New Tampa Neighborhood News, Issue 9, April 25, 2015 by Neighborhood News

Volume 23 Issue 9

Inside:

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April 25, 2015

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More Improvements Needed At BBD/Bearss Ave. After ‘Segment A’ Wraps By Matt Wiley

Construction has been steadily increasing along Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa between E. Bearss Ave. and Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms (also known as BBD “Segment A”) during the past several months. However, we were somewhat surprised to learn recently that the intersection of BBD and E. Bearss Ave. won’t be completely improved when the BBD “Segment A” project has been completed. While the intersection will receive some improvements when BBD is widened (which won’t be until 2017; see below), a future project will still be needed provide additional relief through the 1.8-mile corridor between Livingston Ave., east on Bearss Ave. through the intersection with BBD and south to E. Fletcher Ave. So, even after the latest $55-million, 3.5-mile segment of BBD widening has been completed (tentatively scheduled to be finished in the Spring of 2017), and BBD is four lanes in both directions from Bearss Ave. north to Regents Park Dr. in Pebble Creek, more construction is still likely to be needed in the corridor — but, the Livingston-Fletcher project isn’t yet funded in Hillsborough County’s current transportation improvement plan.

During the April 1 Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting in downtown Tampa, the Board appointed Raleigh, NC-based Kimley-Horn & Associates to perform an $800,000 study to determine the three best alternatives for improvements to not only the BBD/Bearss Ave. intersection that snarls rush hour traffic daily, but also for the entire length of the Livingston-Fletcher project. Project manager Gordana Jovanovic says that the study, which started in early April, will take between 4-6 months to complete the field work (traffic counts, survey, soil data, utilities, etc.), after which the company will put together the best alternatives for future improvements that will be presented to the BOCC and to the public for input during public meetings that will be scheduled toward the end of this year. Jovanovic says that the segments for widening BBD were determined several years before construction initially began on the project by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The project to improve the BBD/Bearss intersection, she says, would make additional improvements to boost traffic flow between Livingston Ave. and BBD, south to E. Fletcher Ave., which is a major cause of congestion, especially during peak traffic hours.

Construction is in high-gear along the 3.5-mile stretch of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. through Tampa Palms, between Palm Springs Blvd. and E. Bearss Ave. While the intersection of BBD/Bearss will see some improvements from this project, another improvement project will still be needed to enhance the flow of traffic through the corridor. She adds that once the improvement the environmental impacts of altering the alternatives for the entire project have intersection, Jovanovic says. been determined, the county will go There’s a possibility that the two about seeking funding. projects could end up being worked “The funding sources (for the Liv- on, concurrently, she explains, but that ingston Ave.-Fletcher project) haven’t all depends upon which alternatives are been determined yet,” Jovanovic says. deemed the best for the entire project “The source really depends on the alter- and how quickly funding for that alternanatives (found by the study).” tive can be obtained. “We have to deterDuring the next several months, mine our needs list and our ‘wish list,’ as Kimley-Horn work crews will be gather- far as the alternatives go,” she says. ing data throughout the corridor, conFor one editor’s opinion about ducting traffic counts, as well as studying this story, see page 3.

Walk Now For Autism Speaks Tampa Bay Raises Nearly $270K At The Trop! By Matt Wiley As we announced in our last issue, 2015 marks the first time we decided as a company to dedicate to supporting one cause for an entire year, and we’re proud to say that we recently kicked off our involvement in autism awareness by taking part in the tenth-annual Walk Now For Autism Speaks Tampa Bay event, which did more than just raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for autism research. On April 11, an estimated crowd of 8,500 people came out to Tropicana Field in downtown St. Petersburg to support au-

tism awareness with a half-mile walk around the stadium, followed by tons of familyfriendly entertainment on the field under the dome. Although the total has not been made official and was still had been raised at this year’s event, says Katy Formella, senior manager of field development for Autism Speaks, an international autism research and advocacy organization. “The tenth annual Walk Now event was an exceptional show of community support,” Formella says. “We received substantial support from the local corporate community, including new partnerships with Outback Steakhouse and Raymond James.

Also Inside This Issue!

Local News, Business & Education Updates

Neighborhood Magazine

OASIS Network Adds A New Location, Rotary Bike Ride Raises Money For Vets, ‘Bill Nye The Science Guy’ Speaks At USF & Lots Of Great Business Features!

Vallarta’s Isn’t Just A Hot Spot For Cinco De Mayo, Neighborhood News Team Repeats At WC Rotary Spelling Bee & More Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

Pages 3-48

Pages 49-60

And, the Tampa Bay Rays support and commitment to the cause made this year a home run!” In fact, injured Rays closer Jake McGee assisted with some of the festivities at this year’s Walk. New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News publisher Gary Nager and some of our employees were able to make it out to and take part in the event as members of our partner team Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay (BCOTB), which has a local office behind Sam’s Club (off S.R. 56) in Wesley Chapel. See “Autism Speaks” on page 21.

Fool Me Once On BBD, Shame On Me...But Fool Me Twice Or 3 Times? An editorial by Gary Nager I have now owned and edited this publication for more than 21 years, which means that I have been waiting for Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. to be widened for oh...let’s say...at least 20 of those years. I attended all of the meetings — which began in late 1994 or early 1995 — between the Lutz Civic Association, representatives (some elected officials and many staffers) of Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa and a not-organized small group of New Tampa residents. The New Tampa attendees all wondered how the city and county had so badly botched the plans for providing adequate roads (and lanes on those roads) for up to 50,000 residential units (a number, we thankfully, will likely never reach) and somewhere approaching 150,000-200,000 potential residents in zip code 33647. At that time, we only had one “major” north-south thoroughfare (4- and 6-laned, in some places BBD), one “major” east-west thoroughfare (2-lane County Line Rd.) which connected us to points west of us (including Livingston Ave. in Lutz) but not east at all, and one “major” east-west road (4- and 2-lane Cross Creek Blvd.) which was planned to (but at that time, didn’t) connect to Morris Bridge Rd. to the east, but not at all to the west. By about 1996, Cross Creek Blvd. was expanded westward, although the new road — called New Tampa Blvd. — dead-ended about a quarter-mile east of I-75, as its only function at that time was to be the main arterial through a new community called West Meadows (which actually is technically part of the original Tampa Palms/Tampa Tech Development of Regional Impact {DRI}, even though

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Publisher & Editor Gary Nager General Manager Nikki Bennett Assistant Editor / Photographer Matt Wiley Correspondents Celeste McLaughlin • Meaghan O’Neal • Anu Panchal Advertising Sales Representative Mary Dorey Office Assistants Erica Everett • Jillian Reilly Graphic Design Georgia Carmichael • Nate Ciurla Nothing that appears in New Tampa Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by New Tampa Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion. The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisements for Volume 23, Issue 11, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, May 11, 2015. New Tampa Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. New Tampa Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. New Tampa Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

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it was developed as a separate community). Once West Meadows was approved for development, however, that dead end was always intended to be connected through the north and westernmost portions of Tampa Palms (near what is now Freedom High) to a new interchange on I-275 (between the current Bearss Ave. exit and I-275’s northern terminus just south of the S.R. 56 interchange off I-75) by a roadway called the East-West Connector Road (E-W Rd.) for New Tampa. So, those early public meetings and dozens that followed were intended to find solutions for adding more capacity to (by widening) BBD and to get the much-needed E-W Rd. built, because neither of those improvement projects were funded in any way at that time, despite the fact that Hillsborough County and Tampa both allowed multiple largescale development projects (Hunter’s Green, Cross Creek, Cory Lake Isles and Heritage Isles, etc.) to be approved and built. The property that today is called Tampa Palms, Hunter’s Green and the developments along BBD south of Pebble Creek (e.g., West Meadows, Richmond Place and Hunter’s Key) was all annexed into the city of Tampa in the late 1980s, but almost all of the residential development in our area was originally approved by the county, so I blame both entities for allowing all of that development without having any plan to fund our two biggest infrastructure needs, despite the best efforts of yours truly and several others to get the city and county to find the money. Between the mid-1990s and a couple of years ago, when the county (with financial help from the city) first began widening BBD, we were told BBD had to be widened in phases (called Segments A-D), with the most expensive portion (Segments B-C, from what is now Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms to Regents Parks Dr. in Pebble Creek) to be built at the same time, because they would be both the most complicated and expensive of the segments to build. So, we were thrilled when Segments B-C began building, even though we knew Segments A&D wouldn’t be built for years, which meant that all the Segment B-C project would really accomplish was to move the bottleneck from right around I-75 to about a mile north and a mile south of the interstate. But, even though we attended a city-

county ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2014 for the “completion” of Segments B-C, they weren’t actually completed at that time and were having little impact on our traffic because the portion of BBD that passed directly under I-75 was actually part of a separate project — the widening of I-75 itself from Fowler Ave. to just south of S.R. 56, which was funded by the Florida Department of Transportion and the National Highway Administration. That project didn’t actually have an impact on our area traffic until the lanes under I-75 finally opened a month of so ago as you’re reading this. So, another $36 million is finally being spent now to widen BBD Segment A (see story on pg. 1), which means that many of us will still be sitting in traffic during that construction until that project is completed in 2017. Or, will it be completed by that time? As assistant editor Matt Wiley’s page 1 story

tells vus, the intersection of BBD and Bearss Ave. isn’t actually being improved as part of Segment A, which means that the alreadybad bottleneck during the morning rush hour (which only has one lane accessing westbound Bearss from southbound BBD) won’t really be “improved” until a separate county project to make improvements from the Livingston Ave./Bearss intersection to BBD/Bearss and south along BBD to Fletcher Ave. kicks in. Matt was told that separate project “could end up being worked on concurrently” sometime during the Segment A widening, but I don’t believe it will happen without pressure from local residents on our county commissioners. You can email all seven commissioners at HillsboroughCounty.org. Tell them you need the BBD-Bearss intersection improvements to be worked on concurrently with the BBD Segment A project!

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Table of Contents

Local News Updates.....................................4-21

OASIS Network Adds Fourth Site In Seffner................................4 Javic Homes Opens Southern Living ‘Showcase Home’ In WC........6 HCSO Warns Of Springtime ‘Gypsy Crimes’.................................8 Legislators Present Funding Option For S.R. 56 Extension........10 New Tampa News Briefs........................................................12 Kohl’s Coming To Cypress Creek Town Center I-75 Work Could Wrap By Early Summer Wesley Chapel Woman Orders Pizza, Neglects Child Grow A Playoff Beard For Moffitt Cancer Center FMC Breaks Ground On Wiregrass Facility......................................12 Rotary Bike Ride Raises Money For Veterans.................................14

New Tampa Community Calendar....................................20

Local Business Updates......................24-42

Legacy At Highwoods Preserve Eyes July Opening.....................24 Surface Butler Keeps Your Surfaces Stainless................................28 Our Exclusive 2015 Summer Camp Guide!..........................30 PROtential Sports Summer Camps For Kids. & More!..........34 Tampa Kidney Specialists Will Take Care Of Your Kidneys............38 New Tampa Plastic Surgery Helps Improve Your Image.............40

Local Education Updates.....................43-45

NT Students Show Science Fair Project At The White House.........43 Bill Nye The Science Guy Urges College Kids To Change World.......45

Local Sports Updates...............................46 New Tampa YMCA Adds Outdoor Conditioning Area

Neighborhood Magazine

Vallarta’s Is More Than A Hot Spot For Cinco De Mayo.............49 Neighborhood News Wins Again At Rotary Spelling Bee.................50 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’..............................54

NEW TAMPA COLOR CLASSIFIEDS........................56

Broadway Comes To Tampa Moves Downtown...............................58

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OASIS Network Expands To Add Fourth Site In Seffner Area By Matt Wiley

Inside a Seffner school near the intersection of I-75 and I-4, a classroom is filled with gently used boys and girls clothing and school supplies. It’s not a supply room for teachers, but a gold mine of resources for school social workers, who make sure that students have what they need, even if they come from lower income families. Thanks to the New Tampa-based non-profit organization known as the “Outreach Assisting Students In Schools” (or “OASIS”) Network, students in some of the most blighted parts of Hillsborough County now have access to clothes that they can be proud of wearing to school each day, as well as necessary school supplies. It all can add up very quickly for parents. The Seffner location is the fourth site that OASIS has opened since it was founded in 2001 by longtime New Tampa residents Terry Wolford and Lynn Gruber, who realized that in this area, there were and are families with excess, and others not far away with a lot of need. Creating OASIS was their way of transferring excess goods that would typically be discarded to those in need, says OASIS executive director Ginger Bean, another New Tampa mom who has been running the OASIS program for many years. In the Hillsborough County

School District (HCSD), Bean says that 60-percent of students actually live in some form of poverty. In the Seffner area, that level is even higher, at 66 percent. “For years, school social workers have asked us for an easily accessible site in the southeastern section of the county,” Bean explains. “The new site makes it much easier for social workers (in those areas) who are gathering clothing and supplies for their students in need.” Each site’s exact location cannot be disclosed, so as to deter entire families from showing up, hoping to collect clothing. Instead, the sites are kept confidential so that the goods inside can be reserved for young students in need and dispersed accordingly by the social workers at each school. Most of the OASIS sites are in school classrooms that HCSD has allowed the 501(c)(3) organization to use. Each room is set up like a regular store, Bean explains, with clothing separated into different sections for girls, boys, women and men. There also are sections for school supplies and hygiene products. Since 2001, Bean says that OASIS has been able to help more than 7,000 students feel good about going to school by providing them with the clothes and supplies they need to feel like they fit in.

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“In a way, we’re encouraging kids to keep going to school,” Bean says. “We’re able to improve the way the kids feel about themselves. Many times, they just won’t go because they feel like they don’t belong because they don’t have proper supplies or nice clothing.” OASIS always is looking for more gently used clothing to supply for those less fortunate. Lately, Bean says, the sites have needed even more gently-used kids clothing than usual — “typical things they’d wear to school,” like jeans, shorts and shortsleeved shirts, even hooded sweatshirts.” “We get a lot of adult-sized clothing, but The New Tampa-based OASIS Network recently expanded to add a fourth site in Hillsborough County to help better provide gentlyyouth sizes are harder to come by,” she adds. used clothing and school supplies to students in need. The sites are laid out like a typical clothing store (see above). “Many times, kids just wear their clothes out to New Tampa Family YMCA, located on the point that they can’t be donated, Compton Dr. in Tampa Palms. or the clothing is sold to consignment For more information about shops.” the OASIS Network, or to find out If you have anything you’d like to more about donating, please visit donate to OASIS, you can do so at the Oasis-Network.org.

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Southern Living Showcase Home Opens In Brookside With WCCC Expo By Matt Wiley

The Southern Living magazine “Showcase Home” in Brookside (located next to Saddlebrook Resort & Spa on S.R. 54) is complete, and soon will be featured in the glossy, national magazine. During a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) Expo on March 21 to commemorate the opening of the home (which was built by Tampa-based Javic Homes), more than 200 people came out to tour the fully furnished and decorated abode, including 30 WCCC member businesses. “Showcase Homes” are custom built, open to the public and showcase the latest products, design trends and decorating ideas featured in Southern Living, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016. “This is one of my favorite homes both architecturally and because of its traditional nature, but also because of the interior design and artwork,” says Javic Homes president Jon Solomon. “This year’s team of designers and artists is certainly one of our most talented.” Work began last July on the fourbedroom, 4,000-sq.-ft., “traditional-style,” high-end luxury home in Brookside, the second “Showcase Home” that Javic has built. Last year, Javic built a home in the Beach Park community of South Tampa. The Brookside home currently is listed at $895,000 (and that price includes a membership to Saddlebrook Resort). Although no offers had yet been made on the home at our press time, Solomon says he doesn’t expect the home to stay on the market long,

as the South Tampa home sold in less than one week of being on the market last year. “One reason I love this year’s ‘Showcase Home’ is because of the community, itself,” Solomon says. “Brookside always makes me feel like I’m in a Norman Rockwell painting, so the location is dramatically different than our other homes.” For four weekends in March and April, Javic Homes was offering the public tours of the home that featured refreshments and live music. Attendees were charged a $10 admission fee, and all proceeds were donated to Operation Finally Home (a non-profit group that builds homes for severely injured combat veterans of the U.S. armed forces) and Shriners Hospitals For Children. The final numbers weren’t in when we went to press, but Solomon said that he expected to raise and donate between $5,000-$10,000. “The Southern Living Showcase home is a beautiful addition to Wesley Chapel,” says WCCC executive director Hope Allen. “The Chamber has been involved with the project since almost the beginning, and (Javic Homes) did an amazing job of bringing to life the conceptual drawings we saw last year.” For more information, please visit JavicHomes.com.

The Southern Living (magazine) Showcase Home built by Tampa-based Javic Homes in the Brookside community on S.R. 54 (left) in Wesley Chapel, has opened with a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Expo and four weekends of tours to raise funds for Operation Finally Home and the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 9 • April 25, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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The Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office Warns Of Spring ‘Gypsy Crimes’ If you find someone in your New Tampa home, they might not be a burglar or robber, but rather a “gypsy,” the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) says. According to an April 8 press release from HCSO, in law enforcement, the word “gypsy” refers to people who travel in small groups across the country, perpetrating crimes of theft, burglary and fraud — and these types of crimes increase throughout the Tampa Bay area each spring and summer. “Gypsy scams are incidents that often occur in daylight hours, in which a suspect will literally walk right into someone’s home for the purpose of stealing jewelry or money,” said HCSO spokesperson Larry McKinnon in the release. “Very often, the homeowner is either in or near the home.” McKinnon explains that when these individuals are caught, they make up excuses as to why they’re in the home or on the property. To prevent this, HCSO recommends always keeping the doors to your home locked and your garage doors closed, even when your kids aren’t home alone. HCSO also warns of another type of crime that is common at this time of the year, involving “Travelers,” also sometimes referred to as “Irish Travel-

ers,” or groups of traveling home improvement workers, who prey upon unsuspecting homeowners, especially the elderly. These groups go doorto-door, offer- “These are not the gypsies ing to pave and you’re looking for,” but seal driveways at HCSO says you should a cheap price. protect your family from The release possible “gypsy crimes.” says that the groups perform “shoddy” work with cheap materials. When the homeowners try to locate the workers to repair the job, they can’t be located. Or, they’ll call to cancel the check they paid with, but it’s already been cashed. HCSO says that if a deal sounds too good to be true, homeowners should try to find the company online through the Better Business Bureau and never pay for a job in advance. If you have any info about any individuals who may be involved in construction or home repair fraud or any other “gypsy crimes,” contact HCSO Construction Fraud Unit at 247-8622. — MW

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Zephyrhills

S.R. 56 Extension

BEFORE

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5/31/15

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S.R 54

from the State Infrastructure Bank (SIB). According to the U.S. DOT, “SIBs are revolving infrastructure investment funds for surface transportation that are established and administered by states.” In addition to loaning money, the SIB also has a credit enhancement program that helps leverage funds to improve the feasibility of the project, the release said. An official “Letter of Interest” from Pasco is required before an interest rate on the SIB loan can be determined. The issue ultimately will go before the Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), but a date for that decision had not yet been set at our press time. SIB loans have been used for other projects in Tampa, including the construction of the I-4/Crosstown Connector. “As a lifelong resident of east Pasco County, I understand the important economic impact and the need for the expansion of S.R. 56 to four lanes from Wesley Chapel to Zephyrhills,” Rep. Burgess said. “Since being elected as a state representative, I have heard from many of my constituents about this important issue and have worked tirelessly to advocate for this infrastructure project. .” Sen. Legg concurred, “This presents a tremendous opportunity for our community and should be seized. Widening (the extension of) S.R. 56 is vital to realizing our region’s potential. This cannot get done unless the state, the county and the private sector come together for the benefit of our east Pasco County residents.”—MW

Morris Bridge Rd Eiland Blvd

Although it lies in Wesley Chapel in Pasco County, S.R. 56 is an important road for the region and one that many New Tampa drivers utilize every day. While already three and four lanes through Wesley Chapel, S.R. 56 (see map) is set to be extended from where it currently ends at Meadow Pointe Blvd. to Zephyrhills. Currently proposed as a two-lane extension from Meadow Pointe Blvd. to U.S. 301 (and intersecting with Morris Bridge Rd.), Dist. 17 State Senator John Legg (R-Lutz) and Dist. 38 State Representative Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) announced a potential solution to ensure that the 6.7-mile extension of S.R. 56 into Zephyrhills will be built as four lanes (two in each direction) between Meadow Pointe Blvd. and U.S. 301. FDOT awarded the more-than-$30million contract for the S.R. 56 extension to Tampa-based Cone & Graham, Inc., in October, but only for a two-lane extension that could begin construction in 2016. FDOT determined that the overall $60-million project to initially construct a four-lane road was too costly and that additional lanes could be added in the future. If built as a two-lane road, the initial two lanes will serve as the eastbound lanes, once the additional lanes are added. After meetings with Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)’s legislative team and FDOT secretary Jim Boxold, Sen. Legg and Rep. Burgess have announced that a solution may be available in the form of a low-interest loan to Pasco

Meadow Pointe Blvd.

State Legislators Propose A New Way To Fund S.R. 56 Extension

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New Tampa Kohl’s To Join Cypress Creek

As work continues on both sides of the Cypress Creek Town Center (CCTC) Development of Regional Impact (DRI) off S.R. 56, it comes as no surprise that more and more potential tenants are filing preliminary paperwork with Pasco County. Representatives from the Kohl’s department store chain have submitted papers with for a 55,000-sq.ft. retail store on the north side of S.R. 56 at the intersection with Wesley Chapel Blvd. (aka S.R. 54). A meeting is scheduled between Kohl’s representatives and Pasco County planners for April 28. Kohl’s is the first retailer announced for the north side of CCTC, across S.R. 56 from the bustling site of the Tampa Premium Outlets, mall which is expected to open in October.

I-75 Widening Construction Could Wrap In Summer

After years of construction, I-75 may soon finally be rid of the orange cones and barrels in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel in just a few months. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) spokesperson John McShaffrey says that Prince Contracting still is finishing up work on the 11.4-mile, $95-million project to widen I-75 to three and four lanes in either direction between E. Fowler Ave. in Temple Terrace to just south of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, which began in October of 2011, but that the project should be complete by early this summer. He adds that, until a few weeks ago, the nighttime temperatures had been staying too cool to meet the paving requirements for the friction course. “Because of high daytime traffic volume, the contract requires this to be night work when lane closures are allowed,” McShaffrey explains. He says that since the widening work is now completed on BBD and nighttime temperatures have warmed into the acceptable range, Prince has indicated that final pavement adjustments and friction course placement will resume as scheduling is coordinated with its paving subcontractor. “At this time, I cannot offer exact dates, but look for this work to begin soon and for final pavement and lane alignments to be completed by early summer,” McShaffrey says.

News Briefs Wesley Chapel Woman Arrested For Child Neglect

A Wesley Chapel woman has been charged with child neglect and battery on a law enforcement officer, after a pizza delivery driver found a toddler outside her residence wearing only a diaper. According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), on March 22, a Hungry Howie’s pizza delivery driver attempted to deliver a pizza to a residence in Meadow Pointe. Upon arrival, the driver told deputies that a three-year-old child answered the door wearing only a diaper and walked outside. The driver told deputies that she didn’t see an adult inside. “Pizza delivery,” the driver announced into the home, but received no response. The driver entered the house and found 21-year-old Hayleigh Lyn Normandin unconscious on a bed in a bedroom. The driver repeated the pizza delivery announcement and knocked on the open bedroom door, but again received no response. PCSO reports that the driver went back outside with the child and called 9-1-1. When deputies arrived, they, too, announced their Hayleigh Normandin presence several times, but received no response. Once they entered the residence, they noticed narcotics paraphernalia on the kitchen counter. Deputies entered the bedroom and announced their presence. This time, Normandin awoke and immediately asked, “What the f—k are you doing in my house?,” making no mention of the child’s well-being or whereabouts. When deputies attempted to detain her, Normandin pulled away and kicked a deputy two times. Once in the patrol vehicle, Normandin said that she wasn’t trying to kick the deputy, but to break her phone, or destroy evidence. PCSO spokesperson Melanie Snow says that more charges are likely pending due to the large amount of non-prescribed pills, two ounces of marijuana and cultivation materials found in the home. Snow says the child would remain under the care of Child Protective Services until a suitable family member could be found.

Grow A Playoff Beard To Benefit Moffitt! The Tampa Bay Lightning are participating in an annual tradition surrounding the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs known as the Beard-a-Thon® to raise money for Tampa’s Moffitt Cancer Center and are encouraging Lightning fans to join them in the campaign. In celebration of the great tradition of the “playoff beard,” when players don’t shave until their run at the championship ends (and the Lightning, of course, were still in it at our press time, despite losing to the Detroit Red Wings in Game 1 of the opening round playoff series as we went to press with this issue), the Beard-a-Thon was launched in 2009. Since then, more than $3 million has been raised for participating NHL team charities. From helping less fortunate children, to fighting cancer, to bringing together communities, the Beard-a-Thon allows fans to put their “best face forward” for a good cause. As fans pledge to grow playoff beards during the duration of their team’s run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Beard-a-Thon continues to grow, as well. Funds raised throughout the duration will benefit prostate cancer research at the Moffitt Cancer Center. Players who will be profiled from the Lightning include Ryan Callahan, Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and more. The team’s mascot ThunderBug also will be participating. Not able to grow a beard? You can still create your own donation page utilizing online “virtual grower” features. The top local fund raiser wins a Grand Prize of a Steven Stamkos autographed jersey plus four tickets to a 2015-16 regular season Lightning home game. Those who raise $100 before April 22 will be entered to win other autographed memorabilia, such as a Ryan Callahan-signed stick, a Victor Hedman-signed puck and more. You can support the Lightning & Moffitt by donating to the team, player & mascot pages or on your own page at Beardathon.com/team/tampa-bay-lightning.

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Florida Medical Clinic To Add WC Complex

If you’ve been driving along Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. north of S.R. 56, you may have noticed that dirt is being turned between the Shops At Wiregrass mall and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC). What will rise at the site is another impressive medical facility for our area. Florida Medical Clinic, which has a multi-building facility of more than 60,000 square feet only a few miles west of Wesley Chapel on S.R. 54 in Land O’Lakes, as well as several offices in the Summergate Professional Center behind Sam’s Club off S.R. 56), is in the process of building a new 85,000-sq.-ft. facility just south of FHWC. “Our practice is growing and we are consolidating several offices in the area and expanding our space,” says Florida Medical Clinic’s director of marketing Janet Wing. “This is a very dynamic project for us.” The building will stand three stories

tall and serve as a hub for 60 physicians from various medical specialties, including orthopaedics & sports medicine; adult & pediatric spinal deformities; physical therapy; radiology; urgent care; family medicine; internal medicine; pediatrics; cardiology; gastroenterology; pulmonology; dermatology; urology; nephrology; obstetrics & gynecology; behavioral health; allergy; and ear, nose and throat. Wing says that construction is well under way and Wesley Chapel residents should see vertical construction begin in the next few weeks, with the facility currently scheduled to open in March 2016. According to site plans for the Florida Medical Clinic project, the facility’s parking lot will be accessible from both Legacy Blvd. (which serves as the northernmost entrance to the mall), as well as from BBD. For more information, please visit FloridaMedicalClinic.com. – MW

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Noon Rotary’s ‘Cycling For Vets’ Again A Success At Flatwoods Park

I was a little sad that I wasn’t able to participate in the second annual “Cycling for Vets” event sponsored by the New Tampa Noon Rotary Club (which meets Wednesdays at noon at Café Olé on Cross Creek Blvd.)on March 21. As a former charter member of the New Tampa Noon Rotary, I am still close friends with many of the club’s members and this publication was again one of the sponsors of the event, which was held at the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. entrance to Flatwoods, with the staging area held in the nearby parking lot at Chili’s. At last year’s inaugural ride, which again offered 4-, 18- and 39-mile options, there were 70 riders and more than $8,000 raised to benefit the club’s selected charities. This year’s event was down slightly from last year’s, with about 45 riders and almost $6,500 to benefit the Navy Seal Foundation, the Hillsborough Co. Fire Rescue Foundation, the Tampa Police Memorial Fund and Support the Troops. “I think those are great numbers for the size of our club,” says Noon Rotary Board member and orthodontist Dr. Steven Dau, who provided these photos for us. Among the riders this year was longtime New Tampa resident and former Stanley Cup-winning Tampa Bay Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk and the “Lightning” bike club, who were on hand to ride the 39-mile route. For more info about the club and the event, or to make a donation, visit a club meeting at Café Olé or Facebook.com/NewTampaNoonRotary. — GN

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MOMS Club Of New Tampa - The MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club of New Tampa is currently open to new members in the New Tampa area. The MOMS Club offers a variety of daytime activities for mothers and their children, opportunities for Moms’ Nights Out & many more benefits. For info or to join the club, email MomsClubNewTampa@gmail.com.

9-12 Toastmasters - Great speeches & great topics. Come hone your public speaking skills. Tampa Toastmasters meets Wednesday, 7 p.m., at the New Tampa Family YMCA (16221 Compton Dr., Tampa Palms). Guests are always welcome. Call 264-2171.

April 2015

CBC Networking - The Christian Business Connections (CBC) Networking group meets every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church (5338 Primrose Lake Cir., off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms). For info, email Shawn@TPACorp.com.

Monday, April 27

Zen Meditation Group - Enjoy meditation? Looking for a new way to relax? Check out the FREE Zen Meditation Group that meets Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Arbor Greene Community Center (18000 Arbor Greene Dr., off Cross Creek Blvd.) Aerobics Room. People of all faiths are welcome. You only need an interest in meditation and a more peaceful and relaxed mind and life. For more info, call Jeremy at 528-6285. Community Acupuncture - A Monday night community acupuncture and discussion group is meeting at Ion Medi-Spa (8903 Regents Park Dr., Suite 130), 6:30 p.m. Topics include needlefree acupuncture, facial rejuvenation and stop smoking and customized weight-loss programs. For more info, call 960-8833 or visit IonMediSpa.com.

Tuesday, April 28

New Tampa Tri Club - The New Tampa Tri Club is open to runners, swimmers, cyclists & triathletes across the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. The club hosts group bike rides/runs at Flatwoods Wilderness Park (13330 Morris Bridge Rd.) every Tues., Thur. and Sat. at 7:30 a.m. For more info, join the Facebook group or e-mail NewTampaTriClub@gmail.com. GriefShare - This video-seminar-support group is for anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one. The cost is $20 for a workbook and 13 sessions, begin any week to find healing and hope. The group meets Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Lake Magdalene Methodist Church (2902 W. Fletcher Ave., Rm. 310). For info, call 963-1555. English As A Second Language (ESL)- This group meets Tuesdays at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church (19911 BBD Blvd.), 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Classes are taught by a native English speaker using several ESL and Bible study resources. The cost is $40 each semester, for the workbook & class materials. For info, call Heather at 753-8567.

Wednesday, April 29

BNI Millionaire Makers - The BNI Millionaire Makers chapter meets every Wednesday at Heritage Isles Country Club at 7:15 a.m. (10630 Plantation Bay Dr.). The $13 meeting fee includes a hot breakfast. Call Lisa Jordan (621-6015) for more info. Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business professionals dedicated to helping their respective businesses grow through qualified referrals, meets every Wed. morning at 7:30 a.m. at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Club clubhouse (18630 Plantation Bay Dr., off Morris Bridge Rd.). Call Steve Hopper at 918-8609. New Tampa Noon Rotary Club- The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets every Wednesday for lunch at noon at Café Olé (10020 Cross Creek Blvd., in the Cross Creek Center plaza (behind the Shell gas station). Guests are always welcome. New Tampa Evening Rotary Club - The New Tampa Evening Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. at Hunter’s Green Country Club (10101 Longwater Run Dr. inside the Hunter’s Green entrance gate). New members are always welcome. Call Liz DeAmbrose at 956-6487 or email homenet@gte.net.

Thursday, April 30

May 2015 Friday, May 1

New Tampa Rotary Club - The original New Tampa Rotary Club meets for breakfast at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPGCC, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). For more information, call Connie Bladon at (813) 505-6515 or visit NewTampaRotary.org. Women-N-Charge - Join the ladies of Women-n-Charge, 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club (10550 Regents Park Dr.), for lunch, speakers & networking. The cost is $15 for members & $18 for guests. The guest speaker will be Stephanie Eukovich of the Tampa Bay Business Journal, speaking about how to grow business and connections, as well as sharing the free TBBJ tools/events catered to women in business. Register at Women-N-Charge.com. Or, call Judy at 600-9848.

Saturday, May 9

BayChapel Food Pantry— BayChapel will be opening its FREE food pantry to the community at Christian Brothers Automotive (20303 Trout Creek Dr.) from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. for anyone in need. For more info, call Lee at 731-4040.

Friday, May 15

FREE Health & Fitness Seminar — Pure Health & Fitness Studios is hosting a FREE health seminar at its Wesley Chapel location (2653 BBD, Suite 205) from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Pure Health’s founder Samantha Taylor will lead the seminar (which begins at noon) and coffee and dessert will be served. For info, or to RSVP, visit PureHealthStudios.com.

Wednesday, May 20

GFWC Junior Woman’s Club of New Tampa - GFWC Woman’s Club of New Tampa is a small group of women that meets the third Wednesday of each month from noon - 1 p.m. at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, (5340 Primrose Lake Circle in Tampa Palms). Contact Kay Lehmer at KLehmer@verizon.net for more info.

If your organization or business has an upcoming event, send us information, including digital pics (in any format) to Matt@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. Or, visit our website at NTNeighborhoodNews.com to upload your information. Because of our scheduling, please send your information AT LEAST FOUR WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT. There is no charge for this service and the event doesn’t have to be free or for a not-forprofit cause. It just has to be an event you think our readers would enjoy attending.

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2615 Windguard Circle, Suite 101, Wesley Chapel, Florida 33544 20

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‘Autism Speaks’

Continued from page 1 “It was amazing to see the Trop so filled with people,” Nager said. “There was just so much positive energy, it was really beautiful to see. The families touched by autism and the professionals who help those families really are all family, too.” Teams and families touched by auNew Tampa Neighborhood News publisher tism packed the field to enjoy face paintGary Nager (far right above) & office assising, bounce houses, people dressed up as Star Wars characters and comic book su- tant Jill Reilly and her friend Meegan were all part of the top-fund-raising BCOTB ‘Beperheroes and live entertainment. “This year’s Autism Walk was a tre- havior Bunch’ at the Walk Now for Autism mendous success for the ‘BCOTB Behav- Speaks event at Tropicana Field on Apr. 11. ior Bunch,’ thanks to the dedicated involvement from all of our employees and the community support from each of our sponsors,” says BCOTB chief operating officer Jerry Hurley. “(Our team) raised $11,087, making us the number one fundraising Team at this year’s event.” Stay tuned, as we continue to support and write about autism awareness throughout 2015.

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Legacy At Highwoods Preserve Offers A Whole New Take On Assisted Living By Anu Varma Panchal

Gwen Boumeester and Aarene Alessi say that when they lead visitors on a tour around their under-construction building, the visitors are as excited as new homeowners. They point out the trayed ceilings and crown molding, spacious hallways, expansive views over the nature preserve outside and talk about how they can’t wait for a turn at the putting green at the center of one of the courtyards. “We’re a long way from the standard pink-and-teal (retirement) community,” Alessi says. The building — called the Legacy at Highwoods Preserve, located off Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. near New Tampa Blvd. in West Meadows — has the capacity to house up to 88 seniors when it opens its doors this July. As the executive director and community relations director, respectively, Boumeester and Alessi (along with West Meadows resident and “director of first impressions” Lillian Gonzales) already are a permanent presence at the facility, which is the newest venture of Atlanta, GA-based Thrive Senior Living. “This is truly a next generation assisted living (facility),” Alessi says of the resort-style, technology-rich Legacy. “It’s assisted living like you’ve never seen before.” With most potential residents hail-

ing from a 10- to 15-mile radius, Alessi feels that the Legacy is in the right place at the right time for the active senior with a family living locally. “People want their loved ones close to home,” Alessi says. “This has been so well received because there has not been assisted living in (the New Tampa) area (before).” The Legacy is now taking reservations for its 82 private, self-furnished suites. Five floor plans range from 330-sq.-ft. studios to 525-sq.-ft. deluxe suites. Along with 60 slots for assisted living residents, there is The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve, located on Highwoods Preserve Pkwy., in the West Meadows community, will be capable of providing high-tech assisted living to up to 82 residents when it opens in July. space for 22 more residents in the secured memory care wing oversight from licensed practical nurses and purposeful living. We are pioneerof the building. (LPNs), and Boumeester says talks are As part of their all-inclusive packing technology in assisted living. We’re under way for Florida Hospital Wesley age, residents are served three meals very excited about what Thrive is Chapel (FHWC — located off Bruce a day at the Palm Pavilion (think fine bringing to the industry.” B. Downs [BBD] Blvd., just north of linens and menus), but they also can Technological innovation is at the grab a snack from the Key Lime Bistro S.R. 56) to provide physical and ocforefront of the Legacy’s offerings. cupational therapy at the Legacy five any time of the day or night, meet The fitness center boasts state-of-thedays a week. for a drink at Hurricane Sports Bar, art HUR fitness equipment, which Both the salon and the fitness or book the Coconut Grove private seniors can activate with a touch of center also will be open to the commu- their radio-frequency ID wristbands. dining room for a meal with visiting family. There’s also a full-service salon, nity at large. “We invite the community The wristbands also will alert the to come in,” says Boumeester, who is game room, theatre, library, a putfitness machines to the user’s preferplanning intergenerational volunteer ting green and a fitness center. Legacy ences and goals. With no weights or programs and continuing education for chains to struggle with, this equipment residents will be monitored 24 hours her residents. “We have a wonderful a day, seven days a week, by certiminimizes falls and injuries. The band, tagline: connected living, active living fied nursing assistants (CNAs) with which they also can wear as a pendant, Men & Women

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(

that gets to know residents’ behavior and patterns, while still protecting their privacy. Boumeester explains that if something is out of character — such as a resident getting up unusually often at night — the system will alert the on-site CNAs so they can monitor the resident for conditions such as a possible urinary tract infection. Anyone entering the facility, whether they are family members, third party providers or doctors, will be checked out by Accushield, a digital sign-in kiosk that verifies providers’ credentials, time spent in the building, and provides criminal and health backgrounds. All visitors will be issued a badge with a photograph, but the ink on the badge will disappear (L.-r.) Gwen Boumeester, Lillian Gonzalez and Aarene after 24 hours. Alessi says that all resiAlessi, who will comprise the team managing the Legacy. dents also will have a 46-inch flat-screen TV in their suite, also functions as a room key, Boumewhich will be s set up to communicate ester says. through Skype and Facebook. Health providers also will use “Technology gives us the cutting hand-held mobile devices, known edge,” says Alessi. “But, it’s our people as Point of Care Solutions, to elecwho take care of the residents. It’s tronically record all interactions with very important to us to hire and have a residents and even send electronic team that is passionate about senior livprescriptions to pharmacies. Cameras ing. We are dealing with a social model and 18 monitors will keep a watchful for care.” eye on public areas, and residents will That’s why caregivers at Legacy be protected inside their suites with the will wear khaki pants and polo shirts, Quiet Care System, a motion monitor

not scrubs. “This isn’t a clinical environment,” Alessi says. That’s also why the community was designed with several communal areas to help residents stay connected and engaged with each other. Even the Memory Care area, which is secured and enclosed, has green space. “It is so important for residents not to feel captive, to have the ability to walk outside, but still in a secure environment,” says Boumeester. A “director of excitement” will plan entertainment for residents, and will have the use of a motor coach for trips to the doctor, casino or theatre. Legacy residents can enjoy everything from pet therapy to Xbox games, even engaging in friendly Kinect (an exercise game for Xbox) competition with residents of sister properties. They also can use a computer on a wheeled cart provided by It’s Never 2 Late (iN2L), a company that designs technology for seniors to keep their minds sharp with games and music. “We want to make sure their days are meaningful and purposeful,” Boumeester says. “It’s going to be fun to live here.” Boumeester, who received her A.S. degree in Health Information Management from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN, has worked with assisted living and memory care populations for more than 15 years and has received her State-mandated Core training. Alessi, who holds a B.S.

degree from Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ, began her career as a recreational therapist 18 years ago. She spent 13 years working in continuing care retirement communities before turning to specializing in assisted living. Gonzales comes to the Legacy from a hospitality background. “We become educators in this industry,” says Boumeester. “Especially in memory care, (situations are often) emergencies. People are emotional, upset, tired. This is social work.” The Legacy may be the first assisted living community in New Tampa, but Alessi and Boumeester are hopeful that more will follow. “The need is here,” Boumeester says. “The average age in the industry is 88 for assisted living. We’re marketing for ages 60 and up to adult children (who are searching for assisted living for their parents). I don’t think (the community) can build enough assisted living (centers) to keep up with demand. We’re happy to be the first in the area, but we know more are coming and we welcome that. Seniors deserve choice.” The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve is an assisted living and memory care center located at 18600 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. For more info, call 375-9858 or visit LegacyatHighwoodsPreserve. com. You can walk in or schedule a tour Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday.

President of the Florida Podiatric Medical Association

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GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTERS

Meeting Your Exterior Needs From One Generation to the Next

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Surface Butler Helps Keep Your Steel & Other Surfaces Stainless By Meaghan O’Neal

When Wesley Chapel residents Rich and Jennifer Benitez were told that their scratched stainless steel appliances would have to be replaced, they decided to research their options, which ultimately led them to start their own business, Surface Butler, LLC. Rich is a fourth-generation Tampa resident and is a Captain with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, where he’s worked for almost 25 years. Jennifer is from Chicago and currently works as a Registered Nurse (RN) at Tampa General Hospital. In 2002, Rich and Jennifer decided to move to Wesley Chapel from Tampa because of the businesses and amenities (malls, restaurants, etc.) that were created with new construction in our distribution areas. For years, Rich and Jennifer lived with their scratched appliances because every company they talked to assured them that their appliances were “doomed” and “impossible to repair.” So, since replacing appliances that are only scratched (but still functional) can be an enormous expense, Rich began doing research on his own. He discovered that there were only a handful of businesses that repaired stainless steel, none of which were located in Florida. Seeing an opportunity for a new business venture, Rich contacted the owners of those stainless steel repair businesses for advice. These business owners pointed him in the direction of other trained professionals and gave him advice about how to start his business.

With their help, he says he became trained in repairing stainless steel and in January of 2014 he started Surface Butler, LLC. Jennifer also is trained in restoring stainless steel and loves to help out with the business whenever she’s needed. As trained restorers, Rich and Jennifer can fix brushed stainless steel, as they remove scratches, swirl marks, rust, chemical stains/discolorations, and heat scorching. They can restore all stainless steel, including all major brands of appliances, as well as indoor or outdoor kitchens. They are both fully insured in stainless restoration. Rich says they have built the business on the principles of trust and hard work, which has paid off in the responses from his customers. One Surface Butler customer named Michelle from Grand Oaks says, “I thought I would need new appliances… Now my stainless steel appliances look brand new! Rich came on time, explained everything, and was in and out. He knows what he’s doing. I highly recommend him!” Since his goal in business is to revitalize stainless steel so that customers don’t have to replace it, Rich strives to keep his prices low. He reasons, “If it costs more to fix an appliance than replace it, then it’s not cost effective.” Rich began his business to help homeowners, but has extended his reach into the commercial realm as well. He’s helped hotels and businesses look better by restoring their stainless elevator doors. He also works with restaurants, especially those

with visible appliances with stainless steel doors (like most pizza places). He’s even working on restoring a DeLorean car, which is an iconic part of history and pop culture (as featured in the “Back to the Future” movies). Because stainless steel is very popular and can scratch very easily, Rich has found that there is a huge demand for the services Surface Butler offers. He says, “The business has taken its own course and has Rich and Jennifer Benitez (above) of Surface Butler, LLC, can rebecome bigger than store the like-new look of your stainless steel appliances. I imagined it would that his customers’ biggest complaints because there’s an unlimited market in about their stainless steel are in regards stainless repairs.” to fingerprints, streaking and having to While Surface Butler is based in and use compound chemical cleaners. predominantly serves the New Tampa/ EnduroShield is an eco-friendly Wesley Chapel area, it has expanded its serproduct that coats stainless steel to vices to the entire Tampa Bay area, as well make cleaning smudges and fingeras to Orlando and Sarasota/Bradenton. prints fast and simple with a microfiber The ‘Secret’ — EnduroShield cloth that he provides. Stainless steel is Rich believes that Surface Butler notoriously hard to clean and maintain, is the only business in Florida that especially when it is used frequently. restores stainless steel. What makes According to Rich, EnduroShield, him even more unique, however, is a “Cuts up to 90% of cleaning time and product that he is licensed and certified is permanently bonded to the surface.” to apply called EnduroShield. Since In addition to its longevity, he warhe’s been in business, Rich has found ranties the product for five years. He

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believes that EnduroShield gives him even more of an edge in his business niche. He also feels that it enables him to serve customers better by allowing him to leave them with something that makes their lives easier after he’s restored their stainless steel refrigerator, range, stove or sink. As a business, Surface Butler primarily is focused on refurbishing brushed stainless steel. However, they also clean and polish granite countertops, bronze plaques and shower glass. Usually when items such as plaques and markers have to be polished, they have to be taken down and shipped to a separate location. This can be very costly and can increase the chance of damage done to the items. Since Rich

can travel from site to site, he can do the cleaning and restoration at your location by himself. Like stainless steel, shower doors also can easily become dirty and hard to clean. Using products that are similar to the EnduroShield product for steel, Rich has found that he can clean hard water stains from shower door glass and leave it so that the customer can clean it more easily. Right now, Surface Butler is offering 10-percent-off all services for readers of the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News. The company also offers a referral program that rewards (with gift cards) customers who refer their friends and family to Surface Butler. “It’s our way of thanking the people who help us grow our business,” Rich says. Rich and Jennifer both find satisfaction in being able to see clients be proud of their appliances again. “I love to see people’s faces when I fix their issues that they’re living or stuck with,” he says. He and Jennifer know what it’s like to be trapped with appliances that are badly damaged, which is why they take so much pleasure in helping people save their appliances and their money. They say Surface Butler’s mantra is always, “Don’t replace it, let us restore it.” Surface Butler is a mobile company and doesn’t have an office. However, you can call 997-7111 or visit SurfaceButler.com for a quote and more information.

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PROtential Sports — A Proud New Tampa Sports Tradition Since 2003! By Celeste McLaughlin

A vibrant pair of former collegiate and professional athletes has been coaching kids in New Tampa for well over a decade. Tony Bland, a former NFL wide receiver who played four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, and his wife, Nyree, a former nationally ranked collegiate and professional tennis star, own and run PROtential Sports, which provides sports for kids through summer camps, after-school programs and athletic leagues. But, what is perhaps most impressive about these athletic standouts aren’t their sports skills, but the life skills they are passing on to the kids who participate in their many programs. “We started in 2003 with a football camp, as a way to give back to the community,” says Nyree, “with pro players including (former Tampa Bay Bucs) Brad Johnson and Michael Pittman (who both won a Super Bowl with the team in 2003). After that, parents started asking us what we were going to do next. So, we started our after-school camp and summer camp followed that.” This year will mark the eleventh year of summer camps for PROtential Sports, which are available to kids ages 5-14. PROtential Sports now has 11 locations, including five in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel — at Arbor Greene, Cory Lake Isles (for CLI residents only), Grand Hampton, Heritage Isles, Seven Oaks and a drop off/pick up location at Club Tampa Palms North. “We’re really structured,” says Nyree. “We coach sports. We were athletes grow-

ing up and we were coached. We were taught respect and to follow the lead of our coaches, and all kinds of life lessons.” She adds that she and her husband, and their staff of more than 20 coaches, are now passing those life lessons on to the kids whose parents entrust them to their care. “We have a lot of fun and put emphasis on cheering for each other, and we’re always focused on teamwork,” she explains, adding that the lessons that PROtential Sports coaches teach kids about character are “the antidote” to what many see as the problems with kids today. “It seems like there’s a lot of entitlement – like they’re entitled to get a trophy – but, life’s not like that.” Instead, at PROtential Sports, kids are taught to work hard, to listen and be respectful. Parents who are looking to encourage good character and an active lifestyle in their children will surely find their goals aligned with those of PROtential Sports. District manager Julie Garretson supervises the coaching staff and helps run the programs. Julie was a multi-sport athlete growing up in Lakeland and went to school at USF to become a physical education coach. While in school, she worked in retail management. When she decided to leave retail, Julie began working for PROtential Sports as a coach, and has now turned her once part-time job into a career. “Everyone on our staff is involved in athletics,” Julie says. “We’re taking what we learned as young athletes ourselves and passing those lessons on to the kids. And we’re teaching life lessons, not just sports. We reward kids when they’re cheering for each

other or doing a good job. That’s what life (should be) about.” She explains that all of PROtential Sports’ activities include both sports lessons and life lessons. “Our coaches give inspirational talks,” Julie says. “And, all of our coaches will stop what they’re doing if they see something – such as great sportsmanship or even terrible sportsmanship – and use that as a teaching moment.” “We expose the Dallas Collins jumps a hurdle during a relay race at the Grand Hampton kids to every sport,” basketball court during the PROtential Sports after-school program. Nyree says. “The kids and even water skiing/wakeboarding. don’t pick and choose. At summer camp, More Than Just Camps we play five sports a day. We start with drillWhile summer camp is a big part of based activities, and then we have fun.” Swimming also is a part of PROtential’s what PROtential Sports does, it’s just one of the many facets of sports and life training for summer camps every day, since each camp New Tampa-area kids Nyree, Tony, Julie and location is at a community clubhouse with their entire staff provide. its own spacious pool. “A lot of kids are with us year-round,” Field trips also are offered every day. Nyree explains. “They do summer camp, Parents can choose which field trips their after-school camp and sports leagues.” child(ren) will attend, and they pay an adPROtential’s after-school programs ditional charge to cover the cost of the trips. currently are available to students at 25 local The kids who don’t go on field trips conelementary schools. They are picked up at tinue their sports training and fun at their their schools by PROtential Sports staff and camp location, while others leave at noon to transported to one of the program locations. go to places such as Legoland (in Lakeland) Parents can choose whether or not their and Busch Gardens in Tampa, and experikids’ after-school program should include ence all kinds of other fun, such as bowling

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h g t

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equipment. We also offer basketball sponsored by the Orlando Magic. The Magic provides free tickets for our players, and we recently took 125 kids and family members to a Magic game.” She explains that the leagues play and practice on Saturday mornings, so there are no weeknight practices. The teams are coached by PROtential Sports staff, not volunteers. While parents are welcome to volunteer to help if they want, the practices and games are run by the staff. “Parents hold us to a higher standard than leagues run by volunteers,” says Nyree. “We’re expected to be fair, not play favorites, and be sure that all of the kids are learning.” Dr. Nelly Chambers, of Cory Lake Isles, has three kids who have attended summer camp and after-school programs Nyree Bland (far right) with the Grand Hampton group of young PROtential Sports athletes. with PROtential Sports at both Heritage Isles and Arbor Greene. They started with PROtential before the remodeled clubhouse homework time. The kids are separated into Nyree says. “This is especially designed for opened in Cory Lake Isles a couple of years groups of those who do homework and kids who want to play competitive, superago. Her kids are now 13, 12 and 10, and those who have extra sports time. vised sports, but don’t make their school “The (community) clubs like having teams. We can introduce them to something says that only her youngest is still attending the after-school program at Heritage Isles. us because the kids aren’t running around new, and they compete against each other.” “It’s much more than just sitting inside crazy, and it’s a nice, convenient perk for Sports leagues offered by PROtential doing homework and computers and playing residents to have a great program for their Sports are year-round, with each sport kids in their own neighborhoods,” Julie says. offered twice a year, including football, bas- on phones,” Dr. Chambers says. “I want my “It’s definitely preferred to kids getting off ketball, baseball, swimming, golf, tennis and kids to be active in sports. My kids have very different personalities and the program has the school bus with nothing to do (in their soccer. These leagues are one way the comworked for all of them. My son has learned separate subdivisions).” pany lives up to the “pro” in its name. The that everyone loses sometimes, how to be PROtential Sports is planning to add kids practice and play each day after school a middle school sports league (for grades and then travel to other clubs and play each part of a team and how to accept criticism. One of my daughters is not an athlete, but 6-8) next fall, which will be month-long other (also during the week). For example, got a lot of exposure to different sports.” programs where kids are picked up at their the kids at the Grand Hampton location She says that at the PROtential summer middle school every day, Mon.-Fri., for one could play against Arbor Greene kids. camp, her kids swam every morning, so they month at a time — to play a specific sport. “Our flag football league is sponsored got to be very comfortable in the water and “We expect to offer a month of footby the NFL,” says Nyree. “That means the they especially loved the field trips, such as ball, tennis, volleyball, lacrosse and more,” NFL supplies the jerseys, flags and other

to play golf and to go horseback riding. “The program is great for a working mom because you know your kids are having fun, they’re safe and making friends,” she says. “I’ve never had to worry about my kids, and that’s huge.” PROtential Sports has been so successful that it continues to grow. “We actually have had clubs reaching out to us and asking us to expand to their locations,” Nyree says. “That’s how we established our Arbor Greene location.” Another new club recently opened in Westchase. Nyree explains that PROtential Sports is hoping to continue to grow throughout the state of Florida with franchises. “We currently have one franchise in Riverview. We are hoping to expand our brand for people who love sports.” She says that anyone who is interested should call Julie to start the franchise process. After some background info is gathered from the applicant, they then have a “Discovery Day,” in which Tony takes the potential franchisee to the camps so they can get a visual of how they are run. The potential buyer and Tony spend a full day together, also discussing the legal and financial aspects. After that, if the prospect wants to, they move forward with the purchase of a franchise. PROtential Sports then helps them set up their location(s) and they are fully trained by Tony, Julie and Nyree. More information about franchise opportunities, summer camps, afterschool programs and sports leagues is available at PROtentialSports.com or by calling 843-9460. See the ad on page 47 for a coupon code exclusively available to New Tampa Neighborhood News readers.

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Tampa Kidney Specialists — The Local Experts For Your Kidney Problems By Matt Wiley

Shaheen Motiwala, MD, and Saima Iqbal, MD, are two New Tampa/Wesley Chapel-area nephrologists and moms who treat patients with kidney problems with care and compassion. Their practice, Tampa Kidney Specialists, has an office in on W. Fletcher Ave. in North Tampa (near I-275) and another in the Seven Oaks Professional Center off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. Both doctors are Board-certified in internal medicine with a sub-specialty of nephrology, which is the treatment of the function of the kidneys. They divide their time between treating patients in local hospitals and outpatient services for those who have kidney disease, also known as renal disease, or other issues related to the function of the kidneys. Dr. Motiwala earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from the Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1999, which is the equivalent of a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in the U.S.. She then completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Connecticut in Farmington in 2004 and a nephrology fellowship at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY, in June 2006. At that time, her work visa required her to work in an underserved area, so she moved to The Villages near Leesburg, FL, and worked in private practice. After four years in the Leesburg area, she and her husband felt the area didn’t have a lot to

offer their family, so they moved to Tampa, which they say is a more culturally diverse city that offers parks and other amenities. Dr. Motiwala began private practice in Tampa in 2010. Dr. Iqbal received her MBBS degree from Dow Medical College at the University of Karachi in Pakistan in 2001. She completed a residency in internal medicine at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago in 2008. She worked at that hospital until moving to Gainesville, FL, in 2011 for a nephrology fellowship at Shands Hospital, the teaching hospital affiliated with University of Florida Medical School. When that fellowship ended, she was introduced to Dr. Motiwala and the two began practicing together in 2014.

A Primer On Kidneys

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, human kidneys are fist-sized, bean-shaped organs (see graphic on next page), located just below the rib cage on each side of the spine. On a daily basis, the kidneys filter about 120 to 150 quarts of blood and produce urine. “We handle any functional problems with the kidney,” says Dr. Motiwala. “A urologist is a surgeon, who removes kidney stones. A nephrologist, which is what we both are, handles the medicine side of the kidneys, such as preventing future kidney stones.” Both doctors explain that their patients are referred to them from primary care physicians or when the patients already

are in the hospital in need of kidney care. They serve patients at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), Florida Hospital Tampa (on E. Fletcher Ave.), and Florida Hospital Carrollwood. Because of the growth at FHWC, they decided to open an office in Wesley Chapel about a year ago for outpatient treatment. Dr. Iqbal says that with kidney problems, you’re not going to feel much. “It’s very rare to have symptoms, so only bloodwork will tell you The friendly staff at the North Tampa office of Tampa Kidif you have abnormal kidney ney Specialists (on W. Fletcher Ave., near I-275) includes two M.D.s — Saima Iqbal (yellow shirt) & Shaheen Motiwala. function,” she says, adding that uncontrolled high blood people have renal failure, other systems pressure or high blood sugar (diabetes) are affected. One example is your bones may be a sign your kidneys are functionbecome weaker because your kidneys are ing abnormally, noting that when you see not properly metabolizing vitamin D.” your primary care physician for an annual She says sometimes patients don’t checkup and have blood work done, the know they’re diabetic or have high blood tests your doctor provide will check your pressure and have no idea they are having kidney function. kidney problems. They may come into Dr. Motiwala says that patients call her the emergency room with some vague when they have uncontrolled high blood symptom, such as a headache, and end up pressure, electrolyte issues, protein in the needing dialysis. urine, blood in the urine or recurring “The earlier we see people, the sooner kidney stones. we can get things under control and actuDr. Motiwala says that kidney probally slow down the progression of kidney lems are more common than you might disease,” says Dr. Motiwala. think. “Kidneys do so many things, includKidney disease refers to abnormal ing balancing electrolytes, fluids and even function of the kidney, which can be vitamin metabolism,” she says. “When caused by any number of issues, most com-

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monly high blood pressure and diabetes. “People don’t realize how common kidney disease is,” Dr. Iqbal concurs (the website eMedicineHealth.com says that 26 million Americans, or 15 percent of all adults, have some form of chronic kidney disease). “Ask questions of your primary care doctor, get blood work done, and get a timely referral to see us.” Kay Lawrence is a patient of Tampa Kidney Specialists who sees Dr. Motiwala regularly after being diagnosed with stage four renal failure. “Dr. Motiwala is very personable,” Kay says. “It’s not just about the medicine, but she’s in touch with the human side of her patients, too. She’ll say, ‘How are you? How is this affecting your children?’ That is the doctor I want to see.” Kay appreciates how Dr. Motiwala advocates for her and works with her other doctors. “For example, steroids (steroidal

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anti-inflammatory medications) aren’t good for kidneys, so she’ll call my other doctors to discuss what medications I should be taking,” she says. Kay also says that Dr. Motiwala shows that she truly cares about her patients. “Instead of saying ‘We can’t help you,’ Dr. Motiwala does research and reads books and explains what treatments might help me,” Kay says. She persists like I was her child or sister or mother.” Dr. Motiwala says that, “With aggressive treatment, Kay’s kidney function has normalized.” She and Dr. Iqbal want people to understand what sets them apart. “We are a very small, personal practice, where we give our patients good, personalized care,” explains Dr. Motiwala. “We’re not a big group, where things are all cookie-cutter. And, we really do care.” Dr. Iqbal lives in Seven Oaks with her husband and two children, ages six and one, while Dr. Motiwala lives in Tampa Palms with her husband, Adeel, and their two kids, ages four and seven. The North Tampa office of Tampa Kidney Specialists is located at 320 W. Fletcher Ave. The Wesley Chapel location is at 2106 Ashley Oak Circle, Suite 101, next to Point of Care Clinics, in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56. Dr. Motiwala and Dr. Iqbal are available Monday-Friday by appointment. Call 775-2352 to schedule your appointment or for more information.

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SPOTLIGHT ON... Point Of Care Clinics! Lynnda Mattmuller (photo) is a licensed aesthetician and laser practitioner who offers skin care services and laser hair removal under the supervision of M. Aamer Nawaz, M.D., at Point of Care Clinics Primary Care, located in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off of S.R. 56 and Ancient Oaks Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. Lynnda began her career in laser hair removal in 2008. After becoming educated as an aesthetician, she took continuing education courses focusing on sun damage, hyperpigmentation and acne. Lynnda joined Point of Care Clinics in October of 2013 to offer patients laser hair removal in an environment supervised by Dr. Nawaz, an internal medicine physician who also has a passion for dermatology. As demand for her services has increased and her relationships with clients have grown, Lynnda has expanded her offerings to include not only laser hair removal, but also a variety of skin care treatments to help her patients overcome their skin care concerns and maintain the health of their skin. “We offer microdermabrasion, chemical peels and enzyme facials,” says Lynnda. “These are all ways to exfoliate the skin to slough off dead skin cells on the surface of the skin and reveal new, healthy skin.” Point of Care Clinics Primary Care is owned by Dr. Nawaz and his wife, Aliya Rathore, M.D., who is Board-certified in Family Practice with a special interest in women’s health care. Dr. Nawaz says he is pleased to offer Lynnda’s services under his

supervision, which he says complement the office’s other practice areas. In addition to skin care and hair removal, Point of Care Clinics provides comprehensive primary care services to manage a wide variety of complex medical problems, including extensive dermatology disease management, diabetic management, complete physicals, well-woman visits and routine gynecological care. Point of Care Clinics Primary Care is located at 2106 Ashley Oak Cir., Suite 102, in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off of S.R. 56 and Ancient Oaks Blvd. in Wesley Chapel (next to Tampa Kidney Specialists; see separate story on these two pages). Licensed aesthetician Lynnda Mattmuller offers day, evening and weekend appointments for skin care and laser hair removal. For appointments, call 994-8481. Learn more about the practice online at POCCPrimaryCare.com.

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New Tampa Plastic Surgery – Expertise & Artistry To Help You Look Your Best New Tampa Plastic Surgery, a premier cosmetic surgery “boutique,” has been helping New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents look and feel their best since 2011. Specializing in the aesthetic plastic surgery of the face, breasts and body, Board-certified plastic surgeon Peter Fakhre, M.D., rejuvenates and enhances the natural beauty of his patients with the latest cutting-edge surgical and non-surgical procedures. Dr. Fakhre also has been named one of the top doctors in the country by Vitals. com (a medical review forum for consumers). According to the website, Dr. Fakhre was named a “Vitals Top 10 Doctor” in 2014. Of more than 870,000 doctors nationwide, Dr. Fakhre has been recognized as being in the top one percent, of all physicians, as determined by patient ratings. Located in the Windfair Professional Park off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), New Tampa Plastic Surgery sees patients from all across Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Dr. Fakhre and his staff help everyone who walks through their doors feel welcome; their primary goal being to make the patient feel comfortable while exploring his or her best options for plastic or reconstructive surgery (as well as non-surgical alternatives, in some cases) in a highly professional and confidential environment. You can see the results of Dr. Fakhre’s work when you visit NewTampaPlastic Surgery.com. Although his work definitely speaks for itself, he also is highly recommended by his patients. In a physician review on Vitals.com, Dr. Fakhre’s patient Jane Gibbons said, “Plastic Surgery? More accurately — Surgical Artistry! Dr. Fakhre is a master of his craft. He not only is an accomplished surgeon, (he also) is a man of integrity who listens, counsels and guides his patients toward the goals they are seeking. (He) then satisfies those goals with skill and precision! “Dr. Fakhre works with his patients to determine the best surgical and non-surgical options that will achieve the desired outcome. As a bonus, his office staff is compassionate, efficient and shares his philosophy that everyone deserves to look their best. Unquestionably, Dr. Fakhre is the best that Tampa Bay has to offer!” Dr. Fakhre, who is one of the few plastic surgeons in the Tampa Bay area to be double-Board-certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and by

the American Board of Surgery, explains, “There are many things that are important in achieving successful outcomes in plastic surgery: an understanding of the patient’s desires, their physical examination, realistic goals, sound surgical technique, attention to detail and outstanding postoperative care, all of which contribute to success in cosmetic plastic surgery.” He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of South Florida in Tampa, graduating summa cum laude. He then elected to attend the University of Florida College of Medicine. It was while he was at UF that Dr. Fakhre’s surgical talent, aesthetic eye and love for plastic surgery were realized. Dr. Fakhre then completed a general surgery residency at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where he scored in the 98th percentile in the American Board of Surgery in Training Exam, the highest among all of the residents in his program. He was involved with numerous publications and research projects, which have been presented at numerous scientific meetings, including the distinguished American Society of Plastic Surgeons. During his surgical training, Dr. Fakhre was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Mayo Clinic Medical School and served as Chief Resident in Surgery in his final year of surgical training. Dr. Fakhre was then privileged to match at his first choice of Plastic Surgery fellowship programs at the prestigious Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX, where he again excelled, scoring the highest inservice exam score among all plastic surgery residents in his program and serving as Chief Resident during his final year of plastic surgery training. “I had the wonderful opportunity to train with members of the original group of plastic surgeons that invented the breast implant, as well as facial and body plastic surgeons whose surgeries have been featured on The Discovery Channel,” Dr. Fakhre says. “Working in such an environment provided great exposure to a large volume of primary as well as revisionary cosmetic surgery cases. This experience was priceless and I’m happy to bring this type of training to the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area.” This training and his own expertise helped Dr. Fakhre earn the highest score possible, in the 99th percentile among Plastic Surgeons, in plastic surgery of the breast,

on the American Board of Plastic Surgery written examination. In addition to refining his surgical skill and technique during his plastic surgery training, Dr. Fakhre also volunteered his time with Operation San José and traveled to Guatemala on a cleft lip and palate surgical mission. There he helped deliver surgical care to many cleft lip and palate patients who may have otherwise never received the Dr. Peter Fakhre of New Tampa Plastic Surgery off Bruce B. treatment they needed. Downs Blvd., north of S.R. 56) has the education, experience and Dr. Fakhre says skills necessary to help you look and feel your best. that he was happy to plethora of cosmetic surgery procedures for return to the Tampa Bay area after his trainwomen and men, including breast enhanceing and currently lives in Seven Oaks with ment (augmentations, lifts and reductions), his wife of 12 years and two children, who tummy tucks, face and neck lifts, eyelid surkeep them busy and entertained. gery, liposuction and more. Known for his So Many Surgical Options technical skill, eye for beauty and superior So many of us have things we would aesthetic practice, Dr. Fakhre will work with like to change about our bodies. Time, you to develop a personalized treatment age and weight changes all take a toll on plan to achieve your desired outcome and to the body and these factors can affect your make the “new you” a reality. appearance and self-image. Dr. Fakhre says “Cosmetic plastic surgery allows the that cosmetic plastic surgery is a way to surgeon to combine artistry with sound help you look and feel better. “When we are surgical techniques to produce superior happy with our appearance, we feel more results,” says Dr. Fakhre. confident,” he says. Breasts, for instance, are often at the New Tampa Plastic Surgery offers a core of a woman’s femininity and self-

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upon a variety of factors. Currently, the most common implants that Dr. Fakhre uses are silicone implants, which look and feel more natural than their saline counterparts. Breast lift surgery removes excess tissue and repositions the breast and/ or nipple to a more youthful position. This procedure is often chosen by women desiring to restore form to their breasts or reclaim their “before-baby” appearance. And, although breasts are intertwined with the feminine profile, women are not the only ones who have breast surgery. In fact, Dr. Fakhre says that he has helped many men feel better about their appearance with reduction surgery for men with female-looking breasts (also known as Gynecomastia). Another popular cosmetic surgical procedure at New Tampa Plastic Surgery is liposuction, which can improve Liposuction at New Tampa Plastic Surgery the body’s contour by removing fat decan help transform your body, too. posits that are resistant to diet and exerconfidence. Dr. Fakhre explains that breast cise. Liposuction restores proportionalsurgery is one of the most personal decisions ity and minimizes problem areas. Dr. Fakhre a woman can make. says that if you find yourself shopping for “Breast augmentation surgery can clothes to hold your tummy in or help slim increase your self-confidence and satisfacyour thighs, liposuction may be your answer. tion with your body,” says Dr. Fakhre. “By He adds that liposuction offers significant increasing or restoring breast volume, we results with minimal downtime. can help our patients achieve a better-pro“In fact, many (liposuction) patients portioned body.” recover over a weekend and return to work Dr. Fakhre’s breast augmentation on Monday,” he says. patients are first educated about implant size A full “Mommy Makeover” also is a and types so they can make informed decipopular procedure sought by women who sions about which would best satisfy their want to get back to the body they had personal goals. He says that the two main before they had children. Dr. Fakhre says implant types available are still silicone and that the most common “Mommy Makeosaline and that the implant selected depends ver” combines a breast lift (with or with-

out breast augmentation for reshaping), a tummy tuck to tighten the midsection that was stretched during pregnancy and liposuction to remove unwanted fat deposits. Dr. Fakhre, who has surgical privileges at Florida Hospital Tampa and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, says that he performs most of his surgeries at the New Tampa Surgery Center, located nearby (off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel), although he says he does perform minor procedures in his office as well. Wherever he performs his artistry, however, his satisfied patients are a testament to his experience and training. “From the moment I walked through the door in his office I was always greeted by first-name basis, which made me feel like I wasn’t just another patient to get in and out,” Christina Vargas wrote in her patient testimonial about her experience with New Tampa Plastic Surgery. “The whole process — from scheduling my appointments to the day of the procedure, even my recovery — went so smoothly. I highly recommend Dr. Fakhre. I give him 10 stars!”

Non-Surgical Options, Too

But, the office also is a true cosmetic boutique, offering skin and other non-

surgical cosmetic procedures, in addition to plastic surgery. Many of these non-surgical procedures — such as Botox and dermal fillers, Latisse eyelash lengthening and thickening, fat injections, chemical peels that rejuvenate and energize the skin to beautify your natural state and more — often provide the results a patient is looking for, and are less “invasive” than surgical options. Board-certified nurse practitioner Christina Ahrens has eight years of experience in dermatology and plastic surgery and performs all of the non-surgical procedures at New Tampa Plastic Surgery. “We are fortunate to have Christina as part of our team,” says Dr. Fakhre. “she does an outstanding job in the treatment of our patients.” For your free cosmetic surgery consultation, call to make an appointment with Dr. Peter Fakhre at New Tampa Plastic Surgery at (813) PLA-STIC (752-7842). The office is located at 2541 Windguard Cir. For a full menu of services, visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. And, be sure to ‘Like’ New Tampa Plastic Surgery’s Facebook.com page so that you can be notified of the office’s monthly promotions on various services.

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New Tampa Residents Present Science Fair Project At White House By Celeste McLaughlin

Most middle school students display their science projects in their school’s gymnasium or library and, if they win, maybe at the local convention center. However, two New Tampa residents recently got to display their projects outside of the U.S. White House. Live Oak Preserve resident Joey Santana, 12, and Sophia Nobles, 11, who lives in West Meadows, recently returned from a trip they say they never could have imagined. They were invited to present the science project they worked on together at the fifth annual White House Science Fair. The students were invited to participate in the March 23 event because they had previously won second place in a national competition (sponsored by Toshiba and the National Science Teachers Association or NSTA), called “ExploraVision,” which Joey says, “challenges kids to look at modern technology and think about how it will work in the future.” Their project was chosen as a winner from among 4,962 projects entered into one of the following ExploraVision age groups: K-Grade 3, Grades 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. A first place winner and second place winner in each age group was selected, and their project earned second place honors in the Grades 4-6 category. Just days before the science fair at the White House, Joey and Sophia, along with teammate Catie Tomassello, 12, were invited to attend. Unfortunately, Catie and her mom Heather, who served as the team’s mentor, were unable to attend the event. So, Joey, Sophia and their moms flew to Washington, D.C., along with their teacher/coach, Lorna Cohen, who has lived in Pebble Creek for the past 18 years. The White House Science Fair brings together, “student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country,” according to a White House media release. U.S. President Barack Obama and senior administration officials, along with invited guests from leading STEM organizations and the media, attended the event and viewed the projects, although President Obama only viewed some of the projects and did not make it to see Joey and Sophia’s. Their project is called WateRenew, which is an energy-efficient way to desali-

nate water. “If you look at Florida, there’s tons of water,” Joey says, “but it’s not accessible to drink.” So, he and his teammates researched and refined their idea until they came up with a model that would work. As part of their research process, they visited a desalination plant in Riverview and interviewed Lee Marcum, owner and chief research and development officer of Clean and Green Enterprises, Inc. (a Melbourne, FL-based company that focuses on finding energy and water usage solutions). Marcum invented the technology called “wave wings,” which rest on the ocean floor and use the natural motion of the ocean’s waves to create electricity. The students’ project uses these 15-foot-tall “wings” to power their desalination process, which uses reverse osmosis filters made from graphene, a oneatom sheet of carbon with tiny holes that measure just one nanometer across. Potable water passes through this filter, leaving the salts behind. “It would cost a lot of money to build, but it would be worth it, because it would save lives,” Joey says. “I’ve heard about droughts in California, and it could be used there, or in Africa, or basically anywhere that is on a coast.” Joey, Sophia and Catie built a prototype of their project and created a website (WateRenew.Weebly.com) to explain how it works. The team actually worked together during the 2013-14 school year (beginning in fall 2013), when Joey and Catie both were fifth grade students at Countryside Montessori Charter School in Land O’Lakes. This year, Joey is in sixth grade at the Terrace Community Middle School in Thonotosassa, and Catie is in sixth grade at Pine View Middle School in Land O’Lakes. Sophia is Catie’s cousin and is in fifth grade at Tampa Christian Community School, where she also attended last year. Lorna is a science teacher at Countryside Montessori, who says her school usually enters several teams in the ExploraVision competition and that another team at the school was a national winner in a previous year. “I think the fact that we’re a Montessori school is one reason our school has been successful in ExploraVision,” says Lorna. “We are student-driven, and we follow our students’ leads. Catie, Joey and Sophia are very inquisitive, and our school environment supports them and gives them tools so they can do absolutely anything.”

Lorna recalls a fun perk of this experience: When the team won second place in the national competition in June 2014, their picture and hometown information were displayed on the Toshiba billboard in Times Square in New York City. She says many locals who visited New York found out about the kids’ success from that billboard. However, they had no idea their big win at ExploraVision would lead to an invitation to the White House. Both Joey and Sophia agree that the highlight of the trip was actually being at the White House. For Sophia, it was setting up her project on the White House lawn. “I never thought that would happen to me,” she says. For Joey, it was touring rooms in the White House that aren’t part of the public tour. They both also enjoyed seeing Bill Nye (“The Science Guy”; see page 47), who they had originally met when they won the ExploraVision competition last year. “He Joey Santana and Sophia Nobles presented their science remembered our project,” says Sophia. “He said it was a cool idea.” fair project outside the White House on March 23. Another highlight was being ence has inspired her to become a mechaniinterviewed live from the White House on The Weather Channel. The video cal engineer. And, both Sophia and Joey say is still available online at Weather.com/tv/ they hope to enter the competition again next year, although they can’t work toshows/amhq/video/an-eco-friendlygether. “Once you win, you’re not allowed method-of-desalination. “It was a little to work with the same teammates again,” scary,” says Sophia, “but it was exciting.” Joey explains. Sophia also says that the entire experi-

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‘Bill Nye The Science Guy’ Encourages Students To ‘Change The World’ By Matt Wiley

Bill Nye the Science Guy wants college kids to change the world. “It’s possible, and it will make you really rich!,” he told a crowd of 1,100 University of South Florida (USF) students on April 7 in the ballroom inside USF’s Marshall Student Center. The talk was part of USF’s University Lecture Series and had students camped outside the building the night before for a spot in line that would guarantee them a seat in the auditorium to see their favorite childhood science teacher and TV host. (Note-When you walked into the classroom and saw the TV out, you always prayed for “Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!”) The line for seats to see the TV icon snaked its way through the Student Center and outside onto the lawn. Once at capacity, the school offered 700 more seats in a nearby, oncampus hall that was hosting a live-streaming, televised version of the event. Sporting a suit with his signature bow tie, Nye entered to a standing ovation, before jumping right into a lecture that would cover sundials, Mars, global warming, evolution and solar sails, all speckled with the type of humor and entertainment that propelled the popular 1990s PBS Broadcasting “Bill Nye the Science Guy” TV show to 13 Emmy awards during its five-season run. Nye started by making sure students could identify a photo taken from the moon of a planet that resembled a blue marble, before talking about his parents — his mother (Jacqueline) was a cryptographer who worked on the “Enigma Code” during World War II and his father (Ned) was a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp survivor and sundial enthusiast. Nye said that his father had dreams of turning the Washington Monument into a sundial. Using a photo of the monument, he explained that shadows cast on earth are grey, but also slightly bluish because of the earth’s atmosphere. “Yes, the planet has an atmosphere, governor,” Nye said, taking a jab at Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who repeatedly has refused to acknowledge the existence of global warming, insisting that he is “not a scientist.” It would not be the last shot at Florida’s chief executive during the lecture.

Nye said his father’s quirky passion for sundials still resonates with him, as the Science Guy himself helped convince scientists to install small sundials on the Mars landers “Curiosity” and “Opportunity.” “Come on guys, we can calibrate the time on another planet!,” Nye says he told the scientists. “I wasn’t the first guy to suggest putting (sundials) on there, but I was definitely the first guy jumping out of his seat about it.” Nye explained that he recently received a photo from a rover controller of the Mars sundial (which he says he engineered, himself, and had determined to be nearly indestructible) lying on its side. “Then I looked at the date on the photo: April 1,” Nye joked. Nye also talked about how since everyone in the auditorium has been living, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased to 0.04 percent. Using technology that’s already available, he tasked students with figuring out how to bring the percentage back down to the previous level of 0.03 percent. He suggested looking into solar water heating (“The heat is free!”) or finding ways to more effectively distribute solar and wind power. “That’s how you can change the world,” Nye said. “Remember the game you played when you were little? The floor is lava and the water is acid? That’s what life is like on Venus. We don’t want to be Venus. It’s very undesirable. Everybody dies.” Nye continued, “We have trouble talking about this here in Florida. But, our own government has told us that sea levels will rise several inches over just the next few decades.” The problem, he said, is that some politicians are “cherry-picking” data to show that the atmosphere isn’t getting warmer and others are using specific data points to try to show that our state is actually getting cooler. “You can’t deny science,” Nye said, showing photos of several politicians and pundits, including his recent “arch-nemesis,” creationist and Answers In Genesis (AIG) ministry president Ken Ham, whom Nye famously debated at the Creation Museum, which is run by AIG, in Cincinnati, KY, last year. “But, here in Florida, you guys take

it up a notch,” Nye said, showing a photo of Gov. Scott. At the same time, Nye stuck his fingers in his ears and danced around the stage. “If you don’t do anything else the rest of your lives, you have to at least vote. That’s all you get. And, if you want to tune out, just shut up.” He added, ”If you don’t like government regulation now, wait until stuff (sea levels rising) starts happening.” Nye spent time going over some of the finer points of his debates with Ham, who insists that the earth is only about 6,000 years old, instead of 4.5 Former PBS-TV host Bill Nye, the Science Guy, spoke to USF stubillion. dents for more than an hour, during a lecture on April 7. “The reason you’re in college is to learn to think,” orbit on May 6. The sail measures 344 sq. Nye said. “I know some of you are saying, ft. and will test “flight by light” propul‘what?’ But, this business about thinking is sion, powered by momentum provided by really important. The most important thing light energy on the sail. The mission is to you can do is learn to think critically. If advance space exploration. you’re a creationist and you think that the “If we stop looking up and out, what world is only 6,000 years old, knock yourdoes that say about us?,” Nye asked. “The self out. But, don’t try to teach kids this.” joy of discovery, that’s what it’s all about. Nye also announced that the PlanThere are 100 times more stars in the sky etary Society (a not-for-profit space than grains of sand on earth. With our advocacy group, of which he is CEO), will brains, we can imagine these things, and be launching a solar sail into the planet’s you can change the world.”

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New Tampa YMCA Adds Outdoor Conditioning Area, Community Boot Camps By Matt Wiley

For the past several years, eating healthy and getting in shape have continued to become even more popular among people of all ages. As the trend has grown, different forms of workouts have emerged, including crossfit, which focuses on non-traditional exercise routines, involving ropes, tires, jumps and weights. Well now the New Tampa Family YMCA in Tampa Palms is a place where local members can give these types of workouts a try. According to an April 7 press release, the New Tampa Y (located on Compton Dr. in Tampa Palms) has added an outdoor conditioning area (photo

below) that it will officially open, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), on Thursday, April 30 at 4:30 p.m. The release says that the outdoor area provides a place for adults and teens to take part in strength training, suspension training, boot camps, obstacle courses and more. The idea is, “to provide continued opportunities for adults, teens and children to get active, fight the obesity epidemic and improve their overall health.” Tampa Metropolitan YMCA spokesperson Lalita Llerena says that the New Tampa YMCA has actually had the area for a few months now. “We’re having the ceremony to let the community know that we’re here to fill their fitness needs,” Llerena explains, adding that, as exercise trends continue to evolve, the usual model of lifting weights in the gym

and bike, treadmill and stair-climbing cardio machines no longer meet the needs of everyone. “This is our way of keeping up with fitness trends,” Llerena says. The New Tampa YMCA will be offering free community outdoor boot camp classes on the first Saturday of every month at 10 a.m. and a YMCA membership is not required to participate. Other classes include group outdoor conditioning classes with a personal trainer and youth conditioning classes, but each has a separate cost. New Tampa YMCA wellness director Beth Coffman says that the outdoor conditioning area “pushes functional training,” which focuses on body-weight exercises that can improve everyday functionality in the body. Classes make use of pullups, pushups,

squats and jumping jacks, as well as using monkey and parallel bars. “Our once-a-month free community boot camps are 45 minutes long and are done in circuits, so you’ll do a workout for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds,” Coffman explains. “It doesn’t sound that bad, but they really get you sweating. Thirty seconds (of working out) ends up feeling like a really long time.” Coffman says the conditioning area is something different that can be used nearly year-round and can be opened up to the community. “So, even if you don’t have a membership, you can still come out and get a good workout,” Coffman says. For info, visit TampaYMCA. org or call the New Tampa Y (16221 Compton Dr.) at 866-9622.

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SPOTLIGHT ON... KONA Swim Bike Run For many, getting into the world of competing in triathlons can be a little intimidating. But, have you ever stopped to think that all triathletes once were novices who decided to better their overall health and compete without ever having participated in a race before? Everyone starts somewhere! On any given day in KONA Swim Bike Run, an amazing store full of bikes, cleats, nutritional items, helmets and more right here on S.R. 56, people new to the sport walk comfortably among seasoned triathletes. The store, located in an unnamed plaza about a mile east of I-75, offers all of the equipment you need to get started, and just as important, the experienced staff offers invaluable advice and tips. KONA’s inventory of triathlon and road bikes is top-notch, as well, including brands such as Quintana Roo, Felt Racing, Bianchi and Litespeed. Other brands providing bikes and/or bicycle parts are Zipp, Profile Design and Scott. There also are running, bicycling and swimming clothes and gear by TYR, Garneau and Pearl Izumi, as well as nutrition products by Nuun, Powerbar and Skratch Labs. Partners Bruce McCarthy and Robert and Denyce Robinson purchased the assets of the old KONA Multisport store originally located on County Line Rd. in New Tampa (next

to LA Fitness) in January of 2014 and changed the name to KONA Swim Bike Run. Because they recognized the activity and growth along the S.R. 56 corridor in Wesley Chapel, they decided to relocate and open their new store (in March 2014) a mile or so to the north of the old locale. “KONA Swim Bike Run is very different from your normal bike shop,” Bruce explains. “We are one of the few stores that focuses solely on triathletes. We have the bikes, swimming and running gear for anyone looking to participate in a triathlon.” KONA Swim Bike Run is located at 27217 S.R. 56 and is open seven days per week (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m –7 p.m., 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday). The store can be reached at 907-3355. For more info, visit KONASBR.com or “Like” the store’s page at Facebook. com/KONA SwimBikeRun.

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Try Vallarta’s Of Tampa Palms Anytime, Not Just For Cinco De Mayo! By Gary Nager; Photos by Matt Wiley There’s no doubt that the Vallarta’s family of independently owned authentic Mexican restaurants — with locations in Land O’Lakes, Carrollwood, Temple Terrace, the Wesley Chapel Village Market and of course, the New Tampa location in the Publix-anchored City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center — all offer large portions of delicious Mexican fare at great prices. Vallarta’s is they type of place that sends everyone home happy, satisfied and usually, with leftovers to enjoy. Like all Mexican restaurants, Vallarta’s will celebrate Cinco de Mayo on Tuesday, May 5, and yes, you can expect a crowd on hand to enjoy some great food and drink specials. But, Vallarta’s is where you can enjoy everything from my favorite Vallarta’s dish — the Steak a la Mexicana (which is topped with sautéed onions and fresh tomatoes, as well as sliced jalapeños, to add a zesty kick; there also are several other steaks on the huge menu) — to taco, enchilada, burrito and chimichanga combination platters any day, any time. For more authentic tastes, try the Chiles Poblanos (poblano peppers stuffed with cheese) or the carnitas (pork tips with onions) dinner. For something new, there’s a grilled shrimp burrito Vallarta, grilled tilapia, the Molcajete (a new mixed grill entree, served in

a steaming lava rock dish, with chicken, shrimp, steak, cheese, a Ranchero {semi-spicy tomato} sauce and cheese, plus new lunch items such as the steak tacos (tacos de asada), huevos con tocino (scrambled eggs with bacon, onions and tomatoes), a new meat and rice soup and so much more. The most expensive item on the entire dinner menu is my other new favorite, the Parriladas, which combines beef, chicken, pork, chorizo & shrimp fajitas (we held the shrimp so I could enjoy Among our favorites at Vallarta’s in the Wesley Chapel Village Marit) for $18 for one person or $24 for two. Also new on the menu is the Vallarta’s tossed salad ket are (clockwise from top left) the Vallarta’s tossed salad with grilled chicken, steak a la Mexicana, the Parilladas (mixed grill fajitas), the with grilled chicken pictured on this page. Our GM three-taco combination plate & the Molcajete (a new mixed grill dish). See “Vallarta’s” on page 52.

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Neighborhood News Team Successfully Defends Spelling Bee Title!

So, I’m not going to lie, I was having a really bad day on April 10 (my son Jake’s birthday) and it showed as I and my teammates attempted to defend the adult Spelling Bee title our Neighborhood News Pirates won last year. In fact, in the first two rounds of this year’s fourth annual Wesley Chapel Noon Rotary Club-hosted Spelling Bee (benefitting the club’s selected charities) at Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club in San Antonio, I missed six of 21 words (teams are allowed to “bribe” their way back in during the first two rounds, for $10 per bribe), including “Sergeant” and “Boutonniere,” two words I definitely knew but choked when it came time to spell them for the event. I even somehow argued with the judges — Pasco superintendent of schools Kurt Browning, assistant superintendent Ray Gadd and this year’s Pasco Teacher of the Year Beth Hess of Hudson High — that the correct spelling was “Sargeant.” Yeesh. But, this year’s team — the Medieval Misfits, cosponsored by our publications and Smart Health, Inc. — wouldn’t let me choke away our title. My co-captain, the Black Knight Dane Parilo of Wells Fargo Financial, grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me in the eyes and said, “The third round is all that matters. You’ve got this!” Even so, without the help of Dane, Lady Victoria (Vicki) Hamilton of Smart Health and especially, Medieval Doctor Karina Azank, M.D., who helped make sure we correctly spelled three medical words in that crucial final round (when no more bribes are accepted), it came down to just two teams — our Misfits and the yellowshirted squad from Pasco Hernando State College — for the title. I was surprised when the PHSC team misspelled the word “Commissar,” which I did spell cor-

rectly, so we somehow still ended up with the local bragging rights for another year. Congrats to my Wesley Chapel (Noon) Rotary Club for another amazing event & thanks to OurTownFla.com, which provided these great pictures! Look for the total funds raised and a more complete recap of this year’s “Bee” (including all of the words used for the contest) at NTNeighborhoodNews.com. — GN

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“Vallarta’s”

a regular. And, all of us agreed that the house-made tortilla chips and puréed salsa addictive. Continued from page 49 were And, Vallarta’s has decadently delicious desserts, too, including crunchy, cinnamonNikki Bennett called it “pretty awesome.” infused churros you can’t get at a fair with Other favorites our office recently tried fresh whipped cream, ice cream in a sweet were the chicken fajitas, a three-taco combitortilla shell, a truly delicious homemade nation plate and the fajita chicken salad in a flan and so much more. large tortilla shell that sales rep Mary Dorey So obviously, if you’re in the mood called “really delicious.” Graphic designer for reasonably priced (most lunch items Nate Ciurla said he had never eaten at Vallarta;’s before, but now he might become cost just $6-$10 and most dinner entrées are $8-$15) Mexican fare with a full liquor bar, frozen margaritas and great Mexican beers (I love the Dos Equis, Modelo and Pacifico on draft), you can’t beat Vallarta’s! For more information about Vallarta’s Tampa Palms (16023 Tampa Palms Blvd., in the former location of Ciccio’s Lodge), call 9783761, visit Facebook. com/LosVallarta or see the ad on page 55. For Homemade flan, anyone? Vallarta’s in Tampa Palms has the Wesley Chapel locathe real deal for you! tion, call 907-5161.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 9 • April 25, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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E) Reattachment of connective tissue to the clean root surface with a stable brin clot and gingiva crest to create “a closed system”. F) Bite trauma is adjusted. G) New attachment is regenerated. New bone and new ligament is formed and healing occurs.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 9 • April 25, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

The Latest & Greatest News About Dining, Shopping, Retail & More In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!

Two Great Entertainment Events You Shouldn’t Miss!!! Whether you think you’re the next Kelly Clarkson or you just need a good laugh — and don’t want to have to leave the area to do so — here’s a couple of local events you really should attend. First, at City Grill (5429 Village Market), you can still enter “The Real Voice of Wesley Chapel,” a Karaoke Contest, every Thursday in April & May. Two winners will be picked each Thursday (there had been six announced at our press time with 12 still to come; see photo below) to advance to the semifinals, which begin Sunday, June 4. There’s more details about how the contest works at Facebook.com/City GrillWesleyChapel, but the Grand Prize winner — who won’t be determined until the end of June (yours truly will be one of the Finals judges) — will win a free cruise for two. In addition, this publication and City Grill also will offer prizes every week. For still more info, stop in at City Grill, visit CityGrill.us or call 973-9988. And, on Friday, May, 8, 8 p.m., our good friends at Stage Left Kitchen & Bar (24400 S.R. 54, Lutz, two+ miles west of S.R. 56 & I-75) will host their first-ever smoke-free Comedy Night.

Stage Left is selling admission tickets to the show now and because the place isn’t that big, you should call or stop in to get yours ASAP (although I’ve heard a rumor that a second show could Among the recent Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) ribbon-cutting ceremonies we attended since our last issue were the be added if presales events at the new office of Gunter & Gunter Insurance (photo, left; see ad on page 8 of this issue) on March 24, and at the new Crunch Fitness in Tampa Palms (left) on April 1. For the full upcoming Chamber events calendar, please visit WesleyChapelChamber.com. go well). and observation rooms. Construction is Update At Business Breakfast I have seen expected to start in August. New Florida Hospital Wesley both the beautiful and hysterical Catherine For more info about FHWC, visit Chapel (FHWC) Maloney and oddball funnyman Joe Riga FloridaHospital.com/WesleyChapel. CEO Denyse Balesmultiple times and both are outrageous. Following the breakfast, PHSC And, from the clips I’ve seen of Steve Netta, Chubb (photo, right) celebrated the opening of its on-campus this should be an outstanding night of great gave a presentation cafe (photo below), which is run by A food, reasonably priced full-liquor drinks, no at the April 7 Greater Wesley Chapel Dash of Salt & Pepper’s Ghada Jadallah smoking and lots of laughs. — GN and her husband Lutfi. A Dash of Salt Chamber of ComCulver’s Coming To WC? & Pepper also has a location on Cross merce (WCCC) As development kicks into high gear in monthly business Creek Blvd. here in New Tampa. the Cypress Creek Town Center Develop“When we first opened, this was an breakfast at the Pascoment of Regional Impact (DRI) off S.R. incredibly important part of our conHernando State Col56 in Wesley Chapel, more tenants are anlege (PHSC) Porter Campus at Wiregrass ceptual plan because we wanted to make nouncing plans to move into the area. sure that staff, faculty and students have Ranch off Mansfield Blvd. in Wesley Most recently, Culver’s has scheduled first-rate, world-class cuisine in between Chapel, detailing FHWC’s upcoming a meeting with Pasco County officials to dis- $78-million expansion that will add neartheir studies,” said PHSC Porter Campus cuss their plans for a site along S.R. 56 that provost and Wesley Chapel Honorary ly 112,000 sq. ft. of new construction, as could be under construction very soon. Mayor Dr. Stanley Giannett. “We chose well as nearly 11,000 sq. ft. of renovated According to documents submitted to what we thought is the best.” space to the hospital. The expansion Pasco, Culver’s is planning a 4,200-square“It’s an honor to be here at PHSC,” will add more patient beds, emergency foot restaurant on a 1.395-acre parcel on the rooms, labs, pre-operation, recovery said Ghada. The café serves sandwiches, south side of S.R. 56 (the same side of S.R. 56 as the future Tampa Premium Outlets mall), just east of the Wesley Chapel Blvd. extension, which will feature 110 seats, a drive-through and 65 parking spaces. A Culver’s spokesperson says construction could begin in 4-5 months. Culver’s recently opened on N. Nebraska Ave., (at E. Bearss Ave.) in Tampa, across from the new Walmart Supercenter, one exit south (off I-275) of S.R. 56 and only minutes from Tampa Palms. For more info, visit Culvers.com.

New FHWC CEO Provides An

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 9 • April 25, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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salads, baked goods and coffee, as well as other offerings.— MW

Golf Tourney Among WC Chamber’s Upcoming Events

The WCCC is still in its busy season, which means there’s still plenty of opportunity for you to get involved and network with one of the most dynamic “small” Chambers of Commerce in the Tampa Bay area. Among the events scheduled before our next New Tampa issue reaches your mailbox are ribbon cuttings at Florida Aesthetics & Medical Weight Loss (14945 BBD, south of Tampa Palms) on Tuesday, April 28, 4 p.m.; and at the New Tampa Family YMCA (16221 Compton Dr., Tampa Palms) on Thursday, April 30, 4:30 p.m., to dedicate the Y’s new outdoor conditioning area (see

story on page 46 of this issue). There’s also “Final Friday” free networking events on Friday, April 24, 4 p.m., at Mulligan’s Irish Pub at the Pebble Creek Golf Club; and on Friday, May 29, 4 p.m., at Glory Days Grill (17508 Doña Michelle Dr. at BBD). The Chamber also will host its third annual golf tournament on Friday, May 15, with registration beginning at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start at 1 p.m., at the beautiful Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club (12900 Lake Jovita Blvd., off S.R. 52, Dade City). The cost to play is $125 per person ($500 per foursome) and sponsorship opportunities were still available at our press time. For more information about these and other upcoming Chamber events, or for membership info, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com. — GN

You Do the Dishes is offering summer art workshops!

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then this is the summer camp for you! Children: 7 - 13 years Times: 10am - 4pm, Monday - Friday Sessions: June through August June 15-19, June 20-24, Aug 3-7 Cost: $245.00 per session (includes all materials) *children should bring their own lunches. MUST SIGN UP IN ADVANCE 15357 Amberly Drive Tampa, FL 33647

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WORKSHOPS will include experienced expert instruction. Students will be offered projects to include: watercolor, acrylics, pastel, drawing, print-making, sculpture, pottery painting and clay modeling. call to

813-975-1700 www.youdothedishes.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 9 • April 25, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel HELP WANTED REAL ESTATE AGENT - Award-winning Real Estate team with an overflow of serious buyer leads is seeking to hire talented experienced and motivated full time real estate agents whose desire is to earn more money, expand their horizons and have a fulfilling life. Great training available.. Keller Williams Tampa Properties. Contact Annette with Team Bohannon (813) 431-2840. PHYSICAL THERAPIST (PT) - An established New Tampa outpatient clinic is hiring a part-time PT to provide customized, one-on-one care. Fax resume to (813) 994-3080. MEDICAL BILLER - Spanish-speaking Medical Biller wanted for New Tampa Medical Equipment Company. Duties: Gathers billing information by reviewing patient records; checking for completeness. Bills insurance carrier by inputting billing info to database; initiating electronic transmissions. Resolves disputed claims by gathering, verifying & providing additional information; following up on claims. Resolves discrepancies by examining and evaluating data; selecting corrective steps. Skills/Qualifications: Data Entry Skills, Microsoft Office Proficiency, Time Management, Organization, Professionalism, Customer service and Attention to Detail. Please forward your resume to: Richard.Jones@solarusmedical.com. WING ZONE IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR POSITIONS - Including shift leader, cooks, cashiers and delivery drivers. Wing Zone offers flexible scheduling, competitive pay wages, advancement opportunities and much more. Come join out team of flavorholics and wing lovers at Wing Zone. Applications are available at store location: 19062 Bruce B Downs. Corner of Cross Creek in the New Tampa Center. NOW HIRING STYLIST - Upscale hair salon seeks hairstylist. Please inquire within... 6431 Country Line Road, Suite 107 Tampa, FL 33647 Contact (813) 994-9455 ROUTE SALES, MEDICAL Fills customer orders by driving to customer accounts within Florida; unloading and shelving product, inventory verification, order retreival. Increase sales volume by providing customer service and suggestive selling techniques. Fills order by verifying inventory; loading vehicle. Monthly overnight travel requirement 2 nights a month. Retrieves damaged/defective products from customer locations; keeps vehicle operating by following operating instructions; scheduling maintenance and repairs. Send resumes to: richard.jones@solarusmedical.com

Classifieds

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HELP WANTED

JASMINE’S LANDSCAPING - Complete lawn maintenance, Tree, palm and hedge trimming, Planting, mulching, stones, Sod replacement, Pressure washing, Gutter cleaning and more. Cited by your HOA for violations? Need to comply for: Pressure washing, Trimming, Mulching, Sod replacement, Sprinkler repair or Mailbox repair or replacements? Ask about our HOA SPECIAL & FREE ESTIMATE! For more info, call (813) 420-4465.

Stylist needed, be your own boss, rent a booth,or up to 60 percent Commission. Apply at Zz hair salon 10353 cross creek blvd suite B

COMPUTER / BUSINESS SERVICES

AMERICAN PRIDE LAWN CARE SERVICE, LLC - Our services include weekly lawn maintenance with mulching decks on all mowers, precision edging, string trimming, hedge, shrub, palm, and tree trimming. We also offer landscaping, pruning, and sod replacement. Free estimates. Licensed and Insured. We are an Owner/Operator Company built on service and trust. References available. For more info, call (813) 458-4778.

PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT — in your home or small business. A+, Certified computer tech with 20 years of exp. Maintenance & repairs, upgrades & tutoring. More affordable than the large chains! Friendly, personalized svc. Technical jargon explained in plain English. Remote assistance available. References available upon request. Call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate.

TUTORING - Infinite Edge is located in Tampa Palms & offers tutoring in all subjects, including Math, English & SAT, ACT & FCAT tests, 1st-12th grade. We also offer AP classes and last year, our students scored a 5 on any AP subject in which we helped. Please call (813) 971-6500.

Now Hiring! Growing insurance agency is seeking a licensed and experienced 4-40 customer service orientated and represent the agency with the highest ethical standard with a minimum 3 year industry experience. Contact (813)-994-1143

DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, installation, networking & virus removal. WE COME TO YOU! Servicing residences & businesses, w/ more than 25 years of exp. Contact Jeffrey Blank at (813) 973-4507, visit WSICA.COM or email Wsica@wsica.com today!

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DALE’S HOME MAINTENANCE - Pressure washing, screen repairs, garage cleaning and organizing, shelving, re-grout tile and caulking, and more. (813)-727-2582 or (813)-973-0194 DRY WALL SPECIALIST - Not just a ‘handyman.’ Affordable Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings & walls, retexturing, popcorn removal, room additions, cracks, holes, plaster & stucco repair. 26 years of experience Wesley Chapel resident. StateCertified. Call Ron for a free estimate at 784-5999.

DAVID BRIDGES PRESSURE CLEANING Complete exterior cleaning of your home or business with a professional and personal touch. Pool decks and screen enclosures, all fencing, driveways, walkways, roofs, gutters and downspouts. Find your happiness in a fresh, bright clean home. Your neighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed. Licensed & insured. Call (813) 215-1177.

GREG’S PAPERHANGING - For all of your wallpapering needs. Licensed and insured, clean, quick and reasonable. Call 973-2767 for a free estimate.

RAYMOND PAINTING - Exterior & Interior Services. Exterior: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks & wood rot repair. Interior: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall repairs & tiles. Licensed & Bonded. References avail. Free estimates. Your Neighborhood Arbor Greene Resident! We work 7 days. Call (813) 994-5124.

EDUCATION / BABYSITTING

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Bookkeeping, Tax, Payroll and business support services for small businesses. Let us help with ALL your business needs so you can focus on growing your business and delivery! Experienced, business- minded professionals consisting of CPAs, Accountants, MST, experienced professionals. References available. Call us 813-922-5234 or visit our website at: www.bertramclark.com/accountingservices.html

PET SERVICES

CAT SITTING - Tampa Cat Lady Professional Cat-Sitting Service. Cats are happiest in their own home, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds, & smells. When you are away, we feed, cuddle, & play with your kitties & clean & dispose of litter. Insured, bonded, & Red-Cross certified in pet first aid/CPR. You can submit a service inquiry at TampaCatLady.com or call 813-994-9449.

HAIR & BEAUTY

Great Hope Preschool - We offer preschool for ages 6 weeks to 12 years. We accept the ELC School Readiness program, offer FREE VPREK and offer multi child discounts. New owner and renovated classrooms. Now enrolling all age groups. Infants-Afterschool. Mention this ad and receive 1/2 off enrollment fees. TOUR TODAY!!! 30126 State Road 54 Wesley Chapel, FL 813-929-6276 or 813-323-8030.

SPACE AVAILABLE - Private suite in busy upscale Salon / SPA available for Hairstylist / Aesthetician / Massage Therapist / Tattoo Artist or Makeup Artist Located Behind Sam’s club on SR 56 / Bruce B. Downs, near Wiregrass Mall. Equipped with wireless internet, wash/dryer, wheelchair access washroom, reception area. 24 x 7 accesses to your suite. Few equipment provided Utility, maintenance included in rent. Lowest rent in the Area. If you have established clientele, opportunity to work on commission basis as well. Call 813-997-3414 for more information.

Attention college bound students! Very experienced, and educated (Master’s Degree in English Ed.) Language Arts Teacher can assist with writing/ reading SAT prep. Reasonable Rates/One on One or Small Group Instruction available. Please call 813-480-3273 for more details.

GET A RIDE - Don’t Have a Ride? Don’t Want to Leave Your Car? Shouldn’t Drive? We Drive You & Your Car Home! Night Clubs, Corporate Events, Sporting Events, Concerts, Appointments, Airport or Stranded. Call Jay at (813) 966-1530.

POOL SERVICES

MONSTER POOL CLEANING - Summer Special — 50% off your 1st two months of service. Family owned & operated. 20+ Years of Experience. Competitive rates! Same service tech each week. *Our 15-pt. weekly full service will keep your pool looking great! Refer a customer & get ONE MONTH FREE! Call Today - (813) 489-9967. TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE – New customer’s ONE MONTH FREE! New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing with outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa’s #1 Choice!! Call Chris Today @ (813)857-5400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com

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TURN YOUR CLUTTER INTO CASH - Garage and estate sales, inventory liquidation,& appraisal services. We'll sell it for you online! We evaluate and appraise your products then get you top dollar. We do the work you get the cash. Ask me how. Contact Mary at (813) 428-5793.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 9 • April 25, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE - We have our own supplies and more than 300 clients in New Tampa! For more info, Call 758-9710.

MISCELLANEOUS

Loving host families needed for international students from France, Italy, and Spain. Program dates are July 9-August 3. High school students of host families can earn 60 community service hours!!! For families willing to open their homes and hearts to one of our international students, please contact Courtney Garth at 813.494.7992 or via email at courtneygarthef@gmail.com. Also visit our website at www.ef.com/ehp. ALTERATION SHOP – New Tampa area alteration shop. Until May 31st, $10 hems when you mention this advertisement. We alter all men’s/women’s clothing. Behind Chase Bank in the New Tampa Professional Park, 8911 Regents Park Drive, Suite 560, 33647. Our seamstress’ Sylvia, Iria and Isabel will be happy to help you. Please come visit us: www.sewingbysylvia.com or call us 813-991-9089.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 9 • April 25, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Broadway Comes To Tampa To Be Held At Downtown Tampa Hilton By Matt Wiley Broadway shows don’t generally make it to New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. Not at all, actually. But, the 16th annual “Broadway Comes To Tampa” (BCTT), an event presented by the New Tampa Players (NTP) acting troupe, again is bringing the stars of Broadway to the Tampa Bay area to sing the hits of the stage in an intimate, elegant dinner environment, and a new venue will make the night even more special. For the past several years, BCTT has been held at Saddlebrook Resort & Spa in Wesley Chapel. However, this year’s event will be held on Saturday, May 9, at the Hilton Downtown Tampa, located on N. Tampa St., just blocks away from where traveling Broadway shows are performed at the David A. Straz Center. “After eight glorious years at Saddlebrook, we’ve looked at requests from our sponsors to bring the event back downtown (where it was held before Saddlebrook),” says NTP president Doug Wall. “The downtown location can better serve guests who come from around Tampa Bay. We’re going to see how this year goes, before determining whether to keep it downtown or bring it back to Wesley Chapel next year.” In addition to a new venue, Wall says that this year’s BCTT also will feature some new talent, including Mandy Gonzalez and Richard Todd Adams. Gonzalez last appeared on Broadway as Elphaba (the young Wicked Witch) in the “Wizard of Oz” prequel/spin-off/adaptation of “Wicked,” and has several film

This year’s 16th annual “Broadway Comes To Tampa” dinner show performance, which is being held at the Hilton Downtown Tampa, will feature (l.-r.) Mandy Gonzalez, Richard Todd Adams, Danny Zolli, Jeannette Bayardelle, Rita Harvey, Greg Wall and Neil Berg. Tickets to “Broadway Comes to credits, including appearances in the thriller ing as the host and pianist for the event. “Man On A Ledge” and the Beatles musical Berg is the composer of “Grumpy Old Tampa” at the Hilton Downtown Tam“Across The Universe.” Men” on Broadway. pa (211 N. Tampa St.) on Saturday, Adams has made stage appearances on BCTT veteran Greg Wall, Doug’s May 9, cost $200 per person or $2,000 the traveling production of “The Phantom brother, will once again be bringing his for a table of 10. To purchase tickets or of the Opera” as the Phantom, as well as in saxophone skills to the stage, which he also for more info, please visit Broadwaythe role of Javert in the Chicago production has lent to numerous film scores. ComesToTampa.com. of “Les Misérables.” This year’s BCTT also will welcome back Danny Zolli, who’s best known for his number of performances starring as Jesus and Judas in more than 23 productions (including Broadway and six National/International Tours) of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Jeannette Bayardelle is another returning BCTT veteran, who has starred in Broadway revivals of “Hair,” as well as “The Color Purple.” She also has released two solo albums and has appeared on “Oprah” and “Live With Regis & Kelly.” This year’s show also will bring back Rita Harvey, who has starred in the Broadway revival of “Fiddler on the Roof,” after beginning her career in “Phantom” as Christine Daaé. Harvey’s husband (and Wall’s cousin) Neil Berg also will be return-

Presents

Comedy Night Friday, May 8th 8pm $10 tickets

(cash only) per person. Pre-sale at restaurant now. Limited seating, buy tickets early.

Joe Riga

Steve Netta

Catherine Maloney

Located Just 3 Miles West of I-75/SR56 • 24400 State Road 54, Lutz, FL 33559 (813) 949-4334 • www.StageLeftTampa.com • Facebook/StageLeftTampa

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 7 • March 28, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 23, Issue 7 • March 28, 2015 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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