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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Ok another article on the
Bernstein suit against the State and Cadillac Place. Note his reference here to
state services including the Michigan Commission for the Blind which held one of
its hearings in this very building two days after this suit was filed!</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Yet, all VR facilities including
those used for public hearings were to have met the program access requirements
of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 by no later than January 26,
1992!</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I rest my case that this entire
state has been violating the ADA systemically for people with sensory and
physical disabilities even those like the Michigan Commission for the Blind and
Michigan Rehabilitation Services which are funded under the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 (with 504 protections by the way) who are supposed to serve the very
people they are discriminating against en masse!</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">And this is not the only facility
or program in this state that violates our collective and individual rights
daily!</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Joe Harcz</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Richard Bernstein Cadillac Place
Lacks Accessibility For Handicapped</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">July 12, 2012 1:48 PM</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Share this</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Reporting</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Vickie Thomas</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">T (WWJ) - A local attorney is
filing a federal lawsuit Thursday against the state of Michigan over what he
says is the lack of accessibility for the</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">handicapped at a landmark
building in Detroit.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Attorney Richard Bernstein is
suing the State and Federal Court on behalf of Jill Babcock, who has multiple
sclerosis and is confined to a wheelchair. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">A nationally known tax lawyer,
Babcock works for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation inside of
Cadillac Place.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Bernstein said the building is
not fully accessible for the handicapped.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">“Here you have the seat of state
government for southeastern Michigan that a disabled person can’t even get
through the front door,” said Bernstein.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>“So</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">let’s look at what you have in
this building. You have the highest most scrutiny because, number one, it’s
state government.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">“You have the governor’s office,
the attorney general’s office, [and] the Secretary of State’s office.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>You even have, which is my favorite, the
Commission</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">on People with Disabilities, the
Commission for the Blind.”</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Bernstein said the building is
not safe for a person confined to a wheelchair, either.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">“You have a door that’s marked
ADA compliant, so people with disabilities will start using that door but what
happens is it’s dangerous,” said Bernstein.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“What will take place is you go down it
so steep that you become like a missile and it launches you into traffic and
into the oncoming street.”</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Click here to find out more!</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Share this</P>
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