NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 4766
Volume 35, Number 7
July 2024
WWW.ACCESSPRESS.ORG
Drive-through decision is pulling ahead
Going the distance Page 13 Happy campers Page 2 Celebrate the ADA Page 4
LOU MICHAELS
Self-advocate Karen Loven congratulated U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank after he received the Charlie Smith Award.
Save the Date
Consider making your nominations for two awards from Access Press Save the evening of Friday, November 1 and make plans to attend the annual Access Press Awards celebration. Minnesota’s disability news source invites everyone to submit nominees for our two awards. A regular event guest, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, always uplifts those who attend the event and all Minnesotans with disabilities who support Access Press. Last year she said, “You are all here because you believe in standing up for people with disabilities and you
Meet the Bush Fellows Page 7 Use our directory to find resources, services Page 8-9 Disability pride Page 15
believe in freedom of the press.” The award event began in 2003. After a hiatus of five years, the event returned in 2023. About 250 members of Minnesota’s disability community enjoyed a festive evening hosted by the Access Press Board with staff and community partners including the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration. AWARDS To page 4
She works for ‘change’ in public accommodations by Jan Willms Linda Hood is still running marathons. They may not be on a race track, and she is not using her legs. But the effort and the goals are the same. She is proving to herself that what she does matters, and she is putting all the energy of a long-distance runner into her task. Hood, a scientist, has spent her life running marathons, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, competing in triathlons and skiing all over the world. Her physical activities stopped in 2018, when she ate some bacteria-laced chicken and was stricken with paralysis. She spent eight months in a hospital and nearly died. Hood emerged as paraplegic, with her nerves and speech affected. In 2022 she was named Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota, with a platform tied to her longtime goal of getting adult-sized changing tables in public restrooms. The need became obvious after her hospitalization ended. “It is embarrassing and humiliating to be changed on a filthy floor in a public restroom,” Hood said. “This is something that has been long overdue.” Adult changing tables are already offered at places including US Bank Stadium and the Minnesota State Fair. A 2023 federal law calls CHANGE To page 5
SUBMITTED PHOTO
by Jane McClure People with disabilities who use drivethrough services in St. Paul will know this summer how new services will fare, or if any new ones will be allowed at all. The Planning Commission is expected to make its recommendations in July, and send those on to the City Council for a final public hearing and vote. One proposal before the Planning Commission would limit where new drive-throughs could go and what kinds of businesses could have them. Another option would be a total ban on new drive-throughs. Existing businesses would be grandfathered in. But new regulations would make it more difficult for new businesses to open with drive-through service. The June 7 hearing brought out a range of opinions. But disability voices were largely missing. The St. Paul Mayor’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities discussed the proposal in the spring. The group lacked a quorum or full group of members, and couldn’t formally take a stance on the proposal. Committee members raised several concerns. Jillian Nelson and Baya Clare raised issues of safety. With banks, safety can become an issue for people crossing a parking lot with cash. With pharmacies, ill people could be forced inside. Angie Whitcomb, president and CEO of the statewide group Hospitality Minnesota, urged the Planning Commission to step back from the proposal. “Please go back to the drawing board and engage with the hospitality industry,” she said. Zachary Zelickson of Border Foods said his company would oppose a total ban. Border Foods operates Taco Bell restaurants in St. Paul and other restaurants throughout the region. Industry trends indicate that more consumers use drive-throughs to get food. “Year after year those numbers increase for us,” he said. More than 80 percent of customers use drive-through services with his company. McDonald’s and Starbucks weighed in via written testimony. Not allowing restaurants to reconfigure drive-through services would mean keeping dated infrastructure in place, and could inadvertently cause more problems in the long run. Zelickson asked city officials to consider a case-by-case approach. Amenda Duerr, vice president for governmental affairs for the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce made several point for drive-through services. One point made is that drive-throughs are often the only food option for night shift workers. Another is that curbside delivery of food, especially at night, can pose safety issues for workers. The only person to testify for the changes was former Planning DRIVE-THROUGH To page 5
NEWS DIGEST
Linda Hood is shown with a changing table, something she'd like to see in public restrooms everywhere.
ACCESS PRESS DIRECTORY FOR OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY