencies that receive revenue from local sales taxes losing funding, while the suspension of fare collection by a number of agencies has directly impacted the bottom line for those agencies largest source of revenue, the fare box. Couple this with the added cost of making transit vehicles clean and safe for use, Ohio’s public transit agencies are reeling.
 
"Despite this double-whammy of negative economic impacts, Ohio’s transit agencies have continued to provide essential services throughout the pandemic.
 
"It is imperative that Ohio not retreat from its commitment to ensure all Ohioans have access to reliable transportation options."

Please contact your local state senator and representative to express the urgent need for funding, especially in those more rural areas of the state. Limiting transportation limits people from working, shopping, and socializing, all important for a healthy, active Ohio citizenry.

***TAX TIME IS COMING … 

The Internal Revenue Service has updated information on IRS.gov regarding the Alternative Media Center (AMC) at
https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/information-about-the-alternative-media-center and on its Accessible Forms & Publications page at
https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/accessible-irs-tax-products. 
The AMC provides a variety of services to assist visually impaired taxpayers. For more information, call 1-800-829-1040.

***U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ANNOUNCES FINAL RULE ON AIR TRAVEL WITH SERVICE ANIMALS 

In December, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it is revising its Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transportation of service animals by air to ensure a safe and accessible air transportation system. The final rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals can be found HERE.

The Department received more than 15,000 comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking. The final rule addresses concerns raised by individuals with disabilities, airlines, flight attendants, airports, other aviation transportation stakeholders, and other members of the public, regarding service animals on aircraft. 

The final rule: 
•	Defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability;
•	No longer considers an emotional support animal to be a service animal;
•	Requires airlines to treat psychiatric service animals the same as other service animals;
•	Allows airlines to require forms developed by DOT attesting to a service animal’s health, behavior and training, and if taking a long flight attesting that the service animal can either not relieve itself, or can relieve itself in a sanitary manner;
•	Allows airlines to require individuals traveling with a service animal to provide the DOT service animal form(s) up to 48 hours in advance of the date of travel if the passenger’s reservation was made prior to that time;
•	Prohibits airlines from requiring passengers with a disability who are traveling with a service animal to physically check-in at the airport instead of using the online check-in process;  
•	Allows airlines to require a person with a disability seeking to travel with a service animal to provide the DOT service animal form(s) at the passenger’s departure gate on the date of travel;
•	Allows airlines to limit the number of service animals traveling with a single passenger with a disability to two service animals; 
•	Allows airlines to require a service animal to fit within its handler’s foot space on the aircraft;
•	Allows airlines to require that service animals be harnessed, leashed, or tethered at all times in the airport and on the aircraft;
•	Continues to allow airlines to refuse transportation to service animals that exhibit aggressive behavior and that pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others; and
•	Continues to prohibit airlines from refusing to transport a service animal solely based on breed.

To read Frequently Asked Questions about this final rule, please click here.

***ACB-OHIO DATEBOOK
April 5, ACBO on the Radio, 11 a.m., voicecorps.org
April 11, Membership Call, 7:30 p.m.
April 17, ACBO Board Meeting, via Zoom
May 3, ACBO on the Radio, 11 a.m., voicecorps.org
May 9, Membership Call, 7:30 p.m.
May 15, Ohio Connection Newsletter Deadline
June 7, ACBO on the Radio, 11 a.m., voicecorps.org
June 13, Membership Call, 7:30 p.m.
July 5, ACBO on the Radio, 11 a.m., voicecorps.org
July 11, Membership Call, 7:30 p.m.
July 16-23, ACB National Conference (virtual)
August 8, Membership Call, 7:30 p.m.
August 13-15, Summer Sports Retreat 

Michelle Spillan, Editor
Newsletter Committee: Alex Densmore, Irwin Hott, Katie Frederick, Jenna McCartney, Jill Noble, Vicky Prahin.

As always, thanks to the contributors: Pete Berg, Irwin Hott, Jenna McCartney, Ann Pimley, and Vicky Prahin. The Ohio Connection is a quarterly publication of the American Council of the Blind of Ohio. Please submit your material in print or through email, and include your name, address, and phone number. Email items to acbo.newsletter@gmail.com or send them to the address below. The summer issue deadline is May 15.

American Council of the Blind of Ohio
3805 N. High St., Suite 305
Columbus, Ohio 43214
Phone: 614-261-3561

ACBO COMMUNITY SHARES CAMPAIGN CODES
State of Ohio 19003
City of Columbus 60240
Franklin County 60240
Ohio State University 60240
Columbus State Community College 1061