Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 30, Issue 8, April 19, 2022 by Neighborhood News

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE!

Volume 30 Issue 8 April 19, 2022 Anne Oliver (right) is thankful that local business owner Pete Veloz (inset) was there when she suffered a serious accident on her electric bicycle. See pg. 4!

Photo provided by Anne Oliver

Photo above by Charmaine George

EDITORIAL

The Wesley Chapel community celebrates the life of a child taken too soon. See page 3

TROY STEVENSON

A local entrepreneur is vying for Commissioner Mike Moore’s seat. See page 8

TIFFANY COLIN Cypress Creek High runner is Pasco County’s fastest sprinter. See page 26

FRAMMI RESTAURANT

Great Italian & American food meet in one great location. See page 34

The Grill At Morris Bridge Is Now More Affordable! 1

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Community Comes Together To Celebrate The Too-Short Life Of Andres Chateau My sons are 33 and 30 and By GARY NAGER Editorial it just so happened it was my

As a father and now a grandfather, I can’t imagine anything harder for any parent to deal with than their child passing away. But sadly, more than 20,000 children die of all causes in this country each year, or more than 50 per day, and while motor vehicle crashes cause the largest percentage of those (more than 4,000 in 2016, the last year I could find full statistics for), roughly the same number of children (more than 1,800 each in 2016) are victims of homicide each year as die from all forms of childhood cancer. But, this editorial isn’t about statistics, it’s about the passing of one precious child named Andres Chateau. Andres — a nineyear-old Wesley Chapel resident who attended the Innovation Prep Academy off Curley Rd. — and his father, Kevin Bybee, were both found shot dead in Bybee’s apartment in St. Petersburg in an apparent murder-suicide. Andres’ mother, Jessica Chateau, had gone to Bybee’s apartment on April 4 to pick up her son, but got no response when she knocked on the door. She notified the St. Pete Police Department but they were reluctant to enter the premises because, according to a police spokesperson, there was no reason to suspect foul play and none of Bybee’s neighbors had heard anything unusual. The next morning, the management at the Trellis at the Lakes apartments opened the apartment for Jessica, who found Andres and Bybee dead from gunshot wounds. According to published reports, Bybee and Jessica Chateau were estranged and involved in a contentious custody suit, “but there had been no threats or signs beforehand” that this type of tragedy would occur. On Apr. 10, less than one week after the tragedy, at least 300 Wesley Chapel residents came to the Epperson Lagoon to celebrate Andres’ life. Jessica had posted the event on Facebook a couple of days earlier and many of those in attendance brought food, beverages and their own children to take part in the celebration. PizzaMania donated at least 20 pies and Pasco County Commission candidate Troy Stevenson (see pg. 6) brought two of his ACME On The Go billboard trucks, which displayed pictures of Andres and Jessica from happier times. Troy also called his friends at Pasco Fire Rescue, who brought one of their fire trucks to the event. There wasn’t anyone in attendance who didn’t want to speak with and hug Jessica, who talked about giving birth and holding him for the first time. “I called him Tutu because he was too too much,” she said. Pastor Joel Eason of nearby Bridgeway Church spoke during the candle light service at the lagoon, which was held at sunset. He spoke about the light that Andres brought into the lives of everyone he touched. “My son was pure sunshine,” Jessica told WTSP-TV Channel 10. “He was just full of energy and loved playing. I have every moment burned into my brain...Just appreciate every moment with your babies.” Neighborhood News

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younger son’s birthday the same day of the event for Andres. And, while I definitely feel fortunate to still have and be able to share such happy occasions with my boys and my grandson, I could feel Jessica’s pain, even as she seemed genuinely moved by the community’s outpouring of love. Her ability to smile in the face of such unspeakable tragedy definitely inspired me and I promised her I would try to do justice to her and her relationship with her beautiful

son, even though I knew I would fall short. There is a GoFundMe page to help Jessica Chateau. Visit https://gofund. me/41b194b7 if you would like to help.

Andres & Jessica Chateau

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Publisher & Editor /Ad Sales Gary Nager Managing Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Correspondents Celeste McLaughlin Isabella Douglas Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist Charmaine George Graphic Designers Morgan Conlin Valerie Wegener Billing Assistant Jannah Nager Nothing that appears in Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion. The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 30, Issue 10, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Monday, May 2, 2022. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. © 2022 JM2 Communications, Inc.

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Business Owner Helps Local Resident Survive Electric Bike Accident By JOHN C. COTEY John@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Anne Oliver was riding her electric bike to her dentist’s office for an 8 a.m. appointment when she decided to cross S.R. 54 during a lapse in the traffic. With plenty of time, she proceeded across the road. “I looked and there were no cars, just one truck,” Anne says. Anne thought she could drive right up on the median, and assumed it had an angled curb, which many do. Unfortunately, this median had a steep curb, which Anne remembers looking down and not seeing until the last second. It was the last thing she remembers before a violent crash. Fortunately for her, Pete Veloz was driving that truck. Veloz, who owns Paver World of Wesley Chapel a little east on S.R. 54 and is known as “Paver Pete,” was cruising along in his Ford F-350 work truck when he saw a woman crossing the road on her bike. He could tell she was heading to the median, but then everything happened in slow motion, he says. “She went flying through the air, she went one way and her bike went the other way,” Pete says. “She landed face first on the grass. If that was a concrete median, it could have been really bad.” The bike landed in the lane closest to the median. Pete swerved around it, looked in his driver’s sideview mirror, and saw Anne laying motionless, her leg sprawled out into the road. He thought she might have broken her neck, or even worse. “You know how sometimes someone will wreck their bike, but the adrenaline is going and they pop back up and keep going?,” Pete says. “She was knocked out.” He backed up his truck, jumped out and dragged her all the way onto the median. He helped take off her helmet. He pulled the bike off the road. Cars were driving by, but Pete’s truck was serving as a caution and slowing them down. Pete called 9-1-1. A woman from the Brookside Professional Park across the

street ran over and called 9-1-1 as well. The police were there in moments, Pete says. Anne came to, moaning in pain, but was discombobulated and didn’t remember anything from the accident. “I remember Pete’s voice and him trying to help me,” Anne says. “It was sunny. My face was bleeding, so he got me a rag. I still have never even seen his face.” Anne’s husband, John, was driving back from Riverview when he got a call from the woman who had also come over to help. He doesn’t remember her name, just that she was calling from a New York area code. “Your wife’s been in an accident,” she told him, “but she’s okay and wants to talk to you.” Anne tried to explain what happened, but was still struggling to sort things out. She doesn’t remember talking to John. She was loaded into an ambulance, and the woman with the New York area code called John back to tell him his wife was being transported to St. Joseph’s hospital. John, a nurse, knew that wasn’t great because there were a number of closer options (like AdventHealth Wesley Chapel) but that St. Joseph’s has the nearest trauma center. As he headed in that direction, Pete called him with more details, and offered to take the bike so it wasn’t impounded. Anne was in the hospital for nearly two weeks. The crash had been fierce. She fractured her nasal cavity, her face was scraped and bloody, she suffered tissue damage on her right hand and wrist, and worst of all, she suffered a tibia plateau fracture, which is a break of the larger lower leg bone below the knee that breaks into the knee joint itself. Anne had Open Reduction and Internal Fixation, or ORIF, which is used to repair broken bones with hardware. In Anne’s case, it was synthetic putty, brackets and screws. Because it is such a vital load-bearing area, it will take months for her leg to heal. Anne says she is facing three months of a non-weight-bearing existence. But, she is alive. If Pete wasn’t driving that truck, she’s not sure she would be. “I am very grateful that things were

not worse,” Anne says. “It could have been a lot worse. With all the cars that drive by, anything could have happened.” Anne and John actually bought their electric bikes because John suffers from multiple sclerosis and cannot walk, so the bike offers pedaling assistance. The Seven Oaks residents typically ride their bikes around the nature trails where they live. On the day of her dentist appointment, Anne had to take John’s heavier bike because hers was having its brakes fixed.

A Growing Trend

Electric bikes generally don’t have John (left) & Anne Oliver are glad that Pete Veloz great suspension or shocks, and Anne stopped to help Anne after her electric bike accident. thinks that — as well as the weight of the As Anne fills in the blanks, she finds bike — contributed to the forceful accithe possibilities of what could have hapdent, as the tires did not absorb the contact pened to be terrifying. That’s why she with the curb. wants everyone to know about Pete. Anne and John say the doctors and “That’s nice,” says Pete, “but I’m just nurses at St. Joseph’s said they were just glad she’s alright. It was pretty scary.” one of many they had seen come in followYears ago, Pete says his youngest ing an accident on an electric bike. daughter was in a car accident, and no one According to a CBS News report, the stopped to help her. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission “That really broke my heart,” he says. determined that injuries from electric scootSo when he saw Anne collide with the ers, bikes, hoverboards and other “mircocurb and was laying there motionless, it was mobility” products are up 70 percent the never even a decision. past four years, with 200,000 ER visits and “That’s what you do, right?,” Pete at least 71 deaths from 2017-20.” says. “That’s the type of guy I am. You see But, Anne and John say they hope to someone in need, you stop to help. That’s go back to riding their bikes — albeit in less how it should be.” crowded areas — when she heals.

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Troy Stevenson Kicks Off His County Commission Campaign

By JOHN C. COTEY John@NTNeighborhoodNews.com A harrowing experience involving his wife Iris’ health led Troy Stevenson to explore response times and the needs of Pasco’s Fire Rescue and Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), which led him to think about their needs in relation to the massive growth in Wesley Chapel, which led him to think about traffic and roads and development. And where did all of that lead him? Right into the Pasco County District 2 Commissioner’s race to replace the Mike Moore who has announced he is not seeking re-election. “It all got me thinking,” says Stevenson, “about how I could help.” Stevenson, a registered Republican and Land O’Lakes resident for the last 20 years, entered the race in February and held his kickoff event April 6 at Design & Construction Innovators, the office of North Tampa Bay Chamber Board member Roberto Suarez. Roughly 75 supporters showed up. “I know I’m the underdog,” he says of what is now a three-candidate race, “but I’ve received so much support that I’m starting to feel like I’m not the underdog anymore.” You may not know Stevenson’s face, but you’ve almost certainly seen his ACME On The Go trucks — which are those highdefinition LED mobile billboards — driving around the county. In fact, Stevenson, an active, involved member of both the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club and the North Tampa Bay Chamber, has used those trucks to support a number of causes, raising tens of thousands of dollars over the years for a variety of projects and businesses. The trucks operate as a billboard, but have also shown movies at some local charity events, whether for kids with cancer or Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco’s K-9 Officer program. He also has helped build homes for Habitat for Humanity. That’s one of the things he says separates him from the other Dist. 2 candidates, race favorite Troy Weightman and Cynthia Zimmer. While both have political experience, Stevenson says he has been more of a 8

boots-on-the-ground guy, literally getting his hands dirty behind the scenes with community involvement — he has been an active part of FEMA’s National Disaster Medical System group for 16 years, and has been among the first people on the scene following many major hurricanes, including Hurricanes Katrina (2005) and Maria (2017). “Katrina changed my life,” Troy says about having being deployed to New Orleans for two weeks. “It’s when I became a Christian and made me more thankful for my family and for people who help others.” Troy is complimentary of the current Pasco Board of Commissioners (BOC) and says they have done a “phenomenal” job. If elected, he would like to continue along much the same path that Moore has paved. But, he also says he would like to see the BOC become more proactive when it comes to infrastructure. And, while he is a believer in development, he also thinks the Board has to provide for the police, first responders and local residents who have to get around on heavily-populated roads. “It feels like they (the BOC) are always playing catch up,” Stevenson says. “I’m not political. I’m analytical. I see things that need to be done and I am always ready to jump in and help.” Weightman has collected a number of big endorsements, including Moore’s, as the Republican Party has coalesced behind him. Stevenson says he has been endorsed by former Pasco County Clerk of Court Paula O’Neill, who spoke on his behalf at the kickoff event, but adds that he doesn’t place much emphasis on endorsements. He has already put $50,000 of his own money into his campaign coffers, and hopes that those who know him and have benefitted from his community efforts will turn out at the polls for the August 23 primary. “I don’t need the money, I don’t need the popularity,” Stevenson says. “I just feel deep in my heart that I want to help the county, and help the people in the place I live and love.” For more info, see the ad on pg. 6 or visit TroyforPasco.com.

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The Pampered Peach Wax Bar Offers A Unique Spa Experience By JANNAH NAGER When my husband — Neighborhood News editor Gary Nager — asked me if I would be willing to write a Business Feature story about The Pampered Peach Wax Bar, located next to Dickey’s BBQ on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., I agreed, even though I’ve rarely had my eyebrows and lips waxed and never had my underarms or private area waxed. I was even happier to take on the assignment when I found out that even though The Pampered Peach specializes in waxing for virtually every area of the body (more on that below), it also offers other services, like amazing facials, all of which use only the finest organic products from Farmhouse Fresh for all of its services. “We chose Farmhouse Fresh because the products are amazing,” says co-owner and licensed cosmetologist Amanda Gonzalez, whose partner at the Wesley Chapel location is her boyfriend Jonathan Smith. “They’ve been recommended by Oprah (as well as actresses like Lisa Kudrow, Marlee Matlin and country music star Reba McEntire) and we’ve convinced The Pampered Peach founder Jessica Kustron to use Farmhouse Fresh products at both her corporate-owned and franchise locations.” So, even though I didn’t end up having any waxing services performed, I do feel that

(Above) Nikki and co-owner Amanda Gonzalez offer outstanding waxing and facial (next page) services at The Pampered Peach Wax Bar on BBD Blvd. (Photos by Charmaine George) I got a wonderful, full spa experience at The Pampered Peach when my aesthetician Nikki gave me the most relaxing deep-cleansing facial (called the “Glow Your Age” mini- or full facial) I’ve ever received. First of all, The Pampered Peach of Wesley Chapel, which currently is one of only six locations (five in Florida and one in

Long Island, NY), has more of a salon feel than most sterile-feeling med-spas — even though it is immaculately clean — with soft peach walls accented in green, black and white, and with fun music playing in the lobby area, and more soothing spa music playing in the facial treatment room, all of which provides a perfectly inviting atmos-

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phere for whatever service you choose. “We fell in love with the name, the branding and the organic experience,” Jonathan says, adding that they’ve been so happy about how the business has been going that they’ve committed to opening four more locations in the area this year. “And, with Amanda’s five years of experience in the waxing business and her ‘angel hands,’ we knew she could bring a high level of expertise to an already-great business model.” For example, Amanda adds, “I have learned how to do — and teach — proper self-care after a waxing procedure, which eliminates the razor burn and ingrown hairs associated with shaving. Plus, it lasts for weeks, instead of just a day or two.” Amanda also says that the core values at the Wesley Chapel location are to deliver effective and painless wax services in a cozy, fun environment. “Our wax techniques using the best all-natural, organic and vegan products to give our guests an amazing, smooth result.” There definitely are differences between The Pampered Peach and other companies in the industry. “We offer three types of patented waxes — hard, soft and sugar — while most others only offer hard and soft waxes,” Amanda says.

Not For Women Only

All of the pricing for the huge variety of

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waxing services available at The Pampered Peach is on display on the wall when you walk in. Services include ingrown hair treatments, pre-wax numbing, v-steam “vajafacials,” full-body wax, services for specific areas of the body (everything from bikini to stomach), as well as facial wax services for everything from brow laminations and cheeks to nose and sideburns. Amanda says that even though women still make up the majority of their clients, more and more men are utliizing waxing services for their chest, back, shoulders and even full body. There’s even a “Manzilian” wax service offered. I have to admit that even though I was apprehensive, even nervous, about starting a waxing regime, after enjoying my facial so much and being educated by Amanda and

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Nikki about how their waxing services work and how much healthier they are for my skin, I’m actually considering giving it a try. And, I’m not alone in raving about The Pampered Peach of Wesley Chapel. At our press time, even though the location has only been open three months, all 31 Google reviews are five stars and a client named Stefanie who happened to visit the same day I did, said she usually goes to the South Tampa location but that both locations are better than anyplace else. She was so happy with her painless bikini wax that she decided to also get her eyebrows done. The Pampered Peach’s menu of services also gives you pricing for one-time services for guests and “drop-ins,” VIP Monthly Memberships and VIP Annual Memberships. Among the current specials are a first-time Brazilian for only $19, 20% off all first-time facial clients, and unlimited Brazilian waxing for just $49 per month. The Pampered Peach Wax Bar’s Wesley Chapel location (2653 BBD Blvd., Suite 102) is open TuesdayFriday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. It is closed on Monday. For more information (including those current specials), see the ad on pg. 32, call (727) FL-PEACH (357-3224) or visit PamperedPeachWC.com.

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GEICO’s Wesley Chapel Office Now Offers Homeowners Insurance By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent Photos by Charmaine George

When most people think of GEICO Insurance, an image of a friendly talking gecko from countless television commercials is usually what comes to mind. They also know that 15 minutes can save you 15 percent or more on car insurance, but what they likely don’t know is that they also can walk in to or call a local GEICO office and speak with a local agent, right in their own neighborhoods, including here in Wesley Chapel. The Wesley Chapel office of GEICO was opened by Jaime Bryant a little over a year ago in the Super Targetanchored Northwoods shopping center on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just north of County Line Rd. While GEICO is mostly known for its auto insurance – insuring more than 30 million vehicles – the company also offers motorcycle, RV (recreational vehicle), boat, condo and renter’s insurance, as well as life and umbrella policies (which provide extended liability coverage for people with a lot of assets). Bryant is pleased to announce that his office also can now write homeowners insurance policies, including for mobile and manufactured homes.

(Left) The local Wesley Chapel office of GEICO Insurance, located in the Northwoods Plaza, on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. north of County Line Rd., is led by Jaime Bryant (center). (Right) Jaime and his wife Shannon may or may not already be training baby Elliott to be a GEICO agent.

He says that GEICO had paused writing new homeowners policies in Florida to be sure it didn’t overexpose its risk in the state, which is susceptible to large major disasters, especially when a hurricane comes through. However, the company recently has opened up to writing new homeowners policies again. “You get a discount on both policies when you purchase (also known as “bundling”) auto and homeowners insurance,” he explains. “So, that increases the chance of saving money.”

Plus, you only have to deal with one office, and Bryant and his team at GEICO’s Wesley Chapel office are happy to handle all of your insurance needs. Whether you want to use GEICO’s easy-to-navigate app, website, or call the office, or if you’re someone who prefers to walk in and meet with an agent faceto-face, Bryant and his staff are happy to accommodate. He says his office has grown considerably since it opened in 2021, now employing 10 people, all of whom are

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experienced and trained to be sure the customer is not over insured or under insured, but properly insured. When first meeting people who are considering switching to GEICO, Bryant says, “We often ask why they have certain specific coverages and they don’t know. It’s just what they were sold. The amount of coverage doesn’t necessarily fit their personal situation.” And, while he says he can’t speak to what other insurance agencies tell their clients, he says his clients are often

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surprised to hear the explanation of why they have too much coverage, or not enough, or may want to make certain decisions to lower the price of their policies. He says it seems his agents are often giving people information they haven’t heard before. For example, sometimes when families have children of driving age, it may be beneficial to have the children separated off the policy. “It always varies, so we have to make sure we are asking the right questions to get the right policy,” he says. “Nothing’s ever one-size-fits-all.” And he says, more often than not, his team finds that people are carrying more insurance than they need. “Our goal is to make sure people are properly insured, not paying more than they need to pay,” Bryant says, “and that what we provide to them is tailored to their needs.” Orville Harness is getting ready to move to the Tampa Bay area after retiring from law enforcement in Indiana. “It’s so different between Indiana and Florida,” Harness said. He was confused as he looked for quotes online and had lots of questions. Fortunately for him, he submitted a request for a quote from Bryant’s office, and an agent called back to answer all of his questions. “It was really nice to talk with someone in Florida who knows what they’re doing,” he said, instead of talking with someone in a call center who may or may not know understand the nuances of insurance in this state. “They really helped us understand what to spend our money on and what not to spend our money on,” he said. “They saved us a bunch of money.”

Some History

GEICO was founded in 1936 by Leo Goodwin and his wife Lillian to provide auto insurance directly to federal government employees and their families. Bryant says many people don’t know that the name GEICO is actually an acronym for Government Employees Insurance Company. Bryant says GEICO was the first insurance company that he can recall that began selling insurance directly to customers, as opposed to working only through agents. That has helped the company, headquartered in Maryland, become the second-largest auto insurer in the U.S. (behind State Farm), as well

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The gecko in the Wesley Chapel GEICO office doesn’t speak with an Australian accent. as the largest auto insurer here in the state of Florida. Bryant says that’s because GEICO offers two very important things for those looking for insurance: competitive rates and great customer service. Although GEICO has had a Tampa office for 40 years, as well as others in Clearwater and New Port Richey, Bryant’s location, which features an aquarium with a real gecko, is the first in or near Wesley Chapel. Bryant has lived in the Tampa Bay area for more than 20 years and is a University of South Florida graduate with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. He worked for GEICO in Lakeland for 16 years, the last few while driving a long commute from his home in Live Oak Preserve in New Tampa, where he lives with his wife, Shannon, and their new baby son, Elliott. When GEICO decided to open an office in Wesley Chapel, Bryant says he jumped at the chance to apply, both to have the opportunity to be his own boss and to build a business in the community he calls home. He’s working hard to earn people’s trust and make sure the agents in his office are ready to help meet their unique and individual needs. “It’s hard to find good customer service anymore,” said Harness, the retiree who is moving to Florida. “They were very patient, and they took the time to explain everything. The world needs more of that.” The GEICO-Wesley Chapel local office is located at 1227 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. It is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit GEICO.com/Wesley-ChapelBryant, call (813) 954-4200, or see the ad on page 39 of this issue.

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Millennium Physician Group Opens Second Wesley Chapel Office

Millennium’s new Primary Care office embraces the ‘whole-person approach’ to medicine Submitted to the Neighborhood News Doubling its presence in Wesley Chapel, Millennium Physician Group has opened its second office, this one at 2142 Ashley Oaks Cir., in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off SR. 56. Officially welcoming patients early last month, the primary-care office is the new medical home of Internal Medicine Physician Nelly Durr Chambers, M.D., who has been practicing in the Tampa area since 2004. Originally interested in obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Chambers says she was drawn to internal medicine early on. “I liked internal medicine because you get to know the whole person and address their different medical as well as social issues,” she says. “My philosophy of care is the care of the whole person, mind and body, with dignity and compassion.” In response to increasing challenges facing primary care in the United States, Dr. Chambers recently chose to join Millennium Physician Group, which focuses primarily on improving patient outcomes and the patient experience - important facets of healthcare she notes were too often overlooked. “We’re forgetting the human touch,”

Dr. Nelly Durr Chambers (third from left) is the primary care physician at the new Millennium Physician Group office in the Seven Oaks Professional Park.

she says. “I missed connecting with patients, so I want to be in a practice dedicated to what’s best for the patients, not based on how many and how fast you can see them.” Dr. Chambers says she found that Millennium Physician Group’s commitment to value-based care aligns well with

her approach to medicine. Value-based programs are guided by patient outcomes. Often referred to as “value over volume,” these programs are part of a larger quality strategy to change how healthcare is delivered and paid by rewarding healthcare providers for the quality of care they give as opposed to the quantity of tests and

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procedures ordered. Dr. Chambers says she also appreciates Millennium’s substantial resources for providing both longterm and high-quality patient care. “Longitudinal care is really important. We’re all living longer and need our doctor to grow with us through the different stages of life,” she says. ”For example, more patients are living with a history of cancer as opposed to dying because of cancer. So the long-term relationship and partnership that develops between patient and physician is vital.” Despite challenges inherent to primary care and the transition to a new practice while COVID-19 continues to impact the medical field, Dr. Chambers expresses a continued passion for her practice of internal medicine and her connection to patients. “Every patient brings a unique story to the table and every story affects how you approach their medical condition and how you approach taking care of them. When you validate and care about their

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“I want to be in a practice dedicated to what’s best for the patients, not based on how many and how fast you can see them.” — Dr. Nelly Durr Chambers

symptoms, and when you treat them with respect, that’s how we can inspire patients to engage in their healthcare journey alongside us.” Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Dr. Chambers’ family moved to California when she was 12 years old. She headed to the East Coast for college and medical school, receiving her undergraduate degree from Yale University in New Haven, CT, and received her M.D. degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. That was followed by a residency at New YorkPresbyterian Hospital. Fluent in English and Arabic and conversant in Spanish and French, her clinical interests are preventive health, women’s health, diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, and depression. “I really try to get to know the patient outside of their medical issues first,”

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explains Dr. Chambers. “I like to know who they are and where they’re coming from. Treating someone’s hypertension is going to be different if they’re a retiree, a pregnant woman balancing two jobs, or a CEO. If you can individualize their care, it’s better and more sustainable.” Dr. Chambers also encourages her patients to be invested in their own health and to be a part of the solution. She admits that her nagging them to simply do better is not going to help her patients get any better. “It’s really about individualized care, and caring for people with compassion and respect,” says Dr. Chambers. “I take into consideration where you come from and what your goals are, combined with evidence-based medicine to make sure we get the best outcomes while respecting your wishes and needs.”

About Millennium Physician Group

Founded in Port Charlotte, Florida, in 2008, and now headquartered in Fort Myers, Millennium Physician Group has quickly become the leading independent physician group with more than 800 healthcare providers across Florida and growing. Services center on primary care and are complemented by specialty care, walk-in centers, radiology and lab services, telehealth, wellness programs, home health, hospital care, and much more. Nationally recognized as a consistently top-rated Accountable Care

Organization with consistently high levels of physician engagement, Millennium aims to create a genuinely connected healthcare experience for patients and be Your Connection to a Healthier Life. For more information about Millennium Physician Group’s Internal Medicine office of Dr. Nelly Durr Chambers, located at 2142 Ashley Oaks Cir., call (813) 738-6300. For the Millennium Physician Group Family Medicine office of Nektarios Demetriou, D.O. (located at 2649 Windguard Cir., Suite 101), call (813) 723-1303. For online information about either office, visit MillenniumPhysician.com. Also, see the ad on pg. 27 of this issue.

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Attention To Detail, Personal Service Hallmarks Of Palms Pharmacy By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Correspondent When Palms Pharmacy opened its doors six years ago this April, owner and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Shahida Choudhry was determined to create a place that felt different from a typical chain pharmacy, where she knew her customers by name and gave them specialized, concierge-style service. Her dream is being realized as Palms Pharmacy, located in The Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms, just south of the Bruce B. Downs Blvd. exit off I-75, continues to grow. Through the height of the Covid pandemic, the pharmacy was an essential part of the community, making its own hand sanitizer when it was in short supply, finding ways to both sell and donate personal protective equipment (or “PPE”), and keeping stocked up on new essentials, such as disposable masks, anti-fogger sprays for glasses, KN95 masks and a spray to sanitize your reusable masks. Palms Pharmacy then began offering Covid vaccines and — when it was allowed — provided monoclonal antibody treatments for Covid, even having nurses travel to patients’ homes for infusions. “It was really helpful to a lot of patients,” says Dr. Choudhry. “We helped a

The staff at Palms Pharmacy in The Shoppes at The Pointe in Tampa Palms includes (l.-r.) compounding Pharmacist Jake Johnson lead tech Brittany Celik, front of store manager Duneshka Valez, pharmacy tech Leighann Pericott, staff Pharmacist Gina Fernandez & Dr. Shahida Choudhry. (Photos: Charmaine George) lot of seniors who were Covid positive.” continued to meet her customers’ needs. As restrictions continue to be relaxed, She’s busy on social media, where Covid has left its mark on the pharmacy, a chance encounter on Instagram with which offers PCR testing for those who Marcus Lemonis, the famous multimilneed it to travel, as well as rapid testing. lionaire businessman and star of CNBCThroughout all of the unexpected TV’s most popular reality television show, twists and turns, Choudhry has kept a “The Profit,” led her to work with him smile on her face as she innovated to to implement some best practices to help ensure the pharmacy remained open and improve her business.

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And, Lemonis isn’t the only one who has noticed Choudhry’s determination to do things differently and provide both an excellent experience for her customers and a successful small business. She will be presenting a Continuing Education class for independent pharmacy owners called “Growing Your Business — A Pharmacist’s Playbook” at Independent Pharmacy Cooperative’s annual conference in San Diego this month. She’ll talk about how the very front of her store welcomes people in, with glass shelves to show off niche products, such as locally grown honey from Pinellas County, Zumbar and Old Whaling Co. soaps, and fun snacks such as TeaPops and Fatty Sundays chocolate-covered pretzels. Choudhry pays attention to the details, such as ensuring the store smells nice and has pleasant music playing whenever you walk in. “We’re trying to make your pharmacy experience different,” Choudhry says. “It’s more concierge- and boutique-like.” While she tries to keep the product selection fresh and new, there also are the expected high-quality pharmaceutical products as well, such as Ortho Molecular specialty vitamins, pharmaceutical grade CBD products and durable medical equipment like crutches, braces and more.

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In addition to medical prescriptions, Palms Pharmacy carries everything from health & beauty aids and all-natural vitamins to Mother’s Day gift ideas and even durable medical equipment (above) — all at prices that often match or even beat the pharmacy chains. her to start her own business. The staff has grown to 10 and includes two pharmacists in addition to She received her Bachelor of Science Dr. Choudhry, including compounding degree in Pharmacy, then went on to receive Pharmacist Jake Johnson, who handles the her Pharm.D. degree in 2001, both from most customized medications for patients. Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. “He compounds hormones, weight loss medications, topical creams and pain A Better Experience management medication,” explains Dr. West Meadows resident Myron Choudhry. Harmon first went to Palms Pharmacy Palms Pharmacy has found success when it was newly opened. A local chain by offering exceptional customer service, store pharmacy couldn’t get a medication above and beyond what you would typihe needed and suggested he try the new, cally expect from a pharmacy. specialized independent pharmacy. He For example, the staff thrives on and his husband, Hector Rojas, have been helping patients with especially compligoing to Palms Pharmacy ever since. cated health or insurance issues, which are “They’re very relationship-driven and becoming more and more common these customer-focused,” Harmon says. “They days. Choudhry says that when insurance know us, call us by our name, ask ‘How’s companies decline to cover a patient’s mediyour day?’ and ‘How was your trip?’” cations, that’s when she picks up the phone. He says he values that relationship “I know the doctors and the medical and appreciates that Dr. Choudhry will assistants,” she says. “I work with them to come out and talk with them about their get their patients what they need, usually medications, adding her perspective and within the same day.” expertise to the information he gets from She says her staff recently has been his doctors. helping patients who need assistance to “I’ve told many friends about Palms pay for their medications, by connecting Pharmacy,” Harmon says, “and some of them to grant programs that can help pay them have started going there. They’re their high insurance deductibles. reliable and trustworthy and they make “We have a patient who has been you feel comfortable.” getting his diabetic medication for free for That’s Choudhry’s goal, to make the past 18 months,” she explains. “Typieveryone who visits Palms Pharmacy feel cally, it would cost him $1,200 a month.” both comfortable, and also valued. Palms Pharmacy will celebrate its “We enjoy what we do and really sixth anniversary in Tampa Palms in April. appreciate our customers,” Dr. Choudhry While a date hasn’t yet been chosen, says. “We know you can go anywhere, so Choudhry says to check the store’s social if you’re willing to park your car and come media and promises that the celebration through our doors, we’re going to try to do will include a food truck. a little bit extra to make you feel welcome,” Last year’s food truck was actually including bringing your prescriptions out to a mobile coffee bar called The Bean Bar you curbside. Co. Since the Palms Pharmacy celebraPalms Pharmacy is located at tion last April, The Bean Bar Co. actually 17008 Palm Pointe Dr., and is open opened up a storefront, not coincidentally Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. For more just two doors down from the pharmacy. info, call (813) 252-9063, text Palm Choudhry opened Palms Pharmacy Pharmacy’s secure text-only line at in 2016, after 10 years as the pharmacist (727) 513-3210, visit ThePalmsPharat the Publix in Tampa Palms. She loved macy.com or see the ad on pg. 4. Follow her job and her customers, but her search Palms Pharmacy on Instagram and/or for a better balance of her work and home Facebook for announcements about its life, where she had two small children, led upcoming anniversary celebration. Neighborhood News

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Noire Nail Bar Is Quiet, Serene & A Great Value! By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Ana Mendez is a nail loyalist. Do her nails right, and she’ll be with you forever. She had been going to the same salon since high school, even though she had moved and it was a haul. Then, one day in 2018, she walked into a new place that had just opened, Noire Nail Bar, located on S.R. 56 in the Cypress Creek Town Center (near Mellow Mushroom). She was sold. “I come in every two weeks,” Ana says, getting her nails done by the same technician, Amy, each time. “She is the only person I let touch my nails.” What made a loyalist like Ana change shops? Well, other than the location in the heart of the S.R. 56 corridor, which she frequently visits due to the plethora of places to eat, shop and, well, get your nails done, she says Noire Nail Bar has everything she is looking for in a salon. It’s quiet and serene with an upscale feel, offers a wide variety of services and delivers on what she requires the most — a set of killer nails. That definitely makes John Nguyen, who owns Noire Nail Bar along with his wife Vanessa, smile. “If they are happy, they will come

Noire Nail Bar, located next to Mellow Mushroom on the north side of S.R. 56, is one of the most spacious and beautiful nail salons in our area.

back,” Nguyen says. “That’s what we try to do. That’s what separates us from other nail salons.” Nguyen says the salon’s look and feel are intended to cultivate a calm atmosphere, which you can feel as soon as you step foot in the place. In other nail salons, you may notice the technicians chatting with each

other while taking care of their clients. Nguyen says he prefers that they don’t chatter amongst themselves, instead focusing their attention on the task, well, at hand. “I want them to pay attention to the customer,” he says. “People come here to relax, because it’s very quiet.” Nguyen says he employs 15 technicians

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or so, and on the weekends, they are all busy. And, just because Covid is finally in many people’s rear-view mirrors doesn’t mean that the salon is no longer kept sparkling clean. Many of the sanitation procedures that were put in place during the pandemic are still adhered to, and while customers aren’t required to wear masks, the technicians still do. Most of Noire’s staff is experienced. It’s one of the things that Nguyen values most in his employees, because they know what to expect and familiar faces are always nice for the salon’s returning customers. And, Nguyen says, a good many of his customers do return, like Ana. “It’s a really nice place, and I like going to places with a great ambiance and this place does,” Ana says. “Sometimes, I even bring my laptop and can get some work done. There are no distractions at all.” Although they’re not required, Noire encourages appointments to be sure you’re not turned away — especially on weekends. Once you arrive, you will always be offered a complimentary glass of wine, or a soft drink or water with all services. Those services include a wide variety of manicures, pedicures, massages, full sets, dipping powder, nail enhancements, eyelash extensions and waxing for your face and body. Noire Nail Bar has a separate area for

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Nguyen says the Signature Spa Pedicure is the “ultimate” treat for your feet, with a therapeutic lavender Noire Nail Bar offers a variety of manicures, pedicures and other rub that exfoliates dry spa services, and carries a huge variety of nail colors from O.P.I. skin while citrus sugar relieves and moisturizes pedicures, where chairs are grouped toyour tired feet. gether, including facing each other, which is That is followed by an extensive convenient for groups of friends or family, so moisturizing lotion massage and a hot you can enjoy conversations with each other towel wrap. as opposed to being spread out in a long Noire’s Special Care Spa also is deline. This setup allows small groups to enjoy signed to cater to clients, with an Organic privacy and intimacy in their time together. Spa Pedicure and even services for those Pedicure stations are lined along the with special needs, such as the elderly and other side of the large salon, and also can those with diabetes who may have cracked accommodate small groups. heels, thick calluses, extra thick or ingrown The range of different services intoenails — anything that requires extra time, cludes everything from basic manicures and attention or precautions. pedicures to the popular Noire Nail Bar Prince and Princess manicures and Signature Spa Pedicure and Special Care Spa, pedicures also are available for kids ages and everything in between. 12 and under.

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“We also use only the best products,” Nguyen says, “like O.P.I., DND and others.” And if you need a nail design you saw somewhere, or have thought of one yourself, the technicians can meet your desires. Ultimately, it was one of the biggest reasons Ana changed salons. “I liked the other place, but if I showed them something new, they couldn’t achieve it,” she says, “and I’m very particular. So

now I’m committed here, and I love it.” Noire also offers all of its services for birthday parties, bridal showers and other events. Be sure to call ahead to reserve your time and services in a space just for you). Noire Nail Bar offers 10% off all services every Monday through Wednesday, if you use the coupon from the ad on pg. 28 of this issue. A 10% discount also is offered on your birthday, with proper identification proving that it’s your birthday. Noire Nail Bar is located at 25682 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz, and is open Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sun. For appointments or for more information, call (813) 5360161 or see the ad on pg. 28..

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Cypress Creek Volleyball Player Is Also School’s Salutatorian By ISABELLA DOUGLAS Correspondent Cypress Creek High salutatorian Mackenzie Noble (photo) lives by the mantra “good things come to those who hustle.” Every morning, she methodically checks her calendar before packing her volleyball bag. After school, she completes her homework and studies for future tests before heading to practice. She repeats that routine day after day. Noble, 17, has perfected her time management skills when it comes to juggling sports and academics. As the salutatorian of her graduating class (with a 4.55 weighted GPA), she wants people to break away from the jock stereotype of not placing importance on academics. “You can be a high-level achieving student on top of succeeding in sports,” Noble says. “As I’ve learned with the recruiting process, colleges want a well-rounded individual.” Noble is involved in volleyball, cheerleading and weightlifting at Cypress Creek. Her senior year has been filled with accomplishments, including earning a $2,000 scholarship from the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a national organization that works with all 50 states on character-building youth sports environments. Noble was named a PCA-Tampa Bay Triple Impact Competitor for her positive contributions to herself, her teammates and her sport. Additionally, in an online vote among the 25 Tampa Bay winners, Noble was chosen favorite student athlete, earning $1,000 to donate to her club volleyball team, Kiwi 18 Abs. “The coaches and the environment is really positive, and I just really enjoyed their help, especially with getting me to where I am,” she says. “So, I thought to show my appreciation, I would donate that money to that club.”

Noble may only be 55’3” tall, but you don’t have to be over 6” tall to be successful. Her contributions on the volleyball court come primarily from digging the ball, setting up her teammates and serving, although she also has been productive at the net. “Confidence level (makes up for lack of height) when players get on the court,” says Mike Abalos, Noble’s club coach. “People will see how much you want it. Size doesn’t mean nothing unless you know how to use it.” Abalos remembers his team trailing by eight points at the Florida Fest tournament. Noble got her team back into the match with her serving. Noble works with Abalos to become a well-rounded player. After playing a game as a libero, a defensive position, she watches clips of her game play to perfect her moves. This April, Team Kiwi 18 Abs won a bid to attend the Junior Olympics (JO) in Arizona. “It was really an amazing accomplishment, from my first goal of just starting to making the Junior Olympics in my senior year,” Noble says. “That’s what made my senior year, along with being salutatorian.” Her father Darren practices volleyball with her in their backyard. He sends videos to colleges and watches game recaps with her. He also gave her a plaque that reminds her of why it’s important to hustle. It says, of course, “Good Things Come To Those Who Hustle.” “Hustle means trying to figure out ways around

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obstacles,” he says. “Hustle means not giving up whatever it may be, whether it’s scholastic, whether it’s relationshipdriven, or whatever it is — that’s the mantra that is always reinforced.” Noble’s mother Chasity applauds her daughter’s ability to successfully balance, and strive for excellence, in both athletics and academics. Noble and her older brother Montgomery would joke often about who would finish with the higher GPA. “I said Mackenzie, whether you end up third or fourth or whatever, you’re doing multiple sports, you’re traveling with volleyball and you beat your brother,” Chasity says. “Do you know how phenomenal that is?” Noble is involved in both the National Honor Society and National English Honor Society and has racked up almost 200 volunteer hours. She wanted to be at the top of her class not only to beat her brother but to also make it to a top school like the University of Florida. However, Noble loves volleyball and says she is not willing to give it up yet, so she will instead attend NCAA Division II Barton College in Wilson, NC. She plans to major in criminal justice and double minor in psychology and biology with an end goal of working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). “I decided to go with Barton College because it does offer the same academics and it goes the same route as I would at UF,” she says. Either way, her parents and family are excited to see her take her next step. “She is not just an athlete, she’s not just a highly achieving academic student, she’s a great, great young lady,” Chasity says. “I just think that she has the world at her fingertips, whatever she decides to do, she’ll do well at it.”

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Cypress Creek’s Tiffany Colin Sprints Towards Her Dream By JOHN C. COTEY john@NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Cypress Creek High track and field coach Steven Rivers loves coaching, but as his team showed up for the first day of practice in 2021, he was contemplating making this his last season. Then he saw Tiffany Colin, and she was running. Her stride was a little unrefined, but it was graceful, fluid and, heck, maybe even special. “I saw her and I got mad,” Rivers says, with a wide smile. “I had one foot out the door and this girl had the nerve to show up here. I called my wife and told her this new girl could be really really good, and she said, ‘Well, it sounds like you have another adopted daughter,’ and she hung up the phone.” What Rivers has is the fastest girl sprinter in Pasco County. Colin, a junior, has posted the county’s fastest times in the 100- (12.19 seconds), 200- (25.09) and 400-meter (58.9) races this season. When the Class 3A, District 7 meet is held at Cypress Creek on April 28, Colin will be favored to win all three events. The top four finishers in each event advance to the Class 3A, Region 2 meet, which will include teams from speed-rich areas like Lakeland, Orlando and Tampa. Rivers says Colin also currently has the top times in the 100 and 200 in the region, but now is the time of the season to begin shaving time off. She has lowered her 100 time from 13.17 as a freshman to 12.19 (and has run a 12.14 wind-aided time as well), and has taken more than two seconds off her 200 time. Most remarkably, Colin ran the 400 for the first time this season and posted a 1:01.79. The second, and only other, time she ran it a few weeks later, she did it in 58.9 seconds. “It’s probably my second favorite race, next to the 100,” she says of the 400m.

(Above) Cypress Creek High junior Tiffany Colin has Pasco County’s fastest times in the 100m, 200m & 400m sprint races this year. (Next page) Colin and her coach Steven Rivers have a lot to be happy about — including a run at possible District, Regional & even State titles. (Photos: Charmaine George) Heading into districts, Colin is hoping to become the first Pasco County girl to run a sub-12-second time in the 100m since 2016, when Pasco High’s Alfreda Steele was dominating the local scene and winning state championships before competing at the University of Miami and nationally. Rivers coached Steele, and a few other speedsters currently in college, and thinks Colin could be next. Especially if she can get her 100 time under that 12-second mark. “She has an outstanding work ethic, and is just a joy to coach,” Rivers says. “All those kids in college are there because they wanted it. They beat me to practice. They didn’t complain. That’s Tiffany.” Colin was rezoned to Cypress Creek after spending her freshman year at Wiregrass Ranch, where she golfed, played

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basketball and ran track for fun after winning the county middle school title in the 100. She has golfed since she was six years old, learning the game at the First Tee program at Tampa’s Rogers Park. She played a number of junior circuit tournaments and even qualified twice, she says, for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) State Championships. However, during quarantine, her dad Eddy showed her a YouTube video of the day in the life of Texas Tech track athlete Rose Njoku. Colin was fascinated, and decided then she wanted to run track in college. She even practices in a Texas Tech t-shirt these days. While she also golfed this past season for the Coyotes, Colin says she is hanging up her bag so she can focus on getting faster. “I like golf, but not that much anymore,” Colin says. “When my dad showed me that video, it opened my eyes. I was just like, ‘Oh man, I want to track seriously.’” Rivers says he knows she will reach her goals, because of the one time she failed to do so. After going undefeated last year in the county, she fell behind against stiffer competition in the 100 at the District meet and even wiped out at the finish line trying to stretch forward, ending her winning streak Rivers says Colin’s competitive fire burned like he hadn’t seen it burn before. “She was mad; I’ve never seen her like that,” Rivers says. “She lost, and she shouldn’t have lost, and she knew it. She was hot, and I was laughing because I loved it.” Colin doesn’t have any college scholarship offers yet, but Rivers says he has had some feelers. When she asks why no colleges have called, he tells her that while she has garnered some attention, she hasn’t done enough yet. “Not yet,” he says. “But, if she keeps working hard, it’s going to happen.”

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The Grill At Morris Bridge Making Major Menu Changes! By GARY NAGER Photos by Charmaine George

When The Grill at Morris Bridge opened on Cross Creek Blvd. (next to Publix) in New Tampa in late 2021, many locals raved about having a locally owned sit-down dinner place that wasn’t a chain. Others said it was a little pricy for what it was and some even (incorrectly, in one editor’s opinion) complained that the portions were small. Well, owners Frank and James Gouveia heard the calls and they’ve been working with new chef Wally Dawson (who previously was the Executive Chef at Roy’s and at Lake Jovita Country Club) to revamp The Grill’s menu, reducing the prices on many menu items, adding a few new goodies and removing some items altogether. The Grill also has put additional emphasis on a great, reduced-price Bar Menu. Frank, who spent a lot of years in the wine distribution business, also promises some lower-cost glasses and bottles of wine, and the new Happy Hour (Tuesday-Friday, all day until 6 p.m.) features Silver Gate wines by the glass for just $6, as well as $4 draft beers and $5 Corazon tequila, Spring 44 (indigo) gin, Svedka vodka, Benchmark bourbon and Bacardi rum drinks. The bar menu includes Cacoila paprika-braised pulled pork sliders, an outstanding blackened chicken sandwich (usually served with fries, but I get it with delicious sautéed broccolini), “smash” burgers and a variety of crisp-crust, oven-baked pizzas. Our new favorite of these is the slightly spicy, slightly salty linguiça sausage pizza shown on this page, although the curiously named Route 140 pizza combines the same linguiça with banana peppers and onion. You also can dress up your own cheese pizza with a variety of veggies, meats and extra cheese. There are a number of items that Frank treated me, Jannah and photographer Charmaine George to on our most recent visit — items that are so new, they hadn’t even been added to the menu at that point, but they’re awesome. Mine and Jannah’s favorite was the bacon-and-parmesancrusted mahi-mahi (top of this page), served on a bed of asparagus, fried capers and roasted red potatoes, with a lemon butter sauce. The crust is thick and crispy, but not overpowering and Frank and Wally said that the mahi will cost about $22, which — take my word for it — is a bargain. Another new entrée that Jannah and I didn’t get to sample (because of my accursed shellfish allergy) but Charmaine raved about was the blackened shrimp fettuccine Alfredo. She said the sauce, pasta and shrimp were all spot-on. Wally and Frank also promised that other new menu items will be announced shortly — possibly as soon as by the time this issue reaches your mailbox. The only thing that could make some of our favorites at

The Grill at Morris Bridge features everything from (clockwise from top left on this page) the bacon-and-parmesan-crusted mahi-mahi, Empress Yourself cocktail, linguiça pizza, blackened shrimp fettuccine Alfredo, grilled pork chop & grilled Caesar salad. Next page, top to bottom: Cacoila sliders, blackened chicken sandwich and creme brulée and cappuccino.

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The Grill at Morris Bridge even better would be lower prices. Among those favorites are an absolutely delicious grilled Caesar salad, perhaps the best I’ve had in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel, the grilled pork chop (served with fingerling potatoes, sautéed Brussels sprouts and Romesco sauce, although shown just by itself in the picture on the previous page), the 8-oz. grilled filet mignon (there’s also a tasty 12-oz NY strip and Frank says a ribeye might be added), the chicken & broccolini (with rigatoni, diced chicken, garlic, broccolini and lemon cream sauce) and the true New England clam chowder. Our favorite desserts are the creme brulée and the chef’s cheesecake (try either one with the perfect cappuccino or regular coffee) and The Grill also has “New Tampa’s Best Sunday Brunch” with tasty egg dishes (including a variety of Benedicts), brioche French toast and more, and the kids menu has four different items all priced at just $9. “We don’t want The Grill to be just a ‘special occasion’ destination,” Frank says. We want it to be an affordable, family-friendly place you’ll want to visit every week.” The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open every day except Monday for lunch and dinner. For more information, call (813) 388-5353, visit TheGrillat MorrisBridge.com. search “The Grill at Morris Bridge” on Facebook or see the ad on pg. 37.

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Tasty Ramen, Mojo Fusion Latin Cuisine, MaeBerry Co., Katie Beth’s Boutique Among The Latest KRATEs To Open; Bacon Boss Is Coming Soon As we went to press with this issue, things were really heating up at the KRATE Container Park in The Grove at Wesley Chapel, with half a dozen more (since we reported on the KRATEs last issue) of the former shipping containers already open and several others getting ready to do the same. Among the newest restaurants to open are Mojo Fusion Latin Grill and Tasty Ramen. Jannah and I were fortunate enough to be able to attend the Friends & Family pre-opening of Mojo Fusion, the Latin fusion restaurant owned by Luis Ledezma and his family. Ledezma, who has years of experience in the food business, is from Venezuela, but his menu at the first restaurant he has owned also includes Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican and even Argentinian-style dishes on its smallish — but delicious — menu. To date, we’ve been able to sample the super-tasty Argentinian-style Choripan chorizo sandwich (the chimichurri sauce is legit), the Cuban nachos (plantain chips topped with shredded pork, chicharrones, melted cheese, pico de gallo, cilantro aioli and fresh chopped cilantro), the Cuban-style ropa vieja bowl (top left photo), as well as the “fantastica” house-made red sangria. For more information, call (813) 406-5385 or visit MojoGrillLatinFusion.com. Just a couple of days before we went to press with this issue, Tasty Ramen also opened its doors (next to El Prince Mediterranean, which we told you about last issue). Although we didn’t get to sample the menu, Monica Russo of MaeBerry Co. (see below) took some great pics of Tasty Ramen’s ramen, noodle bowls and more (top right photo) and the fact that it is owned by Lawrence, the same owner as Blue Fin Japanese restaurant in The Village at The Grove, lets us know that the quality of the food is excellent. For more info, call (917) 775-1599.

One of the most anticipated of the KRATEs is surely The Bacon Boss (one of our favorite local food trucks, with amazing burgers and more), which owners Joshua and Christy Norland (Christy is shown in the pic bottom left) say should be open by (or before) Saturday, April 23. Josh told us that The Bacon Boss’ first brick-and-mortar location will likely only include three of their famous burgers (and no mac n’ cheese), with other burgers being added every two weeks or so. For more info, visit TheBaconBossHQ.com or call (813) 922-9290. Meanwhile, not every new KRATE is a restaurant. For example, MaeBerry Co., the brainchild of Monica Russo, a Wesley Chapel resident who previously sold her baby clothes and accessories online only, opened the day before we went to press and I was so impressed with MaeBerry’s super-soft, breathable Hanlyn Collective Game-On bamboo pajamas (at the bottom of

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the pic above) that I bought a pair for my grandson Jackson. MaeBerry has lots of baby teethers, Itzy Ritzy diaper bags and so much more in one of the smallest spaces we’ve seen at the KRATEs that you really should check it out for yourself. For more information, visit “MaeBerryCo.com”

or search “MaeBerry Co.” on Facebook. Another shop that opened earlier this month at the KRATEs is Katie Beth’s Boutique. Featuring beautiful women’s apparel that mostly skews a little younger but also offers styles for women of all ages, owner Kaitlyn Owen (photo below) says, “At Katie Beth’s Boutique, we truly believe all women are beautiful and we are committed to representing all women. Our mission is to empower women by providing an affordable, fashionforward lifestyle brand focused on integrity, teamwork, and respect for people.” The first Katie Beth’s opened nine years ago in Katie’s hometown (when she was a senior in high school in DeFuniak Springs, FL) and provides a wide range of apparel to fit any woman’s unique sense of style. Now as a resident of Tampa, she says, “We are excited to be bringing carefully curated clothing, accessories, and gifts to the Wesley Chapel community.” For more info, visit ShopKatieBeths.com. Also, Budget Blinds also just opened its new showroom at the KRATEs. We’ll take a closer look at it in a future issue. For more info, see the ad on pg. 10, call the North Tampa location at (813) 968-5050 or visit BudgetBlinds.com/northtampa. — GN

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 30, Issue 8 • April 19, 2022 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Frammi Italian & American Cuisine Adding More Italian Fare! By GARY NAGER

Photos by Charmaine George & Gary Nager

For everyone who hasn’t yet tried Frammi American Grille & Italian Food, located on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. just north of I-75 in New Tampa, I only have one question — Why not??? For those who loved the burgers at the old Oakley’s Grille, which Luca and his wife Erika took over nearly four years ago, Frammi does still serve those award-winning burgers, crispy fries and other American favorites, but Luca and Erika have brought, as he says, “the genuine cuisine that you find in the homes of Italians, in the everyday kitchens of Sunday family lunches.” Luca, who is from southern Italy, and Erika, who is from the north of the bootshaped country, have each contributed their favorite recipes of their respective regions to Frammi, which was changed from Oakley’s during the pandemic — and folks from New Tampa and beyond have been rightfully thrilled with the results. “We import many ingredients in our dishes from Italia to maintain authenticity,” Luca says, “and all Italian and American dishes are prepared from scratch, so please realize that cooking fresh food from scratch takes time.” And, speaking of fresh, Luca adds, “We apologize if we don’t always have your favorite dishes, but we don’t freeze anything and our quantities are limited.”

So, What’s New?

Luca has definitely committed to expanding both the Italian and American sides of his two-sided menu. Our favorite new American dish is the fried chicken sandwich, which is a full breast filet, lightly battered and flash-fried to golden crisp on the outside, but still incredibly juicy on the inside. When you add in those perfect fries (which are included), you really can’t go wrong. But, as much as we love Frammi’s American food (the chicken fajitas, which really are more like fajita meat soft tacos,

are pretty great, too), it’s the alwaysamazing Italian fare that keeps bringing us back. And, Luca says the Italian menu items are definitely from both the north and south of his native country. My favorite from Luca’s southern region is probably still the linguine alla vongole (with clams, diced tomatoes, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, red hot crushed peppers, white wine and garlic) and Jannah’s favorite is the parmigiana di melanzana (eggplant parm), but the new, lightly spicy pasta Amatriciana (rigatoni with fresh tomato sauce, pancetta, diced tomatoes, pecorino Romano cheese, red hot peppers and parsley) is an amazing addition. Our favorite dish from Erika’s northern region is the ragu di salsiccia (penne with Italian sausage ragu (onions, celery, carrots, tomato sauce, Italian sausage and red wine), although the Black Angus beef ragu also is outstanding, and the lasagna (made with bechamel sauce, instead of ricotta) is both authentic and a best-seller. And, although they aren’t new to the menu, on our most recent visit we also loved two of the other pasta entrées we hadn’t tried before — the fettuccine carbonara (with crisp pancetta, parmesan and pecorino Romano cheeses, eggs and black pepper) and the fusilli alla pesto

(Above) Owner Luca Ammirati sautées his pasta carbonara before adding the crisp pancetta for the finished product (above left). (Below) Frammi’s fried chicken sandwich is a crispy new entry into the chicken sandwich wars...with perfectly crispy fries. (Below left) The huge Italian salad is a meal unto itself.

(made with basil and pine nut-rich pesto sauce imported from Genova). All of Frammi’s pasta dishes are served al denté (firm) without having to ask for them that way and are so authentic, they’ll have you singing “O Sole Mio” in no time. One of the other dishes from the Italian side of the menu that we tried recently but hadn’t gotten to sample before is the vegetable soup (with carrots, onion, celery, potatoes, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese and rosemary), which Luca says is like real Italian minestrone, but not like the red broth-based minestrone you may have had at other places. We also enjoy the bruschetta (diced tomatoes, garlic and extra virgin olive oil on crisp Italian ciabatta bread) and the meatball sandwich, which are Luca’s famous authentic fried Black Angus meatballs topped with mozzarella cheese, but 34

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with a side of tomato sauce for dipping, instead of served on the sandwich itself. The mixed Italian salad (left) is a huge portion of romaine and iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, carrots, hard-boiled eggs and fresh imported mozzarella cheese served with Italian dressing. The hot pressed Cuban, spicy Italian and mufaletta sandwiches proudly include Boar’s Head meats, and include a free soda if you order one of them on Saturday. Other daily specials are served Tuesday-Saturday — Burger Tuesday, Chicken Wednesday (both specials include a free soda), Philly Thursday (get $1 off the ribeye or chicken cheesesteak and fries) and Healthy Friday (all salads are $1.50 off). And, while we rarely leave room for dessert, the tiramisu and Nutella crepes are great options and Frammi also offers beer, wine and soft drinks. Neighborhood News

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(Clockwise from above left) The pasta Amatriciana, chicken fajitas, fusilli alla pesto,doublecheeseburgerand vegetable soup are all among our editor’s favorite dishes at Frammi. Frammi (17631 BBD) is closed on Mon. but is open Tues.-Sat, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and noon-8 p.m. on Sun. Call (813) 523-5075, visit Frammi.com or see the ad on pg. 36. Delivery is available through DoorDash, Mobile Meals and Uber Eats.

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Wesley Chapel’s Latest Dining & Entertainment News

Cheers Liquor Store Is Open!

• In the same plaza as Blue Water Dental on S.R. 54 near Saddlebrook Resort, two restaurants are significantly closer to opening the second Wesley Chapel location for each. • Jersey Mike’s Subs (photo right), which already has a location in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. south of S.R. 56, is nearing completion, and is now hiring, with an anticipated opening sometime in early April. • First Watch, which also already has its first location in the same plaza as Wesley Chapel’s original Jersey Mike’s, should be open later this month, possibly as early as April 24. We’ll keep you posted. • We also have an update on The Living Room, the popular Dunedin restaurant and live music venue that is coming to the former location of Ciao!

in the Shops at Wiregrass. Co-owner Zach Feinstein says that supply chain issues have delayed the opening of The Living Room (photo below left) here and that it looks like the fully gutted and revamped eatery likely won’t open before sometime in June of this year. • And finally, although it’s not located in the KRATE Container Park (see story on pg. 32), we wanted to congratulate Victoria and Dan Watson, the husband-and-wife team that has owned The Acting Studio since 2009 without a formal space to call their own, for the Grand Opening and North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting (photo, below right) of their new studio and theater in The Village at The Grove (at 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 204). The extracurricular theater program offers opportunities for everyone from

middle schoolers through adults, with a primary focus on high school-aged kids. For more information, visit TheActingStudioTampa.com or call (813) 679-4810. — GN

When the Cheers Liquor Store opened a couple of months ago at 8684 Hunters Village Rd. in the Village at Hunter’s Lake plaza (next to Starbucks) in New Tampa, Jannah and I met the owners and discussed the possibility of the store advertising in the Neighborhood News. I ended up not writing about Cheers in that issue and when I went back to take pictures for a write-up a month or so later, the store was closed so I put it off for another issue. When I went back to Cheers last week, the owner’s son, Ajay Bathija, informed me that his father had passed away the day before I visited when the store was closed. “The store was my father Daleep’s baby,” Ajay told me, getting understandably emotional. “He designed the store, chose the inventory and passed away three months after it opened.” Ajay and his family continue to operate Cheers, which has a nice selection of not only unique liquor bottles, fine wines and craft beers, but also gift items like toy cars, fine chocolates like Ferrero Rocher and more. The store also offers free tastings. For more information, call Cheers at (813) 428-6326 and tell Ajay and his family I sent you. — GN

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Lotte Plaza Market Files Plans To Renovate Former New Tampa Sweetbay Lotte Plaza Market has filed plans with the City of Tampa to renovate the former Sweetbay Supermarket off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., next to the Home Depot, as it prepares to open what will be New Tampa’s largest Asian marketplace. The renovation project on the 49,432-sq.ft. building, roughly 11,000 square feet of which will be storage and cooler space, will transform the inside of the former grocery store into a marketplace that sells Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese food items and ingredients, a wide selection of meats and fresh fish and seafood and a huge variety of fruits and vegetables not found at American grocery stores. The Lotte Plaza Market also will include at least three restaurants in its food court, as well as a bakery and a tea stand. The renovations will cost roughly $4.5 million, according to the plans. The owners of the small Maryland-based ethnic grocery store chain focusing on Asian groceries and goods purchased the old Sweetbay Market for $7 million in January of 2021. The Sweetbay building closed in 2013 and has been unoccupied since.

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KNK Tampa, Ltd. bought it in 2001 and leased it to Kash n’ Karry for a 20-year term beginning in November of that year. Kash n’ Karry operated under the lease until June 14, 2006, when its Belgian parent company Delhaize America, Inc., converted it into a Sweetbay. But, despite its rebranding, Sweetbay never gained the popularity of nearby Publix or Walmart stores. In October of 2013, Jacksonvillebased Bi-Lo Holdings bought 72 Sweetbay stores, plus the leases to 10 other underperforming Sweetbay locations that had already been closed. One of those leases belonged to the New Tampa location, which had six years remaining on it, but Bi-Lo Holdings declined to do anything with the property other than pay the rent until the deal expired in 2020. Founded in 1976, Lotte Plaza Market is considered to be one of the premier Asian and international groceries in Maryland and Virginia, where it has 12 locations. The mini-chain also has one location in New Jersey, and opened the only other Florida location in Orlando on W. Colonial Dr. in February 2019. Lotte Plaza Market is hoping to open 50 new locations by 2030. — JCC

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New Tampa & Wesley Chapel HOME IMPROVEMENT

CUSTOM INT. WINDOW COVERINGS! Cust. fabrication of all types of window coverings — plantation & hurricane shutters, vert. blinds, roller, cellular, woven wood & Roman shades, cellular vert., panel tracks, retract. awnings, motorization experts, alum., wood & faux wood blinds & more! FREE installation on orders over $250! Call Henry @ 813-948-6363, email TampaBlindsbyDesign@ gmail.com or visit TampaBlindsbyDesign.com. AMBLER ENTERPRISES Home Improvement. Call James at 813-385-6402. 30 Years of exp. Specialist in Kitchens & Bathrooms. Referrals upon request. All interior work: Drywall, Texture Paining, Doors, etc. Use us once & you won’t need to look elsewhere. Google us to see pictures: Wesley Chapel Ambler Enterprises. See our display ad at the bottom of this page! WESLEYCHAPELPRESSUREWASHING.COM Soft pressure ext. house cleaning, screen enclosures, pool decks, driveways, sidewalks, fences, roofs, paver sealing & deck staining. We clean everything. No job too big/small. Exp. the difference when you hire a pressure cleaning pro. Licensed & insured. Owner operated. Call for a free estimate 813-433-6015. RAYMOND PAINTING. Ext. & Int. Svcs. Ext: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks & wood rot repair. Int: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall repairs & tiles. Licensed & Bonded. References available. Free estimates. Your Neighborhood Arbor Greene Resident! We work 7 days. Call 813-994-5124.

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable, Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings & walls, re-texturing, popcorn removal, room addt’ns, cracks, holes, plaster & stucco repair. 26 years exp. WC resident. State Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate: 813-784-5999.

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

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

CLEANING SERVICES

MARY’S CLEANING SERVICES. We provide flexible domestic & office cleaning. “Jesus is the Lord.” Give us a call at 352-206-8809 for a free estimate or email marynovociclo@gmail.com. PATY CLEANING SERVICE. Comm’l or resid’l cleaning service. We have our own supplies & 6 years of exp.Free estimates. Call 813 943 6054 or email patycleaningservice@hotmail.com.

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

If you don’t see your long-running Classified ad on this page, it’s because you didn’t respond to our attempts to receive a new payment from you. Your Classified ad can still be renewed, but only at the full-year Classified rate. For more info, call (813) 910-2575.

LAWN & LANDSCAPING, ETC.__ ALL DIMENSIONS LANDSCAPE & EXTERIORS, LLC. Complete resid’l & comm’l landscape, hardscape & softscape. Mulch & decorative stone. Patios, decks, retaining walls, property maintenance & lawn care. Sod & lawn install’n, artificial turf, fencing, railings, soft & hard pressure washing, painting. We do anything exterior. Call (724) 541-2535 or (813) 485-6661 for a 25% discount on labor & materials. JASMINE LANDSCAPING, INC. Complete lawn maint, including Tree, palm & hedge trimming, planting, mulching, stones, sod replacement. Gutter cleaning, leaf removal & more. Cited by your HOA? Ask about our HOA Compliance Special, our Fall/ Spring Special & FREE estimate! Lic’d & insured. Accepting new resid’l & comm’l accounts. Visa, MC, PayPal, Zelle, AmEx. Call or text 813-420-4465. Now hiring FT workers. FITZPATRICK’s TREE SERVICE, INC. 27-yrs of Prof. Service. Licensed & Insured. Free Estimates. Tree Trimming & Tree Removal. Stump Grinding. Dead-Wood Removal. Affordable Rates. 24-Hour Emergency Storm Service. Free Mulch. Call 813495-9541 or 813-788-TREE.

MISCELLANEOUS AUTOS WANTED! Autos/trucks/small campers/ small boats wanted! We pay top dollar! Any condition, Free Removal 24/7. For more info, call (813) 461-0062. ELITE RIDES. Private rides in a sanitized 2020 Tesla, plus concierge services. Airport, schools, medical appointments, shopping, etc. Courteous, reliable professional. New Tampa to Tampa Int’l Airport - $40 (one way). Driver vaccinated w/two shots. Cory Lake Isles resident. Call/text 813.765.2037.

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All Neighborhood News Classified Ads appear in both New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News! Here are our Classified ad rates: 7 issues — $120 13 issues — $200 26 issues (1 year) — $300! To order yours, visit neighborhoodnewsonline.net/ Classified Listings POOL SERVICES

ALLSTARPOOLSOFTAMPABAY.COM. Pool cleanups, & acid washing of old pool finishes. Marcite, quartz & pebble finishes from $3K. We offer cool decking, Eurocrete & paver decking options. Paver, river rock sealing, leak detection & in-ground vinyl liner replacements avail. Quality salt & ozone generators, pumps, motors & filters. Serving NT & WC since 1990. Call/text 813-244-7077 or visit AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com. TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE. New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing w/outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! Call or Text Chris today @ 813-857-5400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com. New customers get ONE MONTH FREE! NEIGHBORHOOD POOLS. Wesley Chapel owned & operated since 1999. Weekly service. No long term contracts. Mention this AD for one-month Free service. Call 813-907-7322 for details or text Joe at 813-758-7608.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 30, Issue 8 • April 19, 2022 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

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