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Features
City To Repeal 2011
First ‘Miss Blake High School’ Found Dead
Panhandling Ordinance
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On November 11, 2011, the new panhandling ordinance for the City of Tampa went into effect following months of controversy. However, it passed amid months of con- troversy with the city divided in support and against the or- dinance.
Last month, Homeless Helping Homeless, Inc., filed a lawsuit against the City of Tampa. The lawsuit contends that the ordinance prevents them from raising funds for their organization.
Homeless Helping Home- less, Inc., is being represented in the lawsuit by Attorney Kevin Martin, of the Boston-based firm of Good- win, Proctor, and Martin.
During an interview with Attorney Martin last month, he said, “The First Amendment exists precisely to protect unpopular speakers, whether they are anti-war or anti-abortion protestors or homeless solicitors, from dis- criminatory and overly broad speech restrictions.
“If there are solicitors who pose a danger to traffic or who are acting aggressively, a city can and should enforce other laws to protect public safety.
“Homeless Helping Home- less is challenging laws that criminalize even peaceful and safe solicitation.”
Last week, City Council members and City Attorneys met to discuss the issue and how to respond to the lawsuit.
City Councilman Frank Reddick said, “We cannot talk about it because it is pend- ing litigation. However, the issue will come before City Council on June 25th for dis- cussion and for us to take a vote on it.”
City Attorney Julia Mandell said Council mem- bers and City Attorneys had a closed meeting to discuss the issue on Thursday. After that meeting, Council members made a formal motion to have the ordinance brought before them to repeal it.
“We would fall directly under the Hillsborough County ordinance, but this does not preclude us from re- visiting the issue.”
Attorney Mandell said since the ordinance went into effect, federal justices have heard several cases pertaining to the issue of soliciting in the right of way. Among other stipulations, the current ordi- nance prohibits sales of any kind at 10 intersections per- ceived as the busiest.
The intersections are: Dale Mabry and W. Columbus Drive; N. 30th Street and E. Fowler Avenue; N. Armenia Avenue and W. Waters Av- enue; N. 2223 Westshore Blvd.; N. 22nd Street and E. Hillsborough Avenue; 7701 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway; W. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., and N. Boulevard; N. 50th Street and E. Fowler Avenue; W. Columbus Drive and N. MacDill Avenue; and W. Kennedy Blvd., and N. MacDill Avenue.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has con- firmed that the first woman to be crowned Miss Howard W. Blake High School has died.
Marjorie Mayes, who taught Biology at Blake and
Hillsborough High Schools, was found in a room at the Super 8 Motel on Fletcher Avenue.
Officials report that Ms. Mayes had been living at the motel for two weeks, and the manager called deputies to
perform a welfare check to make sure she was alright. That’s when she was found in the room.
The cause of death had not been released by officials and funeral services were in- complete at press time.
Hillsborough School Superintendent Introduces Leadership Plan
Ms. Elevan McFadden, Ms. Yvette Lewis, and Ben Moore attended the School Board meeting last week.
Ms. Ella Coffee and Joe Robinson attended the School Board meeting last week.
Ms. Doris Ross Reddick, first African American female to serve on the Hillsborough County School Board, seated, is shown with Ms. Doretha Edge- comb, who currently serves as the Hillsborough County School Board Vice Chairperson.
Brooks, who currently serves as General Director, Career and Technical Educa- tion, has been named Work- force Connections Officer.
The General Manager, Business Process Improve- ment position will be filled by William (Joe) Cochran, Jr. Cochran currently serves as Manager, Service and Support.
Christopher Farkas,
who currently serves as the Chief Facilities Officer, will assume the duties of Chief Operations Officer.
The reorganization plan also includes hiring individ- uals who are not currently employees of the district.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last week, during the regular meeting of the Hills- borough County School Dis- trict, Jeff Eakins, Interim Superintendent, presented his reorganization plan. School Board members ap- proved the first phase of the plan unanimously.
Eakins outlined the re- organization plan that in- cludes changes in responsibilities. The second phase of changes is expected to be announced in coming weeks.
Eakins will officially as- sume command of the school district as its Superintendent on July 1st. Most of the ap- pointments will also go into effect on July 1st.
The following individuals will serve in positions listed in the change of leadership plan.
Van Ayres, Ed. D., who currently serves as the Prin- cipal of Jefferson High School, will become the Deputy Superintendent.
The Chief of Staff posi- tion will be filled by Alberto Vazquez Matos, Ed. D., who currently serves as the Superintendent of Diocese of St. Petersburg.
Larry Sykes, Ed. D, will become the Chief of Schools for Administration. He is currently serving as Assis- tant Superintendent of Aca- demic Services and Federal Programs.
Lewis Brinson, Ed. D.,
who is currently serving under contract as Assistant Superintendent of Adminis- tration, has been chosen as the Chief Diversity Officer. Dr. Brinson will assume his new duties on September 1.
Under the former admin- istration, there were seven Area Leadership Directors. The new plan changes the title to Area Superintend- ents, and adds an eighth po- sition.
The Area Superintend- ents are: Maribeth Brooks, Area 1; Lisa Yost, Area 2; Brenda Grasso, Area III; Henry Washing- ton, Area IV; Sherrrie Sikes, Area V; Jerry Jack- son, Areas VI; and Marcos Murillo, Area V III. The Area VII position is currently vacant.
Tricia McManus, who currently serves as Director, will become the Executive Director of Leadership De- velopment. Former Area Di- rector Owen Young has been chosen as the Area Su- perintendent, Priority Schools.
Jenna Hodgens, cur- rently the Director of Charter Schools, will become the General Director, Charter Schools. Retired Tampa Po- lice Assistant Chief John Newman was hired as the Manager of Security for the School District. His new title is Chief of School Security and Emergency Manage- ment.
Warren (Scott)
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