Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 25, Issue 18, Aug. 25, 2017 by Neighborhood News

Volume 25 Issue 18 August 25, 2017

Inside: Check Out Wok Chi & Menchie’s Yogurt! In Neighborhood Magazine!

Please View, Like & Share Every Episode Of WCNT-tv On YouTube & Facebook! The Direct-Mail News Magazines Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993! For the complete list of neighborhoods that receive this publication by direct mail in Wesley Chapel (zip codes 33543, 33544 & 33545), see page 46!

So, Did Any ‘Idol’ Hopefuls Make It Onto The Show From Florida Hospital Center Ice? By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

The first time Brittany Collins tried out for FOX-TV’s “American Idol,” it ended with her in tears and a long, sad drive home from Atlanta. She had been waiting for a second chance for more than a decade. She never imagined that chance would come at an ice rink right around the corner from where she lived in Wesley Chapel. On Aug. 12, Collins, 28, lined up with at least 400 other starry-eyed hopefuls waiting for her chance to shine at “Tampa Bay Idol,” an audition for the new incarnation of “American Idol,” which is now going to air on ABCTV. The local tryout was hosted by Channel 28-WFTS-TV’s “ABC Action News” at Florida Hospital Center Ice, right here in the “Chap.” The tryouts were an all-day affair – capped by a night-time concert on one of the complex’s five rinks by the lucky ticket winners — as those who had registered online for the 400 available slots rolled in and out of two audition rooms hoping to impress local celebrity judges. Those who got the thumbs-up were awarded a “front-of-the-line” certificate to the tryouts in Orlando, as ”American Idol” is being re-booted by ABC in an effort to regain its former glory as one of television’s hottest shows. Once a juggernaut that produced stars like Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson — but no one significant in its final years — producers are hoping hosts Katy Perry and Lionel Richie can re-stoke that interest. After belting through 45 seconds of Adele’s “Fire To The Rain,” Collins had her

Also Inside This Issue: News, Business & Sports Updates School Impact Fees Raised; New Assisted Living Facility Could Be Headed To Seven Oaks; Two Home Décor Stores & More Planned For Wesley Chapel; Pasco Libraries Stay Relevant In Tech Era; Bed Tax Doubled; It’s Back To School For Area Kids; Are You Ready For Some Football?; Plus, Lots Of Local Business Features!

Pages 3-34

Neighborhood Magazine

County’s ‘Neighborhood Notebook’ Solicits Advice; Check Out Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt; Wok Chi Is A Fresh Idea In Chinese & More Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

Pages 35-48

Wesley Chapel resident Brittany Collins earned a ticket to the “American Idol” auditions in Orlando with 45 seconds of Adele’s “Fire To The Rain” at the “Tampa Bay Idol” auditions at FHCI! (Photo: ABC Action News)

ticket to the front of the line for the Aug. 17 audition at the Disney Springs Resort in Orlando, where...we hear...that one Wesley Chapel resident and two “Tampa Bay Idol” contestants just may have made it to the next round of auditions. But, that’s all we can say at this time. “I had nerves,’’ Collins said. “At this point in my life, I want it more than ever. But I am so happy with where I am in my life. If I don’t get through, I’m okay.” Collins, a third-grade teacher at Heritage Elementary in New Tampa, joked that she didn’t feel that way when she was 16. “American Idol” was hot, and she and her friend Adam

Jahr drove to Atlanta to chase a dream she has had since she started singing and dancing at age 3. More than 20,000 people were there, “just long lines and lines of people,’’ she says, and she was terrified. She remembers that her voice shook as she sang Carrie Underwood’s “We’re Young And Beautiful.” The judges declined to move her on. Someone from the show came over to clip the wristhand she had been given. “They just cut your wristband and sent you in the other direction,’’ Collins said somewhat somberly. “Very severe.”

Do you have any fun or exciting plans for this evening? Do you enjoy playing the slots or table games at a casino? The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel presents a very special fund-raising Casino Night tonight — Friday, August 25, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. — at Wesley Chapel Nissan (28519 SR 54). Pasco’s clerk & comptroller, the Hon. Dr. Paula O’Neil, will emcee this event to raise money for the Mahler family — Rob, Jordan, Camden and 17-month-old Clayton, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 rhabdomyosarcoma after a July 4th visit to the emergency for a growth in his nose that was obstructing his airway. Clayton is receiving 42 weeks of chemotherapy, followed by radiation, after 95 percent of the mass was removed. The Mahlers’ medical bills are piling up and Dr. O’Neil, a breast cancer survivor herself, talked to her friend and Wesley Chapel (WC) Nissan public relations rep Troy Stevenson about doing something to help. And, since Stevenson, WC Nissan owner Jay Rosario and GM Joey Falcon previously had hosted a successful Casino Night a couple of years ago, he floated the idea to WC Rotary president-elect Chris Casella and just like that, it transformed into a reality to help not only the Mahlers, but also the Rotary club’s own high school scholarship program.

There’s a $20 per person donation “buy-in” to enjoy the Casino Night, which gets you $20 in chips, free water and soda, plus free food provided by Latin Twist Café on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., and the opportunity to bid on great silent auction items (a TV, Outback Bowl and Tampa Bay Lightning tickets and memorabilia — donated by the Williams Auto Group, which owns WC Toyota and WC Honda). There will be a cash bar, with fine wines by Time for Wine and Rosario’s own Boricua beer, a VIP room catered by the WC Chick-fil-A, as well as great entertainment by WC Rotary member John Jay the DJ and live musical performers. The WC Rotary’s Casino Night is sponsored by Lakeside Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, Mosquito Hunters, Cash for Gold WC, Stevenson’s own Acme on the Go & WC Nissan. The WC Rotary also will be giving away 3,000 free American flags at the Shops at Wiregrass and Tampa Premium Outlets malls on Monday, September 11. The club also will provide breakfast for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office’s Dist. 2 office in Dade City, as well as for Pasco Fire Rescue Station No. 13 off Old Pasco Rd. and No. 26 in Meadow Pointe on 9/11. For more info about the WC Rotary Club, visit WCRotary.com. — Gary Nager

See “Idol” on pg. 4

Rotary Club Hosts Casino Night Fund Raiser At WC Nissan Tonight!

You can help the WC Rotary Club help the Mahler family (Rob, Jordan and brothers Clayton & Camden) by attending Casino Night tonight at WC Nissan.

So, Here’s A Little Back-To-School Reminiscing & The Latest News About WCNT-tv! An editorial by Gary Nager My sons, Jared and Jake, are now 28- and 25-year-old grown men, respectively, but I can still clearly remember the excitement they both felt every year when they went back to school, even through high school. They’d be armed with new notebooks, pencils and calculators, some new clothes and would look forward to making new friends and catching up with old ones as they returned from whatever summertime activities or family vacations they had enjoyed. And, although they both grew up in and went to public schools in nearby New Tampa, both of them always had friends who lived and went to school in Wesley Chapel, often through the many sports they both played. “The Chap” didn’t have nearly as many organized sports programs as New Tampa at that time, so the kids who lived in Meadow Pointe and even Lexington Oaks often had to cross the county line to play competitive soccer or baseball. And, even though it wasn’t that long ago, there’s no doubt in my mind that it was a simpler time, especially in light of the truly frightening craziness going on throughout the world today, even though both of them were old enough then to still remember 9-11. And yes, I’m proud to say that Jared, Jake and I are all products of public schools, although I grew up in Long Island, NY, and they spent their formative years here in Florida. Today, Jared, who graduated, as I did, from the University of Florida in Gainesville, is the vice president of business development for the Orlando office of USA Solar, Inc., a solar

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News Address: 29157 Chapel Park Dr., Suite B Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Phone: (813) 910-2575 Advertising E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Editorial E-mail: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Publisher & Editor Gary Nager Advertising/Marketing Rep Tom Damico Advertising Sales & Office Assistant Jannah McDonald Assistant Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Staff Writer Celeste McLaughlin Correspondents Brad Stager • Andy Warrener WCNT-tv Sales & Production Assistant Gavin Olsen Graphic Designers Blake Beatty • Georgia Carmichael 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 advertisements for Volume 25, Issue 20, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Monday, September 11, 2017. 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.

energy installation company, while he is getting close to rolling out a new cell phone app that he has worked on for almost two years now. Jake, who graduated cum laude from that other big state school in Tallahassee, is now a sales rep for Medtronic, a global leader in medical technology, services and solutions, sitting in on operations with doctors in Milwaukee, WI. In other words, both are doing great and proof positive that school is what you make of it, whether public, private or home-schooled. If your kids have been coming home since school started here in Pasco County on August 14 (see page 13) excited about their teachers, their friends and their school and you remain involved in the education process with them, it doesn’t matter how overcrowded their school might be. Both of my boys attended Hunter’s Green Elementary when it was at about twice its capacity of 900 students — bigger than many high schools today, including the new Cypress Creek Middle High on Old Pasco Rd. — and there’s no doubt in my mind that they both loved it there. I’ll be honest that I’m glad that there was no Facebook, social media or smartphones when my kids were young, but seeing so many families I know and love posting their back-to-school pics recently got me feeling pretty nostalgic for those fun, albeit trying, days gone by. I definitely don’t miss the long car lines, the homework help I often had to provide or the multiple trips to the emergency room with them, but my experience was definitely a positive one, so I hope it’ll be the same for you. And, for those of you, like me, who no longer have young’ns, please remember that school is back in session, so put down those cell phones while driving, sit back, relax and enjoy all of the new restaurants now open and still to come in our area.

And, that is the primary reason I cofounded the show nearly 15 months ago. With my degree, training and background in broadcasting, I simply could no longer allow this publication to be the only way I could reach out to the people in the communities I have served for the last 23-1/2 years. During our most recent news segments, we’ve updated our map of the State Road 56 area near the Tampa Premium Outlets, previewed U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis and Pasco Commissioner Mike Moore’s transportation meeting on Aug. 21 (which we will recap in our next issue), and told you about not only Noble Crust and Irish 31 here in Wesley Chapel, but also the new Fat Rabbit Pub and Precinct Pizza in New Tampa. If you’ve been reading this publication

for any period of time, you know how much I love telling you about the new places to eat in our distribution areas and I’m not going to lie about how proud I am when the WCNT-tv “Neighborhood Dining News” segments get so many reactions like “Let’s Go!” anytime I’m the first to tell you about a new eatery. My WCNT-tv co-anchor Susanna Martinez, WCCC Featured Business host Mollyana Ward, production assistant/video editor Gavin Olsen, cameraman Eric Cupps and I will have multiple new news, dining and business items to share with you on the show before the next issue of this publication reaches your mailbox, so please, subscribe to our Neighborhood News Facebook page and remember to View, Like & Share every episode of WCNT-tv!

The Latest News About WCNT-tv!

Now just a couple of months into its second year as the only YouTube- and Facebook-based video webcast for New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, I’m proud to say that WCNT-tv — Wesley Chapel and New Tampa Television — is fast approaching a total reach of one million people and 500,000 total views between Facebook and YouTube. We have changed the format of the “show” quite a bit, with more and shorter news, dining, Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) Featured Business and entertainment segments that always seem to get people talking.

Table of Contents

Local News Updates.....................3-13

New Impact Fee Could Build Up To 5 New Schools...6 Assisted Living Facility Planned For Seven Oaks......8 At Home, Cost Plus World Market Coming To WC....9 Pasco Libraries Expanding Tech Offerings...............10 Sports Complex Approved, Bed Tax Doubled...........12 Back To School For Wesley Chapel Kids.....................13 Wesley Chapel Community Calendar..........................14

Local Business Updates..............18-31

Fast Track Urgent Care For Patient-Driven Care......18 Kehoe & DeWeerd CPA To Your Tax Rescue.......20 SPOTLIGHT ON: Olympus Pools........................21 Mystic Oaks Family Dentistry. Lives Up To Its Name.....24 SPOTLIGHT ON: Samantha Taylor Fitness.........21 Check Out The Transformations Aesthetic Center...26 VIP Pest Control Offers Pet-Friendly Options........28 New Tampa Dance Theater Produces Stars.............30

Our 2017 HS Football Preview.............32

Neighborhood Magazine

‘Neighborhood Notebook’ Looking For Input......35 Military Vets Open Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt Café...36 Wok Chi — Unique Chinese Cuisine In Wiregrass....38 Kiran Indian Grocery Store In New Tampa..........40 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’.........42 Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Classifieds...........44 @NTWCNews

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Wiregrass Ranch junior Caloi Koelndorfer (above) shows off her ticket to the auditions in Orlando for “American Idol.” Koelndorfer impressed the judges with “How Can It Be” by Christian singer Lauren Daigle. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

‘Tampa Bay Idol’

Continued from page 1 By comparison, Collins said, the Wesley Chapel auditions, were a dream. They let her mom Teresa in the room with her as she sang. “They were set up so nicely,’’ Collins said. Caloi Koelndorfer, a 16-year-old junior at Wiregrass Ranch High, couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she showed off her winning ticket. Standing in the hallway with her mother Christy, she waited for some of her friends to make their way into the judges’ room. “It was awesome,’’ Caloi said. “I just let it go and tried to have fun.” Caloi sang “How Can it Be” by contemporary Christian music singing star Lauren Daigle. One of the judges was Jeremy Risotto, a

Brandon resident who finished in the top 13 in Season 11 of “Idol.” Oh, and Risotto was one of Caloi’s favorites. “I love him,’’ Caloi said. “I saw him at a church choir event, and he was my favorite in Season 11.” Caloi said she started out shaky, but hit her notes when it counted. She has been singing in the chorus since her fifth-grade year at Sand Pine Elementary, and for the outgoing teenager, trying out for Tampa Bay Idol was a no-brainer. “She sings everywhere and anywhere,’’ Christy said, laughing. Caloi then broke out into song for those still waiting for their chance, as someone recorded her on their cell phone. The line of people applauded. Risotto left the room for a quick break and when he returned he popped his head back out and nodded towards Caloi.

“She’s excellent,’’ he said. We saw that Collins didn’t made it out of Orlando. She wrote on her Facebook page that it was “TOUGH” and even with her pass, she was one of the last 100 auditions of the day, waiting behind people who did not have a pass. She waited in line in the sun for four hours, and still thought she “crushed her song.” But she wasn’t picked, and was back in the classroom Monday, sharing her experience with the kids. “At least I tried, gave it my best, didn’t pass out from the heat and didn’t mess my song up with nerves,’” she wrote on Facebook. According to WFTS-ABC Action News director of multimedia marketing Dennis Elsbury, if a contestant made it out of Orlando — and 67 made it to Orlando from the Wesley Chapel audition — they would not be allowed to tell anyone.

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Pasco OKs School Impact Fee Increase By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com As expected, and facing a dire need to build more schools in the quickly growing parts of the Pasco County — particularly Wesley Chapel — the Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BCC) voted Aug. 15 to raise school impact fees on new homes. The unanimous decision by the BCC was no surprise. Prior to the BCC’s last board meeting on July 13, the Pasco County School District and the Tampa Bay Builders Association (TBBA) had forged a deal to phase in an impact fee increase of roughly $3,500 over three years — $2,252 on Jan. 1, 2018, and $600 on Jan. 1 in 2019 and 2020. The commissioners all signaled their support for the increase at that meeting, but were unable to vote on the ordinance at the time because it had changed significantly from what was originally advertised. The delay was to allow for further public comment, but there was only one speaker, who actually spoke in favor of the increase, at the Aug. 15 meeting. The impact fee on a new single-family home, currently $4,828, will be bumped to $7,128 beginning in January. For any applications filed after Dec. 31, 2019, the last year of the phased-in increase, the impact fee on a new single-family home will be $8,328. Impact fees are charges assessed on new construction to pay for other infrastructure needed to accommodate growth. In Wesley Chapel for example, homes are continuing to be built and the area continues to grow so rap-

idly that most of the elementary, middle and high schools have been over capacity (see story on page 13). Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) has been on a 10-period schedule for the last two years, and while the rezoning will alleviate some overcrowding, the school still has no room. Cypress Creek, which opened Aug. 14 as a combined middle/high school, has roughly 1,900 students, which also is near its capacity. Combining a middle and high school is not ideal. Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning said he hopes to have a separate middle school built in four years on the Cypress Creek campus, as the new fees are expected to raise more than $200 million over the next decade for school construction. The school district had formed a School Impact Fee Committee (SIFC) to study the issue, which hadn’t been done since a 2007 study that never went to a BCC vote. The SIFC met four times between March and April of this year and looked at a dozen options to raise enough funds for new schools to accommodate an expected increase over the next 10 years of 7,500 students. The members of the committee decided that the best way to raise the funds without requiring a referendum was the increase in home impact fees. District staff recommended an increase to $9,028, or an 85 percent increase that it said would pay for four or five new schools those 10 years. The TBBA was hoping to keep the increase to $7,176, or a 48-percent raise, which means that the school district got 92 percent of the increase it was seeking.

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More Assisted Living, Home Decor, Food Options For Wesley Chapel By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com With the Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch (see ad on pg. 6) set to open its doors in December, another assisted living facility already is on its way to Wesley Chapel. According to plans filed with Pasco County, TLC Management is looking to build a 125,000-sq.ft. residence that will include an adult living and skilled nursing facility at the corner of Eagleston Blvd. and Stockton Dr. in Seven Oaks. TLC Management had its pre-application meeting with county staffers last month. The proposed 9.7-acre site is located in Seven Oaks between Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and I-75. According to conceptual site plans, the facility would have more than 230 parking spots and offer private rooms, dining and activities and plenty of green space for its residents. TLC Management is an Indiana-based company that was created in 1987 with a focus on independent and assisted living, skilled nursing, rehabilitation and memory care. In 30 years, it has created 15 health and rehabilitation centers, as well as two assisted living and independent retirement communities in Indiana. The company does already have two locations in Florida — Bridgewater Park Assisted Living in Ocala and The Village at Vienna Square in Winter Haven. According to the Indianapolis Star, the company’s most recent project was a $14-million health and rehabilitation center in Indianapolis, which was expected to create 140 jobs and accommodate 199 patients. TLC Management is owned by brothers

Dwight, Gary and Randy Ott. The brothers were inspired to get into the business by their grandmother, who operated a nursing home in Iowa. Messages left with TLC Management were not returned.

Home Decor Getting A Boost

Shoppers looking for home décor ideas soon will have plenty of new options in Wesley Chapel, as Cost Plus World Market is close to

The 18,600-sq.-ft. store will be located next to Bed Bath & Beyond and Cost Plus World Market is a subsidiary of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. Based in California, Cost Plus World Market specializes in an eclectic assortment of unique items for the home, from furniture to jewelry and accessories, as well as gourmet food and drinks. It claims to sell items imported from more than 50 countries. Cost Plus World Market has 277 stores nationwide. The Wesley Chapel location will be the second in the Tampa Bay area, as a location in Clearwater opened on Aug. 3. It could soon have compeA new assisted living facility (left) is planned for Seven Oaks tition from At Home, which is on the corner of Eagleston Blvd. and Stockton Dr., while a pair looking to join the busy scene of home décor stores, including Cost Plus World Market (above) just a few miles down Wesley will soon be vying for customers in Wesley Chapel. Chapel Blvd./S.R. 54, south opening and At Home may not far behind. of S.R. 56, tucked behind the Cost Plus World Market, which is Tampa Premium Outlets and just off the new under construction at 5833 Wesley Grove extension of Wesley Chapel Blvd. Blvd. in The Grove plaza, will be the first Guggenheim Development of Dallas has store shoppers see when they turn right on filed plans with the county to put At Home in a Pink Flamingo Ln. and enter the shopping 108,490-sq.-ft. retail space just south of Grand center at its southernmost point. It will replace Cypress Blvd., and south and east of Costco. the AT&T store, although the space is being The developer met with county staff earmodified to account for the larger home décor lier this month. According to site plans filed at store. that time, the proposed store would have 485 Although Cost Plus World Market filed parking spaces, and would abut another stillits original plans with the county in 2016, The unnamed 72,000-sq.-ft. retail store. Grove let everyone know it was coming soon At Home claims to offer the largest and recently hanging a “Cost Plus World Market freshest assortment of home décor items, at the Coming Soon” banner at the construction site. lowest prices, including its own unique prod-

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ucts all sold in a “no-frills warehouse without all the commissioned salespeople.” The store sells home and wall décor, furniture, pillows, rugs, housewares, seasonal items and much more.

Taco Bus Pulling Into The WC

According to permitting records filed with Pasco County, the popular Taco Bus food-truck-turned-mini-restaurant is planning to set up its ninth Tampa Bay location within a month, inside the Tailgate Mart convenience store on the northeast corner of S.R. 54/Wesley Chapel Blvd. and S.R. 56, adjacent to the Shell gas station. “We just finished getting permitting done and are aiming to get that location up and running by September,’’ said Heather Chaudhry, director of marketing and operations, adding that another Taco Bus location in Treasure Island also is set to open at around the same time. The Tailgate Mart, located at 25195 S.R. 54, currently has a deli that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner items, but it will be remodeled to accommodate the latest entry into the busy eatery scene along the S.R. 56/54 corridor. Chaudhry said Taco Bus typically prefers standalone locations, but they do make exceptions in high-volume areas, like the intersection of S.R. 56 and S.R. 54/Wesley Chapel Blvd. “We’re not looking to do many locations like this,’’ she said. “Wesley Chapel is an up-and-coming location, so it’s a very good place to be, with all the development and expansion in that area.” Taco Bus has achieved something of a cult status since its humble and quirky beginnings in 1996 as a converted school bus operating as a food truck on E. Hillsborough Ave.,

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selling authentic Mexican fare. Chef Rene Valenzuela quickly expanded to St. Petersburg, before taking the food truck concept inside and opening a restaurant in downtown Tampa, while still retaining the school bus setting and charm. The mini-chain achieved even greater, nationwide notoriety in 2011 when it was featured on an episode of the Food Network’s “Man v. Food, “as well as an episode of Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” The nearest current location to Wesley Chapel is on E. Fletcher Ave. in the University of South Florida area. With its late hours, affordable prices and popular conchintina pibil (slow-roasted pork), el hefe burritos, 99-cent empanadas and $2 tacos on Tuesdays, it is a popular stop for local college students. “Wesley Chapel is not far from many of our other locations,’’ Chaudhry said. “We’re lucky in that aspect, that we have some exposure in the area. We are always looking to bring the bus experience to our other customers in the area.” The Taco Bus will be located in the westernmost portion of the Cypress Creek Town Center DRI, directly north and across S.R. 56 from a proposed Aldi store.

But Wait, There’s Still More!

Directly west of the Taco Bus is the Brightwork Crossing project, which is expected to bring 250,000 sq. ft. of office and retail, including a Firestone Auto, Wawa and Burger King, as well as 350 multi-family units and up to 180 hotel rooms. Representatives from Burger King and Wawa have already met with the county to pursue permits. Burger King is looking to construct a 3,349-sq.-ft. restaurant on S.R. 54, just west of the proposed 5,636-sq.-ft. Wawa.

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Pasco’s Libraries Adapting To New Technologies To Stay Relevant By ANDY WARRENER The times they are a’changing, and so, too, are libraries, according to Bob Harrison of Pasco County Libraries (standing in photo). “Typically when people think of libraries, they think of books,” Harrison told local business leaders on July 20, during a Lunch n’ Learn program in the Don Porter Boardroom at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), which sponsored the event. “But, we’re so much more than just books.” Harrison said area libraries are taking a quantum leap into the future with a litany of new services offered to both small businesses and residents of Pasco County. Although the image of libraries may be of dusty old bookshelves and gray-haired librarians demanding total silence, one of the first services detailed by Harrison was the addition in many county libraries of community meeting rooms. Space is subject to availability, but having a public space to meet can be an asset for a small business or organization. Heck, just look around at any coffee shop during the day, and you can see all kinds of business meetings taking place. The library not only offers free internet, but also low-cost printers and copiers. “We are trying to become part of the Maker Movement that’s sweeping the nation right now,” Harrison said. “The libraries have jumped into it.” Maker Spaces, as they are dubbed, are being created across the county’s seven branches in Hudson, Regency Park, Centennial Park, South Holiday, Hugh Embry, Land O’ Lakes and the New River branch library at 34043 S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel. The New River library has a meeting room

that can accommodate up to 30 people, and does not even require a library card to book, which can be done at PascoLibraries.org. Adrienne Hymes, Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, sees it as an opportunity, as she said her church is looking to incorporate new members from the Wesley Chapel area. “We are trying to establish a church in Wesley Chapel, and we need options for meeting spaces,” Hymes said. Additionally, Pasco’s libraries offer a conduit to the WCCC and to the Pasco County Economic Development Council (EDC). With that access, potential or existing business owners can learn the ins and outs of how to start and/or run a business in the county, and receive direction to the appropriate places for permitting or licensing information that goes beyond a typical Google search. All you need is a library card. AtoZDatabases.com, for example, offers access to business listings not just in the county, but nationwide. The site is a subscription site, but can be used for free at the library. The site

says that while Google and other search engines are valuable tools, they are limited to simple searches. AtoZDatabases can handle more complex questions, and returns the information in a consistent format. “All the information you need is in one place,” Harrison says. Pasco County library card holders also can access Demographics Now, a database that gathers information from the US Census from 2000 and 2010, as well other sources. There, users can find information about population density, income, ethnicity, even retail spending figures on households — information that can be vital when deciding whether to start a new business and where it might be most successful. “I already have a (Pasco library) card, I just didn’t know these services were available,” said Roslyn Yee, founder of Vibrant Life International, a wellness consulting company in Lutz. “I like to be able to research companies. Now, it looks like I can do this from the comfort of my own home.” Another invaluable tool in Pasco County Libraries’ online arsenal is access to Lynda. com, a popular online training company that offers more than 6,000 video courses on business, technology, software and marketing, to name just a few. Users can access videos teaching Adobe products like Photoshop or Creative Suite, and other programs. You can learn how to shoot better photos with your DSLR camera, or how to how to master Wordpress. The site boasts more than 1,200 design courses, and over 700 web development and design courses. Lynda.com was acquired by LinkedIn, and typically requires a monthly fee. However, with a library card, users can ac-

cess the premium version through the library website. All library cardholders need is their online access password, and they can even use the service from their home or office computers. It’s all part of Pasco County Libraries’ vision for the future. “We see a future for the county library system being heavy on tech and all communitydriven,” Harrison said. That includes things like a Community Garden Maker Space at the New River branch, a new sound studio being built at the Hudson branch and a woodworking shop at the Land O’ Lakes branch. Volunteers help staff the spaces and libraries are always seeking more volunteers. The ideas for new services are generated by feedback from the community. “We want residents to drive it,” said Harrison. “We want the library to be more than a knowledge center, we want it to be a hub for the community.” During the WCCC workshop, Harrison said that Pasco’s libraries spend only $12 per person per year, while the average spent by the rest of the state’s counties is $26 per person. “We are good stewards of your tax dollars,” Harrison said. “But, as the county grows, we expect to be able to offer additional services as demand grows.” Southern Pasco County, especially the Wesley Chapel area, is booming with growth. A growing property tax base, along with a 501 (c) (3) Friends of the Library charitable organization, are primarily responsible for funding the library’s current leap into the 21st Century. For additional information, visit PascoLibraries.org

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Tourist Tax Raised For Sports Complex By JOHN C. COTEY

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The long-awaited multi-use sports complex in the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI) was officially approved by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) on Aug. 5, and the county’s Tourist Development Tax (TDT), or “bed” tax, will be doubled to pay for it. By a 4-0 vote, with District 4 commissioner Jack Mariano abstaining, the county approved the plan to build the $44-million complex on a 224-acre parcel of land owned by the county (that was previously donated by the Porter family) and located northeast of the Shops at Wiregrass. The TDT is a tax placed on overnight hotel stays within the county. Steve Domonkos, specialty leasing manager at the Shops at Wiregrass, and Hope Allen, the CEO of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), were the only speakers at the public hearing, and both spoke in favor of increasing the TDT from two percent to four percent. The BCC already had set aside $11 million ($8.5-million in tourist tax funds and $2.5 mil-

lion in excess bond proceeds from a prior halfcent sales tax bond) and a county-backed loan of $14.2 million to pay for the project. The increase in the TDT is expected to generate $1.2 million annually, which will help pay down the loan. RADDSports, which is developing the indoor sports facility that anchors the project, says that the projected revenue generated by the indoor/outdoor facility also will help repay the loan. A 128-room Residence Inn by Marriott, which will be owned and operated by Mainsail Lodging & Development, also will be built at the complex, at a cost of roughly $19 million. The pet-friendly hotel is expected to house many of the youth sports teams from all over the state that RADDSports’ Richard Blalock says will flock to the facility for tournaments. The county expects the sports complex to generate 27,000 room nights per year. The 98,000-sq.-ft. indoor sports facility, the first phase of the project, will host major tournaments for basketball, volleyball, cheerleading and other indoor sports. It also will boast meeting rooms and concession stands, and share the 60-acre site with an amphitheatre, as well as football and soccer fields and park trails, all part of the complex’s second phase.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Students & Teachers Across Wesley Chapel Are Back In School! By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com Among the thousands of students who went back to school in Pasco County on August 14, more than 1,500 of them spent their first day at Wesley Chapel’s newest school, Cypress Creek Middle High School, which is located off Old Pasco Rd. Cypress Creek Middle High was expected to open with about 1,500 students, but actually had 1,603 students show up on the first day. The school’s capacity is 1,958 students, so it still has some room to grow. The new school was needed to relieve crowding at not only Wiregrass Ranch High and John Long Middle schools, but also has students who previously were zoned for Sunlake and Wesley Chapel high schools, as well as Weightman and Rushe middle schools. All students at the new school follow the same bell schedule, from 7:25 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. “The first few days have been outstanding,” said Cypress Creek principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles. “Our students are enjoying their new environment and are learning the layout of the campus. Other than the normal situation of getting used to the routine, and watching to see where we need to change procedures with car loop or bus loop, etc., we have truly had an amazing first few days.” Hetzler-Nettles also said that the campus was filled with Parent Teacher Student Association members helping students find their classes, and even Pasco Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning was on hand to help welcome the students and direct them to their new classes. “It takes a village to open a new school,” added Hetzler-Nettles, “and our community

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The lunchrooms and the walkway and courtyard at Cypress Creek Middle High School were finally filled by students as the new school, while others across Pasco County were back in business on Aug. 14. has just been so welcoming and helpful! We couldn’t have done it without them and are excited for our future!” Among those who helped get the teachers set up in their new digs at the school on July 26 were volunteers from the Pasco Education foundation and the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel. At Long Middle School, one of the schools that lost students to Cypress Creek, principal Christine Wolff said, “You always miss the kids on campus that you have grown attached to, and my wish for all of our former students is to have a good adjustment and get excited for learning, and take that excitement for learning with them wherever they are.” She says that while Long’s enrollment numbers are down slightly (1,488 students were enrolled on opening day this year, versus 1,810

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last year), the school is still over capacity because of all the growth in the area. “We did have a smooth start to the school year,” Wolff says, “And, just like all of our Pasco County schools, we’re focused on meeting our school improvement goals and making sure they (the teachers and students) are meeting the learning standards in the classroom.” And at Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH), the 10-period schedule is a thing of the past, as many former students have new homes at either Cypress Creek Middle High or WCH. A contentious rezoning process last year was designed to ease the overcrowding at Wiregrass Ranch while also filling the new school. “We had a great start,’’ said WRH principal Robyn White. “We are back to the 7-period day, and while there are a lot of students on

campus at the same time, it is manageable. We started day one with a little over 2,200, which was a decrease of 300 from last year.” CORRECTION: We inadvertently omitted New River Elementary from our chart of Pasco County school grades in our last issue. We’re really sorry about that, because principal Lynn Pabst and the students and teachers at New River earned a “B” grade for the third consecutive year.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

AUGUST 2017 Friday, August 25

Wesley Chapel Rotary Club Casino Night Fund Raiser - See pg. 1 for details.

Saturday, August 26

Free Seminar: Know Your Calories - At 12:30 p.m., Join Samantha Taylor and Shannon Barker, of Samantha Taylor Fitness for a free health seminar that will help you achieve your fullest potential in health and fitness. Held at Samantha Taylor Fitness, 2206 Knight Rd., Land O’ Lakes. Reserve your spot in the seminar at SamanthaTaylorSeminars.com.

Monday, August 28

Professional Business Connections (PBC) - PBC meets Mondays at 7:45 a.m. at The Happy Hangar Cafe (at Tampa North Aero Park, 4241 Birdsong Blvd., off S.R. 54, Lutz). For info, call Matt Archbold at (813) 782-1777. Wesley Chapel Speaks - The Wesley Chapel Toastmasters meets every Monday at 6 p.m. for networking, 6:30 pm for public speaking, at Wesley Chapel Nissan (28519 State Rd 54). For more info, call Martin at (813) 693-0969.

Tuesday, August 29

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel (Noon) now meets Wed., at noon at Lexington Oaks Golf Club (26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.). First-time guests attend for free. For info, call (813) 862-8989 or (813) 391-3895.

Thursday, August 31

BNI Networking Meeting - Business professionals are invited to attend this networking organization’s meetings on Thursdays, 7:30 a.m., at Savannah Church (3758 Maryweather Lane, off BBD Blvd., behind Dunkin’ Donuts). For more info, call Kyle Flischel at (813) 815-0250. Networking For Your Success - The Networking For Your Success group meets Thursdays, 8 a.m., at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club clubhouse (26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.). All are welcome. For more information, call (813) 994-9944. RGA Network Weekly Meeting - The RGA Networking Group meets weekly for networking at GrillSmith at the Shops at Wiregrass mall. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; lunch is noon-1 p.m. For more info, visit RGANetwork.net. Celebrate Recovery - Meeting Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Bridgeway Church (30660 Wells Rd.), the purpose of Celebrate Recovery is to bring freedom from dysfunctional, compulsive & addictive behaviors through biblically-based principles. Dinner & free childcare available. For info, call (813) 907-1313

SEPTEMBER 2017 Friday, September 1

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise meets the 1st & 3rd Fridays of each month, 7:15 a.m., at Happy Hangar Cafe, 4241 Birdsong Blvd. For info, call Kathy Schenck at (813) 956-4436.

Women-n-Charge - 11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. at Pebble Creek Country Club (10550 Regents Park Dr., Tampa, 33647). We share our talents, build relationships, and share our resources with other women in business. $15 for members, $18 for guests. Register at Women-n-Charge.com. For more information, please contact Judy at 813-600-9848 or admin@women-n-charge.com.

Tuesday, September 5

GFWC Pasco Junior Woman’s Club - Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Lexington Oaks Clubhouse, 26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd. Visit GFWCPascoJWC.blogspot.com or Facebook.com/GFWCPascoJuniors for more informaiton. NAMI Friends & Family: Mental Health Support Group - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Pasco support group for friends & family of those with mental illness. The group meets the 1st & 3rd Tues. of each month, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., at Atonement Lutheran Church (29617 S.R. 54). For info, visit NAMIPasco.com.

Friday, September 8

Mental Health Support Group - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Pasco is a support group for adults in Pasco County living with mental illness or in recovery. The group meets the 2nd & 4th Friday of each month, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church (29617 S.R. 54). For info, visit NAMIPasco.org.

Monday, September 11

Free American Flags & Beads! - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel will give away free flags and beads at both the Shops at Wiregrass and the Tampa Premium Outlets. For more info, see the story at the bottom of pg. 1. . Monday, September 18 East Pasco Democratic Club - Meets 3rd Monday of each month at American House, 38130 Pretty Pond Rd. in Zephyrhills from 7-8:30 p.m. For more info, visit www.eastpascodems.com or call Wilson Blount at (505) 463-4210.

Tuesday, September 26

Wesley Chapel Lions Club - The Wesley Chapel Lions Club meets every 4th Tues., 6:30 p.m., at the Lexington Oaks Community Center (26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd.). For info about volunteering, community efforts, meetings, helping the vision impaired & more, visit WesleyChapelLionsClub.com or the club’s page on Facebook. Visit WCNeighborhoodNews.com to add your upcoming events that are open to the public to our online calendar. Once approved, they appear in the “Events” section on our home page. With enough advanced notice (at least 3-4 weeks), events that happen in our readership areas may also appear in print, as space allows.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Annual Holiday Craft Fair

at Keystone United Methodist Church Saturday, October 14, 9a.m.-2 p.m. Holiday Crafts • Gift Baskets • Home Decor Plants • Home-Baked Goods Crafter & Vendor Booths Admission & Events FREE Small charge for food Keystone United Methodist Church 16301 Race Track Rd., Odessa, FL (813) 920-5153 www.KeystoneUnitedMethodistChurch.com find us on Facebook @CraftFairKUMC

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Freedom, Optimum, Humana Gold Plus, CarePlus and Wellcare accepted.

Rafael Crespo, M.D. • Specializing in General Practice • Fluent in both Spanish & English

Wesley Chapel MEDICAL CLINIC

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Fast Track Urgent Care Center — Doctor-Owned, Patient-Driven Urgent Care By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN

celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com

Fast Track Urgent Care Center, located just off of S.R. 54 west of I-75, is part of a growing company that added one new location in the Tampa Bay area in the past year. Paul Nanda, M.D., is the medical director for the company, whose newest location is in Riverview. In addition to its center in Wesley Chapel, which opened about 18 months ago, Fast Track also is in South Tampa, Westchase and Carrollwood, with a new location coming soon to Tampa Heights. “We started in 2005 with one location and a couple of patients a day,” says Dr. Nanda. “Now, with five centers and more than 60,000 patient visits this year, we are really starting to impact the health and well being of the (Tampa Bay) community.” Dr. Nanda says that matters to Fast Track, which is owned by Tampa native Daron G. Diecidue, M.D. “Being locally owned and operated, we truly care about our patients, because they are our friends and neighbors,” says Dr. Nanda. “And, because doctors run the facility, not business people, we are focused on patients, not dollar signs.” Dr. Nanda also explains that Fast Track Urgent Care Center operates in the space between a primary care doctor and the emergency room. So, if you’re sick or injured, you should know that a visit to an urgent care facility is much less expensive than a visit to the emergency room, and with expanded hours when compared with a typical primary care doctor’s office.

Fast Track Urgent Care Center opened 18 months ago in Wesley Chapel on S.R. 54, west of I-75, but has since expanded to include a location in Riverview.

Top-Notch Medical Providers

The staff at Fast Track includes more than a dozen Board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. This team of experienced medical professionals rotates among the company’s five locations. Fast Track Urgent Care Center’s founder and owner, Dr. Diecidue, is Board-certified in Family Medicine. He holds Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in both Biology and Psychology from Florida State University in Tallahassee, and a degree in Chemistry from the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa. He received his M.D. degree from the USF School of Medicine and performed

his residency in family medicine at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. He is an active member of the American Academy of Family Practice, the Florida Medical Association and the Urgent Care Association of America. Meanwhile, Dr. Nanda has served as medical director of Fast Track Urgent Care since 2013. He also is Board-certified in Family Medicine and earned a B.S. degree in Biology from Indiana University in Bloomington in 1996, and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Immunology from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 1999. He received his M.D. degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten in 2003

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017• WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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and completed his residency at Ohio State University in Columbus in 2007. Dr. Nanda was hired by Fast Track in 2013 and was quickly promoted to medical director. He says he is, “responsible for ensuring the practice consistently offers patient-oriented, evidence-based, cost-effective care” at Fast Track’s five locations, including the Wesley Chapel center. “I was always taught that patients come first,” explains Dr. Nanda. “As providers, we are advocates who do what’s best for the patient. Sometimes that means we have to fight with insurance companies. Sometimes that means we don’t randomly prescribe antibiotics. Sometimes that means we help people navigate the healthcare system, which has become more and more confusing. We hire providers who agree with our patient-first philosophy, and we ask them to treat every patient like they would treat their own mom or child.” For a complete list of the medical providers at the Wesley Chapel office, go to FastTrackUrgentCare.com.

Available Services

Fast Track Urgent Care Center calls itself a “boutique” urgent care facility, because it offers not only a personal touch, but also expanded services that can make it a little easier to deal with the inconvenience of a sudden illness or an unexpected injury. For example, the center offers what it calls “Fast Pass,” an online check-in system. Although appointments are not required at Fast Track, patients can fill out their paperwork in advance and skip the line when they arrive at the urgent care facility.

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“Our goal is to get you in and out within 30-60 minutes,” says Dr. Nanda. “We know you didn’t wake up that morning with plans to go to urgent care, so we want to make you better and get you back to your life as soon as possible.” Dr. Nanda emphasizes that you can go to Fast Track Urgent Care Center anytime you need treatment, including for injuries related to workers’ compensation and motor vehicle injuries. “With the changing landscape of insurance and healthcare,” says Dr. Nanda, “we want to try to make it easier for patients to access good, consistent, Dr. Paul Nanda, M.D. (left), is the medical director quality healthcare.” This time of year, the practitioners for Fast Track Urgent Care Center, which is owned by Dr. Daron G. Diecidue, M.D. provide many school physicals, which cost just $25, and Dr. Nanda explains that Another patient wrote, “I went in and the company gives back to local schools saw the nurse practitioner. She was very thorthrough a program that distributes coupons ough and professional, and I would definitely that provide $5 back to a student’s school go again. Far better than sitting in a doctor’s when they get a physical. office with an appointment and still having On the center’s website, dozens of fivestar reviews highlight what people love about to wait! I was in and out in far less time.” Fast Track Urgent Care Center of Fast Track Urgent Care Center. Wesley Chapel is located at 5504 Gate“The doctor had a wonderful bedside way Blvd. and is open seven days a week, manner when addressing my eight-year-old son, whom she quickly diagnosed with swim- 8 a.m.–8 p.m. To make a reservation with Fast Pass or for more information (inmer’s ear,” wrote a reviewer. “We’re visiting cluding the addresses of all five locations, from out of state, so it was really a welcome surprise to have such a great experience in an go to FastTrackUrgentCare.com, call (813) 925-1903 or see the ad on page 24. unfamiliar medical facility.”

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Kehoe & DeWeerd, CPA — For Professional Tax & Accounting Help Throughout The Year says DeWeerd, who has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree from the University of South Florida (USF) College of Business in Tampa. Some of the related services Kehoe & DeWeerd offers include developing tax management strategies with clients to minimize liabilities and maximize cash flow, as well as estate and trust planning, once again to minimize tax liabilities.

By BRAD STAGER

The clock is running out on the 2017 tax return season’s “second half,” when individuals and businesses taking advantage of a six-month extension find themselves facing the inevitability of now having to file with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For those needing help preparing their returns, the accounting professionals at Kehoe & DeWeerd, CPA PA, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, just north of SR 56 in Wesley Chapel, are ready to assist. “We’re here to help anyone who has requested an extension to file,” says David DeWeerd, CPA. “Sometimes, you need additional time to get things together or circumstances in your life prevent you from getting documents in order.” According to the IRS website (irs.gov), about 15 million individual returns were filed with extensions last year. The extended filing deadline for individuals is Monday, October 16. That is also the deadline for “C” corporations to file a form 1120 return. But, the extended deadline is even earlier — Friday, September 15 — for businesses whose normal filing date was March 15 of this year. These include partnerships (form 1065 or 1065-B) and “S” corporations (form 1120S). DeWeerd says that while people and businesses are only dealing with their tax returns between January and October, Kehoe & DeWeerd is available throughout the year to assist with decisions and situations that may affect tax liabilities, such as whether to

A Little Feedback...

David DeWeerd, CPA (right), and Wesley Chapel office manager Liyen Coffey of Kehoe & DeWeerd, CPA, in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56. buy or lease a car, how a change in income or revenue should be handled or whether something is deductible on a tax return. DeWeerd says clients can inquire about those types of issues with Kehoe & DeWeerd without being nickled and dimed. “We don’t send out bills for phone calls,” he says, adding that initial consultations, whether for business or personal finance clients, are free. According to DeWeerd, who has been with Kehoe & DeWeerd for 18 of its 32 years, the firm’s purpose is clear: “We want to make sure we do the very best we can to

give you the best outcome possible on your taxes,” he says. “We prepare your tax returns so that you never hear from the IRS.” He adds that if a client does end up getting audited, Kehoe & DeWeerd will be there when needed. “We definitely stand behind everything that we do,” he says. Everyone’s tax situation is different and, in a service profession like accounting, meeting the needs of a variety of clients calls for an individualized approach. “We’re a smaller firm, so we’re able to do that and look at their return on a more customized basis and be more thorough,”

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017• WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Meadow Pointe resident Paul Davies, who is a professional stage technician for musical performing artists, says he finds Kehoe & DeWeerd’s personalized practices to be a good fit for his needs because his employment status varies and he incurs tax obligations in many states and foreign countries through his work. “I’m a sole proprietor, so it means sometimes I’m on W-2 income and sometimes it means I’m on 1099 income,” says Davies. “A lot of it is out-of-state work, and international as well, and when you go into various states you get charged withholding against a local state liability.” He adds, “Sometimes, I’ve had to file 10 state returns for my normal tax year, so it was important for me to get someone who has an understanding of not just taxes as they pertain to Florida, but taxes as they pertain to traveling all over the world.” Accessibility is another thing Davies says he likes about Kehoe & DeWeerd. “I know I can reach David anytime I need to talk to him, or send him an email from anywhere I’m at and ask him a question

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about something,” he says. “He does a fantastic job and he doesn’t send me an invoice every time I ask him a question.” Meadow Pointe resident Heather Stamp sells real estate through Exit Prime Realty and is the founder and chief executive officer of the Wesley Chapel Network, which promotes and connects 17,000 online business professionals and service providers. As a busy entrepreneur, she says DeWeerd has been her “go-to guy for anything financial for the last three years and will be for many more to come.” That kind of peace of mind is invaluable. “Taxes can be very stressful and he puts me at ease,” says Stamp. When it comes to their small business clients, the firm does more than just prepare tax returns. As any business owner knows, the compliance and reporting requirements levied upon them by government agencies and entities (such as sales and payroll taxes), are numerous and must be met. DeWeerd says his firm takes care of those requirements, and more, such as payroll processing and managing employee benefits. Kehoe & DeWeerd also is certified by Intuit, Inc., to install and manage QuickBooks accounting software for clients. “We’re always on top of all those deadlines,’’ he says. “It’s important to have somebody you trust to look out for your business and do what’s best for you.” That’s what Dr. Prematee Sarwan, D.D.S., owner of Mystic Oaks Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Wesley Chapel (see story on pg. 24), says she was looking for when she hired Kehoe & DeWeerd to take care of her practice’s tax and payroll needs. She says delegating those responsibilities allows her to concentrate on her patients.

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“It means that I can take care of the other things in the office because I know David has me covered when it comes to the taxes and payroll,” Dr. Sarwan says. “And he’s so accessible. I can call him at any time with any question.” Dr. Sarwan also expresses appreciation for the customer service she receives from the Kehoe & DeWeerd staff. “We’ve been on the phone with Liyen (Coffey) so much, and she’s wonderful,” Dr. Sarwan says. Coffey manages the firm’s Wesley Chapel office, and she says the client’s needs come first. When clients visit the office for the first time, especially for tax consultations, they should bring in all of the relevant documents, such as tax returns from the previous years. “We try to make them feel at ease when they come in,” Coffey says. Kehoe & DeWeerd has successfully served the west Pasco community for more than three decades, initially in Port Richey and now in Trinity. Thomas Kehoe, who has a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Accounting from the USF College of Business Administration, founded the firm in 1985. DeWeerd, who serves on the Board of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, says that he and Kehoe opened the Wesley Chapel office together in November of 2015 to meet the financial management needs of the growing east Pasco community. “We have a strong client base in west Pasco and would like to build those same relationships here,” DeWeerd says. Kehoe & DeWeerd’s Wesley Chapel office is located at 26829 Tanic Dr., Suite 102. For more info, visit KDCPA.net or call (813) 279-2977.

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SPOTLIGHT

ON:

Backyard pools in Florida are pretty common, but Olympus Pools has helped hundreds of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel homeowners make a uniquely personal statement with theirs. “We take pride in giving people the most bang for their buck,” says James Staten, who owns Olympus Pools with his wife, Alexis. The options available to homeowners who want to build a pool are extensive with Olympus, ranging from traditional models that tend to be linear in shape, to blends of rustic and contemporary styles that combine the basic elements of fire, stone and water into a backyard oasis. Designs can accommodate features such as a dry, sunken living room, swimup bar or a cozy grotto illuminated with LED lighting and fire bowls. Water and lighting features can be managed from anywhere there’s a phone signal, via a smartphone app. While an Olympus Pools design will always be one of a kind, Staten says the level of customer service also is uniformly high. “We build them the same way for our customers that we build them for ourselves,” he says. Olympus Pools is licensed for commercial as well as residential pool construction, but Staten says creating the perfect backyard water wonderland for each customer’s needs is the heart of the business. In fact, he adds, his company built 240 pools in 2016 and he attributes this success to focusing on three

Olympus

Pools!

key elements: design, construction and service. “We try to make sure we’re the best in each of those three areas,” he says. Making a splash (pun intended) with a great backyard pool starts with design and Staten says meeting each customer’s individual needs, interests and construction requirements are always considered in that process. “Every design we do is custom,” he says. “Every single one. We don’t have any templates or cookie-cutter designs.” Staten says the goal is creating a pool that’s well-designed, meets your budget considerations and suits your lifestyle. “We’re known for building pools very quickly, too,” he says. In addition to the Facebook page, you can visit OlympusPoolsFL.com, call 983-7854 or see the ad on pg. 43. The Olympus Pools office & design center is located 20-30 minutes from Wesley Chapel at 4422 N. Lauber Way in Tampa.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Mystic Oaks Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Offers Quality, Gentle Dental Care By BRAD STAGER

If you’ve been avoiding a needed trip to the dentist, there’s a new practice offering a gentle approach to dental care for New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents to consider when they need treatment for their teeth. Mystic Oaks Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in The Shops at Mystic Oak neighborhood retail center at the intersection of Redfern Way and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. here in Wesley Chapel, is operated by Prematee Sarwan, DDS, who says she is committed to improving people’s smiles by first easing their concerns. According to Dr. Sarwan, her patients’ worries aren’t always related to physical pain and discomfort. “The big issue we deal with is fear; fear of what I’m going to say, fear of cost, fear of judgment,’’ she says. “People don’t want to be judged and we’re just not about that.” At Mystic Oaks, people who come in for treatment are referred to as guests, not patients. Dr. Sarwan says a little hospitality in a clinical setting can go a long way to improving the quality of care and health. “We want them to feel so comfortable at the end of their visit that they want to come back,” she says. For Dr. Sarwan, an informed guest is empowered to take ownership of his or her own dental health and appearance. “First of all, we’re here to educate and try to alleviate fear,” says Dr. Sarwan, who earned her DDS degree from the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in Loma Linda, CA.

The Mystic Oaks Family & Cosmetic Dentistry family (l.-r.): Dr. Somasekhara Reddy Kaipu, MD, Dr. Prematee Sarwan, DDS, office mgr. Sasha Cruz & Cecilia Carrasco, EFDA. Recognizing that the way some dentists work can turn a mouth into an oral construction zone, Dr. Sarwan and her team are committed to a different approach — putting your comfort at the forefront of everything they do. “People may have had experiences in the past that make them apprehensive, but our motto is ‘Gentle Dentistry,’ that’s just what we’re trying to do,” says Dr. Sarwan, who has 10 years of experience as a dentist in group practice but can now treat her patients the way she would like to be treated. Dr. Sarwan adds that she and her team

do everything possible in using their skills to ensure that procedures will be as painless as possible, which means going beyond just administering local anesthesia or nitrous oxide and relying on technology. “My technique is very gentle, and it’s something I’ve developed over a period of time,” Dr. Sarwan says. “It’s definitely not something they teach you in dental school.” Patient Mercy Diggs-Terc says Dr. Sarwan’s technique is indeed gentle, and found that getting some dental fillings at Mystic Oaks Dentistry was a welcome contrast to what she experienced at other practices.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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“(Dr. Sarwan and her staff) were very caring and friendly and patient,” DiggsTerc says. “If you were nervous about any of the procedures being done, you could take little breaks. They did everything possible on their end to make me feel as comfortable as possible.” Diggs-Terc adds that Mystic Oaks Dentistry is ideal for people who have been avoiding a necessary dental treatment. “For especially the patients that have any anxiety over dentists, this would be the number one place that I would recommend,” she says. “I’ve tried a lot of dentists and (Dr. Sarwan is) the best one so far in making me feel comfortable.” Dr. Sarwan’s new practice also is garnering Five-Star Google reviews from patients, with a 5.0 overall rating from five reviews as of our press time. A full range of dental services is available at Mystic Oaks Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, including cleanings, fillings, crowns, bridges, implants, veneers, teeth straightening and even complete smile makeovers, which also can incorporate the use of dermal fillers to reduce wrinkles around the mouth that can occur through loss of teeth or the vital bone structure. This occurs when the supporting bone tissue of the upper and lower jaws dissolves and the muscles of the face can lose support, which allows wrinkles to deepen. Botox injections also can be administered by Dr. Sarwan, who lives in Wesley Chapel with her husband, Dr. Somasekhara Reddy Kaipu, MD, and their two young children. “We are a full-service dental practice

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SPOTLIGHT ON...Samantha Taylor Fitness!

Dr. Sarwan reviews a digital X-ray with a patient. catering to both kids and adults,” she says.

Top-Notch Tech, Too!

Dr. Sarwan’s skillful and gentle techniques are supported the dental industry’s latest technology, such as digital X-rays (digital dental radiography) and digital impressions, in place of physical molds. Digital radiography is more sensitive than traditional film techniques. which means greater safety, since lower levels of radiation are needed to produce the images. There also is a quicker turnaround time to viewing the images, which can be reviewed on a monitor in front of the guest’s chair. Mystic Oaks Dentistry also has eliminated one of the more distasteful procedures — the taking of dental impressions with putty-like materials made of alginate or silicone. Instead, Dr. Sarwan offers a state-of-the-art digital alternative, using the iTero Element Scanner. A wand-like scanner is used to take images of the teeth and gums, which can be used to create 3D models for producing crowns, bridges and implants. To help pass the time while receiving dental treatments, Dr. Sarwan’s guests can watch some of their favorite programs on the same chairside monitors used to view the digital X-rays and impressions. Dr. Sarwan’s perspective on dentistry encompasses how good dental health affects the whole body. “My vision is health before anything,” she says. “Don’t underestimate the value of a healthy mouth. Your mouth is the gateway to your body.” Published research available online at the American Dental Association’s website (ada.org) examines the relationships between oral health and illnesses such as heart disease.

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The holistic approach to the dental experience at Mystic Oaks Dentistry extends to the treatment rooms themselves, which are identified by the names of trees — Palm, Oak, Pine and Maple — instead of numbers. “We’ve created a space that’s less clinical, to increase comfort,” Dr. Sarwan says. That comfort begins with the initial contact, which could very well be with office manager Sasha Cruz. “The important thing is to take care of people and not to judge them,” says Cruz, who also coordinates PPO network and other insurance coverage as well as an in-house dental savings plan that offers discounts on services. Mystic Oaks Dentistry also accepts payments through CareCredit financing. Cecilia Carrasco is an Extended Function Dental Assistant (EFDA), which is a dental assistant who has received additional training and certification to perform services such as applying sealants to teeth and taking the digital dental impressions. She also is skilled at getting to the root of someone’s dental concerns, according to Dr. Sarwan. “Cecilia gets more insight into what their main complaint is,’’ Dr. Sarwan says, “so that by the time I come into the room, I already understand the situation.” While the practice has only been open since June, Dr. Sarwan says her team has really come together. “We’re just about a family now,” she says. Mystic Oaks Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is offering a Welcome Exam and X-ray for $39, and a Healthy Mouth Cleaning for $59 for new patients. For more info about Mystic Oaks Family & Cosmetic Dentistry (3751 Bruce B Downs Blvd.) visit online at MysticOaksDental.com, call (813) 291-0059, or see the ad on page 4.

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Fitness professional Samantha Taylor (photo) offers fitness training and nutritional counseling for women only, helping them to “age backwards,” as Samantha says, at her Wesley Chapel location, across the street from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. Her Pure Health Personal Training and Fit Body Boot Camp programs start with a completely free, no-obligation consultation called a “Body Transformation Analysis” to determine goals and plan a fitness program. The most customized, personal and private option available is Pure Health Personal Training. This can be done in one-on-one, semi-private, or in small group sessions. In addition to the personal training, each client also meets with an assigned results coach monthly, to make sure they’re progressing. Clients who choose Samantha’s Fit Body Boot Camp attend regular or beginner Boot Camp sessions, which vary in cardiovascular intensity levels. Several classes are offered every day, and many women choose three or more times each week to attend. “We are getting women in amazing shape,” says Samantha. She is a Certified Personal Trainer who began her career 24 years ago and launched her own business 17 years ago. During that time, she estimates that she has trained 5,000 local women. Samantha uses her experience as a personal trainer – seeing what works and what doesn’t with her many clients – and her years of intensely studying the human body to coach women in fitness and healthy eating. “Most of the people who come to us have done all the diets,” says Samantha.

“The shakes, pills, protein diets and calorie deprivation diets. They’re shocked they can eat the way I show them. They love the food and they lose weight.” She says many of her clients see more than just weight loss – they’re getting healthier as well. “They are preventing diseases such as heart disease and diabetes,” she says. “Some clients no longer have to take cholesterol or blood pressure medication, and no longer suffer from muscle pains and aches.” Samantha’s original location also is nearby in Land O’Lakes, off S.R. 54 on Knight Rd., and she has recently opened her third and fourth locations in Carrollwood and Westchase, respectively. She’ll host another free seminar on Saturday, August 26, 12:30 p.m., at her Land O’Lakes location (2206 Knight Rd.) featuring Shannon Barker, the Samantha Taylor Fitness Nutrition Educator, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science & Nutrition. Taylor and Barker will help attendees achieve their fullest potential in health and fitness by learning to tweak their diets and track their calories for maximum results. Light snacks and gourmet coffee will be provided at the seminar, which is free for members and guests. Reserve your space at SamanthaTaylorSeminars.com. For more info, call (813) 377-3739, visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com or see the ad on pg. 29 of this issue.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

The Doctors Ambay Open Their Transformations Aesthetic Center Off S.R. 56! By BRAD STAGER Skin-related medical care and beauty treatments, as well as body restoration and alteration options, are now available in one location at the new Transformations Aesthetic Center, located about a mile east of I-75, just north of the intersection of SR 56 and Cypress Ridge Blvd., behind the Tower Radiology building in Wesley Chapel. The Transformations building is a sleek, freestanding structure with an architectural style befitting a fine art museum. Housed within its 11,000 square feet are two medical practices devoted to your beauty and your health: 360 Dermatology and Ambay Plastic Surgery, employing the skills and talents of Aparna Ambay, M.D., and her husband, Raj Ambay, M.D., D.D.S., respectively. The building’s signage reads simply as, “TRANSFORMATIONS,” and does not display the names of the two practices, which according to Dr. Raj, work together toward a unified goal. “The name of the building is Transformations because everything we do around medicine is about only one thing, which is transforming people to better health,’’ he says. “The two practices are separate but we always work together to find ways to benefit the patient and elevate the level of care.” Dr. Raj cites skin cancer surgery affecting substantial areas of the body as a situation that will sometimes warrant reconstructive plastic surgery and would benefit from close collaboration between the two doctors. He adds that the new facility is equipped with some of the latest technology to optimize patient comfort, convenience and treatment outcomes.

The husband-and-wife team of Dr. Aparna Ambay (left) and Dr. Raj Ambay has opened the Transformations Aesthetics Center in Wesley Chapel. These features include computer-conmetic services such as Botox and other dermal Dermatology Services trolled lighting, customized music playlists and fillers, as well as chemical peels. Medical grade While patients will benefit from the techLCD imagery in exam and treatment rooms skin products for home use by Obagi Medical nology the Transformations Center brings to that the patient selects, plus automated text and SkinCeuticals are available for sale. the local medical community, 360 Dermatolomessaging to update patients about the status “We run the full gamut from medical to gy’s aesthetic services manager Regan Hoefle of their appointments or potential wait times. cosmetic dermatology,” says Hoefle. “What we says the personal touch is still important. “We’ve paired with technology to find really want to create for people is a destination “We have a larger and more modern, ways of improving the experience for our for medical dermatology, as well as cosmetic state-of-the-art facility at our disposal,” she patients,” Dr. Raj says. says, “but I think what our patients notice most dermatology, so that when someone comes There also is an onsite surgical center into our office, they can not only get their is that the quality and compassionate care we that Dr. Raj says rivals what is available at area annual skin check but if they are interested in deliver is different than what you might find in hospitals. “It’s not like an office space surgery intervening in the aging process, we can offer another medical dermatology setting. We treat center, it’s a full-on surgery center where we our patients very much like family and friends.” help with that. Or, if they need something becan perform all types of services, including yond dermatology, we have the option to send There are many services available at general anesthesia, just like at a hospital,” he them over to Ambay Plastic Surgery.” 360 Dermatology, including treatments for says. “Whatever you could potentially do at Leading the way for 360 Dermatology skin cancer, acne and acne scars, eczema, skin a hospital as an outpatient, you can do at our is Dr. Aparna, who earned her M.D. degree growths and infections. surgery center as well.” from Drexel University’s College of Medicine Dr. Aparna’s practice also provides cos-

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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in Philadelphia and followed up by interning at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She completed dermatology residency programs at the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, WI, and at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Dr. Aparna is Board-certified in dermatology and is trained in Mohs skin cancer surgery, which is considered to be a highly effective and efficient treatment, as it allows patients to have their tumors removed and analyzed in one visit. Hoefle says Dr. Aparna’s standards for 360 Dermatology are high. “Dr. Ambay is adamant about high-quality patient care, delivered with integrity and adhering to ethical medical standards,” Hoefle says. “We follow all appropriate medical protocols to ensure patient safety and comfort.” Mechelle Casciotta is a patient who says her experience with Dr. Aparna and the 360 Dermatology team reflects the values that the practice promotes. “The professionalism and caring of 360 Dermatology is just outstanding,” says Casciotta, who commutes between Wesley Chapel and Warwick, NY, where she owns businesses and is the president of the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce. “Because I’m a professional, it’s important to look my best, but I didn’t know about Botox, fillers and needles,” Casciotta adds. “They were great and do things to put the patient’s comfort first.”

Ambay Plastic Surgery

For patients looking for plastic surgery, whether for reconstructive or cosmetic purposes, Transformations Aesthetic Center also is home to Ambay Plastic Surgery, led by Dr. Raj, who is a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. In addition to earning his M.D. degree from Drexel University’s College of Medicine,

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Do you want or need a “Mommy Makeover” Check out Ambay Plastic Surgery’s results! Dr. Raj also has a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree from the Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago. He completed his general surgery residency at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education in Rochester, MN, followed by a plastic surgery residency at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He added to his surgical skills by studying microvascular reconstructive surgery at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center of the University of Texas in Houston. He is Board-certified in plastic surgery and, as part of his military responsibilities, he has served at medical facilities supporting U.S. combat operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The type of care delivered at Ambay Plastic Surgery reflects Dr. Raj’s mix of education, experience and service. “Our practice is not a corporation,” Dr. Raj says. “We are a military family and our practice is about family values. Our mission is to build relationships on a foundation of trust and honesty, so we treat people the way we want to be treated.” Ambay Plastic Surgery also provides a wide range of services. In addition to breast lift, augmentation and reduction options, Ambay Plastic Surgery offers what it calls a “Mommy Makeover,” a combination of individually tailored cosmetic

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procedures that can reverse some of the effects of childbirth. Face, neck and thigh lifts, as well as fat transfers and body contouring, are some of the other procedures performed. Patient care coordinator Jacqueline Sucarichi says patients can expect to get the best care possible at Ambay Plastic Surgery. “Dr. (Raj) Ambay is very caring and meticulous,” Sucarichi says. “He won’t leave the surgical table until he’s 110-percent satisfied.” Delivering that kind of care to their patients reflects a choice that both Dr. Raj and Dr. Aparna have made about how they will operate their practices. “We’ve decided we’d rather take more time with people and really deliver the best experience,” Dr. Raj says. “Quality is more important than quantity.” While both 360 Dermatology and Ambay Plastic Surgery have benefited from the good work they do for their patients, Hoefle says

community involvement is a big part of the success of both practices. “We are thriving because of the support of the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa communities, and the surrounding areas as well,” she says. “We are very ingrained in the fabric and are active in the community by participating in health events.” The Ambays relocated their practices to the Transformations Aesthetic Center in May. A Grand Opening event and Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting are planned to be held in mid-September. Transformations Aesthetic Center is located at 2441 Oak Myrtle Ln. in Wesley Chapel. For more information about 360 Dermatology, you can visit 360Dermatologytampa.com or call (813) 406-4835. Ambay Plastic Surgery’s website is AmbayPlasticSurgery.com and the phone number is (813) 406-4448. More info about both practices can be found in the ad on pg. 15.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

VIP Pest Control Can Help You With All Of Your Florida Bug Problems By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN

celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com VIP Pest Control owner Vicki Hutto wants her customers to know that they are “Very Important People.” “We work for you,” Vicki says. That’s why, for example, you’ll always talk with a live person when you call VIP’s office. “We give our customers personal attention. No two people are alike, and no two houses are alike.” For the past 11 years (it was established in 2006), VIP Pest Control has served Wesley Chapel and the surrounding areas of Pasco and Hillsborough counties, keeping homes and businesses free from insects — including termites, mosquitoes, ants, roaches, bed bugs and more — with treatments that include both traditional chemical and kid-friendly and pet-friendly organic options. VIP also handles problems with nuisance animals such as rodents and snakes. Same-day service is often available, especially if you have a serious issue that needs immediate attention. “If you call us in the morning,” says Vicki, “we can usually work you in that day.” She and her team emphasize the importance of taking care of the families and pets in the homes they treat. They always are aware that pets and kids spend time on the floor, so they use pet-friendly and child-friendly treatments. That’s why VIP technicians offer many organic options, and Vicki says you won’t be charged a premium for using those organic products. Prior to launching VIP Pest Control, Vicki worked for Orkin and says she was the first female termite inspector in the entire company.

VIP Pest Control owner Vicki Hutto, with her pomeranians Chloe (left) and Bailey, wants to protect your home and loved ones from harmful bugs, rodents ad other vermin. She was inducted into the Orkin National Pres- call. I love VIP Pest Control!” ident’s Club three years in a row, a prestigious honor given to the top three percent of sales Termite Tips & Treatments producers nationwide. She also worked at two Vicki says the most important thing you smaller pest control companies. should get from reading this article is this: EvVicki says she’s proud that every review ery homeowner in Florida should get a termite on the company’s Facebook page rates VIP inspection every year. You should have a comPest Control as 5 stars. Vicki wants all of her pany that will inspect your home and guarantee customers to feel like Anisa Jivanjee, who they will treat and get rid of any termites that writes, “Just got my house treated by VIP’s move into your home with a termite bond. Vaughn and Vernon. I am so impressed by their She says the bond is similar to an insurdetailed treatment of nook and crannies, attic ance policy. If it expires and you get termites, and perimeter of the house. Plus, I got a very you’re no longer covered, so it’s important to courteous explanation of what they were doing. renew annually. Can’t talk enough about Lilly, who is always While a sure sign of termites is a visible so patient, respectful and thorough whenever I swarm of the bugs, you can have termites even

if you don’t see that telltale swarm. “A common misconception is that when that swarm is gone and you no longer see bugs, you no longer have a problem,” says Vicki. “That’s not true. They’re still there, and you have no idea how fast they can destroy a house. They only swarm once a year, but they eat 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” Vicki explains there are two kinds of termites that typically affect houses in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area — drywood and subterranean termites — and VIP Pest Control can treat both. While many companies often treat drywood termites by spot treating (which Vicki says doesn’t work) or tenting (which is expensive, causes an enormous inconvenience and can often cause damage to your home), VIP Pest Control uses a fogging method that treats the entire house and leaves a residual product in the wall to discourage the termites from coming back. “Tenting a house means you have to move yourself, your kids, your pets, even your plants out of your home for several days, and the tent itself is heavy and can break roof tiles and ruin shrubs and sprinklers,” Vicki says. “Then, your house is filled with an odorless, colorless gas that can kill you, and then they take the tent off and you move right back in.” She says her system is not going to damage your house, and that she’s been using it for three years, with great results. VIP Pest Control also offers a preventive treatment in the walls of your home that can keep it from getting termites, and also will act as a fire retardant and protect against mold. “It costs 10 cents on the dollar to prevent instead of treating (termites),” she says. “It’s affordable and can save you a lot

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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of money and headaches in the long run.”

Rodent Control

“If you see signs of rodents, such as droppings, or hear noises, call us right away,” says Vicki. “Rodents can be dangerous, because they can chew through wires and actually set your whole house on fire.” She says it’s important to not only eradicate the pests, but also to close the holes that allowed them to come in to your home, so they can’t get back in.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are a nuisance and very difficult to eradicate. While bed bugs have a reputation for being transmitted via hotels, Vicki says you should be concerned about them even if you don’t travel. “Anytime someone’s stuff is touching someone else’s stuff — such as backpacks at school — that’s an opportunity for bed bugs to be transmitted,” explains Vicki. So, if you see black spots in a bed — a telltale sign of bed bugs — be sure to call an expert. You also can check VIPPestControlLLC.com for a wealth of information. Vicki notes that, while they can be difficult to find and eradicate, the experts at VIP can help you get rid of bed bugs with minimal headaches.

Other Pests

You should also call a pro if you see ants or roaches. “We see it all the time,” she says. “People tell me they get a can and spray the bugs. All that does is cause them to scatter, so that by the time we come out, your problem is three times worse — and in three different places.” While palmetto bugs are big and ugly, they’re not harmful like German roaches, which carry many diseases. Vicki says that one

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If you have rodents in your home, VIP Pest Control can help you get rid of them. female German roach will have 50 babies every 28 days, so if you see one roach, that probably means you have 50 more behind your walls. VIP Pest Control also treats lawns for mosquitoes, and can provide a one-time treatment to keep your yard mosquito-free for an event, such as a wedding or party.

Woman-Owned

Vicki says that being a woman-owned business also sets her apart in the pest control industry and helps her to better relate to many of her customers. “Most times when we visit a home, it’s the woman who is there to meet with us,” she says. Vicki says she is always looking to hire female technicians to join her company, too. VIP Pest Control specializes in working with homeowners associations, townhome and condo associations, too, “because you will get what your neighbor has,” she says. VIP Pest Control is located at 119 Flagship Dr. in Lutz. It is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Now through September, get 30-percent off any regularly priced termite treatment. For a free quote, or for more information, visit VIPPestControlLLC.com, call (813) 2348888 or see the ad on pg. 45 of this issue.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

New Tampa Dance Theatre — Still Producing Great Students & Performances By ANU VARMA PANCHAL

It may be housed in a quiet building on a busy suburban street, but the New Tampa Dance Theatre (NTDT) offers dancers a world-class, professional experience that is unmatched in the Tampa Bay area, whether you like to dance for fun or you dream of a career on stage one day. Located a few miles south of Wesley Chapel on Cross Creek Blvd., the 7,500-square-foot NTDT is the largest professional dance training facility in New Tampa. Owner and artistic director Dyane Elkins IronWing is in her 23rd season of creating dance memories and futures for her New Tampa- and Wesley Chapel-area students, many of whom have gone on to study dance in college and/or dance professionally. This year, 2017 graduate Danielle Desruisseaux has joined the faculty of NTDT, while working towards a nursing degree. Fellow alum Bryanna Rivers will attend the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with a full scholarship as a member of their track team. Gabrielle Barnes will pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at Florida State University in Tallahassee, while Carolina Rojas will also attend FSU, pursing a Biology degree on the PreMed track. “I’m so proud of our graduates,” says Elkins IronWing. “Our dancers become excellent college students, with their impressive time-management skills, perseverance and creative thinking.” Elkins IronWing herself says she started dancing at age 5 and later studied at the Ballet Metropolitan in New York City.

Dancers of all ages participate in the annual production of “The Nutcracker,” which is the biggest annual show put on by the New Tampa Dance Theatre on Cross Creek Blvd. She moved to Tampa in 1995 to be near however, our location is much closer to family and friends and almost immediately Wesley Chapel than one might assume,” says opened NTDT in the Pebble Creek ColElkins IronWing. “We are extremely conlection on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. In venient to all of the current growth (there). 2002, she purchased the property on Cross Many Wesley Chapel families are shocked to Creek Blvd., designed her spacious new studiscover just how close we are to them and dio herself, and moved the school to the new excited because of how quickly they can drive building in January 2006. to our school.” With the bigger location, Elkins IronAll Ages & Experience Levels Wing was off and running, offering smaller Elkins IronWing caters to both the class sizes and larger, more varied schedules. casual dance lover as well as the devoted She says she also has a larger pool of pre-professional, and every level in between. students today, with the explosive growth of NTDT’s leveled curriculum offers Wesley Chapel. multiple art forms for students to explore. “Our name might say New Tampa;

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Through personal attention and professional expertise, the NTDT faculty provides a positive educational experience based on core principles of respect, responsibility and teamwork. Teen/Adult classes include four eightweek sessions (from Sept.-May) of ballet, tap and Zumba. Children ages 3-4 can participate in the Early Childhood Program, ages 5-8 can participate in the Children’s Program, and ages 9-18 can participate in NTDT’s Youth Program. In addition to classical ballet, the studio offers full programs in creative movement, modern dance, jazz, tap and hip-hop. Each program has its own directors and specific syllabuses guiding students in a structured manner through their studies. Dyane’s husband, Troy IronWing, is director of tap, while she will teach creative movement, ballet and jazz this season. Both have continued to tour nationally, now for 13 years, with the Rhythm Extreme Performance Troupe. In addition, NTDT ballet director Cristy Garcia Tanner started her dance training at age 3 in her native Puerto Rico, and at 13, was invited to join the Ballet Concierto Company in San Juan. Modern dance director Carla Armstrong, who joined the NTDT faculty in 2005, graduated from the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City with a BFA degree in Dance. Jazz director Kristine Morgan has been a professional dancer since age 19, and earned her BFA degree in Dance from Point

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Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. Hip-hop director Dreama Davidson, who also has been with the school since 2005, has 18 years of performances to her credit, including participating in the “Katonga” show at Busch Gardens. The facilities at NTDT are as top notch as the instructors, and include maple flooring for the tap classes, 15-20-ft.-tall mirrored walls, student locker rooms and a large studio space that can accommodate up to 200 people. Sprung floors provide shock absorption to protect the dancers’ joints, and an on-site physical therapist ensures the health of the dancers. NTDT also features a café offering light meals, snacks and drinks.

The Training You Need

NTDT has developed a reputation for creating strong, professional dancers with alumni that have moved on to highly respected companies, Broadway productions and for the Walt Disney Company. Because NTDT students learn to be proficient in multiple art forms, these students have an edge in the competitive world of dance and many NTDT students have been accepted into prestigious summer intensive programs, including the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theater in New York City, The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago and the Boston Ballet. However, Elkins IronWing also is diligent about providing the same quality of instruction to the roughly 60 percent of the students who are enrolled in NTDT’s popular recreational programs. “Even though a student doesn’t choose to pursue a career in dance after high school, they can reach a level of artistry to be accept-

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of Tampa (DTT) — in the “Summer Concert Series,” which is held every June at USF. DTT provides more than 300 free tickets to NTDT’s corporate sponsors, local community supporters, alumni members and students. A small costume rental fee for productions is the only cost over the tuition that parents have to pay at any time — there is never a requirement to buy advertising or pay performance fees. New Tampa residents Paula and Ron Nelson say they enrolled their daughter Malia in Creative Movement classes at NTDT when she was only 3. Eight years later, she’s moved up to the youth program, where she’s enrolled in ballet, tap, jazz, modern and hip-hop. “As a result of the yearly recitals at the University of South Florida (USF), Malia loves performing on stage and has absolutely no stage Tap, ballet, modern dance and even hip-hop classes are fright,” Paula explains. “This has offered at NTDT, where future dance professionals and carried over to school, where she’s more casual dancers all receive outstanding training. comfortable making presentations to her classmates and participating in ed into college dance programs,” says Elkins yearly school plays.” IronWing. “Believing in yourself, respecting Every holiday season, Dyane says local the process of working toward a goal, and residents look forward to the community’s having a well-rounded dance education give our students the tools and confidence to con- largest and longest-running interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, “The Nutcracktinue discovering new passions throughout er,” now in its 18th season. This year, it will their lifetimes.” be held December 15-17 at USF Tampa’s Great Productions, Too! College of the Arts Theater 1. All students get to perform in the You can catch free sneak peeks of “Spring Production” and — through NTNTDT’s “The Nutcracker” at the Tampa DT’s nonprofit-partner, the Dance Theatre Premium Outlets on November 25-26, and

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at the Shops at Wiregrass mall on December 1-2 and 8-10. NTDT’s much-awaited Sugar Plum Fairy Tea fund raiser is now in its 13th season and will be held December 3 at USF’s Gibbons Alumni Center. This popular event features a light lunch, desserts (including a chocolate fountain), giveaways, a sneak preview of “The Nutcracker,” and an opportunity to dance with Clara (the lead role of the young girl who receives the beloved Nutcracker as a Christmas gift) and her “party friends.” Each year, a portion of the proceeds from the Tea is donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities in South Tampa. Tickets for both the tea and “The Nutcracker” go on sale on Monday, October 9. “It’s all about the children at NTDT, always has been and always will be,” Dyane says. “We are a company that enables children to succeed. The key is setting high expectations all while having fun and building self-confidence. With the amazing season ahead of us, we would like to thank all of our trusting and loyal families over the years and the organizations that continually support our vision. Without their recognition and time, NTDT wouldn’t be the magical place it has become!” The New Tampa Dance Theatre offers year-round free trial classes for prospective dancers of all ages. Classes begin Monday, August 14. To tour the facility or to rent it for a meeting, party or function, visit NTDT at 10701 Cross Creek Blvd. For more information and to check out the exciting lineup of fall classes, visit NewTampaDanceTheatre. com, call (813) 994-NTDT (6838), or see the ad on page 13 of this issue.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

OUR EXCLUSIVE 2017 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Last year was a banner season for high school football in Wesley Chapel. Wiregrass Ranch High went 7-3 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2010, while Wesley Chapel High went 7-2 and just barely missed the postseason. There’s a new kid on the block this year, Cypress Creek Middle High, so expect things to get even more interesting in local “Friday Night Lights.” | STORY and PHOTOS By Andy Warrener and John C. Cotey

WESLEY CHAPEL HIGH (7-2 last year, 5-2 in Class 5A, District 8) If you had to rank the three teams in Wesley Chapel to start the season, the Wildcats would have to be No. 1. They have lots of experience, and while they will likely feel the effects of losing players to Cypress Creek in the coming years, it won’t be this season. WCH is locked and loaded. The Wildcats lost their two biggest games last season, key district meetings against Zephyrhills and River Ridge in back-to-back weeks, but still won seven games in 2017, or, one more game than they had in four previous seasons….combined! Head coach Tony Egan enters his second season at WCH with some holes to fill on the offensive and defensive lines, but has some prime talent at key positions. Oregon and Florida State recruit Isaiah Bolden, a top DB prospect, will also play QB this year. Bolden’s ability to run makes a rushing attack that accumulated more than 2,200 yards and 32 touchdowns on the ground even WCH’s Isaiah Bolden is a lockdown CB and playmaker at QB. more dangerous.

WIREGRASS RANCH HIGH (7-3 last year, 5-1 in 7A-8) 100 yards in limited action In the spring, WRH last year. Paxon High (in looked like a team well on its way to repeating, if not exJacksonville) transfer Mason ceeding, last year’s breakout Buie also will get some season. But, the transfer bug touches. took a big bite out of the FB/LB Chase Oliver, team during the summer. a 5-9 210-lb. wrecking The Bulls saw a trio ball, ran for 82 yards in the of key players depart — spring game and broke off Shamaur McDowell, a DB some big runs, but is also that has orally committed to effective as a third down/ the University of Minnesota, short yardage option. And, transferred to IMG Academy production at LB can help in Bradenton; last year’s leadmake up for the loss of ing rusher, Da Da McGee McDowell. (1,063 yards, 11 TDs), transSenior WR/DBs Doferred to Hillsborough High; rien Green, Jacob Hill and QB/S Raymond Woodie III, Adrian Thomas are expected who has 20+ Division I ofto rotate in at safety in fers, moved to Oregon with Woodie’s absence. his father, who is the Ducks Senior Grant Sessums Kwesi Littlejohn linebackers coach. inherits the starting QB job, Between the three players, that’s a ton of and he’ll have tall, skilled targets to throw to, like multi-position talent to lose. But, head coach 6-1 Penn State recruit Jordan Miner (featured Mark Kantor thinks he has the pieces to fill in the in our last issue) and 6-3 Daniel Biglow, both puzzle for the Bulls. seniors. Miner is one of the most explosive players in the Tampa Bay area, and his big-play ability Senior RB Kwesi Littlejohn will take over for is a huge plus. McDowell, after carrying the ball five times for

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But he can throw a little too, and completed all of his spring passes to WR Justin Trapnell, including a 58-yard touchdown. RB Dexter Leverett, a 1,249-yard rusher last season, could repeat or improve upon his 2016 numbers, though he may not have to, with Bolden and backfield mate Malik Melvin, who also has 1,000-yard potential. Junior OL Seth Petty, senior LB Austen Wittish and Melvin, who also plays DB, were all All-Sunshine Athletic Conference performers last year. The icing on the cake, however, could be DE Chaz Neal, a transfer from Armwood, arguably the best high school team in all of Tampa Bay. A 6-foot-9, 270-lb. FSU recruit, Neal will force teams to gameplan around him. River Ridge and Zephyrhills will again be the teams to beat in Class 5A, District 8, but they have to travel to Wesley Chapel this year; in other words, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Wildcats beat them both of them!

CYPRESS CREEK HIGH (First season) There’s little doubt that you are going to take your lumps in your first year of varsity high school football. The seven most recent public schools to open in Pasco County went a combined 4-61, and WRH and WCH both started out with 1-9 records. That said, the Coyotes need to focus on one game at a time, says coach Mike Thompson. “Start small,” Thompaon says. “In game one, let’s get one first down,’’ he says. “Then, let’s get one touchdown. Then, let’s win a half — baby steps. It’s important to show we’re progressing.” Thompson is excited about sophomore QB Jehlani Warren, who the coach says has been “soak- Keith Walker will see an increased role in 2017 at Cypress Creek. ing up the playbook.” He will have some solid targets to throw to ence. Santana played four games between Tim Ford-Brown, Devin for Wesley Chapel last year as a Santana and Trevor Maxwell. sophomore and had 158 yards Though the team will have no receiving and a touchdown, and seniors, guys like Santana and RB Walker, a budding star, ran for 136 Keith Walker have varsity experiyards and two scores as a freshman.

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OUR EXCLUSIVE 2017 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW PLAYERS TO WATCH IN WC Dexter Leverette (WCH Sr.) RB/S: Leverette was the featured guy in the offense last season. With Bolden under center and Malik Melvin lining up alongside him, it will be hard for defenses to key in on Leverette in 2017. Chase Oliver (WRH Sr.) LB/RB: Oliver is a bulldozer of a player, and a menace to both ball carriers and would-be tacklers. Oliver joined the 1,500 Club in 2017 (combined bench press, power clean, squat and dead lift weights). Chaz Neal (Sr.) DE/RT: You won’t miss him, as he stands 6’-9” and towers over teammates. He might be the best player in the county that no one has seen. He’s a huge (pun intended) X-factor for the Wildcats and his impact on the field will be immediately felt.

Nkem Asomba Nkem “Kim” Asomba (WRH Sr.) DL/OL: The 6-5, 265-pound Asomba is new to the sport and still raw but if he develops quickly, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the football. Asomba was very disruptive in the spring game against Tampa Catholic Isaiah Bolden (WCH Sr.) QB/WR/CB/KR/PR: Bolden will be everywhere this year. Teams will not be able to gameplan around him anymore since the ball will be in his hands every play. Jordan Miner (WRH Sr.) WR/CB/QB: Miner will get some reps in at Wildcat quarterback, as well as line up on the outside on both offense and defense. The Bulls will look to tap Miner’s skill set and versatility, and he is their most dangerous player. Keith Walker (CCH So.) TB/WR: Walker comes over from Wesley Chapel after having a breakout game in the spring for the Wildcats.

Tonight: Gulf at Cypress Creek Welcome to high school football, Coyotes. Oh, and mmmmm, gotta love that brand new stadium smell. The Coyotes are young and ready to go, and they couldn’t have found a better opponent for a first-ever game in Gulf. The Bucs typically are one of Pasco County’s smaller teams up front, although they often have a few great athletes, but they are also riding a 21-game losing streak. Dare we say it? Sept. 1: Wiregrass Ranch at Wesley Chapel It’s a shame the big rivalry game got cancelled due to inclement weather a year ago, with both teams in the midst of their most successful seasons in years. The wait should add a little charge to this year’s

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Jehlani Warren

Chaz Neal

GAMES TO WATCH

Jehlani Warren (CCH So.) QB: As Warren’s fortunes go, so go the fortunes of the Coyotes. If Warren and the offense can find rhythm early in the season and adjust to game speed, the Coyotes could have a productive season. Austen Wittish (WCH Sr.) LB/FB: Wittish is the centerpiece of the Wildcats’ defense. He led the team with 94 tackles a year ago and will also contribute at FB. Kwesi Littlejohn (WRH Sr.) RB/S: Littlejohn will be the guy most asked to step into the void left by McGee. If Littlejohn can bring some consistency to the position, the Bulls will be in great shape.

Oct. 20: Zephyrhills at Wesley Chapel Some key injuries early in the game and miscues on special teams opened the door for the Bulldogs to steal a game that Egan felt his squad had under control. Oct. 27: River Ridge at Wesley Chapel A banged up Chapel team hung with the eventual district champion for most of the game last year. This year, the Wildcats host Egan’s former team, and a district title could be on the line.

WRH’s Jordan Miner leaps for extra yards during the spring game.

showdown. There will be a Fox 13 pep rally that morning and Spectrum Sports will televise the game.

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Oct. 27: Plant at Wiregrass Ranch It’s always worth a trip to check out the four-time state champion Panthers, who are once again loaded. This game should be ripe with playoff implications.

PRESEASON RANKINGS

Here’s how PascoCountyFB.com has the teams ranked for 2017 in its Super 7.

1. Wiregrass Ranch 2. Wesley Chapel 3. River Ridge 4. Zephyrhills 5. Sunlake 6. Mitchell 7. Zephyrhills Christian

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

‘Neighborhood Notebook’ Chalkboard At Wiregrass Mall Enlighten Planners

The Pasco County Planning and Development Department would like feedback regarding what residents want to see develop in the community. They’ve taken a novel approach. The county’s first ‘Neighborhood Notebook’ debuted at the Shops at Wiregrass, located at 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel, on June 30, eliciting ideas from passers-by. Members of the Pasco County Long Rangers built what amounts to an enormous chalkboard where residents can share their ideas with county officials. One side of the board that was left blank asked what residents would like to see, and the other side of the board asked how they can make it happen. Buckets of chalk attached to the boards allow residents to fill in the blanks. County officials came by several times a week to photograph the board, take notes in a log and clear it off for new suggestions. The board was initially supposed to leave The Shops at Wiregrass on July 17, but officials extended it until July 20 while they took additional comments and looked for a suitable location in the North Pointe area, near S.R. 54 and the Suncoast Pkwy. Matt Armstrong of Pasco County planning and development said that during the three weeks it was up at the Shops at Wiregrass, the chalkboard notebook garnered between 150 and 200 comments. The Neighborhood Notebook is part of the county’s Gateway Crossings Market Area Plan, otherwise known as the South Market Area that covers all of Wesley Chapel and much of southern Pasco County, from U.S. 301 all the way to Little Rd. in the Trinity area. The area also covers the north-south corridors of

I-75 and the Suncoast Pkwy. “We’re here, to hear you,” Pasco’s director of planning & development Kris Hughes said. “We want public engagement from multi-media sources in hightraffic parts of the South Market areas.” Hughes and his staff come from a diverse background and drew on their experiences to dream up the Neighborhood Notebook. “The physical board was taken from a staffer’s experience in Mississippi,” Hughes said. “We bring a lot of experience to the project and borrow from the experience we’ve all had.” If you missed the physical message board when it was at the mall, residents can visit WalkBikePlay.com/copy-ofvirtual-notebook. Hughes said the online notebook also is getting lots of comments, as is the physical notebook. Residents are encouraged to connect with the “Walk. Bike. Work. Play” initiative via social media. “We’re getting good suggestions and we’re working with them,” Hughes said. “Information from the Notebook is used to inform the preparation of the market area plan. The Notebook comments will help us focus on specific areas of interest or concern.” While the online notebook hasn’t done quite as well as the physical board at the Shops at Wiregrass, the comments online have tended to be longer and more descriptive. Early comments on the physical Notebook at Wiregrass included better public transportation options, more recycling programs and more nature trails. One resident who advocated for transit options noted that residents could help by voting for transitfriendly candidates and referendums.

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Another advocating for clean streets Think you have great ideas about hoe to improve life in Pasco Counsaid that people could help “Make it ty? It looks like you may have to go online to add your suggestions to Happen” by cleaning up their own Pasco County’s “Neighborhood Notebook.” street and sidewalk. Naturally, a chalkboard in the middle of a mall inviting comments is going to have some strange requests. Under things people would like to see, some chalk-toting shoppers included world peace, a million dollars, Justin Bieber, a real live red fox and a dog president. All suggestions feed into the County’s Comprehensive Plan and associated goals, objectives and policies that will guide Pasco’s future growth. The Neighborhood Notebook was originally planned to move to the Tampa Premium Outlets near S.R. 56 and I-75, but concerns about teenage vandalism, and governmental red tape, has been holding up that move.. Instead, Hughes said that the physical portion of the project may evolve into postage-paid comment cards.

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Husband & Wife U.S. Army Vets Bring Menchie’s FroYo To Wiregrass! By Gary Nager

By now, there’s probably not much I can tell you about self-serve frozen yogurt places. They pretty much all have similar flavors, similar toppings and similar brightlycolored décor. So, what is that sets Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt — now open for several months in the same outparcel building that also includes the new Irish 31 at the Shops at Wiregrass mall — apart from its competition? Based on my experience with first-time franchise owners Sheilla and Leroy Lee, two U.S. Army veterans (she spent four years in the service; he has more than 20 years in the Army and retired as a Sergeant Major, the highest rank for a non-commissioned soldier), it’s the people. They’re both warm and friendly and Sheilla, who is usually on-site at the store, is proud to call the Wesley Chapel Menchie’s a family-run business. Teenage daughters Tamara (photo) and Tiffany both work at the store, although Tamara was getting ready to head of to school at the University of Central Florida in Orlando as we went to press. “We knew we wanted to buy a franchise and we did our research,” Sheilla says. “Even though we both originally wanted different types of businesses, we agreed that Menchie’s was an outstanding, growing franchise (now the largest frozen yogurt franchise in the U.S., with more than 500 stores worldwide and about 70 in Florida) with a built-in audience,” as Menchies.com says that more than 90 percent of households in the U.S. indulge in frozen desserts. And, a truly delicious frozen dessert

it is, with a dozen constantlychanging flavors that include everything from the most popular toasty marshmallow to no-sugar-added peanut butter and from name-brand favorites like chocolate caramel biscuit, made with real Twix bars, and Dole pineapple sorbet, to New York cheesecake and “Jumpin’ Java Latté.” “We rotate the flavors in the store every two to three weeks and receive two new flavors every month,” Sheilla says. “We already have quite a few regulars who look forward to the new releases, like the new piña colada sorbet that came out earlier in August. Our customers really seem to love the product.” And yes, it is a healthy option, with probiotic cultures that aid digestion, plus gluten-free, vegan, and no high fructose corn syrup options. Menchie’s also strives to use natural flavors including real cake, cookies, spices, fruits and nuts. The entire line of frozen yogurt is certified Kosher and is awarded the live and active culture seal by the National Yogurt Association. But, what I love most at Menchie’s may not be the healthiest thing about it, because the toppings rock my world. With everything from chocolate fudge and liquid marshmallow toppings to ground Kit-Kat and Reese’s candy bars, gummy worms and oh yeah, fresh strawberries and pineapple, I’m defi-

nitely a fan of the toppings at Menchie’s. There’s also a great variety of pre-made and custom-made froyo cakes, quarts and pints of different Menchie’s flavors in the store’s freezer, plus Menchie’s “merch” like T-shirts, cute swirl-headed dolls, kickballs emblazoned with the franchise’s logo and even tie-ins to major motion pictures, like the new “Emoji Movie” cups and spoons. At only 56 cents an ounce, it’s certainly an affordable indulgence, too. And, with its ideal location between Irish 31 and Noble Crust at the mall, it’s sure to become an even

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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bigger favorite, especially with the buy-one, get-one-half-off coupon from the ad on pg. 38 of this issue. Speaking of savings, you’ll get another coupon for 20-percent off your next purchase when you donate a dollar to the American Heart Assn. at Menchie’s. Great yogurt, even better toppings and people and super savings? You owe it to yourself to try Menchie’s today! Menchie’s is located at 28356 Willet Way. For more info, call (813) 991-0365, search “MenchiesShopsatWiregrass” on Facebook or visit Menchies.com.

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! N O O S G N I M CO

El Pescador Mexican Restaurant Taqueria & Seafood 19062 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Wok Chi Brings Its Unique Chinese Concept To The Shops At Wiregrass By GARY NAGER

As a native New Yorker,

it’s been a major challenge for me to find what I would call great Chinese food anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, much less here in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. Therefore, I’m not going to try to convince you that the new (it opened in February) Wok Chi, located in the Shops at Wiregrass mall, is the best Chinese food I’ve ever tasted or that it’s authentic New York style, even though this hip, young five-location chain now has two stores in the Big Apple (as well as the original, yearold location in Brandon). What Wok Chi is, however, is delicious, fresh and with something of a Zen vibe, with philosophical (pink) fortune cookies, free tea (because it is good for your “chi” or life force, also spelled “qi”), according to the signs on the walls in this fast, casual, healthy concept eatery. The primary focus at Wok Chi is that you get to customize your meal the way you want it. “Our wok masters craft the meal you choose from scratch,” boasts the “About” section at WokChi.com. And, it’s true. Plus, if you’re a wok-sautéed veggie lover like I am, Wok Chi is truly paradise. Whether you choose the regular- (starting at just $8.45 for skinless chicken breast, up to $10.95 for the regular-size shrimp) or large-size ($15.95-$20.95) stir-fry, you get to choose your meat (there’s also pork loin, flank steak, organic firm tofu and veggieonly options), up to three of the amazing selection of veggies (see below), as well as anything from plain white rice to fried brown rice, quinoa, egg or wheat noodles and even kale beds for your “base,” plus your favorite of Wok Chi’s nice variety of sauces (all without artificial ingredients or MSG, which another sign on the restaurant’s wall says, “disrupts our chi”). My favorite sauces are the spicy Szechwan and Kung Pao (the latter has peanuts), but there are several other sauces, ranging from sweet & sour and black bean to sesame ginger and “General-Not-So-Tso’s” sauces, so you can pick your own favorites. But, the veggies are what really sold me on Wok Chi and, while they’re not all what you’d call “traditional” Chinese vegetables (for example, no Napa cabbage or water chestnuts), you can choose from

zucchini, squash, green beans, snow pea pods, onions, bell peppers, carrots, celery, broccoli, kale and baby bok choy. Best of all, Wok Chi does add different veggies seasonally — for example, sugar snap peas were available on my most recent visit. And, these veggies are so green and beautiful and they sautée up so perfectly in the hands of Wok Chi’s wok masters (like Wiregrass location general manager Jeremy Vazquez, pictured at this year’s Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, which was held at Florida Hospital Center Ice only a month or so after Wok Chi opened here, on the next page) that once you find the sauce that suits you best, you’ll be hooked, too. Note-I’ve mentioned many times in these pages that I have a major shellfish allergy, especially to shrimp, so I was a little concerned about the fact that Wok Chi’s chefs sautée shrimp in the same woks with the other ingredients, which can be enough for me to get my reaction without even eating any shrimp. Since the day this location opened, however, all I’ve ever had to do was mention that fact to Jeremy or whoever was cooking my food, so they always start with a thoroughly clean wok to do everything they can to prevent such contaminations. And, eight or nine visits later, I’ve yet to have my reaction to anything I’ve ever eaten at Work Chi.

Chi-licious Ribs

What About Dim Sum?

Considering that the woks are the stars of the show at Wok Chi, I am happy to tell you that I also love the dim sum (appetizers). My favorites are the chicken spring rolls (I’ve yet to try the duck confit spring rolls, but they sound awesome), the spicy pork & chive and chicken & chipotle pot sticker dumplings (served with an excellent sweet chile sauce) and especially, the Chi-licious pork spare ribs. They usually come with the black bean sauce, but try ‘em Gary’s way — with the spicy Szechwan sauce — and you’ll thank me. And, if you’re up for something a little different, try the non-traditional pork sliders. I forgot to ask what the “bread” portion of the sliders is made out of (it looks a little like a soft taco shell, but it’s different), but the pork is very tasty, as is the unique, creamy sauce served on top of the sliders. Also popular at Wok Chi, although I’ve yet to try them, are three varieties of summer rolls, — large-burrito-sized rolls that are filled with lump (real) crab, shrimp or avocado and

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Pork Sliders

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Spicy Pork & Chive Pot Stickers

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Large Chicken Stir Fry

basil. I’ve also yet to try the hot & sour soup, although it looks very good, too. Wok Chi also features not only one of those magical Coca-Cola “freestyle” soda fountains filled with every possible soft drink flavor you can imagine mixed together, but also the aforementioned free, hot tea, with two different (and rotating) flavors always available. I’ve enjoyed the pineapplecoconut, mint basil and even jasmine green tea to date and look forward to trying other flavors soon. Other organic teas are available for sale, but taste the free stuff first. I’m even impressed with Wok Chi’s new honey cruller dessert and creamy vanilla

ice cream, a true bargain at just $1. Wok Chi also has a Loyalty Club, so you (and I) can earn rewards points every time you dine there. Wok Chi also offers delivery of your food through GrubHub, Mobile Meals and Uber Eats. Fast, fun and delicious make for a really nice combination at Wok Chi! Wok Chi of Wesley Chapel is located at 28152 Paseo Dr., in the Shops at Wiregrass. Or, visit 2420 W. Brandon Blvd. in the Regency Square shopping center in Brandon. For info, see the ad on pg. 3, call (813) 8622315 or visit WokChi.com.

R E G R U B R E BUTT LITZ B OPEN DAILY UNTIL 10:30PM!

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Feel At Home At Kiran Indian Grocery Store On Cross Creek Blvd.

By Gary Nager

VEN IF you’re not originally from the sub-continent of India, even if you’ve never really loved Indian food, I know you’ll find something you like or want or need if you visit the Kiran Indian Grocery, located on Cross Creek Blvd. in the Cross Creek Center plaza, next to Saffron Indian Cuisine, in New Tampa. The one thing I know for sure is that you won’t find better people than the owners, Kiran and Sudeer (photo on this page; I won’t even try to spell their last name correctly). Although Kiran is the one who is almost always at the store, she gives credit to Sudeer, a software engineer who handles the books for the popular, albeit tiny (1,200-sq.-ft.) grocery for being “my support system, my partner.” Theirs is a story of true love so unique that Sudeer wrote a novel (his first) about their life together called No Big Deal. If you think the Indian people are boring because they’re usually so polite and proper, read this book. Sudeer approaches their often difficult life together with the same genuine sweetness and sense of humor he and his wife always show in person. What About The Store?

Kiran opened her first store in the Pebble Creek Collection in 2003. She moved it to E. Fowler Ave. in 2010, but found a new location where more of her original New Tampa customers could more easily visit on Cross Creek Blvd. in 2014. “Really, all of my customers who still live here have followed me wherever I have opened,” says Kiran. “I love my customers and always remember the products they purchase, even if it’s been years since I’ve seen them.” In other words, if you previously were a customer at either of Kiran’s previous two locations, don’t be surprised if she remembers you by what you bought at her store. She is an absolute expert at knowing what products to stock for her customers, which is no small feat, as the people in every state in India don’t just have different cuisines, they actually speak entirely different languages from each other. That means that Kiran has to learn enough of these other languages to stock as many of the products

as possible that people from every part of the world’s second most populous country (as well as from Pakistan and Middle eastern countries, too; she even has an assortment of Halal meats) will purchase. “I feel a little like a doctor,” Kiran says. “I have had to learn enough of these other languages to know how to stock many of the same items made by different companies because my customers won’t buy the same products from different parts of India than the ones they grew up with.” In other words, if you’re looking for Masala spice mixes, teas and even rice, Kiran crams about 8,000 items into her little store, including multiple brand names and options from virtually every part of India to satisfy her customers. I’m not knowledgeable enough about India or the different cuisines favored by each area to know anything about what to buy at Kiran Indian Grocery. The good news is that Kiran does. Every time I visited the store to research this story, she gave me different items to sample, from fresh cilantro, Indian radishes and cucumbers to some of the most delicious chocolate and cookies you’ll find anywhere (more on all of that sweet stuff below). I consider myself to be relatively adventurous when it comes to trying different foods, but I’ve never been partial to any kind of curry or chutney, which of course, are among the staples of many Indian cuisines. To date, I have enjoyed the frozen veggie and chicken-and-veggie samosas Kiran has given me to sample, and her fresh fruits and vegetables (some of which are organic) are always outstanding. I have brought back coconut milk, mango juices and items like the peanut chikki bars (sort of like peanut brittle), spicy cashews, pickles and surprisingly salty dried banana chips for everyone in the office to sample and I have enjoyed the unique lower-glycemic-index basmati rice Kiran suggested for those who have or are trying to avoid getting diabetes. But, there’s no doubt that my favorite items at Kiran Indian Grocery are the Indian and British versions of such standards as Kit-Kat and Cadbury bars, which definitely taste better than their American counterparts, as well as chocolate wafer cookies and sandwich cookies known as “bourbon cremes,” which look like rectangular Oreos but taste a hundred times better. Yes, if you have a sophisticated sweet tooth, Kiran

Owners Kiran & Sudeer

Rotary At Work In India

Fresh Cilantro

Indian Grocery is the place for you. Kiran also stocks a variety of beauty products that Indian people use at the front of the store.

Speaking Of Sweet Things...

Before I ever stepped into her current store, I already had started getting to know Kiran because she is a member of the same Rotary Club of New Tampa Noon that I belong to as well. But, while I try to help our Rotary Club by promoting its events, Kiran actually lives the Rotary International motto of “Service Above Self” every day. Kiran’s high school teacher is a member of a Rotary Club in India that has been trying to help children from her area of India who have a particular skin condition they get from often unsanitary conditions at their school. Kiran has gotten our Rotary

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Chikki Bars Club to buy plates, tablecloths, napkins and glasses for the school as an international service project and is using her own money build benches for the children, so they don’t have to sit on the floor at school. “I tell my customers that they helped pay for those benches,” Kiran says with

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her always-sweet-smile. “I couldn’t do it without them spending money here.” She also provides ongoing financial support for the Humane Society of Tampa, to make sure the animals kept at the shelter are properly bathed and have their shots. “I tell them to just charge my credit card when they need something,” she says. “I just love animals.” Kiran Indian Grocery (10042 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. every day (until 9 p.m. on Fri.Sat.). For additional information, call (813) 994-6202.

With more than 8,000 items in a store of only 1,200 sq. ft., you might be surprised at the variety of products available at Kiran Indian Grocery. You’ll find everything from beauty products to Masala spice mixes and delicious chocolate, juices and cookies.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

The Latest & Greatest News About Dining, Retail, Health Care & More In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel! Mouse on August 5. As it says in the ad on pg. 30 of this issue (which offers half off the usual registration fee), you can use KidsPark as your primary preschool or as a complement to other programs. KidsPark’s flexible schedule and affordable daily and hourly rates, supervised play and active, hands-on learning, plus private parties, make it a place you should explore for your children ages 2-12. For more info, visit KidsPark.com or call (813) 803-4972.

(Far left) Owner Amanda Justus (between Mickey & Minnie) and her staff welcomed guests to the one-year anniversary party for KidsPark (Lic. #C06PA0289) on S.R. 56.

Happy Birthday, KidsPark!

Congratulations to KidsPark of Tampa owner Amanda Justus and her staff at KidsPark, the unique daycare center located in the same plaza as Ashley Furniture off S.R. 56, just east of I-75. KidsPark celebrated its one-year anniversary with a great event that also just happened to be attended by Minnie & Mickey

El Pescador Is Coming Soon!

My friend Fabian Jimenez, the owner of the Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant in the Wesley Chapel Village Market, says he’s getting close to opening a very different new restaurant in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center plaza at 19062 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (less than two miles south of the Pasco County line). El Pescador Taqueria & Seafood, which

will open in the space previously occupied by WingZone, will still have tacos, enchiladas and burritos, but will also feature fresh seafood such as the snow crab legs and mussels shown in the ad on pg. 37. Fabian couldn’t give me an exact opening date at our press time, but he promises it will be worth the wait. For more information, call (813) 615-9595.

Have You Tried Fat Rabbit & Precinct Pizza?

Although S.R. 56 and the Shops at Wiregrass areas are getting the most attention these days, as reported on a recent episode of WCNT-tv, the New Tampa area has had two pretty good restaurants open since our last issue reached you. The Fat Rabbit Pub, located near

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Vallarta’s & Cappy’s Pizza in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center, has a great menu with outstanding blackened wings, great burgers (above) and a premium liquor bar with very fair drink prices and a more upscale atmosphere than you might expect. For info, stop in or visit FatRabbitPub.com and please tell co-owner John Ellwood and his staff that you read about them here first. • I also really like the new Precinct Pizza, located in the space formerly occupied by Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill on Cross Creek Blvd. at Morris Bridge Rd. Featuring a huge menu of Italian specialties, in addition to very good NY-style ‘za and décor, owner Rick Drury and his family are proud to bring the 2nd location of this Channelside favorite to New Tampa. Visit PrecinctPizza.com.— GN

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DINING SPOTLIGHT ON: Oakley’s Grille! If you’ve been reading this publication for any period of time, you already know how much I love Oakley’s Grille, located at 17631 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (next to Dairy Queen), in the North Palms Village plaza in New Tampa (near Chili’s). Oakley’s has been home to my favorite flame-grilled burger in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel every year since owner and long-time restaurateur Keith Oakley and his chef/son Ryan opened it more than five years ago. Although Ryan moved away for a while, he came back a few months ago, “to make sure that the burger you eat here today tastes like and is the same quality as the burger or sandwich you loved five years ago,” according to Keith. The Oakleys (photo, right; you can figure out who’s who) keep introducing great new menu items, like the spicy ghost

Neighborhood News

pepper burger, the unique flavor of the new blackened bleu burger, and the amazing onepound slab of barbecue pork ribs (with fries) shown below. Ryan (who also owns the Dr. Junk trash removal service; search “Dr. Junk” on Facebook) created the ghost pepper burger, which features bacon, a bunch of spicy ghost peppers and a tangy barbecue-style sauce. The blackened bleu burger features Cajun spices and melted bleu cheese. The ribs are supertender and meaty, with just the right amount (at least for me) of sweet-and-slightly-spicy BBQ sauce and are served with amazing golden-brown fries (or sub the sweet potato fries in the pic for just 50 cents more). And best of all, Keith and Ryan are offering $2 off any sandwich or entrée at Oakley’s Grille throughout August, just for mentioning that you read about them in the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News. That’s like getting the fries for free with your sandwich or enjoying a full pound of ribs with fries for just $12.99! Order online at OakleysGrille.com or through Mobile Meals, or call (813) 523-5075 — GN

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 •WCNeighborhoodNews.com

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel HELP WANTED WANTED: PIANIST/ACCOMPANIST Trinity Church of Wesley Chapel is seeking a talented pianist/ accompanist to play for the traditional worship service, accompany the choir, soloists, special programs, etc. Contact Julie Pearson, Choir Director, music@trinitychurchwc.com. HIRING PERSONAL TRAINER. Private Women’s Studio with Boot Camp & Personal Training in Wesley Chapel & Land O’ Lakes owned by Samantha Taylor. Please no phone calls or walk ins.To apply part time: www.lolfitbodybootcamp.com/hire-pt. PHYSICAL THERAPIST (PT) An established New Tampa outpatient clinic is hiring a part-time PT to provide custom, one-on-one care. Fax resume to (813) 994-3080.

CLEANING SERVICES ICARE HOUSE CLEANING-FREE ESTIMATES! Excellent references. Cleaning New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for over 16 years, affordable & reliable, satisfaction guaranteed! Family operated, local business. Call today for your free, no obligation quote: (813) 531-1917. B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 14 years experience! Commercial & residential; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & post construction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in or move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates; References available. Call today: 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE We have our own supplies and more than 400 clients in New Tampa! For more info, Call 758-9710. R HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES To Keep Your House clean, call Marlene! Working now in Wesley Chapel and the New Tampa areas. Monday through Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM. We can help: Call 562-637-5974 or email kolungaa@ hotmail.com. FREE estimates.

Classifieds

POOL SERVICES TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE. New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing with outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! Call Chris today @ (813) 8575400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com. New customers get ONE MONTH FREE! AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com Highest quality salt and ozone generators, pumps, motors, filters. Marcite, quartz and pebble finishes. Pool cleanups and acid washes, paver and river rock sealing. Paver decks and driveways. Mention this ad for $69 pool service. Call or text 813-244-7077. See our display ad. Visit AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com 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 1 MONTH OF QUALITY SERVICE FREE. www.aquatecpool.com

LAWN & LANDSCAPING

JASMINE LANDSCAPING, INC Complete landscaping maintenance. Tree, palms, hedge trimming, planting, mulching, stones, sod replacement, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, 1 time cleanup, leaves removal & more. Assistance with HOA compliance. Free estimates. Certified / Insured. We accept Cash, Checks, PayPal, Quick Pay, Visa/MC/AMEX. Now hiring drivers & helpers. Call 813-420-4465. HOMETEAM LAWNCARE LLC High-quality professional Services: Weekly or bi-weekly year-round full-svc lawn care starting at $90/month: Mow, edge, trim, blow, mulch-bed maintenance, hedge and low-tree trim. Additional Services: Sod, Mulch, & Rock Placement; Hedge Trimming, & Tree Trimming; Landscape Installation; Fall/Spring Clean-Up. Family Owned & Operated, Licensed & Insured, Background Checked, Call or Text (813) 817-9554.

REAL ESTATE

PET SERVICES

CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLE FARM in Central Florida! Enjoy pastoral views from every window and complete privacy on this 42-acre farm w/4+2 2398 sq.ft. Whether you continue Organic Farming, Farming of Your Choice or just enjoy living on this beautiful property, it’s a must see! Call to schedule your private tour. MLS #G4833016. Beth Atalay Cam Realty and Property Management 407-929-1852.

CAT SITTING Tampa Cat Lady Professional CatSitting Service. Cats are happiest in their own home, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds and smells. When you are away, we feed, cuddle and play with your kitties and clean and dispose of litter. Insured, bonded, and Red-Cross certified in pet first aid/CPR. You may visit TampaCatLady.com and submit a service inquiry or call 813-994-9449.

SPACE AVAILABLE SERENITY SALON & SPA SUITES Wesley Chapel. 1 suite available for rent. Call for details: 813-312-5247 or 813-997-6302. Great location!

HOME IMPROVEMENT WESLEYCHAPELPRESSUREWASHING.COM Soft pressure exterior house cleaning, screen enclosures, pool decks, driveways, sidewalks, fences, roofs, paver sealing and deck staining. We clean everything. No job too big or small. Experience the difference when you hire a pressure cleaning professional. Licensed and insured. Owner operated. Call for a free estimate or visit our website. 813-433-6015. DAVID BRIDGES PRESSURE CLEANING Complete exterior cleaning of your home or business with a professional & personal touch. - Pool decks and screen enclosures - All fencing/ driveways and walkways/roofs - Gutter and downspouts. Find your happiness in a fresh, bright clean home. Your neighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed. Licensed and insured. Call 813-215-1177. GREG’S PAPERHANGING. For all of your wallpapering needs. Licensed and insured, clean, quick and reasonable. Call 973-2767 for a free estimate. RAYMOND PAINTING. Exterior & Interior Services. Exterior: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks & wood rot repair. Interior: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall repairs & tiles. Licensed & Bonded. References avail. Free estimates. Your Neighborhood Arbor Greene Resident! We work 7 days. Call 813-994-5124.

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

MISCELLANEOUS RESUME UPDATES - CAREER GUIDANCE HR professional offering local and affordable assistance with resume updates, overall career guidance, and interview preparation. Email to inquire. norm.patry07@gmail.com

Not getting the results you want from your current advertising?

Our Classified Ads are the ones your neighbors actually READ!

Call 910-2575 to order yours today!

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings and walls, retexturing, popcorn removal, room additions, cracks, holes, plaster and stucco repair. 26 Years Experience. Wesley Chapel resident. State Certified. Call Ron for free estimate: 813-7845999. MILLENNIUM HOME REPAIR.Professional Handyman. Cabinet Installation, dry wall repair, tile installation & repair, some plumbing, laminate flooring, light fixtures, interior painting, appliance installation, pressure washing, paneling, window repair, awning installation, carpentry, garbage disposal, fence repair, crown molding, window blinds, seal baths & showers, TV mounting & more. Call 813-400-1408 or email TYCOONUNION@YAHOO.COM.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

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“Since 1971”

Ronnie’s Carpets, Inc. “Our Prices Are Simply Better” WOOD - VINYL - CERAMIC TILE CARPET - LAMINATE

FREE Shop at Home Service Johnny Vandervlis Sales & Design Consultant

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Cell: 813-312-6853 johnny@ronniescarpets.com

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 •WCNeighborhoodNews.com

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 18 • August 25, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

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Your Full Real Estate Solutions Providers

The Shoppes of New Tampa,

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Gorgeous! 5 Bedroom, 4 Bath, Bonus Room, 3085 sq. ft.,Hardwood floors, 3 Car Garage. Salt water pool, brick paved lanai w/outdoor kitchen. Conservation & Pond Views, Offered at $368,000

New construction at affordable prices in the heart of Zephyrhills. 1,740 sq ft, 3 bedrooms 2 baths 2 car garage. $217,640 Conveniently located off Rt. 54

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Perfect for entertaining! Spacious screen enclosed terrace with pool and spa complements this 3,029 square foot home. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, in-law suite, rich espresso wood floors, an abundance of natural lighting.

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Custom Home on 4.55 acres, gated & fenced. Main Ronnie Preusch House has 3845 sqft, 4Bd, 3.1B, 3+ CG, Office, 813-361-9595 Pool/Spa. In-Law Suite 1000 sqft, 1Bd, 1B, Carport. Loaded with Upgrades. Offered at $839,900.

Gorgeous Move-in Ready 4 bedrooms, 2.5 Brittany Guevara baths, 2,092 sq. ft. overlooking pond in 813-843-2127 the new community of The Ridge. Tons of upgrades throughout home with high ceilings and custom plantation shutters.

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HOMESTEAD OF SADDLEWOOD

POSSIBLE LEASE PURCHASE! Gorgeous, custom built 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath hilltop home on 2.25 acres in Skyridge Terrace has a basement with 2 car garage and game room, glamorous foyer, dual staircases, hardwood flooring, family room with upper stained glass, a wet bar and a cozy gas fireplace. The Master suite has 2 private balconies, and the kitchen is gourmet. When you experience the views, you’ll think you’re in the mountains! $439,500

Georgia Bickford 813-713-6492

gbickford@BHHSflpg.com GeorgiaSellsFlorida.com

Custom Home in the Gated Community of Homestead of Saddlewood 6204 sq. ft. on 1.86 Acres, 4 Beds, 4.1 Baths, Bonus Rm, Master Suite features adjoining Office/Workout Rm, Den, Gourmet Kitchen, 5 Car Garage, Salt Water Pool/ Spa. Offered at $709,900

Ronnie Preusch 813-361-9595

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MEADOW POINTE III

SEVEN OAKS

WOW! 5BR+Bonus/3BA/3CG, 42" Maple Cab Kitchen w/ Island, Granite Counter, SS Appliances. Walk to Seven Oaks Elementary! GATED community w/ 3 RESORT style pools, Kids Splash Park/Water slide ! NEW PRICE $339,900

Angela Mora Hablo español también! 813-482-1452

THE RIDGE

SKYRIDGE TERRACE

Ronnie Preusch 813-361-9595

Ready to move! Great Curb Appeal with Mature Landscaping and a Wonderful Front Porch with Curved Pillars welcome you into this Lovely 2 Story Home, with a POND VIEW and Boasting 2,388 SF, 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, 2 Car Garage

Mercy Barragan 813-494-6797

mercy@mercybarragan.com www.MercyBarragan.com

1830 Bruce B Downs Blvd. Wesley Chapel, FL 33544

Stephanie Boulden Title Manager

sboulden@CapstoneTitleLLC.com

3 Bedroom, Office-can be 4th Bedroom, Bonus Room, 2501 sq. ft., 3 Car Garage. Salt water pool-solar heated, travertine paved lanai with Conservation & Pond Views on 1/4 acre lot. This immaculate home is Offered at $345,000

rpreusch@BHHSflpg.com

Ronnie Preusch 813-361-9595