Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 31, Issue 4, February 21, 2023

Photo of BayCare Hospital leadership — plus District 2 County Commissioner Seth Weightman (3rd from left) & NTBC CEO Hope Kennedy (5th from left) — provided by BayCare.org.

on page 6.

In Memory Of My Father, Jack E. Nager (May 14, 1934-Jan. 30, 2023)

By GARY NAGER Editorial

I would be lying if I said I had a normal father-son relationship growing up with my father, Jack Nager.

My father was born on May 14, 1934, in New York City, and was mostly raised in Middle Village, Queens, with his parents, Sam and Anna Ertel Nager, and his older sister Bernice (who re-named herself Bunny) and younger sister Francine. My dad, who wasn’t given a middle name at birth, took his mother’s maiden name Ertel as his middle name. Many of his friends called him “Jackie,” so he always signed his name “Jack E. Nager.”

My parents were high school sweethearts at Far Rockaway High who married shortly after graduation. They were dirt poor, so my father enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after the end of the Korean War. He spent the majority of his two-year hitch at Ft. Benning, GA, where my beautiful sister, who they named Bonnie Sue, was born.

Although he liked the discipline in the Army, my father was in the tank corps at Ft. Benning and hated the claustrophobia of it. He was promoted to the Judge Advocate General Corps. and considered a career in the military, as the Army offered to send him to law school if he extended his hitch by two more years.

Instead, my family moved back to Far Rockaway, where I was born. After working mainly as a salesman for his father-in-law in a storefront glass business for a few years, the business burnt to the ground and my mother’s mother and brother ended up becoming partners with him after my dad bought a small motel in Queens from our back-door neighbor in Woodmere, Long Island.

I was only about eight years old when my dad was diagnosed with cancer, only a year or so after buying the motel. He had a large tumor from around his left armpit to above his left lung, but he was lucky that it was only one encapsulated tumor that was able to be fully removed. Before the days of both chemo and radiation, he had a series of what were known as cobalt treatments. He attributed his cancer to the stress of a terrible first year in business but he later learned that the Korean War-era tanks he piloted were filled with asbestos and probably also contributed to his cancer, as did his two-packs-per-day smoking habit. He may, in fact, have had a form of mesothelioma years before that term was even coined.

I never really understood why my dad seemed so disinterested in spending time with me when I was growing up, as I didn’t find out he had cancer until I was in high school.

Even so, he coached my Little League team for three years, despite the fact he actually hated watching baseball and had never played an inning of it himself.

He put up a basketball hoop for me in our driveway and my best childhood memories of my dad were when he took me to the local park to play pick-up two-on-two games — usually against two teenagers or even grown men. They used to make fun of his classic twohand set shot — that is, until he’d make five or six shots in a row from beyond what would

today be the three-point line. Once they started double teaming him up high, he’d feed the ball under the basket to me for easy layups. We rarely lost those games.

My dad also taught himself how to play the piano, a talent he passed on to my older son Jared, who also looks very much like him at the same age. He was handsome and charismatic and ultimately became successful in the motel busines and as a distance runner who finished the NYC Marathon 6 or 7 times.

But, he also was stubborn and difficult to get along with if you disagreed with him, which my mom did often, and they drifted apart and ultimately got divorced. It got ugly. My father married his second wife the

same year he got divorced from my mom and although I still called him, he really didn’t speak to me or my boys for a number of years.

But, as he aged and started having health issues, he began calling me every day — usually to tell me the weather in Tampa, even though I’m the one who lives here. The last couple of years, he also took more interest in my writing and had me send him the Neighborhood News, so he could discuss my editorials with me.

It’s something of a miracle he ended up living for 55 years after his cancer diagnosis — one of only a handful of 50+-year survivors in the U.S. But, his health deteriorated badly the last few years and, the last few months, he was suffering. He passed away on Jan. 30, and I

flew to New York for his funeral a few days before this issue went to press.

Although I had met his second wife Thelma before, I met my halfsisters Stacey and Ashley and the rest of my dad’s second family for the first time that day. My sister and her sons also attended and I gave the primary eulogy before my dad was laid to rest in a VA cemetery on eastern Long Island. My relationship with Jack Nager may not have been perfect, but he still helped me with my career and I do know that he loved me.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News

PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS! 2604 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Suite 102D Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 Phone: (813) 910-2575

Advertising E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Editorial E-mail: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Publisher & Editor /Ad Sales

Gary Nager

Managing Editor / Photographer

John C. Cotey

Correspondent

Celeste McLaughlin

Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist

Charmaine George

Graphic Designers

Morgan Conlin

Valerie Wegener

Billing Assistant

Jannah Nager

Nothing that appears in Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 31, Issue 6, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Thursday, March 9, 2023.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

© 2023 JM2 Communications, Inc.

Saddlebrook Residents Continue To Hold Off Developer

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Saddlebrook is becoming Sagabrook, as attempts to revitalize the former great resort continue to be mired in confusion and discontent.

The latest efforts on Feb. 7 to push through an amendment to the resort’s comprehensive plan (in order to change the land-use designations) failed when the Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BCC), after six hours of listening to both sides, chose to delay making any decision.

District 2 Commissioner Seth Weightman acknowledged that some of the changes provided to the BCC by Mast Capital, which owns Saddlebrook Resort, were only being seen that day for the first time and would require further study. His motion for a continuance until the April 4 meeting in Dade City passed unanimously.

“I get the sense we’re all at an impasse,” said Weightman, whose district includes Saddlebrook Resort.

At a Planning Commission meeting on Jan. 5, members were undecided before reluctantly passing it onto the BCC but also telling Mast it needed to add more details.

After six more hours of debate between Mast officials and more than a dozen Saddlebrook representatives and residents, the result was similar, although a vote was not held.

However, Mast did provide a few updates for a plan that has been criticized for lacking details.

It no longer plans on developing Area 4 (which includes the golf courses) with single-family homes and townhomes, instead creating a restricted area which will encompass the existing golf courses.

But, it also showed more detailed plans for removing nine of the 36 holes of the two Arnold Palmerdesigned golf courses – introducing a representative from the golf architect

company Reece Jones – and showed approximately where in Area 4 the driving range would be relocated. Some of the 27 tennis courts could be eliminated as well.

Mast also promised those homeowners who had a view of the golf course would keep those views no matter what.

But, the residents who spoke want the golf courses and driving range — which also is home to the resort’s golf academy — protected, and argued that the tennis courts are part of what made Saddlebrook famous and should be preserved.

“How do you attract people without an 18-hole golf course?,” resident Pat Hogan asked. “If 27 holes is such a great option, why aren’t there more of them?”

Hogan acknowledged that the golf course is in need of repair, “But it doesn’t need to be torn up.”

And, the mixed-use development planned for Area 1 — a 35-acre Village Center just east of the resort’s main entrance on S.R. 54 that would replace the current driving range — continues to be a non-starter for the residents.

It includes 75,000 sq. ft. of commercial/retail and office space, 35 townhomes and 465 apartments.

Residents argued that the Area 1 plan is not compatible with Saddlebrook’s overall nature-rich design, would ruin the natural beauty of the resort’s entrance, as well as create a traffic nightmare on the already overloaded S.R. 54.

“There’s got to be a better way,” said resident Keith Swope. “We’ve

been praying for someone to come take over, and now that they have, we are left with a lot of questions.”

A 19.52-acre parcel further east on S.R. 54, labeled Area 2, will be included in Saddlebrook’s boundaries according to the Mast plan, but will have no connections into the resort property. It will include 120 townhomes and 25,000 sq. ft. of retail and commercial space.

Mast paid $15 million for Saddlebrook last year, and the developer said it had big plans to restore the resort and community to their former glory.

However, after a series of meetings with residents — Mast has been criticized for not meeting with all five homeowners associations in Saddlebrook at once — and multiple attempts to get its plans passed on to the state for approval, Mast has been unable to convince the county and planning commission members its plans are ready.

“I’d hate to see it fail because we don’t have a good plan,” said District 1 Commissioner Ron Oakley. “I honestly believe (the residents) do want something, they just want (a better plan) than what they’ve been shown by Mast.”

The driving range near the front entrance to Saddlebrook Resort and its residential community would be moved if Mast Capital’s redevelopment plan is approved. (Photo by Charmaine George)

Overpass Rd./I-75 Interchange Is Open & Making News

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

It’s been nearly 20 years in the making, but the long-anticipated interchange at I-75 and Overpass Rd. officially opened last month.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced the morning of Jan. 18 that the project, which began construction in October 2020, was officially open to traffic.

Located at the new Exit #282 off I-75, the interchange is situated halfway between S.R. 54 (Exit 279) and S.R. 52 (Exit 285) and provides drivers in and around Wesley Chapel with another option to enter and exit the intrstate.

According to FDOT, the new interchange addresses the projected increase in traffic in the area and is expected to “significantly” reduce the volume of traffic on S.R.s 52 and 54, which, if Facebook comments are any indicator, already seems to be happening.

The diamond-shaped interchange includes a flyover ramp for those traveling west on Overpass Rd. and seeking access onto southbound I-75.

It is expected to be a boon for the area, which is growing quickly and already includes Cypress Creek middle and high schools on the west side, and to the east,

the Connected City and neighboring Villages of Pasadena Hills projects, which upon completion could add roughly 40,000 more homes and hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial projects to the area.

The Overpass Rd. Interchange project, first studied in 2005, cost $64.6 million. It first received federal approval in 2014 and overcame a roadblock in 2017, when thenGovernor and current U.S. Senator Rick Scott vetoed $15 million in state funds for the project.

However, the request was re-inserted into the budget in 2018 and spared

another veto, pushing the project forward.

The interchange itself is only part of the project, which includes the widening of Overpass Rd. from two lanes to four between the interstate and Old Pasco Rd. to the west and six lanes (including two auxiliary lanes) between the interstate and Boyette Rd. to the east.

Also, Blair Dr. has been realigned to connect with Old Pasco Rd., and McKendree Rd. has been realigned to connect with Boyette Rd.

A 10-foot-wide sidewalk has been constructed on the north side of Overpass Rd. (next to the westbound traffic lanes), and a 6-foot-wide sidewalk is open on the south side (next to the eastbound traffic lanes).

In The News

The new interchange was in the news just two weeks after it opened

when a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper was injured in a shootout with two other men on Feb. 4.

According to FHP, at roughly 3:15 a.m. a trooper came upon two pickup trucks with two adult males near the northbound 279 milepost.

The men, who appeared to be attempting to steal the second truck or something in it, then fled north to Hernando County, with the trooper in pursuit. Other troopers joined the chase, which reversed direction and, eventually, the assailants exited at Overpass Rd.

A trooper performed a precision immobilization technique, or PIT maneuver, forcing the pickup truck to turn sideways, lose control and come to a stop. A gunfight ensued with a trooper and one of the men. The trooper was struck in the torso right below his bullet-proof vest, while the assailant was killed.

The trooper was airlifted to an area hospital and listed in stable condition. As of our deadline Feb. 10, he remains in the hospital recovering from a serious injury, according to FHP spokesperson Steve Gaskins.

The second assailant was apprehended by troopers and is awaiting charges.

Drone photo of the new Overpass Rd./I-75 interchange by Charmaine George

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel Set To Open On March 7!

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, an 86bed, state-of-the-art hospital, is set to open to at least emergency room patients on on Tuesday, March 7.

The new hospital held a VIP tour of the new facility on Feb. 4, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman and North Tampa Bay Chamber CEO Hope Kennedy, as well as both the new hospital’s leadership team and top administrators from throughout the BayCare family of hospitals.

There also has been a community Open House, which was held after we went to press with this issue on on Feb. 18, as hundreds of locals were allowed to tour the new facility. The hospital, located on Bruce B. Downs just south of S.R. 54, will be Wesley Chapel’s second major hospital, joining AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, which is located only two miles or so south of BayCare.

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel will boast 318,000 sq. ft. of space, and will feature comprehensive medical services and health care resources, including an emergency department, an intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds, diagnostic services such as imaging and on-site lab services, and physical rehabilitation. BayCare is investing $246 million in the project, which will be the 16th link in the nonprofit’s chain, which has locations throughout Central Florida. The Wesley Chapel location will be just the second full-service BayCare hospital in Pasco County and will feature outstanding technologoy like the CT scanner (2nd from top) and DaVinci robotic surgery..

For more info, visit BayCare.org.-JCC

Cutting the ribbon at the new BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel on Feb. 4 were (l.-r.) BayCare Board member Rick Colon & president/CEO Stephanie Conners and BayCare WC president Becky Schulkowski, director of patient services Beth Wells, director of operations Bill Sedey & chief medical officer Mark Vaaler. (Photos provided by BayCare & Hope Kennedy)

Locals Try To Help A Family Search For A Kidney Donor

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

The story of how two New Tampa women combined forces to try to help a Land O’Lakes man find a kidney donor starts with a table.

It was a table that Denise Rose, who lives in Tampa Palms, was ready to purchase from Sylvia Moreta via the Facebook Marketplace a month ago. Denise was supposed to pick the table up on a Tuesday, but Sylvia abruptly canceled and asked if Friday would work.

Denise thought that was odd, and worried about a scam, so she took a look at Sylvia’s Facebook page for clues. What she found out was that Tuesday was Sylvia’s birthday, but what really jumped out at Denise was that Sylvia was asking for donations for the Florida Kidney Foundation, because her 34-year-old son was in dire need of a kidney.

That struck close to Denise’s heart. In 2021, she had donated a kidney to her brother Dennis, saving his life. She understood the fear and the worry that was likely gripping Sylvia.

So, Denise called Sylvia, and they talked for an hour, and they shared their stories with each other.

For Sylvia, it has been a fear-filled year. Her sons were both always going to need a kidney transplant, having grown up with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which is a disease that attacks the glomeruli, the tiny filtering units inside your kidney where blood is cleaned.

When Sylvia’s older son Victor, who had been on the donor list for a few years by then, had his kidney transplant in May 2022, she thought it would be years before Anthony, who was seven years younger, would need one as well.

But, only a few months later, Anthony wasn’t feeling well and his blood pressure was sky-high, so he had to be hospitalized.

“It was kind of a surprise because his brother is older and he just got a transplant last June, so we were kind of hoping we had a few more years and our (3- and 4-year-old) kids would be a little bit older during this crazy thing,” said Anthony’s wife Kristina (see photo above). “But, in August, we were told he was in complete kidney failure, that we were really lucky to get him in that day. He ended up

staying there for almost a week in the hospital, getting dialysis pretty much every day, which normally you go three times a week for.”

For Sylvia, the news was devastating.

“It is very hard for us,” said Sylvia, who lives in Lutz. “More for my husband. I have stronger faith, so I relied on God in order to survive. With this one, I feel numb. I am in shock. I think the surprise is still affecting me.”

Denise was moved by Sylvia’s story. She had faced the same worries when she donated a kidney to her brother, and she knew someone else who had a similar experience — fellow Tampa Palms resident Radha Guntuku, who contacted the Neighborhood News in 2020 when her son Raj was in dire need of a kidney.

Denise and Radha had become friends. Because Denise was going through her donation the same time the Neighborhood News had published a story on Raj’s plight, she found some solace in the story. Raj found his donor in K-Bar Ranch resident Joel Morales, who had the seen the same story and was compelled to help.

After Raj received his kidney in March and Denise donated hers in May, she reached out to Radha for the first time, they talked, and she eventually met Radha and Raj.

“It’s like we were living parallel experiences during that time,” says Denise, who has even written a children’s book on kidney donations.

So, when she told Radha about Sylvia and her son Anthony, and later connected them, Radha eagerly offered assistance. They began

The Moreta family (l.-r.) Maverick, Kristina, Anthony and Amelia. Anthony is awaiting a kidney donor, less than a year after his brother received a transplant. (Photo: Courtey of Kristina Moreta)

spreading the word, hoping a donor would step forward. Radha used the same contacts she used when searching for Raj, including telling Denise to contact the Neighborhood News, because that’s how she found her donor.

“You know, she’s just giving it back, because you guys helped her so much,” Denise says. “She’s been great. Just trying to help someone out, right? And she talked to Sylvia, and gave her suggestions because, you know, she understood.”

Anthony is still awaiting a donor. It can be a difficult process, because while many people may want to donate, the percentage of perfect matches is still pretty low.

Despite knowing that the day would eventually come, Sylvia says it wasn’t any easier last May when Victor was in the hospital receiving his transplant.

“I would say when we saw him in the hospital, probably around May of last year, I think it really hit us hard,” Kristina says. “Anthony said, ‘The clock is ticking.’ And he was trying to make sure to kind of get everything in order because of our kids.”

A donor is waiting in the wings, Kristina says, but there are still tests to conduct. She thinks there’s about a 50-50 chanceit will work out, but she knows better than to get her hopes

up too much before the results are known.

Anthony receives dialysis at a facility three days a week at 5 a.m., and continues to work as an auto mechanic at Tampa BMW. Victor, a police officer who received his kidney from a friend, continues to offer support and advice.

Denise and Radha are diligently scouring the area, online and offline, for a suitable donor. They understand. They want to help any way that they can.

And, Sylvia continues to have faith for her son, even though some days it is harder to maintain than others.

“Remember what I told you about my faith? Well, God did it once, he’s going to do it again,” she says. “I think it’s going to happen like the first time, I really do. But, I have been scared. I get a little anxious. I have my days. And then, I have to go back to trusting that something good is going to happen.”

Potential kidney donors for Anthony Moreta must have the O blood type. If you know of anyone who might be willing to donate or want to help yourself, call Anna Harrop, RN BSN CMSRN, Living Donor/Pre-Kidney Transplant Coordinator, at (727) 5885618. If you’d like to help the Moreta family, visit https://gofund.me/02e64627.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel’s 10th Anniversary — A Photo Recap

Even though the celebration had to be postponed for several months due to the possible impact of Hurricane Ian in October, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (AHWC) finally was able to celebrate its 10th anniversary on Feb. 5.

The delay didn’t dampen the spirits of the hundreds who attended, as AHWC CEO Eric Wangsness (center photo below) celebrated the hospital’s “10 years of healing and 10 years of caring.”

There were at least a dozen health care booths, plenty of food trucks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders (and mascot Capt. Fear), a rock-climbing wall, Pasco firefighters and Sheriff’s Office deputies and lots of great activities for kids. Also, check out our video recap on our “Neighborhood News” Facebook page.

Neighborhood News photos by Charmaine George

Radiant Wellness Spa Offers Licensed Massage, Facials & More

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Willie Williams has played basketball most of his life at a very high level, and that grind produced a few injuries along the way that he can still feel today. He was recently in a car accident that has made his body creak and groan more than it should for a man only in his mid-30s.

However, Willie says his body only creaks and groans these days until Yuhanna Alahmary, LMT, MLD-C, CCT, CMT, gets her hands on him.

The owner of Radiant Wellness Spa in the Brookfield Professional Park on S.R. 54 just west of Eiland Blvd., Alahmary has learned plenty of skills over the years related to massage therapy, and Williams says those massages are the only thing, including physical therapy, that can make him feel better.

“She’s the real deal,” he says. “I’ve had massages before, but the way hers make my body feel afterwards is something different. I’ve known her for three years and she has allowed me to get back to moving around, get out of bed and not be limping around the house all the time.”

After a decade of working as a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) at a local spa in Wesley Chapel, Alahmary decided to branch out and open her own spa in April 2022.

She may not be new to Wesley Chapel, but her business is, which is part of the reason she is reaching out to the commu-

nity by hosting a Health & Wellness Fair on Sunday, March 19, noon-4 p.m. (see ad on pg. 25) with a food truck, businesses from the KRATE at the Grove container park (3 Eleven candles, Mythos and Blush Wine Room) and health-related vendors like Florida Pain Medicine, Humana and Double Branch Chiropractic Rehab. Alahmary says some of the vendors will be doing free health testing, and her spa will offer complimentary 5-minute massages.

More Than Just Massages

Radiant Wellness Spa offers a wide array of spa services, from massages to facials.

The massages include the standard Swedish, therapeutic and deep tissue, as well as couples and prenatal massages.

Hot stone and bamboo massages also are available, or try the “Sticks & Stones” massage, which is a combination of both.

Alahmary says she also has a therapist on staff who specializes in oncology massages for cancer patients looking for pain relief and relaxation.

And, cupping therapy, which decompresses the body’s tissues with suction cups, helps with a host of issues and is one of the spa’s more popular services. In addition to her other titles, Alahmary is a CCP (certified cupping therapist, CMMP (certified medical massage practitioner) and master post-op care provider and body contouring specialist.

When it comes to facials, there are many from which to choose. Alahmary says the enzyme and OxygenGLOW facials are the most popular among her array of offerings,

and microneedling (also called collagen induction therapy) continues to be in demand for those seeking to firm and tone their skin, especially the arms and face. Alahmary says the Circadia brand products used at the spa are high-grade.

Body waxing services and sauna wraps also are available.

Alahmary says that Radiant’s staff aesthetician Tunde used to own her own spa in Budapest, Hungary, before Covid-19 forced her to close down and move to the U.S.

“She has 20 years of experience and she helps with a lot of European techniques I wasn’t really familiar with,” Alahmary says.

Tunde has worked miracles on some of the faces that leave Radiant Wellness Spa with a big smile on them.

If you mention this story, you can receive $15 off your

The acne and microneedling program at Radiant works wonders for high-grade acne skin, producing amazing results. (Photos: Courtesy of Yuhanna Alahmary)

Radiant Wellness Spa owner Yuhanna Alahmary

first visit. There are other specials, too — $10 off on Mondays for anyone, and $10 off on Thursdays for teachers, law enforcement, first responders, healthcare and postal workers (with work ID).

“I’ve always had a soft spot for vets and healthcare workers,” Alahmary says. “My dad was impacted by agent orange and nurses really were impacted by Covid.”

What separates Radiant Wellness Spa from other spas, however, may be Alahmary’s own personal specialty: post-op care.

She is certified by the Academy of Lymphatic Studies, which she says makes her a rarity in the Wesley Chapel area.

“So many people drive to South Tampa to get their post-op care done,” she says, “but we have it right here.”

Post-op MLD (or manual lymphatic drainage) care, in Alahmary’s case, often but not exclusively deals with treating patients who have recently had cosmetic surgery like a tummy tuck or liposuction. As a result, their bodies may be inflamed and they may suffer from lymphatic fluid build up.

A certified MLD-C massage therapist uses specific massaging techniques to help transport the lymphatic fluid from the swollen area to an area that is draining properly.

“If you want to heal right, you need some kind of post-op care,” says Alahmary. “It will cut down on fibrosis build up and help prevent fibrosis, which are those hardening knots in people who don’t get the proper (post-op) care.”

Alahmary also says she has spent hundreds of hours learning and taking tests to learn as much as she can, and earn as many

certifications as possible. She has even traveled to Thailand and hopes to incorporate Thai massages into her spa in the future.

Alahmary’s commitment to her craft is something that actually helped prompt Williams to follow her to her new practice. For years at the previous spa where she worked, Williams would listen to her talk about pursuing her dream and perfecting her skills.

“She is a real student of her art,” he says. “She used to fly out to different classes to enhance her skill set, and that is something I really admired about her. She’s an expert.”

Alahmary’s daughter Nylah is a senior at Wesley Chapel High who is working towards her Associate of Arts degree from Pasco-Hernando State College, and helps out at the front desk, making Radiant Wellness Spa a family business. Everyone else who works at the spa has at least 10 years of experience, according to Alahmary.

“I’m not just an owner, I’m a therapist myself,” Alahmary says. “We don’t have memberships, so we’re not trying to sell you anything. And, having my own business lets me do what I love to do, and offer the services that I think will help people the most.”

The spa does not accept insurance, but does accept FSA and HSA payments.

Radiant Wellness Spa is located at 33905 S.R.. 54, Suite 101. The hours are Monday & Wednesday, 3:15 p.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday & Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (813) 715-2099, visit Radiant-Wellness-Spa.com or see the ad on page 25 of this issue.

The friendly staff at Radiant Wellness Spa wants to help you look and feel better, too.

Citrus Grove Lutheran Church Wants To Help You Grow, Too!

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Neighborhood News correspondent

When Pastor Phil Hunter chose Citrus Grove Lutheran Church as the name for his new congregation in Wesley Chapel, he took inspiration from Florida’s most famous produce, saying that it reminds him of people’s lives.

“It’s a nod to the development in Florida and that people are now growing where the oranges used to be,” Pastor Hunter says. “But, also, that there’s not just one tree by itself (in a grove). At Citrus Grove Church, you have other people supporting you and growing with you. You’re not alone.”

Pastor Hunter and his wife Andrea moved to Wesley Chapel from Wisconsin in mid-2020 with two kids, who are now ages five and three.

They have since also become foster parents and are now raising five kids ages five and younger.

Pastor Hunter says when he saw the opportunity to be a missionary pastor to start a new church in Pasco County, he thought it sounded like fun.

“It was snowing in May 2020 on the last Sunday I preached at my old church in Wisconsin,” he says.

Prior to coming to Wesley Chapel, Pastor Hunter served as pastor at Bethel

Church in Menasha, a bilingual English/ Spanish church where he taught, preached and counseled people in both languages.

He says the church here in Wesley Chapel is all English, but he is willing to serve neighbors who speak Spanish, and that a Spanish service could be a way Citrus Grove might grow in the future.

Citrus Grove is a mission congrega-

tion of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) network of churches. It started because a congregation in Zephyrhills was getting smaller and closed its doors, and requested that a new church from the nationwide organization be formed in the Wesley Chapel area. Although WELS originally started in Wisconsin and remains headquartered

there, there are now 1,300 member churches across North America, including nine in the Tampa Bay area.

Pastor Hunter comes from a line of pastors, including his dad. He knew he wanted to follow in those footsteps, so attended Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN, and earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in 2011. He then attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary outside of Milwaukee to earn his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in 2015. During that time, he spent a year working at a church in suburban Atlanta.

“Being part of a larger church body is a long-term partnership,” he explains. “Some new churches have to grow very fast, but we have a church body that sustains us and supports us over the long haul. We don’t need a ‘gimmick. (We) can build more realistically.”

Visiting Citrus Grove

“We’re here to help people in Wesley Chapel have healthier hearts and more fruitful lives,” Pastor Hunter explains. “We sing hymns, have hymnals and Bibles in our church, teach from a section of the Bible every week, and emphasize people learning the Bible for themselves and using it as a guide for their lives.”

The church started gathering as a small group in the fall of 2020 and opened

According to Pastor Phil Hunter, he picked the name Citrus Grove Church as a nod to Florida’s most famous produce, as well as to growing as a person. (Photos: Courtesy of Pastor Phil Hunter)

its doors publicly in December 2021, meeting at Pinecrest Academy on S.R. 54.

Pastor Hunter says the best way to learn about the church is to show up any Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.

“We meet inside the cafeteria,” he says. “It’s not fancy and there are no bells or whistles, but we meet you in the parking lot and our members will walk you in. Your kids can join my kids in the Kids Zone.”

The church is participating in events and doing outreach to let people know they are here to serve the community.

“We’re meeting our neighbors, bringing lunch to offices, bringing our volunteers to events — especially those that support worthy causes, being a presence at different events around town,” Pastor Hunter explains. “We can also donate supplies and send a financial gift to agencies in our area that are doing a great job, and encourage people with notes, cards and prayers.”

For example, he says, the Wesley Chapel District Park on Boyette Rd. recently needed breakfast food for an event for underprivileged kids and their parents, so Citrus Grove Church members cooked and delivered breakfast, as a way to let the community know they care.

He says he recognizes that Wesley Chapel is known for being a beautiful place to live with lots to do.

“All the shopping, dining and entertainment can be fine, but it can also wear a

heart down with guilt, debt, and insecurity,” he says. “It can cause people to look around and say, ‘I have everything I could want, but I’m angry, lonely, or jealous. What am I missing here?’”

He says people don’t need more entertainment. They need to look deeper.

“My encouragement to (Neighborhood News) readers,” he says, “is to not put off thinking about the biggest questions of life. Have those big conversations with your kids and your spouse about our purpose in life and what happens after this life. I’m here to encourage you to find answers to those big questions.”

Elaine Miller and her husband, Ralph, are members at Citrus Grove

Church who want to grow and serve alongside others in Wesley Chapel.

“We had been involved in a mission congregation that our son and daughter attended in Minnesota,” Elaine says. “We watched it grow from meeting in a cafeteria to meeting in a strip mall, to now they have their own building.”

The Millers retired to Florida from Minnesota, and say they love living in Wesley Chapel.

“People in Florida seem so much happier, and we love the sunshine.”

Elaine also says she likes that her church is relaxed and comfortable, and that the people are friendly and welcoming. “If you need anything, people are willing to

help out. It’s like a family.”

She adds that the world around us can feel very uncertain and like it’s constantly changing.

“Covid kind of turned us upside down, too,” Elaine says. “But, the church provides a constancy because God is constant. There’s a sense of peace (here) that I think a lot of people are looking for.”

Citrus Grove Lutheran Church meets Sundays at 9:30 a.m. inside Pinecrest Academy, located at 33347 S.R. 54, near New River Rd. in Wesley Chapel. For more information, visit CitrusGroveChurch.com, call or text Pastor Hunter at (813) 788-4126 or see the ad on page 19.

Pastor Hunter says Citrus Grove Lutheran Church, which opened in December 2021, is continuing to grow and is open to everyone.

For Tax Help & Much More, Trust Murtha & Murtha

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Neighborhood News correspondent

As tax season heads into full swing, Patrick Murtha, the managing partner of the accounting firm of Murtha & Murtha, LLC, says that even if you’ve always done your taxes yourself, now is the time to reconsider.

“It’s a tough landscape this year,” Murtha says, “and there has never been a more important time to work with a tax professional who really knows what they’re doing and can find deductions and credits that you’ll never identify if you’re just using software to file your taxes — especially if you are self-employed or any kind of small business owner.”

Patrick, his father Tom, and Kyle Flischel run Murtha & Murtha in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56 (near Sam’s Club) in Wesley Chapel. All three are Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Patrick and Kyle are managing partners, while Tom serves as senior partner for the firm, which handles accounting, bookkeeping, taxes, mergers and acquisitions and related services for its clients.

Together, the trio has more than 60 years of combined experience. Their expertise stretches well beyond tax season, but it is the busiest time of year

for any accounting firm.

“We’re anticipating that this year will be a pretty harsh turn back to reality from the last couple of years,” Patrick explains.

After two years of generous credits from the federal government because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Patrick says it’s all coming to a halt for the 2022 tax year.

While all the changes may cause confusion — and people may not get as large a refund as they are used to, or may end up owing money — Murtha & Murtha promises that if you have the firm prepare your taxes, you will always at least understand the issues and exactly why you owe what you owe.

Patrick says communication has always been the top priority at Murtha & Murtha.

“A lot of clients who come to us from another practice say they liked who they were working with, but that they didn’t return calls or answer emails,”

he says. “So, our primary goal is to communicate well with our clients.”

And, he says, while some tax firms have a strategy where CPAs meet with clients face-to-face but hire temporary seasonal employees who do the actual

paperwork but never communicate with the client, that’s not how Murtha & Murtha does things.

“Whoever you meet with is who is going to actually be doing your tax return,” he explains, whether that’s one

Patrick Murtha (center left), Kyle Flischel and the rest of the staff at the accounting firm of Murtha & Murtha, LLC, located off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel are ready to help you through another busy tax season. (Photos by Charmaine George)

of the firm’s three partners, or one of two long-term employees who are taking on their own clients this year.

Those two employees are Kaitlyn Kociba and Kaitlyn Little, who have both been part of the Murtha & Murtha team for the past several years and have finished the education and experience requirements on the track to becoming CPAs.

Of course, they won’t be studying for the CPA exam during tax season, but fully expect to take the exam and be accredited as CPAs sometime in the near future. Meanwhile, they have been carefully trained and have the expertise to manage tax returns to the high standards Murtha & Murtha expects.

Other Services

Although tax season is Murtha & Murtha’s busiest time of year, it’s just part of the services the firm provides.

Patrick says Murtha & Murtha’s “CFO retainer package” continues to attract new clients. With this package, the firm helps businesses and people who are self-employed do monthly accounting and bookkeeping, but also helps with budgeting, and provides an expert for advice when clients have questions about tax planning, mitigating tax bills, or about offering health insurance or retirement plans, for example.

Patrick understands that most business owners are too busy worrying about their primary business to really step back and look at the big picture, so Murtha & Murtha provides its clients with an extra layer of financial planning and analysis for their businesses.

Kurt Dimeler of Tampa Bay Pest Management is a client who says he appreciates what the CFO retainer package has done for him and his business. “Basically, they run everything for me, from budgeting to forecasting, and just keep me updated every couple of weeks, so it’s easy-peasy,” Kurt says. “It frees me up to really focus on what I’m best at.”

He says he used to have to do his own payroll and budget and figure out if financial transactions have any tax liability or benefit, but now, Kyle and Patrick handle that for him.

“It takes so much weight off my shoulders,” he says. “Kyle and Patrick and their staff are just fantastic to work with, and I would recommend them to anybody.”

As of January 1, Murtha & Murtha

doubled the size of its Wesley Chapel office, which now occupies a full building in the Seven Oaks Professional Park.

“We’ve expanded and added five offices,” Patrick says, adding that, for the time being, because they don’t quite need that much space for themselves, they have hand-picked a couple of professionals to share offices that also will benefit their clients.

“Starting February 1, we’re sharing space with an estate planning attorney and a financial advisor,” he explains.

“These are people we know well and trust, so if a client tells us they need to get their will put together or need a financial advisor to plan for retirement, I can walk them over to the office and know they’ll be in good hands.”

Tom Murtha, CPA, earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Management from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, in 1976, and his M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) degree in Accounting from St. John’s University in Queens, NY, in 1981. He has been doing mergers, acquisitions and business valuations since the 1990s.

Patrick, who grew up around tax codes at his father’s business, graduated from the University of South Florida in 2009 with B.S. degrees in both Finance and Accounting. He joined his father in opening a firm in Tampa in 2010, focusing on mergers and acquisitions.

Meanwhile, Kyle Flischel, CPA, is practically family, having gone to school with Patrick at USF.

The firm operates a second office in Zephyrhills, as well, located at 5315 8th Ave., and known as Henson & Murtha. Murtha & Murtha, LLC, is located at 2236 Ashley Oaks Cir., Suite 101. For more information, visit TampaTaxFirm.com or see the ad on pg. 35. Or, to schedule a free consultation, call (813) 991-1120.

Compton & Smith, P.A., For Family, Criminal & Personal Insury Law

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Neighborhood News correspondent

Attorneys RaeAnn Compton and Todd Smith first met two decades ago when both were new lawyers working as assistant state attorneys in Pasco County.

After going their separate ways, the pair teamed up again in 2017, knowing their skills, abilities, and personalities worked well together. They officially formed Compton & Smith, P.A., located in the New Tampa Professional Park off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in Pebble Creek, representing clients in the areas of family, criminal and personal injury law.

RaeAnn has been in private practice since 2003, when she first opened Compton Law in Pebble Creek. Todd has been in private practice a similar amount of time. Both have worked with other partners and associates, and have hit their stride in the current partnership of the past five+ years.

“I love being partnered with RaeAnn,” says Todd. “I know her strengths and she knows mine.”

While one of them takes the lead on each case they handle, Todd estimates they work together on 99 percent of the cases in the firm, so they are able to share ideas and get a second expert opinion to benefit their clients.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” he says. “It’s great to have someone you trust to bounce things off of, someone who can cover for you for a day if you’re in court,” he says, “I think it’s worked out well for both of us and for our clients.”

Both are accessible to the firm’s clients and hands-on with their cases, but they’re just part of a team that RaeAnn calls, “small but strong.”

“We’re a small firm, and we always give 110% to each client,” she says. “Each case is important to us.”

To be sure every client gets great communication and always has someone who can get them answers to

their questions, RaeAnn explains that her firm assigns a specific paralegal to each client. That way, if the attorneys are tied up in court, deposition, or a mediation, the firm’s clients always have a “go-to person” available to help them.

One of those paralegals is RaeAnn’s daughter, Jessica, who joined the practice 15 years ago. The other is Joan, who has been with the firm for eight years.

“They are both very loyal and dedicated, and both are extremely hardworking,” says RaeAnn. “I would say they’re better than a lot of attorneys I deal with because they truly care about our clients.”

Pedro Rodriguez is a Wesley Chapel dad who retained Compton & Smith, and he agrees with RaeAnn’s claim. Not only was he thrilled with his representation by RaeAnn, but also the fantastic help he received from Joan, as well.

He retained Compton & Smith for what he thought would be a fairly

simple divorce, but it ended up getting complicated and even going to trial.

“RaeAnn was phenomenal,” Pedro says. “She’s very knowledgeable in the law and in case studies, and she made sure that if I ever had an issue, she was available to me. I would call her personal phone to ask her what to do in a specific situation and she was very responsive and always pointed me in the right direction.”

At the end of the trial, Pedro ended up with his house and cars, no alimony payments and sole custody of his son.

“I would definitely refer RaeAnn to anyone going through a divorce,” he says.

RaeAnn understands how significant it is to help someone through such a momentous and difficult time.

“People are putting a very important part of their lives in our hands and trusting us,” she says, “and I don’t take that lightly. This is not just a paper file, it’s a person’s life. Or, it

could be (their) children’s lives.”

In addition to representing people during divorces, Compton & Smith handles other areas of family law, such as child support modifications, custody, visitation and paternity. The firm also represents clients who find themselves in legal trouble for criminal misdemeanors, felonies or DUIs, and also can help with personal injury and auto accident cases.

RaeAnn earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in political science from St. Leo University in Dade City, then earned her Juris Doctor degree from Stetson Law School in Deland, FL. She passed the Florida bar exam in 2000, became an assistant state attorney for three years, then opened her private practice in Pebble Creek. She stepped away from that for a few years to partner with an attorney in Dade City, and when that attorney decided to run for judge in 2007, she returned to solo practice in Pebble Creek.

RaeAnn lives in Wesley Chapel with her husband, Jeff. The pair were high school sweethearts who grew up in Dade City and moved around while he was in the military. When Jessica was born, they returned back home to Pasco County and, when Jessica was 18, their son Hunter was born. Hunter is now a senior in high school and wants to follow in his mom’s footsteps and attend St. Leo University and become an attorney.

Todd is from a family of attorneys. His grandfather was a lawyer and his dad and two sisters are all attorneys in the Tampa Bay area. He graduated from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, then received his Juris Doctor degree from the Florida Coastal School of Law, also located in Jacksonville, in 2000. He then began working as an assistant state attorney, then opened a satellite office of his father’s practice, which is based out of St. Petersburg. After a few years, he

Attorneys RaeAnn Compton (left) and Todd Smith teamed up to create Compton & Smith, P.A., in 2017. The firm, located in the New Tampa Professional Park in Pebble Creek, handles family, criminal and personal injury cases. (Photos: Charmaine George)

went into private practice on his own. He and his wife, Lisa, moved to New River Township after he graduated, and they lived there until they recently moved to Dade City. They have three children — daughters Avery and Kendall, who are in high school, and son Colton, who is in middle school. Because the attorneys are both deeply rooted in the community, they consider it a privilege to serve their neighbors in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. They are licensed statewide, so they can help in other counties outside

of Hillsborough and Pasco, as well. RaeAnn says it’s never a nine-to-five job for them.

“We make sure that everything that can be done for you, is done for you,” she says.

Compton & Smith, P.A., is located at 8905 Regents Park Dr., Suite 210, in the New Tampa Professional Park in Pebble Creek. For more information, visit ComptonandSmith.com, see the ad on pg. 36 or, to schedule a free consultation, call (813) 994-2026.

Peak TRT & Wellness Can Get You Back To Peak Performance

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

For many men, it starts with lethargy, low energy levels and an overall sense that they just don’t have the same “juice” they used to have.

That juice, in most cases, is testosterone, a hormone important to men’s health that the body stops producing in excess after the age of 30.

Reduced testosterone levels can lead to a variety of health issues, from loss of muscle mass and strength to sleep apnea to low sex drive and erectile dysfunction. At Peak TRT and Wellness, owner and Master of Science Nursing (MSN) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Jerry Reed and his staff seek to reverse those problems.

Open since October 2022 in the Westbrook Professional Park on S.R. 54, Peak TRT (Testosterone Replacement Treatment) specializes in hormone replacement and other treatments related to men’s health, including diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

“We look at the whole health picture,” says Reed. “Testosterone is what we focus on here, but we don’t ignore anything else we see in the lab tests.”

Reed likens a visit to Peak TRT to visiting your primary care physician for your yearly physical. Except, he jokes, that many men who walk into his business haven’t been to a doctor in years because men are less likely to go to the doctor.

“Certain things will drive men to get health care and one of them is sexual function,” Reed says. “If there’s something wrong there they usually want to find out pretty quick what’s going on.”

Your visit starts with a complete health assessment, and Reed will provide a comprehensive review of the lab results with you. Those include metabolic panels, which measure 14 different substances in your blood that help assess your physical health, cholesterol panels and a PSA test that screens for prostate cancer.

The medical staff at Peak TRT and Wellness will then prepare a personalized men’s wellness plan. Those include treatments for low testosterone, erectile dys-

function, hypertension and high cholesterol.

Peak TRT also offers Peptide Therapy. Peptides are building blocks of proteins that are composed of amino acids and generally signal other cells and molecules as to what functions to perform. They are crucial to your healing process, as well as other physical and mental functions.

“It starts with testosterone,” he says, “but we cover everything else, too, from your A1C number (diabetes) to cholesterol. Then, we’ll focus on what plan would be best for you.”

Reed says the biggest difference between Peak TRT and your primary care doctor, however, might be how low testosterone is treated. If you are within the acceptable range of having enough testosterone, even on the very low end, Reed says it will likely go untreated. At Peak TRT, the goal is to raise that number to the middle or higher range of what is considered to be okay.

“Typically, a primary care physician doesn’t really specialize in testosterone,” he says. “Therefore, most of them don’t treat it very aggressively. If you are one point within the normal range, your primary doctor is typically not going to treat it, whereas we look at it as each individual is different. You can technically be normal on your testosterone level, barely normal, but still have all of the side effects.”

Those side effects include decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, decreased energy, weight gain, lack of focus and even depression.

Many of those symptoms also are related to underlying conditions like obesity and diabetes, but if the problem is determined to be low testosterone (also known as male hypogonadism), Reed says Peak TRT will treat

Jerry Reed, the owner of Peak TRT & Wellness in the Westbrook Professional Park on S.R. 54, says low testostrone doesn’t have to keep you down. (Photo: Charmaine George)

it aggressively. Those who decide to take part in the plan pay a monthly fee and get weekly injections tailored to their needs and, every three months, new tests are taken to measure the progress.

“What works for one person may not work for another,” Reed says, “Primary care takes a more cookie-cutter approach.”

Reed opened his business last year but had been involved in treating “Low-T” previously. He received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN, and his MSN degree from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City.

He says he was an ICU nurse before working for the Low T Center national chain (47 centers in 11 different states) in Dallas, TX. After leaving that job to move back to Florida, he took a job at Advent Health Wesley Chapel as a hospitalist before deciding to get back into the men’s health field with his Peak TRT & Wellness.

Reed says that unlike some of the bigger low-testosterone companies, he has created a place where men can get easy, personalized care with real people. “We want everyone to be comfortable coming here,” he says, even though discussing your sexual decline can be an uncomfortable topic. “Once you broach that first subject, get that out of the way, everything else is gravy after that.”

A patient named Larry says the personal touch is what drew him to Peak TRT.

Now that he is in his upper 40s, Larry says he had noticed a decrease in his energy levels that concerned him.

“I felt like I had a lost a little zeal for life,” he says. “I was laying around and eating and just kind of doing nothing, and I’ve never been that person before.”

He tried some of the larger, more corporate Low T places, but said “it was a lot of press 3 for that, press 4 to talk to this person…I just wanted to go somewhere where I would be able to know somebody.”

The price was right ($99 for his initial visit and tests), and Larry has now been a client at Peak TRT for roughly five months. And, best of all, he says he has noticed significant results.

“I’m definitely less cranky, and when I wake up I’m ready to go,” he says. “I don’t feel lethargic anymore.”

The ease of just stopping into a real office with real people that he now knows for his weekly injection keeps Larry coming back.

“It’s all very straightforward and simple,” he says.

Peak TRT and Wellness doesn’t accept insurance, but Reed says he tries to make it as affordable for everyone as he can.

Peak TRT & Wellness is located at 28593 S.R. 54. It is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, call (813) 973-5206, visit w or see the ad on page 28.

Wesley Chapel’s 2022-23 Teacher Of The Year Nominees

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Neighborhood News correspondent

The Pasco County School District recently named its Teacher and SchoolRelated Personnel of the Year.

Anita Dienes, Instructional Assistant at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School, won top honors in the District among all School-Related Personnel.

“Mrs. Dienes was nominated for her outstanding dedication to our students and continuous support of our staff,” says Donna Gricoski, the principal at Weightman. “She works hard to build relationships with students and is an out-of-the box problem solver when working through various student-related interactions.”

Timothy Hamlin, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) teacher at Wiregrass Elementary, was one of three finalists for the District-wide Teacher of the Year, although the award was ultimately presented to Kim Theurer of Gulf High in New Port Richey.

District-wide winners are chosen from the nominees selected at all schools in the county. Being chosen as the nominee from a school is an honor in itself, so we congratulate all of the teachers and supporting staff in the schools in Wesley Chapel who were recognized as their school’s nominees this year.

At the brand new Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation off Curley Rd., the school chose its first-ever nominees, including Brooke Howard, learning design coach, as its Teacher of the Year.

“I am extremely honored to receive this recognition from those who I work alongside,” she says.

Timothy Hamlin (with plaque) Wiregrass Elementary Schoolwide STEM Specialist

Anita Dienes, Instructional Assistant at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School, won top honors in the District among all School-Related Personnel (SRPs).

Jordan Less Double Branch Elem.

Taryn Neale Seven Oaks Elem.

Nicholas Shaw John Long Middle School

Shaylon Peck Sand Pine Elem.

Brenna McHugh Quail Hollow Elem.

Brooke Howard Kirkland Prep

Stephanie Adams Kincaid Wiregrass Ranch High

Kori Barber Watergrass Elem.

Deborah Hutner Cypress Creek High

Barbara Sheats Pasco Adult Ed at WC

Krista Carbone Veterans Elem.

Jamie London (l.) New River Elem. Penny Ward Wesley Chapel High

Danielle Provenzano Wesley Chapel Elem.

Danielle Sauerwein Cypress Creek Middle School

AIMING FOR THE TOP

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Wesley Chapel teenager Parth Madabhushi doesn’t do anything half way.

When he took up karate, he put in all his effort and made it onto a national team that competed in other countries.

When he took up dance, he spent hours and hours practicing his craft and became the third generation in his family to learn the classical Indian dance Bharatanatyam.

And, when he took up music, he mastered the mridangam (the ancient classical drum of South India), recently completing his solo percussion recital, or arangetram, with renowned Indian musician Padma Shri A. Kanyakumari.

Whereas the majority of people may take a few years of karate or a few lessons in dance or compete in a couple of sports leagues, Parth has always set out to conquer everything he tries.

“I’m proud of myself for the accomplishment,” Parth says. “I don’t really get the appeal of doing something and stopping, unless it was just a hobby or something. Accomplishing all three things was important to me. My parents preached that if you’re not going to do something 100 percent, don’t do it.”

The most recent accomplishment on Parth impressice roster was completing his

mridangam arangetram last year.

An arangetram (which means “ascending the stage”) ceremony is a rite of passage that is most similar to a recital or graduation, and is deeply rooted in Indian culture. The mridangam, the instrument Parth plays, is the.

All classical dancers and musicians participate in an arangetram at the end of their training with a guru, and it signifies their ascension from disciple to performer and even to teacher.

For his arangetram, Prahlad Madabhushi, Parth’s father, managed to arrange for his son to accompany violinist Padma Shri A. Kanyakumari, a recipient of the Padma Shri Award from the government of India for her devotion to the arts. Prahlad says it is rare that such a prominent artist would agree to play at an arangetram.

“We had been in communication for 2-3 years, before Covid,” he said. “And, her calendar is packed. However, she sent us a message that she had a weekend open, and we were shocked. It was jaw dropping. But, we can see why she agreed. Parth is very very unique, and artists want to enrich upcoming brilliant kids.”

On October 29, 2022, Parth took the stage at USF and accompanied Padma Shri A. Kanyakumari in a three-hour performance that included a 10-minute solo. She changed pace often, playing at such a dizzying speed at times

Parth Madabhushi gives 100 percent to everything he does, as evidenced by his acomplishments in dance, music and sport.(Photos: Courtesy of Madabhushi family)

See “Parth” on pg. 28

Continued

it was hard to imagine Parth keeping up on his mridangam. However, he did.

“The speed she played at was crazy,” Parth said. “I enjoyed it, trying to see how fast I can play. She was challenging me, and now I know I can play that fast.”

Prahlad, who joined his son on stage, called it an impressive performance.

“It was exhilarating to see my son not only play well, but hang in there,” he said, “because it is very difficult when she plays the violin, because it’s not just at one speed, but 4-5 speeds. And she’s not like, “This is a newcomer, let me take it easy.’ Very, very seasoned musicians find it difficult to hang in with her, but Parth did.”

Completing the arangetram was just another step for Parth, who has already piled up a list of impressive accomplishments.

His father says that Parth represented Team USA at the World Karate Federation championships four times, winning four championships, and also has recently gained the title of Sensei in the martial arts form of Shitu-Ryu.

At his first arangetram in 2008 for dance — his mother Sabrina and grandmother Geetha Raaj are dance teachers — he became the first boy in Florida to complete a recital in the classical Indian dance Bharatanatyam.

Prahlad says that combination of accomplishments is “one-in-a-billion.”

So, what’s next for Parth? He’s not sure. A Carrollwood Day School graduate, he is currently a second-year Business student at the University of South Florida, and has taken an interesting in video editing. While school is a priority, and time-consuming as well, he has wondered what his next challenge might be.

“In my brain, I want to do something else,” he says. “I will figure it out. In my opinion, having something to accomplish, that’s what makes life fun.”

The Madabhushi family (l.-r.) dad Prahlad, Parth, sister Nitya and mother Sabrina.

Chicken Boss, 311 Aroma, 2nd Blush Wine & More Changes At The KRATEs

When The Grove developer Mark Gold first started filling the many spaces at his KRATE Container Park, most of us realized that not all of the restaurants and retail shops that started out in a KRATE would last very long. Although we may not have known which would succeed and which would fail, you had to know that some wouldn’t make it.

Until recently, only a couple of retail KRATEs had gone the way of the dinosaur. But now, several more changes have either recently taken place or were on the way — and we have an exclusive look at the new and planned moves at the container park.

The first-ever restaurant KRATE to close is Falafel Factory, which shut its doors last month. That set off a couple of changes that, quite honestly, we’re pretty excited to announce.

Falafel Factory’s space between Pisco Express and Palani’s Hawai’i Noodles has been taken over by TJ’s Hot Dogs, which previously occupied the space next to the The Bacon Boss HQ. And, while TJ’s (photo below) already is open in its new space, The Bacon Boss owners Josh and Christy Norland say they will open their new concept — The Chicken Boss — in the former TJ’s location sometime in late February to early March, or not too long after this issue arrived in your mailbox. Christy says The Chicken Boss’ menu will focus on hand-breaded chicken tenders. And, based on the love The Bacon Boss HQ has received from our readers (it was voted the #1 Favorite KRATE in our 2022 Reader Dining Survey) and from yours truly (it was my #4 favorite KRATE), I’m sure The Chicken Boss will be equally successful — as, I expect, TJ’s also will continue to be in its new space.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Urban Sweets, the currently vacant former location of Center Ed tutoring center will reopen as the second Blush Wine Room at KRATE, but owners Felicia and Nimesh Desai say that the new location will be solely a champagne and wine-based cocktail bar with a dozen slushie machines.

The original Blush location will focus on other wines and, we hope, perhaps expand its current menu of delicious food items, although anything on the Blush menu will still be available at the new location, too. The new Blush will open before the end of March.

Two new non-food KRATEs also recently opened in previously shuttered retail locations, both of which we first told you about in our Dec. 26 issue. The first is 311 Aroma Candle Studio, which is a do-it-yourself candlemaking “bar,” with

nearly two dozen different fragrances — from apple & maple bourbon to Froot Loops and many more.

3Eleven owner Shareeka Screen (photo, right) offers classes for beginners and sessions for experienced candlemakers and calls 3Eleven “an interactiveexperience bringing people and families together to explore and create through the power of creativity.” Plus, the place smells delicious.

And, Shareeka is the sister of Yuhanna Alahmary of Radiant Wellness Spa (see story on pg. 12), and 3Eleven Aroma, Blush and Mythos (see below) will all be on-hand at Radiant’s Health & Wellness Fair on Saturday, March 18.

Speaking of Mythos, it is now open in the former location of The Rebellious Hippie at the KRATEs. Mythos is an eclectic gift shop with cool T-shirts, plush toys, candles and knickknacks for your home and more.

And finally, next to Life Essentials Refillery, Valiart Designs (which previously was called Valiart Jewelry), will become the Tutti Frutti Cafe (photo above). Although we didn’t have any additional information about it at our press time, based on the sign and a quick Google search, we’re pretty sure that Tutti Frutti Cafe will be a frozen yogurt shop. We’ll let you know more when we have more info. — GN

Coffee Drinks & More Take Flight At The Bean Bar Co.!

By GARY NAGER

Few people I know love a good cup of coffee more than I do, so the latest innovation at The Bean Bar Co., located just off the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. exit of I-75 (in the plaza next to Stonewood Grill & Tavern), is definitely right up my alley.

Owner Danielle Henry says that The Bean Bear’s new “coffee flights” definitely borrowed the flight concept from alcoholic beverages, like from beer to bourbon and from tequila to wine.

The flights offer customers four 5.5-oz. samples, one each of The Bean Bar’s four customer-favorite “classic” coffee drinks — café mocha, Irish nutcase, café con leche and caramel macchiato. And, Danielle says that since being introduced last month, the flights have really (pun intended) taken off.

“It’s always fun to introduce something new and see how people react to it,” Danielle says. “We’ve sold a lot of coffee flights in just a few weeks.”

In fact, leading up to Valentine’s Day, The Bean Bar offered a flight of four V-Day favorites — raspberry white chocolate, cherry almond, chocolate-covered strawberry and red velvet lattés. “We probably will experiement with other flights,” she says. “Stay tuned.”

For me, it’s difficult to stay away from the Bean Bar, whether anything new is introduced or not. I have continually switched off between the very-authentic-tasting café con leche, made with real Cuban sugar, and the better-than-Starbucks caramel macchiato

since the place first opened a little more than a year ago (in Nov. of 2021). But now, I may jiust have to put the café mocha and some of the other flavors (e.g., toasted marshmallow and peanut butter cup) in my rotation. There also are a number of flavor shots available. Whatever flavor you choose — even if you just like regular hot or iced — the coffee is always outstanding. Danielle says that all of the coffee is from Naviera Coffee Mills, “an amazing Cuban roast. And, even though people have tried to get us to switch, I don’t believe I ever will.”

Danielle and her brother Kyle Trina each also operate a Bean Bar Co. food truck (and Danielle says both are new versions of their original food truck, and make regular appearances in Wesley Chapel), and she just finished a 12-day run at the Florida State

Fair. “We have the space (at the fair) right next to Peachey’s (Baking Co. of Sarasota), which sells amazing Amish donuts. It’s a perfect spot for us.”

But, as someone who can take or leave the fair, I’m just happy that The Bean Bar Co. has a brick-&-mortar location so close to where I live. In addition to the variety of hot and iced coffee drinks (including a nitro cold brew), there’s also a large menu of hot and iced tea favorites, from Earl Grey and Florida orange blossom to chai tea lattés.

But, What About Breakfast?

I’m glad you asked. I am huge fan of The Bean Bar’s breakfast sandwiches — including the croissant egg sandwiches with garlic aioli, to which you can add turkey bacon or real bacon (for just $1 more), and my

favorite waffle chicken sandwich with bacon & egg, served with breakfast syrup. So good. But, even though Danielle says it’s been on the menu for a long time, I only recently sampled The Bean Bar’s light-&-fluffy quiche Lorraine. It isn’t made on the premises, but it’s honestly better than the quiche at most places

Photos by Charmaine George

(Clockwise from above on this page) You can sip 5.5-oz samples of four favorite coffee drinks with the new coffee “flights” at The Bean Bar Co. in Tampa Palms. The quiche Lorraine isn’t house-made, but it’s still fluffy & delicious. If you like your avocado toast a little spicy, try it at The Bean Bar!

that do house-bake their own. There also are garlic-&-cheddar and everything-&-gouda bagels and Danielle says mini-sized Dutch-style pancakes (with strawberry jelly, Nutella and other toppings) also will be added in March.

And, while I don’t eat avocado toast, photographer Charmaine George says The Bean Bar’s spicy version of it, served on multi-grain bread, is worth a try, too. The sandwiches also are available for lunch, as are tasty beef and chicken empanadas.

Danielle also has brought in new baked goods. The current options include (all shown on the plate above) apple Danish, apple maple and creme brulée muffin tops (think “Seinfeld”), chocolate pastry twists and lemon

raspberry and pink & red marble mini loafs. Other tasty treats float in and out (including cream-filled whoopie pies and strawberry-iced scones) — so stop in to check out the latest.

Danielle and her husband Mark recently welcomed their third child — son Hudson (the others are 5-year-old son Peyton and 2-1/2-year old daughter Layne).

The Bean Bar Co. is located at 17018 Palm Pointe Dr. and is open Mon.-Fri., 6 a.m.-5 p.m., & 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sat. & Sun. For more info, call (813) 442-7699, visit BeanBarCo.com or on Instagram (#beanbar_co) or Facebook (“The Bean Bar Co.”). Also, see the ad on pg. 37 to save 15% off your entire order.

Whether you try the Tiger Red or Tiger Black course at PopStroke, you’ll enjoy a true putting experience. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Tiger Woods’ PopStroke Is Now Open On The North Side Of S.R. 56!

If you’re an actual golfer who thinks that the PopStroke Eat.Putt.Drink. that opened on the north side of S.R. 56 on Feb. 17 is nothing more than your usual putt-putt course without the windmills, you need to go check it out.

The chain of miniature golf courses co-owned and designed by Tiger Woods and his TGR Design that now has six locations in Florida, Arizona and Texas (with three more set to open this year), is much more than just kids-oriented mini-golf. Yes, kids are allowed and invited to play (with adult supervision when under age 10) and there’s also children’s games, plus great food, ice cream and more to keep the young’ns occupied.

Although the Wesley Chapel/Lutz location wasn’t open the day we went to press, and we were only permitted to take pictures of the artifical turf putting courses, general manager Kurtis Phillips (he goes by “Kurt”) told me that his entire crew was “super excited” to open and that he hoped the local community would come out and support this unique, family-friendly entertainment destination.

On PopStroke.com, Tiger Woods himself said, “Some of my happiest memories are spending time with my pops on the golf course having putting contests. I’m looking forward to others enjoying time with their kids at PopStroke.”

As you can see from the top photo and the one to your left, the 36 holes at PopStroke look like real golf holes and Phillips promises that they play like real holes, too. There’s even a Jumbotron, LED TVs, bars, an app where you can order drinks while you’re on the courses, and private event space. We’ll tell you more about PopStroke’s food and beverages next issue. — GN

Grove Mini-Golf Opening Delayed...Again

Although we haven’t been able to get the management of Grove Mini Golf, which shares the parking lot for B&B The Grove 16 movie theater, to call us back, we saw a Facebook post on Feb. 1 that said:

“Missed our Jan open target. Mar/Apr Grand Opening on target, we’re planning that now. Soft open within 30-ish days or less!!”

Local residents who saw the post expressed their concern that the opening of the more Top Golf-like PopStroke might cause problems for

the more traditional putt-putt course at The Grove — which features two working volcanoes and other cool “hazards.”

But, Grove Mini Golf said, “PopStroke is a completely different concept...we don’t expect to be in direct competition with each other.”

Even so, considering that Grove Mini Golf has been under construction a lot longer than PopStroke was, we’re hopeful that the family-oriented attraction in The Grove will avoid any further delays befiore opening. — GN

The Brunchery Is Now Called EggTown

Even though we told you last issue that all four of owner Al Marku’s Brunchery locations had changed their name to Brunchin’, the breakfast & lunch places on S.R. 56, BBD Blvd. in New Tampa, and in Lithia and Riverview, have now changed names to EggTown. Here’s why:

“Sadly, the Judge made a decision to stop us from using the name Brunchin, which is very shocking to us, as the name is not owned by anyone, and the word Brunch is used by hundreds of restaurants around the world. This is very disappointing, but regardless of the name, we will keep going and growing. We know we aren’t in the business of selling a name, just great food and

great service; however, we owe an explanation to our guests for any changes made.

In the meantime, our guests, our restaurants, our employees, our service, and our great food remain our priority. We love and enjoy what we do, and no one can take that away from us. Our growth comes from hard work, love, and dedication for what we do. Our new name will be EggTown, which we have owned for so long but have never put it in use as we had invested so much in our previous business name. We will just keep growing and, despite the setbacks, we will never stop.”

All four EggTown locations are open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. every day. — GN

N ew T ampa & w esley C hapel

HOME

IMPROVEMENT

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 cleanouts • Ofc, home & factory • Comm’l/res’l. GorillaJunkremovalExperts.com. For appts, call/text Nigel @ 888-346-5865.

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 @ 813-9486363, email TampaBlindsbyDesign@gmail. com or visit TampaBlindsbyDesign.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 below!

WESLEYCHAPELPRESSUREWASHINGCOM

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 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.

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable, Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings & walls, re-texturing, popcorn removal, room addt’ns, cracks, holes, plaster & stucco repair. 26 years exp. WC resident. State Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate: 813-

TREE SERVICES

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

Classifieds

LAWN, & LANDSCAPING_____

JOHN IDEAL LAWN & LANDSCAPES. We provide all normal lawn & landcsaping svcs: •Mow •Edge

•Turf Trim •Air-Sweep •Right-of-Way Weed Control

•Bed Edging •Resod •Design Your Lawn •Mulch

•Shrub Trim/Shape •Hedge Trim •Yard Cleanup. “For no lawn stress, just join John’s Curb Appeal Success!” Save 12%/mo for 6 mos w/a 1-yr contract. Call Maitland John @ 813.327.1039.

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.

JASMINE LANDSCAPING, INC. Complete lawn maint, including 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.

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.

PROF’L TECH SUPPORT in your home or small biz. A+ Cert. computer tech w/20 years exp. Maint. & Repairs, Upgrades & Tutoring. More affordable than chains! Friendly, personal svc. Tech jargon explained. Remote assistance & refs. avail. Call (813) 957-8342 for free estimate!

CLEANING SERVICES

ANA PARRA HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES. Professional House Cleaning — Best prices & quality, Licensed & Insured. We offer: • Routine clean • Deep Cleaning • Move-In/Move-Out cleanup. Serving New Tampa /Lutz/Wesley Chapel & more. Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly cleaning or special needs. Avail. Mon-Sat. References avail. We supply our own cleaning products & equipmt. Call or text for free estimate: (305) 338-0981.

Rosseler Solutions has the cleaning solution your home or company needs. We are specialists in Basic Cleaning, Deep Cleaning, Move-In & MoveOut, Commercial & Post-Construction Cleaning. Please contact us for a free estimate. Call Roseli or Anne at 401.543.4638 or 407.338.8700.

A-to-Z CLEANING & ORGANIZING. Home & Ofc Cleaning & Organizing Svcs! We use our own supplies. Affordable & Reliable. Family-Owned & Operated. WC resident. Weekly & Bi-Weekly / Deep Cleaning/ Move-In / Move-Out. Serving WC & NT. Call today for a FREE No-Obligation Quote: 813-462-1270. Local refs. supplied upon request.

MARY’S CLEANING SERVICES. We provide flexible domestic & office cleaning. “Jesus is the Lord.” Give us a call at 352-206-8809 for a free estimate or email marynovociclo@gmail.com.

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.

B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 18 years exp.! Comm’l & Resid’l; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & post-construction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in & move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates.; Refs. avail. Call 813-531-0154 or e-mail:

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED. Office Assistant for Accounting firm needed. Must be presentable, have knowledge of Outlook, Excel & Word. Job duties include (but are not limited to) filing, answering telephones & putting together tax returns. To apply: Email var5889@gmail.com or call 415-889-2729.

HELP WANTED. Seeking Mature Cleaning Lady, NOT a cleaning service. Dual language (English & Spanish) preferred, but not a must. Thorough house cleaning for small family. Hourly wages negotiable. Transportation available, if in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. To reply, call (607) 280-7238.

MISCELLANEOUS

AIRPORT SHUTTLE SERVICE. C&R Transportation Services of Tampa Bay, LLC, is a shuttle service that provide safe & reliable transportation to and from your destinations. • New Tampa Transfer, $69 • Wesley Chapel Transfer, $79 • ZHills Transfer, $89 • Dade City Transfer, $129. Book Online @ Crtransportation.Orgor Call (813) 895-7413. Receive a FREE T-shirt w/every transfer.

Hughes School of Music now accepting new students! Study Saxophone, Piano, Music Production, Composition or Theory with a Master of Music. Zoom sessions also available! Contact us at 813-748-3216.

TUTORING. Prof’l private tutoring avail. in home or online. Retired teacher w/25+ years of exp. & a proven record of student success. Exp’d in multiple subjects across all grade levels. Specializing in MS and HS Math, ACT/ SAT prep and Social Sciences. Scheduling before- or after-school times for new clients now. Call (813) 415- 8158 or email gstutor2022@gmail.com.

AUTOS WANTED! Autos/trucks/small campers/ small boats wanted! We pay top dollar! Any condition, Free Removal 24/7. For more info, call (813) 461-0062.

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

___ FOR SALE ___ __

Holland Lop-Eared Dwarf Baby Bunny Rabbits! Full grown will be in the 3- or 4-pound range. Call 813-407-1990 or visit PattysPetsLLC.com or facebook.com/ PattysPetsLLC.

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. 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!

POOL SERVICES (Cont.) _

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.

REAL ESTATE

HOME SELLING GROUP OF FLORIDAElevate Brokers. Special Promotion: $500 towards closing costs when you mention this ad and promo code #GaryRules. Restrictions Apply. Call us at (813) 609-0966. Follow us on FB & IG: @homesellinggroup We are home buyring & selling experts in the Central Florida region. TBBA Agent of the Year: Geri Sanchez

Neighborhood News Classified

Ads are the only local Classified ads your neighbors actually R E A D !

All Neighborhood News Classified ads appear in consecutive issues of both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, as follows:

7 Issues (3 months) — $120

13 Issues (6 months) — $200

26 Issues (one year) — $300

To order yours, visit NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net/ ClassifiedListings