Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 25, Issue 2, January 13, 2016 by Neighborhood News

Volume 25 Issue 2 January 13, 2017

Inside: Union 72 Redefines The BBQ Concept! See Neighborhood Magazine!

Co-Creator Of The Wesley Chapel Chamber Of Commerce’s Chairman’s Award-Winning WCNT-tv! 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 50!

FHWC Ready To Unveil New Rooms, New Technology & A New Experience

By John C. Cotey Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) is virtually ready for another grand opening. Oops. Make that ready for a virtual grand opening. After drawing an estimated crowd of 8,000 people to its initial Grand Opening in 2012, FHWC is set to unveil its new $78-million, 118,000-sq.-ft. expansion to the general public via social media. FHWC marketing director Tracy Clouser says that because the hospital now has patients being treated everywhere, it isn’t possible to allow thousands to stroll through the corridors, checking out the new rooms and advances in technology. However, everyone can still attend the Grand Opening of the expansion virtually, via both YouTube and Facebook, on Monday, February 6, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Clouser says the public will even be given the opportunity to ask questions of FHWC CEO Denyse Bales-Chubb. “We’ll be showcasing some of the areas people wouldn’t ordinarily get to see,’’ Clouser said during an interview with Neighborhood News editor Gary Nager for the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Featured Business Segment on WCNT-tv, which hit YouTube on Jan. 6. She added that those who RSVP will get the first look at some of the expansion that is expected to even further enhance the hospital’s standing in the local (see pg 3) and medical community. FHWC, constructed in the shape of a “W” with North, Center and South wings, is doubling the size of the Center wing, which

Also Inside This Issue: News, Business & Sports Updates Five Things To Look Forward To In 2017; Avalon Park West Begins Expansion; One Lagoon Finally Under Construction With Another On The Way; Kurt Browning Addresses Criticism; Wesley Chapel Girls Soccer Scores; DICK’s Lacrosse Tourney Crowns Champs & More Local Business Features!

Pages 3-34

Neighborhood Magazine

Shen Yun Brings Chinese Dance To Florida; Our Dining Survey Results Are In & We Have Winners; Union 72 Creates A New BBQ Niche; Zammy The Dog Burns Up The Web; Plus, Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

Pages 35-52

FHWC’s $78-million expansion should be completed by the end of the month. Drone photography by Brad Hall Studios.

now has six floors instead of the original three. A three-story connector wing, called the “Southeast Connector,” between the Center and South wings, also is nearly complete. The extra floors will allow the hospital to expand from 83 private patient rooms to 143. Emergency room space also is nearly doubling, from 18 rooms to 35. That may be the best news for area residents, as even the influx of urgent care centers in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa hasn’t stopped the FHWC emergency rooms from overflowing some days. Clouser said there was no true original timetable to expand, but the top brass with FHWC’s parent company, the Adventist Health System originally estimated there

would be a need for expansion within 5-7 years when FHWC first opened. But, the unrelenting brisk business at the hospital hastened the need for expansion to within only three years. “We have been very, very busy,’’ Clouser says. “Obviously, there has been a need in this area for quality healthcare close to home for (local) people.”

Even More Technology

The new patient rooms at FHWC are Cerner Smart Rooms, which offer better workflows for hospital personnel, with instant bedside access to real-time data for doctors, while providing better communication between patients, their providers and visitors.

Visitors will be able to see if the patient is with their doctor, resting or does not want to be disturbed before entering the room, while FHWC staff will know, for example, which of their patients have allergies or are fall risks. “It’s all right at their fingertips outside the room,’’ Clouser says, adding that the older rooms at FHWC will be retrofitted with the Cerner technology as well. The new rooms also have the Get Well Network, another technology that bridges the gap between patients and doctors and empowers patients and their caregivers to participate in their healthcare. It also helps track the care patients are receiving — like dosages of medicine or blood tests — while they may be sleeping, right down to knowing when hospital personnel are washing and sanitizing their hands. Clouser also said that some of the expansion already has been completed. A second heart catheterization lab opened in March, and a new wing with 20 additional beds in the Southeast wing opened in October. That third-floor wing will be an all-women’s wing when all of the other new rooms have opened, all expected by the end of this month or early in February. The majority of the new rooms and technologies will be on the new fifth and sixth floors. Clouser also said that, for now, the fourth floor will remain as shell space, until future growth dictates adding 24 more patient rooms. Until then, the fourth floor will feature conference and classrooms that will host many of the free community health and wellness programs FHWC currently hosts at See “FHWC Expansion” on page 8.

Dade City Chamber Celebrating 20 Years Of Kumquats January 28! Dade City’s annual Kumquat Festival will be held on Saturday, January 28, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. This year is the milestone 20th anniversary of the event, which celebrates the kumquat, “a unique and funky little fruit,” as described by John Moors, executive director of the event’s host, the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. Kumquats are small citrus fruits grown near Dade City, and the annual festival also is an opportunity to show off the city’s historic downtown district’s eclectic restaurants and new places to shop, such as Flint Creek Outfitters, a new, high-end sporting goods and camping gear store. This year’s festival will include 440 vendors and 40 sponsors, with a car and truck show, farmers market, arts & crafts, children’s activities and all kinds of kumquat pies and other products. “It’s an authentic, old-Florida style festival,” says Moors, “including down-home, local entertainment on the historic courthouse steps all day.” He estimates about 35,000 people attend

each year, but exact numbers are unknown because the event is not ticketed and there’s no gate. “It’s certainly a milestone that this is our 20th year,” says Moors. “It’s marvelous that, for 20 years, the community has pulled together to put on this completely volunteer-run event. Again this year, our 200 volunteers are working extremely hard to make it a really enjoyable day.” Admission and parking are free, and free transportation also is provided from multiple satellite parking lots. For more info, see pg. 29 or visit KumquatFestival.org. — Celeste McLaughlin

7 Things You Must Know Before Putting Your Wesley Chapel Home Up For Sale A new report has just been released which reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9 Step System that can help you sell your home fast and for the most amount of money. This industry report shows clearly how the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasingly less and less effective in today’s market. The fact of the matter is that fully three quarters of homesellers don’t get what they want for their homes and become disillusioned and - worse - financially disadvantaged when they put their homes on the market. As this report uncovers, most homesellers make 7

deadly mistakes that cost them literally thousands of dollars. The good news is that each and every one of these mistakes is entirely preventable. In answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitled “The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar” To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1-800-441-1783 and enter 3000. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to find out how you can get the most money for your home.

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You will receive information on what comparable homes have sold for in your neighborhood and which homes are currently listed, how long they have been for sale, and their prices. If you are thinking of selling your home, this complete Confidential Market Analysis is absolutely FREE.

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9 Buyer Traps to be Aware of BEFORE Buying a Newmarket Home

Buying a home is a major investment no matter which way you look at it. But for many homebuyers, it’s an even more expensive process than it needs to be because many fall prey to at least a few of the many common and costly mistakes which trap them into either paying too much for the home they want, or losing their dream home to another buyer or, worse, buying the wrong home for their needs. A systemized approach to the homebuying process can help you steer clear of these common traps, allowing you to not only cut costs, but also buy the home that’s best for you.

An industry report has just been released entitled “Nine Buyer Traps and How to Avoid Them”. This important report discusses the 9 most common and costly of these homebuyer traps, how to identify them, and what you can do to avoid them. To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1-800-441-1783 and enter 3018. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to learn how to avoid costly buyer mistakes before you purchase your next home.

These reports are courtesy of Bruce Wilde, RE/MAX Premier Group Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers already under contract

Thanking Our 2016 Advertiser Of The Year — Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel! An editorial by Gary Nager Considering that my birthday is in January, I always find the New Year to be a time of reflection, even more so for me than it is about resolutions for the year to come. We have an awful lot to be thankful for here at the Neighborhood News. We continue to thrive in a market saturated with other publications, we helped launch WCNT-tv and we have provided our 100,000+ readers in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel with more news and information about their communities than any other single media source. I’m not making that up — virtually every day, someone seeks me out to tell me that and thank me for what we do. It’s been a while since I gave one business our “Advertiser of the Year” award, but there’s no doubt in my mind that one local business has not only spent the most money with us in 2016, it also is at the epicenter of life in our area — Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC). FHWC’s marketing director Tracy Clouser (see page 1) has not only purchased ads in both editions of the Neighborhood News for the hospital, she also stepped up to be the Studio Sponsor for at least the first 16 episodes of WCNT-tv. That sponsorship has allowed my partner — Craig Miller of Full Throttle Intermedia (see ad on page 50 of this issue) — and I to create 14 episodes of that show to date and not have to worry about losing our shirts while trying to reach a new audience with something so fresh and innovative. But, FHWC is about so much more than just advertising. The hospital’s presence and visibility on Bruce B. Downs (BBD)

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 Billing Manager Stephanie Smith Advertising Sales & Office Assistant Jannah McDonald Assistant Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Staff Writer Celeste McLaughlin Correspondents Anu Varma Panchal • 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 4, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Monday, January 30, 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.

Blvd., a little more than a mile north of the Hillsborough-Pasco county line, has been a major reason why the Porter family has been so successful in developing the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI). Yes, we’re also happy that the Shops at Wiregrass mall (which opened a couple of years before the hospital), Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus, North Tampa Behavioral Health, Raymond James Financial and The Beach Assisted Living — and some of the most beautiful, new neighborhoods in Wesley Chapel (Estancia and The Ridge at Wiregrass Ranch, etc.) — have all found their way to the Porter Family Trust’s 5,000+ acres, but I honestly believe that FHWC is literally the heartbeat of our area. The hospital’s CEO Denyse Bales-Chubb also has been visible and approachable and FHWC itself is as technologically advanced as any hospital in the country. Perhaps best of all, the upwards (by three floors; marked in red in photo above) expansion of FHWC already has getting ready to open and will be completed soon, probably before the end of January. I will admit that I did not know much about the Seventh Day Adventists before this jewel of a hospital opened on BBD, but I appreciate and even admire the kind of investment they have made in both of our distribution areas. Don’t forget that in addition to FHWC, the Adventist Health System also took over what used to be called University Community Hospital on BBD and Fletcher Ave. The renamed Florida Hospital Tampa (FHT) also has been a prominent advertiser in these pages (predominantly in our New Tampa issues), so it’s hard for me to not sing the praises of both local hospitals, especially knowing how many improvements also have been made at FHT — and are still to come in the future.

Chamber of Commerce) to produce a complete segment about the hospital’s expansion, but it is available for viewing now in WCNT-tv’s Episode 14, which debuted on YouTube on Jan. 6, a few days before this issue arrived in your mailbox. We’re excited to take you on an exclusive video tour of everything FHWC is adding (including some amazing drone video footage from Brad Hall Studios) to make life in our area even better. Please check out assistant editor John Cotey’s text-and-photo update about the hospital on page 1 of this issue and enjoy the rest

of this first Wesley Chapel issue for 2017. John also has done his usual superlative job of telling you about the five things we’re most excited about for our area for 2017 on pages 5 and 8. John also has a great update about the expansion of Avalon Park West (pg. 6), and an in-depth interview with Pasco superintendent of schools Kurt Browning (pg. 10). We also announce the winners of the 2016 Reader Dining Survey & Contest (pgs. 37-41), which also includes the names of the three Wesley Chapel residents whose names were drawn at random from more than 500 entries to win gift cards worth $200, $100 and $50. And, speaking of dining, I’ll tell you the first 14 restaurants that have agreed to participate in the 2017 Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (see story on pg. 46) on Saturday, March 18, at Florida Hospital Center Ice (see ad on pg. 11).

And, A WCNT-tv Feature Report!

Craig and I have been waiting for the goahead from Tracy (who also just completed her year as the Board Chair of our exclusive WCNTtv webcast partner, the Greater Wesley Chapel

Table of Contents

Local News Updates.....................3-11

Five Things To Fire Up Your New Year....................4 Avalon Park West Ready For Expansion.................6 First Crystal Lagoon Finally Breaks Ground..............9 Browning Addresses Boundary Criticisms..............10 Wesley Chapel Community Calendar..........................14

Local Business Updates..............18-27

New Doctor, But Still Offering Tendercare..............18 SPOTLIGHT ON: Don’s Dogs................................19 Premier Heart & Vascular Keeps You Beating........20 Cabinet & Stone International..............................22 Samantha Taylor Fitness Expands To New Tampa...26

Local Education & Sports Updates...29-33

WCH Principal To Lead New School.........................29 DICK’s Lacrosse Tourney Draws Crowd..............30-31 Hern & Mitchell Finding Net For WCH Soccer......32

Neighborhood Magazine

Shen Yun Brings Colorful Culture To The Area.....35 The Results Of Our Dining Survey Are In!...37-41 Union 72 BBQ A Welcome Mall Addition...........42 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’...46-47 Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Classifieds.........48 Zammy The Dog Takes Over The Internet..........50 @NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Here’s 5 Things We’re Excited About For 2017 In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel By John C. Cotey Bye bye, 2016. Hello, 2017. For many, there are no sweeter words. We’ll let the historians debate about how bad 2016 really was, but they have plenty of material to study. Those historians might want to start with an election season that was meaner and nastier than any other. Ever. Based on voting results in Wesley Chapel, President Donald Trump is less disconcerting to many here than in some other areas (including New Tampa), but hopefully most are taking a wait-and-see attitude. Our country also faced Ebola and Zika outbreaks, neither of which seems so bad in a world seemingly bent on destroying itself with hateful attacks leaving scores dead in Brussels, Paris and Instanbul, as well as in Charleston and Orlando…and the list just keeps getting longer with each passing day. We had a significant hurricane scare (thank you, Matthew) and while the storm season spared New Tampa, thousands in other places in Matthew’s wake weren’t nearly as fortunate. Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Carrie Fisher and Prince all died during 2016. Now, we really know what it sounds like when doves cry. So bye bye, 2016. Hello, 2017. We could use some cheering up, so here’s five things we’re looking forward to as the calendar turns, because, really, things have to get better, don’t they? 1. Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI) — Of all the things to look forward in the New Tampa-Wesley Chapel area in 2017, the

$20-million FHCI (see ad on pg. 47), located along Cypress Ridge Blvd. on the northeast corner of the I-75/S.R. 56 interchange, has to be near the top of the list. If you haven’t noticed, Tampa Bay has become something of a hockey town, thanks to the success of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. With so many northern transplants in the area, FCHI is sure to be a hit. The five-rink complex will host corporate events, non-ice events like street and roller hockey, and with just a little configuring, even volleyball and basketball. But even though the rink will feature the Top Shelf Sports Lounge, the bread and butter of FCHI will be served cold. The 150,500-sq.-

ft. facility will have free skating, figure skating, high school hockey, adult hockey leagues, and everything in between. Gordie Zimmermann, who runs the place, has even teased curling leagues for locals. Raise your hand if you’ve watched curling during the Winter Olympics and said, ‘You know, I’d sure like to try that.’ Now you can. Sometime in January, you’ll even be able to watch your first hockey game at the new FHCI when Wiregrass Ranch High plays. Spectrum Sports also will televise a live high school hockey game from FHCI sometime soon, too. Expect the Lightning to have some sort of a presence in the new joint, starting with clinics for kids. And, Skate For Hope, which will benefit

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

cancer research and feature many of the world’s top figure skaters, is scheduled for June 17. 2. The Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel — Speaking of FCHI, that brings us to the second thing we are looking forward to in 2017— the Taste of New Tampa, which returns Saturday, March 18, after a four-year hiatus. You might remember the last Taste, back in 2003, which was foiled by terrible weather. Well, this year, that won’t be a problem, as FHCI is hosting virtually all of the event inside. So, no rain, no sweating, no sunburn, just cool sub-70-degree weather as you walk around sampling tastes from as many as 50 local restaurants.

Neighborhood News

See “2017” on page 8.

@NTWCNews

Avalon Park West Ready To Begin New Phase Of Construction By Brad Stager The residents of the first Avalon Park West (APW) construction phase, called Cypress Village, will soon be welcoming some new neighbors to the community, which is located five miles east of I-75 at S.R. 54 at River Glen Blvd. The developer of APW, Avalon Park Group (APG), announced that it is breaking ground on the community’s second phase, which will be called Hawthorne Village. The new neighborhood will consist of 153 residential units that will be built by Avex Homes and Beazer Homes, two of the builders that also constructed homes in APW’s first phase, which now has 317 single-family homes. Hawthorne Village will be a mix of 100 single-family homes and 53 townhomes. According to APG senior vice president Ross Halle, the townhomes are anticipated to start at around $160,000 and the single family homes are expected to be priced in the low $200,000-plus range. Construction of the new homes is scheduled to be completed by the fall of this year, according to an APG press release. Those prices are subject to housing market trends in Wesley Chapel and, according to local real estate brokers, the market is hot, favoring sellers. But, it hasn’t always been that way and that’s one reason why APG has held off on fully developing the remainder of the master-planned community in the New River Development of Regional Impact (DRI) that will eventually have about 4,800 homes, a mixed-use urban

town center, recreational amenities and several neighborhood parks, all connected by trails and bike paths, as well as new roads. “Avalon Park West is starting to take shape as a premier live, learn, work and play development in the North Tampa area,” Halle says in a press release from APG. “The demand for housing in this area is significant and, as our first phase sells out, we are ready to move forward in realizing the vision of Avalon Park West.” A big part of that vision is the community’s town center, which will combine commercial office and retail space, multi-family housing such as apartments, condominiums and senior living, parks, a K-12 charter school and a town square. Design work on the town center’s first projects is under way and construction is anticipated to begin sometime early this year. The Wesley Chapel development is based on the same new urbanism principles of another APG master-planned community, Avalon Park, located in Orlando.

Events That Benefit The Wesley Chapel Community

In addition to blending urban and natural features to emulate small-town living, APW is known for hosting community events that bring its residents together with the larger Wesley Chapel community. Thousands attended the third annual Wesley Chapel Jazz Festival, which was held at APW in October. More recently, the community hosted “Avalon Aglow,” which featured a visit by Santa Claus himself, hot chocolate and fireworks. APW’s next big event is a youth talent show scheduled for Saturday, April 8.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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As part of the developer’s renewed commitment to home construction, APW is opening a new information center in February. It will be located at 33613 S.R. 54. Prospective residents also can check out existing builder models within APW. Beazer Homes and Avex Homes both already have model homes staffed by representatives to answer questions. Beazer’s sales model is located at 5200 Autumn Ridge Dr. and Avex’s is at 5216 Autumn Ridge Dr. For more information, visit AvalonParkWest.com and the community’s page at Facebook.com/AvalonParkWest.

@NTWCNews

‘Five Things’

‘FHWC Expansion’

Continued from Page 4

Continued from Page 1

The star of the Taste is always the food, but we don’t want to put any pressure on our happy editor Gary Nager, who has been personally involved in almost every Taste to date. But, since he is again responsible for bringing in the best restaurants this year, And, even though Episode 14 of WCNT-tv claimed that Gary had only gotten commitments from eight restaurants by Jan. 2, he was already at 14 commitments the day we went to press (see pg. 46), with dozens more already interested. Okay, so maybe there’s a little pressure on him, but Gary’s hungry enough (pun intended) to get the job done. 3. New Restaurants — Speaking of food, we love playing Follow the New Restaurants here in the office. In this regard, 2016 was pretty good to us, with Ginza, Cheddar’s, Culver’s, Chick-Fil-A, B.J.’s Brewhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse and Vuelo all opening their doors. And, if you’ve never have eaten at a Ford’s Garage (photo above) or a Pollo Tropical, both are expected to open in 2017 right across from the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO). Our office will be among the first ones inside. Our happy editor also visited the new McDonald’s (see pg. 46) which opened between Longhorn and B.J.’s just before we went to press 4. Costco — And, while we’re on the subject of TPO, if you look just a little west of it, the Costco gas pumps (photo, right) should be open by the time you read this, with the full store expected to open by Thursday, February 9. The mega wholesaler with the almost cult-like following will attract many of us, not just for the 200 or so jobs (which pay around an average of $20 an hour, with nice benefits), but also for the food. The Costco warehouse is

filled with goodies, and as any veteran member knows, sample time around lunchtime is one of the cheapest dates around. 5. Crystal Lagoons — Speaking of cheap dates, a trip to the beach can’t be beat, but why make that drive if there’s a crystal-clear, hyper-clean lagoon outlined by sandy beaches in your own back yard? Yes, after a delay, the first-ever Crystal Lagoon to be built in the U.S., is actually happening. For more info about the lagoon, see the story on the facing page. We also look forward to the opening of the expansion of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (see pages 1 & 3), the possible start of construction of the Diverging Diamond Interchange at S.R. 56 (as reported in our last issue) and the construction of Raymond James Financial, and so much more!

the hospital’s adjacent Wellness Center. Clouser also noted that the expansion, which will be completed by the end of the month or early in February, will attract new physicians offering new procedures, since FHWC will now have more space in the new operating rooms. “That means new treatments, new services and new programs,’’ Clouser says. Doctors also will soon have access to the MAKO platform, which is a roboticarm-assisted system that can perform orthopaedic surgeries like partial knee or hip replacements. FHWC also has the daVinci System, another robotic-assisted device that specializes in minimally invasive surgery, such as removing a gall

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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bladder or performing a hysterectomy through a patient’s belly button. “We are the only site in Pasco County able to do that,’’ Clouser said “Surgeons like it because it’s minimally invasive, there’s less scarring, less pain, shorter recovery times and less blood.” FHWC also will feature a tech room that allows doctors to enter via keyboard the patient’s name and type of surgery being performed, prompting a shelf to open up that provides all of the tools needed to perform that particular operation. To RSVP for the virtual FHWC expansion Grand Opening, please visit FHInspiredByYou.com. The event will be on YouTube and Facebook, on Mon., Feb. 6, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Check out the drone footage and much more inside FHWC from Brad Hall Studios on Episode 14 of WCNT-tv on YouTube now!

@NTWCNews

First Crystal Lagoon Breaks Ground In Wesley Chapel; #2 To Begin Later By John C. Cotey You get a lagoon...and you get a lagoon...and you get a lagoon! While a good many Wesley Chapelarea residents have been eagerly awaiting the prospects of a state-of-the-art Crystal Lagoon being built in our area, a second lagoon also is in the works as Metro Development Group moves to raise the bar on amenities for new housing developments. Though it was first reported back in 2014, Metro finally is digging the hole on the former Epperson Ranch that will become the much-anticipated, first Crystal Lagoon in the state of Florida. Next year, construction on a second lagoon, located at Mirada on the old Cannon Ranch, will begin as well. Construction of the 7.5-acre lagoon at Epperson Ranch, located north of the Bridgewater community on Curley Rd. north of S.R. 54., is expected to be completed by the end of 2017. Crystal Lagoons was founded in 2007 by Chilean biochemist-turned real estate developer Fernando Fischmann, who created a system based on pulses and ultra sonic filtration that can take virtually any kind of water and purify and maintain it at a low cost. Crystal Lagoons is the only company in the world with the technology, which is patented in 160 countries, and claims it currently has more than 300 projects in development in 60 countries. According to Crystal Lagoons, its system is more efficient than a swimming pool, will use 100 times less chemicals and

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is 50 times more energy efficient, while consuming only 2% of the energy needed by conventional filtration systems. The lagoon uses 30 times less water than a typical 18-hole golf course, and its clear, blue water will be surrounded by a white, sandy beach. The Crystal Lagoon at Epperson Ranch will be 4,200 linear feet in circumference (which is almost 1 mile around), according to Metro Development Group president Greg Singleton. The average depth will be eight feet, with some spots as deep as 10-12 feet. The water is so clear, Singleton adds, it doesn’t refract as much light, so the deeper spots will give it more of a deep blue color. The lagoon will hold about 14-15 million gallons of water. Where Metro Development Group is going to get that water created some consternation locally, when it was expected they would pump it in from the local aquifer.

@NTWCNews

Local residents worried that tapping into the aquifer would create sinkholes. Instead, Metro plans on purchasing water from Pasco County Utilities to fill the lagoon, although the developer does still reserve the right to find another source. Another cause for the delay in construction was the uniqueness of the project, which created permitting issues for Pasco County and made finding the right people to build it painstaking. “Being that this is the first Crystal Lagoon in the U.S., it is a unique construction project and we wanted to make sure we found the right partners and contractors for the job, which took more time than we expected,’’ Singleton says. “Also, being the first lagoon in the U.S. to be designed and permitted, we were methodical in our approach to get it right. We also needed to give our approving agencies time to work through their process, as this was also new for them.”

Epperson Ranch, which is part of Metro’s “Connected City” project currently weaving it’s way towards approval from the Pasco Board of County Commissioners, is already preparing to begin selling homes with the flashy amenity as a big draw. The first lot closing was expected to happen by the end of 2016, and model homes will start to be framed by the end of January. The other Crystal Lagoon in Wesley Chapel also will be in the Connected City, Singleton says, in the Mirada community, which is just south of S.R. 52, a little further up Curley Rd. “The two Lagoons in Connected City have been planned for at least two years and provide another compelling reason for people to live, work, and play in Connected City,’’ Singleton says. Development of the Mirada community is expected to begin in the spring of 2017, and Metro is looking to break ground on that second Crystal Lagoon by the end of 2017. Metro, which also developed the Union Park community in Wesley Chapel, plans to build four Crystal Lagoons in Florida. Along with the two in Wesley Chapel, the developer intends to break ground on a lagoon in the SouthShore Bay community in South Hillsborough in spring of 2017, and will build another in a Fort Myers community called Brightwater. For more information about the Crystal Lagoons, visit Crystal-Lagoons. com. To see what else Metro Development Group has going on, check out MetroPlaces.com.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Browning: Carving Out New Boundaries A Fair, Albeit Painful Process By John C. Cotey

Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning knew heading into a months-long school rezoning process in Wesley Chapel — which was going to move students to the new Cypress Creek Middle/ High School on Old Pasco Rd., as well as relieve overcrowding elsewhere — that he was going to be facing some upset parents. He expected a few emails, some phone calls, maybe even a jeer or two at some of the public meetings. What he didn’t expect, however, was the intensity of the vitriol directed his way. “I think the personal attacks are tough,” Browning says. “I’m a pretty thick-skinned kind of guy, but still, it’s hard to read.” Browning doesn’t read a lot of the things written about him on Facebook, and when an email turns sour with profanity, he immediately discards it. “I’m okay with harsh words, I’m okay with tough facts, and people being unhappy with me, I get that,’’ he says. “But when you start using profane language and start personally attacking me based on things that have nothing to do with rezoning, (that’s where I draw the line).” In the Wesley Chapel process, Browning’s decision to step in and recommend Option 13 over Option 20, which was selected after months of meetings of the School Boundary Committee (SBC) as well as parents, has only intensified the hard feelings towards him. “I have a hard time with (Option) 20, because it moves more students and it

moves them multiple times,’’ Browning said. How seriously are parents in Wesley Chapel taking the boundary process and Browning’s entry into it? One emailer wrote, “May God have mercy on your souls.” “The level to which it has escalated is surprising,’’ Browning says. On Dec. 20, the School Board tentatively approved Option 13 for the 2017-18 school year, which moves students from Union Park, Country Walk and parts of Meadow Pointe III & IV from Dr. John Long Middle School and Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) to a zone where they will now attend Thomas E. Weightman Middle School and Wesley Chapel High (WCH). On Tuesday, January 17, the last public hearing will be held at the county School District office before the final vote takes place. Though once a seemingly smooth process, the shifting opinions and recommendations, as well as the high-running emotions of parents, has thrown it into disarray. Originally, the School Boundary Committee (SBC) had selected Option 12. That triggered a large protest in the form of a parent’s town hall that drew more than 1,000 Wesley Chapel residents — many of them wearing anti-12 shirts and lobbying hard for Option 20, which rezoned all of Seven Oaks for Weightman and WCH but preserved the current zones for Union Park, Country Walk and Meadow Pointe III & IV. On Dec. 2, the SBC ditched Option 12 and settled on a final recommendation of Option 20, setting off more fiery responses

Browning’s decision to step into the process was met with still more anger from people. Many parents were incensed that after a long process involving a committee of school principals, parents and county administrators, Browning intervened and essentially overruled all of their work.

The Conspiracy Theories

Kurt Browning in Wesley Chapel, as we reported in our Dec. 16 issue. “That’s when I came in and started looking with the staff at the number of times students would have to move,’’ Browning says, adding that he was concerned that, under Option 20, some students could end up rezoned three different times as the Wesley Chapel area continues to expand. “That’s when I made the recommendation to the School Board that we go back to the middle ground and Option 13, which keeps Seven Oaks at Wiregrass Ranch and then Union Park, and all of Meadow Pointe III and parts of Meadow Pointe IV go to Wesley Chapel High,’’ Browning says. “But, the line has to go someplace.”

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Although they existed before, Browning’s involvement has only heightened the number of conspiracies floating around the boundary process, including one alleging special relationships between Browning and Pasco County commissioner Mike Moore, who lives in Seven Oaks and has children attending Pasco public schools. “I’ve been accused of all kinds of things,’’ Browning says, adding that he has, “never had a private meeting or a private conversation with anyone from Seven Oaks, or Country Walk, or Union Park, or anywhere else when it comes to rezoning.” Browning calls Moore a friend, but adds that they don’t socialize. He says he has discussed impact fees with the commissioner, because eventually the decision will come before the BCC, which Moore chairs, but nothing about rezoning. Moore, whose wife Lauren works at WCH, said that any claims that he interfered with the process are ludicrous. “I have no problem sending my kids to any school in Wesley Chapel,’’ Moore says. “Other than that, I haven’t been involved at all.” Browning says that he injected himself into the process only after the SBC changed their mind twice. He said he reached out to the District’s director of planning Chris

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Williams, and asked him to explain why the committee went from Option 12 to 20. They met, looked over numbers and maps, and Browning says that he felt strongly that Option 13 met more of the goals of drawing new boundaries. “I knew as soon as I made that decision, that there was going to be a lot of backlash to it,’’ Browning says. “I am very respectful of the committees that do the work for the District…very respectful of that process. But also, there’s a law out there that says the superintendent is responsible for the efficient operation of the school district. Efficiency is everything anymore because of the dollars that we get or don’t get from Tallahassee to operate a district as large as the one we operate.” That efficiency includes keeping costs down. With the county already strapped for cash, moving school portables, which currently house the overflow of students at many schools, can leave a financial mark. “Under my recommendation, Option 13, we don’t have to move as many portables as under 20,’’ Browning says. “That’s a huge factor. It costs us $30,000 a portable just to move them.” Another consideration by Browning was ending the 10-day school periods WRH students have been operating on since 2015. Option 13, Browning says, eases overcrowding at WRH, which is currently operating at 168 percent capacity, or 1,025 students over it’s original cap of 1,633. “I will tell you, Wiregrass Ranch is not going to be on a 10-period day next year, or the next year,’’ Browning says. “We’ve got enough students out of Wiregrass Ranch this coming year, a drop of 450-500 kids, to get it off the 10-period day.”

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The Impact Fee Solution?

The bigger problem for Browning and students in Wesley Chapel, however, is the rapid growth of the area. Put simply, there are too many students for the number of middle and high schools in Wesley Chapel, so building another one — a new middle school on the current Cypress Creek Middle/High School campus — is paramount. But , Browning says the funds aren’t there for the likely cost of roughly $70-million. The School Board has decided to ask the Pasco Board of County Commissioners to double the county’s school impact fees, which are charged on newly built homes to pay for new classrooms, from the current $4,800 to $9,174 per single family home. The impact fee started out as a $1,651 charge in 2001 and has been adjusted twice. It now stands at $4,800 per single-family home, and hasn’t changed since 2008. An attempt to lower that figure in 2011 was defeated by a 3-2 vote by the BCC. “It needs to double,’’ Browning said, citing a recent study by the county’s consultants. “I’m saying we need the $9,000.” Browning says there is no capital money to put into new school construction. The Penny for Pasco tax voters approved only allows that money to be spent for technology enhancements, renovations and remodeling. “So, we’re kind of hogtied a little bit,’’ Browning adds. If doubled, the impact fees could generate another $125 million over the next 10 years for new schools, including the construction of Cypress Creek Middle School. The best-case scenario would mean a new school could be built in four years. “If we are successful in getting the impact fees increased to the level that will

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generate enough dollars quickly enough, the first school that we will probably want to look at would be the new Cypress Creek Middle School,’’ Browning says. “And, what that will allow us to do is literally open up 1,000 seats at Cypress Creek Middle/High.” That would trigger another rezoning, and students living in Seven Oaks would attend the new schools. “I think Seven Oaks is put on notice that when we open that middle school, they’re going to be rezoned to Cypress Creek,” Browning says. Rezoning is the nature of the beast in high development areas. Browning hears from a lot of out-of-state transplants who have never been through a rezoning process. He says many of them attended the same schools their parents and grandparents did. “I tell them that’s because they lived

in a neighborhood that was built out or not growing,’’ Browning says. “In Florida, when you look at the vast expanse of space, and Pasco County is right in the crosshairs of development, that’s (not going to happen).” There are no easy answers, and no way to make everyone happy, Browning says. But the questions — he says he sees those every day as he drives from Meadow Pointe Blvd. to Little Rd. on the other side of the county — in the form of new rooftops. “I jokingly tell people I drive that stretch of road with my eyes closed, because I don’t want to see all the rooftops, knowing there’s going to be kids under many of those rooftops. My question is, rhetorically, where am I going to put them?” For more information about the rezoning process, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/ Planning/Rezoning/.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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JANUARY 2017

Now - Thursday, February 2 - 9 AM - 3:30 PM

Pasco Fine Arts Council Member Show - Members will display their artwork at the Pasco Fine Arts Council (4145 Fairford Dr., New Port Richey). The exhibit is open Tues.-Thur., 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. For more information, visit PascoArts.org.

Now - Sunday, January 22

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, January 23 - 7:45 AM

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 more info, call Matt Archbold at 782-1777.

Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival - See story, next page.

Tuesday, January 24 - 6 PM

Saturday - January 14 - 10 AM - Noon

Saturday - January 28 - 9 AM - 5 PM

Wesley Chapel Lions Club - The Wesley Chapel Lions Club meets every 4th Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Hyundai of Wesley Chapel (27000 Wesley Chapel Blvd.). BayChapel Food Pantry - Free food to help needy families. Open every Saturday For more information about volunteering, community efforts, meetings, behind Christian Brothers Automotive on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., at 20300 Trout helping the vision impaired & more, visit the club on Facebook or at WesleyCreek Dr., New Tampa. For more info, visit BayChapel.org. ChapelLionsClub.com.

Saturday, January 14 - 9:30 AM-11:30 AM

Friendship Singers Practice - Volunteers who perform in local nursing homes, senior centers & assisted living facilities invite anyone who enjoys singing to join them for two practices & two concerts a month, including this practice at the Pasco Senior Services Center at 6801 Wisteria Loop Rd. in Land O’Lakes. For info, contact Joyce Ruby at 442-7879 or joyceruby99@yahoo.com.

Saturday - January 14 - 4 PM - 9 PM

Radiant 5K & ‘Light Up The Night’ - See story, next page.

Monday, January 16 - 6 PM

Wesley Chapel Speaks - The Wesley Chapel Toastmasters meet every Monday, 6 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Nissan (28519 S.R. 54). Call Martin at 693-0969.

Tuesday, January 17 - 7 PM

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.

Wednesday, January 18 - 7:30 AM

Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business pros dedicated to helping their member businesses grow through qualified referrals, meets every Wed., 7:30 a.m., at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Club clubhouse (10441 Cory Lake Dr.) in New Tampa. Call Bill Sullivan at 994-1143.

Wednesday, January 18 - Noon

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel (Noon) meets Wed. at noon at Quail Hollow Country Club (6225 Old Pasco Rd.). First-time guests attend for free. For more info, call 862-8989 or 391-3895.

Thursday, January 19 - 7:30 AM

BNI Networking Meeting - BNI, a networking organization, has a new chapter in Wesley Chapel. Business professionals are invited to attend on Thursdays at Quail Hollow Country Club. Call Vicky McShane to RSVP @ 714-6513.

Thursday, January 19 - 8 AM

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 994-9944.

Dade City Kumquat Festival - See story on page 1.

FEBRUARY 2017

Wednesday, February 8 - 7:30 AM

Wesley Chapel Breakfast Club - The Wesley Chapel Breakfast Club brings business people together to network & present their businesses to the group. The club meets the 2nd Wed. of each month at 7:30 a.m. at Cracker Barrel (5636 Oakley Blvd.). Call Bill at 992-3370.

Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 & 11 - 10 AM

Pasco Fine Arts Council “Call To Art” - Pasco Fine Arts’ “Art Annual,” its biggest competition of the year, is open to the public to submit works in all mediums. There are two categories, professional and non-professional, with prizes for both. Limit one entry per artist. Submit at the Art Center at 4145 Fairford Drive on Tuesday & Wednesday, Feb. 7 & 8 from 10 am - 3:30 pm and Saturday, Feb. 11, 10 am - noon. Show starts February 14. Call 727-845-7322 for details or visit PascoArts.org.

Thursday, February 9 - 6:30 PM

Wesley Chapel Republican Club - The club meets the second Thur. of each month, 6:30 pm., at Hyundai of Wesley Chapel (27000 Wesley Chapel Blvd.). New members & guests are welcome to enjoy networking, coffee, and dessert. For speaker schedules, call Peter Cracchiolo at 360-9813.

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.

Thursday, January 19 - 11:30 AM

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.

Thursday, January 19 - 7 PM

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 907-1313.

Friday, January 20 - 7:15 AM

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise meets every Friday at 7:15 a.m. at QHCC (6225 Old Pasco Rd.). For info, call Lynne Morgan at 695-6466.

Friday, January 20 - 2 PM

Mental Health Support Group - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of 14

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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‘Light Up The Night’ Event Starts With 5K Run Tomorrow

Tomorrow — Saturday, January 14, 4 p.m.-9 p.m. — we hope you’ll check out the “Light Up the Night” event to raise awareness of and combat human trafficking which is being co-sponsored by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and the Shops at Wiregrass mall. The event starts with the “Radiant 5K” road race, which will kick off from Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch at 4 p.m. An awards ceremony will be held immediately following the race at the mall, which also will host the Light Up the Night “Main Event,” starting at 6 p.m., with music, lots of great educational information and a great Kids Zone. Proceeds from the 5K race will benefit four nonprofit organizations fighting human trafficking, including Bridging Freedom (logo above), the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, The Porch Light and Redefining Refuge. For registration and more info, visit Active.com and search “Radiant 5K” or LightUptheNightTampaBay.com.

Dazz Band & David Sanborn Among Top Acts At Music Fest! The 17th annual Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival (TBBHF) will be held January 12-22. The Festival’s Music Fest will be held the weekend after the MLK holiday — January 21-22 — and will host a variety of family-friendly, arts, culture, and musical events while continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The electrifying two-day Music Fest will take place along the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park (600 N. Ashley Dr.) and will feature Grammy Award winning group The Dazz Band, with hit songs “Let It Whip,” “Swoop” and “Joystick.” Also appearing are Neo Soul artist Anthony David and Jazz Super Legend David Sanborn (photo), who has had countless hits over the past four decades. For more information about the festival, visit TampaBlackHeritage.org.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Children From Newborns To Age 21 Get Quality Care At Tendercare Pediatrics By Celeste McLaughlin Dr. Lalitha Raguthu is the new owner of Tendercare Pediatrics in the Summergate Professional Park, located behind Sam’s Club off S.R. 56. Dr. Raguthu bought the practice with her husband, Dr. Durga Chintakayala, or “Dr. Chinta” for short. The pair already own Blossom Pediatric Care on E. Martin Luther King Blvd. in Tampa, where Dr. Chinta has been in solo practice for the last three years, with Dr. Raguthu occasionally covering for him. Now, she is the primary doctor at Tendercare, and he covers for her as needed. “One of us is always here,” Dr. Chinta says. “When Dr. Raguthu is away at conferences, I see the patients.” Dr. Chinta and Dr. Raguthu have been married for 22 years and have two children. Their son, Sahas, is 15, and their daughter Sveta, is 12. The New Tampa residents are happy to have a practice closer to home. Tendercare Pediatrics previously was owned by Dr. Radhika Ranganathan. Your child will always see either Dr. Durga Chintakayala (left) or his wife, Dr. “The opportunity arose for us to buy Lalitha Raguthu, at Tendercare Pediatrics in the Summergate Professional Park. this practice, and it was a quick transition,” says Dr. Chinta. one year in Urgent Care at Montefiore Medi- Chinta worked at the VA New York Harbor The couple bought their home in Cory Health Care System and also worked as an cal Center in the Bronx. Lake Isles in 2013, when Dr. Chinta accepted She had previously earned her MBBS emergency physician and urgent care doctor a position in the spinal cord unit at the James degree (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of at Montefiore Medical Center. A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa. At the Surgery; equivalent to the M.D. degree in Dr. Chinta earned his MBBS degree same time, they opened Blossom Pediatric the U.S.) from the Mahadevappa Rampure from Guntur Medical College in Guntur, Care, and Dr. Raguthu began working at Medical College in Gulbarga, India. She India. He then did a one-year post-doctoral Night Owl Pediatrics on Cross Creek Blvd. did her residency at Brookdale University fellowship in nuclear medicine at the Johns Prior to that, the couple lived in New Hospital & Medical Center in Brooklyn and Hopkins University School of Medicine in York City, where Dr. Raguthu spent three served a one-year fellowship in Neurology at Baltimore, MD. He completed his residency years working in the emergency room at the New York University in Manhattan, NY. in family medicine at St. Vincent’s Catholic Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn and During their time in New York, Dr. Medical Center in New York, NY.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Check Out The Changes

Dr. Raguthu is proud to show off the new play area (photo, right) she created in the waiting room, so little ones don’t get antsy if they have to wait a few minutes to see the doctor. Even more than that, she says she gets a great response from patients when they visit her new room for nursing mothers. “A lot of mothers are breastfeeding, and that’s very important,” says Dr. Raguthu. “We want to give them privacy and encourage breastfeeding, so we created a nursing room just for them.” She says parents can feel comfortable bringing their kids to her, especially when they are sick or injured. “I have a lot of experience in urgent and acute care,” says Dr. Raguthu, explaining that she is well trained in handling emergency issues if they arise, such as acute asthma or lacerations. “We are accepting new patients, and we especially want to welcome back any patients who were with the practice before we came here,” says Dr. Raguthu, explaining that insurance companies have told former Tendercare patients that they needed to find a new doctor because Dr. Ranganathan no longer took their insurance. Dr. Raguthu wants those patients to know that while Dr. Ranganathan is no longer at the practice, Tendercare Pediatrics can accept their insurance. They can continue coming to the practice where they are already established, and she is there waiting to see them. Dr. Raguthu says that the new office offers an improved experience for anyone who

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She adds that she also has experienced recovering from a stroke that she suffered right after medical school. “I look at life differently because of my experiences,” she says. “I appreciate things that are often taken for granted, like walking, talking, even picking up the phone with my right hand,” all things she could not do at one point. “I can feel the pain of every mother who calls with a concern,” she says. “I never brush them off.”

Always Available For Patients has been to Tendercare Pediatrics in the past. Sowmya Ayyala, a mom who lives in Arbor Greene and has taken her two daughters, ages 4 and 1, to Tendercare Pediatrics since they were born, says that the claim is true. “It was a very smooth transition,” says Sowmya. “Dr. Raguthu spends good, quality time for each visit, and the wait is usually only 10-15 minutes from the front desk until the time I see the doctor. On all my visits, she spends a lot of time explaining everything, and medically, what she recommends works for my daughters.” Sowmya also admits that she was, “concerned about having a new pediatrician because I was used to the other one, but I had met Dr. Raguthu at an urgent care and I liked her then. I thought I would try a couple of visits, and I’ve had a fantastic experience.” Dr. Raguthu believes that her own personal journey has helped her to be a more empathetic practitioner. “I love kids,” she says. “My husband and I were in medical school when we lost our infant baby, who was three months old. That’s where my interest in pediatrics really started.”

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As a primarily solo practitioner, Dr. Raguthu makes herself available in a way you might not find in a larger practice. “I am accessible via phone 24/7,” she says. “After hours, the business phones roll over directly to my cell phone.” She says she generally adds her patients to her contacts so she can text them to follow up. “I want them to have a personal touch,” she says. “My patients appreciate the fact that I can help them on weekends by providing triage care and calling in prescriptions. I do as much as I can to help them after hours.” Tendercare Pediatrics is accepting new patients from birth to age 21, and accepts self-pay patients, as well as those with Medicaid or private insurance. “We welcome walk-ins, so feel free to just come by,” she says. “When patients call, we are happy to give them a same-day appointment if we can, and most of the time we’re able to.” Tendercare Pediatrics is located at 27432 Cashford Cir., Suite 102. The office is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information about the practice, see the ad on page 10 of this issue or call 973-9900.

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SPOTLIGHT ON...Don’s Dogs! Christmas is a popular time of the year for giving puppies as presents, but while, “they make great gifts, but they also come with a lot of responsibility,’’ says local dog trainer Don Grady. Don’s Dogs, a come-to-your-home dog training business, is currently working with roughly two dozen clients, some of whom are having Don train their new holiday puppies. If you’re a parent running your kids all over town or traveling a lot on business, you don’t want to leave training the new household member to chance. Puppies are the easiest to work with, and it is best to train them young, something not everyone puts the right amount of time or effort into. That’s when you call Don. In fact, Don encourages you call him before you pick out that new pet. He can give you advice on what kind of dog would fit your family best, based mostly on temperament and activity level. Far too many people start out with a bad match by not doing their research, and there is nothing sadder than having to return a family pet. Don will usually make an appointment with a new client at their home, to interact with the dog in its own environment for its first session and see how the dog’s owner or owners react as well. Every dog is different, Don says, and they often require different training methods. Don will train adult dogs, too, although they are usually a little harder

to train. The level of training depends upon what the client is looking for — most just want a dog that behaves well at home — but 20-30 percent, Don says, desire further training so their dog can become a therapy pet, able to spread joy while visiting schools and hospitals. Depending upon what his clients are looking for, Don crafts a specific course for each dog. “I tell people it’s like college courses,’’ he said. “There’s undergrad, Masters and Doctorate.” Don is an AKC-approved “Canine Good Citizen,” or CGC Evaluator, and can administer the CGC, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and AKC Community Canine programs. For more info, visit DonsDogsTraining.com, visit his Facebook page, or email donsdogs@yahoo.com. Or, call him at 784-2698, or see the ad on pg. 8.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Premier Heart & Vascular Doctors Keep Hearts Pumping & Blood Flowing By Brad Stager Over the course of a lifetime, a healthy human heart proves itself to be a reliable muscular pump, beating thousands of times a day and sending blood throughout the body via a network of veins, vessels and capillaries. When working right, most people don’t even notice this life-supporting cardiovascular system functioning. But, when something goes wrong, such as clogged arteries, heart disease or other damage, the physicians and staff of Premier Heart & Vascular Center in the Summergate Professional Park off S.R. 56. Dr. Sunil Gupta, MD, FACC (Fellow of the American College of Cardiology), founded the practice with an objective that has remained constant throughout its 15-year existence. “Our goal is to provide care to patients and do it promptly and do it right,’’ says Dr. Gupta, whose FACC fellowship was conferred by virtue of his cardiology training at the Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, NJ. “That’s what drives us.” According to Dr. Ketul Chauhan, MD, FACC, another one of the physicians at Premier Heart & Vascular, patients benefit from the ability to devote the substantial resources and knowledge available within the practice to provide needed treatment. “We’re able to take care of them from seeing them and diagnosing them to consulting with them and fixing them with interventional procedures if needed,” Dr. Chauhan says. That’s as comprehensive as it gets.” Dr. Chauhan earned his M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West

area, from Carrollwood to Lakeland. An additional clinic in Dade City is closed because it is in the process of being relocated. Dr. Gupta says Premier has grown by performing work that promotes a good reputation in the local cardiology community, which brings in more patients and qualified professionals to treat them. “Because of our reputation, we are able to attract good people to work for us — physicians, physician assistants and other staff members,” he says. All of the doctors are Board-certified cardiologists, with advanced training in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular disease.

A Variety Of Sub-Specialties

The Premier Heart and Vascular team: (Back row, l.-r.) Dr. Konstantinos Marmagkiolis, MD; Dr. Chetan Khamare, MD; Dr. Rajesh Lall, MD; and Dr. Vikas Soma, MD. (Middle row) Dr. Jaime Caballero, MD; Dr. Sunil Gupta, MD; Dr. Ketul Chauhan, MD; Tracee Eger, PA-C.(Front row) Marilyn Joseph, ARNP; Andrea Harkins, PA-C; Sabrina Tedesco, PA-C; Kristina Long, PA-C; Michele Gordon, PA-C. Indies, and earned his FACC through Tampa General Hospital. Premier’s physicians specialize in interventional cardiology and among the non-invasive services provided to patients are diagnostic procedures like tilt-table, treadmill and pharmacological tests; as well as Coumadin, pacemaker/defibrillator, and congestive heart failure (CHF) clinics. They also perform laser vein ablation, which treats varicose veins by sealing them. Invasive procedures performed on an inpa-

tient basis include angioplasty, which uses small balloons to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels, and implanting stents (small, mesh-like devices made of metal, which are placed inside of a coronary artery to support and keep it open to ensure adequate blood flow). Pacemaker implantation as well as heart valve repairs and replacements also are performed. There are seven physicians who are part of the Premier Heart & Vascular team, treating patients at five clinics in the Tampa Bay

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Each physician also brings unique knowledge and skills that emphasize particular aspects of the field, such as Dr. Chetan Khamare, MD, FACC, who has a focus on congestive heart failure. Dr. Khamare received his M.D. degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Portsmouth, Dominica, and earned his FACC through his work at West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown. When there are structural problems with a patient’s heart, such as a defective valve, Dr. Konstantinos Marmagkiolis, MD, FACC, contributes his expertise of the emerging field of structural heart disease. Dr. Marmagkiolis graduated with his M.D. degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine in Thessaloniki, Greece, and achieved his FACC through the Montreal Heart Institute of the University of Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Supporting the body’s natural cardiovascular system with technology such as stents

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and pacemakers requires a deft hand and the training required to implant devices. Dr. Chauhan performs device implants, as does Dr. Vikas Soma, MD, FACC, whose M.D. degree was awarded by Santiago University of Technology School of Medicine in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Dr. Soma’s FACC was achieved through his fellowship training at St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers in New York, NY. One of the ways that cardiac health is evaluated is through stress tests conducted using nuclear isotopes. Besides earning his medical degree from the University of Debrecen Medical & Health Science Institute in Debrecen, Hungary, and his FACC fellowship training at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Dr. Rajesh Lall, MD, FACC, also is Board-certified in nuclear cardiology. Also supporting Premier Heart & Vascular’s nuclear cardiology program is Dr. Jaime Caballero, MD, FACC, who also has received training in the proper handling of radioactive materials used in the practice’s accredited nuclear stress test lab. Dr. Caballero earned his M.D. degree from the University of Tolima School of Medicine in Ibagué, Colombia, and received his cardiac fellowship training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. It can be stressful when people find themselves needing the services of a cardiologist and Premier’s Wesley Chapel office manager, Lisa Sylvester, has the prescription for easing patients’ concerns. “From the time they walk in the door, the greeting is important. Smiles on the faces are big,” she says. “It could be their first time at a cardiologist, so it’s important to let them know that we are here to help them.” Dr. Gupta also recognizes that patient care begins with caring professionals.

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“It’s the people,” he says. “Our defining principle is doing the right thing and that allows us to always put the patient first.”

Outstanding Reviews & More

Louis Capasso expresses his patient satisfaction by awarding Premier a five-star Google review with the comment, “Fantastic. Everything was explained to me so that I understood things,” he wrote. Premier accepts a long list of insurance plans and is willing to add to it, according to Robbie Balbontin, RN, who as Premier’s clinical manager, coordinates the practice’s administrative operations. “We take everything,” she says. “If we don’t take it, we’ll apply for it.” Premier also accepts Medicare and even Medicaid, which Balbontin says is not typical. “We’re one of the few cardiology practices that accepts Medicaid.” Since starting the practice 15 years ago, Dr. Gupta has seen it grow to its current level of five locations employing 45 healthcare professionals. “We are surprised at how fast we are able to grow,” he says. “More patients are coming to us and more doctors are joining us.” Much of that growth is taking place at the Wesley Chapel office, which opened seven years ago. In order to accommodate the increase in patients, Premier is moving to a new 8,000-sq.-ft. building to be located across Bruce B. Downs Blvd. from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel this summer. Premier Heart & Vascular Center’s Wesley Chapel is currently located in the Summergate Professional Park at 27424 Cashford Cir. You can learn more about Premier by visiting online at PremierHeartandVascular.com, by calling 788-1400 or see the ad on pg. 31.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Cabinet & Stone International Specializes In Unique Home Decor Items By Brad Stager Wesley Chapel homeowners considering a new look for the new year can find plenty of design options for their kitchen and bath areas at Cabinet & Stone International on N. 56th St., south of the Hillsborough River and across the street from King High in Tampa, just south of Temple Terrace. With 3,000 square feet of showroom space displaying cabinets, sinks and fixtures, along with a warehouse ten times as large that is filled with merchandise that’s ready to be delivered and installed, customers benefit from Cabinet & Stone’s variety and convenience. “We provide a one-stop shop, from measuring, to design and installation and give a really quick turnaround time,” says long-time New Tampa resident Hui Yu, who runs the business with her brother, Ron. “We can do a kitchen within a week.” Services provided begin with helping a customer develop a home-improvement vision, either online at CabinetnStoneIntl. com or at the N. 56th St. showroom, which is less than 30 minutes from most points in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. Hands-on involvement includes a personal consultation between a customer and a design professional, measuring the kitchen or bath and installing the purchased products. Tying all of the pieces of a remodeling project together, from a design perspective, is one of the things Hui says she enjoys about the business. “If a customer is open to what we can do, we tell them about up-to-date trends and can give suggestions, like what paint color will go best with the cabinets they choose,” she says.

of solid oak with a honey-colored stain, to the modern lines and accents of the Manhattan Espresso cabinet, constructed of maple wood and stained to a richly dark hue. Other color stains on the menu include cherry, toffee, mocha, café and several shades of white, such as French vanilla and creme de blanc. The finishing touches to any cabinet makeover are the knobs and handles and there’s a complete selection of Jeffrey Alexander brand hardware from which to select. By working directly with a manufacturer in China, Hui and Ron are able to maintain a high level of quality in their merchandise and keep their warehouse stocked with competitively priced inventory that they import. “Our customers are paying less to get more,” says Hui.

A Little History…

Hui Yu is the president of Cabinet & Stone International, which sells and installs kitchen and bathroom cabinets, granite and marble countertops and vanities on N. 56th St. Ron agrees that there’s a lot of satisfaction in working with customers. “I like to help the customer design the kitchen and pick out the cabinets and granite and work with them from start to finish,” he says. Visitors to the showroom can view first-hand all of the cabinets, countertops, sinks and related hardware. There are display kitchens in the main customer service area and bathroom vanities available for viewing in an adjoining showroom. Marble countertops are available in

colors and styles ranging from Baltic Brown to Blue Barracuda. If customers want to explore more options, Cabinet & Stone design consultants can refer them to one of their local vendors to pick out a slab with just the right veining and finish to be incorporated into a functional masterpiece. All cabinets at Cabinet & Stone are made of wood, not particle board. The fronts are all solid wood, such as oak, maple or birch, with plywood boxes. Choices range from American Classic model cabinets made

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Since initially opening its doors in a smaller storefront on nearby Hillsborough Ave. in 2004, Cabinet & Stone International has expanded considerably, drawing customers from across the state to its current showroom, as well as nationwide to its website. “At the time that we opened this, we didn’t think it would get this big,” says Hui, who attributes much of the company’s growth to its current level of about 500 orders a month, and to satisfied customers like Carlos Curnow telling other people about their experience. “I went to Home Depot and Lowe’s, but they (Cabinet & Stone) had the best price and I was able to pick it up quicker,” says Curnow, who bought two bath vanities for his home.

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ities and sinks in photographs illustrating the products from detailed close-ups to depictions of finished installations. Hui credits the website with extending her company’s reach far beyond the local market. The Cabinet & Stone International Facebook page provides flexibility to highlight new products and recent projects, including before-and-after photographs that show how much a kitchen or bathroom’s appearance and functionality can be improved when you add the right cabinets and fixtures. For “DIY” enthusiasts who want to install their Cabinet & Stone purchases themselves, the (Above) Cabinet & Stone International provides one-stop shop- company’s YouTube channel — ping for upgrading kitchens and bathrooms at the company’sCabinet & Stone INTL — has Temple Terrace showroom. videos showing how to assemble everything from a spice rack to a In addition to individual retail conthree-drawer base cabinet. sumers, Hui and Ron also serve commercial Whether customers visit in person or customers, like real estate agents who need online, whether their projects are big or to refurbish a house before it goes on the small, Hui and Ron and their awesome staff market, developers building new homes and offer the same commitment to fulfilling every out-of-state decorating businesses that want customer’s needs. to sell Cabinet & Stone’s line of products. “We want to be able to provide for whoMarketing the company’s goods and serever needs our unique line of cabinets with vices goes beyond word of mouth. Hui says good service, quality products and competiadvertising in the Neighborhood News serves tive pricing,” Hui says. her company well because she knows her ads, To learn more about how Cabinet & which frequently include special offers, are Stone International can help with your reaching people who are potential customers. kitchen and bath remodeling needs, call “We know that it goes to every single 887-5658, visit the showroom at 6606 N. household,” she says. 56th St. in Temple Terrace or go online to As for promoting the company on digCabinetnStoneIntl.com, or check out the ital platforms, visitors to Cabinet & Stone’s website can view cabinets, countertops, vanad on page 30.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Samantha Taylor Helps Women Look Their Best, Even Indeprivation Their 60s! diets. They’re

By Celeste McLaughlin As women age, personal trainer Samantha Taylor says they gain weight and lose muscle if they don’t do something to stop it. While many women in their 60s think they have to accept their bodies’ decline because they’re getting older, Samantha says that’s just not true. “Sixty is truly the new 40,” she says. “We’re teaching women a way to eat that they love. It’s not a diet, not a pill, not shots; just understanding how to eat, how to work out their muscles for tone, and develop a healthy lifestyle they can keep for life.” All this happens at Samantha Taylor Fitness, located across the street from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. Samantha’s first location is nearby in Land O’Lakes, off of S.R. 54 on Knight Rd., and she just opened her third location, in Carrollwood, on Dec. 15. At all three locations, Samantha offers her Pure Health Personal Training and Fit Body Boot Camp programs. Both include fitness training and nutritional counseling for women only, helping them to “age backwards,” as Samantha says. Both 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 small group sessions. In addition to personal training sessions, each cli-

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 women no longer have to take cholesterol or blood pressure medication, and no longer suffer from muscle pains and aches.”

Cathy’s Story

One of those women is Cathy Moreland, who joined Pure Health Personal Training more than a year ago. She says the small group personal training has completely transSamantha Taylor (third from left in front row) focuses on helping women lose — and keep off — those formed her life. unwanted pounds with her Pure Health Personal Training & Fit Body Boot Camp programs. “I had done every diet under the sun,” says Cathy. ent also meets with an assigned results coach years ago and launched her own business 17 “I was taking blood pressure monthly, to be sure they’re progressing. years ago. During that time, she estimates medication, cholesterol medication, and was Clients who choose Samantha’s Fit that she has trained 5,000 local women. seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis for my Body Boot Camp attend regular or beginner Samantha uses her experience as a personal hips, back, and knees. I was worried about Fit Body Boot Camp sessions, which vary in trainer, seeing what works and what doesn’t heart problems because I’m 64 and both my cardiovascular intensity levels. Several classes with her many clients, and her years of parents had bypass surgery in their 70s.” are offered every day, and women choose intensely studying the human body to coach She says that on other programs, she three or more times each week to attend. women in fitness and healthy eating. would often hit her goal weight, then gain “We are getting women in amazing “Most of the people who come to us it all back. With Samantha, she says the shape,” Samantha says. She is a Certified have done all the diets,” says Samantha. focus is on education, plus both eating and Personal Trainer who began her career 24 “The shakes, pills, protein diets and calorie getting physically fit.

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“Actually, I lost a pound,” she says. “We walked so much, and I was never sore, sick, or tired.” She explains she was with a group of 43 people, and she would watch other people eat, then complain of being stuffed and bloated. Many also complained of sore feet or back pain. “I wanted to tell them, ‘I know why you feel like you feel, and I know why I feel like I feel,’” adding that she enjoyed all the foods she knew she could eat, such as filling up in the morning on the hotel breakfast buffet of eggs, bacon, cheese, and fruit, and taking a piece of fruit from the buffet for a Samantha Taylor (left) and Cathy Moreland, who has lost 40 snack later on. pounds and six inches in 15 months. “I wasn’t hungry, I just didn’t overeat,” “I didn’t realize that I’d learn so much she says. “I didn’t crave pasta and bread. It about my physical, internal health,” Cathy sounds unbelievable, but it was amazing.” says, or that she would be able to stop taking the medications she was on. “Now I know how to eat, and I enjoy it. I’ve done it for The Six-Week Challenge 15 months, and I’m not worried about ever Samantha offers six-week “Body Transputting the weight back on again.” formation Challenges,” where she gives away Cathy has lost 40 pounds, as well as thousands of dollars in prizes, including a six inches around her waist. And, Cathy just Grand Prize cruise for two. Her last six-week passed the ultimate test — a three-week challenge recently wrapped up, with particivacation in Italy, the land of bread, pasta, and pants losing a combined 1,000 pounds. wine. So, how much weight did she gain on The next challenge will begin on Januher vacation? ary 23. To register, or for more information,

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go to 6weekBTC.com. Just like in previous challenges, the woman who loses the most weight will win a cruise.

Expanding Into New Tampa

Samantha says her business continues to grow and expand, and she’s excited about her future plans in New Tampa. She recently bought 13 acres of property on County Line Rd. near Grand Hampton and is planning to build a 9,000-square-foot building. “We will offer personal training and boot camp, plus have a kitchen with a fulltime chef,” Samantha says. “We’ll offer cooking classes and healthy prepared meals, along with a spa for massage and maybe facials.” She anticipates opening the new location in early 2018. Samantha says something else new that she’s been doing recently is a segment on

“Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend,” which airs on WFTS-TV, the local ABC affiliate. She brings guests on the show, sometimes clients, and shares what she calls, “ridiculous, delicious recipes.” For recipes and to view segments of the show, including Cathy’s story in her own words from when she was Samantha’s guest on “Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend,” visit SamanthaTaylorFitness.com. On her website, you can also get more information about her programs and her upcoming seminar, “5 Simple Keys to Get Results in 2017,” which will be held on Saturday, January 7, 12:30 p.m. The Wesley Chapel Samantha Taylor Fitness studio is located is at 2653 BBD Blvd., Suite 205 (second floor). For more info, see her website, the ad on page 33 or call 377-3739.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Hetzler-Nettles Picked To Head Up New Cypress Creek Middle/High School Carin Hetzler-Nettles (photo), who is credited with helping breathe fresh life into Wesley Chapel High (WCH) since taking over as principal in 2009, is moving on to a new challenge: opening a new school right down the road. Hetzler-Nettles has been appointed the new principal at Cypress Creek Middle-High School (below), which is scheduled to open

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in time for the 2017-18 school year. Cypress Creek is located on Old Pasco Rd. The new school will have close to 2,000 students (see page 10) in grades six through 11 next year, with a large portion of those former students at WCH who will be familiar with their new principal. Hetzler-Nettles, 42, has been a district employee since 1996. She started as a special education teacher at River Ridge Middle School in New Port Richey, taught at East Bay High in Gibsonton and then returned to Pasco County when she took a teaching job at Mitchell before receiving a promotion to assistant principal in 2004. While at WCH, Hetzler-Nettles was named the Secondary Principal of the Year in Pasco County for 2012. — JCC

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

DICK’s Tournament Of Champions — Another Weekend Of Satisfied Customers By John C. Cotey Even though it was a lacrosse tournament, Eric Marsh was dropping back to throw a pass. He looked downfield, and let a deep ball fly from his fingertips. At the end of his high, sailing pass, at least a dozen teenagers in lacrosse uniforms fought to catch the ball. For Marsh, the coach of the Team Sconnie lacrosse squad that competed at the 11th annual DICK’s Tournament of Champions (ToC) at the Wesley Chapel District Park on Boyette Rd., it was the perfect warm-up in some of the most perfect weather he and his Wisconsin-based team had seen in weeks. “We come here for the competition, but the weather is a big draw,’’ Marsh said. “Who wouldn’t love this? We left 20 degrees and snow.” Team Sconnie wasn’t the only team to escape colder temperatures the weekend of Dec. 29-31 for a shot at a national title and some time in the sun. The tournament hosted 53 teams, including two from Ontario, Canada, and others from winter wonderlands like New York, Michigan, Colorado and Pennsylvania. In all, 16 states were represented at the event, the same amount as last year. However, the number of teams was significantly less than last year’s total of 73, and marked the second consecutive year the tournament was played with 20 fewer teams than the year before. But, that didn’t seem to concern Josh Gross, the vice-president of Colorado-based National Development Program (NDP) Lacrosse, which puts on the event. “The numbers are down a little, but the good news is, in calls with teams in November and December, there are teams that are already planning their vacations and their la-

Wesley Chapel’s Salvatore D’Alessandro gets off a shot against Maryland’s Lionheart Lacrosse. crosse trip down here for next year,’’ Gross said. “So, that gives me great hope and promise that next year’s tournament will get back to the numbers we are looking for and provide more exposure for the teams.” Teams earn bids at regional qualifying tournaments to compete in the five DICK’s ToC divisions — Elite, Rising Stars and 15-, 13- and 11-Under. One of those qualifiers, the Derek Pieper Memorial Cup, is held in Wesley Chapel. Gross didn’t say what an ideal number was for the event, which started in 2006 and has been held in Wesley Chapel every year since 2008. In the past, the DICK’s ToC has

drawn as many as 115 teams. “More teams mean more challenges for the players, and it also means more revenue, more ‘heads in beds’ and more tourism dollars,’’ Gross said. “What I want is for the teams to have a great experience when they come down here. I want them to see good and unique competition. When there’s 10 teams in a division and they are all from different states, that’s exciting for a player. But, I don’t know if there’s necessarily a sweet spot for the number of teams.” Getting teams here over the holidays is a tougher chore than it has been in year’s past, as well. Airfare travel is always pricier in December — Gross said more teams drove to the

event this year than in years past — and teams have to deal with players going on family vacations this time of year, sometimes making it hard to bring their full teams. The smaller field did allow the tournament to be held entirely at the Wesley Chapel District Park, which created a better atmosphere, Gross said. In years past, some of the matches had to be played at nearby Wesley Chapel High. And, the competition was again stellar, as the local program from the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association (WCAA), the Pasco Lions, had trouble keeping up, with the exception of a surprising performance in the Rising Stars division. The Lions finished 3-3 in Rising Stars pool play, and went 1-2 after it advanced to bracket play. Both teams the Lions lost to in bracket play — Team Sconnie and the Bay Area Sand Sharks — the local team had beaten in pool play. The Lions were one of the surprise teams after winning their first three matches. “I thought we did really well,’’ said the team’s coach, T.J. FitzSimons. “We didn’t expect to be in the thick of it, but we did expect to be competitive.” The Lions, who won the Derek Pieper Memorial Cup Nov. 19-20 to qualify for the DICK’s ToC, were led by goalie A.J. Tallagsen and attackman Salvatore D’Alessandro. In other local results at the ToC, the Pasco Lions 13U team finished 0-5, and the 15U team went 3-5, for a ninth-place finish.

Getting Better By Playing Better Teams

For FitzSimons, whose father Tom is the president of the WCAA and a longtime proponent of lacrosse who helps organize the yearly DICK’s ToC event, said the tougher

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Pasco Lion defender Ryan Oakes sets his target on an opposing offensive player. a 3-4 record. “It’s the only reason you really do something like this. We can compete with most of the teams, but most of these teams are just so much deeper.” This was the first year of a new twoyear contract signed in June between Pasco County and NDP. The event, which the county says has an estimated annual economic impact of $3 million, has been Pasco tourism’s anchor sporting event for the last decade. Pasco County also contributed $90,000 to help cover the costs of the event.

competition only helps programs like his. “It’s nice to get a chance to see where the country stands,’’ T.J. FitzSimons said . “It gives the guys a lot of confidence to see that they can play with anybody.” Marsh agreed. His program is based in Appleton, WI, and lacrosse is still a relatively new sport to the area. This was his third trip to the DICK’s ToC, and he took a new set of players to get the experience and to face the best teams they could find. “That’s why we traveled so far,’’ said Marsh, whose team finished the week with

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

WCH Soccer Girls’ Ferocious Forwards Also Are Pernicous Passers

in the top 13 of all goal scorers in Florida’s Class 3A. While 2016-17 has been the first full year that they’ve played together in high school, their connection dates back to their one season on the same team at Weightman Middle School, when Hern was an eighthgrader and Mitchell was in seventh. They only overlapped one season at Weightman, as Hern attended Stewart MS for her sixth and seventh-grade seasons, but the chemistry was in the air even then. “It made the game easier for me, having someone like that playing forward with me,” Hern says. “That’s definitely where the chemistry started.” Yet, it would take a few years before the pairing really started to come to fruition. Hern played on a struggling 4-131 team her freshman year at WCH while Mitchell was still at Weightman. The duo was reunited for Hern’s sophomore season, but an injury sidelined Mitchell and the two didn’t share the field much. Hern, however, burst onto the prep scene with 30 goals and 18 assists during the 2014-15 season. “It was hard at first with Tori’s injury,” Clark says. “But, we knew what the future held with these two, one day.” The knee injury that sidelined Mitchell for much of her freshman season also cut into her sophomore campaign last season as well. She managed to play in 11 of the team’s 14 games in 2015-16, and the pair combined for 41 goals, with Hern scoring 22 and Mitchell tallying 19. WCH finished as the District 3A-7 runners up, dropping a 2-1 overtime loss to Pasco in the title game. This season, the tenacious tandem is back together full time and devouring opposing defenses. What’s more, they are both tallying up assists at a fairly impressive rate, too. Currently, Hern leads the team with 14, and Mitchell has eight. “We know where the other one likes the ball, and we know where they’re going to run to get the ball,” Hern says. Even when Hern has to drop back to the midfield, she still knows where Mitchell will be and where she is going. Senior forward Bailey Hern has 30 goals, and has “Bailey is so versatile, she can drop scored 82 in three years on varsity, with 45 assists. back and play midfield to help out if we (Photo courtesy of TheCSSN.com) have an injury,” Mitchell said. “I know By Andy Warrener

As the sun sets on the 2016-17 winter girls soccer regular season, the Wesley Chapel High (WCH) Wildcats are looking like a team poised to make a deep playoff run and possibly take home the first girls soccer district title in school history. It’s thanks in large part to the team’s two high-scoring forwards, senior Bailey Hern and junior Tori Mitchell. “It’s great to watch,” WCH head coach Michelle Clark says. “They know where the other one is going to be and even when I move them to different positions, they still play off of each other.” Coming out of Christmas break as the team heads into the Class 3A, District 7 tournament next week as the No. 2 seed, Mitchell now has a team-best 32 goals in 14 games played, and Hern is right behind her with 30 (in 17 games) for the Wildcats, who are 13-3-2, including 10-1-2 in Class 3A, District 7 play. Mitchell has notched seven hat tricks this season, including four in an 11-day span last month. Hern has four. Their season totals rank both of them

After fighting through injuries her first season, Victoria Mitchell has emerged as one of Pasco County’s top strikers, leading Wesley Chapel with 32 goals heading into the District 3A-7 playoffs. (Photo courtesy of TheCSSN.com) she’s always looking for me and she really pushes them over the top, namely against knows how to get me the ball.” District 3A-7 rival Pasco. The Wildcats Both readily admit that most of their tied the Pirates earlier in the season and fell assists are to each other, but teammates like 5-3 two weeks later with an injury-plagued freshmen Sophia Mitchell (11 goals, six as- squad. sists) and Sydney Martin (five goals, six asThe Pirates, who went 12-0-1 in the sists) and seniors Kelly Vester (nine goals, district, will be the top seed in the 3A-7 11 assists) and Lauren Campoe (three tournament, which begins next week at goals, nine assists) have helped make the of- Weeki Wachee High in Hernando County. fense one of the best in the Tampa Bay area. Last season, the Wildcats scored 83 Bulls Prepping For Tough goals in 21 matches and made the 3A Re- District Tourney The Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) gional semifinals. This season, they have found the back of the net 103 times in 18 girls soccer team was 6-6-5 with a handful matches, or more than 5.7 goals per game. of games remaining prior to its Class 5A, “Even if we make mistakes, we are able District 7 tournament next week at Steinto come back from them,” Clark says. “Any brenner High in Tampa. The Bulls will likely draw either the time (we’ve fallen behind) 1-0 this season, Wharton Wildcats (10-3-3) or the host it’s like we’ve come back even stronger.” With the Mitchell-Hern combo up Warriors (8-1-1) in the first round of the top, it can be tough for opponents to stay tournament. They went into the Christin the game. The Wildcats have won 11 of mas break on a three-game winning streak, outscoring opponents Fivay, Hudson and their 13 wins by at least five goals. “This year, we have depth that we Ridgewood by a combined 13-0. Freshhaven’t had in years past,” Clark says. “The man keeper Hanna Taugner post all three girls that come off the bench this year, play shutouts in net. Junior Ryland Robinson leads the at a higher level than the subs we’ve had in team with seven goals and four assists, and years past.” Clark and her team hope that this senior Saoirse Brown has six goals.

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Must-See:

The

If you can make it to only one show a year, let Shen Yun be your show of choice. And, Wesley Chapel residents have three options when you can check out this awesome dance spectacle fairly close to home — on January 27-28, at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, February 7-8, at the Lakeland Center; and February 10-12 at the Venice Performing Arts Center. Since its inception, this classical Chinese dance company has taken off with, literally, flying colors. The pageantry of dance and music is a stunning display of Chinese civilization — with dancers spinning and leaping through the air in brilliant handmade costumes that take your breath away. Shen Yun Performing Arts had humble beginnings as a small nonprofit organization based in upstate New York. It was established by a group of talented ethnic Chinese artists who came together with a shared vision — to revive genuine traditional Chinese dance, music and culture and share it with the world. When it started touring in 2006, Shen Yun was an instant success. Shen Yun has toured more than 100 cities worldwide, performing in front of millions across North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. One of its trademarks is that each new season, the company creates a brand-new production, which remains secret until the day the curtain finally rises.

More Than Entertainment!

But, sheer popularity is not the only reason to experience Shen Yun. Perhaps because of its profound mission, watching Shen Yun gives you the feeling of partaking in something historic, in the resurrection of a long lost world — the world of ancient China, the Middle Kingdom that can no longer be seen even in China today. It is a world where divine beings and humans interact, a magical world of myth and legend. It is a world

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Shen

Yun

Chinese

Dance

Show’s

2017

Florida

Tour

and finally found his calling with Shen Yun. “China has many talented dancers, but the choreographers aren’t allowed to choreograph any traditional pieces for them to perform. Shen Yun is different.” “Shen Yun is making every effort to bring back the most authentic, most beautiful part of Chinese culture — through dance,” he says. “For example, the story of a mother tattooing four words on her son’s back is about loyalty. The legend of splitting the mountain is about filial piety, and the tale of Wu Song battling the tiger is about courageously helping others.”

Five Millennia On Stage You can check out the beautiful Shen Yun traditional Chinese dance show in St. Petersburg, Lakeland and Venice between now and February 12. Photo provided by Shen Yun Performing Arts. that speaks a universal language. The perfor- pany annually performs to sold-out theaters mance includes bilingual MCs who provide around the world, it actually is not allowed brief preludes to each story. But more im- to perform in China. portantly, classical Chinese dance and music Over the last six decades, China has speak directly to the heart, resonating with experienced one communist campaign afthe audience on many levels. ter another aimed at destroying traditional Many audience reviews speak of leav- culture. Mao Zedong (Tse-Tung)’s Cultural ing the theater with indescribable hap- Revolution of the ’60s and ’70s, in particupiness, inspiration and even a newfound lar, sought to completely eradicate this ansense of peace. cient heritage. Young Red Guards were moThe performance, “touched the deepest bilized to smash sacred statues, burn books, part of my soul,” wrote Maria Banks from and defeat the Four Olds, which included Los Angeles in one review posted on Shen the system of virtues that guided Chinese Yun’s guestbook. “Shortly after returning morality for thousands of years. home, my tears broke through again and “Actually, in China today, you can no again. It feels as though my heart’s been longer see performances of genuine tradiwashed clean. Gratefully yours.” tional Chinese culture,” says Shen Yun principal dancer and choreographer Yungchia Not Made In China Shen Yun is completely independent of Chen. Chen grew up in China, but later the regime of the Chinese Communist Party moved to Taiwan, where he won numerin Beijing. In fact, even though the com- ous awards throughout his dancing career,

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Year after year, Chen and his colleagues succeed in doing just that. Shen Yun’s performances have become a staple for many celebrities and veteran theatergoers alike. The company’s success also has attracted a constant stream of new talent. Shen Yun is home to an impressive number of artists from around the world. And, these artists take Shen Yun’s mission to heart. This can be seen in their energy and joyful enthusiasm on stage, as well as their seamless cooperation, the type that can only arise from a common sense of greater purpose. “When dancing, sometimes there is an instant when you feel like our hearts are all together, united,” says Shen Yun choreographer Michelle Ren. “That moment is really sacred,” she says. “And in it, you can see pure beauty.” Shen Yun will be performing at St. Petersburg’s Mahaffey Theater Jan. 27-28; at The Lakeland Center Feb. 7-8; and at the Venice Performing Arts Center Feb. 10-12. For tickets and more information, visit ShenYun.com/FL or see the ad on page 15 of this issue.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

In Wesley Chapel Stonewood & GrillSmith Take Top Honors In Our 2016 Dining Survey Scratch Kitchen, BJ’s Restaurant & 900° Woodfired Pizza, Hungry Greek & Burger 21 Also Grab Crowns; Three Wesley Chapel Residents Take Home This Year’s Free Dining Prizes! Brewhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse

There’s no doubt that New Tampa and Wesley Chapel both have a lot of restaurants, even though both areas continue to be dominated by national, regional and even local chains. In our 2016 Reader Dining Survey & Contest, the top three restaurants — according to more than 500 readers who submitted surveys — in both of our distribution areas were all part of small local or regional chains and in New Tampa, seven of the top ten also are links in (albeit small) chains. The interesting thing to me was that the larger national

and regional chains, which could only receive Write-In votes in our Dining Survey again this year, got fewer votes and points than ever before. In fact, this is the first time that Bonefish Grill, Outback Steakhouse and Texas Roadhouse all failed to make the top 25 in Wesley Chapel, even though they’ve all always been among the most crowded restaurants in town. And likewise, neither Olive Garden nor Red Lobster in New Tampa got nearly as many write-in votes as they had in previous years. It should be noted that Cheddars

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all opened too late in the process (our voting was from September til November) to receive many votes at all. Stonewood Grill & Tavern made it back to the top spot as our readers “Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa.” Last year’s winner, Burger 21, dropped to #3 with our readers and last year’s #5 — Ciccio Cali — moved up three spots to #2. In fact, for the third straight year, the same ten restaurants in New Tampa received the most points from our readers as last year, although once again, the orders of those ten restaurants has changed. Meanwhile, in Wesley Chapel, Grill-

Smith and The Hungry Greek took home the top two spots for the second year in a row, while Pizza Mania (#4), La Prima Pizza (#5), Dempsey’s Steak House (#9) and Wolf’s Den (#10) all moved into (or back into) our readers’ top-10. On these pages are the full top25s in both New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, in order of points received, and the next 25 (in alphabetical order) in both areas. I will tell you more about many of these restaurants next issue, when I show you my 2016 Dining Favorites. At the end of this five-page recap of our readers’ favorite restaurants in our distribution areas, we’ll also reveal this year’s three dining prize winners. — GN

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Wesley Chapel’s #6-25 6. PrimeBar 7. Burger Monger 8. Bonsai Sushi 9. Dempsey’s Steak House 10. Wolf’s Den 11. Pinchers Crab Shack 12. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse 13. PDQ 14. 900 Woodfired Pizza 15. CineBistro 16. Asian Buffet 17. Little Italy’s Family Restaurant 18. Amici Pizza 19. Buttermilk Provisions 20. Best NY Pizza 21. Capital Tacos* (see Note, far right) 22. Hibachi Express 23. NY NY Pizza 24. Latin Twist Café 25. (tie) Don Pan Intl. Bakery & 365 Caffe Italiano

Your Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa #s 1-25 1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern (photo) 2. Ciccio Cali 3. Burger 21 4. Liang’s Bistro 5. Acropolis Greek Taverna 6. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse 7. Mr. Dunderbak’s 8. Oakley’s Grille 9. Koizi Endless Hibachi & Sushi 10. Vallarta’s Tampa Palms 11. Café Olé 12. Cappy’s Pizza 13. Thai Ruby 14. Little Greek 15. Las Palmas Spanish Café 16. Mulligan’s Irish Pub 17. Sukhothai 18. Full Circle Pizza 19. Sushi Cafe 20. Woodfired Pizza

Wesley Chapel’s #26-50

New Tampa’s #26-50

Arroy Thai Bagelicious & More Bonefish Grill Bosco’s Italian To Go Cantina Laredo Cheddars Scratch Kitchen Chick n’ Peas Grill China Taste China Wok Cody’s Original Roadhouse Dempsey’s Too Lounge First Watch Gonna China Happy Cow Ho Wok Hot Wok 88 Kwan Ming Bistro Lexington Oaks GC O’Brien’s Irish Pub Outback Steak House OTB Café Quail Hollow CC Red Robin Shang Hai Chinese Texas Roadhouse

Cantina Capri Pizza Chick-fil-A China City China Wok Cross Creek Deli Fong’s Sushi Fushia Asian Bistro Ginza Edndless Hibachi & Sushi Glory Days Grill Hawkeye’s NYS Pizza Ho King Hoosier’s Grille (Heritage Isles CC) Hunter’s Green Country Club Minerva Indian Restaurant Orchid Thai Petra Mediterranean Express Pita’s Republic PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub Ruby Tuesday Season’s Fresh Café Sushi Avenue Tabla Indian Cuisine Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club Tarek’s Café

21. Lanna Thai 22. Taste of NY Pizza 23. Casa Ramos 24. Peabody’s Billiards & Games 25. Saffron Indian Cuisine *Note: Our apologies to Capital Tacos, which still finished 21st as our highest-finishing Write-In, because the restaurant never appeared on the Wesley Chapel “ballot.” It will finish significantly hgher on my survey next issue, even though I’m ultimately responsible for not recognizing that it somehow was left off our list...for all six issues. So sorry. — GN

(In Alphabetical Order) (In Alphabetical Order)

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Your Favorite Chinese Restaurants In NT & WC

1. Liang’s Bistro (photo) 2. Asian Buffet 3. China Wok (County Line Rd.) 4. Kwan Ming Bistro 5. Gonna China 6. China Wok (WC Village Market) 7. Ho Wok 8. China City 9. China Taste 10. Fushia Asian Bistro

Your Favorite Thai/Indian Restaurants In NT & WC 1. Sukhothai (photo) 2. Thai Ruby 3. Saffron Indian Cuisine 4. Lanna Thai 5. Top Thai 6. Arroy Thai 7. Tabla Indian Cuisine 8. Minerva Indian Restaurant

Your Favorite Japanese/Sushi Restaurants In NT & WC 1. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (photo) 2. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse 3. Bonsai Sushi 4. Koizi Endless Hibachi & Sushi 5. Sushi Café 6. Hibachi Express 7. Sukhothai 8. Asian Buffet 9. Ginza Endless Sushi 10. Fong’s Sushi (formerly Sushi Raw) Note-Takara Sushi finished 4th before it went out of business.

Your Favorite Pizza Places In NT & WC

1. 900º Woodfired Pizza & Pasta (Wiregrass; photo) 2. La Prima Pizza 3. Cappy’s Pizza 4. NY NY Pizza 5. Pizza Mania 6. Amici Pizza 7. Woodfired Pizza (Bearss Ave.) 8. Best NY Pizza 9. Full Circle Pizza 10. (tie) Ciccio Cali & Taste of NY

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Your Favorite Burger Places In NT & WC 1. Burger 21 2. Burger Monger 3. Oakley’s Grille (photo) 4. GrillSmith 5. Mulligan’s Irish Piub 6. Wolf’s Den 7. Five Guys Burger & Fries 8. Red Robin 9. Peabody’s Billiards & Games 10. (tie) Dempsey’s Too Lounge & Lexington Oaks Golf Club

Your Favorite Mediterranean/ Greek Restaurants In NT & WC

1. The Hungry Greek (photo) 2. Acropolis Greek Taverna 3. Little Greek 4. Chick & Peas Grill 5. Pita’s Republic 6. Petra Mediterranean Express

Your Favorite Mexican/Latin Restaurants In NT & WC 1. Vallarta’s WC (photo) 2. Café Ole 3. Latin Twist Café 4. Las Palmas Café 5. Vallarta’s TP 6. Casa Ramos 7. Don Pan Intl. Bakery 8. Cantina Laredo 9. Capital Tacos 10. Cantina (CC Blvd.) *-Señor T’s was 9th before it went out of business.

Your Favorite Bars/Taverns In NT & WC 1. The Brass Tap 2. PrimeBar 3. Mulligan’s Irish Pub 4. Stonewood Grill & Tavern 5. Peabody’s Billiards & Games 6. GrillSmith 7. Ciccio Cali 8. CineBistro 9. Acropolis Greek Taverna 10. Dempsey’s Steakhouse

*-Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill finished 4th before it went out of business

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Your Favorite Lunch Places In NT & WC

1. Ciccio Cali (photo) 2. First Watch 3. Oakley’s Grille 4. The Hungry Greek 5. Panera Bread 6. La Prima Pizza 7. Jersey Mike’s Subs 8. Wolf’s Den 9. PDQ 10. (tie) Mulligan’s Irish Pub & Capital Tacos

Your Favorite Chain Restaurants In NT & WC 1. Bonefish Grill 2. GrillSmith 3. Chick-fil-A 4. PDQ 5. Chili’s Grill & Bar 6. The Olive Garden 7. TGI Friday’s 8. Outback Steakhouse 9. Texas Roadhouse 10. First Watch

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Your Favorite Bakeries In NT & WC 1. Publix Supermarkets 2. Don Pan International Bakery 3. 7 Layers Bakery 4. Panera Breead 5. Buttermilk Provisions 6. Stonemill Artisan 7. Dunkin Donuts 8. Le Macaron French Pastries 9. Walmart

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Your Favorite Your Favorite For Ice Cream/Dessert Best Service In NT & WC In NT & WC 1. Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt 2. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream 3. Dairy Queen 4. Twistee Treat 5. Cold Stone Creamery 6. 365 Caffe Italiano 7. La Berry Frozen Yogurt Café 8. Culver’s 9. Le Macaron French Pastries 10. 7 Layers Bakery

1. Stonewood Grill & tavern 2. Ciccio Cali 3. Bonefish Grill 4. Oakley’s Grille 5. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse 6. Beef O’Brady’s 7. Dempsey’s Steakhouse 8. TGI Friday’s 9. Texas Roadhouse 10. (tie) Hungry Greek & GrillSmith

Wesley Chapel Residents Sweep 2016 Free Dining Prizes Congratulations go out to this year’s Dining Survey contest winners — all of whom happen to live in Wesley Chapel. The winners were selected by a random number generator from among the more than 500 properly-filled out entries. The 2016 winners are Roberto Davila of Lexington Oaks , who will receive a $200 gift card to the restaurant of his choice in the Tampa Bay area; Angela Haraf of Quail Woods, who wins a $100 gift card to the restaurant of her choice; and Melissa Spear of Meadow Pointe, who snags a $50 gift card to any restaurant she chooses. Thanks to everyone who took the time to fill out an entry form. Look for my restaurant favorites in our next issue and for some of these listings to appear on future episodes of WCNT-tv. — GN

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Union 72 BBQ Is So Much More Than Just Another BBQ Place!

The Conquistador Sandwich

St. Louis Ribs

OK, SO I

By Gary Nager

freely admit that while I love cooking on a grill, I’m not the biggest fan of barbecue food, especially at most places. One advantage (or disadvantage?) for me as I’ve aged is that my stomach just can’t handle most BBQ sauces. But, the casual, new Union 72 BBQ in the Shops at Wiregrass mall is not your usual BBQ place. Yes, there’s a slew of smoked meats from which to choose — and there are some unique options among those that I am excited to tell you about — but it’s quite honestly mainly the non-BBQ-style offerings at Union 72 that really do it for me, even though, at one time, I consumed full racks of ribs in one sitting. I still love ribs, but these days, I usually just stick to enjoying one or two of someone else’s ribs (at the most) before I give up. Well, Union 72 co-owners Jeff Martin and Bharat Chhabria and pitmaster Geoff Zukosky definitely have my attention. One bite of graphic designer Blake Beatty’s Union 72 St. Louis-style ribs and I was hooked. The ribs are prepared with Union 72’s own house-made dry rub, marinated overnight and

slow-smoked to perfection. They’re served wet or dry, so I was glad that Blake ordered his dry (the marinade creates a glaze that gives these fall-off-the-bone-tender ribs a nice crispy edge), even though the photo above (provided by Union 72), are shown wet. I’m also partial to Union 72’s Texas-style beef brisket and I enjoyed tastes of the pulled pork and even the country-style sausage. As I said before, however, I am even more impressed by Union 72’s non-smoked items, like the southern fried hot chicken tenders, which are buttermilk-battered and rubbed with Union 72’s chef-created “Fire” rub. If you like the Nashville hot chicken at that fast food chicken joint, I’m betting you’ll love these super-crispy-outside, tender-andjuicy-inside beauties even more. I also absolutely loved the Conquistador sandwich, which is still smoked pulled pork, but Spanish-spiced (like at a great Cuban place), topped with a green chimichurri sauce, caramelized onions and topped with a perfect sunny-side-up egg that absolutely oozes into every bite, all on a tasty brioche bun. Other chef-created Union 72 favorites at our office include the tacos — available with brisket, pork or your choice of smoked meat — the dry-rub (think spicy blackened) hot wings, the pulled chicken salad and the mari-

nated, slow-smoked half chicken. There are a couple of Asian-influenced sandwiches at Union 72 I’m planning to try on my next couple of visits — the Vietnamese-style Banh mi sandwich (photo, right), which puts slices of that slow-smoked brisket on a baguette, topped with pickled vegetables, cucumbers, bean sprouts and spicy aioli; and the Far East sandwich, which is slow-smoked, chopped pork topped with kimchi, drizzled with Union 72’s house-made Sticky Asian barbecue sauce, and finished with fresh cilantro, scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Some of these sandwiches are served with your choice of a side and so far, I’m pretty much loving all of ‘em. The corn on the cob, collared greens, fries, house-made slaw, smoked bacon mac & cheese and the smoked, loaded baked potato all get high marks from me. I’m not a big fried okra fan, but lots of Union 72 regulars seem to love it, too. I’ve only sampled three or four of the six house-made sauces to date, but my favorites are the white BBQ and Sticky Asian. Speaking of folks who already visit Union 72, which has been open about two months

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Southern Fried Hot Chicken

at our press time, 900º Woodfired Pizza (also located in the mall) owner Steve Falabella and Little Italy’s (on S.R. 54 in Lutz) owners Carl and Jessica Meyers rave about the place, as did everyone in my office who got to try it the day I wrote this article. .

The Brass Tap Connection

Martin is probably familiar to a lot of you, as he opened the first Brass Tap (in the space adjacent to what is now Union 72) in the mall more than eight years ago. Today, Martin and a variety of partners and some franchisees now have 39 Brass Taps in more than a dozen states. The Wiregrass location which previously had only served dozens of beers from around the world and a variety of wines, recently added full liquor, which

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Far East Sandwich

Texas-Style Brisket has only brought in more people to an already popular watering hole and night spot. Chhabria met Martin when he bought a franchise and the two shared a love for great barbecue and wanted to be able to offer good prices for their “flavors of the world.” Martin even says that Union 72 is now adding a variety of small, shareable appetizer platters — like unique nachos and more — to better serve his thirsty (and often hungry) customers at the Brass Tap. Speaking of beverages, I love the local Cigar City craft lager on draft (served in mason jars) and house merlot and

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Pork Tacos

Smoked Hot Wings chardonnay also are available. And, by the time you read this, you’ll be able to check out Union 72’s expanding catering menu, which you should consider if you want everyone to rave about the food at your “Big Game” party. Union 72 will even provide employees to work your party, to make sure everything is perfect. And, based on my experience so far, it will be! Union 72 BBQ (2000 Piazza Ave., Suite 150) is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. every day & until 10 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. For info, call 575-9999, visit Union72.com or see on pg. 39. Please tell Jeff & crew we sent you!

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 •WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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

The Frost Family Opens Its 5th Local McDonald’s!

If you’re a fan of McDonald’s, you’re probably a fan of the Frost family. Patriarch Jack Frost (third from left in photo above) got tired of the frost nipping at his nose in his home state of Wisconsin (where he opened his first McDonald’s), and relocated his family to our area more than 30 years ago, opening the first of five local Mickey

D’s in 1985 on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel. Today, Frost and his sons John (left in photo) and Chris (far right) and daughter Jen own eight McDonald’s restaurants, including all five of the locations in our distribution areas (two in New Tampa and now three in the Wesley Chapel area). The most recent opening happened just before we went to press, as the 6,300-sq.-ft. (about as large as the location on 54, which is the second largest in Florida) McDonald’s on S.R. 56, between the new Longhorn Steakhouse and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse (in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets) has opened. Equipped with a large “play place” for the kids and with more sit-down space than most McD’s, Chris Frost says that the new location focuses on customer service, and after watching the pre-opening training of the location’s employees, I can assure you that you will be greeted by lots of smiles and “let me get that for you right away” attitudes. And, if you check out the ad on page 44 of this issue, you’ll see a Grand Opening special of 20 McNuggets for only $5 (through Feb. 19(. For more info, stop in 24-7 (or for the official Grand Opening on Sat., Jan. 28, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.) at McDonald’s (2609 Creek Grass Way, Lutz) or visit McDonalds.com.

WCCC Still Cutting Ribbons!

In the month of December alone, when most everyone is wrapped up in wrapping up presents, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) continued to cut ribbons and host other free events to benefit its more than 500 members. For example, the most recent ribbon cutting we attended was at the new Happy Feet Plus store (photo on next page)in the outparcel plaza in front of the SuperTarget on BBD at County Line Rd. on Dec. 14. Happy Feet co-founders Jacob Wurtz and Jane Strong were on hand for the opening of this 10th Florida location for the companyowned chain. Happy Feet is already one of my favorite places to shop. I have big (size 13-1/2, which usually means size 14), flat feet and have rarely found orthotic inserts or (especially) sandals that allow me to walk pain-free. So, I bought myself and my feet two holiday presents (sandals and new orthotics) at Happy Feet Plus and I couldn’t be...happier. For more information about Happy Feet Plus (1059 BBD), visit HappyFeet. com or call 618-5070. Other recent WCCC events include the Monthly Coffee Social at Buttermilk Provisions on BBD on Dec. 20; the Coldwell Banker/F.I. Grey & Son Residential Inc.

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ribbon cutting on Dec. 15, the Monthly Mixer at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club on Dec. 8 and the Pet City (in Land O’Lakes) ribbon cutting on Dec. 7. I also want to give a big shout-out to WCCC Volunteer of the Year Troy Stevenson and owner (and WCCC Business Leader of the Year) Jay Rosario of Wesley Chapel Nissan for buying out three performances of the new “Star Wars: Rogue One” movie at the Muvico Starlight 20 Movie Theater on BBD. In order to receive up to four tickets to one of the three performances, all you had to do was donate non-perishable food or unwrapped toys. What a great idea! The WCCC has plenty of great events this month, too. For more info, call 9948534 or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com for the full events calendar.

Vuelo Mexican Grill In The Spotlight On WCNT-tv!

Owner Tom Reynolds says he knows that people had their doubts about the new Vuelo Mexican Grill even before it opened on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa. After all, Reynolds also opened — and abruptly closed — Señor T’s in the same former location that previously had seen the closing of Romano’s Macaroni Grill. But, Reynolds brought in what he

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called a “celebrity chef”consultant — former James Beard Award semifinalist (for Best Chef in the Western U.S.) Mark Estee, who created a totally new menu of hand-crafted Mexican cuisine in a scratch kitchen with a new salsa bar with more than a dozen salsas (and items like fresh cilantro and jalapeños), so you can add even more flavor to not only the free chips but Vuelo’s entire menu. Estee, who was interviewed on WCNTtv for Episode 13 (available now on YouTube/WCNT-tv), says he is proud of what the new staff has accomplished already at Vuelo. “If you tried the other place and said you’d never come back, I hope you’ll reconsider,” Estee said. For more info about Vuelo (17641 BBD), visit VueloMexicanGrill.com, call 972-4800 or see the ad on pg. 43.

Cabana Spas Opens On SR 56!

Even though we can basically tan in the sun all year ‘round here in Florida, for those who want a more controlled, relaxing environment to get or keep up that healthy glow, we suggest a visit to the new Cabana Spas (27606 S.R. 56, next to Wolf’s Den). This former Planet Beach location is hosting a Grand Opening celebration the weekend of January 20-21, with food, fun, drawings and membership specials. For more info about Cabana Spas, visit CabanaSpas.com, call 991-4433 or see the ad on pg. 21 of this issue.

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Restaurants Commit To Taste!

I am really excited about the early momentum for the 2017 Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, which will be hosted by the Rotary Club of New Tampa & held Saturday, March 18, noon-4 p.m., inside the new Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI). As the restaurant coordinator for the event, I am excited to say that virtually every restaurant I have spoken with to date has agreed to participate in the return (after a four-year hiatus) of the Taste, and we still have more than two months to get up to my goal of 40-50 eateries. Below is the list of verbal commitments to date. Obviously, the roster is subject to change, but it’s already a great lineup. — GN •Stonewood Grill & Tavern •Dempsey’s Steak House at Saddlebrook •GrillSmith •Old Heights Bistro (Seminole Heights) •Little Italy’s •Cantina Laredo •Union 72 BBQ (see pg. 42) •The Private Chef of Tampa •McDonald’s •Vuelo Mexican Grill •PDQ •Top Shelf Sports Lounge at FHCI •7 Layers Bakery

•Sonny’s BBQ

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel LAWN & LANDSCAPING

JASMINE’S LANDSCAPING Complete lawn maintenance, Tree, palm and hedge trimming, Planting, mulching, stones, Sod replacement, Pressure washing, Gutter cleaning and more. Cited by your HOA for violations? Need to comply for: Pressure washing, Trimming, Mulching, Sod replacement, Sprinkler repair or Mailbox repair or replacements? Ask about our HOA SPECIAL & FREE ESTIMATE! For more info, call (813) 420-4465. AMERICAN PRIDE LAWN CARE SERVICE, LLC Our services include weekly lawn maintenance with mulching decks on all mowers, precision edging, string trimming, hedge, shrub, palm, and tree trimming. We also offer landscaping, pruning, and sod replacement. Free estimates. Licensed and Insured. We are an Owner/Operator Company built on service and trust. References available. For more info, call (813) 458-4778. HOMETEAM LAWNCARE LLC High-Quality Professional Services: Weekly or Bi-Weekly YearRound Full-Svc LawnCare 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.

POOL SERVICES 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 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

Classifieds

HOME IMPROVEMENT DAVID BRIDGES PRESSURE CLEANING Complete exterior cleaning of your home or business with a professional and personal touch. - Pool decks and screen enclosures - All fencing/ driveways and walkways/roofs - Gutter and downspouts. Find your happiness in a fresh, bright clean home. Your neighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed. Licensed and insured. Call 813-215-1177. GREG’S PAPERHANGING For all of your wallpapering needs. Licensed and insured, clean, quick and reasonable. Call 973-2767 for a free estimate. 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. 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 Service. Services include: Cabinet Installation, Dry wall repair, Tile installation and 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 installed, Re-sealing baths and showers, TV mounting, and more. Call 813400-1408 or email TYCOONUNION@YAHOO. COM. DALE’S HOME MAINTENANCE Pressure washing, screen repairs, garage cleaning and organizing, shelving, re-grout tile and caulking, and more. 813-727-2582.

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

CLEANING SERVICES POWER HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES Residential cleaning weekly, bi-weekly, monthly & occasional. One time, deep cleaning, move in/move outs, real estate, holiday and events. Owner operator with personal care! Licensed and Insured. For free in-home estimate, call 813-356-8287 or e-mail powerclean16@gmail.com. You will be powerfully pleased! 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. SQUEAKY CLEAN HOME SERVICES is a residential cleaning company offering weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly services. We also specialize in movein/move-out cleanup. All supplies and equipment provided. We are an Owner Operator company with over 20 years experience. “If it Needs to be Clean, We’re your Team! Call us for your free in home estimate today! 813-625-6045. 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. ELITE WINDOW CLEANING Entire Home - Inside & Out. One story & bi-level homes: $99. Twostory homes: $159. Includes sunrooms, cathedral windows & much more! Price Guaranteed! Call 813-362-9232.

HELP WANTED 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 PIZZAMAKERS & LINE/PREP COOKS WANTED (exp’d. preferred) at New Tampa’s favorite authentic Chicago-style pizza place. Bring Resume during business hours to Full Circle Chicago Pizza at 19651 BBD Blvd. (in the Pebble Creek Collection). 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. ESTHETICIAN WANTED Experienced in full body waxing. Send resume to jemashooter@gmail. com or call 727-755-3929. PEST CONTROL TECHNICIAN NEEDED Must have clean driving record, no criminal record and be able to lift 50 lbs. Call VIP Pest Control at 813-2348888 for details.

SPACE AVAILABLE SERENITY SALON & SPA SUITES in Wesley Chapel. 1 suite available for rent. Call for details: 813-312-5247 or 813-997-6302. Great location! STUDIO J Looking for hairstylists or estheticians or anyone in the beauty profession who is looking for space to rent. Located on the corner of Bruce B. Downs and Bearss. Great draw from all different locations. Beautiful, professional atmosphere. Call Jan at 813-505-5337.

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

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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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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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Shazzam! A Pic Of Zammy The Sheepdog Goes Viral! By Celeste McLaughlin On the social media site reddit, there’s a “subreddit” called “aww” – as in, “things that make you go AWW! – like puppies, bunnies, babies, and so on…” And on that subreddit, you’ll find a picture of one local pup, named Zammy, hanging out at the Shops at Wiregrass mall. His photo, titled “Girls loving this huge fluffy sheepadoodle,” has gotten more than a million views and 11,000 “up-votes” on the site. A “sheepadoodle” is a fairly new breed that is a mix between an Old English sheepdog and an extra large standard poodle. Zammy is just a year old and already weighs 100 pounds. His owner is Todd Pitner, a resident of K-Bar Ranch off of Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, where he lives with his wife, Yana, and youngest daughter Vlada, who is 13. His other three daughters are adults who live on their own. Todd says that Zammy is so “visually unique” that he tends to attract a lot of attention. He says he often takes Zammy for walks around the Shops at Wiregrass. “Everyone goes nuts over him, wanting to pet him,” says Todd. “It takes me a couple of hours to do a loop around Wiregrass.” During a walk over the Thanksgiving weekend, he snapped the photo that would soon go viral. Two girls at one of the outdoor dining areas asked to pet Zammy. Todd snapped the photo, posted it to his Instagram account, and it took off. “ The photo is just pure joy,” Todd says. While Zammy had about 600 followers before his photo hit reddit, he now has more than 12,500. “It went from 600 to 1,000

brother, from the same parents.” Todd says Zammy was born on Dec. 17, 2015, and delivered from that breeder in California on Valentine’s Day. “It seemed like every day he grew a pound.” Todd wanted a new dog in his family because, at the time, his beloved German shepherd, Rio, was aging and in fact, has recently passed away. So, Zammy’s family now includes a new German shepherd puppy, Zeus, and a 12-year-old schnauzer, Jocko. Zammy is actually short for “Kazaam,” a nod to Todd’s college years, when he performed as a magician, and eventually nicknamed his older girls “Abby Cadabra” and “Alix Kazaam.” Since it was on the trip with Alix that he was introduced to the sheepadoodle breed, it was her nickname that ended up inspiring the dog’s memorable name.

When asked if he considers himself something of an ambassador for sheepadoodles, he denies he’s trying to make any kind of statement. “I love the breed,” he says. “Zammy’s just a really special dog, with a special personality, and he brings joy to people.”

This pic of Zammy went viral after it was posted on reddit, and Todd Pitner (top right) says it has been viewed more than a million times. overnight, then 2,000 in a week, then 9,000.” Todd says he set up the Instagram account @ZammyPup because all of his daughters use Instagram, so he thought it would be a fun and interactive way to share pictures. In fact, it was because of one of his daughters that Todd has Zammy today. He first came across a sheepadoodle while walking through Manhattan on a trip with his daughter, Alix. He saw someone walking a sheepadoodle and was fascinated. “I asked for breeder information and contacted her,” says Todd. “Turns out Zammy is that dog’s

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 2 • January 13, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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