June 8, 2006 - The next bimonthly meeting of the Michigan Commission for the Blind will include presentations on audio services for individuals who are blind and how business owners with disabilities can sell goods and services to the state.  The meeting is Friday, June 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Victor Building, 3^rd floor, Conference Rooms A/B, 201 N. Washington Square, Lansing.  It is open to the public and will include the following guest speakers:

• Ms. Kim Walsh, director, Detroit Radio Information Service (DRIS), will provide information on audio services for persons who are blind, including services currently in use as well as innovations and expanded services of the future.
  
• Mr. Doug Spade, liaison, and Mr. Mike Clement, analyst, both of the Michigan Department of Management and Budget, will explain how the state is working to increase the percentage of its purchasing from firms owned by people with disabilities and veterans with service-connected disabilities.
  
• Ms. Irma Zuckerberg, acting deputy director, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth, will provide an overview of the Michigan Opportunity Partnership and its success with retooling Michigan's job training programs and steering unemployed workers toward high-demand career fields.  She will also explain how Regional Skills Alliance initiatives are tackling problems facing targeted industries in specific regions.

For those who cannot travel to the meeting, live audio of the meeting can be accessed free of charge via the Internet at the MCB website: www.michigan.gov/mcb.  The meeting site is accessible.  Individuals attending the meeting are requested to refrain from using heavily scented personal care products in order to enhance accessibility for everyone.  People with disabilities requiring additional accommodations (such as materials in alternative format) in order to  participate in the meeting should call Tish Kingaby at (517) 335-4265 by June 20. 

Through its state- and federally funded training and services, MCB provides opportunities for individuals who are blind and visually impaired to achieve independence and employment.  The commission's five-member policy board, appointed by the governor, oversees programs throughout Michigan that annually serve an average of more than 4,500 state residents who are blind or visually impaired.  Visit the Michigan Commission for the Blind website at www.michigan.gov/mcb or call MCB toll-free at 1‑800‑292-4200 (voice) or 1‑888-864-1212 (TTY).

The Michigan Commission for the Blind is part of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG), which is investing in Michigan's future by helping to create the jobs of today and tomorrow, ensuring that our children and adults have the skills these jobs demand, making Michigan a better place to do business, and training and placing those who need jobs now.  For more information about DLEG, visit the department's website at www.michigan.gov/dleg.