09-10 NTNN 1-60 web by Neighborhood News

Volume 18 Issue 9

Inside:

Broadway Comes Back To Tampa! See Neighborhood Magazine!

April 24, 2010

The Direct-Mail Newspaper Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993! THIS INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IS DIRECTLY MAILED TO: NEW TAMPA: Arbor Greene • Cory Lake Isles • Cross Creek • Grand Hampton • Heritage Isles • Hunter’s Green • Hunter’s Key • K-Bar Ranch • Lake Forest • Live Oak Preserve • Pebble Creek • Richmond Place • Tampa Palms • West Meadows WESLEY CHAPEL: Aberdeen • Belle Chase • Brookside • Chapel Pines • Country Walk • Lexington Oaks • Meadow Pointe • New River • Northwood • Pinewalk • Pine Ridge • Saddlebrook • Saddleridge Estates • Saddlewood • Seven Oaks • Lakes at Northwood • The Villages of Wesley Chapel • Wesley Pointe • Westbrook Estates • Williamsburg

Former Wharton Star A Hero On & Off The Court For Butler By Joshua Litton As my father, brother and I finished loading up the truck and pulled out of our New Tampa home on our way to Indianapolis for the NCAA Final Four, I began to reflect on all of the lessons my brother Shawn Vanzant almost inadvertently had taught me. Shawn, who is now a junior point guard for Butler University in Indiana, joined our family back in 2006 after his father had fallen ill. My family had just moved to Tampa from Winter Springs, FL, and my younger brother, Zach, was a freshman on Wharton’s junior varsity team when he met Shawn. Coach Tommy Tonelli had developed a system whereby veteran players would mentor incoming players and the two were paired together. Over the course of the 2005-06 season, Zach and Shawn became very close. When my parents were contacted by Coach Tonelli regarding Shawn’s

job and my questionable class schedule, parental status, so we drove all they agreed to through the the temporary night. One by arrangement one, we passed because of the Atlanta, Chatfriendship tanooga, Shawn and Nashville and Zach had then Louisville. developed. Then, at 9 a.m. Not long the next mornthereafter, that ing, we had “temporary” Shawn Vanzant (third from left), with his finally arrived at situation extended family (l.-r.): Chase, Lisa, Zach, our hotel, locatturned permaJeff and Joshua Litton. ed 20 miles nent and a south of Indianapolis. friendship blossomed into a brotherThe road trip pretty much mirhood. Suddenly, Zach, Chase and I had another brother. Whether it was a 2-on- rored the journey Shawn had overcome. By no means does it compare to 2 game of Nerf basketball or watching the hardships he had to endure to get movies together, Shawn became one of where he is today, but it definitely the boys. demonstrated the power of family. Our 16-hour road trip to Indy When Butler beat Kansas State 63began promptly at 6 p.m. We couldn’t 56 in the NCAA Regional Final game leave any earlier because of my dad’s

the week before, we realized that the Bulldogs were headed to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in school history. My family also knew that, one way or another, we would be at the game for Shawn. No matter what it took, no matter how far we had to drive, we would be there. This mentality was at least partially derived from the unselfishness Shawn has demonstrated since we took him in. He has never once complained about the cards he has been dealt and has overcome every obstacle placed before him. He has never wilted in the presence of adversity. When Shawn signed his letter of intent during his senior year at Wharton to play for Butler, he knew he would be playing most of his games in Indianapolis. But, what he didn’t know was that two of those games would be just miles south of the Bulldogs’ Hinkle Fieldhouse at Lucas-Oil Stadium for the See “Vanzant” on page 38.

EPC Board Sends Bridge Lawsuit Back For A Second Hearing

NEIGHBORHOOD MAGAZINE!

An Update On Segment A Of The BBD Widening, A Way To Give Your Kids The Academic Edge & Wharton High’s Best Buddies Program!

Saddlebrook Resort Hosts ‘Broadway Comes To Tampa’ (And, While You’re There, Try Out The New Tropics Menu), Big Burritos At Machismo & Much More!

See pages 3-46!

See pages 47-60!

ECRWSS

LOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS, SPORTS & EDUCATION

appointed by the EPC and, earlier this year, he ruled that the appeal was without merit and that the project should be allowed to more forward. However, it is the EPC Board that makes the final decision in such cases and, after hearing testimony from a halfdozen concerned residents from both communities, the EPC Board voted unanimously, 4-0 (commissioners Rose Ferlita, Mark Sharpe and Jim Norman were absent from the meeting), that the case should be re-heard. “This (bridge) is going to be a tremendous impact to our community,” See “Bridge” on page 15.

Postal Customer

Also Inside This Issue!

hoods, endanger pedestrians, cause noise and air pollution and disrupt their quality of life. City officials, on the other hand, contend that the bridge is a necessary component of the planned transportation system for the New Tampa area, and further, that they are required to build it because it was paid for, at least in part, by developers who were required to contribute money for the local road network in their development agreements with the city. In 2008, the EPC issued a permit to the city allowing the removal of a small patch of wetlands in West Meadows as part of the construction of the bridge, but West Meadows resident Evelyn Romano filed an appeal of that permit last year. The appeal was presided over by a hearing officer

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA FL PERMIT 2801

The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), acting as the Board of the county’s Environmental Protection Commission (EPC), voted April 15 for the lawsuit that was filed by a West Meadows resident against the City of Tampa’s proposed bridge over I-75 to be sent back

for another hearing, rejecting the previous hearing officer’s order allowing the project to move forward. The bridge, which would link New Tampa Blvd. in West Meadows with Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms, has long been a sore point for many residents of both communities, who say that if it is built, it will bring large volumes of traffic into their neighbor-

Dated Material Please Rush!

By Michael Smith

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The Things We Do For Our Families! Long-time readers of this publication know how much I love my job, even though there are times when I find it challenging to juggle my business, family and personal lives when I'm on deadline with a New Tampa issue. For example, I am writing this editorial from the Marriott Pittsburgh Airport hotel sometime around midnight on Saturday, April 17. I was in the Steel City all week watching my son Jake and his buddy Jake Kools play for Team Florida in the “America's Showcase” High School Ice Hockey tournament, where scouts from college and Junior ice hockey programs checked out the action and offered opportunities for high school players from across the country to play at the next level. It was an awesome week, as Team Florida, composed primarily of kids from South Florida, with a few kids from the Tampa Bay area on the 20man roster, finished the tourney with a win, a loss and two ties. And, although it didn’t advance to the quarterfinals, Team Florida was never embarrassed (the one loss was by a single goal to Team Indiana) and both Jakes were approached by at least three Junior scouts each. (Note-Since there is an extremely limited number of college hockey teams, Junior programs allow their players to attend any college while continuing to play competitive hockey; many of today’s NHL players played Juniors.)

An editorial by Gary Nager Jake Kools’ father Joe and I were excited to see our kids compete against the best players from Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Washington state, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Alaska and to consider the possibilities of our sons continuing to play hockey nat a high level, regardless of where they end up going to college. I knew going in that I wasn't going to be able to spend too much time with Jake, who had a nightly curfew and stayed at a separate hotel with his team from me and the rest of the Team Florida parents. Even so, I wanted to be there -- and not just because there were no guarantees that this wouldn't be the last time I'd see my son play a sport competitively. There's no doubt that being nearly 1,000 miles from home during a New Tampa deadline week did not make things any easier for me or my staff. I had to write my stories, send them over the internet and read my corrections over the phone to the 60 pages in this issue to my art director Tony Sica and managing editor Michael Smith. We all worked into the wee hours of Saturday night as it became Sunday morning in order to get this issue to the printer on time before I was able to get on a plane back to Tampa Sunday afternoon. I have to thank them both again for their dedication to their jobs. Thankfully, my hotel had a 24hour business center that allowed me to print out the pages and edit them the

New Tampa Neighborhood News

Table of Contents

15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647 Phone: (813) 910-2575 Fax: 910-2483

Adv. E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Editorial E-mail: NTNNEdit@yahoo.com

Publisher & Editor Gary Nager Managing Editor Michael Smith Correspondent Melissa O’Brien

Art Director Billing Manager Tony Sica Ashley Knoblach Advertising Customer Service Managers David Zacharia • Nikki Bennett Office & Marketing Assistant

Karen Glenn 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 18, Issue 11, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Friday, April 30, 2010. 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, not for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. © 2010 JM2 Communications, Inc.

old-fashioned way — by hand. Pittsburgh is a cool (make that COLD) city with nice restaurants, a fun downtown area and of course, it's also a great sports town. In fact, Jake and I got to see first-hand how fanatic the locals are about their defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins, who hosted the first two games of their opening round playoff series against the Ottawa Senators while we were in town. But, despite the fun we all had and the challenges my stay in Pittsburgh presented for me professionally, the most difficult thing about the visit was that I knew up front that I was

going to miss the Taste of New Tampa for the first time in at least a decade. Like my recently departed friend Frank Margarella, I have always felt a sense of ownership of the Taste, having helped as much as I could again this year (as I have every year since 1994) to get restaurants committed to participating in New Tampa's best-attended singleday event, so missing the Taste was particularly hard for me. I congratulate the two Jakes and Team Florida and I enjoyed getting to be on-hand to watch the festivities all week, but I hope to not have to miss the Taste again next year.

LOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS & SPORTS UPDATES...............................................Pages 1-31 Bridge (cont. from page 1)..........................................6 New Tampa News Briefs........................................8 Skeletal Remains Found On I-75 Identified, Gas Station Robbed At Gunpoint, Home Burglarized In Midday, Local Woman Killed In Accident, Fire Threatens Apartment Complex, Pharmacy Holdup Suspect Caught On Video County Considering Options For BBD...............10-11 Mayor Iorio Delivers ‘State Of The City’ Address......12 New Tampa Community Calendar..................14-15 New Tampa Chamber Of Commerce News..........16

New Tampa Business News.....................18-28 Academic Edge Learning Center..........................18-19 Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Heart Institute.........22-23 Dr. Albert Boholst, DMD....................................26-27 You Do The Dishes....................................................28

New Tampa Education News..................32-35

WHS Program Creates ‘Best Buddies’.......................32 Education Briefs..................................................35

New Tampa Sports Updates...................38-43 Vanzant (cont. from page 1).....................................38 New Tampa Sports Briefs....................................40 New Freedom Coach Plans To Build Patriot Pride...43

Neighborhood Magazine

Broadway Comes Back To Tampa.................................47 Saddlebrook’s Tropics Menu Gets A Makeover.............50 Neighborhood Nibbles..............................................53 Are You Macho Enough For Machismo?..............54-55

NEW TAMPA COLOR CLASSFIEDS...............58

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

“Bridge”

Continued from page 1 said West Meadows resident Brad Van Rooyen, who told the commissioners that he is the president of the homeowners association of The Promenade, a neighborhood that he said is directly adjacent to where the bridge is planned to be built. “This bridge is going to be built in a very small area that is one of the few remaining wetlands in our community,” Van Rooyen said. “It’s one of the few places you can take your children to see deer and wild pigs and coyotes walking around in the evening. I bought into this community because of the environment...and a part of that is going to be taken away from us. So, as a representative of the community, I strongly encourage you to reconsider this order today.” Van Rooyen and several of the other residents who spoke also told the commissioners that if the hearing had not been held in the middle of a weekday, there would have been many more residents there to voice their opposition to the project. That point, and the fact that the hearings and the appeals process were carried out without the public being noticed, to give them an opportunity to participate in the process, seemed to be

a major concern for Commissioner Kevin White. “I think the city should have been more proactive, knowing that this was going through such a major neighborhood and should have publicly noticed the community to begin with to avoid where we are here today,” White said. With that, White moved that the case be remanded back for another hearing, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Ken Hagan, a former New Tampa resident whose parents live in West Meadows. “I know first-hand the problems associated with this road and how it negatively affects your community,” Hagan said, noting that his parents actually signed a petition opposing the project back in 2008. He seconded White’s motion, and Board chairman Al Higginbotham and Kevin Beckner followed suit. The decision was a victory for Tampa Palms resident Warren Dixon, who represented Romano in the appeals process. Dixon says he hopes that the new hearing will give him the chance to introduce some of the evidence that was excluded the first time around. He says that the new hearing date has not been set yet, because it will be determined by the hearing officer who is assigned to the case. We will keep you posted as new developments occur.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

N EW T AMPA Investigation Shows Woman Who Was Found On I-75 Was Murdered

Investigators with the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office have determined that the woman whose remains were found alongside I75 last month was murdered. As we told you in our last issue, the skeletal remains were found on March 16 by a pair of travelers who happened to stop on the side of the interstate Lisa Ann just north of the Bruce Mowrey B. Downs Blvd. interchange after experiencing car trouble. Although the identity of the body initially was a mystery, the remains were eventually identified as those of a Tampa resident, Lisa Ann Mowrey, who was 18 years old when she was reported missing by her family in February 2004. A TPD spokesperson said that Mowrey was last seen when she left home on the morning of February 6, 2004, to attend classes at a local beauty college. Mowrey’s identity was confirmed through dental records and, on April 8, the Medical Examiner’s Office issued an official death certificate where the cause of her death was given as “homicidal violence to include head trauma.” The investigation is continuing.

Cross Creek Gas Station Robbed At Gunpoint

It was no April Fool’s Day joke when an armed suspect held up the BP gas station at 10865 Cross Creek Blvd. April 1, but fortunately no one was injured in the incident. According to a Tampa Police Department (TPD) report, the suspect, who was described as a heavyset black male, entered the gas station/convenience store at around 12:30 a.m., wearing black clothing, including a long-sleeve black hooded sweatshirt, red-and-white Nike sneakers and a white mask, and carrying a black semiautomatic handgun. The report says that after being given cash from the store’s registers, the suspect fled from the store, at which time the clerk activated the store’s alarm. However, there was no video of the robbery. Although a number of units from TPD and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the scene, including Air Service and K9 officers, the trail went cold a short dis-

News Briefs tance from the store, where the suspect apparently escaped on a bicycle. Nearby apartment complexes were searched, but the suspect managed to elude capture. Anyone who may have seen the suspect or who has any information about this crime is asked to call TPD or the Hillsborough County Crime Stoppers tip line at (800) 873-TIPS.

Tampa Palms Home Burglarized In Midday

A home in the Ashington Estates subdivision in Tampa Palms was burglarized in broad daylight on March 31, with the suspect(s) escaping with thousands of dollars in property. A Tampa Police Department (TPD) report says that the burglary took place between 10:15 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The burglar(s) first got into the screened pool enclosure in the rear of the home and then broke a window to get inside the house itself. Once inside, the suspects ransacked the house and made off with property valued at more than $4,000, including jewelry and a pair of laptop computers. The report states that the home does have an alarm system, but the residents told investigators that they forgot to activate the alarm when they left that morning. A witness reported seeing a red, older model four-door vehicle parked in the driveway of the home during the time the burglary took place, but was unable to provide a description of the vehicle’s occupants because it had dark tinted windows. Anyone who may have seen anything or who has any information about this crime is asked to call TPD or the Hillsborough County Crime Stoppers tip line at (800) 873-TIPS.

Wesley Chapel Woman Dies In Interstate Accident

No other vehicles were involved, and toxicology studies are being performed to determine if alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Fire Threatens Tampa Palms Apartment Complex

Investigators say that a brush fire that broke out in a wooded area adjacent to a Tampa Palms apartment complex was apparently started by someone, but the fire was quickly brought under control. No injuries were reported and none of the buildings in the complex were damaged. “The fire officer in charge of the scene stated the flames were in the woods only 40 or 50 feet away from the apartments, and in a few more moments the fire would have quickly spread along the tree line and would have been threatening the apartment buildings,” TFR spokesman Capt. Bill Wade said in a press release. The fire was first reported at 7:30 p.m. on April 7, when firefighters from TFR Station #21 on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. were deployed to a densely wooded area near 15419 Plantation Oaks Dr. in the Camden Live Oaks apartment complex on Amberly Dr. When they reached the scene, the firefighters found a small but rapidly growing fire and quickly called for assistance in battling the flames. Wade says that an estimated 26 units responded to the scene, and the fire was brought under control within 20 minutes. Wade added that the fire could have been much worse than it was, however, because the wooded area comes very close to the apartment buildings, and the ground was covered with dry leaves that helped to fuel the flames. He said that the exact cause of the fire is undetermined, but it seems likely that it was the result of an act of a person because there were no natural causes in the area. ”The fire may have started from something as simple as a dropped ciga-

rette that was left to smolder,” Wade says, but, at this time there is no evidence to indicate this fire was intentionally set.” Firefighters spoke with several residents and cautioned them to be wary of anyone smoking or of suspicious persons loitering in the wooded area, and they were advised to call the police or apartment management if they see anything out of the ordinary.

CVS Holdup Suspect Caught On Videotape

Hoping that someone will be able to identify the suspect, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) has released video from an armed robbery that occurred at a CVS pharmacy in Wesley Chapel. According to PCSO spokesman Doug Tobin, the robbery took place between 4:29 p.m.-4:35 p.m. on April 3, at the CVS store located at 30050 County Line Rd. in the Meadow Pointe subdivision. The video shows the suspect— a white male about 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall weighing approximately 140-150 pounds and wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt, a dark-colored jacket and a black Chicago White Sox baseball cap, entering the store, walking around for a few moments and then approaching the checkout counter. He put a candy bar on the counter and gave the cashier money, but when the cashier opened the cash register, the suspect pulled a folding knife from his pants pocket and demanded the money in the drawer. He then left the store with an undisclosed amount of money and fled in an older-model gold Ford Taurus station wagon with a dented rear hatch door. The video can be seen on the PCSO channel on Youtube, labeled as case #10-18767 in the “Caught on Camera” section. Anyone who may have witnessed this crime or who has any information is asked to call the PCSO Tipsline at (800) 706-2488.

A 29-year-old Wesley Chapel woman was killed April 7 in a singlevehicle accident that took place on I275 just north of Bearss Ave. According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, Bettina M. Carroccetto was traveling northbound on the interstate just before 2 p.m. when she apparently lost control of her vehicle. The 2000 Isuzu SUV left the roadway and overturned several times on the eastern shoulder of the highway. Carroccetto, who was wearing a seatbelt, was partially ejected from the vehicle, the report says, and was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

County Considering Options For Southern Leg Of BBD By Michael Smith Now that the widening of the middle two sections of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. is under way, Hillsborough County officials are turning their attention to the southernmost segment of the project, between Bearss Ave. and Palm Springs Blvd. (known as Segment A), where the questions of whether to widen that stretch of roadway to six or eight lanes and where to leave room for mass transit (as well as what kind of transit to leave room for) have yet to be answered. In order to try to determine what residents want, county officials held a pair of public meetings in Tampa Palms in March, at which they presented the different possible configurations for the roadway and the pros and cons of each. The meeting that was held at Tampa Palms Elementary on April 1 was well attended, with dozens of residents filling the TPE cafeteria to overflowing (the second meeting was held at Chiles Elementary on April 19, after this newspaper went to press), but it was hard to tell which of the options was most popular, because many of the attendees who spoke and asked questions seemed to have differing concerns and opinions about how the project should be carried out. Thomas Fass, a member of the county’s public works department, outlined the history of the planning for that section of the roadway. Fass said that the design work began in 2003, when the Florida Department of Transportation completed a Project Design and Environmental (PD&E) study which determined that BBD needed to eventually be widened to eight lanes along its entire length, in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of commuters who travel the roadway on a daily basis. So, the county began to design the project for eight

lanes, with 20 feet of space set aside on the eastern edge of the roadway for future mass transit— although, of course at that time, there were no specific plans for what type of mass transit that would be. Then, last year, although the eightlane design was nearly complete and most of the right-of-way along the roadway already had been acquired, the county decided to go back and review the plans for the project to see if it would be more cost effective to expand the lower segment to six lanes, rather than eight. After all, the construction of that segment had no funding, and many Tampa Palms residents and community officials had voiced concerns that traffic conditions in Tampa Palms would be made even worse if the middle two segments were widened but not the lower segment (which at that time was scheduled to be the last to be widened). Meanwhile, to further complicate matters, the plans for mass transit also changed. In 2006 the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) recommended that the mass transit corridor be extended all the way to the BBD/I-75 interchange, rather than only as far north as Skipper Rd., which was the original idea, and that configuration was supported by the plan proposed by the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA), which calls for light rail to be implemented in Hillsborough County in the first stages of its multi-county plan, with the BBD corridor to be among the first to be outfitted with light rail in order to improve intercounty connectivity between Hillsborough and Pasco counties. So, last fall, the MPO altered its Long Range Transportation Plan, calling for six lanes instead of eight on the lower segment, with room for light rail as far north as the interstate. Which brings us back to the public

meeting. Fass said that the cost difference in building six or eight lanes is only about $3 million, but there are implications beyond the immediate cost. If the roadway is built to six lanes now, he said, it will cost an estimated $20 mil- Hillsborough County public works manager Thomas Fass lion-plus to rediscusses the BBD widening at a public meeting at TPE. widen it to eight lanes in the future. al money allocated towards the BBD At that price, he said that the county widening, because it is a “high priority would probably not have enough project,” there is no guarantee that money to pay for the re-widening, at there will be more. least not without funding from another Fass added, “If the referendum source, such as the one-cent transporta- doesn’t get onto the ballot and pass, we tion sales tax that county officials are won’t have the money to expand in the hoping to put on a referendum ballot future.” for voters to decide upon this fall. That sparked another round of “The funding we have now is not debate on the pros and cons of the sales enough even to maintain the roads that tax referendum, which is proposed to we have,” Fass said. raise money to pay for light rail, He explained that funding for road improved public transportation and projects comes primarily from gas taxes, other transit-related needs. But, most which is a limited revenue stream, and people at the meeting didn’t seem to be even though there has been some feder- prepared to ante up another penny in

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

These four illustrations show the different possible configurations for Segment A of BBD, which are (l.-r.) eight lanes with no transit corridor; eight lanes with two lanes dedicated to high-occupancy vehicles; six lanes with light rail corridor on the east edge of the roadway and six lanes with light rail in the median. sales tax, at least not without more specifics on how the money will be spent, or because they believe they won’t see any benefit from it. “Why should I pay for light rail and public transportation when me and my family will probably never use it?,” one resident asked. Fass pointed out, however, that everyone would see some benefit, because of the number of cars that would be taken off the roads by people who did use the mass transit. “Yes, the sales tax is money out of your pocket, but how much time and money is spent idling in traffic?,” he asked, quoting studies that estimate $30 million dollars per year is lost nationwide by vehicles that are idling in traffic congestion.

Fass also mentioned one alarming fact: even if Segment A of BBD is widened to eight lanes, studies show that the roadway will be overcrowded to the point of failure (as it is now) by 2025; if it is only widened to six, he added, “it would basically be failed when we opened it.” That, in itself, seems to make the case for light rail, or at least some type of mass transit, as being necessary. Fass noted that light rail could be implemented by as early as 2018, but only if the current studies being undertaken by HARTline support light rail on BBD in the first phase of construction, if the one-cent sales tax is passed and if federal matching grants are received. After the meeting, Steve Valdez, the customer service manager for the

county’s Public Works department, said that although the department hasn’t officially tabulated the numbers, the comments relayed to the department from residents are about evenly divided between the various options, all of which remain on the table. “The project is fully funded and designed as an eight-lane facility, and we’re ready to proceed,” he said, noting that the current timetable calls for construction of Segment A to begin next summer. “And, contrary to popular belief, we don’t have a predetermined notion either way.” He added, however, that it is important to make a decision on the configuration of the roadway soon, so that the county can take advantage of lower bids for major projects, as it did

on the bidding for Segments B and C of the widening project, which came in at half of the original cost estimates. “We need to strike now, while the iron is hot,” Valdez said. “If we wait until a year from now, we don’t know how the bids are going to be coming in. If the prices start to go back up again, it’s very plausible that we couldn’t afford to build it.” Although there won’t be any more public meetings on the southern leg of the widening project, all of the plans are available on the Hillsborough County website at HillsboroughCounty.org/public works. Click on the link for “Major Community Projects,” and there also is a form where you can submit your own comments and suggestions.

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Iorio Delivers A Lighthearted ‘State Of The City’ Address By Michael Smith In what has become an annual springtime event, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio brought many of her top staff members (several of whom are New Tampa residents) along with her when she visited Hunter’s Green Elementary on March 31 for her “State of the City” address and Town Hall meeting. Iorio usually needs the back-up to help her field questions from the Town Hall attendees, especially here in New Tampa, where similar meetings have become heated in the past but, perhaps because this was one of the last times she will be visiting this area as Mayor (since she has now begun the last year of her second term in office), the tone this time was pleasantly friendly. The Mayor herself seemed relaxed as she opened up the meeting, as always, with the “State of the City” video, and even a technical glitch that ended the presentation early didn’t dampen her mood. “I can pretty much paraphrase the rest of it for you,” she said, after technicians were unable to get the video restarted. “It was a pretty good year.” Among the year’s highlights that were mentioned on the video before it broke down were the opening of the newly redesigned Tampa Museum of Art, openings of major new businesses like IKEA and Crate & Barrel, and the receipt by the city of millions of dollars in stimulus money from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA), some of which will be used to build the city’s new Fire Station #22 on Cross Creek Blvd. at Morris Bridge Rd. The city also received funding for the “Encore” project near downtown Tampa, which is intended to redevelop blighted neighborhoods into a new residential, shopping, dining and entertainment district, and for the I-4 con-

nector, which is supposed to help transportation in the city by allowing trucks to access the Port of Tampa area more efficiently. (For those who are interested, the entire “State of the City” video, which is about 10 minutes long, can be viewed on the city’s website, TampaGov.net). After the meeting entered its Town Hall phase, Iorio spent much of her time answering questions from some of the several young students who were in attendance, including the members of the HGE Student Council, Boy Scouts and others. She got a nice laugh from the adults in the crowd after she talked about what had inspired her to want to become the mayor. “Usually that question is asked differently,” Iorio joked. “Usually, people ask me, ‘How did YOU become mayor?’” On a more serious note, Iorio did call on members of her staff to answer questions about recreational opportunities for children and teens, potholes on Cross Creek Blvd., and the budget issues facing the city. There also was some discussion about the widening of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and the potential one-cent sales tax increase, even though the widening is a Hillsborough County project and the tax increase also is being proposed by county officials to raise money for transportation improvements countywide. City transportation manager Jean Dorzback said that the potholes, which have begun to reappear on Cross Creek Blvd. in many of the same places where they were before the roadway was repaved, are the result of a faulty paving design. “Potholes are a problem in the New Tampa area,” Dorzback said. “The water table is to blame.”

Dorzback also confirmed a statement by Tampa City Council member Joseph Caetano, who also was at the meeting, that portions of Cross Creek Blvd. in the area near Fire Station #21, will have to be torn up and replaced. She said City of Tampa staffers joined Mayor Pam Iorio for her that city officials annual “State of the City” address. are working with audience member, Jones said that even county officials and homeowners assothough the new station seems to be ciations in the area to determine who pretty close to Station #21, it is actually will be responsible for the work, since nearly 5 miles away from the older stamuch of the original paving was paid tion, while the city’s preferred standard for by developers. And, in the other news of particu- is to have fire stations no more than three miles apart from each other. He lar interest to New Tampa residents, Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Dennis Jones also added that the new station is needtalked about the progress and plans for ed to serve the new neighborhoods in the area, like Easton Park, which is Fire Station #22, which will be built at north of Cross Creek Blvd. on Morris 10871 Cross Creek Blvd. Jones said Bridge Rd. that the land for the new station was For those homes, and “for new purchased with Capital Improvement construction and growth in Cory Lake Tax money, and that would also have been the source of funding for the con- Isles, we need that station,” Jones said. struction of the building itself, but the department applied for and received $1.6 million in ARRA money to pay for its construction. “If we had used CIT money, you would have seen bricks and mortar going up there already, but it takes longer when you take [federal] government money,” Jones said. As it stands, Jones said that construction of the new station, which will be the first to be built in the city under new “green” building standards, will begin by the end of the summer and the station should be operational by early 2011. In response to a question from an

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N EW T AMPA

Community Calendar

Free Hearing Screenings

In support of Better Hearing & Speech Month, which is observed in May, Dr. Jody Pianin, Au.D., owner of Advanced Audiology of New Tampa (27511 Cashford Circle, Ste. 101, in Wesley Chapel) will offer free hearing screenings (by appointment) for anyone ages 5 and up throughout the month. For those who wear hearing aids, a complimentary clean and check of their hearing instruments will be available in lieu of a screening. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 9738400.

Community Garage Sale

Saturday, April 24 – The Northwood of Pasco subdivision, located off County Line Rd. (west of the SuperTarget Plaza), will hold its annual community-wide Garage Sale, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Used Book Sale

Saturday, April 24 – The Bay Horizons chapter of ORT America will hold a used book sale, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., in front of the Publix supermarket at the Shoppes of New Tampa at Wesley

Cross Creek Blvd.). Send an e-mail to momsclubnewtampa_southeast@yahoo.com for more information.

Chapel plaza (at the intersection of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and S.R. 56). The proceeds from the sale will benefit ORT technical schools around the world and also help the local group provide a scholarship for a student at Erwin Technical Center in Tampa. Call 907-8329 for additional information.

Wednesday, April 28 – The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Circles New Tampa Bistro (19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in the Pebble Creek Collection shopping plaza).

Writers’ Workshop

New Tampa Kiwanis Club

Saturday, April 24 – Rev. Evelyn J. Taylor of Good News Global Ministries, a three-time published author, will host a writers’ workshop, 9:30 a.m., at the Pebble Creek Community Center (18715 Bent Tree Ln.). The workshop will feature information and advice from publishing professionals on how to get your own book published. Call 977-7709 for more information.

Moms Club International

Wednesday, April 28 – The New Tampa Southeast chapter of Moms Club International, a non-profit group that helps stay-at-home mothers support each other, will hold an Open House, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the New Tampa Regional Library (10001

Noon Rotary Club

Civil Air Patrol

Wednesday, April 28 – A new Civil Air Patrol squadron now meets every Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., at Tampa North Aero Park (4241 Birdsong Blvd.). For more information, visit wesleychapelcap.com or call Cheryl Spence at 973-7270.

Evening Rotary Club

Wednesday, April 28 – The Kiwanis Club of New Tampa meets every Wednesday at 11:45 am at the Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club (5811 Tampa Palms Blvd). For more info, visit NewTampaKiwanis.org or email info@NewTampaKiwanis.org.

Thursday, April 29– The New Tampa Evening Rotary Club meets every Thursday, 6:30 p.m., at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). The club’s April 29 meeting will feature club member Joanne Pistorius, who will talk about the Antique, Classic and Historic Automobile Fellowship of Rotarians. For more information, call Sherri Ferguson at 892-9782.

Business Networking Int’l

Computer Workshops

Wednesday, April 28 – Business Networking International (BNI), a group of business professionals who are dedicated to helping their businesses grow through qualified referrals, meets every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. at Heritage Isles Clubhouse (18630 Plantation Bay Dr.). For more information, call Jal Irani at 451-8229.

Thursday, April 29 – Every Thursday, the New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.) offers computer workshops for adults, beginning at 12:15 p.m. The workshops focus on computer techniques and a variety of software programs. Registration is required in person, no earlier than one hour before the beginning of the workshop.

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Call 273-3652 for more information, or, for a complete list of activities offered at the library, visit HCPLC.org.

New Tampa Rotary Club

Friday, April 30 – The New Tampa Rotary Club meets every Friday, 7 a.m., at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPG&CC, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). On April 30, the group will have a Club Assembly meeting, and there will be no guest speaker. On May 7 the group’s guest speaker will be Sally DePalma of “Special Connections.” All club members and their guests are invited to attend. For more information, visit NewTampaRotary.org or contact Karen Frashier at 375-2663.

Crime Watch Community Day

Sunday, May 2 - The Lexington Oaks Crime Watch Patrol will host a Community Day fund raiser, noon-4 p.m., at the subdivision’s Community Center (26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd.). Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy the food, fun and festivities. For more information, conact Bill Weiland at 817-5449 or Sharon Schoefield at 967-5677.

Women-N-Charge

Friday, May 7 – Women-NCharge, a group that offers education and support for business women, meets on the first Friday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at Pebble Creek Golf Club (10550 Regents Park Dr.). For more information, visit Women-n-Charge.com or call Sue Davis at 435-5128.

Collective Soles Present ‘Napoli’ & ‘Willy Wonka’

Saturday-Sunday, May 8-9 – The Collective Soles Arts Group will present a musical theatre and dance extravaganza, beginning with Act III of the classical ballet, “Napoli,” followed by a fulllength, madcap tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. The show will begin at 2 p.m. each day at Theater 1 on the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. Tickets cost from $10-$25 (ages 3 and under are admitted free) and are available at the USF Box Office and through Ticketmaster (287-8844). Call 979-2222 for additional information.

month, 6 p.m., at Hunter’s Green County Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Guests are welcome, but registration is requested. To register, or for more information, call president Kay Dunn at 841-5932 or visit NETWIB.org.

Red Hat Society

Thursday, May 13 – A new chapter of the Red Hat Society for ladies over 50 meets on the second Thursday of each month at different locations. For more information, send an e-mail to livingood326@verizon.net.

New Tampa/Wesley

Chapel Health Expo

Saturday, May 15 – New Tampa Marketing & Concierge Services will host its 2010 New Tampa/Wesley Chapel Health Expo, noon-3 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites (8310 Galbreath Rd.). The event will feature dozens of local physicians and other health care professionals promoting their services. Free blood pressure and cholesterol checks will be available, and there will be a variety of door prizes awarded, too. For more information, call 7658113 or e-mail maryann@newtampamarketing.com.

NE Tampa Women In Business

Thursday, May 13 – The North East Tampa Women in Business meets on the second Thursday of every

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

New Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

2009-10 NTCC Board of Directors President-Scott D. Estes

Board Members:

15310 Amberly Dr., Suite 250 Tampa, FL 33647 Information: (813) 293-2464 Fax: (813) 973-8259

Rachel Haviland, VP

Connie Bladon

Matt Palmer, Treas.

Seema Jain

Kristen KippPalinsky, Secy.

Website: NewTampaChamber.Org

Regina Ramalheira Lesley Zajac

Administrator: Karen Frashier

The 17th Annual Taste of New Tampa is a Success! What makes New Tampa a great place to live are the caring people that make it the thriving community it is. The New Tampa Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the many people, organizations and volunteer groups that made the 17th Annual Taste of New Tampa™ such a great success. The 17th Taste of New Tampa was dedicated to the late Frank Margarella, who coined the name “New Tampa,” founded what has become the New Tampa Chamber and is the reason we have a Taste of New Tampa today. Frank passed away suddenly last month, but his memory will live on within the hearts of those who knew him best, and all those who have attended and enjoyed the event, in years past, this year and in the years to come. We would like thank those organizations that sponsored the event: Wesley Chapel Medical Center St. Petersburg Times New Tampa Neighborhood News RS Media Services Grow Financial Ardeman & Associates Image Depot Todd J. Wiener, DMD, PA General Dentistry 14201 Professional Plaza • 14201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd

LifeSource Family Chiropractic St. James United Methodist Ch. Kevin Ambler for State Senate Heritage Ford Coca-Cola Company And a special thank you to all the great restaurants that let us all sample the best food in New Tampa: Antonio’s Pasta Grill Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Café Olé Ciccio’s/The Lodge Cole’s BBQ Five Guys Burgers and Fries Kennedy Bar & Grill Marco’s Pizza Marriott Springhill Suites Mulligan’s Irish Pub Red Lobster Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club Texas Roadhouse Tijuana Flats Burrito Company We want to thank Freedom High, the Hillsborough County School District and the City of Tampa for hosting us again this year. We loved the music, artists and entertainment. We got to sample the wares of the many local businesses in and around New Tampa. A few select Taste of New Tampa

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You Can Get Involved With The New Tampa Chamber Of Commerce At These Monthly Events! Chamber Luncheons - The 2nd Monday of each month at Pebble Creek Golf Club. Registration opens at 11:30; lunch is served at noon.

Chamber Breakfasts - The 3rd Tuesday of each month at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club. Registration at 7:30 a.m., breakfast is served at noon. Networking On The 9s - The 3rd Wednesday of each month at 2:30 p.m. Networking Happy Hours - The last Thursday of the month at Stonewood Grill & Tavern, Tampa Palms at 5:30 p.m. Please call the NTCC Hotline at 293-2464 for complete info.

attendees even received tickets to an exclusive pre-screening of Jennifer Lopez’s new movie, “The Back Up Plan.” Last but not least, we would like to give a special thank you to the volunteer organizations and the hundreds of volunteers who donated their time and effort. Our volunteers are the backbone of the taste and work behind the scenes to make it the success it is each and every year. The New Tampa Chamber of Commerce thanks you and the New Tampa community thanks you all. We’ll see you all again next year. Our membership ranks are growing. Last month we welcomed Gunter & Gunter Insurance, Casa Fina Realty and SpacePlus Storage (see photo). Nearly 20 new companies have joined the Chamber so far in April and we will welcome them during our monthly breakfast meeting on the third Tuesday of the month, 8 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club.

Join us on Monday, May 10, for our County Commission Candidate Forum and Tuesday, May 18, to hear Terry Weaver, CEO of Wilson Technology Group Inc, who will present “Sandwiched between my business and my mom.” Terry’s experiences as an exec in the assisted living market and now in IT gives her a unique perspective other executives will find useful to cope with home issues while leading their businesses. Please reserve your seat by emailing info@newtampachamber.org.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Academic Edge Learning Center Promotes Academic Excellence By Melissa O’Brien Every year around this time, high school students anxiously await the mail carrier hoping for that one letter that says they have been accepted to the college of their choice. More than ever, the competition for acceptance at the best colleges and universities is intense and students need to have a competitive and academic edge to be accepted. Sohbat Jabbari, founder of the Academic Edge Learning Center, Inc., in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off Commerce Park Blvd., recognizes the importance of this advantage and strives to help students of any age achieve all that they are capable of accomplishing. “I love teaching,” says Jabbari, who has more than 25 years of experience in education at both the high school and university level. “I really enjoy helping kids and my greatest reward is when my students get accepted to top schools like Harvard or Georgia Tech.” Jabbari opened Academic Edge two and a half years ago after working for many years at the Saddlebrook Prepatory School in Wesley Chapel. “At Saddlebrook, I worked with students of

all ages – tennis players and golfers – preparing them for university,” says Jabbari, who has worked with a number of today’s ranked professional tennis stars. “I always enjoyed tutoring and wanted to branch out and help everyone.” Academic Edge Learning Center offers supplemental learning programs in virtually all subject areas to enhance the overall educational experience of students. Tutoring is offered by Jabbari and his staff of seven tutors in areas such as mathematics, language development and enrichment, reading, science and foreign language. The center also provides programs for SAT, ACT and other college-entrance test preparation. In addition, Academic Edge provides tutoring for university students who plan to take the GRE or other entrance exams necessary for graduate school admission. “The mission of Academic Edge is to empower each student to maximize his or her fullest potential through highly accurate assessment and focused achievement development,” says Jabbari. “Every student is given the opportunity to excel beyond his or her current educational level of performance.” Jabbari says that each student at Academic Edge is initially given an assessment test to see how the tutor can

Sobhat Jabbari helps Freedom High student Colton Rupke with a precalculus assignment. best help him or her. “We make individual assessments as to how best to help each person,” he says. “I first see what a student’s educational foundation is. Without a good foundation, they can’t move forward. I have kids who come to me taking calculus who don’t understand percentages and fractions. They first need to understand these important elements before we move forward. Since each student is an individual, every program is unique for every student.” Jabbari says that many tutoring programs offered in the area are prescribed programs that may not assess the individual needs of the student. “Our program is customized to fit indi-

vidual needs.” he says. “Students arrive at different levels of achievement, so you cannot place everyone in the same program.” Jabbari says the key to his teaching method is to relate schoolwork to reallife situations. “In the public high schools and even in private schools, teachers often don’t get the chance to interact with individual students,” he says. “In my experience, students never get the chance to explore concepts in depth. They are just memorizing a bunch of formulas. I teach subjects in a way that kids can relate to real-life situations. This makes it easier for them to understand. When I teach science, physics or math, students are often amazed at what I show them and love my teaching methods. They end up retaining the information much better.” Some of Jabbari’s students have traveled miles just to take tutoring from him. “I have a student who drove all the way from Orlando,” says Jabbari. “He had a good score on his SAT but he wanted to improve it. After we worked together, his scores went up and he just got accepted to Rollins College, one of the best private colleges in Florida, and was awarded a $50,000per-year scholarship. He sent me a letter that said, ‘I am where I am today

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thanks to you and your amazing work.’” Jabbari grew up in Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois. He then earned his Master’s degree at the University of South Florida and began teaching after intern- Jabbari & teacher Aimee Nadow with one of their star ing at an area high pupils, Viral Patel. school. He taught and it is hard to be that way when they physics at USF for three years and at are not. It was a great experience workHillsborough Community College for ing with him.” ten years before working at Saddlebrook Prep. Jabbari and his wife Ozra, Inez Muguruza has known Jabbari who also teaches at the center, live in for many years and highly recommends Tampa Palms. Academic Edge to other parents. “We For Viral Patel, working with Jabmet him in 2000 when he was the bari gave him an advantage when practeacher of our youngest son,” she says. ticing for his SATs. “I heard about Mr. “He did fantastic work in math, calcuJabbari from a friend,” says Patel, who lus, geometry, and trigonometry and attends King High School’s InternaAP calculus. He prepared our son for tional Baccalaureate program. “He is an the SAT and he got an almost perfect excellent teacher. He gives me a lot of score – a 780 in math. I really recomproblem-solving examples, which gave mend him. He is a very good teacher me an advantage when taking the SAT. and really loves all of his students.” I did very well on my exams and I think Jabbari wants parents to know that his real-world examples really helped. what is taught in school nowadays Working with him is not just for learnmight not be enough to prepare their ing, he also helps get you motivated. students for the real world and the He has such enthusiasm and kept me wanting to understand what he was say- global economy. “I want people to realize that what their children are learning ing. Some teachers are not enthusiastic

in school is not enough,” he says. “We really need to teach our children how to think and analyze, rather than just memorize and give back information. Our goal is to help students achieve and get them ready for the challenges of a rigorous university. I have provided that for many students who have gone on to Harvard, Stanford and other prestigious universities.” Academic Edge Learning Center, Inc., is located at 17419 Bridge Hill Ct. The center is open MondayFriday, 2 p.m. – 9 p.m., and 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 971-6500 or visit AcademicEdgeCenter.com.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Heart Institute Earns More Accolades! By Gary Nager If you and your loved ones have never had to deal with a cardiac incident, congratulations. Unfortunately, as we age, the likelihood that you and/or someone you love will be dealing with some sort of heart issues obviously increases exponentially. The good news, however, is that the residents of Wesley Chapel have an outstanding cardiac care hospital right here in their own backyards. In fact, while the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills (FHZ) Heart Institute isn’t the closest hospital to New Tampa (located just a few miles north of where S.R. 54 meets U.S. Hwy. 301), it is an award-winning cardiac care facility. FHZ Heart Institute administrative director Gwen Alonso is proud to announce that the hospital’s cardiac care unit continues to garner some major honors, including (most recently) being the only recipient of the 2010 HealthGrades Coronary Intervention Award of Excellence in Tampa Bay area. (Note-Millions of consumers and hundreds of the nation’s largest employers, healthcare plans and hospitals rely on HealthGrades’ independent ratings of the nation’s 5,000 hospitals, consulting and products to make

healthcare decisions based on the quality of care. HealthGrades currently works with more than 400 hospitals nationwide and produces well-respected public studies of hospital quality in areas that include clinical excellence, patient safety and women’s health.) The FHZ Heart Institute also is home to the only fully accredited electrophysiology team in the state of Florida. In fact, Alonso says there are only 10 Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialists in all of Florida and “three work in FHZ’s electrophysiology lab!. FHZ also has the only accredited heart failure institute and the only chest-accredited hospital in eastern Pasco County. FHZ is part of the Christian mission-based Adventist Health Systems (the largest nonprofit hospital chain in the U.S.). The FHZ Heart Institute, which was initiated in 2006 and earned its national cardiac accreditation in May 2009, provides comprehensive cardiac services to adults suffering from cardiac or cardiovascular disease. Heart Institute services include open heart surgery, coronary bypass grafting, cardiac valve repair and replacement, transmyocardial laser revascularization, thoracic aneurysm repair, electrophysiology (EP), ablation

The Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Heart Institute is proud to be home to top professionals such as cardiologists Sunil Gupta, MD (front), and Ketul Chauhan, MD (left in back), and the FHZ Cath Lab Staff. Photo by Alex Stafford. & 3D mapping, cardiac catheterization and cardiac diagnostics. The Heart Institute’s dedicated team of highly trained specialists includes Board-certified cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiac surgeons and critical care nurses. One of the leading cardiologists at FHZ, Sunil Gupta, MD, helped bring balloon angioplasty and cardiac stinting to the hospital. Dr. Gupta, who received specialized cardiac training at

Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, NJ, and at the University of Louisville (KY), came to FHZ in 1999. One of the patients he helped is 68-year-old Phyllis Krieger, a New Tampa resident who had no idea her heart was working at only 20 percent of its capability when she was complaining of fatigue and was referred to Dr. Gupta and Ketul Chauhan, MD, another FHZ cardiologist.

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“It was further away from me than UCH (University Community Hospital), but the trip was well worth it,” says Krieger. “My heart is now up to operating at 40 FHZ Heart percent of its Institute patient capacity and I am Phyllis Krieger. getting stringer every day. My experience with Florida Hospital Zephyrhills was fabulous!” Alonso says that perhaps the most important thing she can tell our readers about the FHZ Heart Institute is that it means that patients no longer have to travel to UCH, Tampa General Hospital or other facilities to get top-quality cardiac care. “We are continuing to grow and our staff and equipment are all state-ofthe-art, but we also are continuing to constantly review our own performance to make sure you get the best possible care every time you visit — and that commitment is from the hospital administration, doctors and staff! This helps us to always be accountable to our heart failure patients. Our goal is always to reduce the time it takes to go from entering the emergency room to receiving the treatment needed and to

reduce the number of times they have to revisit the hospital.” Dr. Gupta adds that before FHZ received its chest accreditation, patients who lived close to FHZ were having to risk being transported to another hospital to get the kind of care you can find at FHZ today. “And, with a heart attack or any cardiac incident, you don’t want to have to wait for quality care,” he says. Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is a 154-bed, full-service, mission-based facility. As reported in other stories in previous issues of this publication, the hospital’s still-ongoing transformation has upgraded every aspect of FHZ under CEO John Harding. Today, FHZ provides outstanding health care services that help to heal the whole person – body, mind and spirit. Known for its compassion and expertise, the hospital’s clinical team of physicians, nurses, technologists and therapists deliver a full range of inpatient and outpatient services. Patients are assured of a true commitment to health care excellence, in a compassionate, caring and expert setting. Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is located at 7050 Gall Blvd. (aka U.S. Hwy. 301). For additional information, call 788-0411 or visit FHZeph.org.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Albert Boholst, DMD, Offers General, Cosmetic & Laser Dentistry By Melissa O’Brien When Georgene Bender was told by a dentist that her only option for treating her periodontal disease was to remove all of her teeth and get dentures, she thought, “There must be a better way.” Then, she read about a new, nearly painless dental laser treatment that offered a solution for her condition that would allow her to keep her teeth. When she went online to find an area dentist who could perform the procedure, she found Albert Boholst, DMD (Doctor of Medical Dentistry) in the Summergate Professional Park, just off of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. “I had not gone to my dentist for a couple of years and my gums where bad,” says Bender, who lives in Seffner. “Since I have diabetes, implants are not an option and I was told that I would need to have my teeth removed. I already had a procedure done for deep pockets [in my gums] that was very painful, so I was looking for other options. I found Dr. Boholst, who performed the laser procedure on me and it was very successful. Now, I seem to be healthier, because my diabetes numbers used to be elevated due to the infection in my gums. The treatment

was painless and my gums have receded. We are now looking at cosmetic procedures and I am doing a better job of taking care of my teeth.” Dr. Boholst, who is one of the first dentists in the Tampa Bay area to perform laser dentistry, says, “There’s no cutting, no suturing and much less discomfort with the Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP) than with standard gum surgery – both during and after the procedure. All it takes is two two-hour visits to the dentist and two follow-up visits. Traditional surgery may require four sessions of about one hour each, with subsequent visits for suture removal and additional checkups. LANAP gives better, longer-lasting results. In fact, studies show that 98 percent of treated patients remain stable after five years, while only five percent reportedly remain stable after traditional oral surgery.” Dr. Boholst says that people with diabetes really need to stay on top of their oral health. “Studies have shown that they are more prone to getting periodontal disease and it can make their diabetes more problematic,” he says. “If they have diabetes and smoke, they are at an even higher risk of getting [gum] disease. I frequently see diabetic smokers

who have advanced periodontal disease and didn't even know it.” Dr. Boholst notes that the laser technology is not just for periodontal disease; it also can be used for cavities. “While the laser does have some limitations — like if you already have silver fillings on a tooth — it can be used to remove General & cosmetic dentist Albert Boholst, DMD, cavities,” says Dr. specializes in the use of laser dentistry to treat periBoholst, who treats odontal disease at his office in Wesley Chapel. patients from age three bring relief to people who suffer from to 90-plus years old. “Kids find this migraine and tension headaches. It also more appealing because there is less can help people who have other TMJ scraping and drilling involved.” symptoms such as popping or clicking Dr. Boholst’s office, which offers in their jaws or excessive tooth wear. patients overhead TVs to help them Another new technology Dr. relax, also offers routine dental cleanBoholst uses is an intraoral camera. It ings and checkups, cosmetic dentistry, allows the patient to see their teeth and “no drill” veneers (porcelain veneers gums up close and in real time. placed directly over a person’s teeth “While treating the patient, I guide without having to drill down first) and a camera around their mouth and we treatment for TMJ (temporomandibuboth look up at the LCD monitor and lar [jaw] joint) disorder. The office also see the cracks, cavities, and gum infeccan fit patients with the Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition Tension Suppres- tions together,” he says. “It’s one thing for me to say ‘You have a crack in that sion System (NTI), a tiny mouthpiece tooth’ and you having to take my word that hugs the two front teeth that may

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for it. It’s another for me to say, ‘See this dark crack that goes from the top to the bottom of your tooth, that’s why the tooth needs treatment.’ The vast majority of my patients tell me they’ve never seen their teeth and gums like that before. My philosophy is for the patient and me to see the problems together and then I offer possible treatment options. I also like to educate people on how their oral health relates to their overall health.”

Community Service, Too

Dr. Boholst also gives back to his community by offering free examinations to pregnant women. “I have a great concern with how the mouth relates to the body,” says Dr. Boholst. “I am part of the Close the Gap Foundation, which conducts research to reduce infant mortality, and I offer assistance to expectant mothers to prevent pre-term or low-birthweight babies. A published study stated that women with periodontal disease are seven times more likely [than those with no evidence of periodontal disease] to have a pre-term or low-birthweight baby.” He adds, “I also teach education classes and offer expectant women free gum examinations. In addition to women of childbearing age, I also give free consults to people who have migraines, acid reflux and diabetes, as

well as to smokers and those with cosmetic concerns. I just like to give the patient a chance to check us out with a no-obligation visit and let them see if I can help them. We hold a couple of spots open every day for these free consults, but they can fill up fast.” Originally from Crystal River, FL, Dr. Boholst says he grew up in a medically-oriented family. “My father was a general surgeon and my mother practiced Internal Medicine,” he says. “I attended the University of Florida and decided to practice dentistry instead because I knew from watching my dad that I wanted a different lifestyle. He was always on call and I wanted my steady hours.” After graduating from dental school, Dr. Boholst (who is a founding member of the Florida Academy of Cosmetic dentistry who also is a clinical consultant and lecturer for dental laser manufacturers and has certifications for his advanced training from the Academy of Laser Dentistry) practiced in Jacksonville and then in Seminole Heights in Tampa. He bought his building in the Summergate Professional Plaza and started practicing part-time in Wesley Chapel in 2007. He sold his building in the Seminole Heights area of North Tampa in 2008 and started practicing full time in Wesley Chapel. Patient Karen Normand, who lives in Riverview, says she gladly travels to

Wesley Chapel to see Dr. Boholst. “My husband and I moved from Massachusetts in 2004 and I was looking for a dentist who offered periodontal services,” says Normand. “I have genetic periodontal disease and need to see a dentist every three months. At first, I went to a doctor who suggested doing a major surgery that would involve a 10-12 month process. I just happened to be watching Bay News 9 and heard about the laser treatment. I did some looking around and found Dr. Boholst.” Normand went to see Dr. Boholst, who told her she was a good candidate for the laser procedure. “I had laser sur-

gery in my whole mouth and I should have sent Bay News 9 a thank-you note,” continues Normand. “Dr. Boholst did everything in one afternoon. The surgery did what it was supposed to do and I was able to avoid a more invasive surgery. Dr. Boholst is a very nice, gentle man who made everything easy for me.” The General, Cosmetic and Laser Dentistry office of Albert Boholst, DMD, is located at 27510 Cashford Circle in Wesley Chapel (just outside of the Seven Oaks community, behind Sam’s Club). For more information, call 973-8555 or visit TampaLaserDentist.com.

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You Do The Dishes Celebrates 12 Years Of Creativity

For more than a decade, friends and families like this mom and her two daughters have been exercising their creative passions at You Do The Dishes paint-your-own pottery studio and coffeehouse in Tampa Palms. It’s been a dozen years since You bration, YDTD also has a variety of Do The Dishes (YDTD) paint-yourother weekly specials, such as Ladies own pottery studio and coffeehouse Night (Monday), College Night opened at 15357 Amberly Dr. in (Thursday) and Midnight Madness on Tampa Palms, and, to help celebrate the the first Saturday of every month. For studio’s 12th anniversary, owner Cindy kids, YDTD offers a special summer art Kozlowski will hold a special celebracamp during June, July and August. tion, 1 p.m.-10 p.m., on Sunday, May And, be sure to try one of YDTD’s 2, where everyone can enjoy free paint- delicious coffees, teas and other bevering time, which normally costs $8 per ages, or have a sample of their new hour (pottery and firing costs still “Working Cow” brand ice cream while apply). There also will be free cake and you paint. other surprises, too, so come on by. For more information, call 975In addition to the anniversary cele- 1700 or visit youdothedishes.com.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT IRENE OCASIO AT (813) 632-9452 For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Wharton High Program Helps Bring ‘Best Buddies’ Together By Michael Smith The friendships that are formed in high school can be among the strongest and longest lasting ones we ever have, but making new friends can be challenging, especially for students with intellectual disabilities, who typically have to attend special classes apart from the general student population. That, however, is where the Best Buddies organization comes in, as it pairs middle, high school and college students with and without disabilities for friendship and activities both in and outside of the school setting. This international organization also includes components for adults and job training and placement for those with intellectual disabilities. Best Buddies was founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, and now has chapters in all 50 states and 42 countries on six continents, with nearly 50,000 participants in the state of Florida alone. In Hillsborough County, there are Best Buddies chapters at five middle schools, 13 high schools (including both Wharton and Freedom in New Tampa) and five colleges, including the University of South Florida, the University of Tampa and others. Special needs teacher Cheryl Harrison is the faculty sponsor of the Best Buddies chapter at Wharton High, where there currently are about 20 participants. Under the program guidelines, the intellectually disabled students and their “Buddies” take part in one group activity every month, such as bowling, and a recent field trip to Lowry Park Zoo, as well as one activity on their own. They also keep in touch at other times through phone calls, text messages and just talking to one another between classes. The program participants also take part in other special activities from time to time, such as the drive that the WHS

The curgroup recently rent president organized to of Wharton’s gather school Best Buddies supplies for the chapter is junLove and Hope ior Sofia Foundation. Rattes, 17, The chapter who was first also is planning exposed to the an Earth Day organization event at the because her school in April, older sister and they also Esther is intelare busy getting lectually disready for the upcoming Nikita Brown (left) and Sofia Rattes have abled and had been participatFriendship Ball, become good friends through Wharton’s “Best ing while Sofia which is a speBuddies” program. was still in cial end-of-theyear dance for all of the program partic- middle school. Now, Sofia has a buddy of her own, junior Nikita Brown, and ipants in the county. the two of them often hang out with “Students with intellectual disabiliEsther and her Buddy from the proties can be very isolated, but Best Budgram. The four of them went on the dies really helps them expand their cirbowling and zoo trips, and Sofia and cle of friends and exposes them to Nikita also do lots of other things, too, activities that they normally wouldn’t like going to movies or out for coffee participate in,” Harrison says. after class. That was demonstrated during a “She’s like a big sister to me,” recent chapter meeting held on Wharton’s monthly Club Day, where the fea- Nikita says. “I like talking to her and drawing pictures for her.” tured activity was a game of charades. Esther, meanwhile, has been parAlthough some of the intellectually disabled students were initially reluctant or ticipating in Best Buddies for the last eight years, and she still keeps in touch shy about participating, soon everyone with several of her old Buddies, even in the room was having a great time though they are no longer at Wharton. laughing and calling out guesses as to She will be graduating this year, but what the charades were portraying. says she hopes to be able to continue in Harrison says that all of the nondiabled students who participate in Best the adult Buddies program after graduation. Sofia says the Best Buddies proBuddies are volunteers and they are gram has really had a positive impact on matched with disabled students based upon their personalities, common inter- her sister. “She’s a lot more social than she ests, activities and other factors. Harriused to be, and she’s not afraid to go son said that the regular students don’t out and try new things,” Sofia says. “It receive any community service credits really has helped her grow as a person.” for their participation, because “we In addition, Sofia says that she also want to be sure that they are doing it gets something out of participating in for the right reason, which is the desire the program. to build a real, long-lasting friendship “It’s been a real learning experiwith another student.”

ence for me, too,” she says. “It helps give me a different perspective on things, and it makes me happy that I am able to help make someone else happy.” All of the girls are really looking forward to the Friendship Ball, which will be held on May 2. Although they probably won’t be going to the regular Wharton High prom, they all say they love to dance, and Nikita was even chosen Queen of the ball last year. Like many other groups, however, the Best Buddies organization could use some help from the community, in the form of donations or sponsorships, to support some of the group’s outstanding activities. Anyone who is interested in helping out can contact Hillsborough County program coordinator Kimberly Carter at 954-9025, ext. 302, or by e-mail at kimberlycarter@bestbuddies.org. BestBuddies.org also is where you can find out more about the organization and even sign up to participate. For more specific information about the program at Wharton High, call the school office at 6314710.

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Education Updates

Lawton Chiles Elementary Odyssey Of The Mind Team Places Fifth In State Competition On April 10, a team of fourth and fifth graders from Lawton Chiles Elementary was awarded fifth place at the state Odyssey of the Mind competition in Orlando. Odyssey of the Mind is the world’s largest creative problem solving competition for children. The fifth-place Chiles team, made up of Ben Bryant, Ryan DeLaMater, Sahil Deschenes, Lamine Diagne, James Ro, Ben Sajan and Hishaam Shafiq, designed and built a human-powered vehicle that navigated several obstacles in a fictitious middle school. They also created all their sets and costumes.

The team coaches were Chiles teachers Nancy Erickson and Shital Patel. Two other teams from the school also took part in the state competition. One team, which created a play as well as balsa wood columns that could balance and support hundreds of pounds of weights, consisted of Scott Ferguson, Daniela Lopez, Aaron Muench, Raja Muthalagappan, and Jon Qian. The third team’s members, Luis Cuevas, Caitlin Dempsey, Maya Gowda, Anjella Griffin, Eric Ho and Lillian Rickert, put on a performance where foods were put on trial.

Doggone It, These Kids Love To Read! Some people might frown at bringing a dog to school, but Clark Elementary’s media center is filled with nothing but smiles on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, when Dennis Mosher brings Sadie the Therapy Dog to join the student readers. Sadie is a 2year-old standard poodle who is socially well-mannered and loves children. Sadie’s owner Dennis Mosher and his dog Sadie help students learn to Dennis, who is the read at Clark Elementary School. grandfather of a Clark student, also is addition to Clark. Mosher assists with a volunteer for the Humane Society of the reading, while Sadie “listens” and Tampa’s “Pet-A-Pet” program. puts the students at ease. Mosher bought Sadie when she Studies have shown that having a was 3 months old, and since then, she non-threatening presence like Sadie has earned two different special certifiaround increases students’ learning and cations: Canine Good Citizen and comprehension, and the students at Therapy Dog International. The unlike- Clark certainly love Sadie’s therapy sesly reading team participates in reading sions, and always try to read their best groups at two other local schools in to please her.

The Chiles Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team of (l.-r.) Lamine Diagne, Ben Bryant, coach Shital Patel, Hishaam Shafiq, Ryan DeLaMater, Ben Sajan, coach Nancy Erickson, Sahil Deschenes and James Ro show the creative spirit that helped them win fifth place at the state Odyssey of the Mind competition.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

“Vanzant”

n’t always knock off “Goliath,” amazing things happen when you roll with the punches and persevere. Thank you, Shawn. I love you.

Continued from page 1 the NCAA Basketball Final Four. “It’s crazy,” Vanzant said, “70,000 [people] is a lot. It was almost too much.” Then, when Shawn and his Bulldogs knocked off Michigan State and legendary coach Tom Izzo to advance to the national title game against a perhaps even-better-known coach, Mike Kryzewski, and his three-time national champion Duke Blue Devils two nights later, I looked to the rafters of the historic stadium and was forced to hold back tears. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs ended up losing the title game in a heartbreaker to Duke by just two points, 61-59, when Butler’s Gordon Hayward heaved a half-court shot as time expired. The shot nearly went in, but banked off the backboard before bouncing off the front of the rim.

A True Local Hero

Shawn’s career at Wharton will be remembered for years to come. Graduating back in 2007, he was the most valuable player for a team that finished the regular season as the regional runner-up with a remarkable 29-2 record. The Wildcats’ two losses that season were to eventual national

Shawn Vanzant in action against Kansas State during the NCAA tourney. champion Montverde Academy and eventual state champion Lake Howell. In the three contests against New Tampa rival Freedom High that season, the ‘Cats outscored the Patriots 22289. Shawn even captured The Tampa Tribune’s Hillsborough County Player of the Year award that year. Shawn’s tenure at Butler may not be quite as impressive as his high school career, yet, but the 6-foot-1 guard is arguably the Bulldogs’ most athletic player. His single-game career high in points at Butler is only 20 and came in his sophomore season, when Butler took on Milwaukee-Wisconsin in a Horizon League match-up. His performance was enough to help his team get the “W” as well as snag an ESPN

headline about his efforts. But, during the national semifinal matchup against Izzo and his Michigan State Spartans, Vanzant would come up “big” once again. Up 2 points with under a minute to play, one of his teammates took a shot that rimmed out and bounced high off the rim. Seemingly out of nowhere, Shawn’s No. 2 Butler jerseywas seen soaring through the air to snag the offensive rebound. On his way out of bounds, he still had the wherewithal to find his teammate under the basket. Butler capitalized on the layup and ultimately clinched a spot in the national title game. To me, the journey of Shawn Vanzant and his “mid major” Butler Bulldogs proves that even if “David” does-

(Editor’s note - We first got to know Joshua Litton when we found his impressive TheBlueCrew.Net website while searching for information about this year’s Wharton basketball team a couple of months ago. He called to tell us he was going to see his brother Shawn play in the Final Four and I was thrilled to let him write this exclusive correspondent piece for us about his family’s journey to Indy.)

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Sports Briefs

Local Gymnast Heading For JO Championships We want to congratulate Kelly Huseman, a freshman at Freedom High, who finished third in the allaround competition at the Florida State gymnastics meet in Tampa in March, including a score of 9.5 on the uneven bars, which was good enough to make her state champion on that apparatus. Huseman went on to win second place at the Region 8 Level 9 & 10 Championships in South Carolina April 9-11, competing against top gymnasts from eight southern states. Now, Kelly, a Level 9 gymnast who started her competitive gymnastics career while she was in the third grade and who trains under Amanda Stroud, Billy West and Jeff LaFleur at Lafleur’s-Tampa, moves on to the USA Gymnastic Junior Olympic Eastern National Championships in Charleston, WV, April 30-May 2. We wish her the best of luck.

Above, coach Jeff LaFleur celebrates as Kelly Huseman sticks a perfect landing after her uneven bars routine at the Region 8 competition.

North Tampa Stars Win A Bid To USA National Jr Championships The North Tampa Stars, an age 14-andunder USA Volleyball travel team made up of ten girls from New Tampa, Temple Terrace, Brandon and Carrollwood, won their division at the Big South National Qualifier Tournament held in Atlanta, GA, April 2-4. The win over 104 other 14-year-old club teams from around the country earned the Stars a spot in the USA Jr. National Championships (formerly known as the Junior Olympics) in Reno, NV, in June. The team, which is coached by Bob Schaller, along with assistant coaches Allison Zak and Fiona Monday, and Fiona’s husband (and co-owner of Fit-4-Life Personal Training & Physical Therapy in Tampa Palms) Travis as trainer, first formed as a recreational team at the Temple Terrace Recreation Center in the fall of 2006. The Stars started playing competitive volleyball in 2008 as a 12-and-under club team.

“The girls on this team have been practicing since December with the goal in mind of making it to the Junior National Championships,” Schaller says. “They play so well together and really respect one another both on and off the court. It is a thrill as coach to have such great players and people on this team.” The team is seeking sponsors to help defray the cost of traveling to the Championships. So, if you are interested in helping to sponsor the trip, contact David Zimroth at 2150148 or e-mail him at dzimroth@ verizon.net.

We also want to offer belated congratulations to the Freedom High cheerleading squad (above) and their counterparts at Wharton High, both of which finished third in their respective divisions at the FHSAA Competitive Cheerleading Championships in February.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

New Football Coach Aims To Instill ‘Patriot Pride’ At FHS By Michael Smith When the Freedom High Patriots football team takes to the gridiron this fall, fans will probably notice some changes in the team, and, if all goes according to plan, those changes will lead to district Tchecoy Blount and state titles, and national recognition for the program. At least, that is the long-term plan for the Patriots’ new head coach, Tchecoy (pronounced “Sha-Koy”) Blount, who held a meet-and-greet session for players, parents and football supporters at the school on April 8. Blount, a St. Petersburg native, has been with the Patriots since 2007, when he was hired by then-head football coach Marquel Blackwell, whom he played with both in high school and at the University of South Florida. Blount was a defensive end in his playing days, and at Freedom, he has worked his way up through the ranks, starting as co-defensive line coach, then offensive/defensive line coach and last

year as assistant head coach under James Harrell, who resigned earlier this year to take the head football coaching job at Jesuit High. Blount was one of 22 applicants for the position. He said that when Harrell announced his departure, he felt it was time for both he and the program to advance to the next level. “I am very excited about this opportunity,” Blount said during the meeting. “We have the chance to do something that’s never been done before, to build this program and get it to district and state champion status within 12 years.” Blount told the parents at the meeting that the primary philosophy for the program will be an emphasis on “Patriot P.R.I.D.E.,” for “Persistence, Resilience, Intensity, Dedication and Energy,” which he said Freedom football players will be expected to demonstrate both on and off the field. “We will hold each other accountable for having Patriot Pride,” he said. To demonstrate that team unity, Blount uttered a sound similar to the “hoorah” battle cry used by the U.S. Marines, which all of the football team members immediately repeated. He

New Freedom High head football coach Tchecoy Blount encourages team spirit among his players by having them recite the “Patriot Pride” pledge. also had the players recite the “Patriot Pride” pledge, which talks about what it takes to be a good student, athlete and citizen. Along those lines, Blount said that another part of the new tradition will be that the Freedom football program will attempt to achieve specific academic goals, including maintaining a 3.0 team GPA and a 100-percent graduation rate for his student-athletes. That’s in addition to his high expectations for achievement on the field, which

include competing for a district title every year, having a state ranking and having nationally recognized players every year. To help him achieve those goals, Blount has assembled what he called an “All-Star” coaching staff, which includes a number of former pro players, such as ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ian Smart and Tony Mayberry and E.G. Green, a star wide receiver at Florida State University who went on to play with the Indianapolis Colts.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Saddlebrook Resort Hosts ‘Broadway Comes To Tampa’ By Michael Smith How often do you get the opportunity to see some of the best performers performing some of the best numbers from some of the greatest stage shows in Broadway history, all in one place in one evening, and also support local theater at the same time? The answer is easy: once a year, when the New Tampa Players (NTP) theatre troupe puts on their fund-raising gala, “Broadway Comes To Tampa.” This year marks the eleventh year of the star-filled extravaganza, and NTP president Doug Wall, who also is the producer of the show, says that this year’s event will be better than ever. Not only does the line-up include a breathtaking array of talented performers, but the show also is being hosted once again (for the third year in a row) by the beautiful Saddlebrook Resort & Spa in Wesley Chapel. “Some of our fans and supporters come to the show year after year, so we do our best to make it different and exciting every year,” Wall says. While last year’s show included a troupe of professional dancers, Wall says that this year the event will go back to its Broadway roots, which means that the performers will sing about 25 different numbers over the course of two acts, highlighting the songs for which they are best known. The line-up includes: Stephanie J.

Block, who most recently wowed audiences in the “Wizard of Oz” adaptation, “Wicked;” Rita Harvey, star of “Phantom of the Opera” and “Fiddler on the Roof;” Capathia Jenkins, star of “Caroline Or Change” and “Civil War;” Robert Cuccioli, star of “Jeckyll & Hyde;” and, making his triumphant return to the show, audience favorite Danny Zolli, who has been the star of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” “Danny is very popular with our audiences,” Wall says. “He has an extremely unique voice, with an almost unlimited range.” Also scheduled to perform are jazz saxophonist Greg Wall (Doug’s brother) and composer/lyricist Neil Berg. In addition to the performances, the gala also will include dinner and a silent auction, with the opportunity to bid on a variety of great items, such as sports and entertainment memorabilia, dinner packages, jewelry, tickets to Tampa Bay Lightning games and more. It all gets under way at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, and tickets cost $175 per person, although Saddlebrook Resort is offering a special overnight package which includes two tickets to the show and a suite, for $399 per couple. Tickets are limited, so reservations are requested by Friday, May 1. To purchase tickets, or for more information, call 386-9333 or visit BroadwayComesToTampa.com. For more information about the room package, visit saddlebrook.com.

Among the stars scheduled to perform at this year’s gala are (clockwise from upper left): Stephanie J. Block, Danny Zolli, Rita Harvey, Greg Wall, and Robert Cuccioli.

Congrations to Our “Broadway Comes To Tampa” Contest Winner!

Elsie Foley of Pebble Creek was selected in a random drawing as the lucky winner of two tickets to the show on May 8. Please call our office at 910-2575 to claim your prize!

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

The Tropics At Saddlebrook Resort Gets A Delicious Makeover! By Gary Nager Long-time readers of this publication know that I’ve always loved the restaurants at Saddlebrook Resort & Spa Tampa. Dempsey’s Steak House is one of my absolute favorite steakhouses in the entire Tampa Bay area and The Tropics, the other primary restaurant at the resort — which is open for breakfast and lunch year-round, but closes for dinner for a few months each year — has always been a place for great seafood and other entrées and pasta dishes you can’t get at Dempsey’s. The Tropics is where Saddlebrook Executive Chef Daniel Desmond and his incredible staff basically get to try out new concepts, although the latest incarnation of The Tropic is still a wonderful combination of delicious fresh fish and seafood, Dempsey’s prime steaks and just a few other simple, but delicious options. And now, Saddlebrook has reconfigured The Tropcs to now include the beautiful adjacent bar area. And the change is working. You can start with a roasted tomato soup or a “created” soup of the day, baked chicken wings or “shared” plates of olives, feta cheese and hummus or a “flight” of regional American cheeses. There’s also “quick bites” like

The oven-roasted wild shrimp is one of several new “small plates” at The Tropics restaurant at Saddlebrook. a chicken Caesar salad, a margherita flatbread, American Wagyu (beef) sliders and a spicy tuna crispy rice cake with edamame. More “small plates” include an American Wagyu flat iron steak, ovenroasted wild shrimp, a wonderful salmon in lemon brodetto and my absolute favorite so far — an incredibly thick, tender and juicy lamb porterhouse chop served with wild mushroom and fontina cheese-filled ravioli and covered in a savory Bordeaux wine demi. This one has to be tried to be believed, even if you really believe you don’t like lamb! There’s also a mushroom baklava served with butternut squash ravioli and a chicken Marengo, served with tomatoes and white beans. There are three great Dempsey’s

This lamb porterhouse chop and mush- Dempsey’s may have had it first, but room-and-cheese-stuffed ravioli is our The Tropics does an equally great job with this delicious New York strip. editor’s new favorite at The Tropics. steaks available at the new Tropics — a traditional Steak Diane, a flame-broiled 10-oz. filet mignon and my fave, a 14-oz. New York strip available “au naturel” or “au poivre.” Fresh fish lovers will flip for the teriyaki-basted Chilean sea bass and the cedar-plank salmon. And, if you’re looking for an Italian twist, the new The beautiful lobby bar at Saddlebrook is now menu also features a lasagna part of The Tropics restaurant. casserole and a pasta Bolognese, made with Angus beef and 5700 Saddlebrook Way, off S.R. 54. tomato sauce. The resort is open every day, but In other words, I believe that it’s please call 973-1111 or visit Saddlealways worth a visit to The Tropics! brook.com for The Tropics’ hours of Saddlebrook Resort is located at operation.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood Nibbles—Taste Of Boston & Super Buffet Open! 56) in the Publix-anchored Shoppes at New Tampa plaza. For orders and more info, call 994-9797 or visit TasteOfBoston.net.

By Gary Nager Telling you about new restaurants and dining events in our area has always been one of my favorite parts of my job and I have to say that the new restaurant action is still proceeding apace in Wesley Chapel. Super Buffet and Taste of Boston have opened recently in Wesley Chapel and Mulligan’s Irish Pub in Pebble Creek is hosting a great Cinco de Mayo Fiesta.

Taste Of Boston — What A Great Menu!

Wesley Chapel’s new Taste of Boston Seafood Restaurant was only open for a few weeks before we went to press with this issue, so I’ve only been able to sample it twice so far. The thing that struck me right away about this comfortable, new sit-down restaurant located on the side of the plaza that faces the Wiregrass Mall was the huge menu. Boston native and owner George Illis has had a Taste of Boston on Interbay Blvd. in South Tampa for years and although his menu is loaded with traditional New England fried seafood (including a delicious fried haddock), there’s certainly plenty of grilled and broiled seafood dishes, too, plus

Super Buffet Pretty Super

favorites like traditional steamers (clams, of course), a 1-1/4-lb. lobster bake, what George claims to be the “Best Philly south of Philly,” plus fresh grouper (photo) and other sandwiches, great fries, steaks, Maryland crab cakes and so much more. There’s even a nice variety of Edy’s gourmet ice cream flavors for dessert and domestic and imported bottled beers and house wines available. Taste of Boston also offers great daily specials, like all-you-can-eat (big) shrimp for just $12.99, an all-you-caneat fish fry featuring delicious fried (for $10.99) or blackened ($11.99) basa (a flaky, white freshwater fish, even milder than tilapia) and all-you-can-eat fried haddock for $14.99 on Friday. You even get a cup of New England (white) clam chowder to start for that price. Taste of Boston is located at 1944 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (at S.R.

I told you about the new buffet Chinese/Japanese restaurant in Tampa Palms a couple of issues ago and now, Wesley Chapel has its first free-standing Asian buffet restaurant, located in the former Johnny’s Carino’s location (next to Applebee’s) on S.R. 54, just east of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. It’s called the Super Buffet Sushi Grill and if you like to choose from a variety of offerings, you won’t find more different dishes or cuisine types than you will at Super Buffet. On my one visit so far, I have to say that the red snapper sushi, the egg rolls, the chicken with broccoli and the bourbon chicken have been my favorite of only about maybe 8 or 10 of the nearly 200 items (from you-peel-’em shrimp to pepperoni pizza) available at the new Super Buffet, where lunch costs just $7.69 per person ($5.20 for children 9-11) and dinner is $13.99 ($8.60 for ages 9-11), but the dinner price also includes crab legs. Super Buffet is located at 28444 Wesley Chapel Blvd. (S.R. 54). It is open every day for lunch (or brunch

on weekends), 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and dinner (Sunday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-10 p.m., and until 11 p.m. on FridaySaturday. Call 907-1168.

Mulligan’s Cinco de Mayo

You might not expect an Irish pub to celebrate a Mexican holiday, but Mulligan’s Irish Pub in the Pebble Creek Golf Club will host a great Cinco de Mayo event on Wednesday, May 5. Beginning in the afternoon until late, Mulligan’s will have live music and salsa dancing, a taco bar and other Mexican cuisine and $3 margaritas and Corona “cervezas.” So, no matter where you’re from, you can be Mexican for the day, too, at Mulligan’s (10550 Regents Park Dr., off Bruce B. Downs Blvd., at the WalMart Supercenter light). Call 973-3870, x225, or visit PebbleCreekClub.com.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Machismo Burrito Bar Takes The Fresh Burrito Concept To The Next Level By Gary Nager Ma·chis·mo [mah-cheez-moh, chiz-, muh-] noun 1. A strong (or exaggerated) sense of manliness. 2. A big, fat, fresh burrito made at Machismo Burrito Bar When my friend John Armatas, who also is a co-owner of the Toast Fine Wine & Cigar Bar in the same Oak Ramble Plaza (south of Tampa Palms) on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., told me that he was now the Florida director of marketing involved in opening a new burrito bar in the former location of Avocado Latin Café, I have to admit I wasn’t overly excited. I’ve never been a huge fan of Moe’s Southwest Grill, Tijuana Flats, Chipotle or any of the many other burrito concept chain restaurants sprouting up everywhere and the Machismo Burrito Bar sounded like pretty much the same thing. Well, I was wrong. Not only do Armatas and New Tampa Machismo franchise owners Pinal Patel and Wade Sexton offer many more fresh ingredients with which to stuff your burrito,

you’ll decide for yourself.” But, guacamole, plus hot fillers like black or pinto beans and yellow (saffron) or if that’s not a good enough deal for you, Armatas says there brown rice, but what happens if you ask one of those other places for fresh also are some great daily speingredients like alfalfa sprouts, romaine cials available on Machismo lettuce, baby spinach or vegan cheese New Tampa’s Facebook and or sour cream? I’m guessing most will Twitter pages (see below). look at you like you have two heads. “Sometimes, we offer a free But, it’s no problem at Machismo, cookie or free guacamole with your burrito. I’m a big believer where you also can get black olives, yellow corn and hot, medium or mild in the power of the social netJohn Armatas (left) and Pinal Patel invite working sites.” He adds that salsa. You can even top your burrito you to sample any of 40 hot sauces with your the reviews on sites such as with any of 40 different hot sauces burrito at the Machismo Burrito Bar. (with catchy names like “Pyromania” UrbanSpoon.com and Yelp.com have been “outstandand “Death Wish”; Armatas says the the meats available – steak, chicken and ing. We have gotten perfect 5 out of 5 sauces are “huge hits.”). Add chips or a pork (as well as a veggie/soy-based scores on 11 reviews on Urban Spoon cookie or a side of guacamole or Boca burger) – taste fresher and are so far.” spiced better than any of the other But, no matter how cost-effective burrito chains I’ve sampled. In other it may be, I wouldn’t recommend words, for the first time, my kids and I Machismo if I didn’t believe it was can agree on a burrito place we both something special – as well as somecan enjoy for lunch and dinner. And, thing a little different from the norm. the price is right, too. Whether you get For example, other burrito bars offer an overstuffed burrito, salad, rice bowl flour and some even have wheat toror quesadilla, it’ll only set you back $6 tillas, but where else can you also get a (although guacamole or queso sauce choice of spinach, sun-dried tomato, are extra, unless you choose an all-vegjalapeno and chipotle-flavored tortillas? gie burrito or salad, when both are Likewise, the other places definiteincluded for no additional charge). ly all offer cold ingredients like salsa, “We think it’s the best deal in onions, green peppers, sour cream and Fresh ingredients are the rule at Machismo. town,” says Armatas. “But, we hope

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

chipotle or regular queso sauce and you have an awesome meal at an outstanding price. Machismo was founded in Virginia Beach, VA, and its headquarters is in a little town in Pennsylvania called Manayunk. There’s also a Machismo in Bradenton and six locations overall.

Take The ‘El Gringo’ Challenge!

Of course, not everyone who eats at Machismo is interested in “healthier” eating. So, if you’re up for a real challenge, Machismo invites you to take the “El Gringo” challenge by replacing the usual 1-1/2-2 lb. burrito with a 5-lb. monster. Finish it all in one sitting and your burrito is not only free, you’ll get a free T-shirt, too! To date, Armatas says 12 people have taken the challenge and only one of those – USF student Matt Olah (photo, far right) – has successfully completed it to date – and he did it in only 41 minutes! By the way, Machismo’s Patel also owns the recently renamed JSpot Liquors in the same plaza. He’s got a great selection of martini vodkas, single malt Scotches and even my favorite Blanton’s bourbon, so check it out and please tell him we sent you!

Machismo Burrito Bar is located at 14941 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in the Oak Ramble Plaza, just south of Tampa Palms. Delivery is available to all of New Tampa, although Armatas says right now, with the construction on BBD, “We might have a problem with delivering to Hunter’s Green between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. The burritos reheat just fine in the microwave, but we don’t like to take so long to get them to you that they arrive cold.” For more information, call 972-1888, visit MachismoBurritoBar.com or check it out on Facebook at facebook. com/machismonewtampa or on Twitter at twitter.com/machimso bayarea. For J Spot Liquors (14919 BBD), call 514-9494.

You can also get your burrito as a salad, without the wrapper.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

NEW TAMPA & WESLEY CHAPEL H E L P

W A N T E D

Join OrthoTechnology’s Winning Team! Ortho Technology, an international orthodontic supply distributor located in New Tampa, is seeking talented energetic candidates for the following full-time positions: Distribution Associate: High energy individual needed to receive, restock, pull & pack customer orders. Fast paced environment. Basic math & computer skills, ability to stand/walk for entire shift & lift up to 50 pounds required. QC Inspector: Entry level position responsible for accuracy of outgoing orders. 1-2 yrs exp w/QC responsibilities. Ability to stand/walk for entire shift, close vision, basic color differentiation and basic math req’d. Small parts/med device experience a plus. We provide a great work environment, excellent benefits package and growth potential. Submit resumes to careers@orthotechnology.com. Home Health Worker. New Tampa-Wesley ChapelZephyrhills. Reliable People W/Experience. Needed for Various Hours. Call Mary M-F 9am to 4pm only. 813.788.1717. Lic HHA 299992388 RN’s in Pasco for HHA - PT/Per Diem, Medicare - Assessment Experience a Plus - Call: 727.259.2337

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 9 • April 24, 2010 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com