Friday roundup

From WACH-TV in South Carolina (March 5): Hundreds of disability advocates rallied at the statehouse on March 4 protesting budget cuts over the last six months that have resulted in drastic service cuts. Among them, a small summer camp for young people with disabilities that advocates say is too important to lose.

From CBS 12 in Florida (March 5): A Palm Beach Gardens mother of twin boys with autism has started her own school for children with autism.

From The Star in Shelby, North Carolina (February 5): A 77 year-old man died the day after two men two men entered his home, robbed him and beat him with what police believe may have been his own cane. The man, who used a cane and sometimes an electric scooter, appears to have survived the attack but was found dead the next day.

From MSNBC (March 4): A report released by the Canadian corrections ombudsman into the death of 19-year-old Ashley Smith has found that her death was due to a break down and lack of coordination and cohesiveness of mental health care servicies.

Via the UK Guardian (March 2): A 68 year-old man has been arrested in connection with the killing of a 62-year-old disabled woman in Harlow, Essex. The woman was found by police in the driving seat of her car on Saturday suffering from multiple stab wounds and died from her injuries a short time later.

From the [UK] Daily Mail (March 2): Cerrie Burnell, a co-host on the BBC children's television channel CBeebies, says she is pleased she has sparked a national debate about people with disabilities on television, but wishes it hadn’t been necessary. As noted in an earlier FRIDA post, the BBC has received complaints and scores of emails from parents who oppose Burnell, saying she is frightening children. Ms Burnell was born with a right arm that ends at the elbow.

From WVEC in Chesapeake, VA (March 2): According to police, Constance Stepney, 55, gave her 19-year-old grandson, Terrel Stepny, who was autistic, a fatal dose of medicine before taking a fatal dose of her own. See also Kristina Chew's post What Terrell Stepney Liked (h/t ICAD)

From The AP (March 2): The term "mental retardation" will no longer be used in new Washington state laws, under a bill that has passed the state House. Under the measure, the phrase "intellectual disability" will be used in all future state laws in place of "mental retardation". Supporters say the term "mental retardation" is an outdated and insulting way of referring to people with intellectual disabilities. (h/t Media-dis-n-dat)

From the Savannah Morning News and Dawsonville [GA] Times.com (March 1): More than a thousand disability rights advocates rallied on the steps of the Georgia Capitol this week, insisting that legislators improve state funding to help people with disabilities live in their own homes instead of institutions. (h/t Patricia E Bauer)