| Owning the slopes
John Whitney, a captain of Ithaca College's ski club, tore 60 percent of the cartilege in his shoulder in a nasty fall while skiing this past August. But after more than a dozen years of skiing with a prosthetic lower left leg, there's not much that can keep the senior off the slopes. The injury required surgery and months of recuperation in which the senior was told not to ski. But that's not likely for someone who schedules his classes around ski practices and calls the sport his life. It wasn't long before Whitney found himself serving as a forerunner during the ski team's meets the past few weekends. After all, Whitney knows more than most people that his injured shoulder, like his prosthetic lower left leg, is a long way from the heart. Whitney, a 21-year-old physical therapy major from Towson, Md., was born with a condition called proximal focal femoral disorder (his left femur was shorter than his right because of malfunctioning growth plates).
Little to No Handicapped Parking Downtown
"I have noticed a lot of money has been put out for the traffic patterns and parking lots and everything for the beautifying of downtown, but I've been down there numerous times lately and there are no, hardly any, handicap parking. (Handicap spots are) in the old Penny's parking lot, so I guess people who are handicap have to walk twice as far from the center of town, and the people who are healthy they can park right in front of the stores. I guess that's how they designed it and wanted it. I was just curious why they set it up like that and why there is no handicap downtown or little or no handicap downtown?" Red Phone: Good caller, Red Phone contacted city engineer Don Dey who said there will be permanent handicap parking, but not until the road is resurfaced and then restriped.
Globe West listings
These activities are scheduled for the area this week. Future events are included as space allows: THEATER Bellingham: Steps Off Broadway presents "Beauty and the Beast" today, 2 p.m., at the John J. Lorusso Memorial Theater, 799 South Main St. $20 at the door. 508-876-9797. Newton: "The Black Monk," chamber musical by Wendy Kesselman, presented Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m., at New Voices at New Rep, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St. Free. 617-923-8487, newrep.org. Sherborn: Jessa Piaia presents "An Evening With Susan B. Anthony" Feb. 15, 7 p.m., at the Sherborn Library, 4 Sanger St. 508-653-0770. Watertown: New Repertory Theatre presents "Silence," a comedy by Moira Buffini, through today at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St.
Airport stops valet services
Beginning Monday, Sea-Tac Airport is cutting off its valet parking, though travelers who have already used the service will be able to retrieve their cars. People with disabilities or who need assistance should call Huntleigh, a company the Port of Seattle has contracted to provide wheelchairs and help with luggage. While gratuities are appreciated, the service is free to passengers, who should call to arrange for it between four to six hours in advance. The number is (206) 824-2837 .
Pool suit ends in settlement
SAN DIMAS - A couple who sued the city for permission to build a swimming pool for their two disabled children have settled their drawn-out case for a half-million dollars. Under an agreement approved Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the city's insurance provider will pay Brad and Rebecca Secreto $499,000 to drop the remaining portion of their 3 1/2-year legal battle - bringing the total amount spent on the suit by both parties to more than $1 million. The settlement prevents future lawsuits over the pool and specifies that neither side admits to any wrongdoing. "We're happy it's over," Brad Secreto said Tuesday. "Hopefully the city has learned something." The family's lawsuit, first filed in July 2003, sought approval to build a pool their children could use for physical therapy, even though it didn't conform to the city's zoning rules.
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