Vol. 8, Issue 4, April 2020
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Your community. Your magazine. ™
The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To 15,000 Homes In Carrollwood, Lake Magdalene & Avila
“Hear for Everyone” at JC Audiology by Tom Bostock Singer and songwriter, Marc Anthony, offered the simplest definition that I know for success; “if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” This truly defines Dr. Reese, and her company, JC Audiology. She came to her final chosen profession by a somewhat circuitous route, first working in the education field for several years, followed by a number of other professions that still left her wanting to do something that both fulfilled her and helped other people. Fortunately, for countless satisfied patients, she gravitated to audiology and after completing the required curricula, she decided to specialize in hearing aids for 15 years now. Happy 15th Anniversary, Dr. Reese! A native of Ohio, who graduated from Wright State University and obtained her PhD at the
University of South Florida, in Tampa where Dr. Reese completed an interdisciplinary program in Cognitive and Neural Psychology and Communication Sciences and Disorders. A former adjunct professor at USF, Dr. Reese has taught both speech pathology and audiology to eager students. Her list of achievements is impressive, including several published papers. “The Hearing Journal had praised
INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Editor.................................................5 Tech Talk with Bob...........................................6-7 Cornerstone Pros...............................................8-9 AdventHealth Coronavirus........................10-11 Grout Tech.................................................14-15 Salt. The Natural Spa.....................................16
Dr. Reese’s research in their work in their Best of 2005 edition as being of primary importance to hearing aid clinicians.” The professional associations that she belongs to reflect her commitment to her patients by constantly increasing her knowledge in her field: • Certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association • Fellow of the Florida Academy of Audiology
• Member of the American Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology • Member of the Florida Speech-Language-Hearing Association • Licensed by the State of Florida Department of Health So, why would these accolades be important to hearing aid users? After all, all she does is sell hearing aids, right? How difficult could that be? Although that question See “JC Audiology” on page 18
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First of all, I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe. Before I get sidetracked and start rambling about the beaches not closing sooner and the toilet paper hoarding situation, I will go straight to the point. The Tampa Bay community needs you; it needs all of us. In my previous Editorial, I coincidentally talked about supporting local businesses and what an incredible role they played in fostering our local economy, keeping money close to home, and supporting neighborhoods and communities. Small businesses employ about 47 percent of private-sector workers in the U.S., meaning nearly 60 million individuals depend on them to support themselves and their families. These businesses range from your local, independent restaurant to the selfemployed accountant. The global pandemic caused by the Coronavirus has negatively impacted hundreds of thousands of independent local businesses all over the state of Florida, and Tampa Bay has been particularly affected. The rapid spread of CoronavirusCoronavirus (COVID-19) has led to specific critical social-distancing measures that are keeping people homebound and avoiding unnecessary shopping trips and social gatherings in order to “flatten the curve.” While those efforts are incredibly important for the greater good, these sudden changes in consumer behavior have had a devastating impact on local businesses, particularly restaurants and bars. Local Tampa Bay Yelp data shows in a recent “impact report” that over the past week, U.S. consumer interest for restaurants has fallen by 54%, and for
nightlife businesses including local bars by 70%. Many of these local bars and restaurant owners, staff and workers, are our friends, our relatives, our very own neighbors. And they are all struggling. We must support them now more than ever. How You Can Help Continue to shop local! Follow your favorite local businesses, bars, and restaurants on social media. A lot of them have been busy adapting to this unprecedented crisis. Some of your favorite local eateries have launched new take out menus and even FREE delivery options. Many of them use apps like UberEats, DoorDash, and GrubHub. Many of these apps are even waving delivery fees to support local restaurants. Enjoy some of your favorite foods in the comfort of your own safe home. To get through this challenging and uncertain time, we all must come together as a stable and supportive community. Let’s all do our part to help lift those local businesses that were hit the hardest by the impact of this pandemic. The Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles team has always been committed to supporting small local businesses and will continue to its part while respecting the social-distancing regulations. “Give, and it will be given to you.” Luke 6:38. Stay safe, everyone, until next month!
Carla
Tech Talk with Bob: Corona Virus Attacks Computers By Bob Dalles Yes, it’s true. COVID-19, the Coronavirus Outbreak, can attack computers. But not in a way you might be thinking. Leave it to society’s lowest form of dirtbags to take advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable. The Coronavirus Pandemic has given cyber criminals yet another platform in which they can snatch your money and contaminate your computer with dangerous malware leaving it in a precarious state. My friends, I urge you to be on the lookout for these cyber scams. It is
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not my intent to frighten you but rather to make you more vigilant and aware of steps you can take to protect yourself
and the people you care about. The COVID-19 outbreak will certainly increase cyber criminals’ email phishing campaigns
in the coming months. As you spend more time at home you will probably be spending more time online. While online, please, please, please, be wary of any links you click. There may be coronavirus computer attacks poised for attack in your email’s inbox right now. It’s just a matter of whether you will click the link or delete the email. I’ll bet you are getting emails from many of the companies you deal with in regard to how they are reacting to this pandemic. Especially watch out for the emails you may receive from companies you DO NOT do business with. If you get an email from a
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bank you have never done business with, beware. Why would they send you an email? You may also be getting emails from helpful friends and family that may include links to news stories, medical information and so forth. Emails made to look like they come from credible companies, organizations, and other familiar entities can be spoofed (faked) to look like they came from a trusted source. Embedded in these phishing emails might be links offering to connect you to another website with more information. Please think twice before you click that link. If for any reason you are not sure you can trust the link, then do not click it.
You should always type in the website address yourself instead of using a convenient link that looks legit but may be programmed to attack you. Don’t believe any unsolicited emails you receive from the IRS or the U.S. Treasury. At the time I am writing this, congress is trying to figure out how to get money to people. This makes a perfect opportunity for cyber criminals. Do not engage in any activity online or on the phone until you are completely confident you are dealing with a legitimate source. Here are some sources you might find helpful: Coronavirus.gov ---- www.CDC.gov ----www.HHS.gov ----- www. flhealth.gov ----- www.Tgh.
org/virtual-care The Florida Department of Health has a COVID-19 Hotline at 1-866-779-6121. If you are having health issues or symptoms regarding the coronavirus, please call your doctor. If your computer is having symptoms or you are unsure of its security, safety, or health, please call me at 727-534-4000. We are still open for business. We have the ability to provide support without needing to send an IT Specialist out to your home or office. We can remotely access your computer to perform most repairs. We can also remotely perform complete scans for viruses and other malware issues. So if you think you have
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malware, we can scan for it remotely from our location to yours. So, during a selfquarantine, we can still provide technical support to you over your phone and internet connection. Cyber criminals will exploit the easy victims and unprotected systems. Protecting yourself online is your responsibility. Don’t go it alone. We’re here to help. If you are not sure your system is safe, please have it looked over by a Professionally Certified IT Specialist. Call us now at 727-534-4000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. Be Safer In Your Digital World!
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Cornerstone Pros is Ready to Meet Your Home Comfort Needs: Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Electrical, Water Treatment Systems, and Whole Home Generators By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Get your home ready for Summer with Cornerstone Pros - Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Electrical, Water Treatment Systems, and installation of Whole Home Generators It‘s nearly impossible to prevent all your emergency home service needs, but there are ways to prepare for them. Don’t wait until the emergency arises. Cornerstone Pros’ Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical can provide preventative maintenance with checkups and tuneups to keep your air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems
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ready. With summer months ahead, and May being the busiest·time of the year, now is the time to schedule your maintenance checkups/ tune-ups for all trades. Stay Cool this Summer: You can rest assured that your AC will run smoothly this summer after a tuneup from Cornerstone Pros, but if you find yourself in a fritz with a non-functioning AC system, Cornerstone’s skilled technicians are available around the clock 24/7 to provide you with an honest diagnosis of your system, provide an honest evaluation, and estimate for any repairs or replacement. Cornerstone services
all brands and is always ready to help, providing you with a free estimate on installations or a second opinion on repairs. They
make it a point to get to your emergency call the same day so that you can be cool and comfortable as soon as possible.
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crystal clear water for your family. They can install personalized well water treatment systems and water purification systems. Not only will these systems remove impurities from your water and improve its taste, but refined water can prevent scaling and double the life of your appliances, saving you money over time.
Plumbing Problems: Cornerstone is here and ready to fix small problems like clogged pipes and rains, replacing fixtures, etc., to larger jobs, such as whole-home re-pipes, new water heaters (including tankless water heaters), slab leaks, water treatment systems, any other plumbing emergencies, as well as yearly plumbing maintenance plans. Water Treatment & Purification: A healthy home needs healthy drinking water. In addition to their expert plumbing services, Cornerstone provides you with safe,
Expert Electrical Service: Cornerstone’s certified electricians can expertly handle any electrical need at your home, including adding or replacing lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, LED and Can lighting, cables for cameras or media equipment, cameras, panel upgrades, provide electrical inspections, as well as yearly electrical maintenance plans. Hurricane Prep: Don’t Lose Power Again! Hurricane season will be here soon, with Cornerstone’s GENERAC Whole Home Standby Generators, you and your family will have peace of mind knowing that you’ll have power in the event
of a natural or man-made disaster. Your home is protected automatically when the power goes out. It switches over within seconds and automatically supplies power directly to your home’s electrical circuit breaker box, providing you with 24/7 electrical system backup. It will also turn itself off when the utility power returns, leaving no need to monitor. WholeHome Generators are a safer option than portable generators, since there is no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, making this a safer option for you and your family. Helpful Financing: Most families don’t plan for an emergency, but Cornerstone Pros offers financing plans for every budget and will help you restore your home comfort without breaking your bank. They also provide financing for any home improvement projects you may be planning to complete. Family-Owned, founded in 2006: Cornerstone Pros was founded in 2006, is familyowned and operated and
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takes pride in providing dependable, friendly, and honest service. Cornerstone Pros is one of the toprated companies in the Tampa Bay Area, as proven by their many awards, such as the prestigious “Angie’s List Super Service Award,” winning eight (8) consecutive years from 2012-2019, an honor only received by the top 3% of companies. They were also voted Tampa Bay Times “Best of the Best, People’s Choice Award,” Clipper Magazine’s “Best of Clipper Magazine’s Peoples Poll,” and continually maintain a BBB A+ rating and accreditation with the Better Business Bureau. Cornerstone has also won the Brighthouse Business Awards two years in a row and has over 800 Five-Star online reviews. Give Cornerstone Pros - Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Electrical, Generators, and Water Treatments a call today at 813 949 4445. They say, “Call Today, Fixed Today!” For more information about their specials and services, take a look at their web site: www. cornerstonepros.com.
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AdventHealth Announces Coronavirus Visitor Policy and Elective Surgical Procedure Updates As of March 20, 2020, subject to change AdventHealth has a responsibility to protect the greater community from the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As a trusted community partner, it’s vital we take measures to minimize the risk of infection for our patients while protecting our physicians and team members who are on the frontlines every day. Under the governor’s executive order on elective surgery, AdventHealth will immediately:
AdventHealth will provide surgery only to patients whose needs are imminently life threatening, with malignancy that could progress, or with active symptoms that require urgent and immediate care. This decision allows us to further plan for the increased need for hospital beds, resources, and advocate for patient • Postpone all inpatient surgeries that are not time and team member safety. sensitive. • Postpone all outpatient Visitor Policy Changes Additionally, we are surgeries that are not time announcing modifications sensitive. • Postpone all outpatient to our visitor policy effective Monday, March procedures in diagnostic 23rd. centers that are not time After much discussion sensitive.
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with clinical leaders and physicians, AdventHealth will update its visitation policy. Effective Monday, March 23, no visitors will be allowed inside AdventHealth hospitals in the West Florida Division, except for special circumstances, which includes: • AdventHealth Carrollwood • AdventHealth Dade City • AdventHealth Lake Placid • AdventHealth North Pinellas • AdventHealth Ocala • AdventHealth Sebring • AdventHealth Tampa
• AdventHealth Wauchula • AdventHealth Wesley Chapel • AdventHealth Zephyrhills Visitation will be continued for special circumstances, including end-of-life situations. Visitation will also be permitted if the visitor is the power-of-attorney or medical decision-maker. Other exceptions include: • Patients under the age of 18 may be accompanied by one adult visitor (parent, legally authorized person or caregiver). No additional visitors or
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siblings allowed. • Obstetric patients can have one adult visitor. • Exceptions will be made for extenuating circumstances such as imminent end-of-life or unique patient needs for support. In all circumstances, visitors who are sick will not be permitted to enter the hospital, unless they are seeking personal medical care. We realize this will impact patients and their families, and we will constantly evaluate the need for this policy and will modify it when we believe it is safe for visitors to return. “This is an unprecedented time in health care and our priority is to keep our patients, team members and ultimately our greater community safe while we continue to treat those who need our care,” said Mike Schultz, President and CEO, AdventHealth West Florida Division. “We believe this decision to further limit visitors at our hospitals is crucial to
upholding our promise to keeping our community, patients, and employees safe. We thank our community in advance for their understanding and patience as we address COVID-19 together.” We know how important is for families and friend to stay connected to their loved ones, so we strongly encourage them to remain closely connected through virtual tools, including Skype, FaceTime, text messaging, and phone. Patient safety, safety of the entire health care team, and the ability to care for our community are at the core of all decisions that we make. We will continuously evaluate these decisions to ensure safety for everyone. For more information visit the website (type into your address bar): coronavirusresourcehub. com or call 1-877-VIRUSHQ
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Grout Tech - Your Tile and Grout Specialist!
Before Before you spend thousands of dollars remodeling and re-tiling your bathroom or kitchen be sure to call Grout Tech for a FREE estimate on cleaning or repairing old dingy tile and grout. Grout Tech can breathe
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After
new life into your existing tile work, making everything shine like new at a fraction of the cost. Grout Tech is a family owned business serving Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties. With over 17 years of experience in the
industry, Grout Tech specializes in cleaning and sealing tile and grout, re-coloring grout, re-caulking showers and tubs, and repairing grout and broken tiles. Grout Tech will renew existing grout and tile to its
original beauty by cleaning and maintaining the tile and grout lines. Jeremy G. and his wife were ready to re-tile their entire bathroom before calling BJ at Grout Tech. “Our bathroom tile was over 40 years old it was looking grungy and very
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dull. We called Grout Tech and we are extremely pleased with our results! We saved so much money by having the grout in our shower resurfaced and the tile cleaned and it looks brand new.” BJ is happy to set your appointment, come out and give you a free estimate. She stresses, “It is important for me to be respectful of our customers’ time so I will always arrive at the time we set.” In addition to always arriving in a timely manner, BJ says that they can keep their prices low because they are a family owned business and not a franchise. She explains, “What many people don’t understand is that franchises are often forced to charge more for their services because they have to maintain their franchise fees, but not with Grout Tech.” Not only does Grout Tech keep its rates competitive, but the company will also honor any
other quote as long as it is in writing. Because grout is a porous material, trying to remove stains is seemingly impossible. BJ explains, “Color sealing grout lines is one of the many services we offer and it is definitely the most effective way to create a perfect, new look.” Using a step-by-step process, Grout Tech begins by using a cleansing product to remove all bacteria and surface dirt with special machinery. They will then apply a color seal (of your choice). Once the sealer is applied the grout lines will be permanently protected from any stains. The color seal also guarantees against cracking, chipping and peeling. Additionally, they will also cosmetically fix or replace chipped or cracked tiles, making your bathroom or
kitchen tile like new again. Kathy G., a satisfied customer, shares her experience, “When BJ came out to give us a quote, she looked at the job and I could tell immediately that she knew what she was talking about. We had our family room, kitchen and dining room re-grouted. They also re-grouted the tub, shower and base of our toilet in our bathroom. They were fantastic! Not only were they professional and reliable but they also completed the job much faster than we had anticipated.” Excellent Service Leads to Referrals Throughout the years, Grout Tech has grown through its many referrals from happy customers. People really appreciate that Grout Tech saves them time and money, but it is the excellent service provided that has really helped
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this business grow. Grout Tech’s success stories say that before calling Grout Tech, their bathrooms, guest bathroom showers and floor grout, had deteriorated over time and the tiles were dull and stained. “The tile was in good condition but it was stained so we had Grout Tech come out and clean them and they turned out very well.” They were so pleased that they have already referred Grout Tech to neighbors in their community. Grout Tech can also remove and re-caulk around sinks, baseboards, tubs and showers serving to clean up old moldy areas and keep your dry wall free from water damage. From old to new in just one day! To find out more about Grout Tech’s services or for a free estimate call BJ at 727768-6828.
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Salt. The Natural Spa
Competition is the guiding principle of business. Underneath the surface, however, there is a deeper satisfaction that success is most appreciated when it’s experienced by the community. That’s what brought dozens of business owners and Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce members out on a rainy night to officially welcome Megan Gaertner, and business partner Ivonne Zablah, as the newest members of the chamber, to celebrate the launch of their new business, “Salt. The Natural Spa”. Guests and friends had a chance to
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meet the owners and tour the spa. Megan, who’s originally from Poland and Germany, and Ivonne who is originally from Mexico, are experiencing the American dream of owning their own business and giving their children benefits of salt therapy. The spa uses the healing power of aerosolized sodium chloride, or salt. The salt is 99.9 percent pure and is processed and dispersed by specialized equipment helping to increase energy, reduce stress and help support the lymph and respiratory systems. Clients relax in
comfortable therapy-room chairs. The floors are covered with Himalayan rock salt. Soft music plays, lights are dimmed, and walls (made from blocks of salt) are illuminated as micro fine salt particles are dispersed in the air. There is a children’s therapy room with a playground. More conventional spa services like massages and facials are also available. Salt. The Natural Spa is located at 8375 Gunn Highway in Keystone Professional Park which is in the Citrus Park area of Tampa. Check out the Salt web site at www. saltthenaturalspa.com for
more information or to make a reservation. Enjoy the natural healing power of salt and relax!
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“JC Audiology”
- continued from page 1 doesn’t even warrant a response, consider this: Dr. Reese has helped 1000’s of patients since she opened her own practice 15 years ago, and many more in her outstanding 30+ year career. She conducts a variety of hearing tests in a specially designed sound-controlled room to determine your hearing status and hearing technology needs. Applying her extensive background and expertise, she makes an informed recommendation based on those results. Not all hearing aids are the same or perform the same function. Do you need to differentiate sounds in a crowded room? What about hearing your minister’s sermon? Do you need to just hear our own television or
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receive phone calls directly to your cell phone? These are just a few of the amazing functions that today’s new, properly fitted digital hearing aids can perform … and I emphasize “properly fitted.” When guided through the fitting process with an expert like Dr. Reese, the results are an improvement in your entire quality of life. Let’s ask some of her satisfied patients how they feel about the caring expertise that Dr. Reese provided them. Read the following current 2020 five-star reviews: Neababe: Called and was able to bring my Mom in for a same day appointment. She is staying with me from out of state. She was very apprehensive about going to someone ‘new’ but we both were very pleasantly surprised at the level of service and
kindness we received. Our visit ended with a hug from Mom. I highly recommend Dr. Reese and her staff. They were amazing at making us feel well cared for! N. Alch: Dr Reese is the epitome of patience. She has succeeded in fitting me with an aid that is as comfortable as one can be and meets my needs. I ENTHUSIASTICALLY recommend her to fill your
hearing needs. R.: Amazing doctor and staff! Feels like home and that is the best feeling for a doctor’s office. Please come to this Audiologist if you need to get your ears checked! Free consultation!!! And finally: It was so nice to hear birds singing again, I don’t know how long it’s been since I
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stopped hearing them. I tried another hearing aid company and they only wanted to sell me the most expensive. I knew Dr. Reese but, forgot she had her own office. Reconnected with Dr. Reese and was so pleased to work with her again. She made me comfortable and I walked out with a hearing aid that works for me. Thank you, Dr. Reese. There are more than 50 similar reviews on their website, https://www.jcaudiology.com/reviews. Visit it today and read for yourself. It’s the world’s best form of advertising for both a clinician and nationally renowned researcher, Dr. Judith Reese, dispensing some of the finest hearing aids and service in the entire hearing- impaired industry. With unparalleled follow up, Dr. Reese noted that JC Audiology repairs and services
“about 140 hearing aids monthly” because her patients don’t want to be without the invaluable aids that they have so come to rely on. There is a misconception about the bulky size of hearing aids. Today’s are not your grandfather’s cumbersome ones anymore. They are sophisticated digital marvels whose size makes them comfortable to wear, almost invisible in your ears. Current research shows that hearing aids are necessary to your social, psychological and emotional needs. If you are having hearing problems and need to consider hearing assistance, you need to visit Dr. Judith Reese and her caring, compassionate staff in the family-like environment at JC Audiology, 1519 Dale Mabry Hwy., Suite 105, Lutz, FL 33548 phone (813) 9491331.
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