Neighborhood News Bureau

Author: Rim Shuman

  • Voices of Midtown – Brittany Harris, Pinellas County Urban League Young Professionals

    Voices of Midtown – Brittany Harris, Pinellas County Urban League Young Professionals

  • Did you actually vote today?

    Did you actually vote today?

    BY RIM SHUMAN
    NNB Reporter

    ST. PETERSBURG – Residents, few and far between, made their way to the polls to cast their vote for three city council seats and four referendum questions Tuesday.

    Unity of St. Petersburg (Precint #213/#217)
    Unity of St. Petersburg (Precint #213/#217)

    Unity: A Spiritual Community, 6168 1st Ave. N., Precinct #213 and #217 had low voter turnout. A polling officer claimed that there were only about two voters an hour. The parking lot was seemingly empty. Where were the voters of St. Petersburg today?

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    Unity Center of St. Petersburg (Precinct no. 213 and 217)

    Jeannine Colbert, of St. Petersburg, cast her vote at the Unity Center today.

    “This probably isn’t the greatest place for a good turnout – hardly anyone comes by here. I think people need to get out and vote as you see no one is showing up here, people need to get out and vote,” said Colbert, who was one of the few voters at the Unity center.

    “(Referendum Question no. 1) is the most important question. I feel very strongly about this because I am very environmental. It is important because it involves decisions about our wetlands,” said Colbert.

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    Fifth Avenue Church of Christ (Precinct no. 227)

    “I supported [Will] Newton. I know him because he supports our local firefighters and I really like him. My husband is a firefighter. It’s a matter of sticking together in the community. I vote every election, people still complain – if you don’t vote, you can’t complain,” Colbert said.

    Fifth Avenue Church of Christ, located at 4200 5th Avenue S., St. Petersburg, Precint no. 227 welcomed voters of St. Petersburg to their Church. With seemingly more voters walking in and out of the voting center, the Church had a reported 10 to 20 percent turnout their, compared to the reported zero to 10 percent for Precinct no. 217 at the Unity Center.

    Frank Prevost, cast his vote at the Fifth Avenue Church of Christ. He said the issue about council member district lines is important and requires voters’ attention and understanding.

    “Referendum no. 2 about the district lines was very important. I hope (the city) will do a little better then what it is doing for us now,” said Prevost

    His support for council came down to a personal choice.

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    “I supported Phillip Garrett for District 5 and Will Newton for District 7. I know Phil personally, that is how I got the information I needed,” said Prevost. “My wife and his wife attend Church together. His three kids are like my kids.”

    Prevost said that he votes every election and hopes that there would be more residents of the area coming to vote recognizing the small turnout.

    “More people should participate in any election there is. Without a voice you do not have a voice. It is our right. You have to vote,” said Prevost.

    The election had a voter turnout of 17.33 percent of active registered voters. Which means of the 174,729 registered voters in St. Petersburg, only 30,286 went out to the polls.

     

  • Elected officials are supposed to live in St. Pete, right?

    BY RIM SHUMAN
    NNB Reporter

    ST. PETERSBURG – Should an elected official be required to be a resident of the city?

    Referendum question no. 3 reads:

    “Shall the City Charter be amended to clarify that a declared district candidate is required to remain a resident of the candidate’s declared district before, during and, if elected, after the election and during their term of office; and to clarify that a candidate for Mayor is required to remain a resident of the City before, during, and if elected, after the election and during their term of office?”

    Currently a candidate for mayor or city council does not need to remain a resident of the district in which they are running during or after a primary or general election. The current Charter states that “a candidate for Council Member shall have been a resident of the declared district for at least the past (12) months.”

    “I noticed that the amendment needed to take place back in August of 2014 once I officially took office,” said Chan Srinivasa, city clerk. “I proposed the change to the City Attorney due to the verbiage. This is a just a clean-up.”

    Residents get the chance to vote on this and other referendum questions as well as city council candidates Nov. 3.

    “The people elected in office are doing their job, it just wasn’t clear in the charter,” said Srinivasa.

    The referendum further outlines residency requirements:

    “Any candidate who does not remain a resident of the declared district prior to the primary or general elections shall be disqualified from being elected. Any candidate who is elected but does not remain a resident of the declared district prior to taking office shall be disqualified in taking office. Any candidate who does not remain a resident of the declared district during the Council Member’s term of office shall immediately be removed from office by the City Council following [procedure of removal].”

    “You have the right to vote. Wherever you have an opportunity for citizens to vote, you are expressing your constitutional rights, however you decide to vote and how the elections go – that is the people’s voice,” said Srinivasa.

    Carla Bristol, who serves on the board of the Dr. Carter G, Woodson Museum and owns the art studio Gallerie909, was amazed the change is needed.

    “I’m surprised that this wasn’t a requirement to begin with, this should have been a requirement a long time ago,” said Bristol. “I am 100 percent in favor of it being a requirement – if you’re going to serve the people then you’re going to need to live among the people.”

  • Midtown’s African American Heritage Trail

    Midtown’s African American Heritage Trail

    BY RIM SHUMAN
    NNB Reporter

    ST. PETERSBURG – “Many people remember the 50’s and 60’s, but not a lot of people, especially not children, remember the times before it as well. So, I think that the boards are great to preserve information that could have been lost or forgotten in case they were not there,” said Kimberly Hinder, Historic Preservation Planner for the City of St. Petersburg.

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    The African American Heritage Trail Map of Boards [Photograph Courtesy of St.Pete.org]
    The idea of the trail was first initiated by former Mayor Bill Foster of the City of St. Petersburg. Foster established an advisory committee that the board members, consisting of involved and interested community members, to discover the important places, people and events that shaped the surrounding neighborhood.

    This helped board members establish the themes for the corridor such as focusing on the commercial corridor with the African American businesses during segregation, Civil Rights, education and the role of family, clubs and religion. 

    “We had to gather the initial list of places and people through the advisory board meetings and public meetings but the detailed information on the boards was found through interviews and archival research.” said Hinder.

    The African American Heritage Trail Board titled End of an Era. [Photo Courtesy of StPete.Org]
    The African American Heritage Trail Board titled End of an Era. [Photo Courtesy of StPete.Org]
    The City of St. Petersburg applied for a grant offered by the State Division of Historic Resources. Once the City was granted the award, St. Petersburg City Council approved the grant agreement. This grant was available to municipalities with historic preservation programs approved by the state as a Certified Local Government.

    The grant could not be used for future maintenance, only initial development and installation, said Hinder.

    “The boards are graffiti resistant and sun damage proof – we tried to get the best materials that last as  long as it can possibly last for. The materials are the same materials that the National Park Service uses. The boards are warranted for ten years from the manufacturer so damage will be replaced if necessary,” said Hinder.

    David Mourra, from left, Steve Harris and Greg Keller place African American Heritage Trail Board in front of the Carter G. Woodson African American History Museum. [Photo Courtesy of Melissa Lyttle of Tampa Bay Times]
    David Mourra, from left, Steve Harris and Greg Keller place African American Heritage Trail Board in front of the Carter G. Woodson African American History Museum. [Photo Courtesy of Melissa Lyttle of Tampa Bay Times]
    The African American Heritage Trail became a public walking attraction in October 2014. The two-mile trail is located at the main point of the Carter G. Woodson Museum at 2240 9th Ave. S. A trail of 10 boards run along the North and South of 22nd Street South, while the intersection of 9th Avenue includes another 10 boards along the East to West of Midtown.

    The Trail received the Meritorious Achievement Award in 2015 for its preservational value.

    The 20 detailed boards include background information and illustration of the African-American heritage that has flourished in the city of St. Petersburg; this attraction is a walking tour provided by the City of St. Petersburg in an area where black culture is embraced. They are placed in front of areas in Historic Midtown such as the Manhattan Casino, the Johnnie Ruth Clarke Center, formerly known as the Mercy Hospital, and the Royal Theater.

    These boards are titled as the “Faith, Family and Education” on 9th Avenue which includes rich African-American heritage details that consist of the community, schools, organizations, religious centers and enrichment of the black society starting from the Jim Crow-era. There are approximately nine religious centers on this side of the trail, where the board focuses on such details of the now restored Jordan Elementary School.

    The Logo used for the African American Heritage Trail. [Photo Courtesy of Melissa Lyttle of Tampa Bay Times]
    The Logo used for the African American Heritage Trail. [Photo Courtesy of Melissa Lyttle of Tampa Bay Times]
    The boards are titled: “Community, Culture and Commerce” on the 22nd Street trail, which includes the important and history-making information about racial segregation.

    The shops and places that are featured on these trail boards include information pertaining to the places where African-Americans couldn’t shop, sit, enjoy, contribute to or receive services during the time of racial segregation in America. These boards elaborate on iconic figures such as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and James Brown as their jazz music was a significant factor in placing a board in front of the Royal Theater and the Manhattan Casino.

    The African American Heritage Association wants to found more boards though it will require another grant. There are many other sites in St. Petersburg that have potential for these markers including the South Mole, which served as a beach for African Americans in St. Petersburg; the Gas Plant, Pepper Town and Methodist Town. 

    “Little remains of these African American communities,” said Hinder.

    If you go:

    What: Keep Saint Petersburg Local 2nd Annual Localicious Eat Local Drink Local Week

    When: Oct. 16- 25

    Where: Downtown and Midtown St. Petersburg. Tours of the African American Heritage Trail are part of the event-filled week. For more information visit: http://keepsaintpetersburglocal.org/localicious.