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Richard H. Bernstein Highlights 4 Accessibility and Inclusion Trends Affecting Daily Life

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  • Richard H. Bernstein, Michigan Supreme Court associate justice and disability rights advocate, shares practical takeaways for individuals across Michigan and beyond.

Michigan, US, 25th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Richard H. Bernstein, an associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and the first blind justice in the court’s history, is drawing attention to several fast-moving trends shaping everyday access, work, and participation for people with disabilities and the wider public.

Bernstein, who has been legally blind since birth due to retinitis pigmentosa and has completed 27 marathons, said these shifts are no longer confined to policy discussions. They show up in how people commute, learn, work, and use public spaces.

Trend 1: Disability is more common than many people assume

In the United States, more than 1 in 4 adults have a disability (28.7%).
Globally, the World Health Organization estimates 1.3 billion people, about 1 in 6, experience significant disability. 

Bernstein said this changes how people should think about access. “Accessibility is not a niche issue. It is something that touches families, workplaces, schools, and public spaces every day.”

Trend 2: Disability and work are shifting, slowly but measurably

In 2024, the employment to population ratio for people with a disability reached a series high of 22.7%, and labor force participation reached 24.5%. 

Bernstein pointed to this as a signal that more organisations are adjusting, even if progress is uneven. “When work systems are flexible and tools are usable, more people can contribute. That benefits teams and customers, not just the person requesting an accommodation.”

Trend 3: Accessible design tends to help everyone

Bernstein noted that design changes intended for disability access often become universal improvements. That pattern is sometimes described as the curb-cut effect, where changes made for wheelchair access also help parents with prams, travellers with luggage, and older adults. 

“A well-designed ramp, a clear crossing signal, or a more readable interface does not just remove barriers,” Bernstein said. “It improves the experience for everyone who uses the space.”

Trend 4: Rules exist, but follow-through is where outcomes change

Federal ADA rules require many public accommodations and commercial facilities to be accessible when newly built or altered.
Bernstein tied this to his earlier disability rights casework, including efforts that improved wheelchair access in public transit and expanded accessible seating and routes in major venues.

“The law can set the baseline,” Bernstein said. “Real life changes when organisations plan for access early and measure it like any other core requirement.”

What this means in plain language

Bernstein’s view is that access is increasingly practical, not theoretical. A bus lift that works means getting to a job. A stadium seat that is truly usable means being able to attend with friends and family. A safe crossing design means independence. These are day-to-day outcomes, and the trend lines suggest more people and institutions are paying attention.

Your next 7 days

  1. Do a quick access audit of one place you visit often (work, gym, school, clinic). Note one friction point.

  2. If you manage a team, ask one simple question: what part of our process is hardest to use?

  3. Turn on accessibility features on your phone (larger text, voice control, screen reader options) and learn the basics.

  4. If you host meetings, share materials in advance and keep formatting simple and readable.

  5. When you book an appointment or event, check access details early (parking, routes, seating, restrooms).

  6. Make one “low-cost fix” where you live or work (better lighting, clearer labels, reduced clutter).

  7. Save one reliable disability resource page for later and share it with someone who might need it.

Your next 90 days

  1. Build accessibility into planning: add an access checklist to events, renovations, or new vendor selection.

  2. Upgrade one core tool for usability (captioning, readable PDFs, better contrast, keyboard navigation).

  3. If you lead a business function, track one metric tied to access (time-to-support, customer drop-off, or complaint themes).

  4. Set a quarterly review of physical access and digital usability, like any other operational control.

  5. Volunteer time or professional skills with a local disability-focused organisation or access initiative.

Pick one step from the next 7 days list and start now. Small changes compound quickly when they remove friction from everyday life.

About Richard H. Bernstein

Richard H. Bernstein is an associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, serving since January 1, 2015, and the first blind justice in the court’s history. A long-time disability rights advocate, he has worked on accessibility issues across public spaces and services. He is also an endurance athlete who has completed 27 marathons.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Press Release

Goutam Gary Datta Calls Attention to Financial Noise and High Stakes Decisions Across Coppell and DFW

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  • Goutam Gary Datta, a Senior Financial Advisor and co-founder of Adson Wealth Partners in Coppell, Texas, points to disciplined planning as a local antidote to rushed money decisions.

Texas, US, 25th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, As North Texas continues to grow and attract new households, day to day financial decisions are getting more complex for many families. Retirement planning, tax choices, education funding, and risk management now sit alongside a constant stream of market commentary and online “strategies” that can push people toward quick moves.

Goutam Gary Datta, Senior Financial Advisor and co-founder of Adson Wealth Partners, is highlighting how this broader environment affects individuals locally, particularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where strong in-migration and rising household complexity can raise the cost of small mistakes.

In a recent spotlight feature describing his approach, Datta’s work was framed through patterns built over decades:

“Datta’s professional life began far from wealth management.”
“His approach centers on understanding each client’s values, goals, and priorities to create tailored, disciplined, and risk-aware strategies.”
“Strategies are tailored to individual financial pictures. Portfolios are constructed with attention to quality and risk management.”
“Discipline protects people from themselves.”
“Reinvention, in Datta’s case, has not meant abandoning the past. It has meant layering it carefully into the present.”

Local context: a fast-moving region with high-consequence choices

Several regional indicators show why careful planning matters in and around Coppell:

  • Coppell’s median household income is about $146,235 (2020 to 2024, inflation-adjusted), with about 5.4% of residents in poverty, underscoring both opportunity and the need for thoughtful risk planning across different household situations. 

  • DFW added roughly 180,000 residents from July 2023 to July 2024, with population growth around 2.2% in that period, increasing the number of households navigating new jobs, new benefits, and new tax decisions. 

  • Fort Worth crossed the 1 million population mark between 2023 and 2024, reflecting continued regional scale and complexity in local financial ecosystems. 

  • Older adults are growing as a share of the U.S. population, increasing the number of families balancing retirement timing, healthcare costs, and legacy planning. 

  • Texas is among states with no state income tax, a factor that can shape retirement and relocation decisions, even as households still weigh other costs. 

Local action list: 10 steps you can take this week

  1. Write down your next 12 months of “must-pay” expenses and compare it to your take-home pay.

  2. Check your emergency fund and pick a simple target you can reach in 30 to 60 days.

  3. Log into your 401(k) or IRA and confirm your contributions are still on.

  4. Review your investment mix and make sure it matches your real timeline, not the news cycle.

  5. Confirm your beneficiaries on retirement accounts and life insurance.

  6. List your major goals (retirement, college, debt payoff, home) and rank them in order.

  7. Schedule one tax check-in with a CPA or tax pro before you make a big move.

  8. If you own a business, review your retirement plan options (401(k), SEP, SIMPLE) and what you actually contribute.

  9. Collect your key documents (IDs, policies, account statements) into one folder, digital or physical.

  10. Choose one decision to slow down this week, and create a 48-hour rule before acting.

How to find trustworthy local resources

  • Verify licenses and registrations before working with anyone: use FINRA BrokerCheck for broker-dealers and registered reps, and the SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database for investment advisers and firms.

  • Ask for clear scope and fees in writing, including what is included, what is not, and how conflicts are handled.

  • Look for coordination, not isolation: advisors who can work with your CPA, attorney, and estate planner can help reduce gaps between tax, legal, and investment choices.

  • Use regionally grounded education: the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas publishes local and regional economic indicators that can help residents understand the environment around jobs, growth, and trends. 

Take one local step today. Open one account, check one beneficiary, or book one professional check-in. In a fast-growing region like DFW, steady decisions made early can prevent expensive stress later.

About Goutam Gary Datta

Goutam Gary Datta is a Senior Financial Advisor based in Coppell, Texas, and a co-founder of Adson Wealth Partners, a Wells Fargo Financial Network company. He began his career in chemical engineering after moving from Kolkata, India to New Jersey for graduate study, later earned a U.S. patent, ran a business for decades, and transitioned into wealth management in 2012. He is also a published poet and playwright, an avid traveler, and a home chef.

 

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. All investing involves risk. Readers should consult with qualified financial, tax, and legal professionals before making any financial decisions.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Press Release

Frank Elsner Releases a Three-Tier Security Plan for Busy People

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  • Frank Elsner, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, shares a time-boxed plan individuals can use to cut common security risks without turning life into a full-time project.

British Columbia, Canada, 25th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Most people do not fail at security because they do not care. They fail because they are busy. Bills, messages, logins, kids, work, errands. Risk sneaks in during the rush.

At the same time, the stakes keep climbing. IBM reports the global average cost of a breach reached USD $4.88 million. Verizon reports the human element was involved in 68% of breaches. Verizon also reports ransomware was present in 32% of breaches. The FBI’s IC3 reports 859,532 complaints and reported losses exceeding $16 billion.

This release outlines a practical plan built for limited time and attention, based on repeatable habits and a short checklist mindset.

Early warning signs matter, and small signals get missed most often when people feel hurried.

“Early in my career, I watched a small issue turn into a national headline because no one wanted to escalate it.”
“In intelligence work, the biggest failures happen when people dismiss small signals. A strange pattern in data. A rumor. A minor breach.”
“In policing, we trained constantly. You do not wait for a crisis to test your system. You practice before it counts.”
“When I moved into corporate leadership, I stopped talking about threats first. I talked about downtime. Insurance costs. Regulatory exposure. Once you frame risk in business language, boards pay attention.”

The Practical Plan for Limited Time

The 10-Minute Plan

Best for: People who want quick protection today.

Steps (10 minutes total):

  • Turn on two-step verification for your main email account.

  • Change your email password to a long passphrase (12+ words beats 12 characters).

  • Add a second recovery method (backup email or phone).

  • Pick one rule for money requests: never act from a message alone, always verify via a second channel.

Expected outcomes:

  • Harder for account takeovers to stick

  • Faster recovery if something goes wrong

  • Fewer rushed payments based on fake urgency

The 30-Minute Plan

Best for: People who want a stronger setup with a bit more coverage.

Steps (30 minutes total):

  • Do the full 10-minute plan.

  • Turn on two-step verification for banking, payment apps, and your primary social account.

  • Review account recovery settings for those services. Remove old emails or phone numbers.

  • Create a simple contact list called “Verify List” with 3 to 5 trusted people (family, work lead, bank contact line).

  • Set one “pause trigger”: if a message says urgent, time-sensitive, or confidential, you stop and verify.

Expected outcomes:

  • Fewer weak links across key accounts

  • Lower chance of losing money through rushed approvals

  • A clear habit that blocks most social engineering attempts

The 2-Hour Weekend Plan

Best for: People who want a clean, repeatable system.

Steps (2 hours total):

  • Do the full 30-minute plan.

Make a short “recovery sheet” (notes app or printed page) with:

  • Bank phone number

  • Credit provider phone number

  • Key account recovery steps

  • A list of accounts that matter most

Set alerts:

  • Bank transaction alerts

  • Card-not-present alerts if your bank supports it

Clean up old access:

  • Sign out of old devices where possible

  • Remove unknown sessions

Run one practice drill:

  • Pretend you lost your phone

  • Write the exact steps you would take in the first 15 minutes

Create a monthly 10-minute “account check” reminder:

  • Review alerts

  • Review recovery options

  • Spot anything strange

Expected outcomes:

  • Clear recovery steps under pressure

  • Less panic if an account gets hit

  • A simple routine that keeps protection from decaying over time

What to Avoid

  • Clicking fast because it feels routine

  • Acting on money requests from a single message

  • Reusing the same password across important accounts

  • Leaving old recovery emails and phone numbers attached to accounts

  • Treating security as a one-time setup instead of a light monthly habit

  • Ignoring small anomalies like unexpected login prompts or odd account emails

Start with the 10-minute plan today. Set a timer. Do the four steps. Then choose the 30-minute plan this week or the 2-hour weekend plan when you want a stronger reset.

About Frank Elsner

Frank Elsner is Chief of Safety and Security for the Natural Factors Group of Companies in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has over 30 years of policing experience, including seven years as a Chief of Police, and has worked in undercover, investigative, intelligence, tactical, and senior leadership roles. He also leads Umbra Strategic Solutions, providing security solutions for local and international organizations.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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David Torske Debunks Five Construction Myths That Cost Calgary Homeowners Time and Money

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  • David Torske, a Calgary, Alberta-based Project Coordinator and Associate Project Manager, shares practical fixes for common project assumptions that lead to delays, scope creep, and avoidable stress.

Alberta, Canada, 25th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, David Torske, a construction Project Coordinator and Associate Project Manager with experience in residential and commercial coordination, is calling out five common myths he sees derail projects in the Calgary area. Torske’s work focuses on scheduling, documentation, workflow optimization, and trade coordination, and he says the biggest problems often start long before anyone picks up a tool.

Most project issues do not begin with bad effort. They begin with bad assumptions. As Torske puts it, “Most delays aren’t a mystery. They’re a chain reaction from one small assumption that nobody wrote down.”

Below are five myths he says show up again and again, along with a simple correction and a tip anyone can apply immediately.

Myth 1: If you have a start date, you have a schedule

Why people believe it
A start date feels like a plan. Many people assume once work begins, everything naturally follows in order.

Correction (fact)
A schedule is a sequence, not a date. Trades have dependencies. Templating must happen before fabrication. Fabrication must happen before installation. Plumbing, tile, and electrical often have critical timing windows around installations.

“People think a schedule is a calendar. On site, it’s more like a relay race,” Torske says. “If one handoff slips, everything behind it shifts.”

Practical tip
Ask for a one-page sequence list before day one. It can be simple: Step 1, Step 2, Step 3. If there is no sequence, create one with the contractor in 10 minutes and confirm it in writing.

Myth 2: The cheapest quote is the best deal

Why people believe it
It is natural to compare and treat projects like products. In the chase for the best deal, people still expect the same outcome but at different prices.

Correction (fact)
Quotes are only comparable when scope is comparable. Lack of a comprehensive plan missing line items, unclear allowances, and vague descriptions often reappear later as extra costs or schedule delays.  

“The number on the quote is not the whole price,” Torske says. “The scope is the actual price.”

Practical tip
Before accepting any quote, highlight every item that is not specific. Replace general lines like “install as needed” with a measurable description. If a line cannot be described clearly, it cannot be priced clearly for later procurement.

Myth 3: Materials will be available when you need them

Why people believe it
Many assume materials are easy to source, especially for residential builds and common renovations.  Customers often are not as familiar with or understanding of the nature of project procurement as commercial stakeholders.  

Correction (fact)
Material timing drives project timing. Even when the work is ready, the job can pause if the right material is not on site. Procurement is part of scheduling, not a separate step.  

The coronavirus epidemic increased supply and transport management obstacles and issues.  Knowledge of the supply chain needs to be current and constant.   

Torske’s coordination work has included determining materials needed, procuring them, and building procurement and fabrication tracking in Excel to keep work moving.

“Procurement is not a shopping trip,” he says. “It’s a timeline.”

Practical tip
Create a simple materials checklist with three columns: Item, Who orders it, and When it must arrive. Confirm it before any demolition or site prep begins.

Myth 4: Changes are easy if they are small

Why people believe it
A small change feels harmless. People assume it can be absorbed without affecting the rest of the project.  They often feel such changes can be done at any stage in the process without an increase in scope.

Correction (fact)
Small changes can trigger big ripple effects. A minor layout adjustment can force rework across measurements, ordering, fabrication, and trade coordination. That creates cost and scheduling impacts, even when the change looks simple.

“The most expensive words in a project are ‘quick change,’” Torske says. “A change is only quick if nothing else depends on it.”

Practical tip
Use a one-sentence change rule: No change gets approved until it answers two questions in writing: What does it do to the schedule, and what does it do to the cost?

Myth 5: Good work speaks for itself, so documentation is optional

Why people believe it
People want to trust the process. Documentation can feel like bureaucracy.

Correction (fact)
Documentation reduces confusion. Clear records help keep scope, cost, and quality aligned.  Responsibilities and scope are provided.  Proper documentation prevents trade conflicts and misunderstandings, especially when multiple parties are involved.  

Torske has emphasized documentation throughout his career, including earlier work focused on research and technical writing, and later work coordinating job activities, work orders, and workflow systems.

“Documentation is not paperwork,” he says. “It’s how you keep promises measurable.”

Practical tip
After any decision call or site meeting, send a three-line recap: what was decided, who owns it, and the due date. Keep those notes in one place, like a single email subfile or shared folder.

If you only remember one thing

Most project problems come from unclear scope and unclear sequence. Write down the scope. Write down the order of work. Then confirm who owns each step.

Readers are encouraged to share this myth list with anyone planning a renovation or construction project in Calgary and try one tip today. Start with the simplest: write a three-step sequence for your next project conversation and confirm it in writing.

About David Torske

David Torske is a Calgary, Alberta-based Project Coordinator and Associate Project Manager specialising in scheduling, documentation, workflow optimization, and trade coordination for residential and commercial construction projects. He completed a Project Management in Construction Certificate at Mount Royal University and holds the Certified Associate in Project Management designation from the Project Management Institute.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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