February 25, 2016
From the Editor
Welcome to BayLines Express, the brand new monthly news digest of the Bay State Council of the Blind (BSCB). This is our inaugural issue. BayLines Express is intended to get news to you about recent and upcoming events of interest to BSCB members. It will be coming out on the 25th of every month. “Why the 25th?” You may ask. There are a few mundane reasons, but suffice to say that the ADA is 25 years old, so that’s as good a reason as any.
As you will see below, we have news from the Board, from the web, and an events calendar. The idea is to improve timely communication about BSCB news and events among the membership.
You might also ask what is the difference between this new publication and Bay Lines?
BayLines Express will be a news bulletin while Bay Lines will be more of a magazine, with longer and more contemplative articles. In addition, BayLines will remain available in alternative formats like Braille, large print and audio. BayLines Express will only be distributed by email, and be posted on the web site.
If you would like to contribute information on upcoming events, web news links, or comment on ways to improve BayLines Express, please contact me, the editor, at davidkingsbury77@gmail.com.
So without further ado, here goes!
News from the Board
The last Board conference call took place on February 15. Here are some highlights.
Our spring conference coordinator, Frank Ventura, reported that the agenda is pretty much set, logistics are well sorted out, and all that remains are tying up some loose ends. If you have not yet registered, get a move on because the clock is ticking!
The February 6 get together at the Boston BeerWorks was well-attended, with about 35 participants. Space may have been a bit tight, and it was also pretty noisy, but what can you expect when you get a bunch of loud blind people together?
Late last year, the Board established a Taxi and Ride Sharing Task Force to address the issue of discrimination against guide dog users by local taxis and companies like Uber and Lyft. The committee is chaired by David Kingsbury. In late January, a letter jointly signed by the BSCB and GDUM presidents was sent to Uber, expressing concern about discrimination and requesting that we engage in dialogue on how to prevent more occurrences of such discrimination. Task force members DeAnn Elliott and Milissa Garside have initiated dialogue in Cambridge about discrimination by taxi drivers. Any members who have experienced discrimination should contact David Kingsbury and davidkingsbury77@gmail.com.
The Board also recently established a Publications Committee, chaired by Steve Dresser. One of the goals of this committee is to improve and better coordinate our various communications channels. These currently include Council Connection, Bay Lines, the BSCB web site, and social media. Bay Lines Express is the committee’s newest initiative.
Events Calendar
February 29 to March 1: ACB Legislative Seminar
Alexandria, Virginia. Details can be found at:
https://register.acb.org/mid-year-details
March 4 to 6: BSCB Annual Spring Convention
Burlington Marriott, 1 Burlington Mall Drive, Burlington.
March 11 – 7:30 PM: Live theater performance of “Molly Sweeney”
Sponsored by the BSCB Social Committee
Carroll Center Technology Center auditorium, 770 Centre St., Newton
March 24 – 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM: BLIND Day (Blindness Legislative and Informational Networking Day)
State House, Grand Staircase
Lunch will be provided for all who register in advance. Watch for details on BSCB lists and the MCB Information Tape.
News from the Web
The Perkins School has produced a Q&A: Everything You Need to Know About Unified English Braille”:
http://www.perkins.org/stories/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-unified-english-braille
Here’s an article about The Ride’s long-awaited pilot program to reduce costs by contracting with taxis and ride sharing companies like Uber for short trips:
AMC, Regal, and Cinemark offer audio description technology at their theaters for first-run movies. Check out ACB’s Audio Description Project for info on audio description at movie theaters and contact your local theater to see if they offer this service:
http://www.acb.org/adp/movies.html
Here you can find listings of DVDs and Blu-ray Discs with Audio Description in 2016:
http://www.acb.org/adp/dvds.html
Learn about “Accessible Services for Preparing Your US Income Taxes” in Episode 1609 of the Eyes on Success podcast:
See you next month!