New Tampa Neighborhood News, Issue 1, January 1, 2015 by Neighborhood News

s r s h

g e ” t n . d e e o s

Volume 23 Issue 1

Inside:

Our Editor’s 2014 Local Dining Favorites!

January 1, 2015

See Neighborhood Magazine!

Named The 2014 ‘Small Business Of The Year’ By The Wesley Chapel Chamber Of Commerce! THIS INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWS MAGAZINE IS DIRECTLY MAILED TO: NEW TAMPA: Arbor Greene • Cory Lake Isles • Cross Creek • Easton Park • Grand Hampton • Heritage Isles • Hunter’s Green • Hunter’s Key • K-Bar Ranch Lake Forest • Live Oak Preserve • Pebble Creek • Richmond Place • Tampa Palms • The Hammocks • West Meadows WESLEY CHAPEL: Aberdeen • Belle Chase • Bridgewater • Brookside • Chapel Pines • Country Walk • Lexington Oaks • Meadow Pointe • New River • Northwood • Pinewalk • Pine Ridge Saddlebrook • Saddleridge Estates • Saddlewood • Seven Oaks • The Lakes at Northwood • The Villages of Wesley Chapel • Watergrass • Wesley Pointe • Westbrook Estates • Williamsburg

More Widening On Tap For Bruce B. Downs & I-75 In 2015!

‘Segment A’ Construction Meeting To Be Held Jan. 12 By Matt Wiley

Although work continues on the widening of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. underneath I-75 (see below) that will complete BBD “Segments B & C,” work will begin within the next few weeks on the next segment of BBD widening. Although the official date of construction for “Segment A” (in red on map at right) —which will widen New Tampa’s main thoroughfare from four to eight lanes from Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms south to Bearss Ave. — has not yet been set, a pre-construction meeting has been scheduled for Monday, January 12, 6 p.m., at Tampa Palms Elementary (6100 Tampa Palms Blvd.) to inform the public about what to expect when the work begins. Hillsborough County community relations coordinator Andrea Roshaven says that the pre-construction meeting will feature maps and exhibits to help give local residents (and any other attendees) a good idea of what will happen when the 3.5-mile, $36-million Segment A construction project finally gets going. “This meeting will let them know the impacts of construction near their neighborhoods,” Roshaven explains. “It will detail the sequencing and when the project will start.” After a brief overview presentation, Hillsborough County staff will be on hand to answer any specific questions that residents may have about how construction will affect their respective neighborhoods. Roshaven says that an official date to start widening “Segment A” has not yet been set because the county has not yet issued the “Notice to Proceed” to Prince Contracting, which was awarded the project contract in early October. Roshaven says she expects Prince to be given the go-ahead sometime in January or early February.

“(Segment A) will be constructed in a similar sequence to the other segments,” Roshaven says, adding that the number of moving traffic lanes will remain the same during the Segment A construction because the new lanes are to be added in the rightof-way on either side of BBD. She says that access to the many businesses along BBD — especially south of Tampa Palms — also will be maintained throughout the project. “Construction will primarily take place during weekdays, but occasional weekend or night work may be necessary to cross driveways or side streets, to minimize traffic impacts,” Roshaven says. As part of the project, Prince also will be responsible for constructing sidewalks, widening the bridge over Cypress Creek (just south of Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms), making improvements at the Tampa Palms Blvd. and Amberly Dr. intersections with BBD (including removing and replacing the existing traffic signals) and creating four retention ponds. Prince currently is in the process of wrapping up the widening of the one-mile stretch of BBD underneath I-75, between Doña Michelle Dr. in North Palms Village and Commerce Park Blvd. That section could not be widened until the project to replace the I-75 overpasses above BBD (part of the Florida Department of Transportation, or FDOT’s I-75 widening project between Fowler Ave. and S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel), was completed (see below and separate story on this page).

BBD/I-75 Aims For April

Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson John McShaffrey reports that the BBD lanes under I-75 are coming along, but that the project likely won’t be completely finished until late spring. See “BBD Widening” on page 14.

Also Inside This Issue!

Local News, Business & Education Updates

Neighborhood Magazine

Development Plan Approved For Land Across From Hunter’s Green, Tampa Premium Outlets Breaks Ground On S.R. 56, Cross Creek Blvd. Widening On Track & More!

A Review Of D’Alessio Italian Ristorante, Former Tampa Palms Residents Hit Web TV, Gary’s 2014 Dining Favorites & Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

Pages 3-36

Pages 37-60

I-75 Widening Project Way Ahead Of Schedule While it may seem like construction crews have been widening I-75 for an eternity through New Tampa and into Wesley Chapel, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) says the project is actually ahead of schedule by several months, despite crews still working underneath the Exit 270 (Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd.) interchange. According to FDOT, Prince Contracting’s 11.4-mile, $95-million-project to widen I-75 from four to six and eight lanes between Fowler Ave. in Temple Terrace to just south of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel actually is nearly a year ahead of schedule. “We are in the final phases of construction on (I-75),” says FDOT spokesman John McShaffrey. “At some locations, traffic is already in its final configuration; other locations will be shifted into the final pattern in the next couple of months.” The widening, which began in October

2011, has contract time available through the spring of 2016 to finish widening the interstate and complete the necessary improvements at the Fowler Ave. (Exit 265), Fletcher Ave. (Exit 266) and BBD interchanges. McShaffrey reports that current projections show that the project could be wrapped up as soon as early summer of 2015. While the southbound I-75 lanes are in their final configuration just north of the BBD interchange, work continues between S.R. 56 and the apex with I-275, as well as on the northbound lanes north of the BBD interchange up to the apex with I-275 (see map). McShaffrey says that all lanes should be in their final configurations through New Tampa and Wesley Chapel by spring 2015.

Thanks For An Amazing 2014, New Tampa & A Taste Update! An editorial by Gary Nager

As you regular readers know, 2014 has been an amazing year for us. In addition to being named the “Small Business of the Year” for 2014 by the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), the Neighborhood News also was a finalist for the BrightHouse Regional Business Awards “Small Business of the Year.” Just before we went to press with this issue, we found out that, unfortunately, we did not make the final three in our category, which would have meant that we would win a cash prize, but GM Nikki Bennett and I do plan to attend the awards ceremony in February, just to see the three businesses that finished “in the money” this time around so we can try again next year. But, despite not winning a cash prize, 2014 has been the single best year we have had in terms of total ad revenues and total number of pages, beating out our previous record year — 2013 — by about 15 percent, despite the fact (we hear) the economy still isn’t up to snuff and despite the seemingly-ever-growing number of “competing” publications all trying to sell ads to the same businesses we do. Somehow, thankfully, many of the record number of businesses who decided to advertise with us this year recognized the difference between us and everyone else — that it’s not just about the look of

New Tampa Neighborhood News 29157 Chapel Park Dr., Suite B Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Phone: (813) 910-2575 Fax: (813) 423-6533 Advertising E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Editorial E-mail: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Publisher & Editor Gary Nager General Manager Nikki Bennett Assistant Editor / Photographer Matt Wiley Correspondents Amy Gutierrez • Celeste McLaughlin Kelly Miller Advertising Sales Representative Mary Dorey Office Assistant Jillian Reilly Graphic Design Georgia Carmichael • Nate Ciurla Chelsie Rosatone

Nothing that appears in New Tampa Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by New Tampa Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion. The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisements for Volume 23, Issue 3, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, January 19, 2015. New Tampa Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. New Tampa Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. New Tampa Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

Neighborhood News

the publication, it’s about the quality of the coverage we provide vs. any other print or online news source. The year that is quickly drawing to a close also saw us move into our much nicer new office here on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, expand our online news reporting (assistant editor Matt Wiley provides a variety of outstanding daily news updates, so if you’re not visiting WCNeighborhoodNews.com or Facebook.com/ NeighborhoodNews every day, you’re just not keeping up with the latest and the greatest) and even the first-ever “tweets” by yours truly. During 2014, we also provided more updates about and photos of more Wesley Chapel Rotary Club and WCCC events than ever before. We also were a major sponsor of the first-ever Wesley Chapel Jazz Festival and created as much goodwill throughout the communities of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel than we ever have before. And, we plan to do even more in 2015. As announced last issue, we will roll out a new dining product to help Tampa Bay-area restaurants and also plan to launch an online New Tampa & Wesley Chapel “webcast” on our website before the end of 2015. We’re even working with our graphic art team on some minor design improvements for both of our allglossy, all-direct-mail publications.

WC Chamber To Host First New Tampa Planning Meeting!

the first time since the late 1990s, when the event (scheduled that year in the West Meadows community) was cancelled due to monsoon-like rains — with the intention of bringing more New Tampa-area businesses into its fold and to revive the Taste of New Tampa. So yes, I’m excited about the possibilities because the WCCC has done such a great job of being inclusive to businesses in and near Wesley Chapel the last 15+ years and because the Chamber is making a commitment to the New Tampa area to do even more for the businesses located just south of the Pasco County line. For more info, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com, call 994-8534 or see the

WCCC updates on page 54.

RIP, Dick Eber

I was truly saddened to learn, just before we went to press, that Richard Steven “Dick” Eber had passed away at the too-young age of 61. Dick and his wife Kathy were the founders of the old Northeast Little League, which became the New Tampa Little League (and now, the North Tampa Athletic Assn.) when the program moved from Mort Park on E. Bearss Ave. to the New Tampa Little League park on Kinnan St. in Cross Creek. That park was renamed “Eber Baseball Park” in Dick & Kathy’s honor in February 2014. RIP, Dick. You’re sorely missed.

Local AUTO Rates Have Been Reduced

CALL TODAY!

10353 Cross Creek Blvd., Suite C • 813-994-1143 • newtampa.greattorida.com

During my recent visit to drop off some of Miss Pat’s Cookies at the WCCC office in The Grove shopping plaza (see page 54), Chamber executive director Hope Allen told me that the WCCC would be hosting its first “New Tampa Planning Meeting” sometime later this month, a number of New Tampa-area business leaders (including yours truly) to try to determine how to do more for businesses not located in Wesley Chapel. Of course, as reported in these pages several months ago, the WCCC “absorbed” the now-defunct New Tampa Chamber of Commerce — which did not host a Taste of New Tampa in 2014 for

Table of Contents

Local News Updates.......................................4-17

Development Approved For Hunter’s Green Land.........................4 K-Bar Rezoning Could Bring Connections To Pasco......................6 Cross Creek Widening Could Be Completed By October...............8 Tampa Premium Outlets Breaks Ground In Wesley Chapel...........10 New Tampa News Briefs........................................................12 Semi Carrying $250K In Lawn Equipment Stolen County Line Rd. Crash Robbery Charges Dropped Against Tampa Palms Man Domestic Dispute Lands Man In Hospital

New Tampa Community Calendar.......................................16

Local Business Updates......................18-33 Shuayb Laser Dental: High-Tech Dentistry For All Dental Needs....18 Florida Wellness Pharmacy Compounds Your Medications..........22 Medi-Weightloss Clinics Can Help You Shed Those Holiday Lbs...26 Check Out Skin Care Treatments At Point Of Care Clinics...........30 Premier Psychological Services.......................................................32

Neighborhood Magazine

Symphony In Lights Rocks The Shops At Wiregrass........................36 Tampa Palms Residents Collaborate On Web TV Show...................38 New Tampa Rotarians Help Produce TV Commercial...............39 Bay Chapel Church Introduces Community Food Pantry...............41 Wiregrass Wobble & Turkey Trot Raises Thousands.......................45 D’Alessio Is Still Wesley Chapel’s Finest Italian Dining....................48 Our Editor’s 2014 Area Dining Favorites.........................50-53 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’........................54-55

NEW TAMPA COLOR CLASSIFIEDS.......................56 New Tampa Girl Fights Cystic Fibrosis, Bullying With Music...........58

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

BOCC Chooses Development Plan For Land Across From Hunter’s Green

“We’re excited about having an opportunity to create a sense of place for New Tampa. In essence, a small downtown.” — David Freeman, Harrison Bennett Properties By Matt Wiley

The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) unanimously has approved plans for a future cultural center and dog park on the land located across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the main entrance to Hunter’s Green. A joint plan from Harrison Bennett Properties, LLC (see below for more info), and Regency Centers — tentatively called The Village At Hunter’s Lake — was approved on Dec. 17 for the 13.4 developable acres on the 80-acre parcel of land owned by the county, directly across BBD from the Hunter’s Green main gate. Harrison Bennett is no stranger to development in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area, having developed The Walk at Highwoods Preserve shopping plaza and helping to organize and sell land in Seven Oaks for commercial development, as well as land in the future Chapel Crossings development on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel. “Having hosted and gone to meetings with residents and listened attentively to residents in (the New Tampa) area, I began to formulate an opinion and now support the proposal that I feel will accomplish the vision and the expectations of the residents of the area in a better way,” said Dist. 2 Comm. Victor Crist, a Hunter’s Green resident who represents New Tampa on the BOCC, before making the motion to approve the Harrison-Bennett proposal, which passed 7-0. “I believe that the HarrisonBennett proposal best serves (the New Tampa) community’s public purpose and economic development goals and objectives,” Comm. Crist said. The BOCC voted to have county staff enter into negotiations with Harrison-Bennett with the understanding that the developer would be responsible for obtaining the necessary zoning

and land use approvals from the City of Tampa (because the property is within the city limits), as well as all permits. During a meeting to present the two proposals the county received for the project in September, Harrison Bennett president David Freeman outlined his proposal to residents. “Our proposal is for a mixed-use ‘village center,’” Freeman said, adding that his company’s proposal includes a 20,000-sq.-ft. cultural center (expandable to 30,000 sq. ft.) and three-acre dog park, as well as a “town center” that also would include the possibility of 90-250 residential units in the form of condos, townhomes or boutique apartments on the site, as well as a “green grocer” ( Fresh Market, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or something similar) with frontage on BBD and other shops and restaurants within the development totaling 80,000 sq. ft. with more than 600 parking spaces. Hillsborough County staff reports that the final commercial and residential land usage is still subject to negotiation between the developer and the county and a final proposal has not yet been submitted. It also is too early to know the phasing for how the development will be constructed. “We’re excited about having an opportunity to create a sense of place for New Tampa,” Freeman said. “In essence, a small downtown.” Freeman added that the development would include some residential units in order to provide a “true livework-play environment,” where residents can participate in social, cultural and community activities within a very short walk of their homes. Freeman emphasized that the development would not allow a gas station or any fast food establishments. The proposal also includes a $2-million cash payment to the county, which Comm. Crist said would be

beneficial for designing the cultural center, as those funds were set aside specifically for that purpose. Comm. Crist said that the county could consider reaching out to the City of Tampa and the state legislature for additional funds for the cultural center, as well. “We are thrilled to see the county move forward with this project,” says Doug Wall, president of the New Tampa Players theatre troupe, which has been with- The conceptual site plan for “The Village at Hunter’s Lake,” locatout a home stage in ed directly across Bruce B. Downs Blvd. from the main entrance to the New Tampa area Hunter’s Green was recently approved by the County Commission. since its inception. room with black walls), as well as a “NTP will continue to provide quality 3.3-acre dog park alongside a small theatre for children and adults at alterlake with nature trails. The community nate venues, until our home is ready.” center would be expandable to 30,000 The other proposal, submitted by Tampa-based Shagbark Properties, fea- sq. ft. The design featured parking tured a 5,000-sq.-ft. community center for up to 250 vehicles. There also was space for commercial development, building that included an expandable “black box” theater (large performance including a possible gas station.

Cannot be combined with any other offer/coupon. Must present coupon at time of purchase. Expires 10/31/14

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

K-Bar Ranch Rezoning Could Usher In New Tampa, Wesley Chapel Connections By Matt Wiley

A 20-foot canyon of brush and dirt and some barricades are the only things stopping traffic from flowing from Kinnan St. in the K-Bar Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI) of New Tampa into Wesley Chapel along Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe, but after what seems like an eternity to long-time residents on both sides of the crevasse, attitudes are finally changing between the involved parties about connecting the two roads. For years, the “Kinnan/Mansfield Connection” has been a stalemate between the City of Tampa, Pasco County and the developers of the city-based K-Bar Ranch DRI, currently led by Columbus, OH-based M/I Homes. With development and new home construction on the upswing in K-Bar, M/I has applied for a rezoning which could trigger the construction of a future east-west road within K-Bar Ranch, says City of Tampa planning and development director Tom Snelling. The construction of that road also could have an effect on finally connecting Kinnan St. to Mansfield Blvd. “There isn’t an immediate plan to connect (the two roads),” Snelling explains. “We’ve made progress and met with representatives from Pasco County a few times, but first we have to work through the details with M/I Homes.” M/I’s Tampa-area president Marshall

come more vehicles, which means that transportation improvements will have to be made in the area. Snelling says that a K-Bar east-west road and northern connections (at Kinnan/ Mansfield and possibly another future connection at Meadow Pointe Blvd.) into Pasco County all are therefore part of the conversation. Today, Kinnan Currently;, Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe dead ends St. extends 2,000 feet at the Hillsborough/Pasco County line, just feet short of connorth of its intersection necting to K-Bar Ranch in New Tampa. with Live Oak Blvd. Gray says that the rezoning application adjacent to the Hillsborough Countywas submitted to the city in December, based Live Oak Preserve development. but it was not certain at our press time However, Kinnan St. turns right into Kwhen it would be reviewed. Bar property, where it ends at a barricade “The entire road system (within K— as does Mansfield Blvd. — and has Bar) will be a large topic of the rezoning remained that way since the developers of process,” Gray explains. “While the connections to Pasco are part of the submittal Live Oak paved the extension of Kinnan St. in 2007. process, the outcome will be determined Last March, a 16-page petition was based on approvals from the City, along submitted to the City of Tampa Attorwith joint efforts with Pasco County.” ney’s Office in hopes that the 61 signaSnelling explains that M/I’s rezontures from business owners, employees ing application will not change the use and even some customers along Cross of any of the K-Bar land, but is instead Creek Blvd. would help sway the respecan application to change the developer’s entitlements to the number of homes that tive parties’ opinions about connecting Kinnan St. and Mansfield Blvd. The can be built. However, with more homes

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

signatures represented about 40 different businesses, along with owners of several homes on both sides of the county line. In November of 2012, Pasco County actually reached out to the City about opening the road connection, and sent a list of conditions that would have to be satisfied for Pasco to agree to the opening. Among those conditions were that the City and K-Bar would commit to paying no more than $500,000 for traffic calming improvements, or traffic signals, at the intersection of Mansfield Blvd. and Beardsley Dr., which curves through southern Meadow Pointe, just north of the county line, and at Mansfield and Wrencrest Dr. Pasco also wanted the City and K-Bar to commit four lanes of right of way, or land on which to construct, the “Beardsley Extension,” which would link Beardsley Dr. east to Morris Bridge Rd., which would extend south into K-Bar before linking up with Morris Bridge. Other requirements also were included. “At this point, we are still waiting on a response or counter-offer from the City of Tampa to the conditions we sent last year,” says Pasco chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein. “There have been some staff level discussions about the transportation issues in the area, but we have not received any written proposals from the City relating to the opening of Kinnan/Mansfield.”

@NTWCNews

Cross Creek Blvd. Widening Could Be Completed By October 2015! Construction continues in New Tampa along Cross Creek Blvd., as crews work to add additional lanes that will make the road two lanes in each direction from Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. east to Morris Bridge Rd. The nearly $4.9-million widening project that began in May is adding two additional lanes south of the existing lanes between just east of the entrance to Cory Lake Isles to Morris Bridge Rd., spanning about two miles. “The project is on time and on schedule,” says City of Tampa traffic manager Jean Duncan. “October 6, 2015, is our target date.” Duncan says that the lanes, which will open all at once, likely will be carrying traffic in September, with the final days used to make sure that all contractual obligations have been met by Kamminga & Roodvoets (K & R), Inc., which is the construction company widening the road. K & R is the same group that completed Segments B-C of Hillsborough County’s BBDwidening project (see stories on pg. 1). Duncan explains that the construc-

tion along the Cross Creek corridor has been relatively easy because there aren’t many utility conflicts or conflicts with side streets, since most of the homes along the road are in gated communities, such as Heritage Isles and Cory Lake Isles. In fact, Duncan says, K & R has only lost six construction days due to weather delays. In addition to the new construction, the existing Cross Creek lanes will be ground down and resurfaced to match the new lanes. Duncan says that if it were to just be resurfaced, it would change the elevation of the road and affect drainage. “Cross Creek Blvd. is going to look like a completely new road when it’s finished,” Duncan says. — MW

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Tampa Premium Outlets Officially Breaks Ground At Cypress Creek Town Center By Matt Wiley The ground has officially been broken at the site of the long-awaited Tampa Premium Outlets mall in Wesley Chapel, following a groundbreaking ceremony on December 12. After years of legal battles, as well as a few months of infrastructure construction, vertical development has begun on Simon Property Group’s newest outlet mall, located in the Cypress Creek Town Center (CCTC) Development of Regional Impact (DRI), south of S.R. 56 and just west of the I-75 interchange. During a ceremony on December 12, representatives from Simon (which currently has more than 70 outlet malls nationwide, including the Ellenton Prime Outlets, located off Exit 224 of I-75) announced that the mall is scheduled to open by October of 2015. The outlet mall will feature an outdoor, open-air, “Key West” design, with large shaded overhangs, as well as a central water feature (see rendering below). “(The mall) will be really indicative of this area and of Pasco County,” said Simon Property Group’s senior vice president of development Danielle DeVita during the ceremony. “It will have a real Florida feel to it. It will be a truly amazing place for people to gather, relax and shop. We’re very excited about the design and how this center is going to end up looking.” DeVita told ceremony attendees (which included a who’s-who of Pasco County government, Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce ambassadors and other

representatives from Simon, as well as Sierra Properties and members of the Richard E. Jacobs Group, both of which also own land in the CCTC development) that the outlet mall is poised to provide Pasco with 300500 construction jobs, as well as more than 800 full- and part-time retail jobs when the mall opens. DeVita also officially announced that Saks Fifth Avenue’s outlet store, called “Off 5th,” will be one of the 441,000-sq.ft. mall’s 110 national designer tenants, although that information already was announced in a press release about two years ago. Saks Off 5th has more than 65 locations nationwide and provides highlyfashionable merchandise, much like its parent store, but at a discounted price. Other tenants will be announced as the mall gets closer to opening, DeVita said. “This is a multi-million dollar project for Simon and we are very proud to be making this investment in Pasco County,” DeVita said. Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) chairman Ted Schrader also spoke at the ceremony and stressed that the outlet mall coming to fruition is the result of patience and that Pasco County clearly is coming of age. “Most successful projects, I believe, are based on the premise of a ‘three-legged stool,’” Comm. Schrader said. “(Wesley Chapel) is becoming quite the shopping district with the Shops at Wiregrass mall, The Grove (shopping plaza) just up the street and now the Tampa Premium Outlets. To

Officials from Pasco County & Simon Property Group “officially” break ground on the new Tampa Premium Outlets mall on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. me, this is the three-legged stool that is goemony. Although the project is just outside ing to make this the shopping mecca of the of his district, Comm. Moore also expressed Tampa Bay region, one that’s going to have excitement for the new mall and the effect it is expected to have on the local economy. far reaches to Gainesville and Orlando.” “I’m thrilled to officially welcome County administrator Michele Baker, Tampa Premium Outlets to Pasco County,” who watched the project develop for years Comm. Moore said. “This is going to be a while working under previous Pasco admindestination location and a tremendous boost istrator John Gallagher, told the crowd that she was, “excited to have this (groundbreak- for Pasco.” Note-The CCTC project actually is ing) happen on my watch.” located in Pasco’s District 3, which is repreNewly elected District 2 Comm. Mike sented by Comm. Kathryn Starkey (who also Moore, a Seven Oaks resident who reprewas in attendance) and stretches from the sents Wesley Chapel on the BOCC, donned a hard-hat and picked up a shovel to help of- west coast to Bruce B. Downs (BBD), south of the S.R. 54/56 corridor. ficially “break ground” after the formal cer-

JANUARY 21, 2015

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

JANUARY 21, 2015

@NTWCNews

DIAGNOSIS | TREATMENT | SUPPORT

YOUR BEST CHANCE FOR BEATING CANCER

Better outcomes and improved quality of life for patients. That’s the result of our team approach and world-renowned care. We are helping patients find the right diagnosis, treatment and support - all in one place. TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL

1-888-MOFFITT

12902 MAGNOLIA DRIVE, TAMPA, FL 4101 JIM WALTER BOULEVARD, TAMPA, FL

New Tampa Semi Carrying $250K In Lawncare Equipment Stolen

Lawn equipment can get expensive, especially if it’s the heavy-duty lawn mowers used for commercial landscaping services. An entire semi truck and trailer of such equipment recently was stolen from a New Tampa parking lot. According to the Tampa Police Department (TPD), on December 14 between midnight-3 p.m., a trailer of lawn equipment totaling more than $250,000 was stolen from the parking lot of the vacant former Sweetbay Supermarket in New Tampa, located at 17601 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (next to Home Depot). The trailer belonged to the Overbye Trucking Company, based out of Minnesota. The semi trailer was filled with Toro professional lawn equipment. TPD detectives were working good leads at our press time, but the case remained under investigation and no arrests had been made.

County Line Rd. Crash

A Miami resident is lucky to be alive, following a December 10 crash on County Line Rd. that literally split his car in half. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), at around 8 p.m., Anthony Lopez, 23, of Miami Gardens, was traveling westbound on County Line Rd. near Royal Hampton Blvd. when his 1997 Toyota Camry veered slightly off

tims told police that they had traveled to the residence to purchase a vehicle. Once they had the cash, TPD reports that one of the juveniles fled in the road. Lopez over-corrected to get back a Dodge Charger, but was caught by onto the road, but swerved slightly into TPD officers while attempting to exit the eastbound lane. While navigating back the community. Posso and the other into the westbound lane, Lopez’s Camry juvenile escaped on foot, despite an was struck in the rear driver’s side panel extensive search by helicopter and K-9 by a 2006 Chrysler Town & Country van Units. Further investigation led to the driven by Wesley Chapel resident Jason arrest of Posso and the other juvenile Strong, 43, of. on October 28. Posso was charged with HCSO reports that the impact caused two counts of armed robbery of more the Camry to spin into the grass and split than $300 and released on a $50,000 into two. Lopez was transported to St. bond on October 30. Because they are Joseph’s Hospital in stable condition, while minors, the charges against the two Strong and his passenger were taken to other suspects were not available. Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (located off However, TPD spokesperson Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) and later released. Andrea Davis reports that the case has Seat belts were worn in both vehicles been considered “nolle prosequi” (Latin and alcohol was determined to not be a for will not prosecute) and charges have factor. Neither driver was cited in the crash. been dropped because the victims have ceased to cooperate with the investigaRobbery Charges Dropped tion. Charges were officially dropped Against Tampa Palms Man during a disposition on November 7. After they were arrested for stealing No additional information was a large sum of money from two victims available at our press time. We apologize in Tampa Palms at gunpoint, charges for not including this story in our previhave been dropped against three susous New Tampa issue. pects, two of whom are minors. Domestic Dispute Lands According to the Tampa Police Department (TPD), charges have been Husband In Hospital dropped against Ashington resident Luis A Wesley Chapel man has been hosFelipe Posso, Jr., and two Lutz-area pitalized after being struck by a vehicle in juveniles. The three were charged with Tampa that was being driven by his wife. robbing two victims at gunpoint of a According to the Tampa Police Desubstantial amount of cash, while inside partment (TPD), at 5:40 a.m. on Novema home in the Tuscany community of ber 30, Alfonso Cruz, 45, of Milton, FL, Tampa Palms on October 23. The vicand Erica Daniels, 37, of the Palm Cove

News Briefs

community of Wesley Chapel (located off Overpass Rd.), got into an argument while driving near the intersection of W. Hillsborough Ave. and N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Tampa in a silver 2009 Nissan sedan. TPD reports that at a certain point in the argument, Cruz got out of the Nissan and began walking. A short time later, the report says, Daniels struck Cruz with the vehicle. Cruz sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital, but his injuries since have been downgraded to non-life-threatening. TPD homicide detectives detained Daniels and conducted interviews with her to determine if there was any motive in the incident, but the investigation was still ongoing and no updates were available at our press time. — MW

Serving the Tampa Palms, New Tampa and Wesley Chapel Areas Since 1993.

First In Tampa Bay Real Estate Inc. 9385 N. 56th St. Suite 312, Tampa, FL 33617

• Interior/Exterior Painting • Truck Mounted Carpet & Tile Cleaning • Cleaning/Housekeeping • Mold Related Services

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

‘BBD Widening’

Continued from page 1 “Based on our current projection, it appears that the majority of BBD work will be completed in April, with some landscaping and final clean up to follow,” McShaffrey says. Although we last reported in October that the BBD lanes under I-75 were expected to be completed by the end of 2014, that was a projection provided by FDOT based upon the status of the project at the time of our inquiry in September, not the official time by which the entire I-75 widening project had to be completed. Because the widening of BBD is tied into the contract time for Prince to widen I-75, the span of BBD under the interstate was not contractually required to finish at

the same time as the Hillsborough County project to widen BBD Segments B & C, between Pebble Creek Dr. in New Tampa and Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms. The BBD widening under I-75 is included in the same contract for the I-75 widening between Fowler Ave. and S.R. 56, which has contract time remaining through spring 2016. (See separate story on page 1). “If one has been driving through the (BBD) corridor under the interstate, one would see that progress is being made,” McShaffrey says, adding that northbound BBD lanes have been shifted onto the new pavement. McShaffrey explains that the southbound BBD lanes likely will be shifted in late January or February. The remainder of the work on the southbound lanes is expected to be completed about two months after that, he says. For more info, visit MyTBI.com.

THERAPY COUNSELING children • teenagers • adults • couples • lbgtq

Chelsea Welch LCSW

Alison Kimball LCSW Dr. Rick Temple Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Bryan Ritchey Licensed Psychologist

Farida Stino Registered Marriage & Family Intern

Kathleen Stahl LCSW William Hogan LMFT

(813)418-7188 • www.Tampa-Therapy.com 324 W. Bearss Ave, Sute B, Tampa, FL 33613 (I-275 and Bearss Ave.)

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

MOMS Club Of New Tampa - The MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club of New Tampa is currently open to new members in the New Tampa area. The MOMS Club offers a variety of daytime activities for mothers and their children, opportunities for Moms’ Nights Out & many more benefits. For info or to join the club, email MomsClubNewTampa@gmail.com.

January 2015

Monday, January 5

Zen Meditation Group - Enjoy meditation? Looking for a new way to relax? Check out the FREE Zen Meditation Group that meets Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Arbor Greene Community Center (18000 Arbor Greene Dr., off Cross Creek Blvd.) Aerobics Room. People of all faiths are welcome. You only need an interest in meditation and a more peaceful and relaxed mind and life. For more info, call Jeremy at 528-6285. Community Acupuncture - A Monday night community acupuncture and discussion group is meeting at Ion Medi-Spa (8903 Regents Park Dr., Suite 130), 6:30 p.m. Topics include needlefree acupuncture, facial rejuvenation and stop smoking and customized weight-loss programs. For more info, call 960-8833 or visit IonMediSpa.com.

Tuesday, January 6

New Tampa Tri Club - The New Tampa Tri Club is open to runners, swimmers, cyclists & triathletes across the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. The club hosts group bike rides/runs at Flatwoods Wilderness Park (13330 Morris Bridge Rd.) every Tues., Thur. and Sat. at 7:30 a.m. For more info, join the Facebook group or e-mail NewTampaTriClub@gmail.com. GriefShare - This video-seminar-support group is for anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one. The cost is $20 for a workbook and 13 sessions, begin any week to find healing and hope. The group meets Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Lake Magdalene Methodist Church (2902 W. Fletcher Ave., Rm. 310). For info, call 963-1555. English As A Second Language (ESL)- This group meets Tuesdays at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church (19911 BBD Blvd.), 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Classes are taught by a native English speaker using several ESL and Bible study resources. The cost is $40 each semester, for the workbook & class materials. For info, call Heather at 753-8567.

Wednesday, January 7

BNI Millionaire Makers - The BNI Millionaire Makers chapter meets every Wednesday at Pebble Creek Golf Club at 7:15 a.m. (10550 Regents Park Dr., off BBD Blvd.). The $13 meeting fee includes a hot breakfast. Call Lisa Jordan (621-6015) for more info. Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business professionals dedicated to helping their respective businesses grow through qualified referrals, meets every Wed. morning at 7:30 a.m. at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Club clubhouse (18630 Plantation Bay Dr., off Morris Bridge Rd.). Call Steve Hopper at 918-8609. New Tampa Noon Rotary Club- The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets every Wednesday for lunch at noon at Café Olé (10020 Cross Creek Blvd., in the Cross Creek Center plaza (behind the Shell gas station). Guests are always welcome. New Tampa Evening Rotary Club - The New Tampa Evening Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. at Hunter’s Green Country Club (10101 Longwater Run Dr. inside the Hunter’s Green entrance gate). New members are always welcome. For more info, call Liz DeAmbrose at 956-6487 or email homenet@gte.net. 9-12 Toastmasters - Great speeches & great topics. Come hone your public speaking skills. Tampa Toastmasters meets Wednesday, 7 p.m., at the New Tampa Family YMCA (16221 Compton Dr., Tampa Palms). Guests are always welcome. Call 264-2171.

Presbyterian Church (located at 5338 Primrose Lake Cir., off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms) for a “meet & greet,” followed by a meeting of the group. For more information, please send an email to Shawn@TPACorp.com.

Friday, January 9

New Tampa Rotary Club - The original New Tampa Rotary Club meets for breakfast at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPGCC, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). For more information, call Eric Longphee at 202-1105 or visit NewTampaRotary.org. Women-N-Charge - Join the ladies of Women-n-Charge, 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club (10550 Regents Park Dr.), for lunch, speakers & networking. Build relationships with other women in business. The cost is $15 for members (by Tues. before the meeting) & $18 for guests (& members paying Wed. & after). Register at Women-N-Charge. com. Call Judy at 600-9848 or email admin@women-n-charge.com.

Tuesday, January 13

College Financial Aid Workshop - Hillsborough County Public Schools is hosting a financial aid workshop at 6 p.m. at the Freedom High School auditorium (17410 Commerce Park Blvd.) for high school seniors and their families that will provide an overview of how to apply for postsecondary financial aid and will be conducted by a university/college financial aid expert. The workshop will cover the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), deadlines, state scholarships and Bright Futures Scholarships. For more info, visit SDHC.k12.fl.us.

Saturday, January 17

WCCC Business Showcase At Suncoast Arts Festival - In conjunction with the Suncoast Arts Festival (January 17 & 18) at the Shops at Wiregrass Mall (28211 Paseo Dr.), the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) will bring 35 member businesses together to show support for the local arts community. This event also will include live musical entertainment and will conclude with the presentation of the Suncoast Arts Festival Awards Presentation. For more info, see page 54 of this issue or call the Chamber office at 994-8534.

Wednesday, January 21

GFWC Woman’s Club of New Tampa - The club is looking for new members! GFWC Woman’s Club of New Tampa is a small group of women that meet the third Wednesday of each month from noon - 1 p.m. at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, (5340 Primrose Lake Circle in Tampa Palms). Contact Kay Lehmer at KLehmer@verizon.net for more info.

Thursday, January 8

CBC Networking - Come together with like-minded professionals at the Christian Business Connections (CBC) Networking group, which meets every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at St. Andrew

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

IN OUR NEW EMERGENCY ROOM You see me first.

Dr. Amy R. Conley Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician

In an emergency, the doctor should be the first person you see in the ER, not the last. That’s why we’ve designed our new Doc1stERSM to make sure you’re seen by a Board Certified emergency specialist before you see anyone else. Not only have we built a brand new ER—two times larger than before—we’ve created an entirely new way of delivering emergency care. So for your next emergency, go to Tampa Bay’s newest and only Doc1stER,SM exclusively at Florida Hospital Tampa. Where nothing stands between you and a doctor. Let our docs take you on a tour at Doc1stER.com

NEW ER NOW OPEN Located at Fletcher Ave. and Bruce B. Downs Blvd. FHT-10976

Shuayb Laser Dental Keeps Your Smile Bright With The Last Technology By Kelly Miller

If you’ve been dragging your feet and putting off that dental visit you know you need, now’s the perfect time to make your smile a priority. Whether you or a loved one needs braces, a new crown, a replacement filling or any other dental work, Shuayb Laser Dental is ready to provide you with unrivaled quality care at a new location in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off Commerce Park Blvd. on Primrose Lake Dr. Shuayb Laser Dental recently expanded its practice from Spring Hill (which opened in 2000) to New Tampa this past September. General dentist Mohammad Shuayb, DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine), is the owner of the practices and Dr. Ossama Jureyda, DMD, is the orthodontist on staff. Both dentists split their time between both offices, staggering their schedules to maximize the number of patients they’re able to help each week. “We wanted to begin offering our quality services to our neighbors in New Tampa,” says Dr. Jureyda, a Cory Lake Isles resident. “It took us quite a while to find just the right location, but the office is in a perfect spot, geographically, and has easy access to I-75.”

On The Forefront Of Dental Technology

Shuayb Laser Dental stands out from other dental practices in the community by utilizing the latest state-of-the-art technol-

ogy. Dr. Shuayb uses a laser in a variety of treatments, including treating periodontal (gum) disease. The original method used a scalpel and sutures, but with the laser, there’s reduced bleeding, minimized swelling and quicker recovery times, he says, adding that in some cases there’s even been regeneration of bone around the teeth. Dr. Shuayb also conducts laser-assisted teeth-whitening procedures and uses a laser on tooth fillings, as well. He says the focused laser beam helps get rid of the decayed tooth structure and sometimes requires no anesthesics. CEREC® is another advanced technology used in the office. It’s a dental restorative system that allows the dentist to place crowns, restore decayed teeth, remove defective amalgam fillings and place cosmetic veneers in just one appointment. Because of this unit, there’s no need to endure mouthfuls of messy impression materials or wear temporary veneers for weeks at a time. Now, for example, Dr. Shuayb can create a crown in just more than an hour. He uses the CEREC Software to take a digital picture of a patient’s prepared tooth, which is then converted into a 3D virtual model. Dr. Shuayb designs the restoration right on the computer screen, while the patient watches. Once completed, a simple click of the mouse sends the data to the CEREC Milling Unit and a ceramic block, which has been matched to the shade of the tooth being repaired, where it is carved into shape. After the milling is finished, Dr. Shuayb polishes the crown and

The professional staff at Schuayb Laser Dental in Tampa Palms will make you smile, too. Come check out the latest in dental technology at the office, located in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off Commerce Park Blvd. bonds it into place. He says this technology provides a level of precision that can’t be attained by human hands.

Education & Experience!

Dr. Shuayb and Dr. Jureyda met as classmates when they were both dental students at the Goldman School of Dentistry at Boston University in Boston, MA, earning their DMD degrees. “We both like to think outside the box,” Dr. Shuayb says. “It’s not just a job for us.” When Dr. Shuayb had wanted to add a full line of orthodontic services to his Spring Hill practice in 2013, it seemed

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

natural that Dr. Jureyda would come on board. The two have a well-established friendship and a deep admiration for each other’s professional skills. Dr. Shuayb earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of South Florida in Tampa. He moved back to Spring Hill to practice dentistry after earning his DMD. He also is a member of the American Dental Association. Once Dr. Jureyda completed his DMD in Boston (in 1994), he attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he received his Specialty Certificate

@NTWCNews

i a U a B a y f u c o t

held our family here.” After seven years, he decided to make a change and began working with Dr. Shuayb in Spring Hill. Dr. Jureyda is a member of both the American Association of Orthodontists and the Florida Association of Orthodontists. He says that he is able to fix a variety of dental problems with orthodontics, including overbite, crossbites, openbite, underbite, overjet (teeth protrusion), teeth crowding and TMJ (temporomandibular joint pain). He says that metal braces are the most popular with kids and teenagers because they love using different colors of ligature ties Dr. Shuayb uses the CEREC® 3D Scanner called Omni- (rubber bands). Translucent Cam during the process of making an all-ceramic crown clear ceramic braces are popular with adults, he says. for one of his patients. Cosmetic lingual braces, in Orthodontics. After that, he accepted which are attached behind an Orthodontic Fellowship at the State the teeth, also are available for those conUniversity of New York (SUNY) University cerned about their appearance. Clear plastic at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in aligners, including Invisalign are another Buffalo, NY, where he went on to teach option. and practice with faculty privileges for eight Building Relationships, Too years. He then moved to New Tampa but “We’re both all about communicating first started working in Orlando. He kept with our patients,” Dr. Shuayb explains. up the long commute, refusing to move “We like to take the time to establish closer to work, because he “felt the quality relationships.” It’s not uncommon for the of life in New Tampa and the greatness of dentists to spend up to an hour discussthe school system was a like a magnet that

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

ing and educating a patient on his or her problem and going over the proposed treatment plan. Dr. Jureyda says they both believe in the old adage, “Our best patient is an educated patient.” The dentists also will see patients on Saturdays and evenings if needed (by appointment). Shuayb Laser Dental offers a wide array of general dental and cosmetic dental treatments including: • Fillings • Tooth Restorations • Dental Sealants • Dentures • Bridges • Crowns • Dental Implants • Tooth Extractions • Gum Disease Laser Therapy • Non-Surgical Root Canal • Bonding • Porcelain Veneers • Inlays & Onlays • Teeth Whitening • Braces Hunter’s Green resident Jela Dobrilovic visited Shuayb Laser Dental for the first time two months ago. She says she’d been putting off having crowns done on her two front teeth because she was afraid they wouldn’t match the shape or color of her other teeth. “When I went to see Dr. Shuayb, he made me feel comfortable and really took the time to explain the process,” Dobrilovic says, adding that she was thrilled with the outcome and appreciated the speed of the whole process. “I liked that Dr. Shuayb didn’t have to make a temporary crown

like other dentists do,” she explains. “He was able to make a permanent crown right in his office. Instead of having to wait and come back another day to finish the work, the whole process only took a few hours.” Dobrilovic was so pleased with her experience, she decided to bring her whole family back. She brought her 21-year old son Orahn to see Dr. Jureyda, because Orahn had developed TMJ dysfunction, which affects the muscles that move the jaw). “I’d originally taken my son to see a TMJ specialist, but the doctor couldn’t tell me why Orahn had developed the disorder,” she explains. “So, I brought him in to see Dr. Jureyda and found out that Orahn’s bite was not fixed properly when he’d had braces.” After hearing this information, Dobrilovic made an appointment with Dr. Jureyda to see her daughter Isabela to get a second opinion on the orthodontic care she’s currently receiving. The first step towards a beautiful, healthy smile is to schedule a free consultation at Shuayb Laser Dental by calling 972-8999 or stopping by their office located at 17427 Bridge Hill Ct., Suite A. The Tampa Palms location is open 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Friday. Evening and Saturday hours are available by appointment only. The Spring Hill office is located at 229 Mariner Blvd. and can reached by calling (352) 666-5133. For more information about the practice or to watch short videos explaining each of the dental procedures done in the office, visit ShuaybLaserDental.com.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Valid w/ Neighborhood News coupon only. Expires 01.31.15

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Consider Getting Compounded Medications From Florida Wellness Pharmacy By Celeste McLaughlin

Since opening in the past few months in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Florida Wellness Pharmacy and its affiliated pediatric pharmacy, All Children’s Pharmacy, have established themselves as the premier go-to pharmacies for compounding specialty medications, especially for children. “We focus on compounding medications for both adults and children, with an emphasis on specialty pediatric compounding, especially for children with autism,” says Sohal Shah, R.Ph. (Registered Pharmacist), who is the director of both pharmacies. Shah has been specially trained in compounding and has been certified by the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs. Shah earned his Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences in Boston, and his R.Ph. in 1998. He became pharmacy director at Florida Wellness Pharmacy when it opened in May of 2014. Shah explains that All Children’s is Florida’s only pediatric specialty pharmacy. He and his staff (which includes his wife, Sujata Shah, who earned her B.S. in Pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences in Boston in 1994, and her Doctor of Pharmacy {Pharm.D.}

degree from Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA, in 2004) and Certified Pharmacy Technicians Ashley Clark and Amanda Gill), create custom medications for children with autism and other conditions that are only made at a handful of pharmacies across the country. “We are proud to be one of the few — and the first in Florida — to focus on creating medications for these pediatric conditions,” Shah says, adding that many of these specialty medications are shipped overnight to patients in 15 U.S. states. “We create our own formulations,” says Shah. “There are medications we make here that simply can’t be made anywhere else.” For example, Shah explains that his head lice formula was custom-made with ingredients he chose, personally. And, he says, once prescribed by a physician, each compounded medication is custom made to meet the needs of the individual patient. The pharmacies are members of the Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA), which Shah says gives Florida Wellness & All Children’s pharmacies access to specialty formulations and expertise available only to PCCA members. “We make medications easy for children to take, especially children with autism,” Shah says. “We provide medication in specialty flavors and even

lollipops. If a child can’t take oral medications, we can provide many of them in a transdermal (cream) or suppository form. Each medication is completely customized, based upon the needs of each individual child.” He says even common medications can be improved with compounding. For example, he says, “We know that Registered Pharmacist Sohal Shah is the director of Florida Wellibuprofen can be hard ness & All Children’s pharmacies, both located across Bruce B. Downs Blvd. from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. on the stomach, so we were gone after just one treatment. compound an ibuprofen Shah says that in the long run, a cream. This way, the medication can compounded prescription medication be delivered in a way that bypasses the might actually cost less than trying stomach.” various OTC treatments for childhood He adds that part of his goal with problems, such as lice, and even warts. these pharmacies is to educate doctors He says he often compounds prescripaway from traditional oral medications tion wart creams for kids. to treat more locally, such as with trans“Parents don’t realize how much dermal creams that are applied directly money they spend purchasing over-theon the skin in an area where the body is counter (OTC) medications that don’t experiencing pain. work. Rather than trying several difShah says his own family has had ferent (OTC) medications, they would success with at least one of his formulasave money by using a compounded tions, a lice treatment he created when prescription treatment instead.” over-the-counter (OTC) treatments Shah says most insurance plans didn’t work for his kids. He came up cover compounded medications. Acwith a compound that is stronger than cording to PCCA’s website, customOTC, but still safe, and added tea tree ers may have to pay up front for the oil to paralyze nits (lice eggs). The lice

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

percent of all pharmacies achieve.” He says the pharmacy is too new to have achieved that status yet, but is on track to do so sometime this year. Among the specialty compounds made at Florida Wellness Pharmacy, Shah says he is especially proud of meds to relieve for gastroesophageal reflux disease, other gastrointestinal conditions and rheumatoid arthritis. Compounded medications are made to exact specifications at He shares that they he Florida Wellness & All Children’s pharmacies. also has created an amazing formula to reduce the compounded meds, at first, but some physical appearance of scars on body. insurance companies will reimburse the For all of these medications, the phartotal cost. If interested in trying commacy has case studies available to share pounded medications, be sure to check with customers who would like to know with your instance provider first. And, more about them. for anyone who may need help paying One Family’s Story for their medications, Florida Wellness Hiedi Perez is a local mom who was Pharmacy will help you get connected introduced to Florida Wellness Pharwith a nonprofit program that can help those with or without insurance to make macy by two different doctors. First, her young son had warts on his arm and their medications more affordable. In knee. She remembered when her older addition, they offer payment plans for son had warts that were treated with co-pays on compounded meds. injections and rubs, and she did not “Every compound we create goes want her younger son to have to have through four separate checks to ensure these painful treatments. Perez’s pediathey are accurate,” he says. “We use all trician presented her with the option of FDA-approved ingredients. We are also a compounded cream made at Florida going through the accreditation process Wellness Pharmacy. by the Pharmacy Compounding Ac“They offered to send the cream to creditation Board (PCAB), a voluntary me so I didn’t have to miss work picking accreditation process that less than five

it up,” she says. “It was delivered the next day.” She adds that her insurance company covered the medication, but she was pleasantly surprised when she was told the pharmacy had a payment plan if it wasn’t covered. Several weeks later, Hiedi’s daughter got head lice, which was not successfully treated with OTC remedies. She called her dermatologist, who suggested she try the compounded formulation made by Florida Wellness Pharmacy. “I thought, ‘I know this place,’” Hiedi says, and she decided to pick up the prescription in person. She found the pharmacy to be clean and kidfriendly, which she appreciated. “I met Mr. Shah, who explained everything and answered my questions. He was very helpful and thorough.”

So, Why Not A Retail Chain?

Shah says that Florida Wellness Pharmacy is comparable to other retail pharmacies, but there are perks to choosing it over a typical retail chain. “We take care of our patients, and that patient connection is very important to me,” Shah says. “I’m not trying to sell you underwear or clothes, like at retail (pharmacies). My goal is to ensure that over the long haul, you live a healthier and longer life.” Florida Wellness Pharmacy offers five different antibiotics for free and more than 400 generic medications for just $2.99 (for a 30-day supply). If the medicine you need has a generic form, chances are it costs just $2.99 at Florida

Wellness Pharmacy. And, all medications are shipped for free, so you don’t have to leave your home to get your medications. The pharmacy also offers a large selection of its own brand of vitamins, offering higher potency formulas than those generally available. “We offer great retail prices, but more than that, we offer hands-on, personalized care,” says Shah, adding that he enjoys coming out to the front of the store and sitting on the couches with his patients, talking through their medications and answering all of their questions. “Because we ship medications for free, sometimes I don’t get to meet my patients,” he says. “I definitely prefer when they come in so that I can talk with them and build a relationship.” “We want to be sure that patients get the care and quality they deserve, and then we want to throw in some fun stuff for kids, too.” He invites parents to bring in the coupon on page 28 for a free bottle of “Stay Away Monster Spray,” made with lavender oil, to help your little one fall asleep. The spray consists only of water and lavender oil, which provides a non-narcotic, but still calming effect. Florida Wellness Pharmacy and All Children’s Pharmacy are located at 2653 BBD Blvd., Suite 115, in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel (next to the Hungry Greek restaurant). The pharmacy is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call 991-9500 or visit FloridaWellness Pharmacy.com.

Medi-Weightloss is The One That Works! for you in 2015! ®

GOLD WINNER

BEST

EAST & CENTRAL PASCO The Pasco Tribune Readers’ Poll 2014

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

FOR 4 YEARS IN A ROW!

Before

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Bay Breeze New Tampa and Land O' Lakes is proud to introduce High Definition Shine Proprietary Product Nano Polymer Technology

Improved Heat Resistance Bonds at Molecular Level Optimum Light Reflection

You will see and feel the difference

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Medi-Weightloss Clinics Can Help You Make A Healthy Start For 2015! By Matt Wiley

If you’re looking to shed those unwanted holiday pounds and change your lifestyle for the better, look no further than Medi-Weightloss Clinics. The tried-andtrue method of education and implementation of healthy eating practices and a proper exercise regimen with the help of Medi-Weightloss will have you looking and feeling better in no time. For the fourth consecutive year, the Medi-Weightloss Lutz/Wesley Chapel office (located two miles west of S.R. 56 on S.R. 54) has been named the “Gold Winner” of East & Central Pasco County Weight Loss Clinics in the Pasco Tribune Reader’s Poll! But, the owners of the weight loss center say the award has not come without the hard work of Medi’s doctors and staff — or the votes of the clinic’s many satisfied patients. “Losing weight is not easy, and obesity is a major problem in this country,” says Gerri Willett, co-owner of the Lutz/Wesley Chapel Medi-Weightloss location. “We can’t change our whole society, but we can change ourselves.” According to the clinic’s website, Medi-Weightloss offers a “holistic medical approach to weight loss” and is not just a get-skinny-quick scheme. Through education, healthy eating and exercise, patients are coached through a program that helps them change their eating habits and lifestyle for the rest of their lives, Willett says. “By the time patients finish the Medi

program, they can eat almost anything they want,” she explains. “It just comes down to portion control. We know that if you come in and follow the program, you’re going to lose the weight (you want to lose). But, our objective is to help you keep it off forever.” Edward Kaloust founded MediWeightloss Franchising USA, LLC (which today has more than 70 locations in 22 states) in 2005 and is still the company’s CEO, working out of the corporate office in South Tampa. Willett and her husband Tom co-own/co-manage the Lutz/Wesley Chapel location, having partnered with Tom’s sister and brother-in-law, Mark and Ronda Willett, to open that center in 2006. The S.R. 54 location shares space with 10 to 10 Urgent Care (which is not under the same business ownership). The Willetts also are partners in eight other Medi Weightloss Clinics across the state and in Texas.

Three Doctors To Help Change Your Life

This closest Medi-Weightloss location to New Tampa has three full-time physicians. The medical director is Kelli Maw, MD, MPH, who earned her M.B., B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) degree (a seven-year medical doctor program) from the Institute of Medicine 1 in Yangon, Myanmar, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Health from Columbia University in New York City. Maw also is a Diplomate with the American Board of Family Medicine and a member of the

American Society of Bariatric (weight loss) Physicians. Howard Riker, D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), is a retired U.S. Air Force family medicine physician who earned his D.O. degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Before coming to Medi-Weightloss in 2008, Dr. Riker was the Chief of Medical Staff at MacDill Air Force Base for six years. Ian Matheson, M.D., is a retired plastic surgeon who also works at the Need to lose weight and change your lifestyle for 2015? The Lutz/Wesley Chapel loca- friendly staff of the Lutz/Wesley Chapel Medi-Weightloss Clinics tion. Dr. Matheson earned on S.R. 54 invite you to come in for a consultation! both his M.D. and C.M. progress with the program. Phase one (Master of Surgery) degrees begins during a new patient’s first visit and from Queen’s University in Kingston, Oncontinues with weekly appointments until tario. Dr. Matheson also is Board-certified the patient reaches his or her goal weight. by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. During phase two, the patient’s diet is Real Results In Three Phases! slowly adjusted during weekly appoint“When a patient comes in, it’s an ments to allow for increased calories that emotional thing,” Willett says. “They’ve still will allow the patient to maintain their made a great step to just walk in the door. goal weight. Phase three includes monthly We get to know our patients so that we can visits for wellness that may continue for help counsel them.” three to six months. The Medi-Weightloss program is “We have a basic program and divided into three distinct phases. The structure,” says Dr. Riker. “We follow that time period a patient remains in each phase structure, but it can be modified for the may vary based upon his or her individindividual. We certainly are not putting a ual weightloss goals, medical history and patient on a program that’s an assembly

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

l i t f c

W e c h d t a b a d a a

Medi-Weightloss helped Lutz resident Erin Blackwell lose more than 100 pounds! line. Each patient is told during his or her initial consultation with me that we want them to be successful long-term. In order for that to happen, you have to make a commitment to a lifestyle change.” In Phase One — aka “The Acute Weightloss Phase” — the patient’s first experience begins with a doctor visit and consultation to review his or her medical history and medications. The doctor conducts a routine physical exam, an Electrocardiogram (EKG), a body fat analysis and a comprehensive blood panel, checks blood pressure and takes measurements and a ‘before’ picture. The physician then designs an individual plan for treatment and the patient’s weightloss goals and gives an injection of Medi Booster, which has vi-

We accept the majority of PPO’s Dental Insurance

tamin B12 and amino acids for energy, and a second injection with vitamins B6 and B1 for reducing water retention and food cravings. Dr. Riker says the body absorbs B Vitamin injections more readily than in a pill form and the Medi Booster is offered to the patient on each subsequent visit, up to twice weekly. The first visit also provides a patient with a “Medi bag,” containing a one-month supply of Medi Fat Burner supplements to boost weight loss, Medi Inner Balance to help with constipation (or calcium if the Inner Balance is unnecessary), Medi Ketone Test Strips to monitor fat burning, a food scale (which literally measures the weight of a meal with a small plastic tub) and a journal for monitoring progress, as well as a list of options for ordering food at chain restaurants. Although the doctors at Medi Weightloss have the ability to prescribe medications for appetite suppression, they typically first try to keep patients on natural supplements. Throughout Phase One, the patient continues with weekly visits. Included in the program is the Medi Booster, member-only access on the website, Medi Stay Slim (a non-prescription, natural appetite suppressant) as well as grocery lists and recipes for a lower calorie diet created by Registered Dietitian (RD) Christine Achenbach — who also is a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) and a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Achenbach works in the Medi Weightloss corporate office, but is available to any clinic location remotely. Patients also receive coaching on

weekly goals for healthier lifestyle choices and an InterActive Exercise Kit that includes tools for cardio, resistance training and stretching, along with a video and pedometer to track daily steps. “The not-so-secret secret of our program is that we’re teaching you how to eat the right foods in the right portion at the right time, drinking the proper fluids and exercising,” Dr. Riker explains. “By doing that, we’re changing your habit, so that even if you don’t realize what we’re doing, by the time you reach your goal weight, we’ve redesigned your pattern of eating.” In Phase Two — aka “Short-Term Maintenance” — the patient continues to visit the clinic weekly to check body fat, measurements and blood pressure. During this phase, daily caloric intake and energy expenditure are increased to maintain the patient’s new weight, while any medication or supplements the patient was previously on are slowly decreased. Finally, the patient enters Phase Three — aka the “Wellness Phase” — a time for monitoring body composition and goals monthly and continuing with optional Medi Boosters and B1/B6 injections that are offered weekly, if the patient chooses to take advantage of them. “Once you start a program, you are always a member,” Willett says. “We never want a patient to feel that they have failed.” In other words, patients are not charged as a new patient if he or she needs to return to the program to reach his or her goal weight again.

Why Not Join The List Of

Medi All-Stars?

The hallway of the clinic is wallpapered with Medi All-Stars — the before-and-after pictures of successful (and happy!) patients like Lutz resident Erin Blackwell, who lost and has continued to keep off more than 100 pounds! “It was on a flight a couple of years ago that the truth finally hit me,” Blackwell explains. “The seat’s armrests dug into my hips and when I tried to fasten the seat belt, I could barely push the ends together. I realized then that my weight was out of control.” Blackwell says that during her initial consultation, she learned that she was medically considered morbidly obese and her cholesterol was abnormally high for her age. She decided to go through with the program. “Now, I love the woman I see in the mirror,” Blackwell says. “None of this would have been possible without the help of Medi-Weightloss Clinics and their supportive staff.” Want to shed pounds and feel better about your self-image? Visit the Lutz/Wesley Chapel Medi-Weightloss Clinics at 24420 S.R. 54, (two miles west of S.R. 56). The clinic is open Monday & Wednesday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m., 9 a.m.–6 p.m. on Tuesday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. on Thursday, and 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Friday. For more info, see the ad on pg. 23, call 909-1700 or visit MediWeightlossClinics.com/Locations/Lutz.

19007 Bruce B. Downs Blvd Tampa, FL 33647

Vijay Patel, DDS

(813) 406-4947

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 9am-6pm

Evenings by Appointment Only

*D0150 & D0210 ONLY

*D2740 ONLY

Offers cannot be combined with any other specials or coupons. Offer Expires on 12/31/14.

First 50 New Patients only. Expires 01/31/15 Comprehensive exam D0150, X-rays D0210, Cleaning D1110 required

www.pebblecreekfamilydentistry.com Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

20% OFF SALE Florida Wellness Pharmacy (Located across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)

2653 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Suite 115 Wesley Chapel, Fl 33544

3836 FlatIron Loop | Wesley Chapel | Located in Seven Oaks TheBridalShowroom.net

813-991-9500

Find us on Facebook!

TOPASH PAINTING, L.L.C. formerly Paul Topash & Son Painting

FREE ESTIMATES

THE NEAT & TIDY PROFESSIONAL Helping you preserve your largest asset...YOUR HOME

19 Years Experience • Interior/Exterior HUNDREDS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS

No Subcontractors • Owner/Operated Licensed, Bonded & Insured • References Available

Pasco LP-09362 • Hillsborough PA2854 Call K.T. Topash (owner/painter)

813.780.2511

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

GLOW WHEELS AUTO DETAILING

150

We Come To You!

Gal. Water Tank

New Look. Same Company. Serving the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel area for 9+ years

HAND WASH

HAND DRY

Call Jay For Estimate

Neighborhood News

HAND WAX

966-1530

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Check Out The Hair Removal & Skin Treatment Services At Point Of Care Clinics By Celeste McLaughlin

Lynnda Mattmuller is a licensed aesthetician and laser practitioner who offers skin care services and laser hair removal under the supervision of M. Aamer Nawaz, M.D., at Point of Care Clinics Primary Care, located minutes from New Tampa in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off of S.R. 56 and Ancient Oaks Blvd. Lynnda began her career in laser hair removal in 2008. As she developed relationships with clients, she wanted to help them not only remove their undesired hair, but also address skin issues so they can truly look their best. After becoming educated as an aesthetician, she took continuing education courses focusing on sun damage, hyperpigmentation and acne. Lynnda joined Point of Care Clinics in October of 2013 to offer patients laser hair removal in an environment supervised by Dr. Nawaz, an internal medicine physician, who also has a passion for dermatology. As demand for her services has increased and her relationships with clients have grown, Lynnda has expanded her offerings to include not only laser hair removal, but also a variety of skin care treatments to help her patients overcome their skin care concerns and maintain the health of their skin.

“We offer microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and enzyme facials,” says Lynnda. “These are all ways to exfoliate the skin to slough off dead skin cells on the surface of the skin and reveal new, healthy skin. It leaves your face radiant and literally glowing.” Lynnda says she can help you determine which of these methods best fits your skin type. “We have a menu of services to choose from,” she says. She’ll start by asking you what bothers you about your skin – do you have scarring, dark spots, wrinkles, or something else? Then, she’ll ask about your medical history, such as how much sun you’ve been exposed to and if you have any illnesses or diseases that could cause skin issues. Then she’ll recommend one of these treatments: • Microdermabrasion — a mechanical exfoliation of the skin, using a diamond-tipped wand to remove dead skin cells. • Chemical peel — offers similar results as microdermabrasion with the application of an acid solution, removing layers of damaged or aged skin to reveal younger, clearer, more radiant skin and stimulate new skin growth. • Enzyme facial — a mild, gentle treatment that uses natural exfoliators instead of chemicals. At Point of Care Clinics, Lynnda uses fruit-based enzymes,

which smell incredible and deliver dramatic results. “Your skin will actually glow,” says Lynnda. Currently, she’s offering a pomegranate holiday facial, which provides deep hydration with skin-brightening effects. And, after all of these methods of professional exfoliation, Lynnda says your makeup will go on smoother and at-home products, such as serums, will penetrate deeper. Lynnda adds that she uses two professional product lines — Skin Script and PCA Skin — which are both allnatural products that provide great results and address most skin issues. After your consultation with Lynnda, she will recommend treatments and Licensed aesthetician Lynnda Mattmuller provides skin care an at-home regimen for your & laser hair removal services at Point of Care Clinics Primary Care in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56. ongoing skin care. Lynnda notes that she has received care routine, to be sure she’s always takadvanced training in both of these proding great care of her skin. uct lines. “Lynnda really takes time with her Ashley Dopirak has been seeing clients and listens to them, and she is Lynnda for facial treatments for more really good at tailoring her services to than six months now, and is extremely each person’s individual needs,” Ashley happy with her results. She says she likes says, adding that she enjoys the relaxto have monthly facials as part of her skin ing atmosphere of the office, and that

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

L o

L f g c d

h a w i w t f c g o

remove the unwanted hair. After two or three treatments, patients should notice a considerable reduction in hair, and it typically takes six to eight treatments to completely remove all hair. “We’re fairly well established now,” says Lynnda, “and we’re getting great results. A lot of my new patients are referred to me by their friends.” She explains that many of those patients come in to have one area of Lynnda uses laser hair removal techniques to help get rid their bodies treated, and they of unwanted hair anywhere on your face or body — all are so thrilled with the results without any pain! that they want more, so they decide to treat other areas of Lynnda is “very professional. I like the their faces and bodies. fact that she’s affiliated with a dermatolo“It’s very effective,” she says, “and gy practice,” says Ashley. “It just gives me our prices are very reasonable. In fact, confidence that they know what they’re they are actually extremely affordable.” doing and all of the treatments are safe.” And, best of all, you can return to the same location and see Lynnda for each Laser Hair Removal and every treatment. Lynnda continues to offer laser “These laser treatments mean no hair removal at Point of Care Clinics, more shaving,” Lynnda says, adda service that completely removes uning that a lot of women can relate to wanted hair on both women and men throwing on a tank top and realizing in a quick, relatively painless treatment they haven’t shaved their underarms, with a specially designed laser. The but that scenario disappears with laser treatment disables the growth of hair hair removal. follicles while they are in the growth And, although summer seems far cycle. Because not all hair is in the off now, Lynnda says it’s actually the growth cycle at the same time, a series perfect time to start thinking about of treatments is needed to completely

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

getting ready for the beach. Because laser hair removal treatments are spaced out every six to eight weeks, if you start now, you can complete the first few treatments by June or July, and see the most dramatic results as possible. The entire series takes about a year to get complete hair removal, but almost all of the visible hair will be gone by summer if you start now. The laser hair removal treatments at Point of Care are extremely quick (underarms and upper lips can be treated in less than 10 minutes) and are relatively painless. Although you will feel a sensation where the laser hits the skin (which some patients say feels like the snap of a rubber band), there is no pain after the treatment. Gift certificates are available for services, and specials are offered monthly. For Lynnda’s current specials, see the ad on page 10 of this issue. Point of Care Clinics Primary Care is owned by Dr. Nawaz (who specializes in dermatology and internal medicine) and his wife, Aliya Rathore, M.D., who is Board-certified in Family Practice with a special interest in women’s health care. Dr. Nawaz says he is pleased to offer Lynnda’s services under his supervision, which complement the office’s other practice areas. “Lynnda is very competent and established as an aesthetician and laser

practitioner,” says Dr. Nawaz. “She has proven her dedication to the people in this area, and we have a lot of common ground.” Lynnda notes that many of Dr. Nawaz’s derma- Point of Care Clinics tology patients Medical Director M. Aamer Nawaz, M.D. are referred to her for treatments, although there is no obligation to use her services. In addition to skin care and hair removal, Point of Care provides comprehensive primary care services to manage complex medical problems, including extensive dermatology disease management, diabetic management, complete physicals, well-woman visits and routine gynecological care. Point of Care Clinics Primary Care is located at 2106 Ashley Oak Cir., Suite 102, in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off of S.R. 56 and Ancient Oaks Dr. in Wesley Chapel. Aesthetician Lynnda Mattmuller offers day, evening and weekend appointments for skin care and laser hair removal. For appointments, call 994-8481. Learn more about the practice online at POCCPrimaryCare.com.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Premier Psycholgical Services Can Help You Sort Through Your Feelings Association. By Kelly Miller

We live in a fast-paced, instant gratification society that can sometimes leave anyone feeling stressed and full of anxiety. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your job or your life, turn to the professionals at Premier Psychological Services, located in the Nicolas Point Office Park on W. Bearss Ave., just off I-275 near N. Florida Ave. (10-15 minutes from most of Tampa Palms, 20-25 minutes from New Tampa). The practice offers more than 90 years of combined experience counseling children, adolescents, adults, couples and families.

Seven Therapists — One Goal

“One of the benefits of our practice is that there are seven therapists on site, so we’re able to cover every specialty and age group,” says Brad Palermo, Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology), licensed psychologist and owner of Premier Psychological Services. “Many practices only have a single therapist, which can be limiting. We see children as young as two up through adults, and we offer individual therapy, family therapy, couples therapy and more.” However, group therapy is not offered. Dr. Palermo earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with Honors in Psychology from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He then earned his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. He is a member of the American Psychological

Dr. Palermo opened Premier Psychological Services in 2011 and the practice has grown so rapidly that it recently moved to a more spacious office next to the original location in the same building. “Every day I get to do what I love,” Dr. Palermo says. “That’s not something everyone can say. This job is always new and interesting, as every single person who walks into my office is different. I’m continually learning from clients because they all have distinctive personalities and unique histories.” In addition to Dr. Palermo, the other therapists in the practice include Licensed Psychologists Richard Temple, Ph.D. and Bryan Ritchey, (Psy. D., who specializes in LGBT issues); Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) Alison Kimball, Chelsea Welch, and Kathleen Stahl; Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) William Hogan; and Registered Marriage & Family Therapist (MFT) intern Farida Stino, who is working toward her license. Each specializes in providing counseling in a wide range of areas (see below). Engaging in psychotherapy is an opportunity for individuals, couples, and families to develop greater self-awareness, overcome obstacles for personal growth, learn effective coping strategies, improve the quality of relationships and increase the amount of joy in their lives. Dr. Palermo says that patients seek out Premier Psychological Services for a wide

Dr. Brad Palermo of Premier Psychological Services invites you to come unbottle your feelings to any of seven therapists at Premier’s office on W. Bearss Ave. variety of reasons/issues, including: • Depression • Anxiety • Stress • Anger • Substance Abuse/Addiction • Trauma Resolution • Parenting Skills • Eating Disorders • Behavioral Issues • Relationship Issues • LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Issues “I’ve suffered with depression most

of my life,” admitted a client of Dr. Palermo’s. The mother of two (who asked to remain anonymous) says she saw the debilitating effect it had on her family and realized it was time to seek professional help. “I’m grateful to Dr. Palermo for helping me out of the black pit I couldn’t seem to get myself out of. Recovery didn’t happen overnight and there are still days I struggle, but I’m learning the strategies I need to beat this disease (depression).” Some behavioral disorders and/or mental health illnesses may require medication, and if after an evaluation it is deemed necessary, the patient will be referred to a

Bay Area Real Estate & Rentals, Inc.

CAN’T SELL??? RENT! Bay Area Real Estate & Rentals, Inc. Your property management company! Visit www.BayAreaRentals.net to view a full list of services as well as review our management contract.

John V. Simone, Broker 813-988-RENT (7368)

13312 North 56th Street, Tampa, FL Office 813-988-SELL (7355) Fax 813-985-0675 www.BayAreaRealEstateAndRentals.com 32

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

p c g m e f l t i t

s “ m a j a l p t i o “

tion so he can personally determine which therapist will best meet each new client’s needs. And, unlike other practices that might make a new patient wait a month or more to see a doctor, most first appointments at Premier will be scheduled within one week of the initial call. Premier Psychological (L.-r.) Premier’s Licensed Psychologists include Richard Temple, Ph.D., and Bryan Ritchey, Psy. D.; Services is located at 322 W. Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) Alison Kimball, Chelsea Welch, and Kathleen Stahl; Bearss Ave. The office is open Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) William Hogan; and Registered Marriage & Family Therapist (MFT) intern Farida Stino. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on the process,” Dr. Palermo says. “Like with When an emotional crisis strikes, psychiatrist. “If a patient can’t function, Saturday. To schedule an appointment every other relationship, communication can’t get out of bed, and work is starting to people have a tendency to turn to friends or set up an initial consultation, call (between therapist & patient) is key.” or family for help, but Dr. Palermo says go downhill or relationships are suffering, 417-7188. To find out more about the Picking the right therapist shouldn’t medication might be helpful,” Dr. Palermo that often is problematic because, alpractice, see the ad on page 14 or visit though well-meaning, the people closest to be a guessing game. That’s why Dr. explains. “Meds tends to be a short-term someone may not be able to be objective Palermo offers a free initial phone consulta- PremierPsychologicalServices.com. fix, while therapy helps the patient in the enough and very often can be judgmental. long run.” The combination of the two treatments work, he says, because the med- That’s why seeking professional help is a good choice, he says. ication helps the patient maintain, while At Premier Psychological Services, the therapist can dig into the core issues. you’ll find therapists who are personable, courteous and always responsive and acDon’t Bottle Up Your Feelings commodating to patients. Each therapist “Sometimes people are nervous about strives for a relationship with his or her seeking treatment,” says Dr. Palermo. patients that is based on honesty, being “But therapy’s not like you see in the genuine and a having a sense of caring. movies. You don’t have to be crazy to see Because each person who comes for help a therapist.” He explains that therapy is has unique needs, individualized treatment just a matter of having a conversation with plans are created. another person about the everyday prob“We address our clients as individulems we all face. Whether it’s relationship als, not as disorders,” Dr. Palermo states. problems, stress or frustrations felt from He suggests taking 2-3 sessions, a kind of time to time, Dr. Palermo suggests coming in and getting things off your chest, instead “trying out” period, to see if the therapist you’re working with is a good match. of bottling up those feelings and trying to “Patients need to be honest about “tough it out” alone.

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Home to Real Estate’s Top Producers Outstanding Agents, Outstanding Results

813-310-5120

Kay Lehmer 813-416-3099

Executive Club Award

Linda Thrasher-Donalson

lindadonalson@gmail.com klehmer@verizon.net

Dave Devaney 813-997-0072

davedremax@msn.com Hall of Fame Award

Amani Warden 813-731-7673

wardenre@aol.com Platinum Club Award

GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTERS

Meeting Your Exterior Needs From One Generation to the Next

New Year, New Home!

It's More Important Than Ever To Have The Right Realtor On Your Side...

It Can Save You Thousands!!

2014 NEW TAMPA HOMES SOLD!! Community

# of Homes Sold

Price Range

Arbor Greene Community

$144,000 - $452,000

Basset Creek Community

$245,000 - $501,000

Cory Lake Isles Community

$167,000 - $705,000

Country Walk Community

$92,000 - $371,000

Cross Creek Community

$85,000 - $370,000

Easton Park Community

$95,000 - $360,000

Estancia

$273,000 - $626,000

Grand Hampton Community

$153,000 - $792,000

Heritage Isles Community

$120,000 - $400,000

Hunter's Green Community

$118,000 - $1,625,000

Live Oak Community

105

$110,000 - $415,000

Meadow Pointe Community

297

$43,000 - $464,000

Northwood Community

$110,000 - $266,000

Pebble Creek Community

$61,000 - $290,000

Richmond Place Community

$150,000 - $353,000

Seven Oaks Community

156

$122,000 - $725,000

Tampa Palms Community

$68,000 - $3,475,000

West Meadows Community

$121,000 - $460,000

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Specialists in Infants, Children and Teenagers

Services:

Gentle Cleanings • Sealants & Fluoride • Tooth Colored Fillings • Cosmetic Bonding Periodontal Care • Interceptive Appliances • Orthodontics • Gentle Injections Nitrous Oxide • Low Dose X-rays • In Ofﬁce Lab Most Insurances Accepted

813.973.3100

10317B Cross Creek Blvd. Tampa, FL 33647

www.drgreg-childrensdentistry.com 34

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

WHY REMOVE YOUR ACL IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO?

XP The XP Preserving Total Knee Replacement lets you keep all your healthy ligaments. Great news! The XP Preserving Knee allows your healthy ligaments to stay connected, including your ACL. Other traditional total knee replacements don’t. They require the complete removal of the ACL, a ligament that helps preserve your natural stability. It also helps control knee movement. Think about it. If your ACL is intact, wouldn’t you rather have an implant that preserves it? The XP Preserving Knee from Biomet.

For more information on the XP Preserving Knee at Florida Hospital Tampa:

813.979.0440 fmcsportsdoc.com

Risk Information: Not all patients are Vanguard XP knee candidates. Talk to your surgeon about knee replacement and risks, including, but not limited to, infection, material sensitivity, loosening, intra-operative bone fracture, component fracture, bone cement complications, and wear, any of which can require additional surgery. For more information about the Biomet XP Preserving Knee, including full risk information, call 1-800-581-8169 or visit PreservingKnee.com. Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

FHT-11005

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

ISONSPECIALIST ALL ALTHY EATING HE

Visit our Healthy Eating Specialist Allison for free cooking classes, store tours and personal shopping consultations.

Eat the best nature has to offer for 28 days! Sign up for our Engine 2 Challenge at: wfmengine2challengecarrollwood.eventbrite.com W H O L E

F O O D S

M A R K E T

C O U P O N

OFFER EXPIRES 1/31/15

$15 OFF

PLU# 303554

ANY PURCHASE OF $75 OR MORE

This coupon not valid in combination with any other coupon, special, promotional offer or team member discount. Coupon only valid at the Whole Foods Market at 3802 Northdale Blvd, Tampa, FL. No duplications, copies or facsimiles will be accepted. This coupon may not be used toward the purchase of a Whole Foods Market Gift Card. No cash value. Please, only one coupon per customer. Coupon good for $15 off total one time purchase of $75 or more. Coupon valid through 1/31/15.

EHRLICH RD.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET ® Carrollwood 3802 NORTHDALE BLVD. • TAMPA, FL 33624 • 813.264.3600 • OPEN DAILY 8 AM - 9 PM

facebook.com/wholefoodsmarketcarrollwood twitter.com/wfmflorida www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/carrollwood

HAPPY HOUR

NOW OPEN

EVERYDAY Open till 7pm

Tue - Sun 11:30am - Until

LIVE MUSIC NIGHTLY Wed - Sat **NO COVER CHARGE**

KITCHEN OPEN

Full Menu Lunch, Dinner + Late Night To Go Available

Located Just 3 Miles West of I-75/SR56 24400 State Road 54, Lutz, FL 33559 (813) 949-4334 www.StageLeftTampa.com • Twitter/Instagram @StageLeftTpa 36

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Symphony In Lights Once Again Rocks The Shops At Wiregrass Mall! By Matt Wiley

With the Holiday Season in full effect in both the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas and having already had a few “arctic blasts” to remind us that we’re not impervious to the cold here in Florida, there is one place in our area where it has felt like winter every night, even if happens to be 80 degrees outside: the Shops at Wiregrass mall’s “Symphony In Lights.” And, you may still have one final chance to catch a glimpse of this impressive display of light and sound. Each night from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. (on the hour), and, weather permitting, until Wednesday, December 31, the Shops at Wiregrass — located at the intersection of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel — has been alive with the spirit of the season. In addition to the nightly snow flurries in the mall’s Center Court, diners and shoppers also had a chance to take in

Neighborhood News

the tunes of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), a band that adds a somehow tasteful, but still heavy metal, twist to many holiday classics. During each of every night’s four 15-minute shows, a different set of three TSO songs is played, allowing spectators to experience a different light show each hour while shopping. Each show began with the house lights darkened and, at the end of a countdown from an announcer, the mall’s impressive Christmas tree display erupted with light and sound. According to the Shops at Wiregrass’ website, the songs were synchronized with more than 250,000 lights using more than 47 miles of wire. The “Symphony” is truly a sight (and sound) that can still be experienced firsthand through New Year’s Eve…as is the mall’s awesome synthetic “ice” skating rink, which is open Monday-Saturday, noon–9 p.m. and noon–7 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, please visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Former Tampa Palms Residents Team Up In ‘The Doll’ Web TV Series By Gary Nager

When I was in my 20s, cable TV was still in its infancy, so most entertainment programming on TV was still being produced by the (at that time) three broadcast networks — ABC-TV, NBC-TV and CBSTV (Fox-TV started a few years later). Today, with thousands of free and pay TV channels and websites like Youtube. com and Vines.com offering unlimited viewership opportunities for millions of videos worldwide, creative people have so many more ways to make their voices heard and their talents seen than they have in the rest of human history combined. Somewhere in the middle of this vast wasteland of mostly average televised product steps a former Tampa Palms resident who graduated from the Blake High School for the Performing Arts in Tampa and then ventured out to Los Angeles — still the mecca of the world of TV and film entertainment. Bri Azmoudeh, 27, says her mom was a huge Barbie doll collector who hosted the 2013 National Barbie Doll Convention in New Orleans and held meetings at her home for Barbie enthusiasts right here in New Tampa. “I’ve been inundated with Barbie my whole life,” says Bri. “I knew there was something funny I could tap into in the world of Barbie that would make for a funny TV series.” Inspired more by British sitcoms than those here in the U.S., Bri created and is

one of the writers and stars of “The Doll,” a truly funny (I’ll be stunned if you don’t think it’s hysterical) web-based series which currently has a short (4:40) pilot airing on Youtube and on the fund-raising site Indiegogo.com, where Bri and her co-producers are trying to raise $7,000. “That would be enough for us to pay to produce the entire first season of ‘The Doll,’” she says. “All of the creative people involved in the program are donating their time for free, so we’re keeping our costs as low as possible.” One of the creative people Bri has brought on to be part of “The Doll” is her former Tampa Palms neighbor (and my good friend) Susan Saiger, who moved out to LA-LA Land a couple of years ago to pursue her dream of standup comedy stardom. Although she doesn’t appear in the pilot episode, Suzi is playing the role of Harriet Fowler, the slightly buzzed member of what Bri calls “The Bid Committee” on the show. “We’ve known each other for years,” Bri says. “I stayed in the house Mrs. Saiger

A P f t

y t r

Former Tampa Palms residents Susan Saiger (left) and Bri Azmoudeh star in “The Doll,” a web TV series you can support on Indiegogo.com bought in Los Angeles until she was able to move from Tampa. And yes, even though we’re working together, it’s hard for me to not call her Mrs. Saiger.” Suzi, of course, got her big acting break in the 1982 cult classic, “Eating Raoul,” where she played Doris the Dominatrix. She also had a featured role in “The Presidio,” the 1988 made-for-TV thriller starring Sean Connery, Mark Harmon and Meg Ryan. But, Suzi isn’t the only professional working with Bri on “The Doll.” In fact, the director is Bradford Dworak, who has worked on “America’s Got Talent,” the TBS Cable Network’s “Deal With It,” and with “The Ricki Lake,” “Dr. Drew” and even “Oprah.” shows. Cast members have appeared on “The Biggest LoserAustralia,” “30 Rock,” “Gossip Girl,”

Spruce Up Your Space in 2015

“Anger Management,” “Political Animals,” “Babylon 5,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Mentalist,” “Touch,” “ER,” “CSI,” “Raising Hope,” “CSI: Miami” and “Behind the Candelabra” (HBO). “The Doll” is the story of a young woman (Azmoudeh) who suspects her boyfriend is cheating on her, but what he actually is hiding is the fact he’s a closet doll collector in the Glitter Us Doll Club. I hope you’ll help this talented, young, local-girl-trying-to-make-good (and Suzi, of course) by visiting Youtube.com/channel/UCmRALaVHEl1igN_WwT1teKg and then go to the series’ fund-raising page at IGG.me/at/ thedollwebseries to make a donation of $1 or more and like the page at Facebook.com/thedollwebseries.

Men & Women

Licensed | Experienced | Luxurious

ENJOY OUR EVERYDAY LOW PRICES WITHOUT A CONTRACT!

$40

$149 INDIVIDUAL

EYELASH EXTENTIONS

Mini Spa Day $65

1 hr Relaxation Massage

• Sams Club

*Offer not valid with any other offer. Offer good at time of initial estimate.

MM30617

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

1 hr European Facial

Light Lunch & Glass of Wine

Hours Of Operation: Mondays 10A-8P Tuesdays -Saturdays 9A-9P & Sundays 11A-6P

813-527-0149 2230 Ashley Oaks Cr. Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 www.essentialswesleychapel.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

g w l c o o i g t

o s t o h o G c I m C F fi — d

New Tampa Rotarians Help Wesley Chapel Plastic Surgeon Create A TV Spot Dr. Raj Ambay, a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army Reserve, and the owner of Ambay Plastic Surgery in Wesley Chapel, knows from experience that pulling the right team together is critical. While stationed in Afghanistan last year, a Taliban rocket landed outside the trauma surgery tent. It tore into Ambay’s right thigh. “After I was hit, I laid in the dirt and gravel afraid to even look to see if my leg was there. Slowly, I reached down. My leg was there, but I had no feeling and I couldn’t walk,” he said. It was too dangerous for a helicopter to land at the forward operating base, so Ambay put his trust in his medical colleagues to keep him together for five days until he could be flown to Landstuhl, Germany, for further surgery. Because he believes in the power of a great team, Ambay recently hired several businesses owned by members of the Rotary Club of New Tampa (see story on page 45) to create a TV commercial for his practice. “The Eyes Have It” was shot on location at the home of Karen TillmanGosselin, who is a former president of the club, as well as of the USF Bulls board and Iron Bulls, and was the first female Board member at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club, where the Rotary club meets every Friday morning. Her New Tampa home is filled with luxurious colors and furnishings — a testament to her 10 years as an interior designer and her top-tier real estate agent

• • • • • • •

ranking with Smith & Associates. Tillman-Gosselin’s fellow New Tampa Rotarian Craig Miller, the owner of Full Throttle Intermedia, steered the production through the eight-hour location shoot. Miller’s New Tampa company specializes in commercials, 3-D and motion graphics. His work has won awards for the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital and the Wounded Warrior Foundation. “Craig sweet-talked all of us,” says Tillman-Gosselin. “Peter Gambacorta, the immediate past president of the New Tampa Rotary and owner of Private Chef of Tampa, catered all of the food. It’s basically an all-Rotarian commercial crew.” (L. to r.) New Tampa Rotary Club members Peter Gambacorta, Karen Tillman-Gosselin and Craig Miller says, “I am so impressed by Miller all helped Dr. Raj Ambay create a TV spot for his Ambay Plastic Surgery. Dr. Ambay, the way he deals with peothat one surgery that will help wounded consin at Madison and a cancer fellowship ple and his commitment to helping fellow veterans move on with their lives. at the University of Texas MD Anderson wounded warriors. It’s an honor to help “It’s challenging to do one each quar- Cancer Center in Houston. him and his wife build their practice here in ter because we call in favors from hospitals, Ambay Plastic Surgery & Dermaour backyard.” Ambay and his wife, derma- anesthesiologists, pharmaceutical firms and tology is located at 27716 Cashford tologist Dr. Aparna Ambay, made helping others to make the surgery happen for free Cir., in the Summergate Office Park veterans part of their plastic surgery and or low-cost — even when all of our services (behind Sam’s Club) in Wesley Chapel. dermatology practices in Wesley Chapel. For more info, call 406-4448 or visit are free.” “Sometimes one surgery can be lifeAmbayPlasticSurgery.com. For Karen Dr. Raj Ambay is a Board-certified changing for an injured veteran,” he said. Tillman-Gosselin, call 629-1502 or plastic surgeon and trained dentist (DDS) “Burns and pulled skin can be so disfigurvisit SmithandAssociates.com. For Full with years of experience treating battlefield Throttle Intermedia, call 971-8486 or ing that one surgery can make a real differ- injuries as an Army surgeon assigned to the 1st Special Forces Counter-Intelligence visit FTIntermedia.com. For Private ence in how they look and how they feel Chef of Tampa, call 380-4014 or visit Group He completed his dental studies at about themselves.” PrivateChefTampa.com. — Submitted to Northwestern University in Chicago, plasThe Ambays work through the Spe& edited by the Neighborhood News. cial Operations Warrior Foundation to find tic surgery residency at University of Wis-

Lower Back pain relief Treatment for hand and feet pain Headache/Neck Pain Relief Treatment of auto injuries Decompression for disc injuries Accepts all major insurance plans Massage Therapy

Now Accepting New Patients

FREE 1/2 HR MASSAGE for any new patient.

RECLAIM YOUR LIFE! PAIN MANAGEMENT

"The patient and any a other persons responsible for payment has a right to refuse pay, cancel payment, or be reimbursed for any other service, examination, or treatment, which is performed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to this advertisement for the free service, examination, or treatment."

Treatment for low back, neck & joint pain

Dr. Nick Venturino

14491 University Cove Pl. Tampa, Fl 33613

2014 Ashley Oaks Cir. Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 Offce: 813.999.3030 Fax: 813.333.0453

MyHealingHandsChiropractic.com Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Buy More Save More

ON BOTOX

UP TO

$200 OFF

DERMAL FILLERS! Sale Price $500 | Regular Price $750

Chemical Peels 50% OFF

One Month of

Medical Weight Loss

Comprehensive consultation, injections & appetite suppressants* for 1 month *If cleared by the physician

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Bay Chapel Church Food Pantry Teams Up With Christian Bros. Auto! By Matt Wiley

The “Season of Giving” has been good to Bay Chapel, a New Tampa church group of about 150 members that meets on Sundays at the TurnerBartels K-8 Center (located on Imperial Oak Blvd. in Live Oak Preserve). It’s been so good, in fact, that the church’s new food pantry that is housed at Christian Brothers Automotive (located across Bruce B. Downs [BBD] Blvd. at Trout Creek Dr.) is packed with donated food that the church hopes to donate to literally anyone in need. No strings attached. Bay Chapel’s food pantry offers canned goods to those who need them in the communities in New Tampa and beyond and is open 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. “This is real people coming together to make a difference in the community,” says Lee Schielka, a Meadow Pointe resident who says he inadvertently started the pantry when he gave a couponing seminar recently to some of his fellow Bay Chapel members. Schielka says that church members were excited to find themselves with some extra cash at the grocery after using a bunch of coupons and decided to purchase canned goods to donate. So, about two months ago, Bay Chapel

Pastor Wes Morris and the church leadership decided to start a food pantry. “Through that excitement, this ministry was born,” Schielka says. The pantry grew so fast that there soon wasn’t anywhere to store the donated food items. Schielka says that, with the help of a Home Depot gift card that was donated by a Bay Chapel member, they were able to purchase a pre-built shed for storage. However, the question was where to put it. “I had been in to Christian Brothers Automotive a few times with my car and spoken with Marty LaBarbera (the owner of the auto shop),” Shielka explains. “He graciously said that we could house the pantry shed on his property.” In just a few months since opening the pantry, it’s now stacked to the roof with donated food items. Many of those items are regularly donated to Turner-Bartels for students in need, Shielka says, but the shelves just keep filling up. “We want to reach out to the whole community,” Shielka says. “Anyone can use the pantry. There’s no catch… you don’t have to attend our services.” Morris agrees. “We love this community and we want to make a positive difference any way we can,” Morris says. “That’s the heartbeat of

Bay Chapel. We want to show God’s love in practical ways and bring hope to those who are hurting.” For anyone who wishes to donate, if you bring at least two cans of food to Christian Brothers Automotive, you will receive $10 off your auto service. Bay Chapel meets on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at the Turner-Bartels K-8 Center (9020 Imperial Marty LaBarbera of Christian Bros. Automotive (left) Oak Blvd.). For more info, and Lee Schielka of Bay Chapel show off the church’s new please visit BayChapel.com. food pantry housed on Christian Bros.’ property on BBD.

Talk to your neighbors, then talk to me. Ardeshir K Khorsandian Ins Agy Ardeshir Khorsandian, Agent www.adikinsurance.com adi@adikinsurance.com Bus: 813-991-4111 Fax: 813-994-9411

See why State Farm insures more drivers than GEICO and Progressive combined. Great service, plus discounts of up to 40 percent.* Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL FOR QUOTE 24/7. ®

1001174.1

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

*Discounts vary by states. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

J H CALL JIM AND CONSIDER IT DONE

LIVE OAK 3 BED • 2 1/2 BATH • POOL • 2500 SQ. FT. • $259,000 42

Florida Executive RealtyNeighborhood News

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

@NTWCNews

You can trust our family to care for yours. John E. Loyless, Owner

Land O’ Lakes (813) 996-6601 LoylessFuneralHome.com

Main Office, Chapel, & Crematory

Tampa (813) 237-2900

New Tampa (813) 991-7500 FloridaMortuary.com

Arrangement Center

Exp. 01/31/2015. New patients only. Valid weekdays only. Cannot be used with insurance. Coupon needs to be presented at time of service.

The patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment or be reimbursed for payment for another service, examination or treatment which is performed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, discounted or reduced fee, service, examination or treatment.

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

T T a

c ( B m i t o m C f c F I T

Expires 01/31/15

B F m C l w i c

p “ e s g

Celebrating our sixth year serving the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Communities!

.......................

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

We div Ta -C

Wiregrass Wobblers Raise $17K For Some Good Causes By Matt Wiley

They came, they saw, they wobbled. The second annual Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot 5K is a wrap and, once again, a success. More than 1,700 people of all ages came out to the Shops at Wiregrass mall (located off Bruce B. Downs [BBD] Blvd. in Wesley Chapel) on Thanksgiving morning (November 27) to participate in the 5K race and one-mile fun run that was sponsored by the Rotary Club of New Tampa (which meets Friday mornings at 7 at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club) and raised about $17,000 for the New Tampa Family YMCA (located on Compton Dr. in Tampa Palms), Feeding America Tampa Bay, Rotary International Foundation and the New Tampa Rotary itself. The 5K (which was organized by Brian Brink, of Wiregrass mall merchant FITniche) took participants around the mall and out to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. On the way back to the finish lane at the mall, runners were challenged with running up and down the ramp in the mall’s parking garage, which he called a “Florida hill.” The one-mile run took participants around the mall down Paseo Dr. “I’m very happy with how this year’s event went,” Brink says. “It went much smoother than last year and we had really great weather!”

“The Shops at Wiregrass is thrilled to partner with FITniche in providing a venue to host their second annual Wiregrass Wobble,” said Shops at Wiregrass marketing director Debbie Detweiler. “It was great to see so many individuals and families here on Thanksgiving morning to participate. We are honored to be a part of this commu- More than 1,700 ‘Wobblers’ came out to participate in the second annual Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot 5K run at the Shops at Wiregrass nity event in support mall on Thanksgiving Day. of the New Tampa Family YMCA, Feeding America Tampa Bay and the Rotary (International Foundation).” She added that this year’s race drew about 300 more participants than last year. Congratulations to Donald Bly, 40, of Lutz, for finishing first in the 5K with a time of 17:21.3. The New Tampa Rotary Club would like to give special thanks to sponsors Stifel, FITniche, the New Tampa Family YMCA, Rotary Club of New Tampa, Futurehome Appraisal Services, Suncoast Specialty Printing, Inc., Full Throttle Intermedia, Wells Fargo, Children’s Dentistry, Red Hydrant Pet Spa & Boutique, Gunter & Gunter Insurance, The Phoenix Agency, Inc., MedExpress Urgent Care & Ciccio’s Cali.

2 01/31/15

01/31/15

10/31/14

01/31/15

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

19062 Bruce B Downs Tampa, FL 33647

813-558-WING We can cater your Bowl Game / Holiday Party with large orders from 10-100 people

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

813-929-7300

Personal Injury Bankruptcy Family Law Estate Planning

Integrity & Experience ®

Matthew J. Jowanna, Esq.

NewTampaJustice.com

Offices in

Wesley Chapel & Dade City

(813)949-0424

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

D’Alessio Ristorante Celebrates A Delicious First Year In Business! By Gary Nager

in every respect of the word. The fact is that there is no other restaurant in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel with homemade pastas, authentic “Neapolitan” (different than New York)-style Grouper “Francaise” style (left) and authentic Neapizza or the politan pizzas are among our editor’s favorites at variety of tender D’Alessio Italian Ristorante, located on BBD across veal dishes you’ll from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. find every day at D’Alessio is by having lunch there. D’Alessio — including what I believe is literally the best veal parmigiana I’ve had Although it might take more than a halfhour total to enjoy your lunch, with the anywhere in the Tampa Bay lunch specials starting at just $7.99, and area. great dishes like the chicken parmigiana Dominick and his crew lunch portion in the photo (left), spacontinually are adding new ghetti and meatballs, lasagne and more special, too, as he finds out available, well, let’s just say that you may what his customers want in be able to pay less for lunch but I don’t terms of Italian cuisine and think you’ll find much better choices even entertainment (see anywhere in our area. below) at the restaurant. He In addition to the lunch specials, also is in the process of addmany regulars at D’Alessio rave about ing a variety of homemade cakes and pies (more on them the pizzas, which look like NY-style but below), all with that authen- with a crisper crust that I really enjoy and the toppings — from the best primavera The lunch portion of chicken parmigiana with spaghet- tic Italian flair. (veggie) pizza I’ve had to the wonderfulI truly believe that the ti costs only $7.99 at D’Alessio! ly light, sweet Italian sausage and delicate best way to first experience When you’re a true “foodie,” but most of the “decent” restaurants in your area are national and regional chains, folks like me who know and appreciate “the good stuff” are just naturally drawn to locally owned, independent restaurants like D’Alessio Italian Ristorante, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) in December. Chef and owner Dominick D’Alessio admits to having had some service issues in the year since he opened, but most who have dined at D’Alessio — including yours truly — have raved about the food, which is authentic southern Italian

pizza sauce — are truly outstanding. For dinner, you have to try the veal parmigiana — or any of D’Alessio’s excellent veal (vitello) dishes. Many pizza places and Italian restaurants in the Tampa Bay area don’t even have veal on the menu anymore because it’s expensive and because not enough diners in our area ask for it, but with Dominick hailing from Sicily, where vitello is king...I am glad to get my veal parm “fix” at least once every few weeks. I’m also partial to grouper, which I’ve enjoyed at D’Alessio with a pink vodka sauce, lemony “Francaise-style” (photo, top left) and in a special dish Dominick says he plans to the menu — homemade cheese raviolis topped with

Monday - Thursday

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

O r

Other favorites at D’Alessio include (clockwise from above left) the penne primavera with grilled chicken, grouper pizzaiola with homemade cheese raviolis, sausage marinara, homemade tiramisu and lemoncello cake. More home-baked desserts, including custom-baked cakes and pies, also are being added to D’Alessio’s decadent dessert selection.

chunks of fresh grouper in a zesty pizzaiola sauce. Yum! There’s also salmon (which I don’t eat) and shrimp (which I can’t eat) on the menu, but definitely try the grouper. It’s a winner! I also really enjoy D’Alessio’s penne primavera (show above topped with tasty grilled chicken) and Italian sausage marinara and pretty much any dish topped with a red sauce.

Home-Baked Desserts & Now Thurs. Entertainment! Dominick says that he at one time also owned a pastry shop and he plans to add a full line of custom-baked cakes and pies at D’Alessio, and the des-

serts I’ve enjoyed there so far have not disappointed me. The authentic Italian tiramisu, cannolis and decadent chocolate mousse are already made on the premises and Dominick says the lemoncello and chocolate mousse cakes, as well as unique cheesecakes (although he says he will use cream cheese instead of the more authentic Italian ricotta for them) are on the way. D’Alessio also offers delicious espresso and cappuccino, as well as fairly priced Italian and domestic wines by the glass or bottle and Peroni and other beers on draught. Adults 21 and older can even enjoy one free glass of house

wine with each adult entrée purchased every Tues.-Thurs., 4 p.m.-7 p.m. only. And, Dominick recently added DJ dance music with DJ Willie every Thursday evening from 8 p.m.-close. You’ll enjoy disco, salsa, merengue and other Latin dance favorites. There’s even a chance to sing karaoke. And, Dominick says more entertainment evenings will be added if there is demand for them. D’Alessio Italian Ristorante is located at 2653 BBD Blvd. and is open six days a week for lunch and dinner. It is closed on Monday. For more information, call 406-4889 or visit DAlessioRestaurant.com.

Dr. Rick Robinson, OD, Dr. David Scamard, OD & Dr. Heather Worrell, OD Board Certiied Optometric Physicians You will be amazed at how aﬀordable fashion eyewear can be! We have eyewear for every budget!

exp 01/31/15

24412 S.R. 54

(at Oak Grove Blvd.) Lutz, FL

You can now order ONLINE! Check out our website!

33559

813 . 949.7274

Dr. Rick Robinson, Sole Propietor Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

ing ent

O RITE

The elegant atmosphere always matches the

Our friends at Acropolis keep revamping their menu, but it’s still one of New Tampa’s best for delicious lamb chops, fresh grouper and mahi and a great variety of Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean favorites like chicken kabobs (above), hummus, tabouleh, baba ganouj and much more. And of course, there’s always entertainment like a covered outdoor hookah lounge, plate-breaking, belly dancing & more.

Ciccio’s Cali

Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill

Although Ciccio’s Cali definitely doesn’t have all of my favorites from the old Ciccio & Tony’s, I like the updated menu, especially the rice bowls and anything with fresh tuna. I wish it was full liquor, too, but the beers on tap & wines are unique and priced right.

Still the best value for your money in Japanese cuisine in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, especially for lunch! Endless hibachi fare (& serving beer, wine & sake) is a beautiful thing!

Sukhothai

Some of New Tampa’s freshest sushi and most varied and consistent Thai cuisine in our area keep Sukhothai near the top of my list every year. And of course, everyone loves the below-floor seating, too.

Pre s

Stonewood Grill & Tavern

Some have told me the new lunch menu is a little pricy for our area, but I like having a more upscale option for lunch in New Tampa, which has raised Stonewood’s standing on my favorites list.

Little Greek Restaurant

Great gyros, Greek salads, lamb, beef & chicken skewers have made Little Greek an instant favorite. Try it for dinner if the always-packed-but-moving lunch crowd intimidates you. (See the ad on pg. 46!)

Raw

A little on the pricey side, but Kobe does have very good teppanyaki fare as well as very good sushi & a nice, separated sushi bar for those who don’t want to sit at a hot tabel.

AV Indian Cuisine 20 O RSaffron ITE

12 Sushi O RITE

Acropolis Greek Taverna

Sushi Café

Another of the truly great sushi places (amaz-

Cafe Olé

Café Olé is still my first choice in New Tampa for authentic Spanish cuisine, plus alwaysfresh fish (you won’t find a better buy than Café Olé’s flounder or grouper lunch special), amazing sauces and the seafood paella pictured above that I sadly can’t eat because of a shellfish allergy. It’s also a fun night spot, with weekend entertainment and occasional flamenco dance shows and other special events.

In addition to the cracker-thin-crusted pizzas with amazing toppings, I love the unique salads and entrées, plus craft beers & great, reasonably priced wines at Woodfired.

Thai Ruby

food at Thai Ruby in Tampa Palms, which ing tempura, too) in our area, Sushi Café g n has my favorite crispy duck and Thai-style definitely is one of my favorite places for g i n t i t en fried rice in New Tampa. Don’t miss it! n lunch or dinner. S ’ e Y 2 RY’S 20 AR 110 Woodfired Pizza (E. Bearss Ave.) A19 Kobe Japanese Steakhouse

Pre s

Gary’s Top 25

Reader Survey, includ-entin& restaurateurs alike that not making s my top-25 doesn’t mean I don’t like a ing The Baker’s Gallery bakery in Peb- particular place. There are 100 restauble Creek and La rants in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Fuente Mexican named on this page & on pg. 51 (50 Cuisine on Cross in each area), but I considered at least Creek Blvd., to 70-80 restaurants in each area before name a couple. compiling my list. And, as always, my I also want lists are a little different than yours, to remind readers but they’re still fun to do! - GN

Pr e

Pre s

Chuck E. Cheese’s, etc.) that didn’t make our Readers’ Favorites list this year. I also have the luxury of knowing a couple of more places that went out of business since we printed our

Now that our faithful readers have had their say about their favorite restaurants in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (last issue), it’s my turn. On this page and pages 51-53 are my favorite restaurants in our distribution areas for 2014. Now, unlike you, who had to get your votes in by November, I have been able to sample a couple of new places (WingZone,

There’s probably more great sushi places per square mile in New Tampa than anyplace else, but of all the non-Thai sushi places, Sushi Raw in Tampa Palms is #1 with me.

New Tampa’s only Indian restaurant got a huge boost from great reviews when the Bollywood awards came to town. Still the best lamb chops in our area & more.

Toast & Wine Café

Burger 21

Takara Sushi & Sake Lounge

Vallarta’s (TP)

Fushia Asian Bistro

Petra Mediterranean

Las Palmas

24 Taste

Peabody’s Billiards & Games

The wines have always been delicious, unique and well-priced, but the cuisine keeps getting upgrades at Toast, especially the filet mignon and smoked salmon options.

The sushi is always fresh and delicious and the Japanese and Korean cuisine options all keep Takara high on my list of local favorites.

Whether you’re looking for authentic “old school” Chinese cuisine or more NY-style, like my favorite beef with Chinese broccoli, Fushia serves huge portions at fair prices.

Ramses, the new owner, has given the Cuban fare at Las Palmas a noticeable upgrade, and that ranking could continue to climb if he starts adding regular specials.

The best wings and fries (in my opinion) in New Tampa, plus great NY-style pizza, burgers and sandwiches and eye candy make Peabody’s a consistent favorite for me.

Great, thick burgers, thicker shakes, decadent cookies and even a tasty chicken parmigiana “burger” make Burger 21 another excellent choice. Beer on tap is just a bonus.

Fair prices on huge portions of very good Mexican fare, plus great atmosphere and multiple Mexican beers on draught make Vallarta’s a popular place in Tampa Palms.

The best beef shawarma in town, plus great gyros and homemade falafel, tabouleh, hummus and baba ganouj — all at great prices —make Petra a great no-frills casual choice.

of NY Pizza

The best NY-style pizza place in New Tampa deserves to be in my top-25, although Taste of NY does also have very good chicken and eggplant parmigiana, too.

Biagio’s II

The NY-style pizza is comparable to Taste of NY and Biagio’s does also have a great and varied menu of Italian favorites, including very good veal parmigiana.

The Next 25 New Tampa Favorites (in alphabetical, not numerical, order) PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub Jersey Mike’s Subs Cappy’s Pizza Ruby Tuesday La Cubanita Café Casa Ramos Season’s Fresh Café Lanna Thai Five Guys Burgers/Fries Liang’s Asian Bistro Cuisine Oakley’s Grille Soho Sushi Mr. Dunderbak’s Full Circle Pizza & Grill Tampa Palms Golf & CC Mulligan’s Irish Pub Glory Days Grill My first choice for NY-style egg rolls, The best burgers, best roast beef au jus Top Thai Olive Garden Hawkeye NYS Pizza BBQ spare ribs & sautéed green beans & some of the best fries in New Tampa, WingZone Panera Bread Ho King (I order ‘em spicy) in New Tampa, plus all at great prices & speedy service keep great fresh fish, fa variety of fried rice opOakley’s in my top 10 every year. (See Pizzazone Hoosiers @ Heritage Isles CC &Advertising more. Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume the 23, ad Issue on page 46!) 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com Pita’s Hunter’s Green CC 1 • January Neighborhood News Republic @NTWCNews 50tionsFor

Gary’s Top 25 1

Dempsey’s Steakhouse @ Saddlebrook Resort

OK, so it’s a little expensive for anything other than a “big night out,” but Dempsey’s is every bit as good as any of the major steak chains near Tampa Airport, especially the bone-in cowboy ribeye steak, which is among the best in the entire Tampa Bay area. The best salad bar anywhere and still-swimming fresh fish are just bonuses.

City Grill

The delicious steaks, available with different sauces, and six differrent preparations of fresh grouper or tilapia are just my favorites. But, great wings, delicious burgers and sandwiches, outstanding appetizers (all at great prices) and lots of great free entertainment (karaoke two days a week, live music, trivia and more) make City Grill one of Wesley Chapel’s best-kept secrets (at least to New Tampa residents). (See the ad on page 52!)

D’Alessio Italian Ristorante

See the story on page 48 for details, but homemade pasta and the best veal parmigiana I’ve had in the Tampa Bay area keep the year-old D’Alessio near the top of my list of favorites in Wesley Chapel. (Also see the ad on page 52!)

Bonefish Grill

I love the bar at Bonefish (great whiskey selection), the seared ahi tuna appetizer, the multiple preparations (and variety) of fresh fish, the Outback-style steaks and the addition of a great. not-overly-expensive lunch menu has elevated Bonefish’s rating a few notches on my list.

Hibachi Express

When you can serve a quality hibachi NY strip steak (or scallops, shrimp or chicken) with all of the veggies, fixins and sauces, plus very good sushi, at prices far lower than at the dinner-and-a-show teppanyaki table restaurants (less than a mile from our office), you have to finish high on my list. Try Hibachi Express for lunch!

OTB Café

The Hungry Greek

It’s hard to believe that OTB Café has only been open about a year, but we love it for everything from a great grain-fed hamburger to ahi tuna & grilled chicken rice bowls, veggie, vegan and organic fare at great prices. Great organic coffee, too! (See the ad on pg. 53!)

GrillSmith

CineBistro at The Grove

Quail Hollow Country Club

900o Woodfired Pizza (Wiregrass)

Fine Thai Express

Wolf’s Den

Outback Steak House

Best NY Pizza

Texas Roadhouse

Bonsai Sushi

La Prima Pizza

Cantina Laredo

Cody’s Roadhouse

Café 365

Vallarta’s (Village Market)

NY NY Pizza

Yamato Japanese Steakhouse

PrimeBar

The recent menu revamp, including a much better selection for lunch, and affordable “combo” meals all day, has kept GrillSmith in my top 10.

Another really good restaurant with very fair prices that not enough people know well is worth a ride. Very good steaks, flatbreads, sandwiches and appetizers, at very reasonable prices for the quality. Full premium bar, too.

With the same owners as Thai Ruby in New Tampa, Fine Thai Express has the same outstanding cuisine, without the elegant atmosphere, so everything costs a tad less.

Wesley Chapel’s recently remodeled Outback (like all of the chain’s locations) has a large variety of fairly-priced steaks, ribs, chicken, fish, New Zealand lamb and more.

I’d still prefer it if they stopped making all the servers line dance every dinner hour, but there’s no arguing that Texas Roadhouse’s steaks are tasty & very fairly priced.

The best, most authentic NY-style pizza in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel is paired with delicious Italian specialties, next to Target.

I never ranked Cody’s this high on Bearss Ave., but it appears the menu has gotten a needed upgrade. Good steaks at fair prices.

You can’t beat the value at any Vallarta’s location. The portions are huge for the cost and the cuisine and the service are always consistent. Great drink prices, too.

I appreciate the variety of teppanyaki table fare at Yamato, from seven different kinds of hibachi steak to combo meals with chicken, shrimp, scallops & even lobster. The sushi is good, but a little pricy.

I still prefer dining in the attractive bar area to dining in my movie seat, but CineBistro would finish higher on my list if the prices were a little more reasonable.

I love the fact that it has both NY-style and thin-crust brick oven pizza, but 900º Woodfired also has delicious pasta specials like the beef & veal tortellacci & alwaysfast service.

My favorite breakfast place in Wesley Chapel has finished higher on my list, but Wolf’s Den’s ranking had to drop when it stopped serving my favorite fried chicken.

The NY-style pizza ranks just below a couple of others on my list, but delicious chicken parmigiana & other dinners (awesome marinara sauce) keep Best NY in my top-20.

The best sushi in Wesley Chapel and very good Japanese (and some Korean) fare keep Bonsai Sushi popular with readers & editors alike. Try the combo meals!

Still a bit pricy for cuisine and being in the Wiregrass mall keeps even the drink prices too high for my taste, despite its good food.

Sukhothai Text Sukhothai Text Sukhothai Text.

Although the place & atmosphere aren’t impressive-looking, the true NY-style ‘za, especially the garlicky Grandma’s pizza, keep NY NY in my top-25.

I still find the drink prices a bit much, but PrimeBar finally has improved its menu enough to make my top-25. I actually recently had very tasty fresh veggies there & the atmosphere is always fun, too.

The Next 25 Wesley Chapel Favorites (in alphabetical, not numerical order)

Amici Pizza Applebee’s Grill & Bar Burger Monger Café Fresco China Taste Dickey’s BBQ Dolce Gelato & Crepes Don Pan Int’l. Bakery First Watch

Gonna China Ho Wok Jersey Mike’s Subs Ker’s WingHouse Kwan Ming Bistro Lexington Oaks CC Meadow Pointe Café/Deli PDQ

Pincher’s Crab Shack PizzaMania Poolside Café @ Saddlebrook Resort Sonny’s BBQ Taste of Boston TD’s Sports Bar @ Saddlebrook ResortWoody’s Pizza & Wings

The right food at the right price, and the right location (across BBD from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) has kept Hungry Greek high on my list & yours every year it’s been open. I love the gyro platter, the chicken and beef great Greek salads. Neighborhood Newskabobs and the @NTWCNews For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23,2014 Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com For more of Gary’s Favorites, see pgs. 52-53! 51

Gary’s Favorite

Restaurants in NT & WC

Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine

I like a lot of our local Chinese restaurants, but Liang’s is the most consistent in terms of quality, with many of my Chinese faves.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Fushia Asian Bistro Sushi Ko Ho Wok China Taste Kwan Ming Bistro Gonna China China Wok (WC Village Mkt) Ho King China Gourmet

4 5

Restaurants in NT & WC

Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill

We used to have even more variety, but we still have quite a few great Japanese & sushi places. Koizi’s sushi isn’t #1 with me, but is #1 overall.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Thai Ruby Fine Thai Express Saffron Indian Cuisine Lanna Thai Top Thai

Gary’s Favorite

Restaurants in NT & WC

Although we don’t have too many to choose from, I do like the Thai places we have, with Sukhothai’s sushi keeping it just a cut above Thai Ruby.

Gary’s Favorite

Sukhothai

Sushi Raw Sukhothai Sushi Café Takara Sushi & Sake Lounge Sushi Ko Soho Sushi Bonsai Sushi Hibachi Express Kobe Japanese Stkhs (tie) Yamato Stkhs

La Prima Pizza

OK, so as a former New Yawaka, this is my favorite category on the board, and yes, great NY-style pizza takes precedence over others, but I love good pizza of any kind and every place on this list qualifies as good.

NY NY Pizza 3 D’Alessio Italian Ristorante 4 900º Woodfired Pizza 5 Best NY Pizza 6 Woodfired Pizza (Bearss) 7 Amici Pizza 8 Taste of NY Pizza 9 Peabody’s Billiards 10 Pizza Mania 11 Ciccio’s Cali 12 Full Circle Pizza 13 Westshore Pizza 14 Cappy’s Pizza 15 Biagio’s II 2

Oakley’s Grille

Although we now have lots of great burger places, Oakley’s is still #1 on my list, but there are lots of great choices in both of our distribution areas.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Burger 21 OTB Café City Grill Burger Monger Sonny’s BBQ Five Guys Peabody’s Billiards Stonewood Grill & Tavern Hunter’s Green CC

Gary’s Favorite Restaurants in NT & WC

Café Olé

My favorite restaurant in New Tampa has to be my favorite Latin restaurant in our area, too, but I do enjoy all of the places on this list.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Las Palmas Spanish Café Cantina Laredo Vallarta’s (TP) Vallarta’s (WC) Casa Ramos La Cubanita Café Latin Twist Café Don Pan Int’l Bakery

Acropolis Greek Taverna

Again, a limited selection of possible choices, but tmost of he ones on this list are very, very good.

The Little Greek 3 Hungry Greek 4 Petra Mediterranean 5 Pita’s Republic 2

Gary’s Favorite Restaurants in NT & WC

City Grill

Great drink prices, the food & entertainment almost every night has elevated City Grill on my list. I do like a lot more than just the 15 places on this list, so this one was tough.

4 5

6 7

8 9

10 11 12

14 15

Peabody’s Billiards & Games Stonewood Grill & Tavern Glory Days Grill Acropolis Greek Taverna Toast Wine & Café Quail Hollow CC Ker’s WingHouse GrillSmith CineBistro Mulligan’s Irish Pub Café Olé PrimeBar Cantina Laredo PJ Dolan’s

Now Under New Management

L i v e M u s i c E v e r y We e k e n d ! Ask for our entertainment schedule

Delivery fee of only $3.99

Monday - Wednesday, Lunch Only (11am - 2pm)

Cannot be combined with other offers

FeFry O Deliv

Expires 01/31/15

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

ly rs On Orde Tampa8 nlin01e/31/15 New OEx p.

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Gary’s Favorite

Restaurants in NT & WC

in NT & WC

Restaurants in NT & WC

in NT & WC

Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill

The lines for lunch every day indicate I’m not alone in my love of Koizi, but I could name 25 great lunch places in our area.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Ciccio’s Cali Hibachi Express OTB Café Café Olé Stonewood Grill D’Alessio Italian Bonefish Grill GrillSmith Little Greek

Stonemill Artisan Bakery

Not a good category for our area, but Stonemill’s authentic French croissants and Italian scones take my top honors.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Gary’s Favorite

in NT & WC

Toast Wine & Café

I’m a true coffee lover & I prefer the delicious, exotic coffees at Toast and a few others over the two most famous coffee chains.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Season’s Fresh Café OTB Café GrillSmith Barnie’s Coffee Stonewood Grill D’Alessio Italian Stonemill Artisan Bakery Wolf’s Den Starbuck’s (Wiregrass)

Café 365 Panera Bread Publix D’Alessio Italian Dolcé Gelato & Café Don Pan Int’l. Bakery Sprinkles Ice Cream Happy Cow Yogurt La Berry Yogurt

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream

A much more competitive category when you add the word “dessert,” but while Bruster’s is still my favorite, I really enjoy all of these places & more.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Coldstone Creamery D’Alessio Italian Sprinkles Ice Cream Stonemill Artisan Happy Cow Twistee Treat La Berry Yogurt Dunkin’ Donuts DQ

Peabody’s Billiards & Games

My kids are grown, so I replaced my favorite Kid-Friendly places with my favorite French fries, ‘cause I’m an addict.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Oakley’s Grille Red Robin Burger 21 McDonald’s Wolf’s Den GrillSmith City Grill Ker’s WingHouse Burger Monger

Gary’s Favorite

Gary’s Picks For

Restaurants in NT & WC

D’Alessio Italian Ristorante

You can tell the pasta is homemade at D’Alessio. Most of our pizza places have decent pasta, but these are my favorites.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Ciao! Italian Bistro Best NY Pizza GrillSmith Ciccio’s Cali PizzaMania La Prima Pizza Stonewood Grill Biagio’s II Amici Pizza

Bonefish Grill

I don’t promote many national/ regional chains, but those on this list are all the ones I actually like.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Stonewood Grill Outback Steakhouse GrillSmith Texas Roadhouse Cody’s Roadhouse Jersey Mike’s Subs Cantina Laredo Ker’s WingHouse Five Guys

Little Greek

I do love great service when I dine out, but nobody keeps a lunch line moving like Little Greek.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Hungry Greek Wolf’s Den La Prima Pizza Vallarta’s (WC) Hibachi Express Fine Thai Express Liang’s Bistro OTB Café City Grill

(Expires 12/22/14)

Located across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

The Latest & Greatest News About Dining, Shopping, Retail & More In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel! By Gary Nager

Thanks, Miss Pat!

If you love delicious home-baked cookies as much as I do, you should support a great local business and give Miss Pat’s Cookies (photo below) as a present, like we did for a few of our clients and other folks who help us put together this publication every month. Among those who received one of our gourmet Miss Pat’s Cookies gifts were our friends Hope Allen (also below) and Cindy Freeman at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC). “The cookies are awesome,” Hope told us recently. “And the presentation is really nice, too.” My favorite of Miss Pat’s Cookies are the peanut butter & chocolate euphoria, but her most popular, by far, are her signature oatmeal cookies. “Everyone says that they’re like no other oatmeal cookies you’ll find anywhere, says Miss Pat Williams herself, who usually ships your cookies out the next day, but delivered ours by hand to our office. For more information about gifts, party platters and more from Miss Pat’s Cookies, visit MissPatsCookies.com or call 928-0494.

Wesley Chapel Chamber Of Commerce Updates

Speaking of the WCCC, after a little bit of a lull during the holiday season (we

recap the WCCC’s Holiday Mixer below), the Chamber gets back into the swing of things with several upcoming events. First, on Tuesday, January 6, 8 a.m., the Chamber hosts its months breakfast at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club (10641 Old Tampa Bay Dr.) in San Antonio. The guest speaker will be Christine Burdick, the president of the Tampa Downtown Partnership. The breakfast sponsor is Samantha Taylor of Pure Health Studios (see ad on page 25 of this issue), who also will host a Grand Opening Open House at her new second location (at 2653 Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd.) in Wesley Chapel on Friday, January 2, 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m., and Saturday, January 3, 9 a.m.-noon. If you want to shed this year’s holiday pounds, call 377-3739 or visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com. Then, the WCCC hosts its monthly Coffee Social at the McDonald’s at 1733 BBD, at 8 a.m. Free coffee will be served. And then, there are two ribbon cutting events on tap for later this month — at B Creative Painting Studio (6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., two doors from the Chamber office; 907-6258) on Thursday, January 8, noon, and at The Clinicians Primary & Urgent Care, the office of Masood

Ansari, M.D. (10970 Cross Creek Blvd., Suite D., in the Cory Lake Professional Center; 369-5969) on Thursday, January 15, also at noon. Chamber member businesses also are invited to participate in the WCCC’s Arts & Business Showcase, in conjunction with the Suncoast Arts Festival, which will be held on Saturday, January 17, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., on the high-traffic Piazza Ave. at the center of the Shops at Wiregrass mall. Because of the demand for tables at the event, the Chamber has limited the business showcase to just 35 total vendors and only one business per business category. For more info, call 994-8534 or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com. We also were happy to be on hand for the Chamber’s Holiday Mixer at the USF Embassy Suites Hotel (3705 Spectrum Blvd., on the USF Tampa campus). At least 30-40 Chamber members and their guests were on hand for some great free hot hors d’oeuvres and special drink prices and to hear USF Embassy Suites assistant general manager Guy Lavallee (far left in photo above) talk about the pretty hotel itself, especially about hosting your next party there. For more info, call 977-7066 or visit EmbassySuitesUSF.com.

Wolf’s Den Sold!

I am both saddened and excited to have found out that owner Roger Wolf, of the five-year-old Wolf’s Den has sold his popular eatery, which once again fared quite well in our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, as well as in my 2014 list of favorites (see pages 50-53). Roger, who has spent more than 50 years in the restaurant business, isn’t just retiring, however. He says he has another major business venture on the way that he will announce in these pages. “I just want to say how much I appreciate the people of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel,” he says. “I saw the economy bring this community to its knees and rise from the ashes again, all the while still supporting my little American diner. I can’t thank everyone enough for your support!” We’ll tell you more about the new owners of Wolf’s Den (27606 S.R. 56, 907-9124) and their plans for the eatery (including bringing back items like Wolf’s Den’s popular pizzas and my favorite fried chicken), in a future issue. Stay in touch, Roger!

‘The Wall’ Comes To The Florida RV SuperShow!

The 30th annual Florida RV SuperShow returns to the Florida State

New Year, New You! A Board Certified Bariatric and Anti-Aging physician offers :

Barbara Pacholec, M.D. 24622 State Road 54 Lutz, FL 33559 813-909-4430 www.drpacholec.com

Barbara Pacholec, M.D. FAARM 54

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Come in for Anti-Aging Specialized Blood testing!

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Fairgrounds (4800 U.S. 301), Monday-Friday, January 14-18. This is the largest RV show in the country and the Florida RV Trade Assn. (FRVTA) is proud this year to host “The Wall That Heals” (the ½-scale replica of the Vietnam Wall memorial in Washington, DC) during the event. Since its dedication on Veterans Day, 1996, The Wall That Heals (photo above; photo credit Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund) has visited more than 400 cities and towns throughout the nation, spreading the Memorial’s healing legacy to millions. The 2015 SuperShow also will have representation from every major RV manufacturer, as well as hundreds of accessory booths exhibitors. “We will have more suppliers’ booths and every type, size and style of RV on the market,” said FRVTA marketing director David Kelly. “With the addition of new entertainment and more seminars, we’re anticipating record crowds this year. We’re also renewing the two-day pass so the public will have two full days to see everything at the SuperShow at no additional cost.” The theme of the 2015 Florida RV SuperShow is “Take It Outside.” And some of Florida’s finest campgrounds and resorts will have booth exhibits to

Neighborhood News

show attendees the best camping opportunities found anywhere. A huge display of camping accessories and supplies will be found in the Camping World Store during the RV SuperShow. For more info, see the ad on page 24 of this issue, visit FRVTA.org or call 741-0488.

LA Fitness Closed? Check Out Fit 4 Life!

If you’re a member of LA Fitness who usually works out at the Tampa Palms location in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza, you may have noticed that your gym just closed. Yes, there is an LA Fitness location on County Line Rd., but if you’d like something a little closer to home, call or stop by to see my friends at Fit 4 Life Personal Training & Physical Therapy studio, located 17419 Bridge Hill Ct., off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms. Why wait for LA Fitness to reopen (near the New Tampa Family YMCA) in 2016? Mention the Neighborhood News at Fit 4 Life & you’ll get a free tour (and free fitness evaluation). Fit 4 Life has been helping me keep more than 40 lbs. off the last seven years and can help you shed those holiday lbs. Call 907-7879, visit MyF4L. com or see the ad on pg. 47. — GN

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel HELP WANTED

Classifieds

POOL SERVICES

REAL ESTATE AGENT - Award-winning Real Estate team with an overflow of serious buyer leads is seeking to hire talented experienced and motivated full time real estate agents whose desire is to earn more money, expand their horizons and have a fulfilling life. Great training available.. Keller Williams Tampa Properties. Contact Annette with Team Bohannon (813) 431-2840.

TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE - New Tampa owned and operated. Great Pricing with outstanding customer service! Licensed, bonded and insured. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! New customers get ONE MONTH FREE! Call Chris Today at (813) 857-5400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST (PT) - An established New Tampa outpatient clinic is hiring a part-time PT to provide customized, one-on-one care. Fax resume to (813) 994-3080.

MONSTER POOL CLEANING - Summer Special — 50% off your 1st two months of service. Family owned and operated. 20+ Years of Experience. Competitive rates! Same service tech each week. *Our 15 point weekly full service will keep your pool looking great! Refer a customer and get ONE MONTH FREE! Call Today - (813) 489-9967.

MEDICAL BILLER - Spanish-speaking Medical Biller wanted for New Tampa Medical Equipment Company. Duties: Gathers billing information by reviewing patient records; checking for completeness. Bills insurance carrier by inputting billing info to database; initiating electronic transmissions. Resolves disputed claims by gathering, verifying & providing additional information; following up on claims. Resolves discrepancies by examining and evaluating data; selecting corrective steps. Skills/Qualifications: Data Entry Skills, Microsoft Office Proficiency, Time Management, Organization, Professionalism, Customer service and Attention to Detail. Please forward your resume to: Richard.Jones@solarusmedical.com. WING ZONE IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR POSITIONS - Including shift leader, cooks, cashiers and delivery drivers. Wing Zone offers flexible scheduling, competitive pay wages, advancement opportunities and much more. Come join out team of flavorholics and wing lovers at Wing Zone. Applications are available at store location: 19062 Bruce B Downs. Corner of Cross Creek in the New Tampa Center. HAIRSTYLIST WANTED! Up-scale hair salon seeks hairstylist. Contact (813)994-9455

PET SERVICES CAT SITTING - Tampa Cat Lady Professional Cat-Sitting Service. Cats are happiest in their own home, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds, & smells. When you are away, we feed, cuddle, & play with your kitties & clean & dispose of litter. Insured, bonded, & Red-Cross certified in pet first aid/CPR. You can submit a service inquiry at TampaCatLady.com or call 994-9449.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DRY WALL SPECIALIST - Not just a ‘handyman.’ Affordable Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings and walls, retexturing, popcorn removal, room additions, cracks, holes, plaster and stucco repair. 26 years of experience Wesley Chapel resident. State-Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate at 784-5999. DAVID BRIDGES PRESSURE CLEANING Complete exterior cleaning of your home or business with a professional and personal touch. Pool decks and screen enclosures, all fencing, driveways, walkways, roofs, gutters and downspouts. Find your happiness in a fresh, bright clean home. Your neighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed. Licensed & insured. Call (813) 215-1177. GREG’S PAPERHANGING - For all of your wallpapering needs. Licensed and insured, clean, quick and reasonable. Call 973-2767 for a free estimate.

CLEANING SERVICES ANNA’S HOUSEKEEPING - A BBB-Accredited Business Servicing Florida since 1991. $68 introductory special, Mon-Wed. Cleaning, Laundry, You Name It! Make your list, put us to work! We have private housekeeper rates with agency backup coverage! Licensed and all housekeepers are background checked. Call 813.985.1150. WHITE TOUCH CLEANING SERVICES - A professional, reliable, and affordable company. We have been in business for more than 11 years. With over 80 satisfied clients throughout Tampa. Customers are our first priority. References are provided. Please contact Cristina or Francisco at (813) 325-6917. SQUEAKY CLEAN HOME SERVICES is a residential cleaning company offering weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly services. We also specialize in move-in/ move-out cleanup. All supplies and equipment provided. We are an Owner Operator company with over 20 years of experience. “If it needs to be clean, we’re your team!” Call (813) 625-6045 for a free in-home estimate today! D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE - We have our own supplies and more than 300 clients in New Tampa! For more info, Call 758-9710. CLEAN HOME - Give yourself the Ultimate Cleaning that you deserve. Responsible, Reliable, and Honest with references. Call (727) 645-7779 for FREE estimates. Ask for Ybonne. Power House Cleaning Services - Offering Residential cleaning for weekly, bi-weekly, monthly & occasional. Services available: one time, deep cleaning, move in / move outs, Real Estate, Holiday and Event cleaning. Owner Operator with Personal Care! Personal Touch! For scheduling or a free in home estimate Call (813) 356-8287 or e-mail phcservices1@gmail.com. Try Power House Cleaning Services - you will be powerfully pleased!

Tampa Clean Maid Service - a residential cleaning service with flexible scheduling, offering basic and RAYMOND PAINTING - Exterior & Interior Ser- custom cleaning weekly, bi-weekly and monthly services. Exterior: Painting, pressure washing, clean vice. For more information, Call 813-502-9452. & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks and wood rot repair. Interior: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall ERRANDS & PERSONAL SVCS repairs, & tiles. Licensed & Bonded. References CAR RIDES - Call SMILES CONCIERGE @ available. Free estimates. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARBOR GREENE RESIDENT. We work 7 813-263-4244 for: Errands- Airport Rides/Car Transportation Services- Doctor Appointmentsdays. Call (813) 994-5124. Grocery Shopping Assistance- House Sitting- Girl Offering pressure washing and screening services. Friday/Office Support and Personal Concierge Services- Event Planning. Hourly, Daily & Long Call Dale’s @ 973-0194 or 727-2582. Term Rates: Tampa Palms/New Tampa Area. Friendly, Trustworthy, Responsive, Reliable. www.SmilesConcierge.com. CASH NOW TURN YOUR CLUTTER INTO CASH - Garage and estate sales, inventory liquidation,& appraisal services. We'll sell it for you online! We evaluate and appraise your products then get you top dollar. We do the work you get the cash. Ask me how. Contact Mary at (813) 428-5793.

GET A RIDE - Don’t Have a Ride? Don’t Want to Leave Your Car? Shouldn’t Drive? We Drive You & Your Car Home! Night Clubs, Corporate Events, Sporting Events, Concerts, Appointments, Airport or Stranded. Call Jay at (813) 966-1530.

EDUCATION / BABYSITTING TUTORING - Infinite Edge is located in Tampa Palms & offers tutoring in all subjects, including Math, English & SAT, ACT & FCAT tests, 1st-12th grade. We also offer AP classes and last year, our students scored a 5 on any AP subject in which we helped. Please call (813) 971-6500. Great Hope Preschool - We offer preschool for ages 6 weeks to 12 years. We accept the ELC School Readiness program, offer FREE VPREK and offer multi child discounts. New owner and renovated classrooms. Now enrolling all age groups. Infants-Afterschool. Mention this ad and receive 1/2 off enrollment fees. TOUR TODAY!!! 30126 State Road 54 Wesley Chapel, FL 813-929-6276 or 813-323-8030.

HAIR & BEAUTY

SPACE AVAILABLE - Private suite in busy upscale Salon / SPA available for Hairstylist / Aesthetician / Massage Therapist / Tattoo Artist or Makeup Artist Located Behind Sam’s club on SR 56 / Bruce B. Downs, near Wiregrass Mall. Equipped with wireless internet, wash/dryer, wheelchair access washroom, reception area. 24 x 7 accesses to your suite. Few equipment provided Utility, maintenance included in rent. Lowest rent in the Area. If you have established clientele, opportunity to work on commission basis as well. Call 813-997-3414 for more information. Angie’s Hair Styling - Special offer: $25 OFF on your next chemical service with cut and blow dry (new clients only). I am a Paul Mitchell hair stylist specialized in hair cutting and color with 7 years of experience. Please call Angela for an appointment at 813-846-5677 Located 27607 SR 56 Suite 109 Wesley Chapel, FL 33544. Inside Nirfa’s Beauty Salon.

COMPUTER / BUSINESS SERVICES PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT — in your home or small business. A+, Certified computer tech with 20 years of exp. Maintenance & repairs, upgrades & tutoring. More affordable than the large chains! Friendly, personalized svc. Technical jargon explained in plain English. Remote assistance available. References available upon request. Call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate. DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, installation, networking & virus removal. WE COME TO YOU! Servicing residences & businesses, w/ more than 25 years of exp. Contact Jeffrey Blank at (813) 973-4507, visit WSICA.COM or email Wsica@wsica.com today!

Proudly Servicing Pasco, Hillsborough, and Pinellas Counties

Residential and Commercial

      

Water Heaters and Tankless Heaters Water Softeners Garbage Disposals Toilets and Faucets Clogged Drains Broken Pipes And So Much More!

Service

Repairs Installs CFC 057162

24 Hour Emergency: 727-546-2059 OR 813-777-5780

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

T T 1 n i L & t a i

LAWN & LANDSCAPING

JASMINE’S LANDSCAPING - Complete lawn maintenance, Tree, palm and hedge trimming, Planting, mulching, stones, Sod replacement, Pressure washing, Gutter cleaning and more. Cited by your HOA for violations? Need to comply for: Pressure washing, Trimming, Mulching, Sod replacement, Sprinkler repair or Mailbox repair or replacements? Ask about our HOA SPECIAL & FREE ESTIMATE! For more info, call (813) 420-4465. AMERICAN PRIDE LAWN CARE SERVICE, LLC - Our services include weekly lawn maintenance with mulching decks on all mowers, precision edging, string trimming, hedge, shrub, palm, and tree trimming. We also offer landscaping, pruning, sod replacement, and pressure washing. Free estimates. Licensed and Insured. We are an Owner/Operator Company built on service and trust. References available. For more info, call (813) 458-4778. TAMPA LAWN SALON, INC. has been providing New Tampa & Wesley Chapel residents service for more than 10 yrs! We not only provide weekly landscape maintenance but are also licensed in pest control. Our services include: Lawn & Ornamental Fertilization, Pest Control, Landscape Design, Landscape & Sod Installation, Lawn & Landscape Maintenance, Landscape Lighting, Irrigation, Pressure Washing. Please call us for an estimate at (813) 417-7301 & ask us about our FREE irrigation inspection!

LNG BUCKET TRUCK SERVICES - Palm tree trimming, tree trimming and removal, sign hanging, pressure washing & aerial photos (all services up to 50 feet high). Etc. Call for pricing: (813) 477-7374. Licensed & Insured.

MISCELLANEOUS

ALL SEWN UP LLC. Custom alterations & tailoring Services. Free pick up and delivery...No Alterations too big or too small. Will also do fittings so all your clothing fit perfect! We Specialize on Alterations on prom and wedding wear. Hems, take ins, zippers, let outs, etc... Will beat any tailor or dry cleaners prices... guaranteed! Call SARAH: 813-4763085 or email smccorry12@yahoo.com. Mention this ad and receive 20% off your entire order.

HELP WANTED ROUTE SALES, MEDICAL Fills customer orders by driving to customer accounts within Florida; unloading and shelving product, inventory verification, order retreival. Increase sales volume by providing customer service and suggestive selling techniques. Fills order by verifying inventory; loading vehicle. Monthly overnight travel requirement 2 nights a month. Retrieves damaged/defective products from customer locations; keeps vehicle operating by following operating instructions; scheduling maintenance and repairs. Send resumes to: richard.jones@solarusmedical.com

BATHTUB REGLAZING

any Bathtub Reglazing Free caulking with every job.

813-501-3795

Refresh your yard Every lawn requires the right balance of sunlight, nutrients, and water. Totalscape Solutions specializes in complete irrigation system service from routine maintenance to solutions for customized system re-designs. Get a tune up now and save some green this spring.

Call today to schedule your irrigation tune up. KNOWLEDGE Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

–

.com

$25 OFF

Porcelain, fiberglass, ceramic tile repair and reglazing. Formica countertops repaired and refinished.

813-348-0960

EXPERTISE .

–

PRECISION

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

New Tampa Resident Spreads Hope Through Song Despite CF Diagnosis

By Matt Wiley Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness easily is one of every person’s greatest fears, but imagine if you were born with a disease and were told at a young age that your health would always be different than that of everyone else. This has been a reality for one New Tampa girl, but she’s not letting her illness get in the way of her dreams. Kira Taylor (photo), 15, a West Meadows resident, was born with cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder of the body’s mucus glands that causes chronic lung infections, as well as other serious health issues that affect other systems within the body. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, CF affects more than 30,000 people nationwide and the life expectancy for those with CF is only ages 37-40 because of its debilitating effects on the lungs, which often require transplantation just to reach that age. While many people may try to cope with such a medical condition on their own, Kira wants to make a difference in people’s lives by letting others with conditions like hers know that it’s O.K., which she is doing through music videos that she performs in and films at home and publishes on Youtube.com. “Basically, what I want to do is show people that its okay if you have an illness, disease or disability and that it’s okay to live out your dream and not to worry about what other people say,” she says. “Especially people who say you shouldn’t be doing something because you have a condition.” Because one of CF’s symptoms causes the lungs to fill with mucus, singing is made

especially difficult for those living with the disease. But, Kira is a natural. She says that she was inspired to sing by Ali and Christina Christensen, sisters who both suffer with CF who appeared on NBC-TV’s “America’s Got Talent” in 2010. “When I was nine, I saw that they had CF and that they were singing,” Kira explains. “They said, ‘Never give up on your dreams,’ even if you have CF or something like it. So, that’s what encouraged me to start singing.” Kira performs original songs that she has written herself, as well as songs by other artists. While performing in the videos, she also always intertwines a message. For example, in her video “Bad Day,” a cover performance of the 2005 Daniel Powter hit, Kira included clips of all of the medications she has to take on a daily basis, as well as text over the video that helps explain what it’s like to live with CF. Her video, a collaboration with 19-year-old Mexican pop artist HousePuzzle (Pablo Adame, who stayed at the Taylors’ home to film the video), had more than 10,000 views on Youtube at our press time. Kira also has performed at several local events, including the Shops at Wiregrass mall’s “Back to School Bash” this past August, where she opened for Keegan Allen, the star of the ABC Family Channel’s “Pretty Little Liars.” When she isn’t busy singing and making videos for her Youtube channel, Kira also volunteers her time as an anti-bullying youth advocate for Free2Luv.org, which is a global nonprofit dedicated to “rocking individu-

NEW TAMPA & TAMPA PALMS

(Off Bruce B. Downs)

ality, celebrating equality, spreading kindness and standing up to bullying through arts & entertainment.” The program has many celebrity ambassadors supporting its efforts, including TV, film and/or music stars Lisa Kudrow, Vanessa Hudgens, Tom Arnold, Fran Drescher and Carmen Electra. As a Free2Luv youth advocate, Kira says that she shares positive and inspiring posts about anti-bullying on her social media pages that help spread awareness about bullying. She also hopes to find speaking opportunities at local schools and businesses to help spread Free2Luv’s message. One of her original songs, “Friends,” actually is about bullying. Kira says she originally wrote it as a poem for her best friend, who was a victim of bullying, and plans on soon making it a music video, as well. A Florida Virtual School (FLVS) student, Kira does her schoolwork from home, which allows her to have the time to miss school for all of the necessary extensive medical treatment she needs to stay healthy. She attended most of elementary school at Harold Clark Elementary (also in West Meadows), but she says her treatments forced her to miss weeks of school at a time. “Virtual School has been a blessing,” Kira’s mother Lisa explains. “(Attending FLVS) has given her the opportunity to undergo all of the treatment she needs. This year has been a little tough for her, since she’s beginning to see all of the research about CF, but she’s staying positive.” Lisa says that Kira was first diagnosed with CF at 8-months-old. But, when Kira was in the first grade, she was hospitalized

and didn’t understand why she was in the hospital. That’s when she was told for the first time that she had CF. “When I was little, I was very upset about learning that I had a disease and that many CF-ers don’t make it past 40 years old,” Kira says. “It really brought me down. But, I started realizing when I was about 12 that it was something that was given to me that I can use to help people.” Currently, Kira is raising money for the upcoming “Great Strides” walk for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on Saturday, May 16, at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. To donate, please visit FightCF. CFF.org, click on “Donate Now” and search “Kira Taylor.” And, be sure to search for “Kira Taylor” to check out Kira’s channel on Youtube.com.

Laser Periodontal Therapy for Gum Disease

Breakthrough Treatment

The Alternative to Scalpel & Suture Gum Surgery

18045 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.

Therapeutic Treatment Procedure

Next to Pier 1 Imports in the Best Buy Plaza

813-971-7771

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Any Ortho Treatment

A) Perio probe indicates excessive pocket depth. B) Laser light kills bacteria and diseased tissue. C) Ultrasonic scaler and special hand instruments are used to remove root tarter. D) Laser nishes cleaning and sterilizing pocket which aids in sealing the pocket closed so new germs cannot enter.

E) Reattachment of connective tissue to the clean root surface with a stable brin clot and gingiva crest to create “a closed system”. F) Bite trauma is adjusted. G) New attachment is regenerated. New bone and new ligament is formed and healing occurs.

Not to be combined. Equal or lesser value will apply. Excludes Glutten Free. Exp 01/31/15

WE DELIVER

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

$500 OFF

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Wishing You a Blessed and Prosperous New Year! 15902 Danboro Ct.

JUST LISTED

17824 Osprey Pointe Pl.

4230 Windcrest Drive

17352 Emerald Chase

16320 Burniston Drive

15901 Kent Court

6007 Catlin Drive

16326 Heathrow Drive

16301 Payton Ct.

18320 Cypress View Way

17349 Emerald Chase Drive

6332 MacLaurin Dr.

10258 Estuary Drive

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 1 • January 1, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

5016 Givendale Lane

17811 Arbor Haven

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews