Florida Sentinel Bulletin

On Wednesday night at 6 p. m., Tampa Police officers were called to the 1700 block of East Idell in Sulphur Springs on a report of shots being fired.

When officers arrived, they reported finding evidence of gun fire, and a broken out car window at the scene.

Later, the officers found 21-year-old Cedrik Moultry. He was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries to his upper body.

Police have very little information on the shooting, and have not identified a suspect or motive at this time. They did report that the shooting does not appear to be a random act of violence.

 TAMPA – When Tampa’s slaves were liberated on May 5-6, 1864, most of them settled in the area called the “Scrub”, just north of what today is downtown. 

In the 1890s, African Americans began opening businesses in the area that became Central Avenue. And by the time Central Park Village opened in 1954, the district was known around the world as the “Harlem of the South”, with nearly 100 Black-owned businesses and entertainment venues.

Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles and James Brown performed there, among others.

        Today, the City of Tampa and the Tampa Housing Authority (U. S. Dept. of HUD) want to resurrect that glorious history with a $6.5 million redevelopment plan. But this plan is threatened by the existence of a skate bowl that was built in the middle of Perry Harvey, Sr. Park (the former Central Avenue) in 1978.

The bowl is not historic, but skate boarder Shannon Bruffett has applied to the State of Florida for protection of the skate bowl because of its “cultural” value. This must end NOW!

      People who believe in justice and progress must support the city’s plan to close the bowl and build a new one for $600,000 on the northern end of the park. This will make the central section of the park available for an African American Leaders’ Row, a statue of Perry Harvey, Sr. and outdoor performance space. 

The public is invited to a meeting Tuesday July 16, 6 – 8 p. m. for an update on this proposal at the Ella Building Clubhouse, 1210 Ray Charles Boulevard (near Scott and Governor Streets). Call City of Tampa Architect Thomas Hester for more information at (813) 274-8442.

          Supporters of relocation of the skate bowl in Perry Harvey Park should e-mail the State of Florida National Register Review Board by July 17 at Celeste Ivory@DOS.MyFlorida.com, and attend the board’s meeting in Tallahassee July 25, 1 p. m. in the Gray Building Auditorium, 500 S. Bronough Street – Tallahassee, Fla. 32399-0250. Call Celeste Ivory by July 17 at (850) 245-6332 to request that she send your comments to the five-member board that will vote on this issue in Tallahassee July 25, or to register for a teleconference. 

Let’s Save Central Avenue! 

FRED HEARNS 

Perry Harvey Park Citizens Advisory Committee Chair

Some may know him as Tarence or TK, but to many youth in the Bay area, he is becoming known as their Hometown Hero. When we hear about professional basketball players in the news, we usually hear about how they’re shaping up on the court or what they recently did wrong off the court. It’s not often that we hear about the positive impact professional players are striving to make in their fans’ lives.

Tarence Kinsey, a 29-year-old veteran of six professional basketball seasons in the NBA and overseas is a positive example of a professional athlete that carries strong influence to children whose futures he is shaping.

A 2002 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, the Tampa native created the Tarence Kinsey Foundation in 2009. It was a longtime aspiration for the 6-foot-6 shooting guard/small forward, who helped lead the University of South Carolina to back-to-back NIT championships.

Kinsey has spent time with Memphis and Cleveland in the NBA, and his basketball career has taken him around the globe, playing professionally in Turkey, Italy, and Spain, the latter where he was a member of Unicaja Málaga of the Liga ACB this season.

Over the last year, the TK Foundation ( www.tarencekinseyfoundation.org) has contributed to assisting three students receive full college scholarships by supplying them with mentors, tutors and educational guidance. In addition to Tarence’s foundation, he recently made a significant financial contribution to Mt. Pleasant Middle School in Tampa to help provide more text books and computers for the school.

The idea for his foundation was sparked when he walked through a local mall with his mother one evening.

“We saw groups of teenage kids with their pants hanging down low and we noticed how they wore grimaces on their faces and showed no respect and no manners,” Kinsey recalled. “I was raised to say ‘Yes, ma’am’ and ‘No, ma’am.’ And show common courtesy like saying please and thank you, and opening doors.

“Essentially, you as a person are like your own business. It is important to represent yourself in respectful ways and make your world a better place by how you live, how you act and how you treat others and yourself,” Kinsey added.

Kinsey is back in the Tampa area this summer and preparing for his foundation’s annual celebration dinner on Saturday, July 13 at the Embassy Suites in downtown Tampa. The event is scheduled for 6 p. m. to 10 p. m. All proceeds will benefit the foundation’s programs.

At this year’s dinner, the foundation’s “Circle Me” mentorship program will be showcased, and students will be recognized.

Kinsey is also coordinating a summer training camp for teenagers, and the dates will be released soon.

Early Saturday morning, a 4-year-old was found alone near the intersection of E. 97^th Avenue and N. 14^th Street, shortly before 3 a.m. Police were searching for the child’s parents or legal guardians, but there were quickly located.

According to police, when the youngster was located, he told them his name as “Darius,” and that his parents’ names were possibly Scooby and Wayne. Within minutes after the child was located, police were able to locate his parents and reunite the family.

According to a spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department, the parents were located within 20 minutes of the Media Alert’s release. The spokesperson said Darius had been left with a babysitter on Friday night.

The babysitter had left the door open so that his mother could enter the home and pick him up. However, Darius woke during the night while everyone was asleep and wondered outside.

Police said no charges are expected to be filed in the incident.

The Tampa Police are searching for a 53-year-old woman who has tested positive for a contagious disease. She left a local hospital before being given the test results.

According to police, Ms. Sarah J. Williams, who is also known as Sarah J. Owens, left Tampa General Hospital about 12 p.m., on Saturday, July 6^th, against the advice of medical personnel. Ms. Williams reportedly had taken a test for tuberculosis and left before receiving the results.

The following day, the doctor advised the Tampa Police Department that Ms. Williams had tested positive for the disease.

Police said Ms. Williams was last seen wearing long brown pants, an unknown colored shirt, and a green Beanie. She is described as being about 5”6” tall, weighs about 100 pounds, and has a medium complexion.

Police said she does not have a permanent address, but frequents downtown Tampa. Anyone with information about Ms. Williams is asked to contact the Tampa Police Department.

A Veteran Affairs employee has been charged with aggravated identity theft in connection with fraudulently obtaining personal information of patients at the James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital. The indictment was unsealed on Tuesday.

According to a press release, U. S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announced the unsealing of the indictment charging David F. Lewis with wrongful disclosure of health information, access device fraud, and aggravated convicted, Lewis is facing a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison on each count of wrongful disclosure of health information and ten years’ imprisonment on each count of access device fraud, all to be followed by up to two years for each aggravated identity theft offense.

The indictment also notifies Lewis that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $105,271.00, which is the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

According to the indictment and court documents, Lewis was a Department of Veterans Affairs employee who illegally obtained the identities of patients at the Veterans Hospital.  Lewis then sold those identities to others, who used them to file fraudulent U. S. income tax returns and obtain fraudulent tax refunds.

Lewis was arrested on July 2^nd by the U. S. Marshals and held until his initial court appearance. His bond was set at $50,000.

Special Agent in Charge Quentin G. Aucoin of the Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, stated, “These crimes are particularly egregious, and the VA Office of Inspector General is dedicated to aggressively investigating individuals who misuse patient information, especially when used for personal and financial gain.”

Special Agent in Charge James Robnett of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation stated, “The indictment and arrest of David F. Lewis by members of the Tampa Bay Alliance, in partnership with the U. S. Attorney’s office, demonstrates the continued commitment the members of the alliance have in investigating identity theft and stolen identify refund fraud that is in the Tampa Bay area.  The alliance will continue to vigorously investigate this crime which has victimized the most vulnerable citizens in the Tampa Bay area.”

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has issued warrants for two women in connection with a purse snatching incident. The offense took place at a local restaurant last month.

According to police, at approximately 8:25 p.m., on June 25^th, two women entered the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Brandon to attend a birthday party.

Police said another patron in the business was holding his wife’s purse and he sat it down on the counter.

The surveillance video shows one of the women directing her 9-year-old nephew to get the purse. The child reportedly reached behind the victim and grabbed the purse. He then ran into the seating area, where he placed the purse on a table where the two women, identified as Jasmine Johnson, 26, and 24-year-old Chantel Jenkins, were seated.

Police said both women are seen leaving the restaurant with one of the women, identified as Ms. Jenkins carrying the purse.

Detectives learned during the investigation that the 9-year-old had no knowledge the purse belonged to someone else and he is also being considered a victim in the investigation.

The same evening the theft occurred, the victim’s credit cards were fraudulently used at a local convenience store. Police are continuing their investigation to determine who used the credit cards.

Warrants have been issued for Ms. Johnson and Ms. Jenkins for grand theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and fraudulent possession of personal information. The investigation is continuing.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON

Sentinel City Editor

On August 28^th, the nation will celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the historic “March On Washington.” It was at this event that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. More than 250,000 people from around the country converged on Washington, D. C. to attend the event.

The March, which called for equality, jobs, and freedom, was the largest in the history of Washington, D. C.

Many people from the Tampa Bay Area attended the March. Among those were members of the 1963 Tampa NAACP Youth Council.

Ms. Gwendolyn Tim Powell currently resides in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. And although that has been her home for the past 22 years, the Middleton High School graduate frequently visits Tampa and keeps in touch with family and friends.

Bayard Rustin, left, and Cleveland Robinson were organizers of the historic event that took place on Wednesday, August 28, 1963.

During a conversation with one of her friends, Ulysses Brooks, Ms. Powell said they began talking about their youth and time they spent as members of the NAACP Youth Council. They also started wondered what had happened to others.

Ms. Powell remembers the year 1963, because they were among a group of teenagers who drove from Tampa to Washington, D. C., to attend the historic “March On Washington.”

Now, 50 years later, Ms. Powell and Brooks would like to have a reunion of the 1963 NAACP Youth Council. They would like to have the event take place in Tampa during the month of August in line with the historic celebration.

Ms. Powell and Brooks would like to reach out to their advisors, Mr. and Mrs. Charles (Betty) Stanford. They would also like to contact some of the former members to reconnect with them.

Some of those individuals who were members of the Youth Council in 1963 included: Robert McCullough; Ann Marie Sheppard, John Rodriquez, Rovena Thomas, Dave Barfield, Jane Barfield, Patricia Simmons, Maceio McMillan, Terecita Vann and Ramona Vann.

 Ms. Powell recalls the trip that some of the members made to Washington, D. C., to participate in the “March On Washington” on August 28, 1963.

“Young and fearless, we embarked on the journey with great faith that our Creator was protecting us all the way. When the station wagon broke down in the middle of the night, though, we did get a ‘little scared’ because we were in Jessup, Georgia. I had never heard of it before, but it was in Georgia, and that was not good, given the racist climate down south at the time.

“Maceio McMillan had some cousins who lived there… Maceio got on the pay phone, and the next thing we knew his cousins had come to take us to their home.  They fed us, put us to bed, gave us breakfast the next morning, got the station wagon fixed, and sent us on our way.  What a Blessing!”

They had left Tampa with the intention of driving all night to reach Washington, D. C. However, the breakdown resulted in the group arriving in Washington late.

“We rolled into town early on the morning of August 28, 1963. We were all very excited, as we listened to the radio announcers talk about the thousands of people coming into the city! They came by trains, buses, boats, cars and planes!

“Although we missed our Tour of the White House, it was still an awesome life experience!  Many of us were just seventeen-years-old and recent high school graduates.”

Prior to the trip, the group of enthusiast teenagers had been very active in the community. They had participated in demonstrations demanding equality and change. “We needed to be a part of this National effort.  We just had to be at the March,” she said.

Ms. Powell stated that she is currently not a member of the NAACP because there is not a chapter of the organization in St. Thomas. “But, I’m still an advocate of health disparity and equality.”

Former members of the NAACP Youth Council are asked to contact Ms. Powell by sending a text message with your contact information to 340-514-6600; or an email to: rubytimg@gmail.com.

BY LEON B. CREWS

Sentinel Staff Writer

Consistency in the music industry is vital, and for some artists, it defines if they are willing to make the sacrifices to get to where they want to be.

For Tampa’s top hip hop artist, Tom G., this is a lesson he learned early, and that experience has made him more determined to be successful.

On July 4^th, Tom G. unveiled his new street album, “Street Preacher,” and it featured well-known entertainer, Bigga Rankin, Atlanta-based DJ Scream with Rick Ross, and his label, MMG.

“I’ve been in the studio recording, and I’m doing my launch off with 6 to 10 new artists who have new material.

“I’ve been on the road a lot throughout the region, and I’m happy to say it’s grown a lot larger than local.”

Among the new artists working with Tom G. are Money Yung ‘N Cam, Swayor Ty, and female artist, Shyal’a Moore.

“I like where I am now with my career,” said Tom G.

“I’ve been busy and I’m more focused now than any time before since I’ve been in the industry. I have a lot more on my plate now, and we’re operating as an independent machine, following the same plan as successful artists like Master P and others did. We maintain more control over our product, and the labels came to us, instead of us going to them.”

Tom G. said iTunes is the biggest thing to happen in the industry, because you don’t need to put your product in a store anymore.

“We’ve just finished putting together a big studio with the best equipment, and everything is being done in-house.

“Right now, everything we earn is going back into the company. I had to kick back for a year and get more involved in the business of music. Team Fetti wants to be an independent powerhouse, and the brand is expanding. I only want the serious artists to work with.”

Tom G. is launching a tee-shirt line, “Audd Bawal,” that will be out in the near future