Maryland woman gets nearly $5K water bill

Denise Sansonese got a water bill of nearly $5,000. A "water pump tube in her toilet malfunctioned. Because she cannot hear, however, she was unaware that the toilet was running continuously." Read the full story at the Frederick News-Post here.

Deaf woman was rejected from a jail program

A deaf woman in Virginia tried to enroll in a program to serve her time during daytime hours on the weekend, as a judge recommended. But the Sheriff’s Office in Chesapeake turned her away because she is deaf. The Virginia Pilot explains why he reversed that decision here.

Celebrity makes Appearance at School Anniversary Celebration

Nyle DiMarco visited the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf for its 150th-anniversary celebration. KDKA-TV has a video report below or read the story here.

Families accuse teacher’s aide of sexual abuse

A former teacher’s aid at a Salt Lake City school for deaf children is facing rape and sexual assault charges. Tyler Jex is "accused of inappropriately touching or contacting their underage daughters through his position with the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf." KSTU-FOX 13 has a video report.

Rally at Utah State Capitol

A protest at the Utah state capitol brought out dozens of deaf people Saturday (Oct 25). They say there is a lack of communication options that "hinder them from getting access to quality care at hospitals and medical facilities." Find out more in this ABC-4 video news report.

One year ago today: The First US Signing Starbucks

Starbucks opened its first "Signing Store" in the U.S. one year ago today (Oct 23, 2018). It's in Washington D.C. less than a mile from Gallaudet University. Everyone working there is fluent in ASL and wears aprons that display the fingerspelling of "Starbucks." Here's a video report from Radio.com.

Deaf father and his newborn

💛 Sweet and loving moment. https://t.co/RpHzCBhu9P

— Annie Yu (@AnnieYuTV) October 19, 2019

Signmark in Hong Kong

Image from https://twitter.com/signmarkmusic

Finnish deaf rapper Signmark is preparing for his second performance in Hong Kong next month. He was born deaf and says:

My family is deaf, but my grandparents are hearing, so th
ey didn’t know any sign language. I watched as my grandfather was playing the piano and my grandmother was singing. I began lip-reading what she was singing and then I started signing it to my parents. They got involved and realized that music is something that connects people. “Then I translated hundreds of songs into sign language; different artists’ songs, for instance those of Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson and Metallica.

The South China Morning Post takes a look at the remarkable artist here.

Deaf students sue over decades-old sexual abuse

A dozen women "who attended the New York School for the Deaf decades ago are suing the school, claiming they were sexually abused by the man who supervised their dorm." One of the women said, "He abused all of us in our early childhood... That's a scar and trauma that stays with you. We were little girls... We didn't know how to take care of something that needed (to be told)." Below is a video from the Westchester Journal News about the suit and you can read more about the story here.

New finding about Deaf infants and their Parents

A new study finds that deaf infants exposed to American Sign Language are especially tuned to a parent's eye gaze and "at a more advanced level than hearing infants." The study "stems from broader research into early learning and finds that Deaf infants of Deaf parents may be more attuned than hearing infants to the social and visual signals of others." It was recently published in the journal Developmental Science. Read more from Science Daily here.

A deaf congregation grows in New Jersey

"What started with one interpreter has grown into a church for the deaf and hearing" in Newark, New Jersey. Read about what's happening at Chosen Generation Ministries in NJ.com here.

Deaf Woman Dies in Arson Fire

A deaf woman and her two-year-old daughter died in a fire—it was intentionally set by a man who said he was trying to get back at his girlfriend. Star Milligan tried to save her daughter by wrapping her in a blanket and using her body to protect her from the flames. The Fox TV station in Detriot has a video report below or read the story here.

An Emergency System for Deaf Beach-goers

An emergency system for deaf beach-goers called Beach Emergency Evacuation Lights System (BEELS) will get its first workout in Torrance Beach. There will be a ribbon-cutting and day at the beach for the deaf community next month. Within two years BEELS is expected to be in place along LA's coastline. Read more about it in the LA Times here.

DeafBlind Art

DeafBlind writer John Lee Clark talks about art he can touch in a Poetry Magazine post. He poses the question: We have DeafBlind artists, but do we have DeafBlind art? Read his entire piece here.

Young Deaf Fan Joins Carrie Underwood on Stage

Carrie Underwood invited 9-year-old Savannah Dahan to perform The Champion with her during a concert stop in Washington, DC over the weekend. Access Hollywood has a video report.

Suit in Utah over Terps Dismissed

A lawsuit filed by deaf students against the Utah Shakespeare Festival was immediately dismissed. The festival refused to provide sign language interpreters for their performance of Hamlet. At issue is whether offering captioning was adequate accommodations. Read the full story in the Salt Lake Tribune here.