New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 31, Issue 5, March 7, 2023

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 two-hand 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 business 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 (and I) 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 two+ weeks 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 start my career and I do know that he loved me.

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GL Homes Proceeds With Pebble Creek Redevelopment Plan

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

GL Homes has officially teed off with its plans to redevelop the Pebble Creek Golf Club (PCGC).

The home builder has filed plans with Hillsborough County to amend the golf course property’s zoning and redevelop the 149 acres following months of meetings with residents — including, most recently, a door-to-door campaign — in their efforts to convince Pebble Creek residents that its plans are best for the community.

Even so, GL Homes faced resistance from a group of homeowners trying to stop them.

Although there are still a handful of steps along the way, including more meetings with the public, a vote on the proposed project by the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners (BCC) could come as soon as July 18.

PCGC owner Bill Place, whose company is Ace Golf, made it clear in a letter to Pebble Creek residents that redevelopment was the only choice.

He wrote to residents in a twoand-a-half-page letter that it would never reopen as a golf course due to the “declining economics” of golf, and that

the county would never purchase the property to turn into a park because it doesn’t have the money.

He said his first choice, and by far the one he felt was best for the community, was the plan submitted by GL Homes to the county. Those plans include a gated, 251-unit single-family detached residential development, with an amenity center and four acres of passive and active park space throughout the development.

He said if that plan is not approved,

GL Homes’redevelopment plan. then residents will be stuck with a “vacant, overgrown, fenced-in property for potentially many years to come (like Walden Lake) and another plan by a lesser builder without the many guarantees and concessions made in GL Homes’ plan.”

Place told residents in the letter that he has solicited input from the community’s two homeowners associations (HOAs) and neighbors, and has agreed to certain requests — such as limiting density to about 250 units (although

nearly 600 are allowed), enhancing existing wetlands, adding recreational amenities and also requiring the developer to make any road improvements needed to offset the number of new homes.

Place, who recently had a chain-link fence installed around the golf course due to what he claims is rampant vandalism, also took some shots at the Save Pebble Creek group and others that are opposed to redevelopment.

“There is a vocal group that would have you believe that a vacant, overgrown, vandalized 150-acre property with a chainlink fence around it is better for your property values than GL Homes’ redevelopment plan,” Place wrote. “And, they would have you believe that, as the owner of the property, I will simply relinquish it to any buyer for a park or revived golf course. I will not, as both are not realistic options. I will simply hold the property for as many years as it takes for the existing entitlements and property rights to be recognized by a governing authority.”

Place said the letter was written to combat what he says is misinformation that has been spread about his intentions. Before shutting down, PCGC was the oldest golf course in New Tampa, opening in 1967. Place bought the

See “Pebble Creek” on pg. 6

Pebble Creek Golf Club owner Bill Place recently had a chain link fence installed around the defunct golf course to prevent vandalism. It didn’t help when it came to the former golf club’s marquee. The chain link fence could become permanent if the county doesn’t approve

Green Seeks Dismissal Of Bill Place’s Lawsuit

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Pebble Creek resident Leslie Green will find out tomorrow if Bill Place’s lawsuit against her will proceed.

Green filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed in March of last year by Place, the owner of the shuttered Pebble Creek Golf Club (story on previous page). The suit accuses Green of defamation and interfering with his attempts to lure a developer to buy the 149-acre golf course.

Green filed a countersuit in May 2022, but is now seeking to have Place’s original suit dismissed under Florida’s Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute.

A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 8, at 2 p.m., at the Hillsborough County Courthouse in downtown Tampa.

A press release from Save Pebble Creek, the organization Green started to fight against efforts to redevelop the golf course by building homes over it, claims that the sale and rezoning is a “public issue” and therefore any oppositional statements made by Green and others are constitutionally protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“As punishment for engaging in valid, protected political speech, Mr. Place filed his SLAPP suit against Leslie Green,” the press release says. “The lawsuit has one goal: to silence Leslie Green and anyone else who might speak out against Mr.

Place’s attempt to sell and rezone the golf course, so he can walk away rich, leaving hundreds of homeowners to suffer the loss of green space and diminished property values in his wake.”

The AntiSLAPP statute prohibits lawsuits that are brought against individuals for exercising their right of free speech in connection with a public issue.

“His lawsuit is just an attempt to shut me up,” says Green, who has lived on the golf course for 30 years. “And the same for the community. I feel like the community is afraid of being sued. We have seen less interaction on our Facebook page, and I have people telling me they don’t want to get involved, even if they agree with us, because they don’t want to be sued.”

Green continues to insist that the majority of Pebble Creek residents do not want the golf course plowed over to make room for 251 homes. She and her group have been staging protests and handing out fliers.

“I handed 100 fliers out the last time, and not one of the people who took one said they were in favor of this (development),” she says.

Place disagrees. He believes Green’s group is just a small but vocal minority.

Bill Place

‘Pebble Creek’

Continued from pg. 4

6,436-yard semi-private golf course in 2005. He has said that since the 2008 recession, he had been unable to make much money from it. When he shut PCGC down for good on July 31, 2021, he said there were only a dozen golf members.

Place had been seeking buyers for the property before he shuttered it, and at least four other developers had explored purchasing the course before ultimately declining.

The county staff will examine the GL Homes plan and reply with comments, suggestions and possibly revisions. Jake Cremer, a land-use attorney for Stearns Weaver Miller law, who is representing the developer, said he expects the first hearing will be May 15 before the zoning hearing master, who will listen to both sides and make a recommendation to the BCC.

Cremer says GL Homes has gone above and beyond the normal efforts of developers in trying to bring the existing Pebble Creek community on board with the plans. The home builder is close to wrapping up its door-to-door campaign, with the goal of reaching all 1,350 homes in Pebble Creek.

The larger Pebble Creek HOA represents 1,050 homes and has participated in meetings with GL Homes; the smaller Pebble Creek Village HomeOwners Association (PCV HOA), which represents 303 homes, remains opposed to redevelopment and has declined all meetings.

One of the PCV HOA members, Leslie Green, is the person who started the Save Pebble Creek Facebook page and helped organize a number of protests. Despite the efforts of GL Homes, Green remains unconvinced.

“All the same issues we’ve had from the start are still there,” Green says. “Our quality of life will be impacted.

The construction will take three years, the loss of wildlife and green spaces is terrible, and this area just can’t handle any more traffic.”

Green says that most of the residents that she has spoken with are opposed to redevelopment

However, Cremer says GL Homes is not finding that to be the case.

“What we’re finding is that, like a lot of these more controversial projects, there’s a very vocal minority that’s opposed,” Cremer says. “And, there’s a similar number of people that really like the idea. They’re just tired of having 18 months of a defunct golf course in their back yards, with no way to use that or enjoy the property. And then, there’s a lot of people in the middle that have been, from what I understand, very, very open to talking and haven’t necessarily made their minds up yet.”

Pebble Creek was zoned PD (Planned Development), and the 149 acres in question was zoned as a golf course. The developers will try and get that designation removed.

The county’s current comprehensive plan, established in 1989, classifies the Pebble Creek property in the RES4 Future Land category, which caps development at a maximum of four homes per acre, meaning that as many as 600 homes would be permitted. GL Homes, as one of its concessions to current residents, it says, only intends to build 251, or less than half of that total.

Place still has a soil issue to contend with as the redevelopment process plays out. Contaminants were discovered in the golf course’s soil in 2019, and Place says he recently received approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to submit a cleanup plan. He expects that plan to be submitted in roughly 30 days, with six months needed for the cleanup.

“Things are happening,” Place says. “I think we are taking steps in the right direction with all of this.”

The area in red is the former Pebble Creek Golf Club, which will be redeveloped by GL Homes and become home to 251 single-family dwellings and other amenities, if property owner Bill Place gets his way. (NN Map: Charmaine George)

Mayor Castor Keeps Promise To Help Trash Project

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

No one can say that Tampa Mayor Jane Castor isn’t true to her word.

After promising a few weeks ago at a community forum at Coffee Speaks & Tea Talks in Pebble Creek (as we reported last issue) to come take part in a trash pick-up event planned by Clark Elementary fourth grader Makenna Reel, the mayor, despite having to be at the Gasparilla Distance Classic in downtown Tampa at 5:30 a.m., showed up for the roadside trash pick-up right on time.

“I was still a little surprised,” said a smiling Makenna. “She could have been there or not been there, but she took time out of her day to be there.”

Castor met with many of the volunteers and posed for pictures while encouraging the cleanup of the parking lot at The Walk At Highwoods Preserve shopping center, at the corner of Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. and Bruce B. Downs Blvd., only a mile or so from Makenna’s school.

“This is our home and I think it’s critically important that we keep it clean,” Castor said. “To see litter out in the community, it sends a message that we don’t care about Tampa. So, it’s a huge focus of mine, and I’ll continue to focus for the next four years on keeping Tampa clean.”

Makenna started the Green Clean club at her school after builders of a new roof at Clark left debris behind. She also planned the Feb. 25 cleanup, and was joined by more than two dozen volunteers, who collected about 20 bags of garbage. Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, which provided the bags and gloves, also picked the trash up after it had been collected.

Makenna said the event, her first outside of school property, was a success and added that she’d like to do more.

(Left) Tampa Mayor Jane Castor showed up to a trash pickup project at The Walk at Highwoods Preserve on Feb. 25 that was organized by Clark Elementary 4th grader Makenna Reel (2nd from left, and at left in right photo). (Photos by Charmaine George)

“I was thinking about going to Flatwoods Park, or maybe I’ll take some suggestions,” Makenna said. “I want everyone to be a part of it.”

Local Women Band Together In 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 little more than 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 that Sylvia’s birthday was that Tuesday, but what really jumped out at Denise was that Sylvia was asking for donations for the Florida Kidney Foundation, because her 34-yearold son was in dire need of a kidney.

That hit 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 likely was gripping Sylvia.

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

Denise was moved to action. Not only had she had faced the same worries when she donated a kidney to her brother, but 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.

Because Denise was going through her donation at the same time the Neighborhood News had published its piece on Raj’s plight, she found some solace following the story. Raj found his donor in K-Bar Ranch resident Joel Morales, who had 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.

It was only natural, then, that Denise would connect Radha, also once a worried, frightened mother, to Sylvia, who is now going through the same thing.

“I just thought, ‘(Radha’s) gonna want to help Sylvia,’” Denise said. “And, she did. I mean, she responded within a minute of my text. Sylvia was so gracious. I told her. ‘You’re not by yourself.’”

Radha eagerly offered assistance. They began 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?”

For Sylvia, it has been a fear-filled year.

Her sons were both always going to need kidney transplants, 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. “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.”

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

Despite knowing that the day would

Radha Guntuku (left) and Denise Rose sit at the table that started their whole journey together trying to help a family in need of a kidney.(Photo: Charmaine George)

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 (Victor) 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 for Anthony is waiting in the wings, Kristina says, but nothing has been finalized. She knows better than to get her hopes up too much,

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,” Sylvia 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. To help the Moreta family, visit https://gofund.me/02e64627.

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 courtesy of Kristina Moreta)

Thousands Get A Preview Of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel!

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Scooping his free Island Fin Poké Co. poké bowl into his mouth, Trey Walker paused for a second before answering the question of the day at BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel’s open house last month.

“I don’t like hospitals,” the Tampa truck driver said, smiling, “but if I ever need to go to one, I hope it’s this one.”

Walker was one of an estimated 4,000 people who took part in the area’s newest hospital’s open house on Feb. 18, which featured tours, food trucks, vendor booths and a kids area.

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel was expected to open to at least emergency room patients today (Mar. 7). The 86-bed, state-of-the-art hospital is located on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. just south of S.R. 54.

BayCare Wesley Chapel president Becky Schulkowski was thrilled to finally unveil the hospital to the public.

“It’s just been extremely exciting, rewarding, and humbling seeing the response from the community,” she said. “I’m being thanked for coming to this community. It just feels like such a blessing…and we will live up to their expectations.”

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel boasts 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 technology like the CT scanner and a DaVinci Robotic Surgical System.

The DaVinci robot drew a few oohs and aahs from those on the tour, its multiple arms coiled like a resting octopus. It allows for very precise incisions and techniques used by surgeons, including things like hernia repairs and colorectal surgery.

“So, if anyone with colon cancer needs to have parts of their colon removed, it can be done with the robot,” Schulkowski said. “The procedures with the robot really allows you to heal faster and get out of the hospital quicker. With some of those bigger surgeries, before we started using the robotic surgery, you would be in the hospital for five days (or more) after that procedure. Now, you can be home in one or two days.…and what most people want is to get out of the hospital and get home.”

Much of the planning that went into BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel was about comfort.

“We really thought about what it feels like to be a patient, and how much most people really don’t like to be in a hospital,” Schulkowski said. “So, we really tried to design it with that perspective in mind, and really make it a comfortable, healing environment.”

That means all of the patient rooms are private, and have integrated Alexa, a voice-controlled virtual assistant that allows you to call your nurse, dim the lights, raise the blinds or the thermostat and other things, with just your voice.

The hospital provides most general surgeries, orthopaedic surgeries, urology and a cath lab to diagnose any heart issues, Schulkowski said.

“We went all out to make sure we had the absolute best technology available for the community,” she added.

While 86 rooms may not seem like a lot, BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is expandable. Schulkowski said the option is available to build a second tower directly above the ER if needed. “We can pretty much double everything,” she said.

Also planned is a 20-bed observation unit, which could be built next to the ER on the backside of the hospital, by 2027. “That will allow us to cohort what we call observation patients, patients that come in and maybe have chest pain, and we need to run a couple tests and see is it a heart problem? Or is it just really bad heartburn?,” Schulkowski said. “While you’re waiting for those tests, you

don’t need to be up in the hospital, you’re just waiting on getting some test results. We’re gonna keep you comfortable, get those test results and then, hopefully, send you on your way.”

It was ten years ago that AdventHealth (then Florida Hospital) Wesley Chapel opened its doors, giving the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa areas newer (and closer) options for care. And, next up is Orlando Hospital Wesley Chapel, a 300-bed facility under construction on S.R. 56.

The nonprofit company that is opening BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel understands that there are options. Schulkowski said her staff is ready to meet the challenge. In fact, one of her pet projects was the sculpture out front — five ribbons coming together. Each ribbon has one of the five BayCare values engraved on it: Trust, Respect, Responsibility, Excellence and Dignity.

“I wanted the very first thing that our community saw when they came onto campus (were) the BayCare values, because that’s what we bring to this community,” Schulkowski said.

For more information, visit BayCare.org.

(Left) These are just a few of the roughly 4,000 people who showed up for BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel’s community open house on Feb. 18. The new hospital features private rooms with Alexa-enabled services, and a Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System (right). (Photos: John C. Cotey)

Local Author Lois Lewandowski Hopes To Inspire Others

By GARY NAGER

I recently read a novel by someone I’ve known indirectly for more than 20 years — Hunter’s Green resident Lois Lewandowski.

To be fair, despite knowing Lois’ husband (and local financial advisor) Chuck Lewandowski for that amount of time, I had only met her a handful of times and I honestly had no idea that the one-time IT rep for a Silicon Valley company who later worked in the jewelry department of Nordstrom’s was a published author.

So, when Lois (who writes her books as “L.A. Lewandowski”) contacted me by email about buying an ad for her most recent “vanity published” (she hates the term “selfpublished;” more on this below) novel — The Ghost on Swann — I told her that I would read the book first and be honest with her about whether or not I thought it would be worth buying ads to try to sell copies of it.

Well, quite truthfully, I was blown away by The Ghost. Each chapter of the book is told in first person by one of the four major characters — the ghost herself, Bertha “Posh” Swann, Posh’s friend Victor, Victor’s niece Tyrene and even a mannequin named Maude. The format, albeit a little confusing at first, does make you want to find out what happens next. Posh, who “haunts” the business now owned by her living friend Victor, was murdered in the same building many years earlier.

If you recognize the spelling of “Swann,” it’s because Posh’s family is supposedly the reason Swann Ave. in Tampa’s renowned Hyde Park Village neighborhood (where the entire story is set) was given that name.

For a book devoid of sex and violence (even the description of Posh’s murder was somewhat pedestrian), The Ghost on Swann is a true page-turner. I told Lois that, as I read it, I wondered if maybe Posh’s murder was more of a mystery than the reader is led to believe, but as it turns out, The Ghost is not a murder mystery. Instead, it’s simply a well-crafted story rooted in the fashion industry (as Lois herself has been) that likely will appeal more to women than to men but I wouldn’t discourage anyone from giving it the once-over.

“I’m very proud of The Ghost,” Lois says. “It took three rewrites to get it to where it is now.”

Lois On ‘Vanity’ Publishing

Speaking of rewrites, as I mentioned earlier, Lois isn’t a fan of the term “selfpublished,” because it indicates to many people that the books are likely less “professional” than those published by one of the remaining major publishing houses.

However, after reading The Ghost, it’s obvious that Lois’ work is not only professional, she takes a lot of pride in things like her editor (Stacy Juba), the design of the covers of her books, the spelling, grammar

Local author Lois Lewandowski poses with most of her “vanity published” books, including The Ghost on Swann (right). (Photos by Charmaine George)

and punctuation of her stories and other things that many “self-published” authors don’t seem to sweat as she does.

“I prefer to call it ‘vanity publishing,’” she says. “Just because Viking, Penguin and other traditional publishers haven’t published my books, I care that if you read them, you won’t be able to distinguish it from a traditionally published book.”

She admits, however, that some selfpublishers who don’t think they have to pay the same attention to detail, give the vanity publishing business a bad name.

Many also don’t think you can make “real” money as a vanity publisher.

“But that just isn’t true,” Lois says. “I’m in a lot of online independent publishing groups and the word is that it takes as many as 15 books to really start making money. The Ghost on Swann is only my sixth book, but my brain is very active and I have at least three more that are close to being ready, so I feel like I’m on my way.”

On the other hand, Lois says that even though sites like Amazon do provide numbers of copies sold to authors, “I don’t

really worry about sales. I write because I have stories in my head and I do regularly receive money for my book sales, too.”

Lois says it wasn’t always her dream to be a writer — “I wanted to be a lawyer, really...but it is my dream now.” She points to one vanity publisher who has written 35 or more books, putting out two a year, and has enough of a following that it is now his full-time job. “Amazon has an algorithm (for book sales) and you have to feed the algorithm, so I have to get another book out by October of this year to do that.”

She also says that a lot of people she meets tell her that they really want to write a book and she always encourages them to do so.“Stephen King calls it ‘BIC,” or ‘Butt in Chair,’ which is the only way to get it done.”

In addition, Lois wrote for a blog called “Indies Unlimited” and found out, “that a lot of self-published writers are too cheap to register their work with the Library of Congress to protect it. But, if you really think you have a story people would be interested in reading, why wouldn’t you want to protect it?”

She adds, “Writers’ ideas are not copyright-able, but the words themselves are. If you protect your work, and someone publishes something that’s really close to your words, you can go after them legally.”

Lois says she even has gone so far as to teach “Authors 101” courses at public libraries, where she teaches people who want to write how to get started. “After the Tampa Bay Times did an article on me several years ago, I had 25 or 30 people at

my course at the Riverview library,” she says. “The information I gave out then is all old now because of the internet, but I found out that a lot of people definitely have stories they want to tell in a book. That’s why, when I did my Authors 101 course, I felt so good about encouraging other authors to become vanity publishers.”

She also notes that it’s harder than ever to get one of the big publishing houses to publish your book, as you have write query letters to literary agents because, “you can’t even submit a manuscript to the folks at Random House.”

But, Lois says, “If you want to be a writer, your goal should be to publish, not to make money. “I don’t keep track of my sales because my goal is to be proud of my work. If people love my books, the money will come.”

Before releasing The Ghost on Swann in 2022, Lois’ first book was Born to Die, The Montauk Murders (2011). That was followed by A Gourmet Demise, Murder in South Tampa (2014), which Lois says briefly hit #1 on Amazon for a while and may be her career best-seller. Between those murder mysteries was Gentleman Vampire: The Undead Have Style (2012). She also has published Bacon Aporkalypse, which is a collection of recipes paired with short stories in 2014. And, Lois says the ebook Thirty Days of Work from Home Style (2020), was how she navigated the pandemic. She says her next book, which she plans to have out by the end of this year, will be the sequel to Gentleman Vampire. Search “Books by L.A. Lewandowski” on Amazon.com. Almost all of Lois’ titles are available in paperback and for Kindle.

Legacy At Highwoods Preserve Celebrates Vets, Centenarians & More

Congratulations to The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve (18600 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.) — which was the first full-service assisted living and memory care residence to open in New Tampa when it made its debut more than a decade ago — for hosting a couple of great recent events.

On Presidents Day (Feb. 21), The Legacy hosted a unique celebration to honor its three residents who are all at least 100 years old — Grace Forsythe (age 101), Mary Carbonara (100) and Holocaust survivor Nat Ross (also 100). As part of the celebration, The Legacy executive director Mitchell Edelstein unveiled a unique wall mural adorned with the U.S. flag, an American bald eagle and photos of all ten Legacy residents who also are U.S. military veterans.

The next day, Edelstein and the entire staff at The Legacy hosted a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event in honor of its Grand Reopening, with amazing food by Chef Josh. For more info about The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve, call (813) 375-9858 or visit LegacyPreserveTampa.com. — GN

(Above) Tampa City Council member Luis Viera celebrates the lives of the three 100-yearold residents at The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve (l.-r.) Grace Forsythe, Nat Ross & Mary Carbonara. (Below) A new wall mural honoring all of the U.S. military vets at The Legacy also was unveiled on Presidents Day. (All photos on this page by Charmaine George)

(Above) The day after Presidents Day, The Legacy hosted a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the assisted living & memory care facility’s Grand Reopening. (Below) The Legacy put out quite a spread of food for the Grand Reopening event.

NTPAC To Debut This Month; B&B Theatres Unveils Improvements

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

The New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) will hold its first event for the community on Saturday, March 25, with a performance by the New Tampa Players (NTP), following a dedication to the theatre troupe’s founder, the late Doug Wall.

The doors to the new 20,000-sq.ft. Hillsborough County-owned facility — located across from the entrance to the Hunter’s Green community — will open at 6:30 p.m.. Doors to the theater open at 7, with the ceremony and a performance scheduled for 7:30.

While the grand opening for the NTPAC itself actually will come at a later date, organizers are using the dedication and NTP performance as a soft grand opening and an opportunity to honor Wall, a major driver of the arts in the New Tampa area prior to his death in 2017.

Wall founded NTP, which held its first production “They’re Playing Our Song” at both Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club and at Hunter’s Green Country Club, in 2002. NTP has survived as a gypsy-like troupe, putting on performances at a number of different locations while Wall and others fought for a permanent New Tampa home for the organization, which NTPAC will be.

After the dedication, NTP will put on a cabaret-style show that will give attendees an idea of how a performance is put on by the group, as well as how the troupe plans its seasons.

Shows already scheduled for this season include:

• “Beauty & the Beast Jr.: A Penguin Project Production” (Apr. 14-16)

• “Grease” (July 21-30)

• “Shrek” (Oct. 20-29) and

• “Dreamgirls” (Feb. 2-11, 2024).

For tickets to and more information about NTP and these

upcoming performances, visit NewTampaPlayers.org.

MOVIE UPGRADES: Speaking of places to watch shows, the B&B Theatres Wesley Chapel (formerly the Cobb Theater) held a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event on Feb. 15 to show off some of B&B’s remodeling efforts since taking over management of the theater in 2022. Among the new options at B&B Wesley Chapel are:

• Premium Large Format (PLF) Grand Screen, which provides a true wall-to-wall experience.

• ScreenX, which, according to B&B Theatres’ director of communications Paul Farnsworth, is the world’s first multi-projection platform, allowing viewers to experience select films in an expansive, 270-degree presentation, as the two sidewalls of the theater are utilized to give a more immersive experience.

• The Lyric, a smaller (32-seat) theater designed for a more intimate and upscale theatrical experience. The Lyric will be used for showing independent and art films — such as the poignant comedy “80 for Brady” — and offers other high- end touches, including seat-

• Max Relax — Located in another smaller (only 50+ seats) theater, Max Relax offers commercial-grade, electric, heated, fully reclining leather chaise lounge chairs that are great for movie watching....and, if the movie isn’t great, a nice little nap.

• Cycle Cinema, which is being leased to owner Pascal Collard of the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness center in Zephyrhills and three partners

(Nick Walton, Andy Sorrentino and SVB co-owner Andy Green), which brings a Peloton-type shared workout experience to the big screen, with classes for everyone from total beginner to expert.

• SideSplitters at The Grove, the comedy club which already has been operational for more than a year before the Grand Reopening event.

For more information, visit bbtheatres.com or Facebook.com/ bbtheatres. For more info about Cycle Cinema, visit TheCycleCinema.com.

Among the new features unveiled at B&B Theatres Wesley Chapel’s ribbon-cutting event on Feb. 15 included (left) the Cycle Cinema and (above) the fully-reclining seats at B&B’s Max Relax theater. (Photos by Charmaine George) mounted tray tables and elegant waterfall curtains

New Tampa’s 2022-23 Teachers Of The Year

The 2023 Excellence in Education Awards, hosted by the Hillsborough Education Foundation in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools, recently recognized outstanding educators at the county’s public schools, including 11 in New Tampa.

Each school nominated one candidate for the each of the three county-wide awards — Teacher of the Year, Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year and Instructional Support Employee of the Year.

While none of the District winners were from New Tampa’s schools, it is an honor to be nominated for the many deserving teachers and support staff at all of our local schools.

Congratulations to the New Tampa nominees for Teacher of the Year (pictured on these pages), and the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educators and Instructional Support Employees (not pictured). — Celeste McLaughlin

Robyn Lauck 1st Grade Pride Elementary

Yvonne Vasquez 5th Grade Hunter’s Green Elementary

Laura Dodds Gromkov 5th Grade Tampa Palms Elementary

Shanika Abdullah Math Wharton High

Rebecca Santamaria English Freedom High

Carrie Frump Reading Benito Middle School

Shelley Lambert English Turner/Bartels K-8 School

Shannon Seavey-Simpkins 5th Grade Chiles Elementary

Scott Owen Physical Education Clark Elementary

Megan Boghosian Language Arts Liberty Middle School

Julie Terry 3rd Grade Heritage Elementary

Tampa Bay Physical Therapy Can Rehab Any Injury

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Rebecca Johnson is like many of the patients at Tampa Bay Physical Therapy.

She had a shoulder problem, tried other places with minimal success, wondered if she would ever find a solution, and then found Dr. Kelly Pearce Baez, PT, DPT.

“When I met with her the first time, it clicked,” Johnson says. “She went over everything with me — it was a very thorough first consultation, she used a skeleton, which she named ‘Fred,’ to point out areas where my injury was. Then, we went over a treatment plan.”

Johnson was suffering from frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, a condition where the shoulder bone is difficult to move, producing pain and swelling in the shoulder joint and inhibiting range of motion.

However, Dr. Kelly’s physical treatment, Johnson says, soon returned her to a pain-free life and a shoulder that she says is roughly 95% healed.

Dr. Kelly and her Tampa Bay Physical Therapy office in the Tampa

Telecom Park off E. Fletcher Ave. have experienced the same kind of results for dozens of other patients since opening in October 2021 — for everything from shoulder, back and joint pain to injury and surgery rehabilitation to neurological-related issues.

In fact, Dr. Kelly says she can treat just about any type of ache or pain.

“I’m not your typical physical therapist who only focuses on one thing,” she says. “That’s the benefit of my practice. If you come to me, you have at least a 90% chance of me being able to resolve (your pain). Most often that is the case. It is extremely rare I need to tell a patient that they should go to see this other person, or a surgeon.”

At Tampa Bay Physical Therapy, new patients receive a consultation and a risk-free screening, where their mobility and strength are tested as Dr. Kelly searches for the root cause of any pain. She will then present a treatment plan to the patient, with the plan’s length depending upon the severity of the injury, as well as a home routine to help the process.

“We deal with everything from head to toe,” Dr. Kelly says.

She offers services for weekend

warriors and athletes and those who have some kind of impaired joint movement and may be facing or are recovering from surgery. Dr. Kelly also takes on patients who are recovering from strokes, as well as those battling Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and other neuro-type disorders.

Dr. Kelly says that those suffering from neurological problems, including balance issues, concussion symptoms

and vertigo, are at a high risk for dangerous falls.

The Tampa Bay Physical Therapy office has the latest exercise machines, as well as the Vectra Neo (electrotherapy) and Richmar HydraTherm (heat therapy) units to provide strength and relief. There also is a special room to treat those with neurological disorders involving issues like a stroke, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis and PD.

Dr. Kelly Pearce Baez of Tampa Bay Physical Therapy in the nearby Tampa Telecom Park off E. Fletcher Ave. can treat most any type of pain. (Photos: Charmaine George).

Dr. Kelly also offers the LSVR BIG program, an intensive 1-on-1 treatment created for PD and other neurological conditions.

PT Massage, Too

Tampa Bay Physical Therapy also currently offers a physical therapy massage package, where you can get single sessions or purchase a membership that allows you two massages a month and a stretching program designed specifically for you.

Dr. Kelly offers personalized, one-on-one service to help bring relief to all of her patients.

“It’s really, really good,” she says. “We’ve had a lot of people sign up for it who are very satisfied.”

If a stretching program isn’t for you, Dr. Kelly can do joint mobilization and alignments as well — which, she says, are options most other physical therapists can’t or don’t offer.

Tampa Bay Physical Therapy, which accepts most major health insurance plans including Medicare (but not Medicaid), also has a wellness program, or personal training. Dr. Kelly describes it as a weight loss and maintenance program — and includes a nutritionist offering dietary advice — designed for patients who want to stay with her after their physical therapy concludes.

“It continues to develop their skills, and some of them just feel like I’m the one that helps them remain compliant,” Dr. Kelly says.

Johnson doesn’t take part in that program, but she understands why others do. When she finally went to see an orthopaedic surgeon to discuss other options, he offered to direct her to another physical therapist. But, Johnson declined, saying she wanted to stay with Dr. Kelly.

“She just listens,” Johnson says. “You can do exercises every day, but if your doctor isn’t listening to you about what is still hurting, then they aren’t going to be able to help you.”

Even though she no longer visits the visit the office for her physical therapy, Johnson is diligent about following the at-home plan designed by Dr. Kelly, and says she continues to improve. And, when she has a question, she says Dr. Kelly is always there to pick up the phone and help with an answer.

Dr. Kelly originally went to school to be a teacher, but changed course and got her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in health science (with a concentration in biology) from USF and her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Nova Southeastern

University: Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences in Tampa.

After working for a hospital, she decided to open her own practice.

Dr. Kelly’s husband Joel Baez runs the business and marketing side of the practice.

It is Dr. Kelly’s attention to detail that continues to draw in new patients. While most of the bigger physical therapy and orthopaedic businesses can make it feel like you are sharing your appointment with multiple patients, Dr. Kelly prides herself on 1-on-1 care, and she says she is a strong patient advocate, often going above and beyond to help.

Sometimes, that includes finding medical equipment or a wheelchair for a patient. “We don’t just stop when you leave the office,” she says.

That personal care is what attracted Johnson to Tampa Bay Physical Therapy in the first place. She had been to other physical therapists, but felt she was just being rotated between therapists.

“Here you get 1-on-1 attention,” Dr. Kelly says. “You start with me and you stay with me. You don’t get passed off.”

Dr. Kelly says fixing injuries is an important part of her craft, but she also is a firm believer in maintaining wellness. She is hosting the first Tampa Bay Physical Therapy 5K run on June 7, aka Global Running Day, at a site to be determined. She will provide free 15-minute massages and wellness testing for those who attend the event, which she says will be a family fun day with food trucks and other vendors on hand. More information will be posted soon at TampaBayPT.health.

“It’s just our way of giving back to and doing something for the community,” she says. “That’s something we like to do.”

Tampa Bay Physical Therapy is located at 13328 Telecom Dr., and is open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sat. For more info, visit TampaBayPT.health, call (813) 771-0777 or see the ad on page 27.

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 (including the NBA’s “D” League) , 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., in Wesley Chapel, 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 community by hosting a Health & Wellness Fair on Sunday, March 19, noon-4 p.m. (see ad on pg. 34) with a food truck, businesses from the KRATE at the Grove container park (including 3 Eleven candles, Mythos Gifts 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,” Alah-

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

mary 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 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 hun-

dreds 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 34 of this issue.

The friendly staff at Radiant Wellness Spa

wants to help you look and feel better, too.

Ambler Enterprises Offers Quality Work For Home Remodeling

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Neighborhood News correspondent

James Ambler has been a resident of Wesley Chapel for the past five decades and has been licensed as a contractor in the State of Florida for the past 35 years.

During that time, many families in Wesley Chapel, New Tampa and the surrounding areas have had their homes transformed by his company, Ambler Enterprises.

Now, James and his wife Lan are raising their four-year-old son Isaac in Wesley Chapel, too.

James has been in construction since he started working alongside his dad when he was only 12 years old. When he was 16, the family moved to Florida from California. Eventually, he says he gained valuable experience working both in disaster recovery and for some of the area’s top pool companies.

“People call me to repair knockdown ceilings and textured finishes such as orange peel on the walls,” he says. “Anyone can slap it on and spray it. But, when I fix it, you can’t even tell it was patched.”

While he says he can complete any job in the interior of your home, “what we do best are kitchens and baths,” he says. He can take outdated spaces or

those in need of repair and turn them into the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams. He is bonded and insured, and licensed as a residential contractor (License #CRC1332119)

He says that recently, he also has worked with several families who have purchased new construction homes with

open floor plans who need a space turned into an office or other room. James can close that space in for you, adding doors and making the space a separate room in the home.

Ambler Enterprises is primarily just James, so you can be comfortable knowing who is working in your home.

For demolitions and other big jobs, he’ll bring in someone to help him. For any work he’s not licensed to complete (such as plumbing or electrical), he’ll refer the homeowner to one of the tradespeople he trusts and with whom he has long-standing relationships.

James says that while he won’t be the cheapest guy you can hire, he’s definitely not the most expensive, either. He can complete jobs as quickly as the big companies, but he promises his quality is much higher.

“I’ve been on Google for 15 years,” he says, “and I’ve never had a bad review.”

Speaking Of Reviews...

Donna and Russ Houchen recently hired Ambler Enterprises to remodel their master bath after being referred to him by a friend.

“James did a wonderful job,” says Donna. “His suggestions on what we might want to consider were fabulous. He was very clean and tidy and kept all of the mess in the bathroom. Once he got started, he completed it quickly. And, the finished work was excellent — the painting, wall tile, mirrors, and fixtures — all of that was outstanding.”

Donna says she also appreciated that James was equally as great at communicating with her and her husband. They were

James Ambler of Ambler Enterprises says his specialties are kitchens and bathrooms, but he can help with any interior renovation that you have in mind, including closing in open spaces and repairing textured walls and ceilings.(Photos: Charmaine George)

James Ambler, his wife, Lan, and son, Isaac, live in Wesley Chapel, where James has owned Ambler Enterprises and has helped local residents have beautiful kitchens and bathrooms for the last 35 years. always aware of the status of the project and appreciated that James came to them when he had questions, offering suggestions based on his experience that she says made the bathroom even better than what she had imagined.

“We were really pleased with what he did and how the job turned out,” she says. “It was great working with James.”

Meanwhile, James says, like with the Houchens, most of the work he does is referred by someone who had a great experience with Ambler Enterprises and recommended him to a friend.

In fact, he says that many years ago, he did one bathroom that led to him completing 15 bathrooms and six kitchens — all on the same block.

“I’m extremely picky about your home,” he says. “If we use a hose, for example, we put it back. I don’t smoke and don’t allow anyone to smoke on your property.”

James says he knows he offers highquality work and he would never want to sour anyone’s impression of his company by “doing something stupid,” such as leaving out an item they could trip over or that they would have to clean up.

He says his past experience in disaster recovery has given him the knowledge of all the things that could happen, so he provides extras that most companies don’t. For example, that might include caulking around the toilet and cabinets, or keep-

ing the hoses behind the cabinet that you don’t see neat and tidy.

“And, when I finish a job,” he says, “I explain what to use to care for your new kitchen or bathroom. I want it to last for you.”

He says that he always gives customers the opportunity to provide him with a “punch list” to finalize anything that isn’t exactly the way they wanted it, such as paint that needs to be touched up or items that need to be finished.

“Most people have a hard time finding something,” he says. “They typically tell me everything looks great.”

James says that Ambler Enterprises will not start a job until all materials are on site, so that once the job is started, it can be completed as quickly as possible. He says he wants to be sure you aren’t left with an unusable room because something you were expecting to arrive didn’t.

And, once a job is started, James doesn’t bounce around. He works in your home every day until the job has been completed, so you can get back to using your room as quickly as possible.

Ambler Enterprises offers free in-home consultations for most remodeling projects. Call or text James Ambler at (813) 385-6402, Google “Wesley Chapel Ambler Enterprises” to read reviews of his business, email him at ambler.ep.llc@ gmail.com or see the ad on page 31.

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 in Wesley Chapel, Peak TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) 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, in general, less likely than women 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, in Wesley Chapel says low testosterone 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 36.

Popular New Products Fueling Your CBD Store Of New Tampa

By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Battling with anxiety and not quite sure what to do while driving up Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., Alex Colley was looking for a sign.

Little did he know that sign would quite literally be the one that David Curler, the co-owner of Your CBD Store of New Tampa, was twirling on the side of BBD.

“David was out there spinning the sign, and it said ‘Free CBD Samples, Come On In,’” Alex says. “I had seen him out there before and didn’t think anything, but I’ve had anxiety for a long time, and I literally was driving by as I was having a panic attack. And I was like, ‘I guess that’s my sign, right? Like, literally, there’s my sign to go in.’”

Alex went in and David gave him a sample that immediately calmed him down, and Alex has been a regular now for four months. “David is my CBD doctor,” he says, chuckling.

David is quick to point out, however, that he is not a doctor. He and his wife Debra are just owners of the Your CBD Store of New Tampa, located in the Pebble Creek Collection, and are true believers in the power of CBD and its healing properties.

Pick a malady, and Debra can point you towards the right remedy, with David ready to answer any questions about your choices.

Having trouble sleeping? They’ve got you.

Anxiety? Depressed? In a lot of pain? Just need to relax? They have answers.

Looking for relief from the effects of PTSD? Cancer? Arthritis? There’s a multitude of CBD products to help with any of those ailments.

“We love helping people,” Debra says. “It’s why we started doing this in the first place.”

They also are true believers because they use some of the products they sell themselves. Debra had a knee replaced and finds that her store’s SunMed

CBD-infused creams bring her relief, while David finds his issues with sleeping washed away with a nighttime gummy.

“I like that they use the products and can tell you from first-hand experience what they do,” Alex said. “It’s not like deciding what to order at a steakhouse and finding out your waiter is a vegetarian.”

Debra says new customers like Alex and the friends he has recommended to the Curlers are coming through their doors every day. While they have their regulars, on a recent Sunday, Debra says that every customer who stopped by was a new one.

While the effects are not guaranteed because everyone is different, Debra says many customers rave about the effects.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of more than 100 cannabinoids that grow on cannabis, of which both hemp and marijuana are varieties. Like “weed,” CBD originates from hemp, but contains less than 0.3% of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the ingredient that causes the “high,” while marijuana has much higher levels of THC.

Most of the CBD products at Your CBD Store of New Tampa are offered as “full spectrum,” which are generally stronger but still contain no more than the legal limit of 0.3% THC, and “broad spectrum,” which have no THC at all.

The Delta Experience

The recent explosion of Delta 8 and Delta 9 products has pushed the limits of the THC content in CBD products, making it more important than ever that consumers know they are legitimate. Your CBD Store only sells SunMed products that the company says are vigorously tested. In fact, a QR code on the products can be scanned for the complete independent lab reports for each SunMed product.

SunMed grows its hemp in Oregon and Colorado, and processes it in nearby Palmetto, FL.

SunMed has recently launched Above and Beyond lines, which have higher levels of THC — but still remain below the legal limit — and are the best sellers for Debra and David.

“These will be gone by the end of the weekend,” Debra says, pointing to a shelf filled with SunMed’s Above and Beyond products,

The new product called Above blends Delta-8 with other cannabinoids, which SunMed says delivers a high that is described as “gentle body feels,” as opposed to a psychoactive high.

Meanwhile, Beyond products contain Delta-9 (and 400-percent more cannabinoids than your usual fullspectrum), and come in calming (indica) and uplifting (sativa) versions.

There also is a hybrid version that blends the two together.

David also raves about his Your CBD Store’s CBG products.

They aren’t new, but he has a special appreciation for their effectiveness, especially the full- and broad-spectrum neuro-water soluble and the CBG Citrus, which helps with inflammation.

Great For Relief

Jack Martin used to go to the CBD store near his Land O’Lakes home before it shut down. He says he is thankful

David and Debra Curler are eager to please customers who visit Your CBD Store of New Tampa in the Pebble Creek Collection. (Photos by John C. Cotey)

he found Dave and Debra’s location, because they have been a godsend.

Once every three weeks, he places an order for CBD and CBG products for his 80-year-old mother. The CBD helps with her sore joints and arthritis, while the CBG, which can be more effective treating muscle soreness, is for the neuropathy in her feet.

“As long as mom’s taking it, it’s like someone flipped a switch,” Jack says. “Just being pain-free and being out of the misery of having the feeling of burning feet all the time, it’s been a wonder.”

Jack may not use the Above and Beyond products at Your CBD Store, but he does appreciate the above-and-beyond service provided by David, who delivers Jack’s order free of charge.

“On a scale of 1-10, they are a 15,” he says. “And, you have to be careful where you buy this stuff these days. Everyone is selling it, but I trust the product at David’s store.”

While CBD products continue to be debated, they also are becoming more commonplace and accepted. As a result, SunMed continues to produce highlytested, top-quality products.

“There’s something here for everyone,” Debra says. “We can help you find what you need.”

Like most CBD-related products, they come in various forms — like gummies, water soluble and tinctures, as well as vapes and pre-rolls (primarily for the Above and Beyond line) for those who prefer the smoking effect.

Other products include:

Immune+, a tincture blend that contains CBGA, the “grand daddy” of cannabinoids, and CBDA. Both are acids which are converted to CBG and CBD, and Immune+ combines them with cinnamon, clove, blue gum eucalyptus and lemon essential oils and then adds Vitamins A and D3 to give your immune system a boost.

TRIM is SunMed’s first foray into the weight loss product market. TRIM features THC-V, which blocks your

appetite-stimulating CB1 receptor (THC-D9, by contrast, causes appetite stimulation). David says he lost 21 pounds using TRIM, although he confesses to gaining a few back. He says weight loss while using TRIM will vary with each customer.

Full spectrum, hemp-infused full-spectrum SunMed seltzers, which come in indica (called Just Chillin’) and Delta-8 (aka Island Time). David says a doctor from nearby AdventHealth stops by for a case of seltzer every month and shares them with his patients.

There also are topical creams and sprays and Debra says the broad spectrum cream and the topical spray, both produce outstanding results. Or, try another one of the newer items, the broad spectrum-infused massage oil.

For your doggies, Your CBD Store offers Chillin’ Out (for relaxation) and Movin’ Easy (for mobility and aches and pains for senior dogs) broad-spectrum hemp chews.

Your CBD Store New Tampa is located at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite B-1. It is open MondaySaturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and 1 p.m.5 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, call (813) 994-0599 or visit CBDRX4U.com/ find-us/florida/new-tampa or see the ad on page 37 of this issue.

The Curlers say SunMed’s Above and Beyond Delta-8 and Delta-9 products (above) are the hottest sellers at Your CBD Store of New Tampa.

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

By GARY NAGER

Photos by Charmaine George

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 in Tampa Palms), 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, 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 in January, 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 experiment 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

(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! 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.”

the place first opened a little more than a year ago (in Nov. of 2021). But now, I may just 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 recently finished a 12-day run at the

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

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) are being added this month.

And, while I don’t eat avocado toast, photographer Charmaine George says The Bean Bar’s spicy version of it (left), 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.

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 officially opened on the north side of S.R. 56 (at 25297 Sierra Center Blvd.) on Feb. 17 is nothing more than your usual putt-putt course without the windmills, you need to go check it out because you’re in for a surprise.

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.

Beirut Bakery & Meat Market Now Open In Pebble Creek

If you’re looking for Halal meats (photo) and freshly-baked Middle Eastern groceries and delicacies, like spinach & feta pies, flatbreads and desserts, visit my new friend Hassan Rahal at Beirut Bakery, Meat Market & Grocery in the Pebble Creek Collection (19651 BBD Blvd.). For more info, call (813) 536-1000. — GN

Managing editor John Cotey played one of the two 18-hole courses and said that it was pretty cool. He also enjoyed the tuna nachos (below left), the smash burger and the ice cream offerings. I had a drink and sampled the excellent grilled wings, which also were pretty great.

John says that if you want to take part in all the fancy scoring and cool scoreboard, he highly recommends that you download the PopStroke app on your phone and create an account before you go.

For more info, visit PopStroke.com. — GN

Grove Mini Golf To Open This Month

We finally were able to get in touch with the management of Grove Mini Golf, which shares the parking lot for B&B Theatres Wesley Chapel, and we were told that our area’s more traditional putt-putt course will open by the end of this month.

Grove Mini Golf will feature two working volcanoes, a waterfall, a fountain and other cool “hazards,” plus a restaurant.

For the latest information, search “Grove Mini Golf” on Facebook. — GN

N

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T ampa & w esley C hapel Classifieds

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HELP WANTED

WANTED IMMEDIATELY: A Middle School Math Teacher, 2 days per week for an 11-yearold male student. Must provide clear explanations of math rules & vocabulary and have patience, we will have an “A” student in record time. Hourly wages negotiable. New Tampa area: Call (607) 280-7238

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.

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 buying & selling experts in the Central Florida region. TBBA Agent of the Year: Geri Sanchez

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.

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MISCELLANEOUS

AIRPORT SHUTTLE SVC. 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.org or 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.

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COMPUTER 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.