Florida Sentinel Bulletin

BY  LEON B. CREWS
Sentinel Staff Writer

In 1946 when Charles Thomas enlisted in the regular Army, he already had 6 years of experience having attended a military academy.

In 1946, Mr. Thomas was a medic assigned to what was known at that time as the Triple Nickels, (555th Airborne) a Black-only paratrooper unit.

“We were among the first Blacks selected for parachute training.”

What Mr. Thomas didn’t know at that time was an incident in 1948 would impact his entire military career as well as that of other Black soldiers.[private]

“We were in Pensacola participating in a training exercise. During that time, we were put in the white folks Army, and then separated. We had all Black officers, and some later became majors and lieutenants.

“They were conducting the exercise, and I was in a tower overlooking the entire area.

“Suddenly, another soldier in the tower with me started yelling for the guys on the ground to take cover, because bombs were falling. When the bombs hit, I dove to the floor. I could her debris and shrapnel hitting the tower.”

Mr. Thomas said when he stood up he saw something that left him forever scared.

“What I saw were Black paratroopers on the ground who had been bombed by their own forces. Two were killed right away and others were severely injured, some losing their limbs. Others died later from their injuries. The planes that did this came from MacDill Air Force Base.”

Mr. Thomas said no explanation was ever given for the incident, nothing was done about the incident, and it was just hushed way.
“Today, there are only two left in Tampa who were members of the Triple Nickels. I discharged after the bombing incident.”

Mr. Thomas said he still vividly remembers coming to the aid of the wounded soldiers after the bombing.

“I was a medic, so I did whatever I could to help them.

“There was never an investigation of any kind after the bombing incident, and it was brushed aside and forgotten. We were told to keep quiet and never talk about the incident.”

Mr. Thomas said he knows it’s been 63 years, but the need of justice has no timeline.

“I will continue to seek justice for the men who died or were permanently injured. If those bombs had fallen on a group of white soldiers, you better believe some action would have been taken. But since we were all Black soldiers, it was treated like nothing happened. This was a direct reflection on the bigotry and racism that was going on in the Armed Forces.”

Mr. Thomas said he’s never appealed to any elected officials to investigate the incident, but is willing to do so now.

“I want whoever reads this to get as angry as I am. I want something done about this incident.”

The entire incident, as well as the creation of the Triple Nickels, was chronicled in a book written by retired Lieutenant Colonel Bradley Biggs, “America’s First All-Black Paratroop Unit, The Triple Nickels.”[/private]

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

Currently, there are meetings underway to redefine the districts of the Hillsborough County Commission. Public meetings are being held to allow citizens to share their comments and concerns about the new boundaries.

Commissioner Les Miller, Jr., who represents District 3, is calling on any citizens who are concerned about the redistricting to attend the meetings to air their concerns and have their questions answered.

The second Redistricting Public Hearing will take place Thursday (today) in the County Commission Board Room, beginning at 6 p.m. The final meeting, at which time the redistricting map will be adopted, will take place on Monday, June 20th, beginning at 6 p.m.

Anyone interested in reviewing copies of proposed maps and other redistricting materials can visit  http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/redistricting.[private]

“I want to hear from anyone with a concern about the future of District 3 to let me know about your concerns. This is not about Les Miller, Jr., it is about the future of the District.

“My main concern is that we don’t have any more of a regression in District 3 than we have right now. We currently have 39% to 40%, and I’m not supporting any maps that take away from that percentage.

“I’ve seen only 7 maps so far and I’m sure there will be many others before the final adoption at the June 20th meeting. Four of those were drawn by the staff and I can’t support any of them because they divide Progress Village. But I’m not making any decision until I see all of the maps.[/private]

BY LEON B. CREWS
Sentinel Staff Writer

Healing and Deliverance Temple II in association with MB Promotions will be presenting “Youth Blast 2011,” August 20, 2011 at the Fair Oaks Park on 34th Street and Caracas Avenue. The event will be held from 1 a. m. until 4 p. m.

Healing And Deliverance Temple Pastor, Tony Woods and Marcus Brown of MB Promotions put their heads together to create the concept for this event.[private]

“We decided to do something to help ex-offenders and reach out to the youth at the same time,” said Pastor Woods. “We want to send the youth back to school with a purpose and we’re very passionate about that.”

Pastor Woods is a lifelong resident of East Tampa and grew up on 29th Street. He said it’s been very frustrating watching the decline of the area progress over the years.

“In 2004, my spirit told me I needed to do something about what was going on along 29th Street. I’ve been at Healing and Deliverance Temple for 5 years trying to give back to my community.”

Pastor Woods said part of the problem is as a community, the people think the justice system is supposed to solve all of their problems.

“We have got to start cleaning up our own mess. Words have to become action and we have to reach further than we have in the past.”

Brown said there is a huge cloud hanging over communities and the people must ban together to take action and reestablish the old values.

“There are a lot of unsung heroes in our community and we need to recognize them and call on them to join us.”

As far as Youth Blast 2011 is concerned, the event will feature 500 to 1,500 book bags with school supplies that will be given away. There will also be free food, games and entertainment. The entertainment will consist of poetry, gospel rap, praise dancers, inspirational speakers, comedy, R&B, and bands. Auditions for the event will be held from May 16, 2011 until July 30, 2011.

Marcus Brown will be a guest on the Michelle B. Patty/King Cobra Gospel Show this Sunday, 7 a. m., on WTMP 1150AM radio.[/private]

Tampa Police Detectives are investigating a double murder that occurred Sunday in the 3000 block of Van Buren Drive. The early morning home invasion left a teenage girl dead and her brother on life support. He died on Monday afternoon.

According to reports, Kiara Brito, 16, and her brother, Jeremi, 13, were  both shot. Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of $1,000 for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the unknown suspect(s) responsible for the crime.

Kiara was a student at Robinson High School and Jeremi a student at James Madison Middle school.

Charles Waits

Person Of Interest
Tampa Police Detectives have identified Charles Stephan Waits, 19, as a person of interest in this weekend’s double murder. Detectives believe that he has information directly related to the homicides. There is an active warrant for his arrest for possession of cocaine.

Anyone with information about the person of interest is asked to call Tampa Police at (813) 231-6130.[private]

Several neighbors told police they heard gunshots at 5:55 a. m. and called 9-1-1. Officer found Kiara dead at the scene. Her brother, Jeremi, was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. The pair were the only ones at home at the time of the shooting. Detectives determined this was not a random act of violent act and it appears the home was targeted.

Police spokesperson, Laura McElroy, said there were two locations where shots were fired; inside the home where the children were killed, and down the street at the corner of Van Buren and MacDill.

“As a result, leads have been developed connecting those two locations. As far as the mother is concerned, she was not at home at the time of the shooting, and is cooperating with police.”

McElroy said police have been called to the residence before, but she would not disclose the nature of those visits. She also said detectives aren’t releasing a motive for the shootings at this time as they are continuing a very complex investigation.

Kiara was a student at Robinson High School and Jeremi a student at James Madison Middle school.[/private]

BY TAMECA JOHNSON
Freelance Writer

Situations can turn on a dime.  No one knows that better than Larry Wood, a real estate investor who took advantage of the buying boom several years ago, only to lose all of his properties, including his primary residence, to foreclosure.  He had no idea $30 would help turn his life around.

Larry Wood

Wood, like hundreds of others, bought a $30 ticket to attend Kenny Rushing’s Buy American Real Estate Tour May 6-8 at the InterContinental Hotel on Kennedy Boulevard.  The three-day event gave attendees the opportunity to hear from some of the nation’s best in the real estate business.[private]

Speakers included former Tampa mayor Dick Greco, real estate and business mogul Bob Gries, Rev. Willie Dixon and Rushing, a well known Bay Area real estate investor.  Those men and two dozen other experts gave in-depth tips on the best ways to profit in today’s market.

“I was expecting to go there and try to get information from all these people who managed to succeed when everyone else was failing,” says Wood. “Just meeting the right person can change your life.”

Wood’s life was indeed changed, in ways he never imagined.

On the final evening of the seminar, Rushing held a drawing.  The person whose number was pulled was guaranteed to win a move-in ready home, free and clear.  Wood thought his chances were slim, after all, he says, “I’ve never really won anything.”   There’s always a first time. Wood’s number was called.   “I was just elated. I could not believe it!  I just started jumping up and down and shouting for joy.”

Wood plans to take full advantage of this break he’s been given.  He will use the property as a rental to generate more take-home income.[/private]

Last Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, in conjunction with several others filed a lawsuit to block the implementation of new voting rules. The lawsuit calls for the law to be reviewed and examined by the U. S. Department of Justice.

The Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include State Senate Democratic Leader Pro Tempore Arthenia Joyner, State Representative Janet Cruz, former Senator Helen Gordon Davis, Project Vote, (a national nonpartisan organization based in Washington, D. C.), and other registered voters in Collier and Monroe Counties. It was filed in Miami and seeks review by a panel of three judges.

The suit does not address the merits of the law or whether the changes in the law should be approved by the Department of Justice.

The federal suit was filed in the Southern District of Florida in Miami and seeks review by a three judge panel. The lawsuit seeks to block the implementation of the law in all 67 Florida Counties.[private]

This is not the first time that Senator Joyner has taken action to prevent the governor from implementing policy she felt was not in the best interest of the citizens.

In March, Senate Democratic Leader Pro Tempore Arthenia Joyner and Senator Thad Altman (R-Melbourne) filed a petition with the Supreme Court in a legislative attempt to stop Governor Scott from rejecting federal funding for the High Speed Rail System.

Laughlin McDonald, Voting Rights Project Director of the ACLU said, “We believe the laws, rules and related cases are clear – Florida cannot implement the new law anywhere in the state until the Justice Department conducts a review or until the D. C. federal court approves the changes. That review is needed and until it happens, we’re asking the court to stop this law from moving forward.”

He further said, “Application of new election laws are contingent upon preclearance by the Justice Department, and the effective date of any such laws are delayed until such preclearance is obtained.”

Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida said, “This rushed law is a trifecta of voter suppression – making it harder for you to register to vote, harder to vote and harder to have your vote counted.

“This new massive law has nothing to do with improving elections and everything to do with who will get to vote in 2012 and we’re ready to have that conversation with the Department of Justice.”

Among the problem areas with the law that could raise concerns are a reduction in the days of early voting, ending a provision allowing a voter to change their address between counties on Election Day and vote by regular instead of provisional ballot.

The group also echoed concerns over new rules and fines which would limit the ability of third party groups to conduct independent efforts to register new voters.

Ms. Estelle Rogers, Director of Advocacy for Project Vote said, “As Project Vote well knows, voter registration drives have been indispensable in expanding the Florida electorate, particularly to low-income people and racial minorities.

“HB 1355, with its onerous rules and stiff penalties, makes it too risky for most groups — like civic organizations and church groups — to run a drive in Florida and thousands of eligible voters will be left out as a result.”

Ms. Rogers further stated, “It’s bad enough that Florida’s legislature passed this bill and the Governor signed it. Now they want to enforce it even before it can legally go into effect.”[/private]

If you were growing up in the Hyde Park and West Tampa communities during the 1960s, you know Mrs. Nell Pugh. Mrs. Pugh represented the type of woman that is missing from many communities today; a neighborhood mom who everyone respected and listened to.

Last Wednesday, Mrs. Pugh passed away after a long battle with diabetes and other ailments. She was 77.

The family has asked Ray Williams Funeral Home to assist them with arrangements.[private]

With eight children of her own, Mrs. Pugh was still capable of gaining the respect of other children in the community.

The Grove Hill, Alabama native came to Tampa in 1955 with three children and pregnant with a fourth. She worked as a supervisor at the Holiday Inn until her retirement.

One West Tampa resident recalls Mrs. Pugh and how everyone was drawn to her and her house.

“We lived a block over, and most of the boys were drawn to her house because of her lovely daughters,” said Bernard Jones.

“She was a task master, and you definitely had to deal with her before you could even speak to any of her girls.”

Jones said what he admired the most about Mrs. Pugh was her toughness and humility.

“She was a very humble woman. She would smile all the time, and never had a bad word to say about anyone. She was everyone’s mother, not just for her children.”[/private]

Tampa Police are investigating the early Wednesday morning shooting death of a 39-year-old man.

According to police, a homeowner at 4504 North 36th Street called 9-1-1 after he reportedly found Charles Daniels, Jr. dead in the driveway of his home. The homeowner told police he found Daniels when he returned to his home around 3 a. m.

According to Henry “Hollywood” Thomas, the victim’s cousin, Daniels was born in Marianna, Florida and adopted by his mother at the age of 4.

Thomas said Daniels really enjoyed sports, traveling and just hanging out with his friends. They both were athletes, and Daniels played football in high school.

Daniels had three daughters, a son, and a grandchild.[private]“He witnessed his mother’s murder, and that’s when my mom decided to adopt him and bring him to Tampa. His sister was also murdered, and those events left him with some deep psychological scars.

“Charles and I grew up in the Boys and Girls Club in Ybor City and we both attended New Friendship M. B. Church.”

Thomas said his cousin was a 1991 graduate of Tampa Bay Vo-Tech, and worked an array of odd jobs after graduating. He described Daniels as a “family man.”

“It’s sad that he was killed in the same neighborhood we grew up in,” said Thomas.

“I saw him last week, but he’d stop by my mom’s house every day.”

Of his cousin’s murder, Thomas said he knows Daniels stopped by the house where he was found shot to death, and that his car was still running when police arrived.

“When I got to the scene, I saw bullet holes in my cousin’s car and a car that belonged to the homeowner. Charles was found lying between two parked cars in the driveway of the home.”

Thomas said his cousins’ biological father, Charles Daniels, Sr., arrived in town Wednesday, and they have planned a service for his cousin this Saturday, 11 a. m. in the chapel at Aikens Funeral Home.

Police spokesperson, Laura McElroy, said they still haven’t determined if Daniels knew anyone at the residence where he was found.

“We still have a lot of unanswered questions. Detectives are conducting numerous interviews.”

Thomas said neighbors heard gunshots sometime between 1:30 a. m. and 2 a. m., but no one called police.[/private]

As the Sentinel went to press, we learned that Ms. Lee had accepted a severance package and ending her employment with Hillsborough County.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

On Thursday morning, members of the Hillsborough County Board of Commission agreed to negotiate a severance package for the County Attorney.  The decision came about after a luncheon with former Commissioner Kevin White became a point of contention.

Several Commissioners stated they had lost trust in Attorney Renee Lee. Calling the luncheon a “flagrant neglect of duty,” Commissioner Mark Sharpe led the charge for termination. He made a motion that she be terminate her with cause. However, he was unable to enlist any support for a second.

Commissioner Ken Hagan also echoed a loss in trust and made a motion to negotiate the ending of her contract.

Commissioner Victor Crist pointed out that the issue of money was not the only concern. “We have a lot of issues to focus on. … We must take into consideration that this can be challenged. … The media is not a courtroom and it is not the best source of facts.”

Commission Chairman Al Higginbotham, along with Attorney Rich McCrea, who is representing the County, and Attorney Bob McKee, who is representing Ms. Lee, retired to negotiate the amount of money Ms. Lee will receive upon ending her contract.

Commissioner Victor Crist pointed out that the issue of money was not the only concern. “We have a lot of issues to focus on. … We must take into consideration that this can be challenged. … The media is not a courtroom and it is not the best source of facts.”

Included in the negotiations are the legal fees Attorney Lee incurred during the infamous FDLE probe Commissioner Kevin Beckner spearheaded last year. He stated that the most recent incident, coupled with the FDLE report, should be enough to warrant termination with cause. [private]Commissioner Hagan said, “It is quite clear to me that Kevin White set Ms. Lee up, and is trying to do whatever he can to strengthen his case. The problem is this is not an isolated incident. … But I do not believe it is a slam dunk.”

Attorney Lee said, “Let me assure you that I have not compromised my ethics or the lawsuit. … In all fairness, this requires more than accusations. …
“… After the story was reported as a cozy lunch and that we were all alone in La Gaceta, I was angry. I called Kevin and demanded that he get the story straight. … Looking back, Kevin just wanted to discredit me,” she said.

Attorney Lee further apologized for the miscommunication earlier and admitted the luncheon was planned. Accepting her fate, she said, “I work at the pleasure of the board. Relationships come to an end and we may be there today.”

Attorney Lee requested that if her contract was to be terminated, then she wanted it done respectfully and swiftly.

After listening to Attorney Lee’s account, Commissioner Les Miller, Jr., said, “She has explained that she has made a mistake. If there is one of us here who has not sinned or made a mistake, throw the first stone.”

Attorney Bob McKee stated that if the board voted to terminate Ms. Lee with cause, then there would be future litigation. He also pointed out that if litigation took place, the County would have to use Kevin White as their witness.

Ms. Lee accepted a severance package valued at $298,703.16, which included accrued vacation, sick time, and other benefits. Her tenure with the County ended 1 p.m., Thursday.[/private]