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Lakers, North Stars and…Vikings? Oh my!
08 February 2012 7:43 AM | 3 CommentsThe chatter is getting noisier. They are going to raise our taxes! That RICH guy is going to get richer! Our public schools don’t get any money – but that dumb team does! I don’t care – let the team leave! However, Minnesota history indicates...
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Your help is needed to close one hole in Minnesota safety net
06 February 2012 3:11 PM | No CommentsYou may have read about Charles Van Heuveln in Jon Tevlin’s Star Tribune column a few weeks ago. A good program that benefits people with disabilities — Medical Assistance for Employed People with Disabilities (MA-EPD) — has a loop hole in it. A hole that...
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Theater of Public Policy
02 February 2012 12:19 PM | No CommentsPolitical satire and improvisational theater have a long history in the Twin Cities thanks in part to Dudley Riggs. Huge Improv Theater on 30th and Lyndale in south Minneapolis is adding a new chapter to this legacy with the Theater of Public Policy. In partnership...
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Author Archive
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Your help is needed to close one hole in Minnesota safety net
Posted on February 6, 2012 | No CommentsYou may have read about Charles Van Heuveln in Jon Tevlin’s Star Tribune column a few weeks ago. A good program that benefits people with disabilities — Medical Assistance for Employed People with Disabilities (MA-EPD) — has a loop hole in it. A hole that... -
Annual tradition: Give like Scrooge and The Grinch
Posted on December 22, 2011 | 1 CommentYeah, I know. I’m being a little lazy, but it’s the holidays. We’re all really busy this time of year. But, as with our favorite Christmas shows and holiday music, I discovered that the blog post I wrote last year is a still relevant. So,... -
Speaking up for those who can’t
Posted on November 17, 2011 | 1 CommentPeople are talking about Penn State. There’s outrage for the youngsters involved, as well as misplaced anger for a beloved coach’s firing. What the horrible news reinforces for me? Even the most ethical people make bad decisions. I wasn’t raised Catholic, but I’ve learned about... -
Nature and the North Side: Not an Oxymoron
Posted on October 10, 2011 | 1 CommentOne of my ongoing life goals is to paint a more positive picture of the “northside” of the Twin Cities. We are the blue collar, working class, diverse part of town. The Brooklyns often get smooshed together as if they were one. They’re not. Brooklyn... -
Local, natural, Minnesota grown options abound at the Fair
Posted on August 31, 2011 | No CommentsOn Saturday morning, I read an opinion piece by Will Winter – “Healthier, Minnesota-grown foods needed at State Fair” in the Star Tribune. At first, I was with Winter all the way. Yeah, we do need less fried, unhealthy food at the Fair. But, then... -
State budget ‘deal’ not a deal for people with disabilities
Posted on July 28, 2011 | No CommentsThe following analysis of the State of Minnesota budget compromise was originally produced by Courage Center’s Public Affairs and Research Department. It gives a good summary of how the state budget deal impacts people with disabilities in general, and Courage Center clients in particular. This... -
Winning from the center
Posted on June 20, 2011 | 1 CommentWhen did ‘compromise’ become a dirty word? Politics, like most things, ebbs and flows. If we look back in history, we’ll find periods when hard-headed individuals from differing political sides disagreed and couldn’t seem to find common ground. Our state legislators are stuck in one... -
Wheels are rolling for disability rights advocates
Posted on May 11, 2011 | 1 CommentCan you hear it? The sound of small motors humming in the distance, coming closer? That tap, tap, tapping of canes? The small roar of voices getting louder and more outraged as the days go by? This, my community, is the sound of disability rights... -
Partners in Policymaking seeks Recruits for Leadership Training Program
Posted on April 6, 2011 | No CommentsIn 1990, the year the groundbreaking Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, I took part in a unique, eight-month leadership training program called Partners in Policymaking. This program was created by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities and is for adults with... -
Health Care Reform: Why It Matters to People with Disabilities
Posted on March 21, 2011 | 3 CommentsYes, I know. I’m opening up a kettle of fish. ‘Health care reform.’ ‘ObamaCare.’ ‘Mandate.’ These phrases polarize and often shut down important communication. Political rhetoric aside, health care reform is a priority issue for people with disabilities and the health care and community organizations...
