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AMC Theatres, the nation’s largest movie theater chain, has agreed to pay $56,000 and implement significant operational changes to resolve a federal disability discrimination lawsuit. The legal action stemmed from allegations that the major entertainment corporation unlawfully forced out a dedicated, long-term employee with cerebral palsy after more than two decades of continuous service at…
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A police cruiser. A routine traffic stop. Suddenly, an officer drew his service weapon and shouted at a young driver to step out of the vehicle, unaware that the motorist was autistic and struggling to process a barrage of conflicting commands. Ten months after that terrifying afternoon just before Thanksgiving, Megan…
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A routine traffic stop nearly turned fatal on the Monday before Thanksgiving last year, when a Kansas City police officer pointed a firearm at a young driver and ordered him out of his vehicle at gunpoint. Ten months later, Megan Brown still wells with tears when she thinks of the tragedy…
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A routine traffic stop nearly ended in unimaginable tragedy on a quiet afternoon just before Thanksgiving last year, when a Kansas City police officer pointed a service weapon at a young driver and shouted for him to get out of his vehicle. Ten months later, Megan Brown still wells with tears…
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DECATUR, Ala. — For families navigating the transition of a child with developmental disabilities from the structured safety of the public school system into adulthood, the road ahead often drops off into a steep cliff of uncertainty. In Decatur, Alabama, local entrepreneurs and advocates Jeff and Andrea Sharp are working to build a bridge across…
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After a demanding shift stocking coffee beans at grocery stores around Birmingham, 27-year-old Sarah Stewart retreats to a familiar spot. She sits comfortably in her mother’s office chair, gently rests a pair of virtual reality goggles over her eyes, and steps into an immersive digital realm. On this particular afternoon, she selects…
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DECATUR, Ala. — A Decatur couple who operate a local non-profit thrift store dedicated to employing adults with developmental disabilities are expanding their mission this month with the launch of a comprehensive, college-like day program. The new initiative is designed to focus heavily on continuing education, social development, and hands-on job training, filling a critical…
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Disability service providers across the United States are increasingly finding themselves forced to turn away new referrals and scale back critical programs as they grapple with an unrelenting workforce crisis. With massive, unprecedented funding cuts looming on the horizon, industry leaders and administrators report that they see no relief in sight for a system that…
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The nation’s top emergency response agency has announced that it will bring back specialized training on meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities during disasters, reversing a policy decision that halted the curriculum more than a year ago. The Federal Emergency Management Agency removed the training from its official curriculum in response to various executive…
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In a legal development that civil rights advocates are calling a profound betrayal, the federal government has agreed to a settlement that will eliminate regulatory requirements mandating that individuals with disabilities be served in community settings. The decision, approved by a federal judge late last week, brings an end to a protracted legal battle and…
