Legislative Hotlines, Current Issues for Blind Persons
CALIFORNIA CONNECTION:
800-221-6359, after 5 PM and weekends
WASHINGTON CONNECTION:
800-424-8666, 3-9 PM and weekends
DISCLAIMER: This publication contains announcements from the Silicon Valley Council of the Blind and is also a forum for opinions relating to blindness issues. Signed articles reflect the views, and research, of their authors.
STATUS: SVCB is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization under the California Council of the Blind.
Monthly in-person meetings are held at the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center (Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Jose). Meetings run from 9:30 AM to 1 PM, the third Saturday of the month and are open to all.
By the time you read this newsletter, it will be close to, or on July 4th, Independence Day. Independence holds special meaning for those of us who are blind or have low vision. It means having equal access to information, and equality in education, employment, and entertainment. It also means being willing to push boundaries and try new adventures and experiences.
Recently, Rob and I attended a concert at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga to see Lyle Lovett. Although I couldn't get in touch with the box office or general support staff beforehand to confirm if assistance would be available, we decided to go ahead with our plans. We arranged a shuttle from the Inn at Saratoga and headed out to see one of our favorite musicians at a beautiful venue.
On the ride up the winding road, we met fellow concertgoers and shared stories about our favorite music. Upon arrival, a staff member in a golf cart greeted us and took us through the ticket area and up to the venue.
Another staff member guided us to our excellent accessible seating, and yet another introduced herself once we were settled in. In a fun twist, she turned out to be a volunteer at the Western Blind Center, so we knew we were in good hands. After the concert, she found us right away, and made sure our return trip to the Inn went smoothly.
Independence sometimes means taking chances, especially for individuals or couples who are blind. It means doing a bit of advance planning, trusting that venues are accessible, and relying on staff who are trained and willing to make the experience both enjoyable and safe. I encourage you to revisit activities you may have thought were no longer available after vision loss. You may be surprised by the independence and joy they bring.
On another note, we were fortunate to have José Benitez, CRS-AD Community Resource Specialist from Sourcewise, who gave a fantastic presentation about the extensive support services they offer for individuals with disabilities. Special thanks to Susan Glass for arranging this informative session, and to José for his excellent presentation.
Sourcewise
3100 De La Cruz Blvd, Suite 310
Santa Clara, CA 95054
Wishing you a wonderful Independence Day! We look forward to seeing you at the July meeting. We will confirm whether the new sound system at the Vista Center in San Jose is working. Please check the phone tree for updates on whether the meeting will be in person or held virtually.
I begin by wishing happy birthdays for April through June, as I have missed this important item. For those with birthdays in January, February and March; I will say penance and beg forgiveness as I thought it would be too late to make those up. I offer to sing you happy birthday live if you call me.
Deb Runyan, April 3
Deb Armstrong, April 9
Anna Bolino, April 11
John McNulty, April 14
Linda MacLeod, April 25
Mickey Quenzer, May 2
Abby Tamara, May 10
Trish Foley, May 16
Cannie Loomis, May 21
John Glass, May 23
Susan Glass, May 24
Dinesh Desai, May 26
Jane Lacascio, May 26
Ken Carey, June 8
Alan Jones, June 10
Alice Turner, June 12
Victor Clifford, June 21
And for birthdays this month, we start off with a bang:
Suzanne Smith, July 4 (Suzanne, the fireworks are really just for you)
Susan Williams, July 5
Lynette Kersey, July 7
Carol Silveria, July 16
Joe Silveria, July 28
As we move into the hotter days of summer—travel, conventions, and grilling on the BBQ, I am reminded of what summers meant when I was growing up, and singing "school's out for summer" in my head. I wonder what memories are coming up right now for you. Where you were, who you were with, and, if you are at all like me, you are mixed with smiles, regrets, tears, and giggles. For me, summer was the beginning of the Montreal humidity, mosquitoes, and time at the cottage, kayaking around the lake, and spending time with family. Lots of family. Too much family, mostly too many older brothers. I guess what I am saying is that if you are spending this summer with family, travel, or time on the lake, keep a journal or log and, when you have a moment, write something for this newsletter so you can tell us what you did this summer. Whether it is a convention report, what the airport was like, or reconnecting with others, we want to know about it. Whoever travels the furthest and writes about it for the next newsletter will win a mystery prize.
In closing, I wanted to recognize everyone for being part of the CCB chapter of the year. We have consistently been the largest chapter or affiliate, and having added four or five members over the last 12 months, I am excited about our future. So go out there and talk us up. Anyone can join our chapter, and having family and friends on board only makes the experience more valuable, as we learn from each other how to navigate this increasingly complex and scary landscape.
It was presented by Jose Benitez from the Sourcewise organization, providing an array of direct support services for older adults in Santa Clara County.
-Pre-convention Recordings—Phil Obegon
The recordings from the 2025 pre-convention events are now on the CCBNET.org website. Visit:
www.ccbnet.org/drupal7/node/306
You will land on a page that lists the last 9 years of convention recordings.
At this time, we have not received the Main Convention material from the audio editors. The main convention recordings will be added to the webpage as soon as we receive them.
-New Website of Interest—CCB Courier
There is a new website
www.theblindvine.org
that houses all the resources for blind people in California in one place. This means having up-to-date news, grants, conferences, and all the events and classes for each month for every blindness organization in California.
Hopefully this can help people get connected to resources and community beyond their local area.
-Change to Alexa that May Affect How You Listen to ACB Media—Dots and Dashes, June 16, 2025.
We want to let you know about a new change to Alexa that may affect how you listen to ACB Media.
Amazon is rolling out a new AI version of Alexa called Alexa Plus. Some people are being invited to try it early. While we were told that only Echo Show users would get it, we now know that people using other devices—like the Echo Studio—are also getting it.
If you accept the invitation to turn on Alexa Plus, all of your Alexa devices will be updated. It's not possible to have some devices with Alexa Plus and others still using the old Alexa on the same account.
Here's the problem: The ACB Media skill does not work with Alexa Plus right now.
If you try to say something like "Alexa, ask ACB Media to play 2," after you activated Alexa Plus, Alexa will say the skill is not supported. When asked why, Alexa explains that the skill needs to be updated for the new Alexa Plus software.
We are already in touch with the developer of the ACB Media skill, and we are working to get it updated to work with Alexa Plus. But until that happens, here's what you can do:
If you are invited to try Alexa Plus, we recommend saying "No" for now if you often listen to ACB Media using your Alexa devices. If you have already turned on Alexa Plus and the ACB Media skill stopped working, you can go back to the old Alexa by saying: "Alexa, disable Alexa Plus."
Once Alexa Plus is disabled, your ACB Media skill should work again. You are able to reactivate Alexa Plus once you disable it.
With our ACB Conference and Convention starting on June 23, we want to make sure you don't lose access to ACB Media when you need it most.
We'll send another update once the skill has been made compatible with Alexa Plus. Please note that to get Alexa Plus, you must be invited by Amazon to participate in the Alexa Plus Early Access Program. Do not be alarmed if you have not yet been invited into the program.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support!
On Saturday, July 26, from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M., VTA will preview the newly modified pro master paratransit van at Emma Prusch Memorial Park. Light refreshments will be served. The address is:
Emma Prusch Memorial Park
647 S King Rd.
San Jose, CA 95116
Modifications to the van include:
— Lowered the front seat and removed the nearby pole to leave more room for wheelchairs
— For easier access, added a walk-up ramp near the rear of the van
In large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt and sugar, and mix well.
Add 5 tablespoons cold butter from the fridge.
Use wire pastry cutter to cut butter into flour mixture until it's the consistency of cornmeal.
Add 1 cup milk and mix thoroughly.
Use your 1/4 measuring cup to scoop out 12 biscuits onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 11 minutes or until golden brown.
As soon as they come out of the oven, use the basting brush to coat the tops of the biscuits with soft butter from the butter dish.
Enjoy
-Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks; 230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon dark molasses*
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups (240g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
1 and 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips*
Directions
Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, beat in the oats and both types of chocolate chips. Dough will be thick and sticky. Cover and chill the dough for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator (and up to 4 days). If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough, about 3 Tablespoons per cookie, and place 4 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 13-14 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cookies are still warm, I like to press a few more chocolate chips into the tops—this is only for looks!
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. (See step 3.) Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.
2. Molasses: 1 Tablespoon of molasses helps give these cookies incredible flavor. If you don't have any, simply leave it out. Do not replace with anything else. Likewise, cinnamon adds flavor as well. Not necessary, but it sure is tasty!
3. Chocolate Chips: I like using 1 and ¼ cups regular size chocolate chips and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Varying sizes ensure more chocolate in each bite. You can, of course, just use 1 and 3/4 cups regular size chocolate chips. You can even try 1 cup chocolate chips and 3/4 cup raisins. Yum!
When prompted for a participant code, press the Pound key.
Note that the above Zoom call-in information is used for SVCB's virtual link to monthly in-person membership meetings.
2. Shows Described by AudioVision Bay Area
For all productions (Golden Gate, Orpheum Theatres, Broadway San Francisco, and Broadway San Jose), tickets are generally on sale four weeks before the production opens. To charge tickets and reserve receivers, call:
888-746-1799
(SHN Theaters), or fax your order to:
415-581-2121
and ask for AudioVision tickets. If you have any questions, please email:
didisalvo@msn.com
or visit:
www.theaudiovision.org.
3. TheatreWorks, with descriptions by Gravity Access Services.
Pre-register for tickets that include a free "show talk" 30 minutes before the show at the TheatreWorks box office at:
650-436-1960
or email:
boxoffice@theatreworks.org.
Shows are at the Lucie Stern Theatre or the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. A webpage with a listing of audio described shows is at:
www.theatreworks.org/venues/accessibility.
4. San Francisco LightHouse
To hear weekly events at the San Francisco LightHouse, call:
415-694-7325.
5. Let's Talk Low Vision
The monthly "Let's Talk Low Vision" conferences are held on the third Tuesday of the month at 8:30 PM Eastern. Archives are at the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) Official website at:
www.cclvi.info/archive-lets-talk-low-vision/.
Zoom information is distributed through the ACB Community Schedule email list, or by emailing:
cclviwebmaster@gmail.com.
6. Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors
Departs every Sunday at noon from Pier 40 in San Francisco. Call:
415-281-0212
for information and reservations, or visit:
www.baads.org.
7. Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP)
BORP believes that everyone should have access to the unique challenges that outdoor recreation provides, and makes every effort to accommodate each person's needs, including providing transportation and volunteer support. For event listings, call Lori Gray at:
510-843-4398
or visit:
www.borp.org.
8. Tech it Out with Vista Monthly Tech User Group
Industry speakers present the latest accessibility technology devices and trends.
Please contact them at:
Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Jose
101 N. Bascom Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128
https://vistacenter.org
-Calendar
July
July 10, 7:30 to 9 PM: SVCB Board Meeting. Interested SVCB members are invited.
July 12 at 8 PM and 13 at 2 PM: 5 AND Dime, with descriptions by Gravity, MVCPA, see notes.
July 13, 1 PM: Moulin Rouge! with descriptions by AudioVision, SJCPA, see notes.
July 19, 9:30 AM to 1 PM: SVCB monthly membership meeting, Vista San Jose
Begin plans for White Cane Safety Day and Employment of People with Disabilities Awareness Month.
July 19, 1 PM: And Juliet, with descriptions by AudioVision, Golden Gate, see notes.
July 21: August newsletter deadline.
August
August 5, 5:30 to 7 PM: Breast cancer support group. For questions, call Lori Scharff at:
516-887-1336
or email:
lorischarff@gmail.com.
August 7, 7:30 to 9 PM: SVCB Board Meeting.
August 16, 9:30 AM to 1 PM: SVCB monthly membership meeting, Vista San Jose.