Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 1-26-18

Local
Retired SMSgt. Odie Jones Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Voters To Decide Rights Restoration Issue In November
The Bay Area Brotherhood (BAB), a well- known non-profit veterans’ organization in Tampa, recently presented Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) USAF Retired Odie Jones, Jr. the Lifetime Achievement Award. He was recognized for “years of outstanding service.”
The presentation was at the 45th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King (MLK), Jr. Banquet held January 13, 2018 at the Surf’s Edge Club, MacDill Air Force Base (AFB), Florida. Taking part in the presentation was Calvin E. Doss, BAB President and City of St. Petersburg Po- lice Chief Anthony Holloway, who was the MLK Banquet Keynote Speaker.
The BAB is a private club of active duty and retired military personnel chartered to pro- mote brotherhood on MacDill AFB and in the Tampa Bay area. Its motto is “Helping Disad- vantaged Children.”
SMSgt. Jones joined the BAB in 1977 while stationed at MacDill AFB and went on to become one of its most devoted members. After helping to write the charter, he served several terms as Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President and President.
He also served as project officer for all the club’s annual events, including: Easter Egg Hunt, Spring Picnic, Project 100, Youth Ath- letics, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ban- quet. After retiring from the Air Force in 1984, Jones continued his leadership role in the BAB.
Jones not only re-designed the club em- blem, he designed the ceremonial flag. As the Club Historian, he became the architect of the first through fifth editions of the Member’s Handbook. He also organized and proposed standing Friendship and Membership Com-
mittees and subsequently became the first chairman of both. For years, he has served as the club’s primary writer.
Jones has received 2 Longevity Awards (15 years each) and 6 Member of the Year Awards from the BAB.
Calvin E. Doss is President, and Odie Jones, Jr., is the reporter.
BAB Pres. Calvin Doss, left, presents Lifetime Achievement Award to (Ret.) SMSgt. Odie Jones, Jr. (Jarrard Mack Flashefx Photography)
DESMOND MEADE Chairman of Floridians for Fair Democracy
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Tuesday, Florida Sec- retary of State Ken Det- zner issued a certificate of ballot position for the Voter Restoration Amendment. It is a Constitutional Amend- ment proposed for the No- vember 2018 Election.
The grassroots petition drive was designed to give approximately 1.5 million convicted felons the right to cast ballots during elections.
Several attempts have been made to get the issue on the ballot so that voters can decide if convicted felons can vote.
In order to get the Florida
Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative on the ballot in November, Floridians for Fair Democracy, who are spearheading the signature campaign, were required to obtain 766,200 valid signa- tures.
According to the release from Secretary Detzner, 799,278 signatures have been validated.
The effort to obtain the signatures was led by Desmond Meade, Chair- man of Floridians for Fair Democracy.
If approved by voters, the measure would restore the voting rights of people con- victed of certain felonies who have completed all court-im- posed sanctions.
Individuals who have been convicted of murder, felony sexual offense, or vio- lent crimes would not qualify.
Under the current system, voting rights are not restored unless the individual appeals to a state board.
As of 2016, there were ap- proximately 1,686,313 per- sons who were disenfranchised felons, or 10:43% of the state’s popula- tion. Of that number, the ma- jority, or 88.23% had completed all requirements handed down by the courts.
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2018