From mwroane at mindspring.com  Wed Feb  1 03:25:36 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:25:36 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Accomodations for Washington Seminar
Message-ID: <993268B6DCCA4FD5ACD1E15BA0AE8027@YOUR20B4266652>

I just received a phone call from Albert Sanchez asking if anyone would be able to provide a place for him to crash for a few nights during Washington seminar.
Please call him direct at (252) 757-3023 or reply to this e-mail if you can assist.


From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Sat Feb  4 15:50:20 2012
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:50:20 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] FW: 2012 VA Washington Seminar Appointments
Message-ID: <001e01cce354$b30d40d0$1927c270$@net>



-----Original Message-----
From: gerald yeager [mailto:gyeager12 at gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2012 9:36 PM
To: nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org
Cc: Michael Kasey
Subject: 2012 VA Washington Seminar Appointments

Friends,

Attached is the list of Virginia appointments to date.  There a couple
appointments to be finalized early next week, but I anticipate they will all
occur on Tues. and Wed.

As is traditional, we will meet after the great gathering in meeting on
Monday evening for a brief discussion of teams for the next day.  Please
attend this meeting if you are going on appointments Tuesday or else send me
an email or call my cellphone at 703 328 9743 to let me know you are
planning to meet up with us.

To date I know of the participation of Mark and Melody Roane, Michael Kasey,
Billie Ruth Schlank, Corb O'Connor and Briley Pollard.  In addition, Teresa
Willis will join us Tues. morning from the Parents.  I have heard from John
Jones and David (apologize I forget your last name) also.  I have heard
rumors of others, so if you are coming, or you definitely know of someone
else coming, please send me an email or give my cell a call.

Michael, I am sending this out via NFBV Announce list serve, so if it fails
to appear that way for you, please let me know.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the Holiday Inn or on the Hill.

Jerry Yeager

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From brnmccnn at gmail.com  Sat Feb  4 16:39:05 2012
From: brnmccnn at gmail.com (Brian Mccann)
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 11:39:05 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Job openings
Message-ID: <CAPW16-gaVxpc5iOO0tj8DeBfi0gc9QgAd__=8Db5PaohrNgDAQ@mail.gmail.com>

Attached are several job openings. Good Luck!
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From joehobson at comcast.net  Sat Feb  4 16:55:22 2012
From: joehobson at comcast.net (joe hobson)
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 11:55:22 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] FW: 2012 VA Washington Seminar Appointments
References: <001e01cce354$b30d40d0$1927c270$@net>
Message-ID: <CF69D6BE309B42EAB2850D962705AD6C@JoeHobsonVAIO>

Gerry, Michael, et al:

It is my intention to participate, Washington Seminar and congressional 
visits as much as possible on the Hill.
I indicated earlier in January but should have re-confirmed.
Anyway, this is confirmation.
thanks for the appointment listing.
Joe Hobson
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Kasey" <michaelgkasey at verizon.net>
To: "NFBV Announce" <nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 10:50 AM
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] FW: 2012 VA Washington Seminar Appointments


>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gerald yeager [mailto:gyeager12 at gmail.com]
> Sent: Friday, February 03, 2012 9:36 PM
> To: nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Michael Kasey
> Subject: 2012 VA Washington Seminar Appointments
>
> Friends,
>
> Attached is the list of Virginia appointments to date.  There a couple
> appointments to be finalized early next week, but I anticipate they will 
> all
> occur on Tues. and Wed.
>
> As is traditional, we will meet after the great gathering in meeting on
> Monday evening for a brief discussion of teams for the next day.  Please
> attend this meeting if you are going on appointments Tuesday or else send 
> me
> an email or call my cellphone at 703 328 9743 to let me know you are
> planning to meet up with us.
>
> To date I know of the participation of Mark and Melody Roane, Michael 
> Kasey,
> Billie Ruth Schlank, Corb O'Connor and Briley Pollard.  In addition, 
> Teresa
> Willis will join us Tues. morning from the Parents.  I have heard from 
> John
> Jones and David (apologize I forget your last name) also.  I have heard
> rumors of others, so if you are coming, or you definitely know of someone
> else coming, please send me an email or give my cell a call.
>
> Michael, I am sending this out via NFBV Announce list serve, so if it 
> fails
> to appear that way for you, please let me know.
>
> I look forward to seeing everyone at the Holiday Inn or on the Hill.
>
> Jerry Yeager
>
>


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


> _______________________________________________
> Nfbv-announce mailing list
> Nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbv-announce_nfbnet.org
> 




From michaelgkasey at verizon.net  Sun Feb  5 00:46:57 2012
From: michaelgkasey at verizon.net (Michael Kasey)
Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:46:57 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Sandy Halverson's Mother's Passing - Wilsie
	Derickson, Age 82
Message-ID: <000e01cce39f$aa701880$ff504980$@net>

On behalf of our NFBV President, Fredric Schroeder:

 

We regret to  inform you that our dear friend and fellow NFB member, Sandy
Halverson, has lost her Mother, Wilsie Derickson, age 82, who unexpectedly
passed away suddenly Wednesday afternoon, February 1, 2012.

While Mrs. Derickson had been in increasingly declining health, her passing
was unanticipated.

 

Arrangements are being handled by the Holloway Funeral Home, Salisbury,
Maryland.

The address and telephone number for the Holloway Funeral Home is:

 

Holloway Funeral Home.

501 Snow Hill Road.

Salisbury, Maryland 21804.

Telephone: (410) 742 - 5141.

 

There will be a viewing on Monday, February 6th, at 10:00 a.m. at the
Holloway Funeral Home.  The funeral service will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m.
at the same location.

 

Interment will follow immediately at the Pittsville Cemetery, Pittsville,
Maryland, which is the next town down from Salisbury on Route 50 (in
direction toward Ocean City) . The family requests that Memorials may be
made to: The Alzheimer's Association of the Eastern Shore.

 

Please direct memorials in Mrs. Wilsie Derickson's memory to:

 

The Alzheimer's Association of the Eastern Shore.

Alzheimer Research.

540 East Belvedere Avenue.

Baltimore, MD 21212.

 

If you wish to express your sympathy to Sandy Halverson, her contact
information is:

 

Mrs. Sandy Halverson.

810 - 22nd Street, South.

Arlington, VA 22202.

Home Telephone: 703-379-1141.

Mobile: 703-400 - 6890.

Email: sandyh50 at verizon.net.

 

Please join us in keeping Sandy , John , and the Derickson family ,
including Sandy's sister and brothers and families, in our thoughts ,
prayers and intercessions at this difficult time of their loss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Corinthians 5:7   (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

 



From kcowen at embarqmail.com  Sun Feb  5 18:30:06 2012
From: kcowen at embarqmail.com (Kathy Owen)
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 13:30:06 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Sandy Halverson's Mother's Passing -
	WilsieDerickson, Age 82
In-Reply-To: <000e01cce39f$aa701880$ff504980$@net>
References: <000e01cce39f$aa701880$ff504980$@net>
Message-ID: <B617E2823011406F994ACAD5DD94AF34@KatherinePC>

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Sandy's mother.. I will be praying 
for this family.
Love,
Kathy Owen
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Kasey" <michaelgkasey at verizon.net>
To: "NFBV Announce" <nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 7:46 PM
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Sandy Halverson's Mother's Passing - 
WilsieDerickson, Age 82


> On behalf of our NFBV President, Fredric Schroeder:
>
>
>
> We regret to  inform you that our dear friend and fellow NFB member, Sandy
> Halverson, has lost her Mother, Wilsie Derickson, age 82, who unexpectedly
> passed away suddenly Wednesday afternoon, February 1, 2012.
>
> While Mrs. Derickson had been in increasingly declining health, her 
> passing
> was unanticipated.
>
>
>
> Arrangements are being handled by the Holloway Funeral Home, Salisbury,
> Maryland.
>
> The address and telephone number for the Holloway Funeral Home is:
>
>
>
> Holloway Funeral Home.
>
> 501 Snow Hill Road.
>
> Salisbury, Maryland 21804.
>
> Telephone: (410) 742 - 5141.
>
>
>
> There will be a viewing on Monday, February 6th, at 10:00 a.m. at the
> Holloway Funeral Home.  The funeral service will be celebrated at 11:00 
> a.m.
> at the same location.
>
>
>
> Interment will follow immediately at the Pittsville Cemetery, Pittsville,
> Maryland, which is the next town down from Salisbury on Route 50 (in
> direction toward Ocean City) . The family requests that Memorials may be
> made to: The Alzheimer's Association of the Eastern Shore.
>
>
>
> Please direct memorials in Mrs. Wilsie Derickson's memory to:
>
>
>
> The Alzheimer's Association of the Eastern Shore.
>
> Alzheimer Research.
>
> 540 East Belvedere Avenue.
>
> Baltimore, MD 21212.
>
>
>
> If you wish to express your sympathy to Sandy Halverson, her contact
> information is:
>
>
>
> Mrs. Sandy Halverson.
>
> 810 - 22nd Street, South.
>
> Arlington, VA 22202.
>
> Home Telephone: 703-379-1141.
>
> Mobile: 703-400 - 6890.
>
> Email: sandyh50 at verizon.net.
>
>
>
> Please join us in keeping Sandy , John , and the Derickson family ,
> including Sandy's sister and brothers and families, in our thoughts ,
> prayers and intercessions at this difficult time of their loss.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 2 Corinthians 5:7   (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfbv-announce mailing list
> Nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbv-announce_nfbnet.org
> 




From fschroeder at sks.com  Mon Feb 13 22:06:49 2012
From: fschroeder at sks.com (Fredric Schroeder)
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:06:49 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Youth Leadership Academy!
Message-ID: <01e601ccea9b$c90f8610$5b2e9230$@sks.com>

>From Joanne wilson:

Attention State Presidents:

On March 23-25, we are hosting the NFB Youth Leadership Academy for high
school students and we need your help in spreading the word!  The NFB Youth
Leadership Academy provides participants an opportunity to meet successful
blind mentors, to connect with other blind students, and to acquire new
skills. There is no cost to the student and the weekend will be a lot of
fun. The application can be completed and submitted by visiting:
http://teachblindstudents.org/content/youth-leadership-academy-application

These weekends help build a lot of excitement about the Federation. I
encourage each of you to help us get lots of students to this event. If you
have any questions, please contact Rosy Carranza via email at
rcarranza at nfb.org or by giving her a call at (410) 659-9314, ext. 2283.

Thanks for your help in developing the next generation of leaders!

Best,

Joanne Wilson
Executive Director of Affiliate Action
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
410.659.9314 x 2335
(F) 410.659.6893
jwilson at nfb.org<mailto:jwilson at nfb.org>
"Voice of the Nation's Blind"



_______________________________________________
NFBAffiliatePresidents mailing list
NFBAffiliatePresidents at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbaffiliatepresidents_nfbnet.org






From fschroeder at sks.com  Tue Feb 14 14:57:01 2012
From: fschroeder at sks.com (Fredric Schroeder)
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:57:01 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] HB1291 A Bill To Consolidate Disability Agencies
Message-ID: <001001cceb28$e88fd020$b9af7060$@sks.com>

>From Fred Schroeder, President:

 

As you know, HB1291, a proposal to consolidate a number of disability
related agencies, has been making its way through the General Assembly.
There have been a number of similar proposals introduced in the past, and in
some cases, the consolidation plans have included combining the Department
for the Blind into a larger agency. While we were initially relieved that
this  year's consolidation plan did not include merging the Department for
the Blind, during our visit to Richmond last month, we emphasized the
importance of maintaining separate services for the blind.

 

last evening, after the second reading of HB1291, Delegate Landes  offered a
floor amendment to include the Department for the Blind in the list of
agencies that would be a part of the newly created disabilities agency.
Unfortunately, in spite of our visits and follow-up supporting
documentation, the amendment passed 95 to 0. 

Time is very short, and the purpose of this note is to let you know that we
may need to muster a group of Federationists to travel to Richmond tomorrow
or Thursday to speak with our Senators and to be a visible reminder that the
blind of Virginia will not go quietly into a consolidated generic agency. As
plans develop, I will keep you informed, but in the meantime, please think
about whether you might be able to travel to Richmond later this evening or
tomorrow.



From mwroane at mindspring.com  Tue Feb 14 18:58:47 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:58:47 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] URGENT Legislative Issue for the Blind of Virginia
Message-ID: <F69BBF94FBC04D23975F2886460D0E4B@YOUR20B4266652>



    Good afternoon all,

 

I am writing to ask for your URGENT help.

 

As you may already know, Governor McDonald's commission on Government Reform recommended consolidation of several departments and agencies but did not include the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) in it's recommendation.

 

When the State Senate considered this issue (SB678) they not only followed the commissions recommendations, they also excluded the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) from any consolidation.

 

When the House of Delegates considered this issue (HB1291) they were following the commissions recommendations.  Unfortunately, just before the House voted on this bill, Delegate Landes offered an amendment to HB1291 which included DBVI in the proposed consolidation.  The amendment was accepted and HB1291 passed the House of Delegates with an 82 to 17 vote.

 

Now that two different versions have passed their respective chambers, the bills will "cross over" to the other chamber to be considered.  We believe that the Senate committee on General Laws & Technology will be taking up this issue.  Attached is a spreadsheet which lists all of the members of this committee.  To contact a State Senator, call (804) 698-75XX where XX is the Senator's district number.

 

It is vitally important that we contact all of the State Senators immediately and let them know that consolidating DBVI will be detrimental to all blind Virginians and encourage them not to agree to the version of the bill that was approved by the House of Delegates.  Time is of the essence so call NOW.

 

After calling the Senator's offices, please let me know by e-mail or by phone call that you have made the call and if you are a constituent of one of the Senators on the General Laws & Technology committee.

 

Thanks for your support with this issue.  Together we will preserve an independent and strong agency for the blind of Virginia.

 

 

 

Mark Roane

(804) 262-7057  Home

(318) 243-6445  Cell

 
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From Nicole.Jeffords at dbvi.virginia.gov  Tue Feb 14 21:14:23 2012
From: Nicole.Jeffords at dbvi.virginia.gov (Jeffords, Nicole (DBVI))
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:14:23 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] URGENT Legislative Issue for the Blind of
	Virginia
In-Reply-To: <F69BBF94FBC04D23975F2886460D0E4B@YOUR20B4266652>
References: <F69BBF94FBC04D23975F2886460D0E4B@YOUR20B4266652>
Message-ID: <A8555374B1FFD742BE678D6F5A87CA1B04920943@COVMSGCES-EMB13.cov.virginia.gov>

Hi Mark:
I called Frank Wagner's office to oppose HB 1291.  Wasn't able to look at the spreadsheet, but wanted you to know I made the call.  Please let me know if I can do anything else as a private citizen to assist.
Thanks!
Nikki

Nikki Jeffords 
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor 
Regional Transition Coordinator 
Virginia Dept. f/t Blind & Vision Impaired 
Interstate Corporate Center, Bldg. #18 
6325 N. Center Drive, Ste. 131 
Norfolk, VA? 23502 
Direct :(757) 455-0856 
Main:  (757) 466-4162
Fax:  (757) 455-0142




-----Original Message-----
From: nfbv-announce-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbv-announce-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mark W. Roane
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 1:59 PM
To: NFB of Virginia Information and Announcements
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] URGENT Legislative Issue for the Blind of Virginia



    Good afternoon all,

 

I am writing to ask for your URGENT help.

 

As you may already know, Governor McDonald's commission on Government Reform recommended consolidation of several departments and agencies but did not include the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) in it's recommendation.

 

When the State Senate considered this issue (SB678) they not only followed the commissions recommendations, they also excluded the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) from any consolidation.

 

When the House of Delegates considered this issue (HB1291) they were following the commissions recommendations.  Unfortunately, just before the House voted on this bill, Delegate Landes offered an amendment to HB1291 which included DBVI in the proposed consolidation.  The amendment was accepted and HB1291 passed the House of Delegates with an 82 to 17 vote.

 

Now that two different versions have passed their respective chambers, the bills will "cross over" to the other chamber to be considered.  We believe that the Senate committee on General Laws & Technology will be taking up this issue.  Attached is a spreadsheet which lists all of the members of this committee.  To contact a State Senator, call (804) 698-75XX where XX is the Senator's district number.

 

It is vitally important that we contact all of the State Senators immediately and let them know that consolidating DBVI will be detrimental to all blind Virginians and encourage them not to agree to the version of the bill that was approved by the House of Delegates.  Time is of the essence so call NOW.

 

After calling the Senator's offices, please let me know by e-mail or by phone call that you have made the call and if you are a constituent of one of the Senators on the General Laws & Technology committee.

 

Thanks for your support with this issue.  Together we will preserve an independent and strong agency for the blind of Virginia.

 

 

 

Mark Roane

(804) 262-7057  Home

(318) 243-6445  Cell

 



From mwroane at mindspring.com  Wed Feb 15 20:58:13 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:58:13 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] URGENT Legislative Issue for Blind Virginians
Message-ID: <F61E09BF0C5B4A9DB1FC1EC40FA89C35@YOUR20B4266652>

    Good afternoon all,

Attached you will find a spreadsheet which lists all of the Delegates on the General Laws Committee of the House of Delegates.  This committee will take up SB678 that has crossed over from the Senate.

Time is short so please call NOW.  Each Delegate may be reached by calling (804) 698-10XX where XX is the Delegate's district number.  Urge each Delegate to accept SB678 as approved by the Senate and not to amend it to include the merger of the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI).

We are making our voices heard on the Senate side and now need to do the same on the House side.

Keep up the good work.

Mark Roane
(804) 262-7057
(318) 243-6445
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From mwroane at mindspring.com  Thu Feb 16 02:04:59 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:04:59 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Legislative Update
Message-ID: <3504F296F508495AA8238EE72A8A136B@YOUR20B4266652>

Good evening all,

Both HB1291 and SB678 have "crossed over" and are awaiting committee assignment and scheduling.  I will keep you posted of their progress.

To clarify an issue that I have heard from several people, it is not only okay but I would encourage you to call Delegates and Senators that are not your particular representative.  When calling these members, tell them that you are not one of their constituents but that you are calling as a concerned citizen who will be negatively impacted by the proposed DBVI merger.  Most of the offices that I have spoken with are happy to receive our input.  The more members that we can voice our concerns to the more likely we are to turn back the DBVI merger.

I hope this clarification helps.  You are all doing a great job with the phone calls.  Let's keep on calling until every member knows our position.

Mark


From mwroane at mindspring.com  Fri Feb 17 21:42:22 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:42:22 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Legislative Update
Message-ID: <2B89A64993ED4B758E48CBD9C5E21497@YOUR20B4266652>

Good afternoon all,

I wanted to let you all know where we stand in the General Assembly on HB1291 and SB678.

Senate Bill SB678 "crossed over" to the House of Delegates and was heard by the House committee on General Laws on Thursday afternoon.  I, along with several others from VRCBVI, was in the committee room to hear the proceedings.  Our presence in the room was acknowledged by the committee and we were allowed to address the committee before they took action on the bill.  As expected, the committee moved to conform SB678 to HB1291 and the measure passed on an 18 to 4 vote.

After the measure passed but before the committee adjourned, the chair of the committee, Delegate Chris Jones, informed us that these bills still had items to resolve and that they would be  heading to a Conference Committee on which he will be serving as a conferee.  He said that he knew that we had concerns about the bill and he extended an invitation for us to meet with him to discuss them.

On Friday morning, I met with Delegate Jones and had what I believe was a very positive meeting.  I was able to share with him several points that he was unaware of and he thanked me for being there to bring them to his attention.  I did not get any assurance from him that this matter would turn out favorably for us but I did leave with the feeling that he is a good man looking for all the information he needs to make an informed decision.  I think that is all that we could have expected.

I now would encourage all of you to call Delegate Chris Jones at (804) 698-1076 and thank him for taking the time to meet with us and become more informed about our concerns.  Also tell him that you hope now that he has this information that he will stand on the side of what is best for all blind Virginians.

There are still several more steps in this process and I will keep all of you informed as things develop.  Thanks for the great job all of you did making phone calls this week.  I know that it is making a difference.

Mark


From mwroane at mindspring.com  Tue Feb 21 15:06:08 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:06:08 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Legislative Update
Message-ID: <76CFF4AE5E16485DB1661491C5BB8C49@YOUR20B4266652>

Good morning all,

On Monday, February 20, I was able to meet with the 2 other House conferees and explain our position concerning the consolidation of the DBVI.  Both meetings went very well as the information that I shared with them was well received.  At this point, we don't have any concrete assurances that the DBVI will not be consolidated but I believe that all House conferees are leaning favorably in that direction.
It is now very important that we continue to make friendly calls to each conferee, thanking them for their willingness to understand our position and, continuing to urge them not to consolidate the DBVI.  The House conferees can be reached by calling:
Delegate Chris Jones of Suffolk (804) 698-1076
Delegate Todd Gilbert of Woodstock (804) 698-1015
Delegate Mathew James of Portsmouth (804) 698-1080


I know from conversations that I have heard around the General Assembly building that our phone calls are making a difference.  Great job! and keep it up.

The Senate Committee on General Laws & Technology has not yet taken up HB1291 and it is now expected that it will do so next Monday, February 27.  I will keep all of you posted as I learn more information.

Mark


From fschroeder at sks.com  Wed Feb 22 20:50:25 2012
From: fschroeder at sks.com (Fredric Schroeder)
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:50:25 -0800
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] [NFBAffiliatePresidents] male Roommate for
	Convention
Message-ID: <4f45551f.4133440a.3a0a.2b3f@mx.google.com>



 ---- Original Message ------
From: "JMassay" <jmassay1 at cox.net
Subject: [NFBAffiliatePresidents] male Roommate for Convention
Date sent: Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:59:42 -0600

We have a middle aged male looking for a roommate for National 
convention.
Anyone have a single looking for a roommate yet?

Please let me  know,

Jeannie

_______________________________________________
NFBAffiliatePresidents mailing list
NFBAffiliatePresidents at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbaffiliatepresidents_nfbnet.
org



From mwroane at mindspring.com  Thu Feb 23 15:49:04 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:49:04 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Legislative Update
Message-ID: <7BEF358B36764C0180E8AAF50988B4DA@YOUR20B4266652>

Good morning all,

The docket for the Senate Committee on General Laws & Technology has been released and the committee is scheduled to take up HB1291 on Monday, February 27, 2012 one half hour after the full Senate adjourns for the day.

It is expected that the committee is going to move to conform HB1291 to SB678 however, it is still very important that we call the members of the committee and remind them of our position.  When you call, urge them to remove the DBVI from any consolidation plan as SB678 does.

The attached spreadsheet lists the members of the General Laws & Technology committee.  Each member may be reached by calling (804) 698-75XX where XX is the members district number.

This process is nearing a conclusion but we can't afford to stop making our calls now.  Once again, everyone is doing a great job and our voice is being heard.  Together, we will preserve a strong and independent Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired for all Virginians.

I will continue to keep you posted as things progress.

Mark
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From gyeager12 at gmail.com  Thu Feb 23 16:49:18 2012
From: gyeager12 at gmail.com (gerald yeager)
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:49:18 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Legislative Update
In-Reply-To: <7BEF358B36764C0180E8AAF50988B4DA@YOUR20B4266652>
References: <7BEF358B36764C0180E8AAF50988B4DA@YOUR20B4266652>
Message-ID: <F5F6A40B-7B5A-4B28-A1CD-9D17B628DCB7@gmail.com>

Thanks, Mark.  You are doing a great job and helping us out a lot.

I will make calls and hopefully 678 won't change.

Jerry


On Feb 23, 2012, at 10:49 AM, Mark W. Roane wrote:

> Good morning all,
> 
> The docket for the Senate Committee on General Laws & Technology has been released and the committee is scheduled to take up HB1291 on Monday, February 27, 2012 one half hour after the full Senate adjourns for the day.
> 
> It is expected that the committee is going to move to conform HB1291 to SB678 however, it is still very important that we call the members of the committee and remind them of our position.  When you call, urge them to remove the DBVI from any consolidation plan as SB678 does.
> 
> The attached spreadsheet lists the members of the General Laws & Technology committee.  Each member may be reached by calling (804) 698-75XX where XX is the members district number.
> 
> This process is nearing a conclusion but we can't afford to stop making our calls now.  Once again, everyone is doing a great job and our voice is being heard.  Together, we will preserve a strong and independent Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired for all Virginians.
> 
> I will continue to keep you posted as things progress.
> 
> Mark
> <General Laws & Technology.xls>_______________________________________________
> Nfbv-announce mailing list
> Nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbv-announce_nfbnet.org




From mwroane at mindspring.com  Thu Feb 23 21:37:02 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:37:02 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Legislative Update
Message-ID: <8435F8A5D65441B0AECD1C5CEF27A416@YOUR20B4266652>

Good morning all, 
The docket for the Senate Committee on General Laws & Technology has been released and the committee is scheduled to take up HB1291 on Monday, February
27, 2012 one half hour after the full Senate adjourns for the day. 
It is expected that the committee is going to move to conform HB1291 to SB678 however, it is still very important that we call the members of the committee
and remind them of our position.  When you call, urge them to remove the DBVI from any consolidation plan as SB678 does. 
The attached spreadsheet lists the members of the General Laws & Technology committee.  Each member may be reached by calling (804) 698-75XX where XX is
the members district number. 
This process is nearing a conclusion but we can't afford to stop making our calls now.  Once again, everyone is doing a great job and our voice is being
heard.  Together, we will preserve a strong and independent Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired for all Virginians. 
I will continue to keep you posted as things progress. 
Mark 
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From dandrews at visi.com  Thu Feb 23 23:53:24 2012
From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews)
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:53:24 -0600
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Podcasts and On-Line Courses
Message-ID: <auto-000049385162@mailfront4.g2host.com>


>
>
>Hello. I am conducting a study on the current uses and accessibility 
>of podcasts in online college courses. The current uses of audio 
>podcasts and the accessibility of audio podcasts in U.S. online 
>college courses as perceived by learners with vision loss is 
>unknown. For that reason, we are requesting that you please take our 
>survey to share your perspective. A link to the online survey on 
>Survey Gizmo is below. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes 
>to complete and will be anonymous.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = 
>"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
>
><http://edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/725357/Current-Uses-and-Accessibility-of-Podcasts-in-Online-College-Courses>http://edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/725357/Current-Uses-and-Accessibility-of-Podcasts-in-Online-College-Courses 
>
>
>Thank you.
>Kimarie Whetstone
>Doctoral Student
><mailto:whetstonekjw at yahoo.com>whetstonekjw at yahoo.com


From mwroane at mindspring.com  Fri Feb 24 16:29:18 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:29:18 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Governor's threat to DBVI
Message-ID: <11E1559360404B4DA2BB5327DD6723F9@YOUR20B4266652>

As all of you are well aware by now, the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) is currently facing the most significant threat in its long history.  While our phone calls and e-mails are making our voices heard in the General Assembly, we have good reason to believe that Governor McDonnell may be influencing the legislators to proceed with the proposed consolidation of the DBVI into a newly created mega agency of disabilities despite the concerns of the DBVI's stakeholders.  Therefore, it is critically important that we now call and e-mail the Governors office to make sure that they fully understand the negative impact such a consolidation would have on the lives of all blind Virginians.

 

I urge all of you to call and e-mail the following individuals and also would encourage you to have your friends, family members and associates do the same.  Please continue with the same courteousness and respect that we have shown all of our elected officials.

 

Governor Robert F. McDonnell

(804) 786-4273

Robert.f.mcdonnell at governor.virginia.gov

 

Governor's policy office

Julia Hammond

(804) 692-2559

Julia.hammond at governor.virginia.gov

 

Secretary of Health and Human Resources

Secretary William Hazel

(804) 692-2571

Bill.hazel at governor.virginia.gov

 

When contacting these individuals, you may want to make the following points.

 

1  The Governors own commission on Government Reform did not recommend including the DBVI in the newly created agency.  Why include the DBVI now without an honest evaluation of how such a consolidation would affect the services received by blind Virginians.

 

2  There is minimal savings to be realized by this proposed consolidation.  The majority of the savings normally associated with such a consolidation were put in place when the administrative functions of HR, fiscal, purchasing and I T were shared with the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) in 1995.

 

3  The DBVI has been an excellent steward of the taxpayers money.  The DBVI currently receives less general fund money than it did in 1991 while still providing a full range of services to it's clients.

 

4  Beginning in the 1970s, there have been numerous attempts to answer the question of whether services for blind individuals are more effectively and/or more efficiently provided under a combined or specialized model.  In every case, researchers have shown that the minimal administrative savings achieved by consolidation are offset by less effective and less well-organized and less efficient services under a generalist's model.  In the late 1990s, Cavenaugh, Giesen, and Pierce at Mississippi State University conducted an analysis of national data and found that blind people served through separate agencies for the blind are nearly twice as likely to be self-supporting at closure than blind people served by a consolidated vocational rehabilitation agency.

 

Our time to address this matter is growing very short so call and e-mail today.  Also, please let me know once you have done so.  Everyone has done a great job up to now and I know you will all see this through to the end.  Together we will preserve a strong and independent agency for all blind Virginians.

 

Mark Roane

 


From joehobson at comcast.net  Fri Feb 24 17:26:55 2012
From: joehobson at comcast.net (joe hobson)
Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:26:55 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Governor's threat to DBVI
References: <11E1559360404B4DA2BB5327DD6723F9@YOUR20B4266652>
Message-ID: <4948535E591841A49DF587FFFFADBB54@JoeHobsonVAIO>

Friday February 24th, at 12: 25 p.m. Mark:
I have now received this communication; it is, however, sent directly to me 
and not through network?.
this is, however, the first of the several you indicate that you have 
attempted over past 2 days to send through network?

Thos, I did not receive.
I will  motivate my calls and emails into Governor McDonald, to Julia 
Hammond
and to Secretary Hazel, although I have attempted call into Hazel's office 
previously with no courtesy of reply or response.
Keep you posted if I learn anything.
Great job, and thanks.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark W. Roane" <mwroane at mindspring.com>
To: "NFB of Virginia Information and Announcements" 
<nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 11:29 AM
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Governor's threat to DBVI


> As all of you are well aware by now, the Department for the Blind and 
> Vision Impaired (DBVI) is currently facing the most significant threat in 
> its long history.  While our phone calls and e-mails are making our voices 
> heard in the General Assembly, we have good reason to believe that 
> Governor McDonnell may be influencing the legislators to proceed with the 
> proposed consolidation of the DBVI into a newly created mega agency of 
> disabilities despite the concerns of the DBVI's stakeholders.  Therefore, 
> it is critically important that we now call and e-mail the Governors 
> office to make sure that they fully understand the negative impact such a 
> consolidation would have on the lives of all blind Virginians.
>
>
>
> I urge all of you to call and e-mail the following individuals and also 
> would encourage you to have your friends, family members and associates do 
> the same.  Please continue with the same courteousness and respect that we 
> have shown all of our elected officials.
>
>
>
> Governor Robert F. McDonnell
>
> (804) 786-4273
>
> Robert.f.mcdonnell at governor.virginia.gov
>
>
>
> Governor's policy office
>
> Julia Hammond
>
> (804) 692-2559
>
> Julia.hammond at governor.virginia.gov
>
>
>
> Secretary of Health and Human Resources
>
> Secretary William Hazel
>
> (804) 692-2571
>
> Bill.hazel at governor.virginia.gov
>
>
>
> When contacting these individuals, you may want to make the following 
> points.
>
>
>
> 1  The Governors own commission on Government Reform did not recommend 
> including the DBVI in the newly created agency.  Why include the DBVI now 
> without an honest evaluation of how such a consolidation would affect the 
> services received by blind Virginians.
>
>
>
> 2  There is minimal savings to be realized by this proposed consolidation. 
> The majority of the savings normally associated with such a consolidation 
> were put in place when the administrative functions of HR, fiscal, 
> purchasing and I T were shared with the Department of Rehabilitative 
> Services (DRS) in 1995.
>
>
>
> 3  The DBVI has been an excellent steward of the taxpayers money.  The 
> DBVI currently receives less general fund money than it did in 1991 while 
> still providing a full range of services to it's clients.
>
>
>
> 4  Beginning in the 1970s, there have been numerous attempts to answer the 
> question of whether services for blind individuals are more effectively 
> and/or more efficiently provided under a combined or specialized model. 
> In every case, researchers have shown that the minimal administrative 
> savings achieved by consolidation are offset by less effective and less 
> well-organized and less efficient services under a generalist's model.  In 
> the late 1990s, Cavenaugh, Giesen, and Pierce at Mississippi State 
> University conducted an analysis of national data and found that blind 
> people served through separate agencies for the blind are nearly twice as 
> likely to be self-supporting at closure than blind people served by a 
> consolidated vocational rehabilitation agency.
>
>
>
> Our time to address this matter is growing very short so call and e-mail 
> today.  Also, please let me know once you have done so.  Everyone has done 
> a great job up to now and I know you will all see this through to the end. 
> Together we will preserve a strong and independent agency for all blind 
> Virginians.
>
>
>
> Mark Roane
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfbv-announce mailing list
> Nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbv-announce_nfbnet.org 




From fschroeder at sks.com  Sat Feb 25 15:26:16 2012
From: fschroeder at sks.com (Fredric Schroeder)
Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2012 10:26:16 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Opposition to the Consolidation of the Department
	for the Blind into a General Disability Agency
Message-ID: <003501ccf3d1$d1d7b170$75871450$@sks.com>

The letter below was sent by President Fred Schroeder to Governor McDonnell.
Please contact the Governor and ask him to stop the consolidation of the
Department for the Blind into a general disability agency.

 

From: Fredric Schroeder [mailto:fschroeder at sks.com] 
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 10:23 AM
To: 'Robert.f.mcdonnell at governor.virginia.gov'
Subject: Opposition to the Consolidation of the Department for the Blind
into a General Disability Agency

 

Fredric K. Schroeder, President

National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

9522 Lagersfield Circle

Vienna, VA  22181

February 25, 2012

 

 

Dear Governor McDonnell:

 

I am writing to seek your help in preventing the consolidation of the
Department for the Blind into a generic disability agency. As you know, HB
1291 was amended to include the Department for the Blind into the newly
established disability agency. This was done without any opportunity for the
public to offer comment and without any supporting data to show what
efficiency might be achieved by the merger. 

 

There have been numerous national studies conducted over the past four
decades, and none has shown increased efficiency or improvement in service
provision by consolidating specialized services for the blind into a larger,
generic agency. In fact the data support the opposite conclusion. Without
reviewing the data in detail, one of the most striking findings is that
blind individuals served by a specialized agency were nearly twice as likely
to be self-supporting at closure than blind individuals served by a generic
service agency. The reason is not difficult to explain: specialized staff
training and expertise are essential to insure that blind adults receive the
services they need to return to work. Under a generic service model, blind
people have less access to instruction in braille reading and writing, less
access to instruction in the use of a white cane for independent mobility
and less access to training with technology requiring specialized speech and
large print software. This is not just my opinion but the experience,
documented in countless reports and studies, of states that have sought to
achieve greater efficiency through consolidation of services to the blind.
In short, consolidation will result in fewer blind Virginians going to work
and an increase in the number of blind people who will need to rely on
various safety net programs. 

 

Please urge the leadership of the General Assembly to reject the inclusion
of the Department for the Blind into the consolidation plan. Blind
Virginians are relying on you to preserve the services they need to return
to productive lives as employed, contributing members of society.

 

Respectfully yours,

 

Fredric Schroeder



From dandrews at visi.com  Sat Feb 25 18:42:46 2012
From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews)
Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:42:46 -0600
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] New List for Virginia Affiliate
Message-ID: <auto-000049586641@mailfront4.g2host.com>

I am pleased to be able to announce a new list on nfbnet.org.  It is 
the NFBV-Discuss list and is for the Virginia affiliate.  This is a 
two-way discussion list, unlike the affiliate's other "announce-only" 
lists.  The purpose of the list is:

The purpose of this list is for the general discussion of topics of 
interest to the NFB of Virginia, the NFB, and blind persons.


To join the list you can either go to:

http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbv-discuss_nfbnet.org

or send e-mail to nfbv-discuss-request at nfbnet.org and put the word 
subscribe in the subject line.

Thanks!

David Andrews




From mwroane at mindspring.com  Tue Feb 28 03:01:31 2012
From: mwroane at mindspring.com (Mark W. Roane)
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:01:31 -0500
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Legislative Update
Message-ID: <2E20D4C1A1F640A3BB993C4574E9D653@YOUR20B4266652>

Good evening all,

This is just a quick update to let all of you know where we stand with HB1291 and SB678.

On Monday, February 27, 2012, the Senate Committee on General Laws & Technology took up HB1291.  As expected, they moved to conform HB1291 to SB678.  This is exactly what we thought would happen and needed to happen in order for the legislation to proceed to the next step.  Also on Monday afternoon, The House of Delegates made formal request for a Conference Committee to resolve the differences in the 2 bills.
I am hopeful that we will hear tomorrow who Senator Frank Ruff, who is the chair of the Senate General Laws & Technology Committee, will appoint to serve on the Conference Committee on the Senate side.  I will let you all know when I learn this information.
Everyone is doing a great job of contacting members of the General Assembly and letting them know our position on these bills.  Keep up the good work.

Mark Roane


From dandrews at visi.com  Wed Feb 29 01:23:37 2012
From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews)
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:23:37 -0600
Subject: [Nfbv-announce] Summer Internships with the NFB of Maryland
Message-ID: <auto-000050653814@mailfront3.g2host.com>


>
>Hello everyone,
>Due to the support of an Imagination Fund grant from the NFB 
>Jernigan Institute, the NFB of Maryland is pleased to offer two 
>internship positions during the summer of 2012.  Applicants must be 
>at least 18 years of age in order to apply.  Please see the attached 
>documents for more information, and feel free to circulate the 
>documents to anyone you think might be interested in this opportunity.
>Sincerely,
>Melissa Riccobono
>President, National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
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