Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 33, Issue 2, January 21, 2025

Planning Commission Votes For A ‘Connected City’ Moratorium!

By Gary Nager

I watched the Jan. 9 Pasco County Planning Commission meeting online and was surprised to find the Planning Commission Board agreeing with residents like Michael Pultorak and David Terino, who came to the meeting to oppose a rezoning request for the Tall Timbers Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD), the last 38-acre piece of the so-called “Connected City” (see map).

My surprise came when Planning Commission Board member Jon Moody, P.E., agreed with the residents’ claim that the Connected City has not lived up to what was expected when the state first approved the Connected City in 2015, as a partnership between Pasco County and Metro Development Group, which is developing both Epperson in Wesley Chapel and Mirada in San Antonio, both of which are located within the boundaries of the Connected City (see map).

“The residents were promised that the Connected City would not be the same as every other suburban subdivision in the county,” Moody said, noting that it was supposed to have cultural and recreational facilities, which were supposed to be more than just another playground at another apartment complex that, as Pultorak pointed out, would not be used by anyone except the residents of each apartment complex. To that end, the Planning Commission ultimately voted 4-3 for the moratorium at the Jan. 9 meeting.

Of course, the Planning Commission is only an advisory board that makes recommendations to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners

AFTERMATH OF A TRAGEDY

A murder-suicide in New Tampa devastates a family & hits too close to home for our editor.

See page 3

(BOC), which has the final say over all rezonings and plan amendments for the county.

District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman says that rather than a moratorium, what he would like to see — which he says he first started asking for back in Nov. 2023 — “is for the county staff to provide us (the BOC) with an overlay of what the Connected City was supposed to be when it was approved, with all of the changes to the plan that have now been approved. I wasn’t on the BOC when this was approved and I think it would be helpful for all of us — my fellow commissioners, residents and staff — to see where that project stands today.”

Weightman also says that a moratorium should only be considered as “a last resort” and that he is “disappointed” that the county staff still has not provided the commissioners with the overlay he requested, “more than a year ago. I’m a visual person. I need to see the differences between what the project was supposed to look like and what it looks like today.”

Speaking of visual learning, as we reported back in November, Pultorak has been a regular at Planning Commission and BOC meetings and he always brings a variety of photos, charts and other graphics with him when it’s his turn to speak at those meetings. He also has organized the Pasco Connected City Residents Group on Facebook, which today has more than 1,100 members.

“This community deserves the parks, open spaces and thoughtful planning they were promised,” Pultorak said on Jan. 9.

‘TEACHER’ FINALISTS!

Two Wesley Chapel teachers find out Jan. 28 if they won the District’s Teacher of the Year honors. See page 4

MANSFIELD BLVD. UPDATES!

S.R. 56 intersection with Mansfield Blvd. gets new dual left turn lanes & more news! See pages 10-12

‘We Didn’t Lose Our Father. He Was Taken From Us.’

An Editorial by GARY NAGER

On Dec. 18, Gabriel Glantz, who had been living in his mom Marcia’s homeland of Brazil, was staying at his childhood home in Kingshyre at Cross Creek, awaiting the impending birth of his sister Isabel’s baby. Gabe says there was a knock at the door, and since he was making dinner, his father, Steve, went to see who was there.

Seconds later, Gabe heard multiple gunshots fired and minutes later, ambulance and law enforcement vehicles arrived on the scene and sped Steve away to a hospital. But tragically, Steve passed away shortly after reaching the hospital.

Not long after his father had been shot, Gabe, 37, heard one additional shot fired, which was apparently the gunman — the Glantzes’ Kingshyre neighbor Timothy Lobianco, 66 — taking his own life. Gabe says that Lobianco apparently walked back to his own house, told his wife “I did something...and don’t follow me,” before walking back outside and shooting himself.

Although the Glantz family doesn’t fully know why Lobianco killed this beloved husband, father and grandfather, Gabe’s brother Kyle, 34, said that Steve, Lobianco and another longtime Kingshyre neighbor had done quite a bit of motorcycle riding together. But, several years ago, Lobianco suffered a head injury in a serious accident on his bike and his demeanor definitely grew angrier in the years that followed.

“We don’t know why our dad became the focal point of [Lobianco’s] anger,” Kyle told me a week or so after Steve was laid to rest on Dec. 22 at the Gan Shalom Cemetery on County Line Rd. in Lutz. “All we know is that we didn’t lose our father. He was taken from us.” And, as if the shooting wasn’t tragic enough, Steve was killed the same night Isabel, 28, gave birth to a baby girl. Marcia, Steve’s wife of 40 years, was already at the hospital with their daughter when Steve was shot.

Although Steve and I never really “hung out” together much, we became close friends during his several-year stint as the volunteer president of what was then called the New Tampa Little League (NTLL), when we both had sons playing ball at what is now called Eber Field on Kinnan St., just north of Cross Creek Blvd. Steve was completely dedicated to not only running the league, but also expertly handling the inevitable squabbles between parents, as well as always making sure the fields were kept perfectly manicured. He loved the field maintenance so much, he kept handling it long after he was no longer running the league.

Seemingly always smiling, always personable, the one-time All-American high school springboard diver and barefoot waterskier was, “an amazing husband, father and friend,” according to Hazzan Jodi Sered-Lever of Congregation Mekhor Shalom, who presided over Steve’s burial, which was attended by more than 200 people (including yours truly), the vast majority being New Tampa neighbors who came to support and pay their respects to the Glantz family, who buried Steve only four days after he was killed.

Kyle was the first to speak at the funeral. “From our family to everybody here,” he said, “the amount of support, the outpouring of love and prayers and thoughts ...you don’t understand how much it has helped us trying to traverse through these last few days. This crowd is a testament to who our father was and the impact that he left on not only our family but on this entire community, from Little League to running into him at Publix,

I just want to say a most sincere ‘thank you.’ It truly means a lot and it’s just fulfilling to know how much my father meant to so many people.”

To that sentiment, Gabe then added, “I think everyone here will take how [our dad] viewed life with them into the future. He was a wonderful father, but I don’t think we realized just how blessed we really were. He was always there for us, and myself in particular, to where I knew that I could take much larger risks than I should because I knew he was always there, no matter what.”

He added, “Everyone knows he was a community guy...friends with and always keeping up with everyone. He was involved in the Little League for a long time. Even after Kyle and I stopped playing, he stuck around for 5 or 6 more years just because he liked riding around on that lawn mower. He put our grandfather Arnold up in that hot dog truck, selling burgers and hot dogs at the fields on the weekends, just so they could be closer together. I don’t know which he loved more — meeting up with people at Publix or sitting in Section 116 at the Lightning games.”

Gabe also noted, “The last time we went to Publix together was after he picked me up at the airport and he took me to a specific line just to show me off to one of my high school friends’ mothers.”

He then closed by saying, “In light of recent events, just be nice...love thy neighbor...and if you come across anything you find unusual in the community that you think someone needs to know about, don’t hesitate because...you just never know.”

After Steve’s sons were finished speaking, Hazzan Sered-Lever named all of Steve’s relatives and then turned her attention to his passing.

“Tragically, we are all here today because of evil. Evil has touched Steven’s family, his friends and this community and all who knew and loved him.”

She continued, “Why did this destruction

and devastation take place? Where was God? Why didn’t God protect Steven? As painful and as heartbreaking as it is to take in, I submit that God can not stop human acts of evil from happening. The prayers in my prayer book describe God as ‘gracious and compassionate.’ If God could have stopped this, God would have, but God couldn’t. So, where is God in this unmitigated tragedy? God is the source of comfort who is with us as we take the necessary steps to continue living in the face of our heartbreak. And, through this heartbreak, we remember, we honor, and we pay tribute to Steven.”

And finally, Hazzan Sered-Lever said, “Steven was compassionate, dedicated, committed, a hard worker and a planner. He was a people person, which also made him so successful in sales. But, it was never transactional [with him]. It was always [about] relationships. He loved to talk to people and was an extraordinary listener. People would open up to him like magic. He knew everyone’s life story, taking after his dad. He always wanted to help anybody and everybody. His friendship was legendary and he sought to solve any problem someone was experiencing.” (Note-As one of those friends Steve helped back when he was the president of the Little League, I can attest first-hand to the truth of this statement). “He experienced such joy in interacting with people that he was the mayor of wherever he went, including the Little League, and one of the fields was named in his honor.

“Steven was a consummate family man. His family was more important to him than anything else in the world.

“To the entire Glantz family, we can not take away your pain, but we are holding each one of you in our hearts. The love you have for Steven and his love for each one of you endures forever.”

Rest in peace, Steve. You are sorely missed.

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Correspondents

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Editorial Research by Joel Provenzano

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Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist Charmaine George Graphic Designers Georgia Carmichael • Valerie Wegener

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Steven Alan Glantz August 23, 1957-December 18, 2024

Wesley Chapel’s Teacher Of The Year Finalists Await Jan.

By Gary Nager

Wesley Chapel continues to have outstanding schools, filled with great students, administrators and teachers.

More evidence of this fact is apparent when you consider that two of three finalists for the 2025 School District of Pasco County Teacher of the Year ply their trade at schools located in Wesley Chapel.

Although the finalists for this year’s Teacher of the Year were announced back in November, long-time kindergarten teacher Addie Ogden of Double Branch Elementary and reading teacher (and student government liaison) Tabatha Whaley of Cypress Creek Middle School will find out if they won this year’s top District honor on Tuesday, January 28, at the Pasco Education Foundation’s S.T.A.R. (Staff That Are Remarkable) Awards Gala, or if the winner will be science teacher Elizabeth Skoglund of Land O’Lakes High.

But, since we never gave these two much-loved teachers their well-deserved just due in these pages when they found out they were District finalists, I felt it was an oversight that just couldn’t continue.

Hopefully, either Ogden or Whaley will take home the District’s Teacher of the Year and move on to also win the State honors, but I wanted to make sure we honored them both in this issue.

Best of luck to you both!

Addie Ogden, Kindergarten Teacher

Double Branch Elementary

Double Branch Elementary principal Lisa Grimsley, who only took over the job in August, says she doesn’t know exactly how long Kindergarten teacher Addie Ogden has been teaching, “All I know is that her class is very structured but she is just wonderful with the kids. Her students love her, the parents love her & our other teachers all love her. She is very, very deserving of this honor.”

In fact, Grimsley has been so impressed with Ogden that she was surprised to learn that this year’s District finalist has never been a Teacher of the Year nominee before.

“She is so humble, she cried when she found out,”Grimsley says. “I may be new here but in the time I’ve gotten to know Mrs. Ogden, I have to say that she has made an amazing impression on me.”

Grimsley also noted that Teacher of the Year nominees are selected by their peers and finalists have to submit a portfolio to a District judging committee and the District’s assistant superintendent for Elementary Schools Kimberly Poe told Grimsley that Ogden’s “portfolio, and her peers, did all of her talking for her. [Her application] was just incredible!”

Tabatha Whaley, Reading Teacher Cypress Creek Middle School

Over at Cypress Creek Middle School, principal Timothy Light says, “There’s a

Kindergarten teacher Addie Ogden of Double Branch Elementary (left) and Cypress Creek Middle School reading teacher Tabatha Whaley (right) both find out if they have been named the 2025 Pasco School District’s Teacher of the Year on Jan. 28, at the S.T.A.R. Awards Gala at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel. (All of the photos on these pages were provided by Pasco County Schools) reason why Tabatha Whaley was selected not only by her fellow teachers but also by the District [as a finalist]. She is just amazing!”

Light says he believes Whaley has been with the school for four years and that she is kind of like, “a Swiss army knife because she wears so many hats here. Not only is she a reading teacher, she also is the teacher liaison to our student government.”

He adds that Whaley, “is a big part of the reason why our school made such big learning gains this year, especially by the lowest-scoring 35% of our students, on the State [of Florida

Department of Education’s] FAST [Florida Assessment of Student Thinking] ELA [English Language Arts] Reading test.”

(Note - The FAST ELA Reading test is given every year to students in every grade between Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) through the 10th grade.)

“I just can’t say enough good things about her,” Light says about Whaley. “Everybody here loves her!”

The S.T.A.R. Awards Gala will be held on Tuesday, January 28, at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel.

(Top, l.-r.) Assistant superintendent for middle schools Marcy Hetzler-Nettles, Cypress Creek Middle School principal Timothy Light, Tabatha Whaley, Dist. 2 Pasco School Board member Colleen Beaudoin & former Pasco school superintendent Kurt Browning. (Below, l.-r.) Double Branch Elementary principal Lisa Grimsley, assistant superintendent for elementary schools Kimberly Poe, Beaudoin, Addie Ogden & Browning.

The Connected City moratorium recommendation is expected to be heard as an agenda item at a future BOC meeting, but at our press time, we hadn’t heard of such an agenda item being set. Comm. Weightman told me that he doesn’t believe that a Connected City moratorium agenda item will be set before February or even later.

How It All Came About

As mentioned on page 1, the Planning Commission’s Connected City moratorium discussion came out of the agenda item about the Tall Timbers MPUD, which is a 38-acre parcel that sits in the so-called “Community Hub” Special Planning Area (or SPA) Zone, one of five such zones in the Connected City. (Note-The others are the Business Core, the North Innovation Zone, the South Innovation Zone and the Urban Core; see graphic, right).

As shown in the graphic on the next page, the rezoning request for the Tall Timbers MPUD would allow the parcel, which currently is zoned as “AC Agricultural District” to a “CC-MPUD” (Connected City Master Planned Unit Development District) within the Community Hub Zone. If approved by the BOC, the rezoning would allow for 380 multi-family dwelling units (apartments) and 180,000 sq. ft. of non-residential uses.

Following the presentation by the county staff and attorney Shelly Johnson representing the developer, Xtreme Team 41, LLC, Moody and chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein both questioned how every MPUD approved for the Connected City bypassed all of the parks and cultural requirements outlined in the Connected City development plan.

In fact, the Community Hub Zone, of which the Tall Timbers MPUD is part, is supposed to have a “Large District Park,” but Goldstein noted that although the District Park and the funding for it have already been moved to the planned “Superpark” in the Villages of Pasadena Hills, which is located to the east of the

Connected City, there is still a requirement for a large district park in the Connected City itself, and he asked Nectarios Pittos, the county’s director of planning services, to look into why that district park requirement was still included in the Connected City documents.

Meanwhile, Pultorak raised multiple questions about the neighborhood parks, which are required to be in each of the Connected City’s SPA zones.

“Every Connected City rezoning project so far has turned into another subdivision with a playset for the people that live in it and no amenities,” Pultorak said. “The two fancy swimming pools (meaning the Metro Lagoons in Epperson and Mirada) have turned into pay-to-play operations where the developer is making the money from them. They are not amenities. We (local residents) can’t use them. There is not a single park, not a single recreation area, not a single amenity that’s in the Connected City that’s accessible to the Community Hub.”

Pultorak also noted, “We have concluded that the county never etched out, in the Connected City, in the Community Hub, a location for the parks and recreation area. A neighborhood swing set at a townhouse community is not ‘parks.’ That is for individuals in those townhouses.”

The main reason the Community Hub was supposed to have the large district park, Pultorak said, is because it is where King Lake, a 213-acre lake, is located (it’s the large area in blue inside the orange area on the map on this page).

“But, what happens when we take slices of grass around retention ponds & call them parks?,” Pultorak asked. “What happens is the CDD has to, for liability reasons, put signs up that say ‘No Fishing’ and ‘No Swimming,’ so you don’t get eaten by alligators. The problem is when the boys try to get out in these neighborhoods and try to go put a line in the water and catch a bass, or do something away from technology, the HOA will go out there and say, ‘This is private property, you can’t fish here.’ You’ve gotta have some space in the community for the kids.”

Among Pultorak’s biggest concerns about the Tall Timbers rezoning request is, “this site plan itself. The access and egress to this is going to be based on the Aprile and Kenton MPUDs, with Kenton Rd. coming in from the south, and you have a two-lane dirt road from McKendree Rd., so everybody traveling west to the interstate, all of the service vehicles coming in

or out to the distribution center or the ‘Eatertainment’ district will be traveling on a two-lane dirt road. And, everybody traveling to the east to come through San Antonio to Dade City will be traveling a two-lane dirt road. This road can not handle it, even though Kenton Rd. will be the access and egress to this project.”

He also talked about natural resources and conservation, two more cornerstones of the original Connected City development plan.

“Natural resources serve as a significant asset to a community,” he said. “Wetlands serve as a natural flood control resource and house a diverse ecosystem for animal and plant life. When I left on Monday morning to meet with staff, I drove past this property and there was a bald eagle in a tree. That told me we’re fighting the right fight. This site plan does not have any wetlands listed in it — no wetlands that are protected.”

Pultorak also mentioned flooding concerns, especially considering that most of the parcel remained flooded a month or more after Hurricane Milton came through in October.

“The bottom line is that the Community Hub is not designed for apartments. It is not designed for vertical integration (apartments that are situated above ground-floor retail businesses, as in Downtown Avalon Park; see pages 18-21). The Community Hub is the center point of the entire Connected City. It’s supposed

and a place where people want to live.”

Moody said, “What I see is a special planning area (referring to Connected City) that got done on a piece-by-piece basis, rather than as a regional planning exercise, and in the overall scheme of things, I think the mark was missed.”

Despite that, and all of the evidence Pultorak presented, Moody said, “Even with all that being said, I don’t think you can punish the [current] applicant for the sins of the past...So, I don’t think that denying this project is going to solve the overall, large-scale problems of Connected City. And I don’t know how you fix those.”

He then moved to approve the Tall Timbers rezoning, which passed 4-3, with Planning Commission members John Girardi, Matthew Muniz and chairman Charles Grey voting “Nay.”

Moody them moved to recommend to the BOC to impose a moratorium on all

development in Connected City for one year, “while we figure out how to implement land development regulations that better achieve the goals of the Connected City.”

When asked by Goldstein if he was only talking about a moratorium on rezonings, Moody said, “No. I want to change the land development code, so that would be a moratorium on land development, including all site plan approvals, building permits, everything.” That motion passed 6-1, with only Girardi voting nay.

“I think the public has legitimate concerns regarding this whole issue of cultural facilities, district parks and whether there are trails,” Moody said. “I just know it needs to be fixed.”

Goldstein said, “I don’t know how to best convey that to the BOC because I’m not sure it’s best to tie it to this particular application. It should be presented as a regular discussion item for the Board.”

To be continued.

New Kenton Rd. Development Plan Means More ‘Connected City’ Growth

By Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

In our front page article from our Nov. 26, 2024, issue entitled, “Will Historic Flooding from Milton Impact Pasco’s Future Land Use Decisions?,” we talked about a potential mixed use development off the north end of Kenton Rd., just on the north end of Wesley Chapel, part of what is planned as Pasco County’s “Connected City.”

Kenton Rd. will end up being an important travel corridor of this ‘new city’ and many of the properties along it have been gearing up for major redevelopment.

The latest one, at the very opposite south end of Kenton Rd. and Elam Rd., on the northwest corner of the intersection, is a currently overgrown rural site of just under 10 acres, with an old, unkempt and boarded-up house, a blown-down fence, a barn, a dirt road and an unfinished concrete block building that is rumored by locals to possibly have a few old cars in it.

On Dec. 19, a rezoning request was filed for this property to take it from an agricultural designation to become a commercial Master Planned Unit Development (or MPUD) and, according to Pasco’s website, “to allow for the development of a maximum of 10,000 sq. ft. of Commercial/Retail/Office Space, 90,000 sq. ft. of Self-Storage facility and 120 hotel rooms.”

While that request may seem out of character for this currently rural area, the request may be exactly what Pasco County

officials have in mind for the location, given what else is coming along Kenton Rd. and the near-future road widening plans currently under county review that extend a mile north, but would eventually go another half mile up to Tyndall Rd. (right map), changing the dirt Kenton Rd. into something much more suburban in nature.

A plan first submitted in 2022 showed Kenton Rd. becoming a two-lane divided roadway with a median, and Elam Rd. to be widened to accommodate a left turn lane onto Kenton Rd. This widening is planned to serve traffic for a roughly 100-acre development on the east side of Kenton Rd. just north of Elam Rd. That plan made it through to Dec. 2023, with a Notice of Intent (NOI) issued from the county.

Phase 2 of the Kenton Rd. widening was submitted later, and would serve a 150-acre mixed-use project on the northwest end of Kenton Rd. Plans for this road work were submitted as recently as Nov. 2024 and are actively moving forward.

The developers of this new 10-acre commercial project (labeled “PROJECT SITE” on left map) plan to time their project to take advantage of all this widening, because their “Substandard Road Application” references the road work being done by the other developments.

Since this is a rezoning request, it will still require public hearings with both the Pasco Planning Commission and later with the Pasco Board of County Commissioners for approval, with those dates still to be determined.

TYNDALL ROAD

(Above) The current intersection of Kenton Rd. and Elam Rd. in northern Wesley Chapel. (Below) Two maps showing the proposed 10-acre commercial project (left) project site and future Kenton Rd. improvements (right).

‘Mysterious’ Crosswalk Pops Up On Wiregrass School Rd. To Access 7-Eleven

By Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

During the week leading up to Christmas break, crews were seen putting the final touches on a brand new mid-block crosswalk (with flashing beacons) on Wiregrass School Rd., directly in front of Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH), to the surprise of both parents and staff, who had no idea it was coming, or who was even installing it,....and it went up quick!

It was like a surprise Christmas gift from a secret Santa had just appeared at the school’s doorsteps, literally.

At the beginning of this 2024-25 school year, WRH principal Robyn White had sent an email out to parents about her concerns with students crossing mid-block, in order to get to the 7-Eleven on the other side of the road:

“We need your help. I have noticed in the [morning], but more so in the afternoon, that students are crossing the road in front of traffic by the 7-Eleven. Please encourage your child, if they are a walker or bike rider, to use the crosswalk [at the signal] at Mansfield Blvd. The last thing any of us wants to see is a student get hit by a car or a bus. They think they are invincible and don’t hesitate to walk in front of moving vehicles and, as a parent, it is scary for me to watch. I appreciate your assistance as you discuss this safety concern with your children.”

Since the 7-Eleven gas station opened in 2022, it’s been a very popular place for WRH students to grab a drink or a snack, conveniently located just outside the school.

But, the gas station was on the opposite side of Wiregrass School Rd. from the school, so students would just find gaps in the school traffic wherever they could, to cross anywhere from the sidewalk leaving the school property. There was no “designated” place to cross, except at the traffic signal, which was about 350’ out of the way, and kids tend to take the shortest path possible.

This new mid-block crosswalk is positioned perfectly to help with the problem, providing a well-marked and well-lit consolidated crossing point, located off the southern corner of the gas station, just outside the front gate for the school.

The question on the minds of many residents and school administrators was, “How did it get there?” White and other staff members said they had no idea, since the new crosswalk was installed just outside of the school’s property.

A keen eye would notice that the new sidewalk ramps for the crosswalk connect with the new sidewalk that was just laid around the property for the recently constructed Bay Paws Pet Resort (blue building in photo). Mallory White, the new Wesley Chapel Bay Paws manager (who previously

was at the Trinity location), explained that Bay Paws provided the new crosswalk.

“It was something that the county required, so our contractor worked with them on it over two weeks [to complete the crosswalk].”

Mallory White said that the crosswalk was one of the final steps in the Bay Paws site construction permit requirements, so the pet boarding facility could receive its Certificate of Occupancy (CO) to open, which she says she hopes will be at the end of this month.

Over the past couple of years, Pasco County officials have been focusing even

more on pedestrian safety and connectivity, with effective sidewalk networks, with all new construction permits. This new crosswalk is equipped with Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) which are activated by a push button on either side of the street similar to the ones recently installed on Mansfield Blvd and on County Line Rd in Meadow Pointe.

There is no button in the median because the flashing sequence gives ample time to cross both sides of the street. The push button makes a loud chirp when pressed to let the pedestrian know that the flashing beacons have been activated.

S.R. 56 At Mansfield/Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. Gets Dual Left Turn Upgrade

By Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

A major traffic pattern change has just been competed at the intersection of Mansfield Blvd./Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. and S.R. 56, as there are now dual left turn lanes in all directions. This change occurred rather quickly last month and only took a few weeks to finish.

The change was a requirement of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Pasco County permitting conditions for the new Orlando Health Hospital, being constructed at the northeast corner of the intersection. This means that the hospital paid for and completed the work in advance of its anticipated opening, which is still expected to be sometime in 2026.

The change was required to help offset and accommodate the additional traffic the hospital is expected to generate at that intersection, which was laid out in Orlando Health’s traffic study, which was submitted in advance of the project for government review. These operational and safety improvements should keep the signal working efficiently long into the future.

All of the signals at the intersection had always been designed to accommodate these extra left turn lanes, but they were striped out with paint until needed. The first dual left (from Mansfield Blvd.

northbound onto S.R. 56 westbound) was added in 2018 when FDOT contacted Pasco to let the county know that vehicular traffic leaving the schools in the morning was causing backups on Mansfield Blvd., creating a concern — and sometimes long delays — for local residents.

Safety has always been a concern here as well, as there have been multiple serious crashes involving younger drivers making left turns in front of oncoming traffic under the previous permissive left turn signal. Now, with the dual lefts, all left turns are protected, which means left turns are only permitted with a green arrow, greatly reducing the potential for crashes.

There’s also still room to add a third through lane in both the westbound and eastbound directions on S.R. 56 in the striped-out area, when needed.

Meadow Pointe Blvd. Still A Concern

Meanwhile, safety and efficiency are still concerns with the down stream signal at Meadow Pointe Blvd. and S.R. 56.

District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman has said that improvements are coming to this intersection as well, an item that the Board of County Commissioners (BOC) passed in July.

Dual lefts will be added for eastbound traffic on S.R. 56 to turn north onto Mead-

ow Pointe Blvd., which backs up badly during the afternoon rush hour, and dual lefts will be added for northbound traffic on Meadow Pointe Blvd. to turn west onto S.R. 56, which experiences bad back-ups during both the morning and evening rush hours.

(Above) All approaches to the traffic signals on S.R. 56 and Mansfield Blvd. (inow have dual left turn lanes. The under-construction Orlando Health Hospital is seen here in the background. Orlando Health

PHSC

(Right) The S.R. 56 intersection with Mansfield/Wiregrass Ranch Blvd.

Two ‘Nutcrackers’ Were Among Our Area’s Festive Holiday Highlights!

By Gary Nager

As a direct-mail newspaper that only hits mailboxes every four weeks, it’s hard for us to publish some stories because they’re already “old” by the time our next issue reaches you.

For example, by the time this issue reaches you, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa will all be distant memories and the year 2025 will already be in full swing, as even the kids have been back in school for two+ weeks as this issue is scheduled to reach you.

Even so, photographer Charmaine George and I attended many of the local holiday-themed events last month — some or even all of which you may have missed — including two different local ballet performances of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.”

The top two photos on this page are from the New Tampa Dance Theatre (NTDT)’s “preview” performance on Dec. 7 at the Shops at Wiregrass. Charmaine took these pictures since neither she nor I were available to attend NTDT’s full “Nutcracker” ballet performances at the University of South Florida Dec. 20-22. Charmaine said that the huge crowd of people at the mall was definitely captivated by the ballet. NTDT is located at 10701 Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa For more information, call (813) 994-6838 or visit NewTampaDanceTheatre.com.

I took the bottom three photos on this page during one of the Tampa City Ballet (TCB)’s three performances of “The Nutcracker” at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) Dec. 13-15. Not only were the dancers (adults and children) all amazing, the choreography by TCB’s Paula Nunez, as well as the costumes and sets, were all as impressive as you would see at any big-city ballet company performance of Tchaikovsky’s holiday masterpiece. TCB also performed “The Nutcracker” at USF Dec. 7-10.

And, speaking of TCB, which is based at the Tampa City Dance Center at 15367 Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms, see the ad on pg. 21 for more information about TCB’s upcoming performances at NTPAC of “Don Quixote” in March.

Tuesday, Thursday, January 23, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Florida Life Rehab Physical Therapy (2252 Twelve Oaks Way, Ste. 102, Wesley Chapel). There will be raffle games to win prizes and snacks and refreshments. Sign up for a special giveaway. Free to attend. but please R.S.V.P to Info@FloridaLifeRehab.com. For more information, call (813) 994-8534 or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/events.

Friday, January 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, January 25, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – Friends of the New River Library Book Sale. At New River Branch Library (34043 S.R. 54, Wesley Chapel). Great sales on all your favorite books and DVDs! All proceeds from the Book Sale support library programs. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 788-6375 or visit PascoLibraries.org/ events/events-calendars/.

Friday, January 24, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. – Rita’s Italian Ice Grand Opening Celebration and Ribbon Cutting. At Downtown Avalon Park (4424 Friendly Way, Wesley Chapel). Come say hello to the new treat in town! Free Italian ice for a year giveaway for the first 50 guests. $2 small Italian ice and $3 small gelati. 5 p.m. Ribbon Cutting, DJ, prize wheel with swag giveaways and a balloon twister. For more info, call (813) 3554261 or see the story on pg. 23 of this issue.

Friday, January 24, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. – Fourth Friday Food Truck Rally. At Downtown Avalon Park (4424 Friendly Way, Wesley Chapel). Enjoy a variety of mouthwatering dishes while soaking

in the lively atmosphere. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 783-1515, visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com.

Saturday, January 25, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. – Sean Bartell Foundation Charity Bingo. At Cypress Creek High (8701 Old Pasco Rd., Wesley Chapel) cafeteria. Donation to play is $20 in advance or $25 at the door to win some great donated prizes! For more info, email SPBFoundation@hotmail.com or see the ad on pg. 17.

visit TheShopsatWiregrass.com/events.

Tickets cost $15. For tickets & more info, call (813) 829-2760 or visit NewTampaArtsCenter. org/events.

Friday, February 7, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Leading Ladies Network Meeting. At USF Federal Credit Union (20610 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., New Tampa). Peggy D’Alessandro will be presenting on Cybersecurity – How to Keep Your Business Safe. $15 to attend, online registration is required. To register and for more information call (813) 994-8534 or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/events; also, see the story on pg. 36.

Sunday, January 26, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. - Auto & Truck Showcase. At The Shops at Wiregrass. Stroll along palm tree-lined Paseo Dr. to check out the area’s best cars and trucks, while enjoying live DJ music, family activities, shopping, and over thirty eateries to choose from for a quick bite, brunch, or sit-down dining. Free to attend. For more info, visit TheShopsatWiregrass.com/events.

Thursday, January 30, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. - The Caribbean Chillers Present “A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett.” At The Shops at Wiregrass, Center Stage. The Caribbean Chillers’ tribute to Jimmy Buffet (photo above) is an authentic recreation of what you’d hear at a “live” Jimmy Buffett concert. Grab your lawn chair and get ready to dance, family friendly and free to attend. For more info,

Tuesday, February 4, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Business Breakfast. At Pasco Hernando State College (2727 Mansfield Blvd, Wesley Chapel). $25 for members, $30 for non-members to attend. To register and for more information, call (813) 994-8534 or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/events.

Tuesday, February 4, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. – Taiko Drums of Japan with Tampa Taiko. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd., Tampa). Experience Asian culture and celebrations like Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year, and Matsuri Festivals with Tampa Taiko! They’ll bring traditional music and dancing styles to the stage, including the Chinese Lion Dance, a 3,000-year-old Chinese tradition that symbolizes prosperity, luck, and happiness.

Thursday, February 13, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. – Jon Lehrer Dance Company. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd., Tampa). New York’s Jon Lehrer Dance company brings its signature athletic, artistic, and accessible brand of dance to NTPAC. Tickets cost $15-$20 depending on seat selection. For tickets & more info call (813) 829-2760 or visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.

Friday, February 14, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. –Tampa Bay Symphony Winter 2025 Scandinavian Romance. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd., Tampa). The Tampa Bay Symphony consists of 80+ musicians and has been described as “one of Tampa Bay’s hidden jewels.” Come and experience the excitement of live classical music! Tickets cost $25, students tickets are free. For tickets & more info call (813) 829-2760 or visit NewTampaArtsCenter. org/events.

Sean Bartell Charity Bingo

Finger Food and snacks will be provided for all players Bring your own Dauber or ones will be available for $2

Date: Saturday, January 25, 2025 Time: 4-7pm To Do: Bring a Friend!

Details: Donation to play is $20 for pre-purchase and at the door $25

Place: Cypress Creek High School Cafeteria (8701 Old Pasco Rd., Wesley Chapel) 20 Rounds: 4 cards per game with 80 chances to win! Contact information: SPBfoundation@hotmail.com

Come join us for a fun filled event with many wonderful prizes donated by the local community members and businesses. We are still accepting donated items for this event! to benefit the Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation

our Facebook page for Event updates**

‘Avalon Aglow’ On December 14 Again Attended By Thousands!

As holiday celebrations in Wesley Chapel go, we can’t think of any that outdo the annual “Avalon Aglow” event at Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, which was held on Dec. 14 and included the community’s Downtown area for the first time.

An estimated crowd of around 2,500 people came out to enjoy visits from Santa, a snow slide, train rides, a “front porch” decorating contest and of course, a great fireworks display to close out the evening.

If you missed it, don’t worry — Avalon Park hosts a large variety of free events, including the upcoming “Absolutely Avalon” on Saturday, April 19, a Food Truck Rally every 4th Friday and more!

For more info, visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com or see the stories on pgs. 20-21. - GN

All of the photos on this page were provided by Avalon Park Group

ISI® Elite Training Celebrates Its Grand Opening At Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel

Congratulations go out to co-owners Mark and Tamra Henderson and Kayla McCallum for the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for his ISI® Elite Training Wesley Chapel franchise, which was held in Downtown Avalon Park on Jan. 11.

About 50 people gathered to celebrate, break bread, take tours of the facility (which has been open since mid-October) and enjoy each other’s company at the recent addition to the first building in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel off S.R. 54.

The ISI Wesley Chapel staff, gym members, family, friends and members of the local community enjoyed dinner, hors d’oeuvres and conversation. Before cutting the ribbon, Mark gave heartfelt thanks to the community that made the venture possible. Later in the evening, head performance coach Kaitlen Mullis gave a champagne toast acknowledging how inspired she has been by the work and everyone’s progress so far.

The ISI acronym stands for “Iron Sharpens Iron,” and the company’s approach to training encourages members to work together to support each other getting stronger, day by day and session by session. ISI Elite Training aims to be a place where people can feel at home, be healthier, and get to know each other. The Grand Opening gathering is just one example of the multiple opportunities provided for members to connect.

The Wesley Chapel location, the third in Florida (the others are in Orlando and St. Petersburg) has hosted movie nights, holiday potlucks, contests, a book club, Mega Workouts (open to friends and family), raffles and more. Mark said the desire to have a space that could support those

types of community-building endeavors was a key factor in his choosing the Avalon Park location.

“It’s a brand-new facility and, as that community grows, we will grow as well,” Mark said. “That’s something that we want to do, to be part of the community.”

The first ISI Elite Training facility opened in South Carolina in 2011 and the parent company began franchising in 2019. Today, there are more than 70 locations in 12 U.S. states. The unique ISI model offers high-intensity, 50-minute, group fitness sessions several times a day, to accommodate a variety of schedules. Each day of the week is dedicated to a targeted area: lower body, upper body, full body, or core and cardio. ISI® members across the country participate in the same work out at each session and all sessions focus on athletic-based training, functional fitness, personalized attention and community building.

One of the Wesley Chapel location’s fitness coaches — facility manager Edrionne (E.J.) McCallum, Olivia Kessler or Kaitlen Mullis — leads each session with warm-ups and demonstrations of each station and movement. Members are divided into groups and assigned a starting station. The space is equipped with kettle bells, medicine balls, pull-up bars, stationary bicycles, sleds, battle ropes, SkiErg cross country-training machines and a plethora of free weights. Membership levels range from four to unlimited sessions per month.

ISI® Elite Training Wesley Chapel is located at 4424 Friendly Way. For more info about class times, memberships, upcoming offers and events, call (813) 517-4725 or visit ISIEliteTrainingWesleyChapel.com. — Turiya Autry

(Above) The ribbon-cutting on Jan. 11 at ISI® Elite Training’s Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel location. (Below, l.-r.) Mark & Tamra Henderson & Kayla & Edrionne (E.J.) McCallum.

Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel Updates

While ISI® Elite Training (story on previous page) is the latest business to celebrate its Grand Opening in the first 73,000-sq.-ft. building in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, there is still a lot more to come — and most of the not-yetopen restaurants and businesses are expected to be open by the end of the first quarter of this year.

Of course, as we reported in our Oct. 1 issue, the first businesses to open in Downtown Avalon Park were The Flats at Avalon Park apartments, which are situated above the retail businesses on the ground floor of this first building, and Woof Gang Bakery (bottom photo), which also has a location on the north side of S.R. 56, across from the Tampa Premium Outlets.

ISI, Rita’s Italian Ice (which celebrates its own Grand Opening on Friday, January 24; see the ad on the previous page or the Events Calendar on pg. 16 for more info) and the Prime Barber Shop were next on the list to open, but a lot more businesses are still on the way, including Avalon Nail Art, VetCheck® Pet Urgent Care Center and the Dream Dental Studio.

Also coming soon are Rudraksh Indian Cuisine and Tallo Restaurant & Bar Avalon Park Group senior vice president Stephanie Lerrett says that although she didn’t yet know at our press time when either eatery is expected to open, “both are getting close.”

While Rudraksh aspires to “spice up your life” by becoming the foremost Indian restaurant in our area by being known for redefining the Indian dining experience, Tallo is described as an “American-Caribbean themed restaurant, blending the rich, flavorful traditions of Caribbean cooking with the comforting, familiar tastes of American cuisine with modern culinary techniques. Tallo will also feature a full-service bar, with an extensive array of spirits, wines and beers, where skilled mixologists will craft with a special emphasis on both Caribbean-inspired cocktails and American classics.”

In addition to the Rita’s Grand Opening on the 24th, Downtown Avalon Park also

will host it’s first-ever “4th Friday Food Truck Rally” that same day, from 5 p.m.-8 p.m., with the following food trucks scheduled at our press time to appear: Piccola Pizzeta, Westchase BBQ, Nacho Wagon and Coco’s Latin Cuisine. Like virtually all of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s events (like the annual ‘Avalon Aglow” event on Dec. 14; see story on pg. 18; and the upcoming “Absolutely Avalon” event on Saturday, April 19), the Food Truck Rally is open to everyone and has no admission fee. For more information, see the ad on the previous page or visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com. — GN

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Other businesses already open in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel include (top photo) Rita’s Italian Ice (and Frozen Custard; shown here is owner Antoine Stokes); (middle) Prime Barbershop (shown here is barber Omar Lugo); and (above) Woof Gang Bakery, where pups get to choose their own treats.

Sunglass KRATE Has Merged With 369 EyeWear

After seven years in Florida and four months of being retired, William Toledo decided to create a new business: 369 EyeWear/Stack & Save.

Toledo has now partnered with James Lambrou, the owner of Sunglass KRATE in the KRATE at The Grove container park and the result is that 369 EyeWear and Sunglass KRATE are now combined in the same former shipping container where Lambrou has had his shop for almost a year.

Combined, Lambrou, a licensed optician, and Toledo have more than 70 years of experience in the eyeglass industry. Each has contributed different visions to create a new, different and innovative concept.

They say the intention is to unite two market trends in one place: Fashion and affordable prices for everyone. Knowing that people need more than one pair of glasses (or sunglasses) in today’s fast-paced world, 369 EyeWear, which offers a huge selection of eyeglass frames, from the most fashionable to the most affordable, has made owning multiple pairs of glasses a lot less expensive for everyone — without sacrificing the great looks you want.

“We now offer ‘stacks’ of 3, 6, 9 or even up to 12 pairs of glasses, with or without prescription lenses, at the price of what you normally would pay for a single pair of glasses,” Jim says. “For example, our famous Stack of three pairs can include a

clear pair with anti-glare lenses for nighttine driving, another with Blue Shield treatment (perfect for use with electronic monitors) for the office and a pair of prescription sunglasses — all for just $99!”

The store also now offers a “Celebrity Stack,” where you pay for 12 pairs of glasses, get three pairs now and a new pair every month to complement your ever-changing look on social media for one low price.

As an introductory offer, 369 EyeWear/Sunglass KRATE is offering its customers two free lens upgrades — such as bifocal, tinted or polycarbonate material lenses — on every pair of glasses.

With pretty much everything going up in price these days, smarter shopping is required and the 369 “stacks” can help everyone save money on their eyeglasses.

Plus, unlike online stores, Lambrou is still on-site to custom-fit your glasses, and to make adjustments as you need them. Try getting that kind of service online!

And, 369 EyeWear has its own factory, so your prescription glasses will be done right and on-time the first time every time!

So, the next time you’re at the KRATEs, visit 369 EyeWear/Sunglass KRATE at 5827 Grand Oro Ln., #105, for the best deals, best service and best selection! For more information, call (813) 994-6700 or see the ad on pg. 9 of this issue. — GN

(Above) The combined 369 EyeWear/Sunglass KRATE shop at the KRATE at The Grove container park offers a huge selection of eyeglass and sunglass frames, including (below) these unique “makeup glasses” that allow you to flip the one lens to either side when putting on makeup. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Absolute Air Systems Is One Family’s Commitment To Comfort & Integrity

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

For more than 20 years, Absolute Air Systems, Inc., has been a trusted choice for heating and air conditioning services in Central Florida. Founded by the husband-&-wife team of Steve and Tammy DeRolf, along with co-founder Mike Thornton, the company is still family owned & operated. From the beginning, Absolute Air has been built on honesty, integrity and loyalty, with the goal of always providing exceptional service and fair pricing for every customer.

The DeRolf family still plays a significant role in the daily operations of Absolute Air Systems. Tammy and Steve’s daughter Amber serves as the office manager and is often the first point of contact for customers. Having grown up in the industry, Amber brings invaluable knowledge and experience to the team. She handles everything from answering inquiries to scheduling appointments, and ensuring each customer receives the personalized attention they need.

The family also includes Elaine, who resides in Palm Bay, and Steve Jr., who helps with the business when needed, despite having a career of his own. Mike Thornton also is still very much involved in the company’s day-today operations.

Amber proudly emphasizes Absolute Air’s commitment to transparency and fair pricing.

“There are a lot of great companies out

there, but some will charge as much as they can,” she says. “But, we pride ourselves on having some of the lowest prices in the area. Our business is built on principles that have never changed.”

Absolute Air offers a full range of services for both residential and commercial clients, including HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) system installations, emergency repairs, preventive maintenance, ultraviolet light (UV) installation, thermostat upgrades and ductless mini-split systems.

The company is certified and licensed for residential and commercial projects, including new construction. Absolute Air’s experienced technicians ensure that all work complies with all codes and standards, whether it’s a small repair or a customized system for a newly built property.

Among the company’s most popular services is the installation of ductless mini-split systems. These energy-efficient systems are ideal for homes without ductwork, older properties, room additions, small apartments and multi-family units. Mini-split systems provide both heating and cooling while offering precise temperature control. Unlike regular central air systems, the mini-split doesn’t rely on ducts to distribute the air and each of the units can be controlled individually.

These systems work with two components. There is an outdoor compressor/condenser and an indoor air handling unit. Energy Starcertified mini-split systems can use up to 60%

less energy than traditional systems, making them a costeffective option for many households.

(Note - Customers mentioning this story or the ad on pg. 45 receive a $250 discount on a mini-split AC system installation.)

Another service Amber highly recommends is the installation of UV lights, which help eliminate mold, mildew, bacteria and viruses, improve indoor air quality and extend the life of an AC system. Amber explains that the UV light also will reduce odors and keep the unit running efficiently by preventing mold buildup. The light is usually placed near the evaporator coil inside the air handler, which is where most moisture and potential microbial growth occur. The UV light will sterilize the air as it passes through.

“While there is an installation fee,” Amber says, “the only future expense is replacing the light, which depending upon the brand, may last 1-2 years.”

Amber adds that regular routine mainte-

nance is vital for extending the lifespan of any HVAC system.

She encourages customers to join the company’s maintenance membership program,

(L.-r.) Amber, Steve & Tammy DeRolf of Absolute Air Systems, with Hurricane (the Absolute Air team mascot. (Photos by Charmaine George)

See “Absolute Air” on pg. 26.

which offers numerous benefits. Routine upkeep helps your system run more efficiently, reduces energy usage and lowers utility bills. Regular maintenance also ensures safety by verifying the system’s proper operation and minimizing the risk of malfunctions, which helps prevent costly breakdowns and repairs, offering customers peace of mind and long-term savings. Scheduling a maintenance appointment is made even easier with Absolute Air’s app, allowing customers to book appointments with just a few clicks.

Customers Rave About Absolute Air!

Kathy Gillespie, a satisfied Absolute Air customer, says, “This company is so awesome! Steve and his team have helped me keep my air conditioner going and have come out multiple times, no matter the day or time! Honest and professional! I highly recommend them!”

Absolute Air Systems has earned its reputation for transparency and honesty. Its technicians are dedicated to presenting customers with all available options, whether a repair or replacement is needed. “If there’s a warranty on a part, we’ll tell you,” Amber says. “Some companies don’t, but we always will. We do everything in our power to get your unit running again at the best price possible.”

The company’s dedication to customer satisfaction is evident in the glowing reviews it has received over the years. Customer Monica GuraHornyak writes, “Our family has been

using Absolute Air for years for several properties. This past week they really pulled out all the stops to help an elderly client of mine who needed a new AC system. They arranged their schedule because of a time constraint (I’m selling the home for the client) and Miguel worked until everything was perfect. Best and most important of all, they did NOT try to oversell her a huge unit she did not need. Thank you guys, I’ll keep sending my clients to you for sure.”

The reviews highlight the company’s commitment to treating customers like family. Absolute Air strives to ensure every customer feels valued and supported throughout their experience. “We’re not just a business; we’re a family,” Amber says. “We care about our customers and treat them the way we’d want to be treated.”

For customers who do need a new AC system, Absolute Air offers a wide selection of top brands, including systems tailored for people with allergies or respiratory conditions. Financing options are available through GreenSky and RenewFinancial, making it easier for families to invest in their comfort.

The DeRolf family’s dedication to community and customer care also extends to military families and veterans, who receive a 10% discount as a token of appreciation for their service. The discount can be redeemed through the company’s website, further emphasizing the company’s commitment to giving back.

Beyond its services, Absolute Air Systems also is deeply rooted in the local community. The company participates in events and initia-

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tives that benefit their neighbors, reinforcing its reputation as a company that truly cares.

“Being part of this community means everything to us,” says Amber. “It’s where we live, work and raise our families.”

Whether it’s routine maintenance, an emergency repair, or a new heating and cooling system, Absolute Air Systems is ready to help. The company’s skilled technicians, backed by decades of experience, ensure that every customer receives the highest level of service.

To learn more about Absolute Air Systems, Inc. and the services the company provides, or to schedule an appointment, call (813) 779-0101, email info@getcoldair.com or visit GetColdAir.com. Or, see the ad on pg. 45 for Absolute Air’s $250 off a mini-split system offer for Neighborhood News readers.

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Your ad in the Neighborhood News can be seen by more than 160,000 people every four weeks! Find out how!

Office manager Amber DeRolf isn’t an Absolute Air technician, but she is usually the first point of contact for most of the company’s customers. (Photo by Charmaine George)

If You Think Your Business Can’t Afford An IT Department, Call My Tampa IT!

By Gary Nager

Photo by Charmaine George

As a business owner who can only use the technology available to me enough to keep my business running, anytime there’s a glitch — and believe me, there have been many — that affects my ability to complete the work I have to do, there is no way for me to fix that problem myself.

In other words, when you consider that I need to use a computer to write stories, help my graphic designer create ads, edit stories written by others, lay those stories and ads in on digital pages, transmit those pages to our printer, create invoices and sales receipts for our advertisers, Auto-Pay the credit cards and communicate with dozens of local businesses every day, etc. — well, let’s just say that there are a lot of glitches that can happen during that process that can prevent me from being able to complete an issue every two weeks.

So, even though I know absolutely nothing about Information Technology (IT), I understand enough to know that I need someone to handle my IT needs so I can focus on my business.

That’s why I feel fortunate to have met (and become friends with) Linwood Wright, the owner of My Tampa IT, and his marketing/sales director Peggy D’Alessandro. My Tampa IT has a convenient office located in the Windguard Professional Center off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, but even if Linwood was operating out of a home office (like Jannah and I do), I would still recommend him and his team of IT experts that keep me and the Neighborhood News glitch-free.

When we first decided to utilize My Tampa

IT’s services, Linwood had to get our email back up and running when our primary email account was hacked. Not only were we completely shut down, the hackers sent fake messages to all of our email contacts that looked like they came from us. He and his crew got us back up and running — within 24 hours or so — and implemented new security protocols to protect us as best as they could going forward, which was done remotely.

But next, he and his team came to our home office to check out the computers and programs we were using to figure out where we were most vulnerable to possible future hacking — since everything we do, every program we use, is connected to the internet. They determined that because of the age (close to 10 years old or more) of our computers, they couldn’t provide the type of security we needed unless I would invest in new

computers. But, while ours had gotten slower over the years, I worried about how I could afford that significant investment in new computers.

And, even though he didn’t sell me my new computers (I bought them directly from Apple but My Tampa IT does also sell computers to its clients), I knew Linwood was right (pun intended).

He and his team again came to our home office to set up and protect all of our new gear, so that if any part of our operation is hacked in the future, his computers receive an immediate notification and they are normally able to immediately get to work to correct the problem, usually within ten minutes of its detection.

“We have to be able to act quickly,” Linwood says. “If it ever takes us more than twelve minutes to call you after a threat is detected, well, let’s just say that is unacceptable to me.”

I receive a “Quarantine List” of potential threat emails every day and go through that list so I can determine if each is a legitimate email from either an existing or potential advertiser or from a member of the communities we serve before I even consider opening it. Months after My Tampa IT set me up, our operation has continued to run smoothly, and just knowing I have proper backup helps yours truly sleep soundly every night.

“There are literally millions of hackers around the world — some of whom are basically unpaid slaves,” he says, “so, if you think your business is too small for anyone to try to hack into your computers, smartphones and bank accounts, we have proof you’re playing a dangerous game.”

Meet The My Tampa IT Team

Linwood admits that even at a young age, he was always something of a technology “geek.”

“I think my first IT job was in 1997,” Linwood says. “I was actually introduced to computing in high school in 1985— at a small town in the middle of Illinois, which was surprisingly advanced for computing at the time — and I excelled at it and really liked it. But, back then, there was really only one thing you could do in IT and that was programming, which didn’t really do it for me, so I went to business school. But, when Microsoft came out with one of their first servers ever — the Windows NT4 — I put myself through Microsoft training because I saw that people really liked the Windows system. and that really kind of set the stage for everything for me going forward.”

Linwood moved to Florida and got a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and a Master of

Peggy D’Alessandro and Linwood Wright of My Tampa IT, located in the Windguard Professional Center in Wesley Chapel, are happy to be the information technology department your small business needs.

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Science degree in Information Studies from Florida State University in Tallahassee.

“I worked for quite a few companies,” he says, “including the Florida Department of Labor, and as a consultant to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Police Department of San Juan, Puerto Rico. I had a one terabyte drive in 2001. It was 20 feet long, 8 feet tall and 3 feet deep. No one had ever even heard of a terabyte back then.”

He was consulting with FDLE when 9-11 happened. “Things got crazy real quick after that,” he said. “I had to log every single person and photo the computers tagged as a possible threat.”

From there, Linwood says, he was working as an IT director for a company, when some people he used to work with had started their own engineering firm. “They said, ‘We don’t have any IT support. Can you help us?’ I said, well, I can only help you nights and weekends because I work full time,’ but they said ‘OK.’ That was in 2009 and I still have that customer to this day.”

And, although it was just Linwood at the time and wasn’t yet called My Tampa IT, “That was how I started this business. Every year, someone else would come to me with a similar problem. By 2014, I had founded My Tampa IT.”

He adds, “As an IT person, I’m like the opposite of a sales person, so I helped found a BNI (Business Networking International) chapter to get my ‘elevator pitch’ down and, by 2021, Peggy agreed to handle sales and marketing for me.”

Peggy says she worked for Sears for 30 years. “I went from a part-time sales associate in the tool department for one year, and then in appliances, in Flushing, NY.”

But then, when she moved to Florida, she

says, “I moved into commercial sales and I started reaching out to home builders asking, ‘Who needs appliances?’ Instead of one house at a time, I was now selling 300 sets of appliances at once to multifamily builders, which became my niche. I ended up in the top 1% of sales for the entire company and did that for about 20 years. But, after Sears eventually shut down my division, I ended up asking Linwood if we could team up. He said, ‘Oh my God, yes.’ And that was it.”

Peggy says she then immersed herself in learning enough about technology to translate Linwood’s “tech speak” into everyday English for business owners, “So it’s really been a great partnership between us.”

She adds that even people who buy the absolute top-of-the-line computers still have problems, “and when they do, they’re upset. They’re not mad at us, they’re mad because they’re shut down. It’s up to us to have empathy and solve their problem.”

And for that, Linwood needs capable techs and he says he is proud that, “all of my techs are local — not in a foreign country — and have been with me for at least three years now.”

So, whether the business you own is a CPA, law, engineering or architectural firm, a manufacturing business, home service company (HVACs, plumbers, roofers, etc.) a health care or any other type of small business, My Tampa IT can help — not only keep your computers up and running, but also make sure you stay in compliance with the laws and rules of the business.

Still think you can’t afford it? I say you can’t afford to not give My Tampa IT a call!

For more info about My Tampa IT (2816 Windguard Cir., Ste. 101), call (813) 513-9849, visit MyTampaIT.com or see the ad on pg. 51.

Call Heat Wave Pressure Washing For Residential & Commercial Exterior Cleaning!

By Turiya Autry Neighborhood News Correspondent

Whether you’re looking to bring the freshness back to the exterior of your home or business, Heat Wave Pressure Washing has got you covered! Based in Wesley Chapel, Heat Wave provides residential and commercial pressure washing services to customers located in Pasco, Polk, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Owner Brennan Vargas, a Wesley Chapel High graduate, is dedicated to both his work and the company’s legacy. Brennan started in the pressure washing business as a summer job when he was 20 years old. Although it initially wasn’t something that he was particularly passionate about, Brennan says the inspirational influence and mentorship of the business’ previous owner, Christopher Brenner, showed him that he and the business could grow.

Unsure of what he wanted to do at the time, Brennan asked his father Chris if he knew of anyone looking for help. When his father mentioned Brenner, who was in Chris’ networking group as a potential resource. At that time, Brennan says he couldn’t predict that the connection, and the summer job that came from it, would fuel his entrepreneurial growth and future.

“Originally, when I first started working there, I was just looking for something to do over the summer,” Brennan recalls, “since I wasn’t planning on going to college.”

Halfway into that first summer position, Brennan could see that Brenner really wanted to grow Heat Wave Pressure Washing. So, Brennan

decided to stick around and help his boss with that endeavor. The positive work environment, and his appreciation for Brenner, led Brennan to continue with the company. He credits that relationship for teaching him to be the conscientious businessman that he is today.

“[Brenner] taught me to be extremely meticulous, find a solution, do the research, don’t speak out of pocket, and come to the client with what you can do for them,” Brennan says. “And then, when you can’t do [something] for them, you help them figure that out.”

That service-oriented, mindful approach shaped Brennan’s attention to detail and his desire to always provide stellar work during his seven years with the company.

But then, when Brennan purchased Heat Wave in April of 2024, he kept the name to honor the legacy of Brenner, who passed away in 2023. The insights and lessons Brennan gained over the years, under Brenner’s tutelage, still guide his work ethic today. Those lessons also are obvious in the way Heat Wave Pressure Washing approaches every job.

“Whether it’s paver sealing or pressure washing your house, it’s about preserving your investment,” Brennan explains, “and making sure that whoever is working on your property knows what they are doing, is using the right stuff, isn’t going to kill a bunch of plants, or alter the color of your paint. When we’re cleaning a roof, for example, we’re covering everything [below it] that is delicate. We put bags on the bottom gutters for collection. We always go the extra mile.”

Those are just some of the precautions that Brennan and his team of technicians take at Heat Wave Pressure Washing. They also do everything they can to protect any wildlife at the site, by choosing cleaning products carefully, as well as checking for nests and animal burrows. Looking out for the property’s landscaping and fauna is part of that preparation, too.

While Heat Wave incorporates these and other mindful practices, Brennan shares that he’s heard too many horror stories from too many of his customers who have had bad experiences with

other companies. “I’ve met guys who’ve killed every single plant on a property,” he says, “and that can end up being like $8,000 to $10,000 to replace, over the cost of an $800 pressure washing job!”

Protecting your investment from these mishaps is exactly why Heat Wave Pressure Washing exercises due diligence and takes precautionary measures ahead of time. Brennan says that using mainly soft washing, at low pressure, and using the proper solutions also are key. Since many of the solutions that take care of algae and mildew are chlorine bleach-based, they unfortunately also

LICENSED WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA - 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

(Photo above by Charmaine George) Owner Brennan Vargas of Heat Wave Pressure Washing can make the exterior of your home or business look like new. (Before & After photos, provided by Brennan, on next page).

can kill plants. To avoid this potential outcome, the Heat Wave techs apply a neutralizer on nearby plants to protect them from chemical exposure. They also use a very diluted bleach-based solution that has a surfactant (surface-active agent) that helps it stick to surfaces. This keeps the solution from dripping all over and enables the team to use less solution in order to get surfaces clean. Covering less hearty plants with tarps is another especially important step the techs take when washing roofs.

Brennan knows that attention to detail, and incorporating ongoing advances in the industry, will continue to add to the stellar services Heat Wave Pressure Washing already provides.

“I’m a bit of a nerd sometimes,” he admits. “I really like the idea of innovation. Since I’ve taken over, I’ve purchased systems that allow me to control things more delicately, so that way I don’t need to use as much solution.”

With an eye to the future, Brennan also says that he sees himself continuing to learn everything he can about how to make the work safer and more efficient. “Expanding the business, and improving how things are done, are my two big goals for the future,” he says. He adds that he is hoping to add more like-minded people to his team and would like to eventually franchise the business.

Brennan stresses that pressure washing isn’t just something to consider for curb appeal before selling your home, or for when the homeowners association comes knocking at your door. He recommends that people consider his company’s services as part of their regular property maintenance routine. “Addressing issues immediately is one of the best things owners can do, especially when it comes to emergency clean-ups,” he says.

Left unattended, potential issues can easily

compound. Brennan describes an instance where a call from an elderly widow turned into a much bigger project than initially anticipated.

“She hadn’t had anything taken care of in quite a few years,” he explains. “It was supposed to be just a simple pool cage and deck cleaning, but when we got back there, she had weeds as tall as her pool cage. It was genuinely like a jungle.”

Brennan was undeterred by the challenge and went above and beyond. He rallied a couple of buddies — a landscaper and a pool cleaner — and together they tackled it all. They cleared the overgrowth, cleaned the pool and pool cage, and repainted the deck. True to the lessons he learned from Brenner, he gathered the necessary resources to address the client’s needs, which shows in the company’s online reviews.

“I’m incredibly impressed with the fantastic job done by Heat Wave Pressure Washing! They transformed the exterior of my property, removing grime and dirt with their thorough and effective cleaning. The team’s attention to detail and dedication to delivering top-notch results truly stood out. I’m beyond satisfied with their service and would highly recommend Heat Wave to anyone in need of professional pressure washing.” - JaRhonda M. (on Yelp)

That commitment and follow-through is what makes Heat Wave stand out. Whether for a residential property or a commercial business, Brennan Vargas and his team are ready to help.

For more info about Heat Wave Pressure Washing, or to request an estimate, call (813) 693-5522, visit TampaWash.com or see the ad on pg. 47. While most estimates can be done over the phone, Brennan says more complex jobs may require scheduling a visit to the site.

Start 2025 Strong(er) With The Unique Training Options At Euro Pilates!

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

The new year is here, and if your resolution is to prioritize your health and start 2025 on a strong note, Euro Pilates has the expertise and community support you need to improve your flexibility, strength and overall well-being.

Euro Pilates, established in a different location in 2007 and now located behind Walgreens at the southeast corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and County Line Rd. in New Tampa, is a studio specializing in Pilates and flexibility training. Owner Maria Ivanova brings a wealth of experience to her role, having a background as a professional gymnast, as well as a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Sports Education & Movement from Moscow University in Moscow, Russia. Maria also has served as a USA Gymnastics National Team coach and national judge, working with elite athletes both in the U.S. and internationally.

Maria is an advanced Stott Pilates (see below and next page for more information about Stott Pilates)certified Master Instructor, a TRX trainer and was the first Total Barre-certified instructor in Florida. Stott Pilates, which was created in 1988 by actor/entrepreneur Lindsay and former dancer Moira Merrithew (Stott was Moira’s maiden name), is designed to restore the spine’s natural curves, rebalance muscles, and improve core stabilization. TRX (which stands for “Total Resistance Exercise”) training, developed in 2001 by former U.S. Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick, utilizes suspension equipment to build strength and flexibility. And, Total Barre combines ballet barre exercises with Pilates principles, strength training and yoga for a fullbody workout.

Maria takes pride in the unique combination of training disciplines she offers at Euro Pilates.

“My clients get more personalized training than at some of the other Pilates studios out there,” she says. “I believe that helped us survive Covid.”

During the pandemic, Maria and her daughter Ania, who also worked at the studio at the time, pivoted to offering Zoom classes. Although Ania now lives in Denver, she remains actively involved in the business by teaching online classes.

Maria’s journey to Pilates is deeply personal. “I was born in Russia with severe scoliosis (curvature of the spine),” she says, “I became involved in gymnastics at an early age, which helped with that condition. I moved to Australia with my family at age 15.”

to teach on all of the

Maria began her Pilates studies in 2001, after moving from Australia to Tampa. She says she was looking to improve the performance of the athletes she was working with through specific strength and conditioning exercises when she found Pilates.

“I wasn’t as involved in doing gymnastics myself at that point,” she says, “so when I decided to try Pilates, I immediately felt its benefits. Two sessions later, I was hooked. I wanted to do more, so I became certified.”

Euro Pilates offers both individual and group Pilates classes utilizing a variety of equipment. Unlike many Pilates studios, Maria’s group classes are capped at five participants, allowing her and her fellow instructors to provide nearly individualized attention. She doesn’t categorize her classes by levels but instead works with each client based on their abilities, even in her small group settings.

For beginners, the studio offers a special package of three one-on-one sessions for $135. To ensure a solid foundation, new clients are

required to complete at least two private sessions before joining the studio’s semi-private or group classes. Please visit Euro-Pilates.com to see availability and to secure your spot.

“Euro Pilates doesn’t sell memberships,”

Maria says, “which is one of the things that makes us unique.” Instead, clients can purchase individual sessions or packages of multiple sessions, which come with a discount. Maria’s goal is to make Pilates safe, fun and accessible for all.

(Above) Instructor Allison Martin leads a Reformer class at Euro Pilates, which is located just south of County Line Rd. off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa. (Bottom) Euro Pilates owner Maria Ivanova also provides private Pilates lessons at her studio. (Next page, l.-r.) Allison, Maria & fellow Euro Pilates trainer Cecilia Little are all certified

Pilates equipment at the studio. (All photos on these pages by Charmaine George)

She explains that she has three types of clients. “Most of our clients are either athletes who have had an injury and need rehabilitation, or someone who has had surgery and needs rehabilitation, although we also have clients who participate in Pilates to strengthen their bodies, so they can prevent injuries in the future. Regardless of how they get here, I give them 100%. I try to help them, and in most cases, if they do the work and stick with it, the results are amazing.”

Speaking of amazing, here is what two of Maria’s clients are saying:

“I have been going to Euro Pilates for seven years and have gone from constant back pain to almost no pain. I credit Maria with this transformation. Everyone who trains there is welcoming and the classes are genuinely fun.” — Kathleen C

“The Reformer, chair, barre, yoga and

combination mat classes offered at Maria Ivanova’s Euro Pilates studio in New Tampa are my favorite antidote to aging. Since I began Pilates exercises, my posture is improved, my core is strengthened and my muscle tone is coming back. Combined with the mental focus required to maintain balance and correct form, Pilates has become my most reliable weapon to combat fatigue and stress.

Maria is Stott Pilates trained and you’ll be in good hands with her and her professional, dedicated and expert staff. My husband was so motivated by my positive experience that he has also started Pilates in search of relief from years of back pain. We tell everyone we know that they will love their time and effort at Euro Pilates.” — Lisa D

What is Stott Pilates?

Lindsay and Moira Merrithew and their team

of sports medicine, fitness experts and physical therapists, created Stott Pilates to be a more modern version of traditional Pilates, which was first developed and brought to the U.S. by German-born Joseph Pilates in the late 1920s; he patented 26 different apparatuses to use during Pilates training. While it follows the principles of regular Pilates such as breathing, concentration, and movement, Stott Pilates focuses more on the alignment of the posture. Regular Pilates training will have you work with a flat back, but Stott Pilates uses the natural curvature of your back and several specialized pieces of equipment are integral to the Stott Pilates practice.

The “Reformer,” for example, features springs, ropes and pulleys to provide a versatile full-body workout. Adding a “Jumpboard” to the Reformer offers an enhanced aerobic experience. The “Barrel,” another common tool, is a curved, padded structure designed to strengthen the core and improve spinal alignment. Among the variations, the “Ladder Barrel” and “Stability Barrel” cater to different levels of challenge.

Another noteworthy apparatus at Euro Pilates is the “Cadillac,” a piece of equipment designed by Joseph Pilates himself. Named after the luxury car brand, the Cadillac comes in two forms — a full version and a more compact wall unit. Both support a wide range of movements and exercises. In addition, the “Chair” is perfect for those who prefer or require seated positions but also is adaptable for advanced, high-intensity workouts. And finally, “Mat” Pilates can be done while using only a mat and various other gym equipment such as fitness balls, weights, resistance bands, etc. This is typically used when someone doesn’t have Stott equipment at home and is taking an online class.

The staff at Euro Pilates also is highly trained and certified. For example, Cecilia Little, who was diagnosed with Cervical Spondylosis in 2013 and was advised to try Pilates as part of her treatment, says she quickly fell in love with the method and pursued Mat and Reformer courses. After moving to the U.S. in 2016, Cecilia furthered her education by completing additional courses on Pilates equipment such as the Cadillac, Chair, and Barrels. She is now a fully certified instructor with eight years of teaching experience.

Fellow Euro Pilates instructor Allison Martin first joined the studio as a client. She became an instructor through Maria’s encouragement.

“Allison has a background in dance, track and cross country, as well as powerlifting,” Maria explains. “I saw her love for Pilates and approached her to become one of our trainers.”

Allison holds an American Council of Exercise (ACE) personal training certification and became a certified Stott Pilates instructor in 2021. She says Pilates has taken her body and her fitness to a new level.

Among the different individualized classes provided at Euro Pilates are “Silver Group Classes” which include Stretch and Reformer Express, focusing on control and precision. The “Gold Group Classes,” such as Reformer and Combo, are ideal for clients familiar with Pilates principles and equipment. All classes are 50 minutes, except for Reformer Express, which is 25 minutes. More information about each of these options, along with scheduling and pricing, can be found on the studio’s website.

Euro Pilates is located at 20743 Center Oak Dr. in New Tampa. For more information, visit Euro-Pilates.com, call (813) 756-4000 or see the ad on pg. 41

Attorney Paul Monsanto Can Help With Wills, Trusts, Asset Protection & More!

The one thing we can all count on in life, other than death and taxes, is change. Whether it’s a new baby in the family or someone getting sick, change is constant. We have to make decisions in the best interest of our families and adjust to all the curveballs thrown our way, but what about when we’re not here anymore? Who will be looking out for our families after we’ve passed on? Death leaves us with big, heavy questions to ask ourselves. What will happen to my assets? Will my wishes be properly carried out? Who will take care of my children if I pass away before they’re adults? Death and disability are never topics anyone wants to discuss, but avoiding planning for them can cost you and your family big time.

Attorney Paul J. Monsanto has seen the turmoil experienced after someone dies without a properly prepared estate plan.

“There’s nothing more disheartening than when I see a family who should be grieving, instead having to deal with the legal headache that comes when someone dies without a Will or a Trust because it’s completely avoidable.”

The Law Office of Paul James Monsanto in the Cypress Glen Professional Park (off S.R. 56) in Wesley Chapel, handles exactly these types of issues. The office specializes in Wills, Trusts, Probate and family planning.

“A comprehensive estate plan is the single most important thing you can do to ensure your family and your hard-earned money are protected in case you die or become incapacitated,” he says. “And it’s not as complex as some people think.”

He adds, “I believe simplicity is crucial to estate planning. I get a lot of calls from clients who think they need a complicated estate plan to avoid probate because of something a friend told them or an article they read online, but for a lot of people, especially older folks, that’s not the case.”

In fact, Paul says that the number-one reason that motivates his clients to call him is because they want to avoid probate.

“Probate is a court-supervised process of transferring assets from the deceased to their beneficiaries. It also is an opportunity for creditors to make a claim against the estate,” he explains.

He adds that for those with a family member who passed away without an estate plan, probate can be a long, arduous process.

“I’ll never forget one particular client: a young man in his forties who came to me because he was very sick with cancer. He didn’t have children but wanted to leave his assets to his mother and brother. My heart broke when I found out he had passed

away two months later. He was weak and sick, but still made the effort to create an estate plan. That saved his family months of added stress.”

Paul’s law firm is quickly rising to the top of the pack with 63 five-star Google reviews since opening his office almost four years ago. But, while his firm is young, Paul has plenty of experience. He has been practicing law for nearly 15 years and is licensed to practice in both Florida and New York. He graduated with a Finance degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville and earned his Juris Doctor (law) degree from the Duke University School of Law in Chapel Hill, NC.

From there, Paul moved to New York City and became a litigating attorney for major banks and insurance companies. After his time in the big city, Paul came home to Tampa, where he was raised, so he could put down roots.

Paul says his career and personal life have taught him that no two family situations are the same. “I’ve helped families with no children and I’ve seen a family with ten children,” he says. “I’ve helped unmarried domestic partners, same-sex couples, people on their first, second and third marriages, blended families — you name it!’

The personal aspect of estate planning is what drew Paul to the practice area and why he plans to continue to practice estate law for years to come.

“After practicing commercial litigation for big banks and corporations, it’s so refreshing to help everyday people,” he says. “Speaking to my clients and hearing about their lives and their families is my favorite part of the job.”

His client-focused approach is just one of the ways Paul’s law office stands out from the dozens of others popping up around the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. He strives to keep his fees fair and reasonable and, in most cases, he charges a flat fee so the client knows ahead of time what their legal costs will be. He makes himself accessible to his clients, personally answering his phone, replying to emails and handling consultations and document signings. Paul encourages potential clients to read his on-line reviews to see what his past clients have said about their experience with his office. Positive word of mouth has indeed helped grow his practice. “It’s such an honor when a client refers me to a

friend, neighbor or family member,” he says. Wills and Trusts are what most people think of first when it comes to estate planning, but Paul says there are many more aspects to it that he can help with, such as long-term care planning, special needs planning and asset protection. He also handles probate cases and the administration of Trusts.

“I like to think of myself as an old-school type of lawyer from a time before everything became impersonal,” Paul says. “I’m here to help my clients in any way I can, and if it’s something I don’t do, I can probably help them find someone who does.”

To schedule a consultation with the Law Office of Paul James Monsanto, call (813) 997-5290, visit PJMAttorneys.com or see the ad on pg. 43. The office is located at 26852 Tanic Dr., Suite 102.

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Attorney Paul Monsanto is who will handle your Will, Trust, Estate Planning or Probate needs when you work with the Law Office of Paul J. Monsanto in the Cypress Glen Prof. Park. (Photo provided by Paul Monsanto)

Rice-n-Beans Puerto Rico Offers Its Full Menu

By Gary Nager

The owners of Rice-n-Beans Puerto Rico on Wesley Chapel Blvd., next to the Pinebrook at The Grove plaza in Wesley Chapel, obviously aren’t afraid of working hard.

The husband-and-wife team of David and Cindy Cruz also have owned DC Accounting for for more than 20 years and opened their Rice-nBeans Express location on S.R. 54 in Lutz a little more than a year ago.

But, when they purchased the former Cody’s Roadhouse (and Remington’s Steakhouse before Cody’s), there was a nice-sized patio in front of the main building that basically went unused for the first few years after the couple moved Rice N Beans from its successful original location in a gas station building on S.R. 54 in Lutz.

But, that all changed in November, when Cindy and David finally opened their completely redesigned “El Patio” in the formerly unused patio space. And, even though they weren’t sure at first if they wanted it to have its own menu, El Patio is now serving the main Rice-n-Beans Puerto Rico’s full menu, as well as a variety of craft cocktails, beer and wine in El Patio’s beautiful, full-liquor bar (with the same hours as the main restaurant).

Of course, the main restaurant also is a beautiful place to have authentic Puerto Rican and Latin cuisine and some premium cocktails. It’s just nice to have your choice of settings.

What About The Food?

Pretty much from the day it moved from Lutz — where it was much more of a hidden gem that only a few Wesley Chapel residents even knew about — to Wesley Chapel, Rice-n-Beans has been voted by our readers as either the #1 or one of the Favorite Latin (not Mexican) Restaurants in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel.

I’m no Puerto Rican cuisine connoisseur but I do enjoy many of the dishes I’ve sampled at Rice-n-Beans. Among my favorite appetizers are the crispy-outside beef empanadas (below), which we also enjoyed as part of the Antojitos Puertorriqueños platter, which also includes a chicken empanada, as well as a sorullito de maiz con queso (a corn & cheese fritter) and an alcapurria de carne, which is a popular Puerto Rican street food item that looks like a sausage but is actually a crispy fritter made from a blend of root vegetabkles, stuffed with savory seasoned beef and served with a ketchup-and-mayo-based dipping sauce. The restaurant also has empanadas stuffed with shrimp, octopus or pizza.

One of the special items we’ve enjoyed were the tostones rellenos de carne (right) — fried green plantain slices topped with tender steak, onions and red peppers in a tomato-based salsa Criolla (Créole sauce). The tostones rellenos are usually served either plain or topped with shrimp or octopus, but marketing manager Damaris Gutierrez had the kitchen make it with steak for me. Loved it!

Another special the day we visited was the mofongo relleno de langosta, which combines the Puerto Rican staple dish of twice-fried, garlic-infused mashed green plantains with a full-sized lobster tail and six large shrim which, of course, I had to take Charmaine’s word about because of my shellfish allergy. She said that both the lobster and shrimp in garlic butter sauce sitting atop the mofongo bowl were delicious on their own,

“but they taste even better when you mix in the mashed plantains.”

The mofongo was definitely eye-catching and popular, as several other tables during our visit either order the langosta or the same dish with chicken, steak, shrimp, octopus or “mariscos” (mixed seafood).

My favorite entrées at Rice-n-Beans include the chicharrons de pollo (bone-in crispy fried

All photos by Charmaine George

(Above left) David & Cindy Cruz of Rice-n-Beans Puerto Rico invite you to check out the beautiful new bar — and enjoy their delicious Puerto Rican cuisine — at the new “El Patio.” Also shown on this pages are the mofongo relleno de langosta (above right), the tostones rellenos de carne (below) & the beef empanadas (bottom left). On the facing page are the churrasco steak (top left), the jibarito sandwich with fries (top right) and the flancocho dessert (lower right).

chicken), the carne frita (deep fried pork chunks), chuleta can-can (a Puerto Rican-style pork chop, marinated in garlic rub and fried), the pechuga de pollo (pan-seared chicken breast topped with sautéed onions and garlic or th esalsa Criolla mentioned before), and the super-tender churrasco steak (above), which is pan-seared and served with a fresh green vibrant house coriander and cilantro chimichurri sauce (sorry that we we forgot to photograph the chimichurri). The churrasco is served with sweet plantains and a side of rice (your choice of white or yellow) and I also got a side of red beans, which also were excellent.

For you seafood lovers, Rice-N-Beans also offers a filete en salsa (fish filet in salsa Criolla or sautéed in garlic and capers), a chillo frito entero (whole pan-fried red snapper) and mariscada personal — a seafood lover’s delight with shrimp, octopus and lobster served over saffron-infused yellow rice and accompanied by red beans and (you guessed it) crispy tostones.

We also wanted to sample a traditional Puerto Rican sandwich on our most recent visit, so Damaris recommended the jibarito (top right photo) — which is a sandwich made with twicefried plantains instead of bread and stuffed with steak (bistec), roasted pork (pernil) or the pollo (grilled chicken) we chose. The jibarito is topped with lettuce, tomato, cheese and a zesty garlic mayo (and served with crispy fries) and Charmaine and I were both surprised at the sandwich’s unique flavor. Savory plantains certainly are a recurring theme at Rice-n-Beans, but if you think you’re not a fan of them, you definitely should

try one of the dishes described in this story.

If you still have room for dessert, Charmaine and I both heartily recommend the flancocho (right), which is a layer of chocolate cake topped with a thick layer of Puerto Rican-style flan, which is denser and more cake-like than Cuban or Colombian flan. The dessert is topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles and drizzled with chocolate. You might want to add a café con leché and/or an after-dinner cocktail.

Other desserts include vanilla, chocolate and even cheese flan, plus tres leches (sponge cake soaked in three milks and topped with whipped cream) and ponque de novia (a shareable, tender cake infused with almond and topped with buttercream frosting). If you bring the kids, they can choose from chicken strips, fried pork chunks, grilled cheese or empanadas.

Rice-n-Beans also is the place for great entertainment on the weekends. Upcoming events this weekend (Jan. 24-26), including “Noche Social” salsa dancing on Friday, live music with revelacion salsera on Saturday DJ Daz & DJ Klutch on Sunday. There’s also live music on Friday, January 31. with Ambito Banda.

Rice-n-Beans Puerto Rico (27405 Wesley Chapel Blvd.) is open Sat., 11 a.m.-midnight; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sun.., & for dinner only Tues.Fri., beginning at 4 p.m. It closes Tues.-Thur. at 9 p.m. & at 11 p.m. on Fri. For more info, call (813) 803-7974 or visit RicenBeans.com. For Rice N Beans Express (24726 S.R. 54, Lutz), call (813) 428-5077 visit ”Rice n Beans Express” on Facebook or see the ad on pg. 45.

This Fitness Studio is not for the superficial! We are looking for people who finally realize that there’s nothing more important in life than your health!

The exterior of Rice-n-Beans Puerto Rico. “El Patio” is the slatted structure located to the right of the restaurant’s front entrance.

Silva’s Coffee Grind For Real New York Bagels, Breakfast &

By Gary Nager

A few months ago, when we first told you about Hiram and Angela Silva’s new Silva’s Coffee Grind (located in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply on S.R. 54, a little west of Morris Bridge Rd.), Hiram had told us that he was planning to expand his menu, based on his own creativity, as well as on customer requests.

“I’ve always loved to cook,” Hiram says. “I’m just having fun with this menu. Obviously, our kitchen inside the trailer isn’t big, so I’m a little limited, but I’ve already added a couple of new items.”

Hiram says his favorite new item is the egg white triple stack pesto delight (bottom right photo on this page). It offers at least two eggs worth of egg whites, plus juicy turkey, Swiss cheese, fresh green leaf lettuce and Angela’s homemade mayo-pesto spread — and you also can add crispy bacon to it for just $2 more.

My personal favorite new item, however, is the Boar’s Head pastrami & Swiss topped with sauerkraut, pickles and Thousand Island dressing.

I had it the way it’s shown here (right), on three slices of rye toast, but I definitely plan to try it on a sesame or everything bagel next time. It comes with a free bag of chips, too.

As I mentioned in my first “Nibbles & Bytes” item about Silva’s back in October, I definitely felt close to these fellow New Yawkas from the get-go, especially because it was obvious how much care Hiram puts into his food. His fried egg, bacon and American (or Swiss) cheese breakfast “sammie” on a toasted sesame bagel definitely reminds me of home. And yes, Hiram is happy to make your egg

sandwich with scrambled eggs or even egg whites and put it on a fresh croissant (Jannah’s favorite).

In addition to the pastrami, I’m also partial to Silva’s turkey pesto BLT and tuna salad sandwiches (the tuna comes with a bag of chips, too).

And, even though I’m mainly a coffee guy — and Silva’s has delicious brewed coffee (available with flavor shots, like vanilla or caramel) — there also are espresso drinks like hot or iced cappuccinos, lattes, mochas and cafe con leches, hot chocolate, a variety of hot or iced teas, lemonade and smoothies made with real fruit purée, creamy smoothies like toasted marshmallow, lavender and pumpkin spice, as well as vanilla, caramel, double mocha or green tea matcha drinks. Mango or strawberry bursting bobas also can be added to your cold beverage or smoothie. There’s even handmade fruit sorbets.

But, the one item I haven’t tried yet that I promise I will sample on my next visit is an espresso affogato, which is two scoops of vanilla ice cream with a double shot of espresso poured over it, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and a sprinkle of cookie crumble. Is it a drink? Is it a dessert? YES!

You also can order a dozen or half-dozen of Silva’s real NY bagels (below) that will be ready for pick-up in 2-3 days. I promise they’re legit — and so are their Silva’s Coffee Grind gift cards!

Silva’s Coffee Grind is located at 34100 S.R. 54 and is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. For more information, search “Silvas Coffee Grind” on Facebook or “@ Silvas.coffee. grind” on Instagram. Also, see the ad on pg. 50 for a coupon that gets you 10% off all food and beverages at Silva’s. And please remember to tell Angela and Hiram I sent you!

All photos by Charmaine George

(Above) Silva’s Coffee Grind owners Hiram & Angela Silva invite you to visit their trailer in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply on S.R. 54 for yummy sandwiches like the pastrami & Swiss (below) or the egg white triple stack (bottom). (Next page) Angela makes your favorite coffee drinks and also can sell you a Silva’s gift card.

New Barcelona Wine Bar Brings A Taste Of Spain To South Tampa!

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George & Gary Nager

It’s not every day that the Neighborhood News gets invited to restaurant openings in South Tampa, but when we got invited to the official Grand Opening of the new Barcelona Wine Bar (at 2907 W. Bay to Bay Blvd.) less than two months ago, Jannah, Charmaine, Charmaine’s boyfriend Brendan & I decided to go check it out — and what an amazing place it is!

First of all, this location is one of only 22 Barcelona Wine Bars in eleven states (South Tampa is the only one in Florida) and it has a true South Tampa vibe and crowd and already has been packed every day since it opened.

But, Barcelona is definitely worth a visit from our area if you love an authentic, finedining Spanish tapas restaurant with a huge variety of options — including lots of veggie tapas, everything from charred broccolini (below) & crispy Brussels sprouts to roasted carrots & crispy oyster mushrooms — plus charcuterie and cheese plates, seafood paella (top right) and other large plates, an incredible wine list and a full, ultra-premium liquor bar.

Our favorite dishes so far include the garlic NY strip steak with potatoes (far right), the red snapper crudo (below), the roasted carrots (2nd from left below) and the patatas bravas, as well as the tasty Paella Salvaje (Barcelona’s all-meat paella with sausage, chicken, chorizo, pork belly, short rib and chickpeas). We ended up taking most of the paella home because the

small-size version of it we shared alone was big enough for the four of us to fill up on for dinner if we hadn’t tried so many of the tapas options.

Jannah and I enjoyed Barcelona so much that we went back a couple of weeks ago to sample more of the menu and among our new favorite tapas items are the albondigas (spiced meatballs in Jamon tomato sauce; top photo on next page) and the maruno spice pork loin with piquillo peppers (bottom pic on next page).

For dessert, I enjoyed the Basque “burnt” cheesecake with orange mermelada (2nd from right below), while Charmaine preferred the traditional olive oil cake.

And, although I savored an outstanding glass (or two) of Bardos Viñedos de Altura ribera del duero tempranillo, Jannah, Charmaine and Brendan all sampled a variety of craft cocktails, including a tequila-based Dos Peninsulas and Brendan’s favorite spicy Pica Pica (bottom far right) vodka cocktail. The bar area is beautiful, but crowded, and reservations for dinner tables are pretty much a must. But, I can assure you that Barcelona will not disappoint!

For reservations, call (813) 722-0202 or visit BarcelonaWineBar.com.

Shake Shack Opens First Tampa Bay-Area Drive-Through On

The long-awaited fast-casual restaurant known as Shake Shack has opened on the north side of S.R. 56 (across from the Tampa premium Outlets), while yet another spicy chicken place is expected to open by the end of this month.

Shake Shack, which features a large variety of burgers, including the limited-time black truffle burger shown bottom left here (Charmaine added the optional avocado to go with the crispy sweet onions and real black truffle oil), as well as both crispy chicken sandwiches (bottom right photo) and bites, plus crinkle-cut fries and thick, hand-spun milk shakes, has been open for about a month as you’re reading this story.

The Lutz/Wesley Chapel location has the only drive-through (below) of any Shake Shack in the Tampa Bay area (and only the second of the 22 Shake Shacks in all of Florida) and the location has proven to be extremely popular since opening day. Meanwhile, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is now expected to be open at 25952 S.R. 56 (next to Rock & Brews) on the south side of 56 by Tuesday, January 28. — GN

WESLEY CHAPEL

Megan Dudley, APRN, FNP-C Scarlette Owens, APRN, FNP-C

Tous Les Jours Bakery Opens In Former Capital Tacos Location On S.R.

Congratulations to the owners of the new Tous les Jours bakery franchise at 27209 S.R. 56 — in the former location of Capital Tacos

Like the Tous les Jours inside the Lotte Plaza Market in New Tampa, the Wesley Chapel location offers a large selection of freshly baked croissants, pastries, donuts, breads and more — in both sweet and savory varieties — as well as cakes, coffee drinks, teas, smoothies, lemonades and much more.

Photographer Charmaine George and I have visited the new Tous les Jours twice and the first thing we both noticed is how much nicer and more spacious the new location is than the one in the Lotte Plaza Market food court. There are several tables, as well as couches, for enjoying your purchases inside the shop, which in no way still resembles the old Capital Tacos.

As for the baked goods, among the sweet options we’ve sampled are an almond croissant, a large Mont Blanc pastry (which is like a huge, crispy outside-flaky inside cinnamon roll), a strawberry croissant filled not only with super-fresh strawberries, but also whipped cream, and a mini caramel apple pie. The savory items we’ve tried and enjoyed include a ham-&-cheese croissant, a spinach and feta pastry (which is both sweet and savory), a croque monsieur sandwich (a grilled French-style ham and cheese sandwich) and a sausage onion pastry, which

is like a hot dog surrounded by a pastry with onions, cheese and ketchup. There also are several different kinds of milk breads, full bread loaves stuffed with whipped cream and so many more. We haven’t tried any of the cakes yet, but give us time!

As for beverages, I’ve enjoyed both the vanilla latte and caramel macchiato and Charmaine and I agreed that the fresh, thick, hand-spun mango smoothie (below) was delicious. There also is a huge selection of hot and iced teas available and more!

Tous les Jours is a French-inspired — its name literally means “Every Day” in French) — Korean-owned chain of bakeries with 1,700 locations around the world, including more than 100 (and growing) in the U.S.

The Wesley Chapel Tous les Jours is open every day from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and although the menu doesn’t include some of the freshly made sandwich items other Tous les Jours stores carry, the hope here is that they’ll add some of those items in the future.

For more info, call (813) 388-5612 or visit tljus.com. — GN

Our D’Oro Margarita with Monte Alban Reposado Tequila finished off with Gran Gala liqueur. Flavors: Strawberry, Mango, Raspberry & Passion Fruit.

(Left) This tray of Tous les Jours pastry display items includes (clockwise from top) a strawberry croissant, croque monsieur sandwich, sausage onion pastry and a caramel apple pie. Tous les Jours also offers a huge variety of cakes (top) and French macarons (above). (All photos by Charmaine George)

Cheesecake Factory Plans Move Forward At Tampa Premium Outlets

By Joel Provenzano

Just before the start of the New Year (on Dec. 31), preliminary site plans were submitted to Pasco County for the hotly anticipated The Cheesecake Factory restaurant, which is expected to be located in the current parking lot at the busy Tampa Premium Outlets on S.R. 56 (see map).

We were able to talk with a source familiar with the project (but who asked not to be identified for the story) to get the inside scoop about a few more details with this plan.

Probably the most important piece of information we’re sure everyone is wondering about is “When is The Cheesecake Factory anticipated to finish construction and open its doors?”

Our source said that while the restaurant has not yet received the permits to begin building (so this is still mostly subjective), the restaurant’s ownership/development group is shooting to open during the third quarter of this year, which would likely put it opening just before the holidays — although that seems somewhat ambitious considering it hasn’t even begun building yet.

Even so, when we asked, “Can you really get it done that fast?,” the response was a very confident “Yes!” Our source also said that the company expecting about a three-week turnaround to get comments back from Pasco County, which means that some site work could begin as soon as this issue arrives in your mailbox, if things go according to plan.

In addition, while what was shown in the submittal on Dec. 31 was a building of a little more than 7,500 sq. ft., our source said that

the plan has since been updated to be closer to about a 7,700 sq.-ft. building, which indicates that the company is still actively working on perfecting the layout even before getting comments back from the county. In addition to the indoor space, the restaurant’s outdoor seating area is shown to be about 1,500 sq. ft.

What About The Parking?

When asked about the parking situation, our source claimed that the net loss would only be about 20 spaces total for the mall — four of which are handicapped parking spaces that the source said would just be shifted over to the next parking aisle and not actually lost.

But, our detailed review of the proposed construction plan indicates the net loss will be closer to 60 regular parking spaces, with the four handicapped spaces being shifted as explained. So, which parking space loss is correct — 20 spaces or 60? We’ll have to get back to you on that one.

Meanwhile, the mall’s website states there are only about 40 handicapped-accessible parking spaces throughout the entire property, so any loss of handicapped parking would appear to be another problem.

As for how The Cheesecake Factory will be situated in the current mall parking lot, the restaurant is still shown as being located near the “central” pedestrian front entrance of the mall, right off the northwest corner of that entrance’s roundabout, where the primary “Tampa Premium Outlets” sign is located

Although we found other graphics submitted later by The Cheesecake Factory, this earlier map, which we only found on the Pasco County Development & Growth Updates Facebook page, has the most accurate representation of where the restaurant will be located in the current parking lot at the Tampa Premium Outlets.

The main entrance of the restaurant and the outside seating area are both shown as facing that roundabout.

Since the restaurant was first announced, many people have wondered about how a mega restaurant like this could be getting built at this already-packed location.

According to public information on Pasco’ County’s permitting website, this restaurant

development still falls within the mall’s total entitlements (the total amount of commercial space that is allowed to be built) that were approved by the county’s Board of County Commissioners in the latest rezoning for the Cypress Creek Town Center Master Planned Unit Development (MPUD) in which the Outlet Mall is located). Those entitlements were approved back in February of 2019.

Chicken Guy! Is Finally Open & It’s Already Attracting Big Crowds!

If you haven’t yet driven to, or by, the new Chicken Guy! restaurant, which finally opened on Jan. 7, on the north side of S.R. 56 (across from the Tampa Premium Outlets, at 25769 Sierra Center Blvd.), well, let’s just say you might be the only person in Wesley Chapel who hasn’t.

The brightly colored eatery, founded in 2018 and co-owned by restaurateur Robert Earl (the founder of the Planet Hollywood and Earl of Sandwich chains) and Food Network star Guy Fieri, has been packed virtually all the time from the moment it opened, especially the drive-through, which has caused some backups onto 56 from the traffic circle adjacent to the restaurant.

The Neighborhood News was on hand for both the Friends & Family event on Jan. 6 and the actual opening the next day, when (l.-r. in top photo) Marcelo Cardoza (the manager of culinary operations for Fieri’s Knuckle Sandwich, LLC), franchise co-owners Suhail Rifae and Moe Khalil were joined by Jason Taliaferro (the senior VP of Chicken Guy!) to introduce the Wesley Chapel/Lutz community to Chicken Guy!’s always-fresh chicken.

All of the fried sandwiches and tenders come lightly seasoned, so you can add your favorite Fieri-created sauce from “The Boss of Sauce” list (below).

The good news is that if you’re not a fried chicken lover, all of the sandwiches and tenders also are available grilled, instead of fried, and there are two salad options (including the chopped chicken Caesar with chopped grilled tenders on the next page).

About the only menu items we haven’t yet sampled are the fried chicken dumplings (topped with smoked bacon, green onions & sesame seeds) and a few shake varieties. Go give it a try!

For info, call (813) 344-3311 or visit ChickenGuy.com & tell GM Trevor McIntyre (below) I sent you! — GN

Fieri, the self-proclaimed “Mayor of Flavortown,” offers several varieties of chicken at the new fast-casual chain, including his seasonal limited menu items like the pepperoni chicken parm sandwich (right middle photo, shown with Guy fries and the chopped cheese & chicken eggrolls), as well as “Big Bite,” two-tender sandwiches like the BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado & tomato; bottom right photo, shown with mac & cheese and a thick, hand-spun Oreo Flavortown shake); the CG Classic and Buffalo Mac ‘N’ Cheese Sandwich.

Sindbad Is Now Open In Former Bang-Bang! Bowls Location In The Pebble

Although the tasty Bang-Bang! Bowls store in the Pebble Creek Collection (at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite C-2) lasted less than a year, already now open in that location is the second Sindbad Tampa restaurant, which features smoothies, juices, crepes, desserts, cakes, ice cream and more.

The original Sindbad location is at 10933 N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace, and while the shop has a Middle Eastern-sounding name (Sindbad the Sailor is a fictional character from Baghdad), owners Laith Mahdawe and his wife Raghad Alkalide (who are Middle Eastern; top left photo), say their daughter-in-law, who is Mexican, was the inspiration for Sindbad’s many Mexican and Latin juices and other menu items.

Although the new Sindbad was only open for two days at our press time and didn’t yet have all of its menu available, photographer Charmaine George and I definitely were impressed with the store’s incredible array of fresh fruits and veggies (photo below) that Laith and Raghad use to make fresh smoothies and juice drinks. We did also sample a few yummy items, including a bananastrawberry smoothie (so fresh!), a pure watermelon breeze juice served in a half of a small watermelon (Charmaine loved it). Sindbad also features juice drinks specifically created to help with everything from kidney stones to memory loss to indigestion.

We also enjoyed two dessert items — a slice of chocolate cheesecake with a scoop of fresh Hershey’s strawberry ice cream, and an unexpectedly delicious croissant ice cream sandwich filled with caramel

ice cream. Both of the desserts were served with whipped cream and a couple of fresh strawberries. Both Hershey’s ice cream flavors we sampled (there are about a dozen flavors, and soon to also be served with Sindbad waffles), were creamy and tasty.

For more info, visit “Sinbad Tampa” on Facebook or call (813) 443-9692 and please tell Laith and Raghad I sent you! — GN

New Tampa’s Winn-Dixie To Become Another Aldi

As previously announced, the last remaining New Tampa Winn-Dixie supermarket, located at 6425 County Line Rd. (in the same plaza as LA Fitness), closed on Dec. 8 and is in the process of being converted to the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area’s third ALDI grocery store.

We were told that it would be several months before the new ALDI would open, but this Germany-based international brand already

has nearly 2,500 U.S. supermarkets and more than 200 stores in Florida, including at 18002 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. in New Tampa and at 2215 Sun Vista Dr. in Lutz (in front of Costco). Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the stillopen (at least at our press time) Winn-Dixie in the Towne Center of Wesley Chapel plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd. told us there are no plans to close that store. — GN

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