New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 31, Issue 1, January 10, 2023

(Photo: Charmaine George)

By GARY NAGER Editorial

I’m so thankful for how things went for me, personally and professionally, in 2022.

I found out this year that my sons and Jannah’s daughter and son will increase the number of grandchildren between us from two to six by April of next year. And, after a couple of years of serious pain, I had both of my knees replaced in 2022 and I’m back to working out regularly (see pgs. 18-19) and feeling like I’ve turned back the clock to younger, healthier times.

In addition, the Neighborhood News is still going gangbusters, despite me having to suffer through those two knee replacement operations and many weeks of difficult physical therapy following each of those surgeries.

For example, here in New Tampa (zip code 33647 and the Lake Forest subdivision on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Lutz), our alldirect-mail circulation increased from about 27,000 homes, apartments and businesses and reaching fewer than 74,000 people to start 2022 to 29,000 residences and businesses and more than 78,000 total people to start 2023.

Meanwhile, in Wesley Chapel, 2022 was another year of unprecedented growth, as our all-direct-mail distribution grew from 29,000 homes, apartments and businesses while reaching about 82,000 people in zip codes 33543, 33544 & 33545 to more than 31,000 residences and businesses and nearly 89,000 people over the course of the year, despite the fact the once-insane local real estate market finally cooled off...at least somewhat.

The best news of all, for anyone interested in seeing whether or not advertising in the Neighborhood News really works, is that despite the fact we keep paying the post office more to make sure that our circulation continues to grow with the community, we also continue to hold the line on the cost to advertise with us.

Since the start of the pandemic, despite growing our direct-mail circulation by thousands of addresses and people in both of our communities, the only price increase we’ve had is a $25-per-issue bump in the cost of 1/4-pg ads on a 7- or 13-issue Advertising Agreement — and the 1/4-pg. is still our most popular ad size. In order to keep advertising in our publications affordable for most mom-and-pop businesses, we have not raised any of our other rates.

And, speaking of buying ads with us, I’m also proud to say that we added more than three dozen new advertisers in 2022 and continued to make the vast majority of our advertisers — old and new — happy with their results. That’s not an easy thing to do, given the way publications like daily newspapers (and most other publications serving our distribution areas) continue to shrink in circulation and numbers of pages and/or go the way of the dinosaur altogether.

Recapping 2022 And...

On pages 4 and 6 of this issue, managing editor John Cotey recaps some of the biggest 2022 stories in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel with looking-towards-2023 updates on those stories. John mentions many (but not all) of

our area’s 2022 milestones But, we also know there a lot more will happen in and around New Tampa and of course, we’ll provide more of that news for you than any other local media source, whether print, broadcast or online.

Speaking of milestones, February 25 will be my 29th anniversary as the owner and editor of the Neighborhood News, which means we’re a little more than a year away from my 30th anniversary of serving New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. And, in addition to my amazing sons, mine and Jannah’s grandchildren and my wonderful wife herself, bringing you the Neighborhood News the last 29 years has been one of the great joys of my life.

I am so proud to have seen this com-

munity continue to grow, through good times and bad, from fewer than 7,000 homes in Pebble Creek, Tampa Palms, Hunter’s Green and Cross Creek to the 29,000+ residential and business addresses in zip code 33647 today.

Another way to illustrate that growth is that when I first bought the Neighborhood News in 1994, the only schools already open in zip code 33647 were Tampa Palms (which opened in 1989) and Hunter’s Green (which turned 30 in 2022) elementaries. Today, there are 11 elementary and secondary schools in New Tampa and I was on hand for the opening of pretty much all of them. (I know we covered, I’m just not sure if I personally attended, the opening of Hilda T. Turner Elementary, now

the Turner/Bartels K-8 School, in 2005.)

As reported a couple of issues ago, both Wharton High and Benito Middle School opened in 1997, but the following year (1998) Clark Elementary in West Meadows opened, followed by Pride (2000) and Chiles (2001) elementaries. At that time, New Tampa’s schools were among the most overcrowded in the county, so the following year (2002), Freedom High and Liberty Middle School debuted, followed by Heritage Elementary (2003) and Turner (2005).

Thanks to redistricting and other moves, Hillsborough hasn’t had to open another school in New Tampa since, but if it does happen, we’ll be there telling you all about it!

New Tampa Neighborhood News

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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 necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisements for Volume 31, Issue 3, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Thursday, January 26, 2023.

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.

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New & Old Made For An Eventful 2022 In New Tampa

By JOHN C. COTEY John@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Wesley Chapel has always kind of felt like New Tampa’s little brother, who just happened to have a growth spurt and spent a lot of time in the weight room. Wesley Chapel may be stronger and tower over New Tampa these days, but big brother still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

We think this analogy kind of makes sense, but let’s lay it for you.

In 2022, New Tampa celebrated a number of significant milestones, like the 25th anniversary of opening of the New Tampa Regional Library, the 20th anniversary of schools like Liberty Middle School and Freedom High and the 25th anniversary of the opening of both Benito Middle School and Wharton High.

New Tampa truly is all grown up, in many ways. There may not be room to build new malls and hundreds of new homes — unless the vacated Pebble Creek Golf Club golf course is paved over in the next few years to make way for new homes — but the area continues to move forward with some developments that should make locals happy.

Two notable ribbon cuttings were held — one for the long-awaited New Tampa Performing Arts Center (which will begin hosting performances in 2023) and another for a first-of-its-kind All Abilities Park for the City

of Tampa in Tampa Palms (see story on pg. 8).

Both were significant. The Performing Arts Center, championed by Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan for more than a decade, will be the cultural center of New Tampa, opening the way for musicians, dancers, actors and more to hone their skills and have a place to perform. And, for the community, the new center is expected to offer a host of performances and shows that will provide various types of entertainment otherwise unavailable in the area.

As for Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera’s pet project — the New Tampa All Abilities Park — those who suffer from a variety of disabilities now have a place to call their own, and a chance to be included in a number of fun and even educational playground activities that, until now, have been off limits for them.

That’s not all — Hagan also led the groundbreaking of a major renovation of Branchton Park at the corner of Morris Bridge Rd. and Cross Creek Blvd., and also announced that the county hopes to build New Tampa’s first indoor recreation center at Cross Creek Park near Pride Elementary.

And, the long-awaited replacement for the vacated Sweetbay Supermarket, the Asian superstore Lotte Plaza Market, began renovating the old building and expects to open sometime in 2023.

When it comes to other notable moments, New Tampa had its fair share.

Bruhat Soma, now a sixth grader at Turner

Bartels K-8, School, qualified for the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., although he couldn’t attend due to Covid-19. He was only the second New Tampa student to ever qualify for the event, joining Benito’s Nupur Lala, who actually won the title in 1999.

Tommy Tonelli, pretty much the only basketball coach Wharton High has ever known, stepped down after leading the Wildcats to the State semifinals. Tonelli finished as Hillsborough County’s all-timewinningest boys basketball coach with a 528-137 record over 23 seasons.

Long-time Pebble Creek resident Marion Brodarick celebrated her 100th birthday, and is still going strong.

And, remember when gas prices were more than $4 a gallon? That prompted more than 100 cars to line up on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. for a promotional event, as the Marathon station neat I-75 was offering gas for just $2.38 per gallon.

Big Happenings In The Chap, Too

As for New Tampa’s aforementioned little brother, it was another big year for new and cool things. In addition to the announcement of a new hospital (Wesley Chapel’s second), a few groundbreakings for town centers and an upscale Cooper’s Hawk restaurant on S.R. 56, Wesley Chapel’s 2022 highlights also included:

(Left) The New Tampa Performing Arts Center took decades to negotiate and build, but the ribbon was finally cut on the new PAC, which is located right across the street from the entrance to the Hunter’s Green community. (Right) One of New Tampa’s original residents, Marion Brodarick (top right) celebrated her 100th birthday in 2022.

• The debut of the KRATE at the Grove Container Park in June, probably Wesley Chapel’s No. 1 success story of the year. The grand opening event of what is, at the very least, our area’s most unique and one-ofa-kind hangout, drew roughly 8,000 people, and its never-ending stream of special events — like ‘70s Night, ‘80s Night, movie nights and more — routinely draw more than a thousand patrons at a time to The Grove.

Comprised of converted shipping containers with an Instagrammable flair, KRATE has a little something for almost everyone. It boasts 29 restaurants with a variety of ethnic offerings, as well as 17 retail stores. The KRATE’s stage features some kind of live entertainment almost every week. Even during the recent winter chill, it’s been (and still is) the hot place to be these days.

• Saddlebrook Resort — which deserves maybe more credit than anything else for putting Wesley Chapel on the map as far back as the 1980s — was sold in 2022 for $15 million. And, long-time owner Tom Dempsey told us that it was just the first step in an expansion and renovation of the storied golf resort and residential development. Those plans include expanding Saddlebrook’s master-planned

unit development (MPUD) by more than 400 acres and converting one of its two Arnold Palmer-designed golf courses and the resort’s driving range into a site that would potentially include commercial/ retail, restaurants, apartments, homes and other uses — serving as something of a Saddlebrook town center.

• If you regularly drive to Wesley Chapel for all the cool stuff, a lot of 2022 traffic improvements should make traveling in the area much more pleasant in 2023.

The diverging diamond interchange (DDI) is now fully open at

the S.R. 56 and I-75 interchange and, except for some clean up and road markings. And, the Overpass Rd. interchange at I-75 — between the S.R. 54 and S.R. 52 exits — will be open soon, and the widening of S.R. 54 from east of Curley Rd. to Morris Bridge Rd. should be completed late in 2023.

When you add in the new paving planned for Tampa Palms Blvd., it feels like this year was a win for area commuters

• Looking Ahead...In 2023, New Tampa can expect the completion of the Branchton Park improvements and a schedule of events for the New

Tampa

Arts Center. And, with the ongoing fight over what to do with Pebble Creek’s golf course picking up steam, potential replacements for the Best Buy and Oronzo Honest Italian restaurant in Highwoods Preserve, when Kobe Japanese Steakhouse will open in its new location (see pg. 36) and a surprise or two, New Tampa definitely can expect an eventful 2023.

Meanwhile, Wesley Chapel can look forward to stepped-up growth in Wiregrass Ranch, including the longawaited town center, and another in downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel and much more.

Performing

The Lotte Plaza Market on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in the old Sweetbay Supermarket location finally started renovating the old space, and the Asian grocery store is likely to open in 2023. The KRATE at the Grove (top right) opened in June and offers food, retail and even live entertainment 3-4 days a week.

City’s New ‘All Abilities Park’ Is For Everyone

By JOHN C. COTEY John@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Joshua Morales was just 7 years old the first time he remembers how different he was from the other kids.

He was at a birthday party with friends, who were all running around and playing and going down a slide. Although he was confined to a wheelchair, Morales managed to pull himself out of his chair to try to go down the slide as well. Some kids laughed and pointed.

“Why are you trying to act like a normal person?,” one of them shouted.

One of the special guests when a ribbon was officially cut at New Tampa’s AllAbilities Park and the park opened to kids just like him on Dec. 21, Joshua shared that story, which he would rather forget.

“But, it stuck to me like glue,” he said.

As one of more than a handful of special guests and dignitaries who received recognition as the All-Abilities Park — located within the boundaries of the New Tampa Community Park in Tampa Palms — opened, Joshua was a shining example of what the park will be all about.

The idea was initiated by District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, whose older brother Juan suffers from mental disabilities. At a final cost of roughly $2 million, the park is expected to be a beacon for children who may not feel they fit in at other parks.

“The park for me is about a basic idea, which is respect, dignity, security and inclusivity,” Viera said, recalling some of the moments he witnessed as a child when his brother wasn’t welcomed at places like a movie theater or a park. “The basic message the City of Tampa has for families like the Viera family is that you are welcome here.”

Others, like Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, State Senator Jay Collins and State Representative and Florida State House minority leader Fentrice Driskell shared the same message before a crowd of about 75 people.

The 10,000-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art playground has something for anyone with physical, cognitive, sensory and/or neuro

diverse disabilities.

There are two small zip lines, one with a large seat to sit in, and two large swings, including one that slides back and forth and is wheelchair accessible.

For three-year-old Petra Farabee, there was plenty to do. Petra steered her wheelchair in between the adults and around the park like a pro, looking for new things to try. She even helped her dad Adam get a good bit of exercise trying to keep up with her.

Born with spina bifida, Petra was able to enjoy most of what the playground offered, including a see-saw with large seats

that allowed her to have a break from her wheelchair (see photo on page 1).

“I think she likes it,” Adam said, smiling.

The park features a number of interactive pieces, like drums, a xylophone and chimes. There also is a learning board in three languages, including braille, a communication board for those who do not verbally communicate, and even a Pulse table tennis game that uses sensors, lights and sounds.

“It’s an amazing park,” Joshua said. “I’ve never seen one like it, and it will be great for kids to make friends and play with people they can relate to.”

The park is equipped with benches and tables and next to each bench is a power station that can be used to charge wheelchairs or other devices, if needed.

A mural (photo above left), by Pep Rally, Inc., a team of St. Petersburg and Tampa artists that focuses on brand identity, murals and installation art — entitled “Wild Florida Parade” — has vibrant colors and offers a tactile experience for low- to no-vision children, with carved grooves.

For parents of any child who has experienced a summer day at a Florida playground, the best things about the New Tampa All Abilities Playground might be the safe, rubber surface, the large sails that provide an ample amount of protection from the sun, and a misting station that was built with $15,000 raised by the Rotary Club of New Tampa.

“This is a wonderful, wonderful addition to the New Tampa area, and to the entire city,” said Mayor Castor.

Joshua, now a 17-year-old senior at Sumner High in Ruskin, tried out the zip line and gave it a thumbs-up.

Diagnosed with transverse myelitis at 22 months leading to a spinal cord injury, Joshua has still managed to live a full life. He has played baseball, basketball, sled hockey, wheelchair rugby and has been able to go water skiing, practice jiu-jitsu and write music. He even got to sing one of his original rap songs at the ribbon cutting.

“I would have loved to have a park like this when I was younger,” he said.

For Viera, the ribbon cutting marked the completion of one of his first goals when he was elected in 2018.

Although the initial park plans had to be changed and a new site had to be found following complaints from a nearby neighborhood, the final result is definitely a rousing success..

“It doesn’t matter your disability,” Viera told the excited crowd, “you are welcome here.”

The mural also is designed at a height that makes it wheelchair accessible.

(Above) Joshua Morales (far left) helps cut the ribbon at the New Tampa All Abilities Park with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor (center) and others. (Photos: Charmaine George)

Pasco’s Default, RADDSports’ Lawsuit On Hold Until Feb.

By JOHN C. COTEY John@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Pasco County and RADDSports failed to settle their differences over the management of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus at a November mediation, and have decided to pause efforts to reconcile those differences for 60 days until a second mediation can be held, which is now scheduled for February 7.

A lawsuit, filed by RADDSports on Nov. 15, now hangs over the negotiations, as well.

The two sides issued a joint statement on Dec. 12, which was signed by RADDSports’ chief operating officer Anthony Homer and Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein, acknowledging the lawsuit and the lack of a settlement at the initial mediation session on Nov. 28, but stated that the two sides were still trying to resolve their issues.

“The parties have now agreed to place their disputes on hold for 60 days while they continue to work towards a definitive resolution,” the joint statement says. “There has been no judicial determination of whether RADDSports is or is not in default of the (contract).”

Homer says RADDSports wants that judicial determination, which is why

the company filed the suit.

“What we are suing for is a declarative action,” Homer says. “We simply want a judge to look at the county’s allegations, compare it to the contract and to essentially declare whether or not we are in default (as the county claims). That’s it.”

Goldstein declined comment.

After receiving a letter of default from Pasco County on Nov. 4, and re -

ceiving no response to its defense of the claims in the letter, RADDSports filed the suit, which claims that the county has long sought to undermine the management company’s efforts.

“Now, under the pretense of a default, the county is trying to terminate a 20-year contract with false claims in order to take over operations at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus,”

Homer says.

“We’re not asking for damages, we’re not asking to renegotiate the contract,” he adds.

“We’re perfectly happy to live within the terms of the agreement that we committed to at the beginning of this for the next 18 years. All we’re asking is for a judge to determine whether or not we are in default, and if we are not, we go back to business.”

While Homer hasn’t ruled out another suit for damages if the county proceeds with terminating the management company’s contract, RADDSports did agree to suspend its lawsuit during the current 60-day break in talks.

Both sides are still communicating, however, as well as collecting information and fulfilling public records requests that they expect will bolster their arguments on Feb. 7 when they meet again.

The two sides are at odds over how the sports facility, which opened in July

RADDSports, which manages the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, filed a lawsuit against the county after being declared in default of its management agreement by Pasco’s Board of County Commissioners. Following an initial mediation in November, the default and lawsuit are on hold until a second mediation session in February, as RADDSports and the county attempt to work out their differences.

of 2020 but officially opened in January 2021, is being run and the results of those early efforts.

On Oct. 25, the county’s Board of County Commissioners (BOC) approved a Notice of Default, originally written by Florida Sports Coast director Adam Thomas, which also included approval of roughly $3 million to take over management of the sports campus from RADDSports.

The county claims that RADD has focused too heavily on local events and did not promote tourism and overnight hotel stays – including failing to properly market the facility and not working with the Residence Inn by Marriott hotel, which is located on the same campus.

The default letter received by RADD, which Homer says was different than what the BOC initially approved, was delivered to RADDSports on Nov. 4. Homer delivered a point-by-point rebuttal to the default claims at the following BOC meeting on Nov. 8.

Homer says that RADDSports asked the county to withdraw its claim of default, but was met with silence from the five county commissioners.

The suit was filed because “Pasco County basically left us in purgatory,” Homer said, after putting the accusation of default in the public domain.

RADDSports claims it has not only promoted tourism and met all of

the other requirements laid out in the contract, but actually has exceeded the number of room nights in the company’s agreement with the county and has spent $1.5 million of its own money to do so.

It says the county also paid consultants roughly $35,000 to produce data on RADDSports’ tourism efforts, and that data only confirmed that the management company has met expectations.

In addition, Florida Sports Coast is accused of attempting to turn other local businesses against RADDSports, with false accusations that those businesses refused to sign off on.

Homer says he is “optimistic” that the next mediation session will produce an agreement that both sides find satisfactory.

“We want the same thing the county wants,” he says. “The more people we bring into the building is better for us, and also better for them. It is unclear to us right now exactly what the county’s expectations are, since they are claiming we are in default, yet their own data they paid an outside company for confirmed that we are doing exactly what we said we would. In fact, their vendor said we were doing better than even we had estimated. So, there’s an alignment of interests to be found. Hopefully we can all agree on some objective metrics and move forward.“

Dr. Brian Wilson Of Tampa Palms Psychology Can Help With Your Stress

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent

Brian Wilson, Ph.D., will tell you that life today is more complex than ever.

“We live in these very challenging, technologically sophisticated and sometimes impersonal times,” says Dr. Wilson, “and I’m helping people cope.”

At his Tampa Palms Psychology, Wilson helps adults navigate life’s difficulties, especially when it comes to job stress, relationship problems, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and any number of other issues.

As a general psychologist, he says he “casts a wide net” in the adults he treats, but he does not counsel anyone under the age of 18.

For Dr. Wilson, who lives with his wife and son in Tampa Palms, it was a lifelong dream to open his own practice. In 2021, he says the timing was right, so he launched a private practice close to his family’s home.

“I’m trying to capture that neighborhood health care provider feel,” he says, in a time where more people are looking for therapists than there are professionals available to meet that need.

He says that, for several years now, there’s been a shortage of mental health providers, and the Covid-19 pandemic

caused a lot of stress — personal, economic and even political — and shined a light on that lack of providers.

Dr. Wilson has been practicing since 2003 and now has two decades of experience. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Psychology from the University of Florida in Gainesville and earned both his Master of Science (M.S.) and Ph.D. degrees from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.

He also completed a psychology residency at the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.

During the pandemic, Dr. Wilson offered Telehealth appointments to his patients. Now, those patients have a choice of whether to see him in person or via online videoconferencing, which he says is secure and compliant with patient privacy laws.

“As a result of Covid, the technology for Telehealth appointments got much better,” he says. “Now, the quality is really good and some people just prefer not to have to drive to an appointment.”

He explains that Telehealth works well if patients have a completely private and comfortable space where they can talk freely. For anyone who has any concerns about privacy, in-person appointments are a must.

“You have to feel safe and comfortable,” Dr. Wilson says.

While about half of his patients meet with him via Telehealth, the other half visit Wilson at his office in the SOAR Co-Working Space on Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms.

He describes SOAR as a modern coworking model, where all kinds of people — especially entrepreneurs — have desks and communal spaces, while the other

side of the space is made up of private, individual offices, like his.

“It’s a very stimulating, hip, cool place to come,” he explains. “It’s a very warm, inviting place, and my clients who come here really like it. They get the privacy they need, but also a sense of community.”

During those private conversations, Dr. Wilson uses his more than two decades of training and experience to help people sort through the difficulties they are experiencing in their lives.

Multiple Approaches

“I try to be incredibly responsive to people’s needs,” Dr. Wilson explains. “When one model isn’t working, I’m open to shift to another approach. Some other providers might only have one approach, but I am willing to shift.”

He commonly helps people who are experiencing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and has years of experience helping military veterans.

Dr. Wilson sometimes helps couples, but more often helps individuals and says that couples should have an impartial counselor for therapy together. Both people in the relationship should feel equally comfortable with the counselor and neither should feel

Dr. Brian Wilson helps adults with a wide range of emotional issues via Telehealth and in person at his Tampa Palms Psychology office.

(Photos by Charmaine George)

that the counselor is taking sides.

He also is experienced helping those who have serious or life-changing medical issues and are learning to cope with a new reality, and the mental health problems that develop as a result.

Another area of expertise for Dr. Wilson is geriatrics — helping older adults. This could be people who are caring for a spouse who is ill, end-of-life concerns or those who are realizing that the transition into retirement hasn’t been what they thought it would be.

“I’m obviously not retired yet, but observing up close from the outside, I see that it tends to be very stressful,” Dr. Wilson explains. “It brings up all sorts of questions, like, ‘Has my life had any purpose?’ and, ‘What have I done and where am I going?’ It can be a perfect recipe for depression and anxiety, and all sorts of other problems.”

Dr. Wilson also says that if you’re an adult looking for a therapist, give him a call or send him an email using the contact information on his website: TampaPalmsPsychology.com.

“I always do a brief phone consultation with any adult who contacts me,” he says. “We talk for 10-15 minutes, which gives you an opportunity to feel me out, and get a sense of whether or not you would feel comfortable with me, with no cost or commitment.”

To protect his patients’ privacy, Dr.

Wilson doesn’t ask them to share their experiences, but fellow professional Dr. Brian Doane of Tampa Bay Counseling Services is quick to say that he thinks very highly of Dr. Wilson and doesn’t hesitate to recommend him — for example, if he has a patient whose spouse needs counseling, too.

“If I’m working with someone and they say, ‘My spouse is looking for a therapist, too,’ he’s the first person I send them to,” Dr. Doane says, noting that it’s an important referral, since he will continue working with that person’s spouse and has a vested interest in both parties getting good help.

“Dr. Wilson is super compassionate, very ethical, and all the things that you want in a therapist,” Dr. Doane says. “He also has a really nice balance between being very kind and compassionate, (while also) being assertively direct. He also knows the timing of when to be direct, providing honest feedback at a time when the (patient) is able to receive it.”

Tampa Palms Psychology is located in the SOAR Co-Working Space at 17401 Commerce Park Blvd., Suite 103-0319. For appointments with Dr. Brian Wilson and more information about the practice, call (727) 239-5684, visit TampaPalmsPsychology.com, or see the ad on page 32 of this issue.

North Tampa Law Group For Real Estate, Probate & Estate Planning

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent

Attorney Brian Arrighi helps people with estate planning, probate and real estate transactions at his North Tampa Law Group office, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 (east of I-75) in Wesley Chapel.

The Tampa Palms resident has served his neighbors in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 17 years, helping those who find themselves in need of an attorney for real estate transactions, estate planning, and probate issues.

Brian, the owner of North Tampa Law Group, relocated his firm to its current location several years ago, after originally opening it in the Tampa Palms Professional Center in 2014.

Brian earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, and his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mass Communications from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He’s a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law section of the Florida Bar.

“Our practice involves three areas,” Brian explains, “real estate, estate planning, and probate (law).”

Real estate law includes title closings, title insurance and organizing and overseeing real estate transactions. This includes

handling “For Sale by Owner” home sales from contract to closing.

As an experienced probate attorney, dealing with distribution of property after someone’s death, Brian also understands the complicated issues that might arise related to real estate titles.

That’s why he says many of his clients are referred to him by local real estate agents, who suggest they hire North Tampa Law Group instead of a title agency for

their closings. He says those agents tell him they recommend his firm because it is quick and efficient with title searches.

Plus, Brian says, “If something pops up on the title search, we’re able to get on the legal side of it right away, whereas a title agency will send you to hire a lawyer to figure it out. We can usually get the legal work done and still close on time, because we get such a good head start on it.”

He adds that hiring North Tampa

Law Group to handle a real estate closing doesn’t necessarily increase the cost of a transaction without an attorney.

“Our fees are very competitive compared to a standard title agent,” Brian says.

In most transactions, the seller is the party who chooses the title agency, and sellers often use whoever their Realtor recommends. But, people are free to choose, so they can let their Realtor know they would like North Tampa Law Group to handle their closing and title insurance.

North Tampa Law Group also helps homeowners who want to sell their home “by owner” and skip hiring a Realtor to market their homes.

“For someone selling their home by owner,” Brian says, “once they obtain the buyer, we provide the contract and forms and take it from there. We handle everything and oversee it all the way to closing.”

James is a local resident who had a great experience using North Tampa Law Group for his recent real estate closing — selling a townhouse in Zephyrhills.

“The process couldn’t have been made simpler for us and we are thrilled with their service,” James says, explaining that the service and communication with North Tampa Law Group throughout the process was outstanding.

“Based on our experience,” he adds, “I would definitely use them again and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to others.”

Attorney Brian Arrighi of North Tampa Law Group in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, is available to handle your real estate, probate and estate planning law issues. (Photo: Charmaine George)

Estate Planning & Probate

In addition to handling real estate closings, North Tampa Law Group also helps clients with estate planning, such as wills, trusts, and the transfer of wealth and assets to loved ones after a death. Brian says he has something of a specialty helping people set up their estates so they can protect their minor children from outside influences and adults from making poor decisions. He works with individuals to set up trusts for health care, living expenses and smaller disbursements, rather than lump-sum payouts, if that’s what they want.

One thing Brian emphasizes is that each client’s individual circumstances are unique, so he helps to arrange documents in whatever way is best for each person’s particular situation.

Even for those who don’t know where to start with an estate plan, North Tampa Law Group can help.

“If people aren’t sure what they want,” Brian says, “we can sit down, do a consultation, and listen to their objectives — how they want their estate distributed, and what it will consist of. Then, we go over their options and give recommendations for what type of trust or plan that is specific to that individual.”

He says that many clients are relieved to find out the estate planning process was not as expensive or as difficult as they thought it would be.

Most services are offered at a flat rate. At the initial consultation, Brian will go

over your options and fee structures. Then, you will have the choice of whether or not to move forward with the services.

And, while proper estate planning prepares for the management of your assets and determines how to efficiently distribute those assets to your loved ones when you pass away, a lack of estate planning could cause confusion that leads to a potentially lengthy and expensive court process known as “probate.”

When probate is necessary — for example, for those who have recently lost someone and find themselves needing the court to sort through any issues — Brian is experienced in that process.

Consultations for real estate, estate planning and probate can all be done in person at North Tampa Law Group’s office, although Brian also offers phone consultations for those who prefer it.

“Post-Covid, I still go into the office, but it’s up to the client as to whether or not they want to meet face to face,” he says. “Sometimes it’s easier to understand in person, and it’s really important for people to know all the differences between everything I’m explaining. But, if a client prefers a phone call, I’m happy to do that.”

North Tampa Law Group is located at 26852 Tanic Dr., Suite 102. For more info, visit NorthTampaLawGroup.com, see the ad on pg. 30 or make an appointment for a free initial consultation by calling (813) 518-7411.

Fit 4 Life Delivers Trusted Physical Therapy & Exercise Expertise

By GARY NAGER

If you’re like most people, you probably have losing weight and/or getting into better shape among your New Year’s resolutions.

And, while you definitely can accomplish both goals at Fit 4 Life Personal Training & Physical Therapy in the Tampa Palms Professional Center, that’s not the only reason to visit my long-time friend and trainer Travis Monday and his staff at Fit 4 Life.

In addition to one-on-one circuit training using the proven “Super Slow” method on highly rated MedX circuit equipment, as well as free weights, Fit 4 Life also has certified physical therapists on staff who can help you build your core strength as you rehab many different types of injuries.

Whatever your reasons for checking out Fit 4 Life, Travis and his friendly, professional staff will make sure that you don’t regret your decision. “We offer trusted therapy and exercise experts,” he says. “I believe we offer the safest, most effective training method out there. Fads come and go, but especially for anyone age 40-plus, what we do is here is both safe and effective.”

On the personal training side, Travis is quick to note that he has no problem with many people trying to get in shape at other fitness or cross-fit training centers.

“They can be very beneficial,” he says, “but some of their methods can’t be considered safe, especially for older adults.”

Travis is definitely someone who practices what he preaches. At age 49, other than some additional gray hair, the married father of two pre-teen daughters still looks almost exactly the same as when I met him — and began working out twice a week — at his original Tampa Palms location nearly 22 years ago.

“I still have the same 8% body fat and weigh the same I did when I graduated college,” he says. “I do zero cardio and I don’t do any exercise training other than what we do here at Fit 4 Life.”

Travis adds, however, that proper nutrition — practicing healthy eating — is also a big part of a successful fitness regi-

men. “I will say I eat healthy about 80 to 90 percent of the time,” he admits, “but combining fitness training and healthy eating is essential. Our trainers also can help you with nutritional counseling.”

As a long-term Fit 4 Life personal training client, I know that I can’t achieve my fitness goals without both proper eating and personal training. I am now able to supplement my twice-a-week, 30-minute, one-onone sessions at Fit 4 Life with cardio at home, but at least for me, I still need to reduce my caloric intake in order to see the best results. That was harder for me to do after both of my knee replacement surgeries last year,

but even when I couldn’t work out my legs after my surgeries, I still kept up with my Fit 4 Life sessions to keep my upper body strong and because working out there has always helped make me stay grounded. That became even more important as I rehabbed my knees.

Fit 4 Life also offers regular weightloss contests for its clients, as well as two free personal training sessions for first-time (and returning) clients who mention this story or the ad on pg. 30 of this issue.

Physical Therapy, Too

Despite still being in fantastic shape, Travis says he has three herniated discs

Whether he works you out on his MedX circuit equipment (above left), free weights (right) or both, owner Travis Monday (in blue) and his fellow personal trainers at Fit4Life can safely help you keep your New Year’s resolution by getting you into great shape with one-on-one personal training at his studio in the Tampa Palms Professional Center. (Photos by Charmaine George)

At age 49,

in his lower back, but somehow, has no back pain, which he attributes to using the MedX spine strengthening machine an average of once a week.

“But, if I was experiencing pain, I would definitely work with the physical therapists here at Fit 4 Life because they don’t only work on rehabbing injuries, but also on building strength, especially for people with low back problems.”

He says that most people as they age have generally weak lower backs, which is why so many suffer from low back pain.

“But, our spine strengthening machine helps most of our therapy clients

lower back.

increase their low back strength by 100%400%,” he says. “Our therapy patients definitely give it rave reviews.” In fact, Fit 4 Life has earned 4.8 of 5 stars on Google.

Fit 4 Life Personal Training & Physical Therapy is located at 17419 Bridge Hill Ct., in the Tampa Palms Professional Center. It is open Mon.-Fri., 6 a.m.-7:30 p.m., and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sat. Many health insurance plans are accepted for physical therapy patients. For more info and to set up your two free personal training sessions, call (813) 907-7879 and mention this story or the ad on pg. 30 or visit Fit4LifeTampa.com

Travis uses the MedX spine strengthening machine every week and has no low back pain despite having three herniated discs in his

Presenting Our 2022 Reader Dining Survey Results!

Also announcing our 2022 Free Dining Prize winners!

OK, we’ll admit it — we tried something new and it didn’t work out the way either I or managing editor John Cotey had hoped.

After nearly 1,200 of you entered our 2021 Reader Dining Survey & Contest, we decided to not only expand the number of categories but to also stop providing you with the names of virtually every restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel in this year’s Survey.

And no, it didn’t go as we planned, as fewer than 400 of you entered this year’s Survey & Contest either online or by mail. What I will say, however, is that there were a lot fewer disqualified votes this year than last, as many of the restaurants who clearly had their regulars stuff the ballot boxes last year could be accused of the same practice this time around.

In other words, while there weren’t as many voters, we feel that the results are not only legitimate but, because of all of the additional categories, there’s no doubt that a lot more restaurants got at least one vote in a category this year than last.

On the next nine pages, the winners of almost every category from this year’s contest are revealed. I say “almost” because there were two categories that we simply couldn’t declare a winner in or post the results of — “Favorite Appetizer” and “Favorite Dish.”

The problem, of course, was that when we first posted the contest in these pages (and in the pages of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, as well as online) back in September, we didn’t ask you to tell us the restaurant where you enjoy your favorite appetizer and favorite dish. So, we ended up with a lot of “calamari” and “prime rib” votes that we couldn’t attribute to any particular eatery. Even after we asked you to make sure to tell us which restaurant, many of you still didn’t.

These two categories also ended up with the most vacant spaces — in other words, many of you skipped them altogether. And finally, other folks who did name a restaurant with their favorites either named dishes that we couldn’t find on the menu or couldn’t read on the mailed-in ballots.

So, we ended up with a total of 23 categories — 24, if you count breaking out your Favorite Restaurants overall by distribution area — and we’re proud of each and every one of you who took the time to fill out as many categories as possible. Your votes really do help these restaurants find out what our readers think of them and even though it’s a lot of effort to tabulate all the votes, it’s also fun for us to compare the results year after year and share them with the owners of the restaurants.

Congratulations To Our Free Dining Prize Winners!

Once again, three of our readers who entered this year’s Dining Survey & Contest were selected at random to win FREE dining at the restaurants of their choice:

Omataye Odu, Bridgewater — $100 Gift Card

John Oleon, Tampa Palms — $60 Gift Card

Trevor Williams Watergrass — $35 Gift Card

If you’re one of the winners named above, please email me at ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com to tell me what restaurant you want to win a gift card to and please also provide your complete mailing address and the best telephone number where you can be reached. — GN

Please also note that, due to space limitations, we were only able to include the top five restaurants and bars in every category (other than “Favorite Indian Restaurant,” where only the three places shown received more than a couple of votes each). The only other exception, of course, are the top-25 overall restaurant winners in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel shown on the next page.

However, if you go to our website — NeighborhoodNewsOnline. net — we go beyond the top five to include every place in every category that received enough votes to be what I call “statistically significant,” which includes the top eight in the “Favorite American Restaurant” category, the top seven in the “Favorite Steak” category, top six “Favorite Sushi” places and the top-10 in the “Favorite Pizza,” “Favorite Full Liquor Bar” and “Favorite Beer/Wine Bar” categories.

John and I haven’t yet decided for sure how we plan to go about this polling next year, but we’re considering only doing one or two categories every issue from June through November — and give a smaller free dining prize for each issue’s contest and one big Grand Prize after all of the categories have been finalized.

If you have a different suggestion as to what you’d like to see for our 2023 contest, please email me “Survey Idea” to ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

And of course, in our next issue, I’ll tell you my 2022 favorite restaurants in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, which is always fun for me and controversial for at least some of you. — GN

Taxes. Death. Stonewood being chosen by our readers as New Tampa’s Favorite Restaurant.

Despite some changes in operating partners over the years, little else has changed at Stonewood. Since opening in 2002, it has consistently been voted the area’s favorite, even in the face of some tough new challengers like Via Italia and the Grill at Morris Bridge.

This is the sixth straight year Stonewood has topped our survey results, and it has had many other top finishes in the years before that.

It still has a great bar, a superb wine selection and a menu featuring tasty items like cedar plank roasted salmon, sweet tea-brined pork chops, Tuscan chicken and other items you won’t find anywhere else in New Tampa — including the new Manhattan Strip Steak, created by Corporate Chef Danny Manzur, which we got to preview before this thick, tender and juicy strip was added to the regular menu on Jan. 4.

There also are burgers, sandwiches, salads and pastas, as well as crafted bowls featuring poké, Southwest chicken and salmon.

Its steaks are popular — in fact, Stonewood

was the only

in our survey to

thanks to it also winning Favorite Steak in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. With

TOP

Favorite New Restaurant In WC or NT

The LIVING ROOM

2. The Grill at Morris Bridge 3. Miller’s Ale House 4. Carrabba’s Italian Grill 5. Chuck Lager America’s Tavern

One of the most anticipated new restaurant openings in Wesley Chapel in 2022 was the opening of the second location of Dunedin favorite The Living Room in the Shops at Wiregrass.

And, it would appear that our readers were not disappointed, as The Living Room (see ad on pg. 26) dominated the “Favorite New Restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel” category in this year’s survey, despite (because of?) the opening of so many new places to eat at The KRATE Container Park at The Grove.

Obviously, the locals are enjoying the food, craft cocktails and ambience owners Christina and Zach Feinstein (with scissors above) have brought to Wesley Chapel.—GN

Favorite Breakfast

FIRST WATCH

We thought the addition to the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area of more local breakfast joints the past few years might make repeating as Favorite Breakfast a tough task for perpetual survey champ First Watch. Well, we were wrong. First Watch’s breakfast, brunch and lunch items continue to be popular with our readers. From avocado toast to pancakes (banana nut crunch, yum!) to omelettes, frittatas and skillet hashes, you can throw a dart at the breakfast menu and hit something delicious, decadent and healthy or indulgent. And, you can wash it all down with a Kale Tonic, Morning Meditation fresh juice or even a Bloody Mary or Mimosa. — JC

2. The Brunchery

3. Brunchie’s

4. Keke’s Breakfast Café

5. Cracker Barrel

Favorite Coffee STARBUCKS

We’d be lying if we told you that we thought Starbucks had the best coffee around, but what they do offer is unmatched — a variety of hot and cold coffees, mochas, lattés and frappuccinos with never-ending options.

Because of that variety, ordering drinks at Starbucks is truly an art form. Order just a plain old cup of hot coffee and you have a choice of 20 syrups (sugar cookie syrup? Yes, please!) or sauces to add to it, eight different sweeteners and 10 different kinds of milk — like soy, oat, almond and coconut (and you can get any of them steamed...or not.)

That may not be for everyone, but try telling that to the lines of folks in every Starbucks drive-thru. — JC

2. Provisions Coffee & Kitchen

3. Bean Bar Co.

4. Dunkin’ Donuts

5. Coffee Speaks & Tea Talks

Favorite Dessert/ Bakery NOTHING BUNDT CAKES

S ometimes, a restaurant or eatery can get caught up in trying to do too much.

But, that’s not the case at Nothing Bundt Cakes. It does bundt cakes and nothing but (duh!). Delicious, moist, sweet, melt-in-yourmouth bundt cakes.

Since opening at the Shops at Wiregrass in 2017, Nothing Bundt Cakes has been a perennial favorite in our dessert category, previously winning top honors in 2018.

You can choose between 11 flavors (including one gluten-free) in different sizes — bite-sized bundtinis, mini bundtlets or special-order full-sized bundt cakes — and, well, boom: perfection. — JC

2. Crumbl Cookie 3. Publix 4. Bakery X 5. Urban Sweets

MINERVA

Due to the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s ever-growing Indian population, as well as the slew of new Indian restaurants popping up in the area over the past few years, we decided this would be a good time to add a Favorite Indian Restaurant category, and we’re not that surprised that Minerva is our first winner — and only three Indian places garnered enough votes to even make our list.

Minerva, located in the New Tampa Center at the corner of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and New Tampa Blvd., opened in June 2016, and many instantly became fans of the restaurant’s authentic Indian flavors, ambiance and lunch buffet (photo, right).

Minerva tries to hit all the right notes with its popular butter chicken, chicken tikka masala and chicken, goat/lamb, fish and vegetable biryani (mixed rice) dishes. Be sure to check out the biryani specials Thursdays and Sundays and, of course, the impressive lunch buffet for dine-in only.

The oven-baked garlic naan is always a favorite, and Minerva offers a host of Indian drinks (including beers) and desserts. — JC

2. Saffron

3. Ice Spice

Favorite Dessert/Frozen

TWISTEE TREAT

I t should probably come as no surprise that an ice cream place that is actually shaped like an ice cream cone would be our readers’ Favorite Frozen Dessert, unseating last year’s winner — the Ice Dreammm Shop.

Twistee Treat has locations in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, and serves up 30 different flavors of soft-serve ice cream in cups and cones, dipped and topped with more than a dozen different

kinds of cookies and candy. It also makes Waffle Tacos, Cookiewiches and sundaes to order. The twirl ice cream cones are a favorite of customers.

What truly separates Twistee Treat from the rest, however, is the convenience of the drive-thru, especially when you have a carload of kids. The “big ice cream cone building” is great for making visits quick and hassle free. — JC

2. Ice Dreammm Shop

3. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream

4. Cold Stone Creamery

5. Culver’s

Favorite Greek

HUNGRY GREEK

Although it hasn’t won this category every year we’ve asked our readers to tell us their favorite restaurants, The Hungry Greek on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel has never finished lower than second in this suddenly-more-competitive category.

And, there’s a good reason for that: Hungry Greek offers a consistently good product — from gyro sandwiches to kabobs to Greek salads — all at always-fair prices with outstandingly quick service. In fact, even though the line at the counter where you place your order can sometimes be long, especially at lunch time, you’re never kept waiting more than a few minutes.

And, Hungry Greek also offers a selection of decadent desserts and even Greek beer to go with the huge portions of delicious food.

Hungry Greek’s success here — and at the original location in West Tampa — surely has contributed to the rise of eight other locations in and around the Tampa Bay area, with the latest opening soon in San Antonio. — GN

2. Little Greek

3. Acropolis Greek Taverna

4. Cafe Zorba

5. El Prince Mediterranean

Favorite Burger

BURGER 21

With arguably more competition than any other category, Burger 21 continues to dominate the Favorite Burger category of our annual Reader Survey.

Dating back to 2013, Burger 21 has never not won the category, whether it was just New Tampa or New Tampa and Wesley Chapel combined. In fact, Burger 21 has been such a force it actually finished as New Tampa’s favorite overall restaurant in 2015 (after finishing second overall in 2014).

That’s a pretty amazing feat.

Readers continue to flock to the local chain’s Bruce B. Downs Blvd. location, due to a variety of different ways to get their burgers, all served on toasted brioche buns. You can get anything from regular cheeseburgers to a variety of Burger 21’s specialty burgers, like the limited time chimichurri burger. There are chicken, seafood and veggie options, as well. The fries are always nice and crispy, and don’t leave without capping your meal without one of Burger 21’s creamy, hand-spun shakes. — JC

2. Red Robin 3. Ford’s Garage 4. Bacon Boss HQ 5. Five Guys

Favorite Asian Restaurant LIANG’S BISTRO

When you speak of perennial favorite restaurants in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, there’s no doubt that few (if any) have been as dominant as Liang’s Bistro.

Since completely revamping a defunct Burger King 20 or so years ago, Liang’s has been voted — by a wide margin every year — as either your “Favorite Asian” or “Favorite Chinese” Restaurant (or both) every year since.

And honestly, while Liang’s isn’t a traditionally authentic Chinese or even New York-style Chinese restaurant, its combination of NY-style egg rolls and BBQ spare ribs — plus everything from Mongolian-style beef, chicken or shrimp to more Japanese-style teriyaki chicken or steak and fried rice, with a few Thai and Korean BBQ-style and even fresh fish and vegetarian dishes thrown in — have kept Liang’s at the top of our readers’ annual list.

Of course, the fact that it also is our only upscale sit-down Chinese restaurant, also serving beer and wine, hasn’t hurt, either. — GN

2. Asian Buffet 3. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse 4. Zukku-San Sushi 5. Umu Japanese & Thai

I t was a simple concept started by Josh and Christy Norland in 2015 — let’s make something everyone loves...bacon!

In 2022, that one idea gave birth to the Bacon Boss HQ.

Rarely disappointing, what began as a food truck has now become the biggest hit at the new KRATE at the Grove, according to our readers.

Items like the John Gotti burger (with Gouda cheese and bacon jam), the Nicky Santoro spicy burger (mango jalapeño relish!) and Mafioso Patty Melt (bacon-infused burger inside a bacon grilled cheese!) are all favorites.

And, while the smoked brisket over creamy mac & cheese (above),

and Fat Tony tater tots topped with mac & cheese and bacon may not be good for your waistline, they are good for your soul. (But, if you tell your personal trainer we said that, we’ll just deny it.) — JC

Favorite Steak STONEWOOD GRILL & TAVERN

When Stonewood

Grill & Tavern

opened in Tampa Palms 20 years ago, it was a more upscale version of an Outback Steakhouse, as its founders had previously been Outback executives. Our Tampa Palms location was the First Stonewood on Florida’s west coast, and it was an instant hit with New Tampa residents and, eventually, with residents of Wesley Chapel, too.

Now, however, despite so many new restaurant options in both of our distribution areas, Stonewood is still our readers’ favorite New Tampa eatery and this year, it officially also has your favorite steak in both communities.

The rest of your top-5 steak places appear below and none of them are in New Tampa. — GN 2. Outback Steakhouse 3. Texas Roadhouse 4. Longhorn Steakhouse 5. Grillsmith

Favorite Sushi ZUKKU-SAN SUSHI BAR & GRILL

Favorite Full Liquor Bar

THE BRASS TAP

C

onsidering how many restaurants there are in both of our markets that serve sushi, it’s almost hard to believe that the five restaurants on this list put so much distance between themselves and any of their competition.

Even so, Zukku-San won the Favorite Sushi category by a fairly wide margin with our readers. We don’t know if that’s due to Zukku-San’s artistic interpretations of your favorite rolls, hand rolls and sashimi or if more people come to Zukku-San for its variety of other Asian-inspired dishes (you can check out Ato, the fast-casual concept from the owners of Zukku-San on pg. 32) and stay for the sushi, but we’re guessing it’s a combination of both factors. — GN 2. Sushi Café 3. Umu Japanese & Thai 4. Bonsai Sushi 5. Bluefin Japanese Rest.

C onsidering that it became popular as a place serving a huge variety of craft and micro-brewed beers on tap at lower prices than any of the beer-oriented restaurants located in the Shops at Wiregrass, we were surprised that The Brass Tap didn’t place in this year’s top-5 Favorite Beer/Wine Bar category (see pg. 28) with our readers, but finished first in the Favorite Full Liquor Bar category — as we separated the two types of bars for the first time.

There is no doubt, however, that The Brass Tap offers a cool vibe and is the choice of many of our readers, regardless of what type of alcohol they prefer to imbibe. It also allows you to bring in food ordered from the restaurants at the Shops. — GN

2. Florida Ave. Brewing Co.

3. The Fat Rabbit Pub 4. Stonewood Grill & Tavern

5. Joe Whiskey’s

Favorite Latin Restaurant

RICE-N-BEANS

O ne thing we had noticed over the years of this Reader Survey was that restaurants serving Latin cuisines other than Mexican food weren’t being given enough credit by our readers.

So this year, with all of the new restaurants, especially at the KRATEs, serving a variety of Latin cuisines, we decided to ask our readers to pick their favorite Latin restaurant that didn’t focus on fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and burritos.

The result was that virtually every Latin restaurant serving something other than Mexican food registered a decent number of votes.

There was no doubt, however, that the Puerto Rican cuisine served at the ever-popular Rice-N-Beans was the winner in this category. Serving authentic mofongo, chicharrons, pan-fried whole snapper and even a chilled octopus salad, Rice-N-Beans also offers an upscale atmosphere, a reasonably priced bar and evening entertainment that none of the other nonMexican Latin places on our list can boast.

And, owner Cindy Cruz says the RiceN-Beans Express on S.R. 54 in Lutz (west of the Tampa Premium Outlets) should open soon. — GN

2. Latin Twist Cafe

3. Las Palmas

4. Lima Peruvian Cafe

5. Mojo Grill

Favorite Mexican VALLARTA’S

Vallarta’s is coming pretty close to making us retire the Favorite Latin & Mexican Restaurant categories (don’t worry, amigos, we’ll give you another shot next year!).

Despite closing its New Tampa location a few years back, Vallarta’s is once again the most popular place our readers choose for Mexican food, even if the only local location is in Wesley Chapel.

The sizzling fajitas are always a hit, and the variety of tacos, nachos, burritos and quesadillas is impressive and can be served with steak, chicken or beef.

Or, you can go veggie with just beans and rice.

Vallarta’s also nails one of the most important attributes of a Mexican restaurant — the price, which absolutely is affordable, especially the lunch specials and combo plates; the atmosphere, which is festive and loud; and the drinks, which are always large (e.g., “big as your head” margaritas!) and are often on special. — JC

2. Cantina (CC Blvd)

3. Señor Tequila

4. Cantina Laredo (closed!)

5. Don Julio’s Authentic Mexican

Aconfession — I have been surprised for years that Thai Lanna hasn’t been named the Favorite Thai restaurant more often, because it really is superb.

It’s about time our readers agreed. (OK, rant over).

Tucked away in the corner of a gasoline-anchored strip mall on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, Thai Lanna may be hard to find — kind of like a treasure box for varied flavors — but it’s worth the effort.

The dinner menu offers a variety of authentic and traditional dishes like its top-selling Pad Thai, Pad Woon Sen and Massaman Curry. All of the fried rice options also are exceptional, and there are many curry dishes — red, green, yellow and even pineapple — from which to choose.

The expansive menu features a host of noodle, seafood, duck and vegetarian dishes, as well as fresh sushi and sashimi (photo).

And, save room for the Mango Delight (mango sticky rice). It might just be the best dessert in New Tampa. — JC

THAI LANNA Favorite Thai Restaurant In

Wesley Chapel or New Tampa

Favorite Beer/Wine Bar

FLORIDA AVENUE BREWING CO.

A lthough the menu has changed multiple times at Florida Avenue Brewing Co. since it first opened a few years ago, we were still a little surprised the former location of Sports + Field on S.R. 56 didn’t finish in the top-25 Favorite restaurant category with our readers this year.

Favorite Pizza

900º Woodfired & NY

I t may be time to crown owner

Steve Falabella the King of Pizza in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area, as once again his 900º Woodfired Pizza is the reader’s pick for Favorite Pizza in our distribution areas.

900º has developed a loyal following in Wesley Chapel, in part due to the omnipresent Falabella, who has two popular pizza locations in Wesley Chapel and also has opened the popular Falabella Family Bistro.

O

ne of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s most highly-regarded restaurants, Via Italia has been near the top of our readers’ favorites since Roberto Maganuco opened it in 2020.

And, why wouldn’t it? Via Italia mixes a great atmosphere with wonderful Italian food that is arguably the best you’ll find in our area.

But, the compliment that you hear most about Via Italia, and one that rings louder than any other when you’re talking about any ethnic restaurant, is authentic

There are few, if any items on the expansive menu that don’t drip with authenticity, from more than 20 different kinds of wood-fired pizza to nearly just as many pasta dishes (like the tagliatelle Bolognese above). Just

VIA ITALIA

Favorite Italian Restaurant In

WC or NT

reading the menu is enough to get your mouth watering.

And, don’t forget to try out the variety of bruschetta options, or a high-end charcuterie board, filled with imported meats, cheeses and dried fruits from Italy. — JC 2. Falabella Family Bistro 3. Noble Crust

Olive Garden

However, Florida Ave. did dominate our first-ever “Favorite Beer or Wine Bar in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel” category.

No other local bar or tavern in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel offers both craft beer made on the premises AND full liquor, and the recent opening of Florida Ave.’s perhaps-largestin-Florida on-site brewing operation at its Wesley Chapel location certainly has helped its popularity among our beer-drinking readers. And of course, cutely-named favorites like “You’re My Boy, Blue” and “Noggy By Nature” — and the opportunity to sample them all — haven’t hurt Florida Ave.’s popularity, either. — GN

2. Blush Wine Room

3. Brew Bar (KRATE)

4. TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar

5. Double Branch Brewery & Bites

The Shops at Wiregrass mall location put Falabella on the map, as the only local eatery serving both woodfired Neapolitan-style and delicious New York-style pizza. Made with crispy crust and topped with a sauce made from six different tomatoes and Grande cheese, as well as any other toppings you might like, 900º Woodfired & 900º New York Pizza have been our readers’ choice for years.

Like a perfect pizza topping, though, the topping on Falabella’s success is the consistency of the product and the always-friendly efforts of those serving it. — JC

2. NY NY Pizza

3. PizzaMania 4. Amici Pizza

5. Cappy’s Pizza

Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel

NOBLE CRUST

Since opening in The Shops at Wiregrass in 2017, Noble Crust has established itself as one of Wesley Chapel’s premier restaurants, and based on the votes of our readers, the premier restaurant.

For the second straight year, Noble Crust has topped the list as our readers’ favorite in Wesley Chapel (and in both of our markets this year).

With competition stiffer than ever, Noble Crust’s Southern Italianstyle dishes resonate with local foodies. The seasonal menu includes such

favorites as the Lambshank (pictured, above), bronzed salmon, Southern fried chicken, fire-roasted Pork Chops and the F.G.B.L.T. — fried green tomatoes, Tabasco honeyglazed pork belly and pimento cheese.

“I think it’s the consistency and quality of the food that wins people over,” says Brad Elia, Noble Crust’s executive director of marketing and events, adding that the restaurant’s great service also goes a long way. — JC

Favorite American Restaurant CHUCK LAGER AMERICA’S TAVERN

Not only is Chuck Lager America’s Tavern Wesley Chapel and New Tampa’s favorite American restaurant, it came very close to taking top honors for favorite restaurant in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, finishing second to fellow Shops at Wiregrass favorite Noble Crust. That’s likely a testament to the delicious food, crafted by celebrity TV chef Fabio Viviani.

The restaurant offers an impressive drink menu of wine, beers and craft cocktails, and its appetizers — especially the giant pretzel dusted in parmesan — are popular, too.

The burgers come in different varieties and sandwiches like the smoked brisket grilled cheese also are popular.

The pasta, chicken and seafood dishes also are generally highly praised. You can’t go wrong with the prosciutto, goat cheese and fig jam flatbread, but you can also get it with many different toppings. And, an added bonus is the weekend brunch menu! — JC

2. Grillsmith 3. Stonewood Grill & Tavern 4. Bubba’s 33 5. Texas Roadhouse

BUFFALO WILD WINGS

There are almost endless ways to get your chicken at Buffalo Wild Wings, whether you want it on a salad, on a sandwich, on a wrap or even on a bar pizza.

In fact, the Buffalo tender stacked burger, grilled chicken Buffalito and Nashville hot chicken sandwich are some of BWWs most popular items.

But, if we had to venture a guess, we’d say the most popular way folks eat their chicken at BWWs is via the mighty wing.

Whether you get your wings with the bone or without, Buffalo Wild Wings offers a long list of flavors to choose from, aside from just regular old Buffalo, teriyaki or BBQ sauce.

Some of the more adventurous (and tasty) options include Blazin’ (proceed with caution...and definitely have a beer in hand), Caribbean jerk, mango habanero and Thai curry. But, there’s never any shame if you choose the safer lemon pepper or parmesan garlic choices, either. — JC

2. King of the Coop

3. The Fat Rabbit Pub

4. Chick-fil-A

5. Wingstop

By GARY NAGER

Photos by Charmaine George

Whenever I get to talk to Ferdian Jap, the co-owner of Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill on S.R. 56, it seems that he and co-owner and executive chef Gia Tran are always talking about their next venture.

Zukku-San’s original location, known as Zukku Sushi, is located in Armature Works near downtown Tampa, and is definitely more of a fast-casual sushi bar concept than Zukku-San’s more formal, sit-down dining room equipped with a premium full bar.

Even as our Zukku-San was opening, however, Ferdian and Gia were already opening another Zukku Sushi location in Charlotte, NC.

And, sometime shortly thereafter, the first-ever location of the fast-casual concept restaurant known as Ato was opening in Lakeland, even though the second location of Ato also was getting ready to open in the KRATE at The Grove container park here in Wesley Chapel.

Ato opened here a couple of months ago and it basically combines a nice selection of Zukku-San’s appetizers (more on them below), along with both curated and make-your-own poké bowls and what the partners have dubbed “sushi burritos,” which are basically like super-sized sushi rolls, complete with seaweed (nori) wraps filled with sticky sushi rice and an assortment of available fillings. Those Delicious Starters!

You long-time readers already know how much I love the appetizers available at Zukku-San, so please excuse me for repeating myself, as the starters at Ato offer a nice cross-section of the ones I love at Zukku-San.

First of all, while I still can’t eat shrimp (curse you, shellfish allergy), photographer Charmaine George loved Ato’s shrimp tempura appetizer served with the already-famous house-made ponzu sauce.

Speaking of shellfish issues, Ato head chef Walter Ruiz cautioned me that there is a possibility of cross-contamination in virtually everything served at Ato, but if you let them know you have an allergy, they will make sure to change into a fresh pair of gloves to prepare your food. That may not be enough for some of you to risk it, but after dozens of visits to Zukku-San and now four visits to Ato, I’ve never had my reaction after eating at either location.

Both the pansautéed (in egg and a sweet brown sauce) Zukku dumplings and the fried pork gyoza dumplings are nothing short of sublime.

The super-crisp vegetable spring rolls are served with the same slightly spicy orange chili sauce as at Zukku-San, but I like them better at Ato because the sauce is served on the side, which keeps those spring rolls cracklin’ crisp. At Zukku-San, the spring rolls are served atop the sauce, which does get them a little bit soggy.

(Above left) Our editor can’t eat the shrimp tempura appetizer at Ato in the KRATE at The Grove container park, but that shouldn’t stop you. (Above right) The crisp vegetable spring rolls are served with a side of semi-spicy orange chili sauce. (Below left) The Zukku dumplings are pork dumplings sautéed in egg and topped with a sweet brown sauce. (Below right) Ato offers a variety of cold sakes, wines, Sapporo Japanese beer on tap, Tractor Japanese soft drinks & more.

(Below) The tuna poké (left) and spicy salmon curated poké bowls, each of which is served with its own variety of veggies. The spicy salmon bowl also is topped with grilled pineapple and a spicy sriracha vin sauce.

I personally have never been a big fan of crab Rangoon, but the crab-and-creamcheese pillows are very popular with the folks we’ve seen eating them at Ato. Other starters include wakame (seaweed) salad, ginger tossed salad, miso (tofu) soup and edamame (soybeans).

Bowling You Over

Ato also features a variety of big poké bowls already curated for you and also offers you the opportunity to “Express Yourself” by creating your own poké bowl.

My favorite of the curated bowls is the tuna poké, with fresh tuna, pickled red onions, masago (smelt roe/eggs), mixed greens, carrots, roasted corn, scallions, wonton chips and sesame seeds topped with a zesty, but not spicy, poké sauce. Charmaine and I both also

enjoyed the spicy salmon poké bowl, with salmon, scallions, masago, wakame, cucumbers, mixed greens, carrots, grilled pineapple, pickled serrano peppers, togarashi (spice mixture), spicy nori (dried seaweed) and a not-too-spicy sriracha vin sauce.

Other curated bowls include the “Dynamite Bowl” with tempura shrimp, avocado, spicy mayo and veggies; the “Tiger Bowl,” with panko-breaded chicken, crab mix, broccoli, spicy mayo and sweet eel sauce; the “Trio Bowl” (salmon, tuna and hamachi, or yellowtail); and the “Florida Bowl,” with tuna, salmon and avocado.

There are three sizes of “Express Yourself” bowls, made with your choice of “Canvas” (sushi rice, brown rice or mixed greens), your choice of the proteins mentioned previously, one sauce per protein and lots of

“Embellishments” (including asparagus and edamame beans) and “Finish It Up” options that include salmon bacon, teriyaki shitake mushrooms, cilantro and more.

The curated burritos include “The Buddha” (all veggies), the “Land & Sea” (with panko chicken and tempura shrimp), “The Godzilla” (spicy tuna, hamachi, tempura shrimp and crab mix) and “The Kraken” (salmon, crab mix, cream cheese, serrano peppers, pineapple and more).

Ato also offers hot and cold sakes, pinot gris, pinot noir, Sapporo Japanese beer on draft and non-alcoholic drinks like fountain sods, coconut water, rotating flavors of Ramune Japanese sodas and certified organic Tractor beverages, including cold brew green tea, hibiscus and Mandarin orange & cardamom.

In other words, if you haven’t tried Ato yet, I think there’s a great chance you’ll love it when you do!

Ato is located at 5816 Goldview Pkwy., Suite 102, at the south end of the KRATEs. It is open from 11 a.m. every day until 9 p.m. Mon,-Fri., until 10 p.m. on Sat. and 7 p.m. on Sun. For more info, visit AtoPoke. com or call (813) 602-2015. Online ordering is available but delivery currently is not. Also, see pg. 37 for the latest new place from our friends at Zukku-San and Ato — Astro Craft Ice Cream!

Ato head chef Walter Ruiz will add whatever ingredients you want to your “Express Yourself” poké bowls and will hand-roll your curated burrito, including “The Kraken,” with salmon, crab mix, cream cheese, serrano peppers and pineapple.

Pho 54 Replaces Sweetea Café

Although 2022 was a busy year for restaurants that opened and closed in New Tampa, there was a lot more dining news on the way for 2023 in zip code 33647 as the year came to a close.

Over the past few weeks, several local eateries closed their doors for good, while others were just getting ready to open.

We were sad to see that both Nova Pizza in the Pebble Creek Collection and Precinct Pizza (top right photo) on Cross Creek Blvd. at Morris Bridge Rd. had closed.

While we haven’t yet heard about anything new opening in Precinct’s place, we’re definitely excited that Zio’s New York Bagel & Deli Co. (bottom right photo) is expected to take over for Nova by sometime in February.

Zio (which means “Uncle” in Italian) is the brainchild of Wesley Chapel resident Jeff Cofini, who previously owned several bagel places in upstate New York.

“We’ll have homemade, NY-style bagels,” Cofini says, “plus great bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches, Boar’s Head deli meats, and we’ll be open for breakfast and lunch every day.”

Cofini says he is definitely looking for hard-working help at Zio’s. Email him at ZiosNYBagels@gmail.com if you or someone you know might be interested.

Speaking of possible Feb. 2023 openings, real progress has finally been made on the new location of Kobé Japanese Steakhouse (below) and one of the contractors at the site told me that the plan is to try to open the new Kobé in time for Valentine’s Day.

We also were sad to say good-bye to the Walk at Highwoods Preserve location of Oronzo Honest Italian last month. We haven’t yet heard of a replacement for the fast-casual Italian concept, but Oronzo has another location in Midtown Tampa.

We also hoped that the new Macaw Latin Provision on Cross Creek Blvd. would be open before we went to press with this issue, but as of Dec. 31, it still hadn’t opened its doors in the former location of three previous restaurants — Hawkeye’s NYS Pizza, Deano’s Pizza and Fish Fiesta

We’ll keep you posted about all of the coming-soon eateries mentioned above.—GN

We were sad to see that Sweetea Café on S.R. 56 (near Mellow Mushroom) had closed, but a member of the same family plans to reopen the Vietnamese/boba tea eatery as Pho 54.

“I thought we were on 54,” admits Rickie, the new owner. “But we’ll expand the Vietnamese menu and reopen (this month).”—GN

Astro Craft Ice Cream Brings More Delicious Treats To S.R. 56!

Congratulations go out to my friends Ferdian Jap and Gia Tran, the co-owners of Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill on S.R. 56 (see ad on pg. 24), who also recently opened Ato Edible Art (see story on page 32) in the KRATE at The Grove container park and even more recently opened the second location of Astro Craft Ice Cream less than a half-mile from Zukku-San on the north side of 56.

Astro, which has its original location on N. Ola Ave. in the Heights Market just north of downtown Tampa, is proud to offer locally produced craft ice cream in a variety of unique flavors, from Tampa guava cream cheese to brown sugar whiskey cookie dough and my favorite (so far), the banana pudding peanut butter cookie.

“Our classic flavors...reflect the diversity of our Tampa Bay community & honor its rich history,” according to the website AstroCraftIceCream.com.

The Astro menu also includes signature creations like tiramisu cheesecake (creme brulée café con leché ice cream topped with lady fingers, cheesecake bites and cocoa powder, finished with a chocolate flavor “shot.” (Note-There also are honey and caramel flavor shots available for your favorite ice cream creation.) There’s even a Cuban ice cream sandwich with your choice of ice cream flavors, pressed between two pieces of Cuban bread from Tampa’s La Segunda bakery.

Astro also offers a variety of toppings for your waffle cone or cup or on cookies and I don’t think there are more decadent brownies sold anywhere than those at Astro, which are supplied by Tampa-based Mike’s Pies.

Astro Craft Ice Cream (25700 Sierra Center Blvd.) is open Mon.-Wed., noon10 p.m.); Thur.-Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sun. For more info, visit AstroCraftIceCream.com. — GN

HOME IMPROVEMENT

JUNK HAULING SERVICE! We handle all types of furniture removal — bdrm sets, chairs, mattresses & box springs • Hot water heaters & hot tubs - take apart & remove • Construction material • Carpet removal • Estate, eviction, yard, garage & attic clean-outs • Ofc, home & factory • Comm’l/res’l. GorillaJunkremovalExperts.com. For appts, call/ text Nigel @ 888-346-5865.

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AMBLER ENTERPRISES Home Improvement. Call James at 813-385-6402. 30 Years of exp. Specialist in Kitchens & Bathrooms. Referrals upon request. All interior work: Drywall, Texture Paining, Doors, etc. Use us once & you won’t need to look elsewhere. Google us to see pictures: Wesley Chapel Ambler Enterprises. See our display ad below!

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RAYMOND PAINTING. Ext. & Int. Svcs. Ext: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks & wood rot repair. Int: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall repairs & tiles. Licensed & Bonded. References available. Free estimates. Your Neighborhood Arbor Greene Resident! We work 7 days. Call 813-994-5124.

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable, Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings & walls, re-texturing, popcorn removal, room addt’ns, cracks, holes, plaster & stucco repair. 26 years exp. WC resident. State Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate: 813-784-5999.

TREE SERVICES

FITZPATRICK’s TREE SERVICE, INC. 27-yrs of Prof. Service. Licensed & Insured. Free Estimates. Tree Trimming & Tree Removal. Stump Grinding. Dead-Wood Removal. Affordable Rates. 24-Hour Emergency Storm Service. Free Mulch. Call 813-495-9541 or 813-788-TREE.

LAWN, & LANDSCAPING_____

JOHN IDEAL LAWN & LANDSCAPES. We provide

all normal lawn & landcsaping svcs: •Mow •Edge

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COMPUTER & BUSINESS SERVICES

DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, Installation, Networking & Virus Removal. WE COME TO YOU! Residences & Businesses, more than 25-Years Experience. Contact Jeffrey Blank at 813-973-4507, visit WSICA.COM or email Wsica@wsica.com.

PROF’L TECH SUPPORT in your home or small biz. A+ Cert. computer tech w/20 years exp. Maint. & Repairs, Upgrades & Tutoring. More affordable than chains! Friendly, personal svc. Tech jargon explained. Remote assistance & refs. avail. Call (813) 957-8342 for free estimate!

CLEANING SERVICES

ANA PARRA HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES.

Professional House Cleaning — Best prices & quality, Licensed & Insured. We offer: • Routine clean • Deep Cleaning • Move-In/Move-Out cleanup. Serving New Tampa /Lutz/Wesley Chapel & more. Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly cleaning or special needs. Avail. Mon-Sat. References avail. We supply our own cleaning products & equipmt. Call or text for free estimate: (305) 338-0981.

Rosseler Solutions has the cleaning solution your home or company needs. We are specialists in Basic Cleaning, Deep Cleaning, Move-In & MoveOut, Commercial & Post-Construction Cleaning. Please contact us for a free estimate. Call Roseli or Anne at 401.543.4638 or 407.338.8700.

A-to-Z CLEANING & ORGANIZING. Home & Ofc Cleaning & Organizing Svcs! We use our own supplies. Affordable & Reliable. Family-Owned & Operated. WC resident. Weekly & Bi-Weekly / Deep Cleaning/ Move-In / Move-Out. Serving WC & NT. Call today for a FREE No-Obligation Quote: 813-462-1270. Local refs. supplied upon request.

MARY’S CLEANING SERVICES. We provide flexible domestic & office cleaning. “Jesus is the Lord.” Give us a call at 352-206-8809 for a free estimate or email marynovociclo@gmail.com.

PATY CLEANING SERVICE. Comm’l or resid’l cleaning service. We have our own supplies & 6 years of exp.Free estimates. Call 813 943 6054 or email patycleaningservice@hotmail.com.

B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 18 years exp.! Comm’l & Resid’l; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & post-construction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in & move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates.; Refs. avail. Call 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com.

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REAL ESTATE

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FOR SALE

Holland Lop-Eared Dwarf Baby Bunny Rabbits! Full grown will be in the 3- or 4-pound range. Call 813-407-1990 or visit PattysPetsLLC.com or facebook.com/PattysPetsLLC

MISCELLANEOUS

Hughes School of Music now accepting new students! Study Saxophone, Piano, Music Production, Composition or Theory with a Master of Music. Zoom sessions also available! Contact us at 813-748-3216.

TUTORING. Prof’l private tutoring avail. in home or online. Retired teacher w/25+ years of exp. & a proven record of student success. Exp’d in multiple subjects across all grade levels. Specializing in MS and HS Math, ACT/SAT prep and Social Sciences. Scheduling before- or afterschool times for new clients now. Call (813) 415- 8158 or email gstutor2022@gmail.com.

AUTOS WANTED! Autos/trucks/small campers/small boats wanted! We pay top dollar! Any condition, Free Removal 24/7. For more info, call (813) 461-0062.

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POOL SERVICES _

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POOL SERVICES (Cont.) _

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