Page 2 - 6-23-15 Tuesday's Edition

Features
Bicyclist, 16, Killed In
Community To Host Prayer Vigil For Charleston Church
Traffic Accident
A 16-year-old Tampa teenager died Saturday after being struck on a bicycle. The accident occurred at the in- tersection of E. Chelsea Av- enue and N. 48th Street.
According to the Tampa Police Department, Darius Jamal Evans died at the
scene. The driver of the vehi- cle that struck Evans was not identified.
According to the Hillsbo- rough County Medical Exam- iner’s Office, no funeral home had contacted them to arrange funeral services for Evans at press time.
Kidney Failure Survivor Remembers Being ‘Daddy’s Girl’
REV. DEPAYNE MIDDLETON-DOCTOR ... killed in church shooting
REV. CLEMENTA C. PINCKNEY
... killed in church shooting
DYLANN ROOF
... charged with 9 counts of first-degree murder
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Margie McMillan Bell- ware said her mother will al- ways be her best friend. But when it comes to her father, John McMillan, she’s al- ways been “daddy’s girl.”
“My mother is responsi- ble for being the person I am today. My dad was a hands on dad with a great sense of humor and lots of patience.
“I can remember when he took me to school for the very first time and was very un- derstanding when I grabbed his leg and held on begging him not to leave me with these people. They were nuns in full habit.”
Ms. Bellware said her father allowed her to u se him as her guinea pig when she cooked by tasting sam- ples first.
“He taught me how to
MARGIE BELLWARE
drive, and he told a kid neighbor who didn’t believe I was driving, “I tried to teach Margie how to drive, but she runs the red lights and stop signs,” and then he smiled.
“My dad didn’t succumb to kidney failure, but he did have one of the major con- tributors that leads to kidney failure and that is high blood pressure. It is very important that everyone is aware of what their normal blood pressure is and monitor it. Also, go see a doctor.”
COALITION OF CLERGY
Members of the Coalition of Clergy shown in this photograph from left to right on the front row are:
Ronald Williams, Rev. Dr. Thomas Scott, Jeffery A. Johnson, and Dr. David Green. Shown on the second row are: Dr. Elder Joseph Sykes, Rev. Paul Buster, Elder A. D. Shaw, pastor of Shekinah and Dr. Charles Cody. (Photography by BRUNSON).
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Tuesday, June 23rd, at 7 p. m., members of the com- munity will come together at Allen Temple A. M. E. Church, 2101 E. Lowe Street. The purpose of the gathering is a prayer vigil for the vic- tims of the tragic shooting at Emmanuel A. M. E. Church, in Charleston, South Car- olina last week.
Rev. Dr. Thomas Scott, Chairman of Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy said, “All of us are touched by the senseless violence that re- cently took the lives of 9 pre- cious brothers and sisters in the faith. Our thoughts and prayers are with Emmanuel A. M. E. Church, in Charleston, SC.
“One of the ways that we can defeat the senselessness of acts like these is to defy their hope and not allow fear to run our lives,” Rev. Dr. Scott said.
He further stated that the Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy will have a prayer vigil. There will also be a spe- cial offering collection for the “Mother Emmanuel Hope Fund.”
Rev. Dr. Scott further said The Tampa Bay Coali- tion of Clergy is joining with the Tampa District AME Church to host the event. The event is open to the public.
Rev. Dr. Scott said, “One of my members is from Charleston and I attended
the member’s father’s funeral a few years ago. I was shocked when I learned that is where the shooting took place.”
Rev. Dr. David Greene, Sr., pastor of Allen Temple A. M. E. Church is host of the prayer vigil.
Rev. Dr. Greene said, “All of the AME churches in the Tampa Bay Area and the faith community are invited to attend this vigil. It is open to anyone who wants to at- tend.”
He further said, “I will at- tend the funeral of Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, pastor of Emmanuel A. M. E. Church. His funeral will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday.”
In addition to serving as the Senior Pastor of the church, Rev. Pinckney, 41, was also a State Senator.
Attheageof23,hewas elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1996. Four years later, at the age of 27, in 2000, he was elected to the State Senate.
He is one of the youngest persons and the youngest African American in South Carolina to be elected to the State Legislature.
He is survived by his wife, two children, and other fam- ily members.
Last Saturday, a special Candlelight Vigil was held in memory of Rev. Depayne Middleton. Rev. Middle- ton was also killed in the shooting.
Ms. Norene Copeland
Miller said, Springfield Col- lege has a satellite campus in Charleston and Rev. Mid- dleton was a Board Member of Springfield College. “We have an advisory board on both campus and she was an advisory board member.”
Her family released a statement that read in part, “Our loved one, Rev. De- payne Middleton, was among those killed. Ever since her death was con- firmed, our family has been met with unspeakable pain and grief. Our hearts are troubled, but our faith re- mains steadfast, trusting and believing in God’s power to mend our broken hearts...
“We call on all people, public officials, faith leaders and Americans from all walks of life to help address the festering sores of racism as it spurs an unforgiving cul- ture of violence. This is a big task that may become more manageable if we work to- gether and if all people see the attack in Charleston as an attack on their own families and loved ones.”
Rev. Middleton, 49, is survived by four daughters and other family members.
Police quickly identified Dylann Storm Roof, 21, of Lexington, South Carolina, as the gunman. A tip led to his arrest Thursday afternoon in Shelby, North Carolina.
He reportedly confessed to the slayings and is cur- rently in jail under a suicide watch.
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015