What's Inside
- Blind skateboarder makes it to Guiness Book of World Records
- ACB announces first annual DVS People's Choice Awards
- Blind Diva pageant held in New Jersey
- Blind coconut picker contemplates retirement
- And, more than 60 other articles about blindness and blind people from the entire English speaking world
Editorial By Chris Hofstader
We've made it to episode 40 of Gonz Blinko's Blind News Digest and the final quarter of 2022. This means we've brought our readers approximately 2600 articles about blindness and blind people from the entire English speaking world.
I typically write the editorial segment here discussing the news of the week, progress on the new project and wot not but, this week, I'm on vacation in my very favorite fishing village on Earth and want to get the digest published so you can enjoy the stories while I redfish, sea trout, snook and maybe some sharks. It's been 40 weeks, I think I deserve a few days off.
How It's Organized
Gonz Blinko's Blind News Digest is a very simple page to
Read. The categories are at heading level 2 and the stories are links at heading level 3. So, navigation to the sections and stories you find interesting is quite simple.
Technology
The Key to Making Cybersecurity More Accessible to Everyone
Anybody who is online is advised (and often admonished) to practice good cybersecurity hygiene as a way to protect their information from would-be thieves. But what about those who can't? What about the people who for physical or cognitive or financial reasons are unable to follow the basic rules of cybersecurity? In short, these people are often out of luck. This story comes to us from: Yahoo Finance.
For blind people, technology can offer a way to perceive images through touch
Chancey Fleet of the New York Public Library uses a graphic embosser to print tactile images for people who are blind or have low vision. This story comes to us from: Marketplace.org.
Blindness Organizations
American Foundation for the Blind Announces Free Digital Inclusion Toolkits for School Administrators, Teachers, Families, and Students
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) today announced its Digital Inclusion Toolkits, a set of free resources to create, encourage, and advocate for more digitally inclusive classrooms. Designed for school administrators, teachers, families, and students who are blind or have low vision, the toolkits include planning tools for educators and administrators; information and resources for families and students with visual impairments that are designed to help them connect with others. This story comes to us from: PRNewswire.
Extra, extra! Ingenious way blind people can hear the headlines
Take a look inside the organisation which keeps partially sighted and blind people up to date with news week in and week out since 1979. This story comes to us from: Norwich Evening News.
Registering as sight impaired – RNIB
Getting in touch with your local council to register as sight impaired, or severely sight impaired, can open up a host of benefits. This story comes to us from: RNIB.
RNIB Helpline
Through our Sight Loss Advice Service, RNIB offers support to blind and partially sighted people across the UK. This story comes to us from: RNIB.
Free postal service – Articles for the Blind scheme
If you are blind or partially sighted and have close-up vision with spectacles of N12 or less, then you can use the scheme. This story comes to us from: RNIB.
Volunteering Highlights Need for Inclusion, Blind Adventist Says
When she was just 6 months old, Islânia Oliveira, from Brazil, was diagnosed with a disease called retinoblastoma, a rare type of eye cancer. The disease caused her to lose her right eye. Ten years later, she suffered a fall and the trauma dislocated the retina in her left eye, leaving her completely blind. Oliveira decided to become a lawyer. Now as a lawyer, she has set out to collaborate in other areas and find volunteer work where she can foster a culture of inclusion. This story comes to us from: Adventist Review.
Oklahoma School For The Blind Students Attend Western Heritage Day
Students at the Oklahoma School for the Blind spent the day in Haskell for their annual Western Heritage Day. This story comes to us from: YouTube.
World Services for the Blind Board of Directors announces the new CEO
The World Service for the Blind Board of Directors announced Friday they have appointed their new CEO of the company. Eric Yarberry will be taking over the CEO position that is currently occupied by Sharon Giovinazzo. Yarberry has spent the last four and a half years as Director of Education and Training as well as a total of seven years involved with the program development and implementation. His colleagues in the blindness field have recognized him as the next generation of leaders. This story comes to us from: KATV.
Employment
Blind coconut picker considers retirement
Similar to the fairy tale of A Khvak A Khven (A Blind Man and a Cripple) – in which the crippled man had to sit on the shoulders of the blind man to travel in hope of a new life – two elderly disabled brothers wander through the villages of their province making a living by climbing coconut trees to harvest the fruit. This story comes to us from: Phnom Penh Post.
Local blind man builds relationships while reconditioning old bikes
LOGAN – Macedonio Damian lives on the corner of 300 South and Main Street in Logan and he has learned to move beyond being sightless. He raises extra money by reconditioning bicycles. He suffers from a condition called Retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive genetic disease that leads to total blindness. Marlon Damian and his father Macedonio work together reconditioning bicycles for extra spending money
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of diseases that affect the retina or the light-sensitive part of the eye. This story comes to us from: Cache Valley Daily.
Great vision: Meet Nandita Tripathi, India's first blind woman notary from Nagpur
Nandita was born blind and has earned recognition as the first woman notary in the country. She has handled more than five thousand court cases. This story comes to us from: Nagpur Today.
National Industries for the Blind Recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nation's largest employment resource for people who are blind, is recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and the significant impact that people who are blind make in the workforce. Observed annually, NDEAM celebrates the contributions of employees with disabilities both past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. This story comes to us from: yahoo.
Transportation
Blind Glasgow man who fell on train tracks praises station improvements after terrifying ordeal
A blind man from Glasgow who fell on train tracks has praised the new safety measures at the station. This story comes to us from: Glasgow Live.
Discrimination and Inaccessibility
U.S. Midterm Candidate Websites Lacking In Basic Accessibility, Blind Charity Says
Significant swathes of voters with sight loss are already contending with access barriers when it comes to participating in the U.S. midterm elections due to take place in November. According to research published today by Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, which looked at eight midterm races in five key swing states, major access barriers prevail across the 16 candidate websites under review. This story comes to us from: Forbes.
Safety
Valley Center for the Blind Hosts White Cane Safety Day Walk
The White Cane Safety Day Walk, hosted by the Valley Center for the Blind, returns Saturday, October 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Inspiration Park in Fresno. This story comes to us from: Sierra News Online.
Poverty
Climate Migration: Blind and homeless amid Somalia's drought
Blindness heightens the remaining senses. The thud of a toppling camel is more jarring, the feel of tightening skin more acute, the smell of death thicker after weeks and months and then years without the rain that’s needed to survive. Perhaps, as panic rose with the wind, Mohamed Kheir Issack and Issack Farow Hassan could even taste the coming famine. Issack is 80, Hassan 75. The two men are friends and as close as brothers, gripping each other’s hands in their mutual darkness as tightly as they hold their canes. This story comes to us from: Midland Daily News.
Crime
Blind man beaten, locked up to die by family members; Edo govt fumes
Edo Govt drags mother and siblings of a visually-impaired man, Lucky Osarenkhoe to court over alleged inhuman treatment they meted on him. This story comes to us from: News Nigeria.
Blind man threatened with knife and robbed while walking by Grantham river
A blind man had his phone stolen from him when he was threatened with a knife while walking by the River. This story comes to us from: Grantham Journal.
Former director of Fayette County Association for the Blind facing nearly 500 charges for theft
The former Fayette County Association for the Blind executive director is facing nearly 500 charges after police say he stole funds from the nonprofit. According to a criminal complaint, the Board of Directors at the nonprofit contacted Uniontown City police and requested a meeting with Chief Jason Cox on July 30, 2021. During that meeting, Chief Cox was shown multiple cases of unapproved withdraws from the nonprofit from former executive director Eric Dolfi. This story comes to us from: WPXI.
Guide Dogs
Blind, partially sighted Nova Scotians say they’re being denied access to spaces because of their guide dogs
On Thursday, Sept. 15, Milena Khazanavicius and Kim Cusack were waiting for a table at Modern Orchid, a restaurant in Dartmouth Crossing, when they say the server told them they couldn’t dine in because of their guide dogs. Khazanavicius has a German Shepherd named Louis that was trained at The Seeing Eye Inc., a guide dog school in Morristown, New Jersey, while Cusack’s dog is a Black Labrador named Georgia that was trained at Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind in Manotick, ONT. Cusack was visiting the city from Cape Breton and wanted to check out all her favourite spots, including the Modern Orchid. This story comes to us from: Halifax Examiner.
Politics
Senator Duckworth and Representative Sarbanes Introduce Bill to Make Websites and Mobile Applications Accessible to Individuals with Disabilities
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Representative John P. Sarbanes (D-Md.) introduced The Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act (S. 4998) and (H.R. 9021) in both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. Digital innovation is only as powerful as it is inclusive.
This story came to us from: PR Newswire.
Federal judge: Absentee voters with print disabilities can choose individual helping them
Ahead of early voting for the November general election, an Indiana federal judge has ordered that voters with print disabilities can choose who will assist them in marking their paper absentee ballots. This story comes to us from: The Indiana Lawyer.
Sen. Cruz Receives Award from Blind American Veterans Foundation
Today, the Blind American Veterans Foundation awarded U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) the George “Buck” Gillispie Congressional Award for his efforts on behalf of veterans and sensory disabled veterans. It is named in honor of “Buck” Gillispie, a pioneer in the field of blind rehabilitation. This story comes to us from: Senator Ted Cruz.
Legal
Lack of audio descriptions on Australian TV a human rights breach, UN committee finds
A United Nations committee has found Australia breached an international human rights treaty by failing to provide audio descriptions on free-to-air television for the blind and vision impaired community. This story comes to us from: ABC.
Zola class action claims website inaccessible to visually impaired, blind Consumers
Retailer Zola does not make its website accessible to blind and visually impaired people using a screen reader in violation of the law, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Jenny Hwang filed the class action lawsuit against Zola, Inc. Sept. 23 in a New York federal court, alleging violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Hwang is a visually impaired and legally blind person who requires screen-reading software to read website content using her computer. This story comes to us from: Top Class Actions.
Fischer Skis Settles Blind Customer's Website Access Lawsuit
Fischer Skis US LLC has settled a lawsuit alleging it fails to make its website accessible to the visually impaired in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The terms of the settlement are confidential, counsel for plaintiff Christopher Walters, Benjamin J. Sweet with Nye, Stirling, Hale & Miller LLP, told Bloomberg Law. The parties filed their notice of settlement Wednesday in the US District Court for the Northern District of New York. This story comes to us from: Bloomberg Law.
Serial ADA plaintiff in Calif. alleged to be feigning blindness in order to sue
So, sighted faux blind people are getting in on the trolling act as well?
A Southern California law firm announced Wednesday that it has obtained footage of a frequent filer of suits under the Americans with Disabilities Act that allegedly shows he is not "legally blind" as he has maintained in hundreds of ADA lawsuits. This story comes to us from: Wine Business.
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) works to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in Northern Ireland. This story comes to us from: RNIB.
Business
Battling Blindness: Virtual Investor Event on Treatments for Retinitis Pigmentosa to Be Held October 19; Panelists include Kiora Pharmaceuticals, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and Retinal Surgeon Christine Kay, M.D.
Stonegate Capital Partners will host a virtual investor event with ophthalmology experts to discuss Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and the pipeline of products in development. Participants will include Christine Kay, M.D., Vitreoretinal surgeon and IRD specialist at Vitreoretinal Associates, Eric Daniels, M.D., CDO of Kiora Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KPRX) and Ben Shaberman from the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The 30 minute event will be held Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 4:30 PT Eastern Time. This story comes to us from: Digital Journal.
The Global Ophthalmic Knives Market size is expected to reach $382.6 million by 2028, rising at a market growth of 4.5% CAGR during the forecast period
Ophthalmic knives are microsurgical blades used during ophthalmic procedures to make precise, deep incisions that assist minimize the surgical incision. The ophthalmic knives have a low tolerance and are made from specific alloys. This story comes to us from: GlobeNewswire.
Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment Market to gain substantial traction through 2031
Diabetic Retinopathy is a medical condition that results from complications of diabetes mellitus. It is also known as one of the Leading causes of blindness Diabetic Retinopathy is determined by the type of diabetes the time the person has had diabetes and the control level of blood sugar. The signs and symptoms of diabetic retinopathy can cause blurred or fluctuating vision, very mild to no symptoms, and even blindness. This story comes to us from: Neptune Pine.
Night Blindness Treatment Market Scope and overview, To Develop with Increased Global Emphasis on Industrialization 2029 | Koninklijke Philips N.V., Medtronic
A2Z Market Research published new research on Global Night Blindness Treatment covering the micro-level of analysis by competitors and key business segments (2022-2029). The Global Night Blindness Treatment explores a comprehensive study on various components like opportunities, size, development, innovation, sales, and overall growth of major players. This story comes to us from: The Nelson Post.
Preventing Blindness
Everything you need to know to preserve your vision at age 50
It's no secret that from age 50, most people experience changes in vision, including blurriness and flickering matter.
This deterioration doesn't stop at age 50; as people age, there's a chance of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and glaucoma – all diseases that can cause blindness.
Which treatments are available?
Doctors recommend that everyone 50 and over be examined by an ophthalmologist once every two years and once a year from age 65 and up. This story comes to us from: The Jerusalem Post.
Lifestyle
Man denied enlistment finds another way to serve country for 60 years
You might say Hector Gonzales’s hands were made for service. At age 82, he’s been on the production line since before his co-workers were even born. He’s spent more than half a century making brooms, mops, and packing dinner trays. “His work here not only serves Lighthouse. It serves our community,” Hector’s boss and Lighthouse Louisiana CEO Dee Budgewater said. But Hector’s original idea of service was quite different. As a newly-sworn US citizen back in 1957, he felt a higher calling. He could barely speak English when he tried to enlist in the US Army—not once, but three times. Each time, he got the same answer from the in-take sergeant. “He said, ‘No! We cannot use you!’” Hector said. “I said, ‘Why not?’ “Because you’re too f-ing blind! Yeah! You’re too f-ing blind." This story comes to us from: WAFB.
Driven to suicide by blindness: How a woman finds a second chance at sight and life
Losing one’s sight is terrifying and daunting. It leaves the visually impaired person reliant on those around them to assist them in navigating their way through the world. Without the help and generosity of others, it can lead to a loss of hope and tragically sometimes life. This story comes to us from: City A.M.
East Orange Firemen Escort Gorgeous Women in the 6th Annual Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant
The 6th Annual Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant organized by Eyes Like Mine, Inc. was held this weekend and did not disappoint. This story comes to us from: TAPinto.
World Sight Day 2022: History, Significance and Theme
World Sight Day is annually observed on every second Thursday of October, it aims to draw attention on issue of blindness and visual impairment. This story comes to us from: Merazone.com.
When I lost my sight, my journey to 'woke' began
For me, the process of becoming woke, of gaining insight or new awareness, has always been invaluable in my relationships, my work and my self-respect. With eyes wide open, I followed the civil rights demonstrations and the marches for women’s equality. In the 1970s, when my eyes grew metaphorically closed by blindness, ironically, I received a crash course in wokeness. Suddenly in a minority group, I experienced changes in the way people perceived and treated me. Losing sight, but gaining insight In grad school, I encountered cluelessness from people who are often considered the most informed of all. This story comes to us from: PublicSource.
Blind Man Is Goldmine Of Talents
Meet Santosh Kumar Nath, a visually impaired man hailing from Cuttack whose love for life has proven that disability is just a state of mind. Santosh, despite the challenges, ensured that blindness in no way should roadblock his determination and force him to a lesser life. This story comes to us from: OdishaTV.
Aunt Bessie's makes shopping easier for the visually impaired
Aunt Bessie’s Shoppers will soon be able to scan QR codes on products from afar to get information on products such as ingredients and allergies without even stepping into a supermarket aisle. Frozen-food producer Aunt Bessie announced it will introduce special QR codes on some food packaging, which will audio-direct shoppers to the right product when scanned through a smartphone app. This story comes to us from: Yahoo News UK.
Inspiration hits home: Blind man shares Beautiful Lives project
Blindness is an extremely challenging obstacle for a person to deal with and a very difficult cross to bear, but Bryce Weiler, who has been blind almost since birth, said he has never honestly missed having a gift that so many others take for granted. This story comes to us from: Altoona Mirror.
East Tennessee community comes together to build blind woman a ramp to her home
This is a happy ending to a sad story we reported here a few weeks ago.
Nearly 40 volunteers can together to help a blind East Tennessee woman safely get in and out of her house by constructing a ramp and remodeling her porch. Two weeks ago, Don Dare spoke with Vanessa Hill about her need for a ramp so she could get out of her house. Following the story, several church members got together to build to ramp for her. From their initial call, it took volunteers about four days to gather the material, start the work, and complete the project. This story comes to us from: WATE.
This Navratri is very special for Rasika Sunil; 250 blind girls robbed of their joy
After two years of lockdown, festivals are being celebrated once again. Navratri festival has started and the atmosphere of happiness is seen everywhere. The festival of worshiping Mahashakti has started for nine days from today. This Navratri is very special for everyone. The reasons for this are also different. Actress Rasika Sunil has shared a Navratri special post. In this, she has told why this year’s Navratri is special for her. Rasika recently attended Kamala Mehna Blind School, Dadar. This time Rasika has enjoyed pregnancy with 250 blind girls. This story comes to us from: News Waali.
Art and Artists
Blind pianist from DC performs at the White House
Montaño, 17, was born blind. He began to play the piano at just 4 years old and now he's playing at concerts and festivals across the world. This story comes to us from: WUSA9.com.
gallery showing work of blind sculptor, 95
Walnut Creek's Valley Art Gallery showing blind sculptor's work. Rizza, 95, lost most of sight eight years ago but still continues producing art. This story comes to us from: East Bay Times.
Jamaica's Kimiela Isaacs enters Miss Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant
Visually-impaired musician, singer, songwriter and teacher Kimiela 'Candy' Isaacs has entered the Miss Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant in New Jersey, USA. "My reason for entering the contest is to empower women and girls to become the best version of themselves, despite their challenges," Isaacs said Tuesday . The pageant is hosted annually by Eyes Like Mine Inc and Isaacs is the sole person from the Caribbean to enter the competition this year. This story comes to us from: Jamaica Gleaner.
Announcing the Audio Description People's Choice Award
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) announces that beginning on September 26th, it will launch its first Audio Description People's Choice Award competition. The winner of the Audio Description People's Choice Award will be announced during the 2022 ACB Audio Description Awards Gala, which will take place virtually on November 29th at 7:30 PM Eastern. This story comes to us from: PR Newswire.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Selected as Audio Description People's Choice Award Finalist
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) recently announced it will launch its first Audio Description People’s Choice Award competition, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been selected one of the ten finalists. This inaugural award celebrates the inclusion of audio description in all types of media entertainment, and is designed to recognize the importance of audio description and the entertainment industry’s role in providing access to television content for people who are blind or have low vision. This story came to us from: StarTrek.com.
Blind Author to Inspire Women at Upcoming Area-Wide Conference
Women in our area are looking forward to the upcoming Fresh Grounded Faith women's event on September 30 – October 1, 2022, in Philadelphia, PA. This story comes to us from: PR.com.
Sports and Athletes
Blind skateboarder breaks Guinness World Record with 50-50 grind
A blind skateboarder from Michigan broke a Guinness World Record when he performed a 50-50 grind on a rail for a distance of 22 feet and 5 inches. This story comes to us from: UPI.
Games that adapt for players enjoy a growing appeal
Jie Yanbing, 17, was in a sword duel on a smartphone game. She drew the sword and attacked the enemy, then made a feint, launched a counterattack and victory was confirmed as well as the upgrade to a higher level. Yet on screen there was nothing but buttons. This story came to us from: China Daily.
Blind veteran from Cumbria running the London Marathon for charity that helped him
A blind veteran from Egremont in Cumbria is running the London Marathon for Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-service men and women. Darren Blanks, 35, lost his eyesight suddenly at 23 years old, and credits the charity with helping to improve his confidence and adjust to life without vision. This story comes to us from: ITV Hub.
Braille banners will offer encouragement to blind London Marathon runners
Do the blind runners need to stop to read these banners?
Braille messages will be used to encourage blind and visually impaired runners taking part in the London Marathon on Sunday. This story comes to us from: The Northern Echo.
to blind London Marathon runners
Thirty-five runners with guides are expected to take part in the event while hundreds of others will be raising money for charities which support blind and vision impaired people. This story comes to us from: Indy100.
Blind soccer youth clinics coming to Los Angeles
The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes has teamed up with City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department to launch blind soccer clinics around Los Angeles in October and November for youth players. This story comes to us from: Angels on Parade.
L.A. Affairs: Teaching my blind husband to swim pushed our marriage to extraordinary depths
It took a few weeks before I was comfortable asking the visually impaired man I was dating what, if anything, he could see. We trained with the same Santa Monica-based marathon running club. Every Saturday we intersected at the top of the Santa Monica Pier. I had no idea he was blind because he flew past me at a 7-minute pace alongside his guide runner, each of them holding on to a joint tether rope. Funny enough, we didn’t meet until he was assigned to me as a story. I was a field producer for the Los Angeles Marathon, and Adrian was being featured during the live broadcast. When we finally met, I wasn’t just impressed by his running times. He was a lesson in positivity, adaptability and living in the moment. This story comes to us from: Los Angeles Times.
"It could be me one day": Southwark resident with glaucoma runs for Blind Aid
A 50-year-old man who suffers from glaucoma is running the London Marathon this Sunday for blind charity saying he fears he may one day have to use their services. This story comes to us from: Southwark News.
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