Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 29, Issue 16, August 3, 2021 by Neighborhood News

WESLEY CHAPEL

NEWS

Volume 29 Issue 16 August 3, 2021

Diverging Diamond Interrupted! milestones in order for it to remain on the project. One of those milestones needed to be met by June 28, but was not. That, apparently, was the final straw. In addition, on June 25, “D.A.B. notified FDOT they were demobilizing from the project,” according to FDOT spokesperson Kristen Carson. Carson said FDOT is working with the surety company, which is required to provide a replacement contractor, to complete the project. A message left by the Neighborhood News with D.A.B. vice-president Bill Bachschmidt was not returned.

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com Mike Moore says he remains haltingly optimistic. The District 2 Pasco County Commissioner who, before the project even began, had lobbied state legislators and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to move up the beginning and end dates of the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) construction at S.R. 56 and I-75, still thinks the interchange can be finished by the end of the year. “Of course I do,” he says. Chances are, however, that he would be unlikely to place a bet on his optimism. Unable to meet the milestones set forth by FDOT, D.A.B. Constructors was defaulted and removed from the DDI project in late June. At our press time, the project remains at a standstill, as FDOT seeks a different company to finish the job. So, what happened? Because of what he saw as a lack of acceptable progress on the interchange last year, Moore railed on D.A.B. Constructors at an October 2020 Board of

Covid-Related Troubles

At our press time, D.A.B. Constructors had stopped working on the I-75/S.R. 56 Diverging Diamond Interchange, and FDOT had defaulted the contractor. (Drone photo: FDOT)

County Commissioners meeting. The project, already over its original budget by nearly $15-million, seemed beset by malaise. Moore complained that he

rarely saw workers doing anything on his frequent drives through the intersection. As a result, FDOT announced that D.A.B. had to meet a number of

The DDI construction has been ongoing since early 2019, and had an original schedule of 800 days, which would have meant a completion date of April 2021. That didn’t account for delays due to rain and holidays, but Covid-19 caused major delays and shortages of materials for the project last year. Last fall, when Moore criticized the lack of urgency and the number of See “DDI Delay” on pg. 4

Bubba’s 33 Adds More Italian Specialties!

To check out all of the new menu items, see pages 36-37! Neighborhood News

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Can The Bolts Threepeat & Goodbye, Pebble Creek Golf Club An editorial by Gary Nager It’s been an eventful month since the Tampa Bay Lightning won their second consecutive Stanley Cup and third in team history on July 7. First, Lord Stanley’s chalice was damaged during the boat parade celebration a few days after the team’s 1-0 win to beat the league’s most storied franchise — the Montreal Canadiens — in five games (as predicted by yours truly last issue). Winger Pat Maroon, who won his third straight Cup (he was with St. Louis when the Blues took home the most prized trophy in sports in 2019) admitted that he was the one who dropped it. Thankfully, the Cup was restored to its former glory and returned to Tampa in just a few days. But then, a few days after the celebration, the Bolts traded Barclay Goodrow (photo), the winger on the team’s third line — which started every Stanley Cup playoff game again this year — to the New York Rangers. Less than a week after that, the center on that third line, Yanni Gourde, was selected by the new Seattle Kraken franchise during the team’s expansion draft on July 21, after being left unprotected by Tampa Bay. The Bolts were between a rock and a hard place in terms of who to not leave vulnerable to the Kraken, and chose to protect defensemen Viktor Hedman, Ryan McDonough, Eric Cernak and Mikael Sergachev, as well as forwards Anthony Cirelli, Brayden Point and captain Steven Stamkos and this year’s playoff MVP, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, while exposing forwards Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat, Mathieu Joseph, rookie Ross Colton and Maroon. The team’s unprotected defensemen included Jan Rutta and Cal Foote. The issue for me is that two thirds of the third line of Gourde, Goodrow and Blake Coleman is gone — and they, as a group, did such an incredible job of setting the tone for every game of the playoffs for both Stanley Cup wins that coach Jon Cooper will have to use other players to replace that unique combination of speed, toughness, checking and shooting that most NHL teams do not have on their third lines. And, while the Lightning’s top minor league team — the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, which (like the Lightning) finished third in their AHL North Division in 2021 — does have some top-level talent that could find its way onto the team’s NHL roster, finding the right linemates for Coleman could be the key to the Lightning’s 2021-22 season, and the chances for a threepeat. The team’s top picks in this year’s draft 6’6” defensman Roman Schmidt (#96 overall), LW Dylan Duke (a Gourde-like 5’-10”, #126) and C Cameron McDonald (#160) — are all well-regarded, but probably at least a year or more from playing for the big club. I know we also have a Super Bowl champion looking to repeat and a pretty good MLB team contending for a return to the World Series, but Jannah and I can’t wait to see the puck drop Is for the start of the 2021-22 season in October! Neighborhood News

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INSIDE:

Saying Goodbye...

Even though we’re not golfers and had spent less time there since Covid hit, Jannah and I were sad to hear that the Pebble Creek Golf Club (PCGC) in New Tampa was closing on July 31, especially because we have enjoyed some fun times in and outside of (L.-r.) Jerry, Jannah, Gary, Letitia & Eric say goodbye to Mulligans Irish Pub, which Pebble Creek Golf Club together. has hosted some of the best St. Patrick’s Day parties in our ably last — visit to Mulligans on July 23, we all area over the past several years. felt compelled to take a picture together. Saying So, when some Pebble Creek residents goodbye is never easy, but Jerry, Letitia and Eric recognized us on our most recent — and probhelped brighten our somber mood a little.

The Wesley Chapel Recreation Center is set to open on August 28!

Page 6

Dr. Rosh brings oculofacial surgery to our area. Pages 22-23

Bosco’s offers tasty Italian food to go, like this chicken parmigiana sub! Pages 32-33 Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News

OUR NEW ADDRESS: 28949 State Road 54 Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Phone: (813) 910-2575 Advertising E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Editorial E-mail: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Publisher & Editor /Ad Sales Gary Nager Managing Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Correspondents Celeste McLaughlin • Isabella Douglas Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist Charmaine George Graphic Designers Georgia Carmichael • Valerie Wegener Billing Assistant Jannah Nager Nothing that appears in Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion. The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 29, Issue 18, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Monday, August 16, 2021. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

DDI Delay: Contractor fired as FDOT looks for someone else to finish the job. Continued from page 1. D.A.B. workers he noticed on the project, he wasn’t alone. The Cypress Town Center Property Owners Association (POA) — which includes the Tampa Premium Outlets, Costco and more than 20 other businesses located west of the interchange — also made their concerns known with a letter to Moore and District 3 Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. David Gwynn, the FDOT secretary for District 7, imposed penalties on D.A.B. Constructors and threatened more if the deadlines could not be met. According to Carson, in November 2020, FDOT issued a Notice of Intent to Default (NOI) to the contractor, due to concerns they were not proceeding at the pace required to meet the contractual completion date. “D.A.B. Constructors’ response included a recovery schedule showing a project completion date of October 2021,” Carson said. “From this schedule, (FDOT) established interim milestone dates that the contractor would need to meet in order to avoid being defaulted.” Moore said that after the public

admonishment, he did see some improvements early in 2021, but since then, had once again noticed a lack of workers at the DDI site. These days, he adds, it is almost eerie driving through the interchange and seeing no equipment or workers at the site, as if it has been abandoned. The news of the most recent default shocked almost no one, and the project likely will not be completed until 2022 by another construction company. “I’m not surprised, I’m disappointed,” Moore says, “because they (D.A.B.) stated on multiple occasions they would be able to meet the deadlines.” Moore says he still holds out hope that the replacement contractor could come in with a concerted effort and finish the job quickly. But, once the holiday season rolls around, traffic is likely to impede construction efforts. More than 100,000 vehicles pass through the I-75/S.R. 56 interchange on a daily basis. The long-awaited DDI is designed to create fewer conflict points at the interchange, and despite looking more confusing to many locals, similar interchanges (like Florida’s first DDI at

Exit 210, University Pkwy., off I-75 in Sarasota) have been lauded for being safer and more efficient than your traditional interchange junctions. Carson says that FDOT is empathetic to the impacts any project delays may cause to motorists, residents and businesses, and will make adjustments to traffic signals and any other traffic control devices to accommodate the extra traffic volume in the area during the upcoming holiday season.

S.R. 54 Widening Still Progressing

D.A.B. Constructors also is working on the long-awaited widening of S.R. 54 (as well as other Pasco County projects). Moore said he intends to ask if that project also is in any danger of not being completed by its estimated finish date of late 2021, which also did not include weather or other unanticipated delays. That $42.5-million project is widening S.R. 54 from two to four lanes from east of Curley Rd to east of Morris Bridge Rd., a 4.5-mile stretch. A sidewalk will be built on the north side of the road and a 10-foot wide multiuse trail will be built on the south side.

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D.A.B. Constructors is no longer working on the DDI, but continues work on another project crucial to the area, the widening of S.R. 54. (Photo: FDOT)

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County To Open Indoor Rec Center At WCDP Aug. 28! By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com It’s almost time to play ball...inside! On Saturday, August 28, the Grand Opening of Pasco County’s eagerlyanticipated indoor sports and recreation facility at the Wesley Chapel District Park (WCDP) will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The celebration of the opening of the 18,000-sq.ft. Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex will feature inflatables, food trucks, games, music, sports clinics, refreshments and more. The first 750 people to attend will receive free goodie bags. The $4.8-million facility is located at 7727 Boyette Rd. It will be the latest addition to the WCDP, which is evolving into Pasco County’s premier park. Over the last two years, the park has added new outdoor features, including an inclusive playground for children with disabilities and a Tampa Bay Lightning street hockey rink. WCDP also has tennis courts, 20 fields for soccer, lacrosse and other sports. fitness trails and plenty of space for other outdoor activities. However, the new indoor recreation

The Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex will bring sports inside at the Wesley Chapel District Park starting with a Grand Opening event on Aug. 28. (Photo: Charmaine George) complex is expected to take the WCDP to a 10,000-sq.-ft. court that can be used as another level. a full-sized basketball court and can be converted to two 3/4 courts for youth “Obviously, the county is making a big investment in the Wesley Chapel Dis- basketball, two volleyball courts or six pickleball courts. trict Park,” says District 2 County ComA partition can separate the gym in missioner Mike Moore. “In the recent past we’ve added the universal playground two, allowing for sports on one side and a multipurpose room on the other. and then the hockey rink. But, with the The facility’s other 8,000 sq. ft. will growth happening here in Wesley Chapel, there was definitely a need (for an indoor house two multipurpose rooms (one of which can be converted to two rooms), as facility).” well as a kitchen and offices. The recreation complex will feature

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Unlike the massive 98,000-sq.-ft. indoor facility at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, which brings in youth sports tournaments most weekends, the WCDP will be more suited to everyday use by residents, especially on the weekends. The indoor facility also will provide a boost to the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association (WCAA), which currently hosts sports leagues on the park’s outside fields and courts. Basketball is currently played outside at the park and is beholden to the whims of the weather, but will soon be able to be played inside. The WCAA also can now offer sports it hasn’t been able to before, like volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling. “The major thing is it is going to take these activities that are played outside and make them year-round for kids,” says Moore, who has coached some of the youth sports teams at the park in the past. The Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex also will host the county’s popular summer camps. Currently, Wesley Chapel residents have to drive to the Land O’Lakes Recreation Complex to participate in the nearest county-run camp.

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KRATE Container Park Tenants To Start Moving In News By JOHN C. COTEY Neighborhood before we went to john@ntneighborhoodnews.com press with this issue.

Dana Morris had a tough decision to make when her lease was up for her popular Buttermilk Provisions bakery and coffee shop located across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel: Should she stay in a solid location with an established clientele, or take a chance on a better deal in a new and innovative concept at The Grove’s KRATE Container Park? Morris chose to be part of something she thinks will be big at KRATE, and even though the road has been much longer than she anticipated, she says hers will be the first revamped shipping container at The Grove to open its doors to customers. As you’re reading this, Buttermilk Provisions, which specializes in glutenfree bakery items, locally roasted coffee and, at least at its previous location, a relaxing atmosphere, may already be open for business. “Any moment now,” Morris told the

Morris was waiting on a health inspection and a Certificate of Occupancy. She said she has been at the Buttermilk Provisions container every day hoping to have it ready for business. While the remainder of the containers still may be a 2-3 months away from opening, Morris said her Colorful murals, like this one on the Buttermilk Provisions contimeline has been tainer, are designed to create a fun and artsy atmosphere at different, as one of the KRATE Container Park, which is getting closer to opening. (Photo: John C. Cotey) the first customers to sign with The and she has been getting by on takeout Grove developer Mark Gold’s KRATE orders since closing her BBD location. development. “I’m happy as I can be with being Unlike some others in the container closed (as long as we have),” she says. park, this isn’t a second or third location “I think (KRATE) is a great idea and, for Morris — it’s her primary business, when it’s executed and finished, it will be

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absolutely amazing. It’s just a matter of getting there.” When it opens, the KRATE Container Park will be a 250-acre, open-air mix of roughly 60 businesses — 30% retail and 70% restaurant — all residing in converted shipping containers. Some of the retail stores getting ready to open at KRATE include a computer/gadget repair shop, a mini-Budget Blinds showroom and a Lego store. The restaurants will offer a wide variety of different foods from different cultures, like Hawaiian, Cuban, Japanese and others. All the containers will have brightly colored murals painted on them. There will be a stage, a dog park and a children’s area as well. “Construction of KRATE Container Park is entering the final stages and tenants are busy transforming their shipping containers into unique, one-of-a-kind concepts,” Gold says. “With all the units fully leased, we are extremely excited for the community to experience Florida’s largest container park, scheduled to open in the coming months.” We’re excited to keep you posted about all of the openings.

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Miller Is Wesley Chapel’s Own Eye In The Sky By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com Jeff Miller has seen a lot of things since moving to Wesley Chapel in 2004. As a Realtor for Charles Rutenberg Realty, he has seen the market take off, then crash land, then take off again. He has seen the area grow and grow. He has seen neighborhoods evolve and new roads appear. These days, however, Miller’s view has changed....to about 300 feet above the ground. If you’ve been on the web looking for all of the new developments and businesses in Wesley Chapel, you may have come across one of Miller’s many drone videos, which are focused on all of the new developments in our area. “I really love sharing the videos with everyone,” Miller says. “I think it’s pretty cool.” Miller has been posting regular old ground-level videos on his YouTube page since 2017, but kept noticing more and more drone videos.

Local Realtor Jeff Miller gets ready to send his drone into the sky for his latest video of The Grove at Wesley Chapel. Miller has shot and posted more than 80 drone videos of locations around Wesley Chapel. (Photo: John C. Cotey) more than 80 videos, from local com“They were unique and super munities like Persimmon Park, Estancia, visual,” he says. “What a difference.” River Landing and Avalon Park to area Miller bought his first drone — a favorites like the Crystal Lagoon at surprisingly compact gray DJI Mini Epperson, the Wiregrass Ranch Sports 2 — in February, and has since posted

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Campus of Pasco County and the Wesley Chapel District Park. The first drone video he posted was 47 seconds of footage at the Overpass Rd. construction at I-75, followed by 99 seconds of Epperson Ranch and its lagoon. None of Miller’s first five drone videos topped 100 views, but many of his videos since then have fared much better. A video of the future Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. has more than 600 views, a drone tour of Winding Ridge by GL Homes has more than 1,000 and an update on the Overpass Rd. construction currently is his top drone video to date with 1,300+ views. All of his videos combined have nearly 20,000 views. While Miller started posting his videos as a hobby, he says it hasn’t been bad for business either. “I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me because of the videos,” he says. “Especially the updates on the Overpass Rd. bridge, the parks and the malls. There are people interested in buying homes from out of state and I think it’s

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pretty cool they can see how the community has progressed.” Miller said the wealth of aerial video opportunities is a far cry from his first decade or so in Wesley Chapel. “Back then, there was really nothing to shoot (here),” he says. A 1993 graduate of Southern Connecticut State University with a degree in corporate video communications, Jeff Miller’s drone videos focus on new developments like Avalon Miller has long had an eye for photography and Park Wesley Chapel (top) and popular places Wesley Chapel is known for, like the Crystal Lagoon at Epperson. video. He says he started taking pictures when he “I think I met everyone in Wesley was a kid and, when he moved to Wesley Chapel that year,” Miller says, chuckling. Chapel, he took on a role helping the A long-time promoter of the comformer Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber munity, Miller says he tries to get out of Commerce (now the North Tampa and shoot something in the area every Bay Chamber) with social media. day. Although he says he graduated from “Before Facebook, that was pretty college without even having used the impossible,” he says. But, he would atinternet or a cell phone, he eagerly dives tend events, and send out email blasts into new technology. with recaps and photos. “This technology is ridiculously He says he helped start the Wesley easy to use,” he says. “It really gives me Chapel Fall Festival and art show. In the chance to make awesome, shareable 2008, Miller even ran for the Chamber’s content. I hope people like it.” Honorary Mayor of Wesley Chapel. He To check out Miller’s drone vidhosted a wine tasting at the old Cork and eos, visit FlyWesleyChapel.com. For Olive on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. hoping more information about Jeff, visit to attract voters, and one of his goals was Jeff-Miller-Realtor-Wesley-Chapelto get signs up in the area that said “We Fl-homes-for-sale.business.site or call Love Wesley Chapel.” (813) 382-8312.

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Quail Hollow Residents Ready To Fight Vs. New Development Alliance (QuailHollowAlliance.org)

By JOHN C. COTEY say that their neighborhoods, some of john@ntneighborhoodnews.com the oldest in Wesley Chapel, are already After preparing for months to take on developers who are planning to build roughly 1,000 homes near their property, a large group of Quail Hollow residents will get their chance to plead their case against that development in front of the Pasco County Planning Commission. On Thursday, August 5, 1:30 p.m., inside the historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, Dayflower JV, LLC, is expected to present its request to rezone 1,007 acres of land (in yellow on map) so it can build additional homes on the property. Dayflower is already zoned to build 1,000 homes, and if granted the rezoning, would be permitted to build almost 500 more residences. The 1,007 acres is located north of Wesley Chapel Blvd. and west of Old Pasco Rd., and borders three communities — Quail Hollow, Angus Valley and Lexington Oaks. Local resident Lane Mendelsohn has gathered a coalition of his fellow residents and created The Quail Hollow Alliance (QHA) in early 2020 in an effort to prevent the rezoning. The members of the Quail Hollow 12

struggling with flooding and that more homes, especially so densely constructed so close to wetlands, would only exacerbate the problem. Also, the Alliance members say that the primary roads that serve the area — Sandy Ln., Mangrove Dr. and Armenian Ln. — are already classified as substandard by the county for not being thick or wide enough, and more than 10,000 additional day trips on those roads would cause further issues. In addition, because the current homes in the area are built on larger lots, the Dayflower proposal is incompatible with the surrounding areas, according to the QHA. Mendelsohn told the Neighborhood News in April that he was hopeful that the county’s planning department would determine that the project wasn’t a good fit for the area and that it wouldn’t make it in front of the planning commission. But, at the meeting on Aug. 5, that’s exactly where it will be. The Pasco Board of County Commissioners is tenatively scheduled to weigh-in on the proposal on Sept. 13.

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WELCOME, BOLTS BABIES! Say hi to Baby Rodriguez (right) and Baby Burford, (below) who officially became “Bolts Babies” when they were both born at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel the same day the Tampa Bay Lightning captured the 2021 Stanley Cup.

AdventHealth officials say their parents were excited for their bundles of joy to share a birth date with the historic championship win — the second straight and third overall — for the Bolts! AdventHealth is the Official Health and Wellness Partner and was the 2021 Playoff Sponsor of the Lightning.

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Business Notes: Refillable Beer & Household Products On Tap By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com Wesley Chapel’s craft beer options continue to grow. Bru Florida Growler Bar, which is currently in the midst of a soft opening, will hold its Grand Opening on Saturday, August 14. Located in the former location of Buttermilk Provisions (see story on page 8) across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, Bru Florida Growler Bar has been open with limited hours for about a month. Customers are welcome to come in and enjoy a pint or two of beer, cider, kombucha or even nitro beer and coffee. They also can get all those things to go in 32- and 64-oz. growlers, which Bru Florida owner Christian Brugal says is part of the reason he opened his first Bru Florida Growler Bar in Citrus Park a few years ago, offering the convenience of bringing craft beer home for those who don’t have time (or don’t want) to sit in a bar. Brugal says that many craft brewer-

Bar manager Ashley Simon waits for a 32-oz. growler to finish filling at the Bru Florida Growler Bar, which will hold its Grand Opening on Aug. 14. (Photo: John C. Cotey) ies don’t bottle or can their beers and only sell it from kegs. While getting growlers filled is available at most bars, it typically involves just filling from the tap. But, Bru

Florida Growler Bar is a rarity in that it has three counter-pressure growler stations, which helps extend the to-go beer’s freshness. Bar manager Ashley Simon says a sealed growler can retain its

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freshness for a month; otherwise, once opened, it only lasts a day or two. Meanwhile, Brugal says another unique aspect of the new bar is its emphasis on local beer. While other brewpubs and bars carry local and other craft beers, Bru Florida Growler Bar only carries Florida-brewed beers. “We’re the only ones who do that,” says Brugal. On the day we strolled in, there were 15 beers on tap, from breweries located all over the state, like Jupiter, Royal Palm Beach, Dania Beach, Orlando, Miami and Tallahassee. Dunedin, St. Petersburg, Brooksville also were represented, as was Wesley Chapel’s Double Branch Artisanal Ales. New beers from new breweries in different Florida cities are rotated in and out. For more information, visit at BruFL.com or call (813) 328-4721. LUFKA IS OPEN!: Speaking of bringing in your own container to get it filled with your favorite stuff, a new concept to Wesley Chapel is now open at the Cypress View Square plaza on S.R. 56 (home to the popular Capital Tacos).

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If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, visit the Lufka Wesley Chapel refillables store in the Cypress View Square plaza on S.R. 56. (Photo: John C. Cotey).

Lufka Refillables Zero Waste Store has taken over the space in Cypress View Square formerly occupied by E’s Barber Shop at 27221 S.R. 56. Lufka was originally created by Tampa’s Kelly Hawaii and her husband Parosh. They opened their first store in Seminole Heights in the summer of 2019, and their second store in South Tampa in November of 2020. Wesley Chapel’s Danielle Howard, who also owns The Salt Room in Wesley Chapel (2718 Windguard Cir.) and at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills, coowns the Wesley Chapel Lufka with her mother Gail Howard. “Danielle discovered it, and I just jumped in,” Gail says. “Now I get to work with my daughter.” Essentially, Lufka (Polish for “Barrel”) is where you can bring in your empty containers of household cleaning, bathroom and laundry products, to name a few, and have them refilled at the store, which bills itself as Tampa’s first “refillable, eco-friendly and sustainable bath, body, kitchen and D.I.Y. supplies company.” The store has everything from laun-

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dry detergents to shampoos and conditioners, and from after-shave lotions to facial scrubs and from body lotions to a variety of soaps. Most of the products are organic, but all of them are healthier than the alternatives you usually buy in traditional stores, and come without a long list of chemical ingredients. Lufka encourages reducing your carbon footprint by reusing and refilling containers with eco-friendly products. Although it is currently open, Lufka Wesley Chapel is hoping to schedule a Grand Opening later this month. For more info, call (813) 5969376 or visit Lufka.com. MORE BOWLS?: Also moving into Cypress View Square is Green Market Café, which is taking over the old Batter & Dough space at 27225 S.R. 56. Green Market Cafe offers a variety of healthy bowls, salads and wraps, as well as soups and frozen yogurt, all of which is locally sourced and affordable. It already has locations in Trinity, Clearwater, Seminole and Oldsmar. For more information, visit GreenMarketCafé.com.

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NEW TAMPA NEWS

Stuff happening right down Bruce B. Downs...

New Tampa’s Oldest Golf Course — Pebble Creek — Closes! Chuck Leisek has spent many of his mornings the past 15 years hitting golf balls at the Pebble Creek Golf Club (PCGC), where he lives just off the 12th hole. The 86-year-old never broke 70, but shot his age plenty of times, has just missed a hole-in-one on the par-3 No. 2 and No. 6 holes, and loved every day he was out on the course. When he found out that the golf course was shutting down for good on July 31, he and his wife Janice, also an avid golfer, were crestfallen. “We never thought in our wildest dreams this golf course would ever be closed,” said Leisek. “It’s deeply disappointing. And that’s an understatement.” PCGC owner Bill Place, who bought the club in 2005, has been actively trying to sell the property the past five years and is currently negotiating with Pulte Homes on building “We’ve had a lot of 230-240 single-family homes on the good times here. It’s property that currently is home to the very depressing. Very golf course. “Never once when I bought the upsetting.—Pebble Creek course was I even thinking it would be resident Chuck Leisek a development site,” Place said. “We took what was then a failing golf course that was horribly maintained, and we put in probably $2 million over the first five years. We put in new greens, built a new banquet room, and really got the club making money initially.” Included in the improvements was Mulligans Irish Pub, the popular restaurant and bar that opened in 2007, but also closed July 31 (see pg. 3). Although there are roughly 1,400 homes in the community, Place said that only 13 residents were among the club’s 70 current members. Place described the support from the community as non-existent. “I don’t mean that negatively, like people despised the golf club,” Place says. “There’s just not many golfers (living) in Pebble Creek.” Place added that merely maintaining the course had become financially untenable. He said that PCGC still has its

original irrigation system and that “it failed miserably during this recent drought. It was time,” Place said. Pebble Creek was built by a group of nine investors and opened in 1967, at a price tag of a half-million dollars. It was once a bustling club and had been dubbed the “grandaddy of New Tampa golf courses.” Now, it is closed. “Everyone is devastated,” said Wayne Rich, the president of the Pebble Creek Village Home Owners Assn., which represents about 300 homes. “Nobody is excited about it.” Leisek included. While his golf membership was transferred to Plantation Palms in Land O’Lakes, roughly 20 minutes away and also owned by Place, he said it simply won’t be the same. “We had a lot of good times here,” Leisek said. “It’s very depressing. Very upsetting.” For Rich, who remembers the many Mother’s Day banquets he attended at the club, July 31 marked the end of an era. “The golf course is part of the heritage of this community,” he says. “It’s sad to see it go.” — JCC

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NEW TAMPA PAC BREAKS GROUND!

Nearly 20 years to the day that the idea of a New Tampa cultural center was hatched by a nine-member volunteer committee comprised mostly of Hunter’s Green residents, the project’s very long and very winding road finally has come to an end, ironically, right across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the entrance to Hunter’s Green. Ground was officially broken July 8 on what is now called the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (PAC) behind the new Village at Hunter’s Lake retail center. Hillsborough County Commissioners Ken Hagan (District 2) and Gwen Myers (District 3), New Tampa Players president Nora Paine and deputy county administrator Greg Horwedel (photo below) used gold shovels to sling a few piles of mud (thanks, Elsa!) to officially kick off the construction of the PAC. “What a great day it is here in New Tampa,” Hagan told a crowd of about 60. “Elsa passed, last night the Tampa Bay Lightning secured their place in history with back-to-back championships and today, we’re breaking ground on this to-back championships and today, we’re breaking ground on this long-awaited and muchneeded facility.” — JCC

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Partners In Green — Teamwork Creates Curb Appeal “The regular monthly technician is knowledgeable and takes great care in his work. We recently had some challenges with the lawn and they took care of fixing things quickly.” Partners in Green focuses on what Harris says the company does best —fertilizing your lawn, shrubs and trees while keeping the pests at bay. It leaves the lawn cutting and tree trimming to other companies. “We won’t change,” Harris says. “We’ll stay with this concept because it’s been working. It’s what we do.” Some of the services Partners in Green offers include:

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Roy Harris and Alex Kocker know all about the big business of lawn care. In fact, it’s how they met, and decided to start their own company, Partners in Green, in 2014. Prior to that, both men worked for different companies. But, when those companies merged, Harris and Kocker actually became office mates. “We became friends,” Harris says, “and then we started talking about the things we would do if we started our own business. We were like, ‘Hey man, we can do this job just as good or better than what people were doing and offering at the time.’ That’s what made us decide to go into business together.” Located in New Tampa, Partners in Green now has more than 1,000 clients and, despite that growth, is still run like a small business. Harris and Kocker now have seven employees — five field technicians, one sales and marketing employee and an administrator — and continue to attract new customers eager for better lawn care.

Partners in Green says they can get your lawn that special shade of green with their highquality products and eliminating problems before they become too big.

“We just felt like if we bring good customer service, use high quality products, don’t cut corners, are honest and try to protect people’s investments, we would be able to take a step above the rest of the competition,” Harris says. While volume is a crucial for the larger companies, Harris says focusing on

doing thorough work and building their business through word of mouth and is the key to their growth. That personal touch is where they felt they could compete in a highly competitive, nearly $100-billion industry. “We have been very happy with their services,” says customer Joanna Brown.

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• Fungus control • Pre- & post-emergent weed treatments • Chinch bug and general insect control • Granular lawn, shrub & palm fertilization • General insect control • Spraying of beds & pavement weeds

When it comes to fertilizing lawns and administering herbicides, Harris says every precaution is taken. His technicians are appropriately protected and clients are kept abreast of the applications and when children and pets can be

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allowed to get back on the lawn. “We follow only the Best Management Practices (BMP),” Harris says. According to the Partners in Green website, the BMP is a guide produced jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and the University of Florida, to name a few. Partners in Green does not use banned chemicals or provide services outside of what is recommended in the BMP guidelines. Partners in Green, named for the expected relationship between the company and the customer — “it can be a team effort,” Harris says — also will take care to treat your yard only when it is needed. The company’s technicians use only the amount of fertilizer, herbicide and insecticide recommended by the manufacturer, and will not douse a yard in an effort to complete a job more quickly. Many times, a spot treatment at the beginning of a fungus outbreak or a budding insect invasion is all that’s required. “We make sure to use only the treatment on the area (where) it’s needed,” Harris says. “And, we make sure everything we use is safe. We’re very careful not to contaminate any water supply or make anyone sick.” Partners in Green offers free estimates, and will work with each customer to identify their lawn care needs. And, the company won’t hesitate to recommend another course of action for your lawn. Honesty is a big part of what Harris says helps keep customers happy. Sometimes, lawns are so overridden with weeds that spraying won’t help them. If Partners in Green can’t turn the lawn around, the company won’t take the job or your money. In times like those, the technician might suggest getting your irrigation system fixed or your yard re-sodded first. “Then, give us a call back, and we can help preserve that,” Harris says. Of course, the No. 1 tip Harris sugNeighborhood News

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gests for keeping your lawn, shrubs and trees healthy is water, water, water. “If you really want to maintain a healthy and beautiful lawn, you have to water the lawn the proper way,” he says. “Make sure the irrigation system is up to par, all of the zones are running properly and efficiently, and that everything is getting enough water — but not too much water.” If all that is done, Partners in Green can do the rest, with treatments that can stop emerging problems in their tracks. Issues, like crabgrass, can be dealt with using pre-emergent treatments and pesky and painful fire ants can be treated by applications that can protect you for a year. In between treatments, Partners in Green will be there to deal with any problems as well. “In our industry, at the end of the day, all companies are trying to make money and be successful, and believe me we have the same goals as well,” Harris says. “We just feel we do it a little differently. The quality of work is important to us. The customer service is important to us. That’s why we’re growing.” Watergrass resident Frank Santarelli and his wife Jessica are among the company’s satisfied customers. “We genuinely don’t have enough good things to say about Partners in Green! We tried 5 different companies before we finally found Partners in Green – our only regret is that we didn’t find them sooner! Every other company would show up spray some generic formula and leave never really caring about the health or condition of our yard or landscaping. One company even cost us thousands in sod replacement because they simply weren’t treating our yard properly. For more information about Partners in Lawn lawn care or to get a free estimate, visit PartnersinGreenFL.com, call (813) 451-7330 or check out the ad on pg. 41 of this issue to receive 50% off your first service. For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Dr. Rosh Opens Her Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN With champagne flowing and a big smile as she cut an official ribbon with the North Tampa Bay Chamber, Dr. Roshni Ranjit-Reeves officially opened her Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute on S.R. 54 in Lutz on July 16. “Dr. Rosh,” as her patients call her, came home to the Tampa Bay area with her husband, Dr. Corey Reeves, and their baby daughter after completing a fellowship and practicing at Duke University. As an attending physician, she says she enjoyed interacting with residents and medical students, being in academics and mentoring in the operating room and clinic, but was looking for something more. “For 10 years I’ve been talking about opening a private practice, and now it’s finally here,” she said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I have a vision for my own practice and I want to execute that.” Dr. Rosh earned her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and Biomedical Sciences from USF, too. Then, she completed her ophthalmology residency at the USF Eye Institute and an oculofacial and reconstructive fellowship at the Duke Eye Center in Durham, NC. She is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “I want to be part of this community for a really long time,” Dr. Rosh says. “I want patients to grow with me for 30 years. I want to be easy to call and be available to the community.” At her Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute, which hosted its first Open House two days after the rib-

Dr. Roshni Ranjit-Reeves (with scissors), her family and staff at the Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute in Lutz cut a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon on July 16. (Photos: Charmaine George)

bon-cutting event, Dr. Rosh sees patients who want cosmetic services to improve the look of their eyes, faces, and skin. “It’s aesthetics, but it’s also functional,” Dr. Rosh says. “I want to help people see better and feel better, too.” Some patients receive insurance- based services, typically after being referred to Dr. Rosh from their primary care doctor or dermatologist. For example, some patients need surgery or treatment to restore the function of their eyes, for conditions such as droopy lids, eyelid malposition, thyroid eye disease, tear duct surgery or reconstruction after cancer surgery. Others receive aesthetic treatments, such as lower lid surgery, laser skin resurfacing, ear lobe repairs, upper lip lifts, photofacials and laser peels. Dr. Rosh says that even functional surgeries often result in patients not only being able to see better and feel better, but also have a nice aesthetic look when they are done. “The functional and cosmetic sides blend together a lot,” says Dr. Rosh, “like if patients do upper lid surgery through

their insurance but then decide they want lower lid and skin resurfacing, too.” And, she says her cosmetic patients typically also want to look refreshed — or like a better version of themselves — but not change how they look. “I love that, because our face is how we identify ourselves,” she says. Dr. Rosh believes that interest in cosmetic services has really increased because of the changes in how we interact with

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each other since the Covid pandemic. “With everything being virtual through Zoom and WebEx, people see themselves on a screen a lot more than before,” she says. “They come in earlier for treatments, and they don’t have the downtime that they used to.” And, she says she’s happy to help those patients with a treatment plan that helps them recover as quickly as possible to resume normal life, and look a bit younger and refreshed, but still like themselves. Available treatments include full-service, minimally-invasive procedures, such as photofacials, which require no downtime, and help to get rid of red and brown spots or patches on the skin, including helping patients with rosacea. “If you only have a weekend to heal,” she says, “then we plan accordingly.” When she does surgery, either in her office or at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, she uses a carbon dioxide laser for incisions. She refers to it as her “magic wand” and says it makes very precise incisions, which helps minimize both bleeding and recovery time. “I love surgery,” Dr. Rosh says. “This

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(Above) Dr. Rosh performs laser resurfacing on patient Melanie Aydt. (Below) Dr. Rosh with Ravi Patel, who won free Botox for a year at the office’s Open House on July 18. (Photos: Charmaine George)

is such a unique field, because everyone’s anatomy is a little different, so recovery is different, and their story as to why they want to get it done is different. So I get to be creative.”

Treating Every Skin Type

Dr. Rosh also emphasizes that the lasers in her office are able to treat patients of all different skin tones and types. “Our culture is becoming more of a melting pot and, usually, laser treatments can lead to more pigmentations,” she says, “but the lasers I have get great results on patients of all different skin types.” Three experienced staff members help Dr. Rosh keep the practice running smoothly. Jennifer is the office manager, Kara is a technician and aesthetician, and Lisa handles the front desk and insurance. Dr. Mary Mercer was one of Dr. Rosh’s first patients when Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute opened in July. Dr. Mercer says she knew Dr. Rosh from when the two were in residency training together. “I was impressed with her fellowship training at Duke,” says Dr. Mercer. “When I heard she was returning, I was excited both personally and also for our community, to have such a well-trained doctor in the area.” She says she was pleased with the entire experience, from the convenient location, to the helpful staff, and the procedure itself. “It was a very professional environment, and I was happy that everyone is female,” says Dr. Mercer. “It’s very comNeighborhood News

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fortable for female patients, very welcoming, and it’s great to support our fellow female professionals.” Dr. Mercer says the service she received was excellent, the exam was efficient, and both Dr. Rosh’s expertise and the clinical results she has experienced have been impressive. Speaking of impressive, at the office’s Open House on July 18, Dr. Rosh gave away a number of free services, including a Grand Prize of free Botox for a year to local resident Ravi Patel. Dr. Roshni Ranjit-Reeves’ Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute is located in the same building as the Medi-Weightloss Center at 24420 S.R. 54 in Lutz. For appointments and more information, including info about the office’s Grand Opening specials, call (813) 303-0123, visit DoctorRosh.com, or see the ad on page 26. For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Small World Pediatrics Helps Families Navigate The Covid Pandemic By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN The doctors of Small World Pediatrics in Wesley Chapel are invested in the community as pediatricians, parents, business owners and neighbors. Over the past year+, while the Covid-19 pandemic has caused uncertainty and fear, they have reached out to use their experience and expertise to bring solid medical information and hope to the local community. José Jiménez, M.D., and Nancy Silva, M.D., are a husband-and-wife team with two kids, ages 15 and seven. As Meadow Pointe residents for 19 years, their kids attend local schools and participate in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, where Dr. Silva serves as a troop leader. Their practice is located in the Windguard Professional Center across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (AHWC) hospital. Dr. Jiménez first opened Small World Pediatrics in 2003 in the Northwoods plaza on BBD, near Target, and moved the office to its current location in 2010. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1992, after transferring from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Dr. Jiménez then earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of South Florida (USF) College of Medicine in Tampa in 1996, and completed his pediatric residency at USF in 2000. Dr. Silva earned her M.D. degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) Health Science Center in Brooklyn in 1997, after earning her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in an Honors B.S./M.D. program at the City University of New York (CUNY) Brooklyn College in 1993. Like Dr. Jiménez, she also completed her residency at USF in 2000. She worked for a group in

Brandon until joining Small World Pediatrics in 2014. Over the past 15 months, they say their practice has changed quite a bit. Even before the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention came out with guidance for Covid-19 in 2020, Dr. Silva started implementing procedures in the office to keep their patients and staff safe. More than a year later, those procedures have become routine, as every surface is cleaned with hospital-grade disinfectant between every patient, and the doctors and staff do not remove their masks. Patients now start all of their appointments from their car via Skype, to minimize the number of people in the office and the amount of time they spend in the office, as well as to ensure that the flow of patients is managed so that people don’t cross paths in the hallways or waiting room. But, the biggest change may be how the couple spends their Sundays, by going live on their Facebook page to share what they have learned about Covid from their research and experience. “Our goal is to offer honest, helpful, hopeful information,” says Dr. Silva, who adds that they started with just one video but decided to continue weekly because there is so much information to share and people continue to say it is helpful to them. “People are overwhelmed,” Dr. Silva explains, noting that she and Dr. Jiménez are keeping up on all of the latest data and information from many sources, including about the more virulent Delta variant of the virus, so they can be a resource for the community, especially for their patients who have developed a relationship with them and trust them. They often share the latest CDC guidelines and their opinions on them, including the latest relaxation of rules about face masks for fully vaccinated people (see below).

Changing Covid Guidelines

They also share their personal experiences, such as which schooling options they chose for their own kids last fall, and what they’ll do now that some counties — and even the CDC — are changing mask mandates. “I can tell you what I recommend as a minimum,” says Dr. Silva. “Or I may do more than that for my kid.” She adds, “The CDC states that the science shows that breakthrough Covid illness in fully vaccinated individuals is limited and mostly resulting in mild disease. Hence, fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear a mask indoors (although it is now being suggested because of the spread of the Delta variant) and do not need to socially distance, ‘except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.’ In practical terms, this means that masks are still required in medical offices, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and for public travel. In addition, it is still recommended for fully vaccinated people to wear masks in environments that are densely

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José Jiménez, M.D., and his wife, Nancy Silva, M.D., are the husband-and-wife team of doctors at Small World Pediatrics in Wesley Chapel and long-time local residents. populated, for example, at concerts. She also notes that, “Anyone who is not fully vaccinated still needs to wear a mask. This means that children 2 to 11 years old should wear masks. In addition, those ages 12 and up who are not fully vaccinated are recommended to wear a

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mask. Full vaccination occurs two weeks or more after they have received the 2nd dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks or more after they have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.” The doctors say that in the future, they hope their video series will become a monthly conversation about pediatric issues that may include Covid-19, but that won’t be the only topic of conversation, as it has been for the more than 70 weeks in a row they have gone live on Facebook at noon on Sundays. They intentionally focus on what they have to be both hopeful and grateful for, even in the midst of very difficult times. “At the end of every episode, we always talk about what we’re grateful for,” explains Dr. Jiménez. “So many people have lost so much. Not only loved ones, but also contact with loved ones, travel and activities, but there’s always something to be grateful for.” They say their practice has seen many mental health issues over the past year and they don’t expect all of their patients to make the same decisions they do. Since every child is different, what’s best for that child might be different, too. “We’re here to answer questions,” says Dr. Jiménez. “We ask them if they have any questions about the vaccines, now that they’re available for children. We have some patients who are not planning to vaccinate, others have questions and ask us because they value our opinion, and others don’t have questions and are ready to vaccinate.” The doctors have begun giving Covid-19 vaccines to patients ages 12 and up in their office, which began in late May. Neighborhood News

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To find out when appointments are available and how to sign up, visit Facebook.com/ SmallWorldPediatrics. “People need to be informed and make their own decisions, and we’re here to give them the best practical medical and scientific advice,” Dr. Silva says. “We hope they get vaccinated and mask up to protect themselves and others, and we want to be here to help them with their concerns and support them.” Dr. Silva says people across the country are leaving the medical field because they don’t want to be exposed to Covid-19, but their staff has done a “wonderful job in a really hard year.” She credits Shaneka Phillips, a medical assistant who also is acting as the practice’s office manager, and medical receptionist Tonya Weicht for going above and beyond to help patients. The team works hard to cultivate an atmosphere where patients feel like family, and Dr. Jiménez is proud that many people who started with the practice in 2003 are still active patients. That includes the Childers family, who live in Meadow Pointe. Jamie Childers says she has been taking her kids, now ages 17, 15, and 9, to Small World Pediatrics since they moved to the area, when her oldest was just three months old and the practice was new. “My son is very proud of the fact that he’s one of their oldest patients,” Jamie says. She adds, “I absolutely adore both doctors. They have been wonderful resources for us whenever we’ve had questions.” She says what she loved in the beginning was that anytime Dr. Jiménez didn’t have an answer off the top of his head, he would tell her honestly that he didn’t know, and then research the question to find the best answer, and follow up to let her know what he found. “These days,” Jamie adds, “it’s very rare to get an ‘I don’t know’ (from them) because they are constantly doing research and they really do have the answers.” Jamie also says she likes going to Small World Pediatrics because she appreciates that the doctors support local school Parent Teacher Associations and give back to the community in other ways. “They are so absolutely loving

towards everybody,” she says. “They’re professional, but they’re down to earth and caring, too.” As an example, Dr. Silva says, “My son & I volunteered at Metropolitan Ministries and Feeding Tampa Bay this year. We wanted to do as much as we could to help our community in these difficult times, especially with food insecurity at such a high rate.” Small World Pediatrics is located at 2527 Windguard Cir., Suite 102, and is open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information, visit SmallWorldPediatrics.com, see the ad on page 34 or call (813) 907-8001.

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Get Cash For Clothes & Buy Great Brands At Uptown Cheapskate By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN After the Covid-19 pandemic shut retailers down last spring, Uptown Cheapskate reopened in May 2020 with owner Amber Watt feeling cautiously optimistic that the store would be able to recover from the devastating hit it took during its closure in late-March and all of April. What a difference a year makes. The trendy resale clothing store in the Publix-anchored City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center is thriving — and continues to grow. “We’ve been doing really great,” Amber says. “Every month is better than the last.” In fact, the store’s sales are above where they were pre-Covid and it seems that, every month, there are even more customers looking for great deals on brand name items and wanting to sell their unwanted clothes. Amber thinks that’s because Uptown Cheapskate is a win-win for the community. First, the store pays cash for clothing, shoes and handbags that are just taking up space in your home. Those items that you no longer want

can put cash in your pocket and keep the clothes from hitting a landfill. And that’s not the only environmental impact. According to Uptown Cheapskate’s website at UptownCheapskate.com, buying used instead of new clothing can reduce your carbon footprint by at least 60 percent, more than if you were to quit using your car. It’s also a lot easier on your wallet, with prices on “upcycled” clothing at Uptown Cheapskate selling for a mere fraction of what the on-trend, designer pieces sell for new at retail stores. The savings can be 70 to 90 percent. Some popular brands the store currently sells — and is looking to buy — include American Eagle, Vans, adidas, lululemon, Levi’s, Free People, Nike, Coach, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, H&M and more. Uptown Cheapskate is part of a national franchise that started in Salt Lake City in 2009, and now has 80 locations across the U.S., including three in Florida. At 4,800 square feet, the Tampa Palms location is larger than most Uptown Cheapskate stores, which are typ-

ically closer to around 3,000 square feet. The large store means lots of inventory for shoppers, and it’s all kept organized and neat, to feel more like an upscale boutique than a thrift store. While Covid had its impact, the store is pretty much back to pre-pandemic protocols. Employees are wearing masks, but vaccinated customers are not required to wear masks in the store. And, all dressing rooms are open. Amber says customers love when the store Owner Amber Watt says business at Uptown Cheapskate in the City offers additional deals, Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center is better than ever, but if you such as the recent Dollar have clothes you’d like to sell, come on in! (Photos: Charmaine George) Days, which ended July tax typically charged at the store. 18. During this sale, clearance items were While sales at Uptown Cheapskate sold for as little as a $1. Also, the state are brisk, Amber says that means there’s a of Florida’s sales tax holiday for back-toconstant need for new items to sell. school is being held now through August “We still need more stuff,” she says. 9, which will save customers the 7.5% sales “Especially spring and summer items —

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least one hour before closing. Sellers receive a cash offer for any items the store wants to buy, or 25 percent more if they choose store credit instead of cash. If any items are not purchased by the store, the seller has the option to leave them to be donated to the Salvation Army, which picks up from the Tampa Palms location two or three times a With 4,800-sq. ft. of space, and an ever-changing inventory, there are plenty of options for the week. You can always thrifty shopper to find designer styles at great prices at Uptown Cheapskate in Tampa Palms. choose to keep them if we cannot get enough of those here in new vintage department, “and very you prefer. Florida.” popular right now.” With customer While Uptown Cheapskate buys Amber says windbreakers are flying service and a boutique all seasons all year ‘round, Amber says off the shelves, along with oversized atmosphere the priorities of the store, Florida is essentially a one-season state sweatshirts and graphic tees from the shopping at Uptown Cheapskate won’t and items for warm weather are always 1980s and ‘90s. feel like thrift store shopping. Even as in the greatest demand. While she says a lot of the store’s shoppers rave about how neat and tidy “We never have enough shorts, tank customers are USF students, there also are the store is, and the great customer sertops, short sleeves and dresses,” she says, a lot of customers from both New Tampa vice, Amber strives to keep improving. adding that the local Uptown Cheapand Wesley Chapel. “We’ve been trying to step up our skate store just added a vintage corner If you want to sell clothing and other game in terms of organization,” she says. for the first time. items to the store, just stop in anytime it’s “We are making things more consistent, “It’s so fun,” says Amber of her open, but always bring in your items at and becoming even more detail-oriented.”

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Amber says she pushes her team every day towards her goal of “making sure the experience is perfect every time.” Uptown Cheapskate is located at 16031 Tampa Palms Blvd. W. Store hours are Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m.8 p.m.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call (813) 2878696, visit UptownCheapskate.com or see the ad on pg. 10.

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New Tampa’s Favorite Florist Relocates To Tampa Palms! By Gary Nager If you live in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve visited my long-time friend Rose O’Berry at her A Special Rose Florist & Event Specialist on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just south of Tampa Palms. Well, after 18 years, New Tampa’s favorite flower shop has a new location — at the eastern end of the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms, next to You Do The Dishes. Rose says, “I’ve been working with flowers since I was 16 and it was always a dream of mine to open my own shop, so in 2003, I opened A Special Rose on Bruce B. Downs.” But, because Rose did so well in that location south of our New Tampa distribution area, she started talking to me several years ago about expanding her business to the north, and jumped at the chance to be able to be in a busier plaza to generate more walk-in traffic. “We bring in flowers from Ecuador, Holland and all over the world fresh every day,” she says, “so we can provide whatev-

Rose O’Berry has moved her A Special Rose Florist to the Shoppes at Amberly in Tampa Palms, where she offers fresh-cut flowers from all over the world for any occasion. (Photos: Charmaine George) er types of flowers you want, from a nice other delicacies, plus flowers, plants, plush variety of roses, hydrangeas and lilies to toys, balloons and other unique items. tulips and even seasonal flowers.” When you walk into A Special Rose, A Special Rose also can put together Rose, floral designer Erica Daniell or ancustom-designed gourmet baskets, with other employee will ask you if you want the hand-dipped chocolates, fresh fruit and flowers you choose wrapped or in a vase,

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“and we work with them to determine if they have a favorite flower or flowers, and if they want a certain color scheme.” In addition to weddings, Rose says A Special Rose also does flowers for a lot of corporate events, Christmas parties, memorial services, sweet 16s, quincañeras, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and will deliver what you need when you need it, “all over Tampa Bay. We also can do nationwide delivery, where we work with other (flower) shops in other states.” As for what sets A Special Rose apart from other florists (don’t even talk to her about flowers from the local grocery stores), Rose says it’s, “Our experience. I

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Rosie Cione wants you to know that A Special Rose also has a great selection of stuffed plush toys. have been working with flowers since I was or visit ASpecialRoseFlorist.com for 16 and have trained Erica since she was this month’s specials. 16, so you always get your choice of the A Special Rose Florist & Event freshest flowers arranged the way you want Specialist is now located at 15353 Amthem. We also bring in fresh flowers every berly Dr. in Tampa Palms. For more day, whereas some shops only get theirs information, call (813) 979-9453 or once a week.” check out our “Lo & Ro On The Go” And, A Special Rose always has great video on our “Neighborhood News” specials on flowers, so please call the store Facebook page.

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Local Author Finds Inspiration Around Wesley Chapel 412 reviews, 83 By ISABELLA DOUGLAS ceived percent of which were As Mark Loren shops for groceries at the Publix on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel near his Meadow Pointe home, his mind imagines a battle scene taking place around the grocery store. Key locations across Pasco County, like Publix, are common settings in his post-apocalyptic present-day world book series, October Fall. The idea came to the first-time author three years ago, after reading survival and prep books. The world he created is based on true locations, real people and key moments in his life. “It’s a thriller and an apocalypse and a love story,” Loren said. “And it all takes place in Pasco County.” The story follows Jake as he uses his military training and knowledge of prepping from books to survive in a world after an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack. Without a power grid, chaos ensues and Jake must protect himself and his family. October Fall, the first book in the series, was released April 2, and has re-

4- or 5-stars. The second book, November Feud, did even better. Of the 512 reviews, 92 percent were 4- and 5-stars. The third book, December Battles, is expected to be released this month. Loren took inspiration from his past to establish the life of his main character Jake, who, like Loren, is a retired Major in the U.S. Army who used to drive a tank. While Jake is a Mark Loren and his wife Susan have a strong bond with the reflection of Loren, his wife Susan and children characters in their October Fall series now available on Amazon. (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Loren) Jazlyn and Cole also are leading characters characters are very real, indeed. with similar personalities to their real-life “Their relationship with us and selves. As Loren’s wife and editor, Susan their relationship with each other, those says the events in the story may not be things are real,” Susan said. “That’s real but the connections between the what makes the books real.”

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Loren would travel to key locations in his series, marking places on a selfmade map. When reading the survivalist novel Going Home by A. American, he was inspired to take a drive through Pasco County, where the book’s main character traveled. Taking inspiration from the series, Loren made October Fall an interactive story for readers to travel to the same places he did. “There is a little bridge on Morris Bridge Road that goes over Cypress Creek and, in the story, they stop there and do something,” Loren said. “And then, there’s a house that gets burned down by a good friend in the first book and we drive by and see the burneddown house.” Calling himself a discovery writer, Loren would keep the plot and themes in his head before transferring them onto paper, unlike his publisher, Boyd Craven, Jr., who would outline the novels. Loren currently has five books written with seven total planned out in his head. He says it took him six months to finish writing book one and three months to complete each book in the

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series, which enabled them a stunning, new direction and even elicited a “Holy to be published as rapid releases only a month apart. Cow” from Craven. Loren is a big fan of The story is forever J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the evolving. Loren says he Rings series, especially when would often find himself the main characters break getting out of bed after up into smaller missions having a good idea for before uniting to complete his novel. Not wanting to the overall goal. Taking forget a certain theme to inspiration from Tolkien, incorporate into his stories, Loren says he saw the vision he would begin writing he wanted to create for the down the ideas at night. October Fall series. “I was concentrating Loren met Craven onon one, and going back line through the Facebook and tying things up or group DD12 The Post making changes in anothApoc Army of Readers. Af- October Fall is the first in a er,” Loren says. Although October Fall ter Loren told him he had series of books centered around a character who is trying to written four books, Craven protect his family in a post- is Loren’s first published decided to edit and publish apocalyptic Wesley Chapel. work, he has been writing stories for years. When them through his publishhis wife was deployed during Operaing company Raventhorne Books. tion Desert Storm, he would write to “Writing the book is only half the battle, possibly less than half the battle,” her of his last few days, accumulating more than 80 pages of writing and 13 Craven says. “Refining the book and getting it in front of the right audience chapters. He says their love story started more than 30 years ago. at the right time and presenting it the To purchase October Fall or right way is the other half of the game.” November Feud, visit Amazon.com/ Loren says the series begins to OCTOBER-FALL-October-Fallwrap-up in book 5, which is half written, but books 6 and 7 take the story in Book-ebook/dp/B091NDFJBN.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Bosco’s Italian-To-Go — Great People Serving Great Value! By Gary Nager

I consider Bosco’s Italian-to-Go owners Nancy and Charles Frankulin to be my friends, even though they know that because their thin-crust pizza is made “Detroit style,” or on a conveyor belt oven, instead of on a traditional New York-style stone, their pizza is never going to finish at the top of my list of local favorites. Even so, I give them high marks for quality ingredients (I do love the taste of their pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese), super-fair prices and for being quality people who genuinely care about their community. These Wesley Chapel High graduates have seen a lot of local pizza places come and go in their nearly five years since taking over the Bosco’s location in the Freedom Plaza on S.R. 54 from original owner David Bosco. And, while many more restaurants failed because of the Covid-19 pandemic the last year+, Bosco’s has maintained its clientele and has continued to deliver (more on that below) its Italian fare to more and more people in every community in Wesley Chapel.

Among our editor’s favorites at Bosco’s Italian-to-Go in the Freedom Plaza on S.R. 54 are (clockwise from above left) the pepperoni pizza, the chicken parmigiana sub, naked chicken wings and chicken Alfredo dinner. (Below, right) Bosco’s co-owner Charles Frankulin hand-tosses the pizza dough. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Plenty Of Favorites...

I do want to make it clear that although Bosco’s isn’t my favorite pizza locally, there are plenty of options on their menu that I do genuinely enjoy. First of all, the pepperoni on the handtossed pizza shown at the top of this page is delicious, and I also like their plain cheese and “meat feast” pizzas (the latter with pepperoni, Italian sausage and bacon). Photographer Charmaine George, who took all of the photos on this page, said the Buffalo chicken pizza had just the right amount of spice and there also are veggie, “Honolulu pineapple,” white winter spinach and chicken Alfredo pizzas on the menu, starting as low as $11.50 for a 14” plain cheese and going up to no more than $20.99 for the 18” meat feast and “Works” pizzas. I also genuinely like Bosco’s crispy, naked baked chicken wings (I get them plain, as shown on this page, with the sauce on the side; 8 wings for $7.99, 16 for $14.99 and 40 for $35.99), the sides of homemade meatballs or sausage ($3.39), the chicken Alfredo pasta

dinner ($8.49) and especially, the chicken parmigiana dinner ($8.99, it also comes with pasta) and hot sub sandwich ($8.49). The cut-up strips of chicken parm aren’t breaded, and the thicker tomato sauce is extra zesty, so you can enjoy the entrée even if you’re on a low-carb diet (although you’ll probably want to try it with one of Bosco’s fresh salads instead of the pasta if you’re keto-ing). As for the subs, the bread does come out with a crispy edge, so I do recommend not only the chicken parm, but also the meatball ($8.49) and sweet Italian sausage (with onions and peppers) subs (also $8.49). There also are cold Ital-

ian ($8.49) and ham and cheese ($7.49) subs that Nancy says are very popular but I haven’t tried. All of Bosco’s subs come with a bag of chips and a can of soda, too. Speaking of salads, Bosco’s has a very tasty Greek salad, with olives, feta cheese and banana peppers ($8.99), as well as Caesar ($6.49), chicken Caesar ($8.99), grilled chicken or chicken tender salads (both are $8.49) and an antipasto salad ($8.99) I’ve never sampled. I do also like Bosco’s garlic bread sticks ($4.99) and garlic cheesy bread sticks ($5.99), as well as the lasagne ($9.49), baked ziti ($7.99) and stuffed shells ($8.49). All dinners are served

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with a small salad and garlic knots. I’ve also never tried include calzones (with one topping of your choice, ricotta and mozzarella, for $11.49), strombolis (stuffed with 3 Italian meats & 3 Italian cheeses for $12.99). Add $1.75 for each additional topping with your calzone or stromboli. Save room for dessert, as Bosco’s offers hand-piped cannolis ($3.39) and delicious CinnaStix ($5.50). “There’s a baker in New Port Richey who provides our cheesecake ($3.39), tiramisu ($3.99) and cannolis,” Charles says.

Helping Those In Need

Charles and Nancy also enjoy doing

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(Above) Nancy and Charles Frankulin invite you to check out their Buffalo chicken and other hand-tossed pizzas and homemade Italian specialties. (Photo by Charmaine George)

their part to help the local community, as they have done school supplies drives in years past and now have a small food pantry on at Bosco’s to help local residents in need. “We collect non-perishable food items and offer them to anyone in the community who says they need help, no questions asked,” Nancy says. “There is no stigma here. We’ve only been collecting items for a few months, but already have had a lot of locals thanking us for the help.”

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Bosco’s also provides its own pizza delivery, instead of using Grubhub, Uber Eats or other delivery services. “We deliver to all of Wesley Chapel,” Charles says proudly. Bosco’s Italian-to-Go is located at 30122 S.R. 54 and is open Mon.-Thur., 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. For more information, call (813) 907-2440, visit BoscosItalianFL.com or see the ad on pg. 39 for two great “Pizza + 1” specials.

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Bubba’s 33 In Wesley Chapel Adds More Italian-Inspired Fare By Gary Nager

I have been a fan of Bubba’s 33, located next to its sister restaurant, Texas Roadhouse (just east of the S.R. 56 exit off I-75), since before the location officially opened at the end of 2019. We attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Bubba’s 33’s first Florida location in September of that year, and even though we didn’t get to sample any of the delicious food at that event, there was a great energy that day that I have personally seen flow through the restaurant’s management, employees and patrons ever since. Our first sample of the Bubba’s 33 menu came in December of that year and the burgers, wings, pizza and other predominantly sports bar-oriented fare we were given that day gave us a pretty good idea of what to expect — always-made-from-scratch food at very fair prices, with great adult beverage prices, too. New managing partner Joe Vergona has only been with Bubba’s 33 since January of this year, but as a fellow New Yorker, he and I were both excited to see Bubba’s recently expand its Italian options beyond its not-quite-NewYork-style (but still delicious) thin-crust pizzas, which definitely are made with fresh ingredients and served extra crispy (the way I prefer). “We have added an Italian-style meatball appetizer,” the native Brooklynite says, “as well as both a chicken parmigiana sandwich and a chicken parmigiana pasta option. They’re all already doing very well.” And for good reason. The Momma’s Homemade Meatball starter offers three nicesized beef-and-pork meatballs in a semi-spicy tomato sauce, covered with melted cheeses and served with spot-on garlic bread for dipping up the extra sauce and cheese. It definitely has been added to mine and Jannah’s ever-expanding list of Bubba’s favorites. I haven’t sampled the chicken parm pasta dish yet, but the sandwich is a generous portion of breaded chicken strips, topped with a slightly different-tasting tomato sauce and mozzarella and provolone cheeses (I might order the pickle slices served on top on the side instead), plus a generous portion of crispy French fries (or your choice of sides, including fresh broccoli, sweet

(Clockwise from top left) The delicious, new semi-spicy meatballs with garlic toast, new managing partner Joe Vergona, tasty new chicken parmigiana sandwich, Starbucks® espresso-marinated signature ribeye steak and 12-inch Dickie V pizza are all at Bubba’s 33 off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George)

potato fries, mac n’ cheese, chili and more).

Speaking Of Favorites...

Although we had tried several of Bubba’s pizzas before, on our most recent visit, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I were all really excited about The Dickie V pizza, named (of course) for long-time college basketball commentator and Tampa Bay-area resident Dick Vitale. This zesty, flavorful pizza includes Italian sausage, a hint of cherry peppers, fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese and a garlic buttered crust. As Dickie V himself would (and the menu does) say, “It’s awesome, baby!”

And, for every Dickie V “Pizzas for Victory” sold, Bubba’s 33 donates to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, so it’s a super-tasty way to support a worthy cause. Other Italian-oriented items on the Bubba’s 33 menu include strombolis (the “Super” version includes pepperoni, salami, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, mozzarella, provolone and marinara; there’s also a meatball stromboli), garlic knots (with marinara and cheese dipping sauces), “Crooked” fried cheese, really good lasagne and even an Italian chopped salad (with salami, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, smoked turkey and mozzarella).

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Other great pizzas on the menu include an Italian margherita (with smoked tomatoes and basil), the Meaty Meaty, the fresh veggie and the pepperoni. There’s even a goat cheese arugula option I’ve never tried. And, I also really love both the grilled ribeye and the Signature ribeye Texas Roadhouseinspired steaks. The Signature is marinated in a Starbucks® espresso blend and both steaks are hand-cut and served with two sides. Our other favorites include the crispy traditional and boneless wings (try the raspberry chipotle or Habanero Heat sauces), the California chicken (grilled chicken with avocado

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(Above) The boneless raspberry chipotle wings and beef and the double-patty bacon grind bacon burger also are among our editor’s favorites at Bubba’s 33. (Photos by Charmaine George)

and pico de gallo), bacon grind double-patty and halfpound Angus beef burgers, the bacon mac n’ cheese and Charmaine also offers a happy shout out to the chipotle chicken and shrimp pasta.

A True Community Partner

Bubba’s 33 also is one of our area’s best community partner eateries, offering fund-raising events to local PTAs and other nonprofits, and working with the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County — where there’s a Bubba’s 33 MVP of the Month board (photo, right) honoring young athletes — as well as AdventHealth Center Ice and more. “We really do have something for everyone,” Joe says proudly, “so come check us out!” Bubba’s 33 (26340 Silver Maple Pkwy.) is open Mon.-Thur., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Fri. & Sat.; and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sun. For more info, call (813) 522-5090, visit Bubbas33.com or see the ad (which has a free appetizer coupon with the purchase of an entrée, valid Mon.-Thur. only) on pg. 42.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Pick Of The Week: Skipper’s Smokehouse! More Food Coming Soon To Our Area!

ALDI Opens In New Tampa!

Although it hadn’t yet opened before we went to press, Matt Thon, the Haines City, FL, division vice president for ALDI, told us, “Our New Tampa, Florida, store is on track to open July 29. We look forward to serving Tampa residents and providing them with the best grocery shopping experience.” Of course, the Wesley Chapel/Lutz area already has its own ALDI on S.R. 56. — John C. Cotey

Although it’s located 20 minutes or so south of Wesley Chapel, the legendary Skipper’s Smokehouse (910 Skipper Rd., off N. Nebraska Ave. in North Tampa) has officially reopened — and anyone who has lived in this area for more than a few years surely has visited (and missed!) this fun and funky non-chain seafood restaurant and live music venue. I visited the closed-since-Covid restaurant on one of its soft pre-reopening days a few weeks ago and was thrilled with the latest incarnation of this long-time favorite. Back when Wesley Chapel had only a handful of homes and New Tampa had only a few restaurants of its own, Skipper’s was famous on both sides of the county line for its great drink prices, outstanding live music, fresh fish (like the yummy grilled wahoo, above left, that I brought home to Jannah), raw oysters and great wings (above right). My new friends Terri and Michael (below) enjoyed those crispy wings (with medium-spicy “hotter” sauce on the side) so much that they got a second order of them. And, Skipper’s has revamped its menu from its soft opening to include a few more of its all-time favorites, from gator ribs to pulled pork and from fried shrimp to crawdaddy mac and more. And, the locally famous Grateful Dead cover band, Uncle John’s Band, returned for its first Thursday evening show at Skipper’s in more than a year just before we went to press with this issue, and another popular Skipper’s staple, The Red Elvises, put on the first Saturday night love music show at the Skipperdome. Hopefully, Skipper’s also will bring back its famous, adults-only Freakers Ball this year to celebrate Halloween properly. Call (813) 971-0666 or visit SkippersSmokehouse.com for more Grand Reopening info, showtimes and the new menu — and please tell them I sent you! — GN

Years ago, Carrabba’s Italian Grill was rumored to be coming to Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, on a stillundeveloped parcel located south of where Bonefish Grill used to be located (where it has been replaced by Señor Tequila). Then, originally reported in 2019 to be coming to the Cypress Creek Town Center area on the north side of S.R. 56, along with the now-open Aussie Grill, and the new location of Bonefish, Carrabbas’s has finally begun construction. According to Pasco County’s permitting records, the 5,074-sq.-ft. Carrabba’s will be built in between Bonefish Grill and Aussie Grill. — JCC Meanwhile, Zaxby’s (below), the fastcasual fried chicken eatery, is getting ready to open on the south side of 56, near ALDI and the Tidal Wave Car Wash and was still hiring additional employees as this issue went to press. — GN

The ExerScience Center Hosts A Ribbon Cutting! Congratulations go out to my friend and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Dr. Lauren Leiva of The ExerScience Center, located at 24706 S.R. 54 in Lutz, less than two miles east of the Tampa Premium Outlets. Lauren, her family and staff hosted a Greater Pasco Chamber ribbon cutting on July 19 and she, of course, couldn’t resist the urge to cut the ribbon with a Samurai sword, instead of the traditional (and boring, at least to her) scissors. Lauren has helped strengthen my knees and Jannah rehab her back and The ExerScience Center also offers outstanding personal training, nutrition counseling, group fitness and yoga classes, in addition to her award-winning physical therapy — as she has been named the People’s Choice Best of the Best Physical Therapist by the Tampa Bay Times two years in a row. To find out more, call (813) 803-7070, visit TheExerScienceCenter.com or see the ad on pg. 31. — GN

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New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News Is Willing To Overpay A Part-Time Office Assistant! For details, see ad on next pg. or email your resume to Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com!

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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. PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT in your home or small biz. A+, Cert. computer tech w/20 years exp. Maintenance & Repairs, Upgrades & Tutoring. More affordable than large chains! Friendly, personalized svc. Tech jargon explained. Remote assistance & refs. avail. See our ad on pg. 41 or call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate.

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ELITE RIDES. Private rides in a sanitized 2020 Tesla, plus concierge services. Airport, schools, medical appointments, shopping, etc. Courteous, reliable professional. New Tampa to Tampa Int’l Airport - $35 (one way, 24/7). Driver vaccinated w/two shots. Cory Lake Isles resident. Call/text 813.765.2037. GET $500 TOWARDS CLOSING COSTS... when you buy a NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME with Florida Homes with Geri at Epperson OR Mirada. Schedule a PRIVATE TOUR of both Communities by a Resident Realtor. Join @LifeAtTheLagoon with @RealtorGeri Call/Text 813-609-0966. Connect with me on Instagram & Facebook.

CLEANING SERVICES

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. 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: 813-4621270. Local references supplied upon request. B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 18 years exp.! Comm’l & Resid’l; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & postconstruction 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

LAWN & LANDSCAPING _

ALL DIMENSIONS LANDSCAPE & EXTERIORS, LLC. Complete resid’l & comm’l landscape, hardscape & softscape. Mulch & decorative stone. Patios, decks, retaining walls, property maintenance & lawn care. Sod & lawn install’n, artificial turf, fencing, railings, soft & hard pressure washing, painting. We do anything exterior. Call (724) 541-2535 or (813) 485-6661 for a 25% discount on labor & materials. NTLC Property Maintenance. Residential & Commercial lawn maintenance for New Tampa & Wesley Chapel. Sprinkler repairs, tree trimming, mulching, landscaping & clean-ups also available. Licensed & Insured. CALL BILL @ (813) 973-3825. A.T.B. Landscaping & Lawn Service. Lic’d & insured, serving the Tampa Bay area 20+ years. Family owned & operated. Quality work, affordable rates. Gutter clean-outs, screen repairs, pressure washing & sprinkler repairs. Landscaping & property maint., including sod, tree & hedge trimming & clean ups. Other services avail. CALL 813-907-LAWN (5296). Jasmine Landscaping, Inc. Complete lawn maint.: Tree, palm & hedge trimming, planting, mulching, stones, sod replacement. Gutter cleaning, leaf removal & more. Cited by your HOA? Ask about our HOA Compliance Special, our Fall/Spring Special & FREE estimate! Lic’d & insured. Accepting new resid’l & comm’l accounts. Visa, MC, PayPal, Zelle, AmEx. Call or text 813-420-4465. Now hiring FT workers. HEAVY HITTER LAWN CARE: Veteran owned & operated lawn care maint. service, focused on lawn mowing, trimming, edging & blowing (flexible w/extra svcs.). Well maintained & professional laborer ensuring cust. satisfaction & on-time cuts. Rain or shine, quality & schedule will be kept. Lic’d & Insured. Call or text 678-673-7856 for your FREE Estimate.

Neighborhood News Classified Ads Are the Ones Your Neighbors READ! To order yours, visit neighborhoodnewsonline. net/Classified Listings

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

POOL SERVICES

ALLSTARPOOLSOFTAMPABAY.COM. Pool cleanups, & acid washing of old pool finishes. Marcite, quartz & pebble finishes from $3K. We offer cool decking, Eurocrete & paver decking options. Paver, river rock sealing, leak detection & inground vinyl liner replacements avail. Quality salt & ozone generators, pumps, motors & filters. Mention this ad for a $79 pool svc. (restrictions apply). Serving NT & WC since 1990. Call/text 813-244-7077 or visit AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com. TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE. New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing w/outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! Call or Text Chris today @ 813-857-5400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com. New customers get ONE MONTH FREE! AQUATEC POOL SERVICE has been keeping pools clear & swim-safe since 1994. WE DO POOLS RIGHT! Commercial & Residential. CPO #33-303052 Licensed & Insured. Service guarantee. Call 813-312-5694 TODAY and get ONE MONTH OF QUALITY SERVICE FREE. www.aquatecpool.com. NEIGHBORHOOD POOLS Wesley Chapel owned & operated since 1999. Weekly service. No long term contracts. Mention this AD for one-month Free service. Call 813-907-7322 for details or text Joe at 813-758-7608.

PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHER AVAILABLE! Retired Professional Photographer (45+ years experience) in the Tampa Bay area. Corporate Events, Personal Occasions, Portraiture, Pets, Commercial Photography & Real Estate. Reasonable rates. Ask me about “Front Porch Portraits,” taken from the safety of your front porch, FREE OF CHARGE! Great for Families, Children, Pets & more! Call or Text (813) 748-3901 or Visit: russellleprephotography.com.

FITNESS & WELL BEING

YOGA, PERSONAL TRAINING, NUTRITION & PHYSICAL THERAPY w/DR. LAUREN LEIVA, DPT! Phys Ed for everyone, including all children, w/a certified personal trainer who also is a degreed Dr. of Physical Therapy. Ask Dr. Leiva about her PE4ME sliding scale pay program! For more info, visit TheExerscienceCenter.com, call 813.464.0313 or see the ad on pg. 31 of this issue.

Break It Down Productions. Customized Private Yoga Sessions w/Susanna Jones. Develop strength & flexibility, while learning how to breathe & relax. I specialize in working w/beginners and those requiring a more gentle approach than most group Yoga classes. I explain everything, and provide variations so that you actually feel good in the stretch instead of strained. Gift certificates available. www.breakitdownproductions.com or Call (813) 802-8393.

TREE SERVICE

FITZPATRICK’s TREE SERVICE. 25-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.

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News • Volume 29, Issue 16 • August 3, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews