Deaf Father Shot & Killed In Arizona

Family and friends seek justice after Deaf father shot and killed in West Phoenix.

PHOENIX -- Family and friends are asking for justice after a father and member of the Deaf community was shot and killed outside of a Phoenix apartment complex.

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It happened Monday morning near 59th Avenue and Indian School Road.

Family members say 23-year-old Gary Herrera stepped outside for a cigarette break when a car with two men inside pulled up.

Police say a friend heard a gunshot and the car fled. Herrera was taken to an area hospital but died shortly after.

"He was an amazing father," said Angelica Sanchez, who has a 3-year-old son with Herrera.

"Hurt, shocked, I have no words," Jill Quiyo, who says she helped raise Herrera, said.

Loved ones held a car wash on Saturday to raise money for funeral funds.

They're asking for whoever is responsible to come forward and turn themselves into police.

"Whoever has seen something, you know what happened," Quiyo said. "Please speak about it. Please. We need justice for Gary."

Phoenix police say they're looking for an older model four door sedan with faded red paint and two African American men.

They're offering a reward of up to $1,000. If you have information, please call the Phoenix Police Deparmtent or Silent Witness by calling: 480-WITNESS.

SOURCE - ABC15

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Deaf People Cross Multiple Divides at the Border

Deaf people cross multiple divides at the United States border.

NOGALES, AZ -- Seated at Taco Yaqui in Nogales, Sonora last Friday, Reggie Holmes of Tucson tried to order lunch from his Spanish-speaking waiter – a familiar challenge for any non-Spanish speaking Arizonan who crosses the border.

But for Holmes, a 31-year-old associate at Goodwill, the cross-cultural interaction is even more complex. He is Deaf, and uses sign language, lip-reading and writing as his primary forms of communication.

At first Holmes tried hand gestures with the waiter. But then he noticed the menu written on the wall and rushed over to it.

He pointed to the “chiles verdes” tacos and held up four fingers. The waiter understood and Holmes was soon digging into his lunch.

Holmes, who regularly crosses the border for dental visits, doesn’t just navigate the English-Spanish barrier in Mexico, but also the hearing-deaf divide. Even when he meets Deaf Mexicans, he must find creative ways to communicate because he uses American Sign Language (ASL), which employs different symbols and grammar than Mexican Sign Language (LSM by its Spanish acronym).

Most people have encountered situations, while traveling or otherwise, in which they’ve had to find creative ways to communicate. But according to University of Texas linguistics professor David Quinto-Pozos, who studies bilingual language acquisition as well as interaction between ASL and LSM speakers, Deaf people like Holmes are especially skilled at communicating past language barriers, or picking up the local language in border and other multilingual areas.

After all, he said, Deaf people already navigate and communicate in a world designed for those who hear. Read The Full Story - Nogales International.

Starbucks Sued For Discrimination Deaf Employee

Starbucks sued for allegedly discriminating against Deaf staff.

PHOENIX, AZ -- The American Genius: Having a product that is in demand is vital, but maintaining quality help is the very bedrock of successful companies. A business, even the most reputable one, cannot make an impact without respectable, pleasant and reliable employees.

Regulars get used to seeing helpful, friendly faces and before you know it, instead of merely stopping by a coffee shop to grab your favorite cup of joe, a connection is made. Patrons become invested in the success of the company because they’re invested in the relationships they’ve fostered with the staff.
And so the cycle begins.

This is the type of emotional correlation that breeds success, but these connections can only occur when employees are valued and supplied the proper modifications at work. With that being said, shame on you, Starbucks.

Obviously, most of the adult world couldn’t function without their java, but that doesn’t give companies like Starbucks a pass on providing disabled employees proper accommodations.

Laura Roberts, a Starbucks employee for seven years, has filed a lawsuit against Starbucks. She claims that the store fired her in retaliation after she repeatedly asked for American Sign Language (ASL) accommodates.

Roberts, who has been Deaf since infancy, requested interpreters during staff and training meetings on various occasions.

She can read, and during her employment relied on a printed schedule for her hours. She also utilized her ability to lip-read in order to serve customers.

After a managerial transition, she was denied a printed schedule, and required to read her schedule from a posted list. Thus, limiting her ability to understand the hours she was required to work... Read The Full Story.

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Federal Bans Housing For Deaf Seniors

The U.S. Federal government builds housing bans for Deaf seniors.

TEMPE, Arizona -- The United States government has three important functions. Collecting taxpayer money, building housing for Deaf seniors and making housing for Deaf seniors illegal.

his is a true story of how the government fulfilled two of its main functions at the same time by building and banning housing for Deaf seniors.

Arizona is defying a federal order to eliminate apartments for Deaf seniors at a housing complex built specifically for the Deaf.

A 2005 federal study found that the U.S. had virtually no affordable housing for the Deaf. So the federal government helped build Apache ASL Trails, a 75-unit apartment building in Tempe, Arizona., designed specifically for the Deaf. Ninety-percent of the units are currently occupied by Deaf and Deaf-Blind seniors.

But now, the federal The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says Apache ASL Trails violates civil rights law because it shows a preference for the hearing-impaired.

HUD is threatening to pull all federal housing aid to Arizona unless it limits the number of hearing-impaired residents to 18 people.

However, when HUD approved and helped fund the project in 2008, it did so knowing that the property was specifically “designed for seniors who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deaf-Blind.”... Read The Fully Story.

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Related: Apache ASL Trails Residents Worry Feds Will Evict Them

Arizona Mom & Deaf Daughter Upset With UPS

Glendale mom and Deaf daughter upset with UPS. She and her daughter never received it and she can't get anyone to at UPS to help her.

GLENDALE, Arizona -- Katelyn Nerhood is an affectionate little 9-year-old girl who happens to be Deaf. But that doesn't keep her from communicating with the people she loves, like her mom, Melody Nerhood. "Her world is different than ours," says Nerhood. "I mean, she can't hear our conversations. She can't hear music. She can't hear TV."

Nerhood says her daughter suffers from a disorder called CHARGE Syndrome. The disorder, she says, has left her Katelyn completely deaf and her vision partially impaired.

But, like most nine year olds, Katelyn still loves to play games and have fun. That's exactly why Melody bought her daughter a device called the Nabi2, which is supposed to help kids learn and have fun at the same time.

Melody says her daughter had the device for about a year. However, two months ago when it stopped working, she mailed it back, and Nabi sent her another one. Nabi used United Parcel Service, commonly referred to as UPS, for shipping. But Melody says she and her daughter never received it and she can't get anyone to at UPS to help her.

"Nobody ever contacts me," she says. "I just keep getting the runaround."

UPS sent Melody an email notice indicating they successfully delivered the gadget way back in June and left it in the "rear entrance."

UPS even lists the date, time and address of the delivery. However, when looking at the UPS email, they clearly document the wrong numerical address. Instead of delivering it to Nerhood's town home, UPS misread the address and left it all the way on the other side of her complex at the "rear entrance" of a completely different home. And the package has been missing... Read The Full Story.

Apache ASL Trails Residents Worry Feds Will Evict Them

Apache ASL Trails residents Worry Federal will evict seniors.

TEMPE, Arizona -- Apache ASL Trails residents worry feds will evict them. It's a one of kind award winning Valley community making a big difference in the lives of the disabled.

But now, some residents of the Apache ASL Trails senior living complex in Tempe, Arizona are worried that the federal government will soon ask them to move out.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development claims that Apache ASL Trails is violating the Fair Housing Act by having too many Deaf people in the same complex.

The complex is accused of discriminating against other disabled and non-disabled people by not giving them an equal shot to live there.

The unique 75-unit facility which opened last year has received national recognition as one of the country's best special-needs housing projects. Each room is specially designed to help Deaf residents. Strobe lights and visual cues are built in everywhere, including door bells and fire alarms.

Property Manager Linda Russell told CBS5 that they don't discriminate against anyone, but now, a number of residents are worried the federal government will force them to move out... Read The Full Story.

Deaf Residents Worry Feds Will Evict Them

Apache ASL Trails residents Worry Federal will evict seniors.

TEMPE, Arizona -- Apache ASL Trails residents worry feds will evict them. It's a one of kind award winning Valley community making a big difference in the lives of the disabled.

But now, some residents of the Apache ASL Trails senior living complex in Tempe, Arizona are worried that the federal government will soon ask them to move out.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development claims that Apache ASL Trails is violating the Fair Housing Act by having too many Deaf people in the same complex.

The complex is accused of discriminating against other disabled and non-disabled people by not giving them an equal shot to live there.

The unique 75-unit facility which opened last year has received national recognition as one of the country's best special-needs housing projects. Each room is specially designed to help Deaf residents. Strobe lights and visual cues are built in everywhere, including door bells and fire alarms.

Property Manager Linda Russell told CBS5 that they don't discriminate against anyone, but now, a number of residents are worried the federal government will force them to move out... Read The Full Story.