Florida Sentinel Bulletin

In recent months, the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) has been facilitating a process to identify potential investors in reviving a radio station format to take the place of the WTMP format that, until recently, was broadcast in the Tampa Bay Area market for decades.

Last week TOBA’s Economic Development Committee, Chaired by Board Member Jetie B. Wilds, Jr. held a meeting with individuals who sent letters of interest in investing in a Lease Management Agreement with an Option to Purchase another AM radio station in the Tampa Bay area, said TOBA spokesperson, James Ransom.

The next step, Ransom said, is for the investment group to execute their financial commitment and form a corporate entity. Once that is done, TOBA recommended that the investment group form a limited partnership with an experienced operator that has a proven record of profitable advertising sales in this market.

The operator would also be the Managing General Partner and will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the business. The details going forward will be confidential, but the community will be kept informed. The minimum investment for this project is $25,000.00.

Anyone interested in investing should send a letter of interest to TOBA – Economic Development Committee, P. O. Box 3485, Tampa, FL 33601.

Tampa Police arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with the death of a police officer’s son. The shooting occurred after a robbery.

According to police, Hipolito Padilla, III, 25, was standing in the drive-through at the Salem Gyro Restaurant, 1611 N. Nebraska Avenue, at approximately 3:45 a.m., Friday. Padilla was talking to two young women and occupants of a vehicle when a male suspect approached, snatched his gold jewelry, and shot him before fleeing the scene.

Padilla was transported to Tampa General Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Padilla is the son of Hipolito Padilla, Jr., a well-known police officer. Officer Padilla is a 20-year veteran with the Tampa Police Department.

The Tampa Police Department’s Rapid Offender Control Unit (ROC) observed a person matching the suspect’s description a short distance from the shooting in the 400 block of North Nebraska Avenue hours later.

The suspect, identified as Jordan Terrell Hill, was taken into custody as he attempted to jump a fence near his mother’s home around 2 p.m., on Saturday. During the interview, he was shown the surveillance footage of the crime. Police said Hill admitted to the robbery and shooting.

Police recovered a handgun used in the murder. Hill is being detained at the Hillsborough County Jail, without bond, for first-degree murder, armed robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Mrs. Laura McElroy, spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department said the incident happened so quickly Padilla didn’t have time to react. It was unclear if the two men knew each other.

Funeral services for Padilla were incomplete as of press time. Aikens Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrangements.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

A list of witnesses have been subpoenaed in the federal corruption trial of former Hillsborough County Commissioner, Kevin White. White was arrested in June and is facing several charges including conspiracy to commit bribery; bribery; conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud; mail fraud, wire fraud, and making false statements to law enforcement.

The list of witnesses U. S. Attorney Robert O’Neill plans to call during the trial were read in open court on Monday. Those names are: William Aponte, Michael Baker, Michael Brady, Greg Brown, Gamalier Gomez, Mala Harbajan, Margaret Hauser, Kenneth Klocke, James Martin, Ian McGeehan, Mike Merrill, Leslie Nelson, Cesar Padilla, Peter Rockefeller, Tim Simon, Bradley Thurman, Bob Vallee, Darryl Williams, and Deven Williams.

They also plan to call representatives from AT & T Custodian Records, records from the Division of Motorist Services, DTG Operations, Inc., Ruth Chris Steak House, State of Florida, Department of State, and Suncoast Bank.

Attorney O’Neill also reserved the right to call additional witnesses. In his opening statement, Attorney Grady Irvin, Jr., White’s court-appointed attorney, said that Gerald White, Kevin White’s, father, was responsible for his son’s involvement. In his opening statement, Attorney Irvin said, “Gerald White is a lot of things. He’s a con man. He’s a shyster. He’s a huckster. He’s a manipulator. And he’s a lousy father. … He never talked about Kevin White unless he was begging for money at the same time.”

According to a family member, Gerald White’s wife, daughter, son, and sister have all been subpoenaed.

During the first week of the trial, prosecutors produced video tapes of White accepting money from Confidential Informants. The prosecution contends that White conspired with his father and George Hondrellis, to accept bribes. White allegedly received more than $10,000 in 2010, the indictment stated.

A forty-year-old woman was sentenced to three years in federal prison for her role in conspiring to commit tax fraud. She pled guilty to the charges in June.

According to the U. S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Jacqueline Ferreira conspired with an inmate at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford and others, to defraud the government by submitting false tax returns. As part of the conspiracy, Ms. Ferreira opened at least ten bank accounts in the Tampa Bay area.

Prisoners and others completed income tax returns and the refunds were deposited into the accounts. During a pre-arranged agreement, Ms. Ferreira reportedly took 50% and the others would divide the other 50% of the money, police said.

With the illegal proceeds, which she accessed through various cash withdrawals from her multiple bank accounts, Ms. Ferreira purchased vehicles, furniture, and other items.

During the investigation, police discovered that more than 350 false tax returns were filed with electronic deposits made into accounts she maintained. The fraudulent returns were in excess of $3 million. However, only $443,711.92 in tax refunds were deposited into Ms. Ferreira’s accounts, police said.

Ms. Ferreira was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

On Sunday morning, October 30th, a family member discovered that a former Tampa resident and popular athlete died in his sleep. Mr. Willie Knight was 67 years old. His sister-in-law, Ms. Ann Jenkins, said he died of natural causes.

A native of Savannah, Mr. Willie Knight moved to Tampa with his mother, the late Mrs. Wilhelmina Knight, and older brother, Jake Knight. The brothers, who were very close, attended the public schools of Hillsborough County.

Both brothers attended Blake High School and were very popular athletes during the 1960s. Mr. Knight graduated in 1962, and entered the workforce. He worked as a Skycap for many years at a Detroit airport and at the Tampa International Airport. He retired in Tampa and lived here for several years.

In 2008, Mr. Knight learned that his brother had developed Parkinson’s disease and he moved back to Savannah to become his caregiver, Ms. Jenkins said.

In addition to his brother sister-in-law, and 21 children, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, 21 nieces and nephews, and other family members and friends survive Mr. Knight.

The funeral will take place on Saturday, November 5th, at 2 p.m., at the St. John Baptist Church, 522 Hartridge Street, Savannah, GA. Adams Funeral Home, 510 Stephenson Avenue, Savannah, GA 31405, is in charge of handling arrangements.

BY LEON B. CREWS
Sentinel Staff Writer

On November 19th from 9 a. m. until 12 p. m., the Kingdom Worship Center will provide 1,500 free turkeys, food baskets and clothing to low income families in the community. The “Day Of Thanks Community Outreach Event” will be held at 1102 E. Fowler Avenue.

As part of the event, there will be a raffle drawing for 10 free computers, tickets to Busch Gardens, and one family will be lucky enough to get their utilities paid for 6 months up to $2,000.

“We, along with our congregation, are working with several sponsors to provide 1,500 free turkeys, food boxes that will feed a family of four, provide haircuts, medical attention, social service information, and Medicaid advice or the elderly,” said Pastor Robert Fruster.

Registration for the food distribution will be held until November 15th. To register visit  www.kwctoday.com or complete an application at the Worship Center on Fowler.

On Saturday night, John Singleton, Jr. went to his best friend’s house, a normal routine according to his father, John, Sr.

Usually, John, Jr. and his best friend, Vontay, would go to a movie or just hang around the house. But this time, the two went to a birthday party at the Unique Island Grill on 34th Street and Lake Avenue.

According to Tampa Police, there were about 60 people inside the building for the party when a fight started. Several people were ejected from the party, but police said the fight continued outside.

According to reports, at 11:45 p. m., John, Jr. was shot. He was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he died. No suspects have been identified in the shooting. John, Jr. was a 17-year-old student attending Tampa Vocational-Technical High School, and the junior was considering a career as a welder when he graduated.

The family had no insurance for John, Jr. and ask all donations be sent to Jackson’s Funeral Home, 4605 34th Street.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

On Friday afternoon, Ms. Lashaun Kinlock began preparing dinner for her four children. She left her apartment at 1502 W. Union Street, to get her children and returned to find her home ablaze.

Ms. Kinlock, 30, the mother of two sons and two daughters, said she had gone to get her children when the fire started. “We lost everything. The entire kitchen burned and everything in the living room melted. The other things have smoke and water damage.”

This is the third tragedy to strike Ms. Kinlock and her family. On September 30, he 3-year-old daughter, Latavia, was shot in the leg and the bullet struck her in the knee. She was outside playing when a gunman drove up and began shooting at another man.

Further complicating matters, Ms. Kinlock said her 10-month-old son was diagnosed with having seizures after spending a week in the hospital. “I tried to save everything I could, but my baby is going to have to have everything because he can’t inhale that smoke.”

Ms. Kinlock said she is thankful for any help she can receive from the community. The Tampa Housing Authority will provide her another apartment, but she must start all over again with furniture and clothing.

Ms. Kinlock said she wears a size 16-18; her 8-year-old daughter wears a size 7-8, and Latavia wears a size 3T-5T. Her 10-year-old son wears a size 16 husky and her youngest son wears size 1T and 2T.

Anyone wishing to contact Ms. Kinlock can reach her at (813) 528-7454.

The Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) will be facilitating a meeting with individuals who sent letters of interest in investing in purchasing WTMP.

The minimum investment per individual or group is $25,000.00.

Since the recent change in the WTMP program format and staffing, TOBA’s Economic Development Committee (chaired by TOBA Board Member, Jetie B. Wilds, Jr.) has taken the lead to facilitate this initiative, says TOBA spokesperson James Ransom.

“Although WTMP has not been sold as some have speculated, unfortunately the owners have overly inflated the asset value of the WTMP AM/FM licenses which makes purchasing those licenses unreasonable for investors, at this time.”

Efforts to negotiate a more fair market price to purchase WTMP have stalled.  Therefore, the plan is to pursue another AM station through a Lease Management Agreement (LMA) with an option to purchase that station.  With an LMA, the format can be restored.

The meeting will be held Thursday, November 3 at 6:30 PM at Tampa Park Plaza, 1417 Tampa Park Plaza (Scott St. and Nebraska Ave.), Tampa, 33605.  Call (813) 229-1845 for directions.

Anyone interested in learning more about this investment opportunity is welcomed to attend.