Florida Sentinel Bulletin

BY LEON B. CREWS
Sentinel Staff Writer

Carlene Pearson grew up in East Tampa, and although she lived in Atlanta, Georgia for 11 years, she returned to her roots to share the valuable resources she gained.

Ms. Pearson noticed that teenagers in East Tampa weren’t doing anything with themselves.

On Saturday, October 8th, the Stepping Stone Youth Center will present “Hear2Listen: Teen Summit.” It will be held at the Middleton High School auditorium from 2 p. m. until 5 p. m.

After developing a partnership with the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department and the East Tampa Business and Civic Association, Ms. Pearson started three months ago putting this summit together.

“My goal is to create dialogue between the teens and an all-star panel.”

The panel that was arranged by Ms. Pearson consists of Carlysia and LeMicah Levert (children of the late Gerald Levert), Kae Morae (actress Lisa Raye’s daughter), Aaron Reid (son of L.A. Reid and Pebbles), Elite Noel (singer Keisha Cole’s sister), Corey MeKell, IROCC Williams, and A. J. Linton.

“I selected this panel because of their push in life and they’re not using their celebrity status,” said Ms. Pearson.

The summit will feature Alex Jordan as the facilitator, and Darrell Daniels as the special speaker.

Ms. Pearson said the summit is not just for teenagers from East Tampa, and she expects to see Middleton’s 600-seat auditorium filled to capacity.

Teen Summit Panelists

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

Earlier this month, nearly two hundred employees of the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation & Conservation Department were given layoff notices. The reason for the mass layoffs was due to budget cuts.

County deputies abolished several jobs and restructured the organizational charts requiring less employees. The employees were then required to reapply for their positions, with most not being hired. They were told their last day of work would be September 24th.

Harold Jackson, a 33-year employee, had been a Recreation Area Supervisor for 25 years. He did not receive a position.

Jackson said, “I had gone into the office, said my good-byes and left the office. Later that day, I received a call from my supervisor telling me that I had been extended for a week, until September 30th.”

On Wednesday, September 28th, Jackson said he was contacted and told to attend a meeting at 8 a.m., on Thursday. Jackson said County Administrator Mike Merrill; Helene Marks, Chief Administrative Officer; Sharon Subadan, Deputy County Director; Mark Thornton, Director of Parks, Recreation, & Conservation; Human Relations representatives; and a County Attorney attended the meeting.

Jackson said that during the meeting, the employees learned that all of the job offers had been rescinded during the County’s review.

The positions were then offered based on the results of the interview process, with longevity, job performance, qualifications, and other requirements. In the end, he said, a smaller number of people were displaced and Mike Merrill committed himself to find them employment somewhere in County Government. [private]

“Some people were bumped, some were moved around, some will receive less pay, some reassigned, but he vowed to find jobs for them. People were going to be hurt either way, but now it’s a smaller number of people affected. The people stood up for what they believed in and the Administrators did the best they could, all things considered. They (Administrators) righted the ship, and corrected the process,” Jackson said.

He further stated that he has been offered a supervisory position and was given 24 hours to decide.

Jackson, a Tampa native, graduated from Tampa Catholic High School. He earned a B. S. Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Tampa.

After graduation in 1978, Jackson was unsure of his next move, so he obtained employment with the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department. [/private]

An East Tampa mother died late Friday and her son was injured during a house fire. She was 81-years-old.

According to police, firefighters received a call of a fire at 2922 E. 21st Avenue, around 10:20 p. m. Upon arriving at the scene, they found a 58-year-old man was lying in the front yard.

Firefighters learned that neighbors Jerry Haymon, 50, and 55-year-old Van Bryant had dragged Gregory Polite from the burning structure. Polite, 58, was transported to Tampa General Hospital, where he was admitted to the Burn Unit in serious condition.

Police said it took firefighters nearly 25 minutes to get the blaze under control.

Police said Polite was injured trying to rescue his mother, Mrs. Gloria Smith, 81, from the home. He was unable to reach her because the fire was too intense. Mrs. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mrs. Smith’s daughter, Gail Davis, said her mother had lived in the house for 59 years. “My mother retired more than 20 years ago, and had recently experienced some progressive health issues. In spite of that, she loved to travel, and we all went by the house to check on her every day.

“What happened that day is she was washing clothes in a machine on the back porch. After putting the clothes in the washer, she sat down on a couch in the living room area of an attached smaller house behind the main house. She lit a cigarette and apparently fell asleep. She was awakened later by smoke and tried reaching the door, and couldn’t get to it. She backed up into the bathroom and tried opening a window, but couldn’t do it. That’s where they found her.”

Ms. Davis said although her brother, Mr. Polite, sustained serious burns to his back and side, she considers him a hero for his efforts.

“He went to rescue her, opened the door and was met by flames. He turned away and heard a roar, and the next thing he knew, the flames were on his back. We’re happy that he’s alert now and talking, but he still has a long way to go.”

In addition to Mrs. Smith, Polite’s wife, Mrs. Delicia Polite, 39, and stepson, Larry Bell, 8, were also in the home. Neither of them were injured.

The wooden house, which was built in 1925, was completely destroyed.

Funeral services for Mrs. Smith were incomplete as of press time. Wilson’s Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrangements.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

On Tuesday, September 27th, city officials and members of the community will gather at an East Tampa community center. The facility will be renamed in honor of a retired longstanding City Councilmember.

Mayor Bob Buckhorn and City Council members will gather at the Woodland Terrace Community Center, 6408 N. 32nd Street, for the 3 p.m. ceremony. The building will be renamed in honor of Mrs. Gwendolyn Miller, who served for 16 years on the City Council before retiring in March 2011.

Mrs. Miller said, “It’s an honor to have someone to care that much about you to name a building after you.” Tampa banker Curtis Stokes nominated Mrs. Miller for the honor.

During her tenure as a member of City Council, Mrs. Miller was instrumental in obtaining funding for the construction of the center. The facility opened in 2002 and she secured funding for its expansion in 2008.

Mrs. Miller said this is the second time her name was submitted for the honor. Mrs. Ruth Fleming and the late Theron Morris submitted her name several years ago. However, she withdrew her name to avoid controversy.

Mrs. Miller was first elected to represent the citizens of District 5 in 1995. She served as Chairperson from 2004 to 2008, and Chair Pro-Tem from 2008 until her retirement.

During her tenure on City Council, Mrs. Miller became the second African American and the first woman to serve in that capacity. She also became the first African American to serve as Chairman. Her victory in the 2003 race for District 1, marked the first time an African American won an at-large, citywide City Council seat.

A member of New Mount Zion M. B. Church, Mrs. Miller is married to Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller, Jr. She is the mother of 4 children and has 6 grandchildren.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

A longtime member of the NAACP and former Chairperson of the NAACP Education Committee died suddenly at her residence. She was 64 years old.

After family members could not contact Ms. Brenda Jordan by telephone, they asked an acquaintance to check on her on Sunday. It was discovered that Ms. Jordan had passed suddenly at her residence.

Ms. Jordan was born in Orlando on February 2, 1947, and raised in Sanford, Florida. She attended the public schools of Seminole County and graduated from Croombs High School. Following graduation, Ms. Jordan applied to and was accepted at Bethune-Cookman College.

After earning her degree in Education, Ms. Jordan moved to Tampa and became an educator with the Hillsborough County Public School District. She dedicated more than 30 years of her life to educating the students of Hillsborough County before retiring.

Funeral services for Ms. Jordan were incomplete as of press time. Ray Williams Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrangements. [private]

“She was a giver. She loved volunteering at the NAACP and logic puzzles. She will be missed,” her niece, Mrs. Veronica Graham Scurry said.

Ms. Patricia Spencer, Area Director of the NAACP said, “We are all saddened by her passing and she is definitely going to be missed.”

Mrs. Carolyn Collins, President of the Hillsborough County Branch NAACP said, “Ms. Jordan was instrumental in the branch’s year-round tutorial program. She has worked with many local educators and helped mold many young minds by her years of academic mandates.

“Ms. Jordan was an icon at the branch and she will be missed. The Executive Committee will salute Ms. Jordan’s family with a tradition that she initiated with the branch under the umbrella of ‘Breaking Bread Together.’ As President and on behalf of the branch, we are encouraging all current and past Executive Committee members to call the branch office for more details.”

State Rep. Betty Reed said, “Ms. Jordan was there for several years. She was so dedicated that even when she was ill, if she could get out of bed, she would come. Education in Hillsborough County has really lost a giant.”

Mrs. Graham Scurry said Ms. Jordan had one son, John Jordan, who died in 2004. She is survived by her siblings, nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.[/private]

Tampa Police arrested a father and son Sunday on carjacking and rape charges.

According to the report, at 4:34 a. m. Sunday, Rakeith Brooks, 30, and Vincent Harrison, 46, approached a couple in the 900 block of East Broad Street.

Police said Brooks pointed a handgun at the heads of the victims and told them to hand over their money. When the male victim told them he had no money, police said he was struck on the head with the handgun. Brooks then reportedly grabbed the female victim by the throat and pushed her to the ground. Brooks reportedly sexually assaulted her.

Police said Harrison and Brooks then ordered the victims to lay on the ground and fled in the victim’s BMW, which had cell phones, and I-Pad and other property inside.

At 5:45 a. m., police communications received a call that a bullet was shot into an apartment wall at 110 East Broad Street, nearly hitting the homeowner. Police responded and said the bullet came from an adjoining apartment. Officers went to that apartment and made contact with the people inside, one of them telling officers the gun had been accidentally fired by her friend, Brooks.

After consenting to allow police to search the apartment, officers found the cell phones and other property taken during the earlier robbery, including keys to the stolen vehicle. Officers also found two handguns, and reported finding the stolen vehicle in the parking lot of the apartment complex.

Harrison and Brooks, later identified as father and son, were arrested after a witness reported they were trying to sell stolen property, including the stolen vehicle. Both are being held without bond.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON

Sentinel City Editor

On Thursday afternoon, members of the Tampa City Council could not agree on the legal language in a new panhandling ordinance. The ordinance failed in a 3-3 tie and must be revisited during a future Council meeting.

City Council Chairman Charlie Miranda has been absent for several meetings due to illness. Last week during a workshop, Council members agreed to merge two suggestions to create the new ordinance. Those suggestions would have only allowed solicitation on Sundays, but would have exempted the sale of newspapers, passing out of leaflets, and other papers.

However, on Thursday, when the proposed new ordinance was read, Councilwoman Yvonne “Yoli” Capin pointed out that the results were the same three suggestions discussed during the previous week and no merger had been made.

After much discussion, all three proposed ordinances were read into the record and all three received votes of support from the same Council members: Councilman Mike Suarez, Councilman Harry Cohen, and Councilwoman Lisa Montelione voted in favor of the ordinances. Council Vice Chairperson Mary Mulhern, Councilman Yoli Capin, and Councilman Frank Reddick voted no on all three ordinances.

Council members agreed to meet with the legal department to discuss their personal concerns and to have their questions answered individually, in hopes of reaching a decision on the new ordinance at the next meeting.

A Sulphur Springs mother was arrested earlier this week and charged with battery. She allegedly entered a school bus and struck a 10-year-old in the face after learning that her daughter had been involved in an altercation.

According to Hillsborough County jail records, Ms. Tomika Roshawn Jordan, 28, was arrested at a residence in the 9400 block of N. Mulberry Street shortly before noon on Tuesday. She was released after posting a $2,000 bond Tuesday night.

According to police, Hillsborough County School Bus #4447, driven by Ms. Elnora Commodore, was at the intersection of 14th Street and N. Annie, when the incident occurred. Two 10-year-old girls reportedly became engaged in a verbal disagreement. The two girls then pushed each other.

Ms. Commodore stopped the bus and walked to the back of the bus to intervene in the shoving between the girls. Apparently someone on the bus notified Ms. Jordan that her daughter was involved in a “fight,” police said.

Ms. Jordan is said to have boarded the bus, went to the rear where the girls were, reached around the bus driver, and allegedly punched the other girl in the face with a closed fist. Police said everyone exited the bus after the incident.

Police were called to the scene and conducted an investigation. Officers then located Ms. Jordan in the 9400 block of N. Mulberry Street and arrested her without incident.

No injuries were reported in connection with the offense.

U. S. Army Spc. Christophe J. Marquis was injured on August 27th during an attack. He and his unit were in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, when the attack took place. Spc. Marquis was taken to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Germany, where he later died from the injuries he sustained on September 4th.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 24th, at 11 a.m., at Springhill M. B. Church.

Spc. Marquis moved to Tampa in July 2008 and opened a business in downtown Tampa. He had plans for his business, the 502 Sports Café, located in downtown Tampa.

Later that same year, the Strasburg, France native met his future wife and she said it was an instant attraction. The couple married on August 31, 2009 and decided to live in Tampa. And, shortly after that, the couple learned that they were going to be parents. Their son, Christopher, celebrated his 2nd birthday on September 14th.

He joined the U. S. Army in April and left on my birthday, April 14, 2010,” Mrs. Marquis said. He had already served 5 years in the French military and had attained the rank of Sergeant there.

Mrs. Marquis said she last saw her husband in March of this year before he was deployed to Afghanistan. However, she said she did talk to him on their second anniversary. She later learned that he couldn’t hear her, though.

Mrs. Marquis, 22, described her husband as an individual who enjoyed nature, long walks and extreme sports such as bungy jumping and sky diving.

He was the son of Mrs. Francine Soucat and Joel Marquis. Spc. Marquis also had a sister and 3 brothers. His wife had met his mother and sister earlier. They were planning for her and their son to meet his father and brothers in January after he returned from Afghanistan. She met her father-in-law and brothers-in-law after her husband died.

Spc. Marquis will be laid to rest on Monday at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.

Mrs. Marquis and family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Wilson’s Funeral Home, 3000 N. 29th Street, on Friday. Wilson’s Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrangements.