New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 29, Issue 25, December 7, 2021 by Neighborhood News

Volume 29 Issue 25 December 7, 2021

‘TIS THE SEASON

The memory of Ken Adum is strong during this year’s season of giving. See story, pg. 4

Benito Wins A County Championship! See pgs. 30-31

A delicious visit to Oronzo Honest Italian! See the story on pgs. 36-37!

A body scan to detect cancer & heart disease? Yes, please! See pgs. 14-15!

The Living Room Is Coming To The Shops At Wiregrass! See Nibbles & Bites Column on pgs. 38-39! 1

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The 2021 Holiday Shopping Season Begins With Two 5K Runs By GARY NAGER hour, by 2026), it’s apparently not enough, since the increase for tipped Editorial especially workers is currently only from a minimum

Although I always try to support our local business community, I’ve never really been a big fan of the holiday shopping season. And, I generally shake my head when I see and hear of so many people who are willing to wait on line outside a store for hours on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday in order to save a few dollars on a big-ticket item. But, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t think your time is worth more than that, I’ve always said “more power to you.” What I will say is that this year, I’m genuinely hoping that all of our local momand-pop businesses — including our advertisers, of course — will be able to rebound from last year’s Covid-induced coma. And, since this is our pre-Christmas issue for New Tampa, I promise to do my part to help as many small businesses as possible this holiday season. I also would like to help as many charitable organizations as possible, because I know that Covid also was brutal to nonprofits, especially those whose mission is to help people in need. So, feel free to email me at ads@ ntneighborhoodnews.com or post on our “Neighborhood News” page on Facebook with information about your locally owned small business or a nonprofit organization that you support anytime between now and December 23 and I’ll share that information with our online audience. Considering that we have more than 12,000 followers of our Neighborhood News page on Facebook, I hope it’ll help.

About Supply Chain Issues & Employee Shortages

I also will admit that I don’t really understand why Covid also has caused the worldwide supply chain problem, but I do know that it’s real and that the issue doesn’t bode well for the holiday shopping season. What I do have a better first-hand understanding about are the ongoing employee shortages that also are making things more difficult for local businesses. In addition to having difficulty finding one part-time office and sales assistant, despite months of looking, I also have had a number of restaurant owners tell me that they couldn’t afford for me to do a Dining Feature story about their place because they’re short-staffed and couldn’t handle the expected huge influx all at once of new patrons when the story would break. This is literally a problem I had never heard of before in my nearly 28 years in this business. And, as someone who dines out as often as possible for both business and pleasure, this obvious shortage of employees — despite more employers paying (or offering to pay) their people more money — has greatly affected me personally. It seems that every local restaurant is hiring and many across the country are facing, according to a recent New York Times article, “a potentially catastrophic inability to hire,” because of Covid fears, too-generous government benefits (that make it too easy for people to not work) and other factors. Even though Florida’s minimum wage has been raised to $10 per hour (and will rise by $1 per hour per year, to $15 per Neighborhood News

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of $6.98 per hour plus tips now and will increase to $11.98 per hour plus tips in 2026. The bottom line appears to be that despite my best hopes, wishes and prayers, despite the minimum wage increases and still-declining Covid hospitalizations, the 2021 holiday shopping season still may not be everything yours truly and so many other small business owners are hoping it will be. And then, there’s the new Omicron variant that I hope won’t put yet another monkey wrench into the works for restaurant and retail business owners. So, if you‘re not already vaccinated, please do so ASAP.

A Turkey Trot By Any Other Name

If you were confused on Thanksgiving morning by the fact that there were two 5K “Turkey Trot” events in Wesley Chapel, you weren’t alone. Rich Wills, the former owner of the FitNiche (now Fit2Run) store in the Shops at Wiregrass, had started the annual “Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot 5K” eight years ago, but was told that since he no longer owned the store, the mall was still going to host a “Wiregrass Turkey Trot 5K,” with the New Tampa Rotary (again) as a partner, without him. Undeterred, Wills moved the “official” Wiregrass Wobble 5K and 1(tur)K runs to the Tampa Premium Outlets and the events at both malls attracted more than 1,000 runners and

More than 1,0000 runners took part in the 8th annual Wiregrass Wobble, held at TPO. walkers and raised money for worthy causes. We were happy to help Wills promote his 8th annual run, the first ever held at the Outlets, and people raved about the new course, the camaraderie and the weather. Congrats, Rich!

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Publisher & Editor /Ad Sales Gary Nager Managing Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Correspondents Celeste McLaughlin Isabella Douglas Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist Charmaine George Graphic Designers Morgan Conlin Valerie Wegener Billing Assistant Jannah Nager Nothing that appears in New Tampa Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by New Tampa Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion. The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 30, Issue 1, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, December 20, 2021. New Tampa Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. New Tampa Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. New Tampa Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. © 2021 JM2 Communications, Inc.

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A Local Food Drive Takes On Greater Meaning By JOHN C. COTEY

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The holidays had always been a special time for New Tampa’s Ken Adum. A long-time educator and member of St. James United Methodist Church in Tampa Palms, Adum had devoted much of the holiday season for nearly two decades to playing an integral role in his church’s annual holiday food drive, which was held in partnership with Metropolitan Ministries. The effort was Adum’s passion. He helped rally local schools when it came to organizing food drives, and also served as the St. James tent coordinator Ken Adum the past few years. He was often busy in the weeks before Thanksgiving hooking the trailer containing all of the donated goods to his Ford F-150 truck and delivering them every few days to the Metropolitan Ministries main tent on N. Rome Ave. “He loved it,” says his daughter Allison Adum Shaer. “He always looked forward to it.” In April, Ken, a former teacher, three-time Principal of the Year at Gaither and administrator in a 37year career with Hillsborough County Public Schools, passed away following a battle with cancer at the age of 74. Metropolitan Ministries, whose founder Morris Hintzman also was one of the founding pastors of St. James, decided to honor Adum by naming the northern Hillsborough County food drive after him: The Ken Adum Memorial Food & Toy Drive for Metropolitan Ministries. “He played such a big part in it,” says Dineen Paris who, along with her

Linda Adum (far left) and her daughter Amie Adum MacLauchlan stand next to the nearly 5,200 pounds of food donated at Chiles Elementary. (Photo courtey of Amie Adum MacLauchlan).

husband Leonard, are the tent coordinators for the drive this year.

ers in every grade at Chiles and raised a whopping 5,190 pounds. “This year was definitely more meaningful,” Amie says. “Education First, A Little History... and Metropolitan Ministries were two In 2003, the Parises, along with of my Dad’s passions, so knowing that Ken and his wife Linda and Joann and he was smiling down on us during the Bob Lee, met with Metropolitan Minwhole fall season was wonderful. I reistries, wanting to expand St. James’ ally wanted to get our school involved mission of giving back to the commuto see if I could inspire everyone to do nity. They formed a partnership that has helped feed thousands of families in it in honor of my dad.” The daughters definitely picked up the two decades since. This year, a record 27,000 pounds where Dad left off. It was Adum who of food was collected for Metropolitan added the component of competition between area schools in 2017, hopMinistries in November at St. James. ing to put a charge into the drive and Ken’s daughters, Amie Adum MacLauchlan and Allison, raised roughly a impact the younger generation. “He loved a good friendly compequarter of that in a friendly competition tition,” Allison says. between the schools where they teach. Amie was amazed by the response Allison is a fifth-grade math teacher at at Chiles. Day by day, little by little, the Lutz Prepratory School, while Amie is donations began rolling in. The school an audiologist at Chiles Elementary. Allison’s fifth-grade class collected had never collected more than 1,000 pounds worth of food to donate, but 1,600 pounds of food, while Amie that number was quickly eclipsed this (with help from fifth grade teacher year, as large blue barrels in the front ofShannon Simpkins) enlisted the teach-

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fice at Chiles were filled to overflowing. That amount quickly surged 2,000 lbs.….then 3,000...and more, until the blue barrels were buried by cans and boxes of food. “First, it was the blue barrels, then you could see that more of the floor was disappearing,” Amie says. “Then, you couldn’t see the rug anymore.” By the time the food drive ended, in less than two weeks, the families at Chiles had brought in more than twoand-a-half tons of food. When Amie brought Linda to the school on Nov. 19 to see what Ken had inspired, Linda grew emotional. “I wanted her to see how much they had brought in in honor of Dad,” Amie says. “It was awe-inspiring. Then, she helped us pack it all up so we could take it to the donation tent. It took us an hour and 40 minutes to pack it up, bag it and load the cars.” The family also decided to start a new tradition. While everyone had pitched in over the years working the tent at St. James at various times during the drive, this year, the entire Adum family gathered this year to work the tent together — unloading donations, weighing food, separating it into HOPE boxes (containing a variety of items for one full Thanksgiving feast) — followed by a family lunch. It was a special moment (see photo on the cover) to remember the man who helped start it all. “Losing Ken was a great loss, but to see everyone’s enthusiasm this year, it wasn’t a sad thing, it was a joyful thing,” Dineen says. “It was wonderful to watch them, their whole family (working) together. Ken would have liked it very much.” You can still donate food or toys by visiting St. James United Methodist Church at 16202 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. daily through Thursday, December 23.

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New Tampa Performing Arts Center Making Progress By JOHN C. COTEY

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The New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) has finally gone vertical, and one of the final questions remaining before it opens sometime in the fall of 2022 is who will run the facility. Ken Hagan, the Hillsborough County Commissioner for District 2, which includes New Tampa, said that decision could come by March 2022, now that the deadline for interested parties to respond to the county’s request for proposals (RFP) has passed. The RFP was issued on Nov. 10 and expired Dec. 3, or after we went to press with this issue. The county is looking a performing arts resident company to manage all aspects of the NTPAC for 10 years, with renewal options for another 10 years, subject to annual satisfactory performance evaluations. One of the groups that was expected to bid to manage the 20,000-sq.-ft. center is Florida Cultural Group, which was originally selected by the county staff. But, during a vote about the PAC’s funding in May, four commissioners — Mariella Smith, Kimberly Overman, Gwen Myers and Harry Cohen — voiced concerns about the organization, primarily because of its location in Manatee County.

Coomissioner Smith and Kemp, who were the dissenters in a 5-2 vote to approve the funding for the PAC, wanted a local group to run it. They also questioned the $1.4 million in county subsidies over the next four years requested by Florida Cultural Group. The commissioners then unanimously voted to open up the facil- The New Tampa Performing Arts Center has gone vertical and Hillsborough County could choose someone to manage it as soon as March. ity’s management The NTPAC is expected to open in fall 2022. (Photo: Charmaine George) with an RFP. “The NTP are the driving force Both commisbehind my championing the New Tampa sioners specifically mentioned the New Performing Arts Center,” Hagan says. Tampa Players (NTP), a 20-year-old or“They are the reason. It will be their home ganization that was started by residents of and they are an essential partner in this beHunter’s Green and Tampa Palms. A large ing a successful and sustainable facility for part of the effort to build the NTPAC, generations to come.” which is under construction off Bruce B. But, will NTPalso get to manage it? Downs Blvd. across from the entrance to While producing artistic director Nora the Hunter’s Green development, was to Paine declined comment, it is believed deliver a home for the NTP, which has staged performances at numerous locations, that NTP planned to submit a proposal. The troupe has held meetings with those but none the group could call its own.

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involved in New Tampa’s performing arts scene in order to bolster its standing by forming a larger local and more inclusive group that includes dance and ballet. Paine did say that NTP has not been involved in many large fund-raising campaigns. That is likely to be a major requirement for any organization that is selected to manage the new center.

About The Florida Cultural Group

Formerly known as The Manatee Players, Inc., which was created in 1947, the Florida Cultural Group is an umbrella organization that operates the Manatee Performing Arts Center and the Manatee Players community theater. It has a long track record marked by successful fundraising. “When this issue came in front of us before, our staff was very enthusiastic about that group because of their fundraising track record,” Comm. Hagan said. “It’s paramount that we have local representation driving this partnership, but I don’t think you can ignore the importance of fundraising throughout this process.” Hagan says he will let the county staff make the determination as to who should manage the NTPAC, but no matter who is selected, he would like to see a Board formed, and “it’s critically important that there’s a majority of New Tampa representation on that Board.”

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Local Woman Hoping To Mend The Political Divide By JOHN C. COTEY

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Janet Kennedy was active in politics, so she was well aware of the great divide between Democrats and Republicans, not only locally, but throughout this country, and was concerned about how quickly that chasm was growing. But, it wasn’t until the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that Kennedy, a Grand Hampton resident and chair of field organizing for the Hillsborough Democratic Party, felt the full force of how dire the situation had become. “It was really after Jan. 6,” Kennedy says. “I was glued to the television set that day, as many people were. I guess I was fundamentally shaken that the political discourse in this country had devolved into an attack on the Capitol.” First, Kennedy assessed her role, as someone who had been heavily involved in partisan politics. It made her feel a little bit guilty about contributing to the divide. So, she looked for ways to work towards healing that division and founded a local chapter of Braver Angels, a national group that was created in December 2016.

How Braver Angels Got Started

At that time, with passions still high following Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton — and likely in the wake of contentious Thanksgiving dinners between families across the U.S. — the now-national group assembled 10 Trump supporters and 11 Clinton supporters in South Lebanon, Ohio, with one goal: “To see if Americans could still disagree respectfully — and just maybe, find common ground.” The group’s conclusion was yes, and the Braver Angels organization has continued to grow ever since, with Alliances (or chapters) in 48 states numbering more than 50,000 members. 10

Kennedy’s goal is to start a Tampa Bay Alliance. She has started that long process with a few Zoom meetings, and says she has about 45 people — most of them from New Tampa — interested. Unfortunately, only a few are Republicans, likely not enough if any headway is going to be made at bridging any divides. “It’s going to be a slow build,” Kennedy admits. “I think people are worn out and exhausted and fearful that, if I go to a meeting like this, someone will try to change my mind or talk me out of my opinion or I’ll be made to feel stupid. But, that’s not what we’re about. We’re here to listen.” Kennedy has organized workshops and a debate so far in three meetings, with much of the conversations focused on not letting politics come between family members. She says she took some of the lessons from those meetings and used them to have a discussion with her cousin, who is on the opposite side of the abortion debate. It went surprisingly well, she says. “We were able to reach an agreement on some points,” Kennedy says, “and I understand better where she is coming from and she understands a bit better where I’m coming from.” Kennedy would like it to work like that on other issues that divide the two ends of the political spectrum. She is looking for volunteers to help her get the local Alliance of Braver Angels moving forward. Although the political landscape, and the chance of both sides working together, seems fairly bleak right now, Kennedy says she would like to think she can make a difference. “I just know I need to try,” she says. For more information, visit BraverAngels.org, or to help with the local Alliance, email Janet Kennedy at thejanetkennedy@gmail.com.

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Lifesong Church Celebrates Five Years In Tampa Palms By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent It was just a little more than five years ago when Pastor Svend Wilbekin opened the doors at Lifesong Church in Tampa Palms for the first time. It was so unlikely, he says, that there’s no explanation for it unless God ordained it. That was November 5, 2016, when Svend was sent from a church in Gainesville called The Rock, where he had served on staff for 20 years as youth pastor, college pastor and young adult pastor. He felt the experience led him to start a new church in New Tampa. He says most churches these days don’t launch with fewer than 50 people, but his had only nine. And, the really unheard of thing? They started in a building that they already owned. “God supernaturally blessed us to purchase a building right before we had our first service,” he explains. When Svend tried to find a place to rent, such as a high school, everywhere he looked was already leased. He started looking at what was available to buy and was shocked to find a building for sale that would work for the fledgling church. That began frantic efforts to get the building ready, in addition to all of the

details of putting together the very first service, while Svend’s wife Katy organized a picnic for all the friends and family who were coming to support them on launch day. “A lot of families in Tampa Palms saw the bounce house and the food,” he says, and learned about the new church in the neighborhood. He says a full-page ad in the Neighborhood News hit mailboxes the day before the first service and, “It was a great way to introduce ourselves to the community.” Five years later, Lifesong Church is an important part of New Tampa, as it continues to grow and welcome new people into its ministries. Pastor Svend Wilbekin says the diversity in New Tampa is “The vision of our church is to love out loud,” one of the things that has helped make Lifesong Church in Tampa Palms successful. says Pastor Svend. “If you shelter is provided, and a lot of services, visit, you’ll hear that termibut what wasn’t being provided were nology. Our heart is to love everybody relationships,” he explains. “We started who walks through our doors.” going downtown with nothing but ourHe says Lifesong members also selves and our time. We’ve been doing are “out” loving the community, like that and made great relationships.” through their homeless ministry. The church offers life groups where “We noticed that within the homepeople encourage each other, too. There less community, food is provided, some

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is a group for women and one where men are challenged to be better husbands and fathers. Every year, the church offers a course to help couples strengthen their marriages, overcome obstacles, and live more fulfilling lives with their spouses. Svend and his wife, Katy, who now live in Meadow Pointe, are parents to three sons, who all grew up in Gainesville. Their oldest son, Scottie, had a remarkable career playing college basketball at the University of Florida, where he was named SEC Player of the Year in 2014. He was a star player on a team that went undefeated in the SEC and beat perennial powerhouse Kentucky at home to win the SEC championship in a run his dad calls “magical.” Scottie currently plays professional basketball in Tel Aviv, Israel. Middle son Mitchell played basketball at Wake Forest and currently plays for the Greensboro Swarm, an NBA G League (the NBA’s official minor leage organization) team affiliated with the Charlotte Hornets. The Wilbekins’ youngest son Andrew will graduate with a Ph.D. degree in Physical Therapy in May from Husson University in Bangor, ME. “What’s beautiful about that is they’ve all graduated from college and they all love the Lord,” says Svend.

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“Where they’re at now really blesses us.” The transition from living in Gainesville, where everyone knew how to pronounce their last name — thanks to their famous son — to the New Tampa area also has been a blessing for Svend and Katy. “We absolutely love New Tampa,” he says. “It’s the most incredible community. We love so much about it — we love the restaurants, I love the golf courses. It’s very diverse.” As an interracial couple, the community’s diversity is important to the Wilbekins and a goal for their church is to “build a community of believers that looks like heaven,” Svend says, embracing all ages, nationalities and skin colors.

Sunday Morning Services

Lifesong Church meets Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., and Svend says that’s where the “song” part of the church shines. “We have anointed musicians and instrumentalists ushering in the presence of God through the use of music,” he explains. “We have a full band with guitars, drums, keyboards and vocalists singing contemporary music.” He says the Covid-19 pandemic has been one of the most challenging seasons he’s ever experienced as a pastor. “We shifted to an online service, and we’ve grown in that area, which has helped us expand our reach,” he

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explains. “But now, we have an online community as well as an attending community. It’s been neat to see.” Melissa Choe and her husband Jacob have been attending Lifesong Church in person for about a year with their daughter Melody. They’re one of the families that found Lifesong online and watched from home before deciding to attend in person. “I really like the community aspect of Lifesong,” says Melissa. “Everyone is very welcoming and there are opportunities to get plugged in and get involved.” While Melissa and her husband serve on Lifesong’s Worship Team, her daughter loves Lifesong Kids. “She’s always saying, ‘Can I go to my church?’ and ‘I love my church,’” says Katy. “I love that (children’s director) Julie (Nash) is really mindful of not making it your parents’ church. They focus on teaching the children about the Bible, but in a fun and appropriate way.” Svend says Julie offers a hands-on and age-appropriate version of church for kids. “It’s enjoyable, and they come away with the knowledge of God’s word in a practical manner,” he says. Svend graduated the from University of Florida with a degree in political science. He went through a mentoring program at The Rock under the leadership of Pastor George Brantley to be trained and equipped as a pastor.

Of the experience of planting a church, he says, “It was harder than I thought, and more rewarding than I thought it would be. Seeing people become a community has really been a priceless and beautiful moment, and such a confirmation of what God put in my heart six years ago.” Lifesong Church hosts its weekly service on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., including a special Christmas Service on Sunday, December 19. The church is located at 6460 Tampa Palms Blvd., near Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club and Tampa Palms Elementary. For more information, visit LifeSongTampa.org or see the ad on pg. 33 of this issue.

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Life Guard Imaging Can Detect Life-Threatening Illnesses Early By JOHN C. COTEY

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Beating cancer or heart disease can be an uphill battle. However, Frankie Maldonado says he can help give you a fighting chance. The solution, he says — don’t wait until the hill is too large to climb. At Life Guard Imaging, where Maldonado is the director of operations, you can get out in front of deadly cancers and other diseases by having a body scan that can identify potential problems with your heart, as well as identify early stages of many different cancers that may be lurking. The upscale facility, located on Rocky Point Dr. in Tampa, specializes in preventive screening in order to find heart disease or cancer early enough that patients and their physicians can take steps to correct it. Otherwise, most find out the hard and sudden way — with a heart attack that can be deadly or with symptoms that may not present themselves until late-stage cancer. “United States healthcare is set up to be reactionary,” says Maldonado, who opened Life Guard Imaging in August. “We are taught from the time we are (little) to tell me when you have a

It may look like a tunnel for an MRI, but at Life Guard Imaging on Rocky Point, you slide through the Philips Brilliance CT Scanner, which scans your body from your shoulders to the base of your torso. (Photos by Charmaine George)

symptom, and we’ll treat the symptom. That’s bad enough when it’s a cold, the flu or a virus. But, when it’s heart disease or cancer? That’s deadly.” At Life Guard Imaging, you are scanned from your shoulders to the base of your pelvis. A registered CT Technologist slides you through a low-radiation, high-resolution CT scanner, creating 3D images of your internal organs, which are then examined by a team of Board-certified Doctors of Radiology

who can help aid in detecting deadly diseases before it’s too late. The scans can help detect hundreds of issues, but among the most prominent are lung cancer (which kills more men and women than any other cancer), liver disease (which accounts for 2 million deaths per year) and abnormalities in your chest, abdomen or pelvis. The scans also can serve as a virtual colonoscopy that Life Guard Imaging says is more thorough (and less invasive)

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than a traditional colonoscopy, although most doctors still recommend traditional colonoscopies, even with the scan. Author’s note: I received a scan — super easy by the way, it only takes five minutes — and while happy it detected no cancer, it did confirm other issues I’ll need to take care of as well as providing a coronary calcium score (almost identical to the one I received from my cardiologist). Maldonado says your first scan serves as your base, and yearly scans can reveal any dangerous changes (although you’re welcome to come in for just one scan if you choose). Life Guard Imaging is one of only five places nationwide that offer this type of program, where you can receive a full body scan every year. “One scan is invaluable,” Maldonado says, “but multiple scans are the ones capturing things (as they change).” Why does a yearly scan make sense? Maldonado says it is an effective way to detect new diseases. “It’s just like having a mammogram scan every year,” he says. “The singlemost diagnosed cancer in America is breast cancer. And yet, and most people don’t know this, the single mostsurvived cancer in American is breast cancer. That’s not a coincidence — it’s

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The team at Life Guard Imaging includes Frankie Maldonado and his wife Amy (both far left).

because of early detection scans, before symptoms appear, before any lump gets massive. It’s about catching it early.” Maldonado has spent most of his career in the travel industry, but when a friend introduced him to a job opening at a facility in Atlanta that used the same body scanning technology, he was eager to make the jump.

A Personal Connection

For Maldonado, it also was personal. His father, Dr. Benjamin J. Maldonado, Jr., was a prominent surgeon in Maryland. In January 1998, he felt there was something wrong in his stomach. He was scanned, but the technology then had gaps in the scans. In one of those gaps, on the backside tail of his pancreas, cancer had settled in. “They missed it,” Maldonado says, and 10 months later his father was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Just six weeks and a few days after that, he passed away. “It devastated me,” Maldonado says. “He was my hero.” Dr. Maldonado’s portrait hangs in the lobby of Life Guard Imaging, a daily reminder to his son that early detection can save lives, as well a world of sadness for those left behind. While Frankie Maldonado has no medical training himself — he graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park with a degree in television broadcasting — the chance to help save lives and honor his dad’s memory made taking the job at the independent imaging facility in Atlanta in 2017 an easy choice. “It was the biggest no-brainer of my life, he says. “I said, ‘I want to be a part of this.’ What we were doing in Atlanta literally had to do with how my father lost his life.” In fact, Maldonado says that, in 2018, one of the patients scanned at the facility was discovered to have earlystage pancreatic cancer, the same cancer that killed his father, but she was able to be saved. In Atlanta, he says he saw thousands of lives that were saved, and he decided to start Life Guard Imaging and bring it to Tampa. He plans to open 1-3 new facilities in Florida and Neighborhood News

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around the country every single year. “I thought that more people need to know about this,” he says. He is spreading the word through advertising, an appearance on the BloomTV show on WFLA, and we met him at Life Guard Imaging’s booth at a health fair at the Tampa Premium Outlets. Since Life Guard Imaging opened in August, more than 330 scans have been conducted. Maldonado tells the story of one man who came in with his wife and mother-in-law, who were worried about heart disease in their family. They wanted scans; he did not. However, Maldonado talked him into getting one, and while the ladies each scored a perfect zero on their coronary calcium scan, which measures how much calcified plaque may be in your heart’s arteries, the gentleman’s number was alarmingly high and he was able to get to the doctor to have it checked in time. Another man, Maldonado says, came in with his wife and his test revealed a calcium score of 900 (anything over 300 is considered high). The next day, he saw a cardiologist, and discovered that three of his four main arteries had 90-percent blockage. Two weeks ago, he had triple bypass surgery. “He told us we saved his life,” Maldonado says. While health insurance doesn’t cover the cost of a scan — which can be pricey if you receive just one but are much cheaper if you choose to receive them yearly — Maldonado hopes to get that changed. He has collected enough data that shows how many lives have been potentially saved and is ready to fight in the hopes that he can change the health narrative and mindset from reactionary to preventive. “Healthcare is probably never going to switch over but we are going to try,” he says. “This works. It’s an awesome thing, and I’m proud of it.” Life Guard Imaging is located at 3001 N. Rocky Point Dr., Suite 185. For more info, visit LifeGuardIMaging.com or call (813) 524-1010. If you mention this story or the ad on pg. 35 of this issue, you will receive a free heart scan and coronary calcium score. For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 25 • December 7, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon Is Now Open In New Tampa, Too! By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent For the past two years, Wesley Chapel-area pet parents have been finding — and falling in love with — Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon, which opened in 2019 on S.R. 54, about a mile east of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., near the entrance to Saddlebrook Resort. Now, the store’s second location has opened, bringing premium nutrition and impeccable grooming in a cage-free facility to New Tampa, just south of County Line Rd. Located in the same shopping plaza on the southeast corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and County Line Rd. with Winn-Dixie and LA Fitness, the new store is owned and operated by Gregg and Gabriel Clavijo-Hopper, who are business partners of Paul Spalvieri’s. Spalvieri opened the original Max’s location and will continue to operate that store. Max’s Pet Market & Salon is named after Paul’s four-year-old bichon frisé. Paul and his wife Martina live in Watergrass in Wesley Chapel and are pet parents to both Max and Missy, a Havanese, as well as three human kids. Gregg and Gabriel are Paul’s neighbors. They became interested in

The team at the new Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon located just south of County Line Rd., includes (l.-r.) Devin, Gregg & Gabriel Clavijo-Hopper. (Photos by Charmaine George)

opening their own Max’s location when they heard Paul was looking to expand the concept beyond Wesley Chapel. As Paul was looking forward to opening new locations, Gabriel said, “Why don’t you let us buy into it?” Being a healthcare worker during the Covid-19 pandemic took its toll on Gregg, and he decided he wanted out of the industry. Gregg worked in healthcare for 30 years, and Gabriel has worked at the Moffitt Cancer Center for about 20 years. They both love animals

and knew they weren’t ready to retire. Gregg says it went from a dream to a decision in December 2020, when he left his job to actively pursue opening a location of Max’s. They are pet parents to a giant schnauzer named Regalo, a Pyrenees/ border collie mix named Albee, and a Chinese crested named Taylor. They also have two human sons, Tony and Devin. Devin works at the store alongside Gregg and Gabriel. “Our dogs have had skin and coat

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and stomach issues,” says Gregg, “and Paul told us about what he was doing — feeding dogs the right kinds of foods — and moving our dogs to that, we immediately saw great changes.” For example, their dog Taylor had diarrhea every day, along with problems with his skin. They followed Paul’s advice and changed Taylor’s nutrition, with the high-quality, all-natural and organic food options from Max’s. “He’s a completely different Taylor,” Gregg says. “Now he has a beautiful coat, no upset stomach, and no ripping of the skin.” He and Gabriel have been training with Paul to learn about pet nutrition, and also taking many online seminars and reading books about how to help pet owners choose the food and treats that will help their pets eat healthier and avoid skin and digestive issues.

When You Love Your Animals

Gregg and Gabriel say their venture into the pet market and salon business is all about their love of animals. “Pets are a great part of our families,” Gregg says, “and with the right nutrition and care, they can live long, healthy lives. There’s nothing better than having an animal companion.”

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They believe that opening Max’s Pet Market & Salon is bringing something brand new to the community. “The one thing that we’ve been missing in New Tampa is a boutique healthcare store for pets and a cage-free, relaxed environment for grooming,” says Gregg, “Plus, the store is bringing 15-20 new jobs to the area.” At out press time, the new store was still looking to fill some of those positions. That includes not only retail staff, but also a team of groomers with technical expertise to give breed-specific cuts, with certifications such as National Certified Along with a large amount of food & treat options (left), your best buddy also can received cageMaster Groomer, as certified by free, expert grooming at Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon. the National Dog Groomers As“People don’t really like to deal sometimes the dog can’t smell the food, sociation of America. with senior dogs,” she said, “but at so they recommended ways to get it to And, the cage-free environment means dogs will never be locked up. Ap- Max’s, they took such good care of him, smell, like how long to microwave it for.” Meanwhile, Shannon says her other pointments run strictly on time to avoid especially while he was ill.” While she says her groomer went two Pomeranians were not having troua pet feeling stressed and anxious in a above and beyond — even coming in on ble eating at all, so they suddenly ended cage while waiting to be picked up. her day off to give Leroy a bath during up having to go on a diet, and the staff Shannon Waite, who lives in Estanhis last days — Shannon says others in at Max’s helped her find the right nutricia, has been taking her Pomeranians to the store did, too. tion for them, as well. the original Max’s for grooming since it As Leroy got more sick and refused to “At that time, I had one senior dog, opened in 2019. eat, Shannon says she was at Max’s a lot. a toddler and a teenager, so they were At that time, she had a senior Po“They helped me find food that all at crazy stages, and they are highmeranian named Leroy. As he got older would help him gain weight and told maintenance dogs,” Shannon explains. and couldn’t hear or see, he got jumpy, She says that the prices at Max’s aland Shannon says it became hard to find me how to get him to eat it,” she said. For example, “They explained that ways seem to be the same or even lower a groomer who would take him.

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than other places she could buy the same items, including online sources. “I love Max’s,” she says. “I recommend it to everybody. They take very good care of people’s pets, and that is hard to find these days.” The New Tampa store is offering Grand Opening specials up until Christmas, including Salon Rewards cards (buy 12 groomings, get the 13th free, while the card supply lasts). Some of these specials may be noted on Max’s Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages. “When we first opened the store, it was all about Max, but our focus has changed,” says Paul. “Now, it’s all about your pet. (Both locations) offer the highest quality advice, products and grooming that you can get in the New Tampa or Wesley Chapel area. We have your dog or cat’s best interest at heart, and they are the number one reason why we open our doors every day.” Max’s Natural Pet Market & Salon has two locations and both stores are open every day from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. The original Max’s is located at 28838 S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel and can be reached at (813) 649-3939. The new New Tampa store is located at 6431 E. County Line Rd., and can be reached at (813) 591-5368. For more information, visit MaxsPetMarket.com or see the ad on page 21 of this issue.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 25 • December 7, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Gadgets Emergency Room Can Get Your Devices Working Again! By JOHN C. COTEY

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Breaking the screen on your cell phone or typing away as your computer continues to get slower and slower is a pretty good sign that you’re going to be out some cash pretty soon. But, more terrifying than the hit to your wallet might be the idea of trying to survive without either device for a few days or (gulp) even longer. At the recently-rebranded Gadgets Emergency Room in the Shoppes at New Tampa on the corner of S.R. 56 and Bruce B. Downs Blvd., you may not have to worry about either. Not only does Gadgets Emergency Room, formerly known as Gadgets Repair, promise to fix your phone or computer device in short order — a broken phone screen can almost be done before you’re back from getting a haircut next door at Fantastic Sams — and not break the bank in the process. “We offer a very fast turnaround,” says owner Jamie Hess. “That’s our claim to fame. Our turnaround is 24 hours. We get it on the bench within one day. Most screen repairs are same-day. Cell phones are like 45 minutes, and most tablets take only two hours.” While the shop offers more than just screen repairs — despite the improve-

Alex (left) and Carlos of Gadgets Emergency Room in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on BBD Blvd. at S.R. 56, can repair your broken computers, mobile phones and more. ments that have made them more shatwho also owns Treble Makers Dueling terproof, as well as better cases — people Piano Bar & Restaurant in The Grove keep bringing them in. at Wesley Chapel, and his brother Joe “Like crazy,” Hess says. “People’s bought it after Jamie moved here in 2018 phones get wet and their screens get from Buffalo, NY, where the brothers broken. They get water in an ear piece, so owned Computer Emergency Room. that stops working, or the camera stops After three-and-a-half years, the Hess working...so we repair all of that.” brothers’ business is evolving, starting The Wesley Chapel tech repair shop with the name change, new logo and new has been around for 10 years, but Hess, color scheme.

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Not only have they also leased a converted shipping container in the new KRATE development at The Grove for their second location, they also will be opening a location in the new Publix plaza on S.R. 52, near the new Mirada development. While those new locations are being designed and built and are expected to open by spring 2022, the Hesses are remodeling the original location, which is managed by Joe Hess, Jr., and creating a larger working area and showroom. Why a showroom? To show off the selection of approximately 40 new drones — and new and used computers, phone cases and other accessories — you can now buy at Gadgets Emergency Room. The drones, Hess says, will be lower to mid-range when it comes to price, and he expects them to continue to be popular purchases. Gadgets Emergency Room also plans to offer drone-flying classes, which could help prevent the kinds of crashes that would require you to come to the store for a repair.

Everything You Need

And, while still there for your gadget repair needs, the new Gadgets Emergency Room also is offering a larger variety of tech services. Not only does the shop fix phone screens, tablets, computers and laptops, as well Xbox and PlayStation game consoles,

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it also offers printer repairs, home computer repairs, networking security support and business computer and server repairs. If you need help with website hosting, software support or installations and data transfers, Gadgets Emergency Room also has you covered. “We do everything in the IT world,” Hess says. Home computer and personal device repairs make Gadgets Emergency Room store manager Joe Hess, Jr. up the majority of the business at Gadgets Emergency Room, but Hess evolve, so does their business. But, one thing that will never change is the need expects, within two years, that business to keep whatever the latest thing is fixed, computer work will make up more than half running and productive. of the customer requests — and the online “The world we live in right now, reviews have been extremely positive. people can’t live without their devices,” “This place is wonderful,” says Brent Hess says. “People are still working Byrd’s 5-star Google review. “They fixed remotely, kids used computers in school, three of my iPad devices...The employees they are a part of everyday life. And, when were friendly, competent and speedy.” they go down, people aren’t going to just At the original location, Alex specialthrow them away and go buy another izes in fixing cell phones, as she has for $800 computer when, for less than maybe 10 years, Carlos specializes in computers, $100, they can bring it to our shop and including Apple devices and the rest of get it running great. I definitely don’t see staff has a variety of skills and specialties, that as a need that will ever go away.” including store manager Joe Hess, Jr., Gadgets Emergency Room is who is a computer specialist who handles on-site business and remote support issues. located at 1750 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and open Mon.-Fri., 10:30 a.m.-6:30 “The least that anyone in the buildp.m.; and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sat. For ing has done this full-time is six years,” more information, call (813) 406Jamie says. “They are all top notch.” 4412, visit GadgetsEmergencyRoom. Hess says he and his brother try to stay on top of tech trends, because as they com or see the ad on pg. 32.

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Clean Up Your Life With Toxin-Free Products At Lüfka By JOHN C. COTEY

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Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store, a new store specializing in natural, chemical-free, refillable, zero-waste products, is more than just a business for owner Danielle Howard. It’s a way of life. After growing up with a number of maladies, Danielle says she set out on a journey to find a way to live cleanly. That led to her owning two Salt Room businesses — one in Wesley Chapel and the other at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills — and now Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store, which is located on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, a few doors down from Capital Tacos. While Danielle says The Salt Room Wesley Chapel and the Salt Room at SVB specialize in halotherapy, which involves breathing salty air in order to help respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and allergies, Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store takes a more expansive approach to the benefits and solutions of keeping one’s body and home environment clean. “I can help them from the inside out,” Danielle says. “Lüfka helps their cleaning, and their laundry, and all the stuff they put on their bodies. This is for people who want to make a difference and are also conscious of what those chemicals are doing.” Whether it’s better choices for toothpaste, hand-crafted soaps, deodorant or laundry detergent, skin and aftershave lotions and even cleaning sprays, she says, Lüfka offers the healthiest options made with the best ingredients. And, while they can help make you healthier, they help the environment as well. Most Lüfka products come in glass containers, and you are encouraged to bring them back to have them refilled. Customers also are encouraged to bring containers of their own.

While they had thought of franchising before deciding against it, Kelly and Parosh liked Danielle enough — practically vetting her via all the clients she sent to their store — to suggest she open her own Lüfka store. “Parosh told me he had When you visit Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, you’ll meet co-owner Gail Sickler, been watching me, and saw that herbalist Megan Davis and co-owner Danielle Howard. (All photos on these pages by Charmaine George) I was changing It’s no accident that when you first spray, you’re looking at anywhere from lives, and said walk in the store, a table of both air and from $20-$40, and people will pay he wanted me to open a place in Wesley that,” she says. But, if you’re looking body sprays is one of the first things Chapel,” says Danielle, who just happened primarily for the cheapest stuff — say you see. Room deodorants are one of to be thinking about opening another reGlade Spray Air Fresheners that might the biggest offenders when it comes to tail business at the time. “I started looking containing hazardous toxins, so Danielle be BOGO at Publix — Danielle says, for places the second I left there.” and her co-owner and mom Gail Sickler “Well, we can’t help you. We can just let Danielle asked her mother if she you know that this is something comare quick to point out safer alternatives wanted to be her partner and, in Septempletely different.” that aren’t afraid to show exactly what ber, Lüfka Wesley Chapel held its North they are made of to customers. Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting. How It All Got Started The five glass jugs of spray deo“We love it and it goes with everyLüfka Wesley Chapel is only the dorants — Autumn Wood, Vanilla thing we do,” Danielle says. “I really felt third Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste store Bean Spice, Cranberry Orange Spice, like Wesley Chapel needed this.” in the Tampa Bay area. Pumpkin Apple Butter, and Lavender The concept was origi& Tonka — all have labels listing all of nally hatched by Kelly and their ingredients. “This is the perfect example of our Parosh Hawaii, who opened products,” Gail says. “You can use them the original Lüfka in Seminole Heights in 2019, and a to spray the room you are in, spray second store in South Tampa bedding if you are having guests over in November 2020. or, if you like it, you can use it as your Danielle was turned on to body spray for the day. Just spray and the store by a friend, and imwalk through and it can land on your mediately fell in love with it. skin and doesn’t hurt anything because She recommended it to all of there’s nothing in there to hurt you.” While perhaps more expensive than her clients at her salt rooms. The clients raved about the what you would get at a major store, products, and in turn raved Danielle says the products are worth about Danielle, who was helpevery penny. ing them at the Salt Rooms, All-natural deodorant is one of the best -selling products “If you do some research on a to Kelly and Parosh. you’ll find at Lüfka Wesley Chapel. good, organic, clean, multi-functional

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Danielle explains how Lüfka’s products are different. (Inset) A lüfka you can buy at the store.

What’s In A Name?

So, what is a Lüfka? A wash cloth, which is handmade in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and has been around for thousands of years. Parosh is passionate about sharing ancient handmade Kurdish products with the world, hence the name of the store. The women who weave the Lüfkas from Babylonian willow bark fibers receive all the proceeds from their sales at Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store. A Lüfka looks like a kitchen mitten, but serves as a wash cloth and can be opened so you can wash your back. Not only does it clean, but it also exfoliates the skin. Danielle says her skin is “as soft as a baby’s butt” when she’s done with hers, and Gail says the same. Danielle takes the education part of her job seriously. While the average person is likely to think all natural products are more expensive and less effective, Lüfka has hundreds of products that work just as well as their chemical-filled counterparts and are priced competitively, according to Danielle. You aren’t just choosing with your wallet, however. The laundry detergents at Lüfka, for example, have just a handful of chemical-free ingredients, compared to the 200 or so ingredients, mostly chemicals, in regular detergents. The same goes for Lüfka’s regular soaps and shampoos, toothpaste, body and facial lotions and deodorant. “There are so many chemicals that you put on your body for the whole day, and your skin absorbs all of it,” Danielle says. “Everything in here is better for you than what you are probably using, and it’s better for the environment, too.” For people with autoimmune diseases and sensitive skin and sense of smell, the distinction between Lüfka products and those that aren’t chemicaland toxin-free is significant. While deodorant is the store’s best seller, pet products also are very popular. Pet soap is a big one, due to skin issues, as well as other products, such as Neighborhood News

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food-grade diatomaceous earth, which is a safe alternative to anti-flea products, which are some of the most toxin-filled products on the market. Gail says local hikers come in to purchase the toxin-free bug spray (which lacks the chemicals that give regular bug spray its stickiness) and there is all-natural sunscreen as well as the ingredients needed (like apple cider vinegar, olive oil and vegetable glycerin) for those who want to make their own cleaners and soaps. Megan Davis is Lüfka’s herbalist, and can help explain the uses and combinations of the herbs and other ingredients that line one wall of the store — like combining the bladderwrack and sea moss into an apple sauce-like paste that can be consumed and contains 102 trace minerals that your body needs. However, no one at Lüfka is able to provide medical advice, and they do not sell food, although they might recommend some spirulina or turmeric for your morning smoothie. Danielle hopes to send customers out on the same journey she is on — to eliminate the chemicals her body is ingesting in regular daily products. There is some trial and error, she says, and everybody is different. But, for many of things that ail you, like sores or rashes or just malaise, there might be a healthy option that solves it. “It can change your life,” Danielle says. “It has definitely changed mine.” For more information, look up @LüfkaWesleyChapel on Facebook, where you can find specials, candle- making classes and even private shopping events if you’re interested in transitioning to healthier products. Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store is located at 27221 S.R. 56. and is open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.6 p.m., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and it is closed on Sunday and Monday. For more information, call (813) 596-9376, visit Lüfka.com or see the ad on page 25. For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 25 • December 7, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Lyons Den Sports Performance For Next-Level Training! By JOHN C. COTEY

In 2017, he returned to his hockey roots as the director of sports performance at AdventHealth Center Ice. At Center Ice, Connor also worked with USA Hockey for two years, and served as the strength and conditioning coach for the women’s national team that won the gold medal in the 2018 Winter Olympics and various other medals during his time there. In March of 2020, he decided to open his own training business, which Covid-19 delayed until this past August. “I sat on it for a while,” Connor says. “It was a scary time.” Now open, Connor says 90 percent of what his gym does will be focused on middle and high school athletes.

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When Connor Lyons realized that his dream of playing professional hockey had reached an end, he decided to do the next best thing: He wanted to help others try to realize their own dreams. After nearly a decade of helping train athletes young and old for a number of different businesses, Connor recently opened his own training facility, called Lyons Den Sports Performance, on S.R. 56, between Capital Tacos and Lüfka (see story on pgs. 22-23). Connor’s latest venture will focus on something he wishes had been around when he was a young athlete — a specialized training facility for middle and high school athletes. “These didn’t even really exist when I was playing in high school,” says Connor, a 2003 Wharton High graduate and the star of the school’s ice hockey club team. “My goal is to give kids the opportunity I didn’t have growing up.” In today’s world of sports, and with college scholarships at a premium, top-level high school athletes are always looking for that edge — looking to get faster, stronger and better.

Connor Lyons is a former Wharton High hockey standout and long-time personal trainer who opened his Lyons Den Sports Performance on S.R. 56. in Wesley Chapel to help other young athletes improve enough to reach the next level. (Photos: Charmaine George)

Lyons Den offers personal and group training that can help with things not typically taught by youth, middle or high school coaches. In a traditional high school setting, there isn’t time to take most athletes aside and show them how to run faster, jump higher or hit harder; but that’s what Lyons Den is here to provide.

Towards that end, Lyons Den is hosting a Peak Performance group training for high school-aged athletes (Mon., Tues., Thur. & Fri., 4 p.m.-5 p.m.), and a Next Level group training for middle school-aged athletes (Mon., Tues. & Thur., 3 p.m.-4 p.m.). “I want to give kids the opportunity to get to the next level,” Connor says. “Sometimes they are just lacking the physical side of things. You can have skills, but if you’re not strong enough, resilient enough, powerful enough or fast enough, you won’t get there.” While undersized when he played high school hockey, Connor turned himself into a physical player good enough to play one season as a thirdline center at Division III Nichols College in Dudley, MA. But, once he realized that hockey wasn’t going to be a career for him, Connor transferred to the University of South Florida and played for the Bulls’ hockey club program while earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from the USF College of Medicine’s Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. While he attended USF, graduating in 2011, he worked as a strength trainer with the school’s football team, and has since worked at the former Athletes Compound at Saddlebrook Resort, where he later became the associate director of sports performance, and at the Athletic Edge in Lakewood Ranch and the Applied Sports Performance Institute in South Tampa, where he was director of combine prep. At each stop, Connor says he was able to work with dozens of Major League Baseball and NFL hopefuls looking to impress at their combines or their pro days. Many, he says, ended up making it to the pros.

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Training To Prevent Injuries

Connor says that much of the training at Lyons Den revolves around injury prevention for athletes. He says there has been a positive correlation in soft tissue injuries and the rise of specialized athletic training facilities. And, he says, he believes that gaining strength and learning things like landing or changing directions correctly helps prevent injuries. In other words, teaching athletes things like proper positioning allows them to give and take force in a way that helps decrease the likelihood of being injured. Using the proper techniques, he says, when it comes to things like squatting, and properly rotating your hips and teaching the body to decelerate when running (or skating) also helps prevent the kinds of injuries that have become so common. “Our No. 1 goal with our clientele is injury prevention, and everything else is a byproduct of that,” Connor says. “If I can get you stronger, you’re going to be more resilient on the field. If I can get you faster to help you get in better position, you’re (less likely to) be getting injured on the field and losing time.” Connor also organizes speed camps and flight “schools,” where athletes can shave seconds from their times and add inches to their vertical jumps. He also hopes to offer his knowledge to local coaches by hosting clinics showing them how advanced athletic training can be incorporated into practices and offseason workouts. One of Connor’s students is Nate Hargest, a Tampa hockey prospect. Nate was recommended to Connor by Tampa Bay Lightning team chiropractic physician Tim Bain, D.C., and has been training with Dr. Bain for six years. Now 16, Nate gives much of the credit for his success to Connor, who he says helped transform him into a stronger hockey player. Neighborhood News

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Connor makes sure his young athletes learn the proper techniques for stretching, weight lifting and more at his Lyons Den Sports Performance.

“It’s been incredible in regards to what I’ve been able to do on the ice,” says Nate. “I was definitely not one of the better kids when I started, but over time I’ve become one of them. I’m one of the strongest and fastest players. I don’t weigh that much, I’m not as big, but I’m winning battles and playing as well as the other guys.” Nate was drafted earlier this year both by the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League, and the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League, two leagues that serve as a minor league system to prepare players for college.

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“The results on and off the ice make me want to keep coming back and training harder,” Nate says. The Lyons Den is located in the Cypress View Square plaza at 27217 S.R. 56. For more information about how to join or register for training, call (813) 361-2966, visit theldsp.com or see the ad on page 30.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 25 • December 7, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Spark Church Unites Families For Spiritual Fun At The Grove! By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent When most people think of going to church, a movie theater may not be what they have in mind. But, that’s exactly where Spark Church meets every Sunday at 10 a.m. Pastor Garrett Hamblen says the recently renamed B&B Theatres Grove 16 (formerly the Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment), located north of S.R. 54, just west of I-75 in Wesley Chapel, has been the perfect location for his young church, which launched less than a year ago. “We love the movie theater,” Garrett says. “It’s newly renovated and the facility is amazing. From a tech standpoint, we have a huge screen and a nice sound system. Plus, everybody’s been there at some point, so they know what to expect.” Garrett says movies start shortly after the service ends, and the other amenities at and coming to The Grove — such as the KRATE container park, a mini-golf course and more — make it a very desirable location for families to gather. “I think that whole area is going to be like the center of Wesley Chapel,” Garrett says, “and we’re thankful to be in the middle of all that.” On Sundays, the church takes over

theater requirements to take precautions against the spread of Covid. Pastor Garrett says there’s also plenty of room to spread out and masks are not currently required, but many people do wear them. A wristband system allows people to choose a color so others know if they want to be greeted with close contact or keep their distance.

An ‘Outreach Church’

Pastor Garrett Hamblen invites the New Tampa community to his Spark Church, which meets every Sunday morning in a movie theater at the B&B Theatres Grove 16 (formerly the Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment) just north of S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel.

one wing of the theater, offering worship in a large theater, kids’ church in a smaller theater, and a nursery in a birthday party room. He describes the kids’ areas as “locked down” for safety, in a corner of the building where no public traffic passes by. “A typical service is very modern, with worship music and lyrics on the

screen — not hymns,” Garrett explains. “It’s a time of exciting worship, with a message that’s relevant to you today. We talk about what is happening in the world today, and what the Bible says about it.” This year’s summer series included a costume contest with prizes for those who were dressed in their most summer-y outfits, including gear like bathing suit trunks and Hawaiian shirts. He says Spark Church offers a very fun atmosphere and everyone is friendly. Garrett and his wife, Katterine, were married in March of 2020. He says they went on their honeymoon and when they returned, everything had changed. They were basically “the last wedding” before everything shut down due to Covid. They now live in Wesley Chapel, just a few minutes from the movie theater where the church meets. Another perk of meeting at the theater is that it already has procedures in place to ensure good air and surface sanitation, plus temperature checks at the front door. The church follows local and

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Garrett describes Spark Church as an “outreach church.” “The big thing is that we’re here for the community,” he says. “We’re here to see lives changed in Pasco County” (and the surrounding areas). He explains that means the church is connected to schools, law enforcement, nonprofit organizations and the government and is available to help in all of these areas in the community. As for the church’s name, he says, the it comes from the church’s mission, which is “to spark life change throughout our communities.” Garrett says he moved to the area several years ago, when he took a job at Loving Hands Ministries, a drug rehabilitation program in Dade City. He also recently served as young adult pastor, then executive pastor, for Calvary Assembly of God in Dade City. He is licensed as a minister through the Assemblies of God and also has a Bachelor’s degree in Business and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree from Indiana State University in Terre Haute. “I’ve worked with Restored Hope, and in partnership with Habitat For Humanity and Meals On Wheels and most of the organizations that do good in Paso county,” he says. “At Spark Church, this is our focus.” He says that problems facing the community — whether it’s something like homelessness due to a lack of a homeless shelter in Wesley Chapel, or human trafficking — “aren’t going to be fixed by one

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little church,” but that he hopes that Spark Church will prove to be part of the solution. “It’s going to take all of us working together,” he says. “I believe we can do much better.” Garrett is a member of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, which has started a major project to build a home for victims of human trafficking in Wesley Chapel. “Spark Church intends to be a big part of it.”

Created For Everyone

“We have a family atmosphere, and there are a lot of people who just moved here,” Garrett says. “Or, maybe you’re not new to the area but haven’t made friends. We’re all looking for friends, especially now that so many people are (still) working from home. They’re so isolated, so we do a lot to cultivate developing friendships with other families.” He says that might be cookouts, or providing popsicles after church on a Sunday, or a fun day like a pool party. He even opens his home once a month for “Pizza with the Pastor,” just to “hang out get to know each other.” As the church grows, Garrett says it will continue to expand. For example, “life groups” are launching, which he describes as, “Church in people’s homes,” and while the church focuses on families, it welcomes people in any life stage, and recently started a ministry for single, younger adults. Garrett also has a vision to start a ministry school in the spring that will help people learn to develop the gifts they may have to use in church — whether it’s at Spark or somewhere else. “Someone might want to sing, but their church is full of rock stars, so they learn how to develop that skill and then go back and use that gift in their church.” Asia McGlinchey and her husband

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Brendan met Garrett at an interest meeting for the church last year. At that time, they were living in Belize and were visiting family in Wesley Chapel who wanted to attend the meeting. They tagged along. “We heard the vision and felt like the Lord was leading us to join them,” Asia says, “so we moved from Belize last December and have been a big part of the church since then.” Brendan and Asia bring their three girls, ages eight, six and six months (Asia says her youngest was born just a week after the church launched) and volunteer for the church in various ways. Asia leads the kids’ ministry and the women’s ministry, and Brendan leads music as the worship leader. “We think that church should be more than Sunday morning,” Asia says, “and that’s their vision, too. Let’s become a family, do outreach, get into the community, become a community, and learn to be a family of believers, not just people who pass by each other on Sunday morning. We love that.” She says their experience in a tightknit church in Belize, which served as the center of their small community, gave them a vision of what church can be like. Asia hopes they can bring that sense of connection to Wesley Chapel, too. “People who come to Spark Church can expect to be welcomed, whatever their background or life,” she says. “We want to get to know everyone, and we want to grow together as a family.” Spark Church meets at B&B Theatres Gove 16 (6333 Wesley Grove Blvd.) every Sunday at 10 a.m., and will host a Christmas-oriented service on Sunday, December 26. For more information, visit SparkPasco.com or see the ad on page 31.

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Heritage Elementary Has A New Butterfly Garden, Thanks To Eagle Project By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent Heritage Elementary School gifted class science teacher Jean Josephson had an idea to plant a beautiful butterfly garden at her school, but needed some helping hands to bring that project to life. She got more than she bargained for when she reached out through a friend to Scouts BSA (formerly called the Boy Scouts of America) Troop 148, which meets at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd., just down the street from the school. That’s when she connected with Isaac VanMeter, a senior at Wharton High, who is on track to become an Eagle Scout and was thinking about ideas for a project to help him reach his goal. The butterfly garden project seemed like a perfect fit. “I had other ideas, but I really like helping with the environment,” says Isaac, who adds that the school beautification aspect appealed to him, as well. “Having a really nice-looking school is good for students, and it’s great for the entire school to have a garden to play in and learn in.” Jean says Isaac took her idea and ran with it. “He did a really, really good job,”

she says. “It really exceeded my expectations. I thought I would have to do more planning and directing, but he took control of the whole project.” While the school already had a vegetable garden and a small butterfly garden, it also had a butterfly mural and space The space that was formerly just grass and mulch (left) has been transformed by Issac VanMeter (watering the garfor a much den, right) and other membes of Scouts BSA Troop 148 (next page). (Photos courtesy of the VanMeters) bigger garden den and how to plant it came from the replaced the edging, put the plants in, to be used for mulched the garden, gave it a good wainstructional purposes, such as studying University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), tering, and they also mulched the whole the life cycle of butterflies. but Isaac did the fundraising to pay for it courtyard. It was really great.” Teachers bring students out to the Isaac’s next steps are to finish his garden to release butterflies raised in the and did additional research, making the final selections for what would go in the paperwork and the last three of the 21 classroom, or to watch worms or bees. required merit badges before his 18th They use a curriculum from a nonprofit garden and how it would be laid out. He brought a team of Scouts out birthday in January. Then, he’ll go beeducational organization called “Agrifor a workday to make it all happen. fore a Board of Review to make his case culture in the Classroom” to bring the “The soil was so bad that they had for why he should be awarded the rank lessons to life. of Eagle Scout. Jean explains that some resources for to build it up with about seven yards of soil,” explains Jean, “Then, they “This is a big accomplishment,” which plants would work in the gar-

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Isaac says, “something I’ve been working toward for six years.” Isaac completed the project during his first season playing varsity football, while his team went on a playoff run. He decided to try football his senior year, in addition to competing for Wharton in lacrosse and track and field — throwing discus, javelin and shotput — in previous years. After graduation, he plans to go to college on a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship — likely at the University of Central Florida in Orlando — and major in finance. “I really think the whole process

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of (Scouts) BSA has changed me to be more of a leader and have that mindset of how I can help encourage everyone around me,” he says. “The project taught me how everyone can come together to accomplish things.” He says he’s pleased with the way the garden turned out and is looking forward to seeing how the plants grow and fill in the garden over time. Jean says the teachers and the entire school community are thrilled with the opportunities they see for learning in the new garden. “Everybody is so impressed,” she says. “I can’t wait until it all grows up.”

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Benito Boys Blast Way To 1st County Volleyball Championship By JOHN C. COTEY

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The Benito Middle School boys volleyball team had been 9-0 before. It had been dominant in previous years. It had won its cluster, or league, multiple times. However, the Cougars had never won a Hillsborough County championship. This year, however, was different. This year, they just happened to have a Hand up on the opposition. Rolling behind the best player the school has ever had, 8th grader Dillon Hand, the Cougars dropped only one set all season and captured the school’s first-ever boys volleyball county championship. Benito defeated Roland Park 25-9, 25-12 last month to take home the school’s first-ever County title. “We went into the season thinking we had a really good shot,” says coach Chris Ellis. “They practiced like all-stars, but sometimes got into games and were tight. We were winning by five points against teams we should have been blowing out.” If there were any doubts about the Cougars rising to the challenge, they answered it in the first game of the playoffs against defending County Champion Tomlin Middle School, which many saw

The Hillsborough County champs: (Front row, l.-r.:) Sharuya Kataria, Devin Etienne, Druve Kulkarni, Nikhil Katiyar, Kamal Abutaha; (middle row, l.-r.:) Layth Yassin, Gregory Morris, Arman Razavi, Nithin Sivamoorthy; (back row, l.-r.:) Tristan Wilhoyt, Owen Brown, Grayson Gonzalez, Dillon Hand, Sully Al Qadheeb, Rithik Borra, Karl Rix. Coaches (bottom right, left to right:) Austin Hand, Karen Burchfield & Chris Ellis.

as the real county championship game. After splitting the first two sets, the match went to a decisive 15-point third set. Tomlin raced to a 6-0 lead, and then the lead was 11-5. Time was running out. “I called a timeout and just tried to

relax everyone,” Ellis said. “I told them that this was going to be the greatest story in 40 minutes, that they would be in their cars on the way home just going crazy that they came back and won the county championship. So, just relax

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and let’s take this thing over.” The Cougars responded with nearly flawless play, scoring 10 of the final 12 points for a 15-13 win, and coasted to wins in the semifinals and final the next two days. “We were getting pounded, and then they started making mistakes and we didn’t,” said assistant coach Karen Burchfield. “We just got on a roll.” Burchfield also coaches the Benito girls volleyball team (with Ellis assisting), which was 9-1 this season. She won a county title in 2013, with star Kathryn Attar, who also was a standout at Wharton and is currently an All-Ivy League Conference performer at Yale University. The 6’-2” Hand has drawn comparisons to Attar, for his dominance and leadership in a championship season. Ellis says Hand is arguably the best eighth-grader in the state, able to control the action at the net as well as possessing a major league jump serve. Hand’s brother Austin was on the first-ever boys volleyball team at Benito in 2017 and helped as an assistant coach on the team this year. Ellis says the team’s one play this season was setting Hand for the kill, but the rest of the Cougars definitely helped make that possible. Setter Arman Razavi, also an eighth-

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grader, was the only Cougar with prior experience other than Hand. His ability to get the ball to Hand was the team’s primary source of offense, but he also served out the last four points of the Tomlin match when there was no room for error. Libero Kamal Abutaha was a rarity — a sixth-grader who started at one of the sport’s toughest positions. He managed, however, to Owen Brown (far left) delivers a header for a point on what dig enough balls to Razavi Ellis calls Benito’s Play of the Year. to keep the offense humKatiyar put off soccer to commit to the ming, even in the county volleyball team, and always seemed to semifinals, when he had to wear his sisbe in the right place at the right time. ter’s Vans because he forgot his shoes. Owen Brown — also an eighth-grade coSully Al-Qadheeb was the emocaptain — was consistent at the net but tional leader on the team, who received a tryout — after the team had already been will probably be remembered most for heading the ball during the second set of selected — at the recommendation of the championship game, which scored a track/football coach Rodney Sharpe. point and fired up the team so much they “Coach, I know you already anhad to make a TikTok video of the feat. nounced the team, but this kid can jump Another eighth-grader, Boden out of the gym,” he told Ellis. “You Houck, earned his way into the rotashould give him a look.” Ellis says five minutes into his tryout, tion because of his serve, and he led the team off with his serve in every match, and despite zero volleyball experience, and Druve Kulkarni also chipped in with Sully was a starter. He made a number some big serves during the playoffs. of big plays during the season, including “Dillon was very good, obviously,” a tip in the third set against Tomlin that Ellis said. “He was ridiculous this season. tied the score at 12 and swung the moBut, this was a great team. Everyone had mentum in Benito’s favor for good. a role, and they played it perfectly.” Eighth-grader and co-captain Nikhil

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Have You Seen All The Restaurants Coming To The KRATE? By Gary Nager

We’ve been doing all we can to tell you what’s been happening at the KRATE Container Park at The Grove at Wesley Chapel since Provisions Coffee & Kitchen opened more than two months ago. Well, the full opening of KRATE will likely be delayed at least into the beginning of 2022, as the place really is still mainly a construction site, but most of the signs on the restaurants coming to this unique locale are now up and a lot of them are interesting, if not downright exciting. We’ve mentioned previously that ShakeA-Salad would likely be the next to open and a Nov. 8 date that was mentioned on the salad-and-wrap eatery’s Facebook page came and went, but it still well could be next. Many KRATEs coming soon are already known locally, including Cafe 365 (also at the Shops at Wiregrass) and La Creacion Express Puerto Rican bakery (also on Hillsborough Ave.), and food trucks like The Bacon Boss, Mojo Grill Latin Fusion, TJ’s Famous Hot Dogs and Tacos el Patron.Also coming to KRATE are Åto Sushi Burritos & Poke Bowls, Palani’s Hawai’i Noodles, Tasty Ramen, The Fry Room, Urban Sweets, Yummy Tablas, El Prince Mediterranean, Blush Wine Bar and Boba Macs Tea & Eat. Yes, there are non-food places coming, too, including Center Ed education, Reset Natural Remedies, We Rock Rocks, SmartStart Market Space, Budget Blinds, The Rebellious Hippie, Gadgets Emergency Room and All Good Things gifts. We plan to provide a complete map of everything coming to Phase 1 of the KRATE in a future issue. — GN

Among the many repurposed shipping containers coming (hopefully soon) to the KRATE Container Park at The Grove are (l.-r. & top to bottom): Shake-A-Salad, The Fry Room, The Bacon Boss, TJ’s Hot Dogs, Åto Sushi Burritos & Poké Bowls, Palani’s Hawai’i Noodles & Boba Macs Tea & Eat. (Photos by Gary Nager)

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Oronzo Honest Italian Is On The Grow...And Still Delicious! Oronzo Has A New Midtown Tampa Location, A New GM In New Tampa & Some Yummy New Menu Items! By GARY NAGER Even though its original location opened in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza during the pandemic in the summer of 2020, the original location of Oronzo Honest Italian has been successful enough that owner Dan Bavaro decided to open a second location of his fast-casual, from-scratch Italian concept restaurant in the new Midtown Tampa development off I-75 at N. Dale Mabry Hwy. Bavaro certainly is no stranger to success in the restaurant business. He also has opened four popular locations of Bavaro’s Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria (including St. Pete, Sarasota, on Franklin St. in Tampa and at Tampa International Airport), but Oronzo’s may be Bavaro’s most ambitious concept to date — one that he co-founded with the company that owns The Melting Pot restaurant. “You’re getting Bavaro’s old-world, from-scratch Italian cuisine combined with The Melting Pot, which is know for experiences and customer service and we kind of merged those two together to create Oronzo,” Dan told Charley Belcher on a recent Fox 13 News feature about the new Midtown location. Named for his grandfather Oronzo Bavaro, who emigrated to Brooklyn, NY, from Italy, Oronzo Honest Italian is New Tampa’s only place for actual homemade pastas (which you can watch being made in the open kitchen), plus flatbreads and burrito-style sandwiches made from piadina bread (which Bavaro says dates back to the 1800s) from the eastern Italian town of Rimini, located on the Adriatic Sea. Whatever its roots may be, Oronzo features modern takes on not only many of the recipes created by Dan’s grandmother Angela Bavaro, but also on how to order, create, serve and enjoy made-from-scratch, fast-casual Italian cuisine.

Favorites Old & New!

We featured Oronzo around the same

(Above left) The grilled chicken pesto with fresh zucchini noodles is a favorite of our editor’s at Oronzo Honest Italian in Highwoods Preserve. (Above right) Oronzo owner Dan Bavaro appeared on WTVT-TV with Charley Belcher on Fox 13 News (screen shot from Fox 13 News) to announce the opening of Oronzo’s new Midtown Tampa location. (Right) We love the cracker-crisp crust of Oronzo’s American flatbread, but artisan-style pizzas will be soon be available, too. (Bottom right) The new GM at Oronzo’s New Tampa location is Simon Luckett. (Below) Oronzo’s Protein Bowl is one of several delicious new menu items. (All photos on both pages except Fox 13 screen shot by Charmaine George)

time last year in these pages, but there are several new menu items that have been added, as has new general manager Simon Luckett, who had been with Oronzo for less than two months when we interviewed him for this story. “It’s a great place, with delicious food and happy customers,” Simon says (no pun intended). “Everything has been really great so far.” As for the new dishes, one of my favorites is the healthy new Protein Bowl (above), which features a delicious base of farro and brown rice, with celery, onion, grilled chicken, soppresata pork, roasted mushrooms, garlic, heirloom tomatoes,

roasted bell peppers, feta cheese and homemade pesto dressing. So good! Another savory (albeit less healthy) new dish is the meatball (or chicken) parm Italian burrito, with homemade spaghetti, your choice of sauce, fresh mozzarella and parmesan wrapped in homemade piadina

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bread. Not only are they super-tasty, it’s also fun to watch them being made! The new dish I was shocked that I enjoyed was the pasta and Impossible

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Bolognese with gluten-free rotini pasta pictured above. Photographer Charmaine George and I agreed that the Impossible meat substitute looked and tasted like ground beef and you can choose your favorite pasta to go with it. And, while you also can still get a variety of delicious cracker-crisp flatbreadstyle pizzas made with Oronzo’s homemade piadina bread (like the American with pepperoni and San Marzano tomatoes pictured on the previous page), also new to the Oronzo menu — but only available at the Midtown Tampa location at our press time — are artisan pizzas with a more traditional crust. Simon says (oops, I did it again) that the artisan pizzas also should be available in New Tampa by the end of this month or so. But, our favorite menu items at Oronzo still include the amazing zucchini noodles (Jannah loves them with grilled chicken and homemade pesto, but you can also order it “meatless,” with pomodoro (red), spicy arrabiata, crema (white) or butter and extra virgin olive oil. If you’re not a fan of zucchini noodles (but I think you should try them before you decide), you can get your choice of sauces with Oronzo’s homemade spaghetti, imported Pastaficio DiMartino penne or the glutenfree rotini, and you can add homemade meatballs (which also are available as an appetizer), heirloom tomatoes, roasted mushrooms, and bell peppers. Oronzo also features a nice selection

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(Clockwise from top left): How is it possible for the new Impossible Bolognese pasta to look (and taste) this good)? Other excellent new additions to Oronzo’s menu are the meatball pasta Italian burrito and the Nutella piatto (flatbread) dessert.

of fresh salads and soups (Jannah loves the tomato basil soup). For dessert, try the new Nutella piatto or my long-time favorite cannoli crisps, with the cannoli cream on the side as a dip. There’s also Italian wedding cookies and a variety six pack of French-style macarons. Oronzo also features a kids menu, plus white and red wines, Peroni Italian beer on draught, espresso drinks, a Coca-Cola soda fountain and the tasty Oronziata (a housemade bood orange beverage) and bottled versions of the red sauces for retail sale. Oronzo Honest Italian (18027 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.) is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays (9 p.m. on Fri. & Sat.). For info, visit Oronzo.com, call (813) 730-0100 or see the ad on pg. 38.

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The Living Room Is Coming To The Mall!

Check Out The New Chick’n Fun!

Miller’s Ale House To Open Dec. 13!

Even though it’s yet another chain coming to the Wesley Chapel area, I’ll admit that Miller’s Ale House, which has 63 of its nearly 100 locations in Florida, is one of the better sports bar-style chains. The Miller’s Ale House set to open at 25264 S.R. 54 at the Wesley Chapel Blvd. Extension (across from Zaxby’s) is hiring now (isn’t everyone?) in anticipation of a planned Dec. 13 opening date. Considering that Jannah and I basically live across the street from it, keep checking these pages and our Facebook page for the latest news. — GN

Its name may make it seem like it’s just another fried chicken place, but the new Chick’n Fun, which is now open in the former Hardee’s In what has become one of our most popular Facebook posts this year, I announced on Nov. 2 that The Living Room Restaurant & Lounge is coming to The Shops At Wiregrass. location at 27320 Wesley Chapel Blvd., is so much more than that — and everythinbg we’ve Since Shops at Wiregrass GM Greg Lenners told us that the popular mom-and-pop restried to date has been fresh and delicious! Yes, taurant on Main St. in Dunedin, will take over the long-empty space in The Shops previously occupied by Ciao! (and Pagelli’s before that) the post has reached nearly 36,000 people, been Chick’n Fun does offer a variety of wings, chicken sandwiches (top photo), strips and even liked nearly 600 times, with more than 125 comments (almost all of them overwhelmingly gizzards, but it also features lots of seafood — positive) and it has been shared more than 100 times! from fried or grilled shrimp, tilapia and basa Jannah and I have eaten at the Dunedin location a few times and not only is the food great, The Living Room on Main also has a beautiful outdoor patio dining area (top right pic; it’s much to crab legs (photo), mussels, oysters, scallops, larger than the outdoor dining area currently at the former Ciao!) and also offers live music inside. calamari, clam and catfish strips and even conch. There also are fresh bowls (with black beans, Unfortunately, I still haven’t heard when The Living Room will open at The Shops, but it most likely won’t happen until early 2022. However, with menu items like flash fried duck dump- yellow rice, onions, peppers and mushrooms and your choice of protein), pastas, salads, burglings, a smoked salmon flatbread, lamb and Hereford beef tenderloin meatballs, molasses-braised pork osso buco (top left photo) and brown butter diver scallops (lower left) that aren’t cheap but ers, gyros and more. For more information, stop in or visit also not overpriced for the quality, I believe most locals will find that The Living Room will be worth waiting for and a great, unique addition to Wesley Chapel’s mostly chain restaurants. Keep ChicknFun.com or call (813) 501-4899 and please tell them I sent you! — GN checking in with us on these pages and on our Facebook page for additional updates. — GN

New Tampa Asian Restaurants That Are Coming & Going Unlike all of the (mostly) chain restaurants that continue to enter Wesley Chapel’s restaurant scene, New Tampa continues to be a hub for great locally-owned Asian eateries, with more on the way. We told you in October that Kobé Japanese Steakhouse was moving from in front of the Pebble Creek Collection to the former location of Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Señor T’s and Vuelo at 17641 Bruce B Downs (BBD) Blvd., and it did indeed close the old location on Nov. 22, in anticipation of its move. We don’t yet have word as to when the new Kobé will open, but it could be before the end of this year, or early next year, at the latest.

Meanwhile, Aroi Thai-Tsuyu, which had been located at 20685 BBD in the Live Oak Preserve area for a couple of years (the same restaurant also has had other names), has closed and will be replaced (apparently fairly soon) by Hana Sushi, Grill & Ramen. To keep up with when Hana Sushi will open, visit HanaSushiGrillTampa. com. The menu is already posted there. And finally, Gu Wei Noodles & Grill, which opened in 2020 in the former location of Sukkhothai on Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. (across from the AMC Highwoods 20 movie theater), is “temporarily closed for updating the concept.” — GN

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Las Palmas Latin Grill Opens Food Truck After Fire! Congratulations to Chef Ramses Garcia, his wife Ana and their family for so quickly rebounding from a devastating 20-minute kitchen fire at Las Palmas Latin Grill to now open the Las Palmas Food Truck, which is located just west of BBD (south of County Line Rd.) in the parking lot of the same LA Fitness/WinnDixie plaza where the restaurant was located, but closer to the USF Federal Credit Union. The food truck opened just before Thanksgiving, and offers many of Ramses’ signature dishes, from his award-winning Best Cuban Sandwiches to many of my favorites, including Vaca Frita (crispy beef), Lechon Asado (roasted pork), Palomilla a la Plancha (thin-cut top round steak with sautéed, grilled onions) and more. And, Ramses says, he definitely plans

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to add even more dishes to the food truck menu as he gets settled into his new venture. The Las Palmas Food Truck is now open Wednesday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Please tell Ramses I sent you! — GN

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 25 • December 7, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel HOME IMPROVEMENT

CUSTOM INT. WINDOW COVERINGS! Cust. fabrication of all types of window coverings — plantation & hurricane shutters, vert. blinds, roller, cellular, woven wood & Roman shades, cellular vert., panel tracks, retract. awnings, motorization experts, alum., wood & faux wood blinds & more! FREE installation on orders over $250! Call Henry @ 813-948-6363, email TampaBlindsbyDesign@gmail.com or visit TampaBlindsbyDesign.com. TOM JOSEPH HANDYMAN: FREE ESTIMATES! Serving residents, Realtors & property mgrs. 30+ yrs home construction exp. Move in/out setups & repairs. Repairs for sale/rent. Hang flatscreen TVs. Setup wifi & home theater. Install closet organizers. Cabinets, pullouts, shelving. Gen’l carpentry. Crown molding. Kitchen backsplash. Door install/repair & more! Call 813-751-4998 or email JosephHomesllc@outlook.com AMBLER ENTERPRISES Home Improvement. Call James at 813-385-6402. 30 Years of exp. Specialist in Kitchens & Bathrooms. Referrals upon request. All interior work: Drywall, Texture Paining, Doors, etc. Use us once & you won’t need to look elsewhere. Google us to see pictures: Wesley Chapel Ambler Enterprises. See our display ad at the bottom of this page! JUNK HAULING SERVICE! • We handle all types of furniture removal — bdrm sets, chairs, mattresses & box springs • Hot water heaters & hot tubs - take apart & remove • Construction material • Carpet removal • Estate, eviction, yard, garage & attic clean-outs • Ofc, home & factory • Comm’l/res’l. GorillaJunkremovalExperts.com. For appts, call/text Nigel @ 888-346-5865. WESLEYCHAPELPRESSUREWASHING.COM Soft pressure ext. house cleaning, screen enclosures, pool decks, driveways, sidewalks, fences, roofs, paver sealing & deck staining. We clean everything. No job too big/small. Exp. the difference when you hire a pressure cleaning pro. Licensed & insured. Owner operated. Call for a free estimate or visit our website. 813-433-6015. RAYMOND PAINTING. Ext. & Int. Svcs. Ext: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks & wood rot repair. Int: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall repairs & tiles. Licensed & Bonded. References available. Free estimates. Your Neighborhood Arbor Greene Resident! We work 7 days. Call 813-994-5124. CHARLES POPPE ELECTRIC. Electric of all kinds: pools, spas, svc changes, new circuits, low-voltage, repairs, upgrades, changes to existing, troubleshoot’g, GFCI performance testing, generators. We are experts w/40+ years exp. Discount of 50% off labor for senior citizens! Lic’d & Insured Master Electrician (EC 13002399) - free phone estimates. Call 813-477-9068. MILLENNIUM HOME REP. Prof’ Handyman. Cabinet install, dry wall rep, tile install & rep, some plumbing, laminate flooring, light fixtures, int. painting, appliance install, pressure washing, paneling, window rep, awning install, carpentry, garbage disp, fence rep, crown molding, window blinds, seal baths & showers, TV mount & more. Call 813-400-1408 or email TycoonUnion@ yahoo.com. DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable, Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings & walls, retexturing, popcorn removal, room addt’ns, cracks, holes, plaster & stucco repair. 26 years exp. WC resident. State Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate: 813-784-5999.

Classifieds

HOME HEALTH CARE

HOME DIALYSIS PARTNER: Why travel for dialysis? Home Hemodialysis Partner LLC ‘s Cert. Home Health Aide & Phlebotomy Tech will come to you! We attend mandatory training at your clinic, assemble your machine at home, check vitals, start & finish treatment w/you, maintain contact w/an on-call nurse & safely remove you from the machine. Accepting new clients June 21! Email YourDialysisPartner@gmail.com or call 813.841.3754. SENIOR OVERNIGHT COMPANION SITTERS Two kind senior sisters seeking work safeguarding your loved one during the overnight hours. We’ve been working w/the senior population for 10 years & have seen a need for local, English-speaking, backgroundchecked, Covid-tested, dependable companions w/their own transportation. Very reasonable rates. Call Diane or Elisa at 813-938-8614.

COMPUTER & BUSINESS SERVICES

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

PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT in your home or small biz. A+, Cert. computer tech w/20 years exp. Maintenance & Repairs, Upgrades & Tutoring. More affordable than large chains! Friendly, personalized svc. Tech jargon explained. Remote assistance & refs. avail. Call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate or see our display ad on pg. 45!

CLEANING SERVICES

PATY CLEANING SERVICE. Comm’l or resid’l cleaning service. We have our own supplies & 6 years of exp. Free estimates. Call 813 943 6054 or email patycleaningservice@hotmail.com. A-to-Z CLEANING & ORGANIZING. Home & Ofc Cleaning & Organizing Svcs! We use our own supplies. Affordable & Reliable. Family-Owned & Operated. WC resident. Weekly & Bi-Weekly / Deep Cleaning/ Move-In / Move-Out. Serving WC & NT. Call today for a FREE No-Obligation Quote: 813462-1270. Local references supplied upon request. B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 18 years exp.! Comm’l & Resid’l; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & postconstruction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in & move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates.; Refs. avail. Call 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

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

All Neighborhood News Classified Ads appear in both New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News! 7 issues — $120; 13 issues — $200; or 26 issues (1 year) — $300! To order yours, visit neighborhoodnewsonline.net/Classified Listings FICTITIOUS NAME MISCELLANEOUS

Want To Buy A Home, Starting With $1,000? I’d Like to be your Realtor & share a list of beautiful homes & loan officers who can get you approved! I’m familiar w/ Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance! Call/Text (941) 400-2833. Robert Leonard, Future Home Realty (27552 Cashford Cir., #101, WC 33544). Or, send me an email to Robert@HomeSeminar.Info. ELITE RIDES. Private rides in a sanitized 2020 Tesla, plus concierge services. Airport, schools, medical appointments, shopping, etc. Courteous, reliable professional. New Tampa to Tampa Int’l Airport - $40 (one way). Driver vaccinated w/two shots. Cory Lake Isles resident. Call/text 813.765.2037. GET $500 TOWARDS CLOSING COSTS... when you buy a NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME with Florida Homes with Geri at Epperson OR Mirada. Schedule a PRIVATE TOUR of both Communities by a Resident Realtor. Join @LifeAtTheLagoon with @RealtorGeri Call/Text 813-609-0966. Connect with me on Instagram & Facebook.

LAWN & LANDSCAPING____

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

NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME STATUTE. To Whom It May Concern: Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, pursuant to the “Fictitious Name Statute”, Chapter 865.09, Florida Statutes, will register with the Division of Corporations, Department of State, State of Florida, upon receipt of this notice, the fictitious name to-wit: Tampa Bay PT. Under which the below named party/parties will engage in business at 13328 Telecom Dr., Temple Terrace, FL 33637. That the party/parties interested in said business enterprise is/are as follows: Kelly Pearce Baez and Joel Baez, owners, Tampa Bay Physical Therapy LLC. Dated November 29, 2021, at 20110 Blue Daze Ave, Tampa, FL 33647, Hillsborough County, Florida.

FITNESS & WELL BEING

YOGA, PERSONAL TRAINING, NUTRITION & PHYSICAL THERAPY w/DR. LAUREN LEIVA, DPT! Phys Ed for everyone, including all children, w/a certified personal trainer who also is a degreed Dr. of Physical Therapy. Ask Dr. Leiva about her PE4ME sliding scale pay program, volunteer opportunities and more! For more info, visit TheExerscienceCenter.com, call 813.464.0313 or see the ad on pg. 17 of this issue.

POOL SERVICES

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

Please Utilize Our New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News Display & Classified ad advertisers for all of your service needs!

TJ’s PRESSURE WASHING LLC. Houses, Fences, Driveways, Lanais & Screened Enclosures. Most resdt’l 2-car driveways & vinyl fences start at $75. House washing starts at $150 /1-story home, $199/2-story home. Need an instant quote? Text me a picture of the job you need done. Call Tj at 727-808-7775.

TREE SERVICE

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

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 25 • December 7, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 25 • December 7, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 25 • December 7, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews