Vol. 11, Issue 5, May 2022
®
Your community. Your magazine.
The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To Over 15,000 Homes In Citrus Park, Westchase & Surrounding Areas This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To:
Arlington Park • Aston Villas • Bay Arbor • Berkeley Square • Calf Path Estates • Enclave At Citrus Park • Fawn Ridge Fawn Lake • Forest Lakes • Hampton Lakes • Highland Park • Lake Chase • Mandolin • The Eagles • Tree Tops Twin Branch Acres • Waterchase • West Hampton • Westchase • Westchester • Westwood Lakes • Windsor Place
Family-Owned Roofing Company Prides Itself on Five-Star Service
By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Imagine being in the roofing industry and maintaining a spotless standing in the community for 70 years. Founded in New York in 1952 by Santis Squitiro, Sr., and relocated to Florida in 1974, Acoma Roofing Inc. is a family-owned business in Oldsmar. When son Steve Squitiro joined his father in 1983, it was humble beginnings - the two men and a truck. Ten years later, Steve’s young brother, Santis Squitiro, joined the family business. Now operated by See “Acoma Roofing” on page 8
Allpro Tree & Landscaping Offers Peace of Mind During Hurricane Season and Beyond Are you aware that heavy rain and one strong gust of wind can potentially topple a diseased tree onto your roof or worse, a neighbor’s and cause hundreds, even thousands of dollars of damage?
See “All Pro” on page 12
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: By Deborah Bostock-Kelley As a Florida resident, you are already aware that hurricane season begins on June 1 and doesn’t officially end until November 30. If you’ve lived here long enough, you know to secure patio furniture, move garbage and recycling bins against the house, and put away items
that could become lethal projectiles when airborne. But what about the overgrown huge unpruned oak tree that shades your front yard? You’ve been meaning to call someone to trim the tree but just haven’t gotten around to it. Without proper attention, your beautiful tree becomes a ticking time bomb.
From the Editor................................5 Bob the Computer Guy..................10
2 MAY 2022
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4 MAY 2022
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Happy Mother’s Day, May The 4th be with you! May is full of holidays, commemoramedia franchise observe it by retions, proclamations, awareness events, watching the Star Wars movies, wearing Star Wars celebrations, and tacos, yes… costumes, sharing movie quotes and tacos! posting funny memes on social media. The 2nd Sunday of May we internaThe date was chosen for the pun on the tionally celebrate Mother’s Day. I would catchphrase “May The Force Be With like to personally wish my mother, BeYou” as “May The Fourth Be With You.” rardina Tedeschi, a very Happy Mother’s Also in May, many look forward to Day. I couldn’t have asked for a better “Cinco de Mayo,” which is a holiday that role model. I wouldn’t be the woman celebrates the Mexican army’s 1862 vicI am today without your unconditional tory over France at the Battle of Puebla love and support. Thank you mom, for during the Franco-Mexican War. Cinco being the best woman I know. Your de Mayo is a relatively minor holiday strength, honesty, courage and resilin Mexico, but in the United States has ience make me incredibly proud to be evolved into a huge commemoration your daughter. of Mexican culture and heritage. The To all mother’s, grandmothers, great Holiday is frequently confused with grandmothers, and foster moms, I wish “Mexico’s Independence Day,” which in you all a very Happy Mother’s Day! reality, takes place on September 16th. Remember, successful mothers are not Finally, I want to bring your attenthe ones that never struggle or get frustion that May also marks Lyme Disease trated; they are the ones that never give Awareness Month. up, despite the struggles and continue Even though Lyme disease may not loving unconditionally. be too common here in Florida, you can Observed yearly on the last Monstill get infected. Take it from someone day of May, Memorial Day is a federal who is currently battling this debilitatholiday that commemorates all men ing and life-altering condition. I spent and women who have died in the line several years not knowing what was of duty while serving in the military for wrong with me, not understanding why the United States of America. This 2022 I was feeling so sick and tired all of the Memorial Day will be celebrated on time, until I was properly diagnosed by Monday 30. President Biden will give a an infectious disease doctor. speech on this day, and usually parades Fighting Lyme has been an uphill and other celebrations are hosted across battle, but with the proper treatment, I the Nation to remember our fallen am finally feeling like myself again. It’s soldiers that sacrificed their lives for been tough to open up to everyone our freedom. Please take a moment to about this, but if I can help raise awareremember them this Memorial Day. ness with my own story, then so be it. If Multiple small businesses will be you’re struggling to find a proper diagoffering magnificent Memorial Day and nosis, and you believe it could be Lyme Mother’s Day specials, one-of-a-kind ofrelated, please feel free to reach out to fers, and fantastic discounts on merchan- me directly at carla@nnlflorida.com and dise, products, and services. So please I will gladly share the health resources make sure to carefully browse this issue and specialists that have helped me live of Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles, so a healthier life, despite my diagnosis. you can take advantage of those great deals and save big this upcoming May! Until next time, Star Wars fans? May 4, celebrates George Lucas’ Wars. Fans of the For Advertising Info 727-943-0551 I info@nnlflorida.com or visitStar tbnewsandlifestyles.com MAY 2022 5
Carla Dubis Tedeschi
6 MAY 2022
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“Acoma Roofing” story continued from page 1 the brothers, the company prides itself on being recognized for its outstanding customer service and a consistent blemish-free reputation. Acoma Roofing Inc. is a commercial, industrial, and residential roofing installer specializing in roof installation, repair, and maintenance. They are certified installers and providers of all types of new and re-roofs. A GAF Master Elite® Contractor since 2008, requiring proper licensing and adequate insurance, a proven reputation, and commitment to ongoing professional training, Acoma Roofing Inc. is guided by the mission of providing only superior customer service. Experienced estimators will come out to a homeowner’s residence and provide a cost-free, noobligation roof evaluation. Steve relayed a conversation with a customer that had Santis visiting the property the same day to review the client’s concern. “I want to have a customer service-oriented mentality, the customer is always right, but that is easier to say and ridiculously hard to do. The fact that we’ve done 60,000 jobs and never
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had a complaint means we’ve done that. I answer the phone when there’s a problem. The only way to get a bad job is to have something wrong and not notify me. If they notify me, it’s going to be fixed.” With sixty thousand re-roofed homes since its inception, Acoma Roofing Inc. is proud of its longevity in the industry and recognition for going above and beyond for its customers. Should a problem arise, the issue is taken care of with transparency. In 70 years, the company has never had a complaint filed with the licensing board or the Better Business Bureau. Whether you seek to know the condition of your
roof or have immediate plans to replace it, Acoma Roofing Inc. will give you a roof assessment – an analysis of shingle, tile, metal, and flat roofing roofs. With their excellent quality artistry and proper maintenance, the average lifecycle of a shingle roof is up to 25 years; a tile roof 20-35 years; a metal roof up to 50 years, and a flat roof 10-15 years. Acoma Roofing Inc. can help you reduce your energy costs and keep water and moisture that can cause severe wood rot and mold. If your Homeowners Association requires roof cleaning, Acoma Roofing Inc. technicians can remove fungus from shingles and tile with safe, effective lowpressure cleaning.
Price should not be the deciding factor when hiring a roofing contractor. Always research your roofing company by reading reviews and checking with the Better Business Bureau and Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board. Steve stressed that there are several essential questions to ask before hiring a roofing contractor before you make a decision: Do they hire subcontractors? Do they carry workman’s comp with all workers’ names listed? Do they carry liability insurance? Can you get a list of employees working on your roofing job? He also said to ask if the company trucks will
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have the business name on them to help identify subcontractors. “We don’t use subcontractors,” explained Steve. “Our people are employees, with healthcare and 401(k) plans. They’re covered by workers’ compensation and liability. They’re trained and certified installers for GAF and other manufacturers. Our trucks are emblazoned with our name, license, and phone number, and our people wear Acoma Roofing uniform shirts. Customers who hire us know they’re not getting subcontractors, and that’s important. Roofing companies who use subcontracted labor
are potentially breaking the law and setting up homeowners for liabilities from subcontractors for non-payment to hospital expenses if a worker is hurt on their property.” Steve recommends not waiting until the rainy season to consider a roof replacement. Storms can delay installation. The best time is October through May, the drier season. As Florida is coming up on another hurricane season, Acoma Roofing does offer emergency service available for damage due to bad storms or hurricanes. Acoma Roofing Inc. is proud of its involvement
in the community and regularly supports the charity organizations in the neighborhoods they serve. Though eight on Your Side typically covers unscrupulous business practices, in 2017, they covered the feel-good story of Acoma Roofing Inc. and its supplier. Acoma Roofing Inc. and their supplier came to the aid of a family with no roof due to their trust in a dishonest roofer, and the companies replaced their roof without cost. That isn’t the first time Acoma Inc. has given away a free roof. They participated in No Roof Left Behind to provide a roof to
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a lucky winner. Honest business practices, integrity, transparency, and excellent reputation in the industry, coupled with excellent customer service, have helped Acoma Roofing Inc. continue to be a name positively recognized throughout Tampa Bay for over 60 years. “We provide service respectfully and courteously with integrity.” For more information about Acoma Roofing, please visit acomaroofing. com, or for homeowners interested in a free estimate, call 727-7335580.
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Tech Talk with Bob - “The Call”: Did you get the Call?
By Bob Dalles Did you get the call? If so, what did you do? Did your friends get the call? If so, what did they do? Maybe neither one of you got the call… yet. What will you or your friends do when you get the call? Well, I am going to help you with this situation. This information can save you hundreds of dollars! Criminals are working their way through the internet looking for people to scam. I personally have received “the call” several times myself. My mom received it last month. These scam artists will call you and identify themselves as representatives of a reputable company, like Microsoft, Apple, etc. The caller tells you that a corruption was identified on your computer. Then offer you a free scan of your computer to verify the corruption. Most people will be happy to agree to do this because it is FREE. For these criminals to run this free scan they
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must be in control of your computer. They ask you to log onto the internet with your computer, download a file and run it. The caller starts the scan. Now they have you. Once you download that file, you are in trouble. You should be able to observe the scan from your computer screen. The caller will chit chat with you about the scan and then move the conversation to more personal information like your name, address, phone number and email address. When the scan is finished the caller will confirm that you have the corruption and assure you, they can fix it right now. Most people get worried when they hear there is a problem with their computer, so they tell the caller to fix it. However, now the caller proceeds to ask for credit card information because they were not hired by Microsoft, Apple, etc. They want your money. Many people will pay thinking everything is fine. Others will say no because they thought that this was a free offer to find and fix the corruption. If you refuse to pay, the caller may make threats like saying your computer is going to crash or you may not be able to connect to the internet. The file they ask you to download and run to scan your system may actually sabotage your computer. So, if you refuse to pay, you may have unknowingly introduced the caller’s corruption into your computer. $499.00 is the typical amount they ask for; however higher amounts have been reported. Here’s the catch: The scan to confirm the existence of the “so
called corruption” was FREE, to fix the corruption will cost you. Here’s the BIGGER catch: you do not have the corruption they are trying to convince you you have. This whole call is a hoax. They want to scare you into thinking you have a corruption and offer you a way to diagnose it for FREE. And then get you to pay for the fix. Many people become victims of this scam. It has been around for a long time because it works and makes these criminals a lot of money. Now that you are aware of this scam, you will not become one of their victims. So, what do you do when you get this type of call? Hang up. As long as you hang up before downloading and running the scan file the caller instructs you to download. If you have already downloaded the scan file, then you will want to immediately turn off your computer and call me at 727-534-4000 to check your computer to verify it is not infected or otherwise compromised. Until then, leave it off. Are you certain your computer is safe? You don’t have to do this alone my Friend. My staff and I are here to keep your computer safer and keep it running. My team repairs computers and secures them, on our bench, onsite in your home or office, and even remotely. We have the best solutions already in place and we’re only a phone call away. Call us anytime at 727-534-4000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. We Keep You Safer In Your Digital World!
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“All Pro” story continued from page 1
It doesn’t have to end that way. The time to prepare is now. When you take the steps you need to make your home secure, don’t forget this one crucial element that is often overlooked and can cause damage to your home. The solution is not always the removal of trees but taking proper preventative care of them. In Pinellas, Pasco, and Hillsborough counties, certified local arborist and Allpro Tree & Landscaping owner Pete Spiridis and his professional team of experts know how to care for your tree before it becomes a severe and dangerous issue. Pruning a tree is done for aesthetic reasons, but it also benefits the tree’s health. Removing damaged, diseased or broken limbs
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can prevent decay that can compromise structural integrity. Allpro Tree & Landscaping is prepared to help you during the 2022 Hurricane Season. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale explains the potential damage to your trees from a hurricane, particularly improperly pruned trees. Using a rating system of 1 – 5, it warns that, at 74 to 95 mph, even a category one hurricane can cause damage. Large branches of trees can snap, and shallowly rooted trees may be toppled, possibly causing extensive damage to power lines, creating outages that can last several days. Downed trees can block roads, delaying the response time for emergency crews. “Trees in urban areas of Tampa Bay endure especially brutal stimuli. Some trees do not have the genetic predisposition to deal with these forces. Most trees
that fail during the hurricane seasons are improperly pruned trees,” said Pete. At Allpro Tree & Landscaping, the arborists’ custom-tailor solutions promote the health of your unique trees and landscapes. Pete and his professional team of experts will gladly and affordably manage your tree or landscaping problem. If you loathe yard work but love a beautifully landscaped lawn, Allpro offers comprehensive yard clean-up using specialized tools and equipment. The company provides debris elimination, leaves, weeds, grass clippings removal, mulching, composting, and refuse and waste disposal. Pete and the Allpro Tree & Landscaping experts design beautiful landscaping, trim all types of trees, grind and remove tree stumps, install and remove sod, place rock beds,
lay mulch, and perform many other landscaping services for residential and business properties. Allpro Tree & Landscaping staff are highly creative designers who enjoy working with clients to create gorgeous landscape plans. “Our goal is to build an aesthetically pleasing landscape that requires minimal maintenance and satisfies you in every possible way,” said Pete. “Allpro Tree & Landscaping has landscape design & installation down to a science. The result is always a stunning landscape that holds its beauty across posterity.” If you are wondering if Allpro Tree & Landscaping lives up to its reputation of providing “the elite service that you deserve,” as its website promises, 51 positive Google reviews attest to the company’s professionalism. “….We are so glad
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we called Allpro Tree & Landscaping because they really do live up to their name. Great job, guys. We would definitely recommend them to our neighbors and friends.” “They were very professional and polite. They worked well with each and
made sure not to damage anything. They also went out of their way to make sure I was happy with their job. I would highly recommend them.” “QUALITY, Professional, Efficient, AND COMPLETELY SUPERB!” National online home
service guru Angi (formerly Angie’s List) was impressed enough to present Allpro Tree & Landscaping with its “Super Service Award.” The Better Business Bureau, which analyzes and rates companies according to both the quality of the service they
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provide and the complaints received about them, awarded Allpro Tree & Landscaping its highest A+ rating. “We make every effort to stay within clients’ budget limits,” said Pete. “Furthermore, we get the job done with incredible speed. You won’t have to worry about our team dragging their feet and occupying your property longer than necessary. We strive to plan and build landscaping in as little time as possible to ensure that you are provided with landscape design & installation of the highest quality.” For information or to make an appointment with Allpro Tree & Landscaping, call 727-409-3315 or 813244-9234 for a free, noobligation inspection or visit www.myallpro.com.
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