Page 4 - 3-13-15 Friday's Edition

State/Local
Early Voting Begins For City Council District 6 Runoff Election
JACKIE TOLEDO
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Later this month, approxi- mately 52,000 registered vot- ers will return to the election polls. They will determine who will serve as the representative for City Council District 6.
Voters who live in that area of Tampa can cast ballots dur- ing a seven-day Early Voting Period. For those who do not participate in Early Voting or Vote By Mail, the Election Polls will open on Tuesday, March 24th.
During the last election on March 3rd, there were three candidates vying for the City Council Seat, There was no in- cumbent in District 6. The three candidates vying for the seat were: Thomas Castel- lano, Guido Maniscalco, and Ms. Jackie Toledo.
However, none of the can- didates were able to secure 50% of the votes in the race. The two top candidates were Ms. Toledo, who won 3,719 votes or 46.02%, and Manis- calco, who earned 2,348 votes or 29.06%. Castellano took third place and was elim- inated from the runoff.
The City Council District 6 Seat encompasses parts of West Tampa, Tampa Heights, Carver City, and Drew Park, along with other areas. T h e Neighborhood Associations in District 6 are: Armenia Gar- dens Estates, Beach Park, Beach Park Isles, Bon Air, Carver City/Lincoln Gardens, Culbreath Bayou, Culbreath Heights, Culbreath Isles, Drew
GUIDO MANISCALCO
Park, Gray Gables, Lowry Park, Marina Club, MacFar- lane Park, Mid-Peninsula, Midtown, North Bon Air, North Hyde Park, Northeast MacFarlane Park, Oakford Park, Palma Ceia West, Parkview, Plaza Terrace, Ridgewood River, Riverbend, Riverside Heights, South Seminole Heights, Wellswood, West Tampa, Westshore Palms and sections of Lowry Park North, Southeast Semi- nole Heights, Sunset Park and Tampa Heights.
Early Voting Locations
Although everyone will not vote in the runoff election, those who live in District 6 can participate in the Early Vot- ing. Early voting will begin on Monday, March 16th through Sunday, March 22nd.
Registered voters can visit any of the sites designated as Early Voting locations to cast their vote between the hours of 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. The Early Voting sites are:
C. Blythe Andrews Public Library, 2607 E. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd.;
Fred B. Karl County Center, 26th Floor, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.;
Jan Kaminis Platt Re- gional Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Avenue;
North Tampa Branch Library, 8916 North Blvd.;
Robert L. Gilder Elec- tions Service Center, 2514 N. Falkenburg, Rd.; and
West Tampa Branch Library, 2312 W. Union Street.
FAMU FSU Engineering School Partnership Remains Intact
Tallahassee -- The unani- mous decision by the Florida Board of Governors means the thirty-three year old partner- ship of the Florida A&M Uni- versity and Florida State University College of Engi- neering will continue.
The universities have agreed to collaborate on the necessary changes to improve areas the Board deemed necessary to improve the schools overall performance.
A council of FAMU /FSU of- ficials will work to merge stu- dent activities and academics while also updating facilities. Budgeting for the joint school will no longer be managed by each individual school, but as one effort. The Council will also provide the BOG with re- ports on research funding en- rollment, ethnic and gender graduation rates recruiting, hiring and promotions.
Last year a legislative plan would have split the schools leaving FAMU to build a new school virtually from the ground up.
The newly arrived FAMU
FAMU PRESIDENT ELMIRA MANGUM
President Elmira Mangum faced down the legislation adamantly opposing it. The Legislature did not pass the plan, but instead instructed the Board of Governors to complete a study of the school.
President Mangum de- scribed the agreement as “A victory for students, the State of Florida and the nation.”
It became clear in December of 2014, that severing the school was unlikely when the BOG revealed the estimated
FSU PRESIDENT JOHN THRASHER
cost at $1 billion. The decision was to fix the union to benefit the needs of both institutions.
Mangum has launched a Sustainability Institute at the nation’s number one public historically Black university.
The Institute will utilize in- novation and research gener- ated STEM programs to ensure a good quality of life in the future. The engineering program is a vital part of preparing us for the world we will live in.
FYI
Hillsborough Improving Neighborhoods Committee Meetings
The Safe & Sound Hillsborough Improving Neighborhoods Committee will meet Friday, March 13, 2015. The meeting will start at noon, and will be held at the George Edgecomb Courthouse, 6th Floor, Conf. Room #A, 800 E. Twiggs Street.
The organization will have another meeting on Tuesday, March 17th, at 1 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Conference Room, Counter Center, 24th Floor, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.
The Improving Neighborhoods Committee of Safe & Sound Hillsborough will meet to review and re- fine the action plan for Trauma-Informed Services.
For more information, email Sunny Hall, Chairperson or call (813) 969-4934.
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