DBInews August/September 2005 * A publication of DeafBlindInfo.org. Sponsored by Minnesota Department of Human Services Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division. To subscribe, e-mail DBInews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com * Contents. - Letter from the Editor. - News from SSB. - Get Paid For Writing Articles! - Post Your Announcements For Free. * LETTER FROM THE EDITOR. Adrean Clark. Some of you have emailed asking why there were no DBInews for August, and why the July issue was late. First, I apologize for the missing issue and the late issue. In July the Minnesota state government shut down and in August I travelled to the East Coast as part of my work with The Tactile Mind Press. My DeafBlind husband, John, and I were able to visit the new AADB president, Art Roehrig, during our trip to Washington, D.C. Art is doing well and is looking forward to his new term. Meanwhile DBInews is in need of more articles and input from our community. Please send in any press releases or news from our community and we will put it in. You are also welcome to contribute articles. We pay $25 for each contribution, please email them to comments@deafblindinfo.org . * NEWS FROM SSB. This is the first in a series of articles from State Services for the Blind (SSB) about programs and services available through SSB. This article is about the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind and the DeafBlind Committee. Questions and Answers regarding Council and/or Committees at SSB 1. I have heard that SSB has an advisory Council. Is there a DeafBlind person on this Council? YES ­ in November of 2003, Governor Pawlenty appointed Lynette Boyer as a representative of the DeafBlind community to serve on the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind (SRC-B). 2. What do I need to do if I am interested in serving on the SRC-B? - Complete an ³Open Appointments Application for Service on State Agency² form which is available through the Secretary of State¹s office. - Return the completed application to: Secretary of State, Open Appointments; 180 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Ave.; St. Paul, MN 55155-1299, or fax the completed application to: (651) 296-9073. - All appointments are made by the Governor¹s office. - You can get an application in one of the following ways: a. call the Secretary of State¹s office at (651)297-5845; b. go online at: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=18&dc_id=37 and click on the heading ³open appointments application form² which will provide you with a copy of the form to complete on line or print out and complete; or c. contact Linda Lingen at SSB by calling her directly at (651) 642-0504 (V), (651) 603-0043 (TTY), Toll Free: 1-800-652-9000 (V) or 1-888-665-3276 (TTY); or on line at Linda.Lingen@state.mn.us to get an application sent to you. 3. Can I come to Council meetings even if I am not an appointed member of the Council? YES ­ all Council meetings are open to the public. To find out when Council meetings are held, visit the SSB website which is: www.mnssb.org. The times for all Council meetings are posted here. Council meetings for the remainder of 2005 are as follows: a. Saturday, October 1, 2005: 10:00 a.m. ­ 1:00 p.m.; and b. Saturday, December 3, 2005: 10:00 a.m. ­ 1:00 p.m. If you will need any ³reasonable accommodations² (i.e. interpreters, assistive listening devices) to participate fully in a Council meeting, please notify Linda Lingen (see above information) at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled meeting to make those arrangements. 4. Can I be part of the discussion during a Council meeting if I am not an appointed member of the Council? YES ­ time is made available at each regular meeting of the Council for public comment whether or not such comments are directly related to the agenda. Public comment is allowed concerning matters related to the agenda prior to formal action by the Council. 5. Is there a DeafBlind Committee of the Council? YES ­ this committee has been meeting regularly since January of 2004. The ³Charge² of the DeafBlind Committee is to ³support and advise SSB regarding its services to individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing and blind/visually impaired². 6. Can I be a member of a Council Committee if I am not an official member of the Council? YES ­ members and chairpersons of committees need not be members of the Council. Members and chairpersons of committees are appointed by the chairperson of the Council for a term of one (1) year. If you have a question you would like answered either in DBInews or privately, you can send that question to SSB on line at: INFO@ngwmail.des.state.mn.us * GET PAID FOR WRITING ARTICLES! DeafBlindInfo.org is looking for contributors to monthly editions of DBInews. Submissions must be written by DeafBlind people or be related to DeafBlind culture and community, and be between 100 and 500 words. Upon publication a fee of $25 will be paid. * POST YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR FREE. Minnesota-based DeafBlind organizations may post event announcements here free of charge. To send anouncements for an upcoming month, please send information on or before the last day of every month. * DeafBlindInfo.org is Minnesota's online resource about DeafBlind services and community. This project is sponsored by DHS/DHHSD. Questions? Contact Adrean Clark, webmaster, at comments@deafblindinfo.org .