Saturday, March 29, 2014

Protesters want deaf man freed

Hundreds of people came out this week to show support for Felix Garcia at the Florida Capitol. The deaf man has been in jail for 32 years for a crime he didn't commit. Prosecutors claimed Garcia was guilty of killing a man in Tampa during a drug robbery in 1981. His brother has since confessed to the crime. But Garcia remains behind bars and it will take an act of the governor to get him out. Garcia had no interpreter and did not know what was happening in the courtroom, according to the Florida Association of the Deaf. State Senator Thad Altman has offered legislation required licensed interpreters for court proceedings which you can read here. There's an online petition about the case here.

UK Implant video goes viral

The video of a UK woman having her cochlear implants turned on for the first time has gone viral--getting more than a million views in less than three days. Joanne Milne has Usher syndrome, which causes hearing and sight loss. Here's the video recorded by Milne's mother, Ann, at the Midlands Implant Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Airline note upsets deaf couple

A Texas couple is upset because of a note they got when American Airlines returned some lost luggage. Find out why a note attached to the luggage made them ask for an apology. Read the story from Indianapolis' WXIN-TV here.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

NBC: Company knowingly sold defective cochlear implants

Defective implants were sold to young children and adults for years--even after learning that a significant number of the devices had failed, according to the NBC's Today Show. Here's the video report.

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Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Texas Deaf Fest

The 22nd annual East Texas deaf festival took place in Jacksonville, Texas this past weekend. It first started in 1993 and its leaders are striving to improve services for the deaf in 23 East Texas counties. KLTV has a video report.

KLTV.com-Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas | ETX News

A Deaf Toddler's Journey to get a brainstem implant

ABC News followed a family for half a year as their toddler went through brainstem implant surgery. Find out what happened to Alex Frederick in this video (captions available).


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Aussie B-ball player Misses Award Ceremony

An Australian basketball player who won the Waverley Leader Senior Sports Star Award missed the award ceremony because he was getting his second cochlear implant. Read about Patrick Lane in Herald Sun here.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Grand Opening of Gally's 150th

The Gallaudet University Museum's 150th permanent exhibition opens in Chapel Hall exactly one month from today (April 8). You'll find more information here.

School gets 1st deaf leader

A school is getting its first deaf superintendent. The Missouri School for the Deaf will be lead by Ernest Garrett starting in July. Garrett is from St. Louis so he knows the area. He has served as president of the National Black Deaf Advocates and presently is executive director of the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. He holds degrees from the University of Arkansas and Gallaudet University. You can read the full announcement here.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

How Deaf People Bank

A new program could change the way the deaf bank through the use of student interpreters. Here's a video report from WROC-TV in Rochester.

PA girl gets implant

A young girl in Harrisburg just got a cochlear implant--just like her brother. WHP-TV reports (no captions).

A TV first

On this date one year ago (March 4, 2013) A episode of Switched at Birth was aired with the entire show in ASL. Producers of the ABC Family program say this was the first time a scripted series on mainstream television used only American Sign Language.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Troopers Cleared

The Oklahoman is reporting 3 troopers have been cleared after hitting and arresting and a deaf man following a hit-and-run accident. Read the full story here.

Parent of Deaf school student suing state over sexual abuse

A parent of a Maryland School for the Deaf students is suing the state. The mother says her daughter needs counseling because of the sexual abuse she endured at the hands of a former employee who was convicted of sexual molestation. But state officials say it's too late and refuse to help. WBAL-TV has a video and written report here.