Posted as is.
Note. First event a hearing at Seattle City Council on Friday September 12
From ACB
Dear Colleagues:
I’d like to share some remarkable news regarding the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). First, after more than five months with little to no communication from the IMLS, in July funding reimbursements from IMLS began again with regularity. This may be because the end of the federal fiscal year is September 30,, 2025 and despite the efforts to defund IMLS as outlined in Executive Order 14238 this funding was previously approved by Congress for museums and libraries across the country. There are also several pending lawsuits regarding this action.
On the evening of 9/2/25, the FY2026 budget took a huge step in the right direction for IMLS. The House Appropriations released its version of the FY 2026 budget bill that includes $291.8 million for IMLS. In its version the Senate included $295 million for IMLS funding. This is a $3 million reduction from the previous year but it’s a major turnaround from the President’s budget which included $6 million to shutter the agency.
There is still a ways to go. The marked-up version of the bill goes to the full House next Tuesday and then we await the reconciliation of the House and Senate budgets. But this is promising news and we’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
Thank you to everyone who took the time over the past few weeks to contact Congress. It has made a difference.
Seattle’s trees are on the line. On Friday, Sept 12 at 3 p.m., the Seattle City Council will hold a hearing on the comprehensive plan that will shape the future of our urban forest.
Seattle City Hall
We will bring signs and have talking points.
Two Key Amendments
City Council will soon vote on the comp plan zoning and amendments that could make or break Seattle’s climate resilience. Two key amendments would be huge wins:
• Amendment 93 → Guarantees greenspace on every lot. Without it, 95% of every lot can be paved, cementing in a future without greenspace or even soil.
• Amendment 102 → Brings Seattle up to other cities’ tree protection standards (think: NYC, Boston, Portland), closing three glaring loopholes in our tree ordinance.
Can’t join us in person? Send an Email to: council@seattle.gov
Thank you for caring about Seattle’s irreplaceable urban forest.
There are two opportunities for paid research assistance with a national park project, via both synchronous focus groups and an asynchronous online survey, coming up in late September and October.
Because this is all for the same park, I only can hire each individual for one or the other, a focus group or a survey, so if you are interested, please let me know, and let me know if you want to participate in a focus group (online, via Zoom, for about an hour), or an online survey (asynchronous, I'm guessing this survey also will take about an hour). Or you can say, either, and I can fit you into the one that needs the most help. Because the focus group is synchronous and probably a bit more strenuous, the stipend is higher.
Focus Group (15 slots available): ~1 hour, online, synchronous, via Zoom, a discussion of media-accessibility issues related to visiting a national park, stipend: $50.
Online survey (30 slots available): ~1 hour, online, asynchronous, via our online uReview system (same as the Description), a discussion of media-accessibility issues related to visiting a national park, stipend: $25.
Best wishes,
Brett Oppegaard, Ph.D.
He/Him/His
Founder | Executive Director of Access Hound
360-521-8150
New White Cane Day merch is here!
We are thrilled to share our 2025 Logo!
This design was submitted by Seattle area artist, Laura Graden-Cotts.
Description: Logo-style illustration within a black circle. In the center, two white canes, on with a red tip one without, are crossed diagonally creating quadrants. Surrounding the canes are four images: a green pine tree at the top, a brown guide dog with a harness on the right, a blue mountain range with snow caps at the bottom, and an orca whale on the left. Below the circle, in bold black text, it says "WHITE CANE DAY" and beneath it, "2025" is written in a thinner font.
You can purchase your White Cane Day 2025 merch via Bonfire
Purchase soon to ensure your order arrives before the event. Merch will not be available at the event due to logistics.
Event Information:
You don't need to join us for White Cane Day 2025 to purchase a shirt, but we'd love to have you!
Registration is highly encouraged: https://shorturl.at/eM1Un
Event Date: Saturday, October 11th 2025
Event Address:
Starting: South Base of the Space Needle near the Howard S. Wright Memorial Fountain: 400 Broad St, Seattle, WA 98109
Ending: Washington Talking Book and Braille Library (WTBBL): 2021 9th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
Timeline:
• 9:00 am - 9:50 Arrive at starting place
• 9:50 - Official Group Photo
• 10:00: The Walk begins!
• 10:45 : Speakers at WTBBL
• 1:00pm Event ends
WTBBL will host a reception and a vendor area! Details to come!
We are working to make this event more youth friendly! Stay tuned for more information.
You Cane Give Initiative is sponsoring a cane drive for this event! Wondering what to do with that old cane you no longer use in the closet? Is that drawer of used canes collecting dust and taking up space? Donate your old canes to the “You Cane Give” program. And turn that old cane into newfound independence for individuals in need.
Thanks,
White Cane Awareness Network Team
Questions? Ideas! Email us: white.cane.awareness.network@
The Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium (SCAC) invites you to be part of the 3rd Annual Deep Dive Day Conference, happening Thursday, October 16, 2025, at Town Hall Seattle. We are excited to be expanding this year's conference to a day-long convening with a larger space available. We are continuing the theme of Sustaining Accessibility in Challenging Times and our goal is to bring together accessibility champions across the arts and cultural
sector to advance accessibility and inclusion.
Registration for Deep Dive Day will open on September 4! We hope you will attend this
important and fast-growing conference!
With gratitude,
The team at Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium (SCAC)
Seattle Opera offers one performance per mainstage opera at McCaw Hall with audio description. Using an infrared headset, patrons who are blind or have low vision can listen to a live, verbal description of actions, costumes, scenery, and other visual elements of a performance. The description begins 10 minutes prior to the start of the performance.
Patrons who wish to listen to the description must pick up a headset. Headsets are distributed free of charge and can be requested ahead of time using our request form. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis. You may pick up your headset from the assistance booth (around the corner from coat check) located on the main entry level of McCaw Hall. Please ask for a headset with audio description.
The following performances will offer audio description. Description begins at 1:50 PM, ten minutes prior to each of the following 2:00 PM Sunday matinee performances:
· The Pirates of Penzance—Sunday, October 26
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posted verbatim; further commentary separately.
Washington School for the Blind superintendent resigns, citing harassment and threats
By Jake Goldstein-Street (Washington State Standard)
Aug. 11, 2025 1:54 p.m.
The longtime superintendent at the Washington State School for the Blind is resigning amid threats from a disgruntled former employee, he announced this month.
“Change can bring fresh energy and perspective, and I am hopeful the agency will continue to grow and thrive in the years ahead,” Scott McCallum wrote in his resignation letter. “I have decided it is best for me and for the WSSB that I resign from my role as superintendent to seek new leadership opportunities.”
McCallum has been the Vancouver school’s superintendent since 2016. Gov. Bob Ferguson reappointed McCallum upon taking office in January.
In his resignation letter to Ferguson, McCallum attributed his departure, effective Aug. 15, partially to “continuous harassment from a former employee that has created significant disruption across the agency.”
“I remain hopeful that such disruption and threats may cease once I depart my role as superintendent,” he wrote to the governor Aug. 1. “Also, with the recent shift to your administration and our school year ending, I believe this is the appropriate time for WSSB to begin a new chapter under new leadership.”
In a court filing in May related to the alleged harassment, McCallum said he worried the former employee would escalate threats and commit violence. He was especially worried since many of the staff at the school are blind or visually impaired.
“Her continual focus on us and violence, and our particular vulnerabilities has us all worried and scared,” he wrote. “I regularly drive new routes to work. I park in different places at work regularly, always backed in to make for a quick escape. I can’t leave my house without looking out to see if she is outside and I have found new routes to walk my dogs.”
McCallum didn’t respond to requests for further comment last week.
Ferguson tapped Pam Parker, the school’s outreach director, to serve as interim superintendent for the 2025-26 school year.
The school serves blind, visually impaired and deaf-blind students. Fifty students were enrolled this past school year, according to state data. It has about 100 full-time equivalent employees and a state budget of around $29 million.
McCallum has a national reputation in education of students who are blind or visually impaired. He helped implement the country’s first online adaptive state assessment that is accessible to students who read Braille.
In 2022, the National Federation of the Blind awarded McCallum with the Distinguished Educator of Blind Students award.
Before coming to Washington, McCallum worked in education in Oregon.
Neighbor, Thank you for taking the time to complete our recent town hall survey and for expressing interest in participating in the upcoming deliberative town hall hosted by Rep. Smith and Civic Genius. . Rep. Smith will continue to hold events in our district to hear from constituents and we look forward to hearing from you on any issue. Please don't hesitate to reach out here any time. |
Sincerely,
Adam Smith |
P.S. What did you think of this email update?
RantWoman comments: 1. THANK YOU so much for asking people's opinions and for having great forms that work well for RantWoman and her screen reader. 2. The email RantWoman received said Sunday August 3 in the text but the link above takes people to a blurb and to the correct date MONDAY AUGUST 4 3. RantWoman STRONGLY endorses online town halls, not only to save herself travel burden but also because it cuts down on ways for disagreements to exceed all constraints of decorum. (Looking at you, any Republican who can't find ways to meet with constituents. Thank you for your attention. RantWoman. |
One indication that RantWoman is rapidly approaching an age that can be described as "older than dirt:" RantWoman has never really gotten into binge-watching, say, TV series.
We will not discuss whether or not a raging YouTube habit counts.
The last couple days, RantWoman has so badly wanted to escape everything to do with the President and his disagreeable Cabinet shredding the constitution, that RantWoman has fled to....drum roll, please...Court TV.
RantWoman barely dipped her toes into the sentencing of Brian Kohlberger for 4 heinous murders of University of ID students.
RantWoman thanks Mr. Kohlberger for pleading guilty. RantWoman was not looking forward to a whole summer of gruesome testimony and trial related social media.
RantWoman realizes this path probably will not ease grieving families gut wrenching grief.
RantWoman would not mind never again hearing Brian Kohlberger's name and having celebration of lives every year for the 4 murdered students as often as they need.
RantWoman had ZERO desire to even dip her eyeballs into more info about the sentencing than a short news snippet.
The other legal situation RantWoman is binge watching: the case of WA vs. Ali and Ali. Videos are widely available on YouTube via CourtTV or another called Justice is a Process, as well as J.D. A lawyer explains.
The next several posts will feature RantWoman opining about different aspects of the case. RantWoman had been holding off with commentary until verdicts have been returned. Verdicts have now been returned and sentencing has been set for August 18. That is still miles to go before we sleep. So please read on.
The Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) on behalf of its member, fully supports the following statement from the Washington State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind:
The Washington State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind (SRCB) is an advisory group of volunteers, appointed by the Governor, who provide counsel and guidance to Department of the Services for the Blind (DSB). The committee reviews, evaluates, and recommends plans, policies, and activities to ensure that blind or visually disabled people in our state receive the most effective and efficient rehabilitation services possible.
We are sending you this letter regarding our concerns about the effect of the current Vocational Rehab (VR) funding cuts and how those cuts will affect Washington state residents who are served and supported by the DSB.
While the proposal includes $4.5 billion in mandatory funding for the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants Program, the proposal also includes a Change in Mandatory Program (CHIMP) to reduce the post-sequester funding to $3.7 billion, aligning it with the FY 2024 enacted level. This would result in a significant cut to vocational rehabilitation grant programs.
Washington state will not have adequate state resources to make up for any lost federal funds. Our analysis of the impacts of this funding reduction is that we will have to place some or all applicants for vocational rehabilitation services on a waitlist to avoid overspending the budget.
In addition, the Department of Education budget proposal provides no funding for the following programs in FY 2026, and indicates that these services can be funded out of the already reduced Vocational Rehabilitation grant:
• Client Assistance State Grants
• Supported Employment State Grants
• Training Program
• Demonstration and Training Programs
• Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights Program
Because of the proposed budget cuts, the DSB will need to implement a waitlist. This is a devastating decrease in support and services especially since applications to DSB for services have increased by 20% in the past year.
Having to wait for Vocational Rehab services can truly be detrimental to those who are ready for training. The programs listed above as being affected by funding cuts are truly essential to someone who needs a complete rehabilitation experience.
The bottom line is that these programs need to be fully funded. Blind and low-vision residents of Washington state deserve these services to continue to be independent, fully functioning employed citizens.
Respectfully,
Andy Arvidson SRCB Chair and Washington Council of the Blind President
Above is the gentle version. Please allow RantWoman to weigh in.
1. Need for Rehabilitation services is BIPARTISAN.and the big supposedly wonderful bill passed very narrowly but Congress still has to finalize the FY 2026 budget. So Congressional representatives need to hear from the public NOW. It might or might not make a difference, but speaking up still matters. Speaking up any way one can matters especially for representatives who are avoiding town meetings and creating lots of burdens in order to contact them electronically.
2. Full disclosure: RantWoman definitely benefited from vocational rehabilitation services decades ago when midlife DNA lotto hit. RantWoman can tell from others accounts of their rehabilitation experience, that vocational rehabilitation services make enormouse contributions to blind people's ability to thrive in the US economy and to help others thrive.
Enough said?
Need for Rehabilit
On these days, shuttle buses will serve each 1 Line station between Capitol Hill and SODO. The bus stop locations are listed later in this message. Passengers should consider taking a local bus line to travel faster through the area. A visual chart on the Navigating service disruptions web page displays alternative service options. Please call Passenger Care at 1-888-889-6368 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.) for trip planning assistance.
The 1 Line will operate approximately every 15 minutes between Lynnwood and Capitol Hill and between SODO and Angle Lake. At Capitol Hill and SODO stations, trains will operate in both directions on the same platform, to be determined based on operational needs. Passengers who need assistance navigating the station can request help from Sound Transit personnel on the platform or by calling or texting Security at (206) 398-5268.
Planned 1 Line Shuttle bus stops served during this 1 Line disruption:
Visit soundtransit.org/disruption for online information about currently planned 1 Line disruptions. Please note the work schedule is subject to change. Visit the Service alerts web page for current information on service disruptions and to sign up to receive alerts by text or email.
We apologize for the inconvenience of this disruption. Thank you for your patience.
