Page 5 - Florida Sentinel 3-31-20

Editorial/Columns
FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN
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GWEN HAYES, EDITOR
IRIS HOLTON, CITY EDITOR
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Local
Pastor Cited For Violation Of Separation Order
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
A local pastor who has deliberately defied the social distancing order will be ar- rested. He is expected to sur- render to police.
Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne, pastor of The River at Tampa Bay Church, held two services on Sunday after he had been warned by Hillsborough County law enforcement.
In a news conference on Monday, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced that Pastor Howard-Browne will be charged with two mis- demeanors, unlawful assem- bly and violation of public health rules during an emer- gency.
Sheriff Chronister
said, “Our department went to the church and attempted
CHAD CHRONISTER Hillsborough County Sheriff
to educate them and explain why they were in violation. Pastor Howard-Browne did not meet with us, but his staff and attorneys did.
“His reckless disregard has put hundreds of people in danger. His church is for- tunate in that they have the technology to stream live for his congregation of more than 4,000 people.
“He encouraged people to come and sent buses to bring people to the church. Not only did he violate the order, but he held two services on Sunday.”
Sheriff Chronister said he met with Andrew War- ren, Hillsborough County State Attorney, to discuss the case. Attorney Warren joined Sheriff Chronister at the press conference.
PASTOR RODNEY HOWARD-BROWNE
POSTMASTER: Send Address Change To: Florida Sentinel Bulletin,
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C. Blythe Andrews 1901-1977 (1945)
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. 1930-2010 (1977)
Too Much Power
he Florida GOP-led Legislature has made a habit
of passing bills that overturn Florida’s citizen-led initiatives for Constitutional Amendments, and is try- ing to make it harder for citizen-led initiatives to get on the ballot. Moreover, they are also preventing City Councils and County Commissions from enacting or- dinances they don’t like.
What happened to the Constitutional guarantee of “For the People, By the People and Of the People,” and home rule? Moreover, why would voters vote for any legislator who supports sabotaging the will of the peo- ple?
Among a list of eighteen “preemptive bills” that re- peal citizen-led Constitutional Amendments and city or county ordinances that the Florida Legislatures have undone, or is trying to undo are the following: The Penny Sales tax for transportation to improve roads and streets in Hillsborough County; Amend- ment Four to give ex-felons the right to vote; the City of Tampa’s tree ordinance regulating the removal, re- planting, trimming of a tree on private property; blocked passage of ordinances by Ft. Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, and few other municipalities that ban the use of plastic straws; and blocked local governments from exceeding the State’s “requirements for paid sick leave and minimum wage.”
Florida Legislators also blocked local governments from regulating bee keepers, drones, ownership of dangerous animals, disposal of bio-waste, smoking in public places; prevented local governments from passing firearms ordinances that are opposed by the NRA, and prevent local regulation of motorized scoot- ers, vacation rentals, red-light cameras, fertilizers, and business licenses.
Indeed, we have gotten to the point where State elected officials act like the people who elected them don’t have good sense. If we send them back to Talla- hassee again, then they are right and we deserve ex- actly what we get.
THA Notifies Tenants And Landlords That Routine Business Operations Are Suspensed Until Further Notice
Executive and Designated Essential Staff Remain Available in Event
of Emergency
At the center of The Tampa Housing Authority’s (THA) purpose is its commit- ment to help families and communities. In the face of COVID-19, THA has long recognized that it must strike a reasonable balance be- tween protecting everyone’s health and providing the es- sential services that tenants and other clients need every day.
Now, in compliance with the “Safer in Home” Order enacted by the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group on Friday, March 27, 2020, THA will implement Stage 3 of its Business Plan. To that end, it is implement- ing services in the following manner:
All Offices are closed indefinitely to Staff, ef-
fective Friday, March 27, 2020. (Previously, the of- fices had been closed to the public.) These closures ex- tend to all staff and all facili- ties under THA management.
Executive and Staff designated as essential will be telecommuting and available in an emer- gency. This will ensure rapid response in the event of an emergency and ensure 24- hour availability as needed. Those contact numbers and emails may be accessed at www.thafl.com.
Additional online service and information will remain available, as well.
For updates on Section 8, vendors, owners and appli- cants should log on at: https://portal.thafl.comld efault.aspx.
For families paying rent and/or seeking recertifica- tion, log on at http://tampa- housing.thafl.com/.
Residents may obtain a registration code by email- ing rentcafe@thafl.com.
THA'S PUBLIC HOUS- ING AND SECTION 8 WAITING LISTS ARE BOTH CLOSED AT THIS TIME. THA IS, HOWEVER, CONTINUING TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS.
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