New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 29, Issue 5, March 2, 2021

Inside:

Our reviews of Frammi & Zukku-San! See pgs. 32-35!

Volume 29 Issue 5 March 2, 2021

Sweetbay Sold! Is Lotte Next?

New Tampa could soon be home to a Lotte Plaza Supermarket, which would move in to the old Sweetbay Supermarket next to the Home Depot off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in North Palms Village. The only other Florida location (above) opened in Orlando in 2019 to rave reviews. on Feb. 1, but would not say what the movie theater and next to Home won Orlando, LLC are registered at STORY BY JOHN C. COTEY plans were for the site.

Depot, was purchased by SW Tampa, the same address in Jessup, MD, as The long dormant Sweetbay He said a “different type of conLLC, for $7-million.

Sungwon Distributors, LLC, which Supermarket property, which has been cept” was likely heading to the space, According to Sunbiz.org, the serves as the headquarters of Lotte empty since 2013, has a new owner. one that has not been seen locally.

Florida Division of Corporations’ onPlaza Mart.

And, it appears that New Tampa Neukamm said that he had line directory of companies in Florida, Marc Bergoffen, the lawyer repmay soon be home to a new Lotte spoken with the North Palms Village the owner of SW Tampa, LLC is Sang resenting SW Tampa, did not respond Plaza Mart, a small-chain MarylandMaster Association and that they were Min Lee, who also owns Sungwon to messages. Ross Waters of Atlantic based ethnic grocery store focusing “very excited” that the sale of the for- Orlando, LLC. Retail, one of the brokers involved in on Asian groceries and goods. mer Sweetbay had been completed.

The only other Lotte Plaza Mart the sale, declined comment.

John Neukamm, the attorney According to city records, the in Florida is located in Orlando.

If a new Lotte Plaza Mart does for the sellers, KNK Tampa, Ltd., property, located right across Bruce B. Both SW Tampa, LLC (the SW is materialize at the old Sweetbay site, confirmed that the sale was completed Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the AMC See “Lotte” on pg. 5 likely short for Sungwon), and Sung-

Oakley’s Grille Is Now Frammi American Grille & Italian Food!

Whether you love Oakley’s burgers or authentic Italian pasta, see pgs. 32-33!

Ramma-Lamma-Lamma! Singalong With ‘Grease’ On Mar. 13!

An editorial by Gary Nager “Grease” movie was not in

When the musical “Grease” hit Broadway back in 1972, my best friend’s Doug’s dad, an investment banker, purchased 10% of the show and basically has been getting paid every time any of the songs from the smash hit show (and yes, even the 1979 movie with the same name, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) are performed.

The good news, for a certain young wannabe performer, was that Doug’s family took me to see that show at least six, seven or ten times before the summer camp I attended in upstate New York put on “Grease” as our summer production in 1974.

And, even though I didn’t get to star as Danny Zuko — the role created on Broadway by Barry Bostwick (later, the silver-haired mayor on the Michael J. Fox TV sitcom “Spin City) and reprised

by Travolta in the film — despite being the only kid in camp who had memorized every word of every song, I did get to play both Teen Angel (played by Frankie Avalon in the movie) and Johnny Casino, with two solo songs (“Beauty School Dropout” and “Born to Hand Jive”).

Therefore, when I heard that the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel (the club Jannah and I belong to, which meets for lunch at noon every Wednesday at Omari’s Grille in the Lexington Oaks Golf Club) was going to put on a free, socially distanced “Grease is the Word” Singalong event (on Saturday, March 13, 4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., at Land O’Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’Lakes Blvd.) — starring deputies from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office against firefighters from the Pasco Fire Rescue department — I knew I had to get involved.

To kick off that involvement, I recreated my role as the Teen Angel (in full costume; photo) at a recent Wesley Chapel Rotary meeting, which was enough to get me an invitation to sing the song again at the “Grease” singalong” event.

I’m obviously pretty excited about the opportunity to be on hand as a part of my childhood is revisited once again, and I hope that at least some of you reading this also will attend — even though my Rotary Club is located in Wesley Chapel and the deputies and firefighters competing (for three prizes; I’m pretty sure I’m not eligible) are from Pasco County, because not only is “Grease” the word — it’s also a heckuva lot of fun!

And, speaking of fun, here are some fun trivia questions about one of my alltime favorite musicals: 1) How many Tony Awards did “Grease” win in 1972?

2) Who played Rizzo in the original Broadway cast and what TV show did she star in, also beginning in 1972?

3) What hit song sung by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the Neighborhood News

INSIDE:

the original Broadway show?

Answers: 1) Zero. The original show, which held the record for longest-running Broadway hit (later broken by “A Chorus Line”), was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, but did not take home any hardware.

2) Adrienne Barbeau, who played Maude’s daughter Carol on “Maude.”

3) “You’re the One Gary sings “Beauty School Dropout.” (Photo by Charmaine George) That I Want.”

The New Tampa Recreation Center expansion to be unveiled tomorrow.

Page 6

Palms Pharmacy has a new look to go with Covid-19 testing & soon, vaccines.

Pages 20-21

Frammi brings authentic lasagne & more to former Oakley’s Grille!

Pages 32-33

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Lotte: Asian Market Coming To Sweetbay?

Continued from page 1

it will be the second large ethnic grocery store to open in New Tampa since 2019, joining Taaza Mart, a roughly 17,000-sq.-ft., predominantly Indian grocer located in Tampa Palms.

The potential Lotte Plaza Mart location would be more than three times as large as Taaza Mart — at roughly 55,000 square feet.

Founded in 1976, Lotte Plaza Mart is considered to be one of the premier Asian groceries in Maryland and Virginia, where it has 12 locations. The mini-chain also has one location in New Jersey, and opened the Orlando location on W. Colonial Dr. in February 2019.

Like all Lotte Plaza Marts, the location in Orlando — which moved into a 60,000-sq.-ft. space formerly occupied by a Winn-Dixie — has a wide choice of Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese food items and ingredients, an impressive selection of meats and fresh fish and a huge variety of fruits and vegetables not found at your regular American grocery stores.

The store has received online praise for its variety and prices.

Although there are no exact plans available for what a New Tampa loca-

tion might feature, the Orlando store also has a hair salon, bakery and food court, featuring a handful of Asian restaurants, including Taglish, a FilipinoAmerican concept run by Chef Michael Collantes, who has worked with such notable chefs as Wolfgang Puck.

The nearest location for buying Asian groceries currently is the MD Oriental Market located on E. Fowler Ave., or the A-Green Oriental Market on E. Fletcher, both in the USF area.

If S.R. 56 is now the Restaurant Row of the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas, the BBD corridor from Cross Creek Blvd. to Tampa Palms Blvd. might be its supermarket counterpart.

Sprouts Farmers Market, which opened last year, and Aldi, which is under construction and will likely open sometime this year, are within walking distance from the potential Lotte Plaza Mart location, and just south of the I-75 interchange, Taaza is located in Market Square at Tampa Palms.

That stretch of stores is bookended

by Publix Super Markets in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms and at the New Tampa Center, giving shoppers of all ethnicities five supermarkets within five miles.

Fresh Kitchen will open its 10th location when the one in the Village at Hunter’s Lake debuts later this month. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

Fresh Kitchen Set To Open in Hunter’s Lake

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneightborhoodnews.com

Fresh Kitchen’s popular buildyour-own, 100-percent gluten-free healthy bowls is expected to debut its 10th location in the next few weeks in the Village at Hunter’s Lake on Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

It also will be showing off a new look and feel at its New Tampa restaurant. Known for its bright pink and rosy Instagram-friendly vibe, Fresh Kitchen is adding some new colors and textures to its look.

The Hunter’s Lake location also will feature a unique art installation from a local artist.

Fresh Kitchen is part of the Ciccio Restaurant Group, which also owns Tampa Palms’ popular Cali eatery.

It specializes in “chef-inspired” bowls that consist of fresh greens, seasoned rices, roasted veggies antibioticfree grilled meats and other toppings.

“Our mission has always been to

make healthy eating convenient and accessible, in an environment that feels fun and welcoming,” FK Brand President Steven Lanza said. “Making a positive impact in the communities is also at the core of what we hope to do — whether it’s through giving back to causes that we find meaningful, providing our people opportunities to be a partner in the business, or just being the place where everyone feels welcome.”

Fresh Kitchen says it has donated $165,000 to various charities, with an additional $30,000 worth of food donations.

All proceeds from the mini-chain’s pre-opening Friends and Family events go directly to a local charity.

The New Tampa restaurant will be located at 8648 Hunters Village Rd., and will be open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9:35 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m.-9:05 p.m.

As the opening draws nearer, giveaways and discounts will be announced.

We’ll keep you posted.

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New Tampa Rec Center Expansion Ribbon Cutting Tommorrow!

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com The much-anticipated and long-awaited expansion of the New Tampa Recreation Center (NTRC) in Tampa Palms, which dates all the way back to the day the facility debuted in 2008 with a waiting list of more than 1,000 kids, have finally come to fruition.

Tomorrow — Wednesday, March 3 — almost two years to the day of the expansion’s groundbreaking on April 12, 2019, the NTRC will reopen with 7,300 square feet of extra space, featuring three new rooms (convertible to five, with partitions) that will provide new space for gymnastics and dance instruction, community meetings, adult and senior fitness classes and athletic training.

The expansion cost roughly $2.6-million, after years of budget battles that saw the long-planned project get passed over in 2012 and again in 2016.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, who as the District 7 Council member, helped rally New Tampa residents, led by Tampa Palms attorney Tracy Falkowitz, to show up to the budget deliberations in 2017 and implore the Council to keep the money in the budget for the project.

The end result will expand not only the NTRC’s profile, but also its reach.

“We’re known for gymnastics and dance classes, but the expansion makes us more than that,” said Heather Wolf-Erickson, the athletics, aquatics and special facilities manager for the City of Tampa’s Parks & Recreation Department, who took us on a tour of the new add-on prior to the March 3 opening. “Kids are one aspect of a family, but we also wanted to give the parents that sit here during the practices an opportunity to do some fitness classes and other things, too.”

Wolf-Erickson also is excited about offering classes for older residents, as well as space for community gatherings and

Heather Wolf-Erickson (above) shows off the expansion of the New Tampa Recreation Center in Tampa Palms, which features equipment tailored for younger children (photo on next page).

(Photos: Charmaine George)

meetings. All of that will be available in the first multi-purpose room you pass upon entering the expanded facility, which has a partition to give it more flexibility to host two classes at once.

“We can get a little more creative with what we can offer,” Wolf-Erickson says.

Next to that room is what Wolf-Erickson calls the “fun” room — a new mini-gym for those just starting out in gymnastics, typically ages 5-and-below.

The space was design for “the littles” who, until now, had to share space with the bigger kids in the NTRC’s large 12,500-sq.-ft. main gymnasium. Now, instead of being lost in a forest of taller gymnasts, the younger kids have a great new space of their own.

“It’s easy to get distracted (in the main gymnastics area),” said Linda Hall, Site Supervisor II for the City of Tampa.

“When the big kids are in there, they’re doing big kid (moves) and it’s easy (for the younger kids) to get distracted.”

Also making the new room unique is the equipment itself, like the rings and parallel bars, which are smaller to fit smaller hands. And, an inflatable trampoline and foam ball pit are used for practicing jumping and flipping.

“Everything is catered to them,” Wolf-Erickson says of the new room.

“We’re not teaching them any big gymnastic moves in here, we’re working on upper-body strength, hand-eye coordination and patience. When kids have fun learning and doing physical things, they’re more apt to come back.”

Adjustable Batting Cage, Too

Wolf-Erickson says her favorite room is the 1,760-sq.-ft. rectangular training “box,” which resembles popular, more rustic training facilities that look like warehouses, with large fans, a garage door that opens and even a batting cage that is stored above the floor and can be lowered with the press of a button.

Baseball and softball athletes will be the obvious beneficiaries of the batting cage, but when suspended above the floor, the area can be used for almost any kind of training, from football to soccer to any kind of fitness and weight training. It also will come in handy on rainy days.

“This space is going to get used and used and used,” Wolf-Erickson said.

“When designing it, they asked ‘What are you going to do there?’ We said we’ll show you. It’s just a little bit more different than what we’ve done here. (This room) will be

more open to the community.”

While technically part of the NTRC expansion, the training box is practically its own separate space. It has its own climate control, separate from the rest of the facility, and the door leading in from the rest of the expanded spaces can be locked down, with a door leading outside (and inside, monitored by a keypad) for those who are training later than regular building hours.

“We can have this open 24/7 without impacting the staffing requirement,” Wolf-Erickson said. “It is its own space, with its own restroom. It was pretty well thought out.”

In fact, all three of the new spaces have their own restrooms, and there will be another bathroom that can be accessed from the playground, a touch sure to be appreciated by parents.

The two rooms with dance and gymnastics also have multiple large windows for parents to watch their children, similar to the rooms in the main building.

After years of having to turn kids away, or at least put them on a waiting list that had as many as 1,800 kids on it, Wolf-Erickson hopes the new space gets kids off the waiting lists and helps free up more room for more students to sign up. Pre-Covid, the NTRC had more than 4,000 class slots programmed each week, and saw nearly 8,000 gymnasts and dancers receive training every year at the popular facility.

Wolf-Erickson said she wants to see the community, from beginners all the way to seniors, utilize the facility for exercise, training and other events. While all those things may be offered at other places in the area, Wolf-Erickson says the plans for the pricing and community memberships at the NTRC are still being finalized, “But we believe it should be affordable, and we won’t be out-priced here,” she says.

For more info, call (813) 975-2794 or visit Tampa.Gov/parks-and-recreation/activities-recreation/gym-anddance/new-tampa-center.

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Rep. Driskell, Wharton Students Team Up On Environmental Bill

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneightborhoodnews.com If a bill gets passed during this upcoming State of Florida legislative session that helps eliminate food waste and, in the process, provides the Sunshine State with environmental benefits, you might just have some Wharton High students to thank for it.

During a Zoom class on Jan. 28 moderated by District 63 State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, the Wharton students were asked to debate three potential bills they had been given, and whichever one they found to be the most preferable, Rep. Driskell would take with her to Tallahassee when the 60day legislative session begins March 2 and work to get it passed.

“This is a new initiative for me,” Rep. Driskell said. “I have heard of other members doing this, but I wanted to put my own spin on it.”

Each of the bills debated had a strong climate change component to them, something near to Driskell’s heart — before attending Harvard University and Georgetown Law School, she was an officer in the environment club at Lake Gibson High in Lakeland.

“We were setting out to save the world,” she told the class. “Never doubt that young people can save the world, and part of the reason we are having real conversation around climate change is because the younger generation is pushing us to do so.”

The students in the class of Mary Johnson (AP Environmental Science) and Chad Reed (AP U.S. Government) chose a version of the Rhode Island Refuse Disposal Act, which ensures that the organic-waste materials generated by educational facilities are recycled at an authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility.

“There is a lot of food waste,” said Sarai Guzman, a senior, who added that since she moved to Tampa she has noticed excessive waste, especially in schools. “We need to help those who don’t get as much food.”

10

Zoe Craig, a junior, agreed. She said she has volunteered a lot in a local food pantry, and sees the need for food in the community.

Sonya Patel, also a junior, also voted for the food waste bill, stressing its environmental benefits.

“It would lead to less going to the landfill, and the less landfill, the less we burn, which (means) less greenhouse gas,” she said.

“There is a whole chain of reactions involved with that.”

Senior Mark Johnson agreed that the gashouse effect of less waste would provide a State Rep. Fentrice Driskell (top row, second from the left) picked the brains of some Wharton High students to forlarge benefit to society. mulate an environmental bill to try to pass at the upcoming state legislative session, which begins March 2.

The other bills preof the possibilities it could open up. the future. She chose Wharton for this one sented for discussion included one dealing “If we could prove to the other states because of her relationship with principal with testing for and eliminating lead in the that solar energy is viable and can properly Mike Rowan, whom she met in 2018 shortly water of schools and child daycare centers, be used as a back up, then there is no real after being elected for the first time. and another focused on an energy securiexcuse it can’t be used as a primary source,” She will now take the bill, rework the ty and disaster resilience pilot program to language in it, and work on getting it sponcreate solar energy storage systems at certain Arms said. “Maybe we can start using solar facilities which could provide needed power energy for big projects, maybe we start mak- sored. It would then go into committee and, ing, I don’t know, solar-powered cars. That if deemed favorable by the House commitfollowing natural disasters. would be kind of cool. I kind of like (what tee and by a House vote, it would be sent to The Lead-Safe Schools and Daycares this bill could mean for the future).” the Senate floor for a final yes or no vote.

Act also was a popular choice of the class.

In a non-Covid world, Driskell says Driskell joked that she will tell the Kylie Lewis said she thought the transparenshe would have liked to break off into Senators that there would be some angry cy of the bill — requiring testing results to high school students calling them if the bill be made available to district leaders and par- groups for further debate. Instead, she doesn’t pass, telling the Wharton students to ents — was great, while senior Vlada Pitner put it to a vote, with 47 percent of the class picking the food waste bill. She be ready to go. said the safety issue was important. called the experience a success.

“I didn’t grow up knowing elected “There have been a lot of problems in “It went better than I expected,” officials,” she said. “I had no sense of how the district in Hillsborough County with accessible government is on the local and lead being in the water,” Pitner said. “It’s a Driskell said. “The kids were so impressive big issue and I feel like a lot of people over- to me. They were engaged the whole time. I state level. I hope this sparks curiosity in couldn’t have asked for it to go any better.” the minds of these students. Maybe it gets look it. And, it affects the next generation, Driskell said the class was the first of them engaged at this level, at an early age, who we want to be healthy.” many she would like to do in New Tampa, and they will want to stay engaged for the Senior Jonathan Arms cast his vote rest of their lives.” for the solar energy bill, primarily because and that she will approach other schools in

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Bucs Give New Tampa Healthcare Hero A Day To Remember

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

H

ealth care workers came from every NFL city — from Seattle to Foxboro and from New Orleans to Phoenix and all points in between — to witness history, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 to become the first NFL team to ever play, and win, a Super Bowl in its own city.

For Dr. Joy Allee, a former Wesley Chapel resident now living in New Tampa, it was a pretty great start to her new hobby of being a football fan.

Dr. Allee, an anesthesiologist and former Estancia at Wiregrass Ranch resident who works at Brandon Regional Hospital, found out in late January that she would be one of 7,500 twice-vaccinated health care workers to get invited to Super Bowl LV as guests of the NFL, as thanks for their service during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A majority of those health care heroes were from hospitals and health care systems in Tampa and Central Florida, although each of the NFL’s 32 teams also selected health care workers from their respective communities to attend.

Dr. Allee said she knew nothing about football when she entered the

Health care workers from across the Tampa Bay area were honored with a pregame concert, food and drink and tickets to watch the Bucs win Super Bowl LV.

drawing for tickets, and that the only game she had ever watched each year was the Super Bowl. But even then, she was watching for the commercials and halftime show.

She did know this, however — the Super Bowl is pretty much the biggest game on earth. To be offered the chance to go because of her hard, and often devastating, work this year helping patients during a pandemic that has killed

hundreds of thousands and hospitalized millions across the U.S., was thrilling.

“They could have just put a banner up or done a commercial to thank health care workers and that would have been huge,” Allee said. “But, we were actually there. At the game. It’s a humbling experience.”

Allee and her former neighbor in Estancia, fellow anesthesiologist Dr. Rayna Clay, attended a pregame party with a

dozen or so health care workers, and then were treated to a TikTok-sponsored concert, with headliner Miley Cyrus (and some surprises — including Joan Jett and Billy Idol). Food and drinks were served, and NFL and Bucs employees lined the walkway into the stadium and applauded as the health care heroes walked in. The game was merely the icing on the cake.

“The whole thing was an electric atmosphere,” Dr. Clay said.

Allee immersed herself in the experience. Once she put her name in the drawing in December for a Super Bowl ticket, she started studying up with the biggest football fan in her house, her husband David.

“I started to pay attention,” she said.

“I watched the last two Bucs games, and had David explain what was going on. I told him I needed to learn fast because I might find myself at the Super Bowl.”

Receiving The News

The Monday following the NFC Championship game, when the Bucs clinched a spot in the Big Game by beating the favored Green Bay Packers, Allee found out she was selected to attend the game.

“I couldn’t wait to see the look on David’s face,” she said, laughing. “I didn’t know if he was going to be excited for me, or hate me.”

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Brady jersey the night she found out she’d “I just can’t put it into words,” Allee be attending the game. She said she bought said. “I’ve been to a tennis Grand Slam enough rhinestones and sequins to keep (U.S. Open), but this is like a million times Michaels in business for the next 10 years. more. Just to be sitting in that stadium.

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SHOWCASE March 20 & 21

Debra Model Management & School Teaches Model Behavior

By MIKE CAMUNAS Debra Jacobs has an eye for modeling talent, a keen sense of someone who will just leap off the page or screen or make an advertisement pop.

One would hope so because, as a model and modeling scout herself, plus previously running a modeling agency in Delaware, Jacobs now runs Debra Model Management & Modeling School, just a few miles south of Wesley Chapel in Tampa Palms.

Don’t be mistaken — despite its name, Debra Model Management is not a modeling agency, but a school, one that teaches both potential models and even those genuinely interested in learning all of the ins and outs, dos and don’ts of the modeling industry.

“Everywhere I go, people ask me how do I get (me or my child) into modeling?,” Jacobs says. That’s why I started this.

I wanted people to have an affordable, transparent modeling management agency so they can really learn about this industry.

That’s why this is a school, not an agency.

They can learn modeling, they can learn fashion, and they can learn how to manage their careers. That’s what I’m teaching them here.”

Jacobs, whose first modeling gig was

when Debra spotted us,” Rachel says. “I will say, it did seem kind of weird, but she was like, ‘He’s so cute. He should model.’ I had thought about it and did want to get him into some kind of modeling. Whenever I post pictures of him on social media, people are like, ‘He could be a model.’ But, I figured people were just being nice.”

After meeting with Jacobs, and learning about all her experience in the modeling industry, Rachel thought she would be a good fit for Kannon.

Debra Model Management offers a 10-week course that includes teaching runway techniques and other poses for photography sessions. The photos taken go into the student’s professional modeling portfolio. Jacobs also teaches proper nutrition, fashion dos and don’ts and the importance of self image.

Debra Jacobs has worked in the modeling in“When I did my first ginormous dustry for 40 years and is happy to share her fashion show,” Jacobs recalls, “it was in wisdom and experience with her students.

Washington, D.C., in Constitution Hall, and they just gave me a bunch of clothes when she was just 15 years old, says she and told me to go out there. I didn’t know loves discovering new talent. what to do. In many modeling schools, She has approached some of her clients to gauge their interest in modelthey don’t tell you those things, like what ing, including her newest client, Kannon goes on backstage and knowing where to Wengert, a two-year-old boy Jacobs saw at go and what to do.” the Tampa Palms Publix and gave his mom, But, it’s certainly not always easy.

Rachel, her business card.

Jacobs admits that she faced obstacles. She “We were just at the Publix pharmacy remembers being rejected, and told she

Teena Hughes, M.D., P.A. Pediatrics

Two-year-old Kannon Wengert was spotted at the Tampa Palms Public by Debra Jacobs and now does some modeling. was too “short-waisted,” or all legs, she says. She remembers thinking how cruel that was to tell her, and says she has never forgotten it.

“That is why my company will never reject or give bad feedback to anyone who wants to model,” she says. “People

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an event put on by Jet and Ebony magazines, in which they only pick 18 models to go on to tour 189 U.S. cities, the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands.

“I also was known as the model with the most changes,” Jacobs says with pride. “Eighteen changes each show.”

But, Jacobs is well educated in not only modeling, but also fashion. She holds a degree in Fashion Merchandising from Wesley College in Dover, DE, which is part of the coursework taught at Debra Model Management.

Ashley Lawrence, 23, and Mikayla Alexander, age 9, are two of the students currently working with Debra Model Management in TampaPalms. (Photos: Mike Camunas)

are amazing when they are driven to do something, and won’t take no for an answer. Just because one person rejects you, that doesn’t mean that others won’t accept you.”

Jacobs went on to model in New York City, and signed with agents in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Virginia. She walked runways for high fashion designers, and became a regular fashion model on QVCTV out of their West Chester, PA, studios.

She won a runway modeling competition and was named Washington D.C.’s Super Model of the Year.

One of her Debra Model Management

clients, 23-year-old Ashley Lawrence, is getting into modeling because of Jacobs.

“I had been told I should model, but didn’t think I could until I met Debra,” Lawrence says. “It was a lot about getting through the right doors, and she has helped show me how to do that. And, just learning how to model the right way, in pictures and everything.”

Certainly, Jacobs has the experience and knowledge to impart to her students and clients. She has modeled for 40 years and counting, including what she considers to be her greatest accomplishment — modeling for the 1993-94 Ebony Fashion Fair,

Helping Children A Passion

Jacobs says she is very passionate about not only helping children who have aspirations to model, act or perform, but also to give back by working with various charities that help more unfortunate children. Her plan is to get back into charity and community work, just as she did when she worked with abused and impoverished children in the court systems.

It’s easy to see what an immediate impact Jacobs has with kids and one has to look no further than 9-year-old Mikayla Alexander. “I love that she teaches me to be a great model and be a great actress,” Mikayla said. “I’ve learned

how to eat better, like more fruits and vegetables, and I’ve also learned about positive self-image. I know all of that is very important now.”

“Isn’t she just so poised for her age?”

Jacobs adds, beaming with obvious pride.

Jacobs also is proud to start the first — and currently, the only — modeling business in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. She says she will always go above and beyond for her clients.

Since Debra Model Management is a both school and a management company, Jacobs is focused on helping each of her models realize their full potential, because once that happens, and they have what someone is looking for, they will be found, she says. Just like she was.

“When I tell people about all of my experience and accomplishments, I realize some may not believe me,” Jacobs says.

“Because I’ve done a lot. But, I truly love modeling and the fashion industry.

My business is geared towards those individuals who are excited about it, like I am. When you walk into my studio, I want you to feel like you’re in a modeling wonderland.”

Debra Model Management is located 5331 Primrose Lake Cir., Suite 245, in Tampa Palms. For more information, visit DebraModelManagement. com, email debramodelmanagement@ gmail.com or see the ad on page 26 of this issue.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 5 • March 2, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

19

Palms Pharmacy Adds Covid Testing; Vaccines Next

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Stepping into the Palms Pharmacy in The Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms, just south of the Bruce B. Downs Blvd. exit off I-75, you immediately see that it’s not your typical pharmacy.

Patients are often greeted by name, which has been the standard for the nearly five years since Palms Pharmacy first opened, and there’s usually little to no wait time to get prescriptions filled.

Members of the pharmacy staff — which has grown to eight employees, including the ever-smiling boss, Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Shahida Choudhry — run prescriptions out to customers who have chosen curbside service.

In addition, the pharmacy is currently administering curbside Covid-19 rapid tests and Covid-19 antibody tests. Because Palms Pharmacy is unable to bill medical insurance, patients have to pay for the tests out of pocket, then request reimbursement from their insurance company.

“But, there’s no waiting in line for four hours,” Dr. Choudhry says, and she and her staff provide all the necessary information for you to easily submit a claim to your insurance company to be reimbursed.

And soon, Palms Pharmacy expects to begin administering the Covid-19 vaccine, as early as later this month.

To schedule an appointment or find out how to get on the interest list for a Covid-19 vaccine, please use the pharmacy’s secure text-only line to text the pharmacy staff at (727) 513-3210.

For those venturing inside, you might be surprised by the store’s fresh new look.

Glass shelves now show off niche products, such as locally grown honey from Pinellas County, Zumbar and Old Whaling Co. soaps, shower steamers and more, and fun snacks such as TeaPops and Fatty Sundays chocolate-covered pretzels.

Dr. Choudhry says the dramatic change in the pharmacy’s storefront can

20

Members of the professional team at Palms Pharmacy include (l.-r.) Doctor of Pharmacy Shahida Choudhry, compounding pharmacist Jake Johnson, pharmacy clerk Alexandra Garcia-Rubio and senior technician Naivis Valdez. (Photo: John C. Cotey) (Right) Thanks to some tips from multi-millionaire businessman Marcus Lemonis (top), the inside of Palms Pharmacy has a more open, comfortable look (see photo on next page) with glass shelving and better placement of the store’s ever-expanding product lines.

be attributed to a chance encounter on Instagram with Marcus Lemonis, the famous multimillionaire businessman and star of CNBC’s most popular reality television show, “The Profit.”

She says she was following the reality star’s Instagram Live one night with thousands of others, when Lemonis somehow noticed @PalmsPharmacy was watching, and called on Dr. Choudhry to share about her business. That was followed up with a separate Instagram Live session, where she was a featured guest to discuss her pharmacy with Lemonis, who assigned her homework and gave her tasks to help her improve her business.

She says Lemonis has assigned her a mentor that she checks in with quarterly. She’s also applied to be a guest on his hit TV show. “I learn a lot from him,” Dr. Choudhry says, “because he’s a business guy and I’m a pharmacist running a business.”

She says the pandemic caused Palms Pharmacy to have to pivot and get creative to keep its doors open. Back when hand sanitizer was hard to come by, the compounding pharmacist on her staff began

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Neighborhood News

making it. They would sell it to the store’s customers, but also donated quite a bit of it to first responders in the community.

Palms Pharmacy also found ways to both sell and donate personal protective equipment (or “PPE”) when it was hard to come by.

@NTWCNews

Throughout the pandemic, the pharmacy has stocked up on new essentials, such as disposable masks, anti-fogger spray for glasses, KN95 masks, and a spray to sanitize your reusable masks.

But, it’s not just those essentials that make a trip to Palms Pharmacy so worthwhile for its patients.

“We’re trying to make your pharmacy experience different,” Choudhry says.

“It’s more concierge and boutique-like.”

She also says she adds one new product a week, plus you can still get all of the products you would expect to find and have been purchasing since the pharmacy first opened.

“We’ve expanded our line of Ortho Molecular specialty vitamins, for example,” she says, “and added more fun colors and patterns in our compression stockings.”

Palms Pharmacy will celebrate its fifth anniversary in Tampa Palms on April 15.

Dr. Choudhry opened the pharmacy in 2016, after 10 years as the pharmacist at the Publix in Tampa Palms. She loved her job and her customers, but her search for a better balance of her work and home life, where she had two small children, led her to starting her own business.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy, then went on to receive her Pharm.D. degree in 2001, both from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY.

Customer Service The Key

Palms Pharmacy has found success by offering exceptional customer service, above and beyond what you would typically expect from a pharmacy.

For example, the staff thrives on helping patients with especially complicated health or insurance issues, which are becoming more and more common these days. Dr. Choudhry says that when insurance companies decline to cover a patient’s medications, that’s when she picks up the phone.

“I know the doctors and the medical assistants,” she says. “I work with them to get their patients what they need, usually within the same day.”

This is in huge contrast to other pharmacies, especially the chains, which Neighborhood News

may take 7-10 days to come up with a solution when an insurance company won’t cover a particular medication.

That’s why Sandra Dwinell, a Tampa Palms resident, was overjoyed when she found out that her long-term pharmacist at Publix had opened her own business.

Being that she and her husband both have chronic health issues, her pharmacy experience is extremely important to her.

“I was almost in tears, I was so happy to find them,” Dwinell says. “I immediately moved all of our medications over.”

Dwinell adds that she has learned to always double-check what she’s been told by doctors with Palms Pharmacy.

For example, when an allergist in Zephyrhills told her she had to go to a specific pharmacy in Zephyrhills for a test, Dr. Choudhry told Dwinell she could get the test for her and saved her the trip.

“It was no big deal,” Dwinell says.

“She ordered it and I got it right there, five minutes from my home. They’re phenomenal.”

Not only that, but Dwinell adds that the staff is incredibly proactive, such as suggesting a high-quality prescription multivitamin that is completely covered by her insurance, saving her from having to pay for over-the-counter vitamins.

This willingness to go above and beyond is what makes Palms Pharmacy stand out to its customers, and keep people like Dwinell coming back.

In fact, Dwinell says most people don’t think of going to the pharmacy as something to look forward to, but between the products she enjoys shopping for — such as the boutique-type gift items in the store like bees wax candles, soaps and body lotions and even fancy teas — and being greeted as a friend, she does.

“Because I have so many allergies and health issues, I need someone who knows me,” Dwinell says. “They know my health issues and are interested in me and what’s going on with me and my medications.

It’s like a partnership. They’re not treating (me like) a random number.”

Palms Pharmacy is located at 17008 Palm Pointe Dr., Tampa, and is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call (813) 252-9063, text Palm Pharmacy’s secure text-only line at (727) 513-3210, see the ad on pg. 18 or visit ThePalmsPharmacy.com. Follow Palms Pharmacy on Instagram and/or Facebook for announcements as to when the Covid-19 vaccine will be available. @NTWCNews

SPOTLIGHT ON: AmSkills!

Unlike so many industries hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, the manufacturing industry in the Tampa Bay area is stronger than ever, and is struggling to fill well-paying job vacancies all over the Tampa Bay region.

Which is why a group of Tampa Bay manufacturers, in partnership with AmSkills and Tampa Bay Works, have created free, two-week manufacturing bootcamps for anyone interested in finding a new career in the manufacturing industry.

The AmSkills program is a two-step process leading to guaranteed job interviews with multiple employers. The first step is to attend a one-day workshop where participants work together as a team to build a hands-on project, while also learning about the many exciting career opportunities in the manufacturing industry in Tampa Bay. After completing the one-day workshop, participants may be invited to participate in the AmSkills Career Discovery Bootcamp for two weeks, which also is FREE. The bootcamp consists of multiple hands-on projects, blueprint and measurement reading, intro to soldering, attending tours of local manufacturers and obtaining an OSHA Safety Certificate. During the program, participants also will receive guidance about how to prepare for a job interview. All participants who successfully complete the bootcamp will receive a Certificate of Completion and will be guaranteed a job interview on their last day.

“Most people do not realize that Tampa Bay has the largest concentration of manufacturers in the State of Florida,” says Tom Mudano, the CEO of AmSkills.

“Our mission is to transform lives through workforce training and apprenticeships and it is very rewarding to see this vision help so many people.”

Bootcamps are held every 4-6 weeks and are held at different locations around the Tampa Bay area. To learn more or to register, visit AmSkills.org, call (727) 301-1282 or see the ad on pg. 23. Space is limited, so please register today.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 5 • March 2, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

21

Medi-Weightloss Of Lutz Promises Results & Long-Term Help!

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Weight gain has been a common side effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, as exercise and other healthy habits have sadly taken a back seat for many people.

Medi-Weightloss of Lutz owner Gerri Willett says the pandemic initially caused a lot of uncertainty for her small business, but ultimately has driven many new patients to the practice, located on S.R. 54, two miles west of where it meets S.R. 56 (near the Tampa Premium Outlets).

In the 15 years since it opened in 2006, Gerri says Medi-Weightloss of Lutz has helped patients lose nearly 130,000 pounds. It’s easy to get started, as completely free assessments are always offered.

Today, while there are 91 Medi-Weightloss locations nationwide, Gerri owns the locations in both Lutz and Brandon, operating the two as a local, family-owned business, which has been her passion for the past 15 years.

The success patients see when they try the Medi-Weightloss program is what continues to drive people to the practice.

“Our patients refer their friends because they know we do a really good job,” Gerri says.

The local Medi-Weightloss program is supervised by Andrew Weitzman, M.D., who is Board-certified in Internal Medicine. The program combines diet and exercise with supplements, managed by a doctor, to help people lose weight and keep it off.

Like most businesses, Medi-Weightloss has had to make adaptations because of the Covid pandemic, creating virtually touch-free visits, while keeping its doors open to better circulate fresh air, providing clean pens, taking temperature checks, having hand sanitizer available and other precautionary measures.

“We also offer telemedicine,” says Gerri. “We do whatever you feel comfortable with, whether that’s telemedicine,

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or coming in to be weighed when we’re otherwise closed to patients, so you’re the only one in the office, or driving through the parking lot to pick up a prescription.”

The staff is compassionate and understanding, cheering their patients on to reach their goals.

“It can be very difficult for people to step foot into a weight-loss clinic because, a lot of times, they have already tried so many different things,” says Gerri. “People beat themselves up horribly about their weight.”

Whether it’s newfound weight gain as your body changes due to age, weight that was lost in the past but has crept back on, or pounds put on during the pandemic, Gerri says, “We want people to know we’ll figure it out and we’ll get them to be successful.”

a binder to store educational handouts, recapping the information shared at each session. They also receive recipes for delicious, healthy meals, with ingredients that are easy to find. Patients also start a detailed journal to log their eating, drinking and sleeping data. They also receive vitamin supplements, a food scale to help with portion control and ketone sticks to detect their level of ketosis.

(Note: Physiologic Ketosis is a normal

response to low glucose availability, such as low-carbohydrate diets or fasting.)

Medi-Weightloss has many ways to help during the weight-loss phase, including injections of Methionine Inositol Choline (MIC Combo) to put B12 vitamins and amino acids into the bloodstream, both of which help with fat metabolism, liver function and fat excretion. Patients also receive Vitamin B6 and B1 injections, which help reduce water retention and keep your energy up, while battling food cravings.

Dr. Weitzman says the goal is always to reduce medications that patients may be taking. “One of my favorite things is getting someone off of blood pressure medications,” he says. “You lose 20 pounds and, all of a sudden, your blood pressure goes down.”

After the acute phase of the program ends (once a client reaches his/her target weight), they check in less often during the maintenance and wellness phases.

But, if a client should re-gain weight after completing the program, Gerri says there’s no reason to worry. “Life happens and we are here to help,” she says. “It doesn’t mean you failed. It means you had stress in your life, or something happened.

Just pop back into the program! There is no restart fee.”

How It Works

During the first phase of the program — also known as the acute or weight-loss phase — clients come in once a week.

After an initial consultation with weight measurements, blood work and an electrocardiogram (EKG), patients receive

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Caring, Helpful Staff

Medi-Weightloss of Lutz has a staff of caring professionals who truly understand what it’s like to be in their patient’s shoes.

In fact, some are former patients.

Erin Jones had lost her husband in 2010 and then, she says, “I ate for a year.”

In 2011, she started the Medi-Weightloss program and lost 50 pounds.

After that, she joined the team. Erin is now a full-time medical assistant and the office manager at Medi-Weightloss of Lutz and Brandon. “Patients can take comfort in knowing that we’ve been down their road before and that we can truly say we know what they’re going through,” Erin says.

Medical assistant Patty Pinson has been with Medi-Weightloss for a decade and is a retired Registered Nurse (RN). Other Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) include Karina Gonzalez and Alex Pierantoni, while Raquel Sanford manages the front office.

Dr. Weitzman is a Board-certified Medical Doctor who earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel, and completed his residency at Nassau University Medical Center in Long Island, NY. He operated a primary care practice in New York, then moved to Manatee County, before coming on board at Medi-Weightloss more than four years ago.

He says there actually are many similarities between primary care and weight loss.

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left her feeling abandoned.

This time around, Sally is confident she has the support and resources she needs to keep the weight off. “They’ve been my cheerleaders and my mentors,” she says. “I’ve had long talks with the doctor and he’s fabulous. They all are. I highly recommend people go there.”

To schedule a free assessment at Medi-Weighloss of Lutz (24420 S.R. 54, Lutz), call (813) 909-1700. The office is open five days a week: 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Mon.; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Tues.; 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wed.; 1 p.m.-7 p.m. on Thur.; and 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m on Fri. More information is available at MediWeightloss.com/locations/ lutz/ or see the ad on page 21.

Sally Morrison, who is 70 years old and a former Army nurse, has lost 90 pounds since beginning the Medi-Weightloss program nine months ago, then weighing 233 pounds.

“The main difference is that with she felt terrible. As a former nurse, she primary care, you’re already treating a knew the consequences when she saw how patient’s disease. Here, we’re working bad her lab results were after a checkup, so strictly with prevention.” she decided to make a change.

He stresses all three legs of the A friend had success with Meweight-loss process: diet, exercise and ap- di-Weightloss, so Sally decided to try it, too. petite suppression. “You must do all three “When I was in my 30s, I was an in order to succeed,” Dr. Weitzman says. operating room nurse in the Army. I ran Sally Morrison is a Medi-Weightloss every day back then,” she says, “and I feel patient who has found success. In the past almost as good now as I did then.”

She says she had tried a different nine months, she’s lost 90 pounds, just weight-loss program about 10 years in time to celebrate her 70th birthday in ago, but the weight crept back on. And, early February. the clinic she went to had closed, which Before Medi-Weightloss, Sally says

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23

Despite Covid, Berkshire Hathaway Flourishes In Hot Market

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN While 2020 was a difficult year for many industries, real estate in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas experienced an unexpected boom that is continuing to flourish.

Nearly a year ago, as Florida shut down non-essential businesses, the then-80 agents of the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills offices of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group, located east of I-75 on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, left work and headed for their own homes.

“We were bracing for a downturn,” says Veronica Davidson, market president and managing Broker, explaining that the company acted quickly to set up video conferences and provide resources to its agents, such as prospecting tools. “But the opposite happened. Who would have thought it?”

In fact, the company has since grown to 115 agents.

While some of the new agents have come from other professions, Veronica says most are from other brokerages.

“They are looking for more support,” she says, “and we provide that.”

The local Berkshire Hathaway office’s success can be measured in dollars, too. Veronica says that last year was record-breaking, with $23 million in sales closed in December 2020 alone — an increase of about $10 million over 2019.

“It’s wild,” Veronica says. “Most people’s homes are selling for at least 100% of the list price — or higher — within hours.”

She says local inventory is incredibly low, with less than one month of supply available.

With 16 years of selling real estate under her belt before she took on her current role in 2019, Veronica

24

As market president and managing Broker for the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills offices of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, Veronica Davidson leads 115 agents to serve all of your real estate needs. remembers the last time real estate was this hot. However, she says she does not expect this bubble to burst.

“It’s different because it’s people coming from out of state or wanting more space because they’re spending so much time in their homes,” she explains. “These are real people looking to move into the homes, not investors (like when the last bubble burst in 2008).”

She says the mortgage side is different, too, with more regulations than in 2008. With interest rates low, it’s

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a great time to buy, and there are a lot of buyers out there.

“Some of our agents are getting really creative to get an offer accepted,” says Veronica, noting that she’s been impressed with her agents’ tactics and the way they are working for their clients. “Buyers want the homes so bad and competition is so crazy.”

Veronica hopes to see the market balance out, which she expects will happen if more inventory were to become available. “More people selling will level out the demand,” she explains.

In fact, this is a crucial opportunity for people who may have experienced a job loss because of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Most people have equity in their homes right now,” she explains. “Don’t let your home go into foreclosure if you’ve lost your job.”

Anyone with questions about the amount of equity they have in their home can call the agents at her office, who can help you understand your options for selling your home, and what it might be worth.

“Our agents have the experience in this incredibly competitive market to help market your home and get the highest price,” she explains. “And, for buyers, we can help you get your offers accepted.”

Alison Ward now lives in Country Walk in Wesley Chapel. When she previously lived in Meadow Pointe, she wanted to downsize, so she reached out to a friend of a friend to help her sell her current home and buy a new one.

That acquaintance was Kendra Wilson, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway, and Alison says working with her was an incredible experience.

“She came in and told me everything I needed to do to pretty my house up to sell it,” Alison explains. “When we went live, I had three or four offers within a day or two, then closed just a few weeks later.”

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group makes it a priority to serve the community. At last year’s “Be The Sunshine” event, agents spent a work day beautifying the 23-acre Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch in Safety Harbor. This year, the office will support The Thomas Promise Foundation, creating and stuffing backpacks with nonperishable food and school supplies for Pasco County children.

Alison appreciated how prepared Kendra was, understanding the market, and backed with research.

“She was knowledgeable,” says Alison.

“She was also easy to contact, always available, and made me feel like no question was dumb.”

Alison says a house in her former neighborhood had the same layout as hers and had been on the market a few months when she listed her home.

“I was in and out in a week and they were still on the market,” Alison says. “It could have been any number of reasons why that home didn’t sell, but I think mine did because I listened to Kendra’s advice, even about things like if there are too many pictures on the wall sand how the home smells.”

She adds that Kendra made the process incredibly easy. “I was super stressed, and she helped with every facet, from financing to finding people to do work around the house, such as flooring,” said Alison. “She was able to provide resources to get done what we needed to get done.”

Name Recognition

If the name Berkshire Hathaway seems familiar beyond the real estate business, it’s because it is derived from the holding company Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., which is chaired by billionaire financier and company CEO Warren Buffett.

The local Berkshire Hathaway office is part of HomeServices of America, Inc., which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. In fact, what is now called Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group was originally founded in 1959 as Tropical Realty. Dewey Mitchell and Allen Crumbley acquired the business in 1984, then aligned with the Prudential Real Estate Network in 1988. In 2012, Berkshire Hathaway purchased that group, including the local Prudential Tropical Realty office on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) at S.R. 56.

The current Berkshire Hathaway office opened in March of 2018.

The New Tampa/Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News

office is one of 20 offices under the Florida Properties Group umbrella. Veronica says the agents are committed to an exceptional culture, where they practice the company’s mission statement of teamwork, integrity, passion and excellence.

They know the area and the market, and Veronica says all of her agents share sincerity and a true desire to help people.

They do so using all of the resources of their global company.

“We are solution providers for all of people’s real estate needs,” Veronica explains, “including every aspect of property management, commercial real estate, insurance and title.”

Serving The Community

The agents of the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel Berkshire Hathaway office also are committed to serving the community around them. They hold a food and toy drive for Metropolitan Ministries during the holiday season, which collected more than 7,000 pounds of food last year, and they also support the Berkshire Hathaway Florida Property Group charity, called Sunshine Kids, which gives children who have terminal diseases a week in Orlando to go to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.

At the office’s annual “Be The Sunshine” event, agents take the day off to serve a charitable organization. This year, the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel agents chose to support the Thomas Promise Foundation in Zephyrhills, creating and stuffing bags with nonperishable food and school supplies for Pasco County children in late February.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group is located at 26771 S.R. 56, in the same shopping plaza as Buffalo Wild Wings. For more info, visit BHHSFloridaProperties. com, call (813) 907-8200, or see the ad on page 17 of this issue. To browse properties available for rent or learn about property management services, visit the Berkshire Hathaway online portal at RentAHomeWithUs.com. @NTWCNews

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25

Your CBD Store Adapting With New Products

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com A lot has changed in the time since Deborah and David Curler opened their Your CBD Store in the Pebble Creek Collection just 15 months ago, back on November 29, 2019.

But, the biggest change was that Covid-19 happened. As fledgling business owners coming off a couple of good months, the Curlers were hit hard by the pandemic, forced to reduce their hours and having to fight for their survival.

Keeping them going were their customers, who needed their help during the pandemic more than ever. While there were fewer of them, regular customers were still coming in or ordering for curbside pickup for Your CBD Store’s stress-, anxiety- and pain-reducing CBD products, which many consider miracle solutions.

A case in point is Mary Maloy, who has rheumatoid arthritis, and was wary of taking prescription drugs, which her daughter, who works in the medical profession, said were very strong.

So, after some research, she drove from her Temple Terrace home to the Your CBD Store in New Tampa, and says she has been mostly pain-free ever since.

“David explained everything to me, he was so friendly and nice and what I really liked is they didn’t try to force anything on me,” said Mary, who now takes a non-THC oil twice a day. She says David helped her adjust her dosage until it was just right, at 33 milligrams.

As the pandemic raged, David delivered to Mary’s home so she wouldn’t have to venture out. “They really are like family,” Mary says — and she wasn’t the only one in need during the height of the pandemic.

Deborah says a nurse from nearby AdventHealth walked through the doors one day. “I’ll never forget it,” Deborah says.

“She came in and was in tears. She said to me, ‘What do you have for stress and anxiety? I can’t take this anymore.”

As Deborah assisted her, the nurse told her she had “zipped up three people today.” Deborah was stunned. She recommended a full spectrum water soluble — which takes effect in 7-10 minutes — and the nurse went on her way, only to return again a few weeks later.

“To know that we helped is very gratifying,” says Deborah, who adds that many of the regulars at her store Your CBD Store New Tampa owners Deborah and David Curler promise are now doctors their store is different from other CBD sellers. (Photos: John C. Cotey) and nurses at Adple if you want to try CBD. ventHealth. Many of the nurses continue “I would say 75 percent of the people to share heart-wrenching stories, she says. who walk in already know about CBD,” “God bless them for what they are David says. “But, 25 percent don’t, and doing,” Deborah says. they are curious. They have questions.”

The biggest usually centers around Customer Service & Education the relationship of CBD to marijuana and Debroah says that outstanding cus“getting high.” tomer service is why Your CBD Store has CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of more a 4.9 (out of 5)-star rating on Google, than 100 cannabinoids that grow on canwhere the Curlers and their employees are

nabis, of which both hemp and marijuana are varieties. Like “weed,” CBD originates from hemp, which contains less than 0.3. of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which causes the “high,” while marijuana has much higher levels of THC. So no, CBD products will not get you high. But, they will, in most cases, provide relief from pain, anxiety and stress.

Your CBD Store, a chain with more than 500 stores nationwide, carries a wide variety of products containing CBD, which are made by SunMed. SunMed has its own farms in Denver, CO, where the company grows the hemp that is then processed in Florida.

Each product comes with a QR code on the bottle, which can be scanned to produce that product’s lab report. David says that’s a big deal, and few other CBD producers are willing to show their work to verify the purity of their products.

Cannabinoids, whether CBD, CBG (cannabigerol) and CBN (cannabinol), which are relatively new to the CBD product world, come in both full and broad spectrum. Full-spectrum CBD products contain 0.3% of THC, which is the legal limit, while broad-spectrum products contain zero THC. Deborah says that full spectrum is

applauded for their knowledge, passion and sterling customer service.

Helping people is why Deborah says she opened her own Your CBD Store. She and David have studied and become experts on CBD products which, in many cases, provide relief for those suffering from all kinds of maladies — from insomnia to cancer to chronic pain and anxiety.

The Curlers take great pleasure in educating new customers, and a flat-screen television and two chairs are positioned at the front of their store for those who want to learn more, although more and more people have become familiar with the products since CBD has become more normalized. You can even get a free sam-

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CBG and CBN (above left) are newer products that are top sellers, and Your CBD Store also offers water solubles and oils (center) as well as raw hemp (right). considered stronger, and is the bigger seller. Full- and broad-spectrum products both come in a variety of forms to suit your preference, like pills, water solubles, tinctures, gummies and vapes, and range in dosages from 5 milligrams to 2,000 mg.

Your CBD Store New Tampa also offers SunMed’s award-winning topical creams, which are effective in relieving joint pain. There also are CBD dog treats, which can keep your pet more relaxed and less anxious during stress-inducing events like fireworks and thunderstorms.

Newer cannabinoids now being sold at Your CBD Store include CBG, which provides a pick-me-up effect, and CBN, which is THC-free and is designed to promote nighttime relaxation and slumber.

Both products are hot sellers at the New Tampa store, Deborah says.

And now, you can even purchase hemp in its raw form, as a flower, and use it in a number of ways.

“You can brew it in tea, sprinkle it on your salad and even smoke it,” David says.

“But, you’re not going to get high off it.”

Your CBD Store New Tampa also sells CBD/hemp cookbooks, for the adventurous sort.

The New CBD Delta

However, creating the most buzz, pardon the pun, at Your CBD Store New Tampa is a product that hasn’t even hit the shelves yet — Delta-8, which is a close cousin to Delta-9, or THC. The difference between the two is just one particular chemical bond appearing on the eighth carbon molecule instead of the ninth. The different chemical con-

figuration makes Delta-8 less potent, and has been reported to provide users with a smoother “high” without the anxiety and paranoia associated with Delta-9/THC. Dubbed “Weed Light” by some, it has nearly the same positive effects of Delta-9, but fewer of the negative effects.

Deborah says sometime this month or next, Delta-8 will be available at Your CBD Store New Tampa in vape, gummy and spray form.

“Since Christmas time, the phone has been blowing up for Delta-8,” she says.

“People have even stopped in to see if we have it. Everyone is looking for it and it’s going to be huge once it hits.”

The Curlers hope the pandemic is on its way out the door, and business returns to its previous levels. Prices have been reduced by $8-$10 per bottle by SunMed,

as it combats consumer trepidation during these difficult times, but new products continue to flow into the store in hopes of a rebound. You also can receive $10 off your first purchase by joining the stores Loyalty Club, which can lead to other discounts and freebies.

“We’re surviving at this point,” Deborah says. “We’re praying for the best, so we can keep doing what we love, which is helping people. We feel close to our customers. They come to rely on you. And we want to be here.”

Your CBD Store New Tampa is located at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite B-1. It is open every day except Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call (813) 994-0599, visit CBDRX4U.com/find-us/florida/newtampa or see the ad on page 12.

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Yo Murphy (right) is hands-on when it comes to training athletes trying to get to the next level.

Yo Murphy Performance Expands To Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com Llewellyn Murphy, Jr., better known as “Yo” to Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ fans, remembers tearing his quad muscle in 2001. But, with the help of a performance therapist and fitness coach, Murphy was able to get back to playing wide receiver in time to help the St. Louis Rams make it to Super Bowl XXXVI on Feb. 3, 2002, which the Rams lost to the New England Patriots, the first Big Game win for QB Tom Brady.

Murphy, who played seven games for the Bucs in 1999 and was an electric kickoff returner, says he didn’t have a Plan B at the time, but the rehabilitation experience and how it helped him play four more seasons of professional football crystallized one option for him.

“It showed me how much value that has, and how much impact you can have on someone’s life when you do this job and focus on what they need,” Murphy says. “I just fell in love with it.”

Murphy ended up becoming the only player ever to play seasons in the NFL, Canadian Football League (CFL), the XFL and NFL Europe. He also is the only player to suit up for the Super Bowl, Grey Cup and World Bowl championship games. Murphy is now a 15-year veteran of the performance training industry, and is expanding from his Westchase location to the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County.

Yo Murphy Performance at Wiregrass should be up and running later this month.

At the 11,000-sq.-ft. Westchase location, 38 professional and professional-to-be athletes train as part of his clientele, including Washington Nationals outfielder Kyle Schwarber, Kansas City Royals first baseman Carlos Santana, 2020 Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith (from the University of Alabama), as well as NFL hopefuls getting ready for Neighborhood News

the NFL combine, like Smith’s teammate at Alabama, DT Christian Barmore and speedy Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz.

While prepping professional athletes for a combine or upcoming season may be a specialty, Murphy says his training center also caters to a few hundred “corporate,” as well as more than 100 youth athletes.

“We treat the regular dude like a serious athlete,” Murphy says. “People get in ruts when they just go to the gym (to go).

The only difference between the athlete and the regular dude is, while in the gym training, athletes have a start and an end date. We are good as humans when we have goals and we have deadlines and we have discipline involved. That’s what we focus on. We treat everyone the same.”

Murphy says he was alerted to the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus by his director of basketball, Darryl Hepburn, who Murphy says has held NBA combines but saw a need for a facility with more courts.

Once Murphy visited, he saw the Wiregrass Sports Campus, with its 98,000-sq. ft. of indoor space to be “a perfect fit.”

Yo Murphy Performance caters to the serious athlete, whether professional or amateur. The Wiregrass Ranch location, he says, will offer memberships for adults, and even offer 1-on-1 training and combines for those corporate athletes.

Expect a fair share of professional athletes to be sharing that space as well.

Murphy said NFL wide receivers like Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh), Deon Cain (Baltimore) and Auden Tate (Cincinnati and a Wharton High in New Tampa graduate) all live near the facility and plan on training there in the offseason.

Murphy expects more than two dozen NFL players to make Wiregrass Ranch their training home now that Super Bowl LV is over.

For additional information about Yo Murphy Performance, visit YoMurphy.com. @NTWCNews

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29

First SVB Open Is A Big Hit!

Nick Bollettieri offers instruction during some of the tennis played Feb. 11-14 at the first SVB Open at the Sarah Van De Berg Tennis Center in Zephryhills. (Photo: David Alvarez)

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

Matthew Segura and Anastasia Nefedova waited out the rain and took home the men’s and women’s singles titles at the first SVB Open, held at the new Sarah Van De Berg tennis center in nearby Zephyrhills.

The event featured $10,000 in total prize money and was sponsored by the Celsius Tennis Academy in Sarasota and world-famous tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, who was on hand and provided some tips and instruction for those who attended.

Segura, the great-nephew of Tennis Hall of Fame legend Pancho Segura and the Open’s top seed, had to survive three-set matches in the first two rounds before taking out Benjamin Kittay, who only lost six total games on his way to the final of the 64-player field.

“He was hurting me a lot with his serve and volley; he started out pretty crisp and sharp,” said Segura. “But then, in the second set, I was starting to find my game and figure him out.

All around, I had a great time.”

30

Matthew Segura was the SVB Open’s men’s winner. (Photo: Charmaine George)

Nefedova, 22, and ranked No. 532 in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), steamrolled Sarasota teenager Sofia Rojas 6-3, 6-0 in the women’s final.

“I felt good, I was just trying to work on my game throughout the tournament,” said Nefedova. “It feels pretty good getting the win.”

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Whether You Crave Italian Or American Food, Try Frammi!

By Gary Nager If your family can’t always agree about what type of food to eat — you want delicious lasagne but your kids are asking for great cheeseburgers — you can both find plenty of favorites at the all-new Frammi American Grille and Italian Food, located in the space previously occupied by the popular Oakley’s Grille on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in North Palms Village.

The restaurant has been owned by Luca and Erika Ammirati since August of 2018, but they kept the name as Oakley’s Grille until about a month ago, and they kept the menu virtually the same, with Luca adding some of his authentic Italian specialties a little at a time.

But, considering that Luca is from Napoli (Naples) in southern Italy and Erika is from a small town outside of Milano (Milan) in northern Italy, the two have a vast wealth of Italian dishes that they love sharing with hungry diners in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and beyond.

When they were formulating the menu for Frammi, Luca says he and Erika wanted to keep as much of the all-American Oakley’s menu while incorporating an equally extensive selection of truly authentic Italian favorites. To that end, the Frammi menu is American on one side, but flip it over, and you’ll find Italian specialties on the other side.

“There are plenty of places in the New Tampa area serving American food and some serving Italian,” Luca says with his charming accent, “but we wanted to be the only restaurant in the area specializing in both.”

Great Grilled Specialties

Yes, Frammi still has those delicious Oakley’s hamburgers (with a dozen different options, including the popular ghost pepper burger and the bacon, egg & cheeseburger below), “Kars Katch” fried tilapia tenders, Philly cheesesteak and chicken Philly sandwiches, beef, chicken and fish fajitas and some of the best fries in the area.

But, Luca and Erika also have added sandwiches with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, like the pastrami & swiss sandwich on marble rye bread shown on the next page, as well as a great corned beef Reuben.

And, although it’s not shown on these pages, the fried chicken sandwich also is excellent and is one of a half-dozen chicken sandwich choices, including my favorite, the unique Cajun chicken Cordon Bleu, topped with hot capicola and melted Swiss.

The Ammiratis’ Italian influence also is evident in the variety of hot pressed sandwiches, including the spicy Italian and Uncle Muzzie’s mufaletta.

(Above, l.-r.) Travis Younger, Rachell Reed, Ciara Weiss and Erika, Francesco & Luca Ammirati invite you to check out Frammi, New Tampa’s only restaurant serving both great American and Italian cuisine. (Below left) Luca creates some of our area’s best linguine with white clam sauce. (Photos on both pages by Charmaine George & Gary Nager)

Now, That’s Italian!

But, to be honest, I was much more interested in Frammi’s all-new Italian side of the menu, especially the incredible variety of pasta dishes.

There are favorites like pomodoro (fresh tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese and basil), two different ragus (not to be confused with the jarred sauce) — one with black angus beef (aka Bolognese) and an incredible ragu di salsiccia, with fresh Italian sausage. Luca says his favorite is the spicy pasta arrabiata and there’s also a puttanesca

(Above) Frammi’s prosciutto & mozzarella comes with homemade bread. (Right) Frammi’s bacon, egg & cheese burger is one of our editor’s new favorites. (Far right) If you’ve never had authentic fried Italian-style meatballs, you have to try them at Frammi.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 5 • March 2, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

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(with black and green olives, garlic, anchovies, tomato sauce and capers).

But, my favorites are the truly authentic meat lasagne (right), made with creamy bechamel sauce, instead of the more Americanized ricotta), Don’t miss Frammi’s authentic Italian items like the perfect pesto (which sticks to the meat lasagne (above) and Erika’s tiramisu (below). pasta better than at most places) and especially, the vongole (tiny, fresh clams in their shells, made with diced tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, white wine, garlic and red chili pepper flakes.

Luca originally introduced me to his authentic fried meatballs more than a year ago, as he says in southern Italy, they don’t serve the meatballs in sauce, they’re served with a side of fresh tomato dipping sauce and garlic bread. Other Italian specialties include a chunky bruschetta appetizer, burger and more — all from $3.49-$6.99. a an antipasto Italiano with prosciutto, “Please be patient,” Luca says. “We mortadella (also ham), salami, Parmesan are not serving fast food here. Everything is cheese and house-baked bread), a “secondo made to order — including Erika’s homeplatto” (second dish) of prosciutto e mozmade tiramisu (above).” zarella (also with house-baked bread), a fried And, everything I’ve sampled to date chicken “cotoletta” (served with fries), an has been outstanding. I can’t wait to try eggplant (melanzana) parmigiana so popular more — and neither should you! it sells out all the time, fried calamari and Frammi (17631 BBD Blvd.) is open several others. every day, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and offers There’s also a variety of freshly made delivery with Doordash, Mobile Meals salads and a reasonably priced kids’ menu, & Uber Eats. For more info, call (813) with everything from fish sticks to cheese523-5075 or see the ad on pg. 35.

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Neighborhood News

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 5 • March 2, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

33

Zukku-San Is Taking Its Place Among Wesley Chapel’s Best! utive Chef Gia Tran (Ferdian’s girlfriend is Gia’s wife’s sister) have brought the same “works of art” feel to the coolly elegant Zukku-San, which is much more of a sitdown, fine dining restaurant, featuring a super-premium, full liquor bar.

Gia, who spent several years at Sushi Alive in the Westshore Business District, followed by five years at Ocean Prime outside of the International Plaza, says that Zukku-San allows him to get even more into his unique combination of knowledge and love of the freshest sushi and the ability to create more upscale works of art that he learned at Ocean Prime.

In fact, “Zukku” is a canvas commonly used by artists to create their masterpieces and “San” is a title of respect added to a name in Japanese.

Amazing food is the art form and the chefs are the artists who use the finest ingredients to create these culinary masterpieces. In fact, there even are large and small sushi and sashimi palettes served on a custom artist’s palette. These folks are not playing around when it comes to food.

If you spend a few minutes with Ferdian and Chef Gia (photo top right on this page), you can tell just how excited they are about their latest venture together (they also have a Zukku Sushi location in Charlotte, NC) — and they’re not the only ones.

Although fans of Zukku-San pack the place (but please note that there are few eateries better set up for social distancing) for dinner virtually every night, Gia and Ferdian only recently unveiled a new lunch menu, so the lunch crowd is just now building.

But, while you can get the full dinner menu if you go at lunch time, there also are lunchonly items, like excellent tuna and other poké bowls and tender short rib and other bento boxes (all of which include salad, rice, (Above, top to bottom) Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill offers two fried gyoza, or pork dumpa wide variety of sushi rolls. The steak yakitori starter is lings, and Zukku-San’s amazamong Gary’s favorites. And, Gary says you simply have to ingly fresh and delicious sautéed try the zucchini tempura. veggies). The bottom line is that

By Gary Nager

If you somehow haven’t seen it as you crawl to or from I-75 on S.R. 56, or you haven’t seen the ads (or my previous shorter writeups) in these pages, a favorite from Tampa’s Armature Works has opened in our area.

Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill opened towards the end of 2020, next to Crumbl Cookie, and has brought that great Tampa vibe along with it.

But, while the Zukku Sushi location in the Tampa Heights Market at Armature Works is set up (like most restaurants in that space) as a faster-food mix of “curated” sushi, poké bowls and sushi burritos, co-owner Ferdian Jap and his possible future brother-in-law and co-owner/Exec-

whether you go for lunch, dinner or drinks and appetizers, you really can’t beat the quality — or the artistry — of Chef Gia’s food at Zukku-San.

For Starters...

Jannah and I haven’t always gotten a full meal when we visit Zukku-San because the starters are just so delicious — and many of our favorites appear on this page.

But, every dine-in visitor to Zukku-San also receives a towel that puffs up when your server pours hot water on it. But, neither photographer Charmaine George nor I got a picture that really does this magical process justice, so you’ll just have to check it out for yourself, OK? And, even though Jannah and I aren’t as big on sushi as some Zukku-San diners, the fish is always fresh and excellent, as is the seared ahi tuna tataki. Also outstanding are the fried vegetable spring rolls (served with a unique orange chili sauce), the skewers of beef tenderloin and chicken yakitori (shrimp and scallop yakitori also are on the menu; all are skewered with fresh sautéed onions, peppers zucchini and even broccoli) and the fried pork gyoza (below right).

But, our favorite starters are probably the wide variety of Tempura a la Carte options. Jannah’s favorite is the zucchini and mine are the broccoli, carrot and amazing whole soft shell crab tempura (bottom right). Also on the tempura menu are shrimp, sweet potato, tofu, whole giant squid, avocado, scallops, hamachi (yellowtail) collar, asparagus, onion rings, red and jalapeño pepper and even whole lobster tail tempura.

“Most Japanese restaurants give you an order of tempura that may have some vegetables you don’t like,” Ferdian says. “But, we give you four pieces of zucchini or broccoli or whatever vegetables you like, for only $2.95 per order. At Zukku-San, you pick only the tempura items you want.”

There’s even “Chef’s Features” available, like a tender bluefin tuna appetizer, topped with caviar. Ferdian says that the bluefin appetizer is likely to become a regular menu item in the future, but Gia says other “Chef’s Features” also are coming soon.

There also are soups and salads available as starters, but other than the ginger salad that comes with the entrées, Jannah and I haven’t sampled any of them...yet.

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chicken teriyaki (right), which is served with those aforementioned sautéed veggies. Also available are dinner portions of those tender, delicious grilled short ribs, plus items we haven’t tried yet, like soy butter glazed baked salmon, miso garlic scallops or tofu, and wok-fired hibachi and udon noodle dishes, all with your choice of protein, or just with veggies.

But, it’s really hard for us to ever pass up the Japanese-style fried rice, which is jasmine rice with egg, peas, carrots and onions and available with chicken, beef, shrimp or fried tofu protein options, but our favorite is the veggie fried rice (right), which adds red peppers, broccoli, zucchini and amazing baby bok choy. The rice has a nutty flavor that is hard to match.

Zukku-San also has a kids menu, but while the items aren’t cheap, the portions seem adultsized to us. There’s also a variety of desserts, from triple chocolate cake to matcha green tea cheesecake, fried ice cream and more, but we’ve honestly never had room left over for dessert. There’s also a variety of hot and iced teas, as well as boba milk tea, but Jannah usually gets a wine or hot saki and I usually have either an Asahi Dry or Sapporo beer, or a whiskey.

Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill (25916 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz) opens every day at 11 and is open until 9:30 on weekdays, 10 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. & 9 p.m. on Sun. For more information, visit ZukkuSushi.com, call (813) 419-1351 or see the ad on pg. 33 of this issue.

(Formerly Oakley’s Grille)

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[ Authentic Italian pasta dishes \ [ Great burgers, cheesesteaks & fries \ [ Homemade lasagne \ [ Salads & other healthy options \ [ Homemade tiramisu \ [ Southwest chicken & fish tacos \ [ Bruschetta & Calamari \ [ Hot pressed sandwiches \ [ Beer & Wine \ [ Kids Menu, and so much more! \

Open Every Day, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 5 • March 2, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

35

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HOME IMPROVEMENT

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 for 1-story home & $199 for 2-story home. Need an instant quote? Text me a picture of the job you need done. Call Tj at 727-808-7775.

HOME HEALTH CARE

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, background-checked, Covid-tested, dependable companions w/their own transportation. Very reasonable rates. Call Diane or Elisa at 813-938-8614.

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Affordable & Reliable. Family-Owned & Operated. Wesley Chapel Resident. Weekly / Bi-Weekly / Deep Cleaning/ Move-In / Move-Out. Serving Wesley Chapel & New Tampa. Call today for a FREE No-Obligation Quote: 813-462-1270. Local references supplied upon request.

CLEAN-IT RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL CLEANING: Following all CDC Guidelines, 18 years cleaning in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel. Licensed & Insured. Call 813.505.0431, email cleanitmc@gmail.com or see our display ad on page 41!.

MILLENNIUM HOME REPAIR. Prof’l Handyman. Cabinet install., dry wall repair, tile install. & repair, some plumbing, laminate flooring, light fixtures, int. painting, appliance install., pressure washing, paneling, window repair, awning install., carpentry, garbage disposal, fence repair, crown molding, window blinds, seal baths & showers, TV mounting & more. Call 813-400-1408 or email TycoonUnion@yahoo.com.

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Commercial and Residential; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house and post-construction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in or move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates; References available. Call today: 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE We have our own supplies & more than 400 clients in New Tampa!

For more information, call 813-758-9710 or see our display ad below right.

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.

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LAWN & LANDSCAPING

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Patios, decks, retaining walls, property maintenance & lawn care. Sod & lawn installation, 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. Licensed & insured, serving the Tampa Bay area over 20 years. Family owned & operated. Quality work at affordable prices. We provide gutter clean-out, screen repair, pressure washing & sprinkler repair.

Landscaping & property maintenance including: sod, tree & hedge trimming & clean ups. Other services are available. CALL 813-907-LAWN (5296).

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We accept Visa, MC, PayPal, Zelle, AmExp. Call or text 813-420-4465. Now hiring full-time workers.

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PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT in your home or small business. A+, Certified computer tech w/20 years exp. Maintenance & Repairs, Upgrades & Tutoring.

More affordable than large chains! Friendly, personalized service. Technical jargon explained. Remote assistance avail. References avail. Call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate or see our ad on pg. 37.

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.

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TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE. New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing with outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! Call or Text Chris today @ 813-8575400 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.

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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.

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For more info, visit TheExerscienceCenter.com, call 813.464.0313 or see the ad on pg. 6 of this issue.

Break It Down Productions. Customized Private Yoga Sessions w/Susanna Jones. Develop strength & flexibility, while learning how to breathe & relax. I specialize in working w/beginners and those requiring a more gentle approach than most group Yoga classes. I explain everything, and provide variations so that you actually feel good in the stretch instead of strained. Gift certificates available. www. breakitdownproductions.com or Call (813) 802-8393.

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36

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 5 • March 2, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 29, Issue 5 • March 2, 2021 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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