Florida Sentinel Bulletin

A Tampa family devastated by the sudden loss of an infant, is in need of help with the burial. Ms. Shanita Close discovered her newborn daughter, Sariah, was not breathing last week.

Fire Rescue was called and later transported Sariah to St. Joseph’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead. She wasn’t a week old yet.

Her mother, Ms. Donna Diaz said the family has been trying to raise funds for a funeral service, and have received donations from some family members, and Tampa Police Officer Ricky Brown, who performed CPR on Sariah.

“We still need assistance with the funeral expenses,” said Ms. Diaz.

Anyone wishing to make a contribution can contact Ray Williams Funeral Home or the family at (813) 526-0072.

BY TAMECA JOHNSON
Freelance Writer

Case dismissed!  That’s the word this week from the Hillsborough County School District following the investigation of veteran Blake High School teacher, Jacquelyn Chaney-Wilson.

Blake’s Principal Jacqueline Haynes suspended Ms. Chaney-Wilson from the classroom in late January after an 18-year old student accused the teacher of spanking her.  A two-month investigation by the school district found no wrongdoing on Ms. Chaney-Wilson’s part.

However, Ms. Chaney-Wilson is not returning to class at Blake.  Ms. Chaney-Wilson now teaches math at North Tampa Alternative School.  She started Monday.

The Robles Park N-2-Deep Kickball team, and their coach, Willie Kirkland, had hoped this season would come without opposition from outside forces and intervention from law enforcement. But that was not the case when they held a practice game last week.

Tampa Police Captain, Roosevelt “Rocky” Ratliff, said his officers broke up last Sunday’s event because the team didn’t have a permit.

Asked about the teams needing a permit to play, City of Tampa Parks and Recreation spokesperson, Linda Carlo said that is one of the things that will be discussed during an upcoming meeting.

“Two weeks ago, Parks and Recreation called a meeting and it was determined at that time that a special event permit would be required of any team wanting to play kickball in a city park,” Ms. Carlo said.

On Monday afternoon, the Tampa Police Homicide detectives took a man into custody in connection with a shooting death Sunday evening. The shooting took place at the intersection of Kentucky and Florida Avenue.

According to police, a white 4-door Honda Accord, mid-90s model, pulled into the parking lot of a business at Kentucky Avenue and Florida Avenue. Police said a passenger in the Honda got out of the vehicle, walked to Michael Smith Ayuso’s (right) vehicle, and spoke to him in his car before shooting him several times.

Smith Ayuso, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooter then fled in the waiting Honda Accord.

On Monday afternoon, the Tampa Police Department charged the director of a daycare. The charge stems from a child being left in a van for several hours last week.

According to the Tampa Police Department, Ms. Sonja Anderson, 37, Director of the Children’s Adventure Center, 6501 N. Central Avenue, was arrested and charged with child neglect.

Ms. Laura McElroy, spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department said, the 3-year-old was the only child Ms. Anderson picked up around 8 a.m., last Thursday.

She allegedly reached the daycare center, but left the child strapped in a car seat and locked the doors of the van. The child was found in the vehicle and still strapped in the car seat around 11 a.m.

“She said she doesn’t remember what she did after she reached the daycare. But, she signed the log saying the van had been checked, and that’s falsifying records,” Ms. McElroy said.

Ms. Anderson was arrested after detectives conferred with the State Attorney’s Office.

Tampa Police detectives launched their investigating into the child left in a daycare van for several hours. This was the second time the same child had been left in a vehicle in less than a month.

Blake High School Senior Andre Smith held his head high as he exited the Lakeland Civic Center Friday afternoon. Coach Winston Davis and his Yellow Jackets had just lost a semi-final contest 68-52 to the “other” Yellow Jackets from Leesburg.

Blake’s magical season ended in front of 2,200 fans on Florida’s biggest stage at the FHSAA Boys Basketball Finals. It was a disappointing ending for a great season.

Yet, Smith managed a smile as a fan shook his hand and wished him well, as he heads for South Carolina’s Division I Winthrop University in the fall. He scored 16 points in his final game for Blake, while 6’3″ junior, Brandon Channer added 20 points.

Channer and 6’2″ defensive specialist Clarence Peterson return to Blake’s squad next year, which made it to the state tournament for the first time since the all-black state tournaments ended in the late 1960s. Blake closed in 1971 and reopened in 2007.

Tampa’s Yellow Jackets entered the tournament ranked #1 in Florida Class 4A , and took a 28-2 record into their matchup with Leesburg.

On Saturday, county officials, community leaders, and Progress Village Little League President, Tony Parker, were at the site of the new sports complex for a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The 120-acre Larry Sanders Progress Village Sports Complex, 5855 78th Street, includes four baseball diamonds, several batting cages, and two football fields, one of them with artificial turf.

Parker said he’s coached Little League baseball in Progress Village for 19 years.

BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

On Friday, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of Governor Rick Scott in the High Speed Rail case. The ruling means that the federal government will award the $2.4 billion for the rail system to another state.

The Justices ruled unanimously that Governor Scott could refuse the funding.

The lawsuit claimed that Governor Scott exceeded his constitutional authority and violated the separation of powers under the Florida Constitution.

Senator Thad Altman

“The Court has reviewed the petition, response, and reply, has heard oral argument, and has considered the factual allegations and legal arguments. Based on the limited record before the Court, and a review of the federal and state law relied on by the parties, the Court has determined that the petitioners have not clearly demonstrated entitlement to quo warranto, mandamus, or any other relief. Accordingly, the emergency petition is hereby denied,” the Justices stated in a one-page ruling.

On Thursday afternoon, at 3 p.m., the Florida Supreme Court heard arguments pertaining to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, filed by Senate Democratic Leader Pro Tempore Arthenia Joyner (right) (D-Tampa) and Senator Thad Altman, (R-Melbourne), asked the court to order Governor Scott to accept the funding from the federal government by the new deadline.

Two former Tampa Bay Buccaneer players were taken into custody in separate incidents. One was charged with driving under the influence and the other with battery.

According to police, on Thursday evening, Tampa Police responded to the 5200 block of W. Tyson and took Jerramy Ryan Stevens into custody.

Stevens, 31, was charged with 1 count of felony battery and 1 count of battery.

Stevens is a former tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was released from jail on a $2,500 bond.

Shelton Quarles

In an unrelated incident, Tampa Police reportedly observed a black Audi traveling at approximately 79 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone, without its headlights on.

The officers pulled the vehicle over on I-275 northbound at Ashley, and reportedly noticed the driver had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath.

His eyes were also bloodshot, police said.

The officers called a DUI unit and an investigation was conducted. The driver is alleged to have performed field sobriety exercises and allegedly showed additional evidence of impairment. When requested, he refused to submit to a breath test, police said.

The driver, identified as 39-year-old Shelton Quarles, was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Orient Road Jail. His bond was set at $500.

A former Pro Bowl linebacker, Quarles was recently promoted to Coordinator of Pro Scouting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.