The Official Unofficial Seminole Heights Blog

Many of you may remember a series we did last year regarding the city’s career criminals and the lenient judges who keep setting them free. The first judge we featured was Judge Heinrich, the same man who set bond at only $25,000 for the accused trigger man in the
Giddens Park drive-by shooting. Interestingly, CHANDLER,ORIE NAPOLEON was in court only 2 years previously for cocaine possession, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and driving with license revoked or suspended. Given these facts, plus his current charge of AGGRAVATED ASSAULT FIREARM-DISCHARGE WITH INTENT TO KILL leaves one wondering what a person must do in order to be locked up for your crime. If this gentleman is in fact a member of a gang, how can this story have a good outcome? I have copied and pasted interesting facts that we uncovered during our last Judge Heinrich article.

Walter R. “Buzzy” Heinrich – First Appearance Since 1988 Judge Heinrich has sat on the bench as a Hillsborough County Judge. Elected in 1988, he has been re-elected unopposed in 1992, 1996 and 2000. Many may remember his father, also Walter Heinrich, who was appointed Sheriff of Hillsborough County by Governor Askew in the late 1970. He served from 1978-1992. Most will know of Judge Heinrich for one of the most publicized cases in recent history, that of David Lee Onstott. Judge Heinrich released convicted sex offender David Lee Onstott on cash bond of just $100 after he violated state law, failing to register as a sex offender. David Onstott had been previously convicted of brutally raping a woman, yet, after failing to register, Judge Heinrich released him. He later sexually assaulted and murdered Sarah Lunde. In 2003, Judge Heinrich allowed Mark Pickens, convicted of rape and battery against a law enforcement officer, to post a cash bond of less than $2000. Within 6 months, Mr Pickens raped a 39 year old mother of two.

From the Tampa Tribune:

TAMPA - An argument that began at a convenience store apparently sparked a drive-by shooting this month at Giddens Park.

No injuries were reported.

Tampa police arrested Orie Napoleon Chandler, 19, on a charge of aggravated assault firearm-discharge with intent to kill. He was released from jail March 6 on a $25,000 surety bond.

Police said two groups of men, including Chandler, got into an argument March 3 at a store at 15th Street and Osborne Avenue. Three friends from one group left to play basketball at the park at 12th Street and Giddens Avenue.

Later, a blue Camaro driven by an unknown man drove by and witnesses said Chandler leaned out of the front passenger seat firing shots at the three men playing basketball.

Police found shell casings from a .45 caliber and a 9mm.Bullet holes were found in the victims’ vehicles.

The investigation continues.

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 259-7652.

 

We’re breaking our recent pattern. All to often, it is too easy to get caught up in the negativity and dwell on those items than can in no way build up our neighborhood or our associations. To change the recent tone on the site, we  want to shift our focus on the positives of  all of
Seminole Heights. Why did you move here? What keeps you here?

 

In the short seven months I have been maintaining the blog, I have received numerous emails regarding potential new neighbors looking to move to Seminole Heights. Often, this site is one of the “first glances” people get into Seminole Heights. For the most part, it carries a positive tone. However, recently it seems to have taken a turn towards negativity.  To put us back on track I would like to dwell on positive reasons people would like to live in Seminole Heights. It’s your turn to sell others on Seminole Heights.

From an Email:

First I would like to thank you for the energy you put into maintaining the site. If it weren’t for the site, I would not have learned about the recent shooting at Gidden’s Park. After reading the post on the site, and not being able to find information online, I finally emailed the contact I had for our officer at TPD. Can you please share this information with your readers. Below is TPD’s response. K


From TPD:  

Thank you for your email. The shooting that took place at
Giddens Park was a gang related shooting. The suspect in that case was arrested the following day. Due to the nature of the offense, we received government funding to increase police presence in the park. We have not had any serious offenses at Giddens Park since that shooting.

TPD and the Southeast Seminole Heights community leaders have a great relationship. We communicate with them almost on a daily basis. We told them about the incident and they in turn passed on the information to the residents. Keep in mind, they only have the contact information of the residents that choose to participate in the association. Communication and participation is the key to any successful neighborhood watch program.

I hope that I have been of some assistance. If you or any of your neighbors have any other questions or concerns please feel free to call me on my cell 310-8529.

Captain “Rocky” Ratliff is the Sector E Commander and has offered his assistance as well. His direct line is 242-3897.

All to often, we have seem many of our neighbors become quite upset, if not downright angry at what they consider poor jobs by our elected neighborhood leaders. For one reason or another, our leaders come under fire for what others may see as laziness, indifference or on some cases, ignorance. Yet, as we all know, our leaders opted to take on the responsibilities knowing that this volunteer position would require substantial amounts of time and energy to represent their respective neighborhoods.

 

Just this past weekend, we saw many comments left regarding the shooting incident in SESH. Many neighbors felt that it was the neighborhood leaders’ responsibility to notify them of the shooting. On several occasions, our new leaders have come under fire for the decision to have potluck dinners versus attending city meetings.  Which raises the question…What responsibilities should our officers and board members have?  Should it be required that each officer attend every meeting? Should they be required to disseminate information to neighbors as best they can? What are the responsibilities that should be outlined in their “job descriptions”? Does each association have clearly defined roles for each elected position?

 

According to various websites covering this topic, most associations have similar responsibilities for their leaders and board members including;

 

• Organizing the association
• developing specific goals
• directing volunteers and establishing committees
• appointing chairpersons for committees
• establishing neighborhood communication
• identifying resources available to association
• PR/developing a positive neighborhood image
• identifying and building members and future leadership.

 The biggest question we must ask of ourselves and our leaders is, “Do we have clear goals and objectives and are we doing everything in our power to build up our neighborhood association?”

 

What are your thoughts?

By KATHY STEELE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 27, 2009

TAMPA - A retail center that will include a Quiznos sandwich shop is under construction on North 22nd Street and slated for a late summer opening.

The approximately $1 million project was touted in the 2008 annual report for the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area presented Thursday to the Tampa City Council.

Pro-fit Development Inc. and Hartley-Purdy Architecture Inc. are building Zagora Retail Center, which also will have a Caribbean Bistro & Ice Cream shop and New Trends Connection clothing store. The approximately 4,000-square-foot center is at 22nd and East Giddens Avenue, across from Ross Dress for Less at the East Gate Plaza.

Owners Margareth and Jean Loiseau, of Zagora Worldwide Enterprises Inc., also operate a retail shop, Zagora, at Channelside Bay Plaza. The shop specializes in home décor and handmade clothing and accessories imported from around the world.

The East Tampa redevelopment area is bordered by Hillsborough Avenue, interstates 275 and 4, and the city limits. A portion of property taxes are reinvested in community projects within the district.

The retail center is privately funded with no tax dollars contributed by the East Tampa community, said Ed Johnson, the city’s East Tampa redevelopment manager. But the special tax district might be able to provide financial help in building sidewalks.

The owners contacted the redevelopment office to see whether the project would be acceptable.

“They wanted to make sure they were putting something back into the community,” Johnson said. “It’s not something we were driving.”

The area around Hillsborough and 22nd is heavily commercial “so it makes sense to have something like this,” he said.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/27/east-tampa-retail-center-feature-eateries-clothing/

A reader emailed the following article to be posted to the site. The following article came from the Tampa Tribune. Read on:

By CHRISTIAN M. WADE | The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 26, 2009

TAMPA - Members of Tampa’s largest union have approved a proposed one-year contract with the city that includes pay raises of up to 5.5 percent for some.

Leaders of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1464, which represents about 2,000 blue-collar, technical and clerical workers, recently reached a deal with city officials on a contract that includes a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase and merit raises of up to 3 percent, with no reduction in benefits.

On Thursday, the rank and file membership approved the contract by a vote of 628-72.
City workers have been without a contract since Oct. 1. The two sides reached an impasse in December, and a mediator was brought in to untangle the talks.

A major sticking point for the union has been the length of the contract. Union officials had pushed for a three-year contract, but the city wanted a one-year pact because of concerns about continued drops in property taxes and other major funding sources.

City and union officials have also wrangled over increased wages and benefits.
On Sept. 29, union members voted down an offer from the city that would have given those who qualified a merit increase of up to 3 percent and given all members a 3.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment.
Union officials had urged members to vote against that deal. This time, the union made no official recommendation.

Union president Martha Stevens said union leaders are disappointed in some elements of the contract but “glad we got a contract for those people who really need it.”

Mayor Pam Iorio recently capped cost-of-living increases at 2.5 percent for firefighters, police and city workers. She said the city is facing a $35 million shortfall next year and has been trying to contain payroll costs, expected to increase to $212 million in 2010.

Three weeks ago, the city council approved a contract for firefighters that included a 2.5 percent cost-of-living raise and a 3.5 percent step plan increase for those who qualify.

This summer, the city begins negotiations with the police union on a new contract.
Now that the ATU has approved the proposed contract, it goes to the city council for ratification.
Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/26/262149/tampas-biggest-union-votes-today-contract-city/news-breaking/

Each weekend, you have the opportunity to share your thoughts, ideas and comments. Anything that you would like to see covered is “fair game” for the weekend. I would request that you keep the topics relative to Seminole Heights.

Now is your time to control the content of the site. Until Monday…

From the Tampa Tribune:

SEMINOLE HEIGHTS - A replacement library for the Seminole Heights Public Branch Library is slated for future construction. In the final design, residents are hoping there will be room for a special addition — a bookstore. To qualify for a bookstore, library officials say the Seminole Heights library, 4711 N. Central Ave., must have a Friends of the Library group. The Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association is spearheading an effort to form a Friends group within the next few months. “We’re just in the initial stages,” said association president Sherry Genovar-Simons, who spoke at a recent general membership meeting. Library officials want to replace the existing 6,000-square-foot library with a two-story building and parking deck. Negotiations are under way with the Hillsborough County school district for use of a parking lot adjacent to the library. School officials have said they don’t want to sell the parking lot but would consider sharing it. Library officials said a construction date will be determined after approval of the county’s 2010 fiscal budget. For the past 15 years, an annual book sale named in memory of library booster and historian Steve Gluckman has been the primary funding source for several summer youth library programs. Gluckman died two years ago from a heart attack at age 70. A March book sale collected more than $1,600. The hope is that a bookstore, selling used items, would be another revenue source. Association member Pat Benjamin is heading up the friends of the library effort. The Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association and South Seminole Heights Civic Association are being asked to join the project. The first step is forming a steering committee, said Margaret Rials, friends of the library coordinator. Friends of the Library of Tampa-Hillsborough County Inc., a nonprofit group, oversees 14 friends of the library groups in the county. The groups support 16 of 25 county libraries. “It’s their grass-roots support group,” Rials said. “It means a lot to the community and the library.” The steering committee needs to meet, write bylaws and elect officers. Information is then submitted to the umbrella organization for approval. Rials estimates it would take six months or less. “Then they are ready to go,” she said. “It’s really a simple process.” For information, call Benjamin at (813) 234-2449. Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 259-7652.

http://southtampa2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/26/seminole-heights-group-seeks-friends-library-and-b/

From the SESH email group:

It seems as though there are people out there who have no appreciation for all our efforts to improve the life style in SESH.  We are nearly at the end of our six year battle to get the fountain and the Gazebo ready to use, and it seems it has become an irresistible attraction to those who can’t stand anyone having anything nice!

In the past three weeks, since the Gazebo itself was finished, someone drew in the wet concrete of the Gazebo, someone broke the gate and stole the sod, and someone tagged the concrete with orange paint.  This was in spite of the fact that TPD has spent a great deal of time in this park kicking people out, and just watching over things.  In addition, at least one neighbor has noticed suspicious behavior and called TPD to investigate.

My point of this email is to let everyone know that we are under attack and to ask all of you to pay particular attention to the happenings in the park.  No one is to be in this park after dark.  If you see anyone, please call the non emergency number.  No one is to have a vehicle in the park beyond the fence, unless it is a city authorized  vehicle.  Please, please, everyone, help out and keep an eye on our park. 

Lets make these thugs as unwelcome as possible!  Thanks!