Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 4-12-16 Edition

Features
Fire Victims Need Help Putting Their Lives Back Together
Infant Killed, 2 Critical In Traffic Accident
Diana Rynes (left) rented the house on Curtis Street for her family just four days prior to the fire.
A one-year-old died and two other people are in critical condition after being involved in a traffic accident. The acci- dent occurred at U. S. 301 and Bloomingdale Avenue, shortly before 9 p.m., Saturday.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Ms. Tara Edwards, 41, of Brandon, was driving a 2010 Infiniti QX56 southbound on U. S. 301 in the outside left turn lane north of Bloomingdale Avenue. Ms. Nicole Tan- ner, 34, of Gibsonton, was driving a 1999 Ford Ranger on U. S. 301 in the center lane, south of Bloomingdale Av- enue.
Police said Ms. Edwards failed to stop for a red left turn arrow and violated Ms. Tan-
ner’s right-of-way. The right front of the Infiniti collided with the left front side of the Ford Ranger.
Ms. Tanner and 14-year- old Isabelle Tanner were both transported to Tampa General Hospital in critical condition. Drew Lawton, 1, who was also a passenger in Ms. Tanner’s vehicle died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident.
Ms. Edwards and her pas- sengers, Addison Putman, 9, and Kennedy Putman, 11, were also transported to Tampa General Hospital for treatment of injuries.
The investigation into the accident is continuing and charges are pending, police said.
Last Wednesday, a fire dis- placed a family of 13 people from a house on East Curtis Street, and now they are try- ing to put their lives back to- gether.
Diana Rynes, along with her children and their chil- dren, moved into the house at 802 East Curtis Street last weekend after returning to Tampa from Charlotte, North Carolina.
“It’s not easy finding a place big enough for all of us, and I was blessed to find this place so quickly. We moved in four days before the fire, and everything was fine.”
Everything was fine until the family found themselves escaping a fire that spread quickly through the house.
Ms. Rynes said she’s
happy none of her children or grandchildren were hurt, but now they have nothing.
“We lost everything. I can’t even send my kids to school, because they have no clothes.
“No thanks to the landlord at the house that caught fire, I was able to find another place, but I have nothing to put in it.
“We would appreciate any help we can get to help us start over. We have no furni- ture, and nothing to sleep on. We’re all in need of clothing, and we will be grateful for whatever help we can get.”
According to Ms. Rynes, the fire was started by a gas leak.
Anyone interested in help- ing this family can call (980) 309-5063.
Black Owned Club, Owner Survive Fire; Reopening Thursday
THE RYNES FAMILY
BY LIFE MALCOLM
The April 6, 2016 inferno that injured two fire fighters and destroyed the Amphithe- atre Club, which was located at 1609 E. 7th Av. in Ybor City, threatened Tampa’s leading, black-owned entertainment club and endangered the life of its owner.
The Ybor City Jazz House is a three-floor venue that fur- nishes Tampa Bay with pre- mier bands, popular musicians and singers and high-end DJs, every weekend. It is located at 1611 E. 7th Av., adjacent to the site of the Am- phitheatre fire. Eric Flem- ing, Jazz House proprietor, was in the club when flames ignited next door.
Fleming, 45, recalls, “I was in my building at the time when I learned of the fire. Smoke poured into my second floor.”
Fleming says he went to his rooftop to investigate the source of the smoke and ob- served his neighbor’s business
ablaze.
He was almost killed by the
smoke in his building as he made his way to the down- stairs exit in an effort to escape danger. “The hallway, it was filled with smoke and I barely made it out,” says Fleming.
The fire, fortunately for Fleming, his patrons and the staff and entertainers he em- ploys did not destroy the Jazz House. The building, how- ever, suffered heavy smoke and water damage the extent of which, Fleming points out, “will not be known for maybe some weeks.”
Fleming closed the Jazz House for the remainder of the week. He, during that time, employed cleaning crews that refreshed the Jazz House to tip-top condition. The Jazz House will re-open on Thurs- day April 14th.
Fleming hopes that “all ... customers, musicians and people who love the fellowship of great live music will come out and support the Jazz House’s reopening.”
Man Wins $1 Million In Scratch-Off Game
A man who won a $1 million on a scratch-off has claimed his prize. Gary Felice, 49, of Tampa, elected to take a lump sum and was given $781,000 last Friday. He collected his winning in Tallahassee.
Felice purchased the winning ticket at Publix, 5371 Ehrlich Road. The store received $2,000 for selling the winning ticket, which was a $20 Flamingo Multiplier scratch-off.
The Flamingo Multiplier features more than 7.6 win- ning tickets and more than $346 million in total prizes.
The odds of winning are 1 in 2.97, overall.
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3