New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 24, Issue 1, Jan. 1, 2016 by Neighborhood News

Volume 24 Issue 1

Inside: Our Editor Reveals His Favorite Local Eateries!

January 1, 2016

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Rotary Club Of New Tampa Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary! By John C. Cotey

Brad Page had achieved most of his business goals at the young age of 28, and after doing so he began to wonder: What now? An ad in the paper led him to a new club that was just starting up in the New Tampa area, one that promised great things, like community involvement and helping others. Twenty years later, Page and the Rotary Club of New Tampa (RCNT), which meets Friday mornings at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club (TPGCC), are still going strong. “It has been above and beyond what I expected,’’ Page said. On Nov. 27, the Rotary Club of New Tampa celebrated it’s 20th year with an appropriate theme -- 1995 TV shows and movies. Members showed up dressed like Woody in “Toy Story”, and others came dressed as their favorite characters from the hits of the year the RCNT was chartered, like “ER”, “GoldenEye” and “Batman.” The winner of the costume contest was Jerry McGinty, who came dressed as a patient from “ER.” Special guests at the party, which was held in the evening rather than the club’s usual meeting time, included Rotary District 6890 Governor Tom Wagner and his wife Vicki of the Rotary Club of Temple Terrace, which was one of the club’s original spon-

Current New Tampa Rotary president Lesley Zajac (with mic), with club members (l.-r.) Joyce and Gary Gunter and Jerry McGinty, at the club’s 20th anniversary celebration at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club on Nov. 27. Photo provided by Full Throttle Intermedia.

soring clubs )along with the Rotary Club of Ybor City). The entertainment was provided by club member Bob Thompson. The party was as much a celebration of the timelessness of the club as it was a reflection of the contributions it has made over the years. “It is a lot of people who do a lot of great things, and we will be continuing that into another year,’’ said 2015-2016 Club President Lesley S. Zajac. “We have 66 members, and we have been as high as 90.”

The club hadn’t even been chartered yet when it received a special award from the Salvation Army for the money it raised ringing bells for the Salvation Army at the Publix in Tampa Palms. It’s first major service project involved planting trees in the median of BBD, and included raising $20,000 which was matched with fund from the City of Tampa. A road sign and plaque were erected afterwards crediting the RCNT for its efforts. Since then, the club has raised $27,000

to build a local dog park in Tampa Palms (which was matched ….the City of Tampa), bought a cow for a women’s group in Zimbabwe, bought computers for an orphanage in Costa Rica and given money to the ROTC program at nearby Freedom High. Zajac said the RCNT hopes to officially adopt the dog park this year. The club also raised $100,000 and helped build a wheelchair accessible playground at Rotary Camp Florida in Brandon, a camp for special needs children and adults. The playground was inspired by one built in Costa Rica by 18 New Tampa Rotarians (and USF Rotary Club members) 18 months earlier. Page, who has gotten his two teenage children involved in Rotary Club activities as well, is moved when he thinks of all the great work the club has done in two decades. There are currently two Rotary Clubs in New Tampa, the New Tampa Noon Rotary and the 20-year-old RCNT “breakfast club.” A third New Tampa Rotary Club, which met in the evening, recently folded. There are also two clubs serving Wesley Chapel, the Wesley Chapel Noon and the Wesley Chapel Sunrise Rotary clubs. But the RCNT holds a special place as the oldest and, in some cases, the inspiration for the others. In June of 1995, District Governor and Tampa Palms resident Dr. William N. Leonard was commisioned to survey the New Tampa area as a potential location for a new Rotary International Club. See “Rotary’ on page 16.

Tampa Palms Resident Wins U.S. National Chess Championship!

By John C. Cotey day, Wednesday and Thursday, maybe you’ll have a chance.” Tampa Palms resident Truman Hoang Truman, as it turned out, had more didn’t study like he normally does before than a chance. He also had a little bit of luck, a big chess tournament. He put it off for and a few fortunate breaks in his favor. The a week, and then another. He was busy at end result? school and busy with friends. Truman Hoang is now the 9th Grade By the time he got around to prepar- U.S. National Champion, besting a field that ing for the U.S. National Scholastic K-12 included 88 of the best freshman players in Chess Championships at the Disney Coro- the country. nado Resort in Orlando, the event was just “It’s ironic that I won,’’ said Truman, a few days away. a 14-year-old freshman at Middleton High “This is your last chance,’’ his father, in Tampa, a school he chose because of his TrongAn, told him. “If you practice Tues- interest in studying bio-medicine. “We were

Also Inside This Issue!

Local News, Business & Education Updates

Neighborhood Magazine

One Kind Gesture Makes A Family’s Night, Elected Officials Tell Us What To Expect In 2016, Local Hoopsters Battle To A Draw & Lots Of Local Business Features!

Keep Your Resolutions With Lola, Stage Left Beefs Up Its Menu, Gary Picks His Favorites of 2015 & More Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

Pages 3-38

Pages 39-56

expecting it to be a lesson that not working hard has (repercussions). I didn’t think I would do well.” Instead, the lesson was: win the matches you’re supposed to, steal a few you shouldn’t and hang tough in even the most dire circumstances. Truman won five of his total seven matches and had draws in the other two. His six points tied him with two other players, Runya Xu of Pennsylvania and Albert Lu of California, but Truman’s opponents scored more combined points than the player Xu and Lu beat to give him the tiebreaker advantage. “A Christmas miracle,’’ Truman joked. Truman, a former Tampa Palms Elementary student and currently the vicepresident of Middleton’s freshman class, entered the tournament with a U.S. Chess Federation rating of 2176 (a rating of 2200 is considered Master status). In his first match, he beat a player ranked at 1400, and in the second round, defeated an opponent with an 1800 rating. See ‘Chess’ on page 17.

Tampa Palms resident Truman Hoang is the new 9th Grade U.S. National Chess Champion.

New Year’s Resolutions? We Kick Ours Off With A Unique ‘Speakeasy’ Party! An editorial by Gary Nager I know everyone makes New Year’s resolutions, but considering that my birthday is also in early January, I try to take mine to heart because every new year means another year older for me. But, even though I’m still trying to take off the last few pounds I need to lose in order for my doctor to no longer consider me to be “obese” (but hey, at least I’m down from “morbidly obese”), at least I’ve kept off about 40 of the 48 pounds I lost in late 2006 and early 2007, so my resolutions this year are more about family, health and this little business I’ve been building for 22 years (as of next month). No matter what my resolutions are, however, those who know me know that I love to throw a party — and this year is no exception. We moved into our new office in Wesley Chapel almost exactly two years ago, and our business has continued to not only survive but thrive in what still has been a shaky local economic environment (and with more and more competitors entering both of our markets), so we have a lot to celebrate and boy, have we come up with a great party idea...and, best of all, you can join us — on Thursday, January 14! If you missed our Karaoke Party and Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) Ribbon Cutting in March of 2014, you might have heard about what a great time it was from the 150 or more people who attended that four-hour event. This year’s bash will feature the return of Gary Carmichael of Heart & Soul Karaoke (Facebook.com/Heart and Soul

New Tampa Neighborhood News Address: 29157 Chapel Park Dr., Suite B Wesley Chapel, FL 33543

Phone: (813) 910-2575 Advertising E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Editorial E-mail: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Publisher & Editor Gary Nager Advertising Sales & Office Manager Mary Dorey Billing Manager Jillian Reilly Assistant Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Editorial & Office Assistant Celeste McLaughlin Correspondents Anu Varma Panchal • Andy Warrener Graphic Designers Georgia Carmichael • Amanda Rankin 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 24, Issue 3, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, January 4, 2016. 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.

Karaoke), who also puts on shows at City Grill in Wesley Chapel every Wed. & Thur. We also will feature music from rising young local entertainer Michael McDonald, as well as lots of great prize giveaways, including the Grand Prize of a $100 gift card to Charley’s Steak House in the Westshore area of Tampa! But, because so many people from our New Tampa and Wesley Chapel Rotary Clubs and the WCCC have already told me they wanted to attend, we decided to give this year’s bash a new twist. The event will open to the general public at 7 p.m., but if you want to get on our VIP guest list for special VIP-only food from Peter Gambacorta, aka The Private Chef of Tampa (PrivateChefTampa.com), AND from Little Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering (see ad on pg. 44) on S.R. 54 in Lutz (less than two miles west of the Tampa Premium Outlets mall), you’ll have to get on our VIP list by visiting NTNeighborhoodNews.com. After you register for the event (with your email address), we will email you with the password you’ll need to know to get into the VIP area in our office. Yes, this will be a “Speakeasy” party, so you have to be on the guest list and know the evening’s password to attend the VIP event before the main party starts at 7. Our major advertisers, the WCCC and all five of our local Rotary Clubs will be given the password to share with their members, but the only other way to get on the list, dear readers, is to register on our website. But, hurry! We plan to limit the reader VIP attendance to the first 50 people who register. The VIP event also will feature a free whiskey tasting (one Bourbon, one single-malt Scotch, one Irish), a free wine tasting provided by our friends Charles and

Cheryl Visalli of Time for Wine (see photo below left and the ad. on pg. 47). I’ve told Charles and Cheryl to bring samples of the private label wines I selected (without our labels) to give away to our advertisers and employees this year and everyone who’s tried them so far has raved about them, so I’m sure you will, too. The food and beverages will continue to be available (while supplies last, of course) during the general public portion of the event, which will run until about 10 p.m. Please note — Even though I personally love kids and know how much children love karaoke, this party is not for those under the legal drinking age (21), so please leave the young’ns at home! For more info about or to register for the Neighborhood News “Speakeasy

Party’ on Thursday, January 14, visit NTNeighborhoodNews.com and click on the “Shhh! It’s The Neighborhood News Anniversary Party” link.

Correction From Last Issue

In our previous issue, when we revealed the favorite restaurants (as named by more than 600 of our readers) of our 2015 Reader Dining Survey, we told you that many of the votes for Pinchers Crab Shack had to be disqualified, so we deducted those votes from Pinchers’ total points in every category, although we neglected to deduct them in the “Favorite Ice Cream & Dessert” category. After deducting those votes, Frogury moved up to #9 and Dolcé Gelato & Crepes in Meadow Pointe moved up to #10. To see the local restaurants I liked best in 2015, see pages 42-45 of this issue! — GN

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Table of Contents Local News Updates....................4-20

Costco Warehouse Coming To Wesley Chapel.........4 Kind Gesture Brings Smiles To Local Family..............8 New Tampa & Wesley Chapel News Briefs.........10 Elected Officials Tell Us What To Expect In 2016....12 New Tampa Community Calendar.............................18

Local Business Updates.............22-29

NutriMost Is A Unique Weight-Loss Program.......22 Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fl Properties.....24 Florida Orthopaedic Inst. Opens In Wesley Chapel...26 Samantha Taylor Fitness Studios For Women...........26

Local Education Update..................30 New Tampa Teams Dominate 2015 Math Bowl!

Local Sports Updates.................32-35

Freedom Hoops Teams Get Revenge On Wharton....32 Wharton Girls Soccer Team Looks To Postseason....34 Another Hunter’s Green CC Tennis Team Advances...35

Neighborhood Magazine

‘Lola’ Is Ready To ‘Pump You Up’. For 2016!..........39 Our Editor’s Favorite Eateries For 2015..........42 Stage Left Adds Tasty New Menu Items............46 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’.........50

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For those who can’t decide where to buy their 128-roll package of paper towels or 50-bar package of soap, another choice is heading our way. Costco (photo) is slated to become the third membership warehouse in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area this summer when it opens at 2225 Grand Cypress Dr. in the Cypress Creek Town Center Development of Regional Impact (DRI). Based in Issaquah, WA, Costco opened its first store in 1983 in Seattle and is now the largest membership-only warehouse club chain in the country with 650+ stores. Costco will joining Sam’s Club on S.R. 56 and B.J.s Wholesale Club on Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms (across the street from Lowe’s), giving local bulk shoppers plenty of options. At a Pasco County Planning Commission meeting at the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey on Dec. 2, Costco was seeking, and received, a recommendation for a permit so it can sell beer and wine in the 154,762-sq.-ft. main store, and beer, wine and liquor in the adjoining 2,136-square-foot liquor store. The new Costco, like the other warehouse clubs in the area, will include a gas station and tire sales. It’ll be located west of the new Tampa Premium Outlets mall, on the west side of Grand Cypress Dr., approximately 600 feet south of S.R. 56. The news that Costco is finally into the permitting phase is no surprise. Representa-

tives from the Costco Wholesale Corporation scheduled a pre-application meeting with Pasco County staff in December of 2014 and filed preliminary plans about a location on land adjacent to the mall, which hadn’t even broken ground at the time. The land Costco will build on is owned by the Richard E. Jacobs Group of Cleveland. Costco’s will have some company in the developing 540-acre Cypress Creek Town Center DRI. CWC Restaurants had its preliminary site plan approved in August for a Culver’s, known for its burgers and frozen custard. That 4,527-square foot restaurant with outdoor seating and a drive-through is well into its construction at the southeast corner of S.R. 56 and Wesley Chapel Blvd. A Cheddar’s Casual Cafe also is being built at the corner of S.R. 56 and Grand Cypress Dr. A Panda Express is coming to that same area as well.

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Local Mom Celebrates One Family’s Simple Act Of Kindness By John C. Cotey

Bruce Leggett didn’t think much of it. He heard a child screech uncontrollably. He saw a mother turn red, fraught with worry. So he smiled, and waved to the girl. He explained to his 8-year-old son Connor that sometimes, children have disabilities, and can’t control their actions. So, Connor also smiled and waved to the little girl. The girl, 9-year-old Ragan Thursby, smiled back. She also clapped her hands and giggled. Her mother, Kasi Thursby, turned to see who her daughter was waving to, but she didn’t recognize anyone they might have known. Bruce, his wife Melissa and their six children finished their dinner at the Olive Garden on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa and went home, hardly thinking for a second he would ever hear from the little girl or her family again. Ragan suffers from autism and Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (PHS), and Kasi says her daughter is one of only 500 people diagnosed with PHS in the entire world. PHS is an extremely rare genetic disorder that affects Chromosome 18. Among its symptoms are developmental delays, breathing problems, seizures and epilepsy, gastrointestinal issues and lack of speech. Kasi first knew something was wrong with Ragan when she was slow to walk and talk, and was beset with horrible stomach pains and a host of other issues, like enhanced sensitivity to noises and light. When she was 2-1/2, Ragan was the first pediatric patient at the Undisclosed Diseases Program at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. It took roughly six years and countless trips to hospitals all over the country, visiting with endless geneticists, neurologists and neurodevelopmental specialists, before she was finally diagnosed. Kasi Thursby, whose family recently moved to Wesley Chapel from Tallahassee, enjoyed her dinner that night at Olive Garden, maybe as much as she has ever enjoyed any dinner out with her family. Her stomach was full, and so was her heart. “Ragan was staring and laughing when she realized they were responding to her. She started clapping her hands, and he encouraged his kids to wave to her,’’ Kasi said. “When I realized what he was doing, I was kind of taken aback. When his 2-year old kept waving and waving and waving….well, no one wants to cry in public, so it took everything I had to not have tears running down my face.” It wasn’t the typical reaction they receive during hair-raising moments in public places. In fact, it was the first time Kasi could remember anyone smiling or waving. Usually, she says, she hears people muttering under their breath that she needs to control her children. To be clear, Kasi completely understands why people can grow annoyed. She can even sympathize with them. As a result, every meal her family eats out generally starts with a large helping of anxiety. “I wouldn’t want to hear a screaming child at dinner either,’’ she says. But 8

(Above) Reeslyn (left) and Ragan Thursby. (Right) Bruce (far right, holding Riley) and Connor Leggett. (Photo courtesy of Bruce Leggett).

she always tends to her daughter, making every effort to quiet, distract and entertain her with an iPad and to keep everyone else from being disturbed. “It would be one thing if I was ignoring my child and texting on my phone and my kids were running wild,’’ she says. “That’s not the case.” Ragan, who attends school at Connerton Elementary in Land O’Lakes, can make uncontrollable ear-piercing sounds because it’s her only form of communication. She does it when she is excited, and sometimes when she grows frustrated. Kasi says there are times she has to take her daughter out to the car while the rest of the family — her 11-year-old daughter Reeslyn and fiancé Milton Pulliza, a software developer who works in Tampa — finishes their meal. That night at the Olive Garden, Bruce Leggett heard the screech, and instead of ushering his family away or rolling his eyes, he embraced Ragan from a distance, which seemed to soothe her. “It just wasn’t the reaction we are used to,’’ Kasi said. Later that night, once she said she was able to process everything that had happened, she was moved to post her experience on Facebook, to share with her 400 or so friends, many of them with special needs children, about this simple act of kindness.

friends and family a little embarrassing. He says he simply heard a screech after entering the restaurant, but he did not find it unusual in a place that was packed with families, and certainly not to the ears of a father who has six kids all under the age of 10, including three he and Melissa adopted. In other words, he has had his share of nervous restaurant moments. “I could see in the mom’s face she was a wreck,’’ Bruce said. “It was easy to see she was really concerned that (her daughter) was going to bother someone. It wasn’t even that bad. I told her it’s not that big of a deal.’’ Perhaps the person affected most by the gesture was Reeslyn, who attends Veterans Elementary in Wesley Chapel. Reeslyn also took part in the smiling and giggling that night. Many of Reeslyn’s childhood experiences are different because of Ragan, Kasi said. But on the way home after dinner and into the next morning, Reeslyn kept talking about the man and his wave. “Going to a restaurant (for her) is not like everyone else’s experience, it’s not the same and can be very tough for Reeslyn,’’ Kasi says. “She wants normalcy, but she doesn’t want people to be mean to her sister. She gets worried about her. People can be mean.” Not Bruce Leggett. “It seems we have such a low toler-

ance for everything,’’ he said. “A lot of people have lost that neighborly touch. Everything has to be a big ordeal. A cute little girl made a noise...it happens. Sometimes, all you need to do is smile at them, make them laugh, and then, the whole thing is done.” Kasi said she was most impressed with the way Bruce handled it with his son, Connor. Many people will try to shield their children from someone with a disability, she says, but the man with the smile and wave gave his son a lesson in empathy. “I told him if she’s acting up, there’s a reason for it,’’ Bruce recalled. “He became less worried that she was making a noise and became more curious about what exactly was wrong. When we got home, we looked it up.” Kasi has had a chance to thank Bruce. She said since moving to Wesley Chapel from Tallahassee, she has noticed that people are more understanding and patient. “It’s just different here,’’ she says. Not perfect, she says, but for one night, and one moment, it was as close to perfect for her as it can be. One smile and one wave from a father and a family who think we should all smile and wave more. And, one appreciative mother who will never forget it.

Message Received...

The reaction to her post, she says, was joyful. Someone suggested Kasi post it to her local community page, to find the man who smiled, to let him know how much the small gesture meant to her and how it moved her to tears. It wasn’t long after she posted it on the Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page, which has almost 8,000 members, that a screenshot of that post found its way to Melissa Leggett. It was 5 a.m. when Melissa walked into the room where her husband was taking care of their adopted newborn and said: “Hey, I think this lady is talking about you.” Bruce Leggett, who lives with his family in Meadow Pointe, frankly says that he finds all the attention he has received from

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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News Briefs NEW TAMPA & WESLEY CHAPEL Coach Dismissed After Sexual Assault Charges Filed

Former Freedom High track and girls cross country coach Dwight Lamont Smith was booked into the Hillsborough County jail on Dec. 1 on sexual assault charges after being accused of having sex with a student on trips to Gainesville and Titusville on consecutive weekends. Smith, 48 and a resident of Wesley Chapel, faces charges of sexual assault by a custodian and sexual battery of a person aged 12-18. His bond was set at $150,000. According to the Gainesville Police Department report, Smith and his cross country team were in Gainesville on Sept. 18 for a meet and stayed overnight. At dinner, Smith provided a 17-year-old girl, a student at Freedom and a member of the track team, with vodka and orange juice and made her drink it, according to the report. He also gave her a key to his hotel room so she could receive “counseling.” According to the report, the girl then showed up at his room, where Smith gave her more alcohol and she became intoxicated. He had sex with her at around 7 p.m. Smith left the room to meet some

News Briefs

school alumni for dinner, and told the girl to stay in the room. She did not stay, however. Smith sent the girl a text message later that night after dinner, telling her to return to the room. When the girl entered the room, Smith was naked. He then provided more alcohol to the girl, and they had sex again at around 11 p.m. The following weekend, the two again had sex in a hotel room in Titusville, where the team was competing in another meet. According to a Tampa Police Department report, on Nov. 11, Smith showed up unannounced at the girl’s house in a red car. Her parents were not home, and he told her he missed her and wanted to come in and have sex. But, after seeing her two cats sitting in the window of the house, he said he could not go in because he was allergic to cats. Instead, they sat in her car and kissed as he fondled her. She said she did not want to have sex in the car, and told him she was on her period, so he left. She then realized that their relationship was wrong, the report states, and reported it to Freedom principal Kevin Stephenson on Nov. 12, who immediately took her to the School Resource Officer. Smith, who was a teacher’s assistant in the school’s Exceptional Student Education program, was escorted out of the school and has since been fired. — JCC

This is the view from the entrance ramp to I-75 northbound (from S.R. 56) of the Florida Hospital Center Ice complex, which recently re-started construction.

in the seemingly-ever-increasing traffic on S.R. 56 recently. If so, you also may have noticed the construction activity near the new Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO) mall. As also reported in our Costco story on pg. 4 of this issue, the construction of the new Culver’s near the front of the mall is proceeding apace and should be completed later this month or early next, although no opening date was set at our press time. With the Tampa Bay Lightning mired in a season-long “funk” after losing in the Stanley Cup Finals (to the Chicago Blackhawks) in June, the biggest local hockey news may just be the re-start of the construction of the Florida Hospital Center Ice complex at which will open north of S.R. 56, between I-75 and Wesley Chapel Blvd. (S.R. 54). Developer Gordie Zimmerman of Z-Mitch, LLC, who is building the largest ice hockey/skating complex in Florida, had some design issues with the huge unProjects Heating Up On S.R. 56 derground cooling system (photo) for the Even though you live in New Tampa, complex’s four ice pads, but is now looking we have little doubt that you’ve been stuck to complete the project sometime later this

year. We, of course, will keep you posted. And, about a mile or so east of both the mall and ice complex on S.R. 56 (at Northwood Palms Dr.), the Racetrac Gas Station was ready to open as we went to press with this issue. Racetrac, which previously had a location on S.R. 54, is headquartered in Atlanta and operates more than 330 retail gasoline convenience stores in Georgia, Florida, Texas and Louisiana. The S.R. 56 store features 20 fueling positions and a 4,000-sq.-ft. convenience store which will feature more than 4,000 products, including fresh food, drinks and convenience store staples like cigarettes and beer, as well as some of the lowest gas prices in the area. Now, if someone can just fix the traffic signal at that intersection, which is one of the worst in our area. (sigh) — GN

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Local Officials Take A Look At What To Expect In 2016! By John C. Cotey Last year, the New Tampa area saw more widening of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and Cross Creek Blvd., the opening of a new dog park and continued debate over development. However, that busy 2015 could pale in comparison to what is shaping up as an even busier 2016, according to the area’s local governmental representatives. What lies in store for 2016? We caught up with District 2 Hillsborough County commissioner Victor Crist; District 7 Tampa City Council member Lisa Montelione (D) and Florida House District 63 Rep. Shawn Harrison to see what they were looking forward to for the upcoming year. Although Montelione and Harrison have campaigns to run in 2016 — against each other, no less — no one has a busier year ahead of them than Comm. Crist. “The biggest issue is going to be Go Hillsborough,’’ Crist says. “That’s going to dominate first four months of the year.’’ Crist is expecting to be knee-deep in the debate over the project, which he says has a number of big-ticket items that will affect the areas he represents, like “significant” improvements in the USF area, particularly to Skipper Rd., 42nd and 46th Sts. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. He said bottlenecks on BBD between Bearss and Fowler Ave. could be alleviated, and extensive resurfacing in the New Tampa area also is included in the Go Hillsborough plan. Crist says his biggest goal is to make sure the items earmarked for New Tampa stay in there, especially if the Go Hillsborough plan isn’t passed. “That will be a challenge,’’ Crist says. How to fund Go Hillsborough is, “the 900-pound gorilla in the room,’’ he says. “It’s a $14-billion plan, which is three times more money than we can raise otherwise, so we would have to go in and cut the plan back, and go in and fight to keep New Tampa projects in there. The funding is going to be a fight.” Crist expects the debate to conclude in March and a funding source to be determined by April. “Everybody has got a different plan but the bottom line is the only one that generates the most dollars to make a dent and is bondable is the referendum (to approve a half-cent sales tax).” He says the question is will the Hillsborough County commissioners vote to let it on the ballot so the voters can decide the funding. Crist hasn’t publicly stated his position, although the other six commissioners have, forging a 3-3 tie so far. Crist said the area also can look for improvements to the BBD/Bearss Ave. intersection, provided the funding is secured. “That’s a big issue,’’ he said. “All the (widening) along Bruce B. Downs is important, but if you have a bottleneck at Bearss and BDD, it’s not going to make a difference.” And, look for talks over the longplanned New Tampa East-West Connector (E-W Rd.) to be resurrected, Crist says. “It’s been laying dormant the last 10 years,’’ he says. “It was such a fight last time, half of New Tampa wanted it, the other half didn’t. Since then, New Tampa and Wesley Chapel have filled in.” Crist said opponents, mainly those

has begun preliminary discussions to secure 1.5-2 acres for the project. Montelione also will attempt to switch seats midway through her second term on the City Council, having filed to run for the District 63 Florida House seat currently held by Harrison. The Nov. 8 election is a long ways off, but both Montelione and Harrison say they are pleased with early fund-raising efforts. Montelione will first have to get by fellow Democrat Mike Reedy in the Aug. 30 primary to face Harrison. Rep. Harrison, who will be in session in Tallahassee into March before he begins serious campaigning, has set his sights on making sure improvements and programs at USF remain funded. “That will be a huge priority for me,’’ he said. The University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine’s relocation to a state-of-the-art campus in downtown Tampa is one of his top priorities. Harrison says the Florida Center for Cybersecurity (FC2), which has been principally located at the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus since it was created in 2014, also will need to be funded. “It’s cutting-edge stuff,’’ Harrison said, “and we are the first in the country to offer a degree in cyber security. It was funded for the first time last year, and I want to make sure that continues.” Rep. Harrison also is hoping to follow up on chatter he’s been hearing about a new on-campus football stadium at USF, although that potential project, “still has a lot of hoops to jump through.” Last year, Harrison supported former county commissioner Mark Sharpe’s Tampa Innovation Alliance, a public-private agency created to re-develop the University area of North Tampa. Although Gov. Rick Scott vetoed the $2-million earmarked for the agency, Harrison said he plans on “going to bat” for it again this year. Harrison, who serves on the State Affairs Committee, and the Economic Development and Tourism, Healthcare Appropriations, and K-12 Education subcommittees, also is championing the elimination of the sales tax on commercial leases. “That’s a big one, said Harrison. There are multiple bills aimed at eliminating the tax, he said, but whichever one makes it through, Harrison is convinced it will be beneficial to businesses in the New Tampa area.

City Council member Lisa Montelione believes that 2016 could be the year the governmental impasse that has prevented this small section of barricaded roadway between the north end of Kinnan St. in the K-Bar Ranch area and Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe from being connected finally gets settled. County Metropolitan Planning Organizaliving in Tampa Palms Areas 4 & 8 and in tion and four other transportation boards, West Meadows, didn’t want the connector Montelione’s biggest issues will involve last time around, “but they may be outroads, namely the completion of the BBD numbered this time.” improvements near Bearss and the ongoing He added, “Frankly, Bruce B. Downs disagreement and possible resolution of the is not going be enough to alleviate the Kinnan St.-Mansfield Blvd. impasse. potential growth and traffic that is up here. “A constituent just emailed me last New Tampa and Wesley Chapel continue week, asking when is that road going to be to grow, and traffic continues to outpace open,’’ says Montelione of the gap of paved whatever we do to Bruce B. Downs.” roadway between the north end of Kinnan The new cultural arts center could be in the Cross Creek/K-Bar Ranch area to funded, designed and built in 2016 as well, Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe. “Talks Crist says. He said the county currently is had stalled before for a while with Pasco working on contracts with the private deCounty, but our legal department is picking veloper who is buying the land at the front up that torch once again.” of the proposed development across BBD Montelione says there are many movfrom the entrance to Hunter’s Green. But, ing parts in the negotiations over the openthe $4.5 million allocated by the county may not be enough to build the cultural arts ing of the road, which would connect Pasco County and the city of Tampa through two center envisioned by Crist, who thinks the streets that currently are separated by barproject could need $9 million to build the ricades and a few feet of unpaved surface. state-of-the-art sound, lighting, electronic It may come down to finding a midand seating equipment envisioned. But, he dle ground, helping give Pasco County a thinks the extra money can be found in the Meadow Pointe-Beardsley Dr. connector budget amendments — “I don’t see that as (to Morris Bridge Rd.) Pasco officials want a problem,’’ he says — but only if he can in exchange for softening their position on get four commissioners to agree. Kinnan-Mansfield. Crist thinks the city is going to want “I think there may be light at the end to hit local residents up for more fees for water, sewer and other franchise utility fees. of the tunnel,’’ Montelione said. “I am hopeful that the county commission in Pas“New Tampa always gets hit with co will be able to push something through.” the lion’s share because we are where the Citing an incident where a constituent money is,’’ he said. “The disposable income was severely burned due to a lack of comis higher in the 33647 area. We are the munication over which firehouse should city’s cash cows.” Crist said the new rates have sent help initially, Montelione said will be debated in the spring, and put into she would also like to see an additional fire action around Oct. 1. “I think we will begin to see the come- station built in the K-Bar Ranch area, and back of the economy,’’ Crist says. “It will be more noticeable in 2016. Not on steroids, but more noticeable than it’s been in five years. You’ll see more permits, more construction projects, more trucks on the road Probably time for a makeover! Acidwashes, Tile Repair, Refinishes and a lot of small businesses popping up.” Council member Montelione agrees Quartz & Pebble Finishes with Crist on that point. She says a number Glass Tile & Mosiacs of projects had gone through the permitPaver & RiverRock Sealing ting process and were approved right before Eurocrete & Paver Decks the economic turndown around 2008, causSalt & Ozone Generators ing them to be shelved. Pumps. Motors. Filters. “All of the development that was Leak Detection already approved and stalled during the Equipment Repairs economy is now being brushed off and Repair & Service brought back to life,’’ she says, adding that the potential of rising interest rates could Our Prices Can’t be Beat! speed up the need for some to find financing. Montelione expects to see a “surge” of new businesses in the new year. Call for details Expires 2/31/16 Licensed. Insured. A member of the Hillsborough

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‘Rotary’

Continued from pg. 1

The initial application was sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Temple Terrace and Ybor City, and the first organizational meeting was held Sept. 13, 1995, at Hunter’s Green Country Club. A name was suggested — the Rotary Club of New Tampa — as were meeting dates and times. On Sept. 22, a second meeting, with 20 prospective members in attendance, was held. at 7 a.m. at TPGCC. A week later, at a third meeting, 32 prospective members were on hand as Dr. Thomas E. Wade was elected the club’s charter president. A membership goal of 35 was suggested, and that number quickly grew. On Charter Night at TPGCC on Dec. 2, 1995, the club got off to a record-setting start as it welcomed in 63 members (59 were new, four were former or existing Rotarians), the most ever for a Rotary Club in the southeastern area and one of the largest initial classes worldwide. Of the 63 charter members, 11 remain active today -- Mac Anderson, Dr. Robert Ferrera, Ram Kancharla, David Lanigan, Michael Morris, Dr. Gerard Perret, Matthew Palmer, Robert Van Sickler, Ann C. Wade, Dr. Thomas E. Wade and Bradley Page. The New Tampa club has a been a leader in Rotary leadership, as well, as three members of the club have been District 6890 Governors, including Tom Wade, Doug Andrews, and Gary Gunter. Gary’s wife Joyce will become District Governor in June 2016. The club has a tradition that closes out its Friday meetings, called “Happy Dollars.” Members can stand up and, for a donation to

Neighborhood News

New Tampa Rotary member Bob Thompson performed at the club’s 20th anniversary party. help the club’s selected charities, tell the club members what is going on in his or her life. Last week’s meeting, the last of the year, saw a number of members share their Christmas plans and proudly let the club know which of their grown children were coming to visit for the holidays. Some just donated money to say Merry Christmas to fellow members. The “Happy Dollars” session raised more than $700 that day. That’s why folks like Page keep coming back. He now lives in Trinity but drives 45 minutes to meetings. Other members, he says, drive even further, including one who now lives in Brooksville. “It’s family,’’ he says. Information from a history compiled by founding president Thomas Wade and his wife and charter member Ann Wade was used in this story.

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‘Chess’

Continued from pg. 1

“Pretty easy,’’ he said. In the third round, he ran into trouble. After a back-and-forth battle, Truman was down to just one second on his clock (each player starts at 90 minutes) while his opponent had 17 minutes left. That one second, however, has a five-second delay, so Truman could make his moves safely but quickly. Both players had a pawn and a rook, until disaster struck. “He had an advantage, and was moving fast to try and get me to move fast. He was not using his time,’’ Truman said. “And, he made a mistake and lost his rook. It was a ridiculous mistake that almost never happens.” It turned out to be a great escape for Truman. “After the match,’’ Truman said, “one of my friends asked me, did you make another deal with the devil?” In his next round, against a 1976-rated player, Truman, who is coached by Tampa’s Michael Hoffer and is a member of the New Tampa Champion’s Chess Club that studies at Compton Park in Tampa Palms, blundered a move but his opponent did not take advantage of it. At the time, Truman thought he had sunk his chances. “Immediately when I let go of the piece, I was like, ‘Oh my God that’s horrible,” he said. “I was mentally preparing myself to see the move. I was waiting....waiting...I’ve never been to jail but I was feeling like I was on death row. But he didn’t see it. So, I was pardoned.” He added, “Even though I won four in a row, it was kind of shaky.” In his next two matches against players of an equal rating, Truman drew. That led to his final match against Texas teenager Hiren Premkumar, rated at 2058. Truman had already beaten him at an earlier tournament this year, and in what he says was an intense game, he withstood a kingside attack to win with five seconds left on his clock.

And, more luck for Truman -Vishal Kobla of Virginia, who only had to win his final match to stay a halfpoint ahead of him, was paired against Lu, the highest-rated player in the tournament at 2324, and lost.

Truman, who began playing chess when he was five, gives much of the credit for his prowess to his father Trong An, a software engineer. “He keeps me grounded,’’ Truman said. “He reminds me of how to think and how to plan and how to think about preparing. My dad is really smart.” TrongAn taught Truman to play chess and it wasn’t long before the youngster was beating his older brother, Alexander (a senior at Middleton), and began competing in tournaments. “I liked how the pieces move, all the pieces have different roles,’’ he says. “It’s fascinating.” He has been a regular in the state rankings, rated the best in his class on many occasions, and has won countless state tournaments while faring well with some national wins as well. He is not resting on his laurels, however. Though busy as the class vice-president at Middleton and being a member of the school orchestra (he plays viola), Future Business Leaders of America, Impromptu Speaking, the Health Occupation Student Association and his weekly piano lessons, Truman plans on continuing to work hard on his chess game. He jokes that while some may have a midlife crisis, he sometimes has a chess-life crisis, wondering if it will continue to be possible to excel at the game with so many other things going in. “I could be a lot better if I put more into it,’’ he says. “I’m still trying to put more work into it. My dad always says, if you do work on chess, the time spent shouldn’t be drudgery. Hard work doesn’t have to be hard work. It can also be fun and productive.” And it is. Especially when you’re a newly-crowned national champion.

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JANUARY 2015 Sunday - January 3 - 10:00 AM

tions (CBC) networking group meets every Thur. at 7:30 a.m. at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church (5338 Primrose Lake Cir., off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms). For more info, email Shawn@TPACorp.com.

Zen Meditation Group - Looking for a new way to relax? Check out the FREE Friday - January 8 - 7:15 AM Zen Meditation Group that meets Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Arbor Greene Com- New Tampa Rotary Club - The original New Tampa Rotary Club meets every munity Center (18000 Arbor Greene Dr., off Cross Creek Blvd.) Aerobics Room. Friday for breakfast at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPGCC, People of all faiths are welcome. For info, call Jeremy at 528-6285. 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). For more information, contact Kim Payne at 388-6299 or visit NewTampaRotary.org and see the story on page 1 of Monday - January 4 - 6:30 PM this issue. Community Acupuncture & Discussion Group - A Monday night community acupuncture and discussion group is meeting at Ion Medi-Spa (8903 Regents Friday - January 8 - 2:00 PM Park Dr., Suite 130), 6:30 p.m. Topics include needle-free acupuncture, facial rejuvenation, plus stop-smoking & customized weight-loss programs. For more NAMI: Mental Health Support Group - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illinfo, call 960-8833 or visit IonMediSpa.com. ness) of Pasco has a new support group for adults in Pasco County living with a mental illness and in recovery. The new “Connections” group meets the 2nd & Tuesday - January 5 - 7:30 AM 4th Friday each month from 2-3 p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church (29617 S.R. Business Networking International Wesley Chapel - A BNI group meets at 54). For more info, visit namipasco.com. 7:30 a.m. at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.) to help business owners generate more referrals, income and grow their businesses Monday - January 11 - 6:30 PM GFWC New Tampa Junior Woman’s Club - The GFWC New Tampa Junior in the Wesley Chapel area. For info, call Bill Sullivan at 994-1143. Woman’s Club meets the second Monday of every month at the New Tampa YMCA at 16221 Compton Drive. For more information, email pr@gfwcTuesday - January 5 - 7:30 AM newtampajuniors.org or visit the website at gfwcnewtampajuniors.com. 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 leaving from Flatwoods Wilderness Park (13330 Morris Bridge Rd.; not from the BBD entrance) every Tues., Thur. & Sat., 7:30 a.m. For more info, join the Facebook group or e-mail NewTampaTriClub@gmail.com.

Tuesday - January 5 - 9:30 AM

English As A Second Language (ESL) - The ESL group meets Tuesdays at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church (19911 BBD Blvd.), 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Classes are taught by a native English The cost is $40 each semester for the workbook & class materials. For more info, call Heather at 753-8567.

Tuesday - January 5 - 6:30 PM

GriefShare Support Group - This video-seminar support group is for anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one. The cost is $20 for a workbook & 13 sessions (but you may begin any week) to ﬁnd healing & hope. The group meets Tues., 6:30 p.m., at Lake Magdalene Methodist Church (2902 W. Fletcher Ave., Rm. 310). For more information, call 892-2191.

If your organization is sponsoring an event that is open to the general public — whether it’s free to attend or not — please submit your info (with photos in any digital format) at least 3-4 weeks in advance to: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

Wednesday - January 6 - 7:15 AM

BNI Millionaire Makers - The BNI Millionaire Makers chapter meets every Wednesday at Heritage Isles Country Club (10630 Plantation Bay Dr.) at 7:15 a.m. The $13 meeting fee includes a hot breakfast. Call Lisa Jordan at 621-6015 for info.

Wednesday - January 6 - 7:30 AM

Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business pros dedicated to helping their member businesses grow through qualiﬁed referrals, meets every Wed. morning, 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.

Wednesday - January 6 - 12:00 PM

New Tampa Noon Rotary Club - The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets every Wed. 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.

Thursday - January 7 - 7:30 AM

Christian Business Connections (CBC) - The Christian Business Connec18

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NutriMost Gives You The Tools To Keep Your New Year’s Resolution By Anu Varma Panchal

Losing up to 32 pounds in 40 days (if you’re a woman; for men, it’s up to 45 pounds) may seem like a pipe dream to most people. But, according to Mitze Richeson of NutriMost of Wesley Chapel, not only is such a dramatic, but permanent, weight loss possible, it can be done without living in the gym, eating prepackaged frozen meals or counting calories. Mitze says the NutriMost program even comes with a side benefit of overall improved health. “This (program) is transforming (people’s) health,” says Richeson, health coach and director of the chiropractic physiciansupervised weight loss program NutriMost, the newest addition to Cypress Creek Chiropractic & Wellness (the office of Mitze’s husband, Micah Richeson, D.C., or Doctor of Chiropractic), located just off S.R. 56, one traffic light east of the I-75 interchange. This unique weight loss program utilizes state-of-the-art technology to create truly customized supplements and programs for each patient, without using traditional prescription “diet” medications. Mitze says the practice’s philosophy is that wellness is a three-legged stool, comprised of emotional, chemical and physical wellness. “We have to address all three components to have true wellness,” she says, noting that having chiropractic care in the same office can help take care of many of the physical aspects but, “NutriMost will address the other two.”

dieting alone nor only hitting the treadmill are effective ways to lose weight permanently. Mitze, who spent four days training with Dr. Wisniewski to learn about the technology behind NutriMost and how the system works, says that part of what she learned is that weight gain, or fat “storage” is usually linked to other health issues, and those issues vary with each individual because, Dr. Wisniewski believes, we all gain and/or retain weight differently. Mitze says Dr. Wisniewski also believes that fat storage is directly Certified Chiropractic Physician’s Asst. Mitze Richeson & the Nutri- linked to imbalances Most program, which is based at Cypress Creek Chiropractic off S.R. 56 in the body caused by in Wesley Chapel, can help you lose weight & keep it off permanently. “micro toxins” such as bacteria, parasites and fungi. “On average, we First, A Little History NutriMost was founded by Ray Wis- are exposed to literally thousands of toxins niewski, D.C., a chiropractic physician and a week,” says Richeson. “They are on and radio and TV talk show host based in Pitts- in the food we eat, in the air we breathe and burgh, PA, who created the technology and on everything you put on your skin or into the protocols for the program, and who, your mouth.” Mitze says has successfully treated more She adds that these “micro toxins” are than 30,000 clients at his eight clinics. The the root cause of conditions such as horpremise behind NutriMost is that neither monal imbalance, too much toxicity in the

body, adrenal exhaustion, cellular dehydration and thyroid problems which, taken singly or in different combinations, can be (and often are) the cause of someone’s weight gain. By cleansing the body of certain foods that are harmful to you (and they can be different foods for different people), using natural, homeopathic supplements created especially for you and teaching you how to eat and live healthier, Mitze says, “weight loss becomes an automatic result.” When you come to Cypress Creek Chiropractic, your intake forms will be overseen by Dr. Richeson, a third-generation chiropractic physician who opened this practice in 2008 after eight years in his father’s practice in Gainesville. Dr. Richeson has his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences from the Univ. of Central Oklahoma in Edmond and his D.C. degree from Parker College in Dallas, TX.

How It Works

After your consultation with Dr. Richeson, Mitze (who received her Certification as a Chiropractic Physician’s Assistant in 2013 from the Cleveland Chiropractic College) takes over with the NutriMost Resonant Frequency (NRF) biocommunication technology. The premise behind NRF is that all matter is comprised of energy and thus gives out vibrations. The frequency of these vibrations is like an ID number. As a NutriMost client, you will undergoes a painless, 12-minute procedure to get a reading of the different frequencies in

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your body. You put your hand on a hand cradle sensor (see photo, right) and a computer will run the NutriMost Ultimate Fat Loss Scan, which checks 2,600 factors in your body, such as for the presence of certain parasites or bacteria, and for various hormone levels. The technology then spits out an 8-9 page report that becomes the client’s After placing your hand on the NutriMost Resonant Frequency (NRF) NutriMost Ultimate bioscanner (right), Mitze will provide you with a printed report showFat Loss Road Map. ing you which NutriMost supplements and tinctures (left) will optimize your body’s ability to burn fat, instead of retain it. The Road Map tells you which of the proteins (chicken, fish, beef, etc.), fruits your organs that affect weight loss are the and vegetables ranked from those which will most out of their normal range (some exam- be the most effective for your body to burn ples include your adrenal glands, pancreas, fat and heal itself; down to the bottom six small intestine, etc.). These “biomarkers” foods on each person’s list, which should (measurable indicators of a biological state only be eaten in moderation. Any foods not or condition) are then brought into proper on your list should not be eaten at all. balance using three primary types of excluMitze says that clients are often sursive NutriMost supplements. Together, the prised to learn (as she did herself) that even supplements will address detoxification and though some foods are considered healthier cellular healing, hormonal balance/imbal- than others — such as kale, for example — ance, and weight loss. Each formula will be they can still end up on some people’s list to custom-created at Mitze’s office, utilizing consume only in moderation or not on their the tinctures of various nutrients that will list to eat at all. best address the biomarkers that are most NutriMost clients are on a 40-day proaffecting your body’s ability to get rid of ex- tocol, and come in once a week for weighcess fat, rather than retain it. ins and checkups. After the initial 40-day In addition, the Road Map generated phase comes a 21-day phase when the body from the NRF scan also will provide a list of metabolism is “retrained” in keeping with

its new weight. Patients also learn about burst or interval training and exercises that can keep the body in fat-burning mode, although exercise is not required with the NutriMost program. Mitze notes that her clients report better sleep, higher levels of energy, less or no hunger, improved skin tone and an overall clarity of thinking. “When your body is brought back into balance and you’re eating the right foods for your body, the increased energy you’ll have on this program will make you want to exercise more and live healthier.,” Mitze says. “We don’t want people to just survive, we want them to thrive. And, it works!” Richard Felix is one such thriving client. He says he has struggled with weight gain since his 20s, and after failing to lose weight and keep it off despite trying numerous diet programs, he managed to lose 46 pounds in 40 days with NutriMost. Not only has he managed to keep it off, he plans to do another cycle in the spring. He admits that the program is “not for the faint hearted,” or for those who are likely to cheat and not stay on it. But, after spending years unhappy with the 304-pound person in the mirror, and being afraid of not being able to live to enjoy retirement with his wife or see his son graduate from college, Richard says he was determined to do it right this time. He says his program began with about ten days of cleansing the body by drastically reducing caloric intake and eliminating certain foods, especially those with processed sugar and saturated fat. He admits that although initially difficult, he was surprised by how manageable it eventually became,

especially because the results he could see and feel started so quickly. Richard also notes that drinking plenty of water, choosing the right foods for fat burning and taking all of the homeopathic drops and supplements helped keep his hunger at bay. And, although his ideal daily caloric intake has now been fixed at 2,500 calories, Felix says he no longer craves junk food or other fattening treats, such as creamy salad dressing or the French Vanilla creamer of which he used to go through three half-gallon jugs every month. Felix also says that another major benefit of the program for him is how it has taught him about food — for example, that peas, corn and kale could cause his body to retain fat, while cucumbers would help him burn it. He’s learned to use pink salt or low-sodium liquids to season his food rather than table salt, and how to snack on walnuts, plums or celery when he feels hungry. “Just making these little changes — it’s big,” says Felix. Although NutriMost is a new program at Cypress Creek Chiropractic, it has been around for years and is available at hundreds of franchised offices around the country, including five in other parts of the Tampa Bay area. But please, consult your primary care physician before beginning any weight-loss program. For more info or to schedule an appointment, see the ad on page 4 of this issue or call 241-7098. You also can visit 813thin.com, Facebook.com/NutriMostofWesleyChapel or NutriMost.com or stop in at Cypress Creek Chiropractic at 2304 Crestover Ln., Wesley Chapel.

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Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Can Manage Your Property, Too! By Anu Varna Panchal

Real estate may seem like the ideal investment, but managing that property can be an onerous task, particularly when you want to travel or live part of the year somewhere else. That’s when having property managers like Rick and Sue Wedig on your side can be a lifesaver — especially when they’re aligned with a world-class “brand” such as Berkshire Hathaway. The Wedigs are the newest additions to the Wesley Chapel branch of Florida Properties Group, a member of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. Both are residential asset managers, but Rick serves as Broker associate/Realtor, while Sue is the marketing director. Managing Broker Robert Hilliker explains that the office, which sits in the Shoppes of New Tampa plaza at the corner of S.R. 56 and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (between Publix and Bealls) in Wesley Chapel, is a one-stop shop for all of your residential real estate needs. Hilliker manages the 70 agents here and 13 more in a Zephyrhills office. The company traces its roots back to Tropical Realty, founded in 1959, which was purchased by Dewey Mitchell and Allen Crumbley in 1988 and aligned with the Prudential Real Estate Network. Berkshire Hathaway (whose chairman and CEO is billionaire financier Warren Buffett) acquired the group in 2012, and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida

Properties Group has 16 offices in a fourcounty area. Hilliker says that the office is the only one in Florida to be a Certified Residential Management Company, a lengthy and prestigious certification issued by the National Association of Residential Property Managers. “We are real estate solution providers,” explains Hilliker. “It’s a one-source solution for the consumer. Everything’s there at their fingertips.” The Wedigs, who operate as independent contractors affiliated with the Wesley Chapel office, offer full-service property management, which includes everything from leases, collecting and depositing rents, maintenance, marketing, evictions and dealing with attorneys, inspectors and Homeowners Associations. “[Full service] means you have your cell phone at your headboard at 2 a.m.,” says Rick wryly. They are able to offer Berkshire Hathaway clients a true team effort, seasoned by decades of experience learned on the job in the “school of hard knocks,” as Rick explains. The Wedigs were married 35 years ago at the ages of 17 and 18, and two months later, Rick joined the U.S. Air Force. They were stationed in Germany, and almost immediately, Sue began working as a personnel clerk in Germany. She found that she enjoyed working with people, and continued in similar positions, culminating in serving as director of personnel at the various U.S. Air Force bases to which Rick was attached. When

(L.-r.) Rick and Sue Wedig, with Managing Broker Rob Hilliker of Berskhire Hathaway Home Services Florida Properties Group in the Shoppes of New Tampa in Wesley Chapel. Rick got out of the service, Sue found a 2003. Shortly before his retirement, he job as marketing director of the Chamstarted buying properties and soon had a paign Convention and Visitors Bureau in portfolio of 35 properties he was managChampaign, IL. ing for himself. He then decided to parlay It was a perfect fit: “Public speaking, that experience into a profession. Around event planning, I really enjoyed being out 2000, he obtained his real estate license there,” she says. and soon became so successful that he After serving in the Air Force from quit his day job in 2003 and began buy1979-95, Rick retired as a financial ing, selling and managing real estate full analyst, found a job with the U.S. Postal time. Sue joined him in 2008. Within six Service, and worked as a mail carrier until years, they were managing 310 properties

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belonging to 120 different owners. After talking about moving south for years (Sue confesses to being a beach girl at heart), they handed the property management business over to one of their sons and their daughter-in-law, and made the move to the Tampa/St Petersburg/ Clearwater area. In November 2014, they joined Hilliker at Berkshire Hathaway.

Not Just A Profession...

Many times, an owner buys a property simply for investment purposes. Other times, someone moving cannot find a buyer immediately and decides to rent the property for a while. Either way, the Wedigs say they approach the job of finding the right tenant almost as a matchmaker would. “I think what sets us apart is that we build a relationship with the owner,” says Sue. “Everyone has an emotional attachment to their home. We sit and listen to the stories. We go through the house; we let them tell us everything.” Knowing that an owner wants a particular plant in the garden watered a certain way, for example, is the kind of information Sue keeps in mind when finding a tenant. For tenants, she can explain not only the legalities of their lease, but also the idiosyncrasies of the homeowner and the property. Once a match has been made, the Wedigs screen the application and present it to the owner. They then handle everything house-related, including collecting and depositing the rent, and handle all financial and maintenance matters (Rick’s purview). He explains that they always do

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their best to save the owner money. For example, a tenant calling about a faulty garbage disposal in the sink may not need an expensive service call. Instead, Rick can guide them over the phone to find the reset switch themselves. Owners also have an internet portal through which they can view all activity relating to their house. Mostly, the match works — partly because Sue has built up such a good relationship with the tenants that they think twice before breaking any of their lease terms. Clients confide their marital problems, financial troubles and even their good news to her, and she advises them about how their home should be their first priority. Clients still send her Christmas cards and tell her they miss her homemade cookies. Rick also gives seminars and speaks to potential investors frequently. Many people want to invest in real estate, but are not sure how to go about it. That’s where he comes in. He takes them to lunch, explains the benefits and can then help them find and buy a property and manage it for them afterwards. “We show up, form relationships and do what we say we’re going to do,” says Rick. “Eighty percent of people don’t do that. We like hard work. We like change. We like controlled chaos.” You can reach Rick Wedig at 712-8421 or (217) 621-5773, or at rwedig@bhhsfloridaproperties.com. To reach Sue, call (217) 621-5773, email swedig@bhhsfloridaproperties.com, or by visit RentAHomeWithUs.com. The office is located at 1830 BBD Blvd. For more info, call 907-8200 or see pg. 19.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 •Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s 10th Office Now Open On BBD! With 25 years of experience treating patients throughout the Tampa Bay area, the doctors and staff at Florida Orthopaedic Institute are excited about their newest office, located in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., directly across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC). The newest office has begun accepting patients, which is helping Florida Orthopaedic Institute meet the increasing demand for specialized orthopaedic care that can help residents of Pasco County stay active. The Board-certified doctors and surgeons at Florida Orthopaedic Institute have been recognized globally for their expertise. Headquartered in North Tampa, there are nine other locations for patients who live in or near Bloomingdale, Brandon, Citrus Park, Northdale, Oak Hill/ Brooksville, Palm Harbor, South Tampa, Sun City Center and Temple Terrace. Wesley Chapel is the 10th Florida Orthopaedic Institute office, and will offer physician services, physical therapy and X-rays. Additionally, three Board-certified physicians staff the new office: Christopher Baker, M.D., a fellowship trained specialist in sports medicine and shoulder reconstruction; Brian Palumbo, M.D., who specializes in hip and knee replacement surgery, with a focus on diagnosing and treating hip and knee arthritis, and Timothy Epting, D.O., who

of what sets us apart,” says Dr. Baker, “especially when the sophisticated work of joints is involved. In order to keep our patients active, the precision of the treatment is paramount to success.” Dr. Baker has been with Florida Orthopaedic Institute for two years and has practiced in the area for five. He graduated Dr. Christopher Baker. M.D., of the new Florida Orthopaedic Institute office in cum laude Wesley Chapel, gets information from a patient. with his M.D. degree from focuses on injuries and disorders of the foot and ankle, as well as general ortho- the University of Florida in Gainesville and completed his residency in Orthopaedic paedic conditions. In order to maintain the highest level Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His fellowship at the of orthopaedic skill, Florida Orthopaedic Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas Institute only employs doctors who have (in Spartanburg, SC) gave him an extra fellowship training. year of study in sports medicine and shoul“This additional training is just part

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der reconstruction, making him the only fellowship-trained shoulder specialist in eastern Pasco County. Dr. Baker has been very influential in Pasco County’s high school athletics since he assisted in opening the sports medicine programs at Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills high schools. He also treats professional athletes and has served as the orthopaedic & sports medicine physician for the Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football League team. Dr. Baker does more than just care for athletes. He also treats patients who have shoulder pain stemming from aging or injury. Many patients avoid shoulder treatment because they are afraid they will need surgery or because of the misconception that pain is a normal part of aging, but Dr. Baker always informs his patients about available alternatives. “There are a lot of options other than surgery, like physical therapy or cortisone injections,’’ he says. “Our mission is to do what is best for the individual patient.” Even when surgery is necessary, Dr. Baker says he does not go straight to invasive surgical techniques. He uses the latest technologies and says that many repairs are done with an arthroscope to minimize incisions. Other doctors at Florida Orthopaedic Institute, like Dr. Palumbo, also believe that minimizing surgical trauma and muscle damage should be a high priority for any surgeon.

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Before studying medicine, Dr. Palumbo served in the Special Operations Command for the U.S. Air Force. He later earned his M.D. degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, where he also served as a resident in the Department of Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. He also attended a one-year surgical fellowship at the combined residency program at Harvard Medical Dr. Brian Palumbo School’s Harvard Orthopaedics in Cambridge, MA, and at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital Department of Adult Reconstruction in Boston. Dr. Palumbo specializes in hip and knee arthritis management, joint replacement surgery and the treatment of problematic or painful hip and knee joint replacements. He is Board-certified by the American Association of Hip & Knee Surgeons and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. One method Dr. Palumbo uses to minimize surgical trauma is the direct anterior approach (DAA) for hip replacement surgery. He explains that, “Rather than cutting through or damaging muscles, (with the DAA approach) you’re simply spreading certain muscles to the

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Dr. Timothy Epting

side, using their natural tissue planes. It’s like opening a window versus breaking through it.” For knee replacement candidates, Dr. Palumbo offers partial (rather than total) knee replacements whenever possible. He feels that sparing hip and knee joint muscles and preserving bone (when possible) can lead to improved and faster recovery

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and exceptional long-term outcomes. Dr. Palumbo firmly believes in the importance of fellowship-trained, specialized surgeons. “The added training and expertise this provides allows us to care for complex failed and painful joint replacement issues,” he says. “ Approximately 30 percent of joint replacements I perform are re-do replacements for old

or failed joint replacements.” Educating patients is a core philosophy at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute, whose surgeons encourage patients to seek out options to ensure that they are getting a doctor who is experienced in treating their particular type of injury. Dr. Epting is new to Florida Orthopaedic Institute, bringing expertise in injuries and disorders of the foot and ankle. He also is Board-certified in orthopaedic surgery, with fellowship training from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Prior to joining the Florida Orthopaedic Institute team, Dr. Epting served three years as an attending orthopaedic surgeon at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. He also served as an orthopaedic surgeon in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2010. “My military experience and fellowship training allow me to explore all options for my patients so they can receive the best possible care,” he says. You can visit Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s new Wesley Chapel office at 2653 BBD, or visit FloridaOrtho. com for more information. Florida Orthopaedic Institute is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call (800) FL-ORTHO to make an appointment or to talk to a staff member. — Submitted to & edited by New Tampa Neighborhood News.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Samantha Taylor Fitness Studios Help Women Reach Their Goals By Celeste McLaughlin

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year for 2015 is helping local women achieve their health and fitness goals. At the two Samantha Taylor Fitness Studios, women get a great workout and much more, including support, camaraderie, and education to completely transform the way they eat and live. Samantha’s second location, which opened about a year ago, is located across the street from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. Samantha’s first location is nearby in Land O’Lakes, off of S.R. 54 on Knight Rd. Both studios offer her popular personal training program, known as Pure Health & Fitness and also offer a special Fit Body Boot Camp membership. Samantha is a Certified Personal Trainer who began her career 23 years ago and launched her own business 16 years ago. During that time, she estimates that she has trained 4,500 local women. Her goal is to increase that number to 10,000 by the year 2020. Samantha says that when a client begins to make healthier choices, it affects more than just that client’s life. In most cases, it affects her whole family’s lifestyle. In fact, Samantha says, a recent six-week challenge she held helped more than just the women who participated. In fact, she says, “Ninety percent of

(L.-r.) Samantha Taylor, Savanna Ford and trainer Amy Singletary can help you get in the best shape of your life at the Samantha Taylor Fitness Studio in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel plaza.

the men whose wives signed up also lost weight. At our celebration event at the end of the challenge, so many men came up to me to shake my hand and say thank you,” says Samantha. “They told me, ‘My wife is happier, she’s more involved with the kids, and I can’t believe how much it impacts our family.’” Samantha explains that her model is to teach people not only proper physical training, but also how to eat healthier. She uses her experience as a personal trainer,

seeing what works and what doesn’t with her many clients, and years of intensely studying the human body to coach women about healthy eating. She says that most woman aren’t making diet food for just themselves, but are making food differently for their entire families. “As moms get their kids off sugar, they tell us there are so many changes, especially in their behavior and how well they do at school.” The impact to these women’s families

led Samantha to launch her first-ever couples challenge. Her next six-week body transformation challenge will begin on Monday, January 18. To get registered for, or for more information about the challenge, go to 6weekbtc.com. The woman who loses the most weight in this six-week challenge will win a cruise for two. And, while only women are allowed to work out at Samantha Taylor Fitness Studios, their husbands can participate in the weight loss challenge, with prizes for the couples who lose the most weight. Arlene Hein, a photographer who lives in the King’s Landing community in Wesley Chapel, lost 12.2 pounds and 12.25 inches during the most recent six-week challenge. Arlene says her doctor had been warning her that she was pre-diabetic. Arlene says she met Samantha at an event she was photographing, where she told Samantha about her health issues. She recalls that Samantha’s eyes lit up and she told Arlene that, “You don’t have to become diabetic. You can change.” When Arlene lost a dear friend to medical issues, including diabetes, she says, “It catapulted me into getting healthy. I didn’t want to go down that road.” Arlene says she signed up for Samantha’s six-week challenge. “I received so much support from Samantha and the trainers,” she says. “I went to all these seminars and learned how to eat, because

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there’s a difference between eating to live and living to eat. Now, I make more conscious decisions because I have so much information.” And, after just six weeks, Arlene says she’s no longer on a path towards becoming diabetic. She says she does blood work every three months, and the difference between her blood work prior to the six-week challenge and after has been phenomenal. “My doctor gave me a gold star,” she says. “He told me to keep up the good work and that I may be able to stop taking medication for high blood pressure soon, too.” “We see that all the time,” says Samantha. “We have had several people get off diabetes or cholesterol medication. Our program makes a huge impact in so many areas.” Samantha says getting fit benefits people in many ways, completely transforming many aspects of their lives. “Women who are overweight tend to be self-conscious and insecure,” says Samantha. “They don’t go out and interact with a lot of people.” She says the women who work out together at her studio often lean on each other for support through tough times, and start attending events together. “There’s a culture created in our facility,” Samantha says. “People are connected together.”

Workout Options

At Samantha Taylor Fitness Studios, women can choose individual or semiprivate personal training, or a Fit Body

Yes, you’ve seen these pics of Chris Williams in the ads for the Samantha Taylor Fitness Studios, but they’re worth showing again here. A Certified Trainer, she now trains clients for Samantha.

Boot Camp membership. To get started with personal training, each woman meets individually with Samantha for a Body Transformation Analysis. This is a completely free, no-obligation consultation to determine a fitness program that will be customized based on each woman’s individual goals and level of fitness. Samantha says this is the most personal and private option she offers. In addition to personal training sessions, each client also meets with an assigned results coach monthly, to be sure they’re progressing. Fit Body Boot Camp membership is another available option at Samantha Taylor Studios. Women who choose this

membership start off with a consultation with membership director Savanna Ford. Clients attend regular or beginner Fit Body Boot Camp sessions, which vary in cardiovascular intensity levels. Several classes are offered every day, and women choose three or more times each week to attend. Attendance is tracked, and there are monthly weigh-ins and body fat tests, so clients can be sure they’re making progress toward meeting their goals. “We expect change, and you should, too,” explains Samantha. Although she helps women of every age, she says many of her clients are in their 50s and 60s. “Women in this age group are starting to see bad health habits catch up with them,” she says. “They are seeing consequences and need to make a change for the future.” Samantha says one reason women see such success is because her staff is “amazing.” One of her full-time trainers is Paula Girven-Pittman, a former U.S. Olympian who competed in the high jump in Montreal in 1976. Another trainer is Chris Williams, who first became a client of Samantha’s in 2007. “I had been gaining a few pounds a year for several years and couldn’t seem to get it off,” Chris recalls. But, thanks to Samantha and her program, Chris (pics on this page) lost 80 pounds. (Note-To see other before-and-after photos, visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com.) “I was so happy with what I’d achieved that I wanted to help other women achieve the same thing,” Chris

says. She became a Certified Personal Trainer by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and has been on Samantha’s team ever since. The best part? Chris has kept that weight off for eight years now! Samantha also is active in the community, often partnering with the U.S. Marines recruiting station located in the same plaza. Recently, Samantha and her clients have collected Toys for Tots (a Marine Corps-sponsored program) and raised money to help a Marine whose son passed away. Samantha also is proud to offer a fund raiser to support local schools and nonprofit groups. Groups can promote a 14-day program called “Fat Furnace” and the group receives 100 percent of the proceeds from the program. She says groups can raise more money – and certainly end up being a lot healthier – than traditional fund raisers, such as selling candy bars. In addition to winning the Wesley Chapel Chamber’s Small Business honors, Samantha has been involved with the Chamber for many years. She has served as a volunteer for its Ambassador Council, where she says she enjoyed meeting other businesses and helping them get more familiar with the community and what the Chamber has to offer. The Wesley Chapel Samantha Taylor Fitness Studio is located is at 2653 BBD Blvd., Suite 205. For more info, see the ad on page 41. To sign up for the six-week challenge beginning January 18, or for more information, visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com or call 377-3739.

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New Tampa Teams’ Hard Work Adds Up To Success In Math Bowl By Celeste McLaughlin

Three New Tampa schools now have some new hardware to show off after some of the best and brightest fourth and fifth grade math stars from New Tampa’s seven public elementary schools went head-tohead to see who would bring home the trophies in this year’s Math Bowl on Dec. 8-9. Teams compete against others from their “area” in Hillsborough County Public Schools. New Tampa teams are from Area 3, which is comprised of about 20 schools. The competition’s awards ceremony honors the top three teams in each area. In the fourth grade event, New Tampa teams took home all three top awards. First place went to Richard F. Pride Elementary, second went to Tampa Palms, and third place to Harold H. Clark Elementary. The teams from Hunter’s Green (4th place), Chiles and Turner/Bartels (tied for 9th), and Heritage (15th) also competed at the event. For fifth grade, the team from Clark won first place, and the team from Pride came in second. Other New Tampa teams

who competed include Chiles (6th place), Heritage (8th place), Hunter’s Green (9th place), and Tampa Palms (11th place). The annual Math Bowl is co-sponsored by Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) and the Hillsborough Council of Teachers of Mathematics, an all-volunteer, teacher-led organization. The annual event was held this year at the T. Pepin Hospitality Centre on 50th St. in Tampa. “The Math Bowl has been in existence for over twenty years,” says Jack Fahle, supervisor of elementary mathematics for HCPS. “It got started as a Saturday event among just a few schools and no one really knows when the first one was or when the organization actually started calling it the ‘Math Bowl.’” The competition pits teams of four against each other to see who can solve the most challenging math problems in the least amount of time. The Math Bowl is divided into halves, with three students from each team participating in the entire competition, and two students each participating in one half or the other, giving each team a built-in alternate. The faster a team finishes a question, the higher the points they are awarded for correct answers. Incorrect

The 4th Grade team from Pride Elementary took home first place at this year’s Math Bowl. answers equal zero points, so the teams have become more efficient and eventually create to be accurate in their work. their own strategies and shortcuts.” Each team has a coach, typically their Terenzi says the competition benefits math teacher, who helps them practice the kids in several ways. and prepare for the competition. Kimberly “They learn team building skills, how Terenzi, who teaches fourth grade math and to work corroboratively, and how to stay science at Pride, coached the school’s winfocused in a high stressed atmosphere,” she ning fourth and fifth grade teams. She says says. “The children learn to trust each other they prepare with weekly practices for several and develop as a team.” weeks before the competition. Since workA competition for Math Bowl teams for ing accurately and quickly is essential, “we first, second, and third grade students will also have discussions on how the team can be held in May.

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Wharton & Freedom Split District Games As Hoops Rivalry Heats Up the Patriots and Sickles, with the winner securing a Regional playoff berth and a spot in the District final. Freedom certainly has the talent to contend. Seniors Sheldon Oduna and Nasir Core lead a fast-paced offense. Odunna averages more than 22 points a game, but when he got in foul trouble against Wharton, it was Core who took control, with his pickpocket defense and speedy ball handling. The Pats point guard scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half. Wharton doesn’t have the inside size that Freedom possesses with 6’-8” Alek Rojas and 6’-7” Alexander Oguinn, but the perimeter shooting of junior point guard Tra Gildon and forwards Josiah Crawford (16 points) and Evan Trice (13) keeps the ‘Cats in any game.

By Andy Warrener

The rivalry in boys basketball between Freedom High in Tampa Palms and Paul R. Wharton High has years of history behind it, most of it lopsided in the Wildcats favor. This season, however, the gap between the two squads has closed and, with both teams now in the same Class 7A, District 8, what was a hot rivalry before now sizzles. Nothing could paint that picture more clearly than sitting in attendance at the Dec. 18 game at Freedom. Wharton brought a throng of fans to the game, filling two-thirds of the visiting side of gym. On the home side across the court, the Freedom faithful filled most of the seats with a raucous student section. And, the action on the hardwood did not disappoint the home faithful. The Wildcats clawed out an early lead and led 22-9 at the half, only for Freedom to come storming back to tie it and eventually come away with a 54-49 victory to tie the regular season series at 1-1 (Wharton beat Freedom 47-44 on Dec. 1 on the Cats’ home court). “It’s always good to beat Wharton,” said Patriots’ boys coach Cedric Smith. “They’re a tough, scrappy team, so anytime you can get a win against them you’ve got to feel satisfied. (Wharton coach) Tommy (Tonelli) and I are good friends but this rivalry is hot. If it gets any hotter than tonight, we’re going to

Freedom point guard Nasir Core drives to the hoop for two of his team-high 18 points in the Patriots’ 54-49 victory over Wharton on Dec. 19, evening the season series between the two rivals as they battle for Class 7A, District 8 playoff position.

have to bring more cops in here.” It was a critical win for the Patriots, as they were mired in third place in the District leading up to the game. It still might be a tall order for the Pats to catch Wharton in the District standings. Only three district games remain, and the Wildcats are 9-1 in District 7A-8, while the Patriots are 7-3. Sickles also is 9-1 in the District, and the Gryphons swept Freedom in two regular season meetings.

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“(District tournament) seeding is important when you have three really good teams,” Tonelli said. “You want to get through to the finals before you have to go head-to-head with one of them.” The No. 3 seed at the District tourney, which will be hosted by Wharton the week of Feb. 1, would have to play the No. 2 seed in the District semifinals if both teams win their first games. That could mean a third meeting between

Girls Teams Split Two Games, Too

The Patriot girls evened the series with Wharton the same Saturday night the boys did. After getting blown off the floor by the Wildcats in a 70-49 loss at Wharton on Dec. 1, Freedom got revenge with a 46-40 home win. “(The win versus Wharton) was huge,’’ Pats coach Laurie Pacholke said. “We struggled early this season and we’re now starting to get players back.” The Freedom girls have been without shooting guard Megan Clark for most of the season, but got her back for

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A raucous home crowd helped spur the Freedom boys hoops team to a District victory over Wharton.

the win against Wharton, which pulled both the Pats’ district (5-5) and overall (6-6) records back to .500. Point guard Nari Garner picked up her scoring in Clark’s absence. The Patriots’ playmaker and best player is averaging just over 20 points a game, including a 45-point outburst in a win over Leto. Makayla Gentry, who averaged only 3.5 points per game last year, is up to 19 ppg this season. At 5-10 overall and 4-6 in District 7A-8, the Wharton girls and coach Chad Reed have a steeper slope than Freedom does to compete for a top seed, but

forwards Lauren Wall (10.4 ppg) and Diamond Wells (9.2 ppg) have been pretty solid so far this season. Regular season action starts up again Jan. 5 with one of the biggest games of the season, as the Wharton boys travel to Sickles to likely determine the District’s No. 1 seed. On Jan. 6, the Freedom boys and girls host Wiregrass Ranch in one of the best remaining contests on either team’s schedule. The boys District tournaments will start the first week in February, with the girls holding theirs the following week.

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Soccer Playoffs Around The Corner

Home Team Lawn Care

Story by Andy Warrener

The Wharton Wildcats girls soccer squad is in the best position among New Tampa’s high school soccer squads heading into the new year. The ‘Cats 8-4-3 record doesn’t drop anyone’s jaw, but they started the season 1-1-2 when goalkeeper Caroline DeLisle was still occupied with the Wharton volleyball team’s run into the Regional playoffs. Since her return, the Wildcats are 7-3-1, with a nice six-game win streak in the heart of their schedule. DeLisle has 79 saves in 10 games, almost eight a game, which is tops in Class 5A, District 7 and second in the State in all of Class 5A. The Wildcats have been dominant, locally, with shutout wins against Wiregrass Ranch (3-0) and Freedom (4-0). The Wharton girls, with a 3-1-1 record in District 5A-7, are in second behind perennial Pinellas powerhouse Palm Harbor University (PHU). The Wildcats lost 4-1 to the Hurricanes early in the season. Plant will host the District playoffs, which begin Jan. 11, and the Wildcat girls are planning to make some noise. Senior Taylor Hubbard, a University of Alabama commitment, has eight goals and 14 assists so far this season. Speedy sophomore Alisha Deschenes and freshman Leanna Wunsch also have eight goals apiece. Defender Casey Grotz is committed to North Florida University in Jacksonville and midfielder Natalie Ferrin is committed to Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville. Head coach Denis Vukorep said that he expects one more college commitment in January. UPHILL BATTLE FOR PATRIOT GIRLS: The Freedom girls squad is mired in the very tough District 4A-8, where Pasco County’s Mitchell High is 16-0 and 5-0 in the district and the Patriot girls face a tough road. They are 4-6 (1-2 in the District) and in fourth place. The Pats will have to get through no less than two of the teams seeded ahead of them to sniff the playoffs, although they will have homefield advantage for the District tourney. WILDCAT BOYS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE: The Wharton boys team has a similar problem as the Freedom girls. They are stuck in brutal District 5A-7, where four of the top six teams all have winning records. It’s so tough that the 2014-15 state semifinalists, Wiregrass

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TREE CARE STARTING AT $75 Wharton Sophomore Alisha Deschenes Ranch, is only in third-place. The Wildcats, winless in the district, were in last place at our press time. It will be a tremendous uphill climb for Wharton to scratch the playoffs, especially considering PHU hosts. Coach Scott Ware has his eyes turned toward the future, as five of his 11 starters are freshmen or sophomores. Only one senior starts for the ‘Cats. “We hope that bodes well for the next year or two,” Ware says. “We’re young, we’re still trying to find our system.” Junior forward Clifford Adjei has 10 goals on the season. In goal, the Wildcats split time between freshman Andy Ilken and senior Chris Moreno. Ilken is the one Ware appears to be grooming for the future — he had 18 saves at our press time to Moreno’s 21. FREEDOM BOYS IN FIFTH: The Freedom boys team also is in a very tough District 4A-8, with Mitchell (11-4-1, 5-0) leading the way. The Patriots (3-6-2, 1-3-1) are in fifth in 4A-8. The Pats did post a 5-2 win over Sickles in early December. Leto will host the District playoffs the week of Jan. 18.

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Hunter’s Green Tennis Team Advances

(L.-r.) Sara Padgett, Cherie Smith, Trina Hoyord, Nikki Spirakis, Phuong Cotey, Laura Baker, Marisa Martin, Lara Slatniske and Tibbie Farnsworth of the Hunter’s Green 6.5 combo team.

(Hunter’s Green) and the day regular season champs (Fishhawk Ranch). Lara Slatniske and Cherie Smith won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 1 doubles, and Nini Torres and Tibbie Farnsworth were victorious at No. 3 by a 6-4, 6-3 score. At No. 2, Laura Baker and Marisa Martin lost a hard-fought three-set match, 6-3, 4-6 and 10-8 in the tiebreaker. Fishhawk had its 18-match local winning streak dating back to last year snapped. The men’s 6.5 team also qualified for sectionals, meaning up to 25 players from the New Tampa club will be looking to bring home titles. — JCC

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The Hunter’s Green Country Club 6.5 women’s combo team, which pairs players ranked in the 3.5 and 3.0 divisions together in doubles, defeated defending league champion Fishhawk Ranch to advance to the United States Tennis Association’s Sectional championships later this month. The USTA does not hold a national championship for the 6.5 division, so the Sectional Jan. 22-24 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach effectively serves as the State championship. Hunter’s Green won two of the three lines Dec. 12 in a playoff between the night regular season champs

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ExerScience Center Owner Wants To Help With Your New Year’s Resolutions By John C. Cotey

Personal trainer Lauren (aka “Coach Lolo”) Leiva, who describes herself as an “Underground Super Nerd,” melds her two favorite things — exercise and science — into one of the area’s more diverse fitness concoctions at The ExerScience Center at Heritage Isles Golf and Country Club (HIGCC) on Cross Creek Blvd. The 31-year-old bundle of energy offers personal training classes, group fitness and boot camps, after-school enrichment programs that include exercise and yoga, as well as private yoga classes at the brand new HIGCC fitness center. Don’t let the location fool you – Lauren’s classes, like the semi-private golf club and restaurant in the main building about 40 yards away, are always open to the public. If you’re looking to make good (Above) ExerScience Center owner and certified trainer Lauren “Lolo” Leiva offers everything on those New Year’s resolutions, Lauren from yoga instruction (above) to personal training (right) and so much more. currently is offering a special to assist your Lauren’s experiences with health Southeastern University in Tampa as a efforts -- $80 a month for unlimited classes have stoked the fires in her teaching. She fourth-year Physical Therapy student. (which normally cost $10 per class) for was on bed rest for almost four years after Lauren’s knowledge of how the three months. Those who prefer personal the birth of her son Elijah, who needed body’s joints and muscles work together training can lock in a $50-per-session rate physical therapy. By fighting to get healthy has been a godsend for Christine Collins. by pre-purchasing the first five sessions, again and going on the journey of physical Christine says she has never felt better and if you auto renew, you can keep that therapy with Elijah (who is now 100-per- after workouts, after years of working with rate for the whole year. cent healthy), she was inspired to focus on many personal trainers. Lauren promises hands-on training the therapeutic effects of exercise. “I love that Lauren has a physical that you can’t find just anywhere. With a Bachelor of Science degree therapy background,’’ Christine says. “She “I’m not an instructor, I’m a guide,’’ from the University of South Florida in has helped me find some cool alternatives she says. “I don’t just look at myself in the mirror and have everybody exercise behind Tampa in Biomedical Science and Physics, to certain moves. More than any other Lauren was accepted into medical school trainer, she has truly customized my plan me,’’ Lauren says. “I modify and teach. I at USF but ended up not being able to to suit me.” love being able to help each person indiattend. She currently is attending Nova Christine drives from Lutz 3-4 days vidually, even in a group class.”

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a week to work out with Lauren at the brand new Heritage Isles exercise center, a drive she says is well worth it. “I was always told that the best personal trainers are in South Tampa, but who knew that one of the best ones was right here in my backyard?,” Christine asks. Lauren also teaches yoga at an after-school program at Academy at the Lakes in Land O’Lakes, and one of her classes at Heritage Isles is a chair yoga class, for people who may not be physically able to perform all of the moves on their feet. The ExerScience Center is located at 10630 Plantation Bay Dr., to the right of the golf clubhouse and next to the basketball courts. For more info, call or text Lauren at 464-0313, email info@TheExerScienceCenter.com or visit TheExerScienceCenter.com.

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Gary’s 2015 Favorites — Expanding Our Dining Area Boundaries! As I have every year for at least the last 20, on these next four pages are the restaurants I liked the most in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel in 2015. And, as always, my list again varies greatly from that of my readers, for two big reasons — I get the benefit of going after all (more than 600 readers submitted ballots this year; more than 1,000 last year)

of you, so: 1) I can sample new restaurants that didn’t open until after all of you submitted ballots, so I can include restaurants none of you knew existed or at least didn’t get to sample when you submitted your surveys, and 2) As the editor of and primary dining reviewer for my publications, I also have the luxury of being able to add restaurants

Gary’s Top 25

that aren’t located within the geographical/zip code boundaries of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel in my survey one year and then add those restaurants to your survey list the following year. This year, one new restaurant in particular actually perfectly fits both categories. Little Italy’s Family Restaurant, which even I didn’t know about until after

Oakley’s Grill

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse

Woodﬁred Pizza (E. Bearss Ave.)

Las Palmas Spanish Café

The Little Greek

Señor T’s Mexican Grill

Sushi Raw

Burger 21

Saffron Indian Cuisine

Vallarta’s (TP)

Fushia Asian Bistro

Petra Mediterranean

Sushi Café

24 Takara Sushi & Sake

Peabody’s Billiards & Games

Still serving great flame-grilled birgersburgers and perfect fries, plus my favorite roast beef au jus sandwich in New Tampa. See the ad on pg. 48!

I still love the cracker-thin-crusted pizzas with amazing toppings, unique salads and new entrées, plus craft beers & great, reasonably priced wines by the glass at Woodfired.

I really enjoy the gyros, Greek salads with a real Greek-style dressing and lamb, beef & chicken skewers at Little Greek. Always packed for lunch, it’s also a great value for dinner.

Cafe Olé Authentic Spanish Cuisine

Café Olé continues to reign as my first choice in New Tampa for authentic Spanish cuisine, plus always-fresh fish (you still can’t find a better buy than Café Olé’s flounder or grouper lunch special) with amazing sauces. And, with specials like the incredible bone-in ribeye steak pictured above with jumbo shrimp I can’t eat because of my shellfish allergy, and even crusty, freshly baked bread served with every meal, there really is no place in New Tampa that compares. See the ad on pg. 51!

Acropolis Greek Taverna

Although I don’t eat there as often as I used to, Acropolis is still one of New Tampa’s best for delicious lamb chops, fresh grouper and mahi-mahi entrées and a great variety of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean favorites.

Stonewood Grill & Tavern

Despite being a little pricy, Stonewood continues to be one of our area’s top choices for steaks, fish and more, and the service, especially in the popular bar area, is second to none in New Tampa.

Ciccio’s Cali

Although I still miss some of my old Ciccio & Tony’s favorites, Ciccio’s Cali’s menu is still filled with some of the best rice bowls and seared tuna entrées in our area, all at fair prices.

Sukhothai

Even though it’s a Thai place, Sukhothai’s sushi is a consistent winner and the Thai cuisine (amazing duck and ginger sauce) keeps Sukhothai near the top of my list every year. And of course, everyone loves the below-floor seating, too.

Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill

My favorite new restaurant (even without alcohol) in New Tampa for 2015 has amazing lamb chops, some of my favorite salads in the area and the best Mediterranean desserts anywhere.

Thai Ruby

Always just a notch below Sukhothai for me because it doesn’t have sushi, the elegant ambiance matches the food at Thai Ruby in Tampa Palms, which has my favorite crispy duck and Thai-style fried rice in New Tampa.

our Reader Survey ballots for this year’s contest were created in September, is now my #2 favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel, even though it actually is located on S.R. 54 in Lutz. In addition, Stage Left, which also is located outside of Wesley Chapel “proper” (near Little Italy’s), also has been added to my Wesley Chapel favorites (at #5).

It’s not a hibachi grill, but of all the great non-Thai sushi restaurants in New Tampa, Sushi Raw still has some of the freshest, most delicious and most creative sushi in town.

New Tampa’s favorite Indian restaurant has my favorite sizzling lamb chops, amazing vegetarian dishes and a delicious lunch buffet.

I don’t know if the karaoke side is successful or not, but Fushia still has my favorite spicy beef with chinese broccoli and New York-style fried rice in the New Tampa area.

Another great choice for fresh and creative sushi (including a huge selection of specialty rolls), Sushi Café also has very good hibachi fare, although it isn’t prepared tableside

The best wings and fries (in my opinion) in New Tampa, plus great NY-style pizza, burgers, sandwiches and even an excellent 10-oz. NY strip steak special.

I still feel it’s a little bit pricy, but Kobe does have very good teppanyaki fare as well as good sushi & a nice, separated sushi bar for those who don’t want to sit at a hot table.

Although there are plenty of places with good Cuban sandwiches, if you like truly authentic Cuban cuisine, Las Palmas is once again your only choice, especially for crispy merluza.

Actually, the newest Mexican restaurant in New Tampa also is the most upscale, with filet mignon, grilled ribeye steaks and the best mahi-mahi fajitas in town.

I really enjoy the thick, juicy burgers, thicker shakes, decadent cookies and even a tasty chicken parmigiana “burger.” It may never make #1 on my list, but Burger 21 is a hit.

The portions are huge and the prices are very fair (especially for the huge portions of fajitas). Vallarta’s attract crowds to Tampa Palms. See the ad on pg. 48!

It’s almost too casual for my taste, but I still love the beef shawarma platter, lamb and chicken gyros and the zesty salads and sides at Petra Mediterranean Express.

Yet another great, fresh sushi place which also features some very good Korean fare, Takara is another great place in a plaza loaded with very good and popular eateries.

Thai Orchid

I was so blown away by the delicious chicken with spicy Thai-style fried rice lunch special and crisp spring rolls at this new eatery in the former Pizzazzone locale that I added it to my top-25.

Gary’s Next 25 New Tampa Favorites (in alphabetical, not numerical, order)

Season’s Fresh Café Biagio’s II Hunter’s Green CC Soho Sushi Cantina Jersey Mike’s Subs Sushi Ko Cappy’s Pizza Lanna Thai Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill Liang’s Bistro Tampa Palms Golf & CC Casa Ramos Mr. Dunderbak’s Still the best value for your money in Liang’s is still my first choice for NY-style Taste of NY Pizza Five Guys Burgers/Fries Mulligan’s Irish Pub Japanese cuisine in New Tampa or Wesley egg rolls and BBQ spare ribs in New Toast Wine & Café Full Circle Pizza Olive Garden Chapel, especially for lunch! The sushi Tampa, plus great sautéed green beans WingZone (see pg. 50!) Hawkeye’s NYS Pizza Panera Bread is very good and the endless hibachi fare (order ‘em spicy) and even great fresh fish Ho King Pita’s Republic (plus beer, wine & sake) is a great combo! and variety of fried rice options. Ruby Hoosiers Grill Neighborhood News Tuesday @NTWCNews 42 For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

There is precedence for adding restaurants outside of our distribution areas. Back when I first started this thing two decades ago, our readers first started voting for the restaurants in the Palms Connection plaza on E. Bearss Ave., so I have always included the names of those restaurants on the surveys since we first started including the names of the mom-and-pop places a few years back. The most recent example was that I added Amici Pizza in the Grand Oaks Plaza (on S.R. 54 in Lutz) to my survey one year and yours the following year. My top 2015 newcomers in the New Tampa area were Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill (#7), Señor T’s (#20) and the

super-new Thai Orchid (#25). Other newcomers which made the WC list that actually are located in Wesley Chapel are Capital Tacos (in the former Café Fresco location on S.R. 56), which didn’t open until November but is already my #4 favorite restaurant in that area, and the new Chick & Peas Mediterranean Grill on S.R. 54, which also made my WC top-25. Restaurants that I didn’t include on my list because they closed after all of you had already voted include Dine or Dash in New Tampa and Ciao! Italian Bistro in Wesley Chapel. I liked both places, especially Dine or Dash, but at least I didn’t “waste” my vote for either one. — GN

Gary’s Top 25

Outback Steakhouse

CineBistro at The Grove

City Grill

Quail Hollow Country Club

GrillSmith

Wolf’s Den

OTB Café

Bonzai Sushi

Texas Roadhouse

Cody’s Roadhouse

La Prima Pizza

Kwan Ming Bistro

Fine Thai Express

The Tropic’s

Hibachi Express

Vallartas

Yamato Japanese Steakhouse

Chick & Peas Grill

Wesley Chapel’s recently remodeled Outback continues to keep the prices and portion sizes fair and both the steaks and the grilled lamb chops are well worth the cost.

It may have dropped a few spots on my list, but City Grill continues to offer great fresh fish and steaks, plus authentic French cuisine, live entertainment almost every night and non-mall drink prices. Also, see pg. 50!

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

Although others have passed it in my top10, OTB Café is still a great choice for fresh salads, one of the best all-natural burgers in our area and a recently revamped décor.

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.

Dempsey’s Steakhouse @ Saddlebrook Resort

Despite the beautiful-looking bone-in ribeye from Café Olé on the previous page, I still think the pricy Dempsey’s Steakhouse may have the best cowboy ribeye in the Tampa Bay area, as well as the best tableside Caesar salad, still-swimming fresh fish and among the best service you’ll find anywhere.

Little Italy’s

The highest-rated newcomer on my Wesley Chapel list, even though it’s actually located in Lutz, I had to expand our WC area a smidge to add the best spaghetti & meatballs and red sauce in our area to my list. See the ad on pg. 44!

Boneﬁsh Grill

With perhaps the best seared tuna appetizer outside of my own kitchen, plus always-changing fresh fish and even excellent steaks and service, Bonfish may be a chain, but it’s a really good one.

Capital Tacos

I can’t even believe it myself that I would rate any place with the word “Tacos” in its name this high, but so far, I have loved everything I’ve tried at the newest eatery in Wesley Chapel. Neighborhood News

Stage Left Kitchen & Bar

While it also isn’t located in Wesley Chapel proper, Stage Left is close enough to deserve consideration, especially with all of the new menu items announced on page 46 of this issue. And I love the nightly live entertainment, too.

900° Woodﬁred Pizza

Most love this Shops at Wiregrass staple for the fact is has both very good woodfired-crisp and NY-style pizza, but I love the pasta dishes and the very fair prices even more.

The Hungry Greek

With the best pricing points on very tasty Greek and Mediterranean fare, including the best gyro platterss in either of our distribution areas, there’s no misunderstanding as to why Hungry Greek rocks.

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

With the same owners as Thai Ruby in Tampa Palms, Fine Thai has the same delicious crispy duck without the elegant prices.

Still the best value in Japanese cuisine in our area, you can’t beat the hibach lunch and dinner specials or the sushi prices at Hibachi Express.

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.

Quail Hollow has dropped a few notches this year, but is still a very good restaurant, with tasty steaks, sandwiches and flatbreads, plus a full, premium liquor bar, all at very fair prices.

Under new ownership for almost a year, the revamped Wolf’s Den would finish higher if it brought back the best fried chicken in our area. Soon to be adding dinner, too.

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

Another appealing steak place with lots of free peanuts, Cody’s is another chain that I still occasionally enjoy. I’m kind of partial to the slow-roasted prime rib.

It’s never finished this high on my list, but my last few meals at Kwan Ming have been great, especially the combo fried rice.

Saddlebrook’s “other” fine restaurant, also a little pricy, even for the breakfast/ brunch buffet or I’d rate it higher. (Village Mkt.)

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

Yet another new entry in the Mediterranean cuisine proliferation in our area, with a great variety of kabobs and shawarma sandwiches, Chick & Peas Grill also has outstanding lunch prices.

Gary’s Next 25 Wesley Chapel Favorites (in alphabetical, not numerical order) 100 Montaditos Bagelicious & More Amici Pizza Burger Monger Cantina Laredo China Taste Dempsey’s Too @ Saddlebrook Resort Dolcé Gelato & Crepes

Don Pan Int’l. Bakery First Watch Gonna China Ho Wok Hot Wok 88 Jersey Mike’s Subs Ker’s WingHouse Lexington Oaks GC Meadow Pointe Café

PDQ Panera Bread PizzaMania Red Robin Sonny’s BBQ Taste of Boston Tokyo Grill/Sushi Woody’s Pizza & Wings

For @NTWCNews more of Gary’s For 2015 Favorites, pgs. •44-45! Advertising Information Callsee 813-910-2575 Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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 Kwan Ming Bistro Sushi Ko Hot Wok 88 Ho Wok Gonna China China Wok (WC Village Mkt) Ho King China Gourmet

Gary’s Favorite Restaurants in NT & WC

Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill

For hibachi and sushi at the best prices anywhere, you still can’t beat Koizi. But wow, we do have a lot of really good sushi places.

4 5

6 7

8 9

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

Sukhothai

Our list of Thai and Indian places grew by two, but Sukhothai is still my favorite, still just ahead of Thai Ruby.

Thai Ruby 3 Saffron Indian Cuisine 4 Fine Thai Express 5 Thai Orchid 6 Lanna Thai 7 Top Thai 2

Gary’s Favorite

Restaurants in NT & WC

La Prima Pizza

Still the toughest of all the categories for me, with all of the good NY-style places, as well as very good Chicago and woodfired options in both of our distribution areas, but La Prima & NY NY are still 1-2 to me.

NY NY Pizza 3 900º Woodﬁred Pizza 4 Best NY Pizza 5 Woodﬁred Pizza (Bearss) 6 Amici Pizza 7 Taste of NY Pizza 8 Peabody’s Billiards 9 Full Circle Pizza 10 Cappy’s Pizza 11 Ciccio’s Cali 12 Westshore Pizza 13 Biagio’s II 14 Hawkeye’s NYS Pizza 15 Woody’s Pizza & Wings 2

Oakley’s Grille

Oakley’s is still #1, but thanks to our former GM Nikki Bennett, I gave Sonny’s flame-grilled burgers another try & have now moved them up to #2.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Sonny’s BBQ OTB Café Stage Left Burger 21 Peabody’s Billiards Five Guys Burger Monger Red Robin Hunter’s Green CC

Gary’s Favorite Restaurants in NT & WC

Café Olé

My favorite restaurant in New Tampa is still my favorite Latin place in our area, but I do enjoy all of the places on this list, including the newby at #3.

4 5

6 7

Las Palmas Spanish Café Señor T’s Cantina Laredo Vallarta’s (WC) Cantina Vallarta’s (TP)

Casa Ramos 9 Latin Twist Café 10 Don Pan Int’l Bakery 8

• Sicilian-Style Pizza • Calzones • Grindas • Pastas • Burgers • Sandwiches • Salads • And More!

Acropolis Greek Taverna

Our other fastest-growing segment (along with Mexican), I actually really enjoy all of these places.

4 5

6 7

Zaytoun Mediterranean Hungry Greek The Little Greek Petra Mediterranean Chick & Peas Grill Pita’s Republic

Gary’s Favorite in NT & WC

Stage Left

Long live the new #1. Great drink prices on super-premium adult beverages and outstanding entertainment (see story on pg. 46!).

4 5

6 7

8 9

10 11 12

14 15

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

“Homemade, Authentic Italian Food Like Mama Used to Make!”

• Dine-in • Take-out

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We serve the best cannolis in town!

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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 Boneﬁsh Grill Hungry Greek City Grill Wolf’s Den

Stonemill Artisan Bakery

Still not a good category for our area, but when you include freshly baked cookies & brownies, here’s my faves.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Gary’s Favorite

in NT & WC

Tropic’s @ Saddlebrook I drink less coffee out now than I once did, but I do love a good cup of Joe at these and other fine establishments.

4 5

6 7

8 9

Season’s Fresh Café Toast Wine & Café OTB Café GrillSmith Barnie’s Coffee Zaytoun Mediterranean Stonemill Artisan Bakery Panera Bread Starbuck’s (Wiregrass)

Neighborhood News

Café 365 Panera Bread Publix Don Pan Int’l. Bakery Sprinkles Ice Cream Happy Cow Yogurt Burger 21 Starbucks (Wiregrass) 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 Sprinkles Ice Cream Baskin Robbins Twistee Treat Dolcé Gelato & Crepes Café 365 Happy Cow La Berry Yogurt Little Italy’s (cannolis!)

Gary’s Favorite

Restaurants in NT & WC

Little Italy’s Family Rest.

More than just the best spaghetti & meatballs in town. Try the linguine with white clams and butter. Mangia!

4 5

6 7

8 9

Ciccio’s Cali Best NY Pizza GrillSmith PizzaMania La Prima Pizza Full Circle Pizza Stonewood Grill Biagio’s II Amici Pizza

@NTWCNews

Boneﬁsh Grill

I don’t promote many national/ regional chains, but those on this list are most of 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 Five Guys 100 Montaditos

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 Sonny’s BBQ McDonald’s Wolf’s Den GrillSmith City Grill Burger 21 Burger Monger

Gary’s Favorite

Steak

in NT & WC

Dempsey’s Steakhouse

This is the first time I’ve had this category for a while, but we really do have some great options for steak.

Café Olé 3 The Tropic’s @ Saddlebrook 2

4 Stonewood Grill & Tavern 5

6 7

8 9

Tampa Palms G&CC Texas Roadhouse City Grill Yamato Japanese Stkhs Cody’s Roadhouse Quail Hollow CC Kobe Japanese Stkhs

12 (tie) Koizi & Peabody’s

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Stage Left Celebrates One Year In Business With New Menu Items!

Steak Teriyaki Rice Bowl

By Gary Nager

HAVE now known Stage Left Bar & Kitchen owners (and New Tampa residents) Brian and Isabelle Dunleavy for several years, but it was maybe a year-and-ahalf ago when I stopped in at what was then a construction site at the Eagle Plaza on S.R. 54 in Lutz (only about two miles west of the new Tampa Premium Outlets mall). I remember thanking my friends for planning to open the closest non-chain, real restaurant to my apartment (even though I actually live a little closer to the restaurants in the Shops at Wiregrass mall) and excitedly asking to see the menu. “It’s a work in progress,” Brian said. “We know what we want to do and what kind of food we want to serve, but there’s a lot of trial-and-error, seeing what people like and what they don’t. We have to be able to adapt the food to what our customers want.” So, a little more than a year after opening and a little more than a month after finally

hosting a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 1, the Stage Left menu, which started with three delicious soups and vegetarian-based dishes that you could add a variety of proteins (steak, chicken and fish) to, has now added some heartier “comfort foods” to go with the from-Day-One live entertainment five nights a week that Isabelle and Brian have always been proud to bring to the Stage Left stage. “We keep adding new musical groups and bringing back the ones that are the most popular,” says Isabelle. “But, we’ve really been working on the menu.” In fact, some of the items pictured here (and a few others) are so new, they still weren’t on Stage Left’s menu when we went to press. “But, the new menus should be here by the time your story comes out,” says “Izzy” (as Brian likes to call her). So, if you haven’t yet tried any of Stage Left’s new rice bowls, with either marinated, grilled flank steak teriyaki (with grilled pineapple, which I didn’t think I would like, but it works), grilled red snapper (or whatever fish

is available fresh that day) or grilled chicken, take a look at the pics on these two pages and tell me your mouth isn’t watering. There’s also a great new bacon, lettuce & tomato sandwich, Brian’s new favorite, the homemade, perfectly-pressed Cuban sandwich and Isabelle’s new fave, the snapper/fresh fish of the day tacos. I can’t tell you exactly what’s in the creamy sauces served with the grilled chicken bowl and snapper tacos (because the menu wasn’t printed yet, lol), but they’re both truly outstanding. But, perhaps my favorite new item is the perfectly fire-grilled cheeseburger. It’s thick, juicy and, like all of the sandwich offerings, comes with crispy kettle chips and homemade cole slaw. “We’re still all about fresh, casual dining,” Isabelle says proudly. “We just have had a lot of requests for burgers and more steak and fish dishes and so far, everyone who’s tried these items as ‘blackboard specials’ has given us great feedback on them.” And, although I simply can’t eat smoked foods, I also hear customers raving about the

Isabelle & Brian Dunleavy

different new smoked items, especially the new pulled pork sandwich. Try it and let me (and Brian and Isabelle) know what you think. I also appreciate that although the Dunleavys have added a second TV to the main dining area, Stage Left still more music venue than sports bar. And, with Brian always asking his customers what liquid refreshments they prefer, he is constantly updating his stock and always charges way less for super-premium brands than anyplace at the mall, all still in a smoke-free environment. I spend a lot of time at my fifth favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel (see page 42), including every Wednesday at noon with my Wesley Chapel Noon Rotary Club, so I’m glad Stage Left is still under the same great ownership, but new management. “We’re back to our Stage Left standards and that personal touch,” Isabelle says. For more info, see the ad on pg. 44, visit Facebook.com/StageLeftTampa, stop in at 24400 S.R. 54, Lutz, or call 9494334. Stage Left also has a an events room available to host private functions.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Wesley Chapel Chamber Ribbon Cutting (Dec. 1)

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

Andrew Krance, ‘Living Master Of Fine Arts’

should visit my friend Andrew Krance’s website, KranceContemporaryPaintings.com, to check out the work of a prolific “true artiste” who channels everyone from Van Gogh to Picasso and much more. If you ever visited Andrew’s Wesley Chapel residence, as I did recently, you’d realize just how much beautiful work the guy churns out and I’m betting you’ll find something you like, whether to give as a gift to someone you love or for your own home or office. Although we’d never met until he started hanging out (and adorning the walls with his work) at City Grill (see below), Krance spent a lot of time in “Lawn Guyland, New Yawk” and the Big Apple itself around the same time I lived in those areas, and there was something familiar about him and his work when we met. I think you’ll feel the same if you meet and commission him to create something impressive for you. For more information, call 9940008, or see the ad on the next page.

If you’re looking for a great piece of original art (like the cool fish creation, above) to give as a holiday gift, or you want to commission a living Master of Fine Arts to create something unique just for you, you

City Grill Hires New Chef

Just one of the ongoing issues I have with the local TV news is that whenever a local station airs a so-called “Dirty Dining” segment, they always tell you about how the

Board of Health shut down a place — but even if the closing was only for a single day, and the owner of the restaurant resolved whatever the issues were to the satisfaction of the same agency that shut it down — you almost never seem to see a follow-up story by the same station saying that the issues were resolved. As the owner and editor of the primary source of news and dining information for New Tampa and Wesley Chapel since 1994, I have always tried to promote local businesses, especially mom-and-pop restaurants like City Grill (located at 5429 Wesley Chapel Village Market). But sometimes, those restaurants, even if they were great at one time, can stray from what made them popular in the first place. In those cases, whether those restaurants do business with me or not, I feel it’s better for me to have a heart-to-heart with the restaurant’s owner than it is to tell 100,000+ of my closest friends (readers). I therefore just wanted to say, on behalf of City Grill owner Eth (he goes by Eric) Thueltrouve, that his “Sports Bar with the (authentic) French Twist” has a great new chef and that both he and Chef Ross invite anyone who has a concern to inspect the

kitchen (as I did recently) at City Grill and enjoy a great meal, as well as Wesley Chapel’s best lineup of nightly entertainment. For more info, call 973-9988 or visit Facebook.com/CityGrillWesleyChapel.

A Frenetic 10 Days For The Wesley Chapel Chamber!

I love it when almost every event hosted by my friends at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) involves an advertiser of ours. Such was the case beginning December 1, when the WCCC cut a ribbon with my buddies Brian and Isabelle Dunleavy at Stage Left Kitchen & Bar (24400 S.R. 54, Lutz; see the ad on pg. 44 of this issue & the story on page 46); followed by a ribbon cutting at Florida Pain Medicine (see photo #1 on the next pg. or the ad on pg. 18) on December 2; an Open House & live Botox demonstration at Generations OBGYN (GenerationsOBG.com; photo #2 on next pg.) on December 3; a ribbon cutting at the new Johnny Rockets at the Tampa Premium Outlets mall (JohnnyRockets. com; photo #3) on December 5; and a free holiday mixer with our friends at the Legacy at Highwoods Preserve Assisted Living

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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, and sod replacement. Free estimates. Licensed and Insured. We are an Owner/Operator Company built on service and trust. References available. For more info, call (813) 4584778. HOMETEAM LAWNCARE LLC: High-Quality Professional Services: Weekly or Bi-Weekly Year-Round Full-Svc LawnCare: mow, edge, trim, blow, mulchbed maintenance, hedge and low-tree trim. Additional Services: Sod, Mulch, & Rock Placement; Hedge Trimming, & Tree Trimming up to 24 feet; Landscape Installation; Fall/Spring Clean-Up. Family Owned & Operated, Licensed & Insured, Background Checked, Call or Text (813) 817-9554

POOL SERVICES

MONSTER POOL - Summer Special TRANQUILITY POOLCLEANING SERVICE New Tampa owned 50% off Great your 1st twowith months of service. Family &—operated. Pricing outstanding customer owned LICENSED, & operated. BONDED 20+ Years&ofINSURED. Experience. service! SeeComwhy petitive rates! Same#1 service tech we are New Tampa’s Choice!! Calleach Chrisweek. Today*Our @ 15-pt. weekly full service will keep your pool looking (813)857-5400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com great! Refer a customer & get ONE MONTH FREE! New customers get ONE MONTH FREE! Call Today - (813) 489-9967. ALL-STAR POOL SERVICE & REPAIR Expert repairs and installations of pumps, motors, ﬁlters, timers, salt and ozone generators. Pool reﬁnishing from $2,400. Tile repair and acid washes, paver and river rock sealing, pressure washing and deck repair, paver and eurocote decks. Mention this ad and receive 1 FREE MONTH Pool Service. Call or text 813-244-7077. See our display ad.

ERRANDS & PERSONAL SVCS 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.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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 813-994-9449. IN YOUR HOME CAT SITTING OR IN MY HOME DOG SITTING. Fifteen-year Pet Care Industry Veteran, Pet First Aid Instructor, Licensed, Insured, and Bonded. Justaskjulie.com/Petfirstaidandcpr.com/813-892-9543.

EDUCATION / BABYSITTING 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. #CO6PA0267

DALE’S HOME MAINTENANCE Pressure washing, screen repairs, garage cleaning and organizing, shelving, re-grout tile and caulking, and more. 813-727-2582. 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 and walkways/roofs - Gutter and downspouts. Find your happiness in a fresh, bright clean home. Your neighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed. Licensed and 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.

Not getting the calls you know your business deserves?

RAYMOND PAINTING Exterior & Interior Services. Exterior: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, rooﬁng, leaks & wood rot repair. Interior: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall repairs & tiles. Licensed & Bonded. References avail. Free estimates. Your Neighborhood Arbor Greene Resident! We work 7 days. Call 994-5124.

Our Classified Ads are the ones your neighbors actually READ!

WEST COAST FLOORING, INC. Carpet and Laminate Flooring. Quality repairs on all ﬂoors. Commercial Flooring Install. Licensed and Insured. Free Estimate, Call (813)-215-4817

Call (813) 910-2575 to order your Classified or Display Ad today!

TAMPA HARDWOOD INSTALLERS We take pride in installing your new hardwood or laminate flooring. We can install any hardwood flooring you have purchased, or we can bring an assortment of flooring samples that best fit your flooring needs. Free estimates! Call 813690-4789 or check us out on the web at www.TampaHardwoodInstallers.com. Licensed and Insured.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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CLEANING SERVICES B CLEANING SERVICES: Over fourteen years experience! Commercial & residential; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & post construction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in or move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates; References available. Call today: 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE We have our own supplies and more than 300 clients in New Tampa! For more info, Call 758-9710. M & Y CLEANING SERVICES Residential & Commercial cleaning. Complete cleaning: Dusting, vacuuming, mopping, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living rooms and more. Weekly, Bi- weekly, monthly, one time cleaning. References available. 8 years of cleaning experience. We clean your properties like our own. Call TODAY for a FREE estimate. Mila (813) 516-3554.

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 send an email to Wsica@wsica.com today!

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

FREE THE NEAT & TIDY PROFESSIONAL ESTIMATES

Thanks to all our customers for a prosperous 2015.

Helping you preserve your largest asset...YOUR HOME 21 Years Experience • Interior/Exterior HUNDREDS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS No Subcontractors • Owner/Operated Licensed, Bonded & Insured • References Available

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Pasco LP-09362 • Hillsborough PA2854

Call K.T. Topash

(owner/painter)

813.780.2511

Expires 1/31/16.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Firefighter Museum Exhibit Golden For Freedom High Girl Scout By Celeste McLaughlin

Jennifer Guggemos is a junior at Freedom High working toward the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive, known as the Gold Award. To earn this prestigious award, the young member of the Sunset Scouts Troop 795 (which has been meeting at the McDonald’s in Tampa Palms for eight years) must dedicate at least 80 hours to a project that provides a “lasting, sustainable benefit” to her community. So, Guggemos is teaming up with Tampa Fire Rescue (TFR) District Chief Susan Tamme to create a museum exhibit called “Women of TFR,” to show girls the career paths available to them in the fire department, and to honor the women who serve Tampa in this capacity. Tamme oversees five fire stations, including New Tampa’s three stations (TFR Station Nos. 20, 21, and 22). She has worked for TFR for more than 20 years. Nearly two years ago, she became the first and remains the only female fire chief in the history of the department. “It’s a fantastic career,” says Tamme, who cites the schedule (one day working, then two days off), the “stable, consistent” pay, the camaraderie of the firefighting “family” and the rewards of helping people as reasons why she would encourage her own daughter — and other girls like her — to consider a career with the fire department. “It’s not just running into burning

Local Girl Scout and Freedom High junior Jennifer Guggemos (left) has teamed up with Tampa Fire Rescue District Chief Susan Tamme as Guggemos tries to earn a prestigious Gold Award. ing emergency situations. buildings,” Tamme explains. The museum display will highlight Tamme says she’s excited to partner 10 different career opportunities availwith the Girl Scouts for this project, hopable, including fire prevention (inspecing that the partnership will allow many tors), emergency medical services, and girls to come through the museum, see even tactical medical response teams to the display, and learn about the career support police operations. opportunities available to them. “If someone is interested in business Tamme has already reached one or management, they can work toward young woman with her message — Guga career as an officer, like my job,” says gemos herself, who says she had no idea Tamme. “I now manage 50 people.” so many different career paths were availGuggemos teamed up with Tamme able at the fire department. “I’ve learned a lot,” says Guggeafter working with the fire department on an earlier service project. To earn her mos. “I’ve really enjoyed being around Silver Award, Guggemos collected more firefighters and it’s so cool to see what they do.” than 1,200 stuffed animals for the fire She says the female firefighters she’s department to provide to children dur-

spoken with often tell her their stories, and there’s one she’s heard that is particularly inspiring. “People told me I couldn’t do it,” Guggemos says one female firefighter told her. “But, here I am.” Guggemos says she is learning leadership skills as she works with three different committees to put this exhibit together. The museum display is expected to open in March, which is widely recognized as Women’s History Month. It will be part of the Tampa Firefighters Museum, located at 720 E. Zack St. in downtown Tampa. Guggemos and Tamme are currently raising funds to make their plans a reality. The Tampa Firefighters Museum has agreed to match whatever funding is raised for the project, which Tamme estimates could cost $15,000. It will include an artistic display with photographs and videos about each of the 10 different careers available within the Tampa Fire Department. It also will include brochures to be available to museum visitors. For information about the Tampa Firefighters Museum, visit TampaFireMuseum.com. To learn more about supporting the fund-raising efforts for the “Women in Tampa Fire Rescue” museum display, contact Guggemos at TampaFireExhibit.GoldAward@ yahoo.com.

HAVE MEDICARE WITH & WITHOUT MEDICAID?

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Walk-Ins Welcome • Se Habla Español

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$85 /Visit Exclusions apply. Exp: 1/31/16

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COMPLETE PRIMARY/URGENT CARE Guggemos is joined in this pic by several women whose jobs will be featured in the museum exhibit. 2304 E. FLETCHER AVE., TAMPA, FL 33612

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 1 • January 1, 2016 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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