Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 11-11-16 Online Edition

FLORIDA SENTINEL
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016
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Officials Host Public Meeting To Discuss Land Acquisition For C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Library
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
The land near the site of the new C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library has been acquired, bringing the new build- ing project another step closer to com- pletion.
Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative officials shared project up- dates to about a dozen residents last Thursday at the current branch.
Acquiring the adjacent property will more than double the parking availabil- ity of the current lot to about 75 spaces and provide land needed for landscap- ing and a small park.
At 8,500 square feet, the current building is considered too small for the number of patrons who visit. Built in 1994, the library was renamed in 2010 after late Florida Sentinel Bulletin owner and publisher, C. Blythe An- drews, Jr., who died the same year.
County Commissioners approved $3.4 million in capital improvement funds to build a new library on the same site. The new building will have a design similar to the new Seminole Heights branch, a two-story library with 24,000 square feet of space, including meeting rooms, and a recording studio.
Staffing also will be increased, said Lauren Levy, regional library man- ager.
Levy, who managed the Andrews branch for five years, said the new building is “so needed.”
“It’s such a huge part of our commu- nity,” she said. “It will have more of everything.”
Construction is scheduled to begin next fall be completed in 2018.
There will be no access to the site, so officials have set up satellite locations to accommodate residents until the new building opens, said Raishara Bailey, branch manager.
Tax assistance and computer access will be available at the Cyrus Greene Recreation Center and both the book-
mobile and Cybermobile will be sta- tioned at First Baptist Church of College Hill every other week.
Ragan Park will host another satel- lite branch during the summer months, she said.
“We can still serve the community,” she said.
Gloria Andrews, wife of C. Blythe Andrews, Jr., said she was pleased to hear that the library will con- tinue to provide services via the satellite locations.
In all, the project appears to be going well, she said.
“It’s moving along,” she said.
12 Men Of Vision Members Excel Academically In 1st Grading Period
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Recently, students throughout Hillsborough County received their progress reports for the first nine-week grading period. Several students ex- celled and made excellent grades, in- cluding twelve members of the Men Of Vision Service organization.
The young men were photographed on November 5th while participating in a fundraiser for the Men Of Vision. They are middle and high school stu- dents represent several schools in Hills- borough County.
Daunte Harris and Zavier Green, both made Honor Roll and at- tend Tampa Bay Technical High School.
Khalied Henderson and Eric Vincent are honor students at Stein- brenner High School.
Tyrale Brooks is an honor student at Sligh Middle Magnet School.
The other honorees are:
Keyshawn Spain, High Honor Roll at Armwood High School; Bricen Williams, High Honor Roll student at Leto High School; and Evan Williams attends Spoto High School. He earned Honor Roll status at the school.
Emanuel Valle is an Honor Roll student at Freedom High School; and Isiah Johnson, III, earned Princi- pal’s Honor Roll at Rampello Partner- ship K-8 School.
N’Jhari Jackson, a student at Paideia School of Tampa Bay, earned High Honor Roll; and Ishmael Muhammad, a student at Wharton High School, is recognized for making the Honor Roll.
Last Saturday, Ross Anderson, founder and President of Men of Vi- sion, paid special tribute to the 12 members of the organization who earned high academic achievement.
He also recognized Lamar Baker for his academic accomplishments. Lamar is a second grade student at Potter Elementary School, and a mem-
Twelve members of Men of Vision distinguished themselves by the Honor Roll dur- ing the first grading period. Shown on the front row are: Daunte Harris, Tyrale Brooks, Ishmael Muhammad, Isiah Johnson, III, and Evan Williams. Shown on the back row are: Khalied Henderson, Zaiver Green, Emanuel Valle, and Eric Vincent. Not shown are: Keyshawn Spain, N’Jari Jackson, and Bricen Williams.
ber of the Junior Men of Vision. Anderson said, “This year we de- cided to present them with trophies
after every 9-week period instead of having them wait until the end of the year.”