Growing Deaf-Owned Businesses In Austin

VIDEO: Deaf News - Austin, Texas A Top City For Deaf-Owned Businesses.

KXAN AUSTIN - The number of Deaf-owned businesses in the country is growing, and Austin is leading the pack.



Convo, a Deaf-owned telecommunications provider, reports there are more than 200 Deaf-owned businesses in the country, and counting. In the Austin-area there are 30 Deaf-owned businesses.



One of them is Silent Automotive, an auto shop that provides services to both Deaf and Hearing customers. The owners pride themselves on integrity, honesty and quality of service.

“Sound is caused by vibrations, sound doesn’t come out of its own. So we go to the car and feel the vibrations,” said part-owner, Joel DeChristofaro. “We have to be hands on and find exactly where the sound is coming from. Does take a little more time I assume, but I feel it gives us a clearer picture of what happens with the car.” Danny Blalock first started the business back in 2008.



“Because of communication. A lot of my [Deaf] friends have had bad experiences at auto shops, they felt they were getting ripped off,” said Blalock. “Our goal for our business is to keep growing; we’d like to hire more mechanics, Deaf mechanics, to give them opportunity to grow their resume.”



Blalock says the Deaf community continues to grow in Austin, Texas and is becoming more friendly for the Deaf community. Source



You might also like to see the post: #Deaf Business.

Deaf Woman Jailed For Prostitution

Deaf woman sentenced to two years for prostitution.



CORPUS CHRISTI, TX. (Kiii News) - A Deaf woman, 44-year old Lisa Bouillon, was given a two-year sentence for prostitution on Tuesday, after she was arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer.



Bouillon has been arrested several times in the past for solicitation, and that is what led to the tough sentence.



Sign language interpreters were on hand at the Nueces County Courthouse Monday for an unusual prostitution case, in which the defendant was Deaf.



Bouillon, was soliciting an undercover Corpus Christi police officer. Two sign language interpreters communicated each and every work to Bouillon as the first witness, an undercover police officer, testified about what led up to her arrest. A recording of the bust was played for jurors.



It's not the first time Bouillon had been charged with prostitution. She has been arrested several times in the past, and in 2010, she was sentenced to prison for that crime. SOURCE

Deaf Texas Mom 'Would Never Have Hurt Baby'

A Deaf mom 'would never have hurt Baby' who died of abuse.



KHOU DALLAS - The mother of a five-month-old baby girl who police say died of abuse told News 8 Wednesday her husband drank a lot and "resented" the child. Maria Zuniga is Deaf. She answered our questions using a sign language interpreter.



Richardson police investigators said she failed to stop her husband, Hector Quiñones, from repeatedly hitting the baby's head on a counter. Zuniga told News 8 that Quiñones who has some slight hearing hurt the baby while she was asleep.



"And now, I'm just going to miss my baby," Zuniga said through the interpreter. "I would never have hurt her. I'd never spanked her, touched her in a bad way, never hurt her." Zuniga said she and her husband argued about taking the baby to a hospital. When they finally did, doctors called police. Quiñones faces a capital murder charge. ...READ MORE: http://www.khou.com/news/texas-news/Deaf-mom-would-never-have-hurt-baby-who-died-of-abuse-205781491.html



Deaf parents kill baby that won't stop crying, cops say.



RICHARDSON, Texas - Abclocal.go.com: A couple in Richardson, Texas, are charged in the death of their infant daughter. Police say the father has confessed to his role and is charged with capital murder. And they say the mother did not stop the alleged abuse.



Police say a 5-month-old girl died from her injuries at the hands of her parents at their home. The parents, Maria Zuniga and Hector Cupich-Quinones, were drunk Saturday night, police say.



Both are Deaf. They fought with each other that night. "And then there was a dispute over who was going to take care of the child. The child I guess was a little fussy and they couldn't get the child to quiet," said Sgt. Kevin Perlich, Richardson police.



Charging documents show that the couple was drinking. Quinones allegedly shook the child and slammed her across the kitchen counter. He later admitted to it, police say, saying he was frustrated by the child's crying. "It is my understanding that even though they're Deaf they can pick up vibrations and hear some sounds and stuff like that," said Perlich. ...READ MORE: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/national_world&id=9087742

Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion (VIDEO)

VIDEO [CC] - Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion: At least 15 people killed and more than 160 injured.



WACO, TEXAS (CNN) - A massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in the small Texas town of West left at least two people dead, sent dozens more seeking medical attention and prompted a widescale evacuation in the community of 2,600 people.



Fire officials fear that the number of casualties could rise much higher. The blast took place at the West Fertilizer Plant, about 18 miles north of Waco. It sent a massive fireball into the sky and the danger may not be over.



Residents are being evacuated because officials are worried that another tank at the facility might explode.



State troopers in gas masks were scene rushing to the area shortly after the blast, shortly after the explosion, more than 60 patients streamed into Hillcrest Hospital in Waco, suffering from "blast injuries, orthopedic injuries (and) a lot of lacerations," said hospital CEO Glenn Robinson.

While some of the injuries are minor, others are "quite serious," he said. At least six helicopters are going to fly out those who are injured, Robinson said. Others are being transported by ambulance, and some are getting to the hospital by car, he added. Two other hospitals in the region were also assisting.



As many scrambled to assist the injured, another danger seemed to emerge Wednesday night. "What we are hearing is that there is one fertilizer tank that is still intact at the plant, and there are evacuations in place to make sure everyone gets away from the area safely in case of another explosion," said Ben Stratmann, a spokesman for Texas State Sen. Brian Birdwell.



Photos of the explosion which reportedly happened around 7:50 p.m. (8:50 p.m. ET) showed a huge blaze and flames leaping over the roof of a structure and a plume of smoke rising high into the air.

The West Fertilizer Plant is just north of Waco. A school and a nursing home are among the buildings near the plant, CNN affiliate KWTX reported. Texas Gov. Rick Perry said he is aware of the explosion, a spokesman said, and was working to get resources into the area.



Tommy Alford, who works in a convenience store about three miles from the plant, told CNN that several volunteer firefighters were at the store when they spotted smoke. Alford said the firefighters headed toward the scene and then between five and 10 minutes later, he heard a massive explosion. ...READ MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/texas-explosion/index.html

Deaf Man Suspect in Texas Campus Mass Stabbing Spree

VIDEO: Dylan Quick named as suspect in Texas community college stabbing spree. One of suspects stabbed 14 people in Long Star CyFair College where in Houston area. Some of friends who witness say That man is deaf because he has cochlear implants on him. His real name Dylan Quick.



WLS CYPRESS - The I-Team has new developments to report in the latest episode of campus violence.



The attacker was in custody Tuesday evening after cutting or stabbing 15 people on one of the Lone Star College campuses near Houston.



The I-Team has learned that police have identified the man as 20-year-old Dylan Quick, a student at the college.

At least one of the victims is now in critical condition after authorities say Quick slashed them with an X-Acto-style knife. While at the campus police station, Quick allegedly said he was planning to murder as many people as possible but that the blade of the knife broke.



A motive is not clear, according to investigators. Quick is hearing impaired, according to neighbors. Friends say Quick was studying accounting and planned to transfer to the University of Houston.



The suspect was tackled and stopped by other students, but not before he ran a path and used the knife to attack 15 students. Some were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Others were airlifted by medevac helicopters. ...READ MORE: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=9059049



Suspect profile: Who is Dylan Quick? - HOUSTON - A man being questioned in connection with a mass stabbing at Lone Star College's Cy-Fair campus has a long history at the school.



Dylan Quick, 21, was featured in the college's student spotlight on April 1. The profile had been posted on a blog site, but was removed Tuesday evening.



According to the story, Quick was born completely Deaf and received a cochlear implant when he was 7 years old.



"The first few years after receiving the implant, Dylan says he was busy learning English, just as if he were an ESOL student," the article read.



Quick was homeschooled and his mother involved him in the college's library teen activities when he was 12 years old, according to the story. The program helped him increase his hearing and communication skills. ...READ MORE: http://www.click2houston.com/news/Suspect-profile-Who-is-Dylan-Quick/-/1735978/19685226/-/format/rss_2.0/-/poswin/-/index.html

ASL Music Video: 7 Things I Hate About You

VIDEO [CC] - 7 Things I Hate About You in American Sign Language music video.



My Theatre 1 students at Texas School for the Deaf performed in this music video.

Edited and captioned by (JoAnn Benfield) with a little bit of help from Bradley Gantt (blue background changes) Copyright by Miley Cyrus and gave their ASL interpretation on the song. Credits are on the video.