Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 1-4-18

2018 In Review
JANUARY
On Saturday, December 30th, Coach Isadore Regi- nald “Billy” Reed died after a lengthy illness at Tampa Lakes Rehabilitation Center. He had celebrated his 86th birthday on December 10th.
Coach Reed was a local educator and sports icon who became one of the founders of the Belmont Heights Little League Baseball Program in 1968.
Tampa Community Organ- izations and Leaders organ- ized an initiative to advocate for the Hillsborough County School Board to name a school in honor of former educator and community pioneer, Mr. Robert R. Scott.
Mr. Scott, a Tampa na- tive, graduated from Middle- ton Senior High School before continuing his education at Bethune-Cookman College, now Bethune-Cookman Uni- versity. He served in the U. S. Army, and had multiple suc- cessful careers, including a po- lice officer, an educator at
Young Jr. High School and Meacham Elementary School, and a Salesman with MetLife Insurance Company.
In October 2017, the com- munity learned that the Florida Department of Educa- tion gave the Hillsborough County Public School District a directive to improve seven failing schools. Officials were given three options.
Ralph Smith, Executive Director of Computer Men- tors, Inc., launched a cam- paign to provide assistance to 7 schools. The seven schools designated for improvement are: Foster Elementary, Mort Elementary, Oak Park Ele- mentary, Potter Elementary, Sheehy Elementary, B. T. Washington Elementary Schools and Memorial Middle School.
Robert and Michelle Faedo became the first to open a business, Michelle Faedo’s Tampeno Cuisine, 1218 Ray Charles Blvd., in the newly opened housing com- plex known as The Ella at En- core!
Ms. Tiffany Walker, 46,
died in a house fire. Her
friend, Ms. Natasha Williams, was seriously in- jured in the fire. It took place at 2211 E. 28th Avenue.
Residents attended a Fi- nancial Literacy Workshop. The workshop took place at the NFL YET Center, 3310 E. Lake Avenue. It was part of 4th Annual MLK Day of Service.
The East Tampa Business & Civic Association hosted its 8th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Festival. The event took place at the Belmont Heights Little League Park, 2101 E. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
A Tampa native, Ms. An- gela Shannon is the author of “Singing the Bones To- gether,” which was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. She was a participant in the program, “Poetry At The Dali,” in St. Petersburg.
Members of the commu- nity gathered for the Inaugu- ration of the Seventh President of the Florida State Primitive Baptist Convention. The Inauguration Ceremony was held at the Bayfront Hilton Hotel, 333 1st Street, South, St. Petersburg, FL.
Dr. Willie Junior Williams led the organiza- tion as its newly elected presi- dent. Elder Kenneth Washington, First Vice Pres- ident, presided.
The Tampa Bay Ataxia Group (TBAG) hosted their “60 for 60 Walk n’ Roll To Cure Ataxia.” Ms. Darlene Harris is President of the Tampa Bay Ataxia Group. The theme for the walk was, “The Ultimate Finish Line ... A Cure For Ataxia.”
Dr. Vondalyn Craw- ford, PharmD, opened a new pharmacy with an old concept. The pharmacy is located at 1702 N. 50th St., Tampa (33619).
The CDC of Tampa, Inc., hosted their Fifth Annual “Suit Up & Show Up” Ini- tiative. The event took place at
the Hillsborough Community College Campus, Student Services Building, 1320 E. Palm Avenue. The theme for the event was “New Dreams ... New Leaders.”
Ernest Coney, Jr., is President and CEO of the CDC of Tampa, Inc.
Tampa native and Howard W. Blake High School and FAMU graduate, Bernard ‘BK’ Jackson, who was on a short break from the Parking Lot Symphony world tour with Trombone Shorty and Or- leans Avenue, hosted the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival.
Ms. Dianne Hart an- nounced plans to run for the Florida House 61 Seat. The po- sition was being vacated by State Rep. Sean Shaw, who announced plans to run for the Florida Attorney General’s Of- fice. Current Attorney Gen- eral Pam Bondi must vacate the seat due to term limits.
On January 11th, Mrs. Nelly Theodate celebrated her 100th birthday, surrounded by the children she had given birth to as well as several oth-
ers who she adopted. T h e birthday celebration was held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Carrollwood.
Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner issued a certifi- cate of ballot position for the Voter Restoration Amend- ment. It is a Constitutional Amendment proposed for the November 2018 General Elec- tion. The grassroots petition drive was designed to give ap- proximately 1.5 million con- victed felons the right to cast ballots during elections.
Several attempts had been made to get the issue on the ballot so that voters can decide if convicted felons can vote.
The Hillsborough County School Board voted unani- mously to rename a school. The Board decided 6-0 that the new school bear the name of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History.”
Woodson Pre-K-8 came into existence with the merger between Cahoon Elementary School and Van Buren Middle School. The schools were com- bined to better serve the needs of students in the North Tampa Rowlett Park neigh- borhoods. Mr. Ovette Wil- son will serve as its Principal.
One of the floats in the Gasparilla Parade made its in- augural appearance, repre- senting the first Black business and the first jazz float --- com- plete with celebrities. The list of celebrities included: Quin- ton Aaron, who starred in Blindside with Sandra Bul- lock, Full Force Brothers, Comedian Rod-Z, National Recording Jazz Artists Mar- cus Anderson and Dee Lucas, Nate Mitchell, and local greats Kyle Schroeder, Joe Daymond, Jeff Williams, Justino Lee Walker, and Timothy Han- cock.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019