Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 8-21-15 Edition

Features
Frontier Will Begin Taking Over Verizon Services
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Verizon announced a few months ago, a deal to sell its home phone, Internet and pay television operations in Florida to Frontier Communi- cations Corporation. The price of the deal was $10.54 billion.
In about a year, Verizon customers will have big changes coming. The deal does not include Verizon Wireless cellular phone customers.
Once the deal is approved, customers of Verizon’s other services in the wider Tampa Bay area will become cus- tomers of Frontier.
After the deal becomes of- ficial, Frontier will switch brand names and signs. They will also honor all Verizon con- tracts for services.
For customers who get dis- counts for having their cell phone service bundled with their cable, Frontier officials said they will have more infor- mation on those discounts as the deal closing approaches.
For Verizon customers who don’t want to migrate to Frontier, the best option may be to pick another provider, though not all of them offer
This is the logo that will take the place of Verizon.
both home phone and broad- band access.
A Verizon employee said the department she works in will not be affected, and they were told they have nothing to worry about. The employee said she’s noticed that a couple of employees have transferred over to Frontier.
“There are rumors that they will be trying to bring in their own people. Depending on how long you’ve been here, if you have to leave, you will get a stimulus package and then move on.”
Frontier Communications Senior Vice President, Steve Crosby, said a total of 10,000 employees spreaded out over three states will all be brought
back, and more jobs will be added to their offices in Cali- fornia.
“We’re also working on a deal for Texas and Florida to get more jobs.
“There will be a host of training once the transition is complete. We’re also going to initiate a campaign to acquaint our customers with the changes so they’ll be pre- pared.”
Crosby said they expect to make a smooth transition and they have more than 1,000 people working to make sure things go smoothly.
“I’m proud to say we don’t outsource any jobs. We are also conscientious to hire as many veterans as we can.”
‘Ready 4 Work’ Prepares Ex-Offenders For Work
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Ready4Work Hillsborough is entering its second year with Abe Brown Ministries (ABM), and according to ABM Direc- tor, Robert Blount, it is a sig- nificant part of what they do.
“Ready4Work Hillsbo- rough is a significant part of what we do. It is a national pro- gram we’ve replicated here, and we’re fortunate to have it here. We’re also contractually obligated to connect with Jack- sonville, Florida on the pro- gram.
“We held our first class last year, and one of the beauties of the program is the conscien- tious data. We’ve had 183 en- rollees this year, and we also have life coaching classes.”
Blount said of the 183 en- rollees, 70 have transitioned to their ready client list and 50 have been able to find employ- ment.
“The effort starts before an inmate is released. We have a follow up program, and we go over the criteria very carefully.”
Among the accomplish- ments of Ready4 Work Hills- borough is at the completion of its first fiscal funding year (June 30th), the program ex- ceeded its goal to serve 100 clients.
Ready4Work Hillsborough
ROBERT BLOUNT Director
Abe Brown Ministries
measures recidivism in the most conservative way and that is an arrest of any kind is unac- ceptable. Of the 50 clients that were employed through the program 6 have been arrested.
Blount said there are chal- lenges in running this kind of program, and they need more staff, especially case managers.
“We also need employers to provide jobs for the people in the program. We have to con- vince the employers that a vi- able candidate is suitable to work for them.
“The funding for this pro- gram comes from the state. We have to reapply for the funds each year, and I think the qual- ified data is the real jewel of the program. We do what we can to make sure the young men don’t return to prison.”
Governor Reopens National Guard Recruitment Centers
This Recruitment Center in Temple Terrace is reopening.
Governor Rick Scott has issued orders that the Florida Na- tional Guard reopen their six storefront recruitment centers, includ- ing one in Brandon and Temple Terrace.
The centers were shut down in the wake of the killing of four Marines and a Navy recruiter in Chattanooga last month.
According to a release from the governor’s office, personnel have returned to the centers after safety upgrades were completed. The security upgrades will be monitored and modified as necessary based on the accuracy of the threat to the area.
The National Guardsmen had been temporarily relocated to ar- mories as part of the governor’s order to improve the security of store-front recruitment centers.
Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez, 24, of Hixson, Tennessee is responsible for a barrage of fire at a recruiting center in Chat- tanooga, then drove several miles to a Navy and Marine reserve cen- ter, where he shot and killed the Marines. The sailor died later.
The two recruitment centers in Hillsborough County are at 10660 North 56th street and 757 West Brandon Boulevard.
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