Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 32, Issue 10, May 14, 2024

Widening Of Wesley Chapel

By GARY NAGER Research by Joel Provenzano

Even though nearly the entire length of Wesley Chapel (WC) Blvd. actually divides Land O’Lakes (on the west side of the street) from Lutz (on the east side) and only actually enters Wesley Chapel’s 33543 zip code at Lexington Oaks, it is big news that Pasco County has finally awarded (on Apr. 23) the $69.4-million construction contract to David Nelson Construction Co. to widen WC Blvd. between S.R. 56 and Old Pasco Rd. from two (for most of this stretch of it) to six lanes.

Although we are not the first to report this information, we are the only local news medium trying to find out whether or not vehicles will still be able to make left turns onto (or off of) WC Blvd. from the many entrances to communities along the full length of the project. There is a median for the widening project’s entire length,

but how many curb cuts will there be along the 4.1-mile length of the project? Are there going to be U-turn lanes at any of the community entrances? With only two traffic signals being included (one of which, the “temporary” signal at the entrance to the Stagecoach community, at Stagecoach Village Dr., already exists), will people living in any of the nine residential communities along the project’s length still be able to make left turns across WC Blvd. to enter or exit their communities? Thanks to our Joel Provenzano, we believe we have those answers and share them with you on pg. 4.

As someone who has lived at the south end of this project the past five years, I (and Jannah) have witnessed two serious accidents caused by people trying to make left turns in or out of these communities who were hit by drivers going north or south on WC Blvd. We also narrowly avoided a left-turning driver whose vehicle did a full 360º spin in front of us following a collision.

For the rest of the story, see “WC Blvd.” on page 4

The map (right) shows the full length of the $69.4-million contract to widen Wesley Chapel Blvd. from (mostly) two to six lanes between Old Pasco Rd. & where S.R. 54 & S.R. 56 meet. All of the existing and planned traffic signals are shown, with the planned “additional” signals outlined in yellow. Please note that the signal that is “planned” at the intersection of Stagecoach Village Dr. and WC Blvd. is already there, but that is considered to be a “temporary” signal that will be replaced. (Map: Provided by Pasco County, modified by Charmaine George & GN)

EDITORIAL

Our editor takes our story plaque fight to another level!

See page 3

The developer who withdrew their plan resubmits it to Pasco...and other news!

See page 8

New Tampa restaurants make Stacker. com’s Top-10 & we apply their data to WC.

See pages 42-44

Taking The ‘Story Plaques’ Fight To Another Level

An Editorial by GARY NAGER

Whether or not you’re currently a business owner, imagine, if you can, working hard to create a product that provides a unique service to your customers. Next, imagine that someone who spent literally zero of those man/woman-hours to create that product comes along and — without your permission — represents themselves as “working with” your company in order to be able to get your customer to spend money with them as they blatantly copy that work. They even go so far as to put your company’s logo on the product — again, without so much as asking the ownership of your company “Is it OK if we do this?”

That’s the predicament local publications like ours face every single day from companies like “In The News” (which no longer exists) and “That’s Great News” (which bought out “In The News”). This company tells our customers to lie to us and say that they need “a clean electronic copy” of a story about their business that appeared in our pages, supposedly “for our social media.”

Then, you walk into their place of business a few weeks later and see that story on a plaque for which we received no compensation and the only credit we received is that our logo appears at the top of the plaque.

I have been dealing with this B.S. for probably close to a decade, as electronic versions of our stories began being posted on our website.

These “News” companies would simply grab screenshots of every Business Feature story off our website and send a proof of that story on a not-yet-created plaque to our advertisers (see left photo above), telling them they were “working with the Neighborhood News” and get a large number of those businesses to purchase their plaques for anywhere from $200-$400 — depending upon the size of the plaque(s) and the length of each story. I saw no fewer than six of these stories in our advertisers’ places of businesses in one month — and it did not make me happy.

And, the kicker was that literally every time I would ask them who made the plaque for them, the business owner would tell me, “I thought you did,” which made me even less happy.

Then, about three years ago, I realized that if I offered my advertisers plaques of their stories that we actually did create for them that they would probably prefer our plaques to the ones created by these outside companies.

The problem was that I didn’t have someone on my staff who could get in contact with our advertisers to tell them about our plaques — and warn them that “That’s Great News” is most definitely NOT “working with us,” but that they are, in fact, using our work to make money for their company. But now, I have my wife Jannah following up with each business on our behalf.

Consider this: Either I or one of my writers spends up to an hour or more researching each of these stories, up to another hour interviewing these business owners, and then multiple additional hours writing each story. I then take an hour or more of my time to edit each one, and then edit each story again once it has been laid into the paper. In most cases, I also pay our photographer Charmaine George to take the pictures that accompany each story, and then pay to print and distribute each copy of each edition of the paper. Why should anyone else make even one dollar off of all of those efforts?

Those companies will tell you that they’re “allowed” to do what they do because of “second use” laws that permit it but, from what I — and an attorney customer of mine — have seen, they still need our permission to do so.

That’s why I created the ad below to say we do not give anyone permission to use our work and that this is fair warning that the next step in this battle could be a legal one. To be continued...

The Neighborhood News does NOT authorize any outside company or agency to reprint any portion of the copyrighted materials in ANY of our print issues or our proprietary online content. Any unauthorized copying, whether to create a plaque, for use online, in printed copies or any other use without our express written permission will be considered to be a violation of both our copyright and the 30 years of good will we have worked very hard to achieve. Therefore, if an outside company asks if you want a plaque made of your story — and their name isn’t Jannah or Gary Nager — please tell them “No.”

To order a plaque of your Business Feature or any other story, call (813) 910-2575 or email Jannah or Gary at ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

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Publisher & Editor/Ad Sales

Gary Nager

Correspondents

Celeste McLaughlin

Iris Vitelli • Joel Provenzano

Editorial Research by Joel Provenzano

Ad Sales & Marketing Director Jannah Nager

Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist

Charmaine George

Graphic Designers

Morgan Tahvonen • Valerie Wegener

Nothing that appears in Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 32, Issue 12, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Thursday, May 30, 2024.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

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This one is ours

The one above is theirs

Here’s what we know about the “new” traffic signals included in the WC Blvd. widening contract:

1) The only completely new signal included in the contract will be placed at the more northern of the two entrances to the Compark 75 warehouse park at WC Blvd. & Compark Dr.

2) The existing traffic signal at Stagecoach Village Blvd. is a “temporary” signal that will be replaced with a permanent signal under the contract

The issue to me, as someone who has lived off of WC Blvd. the last five years, is that there are so many other equally dangerous intersections along WC Blvd. (see list below) that aren’t getting signals.

But, thanks to our research specialist Joel Provenzano, who was an engineer with the Florida department of Transportation (FDOT) for years and is much more “fluent” in reading such documents than I am, we believe we have the answers to my question about the planned median in the center of WC Blvd. that will prevent drivers most of the entrances to these subdivision/apartment communities from going across WC Blvd. to make left turns either into or out of (or both) of their respective communities.

Here is that list of intersections that we believe are being addressed under the widening agreement:

— Pondside Dr. at Old C.R. 54 - Median remains fully open.

— Entrance to HarleyDavidson - Directional median opening (left turns in only) remains the same.

— WC Blvd. at Grand Cypress Dr. (entrance to the Maeva Apartments/Cypress Bend Prof. Park - Directional median opening with left turns in only.

— WC Blvd. at Hyde Park Blvd. (entrance to The Enclave subdivision) - The median will remain fully open in both directions at this location.

—

WC Blvd. at Wilshire Dr. (entrance to The Woodlands at Stagecoach subdivision) - No left turns out.

— WC Blvd. at Bramblewood Blvd (entrance to the Cypress Estates) subdivision - Directional median opening with a U-turn lane.

—

WC Blvd. at Oaks Blvd. (entrance to The Oaks subdivision) - Full median opening. Note - Oaks Dr. and Bramblewood are connected at Tradewinds Dr., off WC Blvd.

— WC Blvd. at Winding River Way (entrance to the Edgewater at

receive a new traffic signal under the WC Blvd. widening agreement. Grand Oaks townhome community)Full median opening.

— WC Blvd. at Cloud Hopper Way (entrance to the Volanti townhomes) & Cobalt Dr. (entrance to the new Cobalt apartments) - No median openings at all at either location. Note - There will be an opening about 600 ft. south of Volanti for U-turns.

— WC Blvd. at Pet Ln. (alternate entrance to Grand Oaks Plaza and Compark 75) - Directional median opening with left turn in only.

— WC Blvd. at Magnolia Blvd. (at Marathon gas station & just north of Midgard Self-Storage & Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply) - Full median opening remains.

— WC Blvd. at Players Dr.Opening will be restricted to right-out turns only.

— WC Blvd. at Tampa Downs Blvd. (by North Tampa Aero Park) - Left-in directional median opening only.

The Presentation To The BOC Prior to the vote awarding the contract at the Apr. 23 meeting of Pasco’s Board of County Commissioners (BOC), Panos Kontses, the county’s

The existing traffic signal at the intersection of Stagecoach Village Dr. and WC Blvd. is considered to be

“temporary” signal that will be replaced with a “permanent” one.

assistant director of transportation engineering, made a presentation to the commissioners regarding the awarding of the contract to widen WC Blvd.

“Typically, construction contracts are presented through the consent agenda,” Kontses said. “However, the size of the contract, the significance of the project for the county and also because of the history of the project, our county administrator suggested that we give you a brief presentation.”

Kontses also noted that WC Blvd. provides access to many communities, as well as commercial businesses, “and also provides an alternate relief route to I-75.”

First, Kontses gave the commissioners an overview of the existing status of

WC Blvd. The north end of the project, between Progress Pkwy. and Old Pasco Rd., is 4 lanes, with a 45-mile-per-hour speed limit. It has 5-6-ft.-wide sidewalks and a 4-ft.-wide bicycle lane.

The middle portion, between Old. C.R. 54 and Progress Pkwy. has a 55-mph speed limit and is almost completely two lanes with no sidewalks or pathways and just 4-5-ft. shoulders.

The southern portion, from Old C.R. 54/Pondside Dr. to S.R. 54/56 is six-laned, with a 45-mph speed limit, and with a 5-ft.-sidewalk, an 8-ft.-wide pathway and 5-ft.-wide bicycle lane.

Kontses also noted that the project has, “a long history...longer than we

“WC Blvd.” on pg.

wanted...and also went through several project managers. I just happen to be the last one. And, we are very excited to bring this project to its last stage — its construction.”

He then noted that the original route study was conducted in 2003, when WC Blvd. was intended to be a 4-lane rural road. But, even though the design phase for that original plan started in 2008, nothing else happened after the Tampa Bay Regional Planning model became available between 200814, which showed that the original 4-lane plan would not be able to accommodate the expected traffic.

“That area is going through explosive growth,” Kontses told the commissioners, “and the expected traffic volumes were almost double, so the recommendation was to make the road a 6-lane section, but keep it within a 150-ft. right-of-way. “That meant we had to condense the section to an urban road with bike lanes, 5-6-ft. sidewalks and an 8-ft. pathway.”

The route study resumed in 201516, with new design starting in 2016.

“But, in 2017,” Kontses noted, “we got the updated flood plains from Swiftmud and we didn’t want any adjacent properties to end up be-

ing flooded, so our design team did a drainage analysis and found that no properties were likely to be flooded, so we were happy about that.”

Permitting then began in 2017 and right-of-way acquisition between 2019-23. District 3 Commissioner

Kathryn Starkey noted that it took “a long time — five years” for the county to purchase all of the needed right-of way, but Kontses noted, “We had to purchase 43 parcels from 25 different property owners, so that was an extensive effort for our resources.”

He added that the plan also had to go through several revisions because of new developments that began building and additional reviews by the Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT), “because they contributed some of the funding for the project.”

Bids were finally solicited in Dec. of 2023 and the bids opened in Jan. of this year.

Comm. Starkey also expressed concerns about animal crossings at a wetland near Oaks Blvd., the entrance to The Oaks subdivision.

After that, Kontses pointed out that the improvements also will include lighting along the length of the project, which will help improve safety a lot, because WC Blvd. is notoriously dark.

District 5 Comm. Jack Mariano expressed concerns about not getting

The WC Blvd. Construction Project Schedule & Cost shows that the $69.4-million project is expected to be completed by May 2027. (Source: Pasco County)

landscaping design included in the project, but Comm. Starkey noted that the landscaping for Little Rd. is only about 30% designed, “so they’re way behind on these projects.”

If the BOC approved the agreement on Apr. 23, Kontses says the Notice to Proceed (NTP) could be given within two weeks, or before this issue reached your mailbox, and that the expected completion date for the 36-month contract is May of 2027.

Kontses also mentioned that in addition to the main contract, there is an additional contract for independent Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI) services for $4.5 million.

“Four million to see if they built it right? That seems like a lot of money,” Comm. Starkey asked. “How about the contract just stipulates that they have to build it right?”

But, Kontses said that the normal cost of CEI is, “about 10-15% of a project’s construction cost, so at $4.5 million, we’re getting a bargain.”

Dist. 2 Comm. Seth Weightman, whose district includes the full length of the project, then moved for approval of the contract, which was seconded by Comm. Starkey and the motion passed 4-0. Dist. 4 Comm. Gary Bradford, who passed away the day before the meeting, was obviously not available for the vote.

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News Briefs — Whole Foods Resubmitted, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed

Whole Foods Resubmitted

Updating the story we reported in our Mar. 19 issue, the developer who previously withdrew plans to build a Whole Foods Market on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at Aronwood Blvd. in Meadow Pointe resubmitted those plans to Pasco County officials on Apr. 23.

After reviewing the revised site plan (below), it appears that the main differences between the new plan and the old plan is that the developer, SJC Ventures, is proposing to add a trucks-only driveway from BBD behind Whole Foods (see map) to make it easier for delivery trucks to get to the loading bay.

Also, the new site plan removes the small standalone building near the Lifestyle Family Fitness building and just made the other two standalone buildings a little bigger. SJC also built the

The location of the proposed skilled nursing facility referred to on its site plan as “Oakley Place” is proposed to be constructed in front of the Avasa Grove West apartments on Oakley Blvd. (Map: NN)

recently opened Whole Foods in St. Petersburg.

Although we don’t know when the plan will come up for approval by the Pasco Board of County Commissioners. We’ll keep you posted. — JP

Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed Near The Grove

As first reported on Apr.

22 by Kelly Gilroy on the Pasco County Development & Growth Updates Facebook page, plans for a 202-bed, nearly 112,000-sq.-ft. skilled nursing facility (SNF) were submitted to the county. Planned on a 7.83-acre site at the corner of Oakley Blvd. and Grove Isle Dr., in front of the Avasa Grove West apartments (across Oakley Blvd. from Cost Plus World Market), this would be the second SNF in Wesley Chapel, as

the only other such facility is part of the Blue Heron Senior Living residence on Eagleston Blvd. off BBD.

Emorys Rock Realty

Congratulations to Licensed Real Estate Broker Chad Emory and his wife (and fellow Realtor) April on the establishment of Emorys Rock Realty, which has an office in the Signature Workspace at the Shops at Wiregrass. It’s hard “Keeping Up With The Emorys,” as they attend virtually every North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon cutting (Chad also is an NTBC Board member) and other local events, but what they want is to help you the next time you buy or sell a home!

For more information, call (813) 4042286 or visit EmorysRock.com. — GN

Oakley Place SNF

The latest in the ongoing string of new apartments to cut a ribbon with the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Com merce (NTBC) is Madison at Watergrass, a new 280-unit luxury rental community (developed by Madison Communi ties) off Curley Rd., across from the new Publix at the entrance to Epperson.

The ribbon cutting on Apr. 22 included tours of Madison’s 1-, 2- and 3-bed room apartments ranging in price from $1,645$2,399 per month, with two months free rent.

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Will Rezoning Provide A Needed Safety Cut-Through In K-Bar?

Developer Planning To Build New Sections Of The Community Is Required To Extend K-Bar Ranch Pkwy.

By Joel Provenzano

If you travel east on K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. (past Sundrift Dr.; see map), a little south of the Hillsborough/Pasco county line, you’ll come to a spot where the K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. abruptly ends at five perfectly placed bright red diamond signs.

To the left are gorgeous houses being constructed by M/I Homes around a freshly paved cul-de-sac, and to the right, a beautiful set of lakes where sandhill cranes are teaching their young how to forage for food along the banks.

As the sun lowers in the sky, walkers, runners and bicyclists begin to emerge and take advantage of this 800’ long section of road to nowhere, taking in the fading warmth of the sun. Straight ahead, past the signs, is a narrow stretch of cypress trees hiding Basset Branch, a tributary that flows south directly into the Hillsborough River. Many don’t even know the creek is there.

On the east side of this 300’-wide wetland lies Easton Park, a small subdivision which began building in 2005, but where the last house wasn’t built until 2014, due to the Great Recession of 2008-09. Since then, Easton Park has been the only K-Bar subdivision with access to Morris Bridge Rd., but a big change may be coming — thanks to a new developer planning to add new homes and townhomes in K-Bar Ranch. Inside Easton Park are two strange intersection footprints, one along Pictorial Park Dr. and one along Natures Spirit Dr. which, like the road

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in K-Bar, seem to go nowhere. But, there is a purpose to all of this seemingly wasted pavement. Although they are far apart, the end of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. and these two random intersection footprints are all in line with each other.

Years before the K-Bar Ranch was annexed into the City of Tampa and Easton Park was ever even started, Hillsborough County planners knew that they wanted a future east-west road to someday connect to Morris Bridge Rd. all of the communities that would be built upon this sprawling pasture land. Early on, they planned its path and set aside the land for future right-of-way. Back then, there was a dirt path that crossed over then-tiny Basset Branch, allowing ranchers to get from one side of the property to the other, and there were no wetland trees around that crossing.

The county decided the future east-west road path should go there, to minimize environmental impacts, but when the eastern half of that land was sold to make Easton Park, for whatever reason, that dirt path and old culvert pipes underneath were removed. After a few flooding rains, it didn’t take long for nowmuch-wider Basset Branch to carve its way through and start to expand.

The New Project

Now, more than 20 years later, the formerly dirt-covered Basset Branch has grown into the 300’- wide wetland where K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. will need to punch through in order to connect to Easton Park, and ultimately extend to Morris Bridge Rd. But, this former county vision is no longer a pipe

dream, as the Eisenhower Property Group (EPG) submitted a preliminary plat to the City of Tampa on March 1 of this year for a project which is currently being referred to as “K-Bar Ranch Homestead Parcel Phase 1.”

This area was annexed into the City of Tampa in 2002 in anticipation of its development.

The city issued comments for this proposed community (to be located on the east side of the wetland, immediately north of Easton Park) and referenced that rezoning will need to be completed and accepted before the project could move forward as proposed. Even so, there may still need to be some changes to the plans to satisfy all city departments.

The rezonings — REZ-24-02 and REZ24-03 — still need to go before the Tampa City Council, so District 7 Council member (and New Tampa resident) Luis Viera could not, by law, comment about the rezonings for this article, and city staff says that neither rezoning has been scheduled yet, but that EPG is targeting June or July for both.

The main change proposed in both rezonings, from the previously approved zoning, is a change in orientation of the main northsouth “Collector Road,” which was previously approved as a loop road. Instead of a loop, it would be straightened (as shown in the map on pg. 10). Also proposed is a minor change in the number of dwelling units to a maximum total of 500 single-family and 188 townhomes.

The project plans currently consist of 484 single-family home sites (363 sites of 50’x120’ and 121 60’x120’ lots) on an approximately 400-acre site. This is slightly below the maximum 500 single-family homes being requested

in the rezoning. Where the proposed K-Bar Ranch extension intersects with Morris Bridge Rd., both of those corners are labeled as “Future Commercial” in the plans (see map).

Coincidently, EPG also is developing the master-planned community on the other side of Morris Bridge Rd. from Easton Park, known as Two Rivers (which we told you about in a previous issue). For that project, EPG acquired the first 6,000 acres inside Pasco back in 2021 and the remaining 2,000 acres inside Hillsborough about a year ago.

The Important Part

The most important part of this latest EPG K-Bar project (for many local residents)

may not be so much the homes, but the roadways shown in the proposed plans. The existing portion of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. that dead-ends at Sundrift Dr. is labeled “Segment F,” and the new extension that will connect it out to Morris Bridge Rd. is labeled “Segment G, Transportation Improvement,” which is a proposed 120’ -wide right of way (R/W) “Collector Road - 4 Lane Divided.”

The K-Bar Ranch plans state that, “Transportation Improvement G [K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. Extension] shall be constructed prior to or concurrent with Homestead Parcel Phase 1 [the main project].” This extension will connect with those two odd intersection footprints in

See “K-Bar” on pg. 12

(Above) In the distance, behind the sandhill cranes, is where K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. currently dead-ends a just east of Sundrift Dr. (see map on page 10). (Photo by Joel Provenzano)

Easton Park, allowing those residents three potential additional ways to get in and out of their community:

1.Westbound toward Kinnan St. via KBar Ranch Pkwy

2.Eastbound toward Morris Bridge Rd. via K-Bar Ranch Pkwy

3.Northbound towards Pasco County, where the proposed north-south “Collector Road” through the new community is slated to connect with Wyndfields Blvd. in the Union Park community in Wesley Chapel.

This also will inversely allow K-Bar Ranch, Union Park and Meadow Pointe residents easier access to Morris Bridge Rd., giving more route choices for local residents and greatly reducing distances to get around the area. These additional connections could improve safety, too (see below). City staff says that EPG is responsible for constructing both the K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. extension and the north-south “Collector Road,” as both are required under the developer’s 2018 agreement with the city.

Safety First?

Councilman Viera said he had first learned about this proposed community project from city staff when he was looking into the issues and potential solutions surrounding too-long emergency response times in K-Bar Ranch, New Tampa’s northeasternmost and most remote community.

“I have been pushing for a fire station in K-Bar but was told there were not enough calls for service in that area,” Viera says.

He expressed concern about the 12-minute travel time for emergency vehicles from Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 22 on Cross Creek Blvd. to reach the back of K-Bar Ranch. With the proposed extension of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. out to Morris Bridge Rd., those travel times could be cut in half — to only six minutes — potentially saving lives.

Viera says he feels very strongly about connecting roads and communities together. On the other side of K-Bar, he pushed hard to try and fully connect Kinnan St. with Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe for regular traffic but said, “Pasco has not been amenable to that, there’s been a block from the Pasco side...but I was happy we at least got the emergency gate,” which was installed in 2020. He says his intent is to still get that connection fully open to regular vehicular traffic someday.

K-Bar Ranch was finally connected to Wesley Chapel when Meadow Pointe Blvd. was extended south to meet K-Bar Ranch Pkwy., something Pasco did agree to, making Viera happier. The thing that isn’t certain now, however, is who exactly is going to physically connect the north-south “Collector Road” in this new K-Bar community project with Wyndfields Blvd. in Union Park.

Wyndfields Blvd. currently ends 540’ north of the county line The currently submitted plans do not call out exactly how that will be accomplished or who will be responsible for it, although city staff believes that ultimately, that responsibility will fall to EPG under the development agreement.

Pasco County Breaks Ground On The Wesley Chapel Library At Seven Oaks!

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

Although New Tampa has had its own library for 27 years, the Wesley Chapel area has had only one library — the New River Branch Library on S.R. 54, almost to Zephyrhills.

But, that is about to change, as a beautiful, state-of-the-art library is expected to open in the Seven Oaks community by the end of 2025.

“The mission of a library is one of connec tion,” said Pasco County Library System direc tor Sean McGarvey at the groundbreaking event for the Wesley Chapel Library at Seven Oaks — to about 50 people in the audience — on Apr. 12.“We connect people to what is important… in four fundamental ways. We connect people to knowledge, to the culture of the community, to economic opportunity and, most importantly, we connect people to each other.”

McGarvey served as the Master of Ceremo nies for the groundbreaking event to showcase the architectural renderings for the new library, which will begin construction within the next month or so on a vacant lot adjacent to Seven Oaks Elementary. The 14,000-sq.-ft., $11-mil lion library, designed by Fleischman Garcia Architects, is being built by Bandes Construc tion and will have a number of unique features that will make it another “hub of the world,” according to McGarvey, who also introduced the groundbreaking event’s other speakers.

The first was Pasco County Board of Commissioners (BOC) chair Ron Oakley, whose District 1 includes part of Wesley Chapel.

Oakley said that when he first became a county commissioner eight years ago, he was told, “We need to save money in the county, so we need to cut out libraries. They’re not needed…everybody’s got a computer. But, I said, ‘I personally think everybody doesn’t have a computer and all of our citizens love libraries.’ It’s just amazing what is provided by our library system. The use of this library here in this community is going to be amazing.”

Before then introducing Commissioner Seth Weightman, whose District 2 includes all of Seven Oaks, McGarvey said, “I can not wait to see the stories of the connections that this building will build for everybody else who will use it…from the kids at the school next door, to the citizens of Pasco County to the members of this (Seven Oaks) community, to the business community at large. I can not wait to see what this building will create for the community.”

Comm. Weightman then thanked retired Pasco Commissioner Mike Moore (Weightman’s

pen). What a fantastic community ‘add’ here to Seven Oaks. And, to the citizens of Seven Oaks, because of your community and your drive and your watchful eye, we’re proud to bring this to all the folks here in Wesley Chapel.”

Weightman then introduced former Comm. Moore, “because this was his baby.”

Moore said, “This (library) was a long time in the making. Part of the Seven Oaks development agreement back then (in 2004) was this site, which was always supposed to be a library. The county commission was very, very supportive of this project when I was on the Board and what I’m most grateful for is that once I left, the next Board came in and continued with the project. Sometimes, what we see in government, is that when people leave, sometimes projects don’t move forward and they stall, but they (the new BOC) saw the benefit of having this library.”

The former commissioner (and Seven Oaks resident) added, “This library is going to be a meeting place, a place where adults and kids alike will learn, a place where you’ll have gatherings…there will be social events, civic events… and classes for seniors, adults and children.”

Moore also thanked the team from Bandes Construction, “that is actually going to build his

are excited as a community that this is going to service not just Seven Oaks, but all of Wesley Chapel and Pasco County.”

Moore also thanked his former aide Andy Taylor, for his part in making the library happen.

McGarvey then called up all of the speakers — plus county administrator Mike Carballa, Taylor, the representatives on hand from not only Bandes Construction, but also from U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee and State Sen. Danny Burgess’

Neighborhood News that actual construction of the Wesley Chapel Library would begin later in April (and it did) and that the expected completion date for it was the end of 2025.

Paula Wahl, the business compliance & contracts manager for the Pasco Library System, said that among the new library’s unique features will be a separate construction project of a trail that will be artistically designed to look like you’re walking through the pages of a book.

‘reading porch’ overlooking the walkway,” Wahl said.

“We also will have a flexible space that will be able to host ‘maker activities.’

Where many of our other libraries have very specific maker spaces — woodshop, video production studio, cooking programs and so on — this library actu ally will have a special parking space for our mobile makerspace, similar to the van we have here today, specially outfitted to bring activities from each of those out into the community. All of those other library makerspaces have mobile activities that we can bring out into the community here.”

For additional information, visit PascoLibraries.org.

Understanding The New Real Estate Rules — And How They Affect You

By Joel Provenzano

The real estate industry in the U.S. has weathered many permanent changes since it first began. These changes typically have translated to greater protections and transparency for buyers and sellers, and has kept the industry innovating and moving forward.

There are more major changes proposed for the national real estate market this summer, and they could end up affecting everyone. These likely changes are the outcome of a pending settlement in a national class action lawsuit, brought against the National Association of Realtors (NAR) organization by the plaintiffs, a group of home sellers from the Midwest who listed their homes for sale on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) using real estate Brokers.

In order to try to better understand what’s happening, let’s first break everything down to the basics.

What Is A Real Estate Brokerage?

In order to legally practice real estate in Florida, a real estate agent must have an “active” license, working under a Broker or be the Broker (an experienced agent who’s gone through additional licensing requirements and runs a brokerage) themselves. The Broker and his or her agents all work under the brokerage (real estate company). Among the many well-known national brokerages are RE/MAX, Keller Williams and HomeServices of America, all of which were named in the suits.

Exceptions for those who are able to engage in real estate transactions but who are not under a brokerage are the following — real

estate attorneys, agents who are employed by home builders in community sales offices, agents in leasing offices and buyers or sellers who represent themselves in their own real estate transactions.

What Is The NAR?

As real estate records began being tracked in the U.S. around the end of the 1800s, there was inconsistency and dubious practices among some in the profession. To curb the problems, 19 various city real estate boards and the California State Realty Federation organized and created the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges in 1908. That name was later changed to the

National Association of Realtors (NAR).

In 1913, the Association adopted its ‘Code of Ethics’ with the “Golden Rule” as its guiding principle. Shortly after, in 1916, the term “REALTOR” was created for those who were members of the National Association and who went through extended training to learn and pledge to uphold its strict code of ethics.

Now, NAR is the largest trade organization in the U.S., with nearly 1.5 million members.

What Is The MLS?

NAR also controls and regulates most of the 800 local and regional Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) throughout the country. These

MLSs serve as the primary databases where information (including photos) about current local real estate for sale or rent is uploaded, listed and then shared with potential buyers. Popular websites like Zillow.com and Homes.com (photo above) pull most of their information from MLS. From very early on, in order to list on an MLS, NAR required a written listing agreement, which meant that the seller would specify who (which Broker or agent) could list his or her property and the specific commissions that would be paid, and to whom, in order to avoid later disputes and build trust among those in the early profession.

This early requirement stuck. The com-

missions are currently either specified in the listing agreement as a percentage of the total sale price, or as a flat dollar amount.

What Happened With The Case?

Previously, NAR’s “Participation Rule” required that for a property to be listed on MLS at all, some compensation (even as little as $1) must be offered to the buyer’s agent. The plaintiffs in the case claimed that some of the nation’s largest real estate brokerage firms used this rule to collude with NAR to fix prices and artificially raise the amount of home sale commissions, even though commissions had always been negotiable.

The jury sided with the plaintiffs at the end of last October (2023), and awarded them approximately $1.8 billion in damages. After the ruling, NAR immediately changed its Participation Rule so that seller listings could offer as little as $0 commission to a buyer’s agent, and in November, Stellar MLS (the local MLS that covers the entire Tampa Bay area) updated its rules and regulations so the local system could accept $0 in that commission input field.

When Was The Settlement Reached?

On March 15, 2024, a smaller settlement in the amount of $418 million was reached between the parties. According to Katie Johnson, the chief legal officer of NAR, “This settlement would resolve the claims brought against NAR.” This settlement is the document all parties agreed to, but this isn’t the end. Johnson stated that, “Like all settlements of class action litigation, it is subject to court approval.”

What this means is that the proposed settlement terms and changes to real estate policies might not take effect until July of this year, at the earliest.

The settlement also came with a cap, meaning only large brokerages with residential transaction volumes of $2 billion or more in 2022 were liable to pay into the settlement fund, and ones with volumes below $2 billion were released from liability. The brokerage HomeServices of America, however, chose to not participate in the settlement, and has now become the lone defendant, wanting to fight it out and take its chances, potentially pushing the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

What Are The Proposed Changes?

There are two primary changes that will affect the entire real estate landscape:

From the Stellar MLS public website:

1.“Compensation offers moved off the MLS: NAR has agreed to put in place a new rule prohibiting offers of compensation (to be listed) on the MLS.” As was mentioned before, NAR had already changed its policy to allow for offers of $0 compensation to the buyer’s agent on the MLS, but currently, most sellers are still opting to include some type of commission in that field. But, this change would strictly prohibit ANY commission being offered in the MLS listing at all.

The intent was to level the playing field to make sure there was no steering, so buyers’ agents would show them every potential house, regardless of the commission, because they wouldn’t know what it might be up front, as they historically have been able to know.

This doesn’t prohibit the agents from negotiating concessions behind the scenes, but the hope and goal of the settlement was that increasing negotiations at this step, and at the initial written representation agreements (see below), would overall reduce total commissions

paid nationwide, saving consumers money.

Also from Stellar MLS public website:

2.“Written agreements for MLS participants acting for buyers: MLS participants [agents/Brokers] working with buyers will be required to enter into written representation agreements with their buyers.”

These written and signed agreements are typically known as Buyer Agency Agreements and specifically might be referred to as Exclusive Buyer Broker Agreements (EBBA), which are already required in more than a dozen states, but are optional in the rest. These are meant to ensure that home buyers know in advance what their agent will charge for their services, if the seller doesn’t offer concessions to compensate them.

Also, the seller may still offer concessions, but instead of a commission being paid directly to the buyer’s broker from the seller (like it had been traditionally done in the past), a concession might go to the buyer, and then the buyer would pay their agent the rate listed in the agreement. So, if the seller were offering 2% concessions, but the agreement between the buyer and their agent was 3%, then the buyer may have to come up with the remaining 1% themselves.

This, of course, could cause the buyer to reconsider that particular property or take concessions more into consideration, now that they might have to participate in paying for their real estate agent’s services.

What Are The Concerns?

This settlement has caused concern for certain categories of home buyers who may be at a disadvantage, given current restrictions and budgets. For example, a first-time home buyer with less buying power might be more swayed by

certain properties based solely on the concessions they are offering in order to pay their agent, and sellers may not even entertain the buyer’s offers if they ask for too much in concessions.

Other buyers who might be affected more than others are those who may use Veterans Administration (VA) loans, which are reserved for U.S. Armed Forces active duty service members, veterans, reservists, or their surviving spouses (under certain circumstances) that meet the minimum active-duty service requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Many buyers who qualify might choose to use a VA loan over other types of loans because the terms are typically much better.

However for VA loans, current restrictions on certain fees would not be compatible with the proposed national change. On March 27, NAR president Kevin Sears wrote a letter to the VA and shared his concern about this, stating, “In this exceedingly competitive market, we are concerned that the VA’s current policies place veterans at a significant disadvantage compared to traditional buyers. Under VA policies, buyers using their home loan benefit are prohibited from compensating their professional representative directly. In situations where no offer of compensation is offered from a seller, VA buyers are immediately at a disadvantage, potentially forcing them to forego professional representation, lose a property in an already limited inventory, choose a different loan product, or exit the market entirely.”

No one knows exactly what this all will look like moving forward, or what things will have to change in order to make it all work, but there is a timid yet optimistic outlook from real estate professionals that things will work out for the best, as they have many times in the past.

The Cottages At Cypress Cay Celebrates Its Official Grand Opening!

Congratulations go out to Capstone Communities, which celebrated the official Grand Opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for The Cottages at Cypress Cay with the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (TBCC) on Apr. 17.

As we first reported in our July 2023 issue, The Cottages at Cypress Cay is a cottage-style rental community located off Bruce B Downs (BBD) Blvd.

“With 1,400 member companies and more joining every day, Tampa’s economy is growing rapidly,” said Patie Powers, the TBCC’s director of membership. “Innovative housing concepts like The Cottages at Cypress Cay are crucial for companies to recruit new talent and offer unique housing options to the growing workforce.”

With neighborhood amenities including a 24-hour clubhouse, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a resort-style pool, pavilions and grill stations, sidewalks, a dog park and other pedestrian-friendly amenities, The Cottages at Cypress Cay creates a true sense of place for its residents. The Cottages themselves definitely feel more “home-like” than your usual rental communities, with kitchens and even front entrances that are a cut above most apartment units.

that builds community you don’t typically find in a traditional apartment setting,” said Amanda Wallis, executive VP of development for Capstone Communities. “Buildfor-rent communities are perfect for young professionals, new residents and empty-nesters who may be looking to downsize because they provide the space and privacy of a home with the amenities and convenience of a traditional apartment.”

The community offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom cottages, each with its own private fenced yard, as well as one-bedroom lofts and carriage house units. Homes range from 650 to 1,350 square feet, with wood-grain flooring, in-unit washers and dryers, a “smart home” technology package, 24/7 on-call maintenance and optional enclosed garage parking.

CBI Construction Services (Capstone’s in-house construction entity) is the general contractor for The Cottages at Cypress Cay, and Capstone Properties (Capstone’s in-house management division) is the leasing and property management team.

Capstone Communities is an Alabamabased real estate firm specializing in develop ment, management and construction of student and multifamily housing. In 2017,

ment with the introduction of its conventional cottage-style development program. Today, with a mission to be an innovative company dedicated to serving people, building community and delivering exceptional experiences that stand the test of time, Capstone’s growing project footprint now stretches across the Southeast with 11 build-for-rent communities open or under construction in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.

For more information about The Cottages at Cypress Cay, visit TheCottagesatCypresscay.com.

(Top) Capstone Communities celebrated the official ribbon cutting & Grand Opening of The Cottages at Cypress Cay on Apr. 17. (Above & left) For rental units that look & feel more like a (Photos provided by Carrie Wildes Photography)

Congratulations To Wesley Chapel’s Top Of The Class Of 2024!

It’s that time of year when parents and students count the days remaining until graduations, from pre-kindergarten to college. At our local public high schools, hundreds of graduates are moving on to a new phase of their lives, whether it’s starting a career, joining the military, going to a distant university, attending a local college, or taking some time to find themselves. The students below are the top-10 graduating seniors of the Class of 2024 at each of Wesley Chapel’s three public high schools by grade point average (GPA). Congratulations to everyone listed on these pages for their extraordinary achievements — and to all of their peers and classmates moving on to the next phase, too. Note — One school did not disclose student GPAs or other info to protect the students’ privacy and another didn’t include pictures other than for the Valedictorian & Salutatorian. We apologize but we can only show here what we’ve been provided. — Celeste McLaughlin

Cypress Creek High

1.Brandon Adams (Valedictorian)

GPA: 4.7391

Clubs/Activities: Published research in Journal of Student Research, co-founded standardized testing support program, President of National Honor Society (NHS), Author of “On Questions of Transformations,” cross country, volunteer at PetSmart, Spanish NHS, VP of English NHS.

College planning to attend: Undecided

Planned Major or Future Career: Pre-Med

Best thing about high school: Extra-curricular activities

2.Jordan Fulop, Salutatorian

GPA: 4.6154

Clubs/Activities:

NHS parliamentarian, Spirit Club Secretary, FBLA Historian, First Priority co-founder and leader, Best Buddies, Soccer, Tennis, Cross Country College planning to attend: Florida State University

Planned Major or Future Career: Business Management

Best thing about High School: Football games

3.Jerry Phan

GPA: 4.6053

Clubs/Activities:

NHS, Science NHS, Robotics club, volunteer at PetSmart College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Pre-Med

Best thing about high school: Peers that I met along the way

4. Jayna Katanani

GPA: 4.6

Clubs/Activities:

NHS, Science NHS, Fiction Addiction book club College planning to attend: University of South Florida

Planned major or future career: Pre-Med

Best thing about high school: It’s a trial for real life.

5.Jack Niemann

GPA: 4.5778

Clubs/Activities:

Football captain/quarterback, track, volunteer at Tampa General Hospital College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned Major: Health Sciences

Best thing about high school: Football games

6.Abby Outtrim

GPA: 4.566

Clubs/Activities:

President of HOSA (Future Health Professionals), VP of NHS, public relations officer of English NHS, member of American Sign Language HS, member of Interact Club, intern at USF College of Nursing. I did most of my volunteering at my local church, PetSmart, Feeding Tampa Bay & Metropolitan Ministries College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Nursing

Best thing about high school: You meet so many new friends, teachers and mentors. You will make lifelong connections and can form a network! I’ve learned about so many opportunities available to me through my teachers (especially Ms. Adley!)

7.Roman Sercu

GPA: 4.5625

Clubs/Activities:

NHS, founding president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Student Government (SGA) Senator, Creekin Crazies spirit club, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Interact Club, S4TL (Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders), Chik-Fil-A Leadership Academy, Best Buddies, Special Olympics basketball buddy College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Business Management & Finance

Best thing about high school: Times spent with friends and watching people who I have known since Elementary School change over the years and achieve their goals.

8.Miguel Rosario

GPA: 4.5538

Clubs/Activities:

NHS, SGA Treasurer, Creekin Crazies Ambassador College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Computer Eng.

Best thing about high school: Football games

9.Addison Hellwig

GPA: 4.5463

Clubs/Activities: Varsity lacrosse Captain, NHS

College planning to attend: Mars Hill University

Planned major or future career: Biomed. Sci.

Best thing about high school: Leading the team to Pasco County’s first women’s Lacrosse team regional appearance and completing full time dual enrollment and receiving my AA

10.Ramiro Salazar

GPA: 4.5426

Clubs/Activities: NHS, volunteer at Pasco County Animal Shelte College planning to attend: University of South Florida

Planned major or future career: Computer Science

Best thing about high school: Students, friends.

Wesley Chapel High

1.Taylor Himmelberger, Valedictorian College planning to attend: University of South Florida

2.Nayana (Ninny) Chennupati, Co-Salutatorian

College planning to attend: University of Florida

2.Syed Yasir, Co-Salutatorian College planning to attend: University of Florida

In alphabetical order, here are the rest of the top-10 graduates by GPA at WCH:

Jendayah Cajuste College planning to attend: University of South Florida

Dylan Dorr

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Sophia Herrera College planning to attend: University of Florida

Courtney Marks

College planning to attend: Western Carolina University

Sayuri Ranatunga College planning to attend: Florida State University

Joshua Vasquez

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Erick Zayas Ramos

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Wiregrass Ranch High

1.Aniah Florise Mathurin, Valedictorian Clubs/Activities: National Merit Commended Scholar, FSU Young Scholars Program, Pasco County All-Star, All-American, Varsity Cheerleader, Class of 2024 Student Government Senator, Student Council, VP of NHS, VP of Haraya, Director of Fundraising of Junior Statesmen of America, Outreach Officer of MEDLIFE, FBLA, HOSA, Relay for Life, NEHS, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Rho Kappa History Honor Society, Science NHS, FCA, Key Club, SADD

College planning to attend: Duke University

Planned major or future career: Biology (Pre-Med)

Best thing about high school: Memories I’ve made with my friends during Friday Night Lights

2. Meghna Manjith, Salutatorian

3.Sydnie Maher Alagal

Clubs/Activities: Varsity cross country, varsity track, SADD club & leadership, NHS, NEHS, Key Club, NSHSS

College planning to attend: Florida State University

Planned Major/Future Career: Psychology/ Criminology

Best thing about high school: The people I met

4.Kylie Ryan Bennington

Clubs/Activities: Varsity soccer, club soccer, NHA, Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club

College planning to attend: North Carolina State Univerrsity

Major/career: Environmental Engineering

Best thing about High School: The people you meet.

5.Haley Brooke Strawser

Clubs/Activities: Varsity volleyball, club volleyball, Phi Theta Kappa, Sigma Kappa Delta, Psi Beta

College planning to attend: University of Alabama (Huntsville)

Planned major or future career: Mechanical Engineering or Math

Best thing about high school: I loved my teachers and loved being a student at Wiregrass, (which) gave me the opportunity to challenge myself both academically and personally.

6.Abdullah (No last name provided) Clubs/Activities: FBLA, Science NHS

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Electrical & Computer Engineering

Best thing about High School: Some really good and caring teachers and made a really good friend.

7.Meghan E. Childers

Clubs/Activities: Odyssey of the Mind, Tri-M, NHS, PTA, Swim & dive team College planning to attend: University of Florida

Planned major or future career: Animal Science, Veterinary Doctorate

Best thing about high school: Getting to hang out with friends while participating in different clubs.

8.Taylor Monique Blythe

Clubs/Activities: NHS, English NHS, Black History Committee

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Major: Political Science & History; Pre-law track

Best thing about high school: Spending time with my close friends at school spirit events and growing into my interests in the past four years.

9.Isabell Barrios

Clubs/Activities: Varsity softball, National Honor Society, Key Club, Student Council

College planning to attend: Florida Southern College

Planned major or future career: Physician Assistant

Best thing about high school: Discovering my true passion for the medical field

10.Omari Redmond (No info provided)

Upcoming Events — A Road Update, ‘Dining In The Dark,’ ‘Final Friday’

The end of the 2023-24 school year brings not only separate graduation events for each of Wesley Chapel’s three local public high schools, but also the start of the Summer of 2024 for all local students.

You’d think that the calendar of events for our area would slow down as the summer kicks off, but there is still plenty to do in and around Wesley Chapel, from important road updates from the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to a unique fund-raising dinner hosted by the Wesley Chapel Lions Club and a full slate of activities at The Grove.

Tuesday, May 14, 11:30 a.m. — NTBC Economic Development Briefing. Jonathan Whitehurst of the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the featured speaker. Hosted at the NTBC’s Suncoast Office (16703 Early Riser Ave., Land O’Lakes). Visit NorthTampaBayChamber. com for tickets and more information.

Friday, May 17, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.. — The Wesley Chapel Lions Club presents “Dining in the Dark.” Benefiting child vision and reading programs, the event will be held at the Lake Padgett Estates East Clubhouse (4533 Savanah Way, Land O’Lakes). The suggested donation to attend this “Dinner Like You’ve Never Seen” is $40 per person and, according to WC Lions Club treasurer Cathy Tokish, “attendees will be blindfolded during dinner, to better experience what sightless people go through

May 15-31 Schedule At The KRATE At The Grove

Above are the upcoming events through the end of May at The KRATE at The Grove Container Park. For more info, visit “KRATE at The Grove” on Facebook.

every day.” Tokish also says that Lions Club members will be the ones serving the dinner. The social begins at 6, with dinner served from 6:30-7:30 and there will be a raffle and 50-50 drawing between 7:30 and 8 p.m. The event, which will feature a cash bar, is open to the public, so you do not have to be a Lions Club member to participate. For tickets & more information, call (813) 461-4213 or see the ad on this page.

Saturday, May 25, 7 p.m.-11 p.m. — Jazz Night at The KRATE at The Grove Container Park. See story on next page.

Friday, May 31, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.. — The North Tampa Bay Chamber presents “Final Friday.” This free networking event will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn TampaWesley Chapel (26640 Silver Maple Pkwy.). For more information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com

Friday, May 31, 4 p.m. — Cypress Creek High Graduation Ceremony. At the USF Yuengling Center.

Friday, May 31, 7 p.m.-11 p.m. — R&B Night at The KRATE at The Grove Container Park. See story on next page.

Saturday, June 1, 5 p.m. — Wesley Chapel High Graduation Ceremony. At the USF Yuengling Center.

Monday, June 3, 5 p.m. — Wiregrass Ranch High Graduation Ceremony. At the USF Yuengling Center.

Friday, June 7, 5:30-9:30 p.m. — The Market Elaine. At the Village at The Grove, with 150+ vendors, free admission & free parking. For info, visit TheMarketElaine.com.

Although the weather will likely again be hot this summer, Tim Hancock, the president of Jazz Tyme Productions, host twos of the coolest nights of music in our area every month.

His R&B Nights, on the last Friday of each month, have been attracting literally thousands of people (see top photo) to The KRATE at The Grove Container Park for a little more than a year.

“People tell me it’s their favorite event at the KRATEs and that it has the best attendance,” Hancock says. “It took a few months to build, but now, it’s really rocking — and that’s without even having live music.”

But, speaking of live music, Hancock, who also is the founder of the annual Wesley Chapel Jazz Festival, has (since January) added a Jazz Night on the last Saturday of each month, featuring live jazz by the Sound Lytics.

“The crowd for Jazz Night is building, too,” he says. “And, the restaurants at the KRATE tell me that both events are bringing them a lot of business, too.”

Check out Jazz Night on Saturday,

GEICO Wesley Chapel’s Local Office Wants To Help You Get Covered!

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

It seems that these days, whenever you go on social media, you find someone saying, “My insurance rates have gone up!” But, in our all-electronic, virtual world, being able to go to a physical location to speak with an insurance expert can make a big difference.

In case you still didn’t know it, sitting in the Super Target-anchored Northwoods Plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at County Line Rd. is a team of insurance experts. Just walk into the Wesley Chapel local office of GEICO Insurance, where actual live people can help you with a wide variety of insurance needs.

Owner and long-time Wesley Chapel resident Jaime Bryant opened the office in December of 2020, but he began working for GEICO in 2004, after earning his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of South Florida. He also received his Florida 2-20 Resident General Lines License (which allows him to provide property, casualty, surety, marine, health and miscellaneous insurance lines, including auto, motorcycle, boats/watercraft, homes, condos, RVs, renters and even pet insurance) to ensure that his local GEICO office can provide people with virtually any type of insurance they need.

He says his GEICO local office can write policies for your “home, auto, com-

mercial auto, motorcycle, condo, rental apartment, boat/watercraft, jewelry, flood mobile homes/RVs and umbrella policies.”

An umbrella policy provides added protection beyond your existing limits and coverages of other policies. Jaime says, “Umbrella policies are good for someone who has a lot of assets.”

When you call or walk into Jaime’s local GEICO office, an agent can take your information, which is then used to customize your policies to your specific needs.

As for GEICO’s rates, although there’s been a lot of discussion these days about rising insurance rates, especially here in Florida, Jaime says, “While

everyone has seen some increases in their premiums, the market now appears to be stabilizing, with most (but not all) insurance premiums staying about the same.” Help For Home & Condo Owners

If you need home or condominium insurance, dates may come into play. In most cases, a condo or townhome can be any age. But, for homes, mobile homes and RVs, GEICO can issue you a policy, as long as the home was built in 1995 or later.

Homeowner policies will cover not just the home itself, but also attached structures such as garages, lanais and even fences, as well as any personal property inside the home. These policies, in most cases, also will include liability coverage, which will protect you in the event someone gets injured in your home, although additional liability insurance is sometimes required. Jaime says your GEICO agent can assist you with finding all of the requirements for your perfect policy.

For example, he says, “Your homeowners insurance will usually have hurricane coverage. In the state of Florida, GEICO requires policies to have hurricane coverage, which will include damage caused by tropical storms. In order for this coverage to kick in, the storm causing the damage has to be a named storm. For non-named storms, the claim would be under ‘wind damage.’”

(Photo by Charmaine George)

With hurricane season now less than a month away from starting, Jaime says this is a good time to visit the GEICO local office to see what he and his staff can do for you.

In addition, while Wesley Chapel is not in a major flood zone, Jaime and his crew can still provide you with flood insurance. He says, “Just because flood insurance isn’t required here, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it. Flood insurance will cover water that is coming into your home from your property — for example, from rain that is not from a hurricane, a sewer, or an overflowing pond.”

He adds, “People don’t think they will find themselves in these situations, but when they do, they wish they would have had the insurance. Plus, flood insurance is not very expensive to add to your homeowners policy.”

The Buying Power Of ‘Bundling’

Jaime says that GEICO’s rates are very competitive and your live agent will always check for all possible discounts. As one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., GEICO also offers discounts for “bundling” different policies together.

For example, bundling your home and auto policies together will qualify you for discounts on both policies.

“It doesn’t always end up costing you

less than buying them separately,” he says, “but it usually does.”

He adds, “But, when you bundle multiple GEICO policies together through, because GEICO (which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway) is such a large company, at least you don’t have to worry about us leaving the state (as so many other insurance companies have over the past few years).”

He also notes that auto and renters insurance also are often bundled, “because the renters insurance will then either be free or cost pennies on the dollar, which is probably the biggest savings you get by bundling.”

When you own a boat, Bryant says that whether you bundle it with your homeowners policy or not, “Boat/watercraft insurance is one of our most competitively priced products on the market.” Other GEICO policies with competitive rates include for recreation vehicles (RVs), travel trailers and mobile/manufactured homes.

For the best possible information, Jaime says it’s always a good idea to, “Stop by and speak to one of our agents, rather than calling the GEICO 1-800 number. Our people can help you find the policy (or policies) you need at the best possible rates.”

In addition, Jaime says that if you or your family members or friends who need insurance would prefer to speak to someone in Spanish, he has agents who can assist them, too.

Jaime gives back to our community and to some organizations that he says are near and dear to his heart. The office will be sponsoring a golf tournament for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. This organization has made a promise to the children of fallen U.S. Special Operations personnel and the children of all service members awarded the Medal of Honor by providing full education and additional opportunities to their children.

Jaime, who lives with his wife Shannon and their two-year-old son Elliot in Wesley Chapel, says he also will sponsor the

(ROTC) at Wharton High in New Tampa next year. He also sponsors the sports tickets for Wiregrass Ranch High and has provided folders for Double Branch, New River and Watergrass elementaries.

The GEICO Wesley Chapel local office is located at 1227 BBD Blvd. The office is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.6:30 p.m., and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sat. For more information, call (813) 9534200 or feel free to stop by the office in person. You also can visit GEICO. com/insurance-agents/florida/tampa/ jaime-bryant/ or see the ad on pg. 39.

Touch Nail Spas — Luxury Spa Services In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Long before Timmy Pham and his wife, Tiffany Ha, opened the original location of Touch Nail Spa on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel seven years ago, Janelle McKendree had her nails done by Timmy every other week.

Now that Timmy spends his days running all three locations of Touch Nail Spa and no longer sits opposite clients in his manicure or pedicure chairs, Janelle is still a regular at Touch Nail Spa, where she trusts Timmy’s staff to treat her — and her nails — with an unmatched level of professionalism and customer service.

“They’re very polite, fast and efficient,” Janelle says. “The place is very clean, the whole staff is nice, and the owner is amazing. He always goes above and beyond to try to make all of his customers happy.”

Janelle is a client at the original Touch Nail Spa, but the second location in our area is in The Village at Hunter’s Lake plaza, near the Sprouts Farmers Market off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa, and opened in December of 2020. It’s a more convenient location for New Tampa residents, and offers abundant parking.

And, just last year, Touch Nail Spa ex panded again, opening a third location in the Trinity/Odessa area on S.R. 54.

Touch Nail Spa’s Wesley Chapel location is 5,000 sq. ft. — making it what Timmy says is the largest nail salon in the area.

Timmy and Tiffany say it’s not important to them whether or not they are the biggest. What really matters most to both of them is to be the best. “We always try to give the best customer service we can,” says Timmy. “There are so many nail salons, and they learn from us and copycat what we’re doing.”

Whichever location you choose, Touch Nail Spa offers beautiful, upscale, serene surroundings with high ceilings for better ventilation, rows of comfortable leather pedicure chairs and plenty of manicure stations to minimize the wait time.

A complimentary beverage is offered with any service — including manicures, pedicures, eyelash extensions, waxing, facials and massages. So, whether you’re looking for a simple mani/pedi to keep your fingers and toes neat and polished, a relaxing spa experience with luxurious touches, or a skilled technician to provide the latest trends in nail shapes and designs — every Touch Nail Spa

location now offers microblading, a semipermanent treatment to fill in eyebrows, as well as new permanent makeup service. In addition, all three Touch locations now offer eyelash extensions with many options to fit a variety of budgets.

All three locations offer dipping powder, acrylic nails and all kinds of nail designs, French manicures, a wide variety of pedicures — including the new Hawaiian Orchid Organic Touch Pedicure, with a natural callus eliminator & smoother, Ocean Salt Wash & Pure Organics Hawaiian Orchid Sugar Scrub, purifying mask, hot stone massage, hot towels and Scandle Cherry Blossom Candle massage — gel polish (which lasts longer than regular polish) and so much more.

While the dipping powder technique continue to be popular, there are alternatives for anyone who doesn’t prefer that product. The more traditional acrylic nails are still available, and Timmy says newer products such as T.A.P Gel and Gel-X nails offer a non-chemical, organic alternative.

Timmy acknowledges that people’s

coming in every three weeks instead of every two weeks.

Timmy says if you’re in that position, there’s no need to worry that your manicure won’t last.

“We are providing the best quality we

cheaper supplies, but we don’t.”

Starting this month and throughout the summer (ending at the end of July), all Touch Nail Spa locations will offer 10% off the NuSkin pedicure. This pedicure offers a completely organic, all-natural upgrade to the salon’s Simple

Touch pedicure that takes 50-60 minutes and also includes a hot stone massage. Timmy says he hopes the discount will encourage more people to try it. “When they do it, I promise they will love it,” he says.

Timmy adds that over the next two months, he is investing in 2,000 colors at each of his salons to hopefully get more options where the regular polish, gel polish and dip colors match exactly. He says that’s what his customers want, so he is trying new brands of polish for better color matching. Of course, the new polish will still be of superior quality, as customers have come to expect from Touch.

“With the economy the way it is right now, I wish we could lower the price, but we can’t,” Timmy says. “So, we’ll give you the best quality we can and great customer service. We really appreciate all of our customers and we do the best we can to show it.”

There are more nail salons than ever now, he says, adding that he’s seen many nail salons open, just to be sold shortly thereafter. He promises he and Tiffany are not interested in selling the business — they are in the community to stay.

“We’ve been here for seven years and we want to keep our nail salon for a lifetime,” Timmy says.

With 46 employees in Wesley Chapel and more than 30 in New Tampa, Timmy is hoping Touch Nail Spa can navigate the current economic conditions without any negative impact on his employees.

“We treat people the right way and make people happy,” Timmy says. “That’s the way I want to be.”

All three locations can accommodate groups, and the Wesley Chapel spa can provide

a private room for the exclusive use of your gathering, whether it’s for a bachelorette or birthday party or bridal/wedding parties.

Get Rewarded!

Touch Nail Spa also offers a rewards program for its regular clients. Customers sign in with their phone number on one of the spa’s iPads and receive one point for every dollar they spend. Once a customer reaches 650 points, they receive $25 off any pedicure.

Discounted prices also are available for children ages 11 and younger.

Touch also offers electronic gift certificates that are perfect for all occasions — including high school graduations. E-gifts can be used at any of its locations and are available for purchase at TouchNailAndSpa.com.

Timmy says that while he continues to work to keep prices affordable, what he wants most is to please his customers. He promises that at Touch Nail Spa, you will always be serviced by an experienced technician whose goal is to make every customer happy.

“Everyone here is knowledgeable,” says Janelle. “There’s a good mix of different services, the technicians always stay up with trends, and Tiffany and Timmy always do the best they can for the community.”

The Wesley Chapel (27233 S.R. 56) and New Tampa (8630 Hunter’s Village Rd.) Touch Nail Spas are both open Mon.Sat., 9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sun. To make an appointment with a specific nail tech or for more information about the Wesley Chapel location, call (813) 973-4111. For the New Tampa location, call (813) 536-1003. Or, see the ad on page 37.

A LA MODE Mobile Pet Grooming Brings Great Grooming To Your Home!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Pet parents in Wesley Chapel have a new option for grooming their little Fido or Fluffy, thanks to A LA MODE CANINE mobile dog and cat grooming, which moved into the Wesley Chapel area last fall.

Owner Edgar Acevedo started his pet grooming business in 2015 in Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas. In November 2023, Edgar brought A LA MODE to Wesley Chapel to offer the same convenience and personalized attention his customers in South Florida have grown to love.

Prior to launching A LA MODE, Edgar spent 15 years working in the liquor industry for companies such as V Suarez & Co., Molson Coors and Pernod Ricard. He was a commercial on-premise and trade marketing manager in his native Puerto Rico and throughout Latin America.

Edgar and his wife, a family nurse practitioner who has a Ph.D. degree in family nutrition education, moved to Florida in 2014. They have two children, a son who is now a CPA with a Master’s degree in finance, and a daughter who is in the biology department at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, studying to be a dermatologist.

When the family moved to Florida, they also brought with them Manolo, a Shih Tzu they had rescued in Puerto Rico.

In the Fort Lauderdale area, Edgar says he would call for grooming appointments for Manolo and was repeatedly told the groomers were not available.

As a long-time marketing guy, Edgar realized there was a need for a business that would cater to the needs of pet owners, so he took a pet grooming course and launched A LA MODE CANINE, naming it after the French phrase that means “in fashion” in English. He chose it because he thought it would be easy to pronounce, but also because the name wasn’t already being used in the pet grooming industry. He also figured that many people want their dogs and cats to look fashionable.

A LA MODE offers full dog grooming for small and medium-sized dogs, “up to 40 or 45 pounds,” Edgar says. The typical service includes brushing, bathing, deshedding, drying, nail trim, ear clean, express ing anal glands, sani-trim (to keep fur away from private areas, which keeps pets cleaner when they re lieve themselves), cutting around pads and a fur cut.

If your pooch doesn’t need a cut, A LA MODE offers full dog baths for small and medium-sized dogs, again usually up to 40-45 lbs., but Edgar says he can provide bathing, deshedding and ear, nail and pad trimming for short-haired dogs that are larger than 45 lbs. if they are well-behaved while being groomed.

Edgar says that part of the reason for the size and weight restrictions is that the business model of a mobile groomer is based upon how long it takes to groom each pet and larger, longer-haired dogs can take up to twice the amount of time to groom as a smaller dog.

who may not enjoy car rides or being in a new environment,” Edgar says. “Plus,

some people prefer the personalized attention and one-on-one service that mobile groomers can provide.”

With no other cats or dogs waiting, your pet will get the groomer’s full attention as soon as he or she arrives at your home.

Emily Egip recently left one of many 5-star Google reviews for A LA MODE CANINE, which has an overall 5-out-of- 5-star rating for its Wesley Chapel location.

“Edgar was so nice and loving towards both my dogs,” said Emily. “[He] made them feel comfortable and provided exceptional services. I will be keeping him as my groomer. If you’re seeking a trustworthy, reliable and loving groomer with your pets, contact Edgar. He’s very professional and on time. Went above and beyond. Thank you so much for helping me with my fur babies.”

A LA MODE CANINE currently has two fully-equipped vans that travel to homes throughout Wesley Chapel and some surrounding areas in Pasco County, including San Antonio/Mirada and

“Our Wag’nTails brand vans are top-of-the-line,” explains Edgar, “they are made for the needs of the mobile grooming business.”

Edgar adds that he hopes to expand the business into the New Tampa area in the future.

He says his pup Manolo has been “on

A LA MODE also offers grooming services for cats, which includes brushing, bathing, drying, nail trim, ear clean, sanitrim, cutting around pads, and fur cut.

And, every dog and cat also receives a bit of fragrance and goes home with a bow, bandana or other accessory.

“Our work team has years of experience in the industry and is highly trained and certified in Florida,” Edgar explains. He says he does not allow anyone to work for the business who does not hold a valid pet groomer certification.

All services are performed inside A LA MODE’s grooming van, which comes to you at your home. This saves time for customers who don’t want to

Wesley Chapel, where they have moved into the River Landing community on S.R. 56.

While Edgar also still maintains his established South Florida business, he is excited for the opportunity to grow in Wesley Chapel.

He says he enjoys what he does and the challenges of grooming dogs and cats.

“The diversity of clients we visit each day ensures that this job will never be boring,” he says.

A LA MODE CANINE offers readers of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News a coupon for $5 off a full grooming service

page 36 of this issue.

“We don’t usu ally offer coupons or discounts,” Edgar says.

“But we really want the Wesley Chapel com munity to try us out because we know that once you experience our service, your pets will become regular A LA MODE customers.”

For more information about A LA MODE CANINE, call Edgar at (813) 812-1850 or visit ALaModeCanine.com.

North Tampa Law Group For Estate Planning & Real Estate Law

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Attorney Brian Arrighi helps people with estate planning, probate and real estate transactions at his North Tampa Law Group office, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 (east of I-75) in Wesley Chapel.

The Tampa Palms resident has served his neighbors in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 19 years, helping those who find themselves in need of an attorney for real estate transactions, estate planning and probate issues.

Brian, the owner of North Tampa Law Group, relocated his firm to its Wesley Chapel location nearly 10 years ago, after originally opening it in the Tampa Palms Professional Center in 2014.

Brian earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, where he graduated cum laude, and his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mass Communications from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He’s a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law section of the Florida Bar.

“Our practice involves three areas,” Brian explains, “real estate, estate planning and probate (law).”

Real estate law includes title closings, title insurance and organizing and overseeing real estate transactions. This includes handling “For Sale by Owner” home sales from contract to closing.

As an experienced probate attorney, dealing with distribution of property after someone’s death, Brian also understands the complicated issues that might arise related to real estate titles.

That’s why he says many of his clients are referred to him by local real estate agents, who suggest they hire North Tampa Law Group instead of a title agency for their closings. He says those agents tell him they recommend his firm because it is quick and efficient in dealing with issues found during title searches.

Brian says, “If something pops up on the title search, we’re able to get on the

legal side of it right away, whereas a title agency will send you to hire a lawyer to fig ure it out. We can usually get the legal work done and still close on time, because we get such a good head start on it.”

He adds that hiring North Tampa Law Group to handle a real estate closing doesn’t necessarily increase the cost of a transaction without an attorney.

“Our fees are very competitive com pared to a standard title agent,” Brian says.

In most transactions, the seller is the party who chooses the title agency, and sell ers often use whoever their Realtor recom mends. But, people are free to choose, so they can let their Realtor know they would like North Tampa Law Group to handle their closing and title insurance.

“For someone selling their home by owner,” Brian says, “once they obtain the buyer, we provide the contract and forms and take it from there. We handle every thing and oversee it all the way to closing.”

James is a local resident who had a great experience using North Tampa Law Group for a real estate closing — selling a townhouse in Zephyrhills.

“The process couldn’t have been made simpler for us and we are thrilled with their service,” James says, explaining that the communication with North Tampa Law Group throughout the process also was outstanding.

“Based on our experience,” he adds, “I would definitely use them again and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to others.”

Estate Planning & Probate

In addition to handling real estate closings, North Tampa Law Group also helps clients with estate planning, such as wills, trusts and the transfer of wealth and assets to loved ones after a death. Brian says he has something of a specialty helping people set up their estates so they can protect their minor children from outside influences and adults from making poor decisions. He works with individuals to set up trusts for health care, living expenses and smaller disbursements, rather than lump-sum payouts, if that’s what the client wants.

One thing Brian emphasizes is that

unique, so he helps to arrange documents in whatever way is best for each person’s particular situation.

Even for those who don’t know where to start with an estate plan, North Tampa Law Group can help.

“If people aren’t sure what they want,” Brian says, “we can sit down, do a consultation and listen to their objectives — how they want their estate distributed, and what it will consist of. Then, we go over their options and give recommendations for what type of trust or plan will be specific to that individual’s needs.”

He says that many clients are relieved to find out the estate planning process was not as expensive or as difficult as they thought it would be.

Most services are offered at a flat rate. At the initial consultation, Brian will go over your options and fee structures. Then, you will have the choice of whether or not to move forward with the services.

And, while proper estate planning prepares for the management of your assets and determines how to efficiently distribute

pass away, a lack of estate planning could cause confusion that leads to a potentially lengthy and expensive court process known as “probate.”

When probate is necessary — for example, for those who have recently lost someone and find themselves needing the court to sort through any issues — Brian is experienced in that process.

Consultations for real estate, estate planning and probate can all be done in person at North Tampa Law Group’s office, although Brian also offers phone consultations for those who prefer them.

“Some things are easier to understand in person,” he says, “and it’s really important for people to know all the differences between everything I’m explaining. But, if a client prefers a phone call, I’m still happy to do that.”

North Tampa Law Group is located at 26852 Tanic Dr., Suite 102.For more information, visit NorthTampaLawGroup.com, see the ad on pg. 52 or make an appointment for a free initial consultation by calling (813) 518-7411.

Team Sack & Great Western Home Loans — Great Realtors® & Lower Rates!

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

Buying or selling a home is generally one of the biggest and most expensive projects most people will undertake. The journey is almost always filled with a lot of both emotions and important decisions.

How can you have peace of mind when faced with such a daunting task? Aligning yourself with the right people who have experience and can walk you through the entire process is an important first step.

Long-time local Realtors® Leeann and Ryan Sack with Future Home Realty, Inc., are the married team calling themselves Team Sack. They have an ongoing business relationship with mortgage broker Patrick Monteau of Great Western Home Loans, which makes the combination a one-stop shop for home buyers.

Leeann has been a Realtor for 19 years. Prior to joining Future Home Realty, she worked for a home builder selling newly built homes and still has contacts in the new home construction industry.

Although it wasn’t yet called Team Sack at that time, Ryan got his real estate license 15 years ago, “and we joined forces right away,” says Leeann, who brings her vast array of insider knowledge of the business to the table for every potential home buyer, whether you’re looking for new construction, a resale or aren’t sure which type of home is right for you.

Leeann says that wherever you go in and around Wesley Chapel these days, you will find new construction. An important Team Sack strategy is always having information about what each of the new home builders are offering, so they know how to market a seller trying to resell an older home in order to be able to compete with all of that new home construction.

As for Team Sack’s philosophy when working with clients seeking to buy a home, Leeann says, “Competition is always a factor when purchasing a home, especially when inventory is low. Speed is of the essence in order to be able to secure the home of your dreams, and prompt action can make all the difference.”

history of the real estate business, home values always will trend upwards longterm, even though there may be shortterm corrections. In other words, “It’s always a good time to purchase a home,” Ryan says, “and when you are ready, please give us a call!”

Ryan adds, “The local market has stayed strong, but the inventory is still low.” “There is still high demand for homes here.”

Leeann says Florida has many things to offer and our area “checks a lot of those boxes.” With about 1,200 people relocating to Florida each day, the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area offers small city feel with big city amenities, plus miles of beaches not very far away on one side and Orlando on the other.

She also notes that one of the big advantages of working with a Realtor who so often partners up with a great mortgage broker (like Patrick) is that, “We can often get you a lower interest rate,” even though rates are definitely higher now than they were even a year ago.

Ryan adds, “Whether buying or selling, you need to be educated and Team Sack believes in educating our clients. Potential buyers and sellers want to feel comfortable with the information you provide. Every client will have questions and we are always going to answer the phone and get you through the process.”

The Right Lender, Too!

Leeann and Ryan met Patrick about 10 years ago and they have been working together ever since. Patrick started his career working in foreclosures in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. He worked for Bank of America underwriting and processing mortgages in their operations department. Then, about 15 years ago, Patrick decided to start his career as a loan originator.

Today, Patrick is the branch manager with Great Western Home Loans, a company with 40 years in the business that is headquartered in Texas. His office is lo cated off of W. Kennedy Blvd. Although he is open from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Patrick offers flexible meeting times and provides his mobile number to all of his clients.

He says that although he is willing

MOBILE GROOMING

to meet with his clients, most of the work in his business these days is done online. He is very proud to say that his is the only Great Western branch in Florida.

‘Certified Divorce Specialists’

Ryan and Leeann call Team Sack, “Certified Divorce Specialists,” because they often help couples going through a divorce who have decided to sell their home. Team Sack is able to work together to help both parties.

“Each of us will represent one of the people going through the divorce as their Realtor,” says Leeann, “and we also will work with the attorneys. This makes it a seamless process for everyone.

Leeann and Ryan say their favorite part of working in real estate is helping their clients achieve one of their goals — whether buying or selling.

In fact, the Team Sack/Great Western ad on pg. 41 of this issue says that not only can you get a lower interest rate, Ryan and Leeann are currently offering a $500 credit (at closing) towards a buyer’s home inspection fee and Patrick is offering an additional $500 credit towards the buyer’s appraisal fee (also at closing).

And, $till More Help!

To help home buyers have an additional edge, Patrick says he will often use what is known in the mortgage business as a “2-1 Buydown.”

“A 2-1 Buydown lowers the interest rate for the first two years before it rises to the regular and permanent rate,” he says. “The rate is usually 2 percentage points lower the first year and one percentage point lower the second year. This is a great deal for homebuyers, as long as they know they can afford the regular interest rate starting with the third year.

(Above, l.-r.) Carter, Ryan, Leeann and Rylee Sack. The Team Sack real estate team of Future Home Realty is most definitely a family business. The Sacks want to help you & your family buy or sell a home. (Photo by Charmaine George) (Next page, l.-r.) Millie, Patrick, Stacy and Mollie Monteau. Patrick, the branch manager at Great Western Home Loans, works with Team Sack to get you the lowest possible interest rate. (Photo provided by Patrick Monteau)

the seller will contrib ute $10,000 towards the mortgage and the buyer will receive the lower rate for the first two years. This is a win-win for both the buyer and the seller.”

He also says, “Programs like this will help get that house sold that may have been sitting on the market for a while. It may also get the buyer to say yes when the hesi tation was the interest rate.”

Patrick also offers ad ditional financial solutions and options to help clients save money in the long run — including Federal Housing Administration (FHA),Veterans Admin. (VA), U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), jumbo and Non-Qualified (Non-QM) mortgages. He says it’s this commitment to financial wellness that sets him apart.

Leeann, Ryan and Patrick not only work together they also vacation together and are good friends. Patrick and his wife Stacy have two little girls — 2-1/2-yearold Millie and Mollie, who is seven months old (photo above). Leeann and Ryan’s son Carter is 12 and attends Cypress Creek Middle School and their daughter Rylee is 9 and attends Quail Hollow Elementary.

For more information about Team Sack, call Leeann at (813) 351-9599 or Ryan at (813) 351-9598 or email them at info@SellandBuyFL.com. For Patrick Monteau, call (813) 927-7806 or email him at pmonteau@gwloans.com. Or, see the ad on pg. 41.

Christian-Based Counseling In Wesley Chapel Gives Patients Boundless Hope

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Jolene Lantz, M.A., is a licensed mental health counselor who is passion ate about providing excellent, professional therapeutic interventions. She also happens to be a Christian who is equally passionate about her faith.

Before she founded Boundless Hope Christian Clinical Counseling, Jolene saw that many Christians who sought Biblical, pastoral counseling from their church didn’t have access to clinical interventions. She also saw that sometimes, when some Christians went to a clinician, they felt that their faith was not welcomed in therapy, or that the counseling did not align with their own beliefs.

“Why can’t we have both?” Jolene says she asked herself.

In 2019, Boundless Hope was just Jolene and a couple of part-time clinicians in the Summergate Professional Center in Seven Oaks. She and her team worked to provide a safe place where the latest research and best clinical practices are incorporated, but where faith is prioritized, too.

“We focus on clinical intervention that works,” says Jolene, “and working with clinicians who know the Bible if the client wants to incorporate that (into their therapy).”

But, she says, Boundless Hope also has many clinical relationships with people who do not identify as Christian.

“We are so grateful for those who aren’t Christian who trust us,” Jolene says. “It’s so important for us to treat and love people well, which is in alignment with our theology that recognizes that people are created in the image of God and deserve respect. We want everyone to feel safe and respected in our office, and we don’t have to share the same faith to treat someone clinically — and treat them well.”

Since the practice opened, Boundless Hope has expanded to a second location on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Lutz, and now has a total of 17 clinicians seeing patients. Nine of those are based in Wesley Chapel, but Jolene says that virtually all 17 are available to see clients at either location.

“We’re pretty eclectic as far as our preferred places of worship,” says Jolene, “We’re a denominationally, ethnically and racially diverse group of clinicians of all different ages. We work hard, play hard, and have a great sense of community among our staff. It’s a really great place to work with pretty awesome people.”

Jolene says she started out as a fulltime homeschool mom doing some clinical work on the side.

She and her husband Jim have three children. Maxwell, now 16, is the youngest. Samuel, 20, is studying sports management at Florida State University in Tallahassee, and Abigail, 23, is at the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa studying to be a physician.

Jolene graduated from USF in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Psychology with minors in Chemistry and Sociology. She then earned her Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Counseling Psychology from Saint Xavier University in Chicago, IL.

She says that, like her daughter, she also started out on a pre-med track, but got ill and had to withdraw from school.

Dealing with that experience caused her to change her major to focus on helping others to heal and become emotionally healthier.

She says the team at Boundless Hope focuses on training and collaboration, and that the training they all do far exceeds what’s required by the state.

“We’re a learning bunch, an academic

bunch,” she says. “We’re always reading, sharing, and training. When I’m interviewing clinicians, I look for people who enjoy that. If you don’t want to continue to learn and train, you’re not going to be happy here.”

Jolene says that post-Covid, there’s more awareness and acknowledgement than ever that people need to pay more attention to their mental health.

She says she sees evidence of this when people purchase counseling sessions for high school graduates or engaged couples. “Counseling is not just for ‘that’ person,” she says. “(More) people now realize that it’s for all of us.”

Boundless Hope provides therapy for many reasons, including children struggling with behavioral issues, impulse control, or hyperactivity.

“We offer play therapy for children,” Jolene says. “We have a beautiful play therapy room in our Lutz office and also do play therapy in the Wesley Chapel office. Play is the language of children. They will play out emotions and memories held within them quite easily when traditional ‘talk’ therapy isn’t developmentally appropriate or effective.”

Also available are individual and couples therapy for those with relationship struggles, along with divorce counseling

See “Boundless Hope” on pg. 40

‘Boundless Hope’

Continued from pg. 38

and divorce recovery, including recovery for the children of parents who divorce.

Boundless Hope clinicians also offer premarital counseling and treat people who are suffering from anxiety and depression, and help those who self-harm.

Jolene says some people come in because they are wrestling with their faith and are trying to work out what they once believed and what they still believe.

Some clinicians counsel elite athletes who work through “imposter syndrome,” stress management and perfectionism.

Boundless Hope also receives referrals from law enforcement and the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) to help victims of sexual violence and abuse. Some of these people have been through heinous experiences, Jolene says, and there are several clinicians who specialize in complex trauma and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

Boundless Hope also offers intensive weekend therapy where an individual or couple can do four, six, or eight hours over a single weekend. This is for patients who are looking for immediate relief or want to gain momentum in their therapy, rather than waiting a week or two for their next single hour-long session.

Unique Therapies

In addition, Jolene says a couple of the counselors are very highly skilled in specific types of training that some people may be

seeking. For example, Boundless Hope has counselors who are trained and certified in EMDR (eye movement desensitization & reprocessing), which she explains is a neurobiological modality of treatment that is federally recognized as effective for helping veterans heal from PTSD and relieve anxiety, depression and phobias.

One counselor is a certified practitioner in “brainspotting,” which is a different neurobiological intervention, although Jolene says, “it shares similar roots in neuro science as EMDR. Brainspotting is a brain- and body-based modality of lasting healing.”

“We certainly still do talk therapy,” says Jolene, “but we also offer brain-based treatments. Because old trauma is stored in the body, we’ve seen successes where some autoimmune disorders actually go into remission or migraines go away. It’s pretty phenomenal.”

Jolene also notes that Boundless Hope is fully credentialed by Focus on the Family, which is a global Christian ministry dedicated to helping families thrive.

“Focus on the Family has a series of doctrinal questions, as well as clinical vignettes, that a clinician must submit for review and acceptance,” she says. “There are not many credentialed in our area. There were fewer than ten within 25 miles of here the last time I looked.”

Beyond the more trauma-heavy situations, Jolene says, “We also have beautiful grief counselors, and counselors serving the neurodivergent and those with chronic pain and end of life/terminal diagnoses. We also would love to normalize that life has day-to-

day challenges and anyone everyone can enjoy investing in themselves in a place to be disin hibited and talk through life with someone who is objective and not inolved in your personal life.”

While not all clinicians at Boundless Hope accept insur ance, Jolene says 25-30% percent do accept it. The practice also has a graduate intern on staff. Interns are fully educated and have com pleted all of their coursework, but have to complete supervised clinical hours, so they can offer fees to patients on a sliding scale, based on what people can afford.

Jolene also recently started a nonprofit called “One Another” that allows Boundless Hope to serve more people. She says it began because people were coming back after completing treatment to provide gifts so that other people could experience the healing they did through counseling at Boundless Hope.

call back,” she says. “I believe that’s because very few clinicians have administrative staff.” She says it’s important to her personally that phones get answered and that people are heard. Emails are even answered over the weekend.

To start counseling with one of the Boundless Hope clinicians, call the office or visit BoundlessHope.net. On the website, there are boxes that say, “Start Here” or “Hopes Starts Here” that you can click to go to a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act)-compliant form that will allow you to send a secure message, and someone will get back with you.

Jolene says she also is careful to have adequate administrative staff to respond to inquiries. “Unfortunately, our industry is known for horrible administrative care

“I recognize how long it can take for some people to make the decision to enter into counseling,” Jolene says. “There’s effort and work and sometimes a lot of emotional turmoil and pain to get to the point of making that call.”

Boundless Hope’s Wesley Chapel office is located at 27551 Cashford Cir., Suite #102. To learn more about the Boundless Hope clinical team, including each clinician’s credentials, visit BoundlessHope.net or call 813-2198844 Also see the ad on page 44.

New Tampa-Area Hits & Misses In Stacker.com’s Pizza Rankings

By GARY NAGER

On April 21, Stacker.com, a nationwide website started in 2017, published a list of the Top-21 Pizza Restaurants in Tampa, using data from Yelp. Here is how Stacker, which says that its mission is to, “provide approachable journalism that combines rigorous data analysis with rich editorial insights,” introduced this pizza feature:

“Data is as of March 29, 2024. Businesses were selected using Yelp’s ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only restaurants with at least 25 (Yelp) reviews were considered.”

As you read this feature, please recognize that the rankings of the eight New Tampa-area pizza places shown here — four that made Stacker’s Top-21 list and four on the next page that didn’t — are not our rankings or even our readers’ ratings. Stacker’s list was compiled using data culled from reviewers on Yelp.com.

The only reason we’re providing them for you in this space is because four of the Top-21 (out of literally hundreds of pizza places with Tampa addresses) are located in zip code 33647 — which makes the story news for us and, we believe, for our beloved readers.

A few other things to consider when reading these rankings is that:

1)For this feature, Stacker’s list does not include any restaurants that do not have Tampa addresses (so no Wesley Chapel, but see pg. 44, Lutz, St. Pete, etc.),

2)That the feature itself doesn’t say whether the rankings are for the restaurants overall or just for their pizza, but Yelp ratings usually take into account each restaurant’s overall menu, as well as ambience, service, prices, etc.

3)That there appears to be at least one New Tampa restaurant — Johnny C’s Italian Eatery — that actually had a higher overall rating on Yelp — 4.3 stars out of 5, compared with 4.2/5), than at least one of the Top-21 (Via Italia), even though

Johnny C’s has 45 Yelp reviews and Stacker’s criteria were that each ranked restaurant had to have at least 25 Yelp reviews.

Also not explained is why Stacker chose the Top-21, instead of the Top-20 or Top-25, as at least three other New Tampa-area restaurants that feature pizza also had overall ratings of at least 4.0 stars out of 5 — Woodfired Pizza & Wine Bar (2822 E. Bearss Ave., 4.1 on 389 reviews), Taste of New York Pizza (17503C Preserve Walk Ln., 4.1 on 165 reviews)

and Cappy’s Pizzeria (16019 Tampa Palms Blvd. W., 4.0 on 152 reviews) and therefore might have made a Top-25 list.

Anyway, Congratulations to each of the places that made Stacker’s Top-21:

#4 - The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd., 4.5/5 on 120 reviews; see ad on next pg.)

#11 - Capri Pizza-N-More (10359 Cross Creek Blvd., 4.4/5 on 88 reviews)

or social media.

#15 - CALI Tampa Palms (17004 Palm Pointe Dr., 4.3/5 on 751 reviews)

#21 - Via Italia (8644 Hunters Village Rd, 4.2/5 on 250 reviews)

Again, these are not our rankings or yours, although some of you may see your reviews of some or all of these places on Yelp. We just thought that including these ratings on our pages would be another great conversation starter for our readers.

Included among the Top-21 Pizza Restaurants in Tampa in Stacker. com’s rankings, based on reviews on Yelp.com, were (top left) #4-The Grill at Morris Bridge (photo by Charmaine George); (lower left) #11-Capri Pizza-N-More; (top right) #15-Cali Tampa Palms; and (lower right) #21-Via Italia. Note - All of the photos, other than The Grill’s, are from each restaurant’s website

(Above) Taste of NY Pizza (4.1/5 stars) (Above) Cappy’s Pizzeria (4.0/5 stars)

Gouveia, The Grill at Morris Bridge by Executive Chef Daniel Friley.

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Here are some of the other pizza places in New Tampa and their ratings on Yelp: Westshore Pizza (3.4/5 on 59 reviews); Marco’s Pizza (3.2/5 on 49 reviews); Papa John’s (3.1/5 on 28 reviews); Domino’s (2.9/5 on 32 reviews); Hungry Howie’s (2.3/5 on 23 reviews) & Pizza Hut (1.6/5 on 28 reviews).

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• Or, Build Your Own!

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(Above) Johnny C’s (4.3/5 stars)

(Above) Woodfired Pizza on Bearss (4.1/5 stars)

What If Wesley Chapel’s Pizza Places Were Ranked By Their Ratings On Yelp?

When we saw that Stacker.com’s rankings of pizza places with Tampa addresses, based on Yelp.com reviews (see story on pg. 42), did not include any pizza places in or near Wesley Chapel, we decided to see which Wesley Chapel-area pizza places had the top ratings on Yelp, with at least 25 reviews each.

On this page are the top-10 we found, based on their Yelp reviews, that are located either in Wesley Chapel proper or in Lutz from Oak Grove Blvd. east to I-75. (Note - PizzaSuprema on Collier Pkwy., with 4.2/5 stars on 147 reviews, was too far west to qualify).

As we said on pg. 42, please remember that these rankings are not mine or yours. They are entirely based on reviews on Yelp. And, since Stacker.com didn’t specify regarding their Tampa rankings, and knowing that Yelp reviews are usually overall ratings, we don’t believe these Yelp star ratings are based on each place’s pizza only. Even so, it was still fun for us to do this for you. Enjoy! — GN

1. Fratelli’s (4.5/5 stars, 167 reviews)

(Above)

(Above) 2. Noble Crust(4.3/5 stars, 724 reviews) (Above) 3. Blaze Pizza(4.3/5 stars, 167 reviews)

(Above) 3. Mama B’s (4.3/5 stars, 165 reviews)

(Above) 3. Moschella’s (4.3/5 stars; 147 reviews)

(Above) 6. Caprese Pizza (4.2/5 stars; 37 reviews) (Above) 7. Amici Pizza (4.1/5 stars; 146 reviews)

(Above) 8. MOD Pizza (4.1/5 stars, 137 reviews) (Above, l.-r.)9. Pasta di Guy (4.0/5; 76); 10. Bubba’s

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Hyatt Place Wesley Chapel Rolls Out Revamped ‘Placery’

Congratulations go out to the man agement of the Hyatt Place Tampa Wes ley Chapel (26000 Sierra Center Blvd.), which rolled out the new menu at the hotel’s revamped “The Placery” restaurant and bar on May 1.

The invitation-only event was attend ed by about 100 people, who got to not only sample some of the new food items and craft cocktails at The Placery, but also tour the 132-room hotel and some of its bookable meeting rooms, all of which also can include a variety of catering options.

The final stop of the tour was the ho tel’s 4,000-sq.-ft. Sierra Conference Center & Ballroom, where director of sales Lorna Petchey thanked everyone for coming and introduced both Kish Kanji, the executive VP of Impact Properties (which owns the hotel), and Beau Benton, the president of LBA Hospitality, which now manages it.

“We opened right before Covid hit,” Kanji said. “So, we felt the time was right to re-introduce the hotel to the community.”

For the event, The Placery provided four different varieties of its crispy chicken wings and tasty parmesan French fries, as well as an impressive charcuterie board, a decadent dessert display and more.

“We want the community to know we’re here,” Petchey said. “We’re proud of our hotel and our food.”

For reservations & more info, visit Hyatt.com, call (813) 803-5600 or stop

revamped bar area. The main ballroom at the Hyatt Place’s Sierra Conference Center. The May 1 event featured four different varieties of The Placery’s crispy chicken wings, plus its tasty parmesan fries. and more

vomFass Wiregrass Set To Close By May 26

By Joel Provenzano

Less than two weeks after this issue arrives in your mailbox, the vomFass store in the Shops at Wiregrass mall will be closing. On May 3rd, local vomFASS store owner Paula Ayala (photo, top right) publicly announced that her location (next to Victoria’s Secret) would be closing the weekend of May 25-26. She wrote that, “These past eight years have been a tremendous journey, and I am immensely grateful to each and every one of you who has been part of this adventure...We will miss all of you...”

Paula’s franchise store beat the odds for many years. Hers was the only vomFASS store left open in Florida, and one of only a handful in the country. “Seven locations in South Florida closed within three years of opening,” she says. As to why those other locations closed so quickly, she says, “The [German] business model was not fully compatible with the U.S. market.”

Paula currently plans to keep food service operating through Friday, May 17, and the store open through the following weekend, after which it will close permanently. All items inside the store are now on clearance.

vomFASS is a franchise company that was founded in Regensburg, Germany, in 1994. The name of the store translates to “From the Barrel.” The company’s social media says that vomFass currently has 300 stores in 28 countries. These stores sell higher priced oils, vinegars, spirits and wines, with some unique offerings you can’t find

ity and lower volume, where you could find true one-off, rare, aged single barrels, unique flavor combinations and small-batch offerings. She says, “These are the special occasion products you break out with good food and good company.”

The best part of the store was that you could taste and sample anything you wanted for free (including the really expensive aged spirits that were up to 25 years old), to guarantee you liked them before buying them. You could also get the spirits in different sizes from the standard 750ml (also known as a “fifth”) to 200ml, which were great for gifts.

Paula says the best-selling products in her store were the pre-mixed Bourbon Old Fashioned (my personal favorite) and Northern Plains Bourbon Whiskey, which went into the smoothest tasting old fashioned house cocktail I’ve ever had (seriously), made right there at their bar. Even though the pre-mixed Old Fashioned was a huge hit, Paula says she had a hard time keeping some on the shelves because, “it was often on back order from corporate.”

While some of vomFASS’ big bottles of premium spirits cost less than $100, the most expensive one in the store was around $300. She notes, however, that even the more budget-centric ABC Liquors and Total Wine & More have many bottles way above that price, some into the thousands of dollars.

Paula says that ABC Liquors, located less than a half-mile from the mall, was not a huge competitor for her, but when Total Wine & More opened a few miles to the west in the space previously occupied by Earth

When Paula and her family came to the U.S. from Venezuela in 2016, she was trying to escape poor conditions there. She was able to get a visa in 2015 because of the vomFASS opportunity, which she discovered during a franchise expo in Venezuela.

“I traveled here three times to get things ready... arriving in 2016 and opening that summer. I honestly thought Wesley Chapel was part of Tampa,” she said. Paula explained that there were multiple stores in the space she occupies that didn’t last. “When I first came [to the store], there were still changing rooms in the back.”

In order to do even minor food and alcohol consumption, Pasco required full licenses, and a facility with sinks and grease traps. She says this was a blessing in disguise, and gave her an advantage over other vomFASS stores.

When COVID hit, being able to fulfill online orders helped the store survive, but that was later cut off by corporate. Like many stores, Paula lost workers, and she had to help out family members who became very ill.

The Pivot

more relevant, where you could get unique cocktails made with the liquor sold in the store and gourmet dishes (like pillow soft octopus and tender herb crusted ribs) with perfect wine pairings. Paula says that for a couple of years, the addition of the food and on-site cocktails helped out, “but our costs kept increasing.”

When she was able, in 2020, Paula added food and bar service to keep vomFass afloat, since it was equipped with a kitchen. The husband-and-wife team of Alvaro Barbado (an expert mixologist) and Ainara Arozena (a gourmet chef), emigrated from Spain and were able to find work at the store.

In hindsight, Paula says there are a few things she would have done differently, but she was grateful that the business’ run was better than she expected.

For more information, visit vomFass Wiregrass (28249 Paseo Dr., #110) in person or call (813) 907-2167.

In yet another sign of today’s difficult economic times, two well-established Irish pubs with Wesley Chapel addresses — Irish 31 in The Shops at Wiregrass and the Beef O’Brady’s on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in the Shoppes at New Tampa at Wesley Chapel (just south of the mall) — are now closed.

Irish 31 posted the following (photo, right) on its Facebook page on Apr. 29:

Beef O’Brady’s On BBD & Irish 31 Both Close Locations

“Thank you, Wesley Chapel, for 7 wonderful years! Sadly, our Wiregrass location has officially closed its doors, but we hope to raise a pint with you some day soon at one of our other Tampa Bay pubs.”

Meanwhile, although we saw no such announcement for the Beef O’Brady’s on BBD, the location was closed by May 1 (see photo top far right) and was no longer included on the store locator on the Beef’s

website. In addition, the manager who answered the phone at the Beef’s location on Wesley Chapel Blvd. (next to Winn-Dixie) — which is still open and under new ownership, by the way — confirmed that the BBD location had indeed closed.

We posted this story on our Facebook page on May 2. By May 4, the post had reached more than

62,000 people and had nearly 12,000 engagements on Facebook — making it one of our most “popular” posts of 2024. And, although many of those people gave their opinions about whether or not they liked either or both restaurants/bars, part of the discussion descended into a far left vs. far right political argument that although we do not support either side, we do acknowledge the right of people to express themselves on any subject, even if/ when those opinions get a little...ugly.

In case you were wondering, the O’Brien’s Irish Pub in the Wesley Chapel Village Market on BBD and the new 40 Thieves Irish Pub on County Line Rd. at Livingston Rd. in Lutz are both open and serving up Irish and American fare, as well as adult beverages and live music. — GN

WESLEY CHAPEL

“Welcome to Moe’s!” was the familiar and unmistakable sound that filled the bright and airy new restaurant located at 5486 Post Oak Blvd. — the first business to open in the new retail strip center between The WingHouse and The Learning Experience, near the entrance to the Lexington Oaks community off Wesley Chapel Blvd. The second Moe’s Southwest Grill to open in Wesley Chapel (the other is in The Shops at Wiregrass) was a happening place during its Grand Opening on Apr. 19.

The lure was too good for some to pass up. To celebrate, the new Moe’s gave tickets for “Burritos On Us for a Year” to the first 50 people in line for the planned 10:30 a.m. opening. The tickets were good for one burrito (or bowl) per week for a year.

But, since there were already 75-100 people on line outside the new Moe’s long before 10:30, one of the restaurant’s partners, Jason Catalanotto, began handing out the 50 tickets at 9 a.m. “Many of them camped out overnight,” Catalanotto said.

José Garcia (photo, left), who received ticket #50, works in local construction and had just recently moved to Wesley Chapel. Garcia said his girlfriend is the one who told him about the burrito giveaway. When asked what time he had to get there (to be the last ticket recipient), he explained, “I got here a few minutes before 8 a.m.”

Those who arrived after 8 didn’t go away empty-handed. Next to the ordering counter, the new Moe’s had a colorful prize wheel set up where you could spin to win “merch” like

squishy avocado-shaped stress relievers, free kids meals, can koozies, or most creatively...Tshirts rolled up in foil like burritos!

Catalanotto said that he and his partners Chirag (photo, right) and Aman Patel began working on the vision for this Moe’s location nearly two years ago and Moe’s is now the first business to open in this new plaza. The four adjacent suites are not yet occupied, but the suite directly behind Moe’s in the plaza is busy with interior construction. Aman Patel told the Neighborhood News that Little Caesar’s Pizza will occupy the space next to Moe’s and the space on the other side of Lit tle Caesar’s will be “either a Jimmy John’s Sandwich Shop or a Jersey Mike’s Subs with a dentist’s office planning to open in the plaza’s other end cap.

Laceleaf Med Spa

The day Moe’s opened, owner Lisa Rez van (photo, right) of Laceleaf Med Spa, which will be located directly behind Moe’s in the plaza, was busy going over construction plans and coordinating her build-out.

Rezvan, who lives in New Port Richey, wanted to have a location in Wesley Chapel but still wanted to live close to the water.

“I really like Wesley Chapel, you can feel the positive energy in the people here,” she said. She also said she plans to open Laceleaf in June, and that her focus is on luxury, level of care and most important to her, “longterm results,” not just something that is a temporary solution. She said the thing that

sets her apart mostly will be the Radio Frequency (RF) Microneedling and other unique services she says you won’t find anywhere else in Wesley Chapel. — Joel Provenzano

Tijuana Flats & Island Fin Poké Co. Close; More To Come

TJF USA LLC, the parent company of Central Florida-based Tijuana Flats Tex-Mex restaurants, has been acquired by a new ownership group (Flatheads, LLC), but the company concurrently announced that it has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which has resulted in the closing of 11 of its 26 franchise locations (there also are 65 company-owned Tijuana Flats), including the one in New Tampa at 17501 Preserve Walk Ln. in the Highwoods Preserve area, which is now closed (photo, below left).

Please note that the Wesley Chapel Tijuana Flats, located at 27709 S.R. 56, is one of the locations that is remaining open. All of the Tijuana Flats restaurants are located in Florida, North Carolina, Texas and Alabama.

In addition, the Island Fin Poké Co. (located next to Winn-Dixie, in the same LA Fitness south of County Line Rd.. off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa (although the store’s name indicated it was located in Wesley Chapel) also closed on Apr. 30.

Island Fin owners Brenda and Jeff Sproat — who also were known for posting photos featuring their fresh poké bowls and Dole whip desserts pretty much every day — posted a message on the fast-casual poké bowl restaurant’s Facebook page. Here is the Island Fin closing announcement:

To Our Ohana,

With sadness we announce the upcoming closure of our Island Fin Poke Co. location in New Tampa/Wesley

Chapel on Tuesday, April 30.

Our leased space is up for renewal, pushing us to a decision point. After careful consideration, we are choosing to finally slow down a bit, travel and enjoy our grandchildren.

We will miss our amazing team of young people, the opportunities to meet so many wonderful people in this great community, and offering delicious and healthy food on a daily basis.

Thank you for your support and we hope you will come by for a poke bowl or Dole Whip so we can personally thank you. — Jeff and Brenda Sproat, Owners

Also, although Smallcakes Cup cakery & Creamery (in The Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms, off BBD, next to Cali Tampa Palms) own ers Marissa and Justin Dewdney still had not yet made any formal announcement at our press time as to when their busi ness would close, they did confirm to the Neighborhood News that it was closing.

Marissa said that although they had decided to close the cupcakery, “We are still open and ready to serve our com munity fresh baked cupcakes like we have been for the past six years.”

I, for one, will be sad when Small cakes does close its doors for good. The icing on those super-moist cupcakes is the best I’ve had in the area.

Although I’ve always preferred momand-pop businesses to regional or national

NEW TAMPA

chains, I am still sorry to see all three of these locallyowned franchise businesses close their doors.

And finally, although we posted on our Facebook page back in Sept. of last year that Potbelly Sandwich Works was taking over the former Oronzo Honest Italian space in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza on BBD, we had no idea at that time how long it would take for Potbelly to open in the plaza.

Well, we now know that the answer is “No time soon.” Yours truly was able to stop in at the under-construction location and what I saw was a still-completely-gutted space with a dirt floor.

In other words, no remnant of what once was Oronzo remains and even the construction workers at the site (who said they didn’t know and certainly couldn’t speak officially about any pro jected opening date) said that it would be “months” before Potbelly could pos sibly open. I didn’t take any pictures in side, but based on what I saw, it could be until the end of this year before we see the new Potbelly opening in that space.

In the meantime, feel free to visit the Potbelly Sandwich Works at 4738 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. (near Raymond James Stadium) or the 2520 S. Falkenburg Rd. (near Brandon) for the Chicago-based

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WESLEYCHAPELPRESSUREWASHINGCOM Soft pressure ext. house cleaning, screen enclosures, pool decks, driveways, sidewalks, fences, roofs, paver sealing & deck staining. We clean everything. No job too big/small. Exp. the difference when you hire a pressure cleaning pro. Licensed & insured. Owner operated. Call for a free estimate 813-433-6015.

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

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable, Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings & walls, re-texturing, popcorn removal, room addt’ns, cracks, holes, plaster & stucco repair. 30+ years of exp. WC resident. State Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate: 813-784-5999. Lic. #SCC131149699

COMPUTER SERVICES

PROF’L TECH SUPPORT in your home or small biz. A+ Cert. computer tech w/25 years of exp. Maint. & Repairs, Upgrades & Tutoring. More affordable than chains! Friendly, personal svc. Tech jargon explained. Remote assistance & refs. avail. Call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate! DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, Installation, Networking & Virus Removal. WE COME TO YOU! Residences & Businesses, more than 25-Years Experience. Contact Jeffrey Blank at 813-973-4507, visit WSICA.COM or email Wsica@wsica.com.

___ LAWN, & LANDSCAPING_____

J’S CUTTING EDGE LAWN SERVICE — Over 5 years of quality full lawn care and landscaping services at affordable rates, Including Mowing, Edging, Trimming, Blowing, Cleanups & more. Call or Text 813-842-7753 for your free quote today.

JOHN IDEAL LAWN & LANDSCAPES. We provide all normal lawn & landscaping svcs: •Mow •Edge •Turf Trim •Air-Sweep •Right-of-Way Weed Control •Bed Edging •Resod •Design Your Lawn •Mulch •Shrub Trim/Shape •Hedge Trim •Yard Cleanup. “For no lawn stress, just join John’s Curb Appeal Success!” Save 12%/mo for 6 mos w/a 1-yr contract. Call Maitland John @ 813.327.1039.

ALL DIMENSIONS LANDSCAPE & EXTERIORS, LLC. Complete resid’l & comm’l landscape, hardscape & softscape. Mulch & decorative stone. Patios, decks, retaining walls, property maintenance & lawn care. Sod & lawn install’n, artificial turf, fencing, railings, soft & hard pressure washing, painting. We do anything exterior. Call (724) 541-2535 or (813) 485-6661 for a 25% discount on labor & materials.

TRANSPORTATION _

AIRPORT SHUTTLE SVC. C&R Transporta-tion Services of Tampa Bay, LLC, is a shuttle service that provide safe & reliable transportation to & from your destinations.• New Tampa Transfer, $69 • Wesley Chapel Transfer, $79 • ZHills Transfer, $89 • Dade City Transfer, $129. Book Online @ Crtransportation.org or Call (813) 895-7413. Receive a FREE T-shirt w/every transfer.

AUTOS WANTED! Autos/trucks/small campers/ small boats wanted! We pay top dollar! Any condition, Free Removal 24/7. For more info, call (813)461-0062.

ELITE RIDES. Private rides in a sanitized 2023 Tesla, plus concierge services. Airport, schools, medical appointments, shopping, etc. Courteous, reliable professional. New Tampa to Tampa Int’l Airport - $45 (one way). Cory Lake Isles resident. For more info, call or text 813.765.2037.

___ REAL ESTATE & OFFICE

Steven Kessel, REALTOR® with Future Home Realty, Inc., has created just for you, the most advanced up to date user friendly property search engine for homes for sale in the Tampa Bay and Central Florida area. And it’s FREE for you to use and enjoy. BuyYourDreamHome.com.

For Rent — Three BR, fully furnished ground floor condominium in Anand Vihar, a beautiful independent living, gated community in the lovely Wesley Chapel area in Tampa, Florida. Beautiful Club House, with a gym, swimming pool, game room, auditorium and a dining hall. Lunch or dinner Meal plans are available If needed. Contact Dinesh @ 716-830-7260

MISCELLANEOUS

Are you or is someone you love struggling with math? Do you find the material difficult to understand? Well, not anymore, because I can help make math easier for you to understand. My lessons will help you learn easy methods to solve problems. Contact Tim Rajpathak at (561) 2519093 or by email: timaculus397@gmail.com

CNA/HHA & Companion. Will provide private care in your home. 25+ years of exp. References available upon request. Call Rhonda at 850-586-1868. Prof’l Resume Guru & Consulting Services LLC. Ready to unlock your full career potential? At PRG, we specialize in resumes, cover letters, residency statements, editing & much more! Transform your documents into a powerful tool that gets you noticed! Contact us today @ 813-405-5065 or email resume_guru@outlook.com.

Equip yourself with the skills to stay safe! Register for 2A Rated Training for self-defense training classes. Our NRA Certified Instructors provide training to help you gain confidence & proficiency to protect yourself & loved ones responsibly. Don’t compromise your safety. Visit our website & register at 2ARatedTraining.com. Train with us. Empower yourself. Email: info@2ARatedTraining.com.

RAYSPHOTOGRAPHS LLC! Do you have a special occasion/moment you’d like to capture? Specializing in weddings, engagements, portraits, headshots & events, allow me to capture the moments that matter most to you! Visit raysphotographs.com for samples. Call/text (813) 380-2655 or email ray@raysphotographs. com. Mention this ad & receive 20% off!

If You’re Checking Out These Neighborhood News CLASSIFIEDS, Your Neighbors In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Probably Are, Too! To order yours, call (813) 910-2575 or visit NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net.

CLEANING SERVICES

NEXT HOME CLEANING. With over 20 years of professional house & office cleaning services available. Trustworthy, efficient, and affordable. Transform your space into a spotless sanctuary. Eco-friendly products. Satisfaction guaranteed. Book now & enjoy a pristine home! FREE ESTIMATES! Contact us today at 813-860-1524 or visit our website nexthomecleaningservices.com

CLEANSWEEP CLEANING COMPANY LLC, Fully licensed & bonded, 8 years of exp., satisfaction guaranteed. Professional staff. On-time. We can bring our own products or use yours, if you prefer. We are a Christian-based, family-owned company that lives in the New Tampa area, serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel. Call (813) 340-0908 for a no-obligation free quote. Ask for John YOU HAVE IT MAID CLEANING SERVICES. Give yourself the time that you deserve. We are reliable & have 20 years of exp., with references. Licensed. Call for an estimate — 727.900.3844.

Compassionate Home Care

DOES YOUR LOVED ONE NEED CARE AT HOME? Faith

Provides Medical & Non-Medical Home Health Care svcs: Nursing care, medication mgmt, case mgmt, companion care, home health aide, respite care, bowel care services, training to caregiver & more. Flexible pymt options. We accept private pay only. For info, call 813-602-4431.

360 BOOKKEEPING LLC - We focus on your Bookkeeping so you can focus on your Business. Est’d business? We’ll clean up your books to get you back on track. New Business? We can set up your chart of accounts to get you organized & efficient. Call now & get peace of mind—plus 20% off set-up fees—(813) 336-1363.

Hughes School of Music now accepting new students! Study Saxophone, Piano, Music Production, Composition or Theory with a Master of Music. Zoom sessions also available! Contact us at 813-748-3216.

TREE SERVICES

FITZPATRICK’s TREE SERVICE, INC. 27 yrs of Prof. Svc. Licensed & Insured. Free Estimates. Tree Trimming & Tree Removal. Stump Grinding. Dead-Wood Removal. Affordable Rates. 24-Hour Emergency Storm Service. Free Mulch. Call 813495-9541 or 813-788-TREE.

SPRING SPECIAL - 10% OFF! All Tampa Total Ceanng Services, including: Tile & Grout Cleaned, Carpet & Upholstery Cleaned & Deodorized, House Cleaning - Routine, Move-out & Deep Cleaning. Plus, get a bottle of our Multi-Purpose Surface Cleaner - FREE! Call or Text: 813.785.3315 - tampatotalcleaning@gmail.com. TampaTotalCleaning.com

ANA PARRA HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES. Prof’l House Cleaning — Best prices & quality,.Licensed & Insured. Routine, Deep & Move-In/Move-Out cleaning. Serving New Tampa /Lutz/Wesley Chapel & more. Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or special needs. Avail. Mon-Sat. Refs avail. We supply our own cleaning products & equipmt. Call or text for free est: (305) 338-0981.

A-to-Z CLEANING & ORGANIZING. Home & Ofc Cleaning & Organizing Svcs! We use our own supplies. Affordable & Reliable. Family-Owned & Operated. WC resident. Weekly & Bi-Weekly/Deep Cleaning/Move-In/Move-Out. Serving WC & NT. Call today for a FREE No-Obligation Quote: 813462-1270. Local refs. supplied upon request. MARY’S CLEANING SERVICES. We provide flexible domestic & office cleaning. “Jesus is the Lord.” Give us a call at 352-206-8809 for a free estimate or email marynovociclo@gmail.com.

PATY CLEANING SERVICE. Comm’l or resid’l cleaning service. We have our own supplies & 6 years of exp. Free estimates. Call 813 790-8715 or email patycleaningservice@hotmail.com.