Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 10-31-17

Features
President Of Organization Brings Attention To Incurable Illness
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Saturday, November 4th, members of the commu- nity will gather for the Tampa Bay Ataxia Group 60 for 60 Walk n’ Roll Fundraiser. The event will take place at the Carol and Frank Morsani Center for Advance Health- care, 13330 USF Laurel Drive, Tampa, 33613.
Registration for the walk will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the 3.5 mile walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. The theme for the walk is “The Ultimate Fin- ish Line ... A Cure For Ataxia.”
Ms. Darlene Harris,
President of the Tampa Bay Ataxia Group, said, “I take a lot of honor and pride to be given the opportunity to be president. Under my leader- ship, one of my goals is to bring more awareness to this horrible disease.
“I am asking the Tampa Bay community’s support as a participant in my first huge event, “60 for 60 Walk n’ Roll To Cure Ataxia.”
A Tampa native, Ms. Harris graduated from Jef- ferson High School and con- tinued her education at the University of South Florida. She earned her undergradu- ate degree in Social Work and her Master’s Degree in Li- brary and Information Sci- ence.
Ms. Harris obtained em- ployment with the Tampa- Hillsborough County Public Library System and worked there for 32 years.
However, in March 2011, she was diagnosed with Hereditary Ataxia and in Au- gust of the same year, she was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome. Both illnesses are degenerative diseases of the nervous system. There is not
MS. DARLENE HARRIS President, of Tampa Bay Ataxia Group
a cure for either.
Both diseases affect the
person’s speech, balance, and coordination. As a result of her illness, Ms. Harris was forced to retire in 2013.
After retiring, Ms. Har- ris joined TBAG for support. She served as Vice President of the organization for 2014 and 2015. In November 2016, she was chosen as the presi- dent.
The members meet quar- terly and invite guest speak- ers, have social events, and fundraisers.
As far as her personal care, Ms. Harris began par- ticipating in a trial program in April 2016 known as Plasmapheresis. The treat- ment, which requires hospi- talization for 10 days every 3 months is similar to Dialysis, she said.
To learn more about the illness, make a donation, or to join a team visit https://ataxia.donorpages.co m/201760For60/TampaBay- AtaxiaSupportGroup.
All proceeds from the walk will benefit the National Ataxia Foundation. To con- tact Ms. Harris at (813) 431-2859, or at Msdee004@gmail.com.
$35,000 Reward Offered In Seminole Heights Murders
BENJAMIN MITCHELL
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
The reward being offered for information pertaining to the three killings in Semi- nole Heights has increased. ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, To- bacco, Firearms, and Explo- sives) is offering a $20,000 reward, Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay has pledged $5,000, and FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforce- ment) is offering an addi- tional $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for three recent deaths in Seminole Heights.
Last Thursday, the Tampa Police Department released additional footage of the person captured at the time of the first murder on October 9th. The video shows a person walking toward the direction where Benjamin Mitchell’s body was found and moments later running away in the opposite direc- tion.
Detectives are calling the individual a “person of inter- est” and not a suspect in the case.
Anyone with information can report it anonymously by contacting Crime Stop- pers of Tampa Bay at 1-800- 873-TIPS or www.crimestopperstb.com.
The Victims
Tampa police believe the three murders are related because of the location where they occurred and the fact that each person was walking alone after dark when the murders occurred.
The murders all took place within a half mile of each other.
On October 9, 2017 at ap- proximately 9 p.m., Ben- jamin Edward Mitchell, 22 years of age, was waiting for a HART bus on North
MONICA HOFFA
15th Street at Frierson Av- enue in Tampa. While at the bus stop, Mitchell was shot by an unknown suspect and later died.
On October 13, 2017 at approximately 9:30 a.m., Ms. Monica Caridad Hoffa, 32, was found in a vacant lot in the 1000 block of New Orleans Avenue East in Tampa. She had been walking through the neigh- borhood on October 11, 2017, at approximately 8:45 p.m. headed to meet a friend. Hoffa was shot and killed.
On October 19, 2017 at approximately 7:57 p.m., the victim, Anthony Naiboa, 20, was walking north on 15th Street in the area of
ANTHONY NAIBOA
Wilder Avenue in Tampa. As he was walking, he was shot by an unknown suspect and later died as a result of the injuries he sustained.
Anyone with information about the murders can re- port it anonymously. The person providing informa- tion that leads to the identi- fication and arrest of the suspect may be eligible for the reward.
Interim Police Chief Brian Dugan plans to be in the area on Tuesday, on Hal- loween for those who plan to trick or treat. He is advising anyone in the area to be careful, to be visible, to be watchful, and to report any suspicious activity to the po- lice.
FYI
Deadline November 9th To Apply For SBA Loans
The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has set a dead- line of November 9, 2017 for businesses, homeowners and renters to apply for Disaster Loans stemming from the recent storms.
To be considered, applicants should register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or for more assistance, call 1-800- 659-2955. You can also send an email to disastercustomerser- vice@sba.gov.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3