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The ADA – A deep dive

The ADA – A deep dive

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Written by Malachi Mena

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) was passed in 1990. Local disability educator and activist Priya Ray of DIYabled notes that many non-disabled individuals aren’t aware of the ADA and its policies, and makes an effort to raise awareness this Disability Pride month!

On Open Air’s series, This Crip Life, Priya Ray was joined by Vicki Young, a disabled law student to discuss and deep dive into the ADA. Ray began by defining it. She stated “the ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government programs and services.”

Young went on to explain that there are 4 titles within the ADA. Title one is employment, title two is State and Local Governments, title three is Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities, and title four is Telecommunication. Young stated that according to title one, employers cannot discriminate against a qualified disabled individual. She emphasized the word qualified, making it understood that if one lacks the merit or qualifications needed for a position, they are not guaranteed or entitled to such a position. Ray chimed in to point out that the ADA is in place to give disabled people equal rights, not an advantage.

Young mentioned that the ADA gives small businesses and religious institutions a pass on upholding these policies whilst encouraging these groups to do their best at providing equal treatment to disabled individuals. The two went on to discuss accessible housing, religious facilities and more regarding the policies of the ADA.

For more on this ADA conversation, check out this week’s episode of Open Air.

Additionally, local community sponsors are helping Asheville celebrate Disability Pride this July. Checkout diyabled.com for more on the events taking place throughout Asheville.


More Posts for Show: Open Air

Braver Angels, an optimistic alternative to toxic politics

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Written by Jordan Lenoir

Braver Angels invites anyone and everyone to join them to help depolarize politics in America by bringing any political view to the table! This national cross-partisan, non-profit organization invites members red, blue and others to converse through shared and separated values and concerns to build more trust in politics. 

On the Asheville FM Newshour, KP Whaley interviewed Tod Lester about his organization that is dedicated to bringing the citizens of America together from all political views. 

Braver Angels recently conducted a survey regarding elections and how they can become more trustworthy for voters. Last year, Braver Angels held a convention that gathered 700 people where they collectively questioned, “what’s an issue that congress needs some help with or what are they not doing that we can do?” Lester revealed that following this questioning was “a series of 26 workshops, 194 evenly balanced red leaning and blue leaning participants, 747 points of unanimous agreements, they came up with 23 solutions on how to ensure that our elections are more trustworthy.” Lester shares that Braver Angels is holding an event on July 25th at Skyland United Methodist church in south Asheville at 6:30 to go through this report with all opposing political viewpoints and discuss the 23 solutions of trustworthy elections. 

Braver Angels, which was established in 2016, is working hard to rebuild trust in American politics and they do this through workshops, skill building, surveys, parliamentary style debates, and inviting politicians to town halls. Lester shares that “we are focused on this toxic political polarization thinking there has to be a better way.” 

Braver Angels’ main goal of their mission is to be able to bring all different political standing citizens together to come to reasonable compromises and agreements on what they collectively want to see change in politics. Lester speaks lightly on how politics tends to divide people/communities and how more recent divisions of sides have been difficult in America. Lester expresses that it is harder to build trust when people are discorded and reacting anonymously. He explains, “as long as people stay separate, they are going to think separately.” 

For more about Braver Angels, visit https://braverangels.org/

Mosquito bites can be harmful to your health

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BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NC – July 11, 2024 – The Buncombe County Public Health Department encourages residents to take precautions to prevent bites from mosquitoes that may lead to serious illness. Mosquitoes thrive during the hot and humid summer months. However, summers have been hotter and longer than in prior years. Therefore, mosquito season is longer.

Most mosquito-borne diseases reported in North Carolina and Buncombe County have been acquired from travelling outside the continental United States. Some of these illnesses are malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. Travelers who develop symptoms like fever, aches, pains, nausea, vomiting, and/or a rash should see a health care provider and mention their recent travel.

In the United States, mosquitoes can infect people with West Nile virus and dengue virus. West Nile virus was first reported in the U.S. in 1999. It has been found in every continental state. According to the CDC, there have been 15 cases in the U.S. including nearby Tennessee so far this year, but none in North Carolina. Dengue is a potentially fatal disease. There have been twice as many cases of dengue in the Americas during the first half of 2024 compared to all of 2023. The illness is so prevalent in Puerto Rico that a health emergency has been declared. Cases of locally acquired illness have been historically reported in Florida, Hawaii, and Texas. However, travel-acquired dengue has been reported this year in many states including North Carolina.

To reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases:

  • Use repellant containing DEET when outside. Be extra-cautious with children.
    • Children must be 2 months and older
    • Only use once a day
    • Use a low concentration
  • Wear long sleeve clothing to cover skin surfaces
  • Clothing and gear can be treated with permethrin
  • Use air conditioning indoors or repair window screens
  • Remove any standing water from the yard and community to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds, some examples are birdbaths, plastic pools, and flowerpots.
  • Eliminate tree holes, another place for mosquitoes to breed
  • When traveling to areas where mosquito-borne disease is common, consult with your health care provider and check-out the CDC website at cdc.gov/travel.

If you need more information about preventing mosquito-borne illness, you may contact the B.C. Communicable Disease clinic at 828-250-5109.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

Medicaid expansion enrollment in North Carolina: June update

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RALEIGH, NC – July 3, 2024 – The latest update of the NC Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Dashboard was on July 3rd. May and June enrollment in NC increased by more than 50 thousand to almost one half million people. Buncombe County’s May and June enrollment increased by more than one thousand to more than 12 thousand people. It was estimated that 600 thousand North Carolinians are eligible for ME, with almost 17 thousand from Buncombe County. In 7 months of accepting applications, the state is more than 80% of the way to enrolling all eligible persons and Buncombe County is almost 75% of the way there.

“From the day we launched Medicaid expansion, we’ve been committed to getting people covered and getting them care as fast as possible,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley in a press release. “We are doing that even faster than expected and ensuring North Carolinians receive the health information, support and care they need to help them stay healthy.”

On December 1st, North Carolina officially became the 40th state to expand Medicaid, the federal program for health insurance for low-resource individuals. ME increases health care access to eligible North Carolinians ages 19-64 and their families with earnings to 138 percent of the federal poverty level based on their household size, up from 100 percent. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) dashboard to track ME enrollment is at medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/reports.

There are many ways to apply for NC Medicaid for eligible persons. Those who have not yet applied should visit Medicaid.nc.gov to see if they qualify. Buncombe County residents can apply for Medicaid online and at any time at ePASS.NC.gov. Applications can be done in-person at the HHS Building on 40 Coxe Avenue, by calling 828-250-5500, or by mail. A printable application can be obtained online at the NCDHHS website.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

The weekly COVID-19 update: Will there be a surge in August? Can wastewater predict the future?

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ASHEVILLE, NC – July 17, 2024 – The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on July 6th shows:  

  • 1-9 of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the lowest level of 6 groups.
  • Emergency department visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina, less than 1% of all visits. However, there was a moderate increase since last week of 15%.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on July 3rd shows:

  • The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is between 60-80%, the 4th highest level of 5 groups.
  • The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample has increased from the previous week to between 10% to 99%, the 2nd highest level of 3 groups with a positive rate of change.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]


More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

Migrant Solidarity in the Mediterranean Sea by Quoyle

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Migrant Solidarity in the Mediterranean Sea by Quoyle

"Migrant solidarity at sea: a report back from a wayward American anarchist in the Mediterranean search-and-rescue scene - Sunday 3:30 @ Different Wrld" over a photo of a sailboat and other worn out boat at sea

This week, we’re sharing a presentation from the 2023 Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair in so-called Asheville, NC. From the presentation:

The Mediterranean Sea is Europe’s deadliest border. For years, non-state actors like Sea-Watch and other NGO’s have played a part in humanitarian search-and-rescue operations. In spite of legal repression and the technical challenges of maintaining a “civil fleet”, anarchists, anti-fascists, and other activists try to stop needless death at sea.

Hear a report back from a wayward American yacht-punk who spent the summer doing rotations on two different SAR (Search And Rescue) ships. We’ll discuss the general political situation, the reality of everyday operations and how you could get involved.

To hear this full episode, you can find it at our website. For more audios from ACABookfair 2023, check out the site. To hear a 2023 interview we conducted with an activist with Maldusa on a similar topic, you can find it at our website.

We also have this 2016 interview by A-Radio Berlin that we aired in 2016 about conditions  a No Border Camp in Greece. And here’s one we conducted with an immigrant from Africa and a supporter in Germany in 2016.


More Posts for Show: The Final Straw Radio