Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 10-13-15 Edition

Features
Clergyman Launches Formal Campaign Kickoff
The Reverend Dr. Thomas Scott will kick off his campaign for the Hillsbor- ough County Commission Dis- trict 6 seat. Dr. Scott will officially kick off his campaign on Tuesday, October 13th, at 5:30 p.m., at the Columbia Restaurant Museum. 2117 E. 7th Avenue.
“I believe the citizens of Hillsborough County deserve elected leadership who hear, understand and address their needs.
“I have a proven track record of effecting change and
REV. DR. THOMAS SCOTT
am truly looking forward to the opportunity of serving resi- dents again in this capacity,” Dr. Scott said.
He brings to his campaign,
years of experience in local politics, having previously served as a Hillsborough County Commissioner from 1996 to 2006, three times holding the position of chair- man. He also served on the Tampa City Council from 2007 to 2011. This includes three terms as chairman.
In 2015, Governor Rick Scott appointed Dr. Scott to serve on the State of Florida Elections Commission. Dr. Scott is considered one of the most respected public officials in Hillsborough County.
Charter Review Board Passes Two Vital Resolutions
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
On last Tuesday, the Hillsborough County Charter Review Board met, and at the close of their meeting, two vital resolutions were passed.
Charter Review Board member, Gerald White, said no one wanted to ad- dress the pending issues of term limits for County Com- missioners or a revolving Chair.
“I was pleased that a res- olution passed for all county appointees to receive annual ethics training. The resolu- tion will now go before the Commissioners to enact through a policy change, and I’m confident it will get done.
“So many people are com- ing into office now, and with so much money being in- volved, I thought this kind of training was appropriate.”
White said a resolution passed to enact an affirma-
GERALD WHITE
tive action plan for the county charter as it pertains to discrimination on human rights.
“Currently, there is no language in the charter to ad- dress this. This Human rights Ordinance will be a referendum on the 2016 bal- lot after it’s going through a pair of public hearings.
“The referendum will specifically address discrimi- nation protection based on a person’s sexual orientation.”
Community Meetings Planned To Discuss Redevelopment Of N. Blvd. Homes Area
The Tampa Housing Au- thority and the City of Tampa will host two meetings per- taining to the development of a portion of the Hillsborough River.
Both meetings will take place at the MLK Community Center, 2200 N. Rome Avenue, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 13th,
and the second meeting will take place on Tues- day, October 27th.
The purpose of the meet- ings is to provide the commu- nity with an update on plans for the development of West River (that portion of West Tampa from Rome Avenue east, to the Hillsborough River, and from Columbus Drive, south, to I-275).
Members of the commu-
nity are asked to attend the meetings and share their input on the updates to the Master Plan and to discuss implementation status.
The West River team will solicit feedback on plan modi- fications made over the last year to create a more urban neighborhood and better posi- tion the plan for competitive funding pursuits, beginning in early 2016.
Correction
In Friday’s Sentinel, it was incorrectly stated that Ms. Theresa Manuel was a gold medalist.
Ms. Manuel, 89, was the first African American woman from Florida to compete in the 1948 Olympics. However, she did not win a gold medal.
We apologize for any inconvenience the error may have caused Ms. Manuel.
Committee Finalizing Plans For Annual NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Members of the Hillsbor- ough County Branch NAACP 2015 Freedom Fund Banquet are currently finalizing plans for this year’s fundraiser. The event is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year.
This year, the event will take place on Friday, October 30th, at the Embassy Suites Hotel on Spectrum Blvd. The dinner will begin at 7 p.m. The theme for this year is “Pursu- ing Liberty in the Face of Injustice.”
Dr. Bennie Small, Hills- borough County NAACP Branch President will serve as the Banquet Chairman.
The keynote speaker for the banquet is businessman, Simeon O. Terry, Vice Pres- ident of Corporate Director of Diversity Affairs for Austin Commercial, L. P., of Dallas, Texas.
He has been in the con- struction and risk manage- ment industry for 27 years.
He began his career in Di- versity and inclusion in March 2000 when he was hired by Austin Commercial as the M/WBE Program Administra- tor to oversee the M/WBE pro- gram for the construction of DFW International Airport Terminal D expansion.
Since his promotion to Vice President of Diversity Affairs, his department oversees the day-to-day operations of both internal and external diversity
SIMEON O. TERRY
... To deliver keynote address
and inclusion initiatives as well as business development, pro- curement processes, as well as supporting all operational de- partments within Austin’s multibillion dollar company.
Terry is a native of Clarksville, Virginia and grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Kansas State University where he earned a B. S. Degree in Indus- trial & Safety Engineering and an M. B. A. in Finance.
Terry is a Life Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and is an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the National Black MBA Association.
The Honorary Co-Chair- persons for the banquet are Ms. Machelle Maner, Vice President, Community Devel- opment for Wells Fargo Bank, and Jerome Ryans, Presi- dent and CEO of the Tampa Housing Authority.
This year, the organization will honor the following indi-
DR. BENNIE SMALL President, Hillsborough County Branch NAACP
viduals: Living Legend Award recipient: Attorney Jeraldine Williams Smith. The Unsung Hero Award recipients are: Mrs. Renee Panko, Hillsborough County Public Defender Julianne Holt, and Tampa Fire Chief Tom Forward.
Ms. Lou Ann Washing- ton and Robert Cole, Sr., were chosen as recipients of the Living Bridges Awards.
The 2015 Freedom Fund Dinner Committee members are: Dr. Bennie Small, Chairperson; Natasha Good- ley, Joseph Robinson, Pat Spencer, Maurice Jack- son, Ella Coffee, Yvette Lewis, Norene Miller, James Cole, and Darrell Richardson.
For more information con- tact the Hillsborough County Branch NAACP at (813) 234- 8683 or visit the website at www.hillsboroughnaacp.org.
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2015