New Tampa Neighborhood News, February 1, 2014 by Neighborhood News

Volume 22 Issue 03

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February 01, 2014

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The Direct - Mail News Magazines Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993! THIS INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWS MAGAZINE IS DIRECTLY MAILED TO: NEW TAMPA: Arbor Greene • Cory Lake Isles • Cross Creek • Easton Park • Grand Hampton • Heritage Isles • Hunter’s Green • Hunter’s Key • K-Bar Ranch Lake Forest • Live Oak Preserve • Pebble Creek • Richmond Place • Tampa Palms • The Hammocks • West Meadows WESLEY CHAPEL: Aberdeen • Belle Chase • Bridgewater • Brookside • Chapel Pines • Country Walk • Lexington Oaks • Meadow Pointe • New River • Northwood • Pinewalk • Pine Ridge Saddlebrook • Saddleridge Estates • Saddlewood • Seven Oaks • The Lakes at Northwood • The Villages of Wesley Chapel • Watergrass • Wesley Pointe • Westbrook Estates • Williamsburg

Homes For Our Troops Sets Up Injured Vet In Cory Lake Isles By Matt Wiley

Nearly three years after the blast that left him paralyzed from the waist down while serving our country overseas, a Tampa U.S. Army veteran and his wife have moved into a new home in Cory Lake Isles that was built specifically for them by Homes For Our Troops. On February 27, 2011, Army Staff Sgt. Alex Dillman (originally from Town N’Country) was on patrol during his second deployment to Ghazni, Afghanistan, when the vehicle he and his platoon were traveling in struck an IED (improvised explosive device). Dillman’s spine was fractured in three places, causing him to lose most of the use of his legs, in addition to multiple other injuries. However, thanks to the nonprofit organization Homes For Our Troops, Dillman — a Purple Heart recipient — and his wife Holly, both 28, now have a home that caters to Alex’s special needs, right here in New Tampa’s Cory Lake Isles community, with multiple features that allow him to get around the house with ease and still be able to perform daily tasks that would be much more difficult in a normal home. The couple received the keys in a ceremony on December 5 of last year.

Alex explains that during the two years he was recovering n both the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, and James A. Haley Veterans (VA) Hospital, located south of Fletcher Ave. on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. Holly heard about Homes For Our Troops while staying at the Fisher House, the residence where the families of the injured vets being treated at Tampa’s VA can stay for free. “Holly was in the kitchen (at the Fisher House) and one of the spouses approached her about (Homes For Our Troops),” Alex explains. “We still weren’t sure what we were going to do when I got our of the hospital. So, one night she looked into it, and I met the criteria.” Homes For Our Troops offers a “New Home Program” to veterans who are retired or are in the process of medical retirement from military service and have been injured in combat sometime since September 11. The organization raises money, collects materials and arranges labor to build homes. In this case, the organization worked with Aziz Construction and several accessibility

(Left) U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Alex Dillman on patrol in Ghazni, Afghanistan. (Right) Alex & Holly Dillman have been in their new home in Cory Lake Isles, built for them by Homes For Our Troops, since December. equipment providers, including Mowen, a home is going to be built for you. The orHarmar and 101 Mobility. Alex says that ganization even provides a financial planner the level of his injuries also was a factor. to help set families up for success with items Holly says that the application process they must pay for once they accept the keys was very thorough and took several weeks. to the home, including paying home insur“I think maybe a month later, in No- ance and property taxes. Since Alex was still vember 2012, they called us,” Alex says. receiving treatment, Holly attended and “They invited us up to Boston for a confer- was able to pick out a floor plan. She also ence about building a home.” requested a lot in Cory Lake Isles after Holly says that getting invited to a See ‘Our Troops’ on page 14 conference is a pretty good indication that

Change In Federal Regulation Forces Removal Of Trees In Tampa Palms By Matt Wiley

Tampa Palms residents may notice more light coming through the trees along Yardley Way, as well as a much better view of the high voltage power transmission lines that stretch through the community on a vacant strip of property, as a Federal regulation now is requiring power companies to trim or remove trees and foliage that could interfere with those lines during a storm.

An April 2013 change to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)’s regulation entitled “18 CFR Part 40” strengthens a requirement for power companies to manage vegetation around highvoltage transmission lines, such as the lines that currently traverse Tampa Palms. By using a “zero tolerance” policy for vegetation management, the FERC reports that this will better safeguard the possibility of a major power outage, such as the 2003

Also Inside This Issue! News, Business, Sports & Education Updates

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St. Mark’s Breaks Ground On New Church, The Latest On The BBD Widening & The Shooting Death At The Grove Theater, Plus Lots Of Local Business Features & More!

Full Circle Pizza Brings Chi-Town Home, Sushi Raw Spices Up Shoppes Of Amberly, Lake Jovita Is Not Just For Members, Plus More Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes!

Pages 1-42

Pages 43-64

blackout in the northeastern U.S., which was determined to have been caused inpart by unmanaged vegetation near transmission lines. To comply with this regulation change, both TECO Power and Duke Energy have been trimming and removing trees and vegetation that either currently are coming into contact with, or have the possibility of coming into contact with, these Federallyprotected transmission lines. In addition to having the potential to bring down lines, trees in close enough proximity have the potential to cause “flashovers,” which occur when power lines touch one another and can cause the lines to short-circuit. “The transmission line in the Tampa Palms community is a critical part of the Florida transmission grid,” says Sterling Ivey, spokesman for Duke Energy. “Maintaining this line is vital to providing reliable See ‘Trees’ on page 14

Tree stumps, like the one pictured above, are all that remain of many trees that used to provide shade over a walking path near Yardley Way in The Enclave community of Tampa Palms.

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We’re Moving Our Office To Wesley Chapel To Celebrate 20 Years! By Gary Nager

On February 25, 2014, I will celebrate my 20th anniversary as the owner, publisher and editor of this publication and I am proud to say that 2013 was my best year ever, in terms of both revenue and the positive response we’ve always received from our advertisers and readers. Even so, my outstanding general manager Nikki Bennett (who is in her fifth year with me and largely responsible for getting us to this lofty point in our history) and I are doing anything but resting on our laurels. In fact, we’ve hired local consultant and long-time Hunter’s Green resident Jerry Hurley of Business Sense Solutions — who has helped many local businesses the last several years and has insisted that many of those clients advertise with us if they want to do business in New Tampa and/or Wesley Chapel — to help us formulate and set into motion the best possible plan for us to reinvest in and grow our business so we can have another 20 years of success, despite what is still, supposedly, a sluggish local economy. I’ll be updating you in this space about those plans for our local “business branding” company as they’re being finalized, but I can assure you that everything we do will continue to be of the same quality (in words, pictures and community service) you’ve grown to expect from us, as well as show why we’re different than any other media company based in and serving New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. And, unlike many other successful smaller publishing companies (of which there seems to be fewer and fewer each year; I did say “successful”) across this

New Tampa Neighborhood News 15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647 Phone: (813) 910-2575 Fax: 910-2483

Advertising E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Editorial E-mail: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Publisher & Editor Gary Nager General Manager Nikki Bennett Assistant Editor / Photographer Matt Wiley Correspondents Bonnie Mason • Lauren Saslow Senior Graphic Designer Porsha Lemos Sales & Marketing Assistant Antwon Gildon Nothing that appears in New Tampa Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion. The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisements for Volume 22, Issue 5, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, February 17, 2014. 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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great country of ours, the expansion of our services and opportunities to promote your business will not include new publications distributed in markets other than our two primary existing distribution areas. I hope you’re at least intrigued, because all of us are truly excited about what’s ahead for not only the rest of 2014, but for many years to come. For example, although I’ve loved being in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms the last dozen years or more, there’s no doubt that our office space was never laid out the way I wanted and even though it was always plenty big to suit our needs, the way the space was laid out was never what I would call very effective. To that end, Nikki and I were ecstatic when a very unique local office space became available and, even though the space is located on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, it’s actually an easier location to get in and out of and will actually allow us to better serve both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. You may remember that a little before last year’s Taste of New Tampa, I mentioned in this space that we had started doing some multi-media productions with Carlos FloresGordon’s Milorian Studios, a beautiful film, audio and website production studio located in the Brookside Professional Park, the first office plaza located just east of the traffic light and entrance to Saddlebrook Resort Tampa on S.R. 54 (a little more than a mile or so east of both Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd. and I-75). From a purely geographic standpoint — with both S.R. 54 and BBD in Wesley Chapel having recently been expanded and improved and with I-75 in that area being widened now — it suddenly has gotten a lot easier for us to get to anywhere from Zephyrhills to Land O’Lakes to our east and west, respectively, to all of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, in just a few short minutes. But, as Carlos said when we first started working on a few preliminary projects together about a year ago, there is a lot of “synergy” between our two companies. My Bachelor’s degree from the University of

Florida was actually in broadcasting and my goal has always been to provide TV and radio (and now, web) programming for local residents and new advertising opportunities for our clients and Carlos has everything we need to bring those ideas to fruition. In our next issue (and online), we’ll be inviting everyone who receives either of our publications to a Grand Opening Karaoke Party and Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony, which will be held in early March in our new offices on the second floor of the same building in the Brookside Professional Park where MiloBen Kreloff of Clearwater-based ProCorp Rerian Studios now only has the first floor. alty helps Gary Nager & Nikki Bennett say Nikki and I and everyone at the New Tampa Neighborhood News can’t wait to tell goodbye to the old New Tampa & Wesley Chapel and show you more of our plans. Neighborhood News office in Tampa Palms.

Table of Contents

Local News Updates...................................4-15

Texting Leads To Movie Theater Shooting Death........................................4 St. Mark’s Breaks Ground On New Church...................................6 DTCC Donates Holiday Gifts To Mort Elementry.........................8 New Tampa News Briefs..............................................................10 Temporary Traffic Separators Installed On BBD Motorcyclist Killed On County Line Rd. City Of Tampa Launches Mobile App Gas Skimmers Installed On New Tampa Gas Pumps Ex NFL Player Arrested For Running Gambling Operation PHCC Porter Campus Becomes Pasco Hernando State College...12 New Tampa Community Calendar...............................................16

Local Business Updates...................18-32

Totalscape Solutions Will Transform Your Yard............................18 Re/Max Will Help You Find Your Dream Home.........................22 Shuayb Dental Opens In Tampa Palms........................................26 Rebecca Does Hair — New Styles For The New Year..................30 Pura Cycling Introduces Personal Training & More.....................32

Local Sports & Education Updates........34

Together 2.0 & Honest Abe 5Ks Offer Active Opportunites........34 HGE’s Reagan Lawrence Gets Teacher Of The Year Nod.............38

Neighborhood Magazine Full Circle Pizza Brings Some ‘Windy City’ Flavor Home...............43 Suncoast Arts Fest Gets Crafty..............................................46 Crowd Gathers For Local Man’s ‘Shark Tank’ Segment............50 Susho Raw Brings Sushi Back To Amberly Dr.............................54 Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club: Great Golf & So Much More!.....58 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes’.....................................60

NEW TAMPA COLOR CLASSIFIEDS...............................62

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Still Shaking Our Heads In The Aftermath Of The Wesley Chapel Movie Theater Shooting By Matt Wiley

A 33-year-old widow and her 22-month-old daughter continue to recover from the sudden and seemingly inexplicable death of a Wesley Chapel man, following a shooting at the Cobb Theatres Grove 16 movie theater (also in Wesley Chapel) over the use of a cell phone during the previews before a weekday matinee. “Right now I’m still just trying to recover from the shock,” Nichole Oulson said in a press conference in Tampa on Jan. 22, her first public appearance since her husband Chad, 43, was shot on January 13 just before the 1:20 p.m. showing of “Lone Survivor” inside Theater 10 of the Grove 16 complex. “My main focus is and always will be on my daughter Alexis. It’s just unimaginable.” According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), an altercation broke out between the Oulsons and another couple because Chad was texting the couple’s babysitter, who was watching Alexis. “Me and my husband didn’t get a date night very often, much less a whole day to spend together, so I was just so excited and looking forward to spending the day with the love of my life at a place of entertainment,” Nichole said in the conference. “In the blink of an eye, my whole world just got shattered into a million pieces. Now I’m left trying to pick them all up and put them back together. It’s so hard and unbearable.” PCSO reports that the argument appeared to be escalating when the suspect, retired Tampa Police (TPD) Capt. Curtis Reeves, Jr., 71, shot at the Oulsons, who were seated a row in front of him, with a .380 handgun. The arrest report explains that Reeves asked Chad Oulson to stop texting and at one point even left the theater to report the cell phone use to theater management. When he returned, an argument ensued and, according to witnesses, Chad reportedly threw a bag of popcorn at Reeves and his wife, at which point Reeves removed the gun from his pocket and shot Oulson. Nichole reportedly tried to shield Chad from the shot, but the bullet traveled through her hand and into her husband. Reeves said in an interview following his arrest that he shot at Oulson because he was in fear of being attacked after Chad stood up and threw what Reeves called an unknown object — which turned out to be a bag of popcorn — at his face. The bullet hit Chad in the chest and he later died from his wound at a local hospital. During the 9-1-1 tapes that were released on January 24, an off-duty nurse can be heard on the phone with a member of the Pasco 4

Chad Oulson (center) was shot and killed inside the Cobb Theatres Grove 16 in Wesley Chapel on Jan. 13 during an argument about texting during the previews before a movie.

County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Communications Department, which handles emergency calls for the county, trying to keep the man alive while on the line. About 25 people were in the theater at the time of the shooting. Among those were two off-duty nurses (one of whom dialed 9-1-1) who worked to keep Oulson alive until help arrived. A “Good Samaritan,” identified as Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Alan Hamilton, was able to detain Reeves until authorities arrived. Witnesses told deputies that no punches were thrown and Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said at a news conference the next day that none of the witnesses believed that Reeves would be able to use a “Stand Your Ground” defense in the case. Published reports state that another couple also had a verbal altercation with Reeves about texting in a movie theater during a December 28 showing of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” at the same theater complex. “It could have been us,” Jamira Dixon said in a press conference with her husband Michael. Dixon said that after Reeves snapped at her and her husband, he also said something to someone else in the theater. TPD reports that Reeves retired from the force in 1993 and was instrumental in establishing the department’s first Tactical Response Team. His son, Matthew Reeves, currently is a TPD officer. Published reports also state that at one point, Reeves also was the head of security at Busch Gardens Tampa. At our press time, Reeves was being held without bail at the Land O’Lakes Detention Center for seconddegree murder. Cobb Theatres released the following statement, ““We are deeply saddened by the events that occurred on (Jan. 13), and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. The safety, security and comfort of our guests and team members are always our top priorities, and we are truly heartbroken by this incident.”

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St. Mark Catholic Church Breaks Ground On New Sanctuary By Matt Wiley It’s hard to imagine that in 1997 the first mass for St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church was conducted in the auditorium of Paul R. Wharton High, before moving into its current home on Cross Creek Blvd. in 2000. However, the bustling house of worship which has always had the largest membership of any church in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel has received approval to begin construction on what will be the largest church in the New Tampa area. According to a January 7 press release, Father David DeJulio has announced that St. Mark had received approval from Bishop Robert Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg to begin to build the new $10.1-million, 34,200-sq.-ft. church that will be located adjacent to the existing building on the church’s 28-acre Cross Creek Blvd. campus. The current 29,600-sq.-ft. Family Life Center, which has served as St. Mark’s temporary worship space since its construction in 2000, is to be converted into what a brochure about the planned expansion says will be called the “New Tampa Center.” The hope is that the new community center will serve as a local venue for local theater productions, concerts and wedding receptions, with seating for 800 theater-style seats, as well as seating for

500 at banquets. In addition, the building will house the church’s offices, meeting rooms and a kitchen and catering facility. “There is no place now in the New Tampa area that can support this capacity,” says St. Mark’s director of development Cyndi Letzeisen. “Fr. David’s vision is for our parish (or church) to be a hub of activity that serves the entire New Tampa community.” Currently, the church serves more than 3,500 families in the surrounding communities, whose donations and pledges are funding the construction of the new worship space. So far, more than $4.5-million has been raised since the fund-raising campaign began more than three years ago. “The momentum is strong, but so is the challenge (to raise the money),” says Fr. DeJulio. The Bishop required that St. Mark raise about 50-percent of the funds needed to build the new church before breaking ground on the building could be approved. “When we were finally granted permission, it felt like a boulder had been lifted off our shoulders,” Fr. DeJulio says. “We’ve been so cramped and limited on space for the past several years. Now, we’ll be able to expand and offer more to the New Tampa community at the New Tampa Center.

An artist’s rendering of the planned expansion of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd. St. Mark officials announced that the Diocese of St. Petersburg announced its approval for the new sanctuary on Jan. 7. The existing St. Mark Family Life Center building is located to the right and behind the planned sanctuary building. Fr. DeJulio says that although the church has been around for more than 17 years, he has seen an explosion in the amount of churchgoers, recently, which he attribute to the new construction in both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. “This approval is exactly what we needed,” Fr. DeJulio says. “If the amount of people who showed up for church this past Christmas came to church each Sunday, we’d never have room.” For more information (including service and mass schedules) about the expansion at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, located at 9724 Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, please visit StMarkTampa.org. Or call 907-7746.

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DTCC Donates More Than 200 Holiday Gifts To Mort Elementary By Matt Wiley The holidays are a time for selflessness and giving, and that’s just what the New Tampa branch of the financial services giant Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) did for a local school in need in December. On Dec. 18, for the ninth consecutive year, representatives from DTCC (located off Highwoods Preserve Pkwy., north of I-75) made a stop at Mort Elementary, located just southwest of New Tampa on E. Bearss Ave., to make a generous donation of gifts to the school’s students, many of whom come from less fortunate families in the

surrounding “USF Area” community. “We adopted Mort Elementary nine years ago and the students’ smiling faces still bring us joy every time we drop off supplies or toys from our latest drive,” said Eric Miller, managing director and head of DTCC Tampa. “Now and into the future, DTCC is committed to giving back and helping our community prosper.” In total, DTCC donated more than 200 gifts to the school, in hopes that no child of the nearly 850 in attendance would go through the holidays without something to unwrap. Gifts included a variety of toys for boys and girls in every age group from prekindergarten all the way up to fifth grade. DTCC also donates school supplies to Mort at the beginning of the year. “DTCC has been committed to supporting Mort through volunteerism (L-R) Michael Tom of DTCC, Mort Elementary principal Woodland and muchJohnson, DTCC Tampa managing director Eric Miller, Nancy Thurber needed holiday of DTCC, Mort social worker Melissa Enzor & DTCC VP Steven Strnad and back-to-

school supply donations,” Miller said. “After all, these students will someday become part of the workforce from which we draw, and it’s the right thing to do. The Tampa community has supported DTCC and we feel strongly about giving back to a network that has bolstered DTCC’s success story here.” Mort Elementary social worker Melissa Enzor said that watching each student walk out of the building on the last day before Christmas vacation each holding a gift was overwhelming. “It’s a wonderful thing to see the students each walk out with a gift that last day,” she explained. “You really

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could see and feel their excitement.” This was the first year that each child was sent home with a gift, Enzor said. In previous years, donated toys would be put into a “toy room,” from which Mort parents would choose a gift for their child. Enzor explained that Mort has a very low socio-economic status and that most students walk home with their parents or family members. For more info about Mort Elementary (1806 E. Bearss Ave.), including donation opportunities, please call 975-7373 or visit Mort. SDHC.k12.fl.us.

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NEW TAMPA Traffic Separators Installed On BBD

As the widening of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., between Doña Michelle Dr. and Tampa Palms/Palm Springs Blvd. picks up steam, temporary traffic separators have been installed along the busy roadway. According to Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) spokesman John McShaffrey, the traffic separators are a temporary precaution that Prince Contracting has installed to funnel traffic closer to the median so that the new lanes can be built outside the existing lanes. Once the new pavement has been poured, McShaffrey says, the separators will be removed. Upon completion, which is expected to be completed around July of this year, BBD finally will be four lanes in each direction with a 30-foot grass median.

Motorcyclist Killed On County Line Rd.

A motorcyclist has died, following a collision that ejected him from his bike on County Line Rd. in Wesley Chapel. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Samuel Leslie Hemphill, 54, of Wesley Chapel, was driving his 2005 Yamaha motorcycle westbound on County Line Rd. around 6 a.m. on January 22. At the same time, Alejandro Acevedo Rodriguez, 34, also of Wesley Chapel, was driving his 2006 Volvo S40 southbound on Nashville Dr. to exit the Belle Chase community, located off County Line Rd. The FHP report says that Rodriguez came to a complete stop at the intersection and proceeded to make a left turn to travel east on County Line Rd., entering directly into the path of Hemphill on his bike. Hemphill was ejected as his bike struck the front left side of Rodriguez’s Volvo. He died of his injuries at the scene. Charges were pending at our press time and it was not yet known if alcohol was a factor. No additional information is available.

of identity theft, criminals have figured out ways to steal important account info as quickly as the card is swiped. Unfortunately, this type of crime has recently been reported in New Tampa. According to the Tampa Police Department (TPD), detectives are on the hunt for a suspected credit card “skimming” thief, or a person who steals credit card information through the card scanner. TPD reports that between December 17-19, control panels on gas pumps were compromised at the economic future of our City,” said the New Tampa Hess and Shell gas Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn in a Jan. 8 stations, both located just north of I-75 press release. “That’s why I am commit- off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. The ted to modernizing our infrastructure, suspect attached an in-line “skimming” bringing free Wi-Fi to our urban parks, device to collect critical credit card data. and making the City more user friendly TPD says that the driver of a white, through apps like this. The app puts city flatbed pickup truck (pictured) has services and City Hall at the fingertips of made purchases using information storesidents.” len from the compromised gas pumps. Whether it’s keeping up with Mayor TPD offers these tips for using Buckhorn’s latest tweets or getting his a credit card at gas pumps, and even email address, the app provides a simple ATMs, to help keep your information way to deliver information to the public. safe: inspect the card reader and the The application’s main menu offers surrounding area, make sure other gas a variety of services for those who utilize pump card readers look the same as the it. Among the options are tabs for the one you are using, trust your instincts latest city news, jobs posted by the city, and don’t use the pump if it seems important phone numbers, including suspicious, use a credit card instead of a the numbers (but not email addresses) debit card or pay inside. for the Tampa City Council, non-emerMost important is to make sure to gency Tampa Police (TPD), city services keep an eye on your bank accounts and (general info and customer service), report any fraudulent activity as soon as code enforcement and power outages, as possible. well as emergency information for hurAnyone with any information ricanes, public works, stormwater, trees, about the vehicle or driver is urged waste water or sewer repairs and Tampa Water Department emergencies. In addition, the app offers quick access to service requests (such as that pesky pothole) and meeting agendas for Tampa City Council meetings. Look for the City of Tampa app in the Apple Store and Google Play store for Android devices. Still on the fence? See a video demonstration at TampaGov.net/MobileApp.

News Briefs

to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 873-TIPS (8477).

Ex-Player Charged With Running Gambling Op

A New Tampa man who played in the NFL has been released on bond, after being charged with running an illegal gambling operation in Tampa. According to the Tampa Police DepartDonald Reche ment (TPD), Donald Caldwell Reche Caldwell, 34, of Cory Lake Isles, was arrested on January 5 in Tampa, along with seven others, during the execution of a search warrant at 1746 Main St. TPD reports that, upon entering the address, Caldwell, Bobby Eugene Richardson and Kenlun Dawson (both of Tampa) were charged with running an illegal gambling house and bookmaking. TPD charged five other suspects with crimes, including illegal gambling, possession of a controlled substance and violation of probation. TPD also seized cash, two handguns and one gram of MDMA (the active ingredient in Ecstasy). Caldwell, a former Florida Gator who also played for six seasons in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins, was released from jail on a $4,000 bond. — MW

‘Skimmers’ Found On New Tampa Gas Pumps

Every time a credit card is scanned, its information is read. In today’s age

City Of Tampa Launches Mobile App

Tired of the dangerous pothole on your street? Want to know the waste collection schedule for a specific holiday? If these are common questions you wish could be answered in the palm of your hand, you’re in luck, as the City of Tampa has released a FREE mobile application that streamlines the process of getting vital city information to citizens, without a phone call or the need for a desktop computer. Available for both Apple’s iOS operating system for iPhone and iPads and for Android phones and tablet computers, the City of Tampa mobile app takes all of the pertinent information on its website and puts it into the pockets of its citizens. “Technology plays a critical role in 10

A screen shot of the City of Tampa’s new mobile application for iOS and Android devies.

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PHCC Porter Campus Officially Renamed Pasco Hernando State College! By Gary Nager

If you happened to go looking for the newest campus of Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC) in the Wiregrass Ranch area, you may have found that the school which opened to students for the first time on Jan. 13 already had a new name — Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC)’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. High-energy Provost Stanley Giannet, Ph.D., and his staff, as well as numerous visiting dignitaries, unveiled the new name for the brand-spankin’-new college campus located off S.R. 56 at Mansfield Blvd. on Jan. 22. The name change for the beautiful, new 60-acre, four-year State College was approved by a vote at the Jan. 21 Board of Trustees meet(Clockwise from top left) On Jan. 22, the new sign proclaiming that the new college in Wesley Chapel is now called Pasco-Hernando State College ing to finally approve the name change for all five PHSC campuses. (PHSC)’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch was unveiled. Part of the beautiful “Piazza” where students can gather at the new PHSC campus. One of All I can tell you is that the Wiregrass the school’s many state-of-the-art computer labs. Provost Dr. Stanley Giannet loves showing off the technology in the Porter Campus’ nursing classRanch campus is beautiful, functional, state- room, designed to simulate a real hospital setting. For more of assistant editor Matt Wiley’s awesome pics of the new campus, visit NTNeighborhoodNews.com. of-the-art in terms of technology and, as Dr. Giannet says, it will be, “part of the community. We may have changed our name to Pasco Hernando State College, but our commitment to the local community won’t change.” At our press time, PHCC-Porter had opened the Spring 2014 semester with more than 1,500 students enrolled, and a full complement of 50 faculty and staff members. The new campus is now home to the first-ever four-year degrees — Bachelors of Science in Nursing and Applied Sciences — offered by the new State College. From its biology lab equipped with technologically advanced models of the human heart, lungs, brain and more, and nursing “classrooms” designed to look like hospitals, complete with “working” simulated human patients (“sims”), Dr. Giannet promises that the new college will prepare students for rewarding careers in many science- and business-related fields. For more info, visit PHCC.edu.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

‘Our Troops’

‘Trees’

Continued From Page 1 doing a web search, but didn’t hear anything back. A few weeks later, the couple received an email with a few location options, and Cory Lake Isles was one of them. Ground was broken on the home in January 2013. It was completed by December. Many of the materials used in building the home were donated. Companies such as Whirlpool and Koehler donated much of the home’s kitchen and bathroom appliances. Artist Lynn Hays told the couple to pick out any prints they wanted. 101 Mobility even donated an outdoor wheelchair elevator to help Alex get off the sidewalk behind the home, where the couple is working on building a pool. At first glance, the home looks almost no different from any other typical Florida residence, with a great room design and three bedrooms. However, the difference is in the details. Kitchen cabinets open to reveal shelves that Alex can pull down, without having to worry about knocking anything over. The stovetop is built lower (as are the countertops) and features burner controls at the front of the range. All of the hallways are a little wider for easier wheelchair access and several doors, including the front and garage, have push-button-control access. In the master bathroom, the shower can completely be controlled from a touch panel and the TV is mounted on the wall with a rotating mount. The closet even dou-

Continued From Page 1

bles as a concrete safe room, in case of an emergency situation, such as a hurricane. Out front, a flag pole sits adjacent to a sidewalk. At it’s base, a plaque has been set into the stone to honor and remember Sgt. Kristopher James Gould, who lost his life in the same blast that injured Alex. Although the couple finally is moved in, they say that it still doesn’t seem real. “We still haven’t come to terms with the fact that we’re actually in this home,” Alex says. “While I was in the hospital, we got the blueprints and would look at them every day. When the recovery got tough, we would look at them and just think about how good it would be to move in.” Holly adds that the first dinner they enjoyed together in their new home, they both just looked around the room in disbelief. For more information about Homes For Our Troops, a 501(c)(3) organization, please visit HFOTUSA.com.

electric service to both Duke and TECO customers in Pinellas and Hillsborough.” Ivey explains that Duke Energy has obtained easements and agreements with local communities and property owners that allow it to build and maintain its power lines, which includes managing vegetation, including trees that may pose a threat to the reliability of the electric system (on or outside the easement). Of the 300-ft.-wide strip of land that houses the transmission lines, Duke controls 100 ft. from the edge of the property lines to the north and east. Ivey says that trees within 50 ft. of the Duke transmission line have been, or are in the process of being, trimmed or removed. Meanwhile, TECO controls the other 200 ft. of land on the south and west side of the power lines. None of the land is owned or controlled in any way by the Tampa Palms Community Development District (CDD) or Tampa Palms Homeowners Association (HOA). TECO’s Cherie Jacobs explains that the power company is largely done with their vegetation management, but will continue to be in the area for two to three more weeks to finish some additional work. “We try to find the balance between aesthetics and safety,” Jacobs says. “We know people in these communities love their trees, and that’s why the balance is so important.”

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Many of the trees along the Tampa Palms power lines are being trimmed or removed. Jacobs explains that trees within 50-100 ft. of TECO lines may be removed, but that the distance varies depending upon the height and voltage of the lines. Because of this, some trees could be trimmed instead of having to be removed. Jacobs says that TECO faces significant fines if a tree causes an outage anywhere along the transmission lines. Although the Tampa Palms CDD can’t control the trimming or removal of trees along the transmission lines, CDD spokeswoman Maggie Wilson says that something will be planted in their place, adding that the most significant tree removals are taking place along Yardley Way and Fairchild Dr. “We’re going to mitigate the situation the best we can,” Wilson says. “We’re just waiting for (Duke and TECO) to finish.”

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

February 2014

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 and many more benefits. For more information, or to join the club, email MomsClubNewTampa@gmail.com.

Sunday, February 2

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.

Monday, February 3

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 needle-free acupuncture, facial rejuvenation and stop smoking and customized weight-loss programs. For more info, call 960-8833 or visit IonMediSpa.com.

Tuesday, February 4

New Tampa Tri Club - The New Tampa Tri Club is open to runners, swimmers, cyclists and 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., Room 310). For registration and more information, call 963-1555. NAMI Support Group Meetings - The Pasco County Chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offers a support group for friends & family of those with mental illness the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at North Tampa Behavioral Health (29910 S.R. 56). For more info, call (727) 992-9653.

Wednesday, February 5

BNI Millionaire Makers - The BNI Millionaire Makers chapter meets every Wednesday at Pebble Creek Golf Club at 7:15 a.m. (10550 Regents Park Dr., off BBD Blvd.). The $13 meeting fee includes a hot breakfast. Contact Lisa Jordan at 621-6015 for more details.

English As A Second Language (ESL)- This group meets Thursdays at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church (19911 BBD Blvd.), 9 a.m.-11:45 a.m. Classes are taught by a native English speaker using several ESL and Bible study resources. The cost is $20 each quarter, for the workbook & class materials. For registration and more information, call Heather at 753-8567. Northeast Tampa Women In Business Meeting - The Northeast Tampa Women in Business group meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Visit NETWIB.org or call 843-2354. Food Addicts In Recovery Anonymous (FA) - Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous is a support group without any dues, fees or weigh-ins and is based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. FA meets at Florida Hospital Tampa at (on BBD) in the Camelot A room at 7 p.m. For additional information, visit FoodAddicts.org or call Roz at 355-4197.

Friday, February 7

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.). The guest speaker will be Dr. Drew Gold, speaking about St. Leo University’s Polling Institute. For more information, call Eric Longphee at 202-1105.

Saturday, February 8

New Tampa Dog Pack - Do you have a dog? Enjoy scenic nature walks? Join the New Tampa Dog Pack on Saturday mornings at 8:30 a.m at Flatwoods Wilderness Park (at the 18205 BBD entrance) and on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at Compton Park (16101 Compton Dr., Tampa Palms). For more info, please visit MeetUp.com/New-Tampa-Dog-Pack. ‘We Work’ At Lifepoint Church - “We Work,” meets at Lifepoint Church (8702 Hunter’s Lake Dr.) at 8:45 a.m. and is designed to help you search for jobs, improve interview skills, write a resume, negotiate a job offer, improve your attitude, develop networking skills and discover your gifts. For info, visit LifepointChurch.tv/WeWork or call 907-9818 ext. 14.

Saturday, February 8

Tampa Bay Rebels Tryouts- The Tampa Bay Rebels basketball team will be holding tryouts for the upcoming FBA season at the Police Athletic League (1924 W. Diana St., Tampa, 33604) from 2-4 p.m. For info, visit Tampa Bay Rebels.com.

Monday, February 11

Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business professionals dedicated to helping their respective businesses grow through qualified referrals, meets every Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Club clubhouse (18630 Plantation Bay Dr., off Morris Bridge Rd.). For more info, call Ed Gleason at 299-4475.

Daddy Daughter Dinner Race - Show your special little girl (age 2-16) how much she means to you this Valentine’s Day by taking her to this elegant event that you will both remember forever, which includes a catered dinner, framed take-home photo, music by Finest Deejays and games and contests. Tickets are only $36/ couple ($15 more for each additional daughter). Register now online at SavannaChurch.com.

New Tampa Noon Rotary Club- The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets every Wednesday for lunch at noon at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Guests are always welcome.

Thursday, February 13

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. New members are always welcome. For more information, call Liz DeAmbrose at 956-6487 or email homenet@gte.net. Tampa Toastmasters - Great speeches & great topics. Come hone your public speaking skills. Tampa Toastmasters meets every Wednesday 7 p.m. at Pebble Creek Golf Club (10550 Regents Park Dr.) New guests are always welcome. For more information, call 428-6356.

Thursday, February 6

CBC Networking - Come together with like-minded professionals at the Christian Business Connections (CBC) Networking group, which meets every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church (located at 5338 Primrose Lake Cir., off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms) for a “meet & greet,” followed by a meeting of the group. For more information, please send an email to Shawn@TPACorp.com. 16

Northeast Tampa Women In Business Meeting - The Northeast Tampa Women in Business group meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Visit NETWIB.org or call 843-2354.

Friday, February 28-Sunday, March 2 & March 7-9

The New Tampa Players Present ‘The Miracle Worker” - New Tampa’s own community theatre troupe, the New Tampa Players, is proud to present “The Miracle Worker” at CrossPointe Church of the Nazarene (919 Debuel Rd. in Lutz). The performances are at 8 p.m. each Fri.-Sat., with Sunday matinee performances at 2 p.m. Tickts cost $12-$15. For more info, visit NewTampaPlayers.org.

Monday, March 3

‘Slice for Life’ Golf Tournament - The second annual “Slice for Life” golf tournament, presented by the Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) Foundation, will be held at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). Sponsorship opportunities are still available. The cost to play is $500 for a foursome or $15 for a single golfer. For additional information, please visit FloridaHospital.com/ Wesley-Chapel/Foundation.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Totalscape Solutions Will Revolutionize Your Lawn & Landscaping! By Bonnie Mason

Are you jealous of your neighbor’s pristine lawn? Or, maybe you want your home’s landscaping to look just as professional and luxurious as the entrance to your community? Well, just recently, Totalscape Solutions, a local commercial landscaping company, began offering its expert services to residential homeowners in the New Tampa area. Totalscape owner Mark Gonzales has been designing and maintaining landscapes for commercial properties, businesses, multi-family dwellings, condo associations and homeowners associations in Tampa and its surrounding communities for 12 years. Gonzales says he decided to expand his services to include residences just this past year. “I was convinced that homeowners would benefit from our one-stop quality service,” Gonzales says. “Our goal is to make every property impeccable and of the highest quality on a consistent basis.” Totalscape provides comprehensive landscape maintenance services year-round to meet each client’s needs at an affordable cost. The company’s landscape maintenance programs include general lawn mowing, trimming, edging, pruning, hedge trimming, tree (including palm tree) trimming and lawn treatment with fertilizer and pesticides. “We also offer customized landscape designs,” says Gonzales. “Totalscape works with you to create a landscape design that will consider irrigation and sun exposure to

accentuate your home’s exterior.” Tampa homeowner and Totalscape customer Lori Swisher says, “I honestly can say Totalscape Solutions is the best lawn company that I have used in the New Tampa area! They have such great customer service and always are on top of everything. It’s nice to have a point of contact for questions, and if anything extra needs to be completed, they are right there! The quickness and reliability are fantastic. They are all about customer satisfaction!” Gonzales attributes his company’s growing success to his dedication to customer service and work ethic and to his thirteen highly trained, experienced employees. A supervisor accompanies each work crew to ensure that your property is getting what it needs. “I don’t just sell a landscaping service,” Gonzales explains. “Our people all provide quality work at a fair price.” The end result of Totalscape’s work can be seen in the landscaping of the communities they service, such as The Sanctuary on Livingston Ave. and Covington Estates and Magnolia Trace in Cross Creek — and it speaks for itself. “A company is only as good as the people who work for it,” says Gonzales, who adds that he and his team have a motto, “Always do what you say you’re going to do.” Gonzales himself is impressively honest. “We strive for perfection, wanting to produce and maintain impeccable

Totalscape Solutions owner Mark Gonzales (left) discusses what needs to be done to keep the landscaping inside The Sanctuary community off Livingston Ave. in Lutz looking lush with crew member Norman Morris. A Totalscape supervisor travels with each crew to guarantee the highest level of service for residential customers, too. landscapes, but, we all make mistakes,” ing knowledgeable about the native plants, he admits. “I can’t tell a client that we’re shrubs and trees that are best for the climate perfect. But, what I do tell any client is that and terrain. if we make a mistake, we will do whatever it Irrigation & Lighting takes to make it right.” Totalscape Solutions is more than a Maintenance & Repairs, Too! lawn maintenance service; Gonzales and his No matter how beautiful and healthy employees will preserve the beauty of your your lawn may be, Gonzales says, if you property by laying and refreshing existing don’t have a proper and functioning irmulch to help retain moisture in the soil rigation system in place, your lawn will and protect your plants from Florida’s many not flourish and could suffer damage. A insects. In addition to Totalscape’s compreproperly functioning irrigation system is hensive lawn care and weed control services, important to maintain a healthy landscape, Gonzales and his staff also are experts on explains Gonzales. And, though TotalsFlorida’s landscaping needs, including becape does not install irrigation or lighting

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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systems, Gonzales and his crew do perform maintenance and repairs. Currently, Florida is in its dry season, which Gonzales says is a good time to have your system checked. The Totalscape crew will check every sprinkler head and pipe to make sure that they are functioning properly and will make all the necessary repairs and replacements. Totalscape can even work to redesign your irrigation system, should you have drainage concerns in relation to your landscaping. “We moved into a beautiful home that had a neglected landscape, irrigation and lighting system,” says Rob Chapman, of Lutz. “After interviewing a number of companies, we chose Totalscape Solutions and we are glad we did. They are responsive, knowledgeable and do what they say when they say they will do it. They have taken the neglected landscape and made it a place we are proud to call our home. They have proven time and time again that they were a great choice for our home’s exterior needs!” Prior to founding Totalscape Solutions, Gonzales gained his business experience and customer service expertise from working in corporate sales. At one point, he says he even sold salon products such as Paul Mitchell and Redken. He moved to Florida from Atlanta 22 years ago. “I was ready to leave the corporate scene,” Gonzales explains. “I wanted to own my own business — to create a business in which I could provide a high-quality service to my customers and employ a winning team.” Gonzales is proud that Totalscape has had very little staff turnover, which is unusual in the landscaping business.

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“We have some employees who have been with us for ten years,” he says, which could be because of some of the extra benefits that come with the job, including company fishing trips, which is Gonzales’ passion, and even paintball adventures. Gonzales lives in Land O’Lakes with his wife of 20 years and their three children, ages 1, 3 and 14. If you want a winning team to care for your exterior home landscape, Totalscape Solutions can give you everything you need and will make you proud. Be sure to ask about the 10-percent rebate program for homeowners associations and their residents! For a free estimate, call Mark Gonzales at 348-0960 or visit Totalscapes.com.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Re/Max First In Real Estate Realtors Are New Tampa Resale Experts! By Gary Nager

I’ve been living and publishing the community news magazines in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area the last 20 years, but even so, I’m no expert when it comes to the local real estate market. Fortunately, there are four local Realtors who have been keeping up with what’s happening with home sales and values in our area for more than 50 years combined. So, whether you’re buying or selling a home, my friends Amani Warden, Linda Thrasher-Donalson, Eleanor Oliver and Kay Lehmer of Re/Max First In Real Estate (located between the new Ciccio’s Cali and Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill in the Shoppes at The Pointe in Tampa Palms plaza) can help you navigate and understand the intricacies of the housing market in our local distribution areas — all while making sure you either find the home of your dreams or get the best price possible in current market conditions when you choose to list your home for sale. Although I recently met both Amani (the driving marketing force for this quartet of local real estate dynamos) and Linda for the first time, I’ve known Eleanor and especially Kay for nearly as long as I’ve been living and working in the New Tampa area — and I’m actually celebrating my 20th year in this market and this job as of this month (see page 3). I first met Kay — who was

working in the financial department for the custom builder (Kennedy Homes) which built the home I used to own in Hunter’s Green back in 1995. Kay, Eleanor and Amani are all long-time Hunter’s Green residents who have been Realtors in the New Tampa area, all working at the same office together, for more than a dozen years. Linda, a long-time Tampa Palms resident, also worked at the original First In Real Estate office in the old Hunter’s Green Model & Visitor Center, and the group (which has never officially formed as a “team”) moved together when First was located (for two years) on the second floor of the current MidFlorida Credit Union building on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. Now, the quartet is together at yet another new location, at Re/Max First in Real Estate in the Shoppes at The Pointe. Re/Max actually purchased First in Real Estate in 2008. “It doesn’t really matter where we’re located or who the Broker of the office is,” Amani said during my recent hour-long meeting/local real estate rap session with these four dynamic women. “We’re all independent contractors. We really only ‘team up’ to market ourselves together and we’ve had great results advertising together, especially in the New Tampa Neighborhood News.” Linda added that although most real estate agents today believe that

online is now the most effective form of advertising, “some people still like to be able to see the ads in print, especially in a quality publication like the Neighborhood News. It really works for us.” Amani recently learned that she had earned a 2013 Re/Max Platinum Club award (see page 53), which honors the top produc(L.-r.) Kay Lehmer, Linda Thrasher-Donalson, Eleanor ing agents (in terms of Oliver and Amani Warden, who are based at Re/Max First sales volume) in all of in Real Estate in The Shoppes at The Pointe in Tampa Palms, Re/Max’s hundreds of market themselves together in this and other local media. offices across the U.S. and in 85 other counin different communities and how the tries. This year, Warden earned the economy has affected those values (from Platinum Club honors by being in the month to month, year to year and comtop four percent of the thousands of munity to community).” Re/Max agents worldwide. For example, Eleanor said that an“You can only work with Re/ other agent who perhaps didn’t underMax if you’re experienced,” Kay said. stand the different sub-markets in New “There’s not as much training or handTampa might not have been able to help holding with Re/Max as there is at one of her recent clients with securing a other real estate companies, so you have new appraisal of their home. to know what you’re doing...and obvi“Their house was in a gated comously, we all do.” munity, but the appraisal pulled num“And we especially know this bers from communities that weren’t market,” added Eleanor of the New gated,” Eleanor said. “I was able to Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. “Even if recognize that from the appraisal.” you look at statistics for New Tampa’s The fabulous foursome’s most zip code (33647), you have to know the recent ad in this publication (again, differences between the home values see page 53) offers impressive statistics

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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about total 2013 home sales in most of the major New Tampa and Wesley Chapel communities. The stats include the number of homes sold (all of the areas of Meadow Pointe combined to lead the way with 224; Tampa Palms led in New Tampa with 185); the number of short sales and foreclosures in each market (an area-leading 82 in Meadow Pointe; followed by 29 of 110 total sales in Seven Oaks, 28 of 161 in Live Oak and 28 of 86 in Cross Creek); the average price range and average price per square foot (from $125 per sq. ft. in Tampa Palms to $86 per sq. ft. in Heritage Isles) of the homes sold in each community; and the average number of days on the market of each home sold (from a low of only 45 days on the market in Cross Creek to 125 days in Bassett Creek at K-Bar Ranch). “New Tampa never really had as many distressed homes as some areas,” Kay said. “And again, without breaking everything down by community, new construction sales vs. resales, etc., it’s hard to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s really happening in this market.” The group also stays up on new home sales in our area, from the newest areas of Meadow Pointe and K-Bar Ranch to new communities like Union Park in Wesley Chapel.

The RE Investor Factor

Amani said that another recent trend in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel markets was, “a little bit of an

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uptick in home values when real estate investors (people who were buying homes they didn’t intend to live in) jumped back into the market about a year ago. Builders started building new homes again, which created a lot more inventory, but the available buyers started drying up when the investors began pulling out of the market.” But, all four agree that the climate is better today for the local markets, thanks to banks again lending money and the slow growth of the local economy. “A lot of the people who have been renting, instead of buying, homes were short sellers three or four years ago,” Linda said. “Now, those folks are getting ready to buy houses again.” And, they all also agree that inventories of available homes are still low, the builders are back in full swing and that prices started ticking back upward again last summer. “We all felt this area has been recovering all along,” Amani said. “We never believed we would hit rock bottom and now, it feels like we’ve weathered the worst of this storm.” She adds that while Re/Max doesn’t offer relocation services, “We do have a great worldwide referral network, so we can still find you an agent wherever you plan to move.” To buy or sell your next home, call Amani (731-7673), Linda (3105120), Kay (416-3099) or Eleanor (416-0618) or visit Re/Max First In Real Estate (17010 Palm Pointe Dr.) and please tell them we sent you!

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Shuayb Dental Now Open In Oak Ramble Plaza South Of Tampa Palms By Matt Wiley

Already a household name in Hernando County, Shuayb Dental has opened an office right here in the New Tampa area and owners Omar Shuayb, DMD, and Mujib Shuayb, DMD, have spared no expense to give you a smile that you’ll be proud to display. Located just south of Tampa Palms in the Oak Ramble shopping plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., Shuayb Dental utilizes the latest in technology to cater to your dental needs. Whether it’s a routine cleaning or even a cosmetic procedure, the New Tampa office’s primary dentist Dr. Omar Shuayb, the primary dentist at the New Tampa office, and his friendly staff will have you sporting a shiny, new smile in no time. Graduates of both the University of South Florida in Tampa in 2001, brothers Omar and Mujib Shuayb both attended Boston University’s Goldman School of Dental Medicine, where they each received their Doctorate of Dental Medicine degrees in 2005. “This is our third practice,” says Dr. Omar. “We have two other practices in Hernando County and they’re very busy. Mujib is still working the other offices, while I get this one established.” The Shuaybs opened their first

practice in Brooksville in 2005, followed by Spring Hill in 2009. The 2,800-sq.-ft. Tampa Palms-area office opened in November 2013 and features eight exam rooms, each with flatscreen TVs for patients to enjoy during their cleaning or any of the many other dental services that the practice offers. Shuayb Dental really has it all covered at the new office. From periodontal gum treatment/cleaning — a slightly more intense form of a typical dental cleaning that can clean all the way up to a tooth’s root — to root canal therapy, Shuayb Dental is a onestop shop for brightening your smile. “We do oral surgery right here The staff of Shuayb Dental’s New Tampa office in the Oak Ramble Plaza on Bruce in the office,” Dr. Shuayb says. “We B. Downs Blvd.: (l. - r.) Dr. Omar Shuayb, DMD, dental asst. Annie Gorman, dendo almost any extraction, even wistal asst. Kimberly Lanphar and office manager Maria Gilio. dom teeth, in this office. Many other According to the practice’s implants require proper bone density practices will send patients to an oral website, bone grafting is done to help and a good immune system, as the surgeon for that type of procedure.” patient’s body has to be able to accept To aid in oral surgery, Dr. Shuayb restore bones to their previous form following tooth loss, gum disease or the implant. says he purchased a high-tech oral trauma. So, after Dr. Shuayb removes Once an implant has been mountCAT-scan machine for the office. a wisdom tooth, bone grafting may be ed and the jawbone has had time to “The CAT-scan helps me to see needed to help the jawbone heal corgrow around the base, a follow-up proif various cosmetic surgery procerectly. cedure will insert the synthetic tooth dures are an option for a patient,” he In the case of dental implants, a into its space. This procedure requires explains. “It’s cool because not too synthetic structure that mimics the surgery using an anaesthetic, but still many practices have one. By conductcan be done right in the comfort of the ing a CT (computed tomography) scan look of an actual tooth is “implanted” into a patient’s jawbone. A CT-scan Shuayb Dental office. using the machine, I’m able to see if a is especially is important for implants In addition to these services, Shpatient’s jaw bone is level enough to uayb Dental also offers some orthoput in a dental implant, or to see if the because not every patient is a candidate. Dr. Shuayb says that dental dontic work, in the form of Invisalign patient might need bone grafting.”

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Dr. Shuayb injects patient Gloria Browning with an anaesthetic prior to a procedure.

aligners, which are similar to braces and perfect for patients who are seeking to perfect their smile. Unlike normal braces, Invisalign aligners are clear and not easily noticeable in your smile, allowing you to feel less self-conscious about your teeth. To straighten out your smile, Dr. Omar will have Invisalign aligners custom-made for your teeth that are to be worn for two weeks at a time. According to the Shuayb Dental website, a typical treatment lasts 9-15 months and includes visits to the office about every six weeks until your teeth have reached their final positions. If you’re one of the many Ameri-

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cans who are self-conscious about the color of their teeth, whitening services also are offered at Shuayb Dental. Although Dr. Shuayb acknowledges that many whitening toothpastes can help alleviate staining of the enamel caused by food, coffee and tobacco, he says that many of these also contain chemicals that can eat away at the outer coating of your teeth. The brothers say that they are excited about their new office in New Tampa and that it seemed natural, and smart, to open an office in the new location. “We graduated from USF and already were familiar with the area,” says Dr. Omar. “I went ahead and did some demographic research when we were considering another office and thought that this would be an ideal location.” Shuayb Dental patient Donna Palmer is extremely pleased with her experience at the practice. “(Shuayb Dental’s) entire staff is fantastic,” Palmer says. “They are friendly, courteous, helpful and, most of all, extremely knowledgeable. Dr. Shuayb is very thoughtful, courteous and keeps me well informed about what he is doing.” Shuayb Dental is located at 14945 BBD Blvd. and is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, please call 6329200 or visit ShuaybSmiles.com.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Rebecca Does Hair Can Make You Look & Feel Like A Superstar, Too! By Lauren Saslow

Superstars like Lady Gaga, Nikki Minaj, Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Pink and Cher have all been nearly as well known for their outrageous hairstyles as they have for their singing careers. But, how can the average modern lady switch up her look without doing permanent damage to her hair or making a long-term commitment to a new hairstyle? Many celebrities use hair extensions with natural color and/or fantasy colors (such as bright pinks, purples, blues and reds), to achieve desired looks. However, one local salon offers not only maintenance haircuts and styles for men, women and children, but also extensions, fantasy colors, highlights, lowlights, perms, “updos” for special events (weddings, proms, etc.), Keratin treatments, facial waxing and even special effects make-up designs. Rebecca Weeks, a Tampa native who now lives and works in Wesley Chapel, opened Rebecca Does Hair (located in the Summergate Professional Center behind Sam’s Club in the W#esley Chapel community of Seven Oaks) in September 2013 as an independent business inside the Lady Grace Beauty Spa. As a 2010 graduate of Paul Mitchell The School Tampa, she holds a Cosmetology and Business License through the State of Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Board of Cosmetology. Weeks has been trained to cut all hair types (wavy, curly, extra curly and straight) and textures (fine, medium, coarse). She also has completed a two-day, 16-hour course to become a certified stylist for Cinderella Hair Extensions®, qualifying her to apply hair extensions and educate clients about how to maintain those extensions. Weeks also attends continuing education courses regularly, including Organic Color Training and the Paul Mitchell Advanced Cutting Class with artistic director Lenny King. Her previous salon experience includes Cuts & More, Inc. (Wesley Chapel), and SmartStyle Family Hair Salon inside the New Tampa Walmart

Supercenter. Because Rebecca Does Hair is only a few months old and is still building a client base, Weeks currently services all of her clients without the assistance of subcontractors, offering a truly individualized experience. While Weeks originally went through nursing school and later completed certification in Digital Publishing and Design through the Erwin Technical Center in Tampa in 2001, she says that she was continually playing with hair during her free time. Her mother Sarah King suggested that she take her passion to the next level and become certified in the field. Now, Rebecca uses her digital design background to run her business’ website, where clients can view a list of services, prices, detailed directions to the salon and a photo gallery of her previous work, including before-and-after photos. Because the business is simply a oneseat salon inside of an upscale spa, Weeks is able to offer a uniquely client-based experience in a comfortable environment with appointment availability during hours when most salons are closed. She explains, “I want my clients to feel comfortable in their surroundings.” The salon has wood laminate flooring, a cutting chair in front of a three-way mirror and vanity, a hair-wash sink, one chair for a waiting client (or a client’s friend or family member), and Paul Mitchell home hair care products for purchase. Amenities include a well-decorated and clean restroom, free Wi-Fi access and client-controlled music selections. Because the salon was created for only a single client on an appointment-only basis, individuals may feel less rushed. Sarah Hughes — a Licensed nurse practitioner, pharmaceutical sales representative and New Tampa resident — has been one of Weeks’ regular customers for four years, setting appointments every three weeks. “I like the way she does my color and cut, and the hours and location are convenient,” Hughes explains. In addition, when Weeks recently gave Hughes a Keratin treatment, Hughes

says she received compliments from her work partner, who indicated that her hair, “looked natural and smooth.” Hughes also purchased Cinderella Hair Extensions® from Rebecca Does Hair because her natural hair is so fine; she says the finished product made her hair appear more full-bodied and Rebecca Weeks, of Rebecca Does Hair, gives Wesley Chapel resident Shannon Hargis a “cut-n-style” at her salon inside the Lady Grace Beauty Spa in Wesley thicker. Chapel. Hargis has been one of Weeks’ customers for more than two years. Weeks adds months. Terry insists, “As a hair stylist that she is able myself, it’s hard to get someone to cut my to, “work around my clients’ schedules hair the way I like it. I’m particular about and will sometimes schedule a midnight how it’s cut — it’s very fine — and you appointment for a nurse just getting off need to be precise.” work, then return to the salon at 6 a.m. Terry and Weeks enjoy working in the the following morning to meet another same building and consult with each other client before their flight out of town.” Jeremey Terry, a Temple Terrace resi- regularly, especially for hair color tones for clients. They will oftentimes combine both dent and owner of Jeremy’s Hair Studio of their opinions on a hair treatment op(the other independent hair stylist located tion and agree that the results have always in the Lady Grace Beauty Spa), has been a been positive. loyal client of Rebecca Does Hair for four

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No matter the occasion, Rebecca Weeks of Rebecca Does Hair in Wesley Chapel will have you turning heads with your eimpressive new hair style.

Standard & Unique Services

Rebecca Does Hair offers a competitive rate for standard wash, cut, blow-dry and style services for new clients, starting at $25 for women, $15 for men and only $13 for children under 13 years old, while teachers receive 20-percent-off any service year-round. Weeks also offers up-dos for special events either on- or off-site, as well as various color treatment options. She is skilled with the trendy Ombré color technique, in which the locks are two-toned, usually (but not always) brunette on top with blonde tips. The salon uses Redken professional hair products and hair color, in addition to Organic Colour Systems hair dye and Organic Keratin that has a non-formaldehyde formula. The Cinderella Hair Extensions®

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offer 100-percent Remy Hair, meaning the entirely human hair pieces have cuticles all facing in the same direction, which prevents tangles and matting problems. Remy hair blends seamlessly with the client’s own natural hair to create an appearance of natural, healthy looking hair. The process of applying Cinderella Hair begins with a free initial consultation. The client discusses the desired look with Weeks and selects from one or more of the 76 color options, with lengths ranging from 8-24 inches. Hair texture options include fine, medium and coarse while hair types includes straight, body wave or Euro wavy. Weeks then orders the client’s selection, which generally takes less than a week to ship. During the second appointment, Weeks applies low levels of heat to

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soften and contour the Organic Classic Bond around the hair shaft. She says that the extensions, with proper care, can last 4-6 months and can be applied to all hair types. When the client is ready to remove the extensions, Weeks can apply a “bond remover” to each bond in order to soften it. Applying gentle pressure allows the bond to slide off the client’s hair along with the extensions. Weeks says that any residual bond may be removed with a gentle shampoo without damaging the client’s natural hair. Several other services are offered at Rebecca Does Hair, including facial waxing of the eyebrows, upper lip and chin, as well as special effects make-up applications. While Weeks learned some makeup techniques through her cosmetology training, she says she has perfected her art over time. “Halloween is a busy day,” Weeks explains. “I’m usually booked beginning in the morning for everything from vampire bites to dead pirates (which also might come in handy for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival on Saturday, January 25, in downtown Tampa) with prosthetic bones exposed on the face.” Weeks says that she even replicated a design of the character Pinhead from the horror flick “Hellraiser.”

Community Involvement Rebecca Does Hair is scheduled to donate time and services to the American Cancer Society (ACS) Relay for Life of Wesley Chapel/Wiregrass at Watergrass Elementary School in May 2014, a popular overnight fund-raising event to benefit ACS. Weeks will be on-site at the Relay for Life event, where she will cut the hair of willing participants according to the Locks of Love (LoL) donation guidelines. Long-locked volunteers can donate eight inches of hair or more to LoL, which is a public non-profit organization providing hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada who suffer from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Cancer constitutes the second highest percentage of LOL recipients (the largest number of recipients being children suffering from the auto-immune disorder, alopecia). For more info, call 943-4023 or email RebeccaDoesHair@hotmail. com to make an appointment. Rebecca Does Hair is located inside the Lady Grace Beauty Spa, at 27551 Cashford Cir., Unit 101, off S.R. 56, in Wesley Chapel. Everyone also is invited to ‘Like’ her page, Rebecca Does Hair, at Facebook.com.

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Pura Cycling Studio Introduces Personal Training, Yoga & More! By Matt Wiley

Let’s be honest, it’s been a little cold outside recently, so cold that getting outdoors, hopping on a bike and riding several miles might sound pretty intimidating. However, it’s never cold at Pura Cycling Studio in the Shoppes at New Tampa in Wesley Chapel, where sweating out calories and getting “the good burn” are the goal each day and key for reaching the “Pura Vida” (“pure life”) mindset. Following a trip to Costa Rica, Pura Cycling co-owner Stephanie Farquhar wanted to bring the “pura vida” mindset back to Wesley Chapel and decided to do so by opening a cycling studio with Alfio Carroccetto. “Exercise should be fun and not a chore, so we wanted to create that for our members,” Farquhar explains. “Our studio is all about escaping from the daily grind and taking the time to take care of yourself with a strong cardio and strength training routine centered around proper nutrition.” Pura has done this during the last year+ by offering indoor cycling (just don’t call it “spinning”), but Stephanie and Alfio have recently added yoga and group fitness classes, as well as semiprivate personal training to offer a more complete fitness opportunity. So, whether you’ve never stepped on a bike or have made it a major part

of your life over the years, Pura Cycling has something that everyone can enjoy, without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated. And, it all starts with a consultation. “We get to know your specific goals and motivations so we can find the program or programs that suit you best, then design your program to fit those specific goals,” Carroccetto says. “We then take initial metrics like body fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), inches measurements and your weight, as well as a few before pictures, so that we have a starting point. Then, we meet every month to reassess your progress, see where your successes have been and if we need to make changes.” During that month, clients are encouraged to take part in Pura’s myriad of classes. For beginners, Farquhar recommends any of the studio’s 45-minute cycling classes. “Any of our 45-minute cycling classes is great for beginners; however you control the intensity of the class and the instructors always give different cycling options throughout the class,” she says.

Customize Your Ride!

For example, Pura offers a “Morning Burn” class to get the workday started. It lasts 45 minutes and has a mix of interval training and strength work on the bike. Pura also offers a

Alfio Carroccetto & Stephanie Farquhar of Pura Cycling Studio (located in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., just south of S.R. 56) invite you to join them for great indoor cycling, yoga and personal training classes to help you get in the best shape of your life.

“Strong Roots” class that also lasts 45 minutes, but is a strength ride to push your legs and body to your own limits. Remember, no matter what class you take, you control your own intensity! If you have more time and are looking for a longer workout, consider an “Escape” class. For one hour, riders of all experience levels put the “pedal to the metal” in a mix of terrain types (uphill, downhill, straightaways, etc.), for the ultimate burn! “Pura Vida” rides are offered in both 45- and 60-minute increments

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and focus on endurance and strength training with pulse-pounding music and long climbs and straightaways. Pura’s 30-minute “Elite Core” class also is a great option for right after a cycle session. Instead of relaxing and meditating with some yoga stretches, this class has you stretching resistance bands to help you tone up. “Our most popular classes are the ‘Pura Vida’ rides combined with ‘Elite Core’ afterward,” Carroccetto explains. “Riders get a full-body workout with 45 minutes of mixed terrain on the bike,

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(Left) Pura Cycling indoor cycling instructor Claire Forrester leads a “Pura Vida 45 Ride” class. (Right) Stephanie leads a personal training class.

followed by 30 minutes of core exercises off the bike. Participants can expect to burn anywhere from 400-700 calories with the cycling alone and up to 300 more calories when you add the Elite Core class!” Any of Pura’s cycling classes can leave you winded and tight, which is why Stephanie and Alfio have added a yoga class to the mix to help you relax and unwind, immediately following the cycling session. Classes last 45 minutes and focus on poses that can be found naturally in cycling, while focusing on the muscles that just got used the most.

Personal Training, Too!

One of the newest additions to

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Pura Cycling’s repertoire is a semi-private personal training class. “These sessions have a maximum of five participants per 50-minute class where we focus on functional fitness training, which is perfect for building muscle and shedding fat fast!,” Farquhar explains. “We call it our ‘FitPro’ accelerator program, in which we combine your cardio exercise (cycling) and strength training (semiprivate sessions) with flexibility (yoga) and proper nutritional counseling (which can include guided public shopping trips, monthly assessments and progress monitoring). Classes are offered daily. Each class is taught by one of Pura’s team of eight instructors, almost

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all of whom are Madd-Dogg spinning (although Pura prefers to call it “indoor cycling”)-certified: LuAnne Borak, Audrey Biggs, Julie Hinson, Claire Forrester, Christi Slaven, Erica Lembo and the newest addition to the Pura team, Tasha Bomar. Accomplishments don’t go unnoticed at Pura. If customers take part in the “Kapok Loyalty Club,” which tracks the number of rides each member takes, he or she can earn free Pura products, such as Dri-fit shirts and gift bags. “We track all of our members’ rides and when they hit milestones like 25, 50, 100 and 200 rides, they get free Pura ‘schwag’ and, of course, bragging rights for being on our leader board at

the studio,” Farquhar explains. “Our top rider, Domenica L, will hit 200 rides by the end of January — our first 200 milestone! We have more than nine other riders with more than 100 rides.” Pura customer Clara knows the benefits of getting active at the studio. “I had the wonderful opportunity of having a one-on-one spin class with (Faraquhar),” Clara explains. “The ride was fantastic! The entire staff at Pura Cycling is so warm and friendly. It’s a marvelous environment for anyone to get in shape. Feel like changing your lifestyle for the New Year? Visit PuraCycling. com and sign up for a class or call the studio at 501-2124.

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Together 2.0 Fun Run & Honest Abe 5K Can Help You Keep That Resolution! to be composed of at least two participants, one 14 years old or younger and one member above the age of 18. If registered before Friday, January 31, the cost to run is $20/1-mile, $25/2-mile, but will rise to $30/2mile and $25/1-mile from Saturday, February 1-13. Registration on race day costs $35 for both races. For more information, please contact Mike Lambert at MLambert@VisitTampaBay.com

By Matt Wiley

If getting those in your household to be more active was on your list of New Years resolutions, an upcoming event in New Tampa could be just the ticket. Presented by the Tampa Bay Sports Commission (TBSC), the inaugural Together 2.0 Family Fun Run will take place on Saturday, February 15, and provide two course options for participants, spanning either one or two miles through Tampa Palms. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to benefit the New Tampa Family YMCA, which also is located in Tampa Palms on Compton Dr. “TBSC felt there was a void in fitness/endurance events that incorporated families as a whole,” says TBSC spokesman Mike Lambert. “We wanted to brand the event as something your entire family can participate in together, regardless of fitness level or age. The theme here is to get out, be active, and have a great time participating together. We hope the event ignites healthy family practices back home.” The course will begin and end at Primrose School of Tampa Palms and

Wesley Chapel Rotary’s ‘Honest Abe 5K’ Feb. 15!

Interested in getting active for the

New Year, but live in Wesley Chapel?

Come on out to the fourth annual Honest Abe 5K road race, presented by Saint Leo University and the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club! The race will begin at 8 a.m. at American Consulting Engineers, located off S.R. 56 on Cypress Ridge Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, next to the Hampton Inn & Suites hotel. Breakfast following the race will be provided by A Dash of Salt & Pepper, located on Cross Creek Blvd. To pre-register, please visit Active.com and search “Honest Abe.”

‘Honest Abe’ Lincoln (Wesley Chapel Rotary member Ben Alexander) plans to make a return appearance to the fourth annual Honest Abe 5K road race on Feb. 15 in Wesley Chapel.

follow Commerce Park Blvd. out in front of Liberty Middle and Freedom High School, before doubling back to Primrose, where the “Fit Family Finish Party” awaits and will feature live music, vendors, interactive games and food from local restaurants. Lambert explains that the list of restaurants still is being finalized, but should be announced in the near future. Awards will be given to the top three teams in both race categories. Teams taking part in the race are

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HGE’s Reagan Lawrence A Finalist For Hillsborough Teacher Of The Year! By Matt Wiley

The finalists have been released for the Hillsborough Education Foundation (HEF)’s annual “Teacher of the Year” award and Hunter’s Green Elementary (HGE)’s own Reagan Lawrence is among the finalists. Currently in her sixth year of teaching at HGE, Lawrence — a Live Oak Preserve resident — will find out if she is the county’s “Teacher of the Year” during the annual Excellence In Education awards ceremony on Thursday, February 20, at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa. If selected, Lawrence will go on to be considered for Florida’s Teacher of the Year. “I’m so shocked (to have been chosen as a finalist),” Lawrence says. “There are so many good teachers in the (Hillsborough County School) District.” Originally from Pasadena, MA, Lawrence moved to Florida after graduating from Stevenson University (formerly known as Villa Julie College) in Baltimore with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She started out teaching second grade at Phillp Shore Elementary Magnet School of the Arts in Ybor City, before

beginning her teaching career at HE, also teaching second grade. Lawrence, who also recently received her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University’s Tampa campus, taught second grade for one more year at HGE, before teaching fourth grade for one year and currently is in her third year of teaching fifth grade. “I try to go above and beyond in the classroom,” Lawrence explains. “I really care about all of my students and try to create an environment in which I can connect with them.” To do so, Lawrence says one learning strategy she utilizes is her “Song of the Week,” always a clean “Top 40” song. Lawrence says she teaches her students the lyrics and then connects the lyrics with figurative language or poetry, in hopes that the words will help spark their memories about the concept later. Lawrence also is one of the cofounders of the Noble Impact program at HGE, which is based on the same leadership and public service program for high school students and is endorsed by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Noble Impact was started in Little Rock, AK, in July 2013 by

graduates of the Clinton School of Public Service. Lawrence explains that Noble Impact also launched at HGE in the summer of 2013 as a fourday “institute,” during which time 80 students were introduced to entrepreneurial skills and challenged both as individuals and as teams to Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year finalist and Hunter’s Green Elementary fifth grade teacher Reagan Lawrence walks with her confront different school-related students dressed as a character from the popular movie (and book series) “The Hunger Games.” issues in hopes and high school level, too.” that they could In addition to teaching fifth grade come up with ideas for solutions. At at HGE, Lawrence also is the junthe end of the program, the student teams pitched their solutions to fellow ior varsity volleyball coach at nearby classmates, teachers and the parents in Wharton High, with her fifth grade teaching partner and varsity volleyball attendance. coach Eric Barber. “We took the high school proFor more info about Reagan gram and rewrote it for elementary Lawrence, please visit her website students,” Lawrence says. “It started inside HuntersGreen.mysdhc.org. as a summer program, but I plan to Best of luck, Reagan, from the pitch it to the District and, hopefully, New Tampa Neighborhood News! it can be implemented on a middle

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Full Circle Pizza & Grill — A True Taste Of Chicago & Much More! By Gary Nager

I’ve been telling you about my friend Ron Chase and his Full Circle Pizza & Grill since even before the place opened in the Pebble Creek Collection in New Tampa (just a mile or so south of County Line Rd.) in June 2012. We did our first full-length feature about Full Circle in July of that year and Ron says the relationship between our publications and his restaurant has been outstanding for him. “We’ve always had people from Chicago who would try us just because we said we were Chicago style,” Ron says. “But, without the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, we’d never have the number of intensely loyal followers we have today.” In fact, Ron says that even the small “Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes” items we run whenever he gets a new menu item get more response from the public than ads in any other publication. “And, the feature stories always bring in more than all of our other marketing combined,” Ron says. “I knew this is when the snowbirds would all be here, so I asked Gary if my story could run in this Wesley Chapel issue and the

Another favorite at Full Circle is the delicious stromboli. Try it with a big salad.

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Feb. 1 New Tampa issue. And, because I’ve been advertising consistently, I was able to get the story when I wanted and needed it most.” Of course, Ron has built that following with great food, including plenty of authentic Windy City-style choices. “I do both thin-crust and deep-dish Chicago-style pizza,” Ron says, noting that the deep-dish pies are only available Sun.-Thur. “Plus, we also have Chicago-style Vienna beef hot dogs and Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches.” Although Ron understands that I’m still going to prefer New York-style pizza to either Chicago style when I publish my list of local favorite restaurants (see page 32), he is proud that his loyal fans, many of whom are originally from the Chicago area or the Midwest — and even those who had no prior pizza “affiliation”— swear by his heavy layer of heartier tomato sauce and thick layers of amazing sausage and pepperoni lurking under that sauce, whether you choose to enjoy them in his thin or deep dish pizza. In fact,I’ve often seen former Chicagoan and local hotel owner David Larson and his father Dick in Full Circle, enjoying Ron’s pizza. “It’s the best in the area,” David has told me more than once. Assistant editor Matt Wiley and I were both blown away by the Chicago Italian beef sandwich, which Ron says traditionally comes without cheese or toppings other than the delicious au jus “sauce” that soaks the bottom of an otherwise crusty, authentic Chicagostyle roll. We ordered ours with melted mozzarella and the flavor and tenderness of the beef and the juicy bread were all absolutely outstanding. You can even combine Chicago beef and Ron’s yummy

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sweet Italian sausage on one sandwich. We also agreed that the Chicagostyle hot dogs, served with sweet pickle relish, tomatoes and cucumbers on a seeded, soft bun were also delicious. And, even though I prefer my hot dogs New York deli-style, with brown mustard and hot sauerkraut, Full Circle’s Kosher-style beef dogs are definitely worth having. I’ve never been a big fan of strombolis or calzones (usually too much bread and not enough “stuff” inside), but I have to say that Full Circle’s stromboli — which comes with pepperoni, ham and mozzarella and a side of that zesty tomato sauce — is among my favorites in the area. Ron didn’t balk when we added his unbeatable sweet Italian sausage and even bacon to the usual. Full Circle. which also has been recently remodeled, also has great shareable salads, a few delicious pasta dishes, from spaghetti and meatballs to fettuccine Alfredo with grilled chicken, eggplant parmigiana, delicious veggie pizzas, a great lunch menu and Peroni and Yuengling beers on draft and more. Full Circle Pizza & Grill (19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) is open every

Among our editor’s favorites at Full Circle Pizza & Grill in Pebble Creek are (clockwise from top left) the deep-dish Chicago-style pizza & the Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches. (Below) The thin-crust Chicago-style pizza at Full Circle has lots of loyal New Tampa fans.

day for lunch and dinner. Call 9943700, visit FullCirclePizza-Grill.com or see the ad on page 54 for a great 20-percent-off coupon!

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Brrr! Recapping The Suncoast Art Fest & WC Chamber Business Expo By Gary Nager

There’s no doubt that the ninth annual Suncoast Arts Festival, held the weekend of January 18-19 along Paseo Dr., the main drag at the Shops at Wiregrass mall, is one event that neither the artistic exhibitors nor the thousands of attendees will ever forget. The temperature over the course of the weekend never really inched much above 50 degrees — a delightful temp for a fall day in the northeastern U.S., but darn near frigid to most Floridians. The quaint Paseo Dr. was again visited by an estimated crowd of more than 100,000 people over the course of the two days of the Fest and all pro-

Among our favorite crafts at this year’s festival were the “Humi-dorable” cigar box purses and jewelry boxes by Susan Jordan.

(Left) Much of the art at this year’s Suncoast Arts Festival at the Shops at Wiregrass mall the “frigid” weekend of January 18-19 was spectacularly colorful. (Right) Among the exhibitors at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Arts & Business Showcase were the bundled-up ladies from Tampa Bay Insurance Center, which also is located in Wesley Chapel. ceeds from the event will benefit “Art for Kids,” a grant fund created by the festival’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit parent organization, Fine Arts of the Suncoast, Inc., to supplement arts education funding in public, private and charter schools in Pasco County. The event featured more than 135 fine artists and craftsmen along Paseo Dr. Also on hand were sidewalk chalk artists, sponsored by Tampa Bay Businesses for Culture and the Arts (TBBCA.org), a “Random Acts for Art” Entertainment Stage, all weekend, sponsored by Team Farrell and a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce

Arts & Business Showcase along Piazza Ave., from 4 p.m.-9 p.m. The Chamber’s Business Showcase was probably the most affected by the weather, as the sun went down early in the afternoon, which kept most of the Arts Fest visitors from finding their way to Piazza Ave. from Paseo Dr. I also really enjoyed watching the sidewalk chalk artists who recreated their spectacular artworks on the sidewalk in front of Dillard’s in the mall from small photographic prints of their creations. I was told that there were prizes awarded for these chalk artists, as well as for the artists and artisans along

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Paseo Dr., but I was unable to attend on Sunday when those prizes were apparently awarded. I also missed the presentation of grants to local arts teachers, which was held on Saturday night and was emceed by Marvelous Marvin from WJQB-FM 106.3. The event’s presenting sponsor was Wesley Chapel Nissan, which displayed a variety of beautiful vehicles along Paseo Dr.

A Very Special Artist

Perhaps my favorite artist at the festival was New Tampa resident Sara May, who is afflicted with a severe case

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(Above, l.-r.) The sidewalk chart art displays were among our editor’s favorites at the 2014 Suncoast Arts Fest. There also were unique crafts like the smoking Mystery Stone all along the route of the Arts Fest. Despite the cold weather, the festival had plenty of visitors. (Below right) “Copenhagen in Winter” was one of our editor’s favorite works of art created by “mouth artist” and New Tampa resident Sara May (at left in bottom right photo), who is afflicted with multiple sclerosis.

of Multiple Sclerosis. I was admiring Sara’s work when I realized that she had created all of her beautiful, colorful and extremely intricate works of art using only her mouth! Sara, who only has the use of two fingers on one hand, was being interviewed by a local TV station when I visited her booth and I plan to buy one of her creations from her website (MSMouthPaintings.com). For more info about the 2014 Suncoast Arts Fest, visit SuncoastArtsFest.com.

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More Than 200 Attend Local Man’s ‘Shark Tank’ Watch Party! By Gary Nager

Photos by Eric Johnson

Although none of the five multimillionaire/billionaire “sharks” ended up investing in his company during his Jan. 17 appearance on the hit ABC-TV show “Shark Tank,” local entrepreneur Ben Alexander says he is more excited than ever about his balloon entertainment company, Balloon Distractions. Alexander, who was joined by more than 200 friends, business associates and Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel members at a “Shark Tank” watch party at PrimeBar in the Shops at Wiregrass mall as his episode of the hit reality series was being aired. Although he was lauded by the “sharks” for his unique idea and his energy during his appearance on the show, Alexander said he wasn’t too disappointed that his request for as $250,000 investment (in exchange for a 1/3 ownership stake in Balloon Distractions) was turned down by all five sharks — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban; real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran; “Queen of QVC” Lori Greiner; technology innovator Robert Herjavec; fashion and branding expert Daymond John; and venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary. “The most important thing about being on ‘Shark Tank’ isn’t necessarily whether or not the sharks invest in your idea,” Alexander said. “The key is that your website has to be ready for half

(Above left) Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel member Ben Alexander’s appearance on “Shark Tank” included an impressive balloon drop to promote his company, Balloon Distractions. (Above right) Alexander and his wife Rachel (front), with Lauren & Pasco County Commission candidate Mike Moore.

a million hits the day of the show and thousands more after it airs. You never know who’s watching who might say, ‘I think that’s a great idea.’ Then, you have an investor/partner who really believes in what you’re trying to do, not just a ‘shark’ to give you money but not help you beyond the investment.” Although he started his appearance on the show with an exciting balloon drop and presented unique balloon gifts to each of the sharks, a couple of them noted that Alexander’s business model for Balloon Distractions was somewhat flawed and Cuban even had to tell Alexander to “Shut up” because his energy wouldn’t allow the billionaire NBA owner to finish a sentence. Although I wasn’t able to be onhand for the watch party at PrimeBar (I

was at the Billy Joel concert), Ben said that he was overwhelmed by the show of support from those who did attend. (Above left) Alexander shows off some of his For more information, visit balloon-twisting magic. (Right) Among the Wesley BalloonDistractions.com. To watch Chapel Rotarians who attended the watch party at PrimeBar were American Cancer Society reps Ben’s “Shark Tank” episode, visit Robyn Liska (with hat) and Jannah McDonald. ABC.go.com/shows/shark-tank.

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Sushi Raw — For Everyone Who’s Been Missing Sushi Tsu In Tampa Palms! By Gary Nager Photos by Matt Wiley

Although we have still had plenty of great Japanese restaurants to enjoy in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, I know I wasn’t alone in missing Sushi Tsu, which had been located, for more than a decade, in the same Shoppes of Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms, where our office had been located (until a few days ago) before it closed last year. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I heard that the new Sushi Raw, which also has been located in the Shoppes at Amberly for about two months, was owned by Sushi Tsu’s former top sushi chef, Fong Cheng, and that former Sushi Tsu owner Jay Choe and several other former employees from Sushi Tsu were helping Fong get his new restaurant off to a flying start. Fong became something of a local superstar at Sushi Tsu, even though he hardly spoke English (he speaks and understands it a lot better now), from the moment he first started working for Jay. Many local residents would ask for him by name and he never let them down. “He (Fong) can handle the sushi side of the business,” says Jay, who today is a sous chef at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in the West Shore area of Tampa, as well as a culinary educator. “I’m helping him

learn the business side of the business.” Also helping Fong by picking up some shifts at the new Sushi Raw are former Sushi Tsu chefs Nick, Tony and Roger. So, no matter who prepares your food at Sushi Raw, you can rest assured that the fish will be fresh, all of the dishes will be delicious and the sauces will be unique. Fong, who lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife and two young sons, says he had quite a run on the crispy lobster appetizer we featured in last issue’s Neighborhood Nibbles & Buisness Bytes column, so I’m sure that he’ll also sell a lot of my other favorite items pictured on these pages, including a unique calamri appetizer which includes sweet red peppers and a slightly spicy finish. I’m showing quite a bit of sushi on these pages because Sushi Raw has some of the best you’ll find anywhere in the Tampa Bay area. Among the new favorites I hadn’t sampled before I visited Fong’s place, including the spicy summer roll (with tuna, fresh greens and avocado wrapped in rice paper, instead of seaweed in a spicy chile sauce), the spicy tuna Tokyo Roll, which adds tempura crunch for taste and texture, the spicy ahi tuna poki and the fresh snapper sushi seared with Among the delicious items in this incredible sushi platter at Sushi Raw in the Shoppes at Amberly the skin on for extra texture and taste. And, speaking of extra taste, I always plaza in Tampa Palms. Among the favorites displayed in this platter are several different fresh ahi tuna choices, fresh red snapper, escolar (white tuna), grilled eel, veggie tempura and more. order my Sushi Raw sushi with Fong’s incredible spicy tataki sauce, which couple of months old, it already is receivdeserves to be used on a lot more than ing a lot of great reviews on Yelp.com. just his perfect tuna tataki. I love dipping For example, Lisa C. of Tampa everything from hibachi steak to fresh posted this rave: veggies in the sauce, so be sure to ask “Saw this place open up and went in Fong for a sample the net time you visit to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised Sushi Raw. to see the old sushi chef from Sushi Tsu behind the counter! Great sushi More Than Just Sushi plus some of the dinner selections that Although I’ve only sampled a few they had available at the old restaurant. of the entrées from Sushi Raw’s simple Would definitely recommend this place if menu, I can already recommend Fong’s you live in the New Tampa area and are fried pork katsu, chicken or steak terilooking for some yummy sushi!” yaki, great tempura and my new favorite, Sushi Raw currently doesn’t yet the yakisoba, which is a nicely spiced have its beer and wine license, but Fong steak dish with fresh broccoli and other and Jay promise that it is coming soon. veggies and lo mein-style noodles. In the meantime, you can bring your And, although Sushi Raw is only a own adult beverages and enjoy them without having to pay and uncorking fee until the beer and wine license has been finalized. Need more good news? If you check out Sushi Raw’s ad on page

If you like calamari, you have to try the sweet pepper-infused calamari ast Sushi Raw. 54

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(Clockwise from top left) The sushi artist Fong at work, the delicious yakisoba, Tokyo roll and fresh summer roll, all among our editor’s favorites at the new Sushi Raw. (Below) Fong is being helped with his restaurant’s opening by former Sushi Tsu owner Jay Choe.

61 of this isue, you’ll find a coupon for $5 off any order of $25 or more, whether you dine in or take out. The restaurant is open Monday-Friday for lunch (11-2:30) and for dinner seven days a week (Sunday-Thursday, 5 p.m.10 p.m., and 5 p.m.-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Sushi Raw is located at 15311 Amberly Dr., next to LA (formerly Lifestyle Family) Fitness. For reservations and more information, call 977-3838. And, please tell Fong, Jay and the rest of the crew that the New Tampa Neighborhood News sent you.

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Lake Jovita G&CC Combines Country Club Elegance With Affordability By Lauren Saslow & Gary Nager

The New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas are home to many upscale golf & country clubs, most of which are located inside large planned suburban communities. While each club offers a unique combination of amenities and scenic landscapes, none directly in our distribution areas can offer the naturally high elevation changes and quiet atmosphere quite like those at the semi-private, 36-hole Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club (LJG&CC) in nearby Dade City, just a few miles northeast of Wesley Chapel. But, in this case, semi-private isn’t just another word for “public,” although LJG&CC is available for overnight stays that include full membership privileges. Few country clubs/golf resorts in our area can match Lake Jovita for elegance, quality golf, cuisine and especially, picturesque vistas. Even local professional athletes, such as members of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team and Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, have been known to frequent this Golf Digest 4.5-star-ranked courses. The Lake Jovita Golf Course originally opened in 1926, but closed less than 10 years later, due the Great Depression. Dennis and Sun Lee of Sunden Tampa, LLC, opened the original LJG&CC, along with the South Course, in 1998. Their son Stephen also is part owner and serves as the club’s current general manager. The Lees also own Diamond Hill Golf Club in Dover, FL; Hemet Golf Club in Hemet, CA; and Trails of Frisco Golf Club and Tour 18, both in Dallas, TX. Now rated as one of GolfWeek’s “Top 25 Best Courses You Can Play in Florida (2013),” Lake Jovita’s South Course — a U.S. Open qualifying site — offers rolling hills, giant oak trees and serene freshwater lakeside views less than 20 minutes from most areas of Wesley Chapel and only 30-35 minutes from most of New Tampa. Designed by former PGA & current PGA Champions Tour pro Tom Lehman and award-winning golf course architect Kurt Sandness, the 220-acre modern course takes full advantage of

Dade City’s naturally occurring hilly landscape and the namesake 160-acre Lake Jovita. In fact, the course offers conditions more comparable with those you would expect to see in Georgia or North Carolina, yet it still caters to players of varying skill (Above) The scenic 11th hole of the Lake Jovita Golf & levels. The Par-5 11th Country Club South Course features a 94-foot tee-togreen drop, the largest of any golf hole in Florida. hole even features the (Right) The South Course’s majestic 9th hole offers largest tee-to-green one of the many on-course views of the club itself. drop (94 ft.) of any Photos for this story by Matt Wiley course in the state. sessments, nutritional analysis Located adjacent to Saint Leo and body composition analysis. Milton, University (SLU) — LJG&CC is home who is certified through the Aerobics & to the SLU men’s and women’s golf Fitness Association of America (AAFA), teams and the campus can be viewed has a background in Jazzercise instrucfrom some areas along the course and the SLU cathedral bells occasionally can tion, personal training, weight management counseling, and coaching bodybe heard — while highway noise and building teams. She previously owned other distractions are scarcely audible from any area on the course. The North and operated Crescent Fitness Center, Inc. in Dade City. The club’s group Course, also designed by Sandness and exercise calendar offers members a completed in 2005, spans 263 acres and maintains an open landscape with a Monday-Friday schedule of Boot Camp more contemporary feel and longer lay- and Power Yoga with Kim Risch (who is certified through the National Exercise out than the South Course. The North Trainers Association), spinning (indoor Course has hosted several Florida State cycling) taught by Jency Emo (who Golf Association championships. holds a YMCA Training Certification) Amenities Galore! and Body Fit classes taught by Milton. In addition to golf, the country A private massage room also is available club offers members a variety of physifor appointments with Lake Jovita’s cal, social and dining amenities. The Licensed Massage Therapist. 32,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse, designed with The fully stocked golf pro shop is a combination of Mediterranean and staffed with professionals led by head Key West architectural styles, overlooks professional [and Class “A” member the 9th and 18th holes and houses a fit- of the Professional Golf Association ness center, full pro shop, a grill room, a (PGA)], Leo Cadden, who can help Grand Dining Room (as well as private members book a tee time, reserve dining areas and a veranda for outdoor rental equipment, assist with repairs or seating), business offices, locker rooms, shopping for clothing and equipment Men’s Card Room and Women’s Bridge and give private golf lessons. Cadden’s Club Room. Outside, there are four previously was the head golf professional Har-Tru clay tennis courts, a six-lane at Silverthorn Country Club in BrooksJunior Olympic (25m) swimming pool ville. Because no detail is ever overwith beach entry, and outdoor poolside looked at Lake Jovita, a variety of local grill (open during summer months). cigars also are on sale in the Pro Shop. The 2,000-sq.-ft. fitness center In the hallway outside the shop is a includes free weights, as well as Cybex large bulletin board for men, women or cardio and circuit machines. Fitness couples to reserve tee times and signup director Debbie Milton is available for for golf events. personal training sessions, fitness asThe tennis center offers well-

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maintained Har-Tru courts (which is actually crushed stone, more durable and consistent than its European clay court counterparts), with a variety of programs for men and women, whether singles or doubles, with lighting for evening play. During the summer, the pool is used for swim lessons and water aerobics taught by Suzanne Hollis, who is a certified pool/spa operator and CPR instructor, although the pool itself is open year-round to members for swimming laps or relaxation.

Outstanding Cuisine, Too

Executive chef and food and beverage manager Brian Boismier (formerly the executive chef at Heritage Isles Golf & Country Club in New Tampa) leads his culinary staff of ten to create a unique dining experience for Lake Jovita’s members and their guests. The Grand Dining Room offers two-story French Palladian windows for members to enjoy the spectacular views of the hardwood trees and pond, central fountain and surrounding golf course holes. It even is open to the public during select days and times, but business casual dress is required and reservations are suggested for large parties. And, although assistant editor Matt Wiley and I only got to enjoy a couple of menu items in the Grand Dining Room, both the tender bourbon ribeye steak and an equally tasty fresh Gulf grouper with a savory saffron sauce, which I ordered on the side, were definitely delicious. Even the crisp house salad, grilled veggies and decadent tux-

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edo cheesecake we tried for dessert were all fresh and taste-tempting, too. The more casual Grille Room offers a laid-back atmosphere for lunch and dinner, with flat screen TVs and bar. Both the Grille Room and the Grand Dining Room offer private rooms by reservation. The Country Club itself also can be reserved for very large special events, such as weddings, business meetings and golf tournaments. Guests opting to stay on-site overnight at LJG&CC can enjoy full membership privileges while rooming in one of the 15 available Club Villas, each offering a spacious 1,700 sq. ft. of living space. The 3-bedroom/2-bath villas are fully furnished, with well-equipped kitchens, leisure rooms, and screened lanais, plus each unit overlooks the 17th and 18th holes. Rentals are available for up to four-guest-occupancy for nightly, weekly or even monthly stays. These “Stay and Play” packages

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LG&CC’s tournament and membership sales coordinator Dolores White-Sutton is available to assist prospective members with their selection from one of six packages, including Full Family Gold Membership, Tennis Membership, Fitness Membership, Family Social Membership or Single Social (Above) French Palladium windows in Lake Jovita’s Grand Dining Room provide more Membership. As a Rolex Allimpressive views, while the club’s outstanding cuisine (right) includes a grilled Bourbon American Junior Golf Association (AJGC) athlete (2003-05) ribeye (left) and fresh grilled Gulf grouper with saffron sauce. and professional golfer on the allow guests full membership Habitat for Humanity. Other recent Symetra Tour (2010-13), White-Sutton LJG&CC-sponsored events have benprivileges, including 18 holes of golf has first-hand experience in the world with golf cart, advance tee times and un- efited the Lewis Abraham Lacoochee of golf and the knowledge she needs to Boys and Girls Club and the children of limited use of the practice facility, as well help interested individuals or families as all club facilities and dining. Rates for LJG&CC’s groundskeepers, housekeep- identify the membership package that a nightly, single occupancy start at $160 ing staff and service staff. best suits their respective needs. The club’s New Year’s Eve Gala during the months of January, May-SepLJG&CC Woman’s Club President, allowed members to ring in 2014 with tember and December. Peak rates (ocKim DeLisle, who also is a Lake Jovita curring February-April and October and dancing and dining, featuring entertainresident and 10-year member of the November) for nightly, single occupancy ment by former “American Idol” conclub, says she enjoys the social opporstart at $250. “Stay & Play” is an excel- testant Jonathan Cortez, Chef Brian’s tunities the club has to offer and that fabulous plated dinner and a midnight lent option for out-of-towners, New she looks forward to the weekly Happy champagne toast. The Winter Fitness Tampa residents looking for a weekend Hour on Fridays because of the live Challenge, following the busy holiday getaway within driving distance, or for entertainment and the crowds that the season, offered members a ten-week guests of larger events such as weddings event attracts. challenge beginning mid-January to or tournaments. “If you want to stay home, then focus on losing body fat and increasing Member & Community stay home,” she says, “but there’s always muscle strength. A weekly healthy-eatSpecial Events something social going on at Lake Jovita ing class was offered as a supplement to LJG&CC hosts numerous social Golf & Country Club.” the challenge for an additional fee. The and charitable events throughout the Lake Jovita Golf & Country 2014 Member-Member Golf Tournayear. The most recent events include Club is located at 12900 Lake Jovita ment for Men and Women is scheduled the 7th annual Lake Jovita 5K ReinBlvd. in Dade City. For more inforfor the weekend of February 15–16, deer Run/Walk (held last December), mation call (352) 588-2233 or visit which includes prizes, food and an which raised funds for the East Pasco LakeJovitaGolfCC.com. awards dinner.

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The Latest & Greatest News About Dining, Shopping, Retail & More In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel! By Gary Nager & Matt Wiley

Ciccio’s Cali Cuts A Ribbon

If you were one of the many New Tampa residents who breathed an audible sigh of relief when the new Ciccio’s Cali opened in the Shoppes at The Pointe plaza (in the same area as Olive Garden, Red Lobster & Stonewood), you’re certainly not alone. Yes, Ciccio’s is back, as is manager Robert Garofano, and even though a few of my old favorite dishes from when it was next to Publix in Tampa Palms are gone and it’s now beer and wine only, there’s no doubt that the health-conscious new lunch and dinner menu and the outrageously delicious new weekend breakfast/brunch offerings make Ciccio’s a must-try-again. I was thrilled to sample that breakfast for the first time on January 18, when Garofano, his employees and District 7 City Council member Lisa Montelione cut

a ribbon with the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce at the newest Ciccio’s Cali location (although another is opening soon in Brandon). The place was packed throughout the ribbon-cutting event, which also featured face painting for the kids in attendance. Look for a full review of the new Ciccio’s (17004 Palm Pointe Dr.) in an future issue, visit CiccioCali.com, call 975-1222 or see the ad on page 42 for more info, including about Ciccio Cali’s “$2 Tuesdays.” We’ll also update you on Councilwoman Montelione’s Jan. 14 appearance at the New Tampa Chamber luncheon in our next issue.

Tampa General Family Care Center Opens In City Plaza

The new Tampa General Medical Group (TGMG) Family Care Center has opened in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping plaza. Hoplyn

Beaton, M.D. and Scott S.E. Merritt, M.D., now are providing medical care to patients of all ages — from infants to seniors — including immunizations, treatment of illnesses and chronic disease management. Dr. Beaton is Board-certified in Family Medicine and received her M.D. degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago before completing a family medicine residency at the University of Buffalo. Prior to joining TGMG, Dr. Beaton was a physician at the Florida Hospital Flagler outpatient clinic. Dr. Merritt is Board-eligible in internal medicine and pediatrics. He graduated from Saba University of Medicine in Saba, Dutch Caribbean, and completed his medical residency at Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY. He previously was a physician at the TGMG Family Care Center Healthpark. The Tampa Palms office is the sev-

(Left, l.-r.) Charlotte, Madeliene and Ursula were in disguise at the Grand Opening and New Tampa Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting (right) at the new Ciccio’s Cali in the Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms. Ciccio’s Robert Garofano (far left) and his staff were joined for Saturday brunch by Chamber members and Tampa City Council member Lisa Montelione (with scissors) on January 18.

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enth Family Care Center to open since 2012, with more locations planned, said Sharon Ford, TGMG’s director of ambulatory services. The New Tampa office, located at 16011 Tampa Palms Blvd. W., is open weekdays, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. For appointments and more info, call 844-8100 or visit TGMG.org.

La Fuente Mexican Restaurant Adds Cuban Cuisine

La Fuente Real Mexican Restaurant, located at 10032 Cross Creek Blvd. (at Kinnan St.) in the Cross Creek Center plaza, is still serving delicious authentic Mexican food, but recently also has added tasty Cuban cuisine, thanks to the addition

Check out José’s new Cuban specialties for breakfast, lunch or dinner at La Fuente Mexican Restaurant on Cross Creek Blvd.

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of José, (photo bottom left), formerly of La Cubanita Café on BBD, who brings his own twist on many popular Cuban favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The impressive new breakfast menu includes items like Cuban toast, café con leché, egg wraps and sandwiches, huevos rancheros, pancakes and even French toast. The delicious Cuban lunch items — shredded mojo pork, ropa vieja, masitas, black (and red) beans and rice, a variety of soups and more — are all nicely displayed in the traditional Cuban The team at Exclusive Clientele Salon on Cross Creek cafeteria style. Blvd. now includes (l.-r.) Nica Kennedy, Sally Lingg, But, José and La Fuente Tiffany Ivy and owner Christy Johnson. owner Roger Rubio also promise — has a happy new addition. A New York that La Fuente still has its full, State Licensed Cosmetologist with 25 years traditional real Mexican menu, from fajitas of experience in the cosmetology field, to chimichangas, enchiladas and more, including having owned and managed her plus Mexican and Latin American beers on own salon and three years as a cosmetology draft and in bottles, homemade sangria, as well as frozen margaritas and other popular teacher, Sally Lingg moved from New York to New Tampa last year with her husband wine-based cocktails, plus nice flat-screen and daughter and wants to work close to TVs. Customized catering for all occasions where she lives. Specializing in color and also is available. highlights. Sally is equally comfortable with For more info (reservations are not any member of your family — women, required), call La Fuente at 907-0592, men, children and says she is looking visit MexicanFoodTampa.net or see the forward to building her New Tampa client ad on page 59, which has some great base. “I’m happy to be joining Christy in money-saving coupons. her “we are family attitude,” Sally says. Oops! A Correction & Some For appointments with Sally, Christy, Nica or Tiffany at Exclusive New Exclusive Clientele Info Clientele Salon, call 994-2393, visit In our January 1, 2014, issue, we told you about our friends at Exclusive Clientele ExclusiveClienteleSalon.com or, to get $10 off any hair service at the salon, see Salon, located in the same Cross Creek the ad on page 56. Center plaza (at 10026 Cross Creek Blvd.) in the same Cross Creek Center plaza as La Try Pebble Creek Golf Club For Fuente, but we made a minor boo-boo we Your Wedding Or Special Event! wanted to correct — and that created an The Banquet & Events Center at opportunity for us to update you on a new Pebble Creek Golf Club (PCGC, 10550 stylist at Exclusive Clientele. Regents Park Dr.) is available for wedding First, for our gaffe. I misunderstood receptions & ceremonies, rehearsal dinsomething owner Christy Johnson told ners, quince an eras, corporate meetings, me about her husband, Thomas Johnson. reunions, anniversaries, birthday parties, Christy did call him, “The Michael Jordan bar mitzvahs and other events. The good of Taxes,” but because of whatever it was news is that membership in the semiI misunderstood, I wrote that he actually private club is no longer required to utilize also did Michael Jordan’s taxes, although Christy assures me her hubby never actually PCGC’s spacious and elegant banquet hall. More than 100 wedding events have did prepare MJ’s taxes. been held at Pebble Creek during the past Christy also asked me to let you know few years alone! And, PCGC’s banquet that her ultra-talented crew of Master room offers seating for 200, with sweepStylists — Nica Kennedy and Tiffany Ivy

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ing golf course views, a scenic courtyard with grandfather oaks, a new Veranda, billiards room and Mulligan’s Irish Pub, all choreographed for the most memorable events in our area. A seasoned staff caters to your event’s taste and style, from simple cocktail parties to lavish catered wedding receptions and corp[orate outings. PCGC events director Kathy Warren has more than 20 years of experience and she is available for tours and You can design your own specialty pizza at Biagio’s II information at 973-3870, on Cross Creek Blvd., like this Margherita-style pizza we x232, or email her at KWarcustom-designed during a recent visit. ren@Ace-Golf.com. For great give it another try. Everything we’ve samoffers like $100 off any room rental at PCGC, or great coupon savings pled at Biagio’s the past couple of weeks at Mulligan’s, see the ads on pages 22 & has definitely been yummy, including the excellent, custom-made-for-us Margherita26 of this issue. style pizza pictured above, as well as the tasty chicken parmigiana pizza, which is Pepe Returns To Biagio’s! always among the several different varieties In case you didn’t realize it, Biagio’s available by the slice anytime you visit. I II Pizza & Pasta, located at 10359 Cross also recently chowed down on a tender and Creek Blvd. in the only part of the Cory delicious half veal parmigiana sub and I Lake Isles Professional Center that actucan tell you that Pepe and Biagio’s are doally faces Cross Creek Blvd., is under new ing something right. ownership. For more information about BiaMo, who purchased Biagio’s several gio’s II, visit BiagiosTampa.com, call months ago, is proud to announce that 973-4343 or check out the ad on page Pepe, the popular long-time pizza maker 4 of this issue for great coupon savings, who helped make Biagio’s so popular with including just $7 for a medium cheese local residents, has returned. pizza (toppings extra) for this year’s Big That means if it’s been a while since you’ve sampled Biagio’s “Gourmet Food at Game, which is just a day or two away as you’re reading this issue. Pizzeria Prices,” you owe it to yourself to

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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. Call 813994-9449 or visit www.TampaCatLady.com EXPERIENCED PET SITTER * Will Walk, Talk and Feed your SPECIAL friend * Three (3) visits per day * FREE meet & greet. Big or Small we love them all.** CALL: 813-446-1815 or 813-501-4646 **

COMPUTER SERVICES 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 957-8342 for free estimate. DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? - WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, installation, networking & virus removal. WE COME TO YOU! Servicing residential & businesses, w/ over 25 years experience. Contact Jeffrey Blank (813) 973-4507 today! www.WSICA.COM; Wsica@wsica.com

C A R

S E R V I C E S

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

E D U C A T I O N / B A B YS I T T I N G L.I.F.E Academy for Learning, LLC- A licensed inhome daycare located in New River Township. The daycare is managed by Nora Dudley, who is an experienced elementary Florida certified teacher and is also First Aid/CPR licensed. She is a loving mother of two and is passionate about helping children. Call today to enroll your child and mention this ad to waive your registration fee! Tutoring sessions for grades K-3 are also available upon appointment. Contact Nora Dudley at (813) 395-8487 or for more information visit www.lifeacademyforlearning.com

P O O L

S E R V I C E S

TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE - New Tampa owned & operated. Gareat Pricing with outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! New customer’s ONE MONTH FREE! Call Chris Today @ (813) 8575400 or visit www.TranquilityPoolService.com AQUATEC POOL SERVICE - keeping pools clear & swim safe since 1994. WE DO POOLS RIGHT! Commercial & Residential. CPO #33-303052 Licensed & Insured. Service guarantee. Call (813) 312-5694 TODAY and get 1 MONTH OF QUALITY SERVICE FOR FREE. www.aquatecpool.com

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

INDIVIDUAL & COUPLES COUNSELING - Over 90 years of personable & experienced therapy & testing services. Better Business Bureau Accredited. With 6 clinicians, we’ll find the best therapist for you. Call (813) 418-7188 or DrP@ phonepremier.com www.Tampa-Therapy.com

M U S I C

L E S S O N S

MUSIC LESSONS - Private, Classical Music Lessons- Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Guitar and Voice. Traditional, European training with engaging, modern approach. Auditioning for Winter Term now. Wendelken Studio of Musical Arts at Grace Episcopal Church. Recitals, Festivals, Competitions and Royal Conservatory of Music Credit opportunities, or simply study for the love of it. For further information about our internationally-recognized music school and to schedule an interview, please call Mary Wendelken, Director, at (813) 978-1771 and visit our website at www.TampaPiano.com

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! (813) 420-4465

BASEBALL TRAINING - Ages 6-18, for private, group, team or league instructional development. Get started...FREE PLAYER EVALUATION! New travelball academy starting soon, register online with your interest and train at our new 5 acre baseball ranch.www.rockstar-baseball.com or email ryan@ rockstar-baseball.com. Current Varsity Pitching and Hitting Coach at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic HS & Former Wiregrass Ranch HS Varsity Coach ( 2013 state semi-finalist).Former British National Coach, College player, youth coach and 8u travel ball manager. You practice... WE TRAIN! 813 992 1030

CLEANING SERVICES

FITNESS & WELLBEING

TAI CHI CLASSES - Benefits: Strength, Flexibility, Balance, Focus and reduced stress! New Beginner 6 week courses starting every few months. Adults Course: Thursday evening’s 7-8 pm. Seniors Course: Tuesday afternoons 12-1 pm. Space is limited! Also private instruction in Tai Chi Chuan, Kempo, Chin-Na. Also Boot Camp Fitness training and more. With more than 35 years of training and teaching experience. Please contact me for more details or go to: chuan-fa.org Peter #787-7560 or E-mail peter@chuan-fa.org LICENSED MOBILE MASSAGE THERAPIST Available seven days a week, 9am -9pm. $55 for 1 hour! Types of massage available: Swedish, Deep Tissue, Aroma Therapy, Hot Stone, Corporate Seated, Pregnancy, Sports & Injury Rehab. References available.www.barkdollmassagetherapy. com CALL (727) 372-6389 Lic #MA47546.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

SQUEAKY CLEAN HOME SERVICES - is a residential cleaning company offering weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly services. We also specialize in move-in/move-out cleanup. All supplies and equipment provided. We are an Owner Operator company with over 20 years experience. “If it Needs to be Clean, We’re your Team! Call us for your free in home estimate today! 813-625-6045 D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE - We have our own supplies & more than 300 clients in New Tampa! For more information, Call 758-9710.

TIRED OF INTERNET DATING? Tampa Bay’s ONLY cer tified Life Coach and Matchmaker! Call Tampa Bay MatchMakers today to schedule your complimentar y consultation! (813) 907-0410 w w w. T a m p a B a y M a t c h M a k e r s . c o m

M I S C E L L A N E O U S UNABLE TO DRIVE, NO TIME, TO-DO LIST NOT GETTING DONE??? CALL: SMILESALWAYS @ 813-263-4244 for: Errands - Transportation - Doctor Appointments - Grocery Shopping Assistance - House Sitting - Girl Friday/Office Support and Concierge Services - Event Planning. Hourly, Daily & Long Term Rates. Tampa Palms Area. Friendly Trustworhly, Responsible, Resourceful, Reliable.

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Neighborhood News

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 03 • February 01, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

PORTFOLIO OF FINE HOMES Hunter’s Green

JUST LISTED

Grand Hampton

JUST LISTED

Arbor Greene

JUST LISTED

4 Bed + Game Rm | 3 Bath | 2,622 SF 2 Car Garage | Built 2006 | Conservation Offered for $259,000

Sanctuary

The Reserve

Lancaster

Arbor Greene

Heritage Isle

Hunters Green

5 Bed + Bonus Rm | 3 Bath | 3,347 SF 3 Car Garage | Built 2006 | Conservation Offered for $364,900

Grand Hampton

Whitehall

The Reserve

5 Bed + Office | 4.5 Bath | 3,021 SF 3 Car Garage | Maple Cabinetry | Built 2012 Offered for $329,000

Richmond Place

Stonington

Tampa Palms

JUST LISTED

DAY G IN 1 $405,000

4 Bed + Den + Computer Center | 3 Bath 2,723 SF | 3 Car Garage | Built 2003 Pool/Spa | Conservation

Mobile listings give you the edge!

Phone: (813) 931-6700 • Fax: (813) 283-1589 • KristyD@Realtor.com

RealEstateNewTampa.com