Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 1-1-19

Local
Police Warn Against Celebratory Gunfire
BRIAN DUGAN Tampa Police Chief
CHAD CHRONISTER Hillsborough County Sheriff
CeCe Peniston Has Been Added To The Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival’s Lineup Of Entertainment
CeCe PENISTON ...Added to the lineup of entertainment
The 19th Annual Celebration Is Being Held January 10-20, 2019
The Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival has added CeCe Peniston to their elite group of headliners for the 19th Annual Festival, which will be held January 10-20, 2019. The list in- cludes a variety of family- friendly, arts, cultural, and musical events with some- thing for everyone, all while continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The highlight of the Fes- tival will be the electrifying 2-Day Music Fest taking place at Curtis Hixon Water- front Park (600 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa) the weekend of January 19-20. The Music
THE STOMPDOWN ...New to the Festival
Fest will feature national recording artists Midnight Star, with hits from the 80s to the early 2000s such as “No Parking on the Dance Floor,” “Curious,” “Freak- AZoid.” Adding to the excite- ment will be CeCe Peniston with Hot Dance Music hits like, “Finally” and “Keep on Walkin” for Satur- day, along with R&B/Jazz musical sensations Rick Braun and Richard El- liot, also known as RNR on Sunday, unleashing tunes from the early 90s to the present like “Shake It Up,” “Sao Paulo,” and “Down and Dirty” to name a few.
For more information
visit www.tampablackher- itage.org. “Early Bird” ad- mission is – $10 per person FOR BOTH DAYS. There is a discount fee of $7 per per- son for groups of 5 or more. Children 12 and under are FREE. Early Bird Ticket Sales end on January 17, 2019. The on-site fee for ad- mission is $10 per person, per day.
The 5K Run/Walk will also have an option this year for participants to choose ei- ther the 5K or a fun, family fitness boot camp, led by fit- ness guru, Chinyere Sam. The boot camp is perfect for all fitness levels and ages to participate in the festival.
In addition to the Music Fest, 5K Run/Walk and Fit- ness Bootcamp, other signa- ture events for the festival include: the Leadership Luncheon; Youth Day; Fi- nancial Seminar Luncheon; University Lecture Series; and the Heritage Gala, fea- turing entertainment by Joyce Irby and Klymaxx.
New editions to the Fes- tival include The Stomp- down, dance competition, Technology Village compet- itive gaming competition, and College and Career Con- versations. Pre-registration and advance tickets for the Festival’s events can be com- pleted on the official Tampa Bay Black Heritage website (www.tampablackheritage.o rg).
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On two holidays in the cal- endar year, residents cele- brate the occasion by fireworks displays. In the past, residents have fired gun- shots into the air in honor of the 4th of July and on New Year’s Day.
However, each year, police find evidence of the dangers of the practice of shooting into the air. When the projectiles fall back to earth either an in- nocent person is injured or someone suffers property damage.
Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan and Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff Chad Chronister agree that the practice of shooting into the air is not only dangerous, but it is illegal as well.
The Tampa Police Depart- ment has released a public service announcement send- ing a strong message to those thinking about bringing in the New Year with a gun. The message is fact-based and re- flects on tragic injuries or death that can be caused by celebratory gunfire.
“Celebratory gunfire any- where is unacceptable and against the law. We want everyone to have a safe, enjoy-
able New Year’s without the fear that their life or someone else’s may be cut short by a falling bullet,” Chief Dugan said.
The Tampa Police Depart- ment will also have an in- creased police presence throughout the city to further deter instances of celebratory gunfire during peak hours on New Year’s Eve.
Sheriff Chronister said, “Celebratory gunfire remains a serious problem in many communities, particularly on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Sadly, it often has tragic results when innocent people are hit by the bullets and injured or killed.”
He further said the reality is that bullets discharged from a gun, even into the sky, must land somewhere, and when it does, there is significant risk of injury or death.
As a result of the serious- ness of the situation, law en- forcement remains committed to a policy of zero tolerance of illegal gun use.
Sheriff Chronister said “Our mission is to protect the quality of life for all residents throughout our community by creating an environment that enhances safety and security.
“It’s not okay. It’s a crime.”
PAGE 4 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2019