Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 27. Issue 16, July 26, 2019

WESLEY CHAPEL

Inside:

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Volume 27 Issue 16 July 26, 2019

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For the complete list of neighborhoods that receive this publication by direct mail in Wesley Chapel (zip codes 33543, 33544 & 33545), see page 42!

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First Look Inside:

Fire Station 38

The new station in WaterGrass will hold a ribbon-cutting next month.

Page 6

Now that it has opened to traffic, the S.R. 56 Extension is expected to provide a boon to local businesses, as well as create a badly needed 4-lane East-West road crossing Pasco County.

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnewscom HEN PLANS were originally made to extend S.R. 56 all the way from Meadow Pointe Blvd in Wiregrass Ranch all the to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills, they included a lane in each direction.

Wesley Chapel’s growth, however, rendered those original plans moot.

“That wasn’t going to be enough,” said District 2 county commissioner Mike Moore.

So after some creative management and a wealth of cooperation between the Florida Department of Transportation, Pasco County, the City of Zephyrhills and multiple landowners along the proposed extension, the eastward expansion of S.R. 56 officially opened for traffic on July 10 as a freshly-paved, scenic, six-mile, four-lane road

W

winding through pastures, in between trees and alongside ponds, while connecting Wesley Chapel to Zephyrhills.

“It’s a beautiful road,” said FDOT District 7 secretary David Gwynn, against the backdrop of four lanes running into a horizon flanked by nature. “Not just the road, but the surrounding area as well.”

City officials from Zephyrhills, all but one of Pasco’s county commissioners, the media and a number of other local dignitaries were given a sneak preview of the road on July 9,

driving it from U.S. 301, through a signalized intersection at Morris Bridge Rd. and past Meadow Pointe Blvd.

Moore said no one was more excited about the extension than he was. The day it opened to everyone (June 10), he says he drove the length of it twice — once for work, and another time to visit his mother, who lives in Zephyrhills. He said the drive cut 15-20 minutes off his typical travel time in that direction, along the two-lane S.R. 54 (which also is in the process of being widened to four lanes).

He also touted the access to Polk County and even Orlando (via I-4) that the extension will provide, allowing residents in the area an alternative route.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Moore said. “I think people are going to love it. I was on Facebook, and I saw a lot of good comments from people who are definitely happy about it.”

In fact, a Neighborhood News Online video about the

opening had more than 15,000 views in less than 24 hours, with hundreds of likes and mostly positive comments about the new road on Facebook (search “Neighborhood News”).

Among those who are happy about it is Ann Marie Schumaker, who lives in Zephyrhills but works at Soriano Insurance in Wesley Chapel. “I love the 56 extension,” she says. “Now I don’t have to take the dreaded Meadow Pointe cut-through up to 54 and sit in traffic during rush hour times with all the construction going on to See “Extension” on page 4.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 27, Issue 15 • July 12, 2019 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

43

An Update On Our Distribution & The Latest About NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net An editorial by Gary Nager Over the course of the past several months, we’ve received quite a few calls from long-time, avid readers who said they’ve always received the Neighborhood News in their mailboxes in the past, but suddenly stopped receiving them.

As the guy who has to write the checks to the post office to mail our publications in both of our markets to every residence and business in every postal carrier route we serve, I knew I had to investigate.

But somehow, even though I first started taking a look at our recent distribution numbers when we received the first phone call, I’ll admit that other things always seemed to take precedence — e.g., I got married in March, celebrated my 25 years of Neighborhood News in April and have been redoubling my efforts to use the funding we have received from the Google News Initiative to continue to expand our video and online content.

Towards that end, we also recently finally changed our website’s address — to NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net (see below) — and our primary YouTube channel is now “Neighborhood News Online,” instead of the old WCNT-tv.

In other words, we’ve been busy, but not too busy for me to finally sit down with the online Every Door Direct Mail service offered through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS.com) and figure out how people who always got our publications — especially the Wesley Chapel edition — suddenly stopped receiving it.

I also had another hint that something was up because our distribution number in fast-growing Wesley Chapel had actually gone down since late 2018 — even though we were still paying to mail to every home and every business in all of our carrier routes.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News Address: 29157 Chapel Park Dr., Suite B Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Phone: (813) 910-2575 Advertising E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Editorial E-mail: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Publisher & Editor /Ad Sales Gary Nager Managing Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Correspondents Libby Baldwin • Jarrett Guthrie Celeste McLaughlin • Andy Warrener Lead Video Producer/Multimedia Specialist Charmaine George Photography, Videography & Video Editing Richard Nasrallah • Ricky Rodriguez • Matt Tsvetkov Graphic Designer Georgia Carmichael Advertising Sales, Office & Billing Assistants Janet Levins • Jannah McDonald

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 reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 27, Issue 18, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Monday, August 12, 2019.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will consider previously nonpublished 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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Just as an explanation, our communities are all on what the post office calls “rural” (and a few “contract”) carrier routes, where we don’t have to address each individual piece that gets mailed, as you have to do with “city” carrier routes, like in South Tampa.

All of our large, master-planned communities have multiple carrier routes serving them, and we always try to make sure we distribute to all of the carrier routes serving all of the largest (and some of the smaller) communities in zip codes 33543, 33544 & 33545.

The problem is that Wesley Chapel continues to grow so fast that even we — and the post office (like your GPS, right?) — have had trouble keeping up with all of that growth.

What happens is that when a new community — like, says, Estancia at Wiregrass or Epperson — first starts building, the USPS simply adds those homes to an existing carrier route, usually a route that is geographically near the new development.

But, once that community reaches a certain threshhold, the post office will usually create a new carrier route, with all of that new community’s homes and businesses. And no, the USPS doesn’t tell us when they take this type of action — it’s up to us to update our count every 30 to no more than 90 days.

In the case of Wesley Chapel, several hundred addresses were taken off a few existing carrier routes to create new routes. If we didn’t immediately add those new routes, not only did those new communities not receive our editions, there were even some older, more established communities (like WaterGrass) that may have been taken off one route and added to one of the new routes, to “fill them out” with more “drops” for the carriers handling those new routes.

So, after I did my research, I found that in late 2018, the carrier routes we delivered to included more than 23,000 “drops” total. As of April of this year, however, those same carrier routes had closer to 22,000 total drops. I knew that there had to be new routes that absorbed some of the drops from our existing routes, but it took me a while to figure out which routes I had to add in order to serve all of the homes and businesses in all of the communities we choose to send issues to by direct mail.

So, welcome back all of Epperson, all of WaterGrass, all of the homes in Wiregrass, and welcome Union Park and a couple of the newer sections of Meadow Pointe. In all, our new all-direct-mail distribution in Wesley Chapel is now more than 25,400 residences and businesses (and nearly 60,000 people) —

and we might still add one or two more routes to that total.

So, go ahead — ask any other local publisher how many homes and businesses receive their publications in the mail — and ask to see their postal receipts. I’ll gladly share mine if they share theirs with you.

NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

As I mentioned earlier, we have now officially changed over our website to NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net. If you’ve already been visiting our website to keep up on all of the latest local news of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel — with new news stories added every weekday — you can still find us at our old web address, but now, you will be redirected to our new site.

However, if you’ve normally been accessing our website through our “Neighborhood

News” Facebook page, the change to the new web address won’t affect you at all.

Whether you’re trying to watch one of our ever-increasing stockpile of new videos or just want to read a story that may or may not have appeared in your print edition of the Neighborhood News, you can still click through to our new website from any of our Facebook posts.

We also recently changed over our YouTube channel from the former WCNT-tv (Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Television) to “Neighborhood News Online” on YouTube and yes, our videos continue to attract a lot of attention — and we are still adding more advertisers buying our Video & Online Subscriptions.

I will update you about our impressive viewership stats next issue. For more info about Neighborhood News print and Video/ Online advertising, call (813) 910-2575!

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Table of Contents

Local News Updates.....................3-19

Pasco Fire Rescue Station No. 38 Opens!......................6 New River Library To Close For Renovations..........8 USF’s Study Of New Tampa’s Business Climate Begins...10 State Grades For Wesley Chapel’s Public Schools ....12 Fr. David Leaves Our Area’s Catholic Church..........14 Wesley Chapel Community Calendar.........................16

Local Business Updates..............20-27

Excel Music Celebrates 13 Years In Our Area!................20 Spotlight On: Goddard School Of Wesley Chapel!......21 Nebula Lighting Can Transform Your Pool Area!........22 Dr. Duga & Dr. Feeney Keep Your Kids Smiling!..........24 No. Tampa Law Group For Real Estate Law & More!...26 Spotlight On: Small World Pediatrics!........................27

Education & Sports News..........28-31 Local Schools To Receive New After-School Program...28 Young Soccer Star To Attend IMG Academy!!..........28

Neighborhood Magazine

Local “Little Mermaid” Production Debuts Tonight!..33 Al-Sham Palace For Mediterranean Cuisine!...........36 Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes.........38 New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Classifieds...........40 @NTWCNews

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3

S.R. 56: Extension will be the first east-west road to cross Pasco County with four lanes.

FROM PAGE 1

go into Zephyrhills....it saves me 20 minutes every morning and evening on my daily commute to work. Being a single mom and having to make pick-up times is stressful. So, any extra time I can save is great. I’m overly excited. I’ve been waiting so long for this extension to be done.”

The extension is expected to provide an economic benefit to businesses in Wesley Chapel. Residents in Zephyrhills should find visiting the Shops at Wiregrass and Tampa Premium Outlets, as well as the many surrounding businesses in the area, to be a much easier and quicker trek.

The only option to go from Wesley Chapel to Zephyrhills has been driving on one lane westbound on S.R. 54, which is roughly a 25-30 minute trip in light traffic, and even longer during morning and evening rush hours, especially when the snowbirds are in town in the winter and spring. The new extension will make those jaunts significantly shorter.

Currently, the road remains a nice trip through what District 1 commissioner and lifelong county resident Ron Oakley called “old Pasco.”

It can be enjoyed by bicyclists looking to take advantage of a generous 7-footwide bike lane in either direction, as well as pedestrians who can walk along a 10-foot-

(Above left) The new extension of SR 56 at New River Bridge. The six-mile extension runs from Meadow Pointe Blvd. to U.S. Hwy. 301.

(Right) County Commissioner Mike Moore says the new extension will bring more residents, businesses and jobs to Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

wide multi-use trail on the south side or a 5-foot wide sidewalk on the north side of the new 56 extension.

The completion of the project gives Pasco County it’s first 4-lane road from U.S. 19 to the west to U.S. 301 to the east, Oakley said.

“I’ve spent my entire life in Pasco County with only two-lane roads,” he said.

How It Happened

Moore said the county was smart to look ahead and make a deal to extend S.R. 56 with four lanes. He said too many times roads are constructed, only to need widening or other work to accommodate growth 10 years later, when the costs also will be greater.

To get the extension changed from two to four lanes was monumental, Moore said, and no easy feat.

The BOCC had to approve seven different agreements in 2016 to come up with a plan to repay a $22.7-million loan from the State Infrastructure Bank (SIB), which provides investment funds for surface transportation projects. That loan will be repaid with money from the county, the City of Zephyrhills and via mobility fee surcharges to developers of Wesley Chapel Lakes, Wyndfields, River Landing and Two Rivers Ranch, all of which will eventually have communities along the road.

Most of the $59.7-million total cost

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(plus another $7-8 million in interest) to build the extension came from FDOT, which contributed $35 million.

Oakley said that the beautiful terrain the extension cuts through previously has only been seen by local ranchers, and that those who are now using the road should enjoy it while they can. In 8-10 years, he said, that definitely could change, as Wesley Chapel Lakes, Wyndfields, River Landing and Two Rivers Ranch are expected to add as many as 10,000 new homes to the corridor.

Businesses, parks and new schools also are expected as well.

But for now, the extension of S.R. 56 is a scenic convenience.

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Final Vote On Kinnan-Mansfield Delayed Until August

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnewscom

Due to a busy schedule and a packed agenda, the Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BOC) did not vote on making connections in Meadow Pointe to New Tampa at its July 9 meeting, but hope to do so at its August or September meeting, both of which will be held in Dade City.

As we reported last issue, the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) voted unanimously last month to recom-

mend the BOC approve plans to connect Wyndfields Blvd. and Meadow Pointe Blvd. to K-Bar Ranch Pkwy in the K-Bar Ranch development in New Tampa, just south of the county line.

With all five of the BOC members — Mike Moore, Ron Oakley, Jack Mariano, Kathryn Starkey and Mike Wells — also members of the MPO that voted unanimously for the two connections, the vote is expected to pass easily.

The vote also will end a decadesold argument between Pasco and

Hillsborough county governments over connecting Kinnan St. in New Tampa to Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe. Those two roads are separated by roughly 40 feet of dirt and shurbs.

The two roads may be paved and connected to allow access for emergency service vehicles, along with a sidewalk and bike path, but it will not be open to local automobile traffic.

Tampa governmental officials expressed chagrin at the decision to keep Kinnan St. and Mansfield Blvd. from connecting for traffic, but said the decision to do so for emergencies was at

least a step in the right direction.

Pasco residents were asked in an online survey to submit votes on four options for making connections into New Tampa. The option chosen by the MPO received positive votes from 66 percent of those who took part in the survey.

The most popular option, with nearly 68 percent responding positively, was to only connect Meadow Pointe Blvd. to K-Bar Ranch Pkwy.

An option to make all three possible connections garnered 54 percent of positive votes online, but also was not chosen by the MPO.

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Pasco Fire Rescue Station No. 38 Is Now Open In WaterGrass

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

For the second time this year, Wesley Chapel will soon be celebrating the Grand Opening of a newly-equipped fire rescue station, bringing the total to three stations that are currently serving one of the county’s fastest-growing areas.

Although Pasco County Fire Rescue (PFR) Station No. 38, located in WaterGrass (west of Curley Rd.), has been staffed and operational since last week, the official ribbon cutting is expected to take place in early August (sadly, not yet announced at our press time), heralding the arrival of one of the largest and most high-tech Pasco fire stations around.

“We have a group of citizens that live in that area and have followed this project for the last five years,” said Pasco fire chief Scott Cassin. “I’m sure they are very excited to see the station open — as are we.”

Station No. 38 will join No. 26, which is located on Aronwood Dr. in Meadow Pointe, and No. 13, which is located off of Old Pasco Rd. The all-new Station 13 opened after an extensive expansion, renovation and relocation earlier this year.

Fire Station 38 is a 10,843-sq.-ft. facility, with four drive-through bays, versus the standard two or three bays that most other PFR stations have.

The size of the station will help it expand to meet the needs of existing communities like WaterGrass and Epperson, as they continue to add thousands of new homes to the area.

On day one, Station 38 opened with a fire engine truck, as well as one of only two air trucks — or light and air units, which provide supplemental lighting and SBCA air bottles at the scene of emergencies — in the county (there is another one that serves the west side of Pasco).

The new station also will house an EMS unit and (by December) an ambulance crew will be stationed there as well, or maybe a ladder truck, special operations team or even a hazmat team.

“We’ve built the building with that expandable capacity in mind,” Chief Cassin says. “(Wesley Chapel) is going to continue

The new Pasco Fire Rescue Station No. 38 in front of the WaterGrass community off Curley Rd. in Wesley Chapel is open now and will host a Grand Opening celebration sometime in August.

to grow, and we’ve built a facility big enough that we can expand in the future and meet those future needs.”

A new PURVIS alert system has been integrated into the new building to help speed up response times. The current analog system, which sends out loud signals from dispatch via bell or alert tones, is being replaced with a digital system that Cassin says will produce better results.

The well-known, loud screeching sounds will be replaced by a series of tones that gradually increase in volume, “Which is really nice at 3 in the morning when you are asleep and you get a call,” Chief Cassin says, chuckling. “Now you have to peel me off the ceiling because it’s so loud it scares you. This is much more gentle on the cardio vascular system.”

Alerts also can be targeted toward only the firefighters needed for a particular call, and not the entire station.

Lights will help alert firefighters about how much time has elapsed. They are expected to be out of the station within 60 seconds, and the lights will change colors as time passes.

There also are display monitors that firefighters can use as a guide, and in the bay is a “rip and run,” which is a back-up printout of the call, in case the computer in the truck goes down.”

Another nice addition to the new system — it can alert all of the necessary fire stations at the same time. Currently,

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on calls that require more than one apparatus, the dispatch center has to call each individual station, in order of their proximity to the call or they type of equipment they have.

“With the new system, one push of the button will alert all the stations at the same time,” Cassin says. “It will shave off time. Even if it’s only 10 seconds, it’s still 10 seconds. It can make the difference.”

Those working in the station will be beneficiaries of a new Plymovent diesel exhaust capture system. Long yellow tubes will be connected to the exhaust pipes of the fire vehicles, so that when the vehicle

is started in the bay, the discharge of diesel exhaust (carbon monoxide and the carcinogen Benzene) is collected into the system and evacuated to outside air.

When the truck leaves, the tubes, connected by a system of magnets, detach at a certain point.

“We’re going to have very very clean air at that station (and reduce the cancer risk),” Cassin says. “We’re working on a plan to retrofit the rest of our stations with that system.”

The new station at WaterGrass helps fulfill PFR’s goal of having a station within five miles of every structure. Until No. 38 came along, those in WaterGrass and the surrounding area were outside that range — more than 8 miles from No. 13 and 10 miles from No. 26.

Cassin says not only does the station provide safety benefits, but homeowners should receive a premium reduction if they alert their homeowners insurance companies that a new station has opened close to their homes.

Station No. 38 won’t be the last fire station for Wesley Chapel, which continues to grow unabated. Cassin says a station already is funded for the north end of Meadow Pointe at S.R. 54 — the land still needs to be purchased — with plans to build in 2022. And, Cassin says, the I-75 and S.R. 56 area currently is being studied as a future site as well.

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New River Branch Library To Close For Remodeling In October

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN In the more than three decades since the New River Branch Library was built on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, the only improvement the library had seen — until now — was just a little paint.

That will change in a dramatic way when the branch closes in October 2019 for about six months to receive a complete overhaul.

While the structure of the building won’t change, a spokesperson for Pasco County Libraries says the improvements within the walls of the library will be significant.

The children’s area will be enclosed with safety glass, so that children can make noise inside and not bother the rest of the patrons.

“Parents will be more comfortable,” says Angelo Liranzo, regional manager for Pasco Libraries. “We get a lot of requests from parents who feel embarrassed when their children make noise.”

A teen area also will be closed off with safety glass walls.

“With the glass walls, staff can see in,” he explains. “If teens are in there working on crafts or projects, we can go in there and help them, or we can bring out activities and make sure they have the books they need.”

Another big change will be to the restrooms. There will no longer be large restrooms with multiple stalls, but instead the restrooms will be for individual use and family use. This allows more accessibility for

The above illustrations were provided by Pasco County Libraries to show the planned renovations to the New River Branch Library on S.R. 54. The library will close in October of this year and is expected to re-open in about six months, or around April 2020, depending upon the weather and other factors. those with disabilities and helps parents who any activities that are messy or difficult to do “Everything is being redesigned,” may be pushing a stroller or need to take small explains Liranzo. “The staff area will get a little indoors, such as playing with sand or making children to the restroom. bit smaller to make more room for the public.” slime, or something like shooting rockets, The library’s meeting room also will be which can be taught on the patio and moved enlarged, by about five (linear) feet, to provide Changes Outdoors, Too out from under the roof when it’s time to see more space. the rockets in action.

The New River Branch Library already A vending area also will be added to Liranzo says he expects new plant beds has a community garden, where people can provide snacks and drinks for library patrons. will be added with the remodel, as well. be assigned their own plant bed to raise vegOutside, a new drive-up book drop will Currently, there is one that is raised for etables, fruits or flowers. At certain times of allow patrons to return books without getting the year, library staffers will bring out plastic anyone who can’t bend all the way to the out of their cars, a convenience for when it’s ground to garden; he expects additional raised “children’s beds” to fill with dirt and help the raining or when the library is closed. beds will be added, allowing more people the library’s youngest patrons learn how to grow The main area of the library also will be opportunity to garden at the library. their own plants, as well. reconfigured to be more open and inviting, The remodel expands the library’s “It really is a community experience,” he with new furniture that moves easily to create outdoor offerings by adding a learning space. explains. “People reserve the beds for as long as a more flexible and more comfortable space.

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for their individual use, or can also come when we have an activity, such as a master gardener talking about different plants or soils.”

Because the community garden is such an important part of the library, it will be reflected indoors, as well, with a “green wall” and greenery added inside the library interior.

Programs To Go Mobile?

While the library is being remodeled, its programs will still continue.

“We’re going on the road with our programs while the branch is closed,” explains Danielle Lee, the New River branch manager.

Library staff will provide programs and services by working with community partners who are local and easy to find, to continue activities such as book clubs for adults and story times for young children and a drop-off location to return books.

“We’re not leaving the community, just because the building is closing,” says Liranzo.

“We invite everybody to join us.”

Some programs are already held off-site, such as a digital book club for adults held at the Zephyrhills Brewing Co. in downtown Zephyrhills one Tuesday a month at 7 p.m.

But others, such as a ukulele jam held the first Saturday of each month, will look for a new home during the construction. Lee and Liranzo think it could be a win-win for a business to bring some new faces into its establishment and for the library to reach people who don’t typically visit the branch.

“For example, we host a “Vets Healing Vets” program, where we use crafts from Healing Vets of America to help veterans with

whatever they’re dealing with and take their minds off things,” explains Lee. “We have been facilitating that in the building, and we would like to take it somewhere to reach more veterans, such as a community partner that attract veterans anyway.”

Liranzo and Lee say they are currently looking for locations to hold all the library’s programs during the construction time. If a local business is open to hosting a library program, please call the branch at (813) 788-6375 and ask for Danielle Lee.

How It’s Being Funded

The renovations have been made possible through funding approved by voters last November, through the “Go 4 Pasco” bond initiative.

“The library remodeling passed with overwhelming support,” explains Liranzo.

“Now, we are set out on a mission from the taxpayers to get the remodels going.”

New River is one of the first two branches to receive improvements. The other is the Centennial Park branch in Holiday.

New River is still Wesley Chapel’s only library branch. While Liranzo says he continues to hear from more and more residents who want another Wesley Chapel location, he wants to make sure the residents understand that the planning for that second library is not part of this project.

The New River Branch Library will be closed beginning on October 1 and should reopen in May, of 2020.

“This is a major, major remodeling,” says Liranzo.

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‘Why Is Wesley Chapel Winning?’ Study Begins With Packed Meeting!

By GARY NAGER

In actuality, the headline above is just an attention-grabbing misnomer. A group of Master’s degree program students at the University of South Florida is in the process of studying why so many businesses have exited New Tampa the last few years — and what, if anything, can be done to stem the tide.

USF helped organize a unique meeting on July 16, featuring a panel of elected officials and local business owners, as Phase 1 of the group’s efforts to study New Tampa’s faltering business climate.

So, what does all of this have to do with Wesley Chapel? A lot, according to the elected officials on the panel and the packed house of spectators (who were mainly New Tampa residents) who attended the meeting held at Compton Park in Tampa Palms.

Hillsborough County District 2 commissioner Ken Hagan, District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera and newly elected District 63 State Rep. Fentrice Driskell agreed to be on the panel because all of them share concerns about why major companies and mom-and-pop businesses alike are having so much trouble surviving in zip code 33647.

Also on the panel was Ron Sanders, the director of USF’s School of Public Affairs, which is the school working on the study that created the need for this meeting.

Sanders said that the study is being conducted by USF students seeking their Master of Public Administration (MPA) degrees in either Urban & Regional Planning or Public Affairs, after then-mayoral candidate (now

(Above) The meeting room at Compton Park at Tampa Palms was packed for the first “New Tampa Business Climate” meeting organized by Master’s degree candidates at USF, where (below, l.-r.) Hillsborough county commissioner Ken Hagan, Tampa city councilman Luis Viera & State Rep. Fentrice Driskell were among those on the panel. Photos by Andy Warrener & Ricky Rodriguez. dents — such as those in this room. In Phase Tampa Mayor) Jane Castor campaigned in New Tampa. Castor said many local residents 3, the students will look at the literature (facts asked her why the business climate in zip code and figures) and the (business) practices going 33647 seemed so poor, especially when com- on in the area. For example, is it just part of a national phenomenon or are there local facpared with the booming economy in Wesley Chapel, just to New Tampa’s north on Bruce tors” causing New Tampa’s economic gloom?

Although Hagan, Viera and Driskell all B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and S.R. 56. agreed that the meeting was important, there One of those Castor was talking to didn’t seem to be too much help for the USF just happened to be Sam Becker, a gradustudents coming out of this first meeting. ate assistant in the School of Public Affairs, Among the factors pointed to as to why and she asked Becker to look into what, if so many businesses have closed in New Tamanything, USF could do to help her figure out what could be done to help New Tampa’s pa were the high rents, the lack of tax incentives to open businesses. By the time Castor was elected in major businesses, and even March, the wheels were already in motion. things brought up by the “This meeting is the kickoff to Phase 1 of the study — to meet with the community,” two local business owners on the panel — New Tampa Sanders said at the meeting. “Phase 2 will be Rotary Club past president individual interviews with community staples and Taste of New Tampa & — elected officials, business owners and resi-

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Wesley Chapel co-chair Karen Frashier and Oliver’s Cycle Sports owner Randy Myhre.

Frashier mentioned that New Tampa doesn’t have a large enough gathering place for major events, such as the Wiregrass Wobble 5K road race her club hosts every year on Thanksgiving morning, or the Taste, “So, we have no choice but to put on these events in Wesley Chapel.” Hagan and Viera both touted the new Village at Hunter’s Lake development that will be home to a 20,000-sq.-ft.

New Tampa Cultural Center, as well as several unique restaurants and retailers, but that these are all coming online in 2020 or 2021.

Myhre said he thinks that bicycle paths connecting the subdivisions in New Tampa would make getting to and from local businesses easier, without having to drive a car, but Hagan said, “Connecting communities is great, but have you seen how hard it is to get even one road connected between communities?”

Residents at the meeting also brought up how long the widening of BBD in New Tampa took, which affected local businesses, while one noted that S.R. 56, where so much of Wesley Chapel’s growth is taking place, currently has very few residences directly off of it. No one came up with any reason why this helped or how it affected the economy in the W.C.

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Spotlight On: Our 2nd Lagoon Community!

Just in case you somehow missed it, the Wesley Chapel area will soon be home to a second community featuring a Metro Lagoons by Crystal Lagoons® amenity.

Although the 5,000home community known as Mirada will technically have San Antonio, FL, addresses, this masterplanned community also is part of Metro’s “connected city” development and is located just north of Metro’s Epperson community in Wesley Chapel, which is where the first Crystal Lagoons® amenity to open in the U.S. is located.

Not only will Mirada also feature the third such lagoon in the Tampa Bay area (the third is in Wimauma), its lagoon will be the largest (15 acres!) to open in the U.S. to date.

The Neighborhood News was on hand for the July 13 Grand Opening of the first neighborhood to be built in Mirada. It’s called Medley at Mirada, which will be an active adult, maintenance-free community for ages 55 and older.

“Medley at Mirada will not only feature affordable homes, but also great activities like cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and more,” spokesperson Kyle Parks (at right in photo) said at the Grand Opening. “We will have everything available that active adults want and need.”

Among those amenities are two dog

parks, a clubhouse with a fitness center and a nearly-lagoon-sized pool, tennis and even bocce and pickleball courts and much more.

“We have homes starting from 1,600 square feet and the low $200,000s, and everything’s included,” said director of sales and marketing Mike Bachman (at left in photo) at the opening event. “We’ve had more than 1,500 people already express interest in building a home here and more than 200 people on hand today. It’s the most elegant, affordable active lifestyle you’ll find in this area. This is the place to be!”

Bachman also said that although there are now multiple model homes open in Mirada, the first homes with residents will likely not move in for another eight months. Mirada’s website says the lagoon should open in late 2020. Lennar Homes, the exclusive builder in Medley at Mirada, is located at 31726 Cannon Rush Dr., off S.R. 52.

For more info, visit MedleyMirada. com or call (844) 477-8218 and tell them you read about Medley at Mirada in the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News! — GN

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11

School Grades Are Out & It’s Good News For Most Area Schools Once again, every school in Wesley Chapel but one received either an A or B grade from the state, including John Long Middle School (an A school for the 13th consecutive year, and Sand Pine Elementary (an A school for the 19th time in 21 years). Also, Wiregrass Elem. earned its first-ever A & the Union Park Academy charter school has received an A after its first full school year.

School Name

LA Achievement Math Achievement Science Achievement 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 57

66

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72

83

69

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55

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Resident Organizes Pond Cleanup Will Grover had finished eating dinner at Applebee’s one Friday night, and on his way home, he drove around the restaurant and noticed a troubling site: The retention pond behind the restaurant was a mess, framed by a wealth of floating garbage.

“Hideous,” Grover said. “I just thought this is absolutely terrible. There was so much trash.”

Grover, who says he dabbles in nature photography, snapped a picture of the pond, and didn’t even wait to get home before he posted it to the Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page.

He organized a clean-up for Sunday morning at 7 a.m, and, along with four other Wesley Chapel residents — Micky Parkins, Vanessa Blaszczyk and her son and Hillsborough County science teacher Jennifer Cogan.

The group collected nine bags of trash.

They also found a TV shelf, luggage and a spare car tire.

“And that was just off the surface and around the edges,” Grover says. “Imagine what is under the water at the bottom.”

All in all, Grover says it took 55 minutes to transform the pond from dump to delightful.

The before and after photos below present quite the contrast.

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13

Father David Says Goodbye To St. Mark’s After 16 Years!

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com It was his last mass, but it felt like his first one.

The pews at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church were filled.

Everyone was eager to hear what he was going to say. And, the nerves and emotions were almost overwhelming.

“It was pulling me in all kinds of different directions,’’ Father David DeJulio said.

After 16 years of leading St. Mark’s through massive growth and the construction of a new church, making hundreds of friends in the community and helping even more families, Fr. David said goodbye on June 30 to a congregation that has grown from 2,100 families when he came to the church to more than 3,800 as he departs.

He was pleased with his homFather David DeJulio, who had been the priest at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross ily, which challenged parishioners Creek Blvd. in New Tampa the last 16 years, led his final mass at the church on June 30 (photo on next page). Fr. David is moving to St. Frances Xavier of Cabrini Catholic Church in Spring Hill. to hold steady as they follow Christ, despite the ever-growing plague of Fr. David is headed north (but “It kept haunting me,” he says. distractions. Towards the end of the not too far) to St. Frances Xavier His first year in the seminary, eucharist prayer, as the end of his of Cabrini in Spring Hill, only 15 he wasn’t so sure he made the right time at St. Mark’s drew nearer, he minutes from where his twin brother choice. He thought about quitstarted fighting back those emotions. Frankie’s family lives. ting after one semester. He had Tampa City Council member He will essentially trade parishes been living with his girlfriend in an Luis Viera presented Fr. David with with Rev. Richard Jankowski, who a city commendation, leading to a has been at St. Frances Xavier of rousing 45-second standing ovation.

Cabrini for 13 years.

When Fr. David tried to bring the It’s the next stop on Fr. David’s mass to a close, his staff interrupted journey, which began at the age of 5, him and presented him with a plaque. when he says he first knew the church “I lost it there at the end,” Fr. is where he wanted to be.

David confessed.

It wasn’t until he was 27, howAfter gathering himself, he ever, that he entered the seminary. followed a procession of altar boys and He graduated with a finance degree deacons and, for the last time as their from the University of South Florida, priest, walked past rows of adoring St. making the long drive to classes from Mark congregants for the final time. his family’s home in Holiday, FL. ”I’m not really thrilled about He took a job at a bank in St. leaving,” he said afterwards, “but Petersburg, a job he said he truly when God tells you you gotta go, enjoyed. But, that feeling he got in you gotta go.” church as a kid never went away.

apartment in St. Petersburg and was in control of his life, and when he entered the seminary, he wasn’t.

“My first year was tough,” he says. “I just really didn’t like it.”

He knew he had faith, but wondered what kind. In the end, it turned out to be a determined, resilient and unbending faith, the same kind of faith he implores his parishioners to strive for every day.

It is Fr. David’s style, which is described as easy-going, funny but still somewhat stern, that made him a popular fixture in New Tampa.

Leaving With Love

Among the first families he met when he came to St. Mark’s were Richard and Nancy Larson. Nancy was the liturgist at St. Mark’s, and Frankie contacted her about planning a party for the installation of his brother, the new priest.

The party was held at Hunter’s Green Country Club, where Fr. David has lived in a home the church’s uses as its rectory.

Richard and Fr. David became instant friends, as did dozens of others from Hunter’s Green who joined

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Fr. David’s Bible study group that would meet weekly at his home. Fr. David would teach, and afterwards, there would be wine and food and cigars.

“He built my faith and he made me a much stronger person,” Richard says. “He did that to whole group.”

Many, Richard says, weren’t even members at St. Mark’s, but Fr. David still brought them home, too.

“He was so good at evangelizing and bringing people back to the church,” Richard says. “He was just a regular guy. I think that appealed to a lot of people.”

Fr. David golfed with the group — he says his handicap is currently a 13 — and the more time he spent with those who had stopped going

to church, the more those people started going again.

When they found out Fr. David was leaving, the group chipped in and bought him a membership to Southern Hills Plantation in Brooksville, 10 miles from his new church, so he could continue to spread God’s word to new friends while working on that handicap.

Bringing People Back

After Fr. David’s final mass, he was greeted in the courtyard by Noel and Nellie Negron, whose eyes welled with tears as they thanked their longtime priest for bringing them back into the church.

Noel has been a member for 23 years, but said he hasn’t always been a

ELEGANCE IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT

regular churchgoer.

“I went when I felt like it,” he said. “When I met Fr. David, he brought me back. (Now) there isn’t a Sunday I miss. I love coming to church.”

Nellie Negron recalled a story about the time when her granddaughter Olivia saw Fr. David walking alone across the field next to the church, and asked her if that was Jesus.

“I will always remember that story,” she said, smiling. “I love him.

I am going to miss him.”

The Negrons have already been to his new church, and plan on stopping in for a mass here and there.

Richard says he will do the same, as, he suspects, many others who knew Fr. David also will do. He joked that he will definitely see Fr. David again, “because I made him promise he would do my funeral.”

Priests usually serve 12 years at one church, but Father David was given 16, so he could spend some time enjoying the church he helped to build.

Father David was named pastor at St. Mark’s in 2003, preaching from the Family Life Center the church flock was quickly outgrowing. He envisioned a spiritual center for New Tampa, a place for families to come together in prayer. A fund-raising campaign was started, and although the economic downturn in 2008 forced a delay, on June 6, 2015, the new $10.1-million, 35,000-sq.-ft. sanctuary was dedicated.

The church is only $1.5 million from paying off a $5-million loan to finish it.

“It’s kind of a slip of tongue to say it’s “my place,” but I feel connected here,” Fr. David says. I spent half my priesthood here. It’s always going to be a special place in

my heart, wherever I am.”

Father David will always be remembered for his stewardship over the project, which he credits as a testament to the “tremendous sacrifices on the part of parishioners.”

But, it’s just a small part of the legacy he hopes he leaves behind.

“Obviously buildings are important, but what happened here is we created a place with a story,” he says.

He says he wants to be remembered not only for helping create a beautiful structure to worship in, but also for what happened inside it. He is proud it has been a place where families felt welcome, where you were greeted by four or five people before you even got to your seat, where he challenged his parishioners’ faith and helped guide them through both happy and difficult times.

He fostered a community that did many good things, a community that he helped connect to God through his teachings.

At the end of the day, and 16 wonderful years, it was all he could really ask.

“I started to think about him not being here, and it was a very emotional thing,” Noel said. “When you have someone you can turn to for some encouragement and leadership and someone to guide us... and now he won’t be here…he was a good shepherd for us.”

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15

JULY 2019 Saturday, July 27

Free Community Boot Camp - Camp Gladiator is a fitness movement with dynamic, fun and challenging workouts. This is ‘60-minutes of Amazing’ at your favorite place to shop. This Free event is held every Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., at Tampa Premium Outlets (2300 Grand Cypress Dr, Lutz). Participants should bring: exercise mat, 1-2 bottles of water, sweat towel, a smile & great attitude. For info, email Christine Iloni at christineiloni@campgladiator.com.

Bay Chapel Food Pantry - Free food for needy families. Open every Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., behind Christian Brothers Automotive (20300 Trout Creek Dr., off BBD). For more info, visit BayChapel.com/foodpantry.

End of Summer Bash - Please join us for the End of Summer Bash at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway (2155 Northpointe Pkwy., Lutz) , 3 p.m.-7 p.m. This is a FREE Community Event for all ages. There will be a Live DJ, Drink Specials, Food Specials, Giveaways & Local Vendors. For more info, call (813) 491-4900 or email thalia.gonzalez@hilton.com, or see the ad on pg. 42.

Monday, July 29

Yoga On The Lawn (The Shops at Wiregrass) - This Free event is held every Monday, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., at Center Court (weather permitting). This is Relaxing Beginner-to-Intermediate Yoga, sponsored by Energia Wellness Studio. For more info, call (813) 973-7300.

Wesley Chapel Speaks - The Wesley Chapel Toastmasters meet every Monday at 7 p.m. for networking, 7:30 p.m. for public speaking, at the Edward Jones Building Main Floor, Keller Williams Training Room (18302 Highwoods Preserve Pkwy., New Tampa). For more info, call Martin at (813) 693-0969.

Wednesday, July 31

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon meets Wednesdays at noon at Lexington Oaks Golf Club (26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.). First time guests attend free. For more information, call (813) 391-3895.

AUGUST 2019 Thursday, August 1

Tuesday, August 6 (cont.)

Hoyas - Come learn about this evergreen shrub, native to Southeast Asia & the Pacific. Learn about the beauty & charm of Hoyas at this FREE UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension seminar by a local expert and international collector. He will be sharing the virtues of the tropical vine, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Land O’ Lakes Library (2818 Collier Parkway). Please register by going to eventbrite.com & searching ‘8-619 Hoyas’

Saturday, August 10

My Perfect Palm - We are able to grow well over 100 different Palms in the Tampa area. Join us at this FREE UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension seminar. Come learn about the wonderful world of Palms and how you can diversify your landscape. This is the ultimate ‘Right Plant in the Right Place’ seminar. Saturday, August 10, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park (5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd). Please register by going to eventbrite.com & searching ‘8-10-19 My Perfect Palm’.

Succulents and More - This is an introductory seminar that covers an array of Succulents that can be grown inside or outside the home in our growing area. If you think Succulents are just cacti, then you may be happy to learn that there are many varieties out there. Come join us for this FREE UF/ IFAS Pasco extension seminar. Saturday, August 10, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. at Zephyrhills Library (5347 8th Street). Please register by going to eventbrite.com & searching ‘8-10-19 Succulents and More ’.

Hands-Only CPR Training - Hands-Only CPR Training by Certified Expert, Mr. Loren Johnson, from the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Department. This FREE training takes place on Saturday, August 10. Two sessions: 2 p.m.-4 p.m. & 4 p.m.-6 p.m. at the New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.). Please register by going to eventbrite.com & searching ‘Hands Only CPR Tampa’.

Saturday, August 17

Olympus Pools - Grand Opening of our new Lutz Showroom — will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 21859 S.R. 54, Lutz). This is a Community Event with food and entertainment! We will also have our design team available for Free pool consultations. For more info, see the ad on pg. 41.

Rotary Club of WC Casino Night Fund Raiser — For more info, see the ad on pg. 29!

Tuesday, August 20

North Tampa Bay Chamber: Coffee Social - Want to gather with other colleagues and peers in a relaxed networking environment? Please join us at our no-agenda monthly coffee social which takes place the Third Tuesday of the month, 8 a.m.-9 a.m. at Buttermilk Provisions (2653 Bruce B. Downs Blvd). For more info., call Eliana at (813) 994-8534.

North Tampa Veterans Association meeting - All armed forces veterans and associates are invited to a weekly lighthearted Dutch-treat breakfast meeting to get acquainted and tell your tales, new and old. Location: Steak ‘n Shake, just off BBD Blvd. (at 17509 North Palms Village Pl.), every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. Bring your spouse and your brag sheet. Open to veterans of all branches of the U.S. military.

RGA Network Weekly Meeting - The RGA Networking Group meets weekly for networking at Grillsmith at the Shops at Wiregrass mall. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; Lunch is served noon-1 p.m. For more information, visit RGANetwork.net.

Central Pasco Democratic Club - The monthly meetings feature speakers and briefings about the Pasco County Democratic Party. Meetings are held 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., at the Meadow Pointe CDD office (28245 County Line Rd.). For more info, visit Facebook.com/ centralpascodems or call Cindy Beres at (813) 702-4387.

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise meets the 1st & 3rd Fridays of each month, 7:15 a.m., at Happy Hangar Cafe (4241 Birdsong Blvd., Lutz). For more information, call Kathy Schenck at 813-956-4436.

North Tampa Bay Chamber: WOW (Women of Wesley Chapel) Meeting - This women-only exclusive group is for members and prospective members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber. The WOW network meets the first Friday of every month at Beach House Assisted Living at Wiregrass (30070 S.R. 56), 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. For more Information & the fee to attend, call the Chamber office at (813) 994-8534.

Drive-Thru Prayer - Takes place every Friday, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at Atonement Lutheran Church (29617 S.R. 54). You will find trained members of the church’s Caring Ministry Team under the portico. Share your cares & concerns in prayer while you stay seated in your car. Everyone is welcome.

With enough advanced notice, events being held in our readership areas may also appear in our print edition (as space allows).

Wednesday, August 21

Visit NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net to add your upcoming events to our online calendar.

Friday, August 2

Saturday, August 3

Fresh Market at Wiregrass - The 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month, you can enjoy the Fresh Market at Wiregrass (28211 Paseo Dr, Wesley Chapel), 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Shop for fresh produce, hand crafts, candles, sauces, fresh bread, & much more. For more info, visit tampabaymarkets.com.

Monday, August 5

HOPE Services: How-To Seminar for Persons with Disabilities & Supporting Families – Held on the first Monday of each month, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., at HOPE Services’ Wesley Chapel office (2406 Cypress Glen Dr., Suite 102). These group seminars are led by HOPE Services’ in-house counseling team & many of its Job Coaching/Training team attend. The primary goal is to spread awareness of the free services available to families. A special topic is included at each session, focusing on bringing clients & family members together in a supportive & educational forum.

HOPE Services: We understand. We care. We help. We give HOPE. For info, call (813) 907-1903.

Tuesday, August 6

GFWC Pasco Junior Woman’s Club - The Monthly Meeting of the GFWC Pasco Junior Woman’s Club will be held 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., at the Lexington Oaks Clubhouse (26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd.).

The club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. Women of all ages are invited to attend and see how you can get involved in your community. For more information, call Beth Reed at (813) 380-8124.

16

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19

Excel Music Helps Musicians Young & Old Hit All The Right Notes

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN

Since 2006, Excel Music in the Cory Lake Isles Professional Center on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa has been teaching students of all ages to sing and play a wide variety of instruments with some of the area’s top teachers. If you’re looking to bring a love of music into your children’s lives, it may be the perfect time to bring them to Excel Music to try new musical endeavors. You may end up becoming a student yourself, too.

John and Sheri Thrasher are the husband-and-wife team who own Excel Music.

“We’ve helped thousands of students of all ages reach their musical goals while enjoying the journey,” says John. “We like to say Excel is both the place you start and the place you stay.”

Excel Music has 20 teachers on staff and all are either university trained (many with Master of Music degrees) or they have at least 10 years of study and performing experience. The faculty teaches voice and nearly every traditional musical instrument, including piano, guitar, drums, violin and so many more.

“There’s a lot of excellent science out there that shows the benefit of a broad education that includes arts and music,” John says, adding that Excel provides a variety of opportunities for people of all ages — not just kids — to experience and connect with music.

Beyond Just Lessons

Excel Music offers the New Tampa Choir, a singing group for kids ages 7-12, and no experience is necessary to participate. It’s currently on hiatus for the summer, but will start back in September.

“It’s a learning experience, and it’s fun,” John says. “We want to give students a venue to sing songs they know, and some they don’t. In addition to traditional choir music, we do Broadway songs, Disney songs and more. We are always looking for more opportunities for this group to perform.”

Excel’s choir is for everyone – whether or not they have any prior singing experience. It provides small group instruction and even the opportunity for students to have solo parts, if they choose.

“This is not a huge choir where no one even knows each other’s name,” John says, adding that the choir will provide a way for local kids to meet new people and get involved in the music school.

The school also will start up its Excel Rock Band again this fall, but students can apply to participate at any time.

“We’ve done a rock band a couple of times over the years, and its success depends upon the right mix of students,” John says. “We make sure to group students by age, skill level and instrumentation.”

Excel Music also offers a preschool music class for ages 18 months to four years, which is enjoyed by both kids and parents. The classes last 45 minutes, once a week, for 10-12 weeks. The next semester will start in August.

20

John and Sheri Thrasher have owned Excel Music in the Cory Lake Isles Professional Center in New Tampa since 2006, helping thousands of students hone their musical skills. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

“It’s a great way to engage with both the parent and the child,” John explains.

“The smiles on the faces of the parents are often as big as the ones on the faces of their children.”

John adds that the classes help parents learn ways to engage musically with their preschoolers at home. “This is a participatory class in which we teach parents how to bring music into their kids’ lives,” he says, “especially if they’re not musicians.”

The school’s students have the opportunity to take part in recitals twice a year, but John says these performances are always optional and low-pressure. “Recitals are part of what we do,” John says. “But, we aren’t a performance-driven studio.”

ident, the location can’t be beat. It’s “right around the corner” — a huge convenience when his girls were taking lessons, and now for him. “I’m trapped in an office 40 hours a week, so playing guitar is an outlet for me,” Pete says. “It was a bucket list item and it’s a mental challenge, using a part of my brain that I usually don’t.”

About The Owners

John explains that he and Sheri originally opened Excel Music with the dream of providing the opportunity for

Proudly Serving

Adult Training, Too

While many of Excel Music’s students are kids, the opportunity to learn to sing or play an instrument is certainly not limited by your age.

“A lot of adults come in for lessons, too,” says John. “We get retired people who say they’ve wanted to play their whole lives, and now they’re finally going to do it.” He says one of his favorite stories was about teaching an 86-year-old man how to play the trumpet.

Pete Laches is quite a bit younger than that, but he also is one of the school’s adult students. Pete says he has been taking guitar lessons at Excel since his daughters were in middle school. One is now in college and one just graduated from college.

“They started taking lessons right after we moved here, so they were in third or fourth grade,” he explains. “Rachel played the cello and piano, and Elizabeth played viola and guitar.”

He says that while his daughters no longer play their instruments, the investment he made in their lessons was well worth it.

“It’s a well-run place,” Pete says. “The instructors are good, and it seems to be a pretty stable staff. I like that they can teach every instrument, so your kid never feels stuck if they try something and hate it.”

Pete adds that, as an Arbor Greene res-

young people to be trained for the kinds of careers and lives they once experienced themselves.

“We both had long careers in music, and were professional musicians who were able to make a living performing,” John says, adding that he was the drummer for country singer Mickey Gilley for many years, giving him the opportunity to perform on TV, at the White House and for people all over the world.

In the 1990s, John and Sheri had success together with a band of their own in Japan called Tz, where he says they sold tens of thousands of CDs. They also found themselves immersed in a culture that revered teachers, which led them to start thinking about passing on the knowledge and experience they had gained to the next generation.

“We met tremendous people, saw great places, and made a living,” John says.

“We started thinking, ‘What if some of the kids who come through our school can experience what we’ve experienced?’”

They landed in New Tampa, where they had relatives, and have been building their school ever since. With 13 years now under their belts, some of John and Sheri’s long-term students are now growing up and moving on. “We’re seeing many students who have come through our school go on to college, and some are majoring in music,” John says. “This dream we had is starting to come true.”

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John explains, however, that he and Sheri recognize that the vast majority of their students will not go on to have professional music careers. “Our teachers are good enough for that type of student, but most of our students will go on to have another career such as a doctor or lawyer or something else,” he says. “We hope that when they go to a concert or experience music, they will appreciate it on a different level, because they truly understand the challenge of (Above) Adam McEndree goes over the day’s guitar lesson with playing music, and the dedication 13-year-old Ruchi Mandayan, while (below) 7-year-old Chloe Raitt and skill of the performers prebangs on the drums under the tutelage of Tucker Sody (not shown). senting the music to them.”

(Photos: John C. Cotey) For the past five years, Excel Music has been a business partner at Hunter’s Green, Clark and Pride elementary schools — and recently added Liberty Middle School to its list of partners. Students who attend those schools can enroll at Excel Music with no registration fee, which is a value of up to $45.

Excel Music (10353 Cross Creek Blvd., Suite I) is open Monday- Thursday, 2 p.m.-9 p.m., 2 p.m.-7 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. Visit ExcelMusic.org, call (813) 991-1177 for more info or to schedule lessons. Or, see the ad on page 30 of this issue.

Spotlight On: The Goddard School Of WC! Although it’s still July as you’re receiving this issue in your mailbox, this is our “Back to School” edition for Wesley Chapel and, while you probably already know where your school-aged children will attend when the 2019-20 school year starts in a few weeks, if you’re still deciding where to put your pre-schoolaged kids, one place you should consider is the totally revamped Goddard School of Wesley Chapel.

The school not only has a new look, but also a new (since March 2019) academic leader, a new coowner and lots of new features you should definitely check out.

(L.-r.) Curriculum coordinator Barbara Guthrie, Academic director Jennifer Pieper Tejal Patel, Jennifer Pieper and Dinesh Patel of has been a Goddard School teacher The Goddard School of Wesley Chapel. and director since 2008, starting in Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) into Canton, MI, and moving to Laketheir lesson plans, which are custom-tailored wood Ranch, FL, before joining the Wesley to the age and developmental levels of the stuChapel Goddard School a few months ago. dents, from six weeks old to pre-K. There’s also Pieper, who earned her B.A. degree in Early a free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program.

Childhood Education from the University Pieper, who is a certified sign language of Toledo, OH, and her MBA from St. Leo instructor and trainer, says that sign language, University near Dade City, FL, says she is Spanish and yoga also are integrated into proud of the Frog Street Pre-K curriculum at each of Goddard’s classes, which are divided the school, which is co-owned by Tejal Patel by age groups. “The entire school has been and Dinesh Patel (no relation). upgraded,” says Tejal. “We even have a kids’ According to its website, “Frog Street rock-climbing wall (photo) in our indoor Pre-K is a comprehensive, research-based program that integrates instruction across develop- gym. Come see everything we have to offer!”

For info about the Goddard School mental domains and early learning disciplines.” of WC (2539 BBD Blvd.), call (813) 603Pieper says it “matches up with Florida 6100, visit GoddardSchool.com or see the State Standards” and that Goddard School ad on page 28 of this issue. — GN teachers also incorporate STEAM (Science,

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21

Nebula Lighting Systems Can Transform Your Pool Area & More!

By ANDY WARRENER

Have you ever wished you could do more nighttime entertaining on your patio or pool deck, but the ambiance just wasn’t right? Have you ever wanted to transform your deck into an area you and your family can enjoy not only during the day, but after the sun sets as well?

Well, here’s some good news. There’s a company that is headquartered right here in Wesley Chapel that absolutely can help turn a little-used nighttime space into a relaxing oasis.

Nebula Lighting Systems offers top-down, fully-integrated LED lighting systems for your pool’s screened enclosure. While based out of the New Tampa/ Wesley Chapel area, Nebula Lighting Systems serves both the Greater Tampa Bay area and most of West Central Florida.

They company also has authorized dealers in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and South Carolina.

Why Nebula Lighting?

Nebulas are often formed as stars are born, and provide unique lights in the universe. And, Nebula LED Lighting Systems transform your patio area into a star-filled night sky. If you are one of those who have tried to do the same yourself, only

Nebula Lighting Systems can turn an ordinary screened-in pool enclosure into a starfilled night sky, perfect for entertaining.

Nebula Lighting Systems designed to end up with a dangling hodgepodge of lights susceptible to bad weather, consider its unique rail system (see top photo on this: Nebula’s systems are fully-integrated, the next page) in 2006 to match the so you might not even notice that they’re form, shape, color and profile of the metal beams that stretch across your pool. there — until you need them.

The all-LED lighting circuit fits entirely “When we’re done installing the inside the rail, and the rail is designed to system, it looks like it was part of the original installation,” Nebula owner and clip right into the bottom grooves of the beams. With the fully-integrated design, president Jamie Polkosnik says. “The system is fully-integrated into the beam even the lights are recessed into the rail.

“Because the lights are recessed, they and virtually seamless.”

will not infringe on your neighbors,” Polkosnik said. “As a result, Nebula Lighting Systems have been given preferential status with a majority of homeowners associations.”

Nebula recently installed a lighting system in Wesley Chapel resident Randy Garrison’s two-story screen enclosure.

“Ours was kind of an extensive project, being two-story, but they were able to work around it very easily,” Garrison said. “You can’t even tell the rails are there unless the lights are on.”

You also can trust the skill and expertise of Nebula.

Polkosnik moved to Florida from Ontario, Canada to become a Nebula LED Lighting Systems owner, partner and developer and to oversee installation of the exclusive lighting system. Now 12 years later, Nebula Lighting Systems are still the only LED Lighting System designed exclusively for screen enclosures.

Nebula also is a member of the Tampa Bay Business Association (TBBA) and has a AAA rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

“When we first saw a Nebula system, we were over at a friend’s house and we knew we were going to put one in when we bought our next house,” Wesley Chapel resident Tim Neilan says. “We moved

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to Estancia at Wiregrass Ranch and it was such an easy process. The rails look just like the beams and it really opens up your pool/lanai area.”

Just imagine taking your guests out onto the lanai at dusk with the remote control that operates the system concealed in your hand. As the sunlight slips away into night, you initiate a light show over your pool. While different colors are not yet available, home owners can select a number of different motions and patterns for the lights, all of which are controlled by a tiny remote.

“You can have the lights dimmed or you can light it up like it’s a room in your house when you have parties or company over,” Neilan says. “The system really makes your lanai feel like an extension of your house. Everyone that comes to the house is wowed by it and we have four or five neighbors who have added a system.”

Nebula Lighting Systems offers a $75 credit to any customer who refers a friend or family member that installs a new lighting system.

A Quality Product

Roughly 95 percent of the materials that go into a Nebula Lighting System are American-made. In fact, the tiny diode of the LED light is the only part of the system not domestically-made, and Polkosnik says even that is purchased from an American company.

The rails are made from durable and weather-resistant PVC extrusion. If you’re worried about climbing up there to replace the lights as they burn out, don’t.

Nebula will come out and do it for you.

The company offers a three-year parts and labor warranty to cover defects in parts or workmanship.

“Ninety percent of our LEDs last between 10 and 12 years, and we’ve been in business for 12 years, so we have the data on that,” Polkosnik says.

“We wouldn’t be able to stay in business of we had to come out every couple of years to replace the diodes.”

The LEDs also are low-voltage. A whole system might only have the output of a 70 watt bulb, so it will be minimal, if not invisible, on your electric bill.

“It’s also a local, family-owned business and we were able to deal with Jamie directly,” Neilan says. “We’ve had the system for three years and there have been no problems.”

Nebula Lighting Systems aren’t limited to screen enclosures, either. The company also has designed a mounting rail that allows a track to be installed under virtually any surface. “We can install our systems in gazebos, soffits and awnings,” Polkosnik says. “There’s a freedom to do many other applications.”

You owe it to yourself to check out Nebula’s website or find the company on Facebook, where you can find a video of Polkosnik on the “Great Day Tampa Bay” morning show on WFLA-TV News Channel 8 doing a demonstration of the system. You also can see photos of not just screen enclosure projects but also some of the other applications in which the Nebula systems have been installed.

Nebula Lighting Systems offers free estimates and has a 10-percent-off special on new systems until August 31.

Polkosnik says he enjoys living and working out of his home office in the fast-growing Wesley Chapel area but wants people to know that while Nebula Lighting Systems is local, the company is in every community.

There is no showroom but more info is available by calling (813) 996-0001 or by visiting NebulaLighting.com. Or, check out the ad on page 35.

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23

Dr. Duga & Dr. Feeney — Get Your Kids’ Teeth Checked Early! dentist over a general dentist to meet the oral health needs of your children.

“With kids, things are dynamic, always changing,” he says.

Meanwhile, Dr. Adams-Feeney says that pediatric dentistry was always her professional goal and she earned her Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from the University of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, after receiving her DMD degree from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston.

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN Your child’s wide and toothy smile may easily brighten a room, but ensuring that his or her teeth are healthy requires good dental hygiene at home and the kind of care that professionals like those at Dr. Duga, Dr. Feeney & Associates Pediatric Dentistry have been providing in our area for 21 years.

The colorfully decorated office in the Somerset Professional Park in Tampa Palms (located off Bruce B. Downs [BBD] Blvd. at Amberly Dr.) has more video game consoles than X-ray machines and the approach to dentistry is child-friendly as well, for a practical reason.

“Dr. Feeney and I feel it is important to provide one-on-one personalized care,” says Paul Duga, DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery). “Kids are not little adults. They need that familiarity, so it’s not a clinic where they see a different dentist every time.”

Shawna Adams-Feeney, DMD (Doctor of Medical Dentistry) says that part of the attraction of pediatric dentistry for her is the chance to make a difference in a young person’s life.

“I like working with kids because we have the ability to help them establish good habits early,” she says.

Although Dr. Duga and Dr. Adams-Feeney (who are both Board-certi-

Getting Started Early

Dr. Paul Duga (left) and Dr. Shawna Adams-Feeney have been putting the fun into trips to the dentist for local kids for more than two decades. (Photos by John C. Cotey)

fied pediatric dentists) share the goal of providing a welcoming dental home for the children of Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, they reached it in different ways.

After earning his DDS degree from the Marquette University School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Dr. Duga says he worked as a general dentist in Milwaukee for a few years before becoming interested in pediatric dentistry.

He earned his Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in New Orleans, an experience that, he says, validated his belief that children’s dental needs are best served by specialists.

“Every day, something came up that improved my knowledge base and skills to care for kids,” Dr. Duga says. He adds that there’s a good reason to choose a pediatric

When it comes to pediatric dental health, Dr. Duga says that starting early means seeing a dentist by the time a child is between 12 to 18 months old, both to establish a clinical relationship and to monitor their oral development. Those early visits also are opportunities for parents to get information about caring for their child’s gums and teeth. Dr. Adams-Feeney stresses the importance of baby teeth in overall dental health.

“If you lose a baby tooth early, teeth can shift and that can cause problems when permanent teeth erupt, which can cause problems with bites,” she says, adding that dental health also can play a role in a child’s school performance.

“Dental issues are the number one

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This is a familiar area to anyone who has taken their kids to Drs. Duga and Adams-Feeney, providing kids a chance to relax and play before seeing the dentist.

reason children miss school,” she says.

Services available at the practice include examinations, cleanings, sealant placement, tooth repair such as fillings and crowns, as well as cosmetic whitening and orthodontic alignment.

Digital X-ray technology is used, which produces images with less radiation, and sedation dentistry with nitrous oxide is available if a young patient is particularly nervous about having a dental procedure.

Perhaps one of the best means of easing anxiety in young patients, however, is the overall ambiance of the dental practice.

The walls at the office of Drs. Duga and Adams-Feeney are decorated with an aquatic-themed mural, video games and kid-friendly reading material, while overhead video monitors allow patients to enjoy some of their favorite shows while being treated.

There’s also an understanding that a pediatric appointment may require a little more flexibility on the part of the staff, says Dr. Adams-Feeney.

“We work on kid time,” she says.

“Sometimes, we really have to work with them to make it a positive experience.”

That flexibility means being available for families when dental emergencies come up outside of normal office hours.

“One of us is always on call, so if something happens on a weekend, we can still be reached,” Dr. Adams-Feeney says.

Another example of the practice’s commitment to its patients is that the two doctors continue seeing their patients through their college years, ensuring continuity of dental health at a time of great personal change. “Otherwise, sometimes if they go away to college, they won’t see a dentist during those four years,” says Dr. Duga. “During winter break, we get a lot of our college kids coming back.”

A History Of Care & Caring

Dr. Duga established the practice in 1998 and has been an active resource in the New Tampa community by participating in events such as the Hunter’s Green Health & Safety Expos, supporting local schools and sports teams and working with Christina’s Smiles, a national nonprofit organization that provides dental care to children whose Neighborhood News

families have trouble affording it.

“We want to be part of the community because (New Tampa is) like a small town in a big area,” says Dr. Duga, a longtime Tampa Palms resident.

The practice’s business coordinator Renee Mari says that meeting the dental needs of their young patients is the mission of the staff at the office, but accommodating the expectations of their parents also is an essential element of its success.

“We’ll work hard with you to determine how your insurance benefits work in our office,” says Renee, who also emphasizes the importance of first impressions. “We extend a friendly, caring approach to every patient that comes in the front door.”

Sometimes, the patients come in as a group, such as when Lori Simon brings her six children, whose ages range from 6-19, in for checkups, cleanings and treatments.

“I love the staff,” Simon says. “I actually moved from New Tampa to Dade City but we still go there because they’ve always been very responsive and willing to work with the kids.”

New Tampa resident Rebecca Berton says her two children, ages 7 and 9, also have found a welcoming dental home with Drs. Duga and Adams-Feeney.

“They’ve been coaching me about how to take care of their teeth and what kind of toothpaste is best for different stages of their lives,” Berton says. “They also come in and support what we’re trying to instill in them — to have good habits for healthy teeth — so it’s not just mom saying sugar’s not good for them.”

Dr. Duga say that the goal is to achieve a positive outcome for the practice’s young patients by the time they’re ready to go out on their own.

“We practice conservative dentistry and try to establish lifelong healthy habits so our patients can become adults with virtually no dental concerns,” he says.

Dr. Duga, Dr. Feeney & Associates Pediatric Dentistry is located at 15293 Amberly Dr., Tampa. You can learn more about their services by visiting DrDugaDrFeeney.com, by calling (813) 631-1100, or see the ad on pg. 34 of this issue. @NTWCNews

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25

North Tampa Law Group Can Help With Real Estate, Estate Planning & More!

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN

If you need legal assistance for a real estate transaction, estate planning or probate, the North Tampa Law Group has the knowledge and experience to be your go-to expert in these important legal areas.

Brian Arrighi is the local attorney who is both the owner and managing partner of the firm, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, about a mile east of the I-75 exit at S.R. 56 (behind MINI of Wesley Chapel). The firm relocated there several years ago, after Brian originally opened it in the Tampa Palms Professional Center in 2014.

Brian has been practicing law for more than 14 years, since earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, and a 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. He says the busiest part of his practice might be real estate transactions, as the housing market in this area remains very active.

“It has been and still remains more of a seller’s market,” says Brian. “If the home is priced fairly, we frequently see homes go under contract quickly, with multiple offers. In a seller’s market, we also see an increase in calls regarding ‘For Sale By Owner’ transactions.”

Attorney Brian Arrighi (left) & title manager Taylor Oliveri of North Tampa Law Group off S.R. 56 can help you with real estate legal needs, plus estate planning & more. (Photo: A. Ricky Rodriguez) He explains that the North Tampa requires legal advice or legal documents.”

He adds that hiring North Tampa Law Group offers the same title services Law Group to handle a real estate closing as a title agency, but a title agency has to does not necessarily increase the cost of refer a buyer or seller to legal counsel if a transaction without an attorney. “Our any legal issues arise. With a real estate fees are very competitive compared to a attorney already involved, Brian and his standard title agent,” Brian says. team simply go to work addressing those In most transactions, the seller is the issues, and act as your title agency. party who chooses the title agency, and “It’s a convenience,” he explains. sellers often use whoever their Realtor rec“We cover all the bases, whereas a title ommends. But, people are free to choose, agency can’t address anything that

so they can let their Realtor know they would like North Tampa Law Group to handle their closing and title insurance.

Taylor Oliveri is the firm’s title manager, working with clients from start to finish on real estate transactions to ensure those transactions close without a problem.

“Taylor is extremely responsive and very helpful,” says Brian. “Buyers and sellers are calling, they’re anxious and nervous and worried, and she’s great at bringing everybody back down to earth... calming them down.”

Taylor says North Tampa Law Group will go the extra mile to make sure your closing goes smoothly.

“As a smaller law firm, we have more of a boutique feel, rather than a large corporation,” she says. “We establish a good rapport with our clients and with Realtors, as well.”

Many of the clients Taylor works with are those who are selling their homes without a real estate agent. “People want to save money by not hiring a Realtor,” she says, “and they still get top-notch service with us.”

Seven Oaks resident Sandy Villeneuve agrees. When she was ready to sell a townhome that she owned as an investment property in The Bay at Cypress Creek (near I-75 off S.R. 56), she says she didn’t want to use a real estate agent.

“Nobody knew the property better than I did, so I refused to pay a Realtor thousands of dollars to sell it for me,” she says. “But I couldn’t do the legal side

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of it, so I needed an attorney.”

Sandy says she and her husband sat down for a consultation with North Tampa Law Group and were pleasantly surprised at the low cost of hiring the firm. From the first meeting, Sandy says it was a great experience every step of the way. “Brian was absolutely wonderful,” she says. “He and Taylor were so responsive and easy to work with. They made it a very easy transaction.”

People looking to sell their property “by owner” can schedule a free phone or inperson consultation with North Tampa Law Group. At that point, Brian and his team go over the steps to the transaction and provide all necessary documents, such as a real estate contract, seller disclosure form and homeowners association documents.

To access some of the documents, or to find out what your title costs would be, visit NorthTampaLawGroup.com.

Estate Planning & Probate

The North Tampa Law Group also helps people ensure that they don’t unintentionally leave behind problems for any heirs they may have, which can require a lot of time and expense to resolve. Estate planning is preparing for the management of your assets and determining how to efficiently distribute the assets to your loved ones when you pass away.

People are often most familiar with a Last Will and Testament document, which directs the distribution of assets, but does not avoid a potential lengthy and expensive court process known as “probate.”

North Tampa Law Group can also discuss a “living will” and other options to avoid probate.

At a consultation with North Tampa Law Group, all estate planning options are discussed to avoid or minimize any court involvement. While probate might not be the best option for everyone, Brian says there are times when it is beneficial.

Besides asset distribution, Brian adds that real-life factors, such as long-term health care, guardianship and insurance coverage also are part of estate planning.

“There is really a lot we can help you with,” he explains. “Many clients are relieved to find out it was not as expensive or as difficult as they thought.”

Brian says that communicating effectively with clients is an important part of the firm’s success. “I think we do a great job of explaining things in simple terms and allowing the client to proceed at their own pace,” he says, adding that many people don’t like to think about estate planning.

“Addressing the issues is more difficult for some people and it can take a few discussions before they determine how they want to handle their affairs, and that is perfectly fine.”

For those who have recently lost someone and find themselves needing assistance in the probate process, Brian is experienced in that area as well.

The North Tampa Law Group is located at 26852 Tanic Dr., Suite 102. For more info, visit NorthTampaLawGroup. com, see the ad on pg. 10 or make an appointment for a free initial consultation by calling (813) 518-7411.

Spotlight On: Small World Pediatrics!

Even though my kids are grown men, as a parent, I always knew the value of playtime with my children. But, until I heard about what the physicians/owners of Small World Pediatrics here in Wesley Chapel (2527 Windguard Cir., Suite 102) have been doing, I had never heard of a pediatrician physically writing a prescription for playtime for parents and their children.

But, Small World practice co-owners and physicians Nancy Silva, M.D., and José Jimenez, M.D. (photo), are doing just that — and the fact that they are prescribing playtime with LEGO bricks is even more interesting and exciting to someone like me, who probably had one of the first LEGO sets sold in the U.S. way back in 1962.

As a pediatrician and a parent, I know the positive effects playtime has on kids,” says Dr. Silva. “Before, we would stress the importance of limiting screen time and the benefits of physical activity. Now, with the help of the LEGO Group, we can give parents a tool to jumpstart playing together.”

Inspired by its mission to promote learning through play, the LEGO Group launched the “Prescription for Play” program to encourage parents to play with their children for at least 15 minutes a day.

According to Dr. Silva, studies show this can result in a variety of developmental benefits for children, including increased creative, social and fine motor skills.

“Working with the Academy of American Pediatrics, we developed this program especially for pediatricians like Dr. Silva and Dr. Jimenez, who understand the benefits of

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play,” says Drew Vernon, brand manager at the LEGO Group. “Our goal is to promote parent-child play while developing cognitive and social skills among small children.”

When you visit Small World Pediatrics for your child’s 18-month or 2-year-old checkup, Dr. Silva and Dr. Jimenez will write your Prescription for Play and provide you with a free sample set of LEGO® DUPLO® bricks, an educational prescription card to get you started on your play promise.

“We are thankful to the LEGO Group for creating this tool for children and families,” says Dr. Jimenez. “We like to be on the cutting edge of programs like this which helps us keep our patients healthy, both physically and mentally.”

For more information about Small World Pediatrics or school physicals, call (813) 907-8001, visit SmallWorldPediatric.com or see the ad on pg. 35. — GN

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27

Popularity Spurs Expansion Of After-School Program In WC! It’s Elementary, Too

By CELESTE McLAUGHLIN

In Pasco County, learning doesn’t stop when the bell rings at the end of the school day. From robotics to clay sculpting, and from Spanish to Zumba, students in several schools will again have access to innovative options after school that are fun and engaging, focused on skills the students want to acquire.

Two such pilot programs are being expanded onto three more Wesley Chapel campuses for the 2019-20 school year.

Pasco County’s successful “Explorations” program for elementary school students will be offered at Seven Oaks Elementary and “Beyond The Bell” for middle school students will be offered at both John Long and Thomas Weightman middle schools.

For parents of middle school students who previously did not have an on-campus option for care after school, Beyond The Bell brings a program that keeps kids active and engaged after the school bell rings. It was started in two Pasco County middle schools (Rushe and River Ridge) last year, both located outside of Wesley Chapel.

Beyond The Bell is a fee-based program that is available every day from the time school gets out (which may vary) until 6 p.m. “Students get group tutoring by certified teachers, ‘techno time,’ where they work on projects or research, plus clubs, socialization and enrichment programs, which change every seven weeks,” says

Students in Wiregrass Elementary’s Explorations after-school program celebrate the completion of their Zumba class. The program was highly successful in its first year (2018-19) and is now being expanded to Seven Oaks Elementary.

Each school will offer both physical Carlotta Mathis, the Enrichment Specialist in Pasco County’s After School Enrichment activities, such as sports and dance, and life Programs department. “That enrichment is skill enrichments, plus STEAM activities everything from hip-hop and jazz dance, to such as robotics. Students will be offered all the different units at some point throughrobotics, to life skills.”

She explains that a wide variety out the school year.

“Our pilot program went well and we of life skills are taught, such as home had good numbers, (last year)” explains economics, culinary skills, babysitting Mathis. “There were relationships built with and even staying home alone, as well as economics and math, where students are school staff and students, engaging activities going on all the time, and we felt like it was taught basic banking, including how to write a check and balance a checkbook. time for us to move it to the next level.”

While Beyond The Bell is expanding at the middle school level, Explorations is expanding to a new elementary school.

Explorations is a program that started at Wiregrass Elementary last year, giving students who did not need full-time care after school the opportunity to participate in a weekly enrichment class immediately after school, available four days each week.

Students attend just one or two afternoons per week and learn skills and topics that are asked for by families at the school.

In fact, the idea to bring Explorations to Seven Oaks came from a parent.

Seven Oaks principal Shauntte Butcher says parent Senthil Sundaresan requested the program after hearing it was offered at Wiregrass. “He wanted something really fun, that looks more like a club,” Butcher explains.

As working parents, she says Sundaresan and his wife were looking for more activities to be available on campus for students.

Instead of picking children up from school, taking them to some kind of class, sport or enrichment activity, and then picking them up there, the Explorations program allows kids to enjoy a worthwhile activity and parents just one pick-up time and location. “(Explorations) is a win-win for parents and students,” says Butcher. “It’s something fun after school and another learning activity that helps make children more well-rounded.”

She says students at Seven Oaks will be able to choose from a variety of after-school classes that will include dance, Spanish,

2019

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cooking, sports, coding/robotics and Zumba. Each class lasts for seven weeks and the classes offered change each quarter.

While these programs are being expanded into three more Wesley Chapel schools, there is still more room for growth. Mathis is willing to expand her office’s programs to other schools, if the principals want it and if surveys show that parents are interested.

To view all of the available programs and register for those that are currently open, including Explorations at Seven Oaks and Wiregrass elementary schools, plus Beyond The Bell at John Long and Weightman middle schools, visit Pasco County Schools’ department of After School Enrichment Programs (ASEP) at myASEP.com.

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Playing Against Older Competition Is No Problem For Rahul Bahl In His Blood

By ANDY WARRENER

Rahul Bahl is one of the area’s top youth soccer players. He has stood out at the New Tampa YMCA, in local clubs including those in Wesley Chapel, and at Liberty Middle School in Tampa Palms.

He has often been the smallest player on the soccer pitch, and almost always the youngest, due to the fact that he always played in higher divisions for his age.

Regardless of his size and age, however, Rahul has always been easy to notice.

Coaches at the IMG Academy, one of the top athletic boarding schools in the country, liked what they have seen in Bahl. The 13-year-old center-midfielder will become one of the academy’s youngest recruits when the fall semester starts on August 19.

“IMG is the perfect environment for Rahul, especially at his age, because he is going to be able to talk, eat and breathe soccer all the time,” says Franc Bayebanen, who has coached Rahul on two separate club teams. “At IMG, the coaches are there to help you achieve and the sky is the limit if you are willing to learn.”

And, says Rahul, he is certainly willing to learn.

“I’m nervous,” Rahul says.

“There are top athletes there and I’m excited to be in the best form I can be in and they are going to give me the best training.”

Rahul has always played against better competition. At 2-and-a-half years old, he played in the 3- and 4-year-old divisions at the New Tampa YMCA. He was 4 when he made the jump from recreational soccer to competitive soccer with the Wesley Chapel Flames club, competing in the 6-7-year-old division.

When he moved over to Florida Premier FC, he played against teenagers years before he became one. He’ll play up again this fall when

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Rahul Bahl started out at the New Tampa YMCA and has continually been able to succeed playing against older competition. (Photo courtesy of the Bahl family) he joins IMG’s developmental team, which is comprised of mainly 14- and 15-year-olds.

“In a way, it (playing against older athletes) is a disadvantage and, in some ways, it’s an advantage,” Rahul says. “It prepares me for the pros. In the pros, I’ll have guys that are five years or more older than me. You just learn to develop quickly.”

Being smaller as well as younger, Rahul got used to getting “bodied” by older, bigger athletes.

Eventually, he is going to physically catch up to his older competition. When he does, Bayebanen says it will be like taking the donut off the baseball bat.

“One thing that set Rahul apart from other players was that he was coachable,” Bayebanen says. “Rahul is able to listen and apply what he learns in order to get better every day.

For instance, when he started with me, he was overweight for a soccer

player. I think I mentioned it maybe two times and by the end of the year, he was very fit. His work ethic overall is phenomenal and his willingness to get better is what really separates him from other players.”

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In the meantime, Rahul is going to continue doing what he does best, trying to fulfill a dream he shared with his late uncle.

Soccer wasn’t always the chosen path for Rahul, even though he remembers his uncle Daryl Gama, who played in a national league in India, getting him up early every morning to teach him skills.

“I remember growing up, we’d wake up every day, sometimes so early it was before school, and practice fundamentals, tricks,” Rahul says. “He (Gama) got me into shape and told me what to expect. It’s what made me the player I am today.”

The route wasn’t always so direct.

“My dad (Raj) wanted me to play basketball,” Bahl said. “I remember my dad put me on a basketball team when I was three or four years old.

During the game, my mom went to the bathroom and I looked out the window and saw kids playing soccer outside. I knew soccer was my sport.”

The soccer choice fell more into the cultural fabric of Rahul’s Indian heritage.

“Cricket is religion in India, but soccer is next,” says his mother, Kiran Bahl. “Even when Rahul was in the

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crib, there were soccer matches on.”

Rahul freely admits that he harbors dreams of playing soccer professionally. Being recruited by IMG seemed like a logical step, and one that made his mother happy.

“We were completely impressed with the facility,” says Kiran. “And, the whole staff there was comforting and assuring. They have counselors there that came and introduced themselves to us. They answered every question we had before we could even ask them.”

It’ll be a bit of a leap for Rahul, as he will still be just 13 and boarding, mostly five days a week but possibly six or seven, depending upon his soccer schedule.

Academically, Rahul shouldn’t have any problem with his studies.

His parents say that he has been a straight-A student all his life and has taken honors classes in middle school and has even taken high school Spanish online.

“I feel like he’s going away to college,” Kiran says. “But, they (at IMG) told us that for an athlete, high school is their college. Athletes, based on their age and career, are different than other professions. When they said that, it opened my eyes about his future and the exposure he’ll be able to get at IMG.” Playing at IMG, which will entail travel and plenty of exposure, is going to put a lot of college and pro scout eyeballs on him.

For a player who already has managed to stand out, Rahul should feel right at home.

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NTP’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ Ready To Be ‘Part Of Your World’

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

When Disney announced recently that Halle Bailey, a teenage African-American actress, was going to play the lead role as Ariel in the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” Patty Smithey thought that was really cool.

The idea, she figured, made perfect sense. And why wouldn’t she? After all, before Disney chose Halle Bailey, the New Tampa Players chose Patty Smithey.

An African-American actress herself, Smithey has been working hard to perfect the role of Ariel, which she was selected to play in the upcoming New Tampa Players (NTP) production of the 1989 Disney animated blockbuster.

The show opens tonight at 8 p.m. at the University Area Community Development Center (CDC) at 14013 N. 22nd St. in Tampa. There are two showings on Saturday, one on Sunday, and then showings the weekend of August 2-4.

For the past month, Smithey, who lives in Land O’Lakes, has been rehearsing with the rest of the NTP, a local acting troupe, at the CDC. An acting hopeful in middle and high school, Smithey set aside her thespian dreams when she went off to college at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Smithey earned a degree at FSU in International Affairs, studying abroad in

places like Panama, Prague, Poland and Croatia, as she focused on human rights.

The acting bug, however, never went away. And, at the age of 25, Smithey is returning to her first love.

“It’s my big comeback,” Smithey says, with a chuckle. “I definitely feel honored I was chosen for this role.”

When she auditioned in May, she considered herself a longshot for any role.

“The Little Mermaid” wasn’t exactly a movie rich with non-white characters.

On the paperwork for NTP, she put down a number of roles she felt suited to play, like Ursula, or one of Ariel’s sisters, or, she jokes, “maybe a fish in the background.”

She also, on a whim, wrote down Ariel.

Nora Paine, the president of NTP, says the troupe didn’t go into the audition process looking for a white actress to play the role of Ariel. She says that is never part of the process. “We looked for the person who could best embody the character,” Paine says. “For Ariel, we were looking for that innocence, a teenage kind of spunk, for lack of a better word.”

Because the movie revolves around a mermaid’s yearning to explore a new, forbidden world, the role had to be filled by someone who embodied Ariel’s way of looking at that world with total awe.

“Patty had the facial expression of Ariel, the innocent and the curious face,” Paine says. “She did really, really well.”

Not to mention the voice. Smithey took on the movie’s iconic ballad, “Part of Your World,” for her audition, considered one of the best Disney songs ever, and nailed it.

The role of Ariel was filled by someone who had the complete package that director Derek Baxter, choreographer Anne Tully, musical director G. Frank Meekins and Paine were looking for all along.

“I knew I could sing,” Smithey says. “But, when I got that call, wow, it was just amazing.”

Smithey’s enthusiasm for her role, and the significance of being a black Ariel, has not been tempered by some of the backlash Disney has received in social media for Before Disney chose Halle Bailey to play the role of Ariel also picking an Africanin the live-action version of “The Little Mermaid,” American for the role.

Patty Smithey of Land O’Lakes (above) had already There have been hurtbeen chosen for the same role in the New Tampa Players’ ful memes passed around, production, which opens tonight. and the hashtag #NotMwhere are these people coming from, yAriel actually trended on that they would be that upset about this Twitter. mythical creature (being played by a black “I saw some of that on social media, See “Mermaid” on page 34. and I was shocked,” Smithey said. “I mean,

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33

“Mermaid”

Continued from page 33 woman). Some of the stuff I saw was very negative.”

Smithey hasn’t received any backlash, and instead prefers to think of it as inspired and inclusive casting by Paine and the NTP. The controversy over Disney’s decision hasn’t been lost on Paine, either. While she admits that she may have smiled a bit when Disney made the same decision NTP did while casting, she says the debate over inclusivity in theatre is a good one. She said diversity was a strong theme in many of the speeches at this year’s Tony Awards as well.

“We’re glad it can be a national conversation, and a local one as well,” Paine says.

She says NTP has always strived for inclusivity, no matter the production, no matter the role. The troupe has hosted productions like the Penguin Project, which provided opportunities for those with special needs, and inserted a host of actors into non-traditional parts for other productions.

In 2016, NTP reached out to residents in the USF area, where most of the troupe’s productions are performed —at least until their new home in New Tampa is completed — and asked them what they wanted to see. Residents in the area, which has a large African-American population, told the NTP they would love for their children to come

34

to productions that had actors that looked like they do.

In 2017, NTP heeded that advice and did a production of the “The Wiz,” which re-imagines “The Wizard of Oz” with a primarily African-American cast.

Choosing Smithey was nothing out of the ordinary for NTP. “I think it’s great how they are modernizing the role,” she says.

“Maybe other little girls and little boys can see that anyone can be a prince or princess.”

Smithey will lead 52 other castmates in what will be one of NTP’s biggest productions to date.

The troupe is bringing in a choreographer from the Shinobi School in Temple Terrace, which focuses on acrobatic performances relating to parkour (movements used in military obstacle course training), ninja warriors and the circus arts.

“It’s going to add a circus twist to Disney,” Paine says.

Long pieces of silk cloth will hang from above to provide the illusion of being underwater, with performers artfully working their way around the silky streams.

“This is new, as far as I can tell, combining a traditional Broadway musical and circus arts done by a non-professional company,” Paine says.

“The Little Mermaid” opens Friday, July 26, at 8 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaPlayers.org.

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35

Try New Tampa’s Authentic Mediterranean Cuisine At Al-Sham Palace!

By GARY NAGER

Although I always loved gyro sandwiches, which are known more as Greek food anyway, and the occasional falafel when I lived in New York, I never really sampled any authentic Lebanese, Syrian or Jordanian food until I lived in the Tampa Bay area.

Here in New Tampa, a couple of Mediterranean options have hung around, while others have come and gone, but one that might just have some staying power is Al-Sham Palace, located in the Pebble Creek Collection on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., only a mile or so south of the Pasco County line.

Samer Aljajeh, the owner-chef, and his general manager, Hadil Simreen (one of his wife’s friends), are both from Syria, but Hadil says that most Middle Eastern food is similar, because it all traces its roots to Turkey, which at one time occupied Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine.

Wherever Al-Sham Palace’s culinary roots are from, I will tell you that I already have several favorite dishes.

First of all, the falafel is green inside, which I’d never seen before, because chick peas aren’t generally green, but Hadil says the green is parsley. The falafels (bottom right photo on this page) are served with a savory tahini sauce made from crushed sesame seeds, garlic and lemon juice. Yum. “Almost everything we serve is made here,” Hadil says. “A lot of people follow the Mediterranean diet these days. We have everything you need for that diet here.”

I also loved the shawarma chicken salad (top right photo on this page), especially with Samer’s lightly spiced vinaigrette dressing.

As for entrées, my two favorites so far have been the lemon chicken (above left; great French fries, by the way) and the mixed grill (top left photo on next page) of beef shish kababs, shish kefta (ground beef with onions and spices) and shish tawook (chicken). The hummus served on the side was slightly addictive, the veggies were nicely seasoned and the grilled onions served with the mixed grill are almost sweet.

Al-Sham Palace has all of your other authentic Mediterranean favorites, including fried kebbie (lamb or beef with onions and spices), gyro sandwiches, grape leaves, mtable (eggplant with tahini sauce), baba ghanouj, tabouleh, fattoush salad, as well as onion rings, fried or grilled fish (tilapia), cheeseburgers, Philly steak or chicken sandwiches and more. There’s even Mediterranean breakfast items available, including Foul mudammas (fava beans, garlic, parsley, tomato, olive oil & spices) Qalaya (meat with tomato sauce) and Fateh (pureed chick peas, with pita, tahini sauce and lemon juice, as well as friend eggs and unique egg omelets with ground beef and spices. (Continued on the next page)

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Delectable Desserts, Too!

For those who love baklava, Al-Sham Palace’s is homemade and delicious, but my favorite dessert so far has been the warbaat (photo, right) with walnuts and milk cream — and I don’t really like walnuts. The milk cream is like halfway between liquid and cream cheese

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and the triangular pastry shell is crisp, flaky and delicious. It’s like the best cheese croissant in town. Top off either of those desserts (or haraseh or kunafa) with a cup of super-dark Turkish coffee (they also have American coffee and tea) and you’ll understand why I so enjoy Al-Sham Palace, even though I’m not Middle Eastern.

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And, according to Hadil, it’s not unusual that I enjoy Al-Sham Palace.

“About half of our customers are Americans,” Hadil says. “We are welcoming to everyone and hope everyone will come in and enjoy our authentic Mediterranean food.”

Al-Sham Palace is located at 19651

BBD Blvd., and is open every day for lunch and dinner. For more information, call (813) 907-8233 or search for “Al-Sham Palace” on Facebook. Go and check out our area’s most authentic Mediterranean cuisine and please tell Hadil and Samer I sent you!

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37

Nibbles & Business The Latest & Greatest News In Dining, Shopping & Business In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!

The New Rice n’ Beans Is Open!

I met proprietor Cindy Cruz of Rice-nBeans restaurant at its old location, but didn’t really get to sit down and talk to her until the new Wesley Chapel location of Rice-n-Beans opened at 27405 Wesley Chapel Blvd (S.R. 54) a couple of weeks ago.

First, let me say that Cindy’s place is gorgeous inside — the remnants of two previous steakhouses are long gone; it looks like how I imagine a fine dining restaurant would look like in Puerto Rico, away from the resorts.

Yes, Cindy admits, there have been issues she and her staff has been dealing with — after going from a hugely successful tiny space in the same building as a gas station on S.R. 54 in Lutz to more than 5,000 sq. ft. here. The new

38

menu was significantly larger than the old one, too, but Cindy says she is revamping on the fly, so her staff can better handle the unbelievably large number of people who have been in there every day since it opened.

I keep thinking I’m going at “off” times (2-3 p.m.) for a restaurant, but people are so excited about the authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, they seem OK with it if Rice-n-Beans still needs a little more...seasoning.

The food doesn’t. It’s pretty tasty. My favorite dish I’ve sampled to date is the “Chicharron de Pollo,” which is just what the menu says — delicious bone-in, crunchy fried chicken.

The red beans (with white or yellow rice) and sweet plantains are my favorites of the choice of sides that are offered...a true bargain for $10.

And, with already famous dishes like Mofongo and a premium, full-liquor bar, Ricen-Beans should be a hit in Wesley Chapel, so please keep telling Cindy and her staff I said so!

For more information, call (813) 8037974 or visit ricenbeans.com.

Walk In To Walk-On’s...Soon!

My friend Gyorgy Tamcsu, the managing partner at Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar (on S.R. 56, near the corner of Wesley Chapel Blvd, at 25372 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz) says that Walk-On’s should open on or around July 29.

Considering how close Jannah and I live to Walk-On’s (see item below), Gyorgy knows we’ll be regulars there. For more info, call (813) 553-6500 or visit walk-ons.com. — GN

Two New Restaurants To Open In Former Men’s Wearhouse!

New Tampa’s loss when the Men’s Wearhouse off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. closed right around the time the chain’s new location opened in Wesley Chapel, could end up being, well, New Tampa’s gain.

Paperwork has been filed with the City of Tampa to split the old Men’s Wearhouse location into space for two tenants, with both likely to be restaurants, one that is already proceeding with plans to open at the location. And, although the name of the restaurant is unclear, what it will serve isn’t — ramen noodles.

Love Ramen, LLC, has already applied for a temporary vinyl sign — “Coming Soon: Japanese Ramen Noodles” — while the former 5,005-sq.-ft. Men’s Wearhouse location is split into two “vanilla” boxes. One location will be 3,120 sq. ft., while the other will be 1,885 sq. ft.

Ramen restaurants have grown in popularity of late, mostly in metro areas. But, fast-casual locations outside of your hip cities have surged as well, much like the poké bowl (New Tampa is getting one of those as well) craze.

While ramen is mostly familiar to Americans as an inexpensive brick of noodles with a packet of seasoning mixed in hot water that fed us all during college, Japanese ramen served in restaurants can be meticulously prepared, served in tasty broths and topped with various meats and vegetables. — JCC

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 27, Issue 16 • July 26, 2019 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Neighborhood News

Hundreds Attend Metro City Bank’s Grand Opening!

If you think it’s hard to get excited about a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a bank, think again. The Grand Opening celebration (photo on next pg.) and North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting on June 27 for the months-old Metro City Bank (located in the former Regions Bank building next to CVS Pharmacy at BBD and Commerce Palms Dr. in Tampa Palms) was attended by literally hundreds of people, many of whom were of Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese descent, although there were plenty of Chamber members on hand for the festivities, too.

The event featured a formal, whiteglove ceremony and amazing food provided by a Korean catering company.

I got to sit down for a few minutes with Metro City Bank founder Nack Y. Paek, who says Metro City Bank was founded in Atlanta with $15 million in assets and now has 19 branches in seven states, with assets of more than $1 billion. The Tampa Palms location is the first in Florida and features two tellers who speak Korean and two who speak Chinese, although all of the tellers and branch manager Yoon Kang speak English and the bank’s outstanding services are available to anyone.

For more info, stop in at 6202 Commerce Palms Dr., call (813) 848-0153 or visit MetroCityBank.bank.

@NTWCNews

• Full Liquor Bar! • Watch all the games here!

• Karaoke & Entertainment

Still smoker friendly!

Rain & Shine Cleaning For Move-In Or Move-Out!

I’ve told you about Rain & Shine Residential Cleaning in this space before, but now that Jannah and I have moved out of our old apartment to the brand new Tapestry at Cypress Creek apartments, I just had to say again that whether you’re looking to have your home (or business) cleaned regularly, or you need a

move-in or move-out thorough clean (like we just had), we believe our friend Irene Joyner of Rain & Shine is the best in the business.

Jannah and I didn’t realize how much dirt we had accumulated in three+ years in the same location, but Irene got our old place so spotless that we were both speechless! Call Irene at (813) 451-3042, visit RainandShineClean. com or see the ad below! — GN

(813) 973-8336 27429 County Rd 54 Wesley Chapel, FL 33544

(Expires 8/31/19)

OUR

SARY YEAR ANNIVER

813.973.4111

HOURS: Mon - Sat 9:30AM–7:30PM | Sunday 11AM–5PM Buy E-Gift Cards online at:

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Wesley Chapelʼs Best & Most Luxurious Nail Spa! Nail Enhancements • Manicures • Dipping Powder • Pedicures • Hot Touch Pedicures • Waxing • Eyelash Extensions • Neck and Shoulder Massage • Facials and so much more • GIFT CARDS and PARTIES! Neighborhood News

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 27, Issue 16 • July 26, 2019 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

39

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

WESLEYCHAPELPRESSUREWASHING.COM Soft pressure exterior house cleaning, screen enclosures, pool decks, driveways, sidewalks, fences, roofs, paver sealing and deck staining.

We clean everything. No job too big or small.

Experience the difference when you hire a pressure cleaning professional. Licensed and insured. Owner operated. Call for a free estimate or visit our website. 813-433-6015.

DAVID BRIDGES PRESSURE CLEANING Complete exterior cleaning of your home or business with a professional & personal touch. Pool decks and screen enclosures - All fencing/ driveways and walkways/roofs - Gutter and downspouts. Find your happiness in a fresh, bright clean home. Your neighbors will love you for it!

All work guaranteed. Licensed and insured. Call 813-215-1177.

MILLENNIUM HOME REPAIR.Professional Handyman. Cabinet Installation, dry wall repair, tile installation & repair, some plumbing, laminate flooring, light fixtures, interior painting, appliance installation, pressure washing, paneling, window repair, awning installation, carpentry, garbage disposal, fence repair, crown molding, window blinds, seal baths & showers, TV mounting & more.

Call 813-400-1408 or email TYCOONUNION@ YAHOO.COM. Tjs Pressure Washing LLC. Driveways, Houses, Fences, Lanais and Screened Enclosures. Most residential 2 car driveways or vinyl fences starting at $60. House washing prices start at $100 for a 1 story home and $150 for a 2 story home. Looking for an instant quote? Just text me a picture of the job you need done. Call Tj at 727-808-7775

SPACE AVAILABLE

SERENITY SALON & SPA SUITES Wesley Chapel. Booth rental for Stylist available. Can be either full time or part time. Give us a call!: 813-312-5247 or 813-997-6302.

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

AMBLER ENTERPRISES Home Improvement. Call James at 813-385-6402. 30 Years Experience. Specialist in Kitchens & Bathrooms. Referrals upon request. All interior work: Drywall, Texture Paining, Doors, etc. Use us once & you won’t need to look elsewhere.

Please Google us if you would like to see pictures: Wesley Chapel Ambler Enterprises.

COMPUTER/BUSINESS SERVICES

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman.

Affordable Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings and walls, retexturing, popcorn removal, room additions, cracks, holes, plaster and stucco repair. 26 Years Experience. Wesley Chapel resident. State Certified. Call Ron for free estimate: 813-784-5999.

CHARLES POPPE ELECTRIC. Electric of all kinds pools, spas, service changes, new circuts, low voltage, repairs, upgrades, changes to existing, trouble shooting, GFCI performance testing, generators. Expert in the field - over 40 years experience. Discount for retired people

Classifieds

LAWN & LANDSCAPING

POOL SERVICES

_

A.T.B. Landscaping & Lawn Service. Licensed and insured serving the Tampa Bay area over 20 years. Family owned and operated. Quality work at affordable prices. We provide services in gutter clean-out, screen repair, pressure washing and sprinkler repair. Landscaping and property maintenance including: sodding, trimming trees and hedges, and clean ups. Other services are available. CALL 813-907-LAWN (5296)

TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE. New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing with outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! Call or Text Chris today @ 813-8575400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com. New customers get ONE MONTH FREE!

Jasmine Landscaping, Inc. Complete lawn maintenance: Tree, palm & hedge trimming, planting, mulching, stones, sod replacement.

Gutter cleaning, leaf removal & more. Cited by your HOA? Ask about our HOA Compliance Special, our Fall/Spring Special & FREE ESTIMATE! Licensed & insured. Accepting new residential & commercial accounts. We accept Visa, MC, PayPal, Zelle, AmExp. Call or text 813-420-4465. Now hiring full-time workers.

PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT in your home or small business. A+, Certified computer tech with 20 years exp. Maintenance and Repairs, Upgrades and Tutoring. More affordable than large chains! Friendly, personalized service. Technical jargon explained. Remote assistance available.

References available. Call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate.

HEAVY HITTER LAWN CARE: Veteran owned and operated lawn care maintenance service, focused on lawn mowing, trimming, edging and blowing (flexible with extra services). Well maintained and professional laborer ensuring customer satisfaction and on-time cuts. Rain or shine, the quality and schedule will be kept. Licensed and Insured. Call or

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,

HOW MUCH IS YOUR HOME WORTH? Get a free, no-obligation comparative market analysis from NAR-certified Pricing Strategy Advisor & licensed real estate broker Scott Lewis.

Your analysis includes your home’s sales & ownership history, neighborhood, and market price estimate. Why guess? If you’re thinking of selling, call or text Scott H. Lewis, Broker Associate, today at 813-777-2500. Global

CLEANING SERVICES

B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 16 years experience! Commercial & Residential; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & post construction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in or move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates; References available. Call today: 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE We have our own supplies and more than 400 clients in New Tampa!

For more info, Call 813-758-9710.

Squeaky Clean Home Services LLC. is a residential cleaning company offering weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly services. We also specialize in Move-in / Move-out cleanings. All supplies and equipment provided. We are an Owner-Operator company with over 20 years experience that is Licensed, bonded & insured. Call us for your Free in-home estimate today!

813-625-6045 www.squeakycleanhomeservices.com Our Classified Ads are the ones your neighbors in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel actually read!

REAL ESTATE

NEIGHBORHOOD POOLS Wesley Chapel owned and operated since 1999. Weekly service. No long term contracts. Mention this AD for one-month Free service. Call 813-907-7322 for details or text Joe at 813-758-7608.

AQUATEC POOL SERVICE has been keeping pools clear & swim-safe since 1994. WE DO POOLS RIGHT! Commercial & Residential. CPO #33-303052 Licensed & Insured. Service guarantee. Call 813-312-5694 TODAY and get ONE MONTH OF QUALITY SERVICE FREE. www.aquatecpool.com

PIANO LESSONS

PIANO LESSONS. Summer is a great time to start! 30+ Years of Experience. Reasonable rates. Children or Adults. Call 813-994-7857 for a FREE interview.

NOTICE UNDER FICTITIOUS NAME DoesItWork? is now doing business in Pasco County, FL and online. If you have a product that you would like to see reviewed or would like to see my reviews, please contact DoesItWork? at https://www.facebook.com/doesitwork. letsfindout Your Classified AD can go Here!

Call (813) 910-2575 or go to neighborhoodnewsonline.net/classified-listings/ to order yours today!

HELP WANTED

HIRING PERSONAL TRAINER. Private Women’s Studio with Boot Camp & Personal Training in Wesley Chapel & Land O’ Lakes owned by Samantha Taylor.

Please no phone calls or walk ins.To apply part time: www.lolfitbodybootcamp.com/hire-pt.

BOSCO’S ITALIAN-TO-GO is hiring! Inside & Delivery positions available. Must be 18+, have a good attitude & have your own reliable transportation. Stop in at 30122 S.R. 54, Wesley Chapel to fill out an application.

PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHER AVAILABLE Retired Professional Photographer (over 45 years experience) in the Tampa Bay Area. Corporate Events, Personal Occasions, Portraiture, Pets, Comercial Photography, and Real Estate.

Reasonable rates. Call/Text 813-748-3901.

Visit: russellleprephotography.com

Doing business in Pasco and Hillsborough County area since 1978

We Don’t Cut Corners, We Dust Them

“Residential and Commercial’’

Family Owned Business with 20Years of Experience We are your all-purpose cleaner with: • High Quality Services • Competitive Rates • Great References • Always the Same Crew

THE NEAT & TIDY PROFESSIONALS

24 Years of Experience • Interior/Exterior HUNDREDS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS

Call KT or Cole Topash (owners/painters)

813.780.2511

(813) 381-1430 40

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 27, Issue 16 • July 26, 2019 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Topashpainting@Gmail.com Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Protect your children and pets with Tampa Bay’s only organic monthly fertilization and pest control • Courteous, friendly customer service • Monthly service from $40 per month • State licensed spray technicians • Organic/natural fertilizers • On-time service • Amazing results • No contracts • Special discounts on irrigation repairs and inspections

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CHECK OUT OUR NEW SHOWROOM! 21859 State Road 54, Lutz, Florida 33549 Lic CPC 1458348 • Hablamos Espanol

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 27, Issue 16 • July 26, 2019 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

41

FOR ALL YOUR COSMETIC AND MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY NEEDS.

Transformations Building • 2441 Oak Myrtle Ln #101, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 | Wilderness Commons • 7040 Land O'Lakes Blvd, #101, Land O'Lakes, FL 34638

www.360DermatologyTampa.com | 813-406-4835 | Follow us on

Have a Ball! (or, get down to business)

Tampa-Wesley Chapel

26640 Silver Maple Pkwy Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 TampaWesleyChapel.HGI.com

CLEANING SERVICES

......iaila

Aberdeen Ashley Pines Avalon Park West Belle Chase Bridgewater Brookside Chapel Pines Citrus Trace 42

Direct-Mailed to 25,000+ Homes in Zip Codes 33543, 33544 & 33545

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 •Volume 27, Issue 16 • July 26, 2019 • NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net

Northwood Palm Cove Pinewalk Pine Ridge Quail Hollow Saddlebrook Saddleridge Estates Saddlewood Estates Neighborhood News

Seven Oaks The Ridge Watergrass Williamsburg The Lakes at Northwood Villages ofWesley Chapel Wesley Pointe Westbrook Estates @NTWCNews

Your Full Real Estate Solutions Providers Residential-Commercial-Property Management Title-Mortgage-Insurance-Home Warranty-Auction

www.bhhsfloridaproperties.com

26771 State Rd 56 Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 (813) 907-8200

CENTER SHOWCASE HARSHAW LAKES/ ST PETERSBURG

THE HAMMOCKS NEW TAMPA

BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME!

Angela Mora 813-482-1452

Cynthia Filippi 813-784-1634

Rhina Cortes-Pinciotti

813-362-3651

UPGRADES GALORE! Located in Harshaw Lakes with NO HOA, NO Deed Restrictions and NO Flood Insurance this Lovely Home Boasts 3 Bedrooms, 1.5 Baths, 1,337 SF and 1 Car Garage. Sitting on a Tree Shaded Lot this Home welcomes you with a Large Front Porch. Upon entering you will Love the Beautiful Hardwood Floors.

Location just 10 minutes to the Interstate & 15 minutes to the Beach!

Don’t miss this one, call for Private Viewing Today

Pre-Construction. To be built in Clearwater, FL. The beautiful MAJESTY floor plan offers 5-Bed/4-Bath at 3,206 sqft. Palm Crest Place is a gated community and has an easy commute to Tampa & St. Pete, US. HWY 19 & Bayside Bridge, offering everything you need! This open and spacious floor plan features a split bedroom plan, two car garage and covered lanai space with a large backyard. Interested in a different floor plan? We can accommodate up to 4 different floor plans in this community. NGBS Green Certified home, Energy Efficient, NO CDD with luxury upgrades offered. Offered at $639,000

Pristine, Great Floor Plan, Light and Bright in Gated Community Maintenance Free Townhome 3 Beds 2.5 Baths on Conservation Lot Fantastic Kitchen, Stainless Appliances, Granite, 42 inch Wood Cabinets Large Master Bedroom Suite w/Garden Tub, Separate Shower & 2 sinks Fitness Center & Community Pool w/Large Covered Area w/Table& Chairs Close to 75 and 275, Wiregrass Mall & Wesley Chapel Restaurants Great price of just $200K w/Low HOA fees of just $430 a qtr. Call today.!

AMora@BHHSflpg.com | AngelaMoraRealEstate.com Hablo español también!

rcortes@bhhsflpg.com | www. rcortes.bhhsfloridaproperties.com Hablo Español

CFilippi@BHHSflpg.com | CynthiaSellsTampaHomes.com

WATERMARK BEAUTY! - SEVEN OAKS

LAKE JOVITA/DADE CITY

WESLEY CHAPEL

Natalie Miller 813-758-8020 View this stunning 3550 sf, 4 bed, 4 bath private pool home on pond/ conservation! Includes office, bonus room/or optional 5th bedroom...

Offered at $574,900.

Call Natalie today for your showing: 813-758-8020 nmiller@bhhsflpg.com | www.nmiller.bhhsflpg.com

Mercy Barragan 813-494-6797 $3000 Credit to Buyers Closing Costs! Model Perfect Arthur Rutenberg home, nearly 1 Acre, at the Hills at Lake Jovita! Spacious 3848 SqFt, 3BR/4BA+Study+Bonus Room, Heated Pool & Spa overlooking open green space park like setting! Well appointed features--Tray Ceilings, Double/Triple Crown Moldings, Upgraded Tiles & Hardwood Floors, Chef’s Kitchen, Luxury Appliances, Whole House Generator & more! Enjoy entertaining outdoors w/a Summer Kitchen or nighttime cozy gathering by the custom Fire Ring Paved Patio!

At Dade City’s Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club! $637,000

Johanna Navarro 813-299-9870 No HOA or CDD. 3/2.5/2 Pool home on a one acre corner lot in the heart of Wesley Chapel. This move-in ready home has been beautifully updated. jnavarro@bhhsflpg.com

mercy@mercybarragan.com | www.MercyBarragan.com

AVALON PARK

JUST LISTED!

Randall Crews, PA 813-751-9115 31944 TALLY HO LANE, WESLEY CHAPEL Priced to sell! NO HOA and NO CDD. POOL home on over an ACRE of land in Wesley Chapel. This 3 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom home comes complete with a relaxing pool retreat featuring a large, screened, paved lanai. There's also an acre of land to host all of your family events and room for all of your toys.

Schedule your private showing today. rcrews@bhhsflpg.com | www.crews-realty.com

THE RIDGE AT WIREGRASS

Karen Tillman-Gosselin

813-629-1502

5112 Autumn Ridge Drive | $289,900 Beautiful 2,283 SF, 3/2.5/2 plus loft, master downstairs, granite counters, fenced yard and courtyard garage.

KTillman-Gosselin@BHHSFLPG.com | FineHomesofTampa.com

Tammy Hellman 813-451-8159 This Single Family, GL built home is the Cabernet model nestled on a quiet street and .20 acre home site, located in the Desired Community of "The Ridge at Wiregrass". The floor plan is a well-designed,open plan offering an excellent use of space in its 2,172 square feet.The home has been enhanced with details throughout,including 3 generous sized bedrooms,Den/Office, 3 full bathrooms, formal entry foyer, great room, formal dining room, high ceilings, window blinds with neutral carpet & tile flooring throughout the home. Turn Key Ready!!! Contact Tammy Hellman @ 813-451-8159 thellman@bhhsflpg.com | www.GetItRightRealtyGroup.com

August 10 & 11

www.bhhsfloridaproperties.com

Got my rhythm back! #NoMoreAFib

Trust the ER Experts Life is unpredictable. When an emergency happens, you need an experienced team you can trust. From pediatric care to heart attacks and strokes, our ER experts are ready to help at two 24/7 convenient locations in Wesley Chapel and Central Pasco.

ERCareNearMe.com In case of a medical emergency, call 911.

Formerly Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel