Page 13 - 6-26-15 Friday's Edition

FLORIDA SENTINEL FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015
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‘Traffic’ Major Concern For Carver City/ Lincoln Gardens Residents
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Dr. Maurice Harvey, President of the Carver City/ Lincoln Gardens Civic Association says the new of latest addition to the apartment complexes built in that community won’t have a direct impact because of its location.
“The apartments they’re planning to build this time will be on the site where Without Walls was lo- cated.
“Over the past 8 years, we’ve had five large com- plexes completed, and three others are under con- struction.”
Dr. Harvey said the complexes are being built on what was once the City Stockade, vacant lots, and some residential properties.
“The intrusion by the apartment complexes is a problem, but the real issue is the traffic along Spruce Street. It bottlenecks with people leaving the Home Depot.
“Plans are being talked about for the second time about expanding Spruce Street. We’ve met with Councilman Guido Maniscalco about this issue and we told him this has been going on for 15 years now.”
Dr. Harvey said they are concerned about the lack of sidewalks along the north side of Spruce
DR. MAURICE HARVEY
Street, and the impact that has on children who catch the bus along that thoroughfare.
“We’ve asked for a traffic analysis for Spruce and Lois Streets. They did one for Lois, but we’re still waiting for the one on Spruce. The original plan was
to widen Spruce Street beginning at Himes, then going west to Lois.
“Right now along Spruce Street, there are 10 homes and the residents can barely get out of their driveways. City officials told us they are working on a plan, but what we want to know is how you con- ceive a plan without input from the community.
“There is also an issue with TECO. They need to be brought to the table for the project, because of the towering poles they have along Spruce Street.”
Dr. Harvey said they need city officials to look at the infrastructure issues before any more projects are planned for that area.
“We asked them to look at the infrastructure problems long before Home Depot or any of the other businesses were ever constructed. We were ig- nored.
“Now, we have more residents selling out to make way for neighborhood improvements. Elderly residents and others have sold their homes, espe- cially family members of the original homeowners who no longer live in the community.”
Dr. Harvey said three new homes have been completed in the 4300 block of Nassau Street, each valued at more than $300,000.
“We think residents need to know the value of their properties before they sell, because they aren’t getting close to what their homes are actually worth.
Debate About Confederate Flag Hits Home
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
In 2005, a county land use hearing officer approved a request by Sons of Confederate Veterans member Mar- ion Lambert for a lighted park with monuments and a flagpole to com- memorate American veterans.
During a public hearing Michelle Williams, founder of the local group Sons and Daughters of Harriett Tub- man, led an effort to get public support to have the flag removed. She also asked officials to be courageous and stop the flag from being hung.
In 2008, Hillsborough County Commissioners said they could not legally have the 50-foot by 30-foot flag removed at the junction of Interstate 75 and Interstate 4.
Drivers along the interstate got to see the flag along their journey, and today the flag is still flying from its enormous pole.
After the murders of 9 people in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17th, photos were released of the shooter, Dylann Roof, and in more than one of the photos he’s seen hold- ing Confederate Flags.
As protesters in South Carolina have successfully lobbied to have the flag removed, local protesters have asked for the same thing.
West Tampa Alliance President, Heem Baisden said he thinks the flag is a reminder of a time in our his- tory where Blacks were being hunted and murdered.
“We don’t need to be constantly re- minded about one of the most heinous periods of our history. We need to move forward as a country, and it’s
Protesters have once again asked for this gigantic flag at the I-75 and I-4 junc- ture be removed, especially after what happened in Charleston, South Carolina last week.
hard to do if we’re still going to allow the presence of a flag to upset us.
“We’ve got to be a more progressive people than that, and make it known that simply because you fly a Confed- erate flag doesn’t make us fearful of you. As a matter of fact, we feel sorry for you.”
West Riverfront Neighborhood As- sociation President, Mrs. Ruth Mc- Nair, said she thinks the flag needs to come down.
“The people of Tampa said a long time ago it needs to come down. It re- minds Blacks of a past that should be the past.
“Flags are supposed to symbolize justice for all, and that’s proven to be a lie. I don’t know what kind of message the flag is sending, but if its hatred, it needs to come down. Racism can’t be hidden with white hoods and burning crosses anymore. That flag is a re- minder of our history and a time the country should be ashamed of.”
Councilman Frank Reddick, who joined Ms. Williams 8 years ago in trying to get the flag removed, said he also thinks it should be taken down.
“Because it sits on private property and not violating any codes or ordi- nances, it will be up to them to take it down.
“It’s going to be a challenge to get them to take it down. It’s just a matter of conscious. What people find offen- sive about the flag is what it repre- sents.”
Ms. Jennifer Russell, Director of Community Tampa Bay, said the flag is a racist symbol of oppression and a reminder of the days of a bad time in our history.
“Efforts are underway to get rid of the flag all together. Popular opinion
has seen the light of what the flag stands for. This is an issue on multiple levels.
“The least we can do is rid ourselves of the remnants of our racist history. My concern is the removal of the flag doesn’t address the issue. The issue of racism goes far beyond a flag.”
Ms. Russell said we all have a re- sponsibility to address systemic racism and she’s glad people are still worked up about the flag.
“Removing the flag won’t stop acts like what happened in South Carolina. We will have to heal as a people.”
Commissioner Les Miller said as much as he regrets it, there’s noth- ing they can do because it’s on private property.
“We have a guy who comes before the Board every month asking for a proclamation in support of the Civil War.
“I think it does send a message to people traveling in and out of Hillsbor- ough County. The message being sent is not well accepted by everyone. We can’t pass an ordinance saying people can’t fly the flag. We can’t force them to remove the flag. Everyone knows what the flag represents and Dylann Roof used it as a symbol of what he stood for and his principles.”
HEEM MRS. RUTH COUNCILMAN JENNIFER COMM. LES
BAISDEN MCNAIR FRANK RUSSELL MILLER REDDICK