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West Tampa Grant Implementation Meeting Planned
Vote For Best Church Choir
Monday, June 6, 2016, is the last day to vote for the “Best Church Choir 2016” for the Steve Harvey Morning Show Neighborhood Awards. The Mt. Zion Progressive Mission- ary Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir, St. Petersburg, is a fi- nalist for the award.
Rev. Louis M. Murphy, Sr. is Pastor, and Dr. Kevin B. Parrot (Dr. K) is Minister of Music.
Voting is from 6 a. m. to 6 p. m. at www.neighbor- hoodawards.com.
The City of Tampa and the Tampa Housing Authority will host a public meeting on the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant for the West Tampa and West River Community.
The meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 14th, from 6
p.m. until 7:30 p.m. It will be held at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Center, 2200 N. Oregon Avenue.
Topics to be discussed at the meeting are : Planning Process; Neighborhood Im- provement Projects; Proposed Physical Plan; Re-Occupancy Plans; Planned Supportive Services; and Economic Op-
portunities for low and very- low income persons.
Representatives from the City of Tampa, the Tampa Housing Authority, and the Design Team will be in atten- dance to address any ques- tions residents may have. The meeting is open to the public.
For more information, call (813) 274-7519, or email neighborhoods@tampagov.net.
City Makes Sandbags Available To Residents
The City of Tampa will make sandbags available to resi- dents in preparation of the an- ticipated heavy rains. The sandbags will be available at two locations on Monday, June 6th from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m.
Residents can pick up the sandbags at Bobby Hicks Pool, 4201 W. Mango Avenue or Jackson Heights Playground, 3310 E. Lake Avenue.
Tampa residents interested in receiving sandbags must provide identification verify- ing their residence within the city limits. The types of ac- ceptable identification are: valid driver’s license, utility bill, or electric bill. There is a ten bag limit.
Additionally, the City of Tampa requests that residents with a storm drain on their property check to ensure that the drain is clear of all debris, including leaves and trash.
Residents should call (813) 274-3101 to report flooding is- sues.
Safety Precautions
During any heavy rainfall or severe weather event, the City of Tampa encourages the driv- ers to listen to traffic advi- sories, obey traffic signs, detours, and to exercise cau- tion when driving in and around standing water.
It is best to avoid driving if possible. For those who are driving, do not drive through standing water; and treat non-
functioning traffic signals as a 4-way stop.
If a road is closed, follow the detour signs, and avoid any downed or hanging power lines.
Stay Up To Date
Residents can sign up for Alert Tampa, the city’s official emergency alert system, to re- ceive time sensitive notifica- tions that will be sent directly to your email, cell phone, and in some cases, home phone.
Alert Tampa will provide the residents with the official in- formation needed to keep you safe. To sign up for Alert Tampa, visit the website at www.tampagov.net/alert- tampa; or call (813) 231- 6184.
Special GPS Tracker Will Help Find Missing Persons
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
It is common for small chil- dren and individuals with cer- tain illnesses to become lost. In most cases, police must be called to locate the missing person. Now, one Tampa Bay Area man hopes to make lo- cating missing persons easier with his new prototype that uses GPS technology.
Toron Larkins called his device the Track N Find GPS Undergarments 4 Kids. But, he said the device can be worn by any segment of the popula- tion, ranging from toddlers to the elderly.
Larkins said the idea of creating a GPS that would be attached to clothing came about after an incident took place in his family.
“This happened several years ago, but my brother’s kids had gone on a field trip and had gotten lost. They were located safely. But, I remember him telling me how helpless he felt.”
His brother’s children do not suffer from Autism, but the incident gave him an idea of what parents of Autistic children who get lost most en- dure.
The idea was fueled when a friend of his lost a child stricken with Autism last year. He is dedicating the product to the memory of the child af- fectionately known as “Funzi.”
“There are so many children diagnosed with Autism. And that is the community that re- ally needs a product like this. It will also be helpful for Alzheimer patients who wan- der off.”
Larkins said the product is currently a prototype and he is trying to get the word out so that he can get it to market.
TORON LARKINS
... Creator of Track N Find GPS Undergarments 4 Kids
He is currently hoping to at- tract corporate investors.
“It is going to be very small and can be used for anyone from toddlers to the elderly. There are a lot of products out there, but nothing like mine.”
He said while the GPS tech- nology on the market is avail- able, he would prefer to develop a model specifically for his product.
He is working on a business plan, but said the product will require a lot of research and development before it is ready for the market.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Autism are general terms used to describe a group of complex disorders of brain development. The disorders are characterized by difficul- ties in social interaction, ver- bal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. The disorders can range from mild to severe.
Larkins, 39, comes from a family of entrepreneurs. He is the owner of an online busi- ness known as Zella’s Fashion Boutique. Larkins and his wife are the parents of a blended family of 7 children.
PAGE 4 FLORIDA SENTINEL-BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016