Reporter: Angela Salerno
More than 40% of J.R. Martinez’s body was burned when his humvee hit a landmine while fighting in Iraq. It’s a disability that’s created challenges in his life.
The Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities is giving men and women like J.R. the tools to start and own a business.
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Senator Sanders Welcomes Veterans Affairs Secretary Peake to Vermont Town Meetings on Challenges Facing Veterans, June 23, 2008
8 a.m. South Burlington Town Meeting at the Holiday Inn, 1068 Williston Road. Includes continental breakfast. 4 p.m. White River Junction Town Meeting at the VA Medical Center, Research Building #44, 215 North Main Street. Includes light refreshments. (800) 339-9834.
South Burlington, Vermont – June 9, 2008
About 350 people turned out Monday for the fifth annual Governor’s Summit on the Employment of People with Disabilities.
This year’s focus — disabled veterans.
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By U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, praised the Senate’s passage of S. 2162, the Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008, tonight by unanimous consent. Senator Akaka’s statement in support of the bill is copied below:
I am pleased to express my strong support for S. 2162, the “Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008”, as amended. This bill includes provisions on mental health care, suicide prevention, care for substance use disorders, prevention of homelessness, pain and epilepsy care, and other health care matters. This comprehensive legislation addresses many critical issues facing our Nation’s veterans.
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By Nancy Remsen, Free Press Staff Writer • June 6, 2008
WILLISTON — Ronnie Rodriguez joined the Marine Corps in 2003, didn’t go to Iraq or Afghanistan, but sustained a serious spinal injury during his four-year tour of duty as an aviation mechanic.
The 27-year-old and his wife moved their two children to Vermont — her home state — when he got out of the Marines. With the support of a vocational rehabilitation counselor from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Rodriguez set out to find a job.
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It was hard to tell just who was the patient, as the Cunanan siblings — Jennifer, Adrian and Anthony — sat in a row on three chairs in a sparsely decorated therapist’s office at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan.
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WASHINGTON, June 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The U.S. Department of
Labor today kicked off its “Transforming the American Workplace: A 21st
Century Vision” summit, which focuses on including people with disabilities
in the American workforce and reduced barriers to employment. The
invitation-only summit continues through tomorrow at Gallaudet University’s
Kellogg Conference Center in Washington, D.C.
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By Sara Buscher • Free Press Staff Writer • June 3, 2008
SOUTH BURLINGTON — Most mothers are hard-wired to do the best they can to support the well-being of their children, and Linda Luxenberg is no exception. The high-energy mother of three has two grown daughters and a 21-year old son. She’s given them every opportunity to succeed, and feels confident her daughters will.
But her son, Travis, has autism. And while a master’s degree in special education and autism expertise have allowed her to serve as his advocate for 21 years Luxenberg can’t imagine where he would be without her.
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By DAVE KOLPACK
The Associated Press
Sunday, June 1, 2008; 4:01 PM
BERTHA, Minn. — Carol Race thinks it’s important for her 13-year-old son to be in church on Sundays for Catholic Mass.
Leaders of the Church of St. Joseph once felt the same way, but not anymore. They say Race’s autistic son Adam is disruptive and his erratic behavior threatens the safety of other parishioners.
The northern Minnesota church has obtained a restraining order to keep Adam away, an action that has been deeply hurtful to the Race family and has brought them support from parents of other autistic children.
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Killington Grand Hotel
Wednesday, June 4
8:00am-3:30pm
Join parents, policy makers, youth, professionals and educators at this daylong conference, featuring Keynote speaker Scott Chesney. Learn more at scottchesney.com For all the conference details, check out our conference brochure! You may register online right now by visiting and filling out our online registration page! Charting the Course is co-presented by the Vermont Parent Information Center and Parent to Parent of Vermont. Visit a list of our conference sponsors!
