Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 24, Issue 20, September 23, 2016

Volume 24 Issue 20

Inside: Win FREE Dining In Our Survey & Contest!

September 23, 2016

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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 46!

WCCC & New Tampa Rotary Agree To Present 2017 ‘Taste’ At FHCI!

By Gary Nager I will admit that I was crazy excited to learn that the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) — our exclusive webcast partner for WCNT-tv (see pages 3 & 32) — was getting ready to sign off on having the New Tampa Rotary Club (which meets Fridays for breakfast at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club) put on the next Taste of New Tampa.

Sadly, I thought that official announcement was coming a few months ago...and then, a few weeks ago.

Well, on Sept. 14, it became official. There will be a 21st Taste of New Tampa — and Wesley Chapel — on Saturday, March 18, 2017!

But somehow, the bigger news for all of us who plan to dive headfirst into bringing back one of our area’s most popular single-day events than the fact that there finally will be another Taste is the location for the event — Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI)!

FHCI co-owner/developer Gordie Zimmerman may not have been able to be on-hand for the signing ceremony between the WCCC and the New Tampa Rotary, but Zimmerman stepped up to the plate in a big way by agreeing to bring the event primarily back indoors for the first time since the first Taste back in 1994 (when it was held in and outside of Hunter’s Green Country Club), instead of outside in what has too often been either sweltering heat or sideways-falling, driving rain.

The signing ceremony, held at the Chamber office in The Grove at Wesley Chapel, featured New Tampa Rotary president Brice Wolford and WCCC Board chair Tracy Clouser signing off on a document that took a little while to finalize, but will definitely prove to be worth

Also Inside This Issue: News, Business & Sports Updates School Rezoning Meeting Draws A Crowd, Field Down To Two To Build Indoor Sports Complex, Macy’s Future Looks Bleak, Costco Opening Delayed, Wesley Chapel High Football Off To A Big Start & More Local Business Features!

Pages 3-32

Neighborhood Magazine

Local Coach Developing Baseball Rockstars, 7 Layers Bakery Satisfies Your Sweet Tooth, Wesley Chapel Group Raising Awareness Of Human Trafficking, Win Free Dining In Our 2016 Dining Survey & Contest; Plus, More Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

Pages 33-48

the wait for both the organizers and the likely thousands of attendees who will be on hand to help raise money for the New Tampa Rotary’s selected charities.

Also at the signing ceremony were Chamber president and CEO Hope Allen and WCCC ambassadors (and New Tampa Rotary Club members) James Carner and Craig Miller. Yes, that is the same Craig Miller of Full Throttle Intermedia who also is my partner on WCNT-tv.

Putting Together A Team

The New Tampa Rotary is already putting together a team of volunteers to help ensure the success of the event. I have agreed to be the Taste restaurant coordinator, while former Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel historian (who also has been a past Rotary District Governor) David West of Signarama of New Tampa, who is now

a member of the New Tampa Rotary, will be the sponsorship coordinator. New Tampa Rotary member Karen Frashier will be among those responsible for marketing the event and more announcements will come in the future.

The 2017 Taste is only 25 weeks (a little more than six months) away, so the organizers need to move quickly to ensure that the first to be held since 2014 (on one of those sidewaysrain days, when it was held in Primrose Park off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms). I handled the restaurants for that event and there were 30 committed at one point, but the reports of likely bad weather that day caused numerous day- and week-of-the-event cancellations. That shouldn’t be a problem inside the 150,000-sq.ft. FHCI — which will be the largest skating facility south of New York when it opens.

“It’s a great opportunity to revive an amaz-

(Left pic, l.-r.) WCCC CEO Hope Allen, NT Rotary president Brice Wolford, WCCC Board Chair Tracy Clouser and WCCC Ambassadors Craig Miller and James Carner at the signing ceremony (right) held at the Chamber office to officially give the New Tampa Rotary the right to host the 2017 Taste of New Tampa on March 18. ing event,” Allen said after the signing ceremony.

“The Chamber is getting out of the business of putting on major events like these, so it was great that the New Tampa Rotary stepped up to bring back the Taste.” The Chamber also has divested itself of its own Fall Festival, which will have its 12th edition put on this year at The Grove shopping center the weekend of October 29-30.

by Simply Events, which was introduced at the WCCC’s September business breakfast.

Look for more updates about the Taste in these pages, at WCNeighborhoodNews. com and on future episodes of WCNT-tv. We also will post information for those who want to help with putting on the event.

Wesley Chapel Jazz Festival Moves To Avalon Park West Oct. 15!

By John C. Cotey The 3rd Annual Wesley Chapel Fall Jazz Festival is coming back to our area, but not to its usual locale.

After two years at the Wesley Chapel District Park on Boyette Rd., the 2016 Festival will be hosted on Saturday, October 15, noon-8 p.m., by the Avalon Park West (APW) community off S.R. 54.

Located at 32659 Coldwater Creek Lp. in Wesley Chapel, Avalon Park West has held a number of successful open-to-the-pubic events, including its Fourth of July celebration, which drew a big crowd estimated at more than 2,000 people.

The Wesley Chapel Fall Jazz Festival, which is free to attend, should be another large gathering at the new development.

“The last one, we had like 5,000 people, so we’re back by popular demand,’’ says Tim Hancock, the president of Jazz Tyme Productions, which is organizing the event.

A lacrosse tournament may have bumped the festival from the District Park,

but it’s all good, Hancock says, noting that the jazz festival will be combined with APW’s own Fall Festival (see ad on pg. 17).

“They have been trying to get me to bring it over there (to Avalon Park West) for the longest,’’ he says.

Hancock also says that this year’s festival will have bounce houses, face painting, a pumpkin patch and dozens of food vendors.

But, the main draw will be the music, which will be highlighted by nationally-known smooth jazz artist Nathan Mitchell — who released his debut album “For All Eternity” in 2013 — and Tampa-based saxophonist Marlon Boone, who also plays with his R&B band City Groove.

“It’s going to be awesome,’’ Hancock says. “It will be live and smooth. This ain’t no backyard BBQ.” Hancock is estimating a crowd of 3,0004,000 this time around. Both the Neighborhood News & WCNT-tv will be on-site, too!

For more information, visit AvalonParkWest.com or JazzTymeProductions. com, or call 609-2531.

Smooth jazz recording artist Nathan Mitchell will be the headliner at this year’s Wesley Chapel Jazz Festival.

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL - A new report has just been released which identifies a foolproof 3-point plan which any homebuyer can use to secure the best financing rates when they buy a home.

When you’re looking to buy a home, the first thing most homebuyers do is start the process of househunting.

However, experience proves that this is one of the last steps you should be taking if you want to get the most home for the least amount of money. In fact, shopping for the best financing should start long before you start shopping for a home.

The experience of thousands of area homebuyers has been summarized in a new report entitled “Best Financing: A

3-Point Plan”. This report outlines 3 critical steps you must take to obtain the absolute best financing rates when you buy a home. It tells you where you should go, what questions you should ask, and how to manage the process to your personal advantage.

To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1-800-441-1783 and enter 3020. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Get your free special report NOW to learn how to obtain the best financing rates when you buy your next home.

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL - A new report has just been released which reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9 Step System that can help you sell your home fast and for the most amount of money.

This industry report shows clearly how the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasingly less and less effective in today’s market. The fact of the matter is that fully three quarters of homesellers don’t get what they want for their homes and become disillusioned and worse - financially disadvantaged when they put their homes on the market.

As this report uncovers, most homesellers make 7 deadly mistakes that cost them literally thousands of dollars. The good news is that each and every one of these mistakes is entirely preventable. In answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitled “The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar”.

To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1-800-441-1783 and enter 3000. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Get your free special report NOW to find out how you can get the most money for your home. Bruce Wilde, RE/MAX Premier Group. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers already under contract.

Raymond James Is Official; More To Come In WC...& On WCNT-tv!

WCNT-tv item below) close to completing

An editorial by Gary Nager Shortly before we went to press with this issue, it was announced on TampaBay. com (and on the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce {WCCC} website, WesleyChapelChamber.com) that Raymond James Financial had closed on 65 acres of property in the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI).

The TampaBay.com report says that the finalization of the long-awaited agreement came just days after Pasco County amended its incentive agreement with the company and Wiregrass Ranch Inc. to eliminate a deadline for construction to begin on Raymond James’ planned six four-story buildings totalling 1 million square feet. Combined, the state and Pasco County incentives total $14 million.

JD Porter, who is managing the development of the ranch for his family’s trust, was quoted as saying that now that Raymond James is officially in the fold after closing on the parcel located east of the Shops at Wiregrass mall on S.R. 56 at Mansfield Blvd, “I think a lot of other office uses will follow. It bodes well for everybody.’’

There’s no doubt that the Porter family is still at the forefront of the continuing development of Wesley Chapel, although Wiregrass Ranch isn’t the only part of zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545 that is still booming.

In Wiregrass Ranch, as we’ve told you before, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) and North Tampa Behavioral Health (see story on pg. 10) both are in the process of expanding, with FHWC (see

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 Gary Nager Advertising Sales & Office Manager Mary Dorey Billing Manager Jillian Reilly Assistant Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Staff Writer Celeste McLaughlin Correspondents Anu Varma Panchal • Brad Stager • Andy Warrener WCNT-tv Sales & Production Assistant Gavin Olsen Graphic Designers Blake Beatty • Georgia Carmichael 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 advertisements for Volume 24, Issue 22, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Monday, October 10, 2016.

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

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

© 2016 JM2 Communications, Inc. Neighborhood News

its upward expansion. In addition, Florida Medical Clinic is very close to opening a new 80,000-sq.-ft. campus on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. just south of the hospital, bringing many more doctors’ offices within minutes of all of our Wesley Chapel readers. As we’ve also reported before, the Shops at Wiregrass mall also is expanding, although at least one major retailer in the mall — Macy’s (see story on page 8) — may be closing.

The residential portions of Wiregrass Ranch also are expanding, as a new community called The Arbors (also see story on pg. 10) is now building new single-family homes and attached townhomes near the already-popular Estancia at Wiregrass subdivision off BBD north of FHWC. Also selling well are the luxurious GL Homes in The Ridge at Wiregrass Ranch subdivision south of S.R. 56 (see the ad on this issue’s back cover, pg. 48).

But again, there also is plenty happening as you head west along S.R. 56 towards I-75, as a new Wawa gas station and convenience store is getting ready to open just west of the intersection of BBD on S.R. 56. The much bigger news is that Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI), which is expected to open before Thanksgiving of this year, also will host the next “Taste of New Tampa” (and Wesley Chapel; see pg. 1) on March 18, 2017.

And, continuing west on S.R. 56, the area around the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO) mall also continues to be white-hot, as WCCC members recently got an update on the progress of the 150,000-sq.-ft. Costco being built next to TPO (see story on pg. 13), and both our future print editions and upcoming episodes of WCNT-tv will provide you with updates on the planned openings of both BJ’s Brewhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse near the outlet mall, as well as any progress on the just-beginning construction north of S.R. 56 between I-75 and Wesley Chapel Blvd.

WCNT-tv YouTube channel.

Episode 7, which debuted on Sept. 16 (a week before you received this publication in your mailbox) features the exclusive first announcement of the Taste of New Tampa (again, see story on page 1), Mollyana Ward’s interview with our Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Featured Business — Kent and Cindy Ross of RP&G Printing — and me naming my three favorite steakhouses in Tampa. There’s also three you-heard-themhere-first announcements of three great events coming up in our area, has gotten some of the best response we’ve had to date.

(Note-“Mollyana” is the correct spelling of her name, so apologies to our outstanding Chamber Featured Business host for anytime we’ve spelled it wrong in print before.)

Yes, we’re building momentum with this

thing, so I hope everyone who reads this editorial either in your print edition or online will watch, like and share not only all seven episodes produced to date, but also Episode 8 (which will premiere on Friday, September 30) and every 8-9-minute-long show after that. We also re-release every episode as individual 2-3-minute segments, so we never take up too much of your time online. Our only goal is to continue to find new ways to inform and, hopefully, entertain you, too — and get you to frequent the businesses mentioned and mention that you saw them on WCNT-tv!

Look for new episodes every other Friday.

In other words, when you receive this publication in your mailbox, a new episode of WCNTtv will air one and three weeks later. And, look for more unique video programming from the producers of WCNT-tv in the future.

And, Speaking Of WCNT-tv...

My partner and producer on WCNTtv — Full Throttle Intermedia owner Craig Miller — and I (and everyone affiliated with the show) are so excited to announce that Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, after completing its initial six-episode commitment to be the Studio Sponsor for WCNT-tv, has agreed to sponsor the next ten episodes of the show, which currently has seven episodes “in the can,” all of which are available on our own

Table of Contents

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

Rezoning Process Under Way For New High School...4 Two Companies In Running For Sportsplex.............6 Is Macy’s Closing? Plus, NTBH Is Expanding.........8 Lennar Building A New Community In Wiregrass...10 Rotary Sells Plaques To Benefit Honduras Trip......12 Costco Won’t Open Until February 2017........13 Wesley Chapel Community Calendar........................16

Local Business Updates.............20-26

Mobley Homes Celebrates 40 Years In TB Area......20 SPOTLIGHT ON: NutriMost Of Wesley Chapel......21 Loyless Funeral Homes For Your Family...............22 Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube................................24 SPOTLIGHT ON: Houzen Events Planning............25 The Grout Doctor Takes On Tough House Calls...26

Local Sports Updates.............30-31 New ‘Tude Changing Chapel For The Better

Neighborhood

Magazine

Turning Kids Into Baseball Rockstars....................33 Win Free Dining In Our Dining Survey & Contest....37

7 Layers Bakery Satisfies Your Sweet Tooth..............40 Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’............42

Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Classifieds.........44 Walking To Combat Human Trafficking................46 @NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Rezoning Process Begins For ‘GGG,’ Wesley Chapel’s Newest High School

By John C. Cotey

Two days after a heated rezoning meeting took place on the west side of Pasco County, the first stage of east side of Pasco rezoning that will affect many students in Wesley Chapel kicked off Sept. 16 in the media center at Wesley Chapel High.

With a new grades 6-12 high school — currently referred to as GGG High — on the way, District officials are hoping the new school can alleviate the overcrowding at all of Wesley Chapel’s middle and high schools.

Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) currently is at 153 percent of its capacity, the most in the county by far. Built for 1,633 students, WRH today has 2,495 students enrolled. It is currently operating on a 10-period school day, adopted for the 2015-16 school year, to ease overcrowding.

WRH’s primary feeder school, Dr. John Long Middle School, was built for 1,327 students but currently enrolls 1,870, or 147 percent of its capacity.

Wesley Chapel High (WCH) was built for 1,506 students, but has 1,669 enrolled, or at 111 percent of capacity, while Thomas E. Weightman Middle School has 1,186 students, or 122 percent of its 975-student capacity.

Pasco’s School Boundary Committee (SBC), with administrative representatives from every school, as well as two parents from each school, met to begin the process of drawing the boundaries for GGG, which will open in time for the 2017-18 school year on Old Pasco Rd., just south of Overpass Rd. Chris Williams, the director of plan-

4

Pasco School District officials will not name High School GGG off Old Pasco Rd. in Wesley Chapel until after the school’s boundaries are set. ning for the Pasco School District, is hoping Oaks, Grand Oaks, The Oaks, Cypress Esthings don’t become as contentious as they tates, Stage Coach Enclave, Cypress Creek have in the Trinity area, where dozens of Town Center and Veteran’s East (the area parents have railed against the School Board located south of Veterans Elementary School over plans to redraw J.W. Mitchell High’s at- encompassing Tampa Downs Heights, Sadtendance zone. dlebrook Village West (Westbrook Estates), “At least here (in Wesley Chapel), (par- Willow Lake and Quail Hollow Village). ents) may be concerned but they seem to be That would account for roughly 1,000 willing to wait to see how the process evolves of the 1,200 high school students that would and see what the committee does and evalu- attend GGG next year, pulling 650 students ate then,” Williams says. from Wesley Chapel and 380 from WireBoth the high school committee and grass Ranch, while also taking enough midmiddle school committee came to the one dle schoolers to relieve both John Long and preliminary opinion –— it makes sense to Weightman. start filling in the boundary with students That’s just for starters, though. The located in Quail Hollow West, Lexington committee still has to consider socio-eco-

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

nomic balance, maintaining feeder patterns, future growth in certain areas (especially in Wiregrass Ranch), transportation and subdivision integrity.

The committee came up with 3-4 other options, as it also has been tasked with helping to relieve crowding at Sunlake High and Charles S. Rushe Middle School in nearby Land O’Lakes.

GGG is being built at a cost of $65-million on 100 acres of land bought by the county 10-11 years ago., Williams said.

“We receive impact fees for new houses, so for every new regular single family house, that brought the district just under $5,000 (per home),’’ Williams says. “On average, that’s $9.5-million per year, so you can see to get to $65 million takes a few years.”

The School District generally looks for 60-70 acres of land for new schools, so Williams says there is plenty of additional space to build a middle school (and maybe even an elementary school) on the site in the future, although there currently is no timetable for building those schools.

The SBC will hold its next meeting on Thursday, September 29, at WCH’s media center from 10:30-1 p.m., and a third meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 20.

A meeting for parents to debate the SBC’s recommendations will be held at WCH on Tuesday, November 29, with the SBC meeting on Friday, December 2, to discuss feedback from the parent’s meeting The SBC will determine if any changes are needed before forwarding the proposed GGG boundaries to the School Board for a January vote.

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

County Down To Two Choices To Build, Run Sports Complex

By John C. Cotey Four companies got into the game of trying to earn a chance to build and operate a new indoor sports facility in the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI), but only two will be allowed to keep playing, after a Pasco County committee narrowed the field last week.

Sports Facilities Management (SFM) and RADDSPORTS, a pair of Tampa Baybased properties, are still alive and get the opportunity to present their proposals to a county evaluation committee September 30 at the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey.

Whoever is recommended at that meeting will go before the Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for final approval.

The complex will be built on 120 acres of land donated to the county by the Porter family, the owners and developers of Wiregrass Ranch. The county also previously agreed to contribute $8.5 million to the design and construction of the facility from money raised through its tourism development tax.

The two companies selected by the county committee — Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources department director Kelley Boree, facilities management director Ed Breitenbach, tourism manager Ed Caum, strategic policy administrator Richard Gehring and assistant county administrators Heather Grimes and Cathy Pearson — both have prior experience in the bustling sports tourism field.

Sports Facilities Management runs the successful Rocky Top Sports World in Gatlinburg, TN, which is often cited as the perfect example of what the county envisions for the Wiregrass Ranch project, which SFM refers to as the “Pasco County Sportsplex.” It also manages the Myrtle Beach Sports Center in South Carolina, the Legends Sports Complex in The Woodlands, TX, and Round Rock Sports Complex in Round Rock, TX. According to the Sports Facilities Planning Guide, SFM manages five of the top nine venues in the country.

Headquartered in Clearwater, SFM is proposing a $16.5-million project for Wiregrass, with a 92,000-sq.-ft. building housing six full-size basketball courts, or 12 volleyball courts, based on the configuration.

There will be a rollout synthetic turf, which can accommodate 4-6 turf fields depending upon the sport and configuration.

6

The facility also will have locker rooms, an adventure area for multiple nonsports events, party and office areas and a mezzanine court area, along with food service.

A c c o r d ing to SFM, the new sports facility would generate nearly 30,000 room nights in Year One from non-local users, with that number increasing to more than 40,000 by the fifth A rendering of the indoor sports facility proposed by RADDSPORTS , likely to part of its presentation to Pasco County in October. year, equating to real estate development and management nearly $4 million in direct economic impact jects 36 events per nine-month season.

“The economic impact of the project firm that did not make the cut, had no interto Pasco County its initial year and $24 milwill easily exceed a million dollars per year est in operating the facilities, just merely delion total over the first five years.

SFM already has begun the process of in additional visitor spending in the commu- veloping it and supporting whoever is chosen to operate it. However, the RFP stated the collecting letters of intent, commitments and nity,” the proposal states.

RADDSPORTS also proposed 700kw county was looking for a partner to run the verbal interest, and included in its proposal a handful of letters of intent to book the facility solar panels on the roof of the facility, which facility, which was suggested by the Johnson from gymnastics, cheerleading and basketball the company says will produce 1,075 MwH Consulting Group in their county-funded of power annually, enough to offset current feasibility report last year. event coordinators. energy prices by $140,000 annually.

The last bidder — ­ Land O’Lakes’ UlAlso in its proposal, three financing op- timate Sports Complex Athletics (USCA) Pretty RADD, Dude!

RADDSPORTS is joined in its proposal tions were suggested, including a plan to in- Management Co., founded in June, was

by Mainsail Development Group, Inc., which crease the county’s “bed” tax (on transient deemed too inexperienced by the committee. develops resorts and hotels, and real estate lodging), or tourist development tax, to 5 Ultimate filed a lofty proposal that called for percent from its current 2 percent. four buildings and projected $51 million in consultant Municipal Acquisition, LLC. Holladay Properties, a South Bend, IN, annual income, based on 500,000 visitors.

Headed up by Richard Blalock, who helped transform Newberry’s sports recreation scene as the tiny central Florida city’s recreation director, RADDSPORTS proposes an amateur sports facility of approximately 100,000-sq.-ft., with eight basketball courts, a 100+ room hotel, an open-air amphitheater with event lawn, sports turf fields, trails and playgrounds.

The cost of the hotel would be $15 million, but since a hotel wasn’t listed in the request for proposal (RFP) it would have to be negotiated and the county is looking into the deed restrictions on the property. A 92room Fairfield Inn & Suites is being built on land sold by the Porters just south of the proposed facility off S.R. 56.

The amphitheater shell will accommodate 500-1,500 attendees for a variety of events such as concerts, festivals and theater performances. RADDSPORTS’ plan pro-

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Wiregrass Mall Macy’s On The Chopping Block; Plus, NTBH Expands

By John C. Cotey Is the Macy’s at the Shops at Wiregrass mall off S.R. 56 on the chopping block?

The department store chain announced in August that it will be closing 100 stores by next year, and the news doesn’t seem to be good for the Macy’s location in Wiregrass.

Morningstar Credit Ratings has identified 28 Macy’s locations with sales below the company’s national average (for 2014, the most recent year information was available), putting the stores at a higher risk of being one of the 100 to be shuttered.

The Macy’s At The Shops at Wiregrass may close.

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The Wiregrass Macy’s is No. 8 on that list. According to the report, Macy’s reported $118 in sales per sq. ft. The average for Macy’s overall in 2014 was $169 per sq. ft.

The Macy’s at Cottonwood Mall in Albuquerque, NM, is at the highest risk of closure, with only $76 in sales per square foot.

The 28th, or last store on Morningstar’s list, is Marrimack Premium Outlets in New Hampshire, with $166 in sales per sq. ft.

The only other Macy’s on the list of 28 underperforming stores that is located in Florida is at the Lakeland Square Mall on U.S. Hwy. 98 in Lakeland.

Macy’s, which currently has 728 total stores nationwide, is one of the anchors — the “big name” stores that are generally considered paramount to a mall’s success — at the Shops at Wiregrass. Losing an anchor can have a big impact on a mall’s numbers, although it’s not usually a fatal effect.

The Morningstar report states, “However, if a mall is hit by two or more anchor closures, that’s typically the beginning of a downward spiral.”

Shops at Wiregrass general manager Greg Lenners was unavailable for comment and did not respond to an email.

WCCC & Pasco EDC officials were on hand at the Aug. 15 groundbreaking of NTBH’s expansion.

Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Com- health and substance abuse treatment center. merce (WCCC) were on hand to mark the The facility currently has 75 beds and adnew construction. dresses a range of behavioral issues, including According to the EDC, the project is depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, postexpected to bring $10 million in investment traumatic stress disorder and others. and 50 jobs to Pasco County. The Pasco The expansion will add 24 beds, with EDC assisted the company in obtaining ex- “shell” space for 24 additional beds in the pedited permitting. future. The first phase is set to grow NTBH’s “We are extremely excited to be able to C.O.R.E. (“Challenge. Overcome. Restore.

In Other News… meet the needs of our community through Empower”) program, which addresses the North Tampa Behavioral Health our expansion,’’ said Abbey Brown, direc- needs of the area’s veteran population.

(NTBH), located on S.R. 56, less than two tor of business development for NTBH, in Construction on the site actually began miles east of the Shops at Wiregrass, broke a press release. “From our veteran and active on August 22 and is expected to be complete ground on August 15, as the 53,000-sq.-ft. duty population, to our local area, this pro- in approximately nine months, or sometime facility begins a 27,500-sq.-ft. expansion. ject will assist in offering additional services around May 2017.

Representatives from the Pasco Eco- to our growing community.”

For additional information, visit nomic Development Council (EDC) and the NTBH is a private, inpatient mental NorthTampaBehavioralHealth.com.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

9

The Arbors At Wiregrass An Entry Point To An Area Of Great Promise

By John C. Cotey

As more homes and businesses go up in the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI) in Wesley Chapel, the more attractive the area becomes.

Those prospects excite the new home builders in the master-planned community, like Lennar, which is currently building 118 townhomes and 29 single-family homes in The Arbors at Wiregrass, located on Cozy Creek Dr. near Estancia at Wiregrass, just off Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

“What’s unique about the Wiregrass Ranch experience is the beauty,” says Steve Seeger, the director of sales and marketing in Lennar’s Tampa division. “There are certain parcels of land that are inherently beautiful…I think this is one of them.”

The Porter family, stewards of the 5,000+ acres of land in the Wiregrass Ranch DRI, has carefully and methodically developed the land. There’s a lot to like about the Wiregrass Ranch community, from the Shops at Wiregrass mall to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel to coming attractions like a new indoor athletic complex (see pg. 6) and a new movie theater.

New schools are another piece of the DRI pie at Wiregrass Ranch, and with that, come new communities.

“It really was an intersection, no pun intended, of a great location and a great parcel of land that has beautiful characteristics, and is located in the path of growth,’’ Seeger says. Lennar’s latest offering — it currently is building in eight other developments in Pasco County, including Meadow

Pointe and Union Park (both in Wesley Chapel) — will feature three products, ranging in sizes small, medium and large, from 1,800-sq.ft. to nearly 2,500-sq.-ft.

There will be attached three-bedroom, 2.5-bath townhomes — one built with twocar garage access from an alley behind the townhome, and the other featuring front access. The townhomes range in size from 1,801-2,466 square feet.

The single-family homes range from 1,982 square feet (with three bedrooms and two bathrooms) to 2,462 square feet (with four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms) and have detached two-car garages behind the house with open-air breezeways connecting to the home and serving as an outdoor living space.

All told, there are 10 different floor plans in The Arbors.

Pricing starts at just under $200,000, which is a point that makes The Arbors an attractive entryway into a bustling area. “(Buyers) don’t have to wait to purchase a luxury home that might be too aspirational for them,’’ Seeger says. “Instead of something that might be years down the road for them, we give them an opportunity to live in Wiregrass now.”

There are already 15 homes completed in the community, with roughly another 100 planned to begin construction this year.

A handful of residents have already moved in — Traci Moore and her family were among the first, moving down from Michigan after looking at more than 70 homes in several cities.

“The layout of the home was different

The Arbors at Wiregrass community in Wiregrass Ranch already has a handful of residents, with more to come as Lennar completes more single-family homes and townhomes in the neighborhood.

than any other home we saw while looking to move to Florida,’’ Traci said in a Lennar press release. “We loved the spacious, open floor plan, and the detached garage connected by a breezeway adds a level of privacy that you don’t always find in residential communities. This home was exactly what we were looking for.”

Each home in The Arbors also is part of Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” program, another feature that Seeger thinks distinguishes the Lennar brand.

“It’s very significant that we include the washer, dryer, refrigerator, window blinds, front and rear landscape and irrigation system,’’ he says.

People like Moore will be able to grow

with their new community. As the area continues to expand, so will the desire of even more home shoppers to live here.

“There’s a point where the builders, in the infancy of a community, it’s a bit about the product and what can I get at this location, what’s the price of it?,’’ Seeger says.

“And,there’s the exceptional communities, where the community becomes the attraction and becomes the magnet. There will be a point in time when people come in and tell us, ‘I am only considering Wiregrass.’”

For more information, visit Lennar. com. The Welcome Center at The Arbors at Wiregrass is located at 28493 Cozy Creek Dr., and can be reached by phone at (844) 483-1935.

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Wesley Chapel Rotary Selling Plaques In Support Of 2017 Honduras Trip

By Gary Nager

The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon, which meets Wednesdays for lunch at Quail Hollow Country Club (QHCC) off Old Pasco Rd, is doing more than just planning its next humanitarian trip to Troyes, Honduras, in April 2017.

The club is selling plaques to local businesses and individuals interested in supporting our area’s largest Rotary Club — which has sent 10-20 of its nearly 100 club members each year for the past five years to install latrines and water purification systems (in conjunction with the nonprofit organization called Pure Water for the World) in one of the most impoverished areas of one of Central America’s poorest countries,.

WC Rotary Club member Troy Stevenson of Wesley Chapel Nissan (and Acme Outdoor Movies) came up with the idea because he had been part of a similar fund raiser as a member of the WC Lions Club. Club member Trevor Campbell of Cash 4 Gold off S.R. 54 and Eiland Blvd. in eastern Wesley Chapel, picked up the idea and ran with it.

Campbell, who will be making his third trip to Honduras with the club, says Stevenson’s contacts have helped the WC Rotary get 300 plaques for a reasonable price, which Campbell, Stevenson and other club members have been selling {with all checks made payable to the “Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon Foundation,” the club’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit fund} to

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area businesses by knocking on doors.

“For a hundred dollars, you not only get a plaque, you get to show the public that you support the biggest international humanitarian effort our club makes every year,” Campbell says. “I took three weeks off from work to knock on as many business doors as possible (Above) WC Rotary member Trevor Campbell gives and people really do out a plaque to Dickey’s BBQ & (right) club member seem to know about Troy Stevenson (left in pic) gives one to Larry of Chrisour club’s efforts and want to support tian Bros. Auto in support of the club’s 2017 humani- whether for your us. It’s been pretty tarian trip to Troyes, Honduras (bottom right photo is business or your from the 2016 trip). All photos courtesy of WC Rotary. home. gratifying.”

The WC At our press time, Campbell and his fellow WC Rotari- Rotary has helped install hundreds of ans have more than 100 commitments from these life-saving water purification systems local businesses at $100 per plaque. “And, in the homes in Honduras and will continwe’ve already got $8,000 of that in-house,” ue to send — and help — as many people Campbell says proudly. “I’m still hoping to as possible each year, with the continued sell all 300 plaques this year. The more we support of the community.

Current club president, Dr. Pablo raise, the more we can do for these amazRivera of Core Spine & Rehabilitation, ingly appreciative people.” who has missed only one of the five preHow You Can Help! vious trips, says, “No one has ever come At the bottom of this page is a form back from our Honduras trips unchanged. you can fill out, with information about Help us this year and maybe you’ll end up how to order a plaque of your own, wanting to join us next year.”

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For more information, visit WCRotary.org or attend a meeting any Wed. at noon at QHCC as my guest.

First-time attendees are always free.

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Costco Is Definitely Still Coming; Rain Delays Store’s Opening Until Feb. 2017

By John C. Cotey

Costco manager Hector Mencia had some good news for local business leaders at the Aug. 25 Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) Economic Development briefing held at Pebble Creek Golf Club.

Costco, for one, is still definitely coming to Wesley Chapel Blvd. adjacent to the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO) off S.R. 56.

And yes, it will offer its usual great prices and bountiful free samples. The largest retailer of fine wine in the world (a whopping $1.2 billion in yearly sales!) and secondlargest auto retailer will continue to sell cheaper and better gas, millions of $1.50 hot dogs and drinks and the company’s highly-rated Kirkland line of products.

Oh, and don’t forget Costco’s commitment to the local community, in addition to well-paying jobs (if you’re lucky enough to land one).

There was, however, one bad bit of news that Mencia, who manages the Costco in Clearwater, delivered: It won’t open near TPO until February of next year.

Though the ground has been broken and the initial work is well under way, Mencia said the planned November opening of the much-awaited Costco has been derailed by bad weather, setting builders back by at least two weeks. And, that was before last week’s tropical storm.

Because Costco doesn’t open stores in December and January, its peak months,

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the new store won’t open its doors until early February.

That is a big bummer for Costco fans, who currently have to drive to Brandon to stock up on paper towels and soft drinks.

But, those fans of Costco, which also is opening a store in the Citrus Park area at the corner of Sheldon Rd. and Linebaugh Ave., are likely still excited by the arrival of the membership-only, wholesale club giant, the second-largest retailer in the world after Wal-Mart.

While Costco will have plenty of competition, with fellow wholesalers Sam’s Club (on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel) and New Tampa’s BJ’s Wholesale Club (on Commerce Palms Blvd. in Tampa Palms) both within seven miles of the newest club, it is likely to find success, due to its religious-like following.

“We’ve been trying to get in here for quite a bit in this market,’’ Mencia said.

“It’s a great location. It’s amazing what that area is turning into.”

Mencia shared with Chamber members the benefits of Costco, clearly drawing positive reactions from the crowd. He played a five-minute video filled with clips of Costco being mentioned by celebrities, including Rosie O’Donnell saying: “I go in with a list and a mission, and I come out with a trampoline and a case of corn nuts.”

Another clip showed massive crowds at various openings, including places like South Korea, Spain and Australia, and long lines for jobs at many locations.

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Clearwater store manager Hector Mencia tells the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce that Costco’s opening near the Tampa Premium Outlets will be delayed until Feb. 2017, due to rainy

If you’re wondering about your chances of landing a gig at Costco — where Mencia said the average pay is $21 an hour and cashiers start between $13 and $13.50 an hour — well, they aren’t great.

According to one clip, an Indiana store received 22,000 applications for 200-275 jobs. You might have a better shot finding a Willie Wonka Golden Ticket.

Mencia, who has been with Costco for 27 years, said there is a low turnover at the wholesaler, and that the store will begin marketing six weeks prior to opening for those looking for memberships.

Those members will have a ton of choices, he says. Costco carries roughly 3,800 products, and rotates 1,500 or so to create a “treasure atmosphere” at least 14 times a year.

And last year, on a single day, three days before Thanksgiving, Costco sold more than 70 million dinner rolls, 1.6 million pumpkin pies, 471,000 apple pies and 252,000 pecan pies.

For more information about Costco, visit Costco.com or watch, like and share Episode #6 of WCNT-tv on YouTube.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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SEPTEMBER 2016 Friday - September 23 - 7:15 AM

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise meets every Friday at 7:15 a.m. at Quail Hollow Country Club (6225 Old Pasco Rd.). For info, call Lynne Morgan at 695-6466.

Oaks Blvd.). All are welcome. For more information, call 994-9944.

Thursday - September 29 - 11:30 AM

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 noon-1 p.m. For more info, visit RGANetwork.net.

Thursday - September 29 - 7 PM

Celebrate Recovery - Meeting Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Bridgeway Church (30660 Wells Rd.), the purpose of Celebrate Recovery is to bring freedom from Mental Health Support Group - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Pasco is a support group for adults in Pasco County living with mental illness or in dysfunctional, compulsive & addictive behaviors through biblically-based principles. Dinner & free childcare available. For more info, call 907-1313. recovery. The group meets the 2nd & 4th Friday of each month, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church (29617 S.R. 54). For info, visit NAMIPasco.com.

Friday - September 23 - 2 PM

Saturday - September 24 - 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

OCTOBER 2016

BayChapel Food Pantry - Free food to help needy families. Open every Saturday Sunday - October 2 - 11:30 AM behind Christian Brothers Automotive on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., at 20300 Trout New Leaps Academy - New Leaps Academy will host its 3rd annual luncheon Creek Dr., New Tampa. For more info, visit BayChapel.org. gala at the Seven Oaks Clubhouse, 2910 Sports Core Cir. Tickets are $25 (2 for Monday - September 26 - 7:45 AM $45) or $15 for children. Call 973-7938 or visit NewLeaps.org.

Professional Business Connections (PBC) - PBC meets Mondays at 7:45 Monday - October 3 - 7:45 AM a.m. at The Happy Hangar Cafe (at Tampa North Aero Park, 4241 Birdsong Wesley Chapel Speaks - Wesley Chapel Toastmasters meets the first and third Blvd., off S.R. 54, Lutz). For more info, call Chris Thurow at 546-6860.

Mondays at 6:30 p.m. with networking at 6 p.m. at the Hyundai Dealership at Monday - September 26 - 8 AM 27000 S.R. 54 (Wesley Chapel Blvd). For info, call Martin at 693-0969.

Experienced Networking Professionals (ENP) - ENP meets Monday mornings at 8 a.m. for breakfast and networking at Quail Hollow Country Club (QHCC, 6225 Tuesday - October 4 - 7 PM NAMI Friends and Family: Mental Health Support Group - NAMI (National Old Pasco Rd.). For information, call Brad Benson at 973-1814.

Alliance on Mental Illness) of Pasco support group for friends and family of those Tuesday - September 27 - 6 PM with mental illness. The group meets the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of each month from Wesley Chapel Lions Club - The Wesley Chapel Lions Club meets every 4th 7-8:30 p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church (29617 S.R. 54). Visit NAMIPasco.com.

Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Hyundai of Wesley Chapel. For more information about Wednesday - October 5 - 7:30 AM volunteering, community efforts, meetings, helping the vision impaired and more, Wesley Chapel Breakfast Club - The WC Breakfast Club brings business people visit the club on Facebook or at WesleyChapelLionsClub.com. together to network and present their businesses to the group. The club meets the 1st and 3rd Wed. of each month at 7:30 a.m. at QHCC. Call Bill at 992-3370.

Wednesday - September 28 - 7:30 AM Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business pros Thursday - October 13 - 6:30 PM dedicated to helping their member businesses grow through qualified Wesley Chapel Republican Club - The club meets the second Thur. of each referrals, meets every Wed., 7:30 a.m., at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Club month, 6:30 pm., at Hyundai of Wesley Chapel, 27000 Wesley Chapel Blvd. New clubhouse (10441 Cory Lake Dr.). Call Lee Hoffman at 545-2656. members & guests are welcome to enjoy networking, coffee, and dessert. Call Peter Cracchiolo at 360-9813.

Wednesday - September 28 - Noon Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel (Noon) Monday - October 17 - 7 PM meets Wednesdays at noon at Quail Hollow Country Club (6225 Old Pasco Rd.). East Pasco Democratic Club - East Pasco Democrats will meet at the AmeriFor more information, call 862-8989 or 391-3895. can House at the Commons, 38130 Pretty Pond Rd., Zephyrhills. The guest speaker will be Robert Tager, candidate for Congressional House District 12. Visit Thursday - September 29 - 7:30 AM BNI Networking Meeting - BNI, a networking organization, has a new chapter in EastPascoDems.com for more info.

Wesley Chapel. Business professionals are invited to attend on Thursdays at Quail Tuesday - October 18 - 2 PM Hollow Country Club. Call Vicky McShane to RSVP @ 714-6513.

What’s Bugging Your Trees? - University of Florida/Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences Pasco County Extension Office will answer your questions about Thursday - September 29 - 8 AM Networking For Your Success - The Networking For Your Success group meets problems with your trees at New River Branch Library, 34034 S.R. 54. For more info, call 352-518-0156.

Thursdays, 8 a.m., at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club clubhouse (26133 Lexington

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Mobley Homes — A 40-Year Tampa Bay Tradition Now Building In K-Bar Ranch!

By Celeste McLaughlin Celebrating its 40th year of building homes in the Tampa Bay area, Mobley Homes is a private company that touts its customer-first philosophy and devotion to excellence as the cornerstones of its business.

Since 1976, Mobley Homes has been building homes for families in and around Tampa.

In New Tampa, the company previously has built 1,000 homes in West Meadows and 400 in Tampa Palms, and has been building in K-Bar Ranch since 2007.

Renée Riordan has worked as a new home specialist for Mobley for 15 years. The company, “feels like a family,” she says.

“Our company is family-owned and run,” says Renée. “Everyone has been with the company a long time. Once you purchase a home with us, you become our family, too.”

She says Mobley Homes works closely with its buyers to customize each home exactly the way a homeowner wants, so they will love their home for many years to come.

“Buyers in these higher-end homes want flexibility, and that’s what we offer,” says Renée. “We can move walls, make bigger closets, add a rain shower or a sauna, add a fireplace, or redesign a kitchen. As long as you start with one of our base plans and it fits on the lot, we can do it.”

Renée says that she and the other new home specialists – Neisha Roberts and owner Tim Mobley’s daughter Maureen Mobley Groom – at Mobley Homes enjoy meeting homebuyers’ needs and desires, and matching those up with what works for each person’s budget and the lot size.

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She gives an example of a house that Mobley Homes built in K-Bar Ranch. “ We had a customer who is a car collector, so we built a home with a six-car garage,” Renée says. “In fact, we raised the ceiling to accommodate a lift, so he actually keeps about 10 cars in there.”

This level of customization is not unusual for Mobley Homes. “It’s what our clients appreciate,” she says. “This is probably the largest purchase you’re going to make, so as long as the lot can accommodate what you want, we’ll do it.”

Renée adds, “Our homes speak for themselves as far as quality,” explaining that over the years, many of the builder’s models have won numerous awards, including Parade of Homes awards, given by the Tampa Bay Builders Association (TBBA) during its annual event showcasing new homes throughout the Tampa Bay area. She says the homes are always spacious and wellplanned by award-winning architects.

Mobley Homes are currently for sale in four communities throughout the Tampa Bay area, including two located very close to Wesley Chapel.

New Tampa

In K-Bar Ranch, Mobley Homes offers a variety of luxurious floor plans in the Bassett Creek subdivision, all ranging from four to six bedrooms. Each floor plan is more than 2,500 square feet, with homes starting in the mid $300,000s and conservation views on most home sites.

Amenities throughout Bassett Creek include a community pool, basketball court and playground.

The Briarwood model is available in the K-Bar Ranch community just south of Wesley Chapel.

Stop by to see the model home at are offered. “The options are only limited by 19301 Yellow Clover Dr. (photo above). It’s your budget.” the builder’s best-selling Briarwood model, Land O’ Lakes a traditional two-story home that’s designed The Manors on Lake Padgett, located to fit virtually every size family.

15 minutes from most of Wesley Chapel, “Every once in a while you just have features eight home sites in a brand new, a home that’s so well-designed by the private, gated subdivision, with home prices architect that it’s a great use of space and starting from the low $600,000s. “These are makes sense for the size of the home and gorgeous, lakefront home sites, and each has the price you pay,” says Renée. The model its own private dock with access to a huge is a 5-bedroom, 3.5-bath home that also ski lake,” says Renée. includes a den and a bonus room, plus a Carrollwood three-car garage. In its 3,400 square feet, “In New Tampa, you have these big, the kitchen opens up to the family room and master-planned communities with a minithe home includes a huge master suite and a mum of 1,500 homes,” Renée says. “But in sitting room.

Carrollwood, there are much smaller pieces “There are endless possibilities with of land, so a community might only have 15 this model,” says Renée, explaining that converting the bonus room to a media room homes.” She adds that while these homes lack the community amenities of their larger is just the first of many customizations that

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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counterparts, they also lack the expense of a CDD (community development district), and people enjoy the fact that everyone in the neighborhood knows each other.

Lakeside Oaks Reserve features 15 home sites in a brand new, gated, private subdivision located in the heart of what is considered “the original Carrollwood area,” off of Orange Grove Blvd. near N. Dale Mabry Hwy. Home prices start in the $400,000s. Many of the home sites are lakefront, so residents will enjoy relaxing water activities and breathtaking sunsets from their backyards.

Mobley Homes also is building in Cypress Estates in Carrollwood Village, with 16 conservation home sites in a new, gated community. Home prices start in the $500,000s. Renée says this community is selling quickly, with more than half the available homes already sold.

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Also in Carrollwood, Mobley Homes is selling villas in a new, private subdivision called The Villas on Twin Lakes. There are 18 maintenance-free homes, so there’s no mowing your own lawn in Twin Lakes.

Homes start at 1,600 square feet and are priced in the high $200,000s.

For more info about all of the available homes and communities where Mobley Homes is building, visit MobleyHousing.com. You also can call Renée at 629-3367, Neisha at 629-2921, or Maureen at 695-3628. The model home in Bassett Creek at K-Bar Ranch is open Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and noon–6 p.m. on Sun. See the ad on page 29 for a special offer: Anyone who purchases a “quick move in home” in New Tampa will receive up to $10,000 in closing costs and a one-year membership to Hunter’s Green Country Club.

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SPOTLIGHT ON...NutriMost Of Wesley Chapel!

NutriMost of Wesley Chapel, located inside Cypress Creek Chiropractic & Wellness, opened in August of 2015 and has been having great success with helping clients lose weight and feel their best ever since!

Since everyone gains and loses weight differently and has different metabolic function, NutriMost scans your hand with a computer using biofeedback to set a personal protocol specifically for you. All supplements used at NutriMost are natural, whole food- and herbal-based to support your body while you are in fat-burning mode. A typical female client can expect to lose between 27 to 32 pounds and male clients lose between 40 to 45 pounds in just 40 days!

One of NutriMost’s recent clients, Deb Pullen (pictured above), had the following to say about her experience with the program. “NutriMost has been a life-changing

experience for me! I have lost a total of 45 pounds and 27 inches so far. My health has improved in numerous ways- I have more energy, my skin is brighter, my hair is shinier, I sleep better and enjoy a more positive outlook on life! I have been able to come off of all the medications prescribed to me (blood pressure, thyroid and anti-inflammatory), with my primary care doctor’s blessing.”

She adds, “I highly recommend NutriMost to anyone who is interested in a better quality of life. The ease of the program and the constant support make this something doable for anyone!”

If you would like to schedule a consultation with owner Mitze Richeson or Jill Fischer at NutriMost, please call 241-7098, or you can go to their website and schedule directly online at DropItIn40.com.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Loyless Funeral Homes Has Been Serving Bay-Area Families Since 1987!

By Anu Varma Panchal Ask to see the business card of one of the 30 employees who work for John Loyless at his eponymous funeral home, and you might notice something. No one has a title under their name — not even Loyless himself.

That underscores a key point about Loyless and the funeral home business he started with one employee back in 1987.

“Whether you’re directing traffic in the parking lot, or directing the funeral inside, it’s all important,” Loyless says.

Since 1994, Loyless Funeral Homes has offered Tampa Bay residents compassionate guidance during some of the most difficult times of their lives (before that, Loyless served clients only through his Florida Mortuary & Crematorium in Seminole Heights).

With a full-service funeral home and crematorium in Land O’Lakes and an Arrangement Center in the Pebble Creek Collection shopping center (behind Kobe Steak House) off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa, Loyless offers clients a place close to home where they can take the necessary steps: transporting and preparing their loved one, burying or cremating them, and gathering people to honor their life in a proper ceremony.

In an industry now dominated by large corporations, Loyless remains one of the few family-owned businesses that offers value and quality. When customers come to Loyless Funeral Homes, the employees who meet with them not only get to design a unique funeral, but also serve as guides and counselors, helping families sift through their

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memories amidst their grief and find the perfect way to memorialize the life of their departed loved one.

“It’s a critical moment in a lot of people’s lives,” says Loyless.

Loyless grew up in Brandon (Left): Loyless Funeral and first became interested in this Homes founder John Loyless. Loyless’ New Tampa field when, as a Arrangement Center student at USF, he got a part time is located in the Pebble job at a friend’s Creek Collection off BBD. father’s funeral home. Realizing that the profession dovetailed with his inclination to help people, he left USF and studied mortuary sciences at Miami Dade Community College, graduating with his Associate in Science (A.S.) degree in Mortuary Science in 1985.

He then interned for a year with a local funeral home company before he established his business first as the Florida Mortuary & Crematorium brand in 1987 in Seminole Heights. He opened Loyless Funeral Homes in Land O’ Lakes in 1994, and the Arrangement Center in Pebble Creek followed three years ago.

“It’s convenient for families who live here in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel,” Loyless explains. Although you can do the same things at the Land O’ Lakes facility, the Arrangement Center provides a neighbor-

hood place on BBD. where grieving families can sit down with staff members to discuss everything from flowers, readings and music to officiants and ways to memorialize loved ones. A large-screen television in a tastefully muted conference room serves as a virtual showroom for families to view catalogs and samples of caskets and urns, and examples of ways to memorialize loved ones hang on the walls.

So Many Options

Loyless employees can help direct bereaved families through a plethora of options. For the burial, families can choose from immediate, graveside services, visitations or memorial services, which can be organized at several venues from Loyless Funeral Homes itself to local churches to

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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family homes. Those who choose cremation also can have graveside services at interment or choose to scatter ashes or keep them.

Many also opt to memorialize loved ones through a video tribute, online memory wall or keepsake stationery. For veterans, Loyless Funeral Homes can arrange everything from a riderless horse and military band to memorial plots.

The company also helps growing numbers of people preplan and prepay for their own funerals, something Loyless says comes as a relief to the family left behind, as they no longer have to guess at what music their loved one might have wanted played, for example, as well as other details.

One big change Loyless says he has seen in recent years is the increasing number of ways in which people choose to retain a small part of their loved ones. People are not only turning to cremation in greater numbers than before, they also are thinking beyond the traditional urn. Some opt for smaller repositories, so each sibling can share part of their parent, for example, while others want jewelry — called memory glass — that they can wear that can contain a portion of the ashes. Another popular item is a “thumbie,” jewelry that features an imprint of a departed loved one’s thumb.

Another change is the increase in number of non-religious funerals over the past 5-10 years, Loyless says. “We serve more people today that are unchurched, who say, ‘We want a celebration of life without a religious service.’” All the directors on Loyless’ staff are trained in officiating services for people who do not want clergy present. For

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Loyless Funeral Home on Land O’Lakes Blvd. is only 20 minutes from most of Wesley Chapel. those who do, Loyless also can make those arrangements.

Because the Tampa Bay area is one that so many people move into from so many other places, Loyless and his funeral directors also have served at enough funerals to learn about the nuances of the different cultures they serve. Families are often pleasantly surprised to learn that Loyless funeral directors have a working knowledge of faraway religious customs and traditions, as well as a willingness to listen and learn more.

“When you’re in a metro area with such diverse cultures, it’s important to be open and respectful,” says Loyless. “We listen.”

Loyless himself is a New Tampa local, having lived in Hunter’s Green since the early ’90s with his wife, Starr (who also is the company’s bookkeeper). Their daughters attended Hunter’s Green Elementary, Louis Benito Middle School and Paul R. Wharton High. Today, the older daughter, Brittni, 28, is studying mortuary science while her sister, Alexia, 25, attends medical school. The family’s deep roots in the community and their involvement serves as a calling card for

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area residents, and Loyless doesn’t take that responsibility lightly.

“When a family calls us, one of the most important things is that we want them to feel confident that they made the right choice,” says Loyless, who adds that one way he can ensure that is by hiring the right people to serve his clients’ needs.

“We have wonderful, long-term people who have been with us a long time,” says Loyless. “You can get two people with the same resume but you can see when you work with them if they are passionate about people and about those we serve. We can teach people how to do the job, but we can’t teach people to care. I’m always looking for that personality — that person who cares about other people first and foremost.”

Loyless Funeral Home is located at 5310 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., and the New Tampa Arrangement Center is at 19651 BBD Blvd., Suite E-2. For more information and pricing, visit LoylessFuneralHomes.com, call 996-6610 (Land O’Lakes) or the New Tampa Arrangement Center at 991-7500.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube Has 3 Locations Near Wesley Chapel!

By Brad Stager

Setting out on a cross-town, rush hour drive doesn’t have to be an onerous journey if your car is looking good and running right. Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube can help by cleaning your car’s finish to a spotless shine, detailing the interior to look, feel and smell great and ensuring that all of your vehicle’s life-giving fluids are refreshed, all in one visit.

And, an automotive makeover at Bay Breeze all but guarantees that your view will be through a clean windshield.

Bay Breeze has seven locations in four counties, from Polk to Pinellas, including three that are within minutes of most Wesley Chapel residents.

The company’s flagship location is the full-service operation in the heart of New Tampa on N. Palms Village Pl., off of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just north of I-75. The second New Tampa location is an express wash and lube operation on Trout Creek Dr., off of BBD, north of Paul R. Wharton High (next to Burger 21). Many Wesley Chapel residents have found the Land O’Lakes express wash and lube facility located a little west of the Tampa Premium Outlets on S.R. 54 at Foggy Ridge Pkwy.

The hands-on detailing provided at the N. Palms Village facility (referred to as the New Tampa location on Bay Breeze’s website) provides bumper-to-bumper, carpetto-headliner, sidewall-to-sidewall cleaning.

Lube services include oil and filter changes and preventive maintenance on cooling systems and transmissions.

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Moses Pomales, the general manager at Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube’s “express” location just south of County Line Rd., monitors the traffic through the express wash tunnel.

Bay Breeze’s express wash and lube facilities offer quick, efficient, hands-free, machine-operated cleaning as well as basic upkeep. A free express wash is included with each oil change and express washes include free customer use of vacuums to clean their interiors and air to inflate their tires.

The family that owns the business has made being the Tampa Bay area’s premiere car wash and lube destination its goal. VP of operations Scott Barone says achieving that means making a strong commitment to customer service.

“We like to say ‘above and beyond,’”

Barone says. “That means the place looks good and things are operating at the Bay Breeze level of quality.”

Keeping Customers Satisfied

Barone identified five areas the company emphasizes when conducting business: “Quality, service, cleanliness, friendliness (being easy to do business with) and safety.”

Abiding by these high standards has earned Bay Breeze recognition from readers of the Tampa Bay Business Journal, who voted the company “Best in the Biz” for the years 2012, 2013 and 2015 in the Favorite

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Car Wash & Detailer category.

There’s also praise from locals like Pam Cazes, who has been a longtime Bay Breeze customer and whose entire family of six drivers also use the New Tampa locations.

“We take our cars there for detailing and oil changes,” says Cazes, who lives in Cory Lake Isles. “The service is excellent and they treat the cars with respect.”

At the Trout Creek express location (called the Bruce B. Downs store on Bay Breeze’s website), general manager Moses Pomales is responsible for providing customers an optimal Bay Breeze experience.

Pomales came up through the ranks of the company, starting out as a lube greeter and working in a succession of supervisory positions over nine years before assuming his current position.

Pomales says his approach is to always put customer needs first.

“I walk the facility and interact with customers to see what they need,” the Cross Creek resident says. “We’re here to give them the best experience they can have, from beginning to end.”

That experience starts as soon as a customer enters a Bay Breeze driveway, with a greeter providing directions to the appropriate service area. If maintenance is on the agenda, the car’s VIN is scanned on an iPad and its service history is available to the technicians.

The customer waiting area is decorated and maintained like a bank lobby in terms of cleanliness and comfort. But, Barone says, it’s not as if express lube customers have a lot of time to settle in for a long stay.

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“As soon as we start working on a car, our goal is 15 minutes or less for an oil change,” Barone says.

Bay Breeze acquired the Trout Creek location about a year ago. The company closed the facility down for a few weeks to re-configure the express wash tunnels and make other improvements. Barone invites people who had been customers of the previous business to check out the changes.

“Come on back and see us,” he says.

For drivers who like to maintain their cars in spotless condition, Bay Breeze offers monthly VIP package memberships that save frequent customers money.

“We get customers who come in every morning to get a car wash,” Pomales says.

Bay Breeze also offers discounts to members of the military and the law enforcement community.

Since opening in North Palms Village in 2004, Bay Breeze has grown to its current seven locations and about 100 employees, according to Barone. The full-service New Tampa location is the largest facility, with 55 employees.

Achieving that growth means investing in people and technology, as well as real estate for locations. The company has an established training program for new employees who may be new to the car wash and lube industry, including certification for technicians through the Automotive Oil Change Association.

Computers track everything from traffic flow through the wash tunnels and chemical usage to sales of wiper blades.

That information is even available via mobile devices, so Bay Breeze managers aren’t tethered to a computer to stay on top of

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things and can be available to maintain the company’s high level of customer service.

When it comes to the actual cleaning of their cars, customers benefit from the latest car wash technology, especially when it comes to protection from the harsh environment of Florida’s sunshine and thunderstorms. Various sealants and protectants are available, including a new Nano-polymer protective sealant. Barone credits using the premium product with keeping his car’s appearance at its best.

“I personally have not had my vehicle hand-waxed in over two years, but because I use our Nano product an average of once a week, it still looks like I just drove it off the showroom floor,” he says.

Barone adds that people need to wash their cars more often in the summer to combat the effects of both the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and the wearing effects of rain on a car’s finish.

While Bay Breeze provides car wash and lube services, Barone says what the company really is offering its customers is actually much more valuable.

“It comes down to time,” Barone says.

“Time is something you can’t get back. I can take 30 minutes in my driveway or three minutes in a car wash.”

Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube is open daily, with hours varying by location. You can learn more by visiting BayBreezeCarWash.com or contacting one of the following locations: New Tampa - 17501 N. Palm Village Pl., 615-1333; Bruce B. Downs - 20306 Trout Creek Dr., 973-0033; Land O’Lakes - 24124 S.R. 54, 949-7297. Or, see the Bay Breeze ad on page 26 of this issue.

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SPOTLIGHT

ON...Houzen

“I like to lead with the ‘zen,’” says Karlin Housen, who used a variation on the spelling of her name when she called her company Houzen (as in “How Zen!”) Event Planning & Design, “to show the calmness that I bring to planning your event.”

For everything from large fundraising galas to a wedding, corporate team-building activities, or even a “fun size” event, such as baby shower or birthday party, Karlin wants to take your stress away, so you can simply enjoy your event.

With a background as a special events planner for two nonprofit organizations in Jacksonville, she formed her own company in 2013.

Having recently moved to New Tampa, Karlin is bringing her special touch to New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and the surrounding areas.

“You tell me what you want to accomplish with your event, and we will create the experience,” she says.

For nonprofits, businesses and individuals, Karlin offers different levels of personalized service. She always starts with a free consultation, then works with you and your budget to determine if you need full-service planning from conception to execution, help on the day of your event, or if you simply want to consult with her throughout the planning process.

Karlin says the “fun size” events, as she calls them, are often her favorites. An event she loves to put on is an authentic tea party (photo), typically for a little girl’s birthday

Event

Planning!

party (although she has also hosted tea parties for adults, such as for church events).

“We use real china and listen to classical music, and I teach etiquette,” she says. “It’s so sweet to see the little girls put on pearls and try something new.”

Houzen Events also specializes in corporate team-building events, such as her signature “vision board party.” She brings the materials to help people consider their goals and aspirations, write them down, and guide teams to work toward individual and corporate goals. She says this can be a great morale booster for employees.

For more info about Houzen Events, see the ad on pg. 40, visit HouzenEvents. com, or call Karlin at 358-2996.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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The Grout Doctor Is In & Making House Calls In Wesley Chapel!

By Brad Stager Bill Porter travels the paved arteries of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel healing the distress that homeowners experience with mold-infected and broken grout and tile.

Porter is The Grout Doctor.

But, instead of working in a clean, well-lit operating room, a typical house call for Porter involves a long day on his hands and knees in a cramped, moldy shower stall, scraping and cleaning away accumulated soap, shampoo and mold. He is succinct in describing the task “It’s a very labor-intensive job,” Porter says.

Porter has been a Grout Doctor franchise owner for eight years — one of more than 85 in the U.S., including seven in Florida — following a career as a heavy equipment operator in the Florida phosphate industry. He says lessons taught to him by his father and grandfather growing up in Canisteo, NY, have served him well in both careers.

“It’s like my father told me,” Porter says, “‘if you’re going to do something right, do it right the first time.’”

Routine services Porter provides are grout cleaning or regrouting, repairing or replacing broken tiles as well as caulking.

He applies his skills to a variety of tile surfaces, including marble, terrazzo, travertine and limestone.

When you take a good look at most homes in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, there’s usually plenty of tile, from interior spaces like bathrooms, kitchens and hightraffic floors to outside lanais and pools.

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Bill Porter, who has owned his local Grout Doctor franchise for eight years, can handle even the hardest grout cleaning jobs, as well as offering many other services, like tile repair.

Porter will work on all of it, wherever it may be located. “There’s a lot of tile everywhere,” Porter says.

Since people tend to take tile and grout for granted — until neglect and sometimes even abuse becomes all too apparent — Porter is often confronted with a substantial professional challenge.

“People don’t do anything for years and years, until the work needs to be done,” Porter says. “You go to some jobs and it’s learn as you go.”

Elbow grease and sweat may be the main ingredients for successfully completing any assignment, but knowledge and focus also are required, Porter says.

“You have to mix the grout properly, you have to apply the grout properly and you have to take your time.”

It’s not just a diminished sense of ownership pride that occurs as a result of dingy showers afflicted with soap scum and mold. One of the most common molds that finds tile grout to be a hospitable medium is

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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cladosporium, which is olive-green to brown or black in appearance and has been associated with allergies and asthma, according to the website for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) & Prevention website.

In addition, GroutDoctor.com identifies other potential grout-related problems besides mold. Cracked and missing grout can lead to damaged walls from leaking water and underlying floor surfaces also can be damaged. Checking for those kinds of problems is one of the first things Porter does when he starts a job.

“I go around and touch the walls and if I feel sponginess, that means the wallboard has gotten wet,” Porter says, noting that replacing small sections of wallboard and wood framing are part of his services.

While Porter cleans and repairs grout and tiles and refreshes the appearance of tiled spaces, he does not perform complete tiling jobs, although he will replace small sections if the correct tiles are easily available. He says people should hang onto any extra tiles they may have after construction or a major tile installation since they are produced in limited runs and generally not available afterward.

Porter also suggests taking a good look inside your boxes of leftover tiles, as he has often opened them only to discover nothing but a pile of broken tiles inside. He says trying to repair broken tiles usually yields disappointing results.

“It just never really looks that good compared to an unbroken tile,” he admits.

A full work day is usually needed to

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If your grout looks like the left photo, call The Grout Doctor to make it look new again (right). replaced the grout and some broken tiles clean and regrout a routine shower assignand sealed all the grout when he was done. ment, followed by a 48-hour dry period, so He got it looking like new again.” customers need to plan accordingly, Porter says. Time to complete other projects will Franchise Opportunities, Too! vary, especially when it comes to pools, Porter says there are franchise opsince outdoor assignments are weatherportunities with Grout Doctor available for dependent. Before leaving your home, people who are willing to apply themselves Porter will take the time to explain how to toward being successful. properly care for the rehabilitated surfaces. “(The company) is always looking He also will leave samples of Grout Doctor to expand and there are opportunities in cleaning products, like the Grout Doctor Florida,’’ Porter says. “But you better be Shower Cleaner and the Grout Doctor prepared to work hard and go the extra Neutral Cleaner, for customers to use. mile. The phone isn’t going to ring by itself, “They’re very good products,” said you have to make it ring.”

Porter. “They’ve done the research and As for compensation, Porter says it’s a know what works.” good way to make money, and more.

Porter has earned an A rating on the “It’s a good feeling when I’ve done consumer website Angie’s List and the a good job,’’ he says. “I want to see them endorsement of customers such as Live Oak smiling when I walk out the door.”

Preserve resident John Martel, who called Call Bill Porter for a free estimate upon Grout Doctor to work on his home’s at 782-2277, or visit GroutDoctor.com, pool. “Bill did a really nice job,” Martel where you also can find out about fransays. “My pool was 10 years old and had chise opportunities and Grout Doctor a lot of grout that needed replacing. He products. Or, see the ad on pg. 45.

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‘Changing Chapel’ With One Big Football Victory At A Time way. “As soon as Coach Egan came in, you could feel it in the air — there was that hunger,” senior quarterback Jacob Thomas said.

“This was not going to be the same Chapel.

We weren’t going to do what we’d been doing for years and years.”

By Andy Warrener & John C. Cotey

Anthony Egan knew his first head coaching job wouldn’t be easy.

He was inheriting a Wesley Chapel High (WCH) team that had gone 7-33 the previous four seasons. Five of those seven wins were against teams that were either 0-10 or 1-9.

In 2013, the Wildcats only scored 68 points all season en route to a winless campaign.

“Change Chapel?”

Yes, please.

“When I first came to Wesley Chapel, I heard guys like (senior running back) Ellrie Allen and some of the seniors saying, ‘Changing Chapel,’” Egan says. “We cut the ‘ing’ off and made it our own.”

The “Change Chapel” mantra is paying dividends, as the Wildcats players seemingly have already bought into shedding their image as a losing football team. In fact, Wesley Chapel won its first two 2016 games against two teams with the deepest tradition of playoff football in Pasco County, as the ‘Cats knocked off Land O’Lakes 13-3 in the season opener on Aug. 26 and following that up with a 34-21 win over Pasco on Sept. 9.

It was the first time since 2007 WCH had beaten the Pirates.

Heading into a winnable game against Ridgewood last week (after our deadline), the Wildcats were 2-0 for the first time since their last winning season in 2011. Tonight (Friday, September 23), the Wildcats take on Gulf, which is coming off an 0-10 season.

“Week one, we had about 90 percent

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A Perfect Mix...

(L.-r.): DB Isaiah Bolden, QB Jacob Thomas and RB Dexter Leverette helped lead Wesley Chapel High to consecutive wins over Land O’Lakes and Pasco to open the 2016 football season. buy in” Egan says. “Now we’re at 100 percent,” Egan said.

New Coach, New Attitude

It started with Egan. He had two coaching runs, at River Ridge High as well as a short stint at Hudson. He’s a 2003 River Ridge graduate. Last season, when Egan was still at River Ridge, the Royal Knights devoured the Wildcats in the first half, 35-0.

“We were up big but Wesley Chapel came out in the second half and outscored us 21-7,” Egan says. “I saw a lot of athletes, a lot of guys moving around fast and I knew this was a place I wanted to go.”

Egan was set on finding a head coaching job somewhere after serving as a defensive coordinator and line coach for several years. It wound up that the only place he applied was Wesley Chapel; he was hired in January.

“What I saw right away was a good group of respectful kids ready to work,” Egan says. “We had 40-50 kids in the weight room, 40-50 all through the summer.”

In the spring game, Wesley Chapel thumped Weeki Wachee 54-20, showing off the steady running game that was the hallmark of the Knights’ attack the past few seasons. The Wildcats seemed to be on their

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A few new players have been contributing to the Wesley Chapel turnaround, including highly-regarded junior defensive back Isaiah Bolden, a Florida State verbal commitment and 4-star recruit, according to the Rivals.com.

Though he transferred in from Jacksonville-area Bartram Trail (to be with his father), Bolden is not new to Wesley Chapel — he went to Thomas E. Weightman Middle School and played football for the Weightman Wildcats. He had moved to the Jacksonville/St. Johns area for high school to be with his mother, where he developed into a top recruit.

“It was different, real different when I came back from Bartram Trail,” Bolden says.

“I just wanted to see where I’d fit in.”

He has fit in just fine. Last season, Bolden had a 108-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Bears, and those skills were in full effect against Pasco, when Bolden ran a kickoff back 95 yards for a TD. First-year running back Dexter Leverett is another transfer having a big impact.

Leverett played for Eastside High in Taylors, SC, as a freshman but spent a whole year on the sidelines, waiting for his chance. After transferring to Wesley Chapel for 2015, he was on the team but ineligible to play.

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three went for touchdowns, to freshman running back Keith Walker, sophomore wideout Devin Santana and junior WR Justin Trapnell.

“If I don’t buy in (to Egan’s gameplan), then who does?” Thomas said after the win over Pasco. “We are going to run his style (of offense), I knew how it would be but he makes the calls and we execute them.”

“Jacob’s been great, he’s been patient,” Egan says. “He’s a big kid that’s still waiting on that first (college) offer. He can really hit receivers when they’re open and that’s what the running game (sets up). He is such a good leader, he could hand off 60 times and pass two. It’s all about winning. He’s worried about the team and winning.”

That’s what it is all about at Chapel these days.

Change, indeed.

WCH head coach Anthony Egan talks to his players prior to the third game of the season against Ridgewood High.

He’s making the most of his longawaited opportunity, rushing for 358 yards in the first two games and averaging 8.2 yards per carry.

Thomas, the senior leader at QB, continues to excel, even if he isn’t throwing the ball as much as he is used to.

Last year, Thomas threw an average of 33 times a game for a county-best 1,825 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior for the Wildcats, but he has sacrificed his prolific numbers for the sake of the team.

In his first two games this year, the 6-foot-4, 180-pounder threw just seven passes, but he completed four of them, and

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New Ranch Aims To Turn Your Kid Into A Baseball Rockstar!

By John C. Cotey On five acres of land off Old Pasco Rd., Ryan Pryor has built a ranch devoted to teaching America’s pastime.

Pryor’s Rockstar Baseball Ranch (RBR) has everything from hitting stables with seven batting cages to five bullpens for pitchers, as well as a drill field, batting tees, outfield ranges, long toss throwing lanes and a fitness corral. There’s even a pond on the property for some occasional fishing.

On Sept. 9, RBR held a grand opening event, as the ping of bat to ball rang out through the country air, and Pryor gave a glimpse into the kind of instruction prospective baseball members would receive.

“The grand opening went great,’’ Pryor says. “We got a great response from the parents, we were able to take them through the training zones; we showed them a lot of drills they hadn’t seen before.”

Those drills, Pryor says, have proven results. Although RBR is a membership facility (starting at $49 a month), it is currently offering area baseball teams (travel, recreation, softball) a chance to try it out with free hitting practice in September through Oct. 31.

Results Driven Coaching

Pryor is convinced players and coaches will see results quickly.

A former high school standout in Georgia and a college player at Fresno State (CA), he is applying a lifetime of baseball expertise to local baseball players of all shapes and sizes — as well as all talent levels.

He is known locally after coaching in the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area for years, starting out as a softball assistant at Paul R. Wharton High in New Tampa and at Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH), before then-Wiregrass baseball coach Jeff Swymer asked Pryor to join the baseball staff. With

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On Sept. 9, Coach Ryan Pryor unveiled his new Rockstar Baseball Ranch training facility, located next to horse farms off Old Pasco Rd. in Wesley Chapel.

the Bulls, Swymer and Pryor had great success, coming up a game short of the state finals in 2013. In 2014, Swymer was hired at Bishop McLaughlin High in Spring Hill, and Pryor decided to follow him. In 2015, the Hurricanes made it to the Class 3A State Semifinals.

Pryor resigned after last season to more effectively launch his RBR. What began as a baseball training business out of his garage in 2009 has grown into a large undertaking with lots of potential. “If I could train players in a 10x10 garage, imagine what I could do on five acres,’’ he says.

The Wesley Chapel resident is hoping RBR becomes a resource for local players, parents and coaches. He sees himself as a local farm system for local leagues and high schools, giving baseball players the extra training they need.

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“What we’re trying to do is be a support to coaches, parents and the players so everyone has a better baseball experience all around,” Pryor says.

In fact, he adds that he hopes to even finalize a program for adults who want to be better coaches by offering a certification course, so they can also help develop better baseball players.

The focus, right now, remains on the kids. “We prepare kids for high school, that’s kind of where we are today,’’ Pryor says.

Pryor likes to think he can turn any player into a baseball rockstar, and he uses a quick, fun and strenuous approach to smooth out a player’s rough edges.

“The big thing that the parents said at the grand opening is that we had the ability to keep the players’ attention,’’ Pryor says.

“That’s important.”

The last three years, Wesley Chapel resident Max Ferrera has been taking his son Mitchell, a freshman at WRH, all the way to Bishop McLaughlin to train with Coach Pryor. The 45-minute trip each way was been worth it, Ferrera says.

“He runs the best practices I’ve ever seen,’’ says Ferrera, a former high school football coach in Hillsborough County. “For me, I looked at a lot of other places, did a lot of research, went and watched, and thought it was more people trying to recruit the best 9-12 players they could find for individual development. With Ryan, every kid was given the opportunity to develop.”

Pryor says he has hundreds of kids he has helped make high school teams, and some of them have gone on to play baseball in college.

He prides himself on fixing things in someone’s swing or pitching delivery that neither they nor their parents and coaches can see. He employs video analysis and an intricate step-by-step method of instruction. At his RBR grand opening, Pryor says he gave one 20-minute demonstration to a coach showing him how to fix a player’s swing — starting from the end of it and working backwards — and that the coach has used that lesson and has already seen a difference in his team’s results.

Pryor is all about the big picture, but not before assembling all the little pieces of it together in the right sequence.

“We like to break everything down into smaller pieces,’’ he says. “It’s sort of like baking a cake.’’

The Rockstar Baseball Ranch (8931 Elkmont Ln.) has a number of specials — from Fundamental Fridays (an 8-week course on baseball fundamentals beginning Sept. 30) to a Halloween Whiffle Ball tournament fund raiser for cancer on Oct. 30. For more info, call 992-1030 or visit RockstarBaseballRanch.com.

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Updating The Restaurants Listed In Our 2016 Dining Survey & Contest Sadly, and it’s totally my own fault, the Dining Survey & Contest form that appeared in our last New Tampa issue had some mistakes in it. In New Tampa, we neglected to include one of our regular advertisers — Ginza Endless Sushi & Hibachi — on our list, neglected to change the name of the old Biagio’s Pizza to its proper new name — Capri Pizza — and didn’t know that the former Sushi Raw had changed its name to Fong’s Sushi. And, in Wesley Chapel, we did not change the name of the old City Grill to its proper new name — O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill. We have fixed those problems in this issue’s survey, so you can either send us an updated survey if you already submitted one, or just keep the choices you previously selected.

And yes, we will continue to accept additional surveys, whether you fill them out here and mail them to us or fill this form out on our website — WCNeighborhoodNews.com — until Friday, October 28!

Just for filling out the entry form on these two pages (37 & 38) and sending it by mail or email or filling it out online, you can win $50, $100 or even $200 in absolutely FREE dining at the restaurant of your choice, whether it’s located in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel or not!

To be eligible to win our Grand Prize (or either of the other two big dining prizes), you MUST vote for FIVE (5) restaurants in BOTH of the two categories on this page, and at least ONE (1) restaurant in AT LEAST HALF OF THE CATEGORIES ON THE NEXT PAGE or your entry will be disqualified and your votes will not count!

And yes, you can still write-in the names of the larger chain restaurants in any category, but we only provide the names of the “Mom&-Pops” because they don’t have the benefit of being able to afford regional and national TV, national magazine and local radio ads that the large chains have running all year-round. Please do not write in or vote for any restaurant more than once in any category, it just disqualifies every one of your votes. Please also do not write in a restaurant located in Wesley Chapel (zip codes 33543-45) as your favorite in New Tampa (zip code 33647) or vice-versa, as those votes will not count. Entries without enough categories filled in or with the same restaurant voted in every category will be disqualified. No purchase of any kind is necessary to win. — GN

Your FIVE Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa (NT) Your FIVE Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel (WC)

(Number your 5 favorites #1-#5; You also may write-in your favorites not listed here in the spaces provided) (Number your 5 favorites #1-#5; You also may write-in your favorites not listed here in the spaces provided)

__Acropolis Greek (BBD/Oak Ramble) __Big Papa’s Pit (E. Bearss Ave., off BBD) __Burger 21 (Trout Creek off BBD) __Café Olé (Cross Creek Blvd.) __Cappy’s Pizza (City Plaza, Tampa Palms) __Capri Pizza (formerly Biagio’s; CC Blvd.) __Casa Ramos (Shoppes of Amberly, TP) __China City (City Plaza, TP) __China Wok (County Line Rd. off BBD) __Ciccio’s Cali (The Pointe @ Tampa Palms) __Cross Creek Deli (inside Shell station) __Fong’s Sushi (formerly Sushi Raw, TP) __Full Circle Pizza (Pebble Creek Coll.) __Fushia Asian (Shoppes of Amberly, TP) __Ginza Endless Sushi (County Line Rd.) __Hawkeye NYS Pizza (CC Blvd.@BP Gas) __Ho King (BBD/Highwoods) __Hoosiers Grille (in Heritage Isles CC) __Hunter’s Green Country Club __Kobé Japanese (Pebble Creek Collection) __Koizi Hibachi Grill (The Pointe @ TP) __Lanna Thai (Cross Creek Center) __Las Palmas Café (BBD/PC Coll.) __Liang’s Bistro (North Palms Vlg./BBD) __Little Greek (New Tampa Center) __Minerva Indian (New Tampa Center) __Mr. Dunderbak’s (Oak Ramble Plaza) __Mulligan’s Irish (@ Pebble Creek CC)

Neighborhood News

__New China King (CC Blvd. @ MB Rd.) __Amici Pizza (Grand Oaks Plaza, SR 54) __Arroy Thai (Pinebrook Plz/54) __Oakley’s Grille (North Palms Village) __Asian Buffet (BBD/Shoppes @ New Tampa) __Orchid Thai (The Pointe @ TP) __Peabody’s Billiards (Shoppes of Amberly) __Bagelicious & More (Freedom Plaza/54) __Petra Mediterranean (Highwoods Psrv.) __Best NY Pizza (Pinebrook Plaza/SR 54) __Pita’s Republic (County Line Rd. off BBD) __Bonsai Sushi (BBD/Shoppes @ New Tampa) __PJ Dolan’s Irish (E. Bearss Ave. off BBD) __Bosco’s Italian To Go (Freedom Plaza/54) __Saffron Indian Cuisine (Cross Creek Ctr) __Buttermilk Provisions (BBD/ FHWC) __Seasons Fresh Café (E. Bearss Ave./BBD) __Burger Monger (BBD/Shoppes @ New Tampa) __Chick & Peas Grill (Freedom Plz/54) __Señor T’s (Out of Business!) __China Taste (BBD/Shoppes at New Tampa) __Stonewood Grill (The Pointe @ TP) __China Wok (Village Market/BBD@54) __Sushi Avenue (E. Bearss Ave./BBD) __CineBistro (The Grove/Off Oakley/54) __Sushi Café (Highwoods Preserve) __Dempsey’s Steak House (Saddlebrook) __Sukhothai (Across from Muvico) __Tabla Indian Cuisine (BBD/Live Oak) __Dempsey’s Too Lounge (Saddlebrook) __Takara Sushi & Sake (Oak Ramble Plaza) __Don Pan Int’l Bakery (Shoppes @ NT ) __Gonna China (Hollybrook Plz, BBD@54) __Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club __GrillSmith (Wiregrass Mall) __Tarek’s Café (Shoppes of Amberly, TP) __Taste of NY Pizza (Highwoods Preserve) __Hibachi Express (Village Mkt/BBD@54) __Ho Wok (BBD next to Target) __Thai Ruby (Shoppes of Amberly/TP) __Hot Wok 88 (Town Centre/SR 54) __Top Thai (BBD/Live Oak) __Hungry Greek (across BBD from FHWC) __Vallarta’s (City Plaza, Tampa Palms) __Woodfired Pizza (E. Bearss Ave. off BBD) __Kwan Ming Bistro (SR 56) __Zaytoun Mediterranean (CC Blvd @ MB) __La Prima Pizza (BBD, next to Target) __Write-In (must name)_______________ __Latin Twist Café (across BBD from FHWC) __Write-In (must name)_______________ __Lexington Oaks Golf Club (off SR 54) __Write-In (must name)_______________ __Little Italy’s (SR 54/Lutz) __Write-In (must name)_______________ __Meadow Pte Café & Deli (C.L. Rd./MP) __Write-In (must name)_______________ __900º Woodfired Pizza (Wiregrass Mall)

@NTWCNews

__NY NY Pizza (BBD in Seven Oaks) __O’Brien’s Irish Pub (WC Village Mkt) __OTB Café (Across BBD from FHWC) __PDQ (SR 56) __Pinchers Crab Shack (Wiregrass Mall) __PizzaMania (BBD/Shoppes @ New Tampa) __Poolside Café (Saddlebrook Resort) __PrimeBar (Wiregrass Mall) __Quail Hollow Country Club __Shang Hai Chinese (Eiland Blvd./off 54) __TD’s Sports Bar (Saddlebrook Resort) __365 Caffé Italiano (Wiregrass Mall) __Tokyo Grill/Sushi (Eiland Blvd./off 54) __Vallarta’s (Village Mkt, BBD@54) __Woody’s Pizza/Wings (Village Mkt) __Wolf’s Den (SR 56) __Yamato Japanese Stkhs (Wiregrass Mall) __Write-In (must name)_________________ __Write-In (must name)_________________ __Write-In (must name)_________________ __Write-In (must name)_________________ __Write-In (must name)_________________ Note- Please only put each numeral (#s 1-5) on each of the two lists on this page only once each, including any write-ins. Only one entry per person will be accepted.

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience to independent restaurants in NT & WC we somehow still forgot to include here (see story above).

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

37

Your Favorite Chinese Restaurant In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (NT & WC; Pick or write-in one)

__Asian Buffet (Shoppes @ New Tampa, WC) __China City (City Plaza, TP) __China Taste (Shoppes @ New Tampa, WC) __China Wok (County Line Rd., off BBD) __China Wok (Village Mkt/BBD@54, WC) __Fushia Asian Bistro (Shps of Amberly, TP) __Gonna China (Hollybrook Plz, BBD@54) __Ho King (BBD/Highwoods)

__Café Olé (Cross Creek Blvd.) __Cantina (Cross Creek Blvd.) __Casa Ramos (Tampa Palms) __Don Pan Int’l Bakery (Shoppes @ NT ) __Las Palmas Café (BBD/Pebble Creek)

__Write-In (must name)_________________

(Pick or write-in one) __Meadow Pointe Café (County Line Rd.) __Acropolis (BBD/Oak Ramble) __Petra Mediterranean (Highwoods Prsv.) __Chick & Peas Grill (Freedom Plaza/54) __Hungry Greek (across BBD from FHWC) __Pita’s Republic (County Line Rd.) __Zaytoun Mediterranean (CC Blvd.) __Kabob House (BBD/Live Oak) __Little Greek (BBD/New Tampa Center) __Write-In (must name)_________________

(Pick or write-in one) __Asian Buffet (Shoppes @ New Tampa, WC) __Sushi Café (BBD/Highwoods) __Bonsai Sushi (Shoppes @ New Tampa, WC) __Sukhothai (Across from Muvico) __Fong’s Sushi (Shoppes of Amberly, TP) __Takara Sushi & Sake (BBD/Oak Ramble) __Ginza Endless Sushi (County Line Rd.) __Tokyo Grill/Sushi (Eiland Blvd./Publix) __Hibachi Express (Village Mkt/BBD@54) __Yamato Japanese __Kobé Japanese Steakhouse (BBD/PC) Seakhouse (Wiregrass Mall) __Koizi Hibachi Grill (Tampa Palms) __Sushi Avenue (E. Bearss Ave.) __Write-In (must name)_________________

Your Favorite Thai/Indian Restaurant In NT & WC

(Pick or write-in one) __Tabla Indian Cuisine (BBD/Live Oak) __Arroy Thai (S.R. 54, WC) __Lanna Thai (CC Blvd.) __Thai Ruby (Shoppes of Amberly, TP) __Minerva Indian (New Tampa Center) __Top Thai (BBD/Live Oak) __Saffron Indian Cuisine (CC Blvd.) __Write-In (must name)_________________ __Sukhothai (Across from Muvico)

Your Favorite Pizza Place In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (Pick or write-in one)

__Little Italy’s (SR 54, Lutz) __900º Woodfired Pizza (Wiregrass Mall) __NY NY Pizza (BBD in Seven Oaks) __Peabody’s Billiards & Games (Amberly) __Taste of New York Pizza (Highwoods) __Woodfired Pizza (E. Bearss Ave.) __Woody’s Pizza/Wings (WC Village Mkt) __Write-In (must name)_________________

Your Favorite Hamburger In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel

(Pick or write-in one) __Burger Monger(BBD/Shoppes @ New Tampa) __Peabody’s Billiards & Games (Amberly) __Burger 21 (Trout Creek/BBD) __PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub (E. Bearss Ave.) __Dempsey’s Too Lounge (Saddlebrook) __Quail Hollow CC (Old Pasco Rd., WC) __GrillSmith (Wiregrass Mall) __Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club __Hoosiers Grille (@ Heritage Isles CC) __Tarek’s Cafe (Shoppes of Amberly, TP) __Hunter’s Green Country Club __Poolside Café (Saddlebrook) __Lexington Oaks Golf Club __TD’s Sports Bar (Saddlebrook) __Mulligan’s Irish Pub (Pebble Creek CC) __Oakley’s Grille (BBD/North Palms Vlg.) __Wolf’s Den (S.R. 56) __O’Brien’s Irish (Village Mkt/BBD@54) __OTB Café (Across BBD from FHWC)

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(Pick or write-in one)

__Ho Wok (BBD next to Target) __Hot Wok 88 (Town Centre of WC) __Kwan Ming Bistro (S.R. 56) __Liang’s Bistro (North Palms/BBD) __New China King (CC Blvd. @ MB Rd.) __Shang Hai Chinese (Eiland Blvd./Publix)

Your Favorite Japanese/Sushi Restaurant In NT & WC

__Amici Pizza (Grand Oaks Plaza, SR 54) __Best NY Pizza (Pinebrook Plaza/S.R. 54) __Bosco’s Italian To Go (Freedom Plaza/54) __Cappy’s Pizza (City Plaza, TP) __Capri Pizza (CC Blvd.) __Ciccio’s Cali (The Pointe @ Tampa Palms) __Full Circle Pizza (Pebble Creek) __Hawkeye NYS Pizza (CC Blvd./BP) __La Prima Pizza (BBD, next to Target)

Your Favorite Latin/Mexican Restaurant In NT & WC

__Write-In (must name)_________________

__Latin Twist Café(across BBD from FHWC) __Señor T’s (Out of Business!) __Vallarta’s (City Plaza at Tampa Palms) __Vallarta’s (Village Mkt, BBD@54) __Write-In (must name)_________________

Your Favorite Greek/Mediterranean Restaurant In NT & WC

Your Favorite Bar, Tavern or Pub In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel

(Pick or write-in one) __Acropolis (BBD/Oak Ramble) __Peabody’s Billiards & Games (Amberly) __Heritage Isles CC Rest. (off CC Blvd.) __PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub (E. Bearss Ave.) __Ciccio’s Cali (The Pointe @ Tampa Palms) __Poolside Café (Saddlebrook) __CineBistro (The Grove/54 off Oakley) __PrimeBar (Wiregrass Mall) __Dempsey’s Steak House (Saddlebrook) __Quail Hollow Country Club __Dempsey’s Too Lounge (Saddlebrook) __Skinny’s Sports Bar (SR 54, WC) __GrillSmith (Wiregrass Mall) __Stonewood Grill & Tavern (Tampa Palms) __Halftime Sports Lounge (NT Center) __Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club __Hunter’s Green Country Club __TD’s Sports Bar (Saddlebrook) __Lexington Oaks Golf Club __The Brass Tap (Wiregrass Mall) __Linkster’s Tap Room (Highwoods) __Mulligan’s Irish Pub (Pebble Creek CC) __Write-In (must name)_________________ __O’Brien’s Irish (Village Mkt/BBD@54)

Your Other Favorites

(Write-in only one restaurant in each category below) Your Favorite Bakery In NT & WC Your Favorite Lunch In NT & WC _______________________________________ _______________________________________ Your Favorite Chain Restaurant In Your Favorite Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt/ Dessert Place In NT & WC New Tampa & Wesley Chapel _______________________________________ _______________________________________ Your Name _______________________________________________________________________ Your Community (Tampa Palms, Meadow Pointe, etc.) _____________________________ Your Mailing Address ____________________________________________________________ Your Daytime Phone #____________________________________________________________ Your Valid Email Address _______________________________________________________ Please submit BOTH pages by mail or at NTNeighborhoodNews.com by Friday, October 28, 2016!

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

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7 Layers Bakery — Real NY-Style Baked Goods Made By Real New Yorkers!

Lace Cookies

Evelyn Barreno & William Morello of 7 Layers Bakery

By Gary Nager

I

N CASE you didn’t realize it, I have something of a major sweet tooth. I’m more of a chocolate and peanut butter guy than I am into any type of fruit-flavored treats, but no matter what type of baked goods you prefer, I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll love at 7 Layers Bakery, located in the Grand Oaks Plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd. (S.R. 54) in Lutz, in the same plaza as Amici Pizza.

It was easy for me to become friends with 7 Layers owners Evelyn Barreno and her husband William Morello. After all, not only are they fellow transplanted “New Yawkas,” they serve Evelyn’s amazing baked goods, most of which remind me a lot of the great bakery items I loved when I was growing up on Long Island.

Evelyn, whose background is in marketing, says she has been baking since she was a kid. “My mom, my grandmother...all of us... love to bake,” she says. “People have always

40

told me I should open my own bakery, so here we are.”

I remember meeting this fun young couple at last year’s Wesley Chapel Fall Festival and being instantly hooked not only on Evelyn’s cake and cookie samples, but also on Will’s high-spirited, friendly approach to getting people to try everything.

Since their store opened a little less than a year ago, William and Evelyn have become involved with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, and held a Chamber ribbon-cutting ceremony almost a year ago.

“We’ve made a lot of friends through the Chamber,” Evelyn says. “The response since we opened the store has been amazing.” The bakery is also a favorite of Joey Richman’s, the young Wesley Chapel resident we wrote about in a couple of recent issues, who has had some continuing health issues following a recent kidney transplant.

There’s no doubt that the baked goods are top-notch. Although the store is named for the famous Italian seven-layer rainbow cookies that Evelyn and Will grew up with in

Napoleons

New York City, I initially fell in love with 7 Layers Bakery’s awesome specialty cupcakes, especially the Reese’s peanut butter cup cupcakes, which have not only decadent peanut butter-flavored icing, but also...surprise!...a mini Reese’s cup hidden in the center.

Other great cupcake flavors include double chocolate, double vanilla, creme brulée, toasted marshmallow, red velvet, cookies and cream and so many more.

But, even this man can not live by cupcakes alone. I’m also partial to Evelyn’s hand-piped cannolis with homemade cannoli cream, her amazingly flaky Napoleons, the real NY-style black-and-white cookies (Evelyn says some of her customers call them “half moons”) and the store’s assortment of loose Italian-style cookies available by the pound, especially the soft-baked chocolate chip cookies and the traditional NY-style lace cookies (which, according to Evelyn, some people call “Florentines,”

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

even though I never heard that term before).

Other items also available at 7 Layers Bakery include homemade tiramisu, flan and tres leches, as well as Italian sfogliatelle pastries (like crispy croissants with custardstyle cream inside), as well as an ever-changing assortment of Leann’s cheesecakes, which are uniquely served in jars and great coffee.

Holiday Traditions!

Evelyn also says that she is already gear-

@NTWCNews

(L.=-r.) 7-Layer Cookies, Cannolis, Specialty Cupcakes & Black & White Cookies

Custom-Made Specialty Cakes ing up for the holiday season. “We’ve already started doing our pumpkin spice and we’ll have apple pie cupcakes soon,” she says. “By the time the holiday season really gets started after Halloween, we’re going to have to bring in an additional oven to handle the holiday orders,” Evelyn says. “We have a lot of very loyal customers.”

She says that in addition to Christmas tree-shaped, iced cookies, she will be creating some surprises for the holiday season. “But, get those orders in early, because we run out of our cookies a lot now already, so we expect

Neighborhood News

to really be busy this holiday season.”

Custom Cakes, Too!

There’s no doubt that Evelyn also creates some amazing custom-designed cakes in your choice of flavors and designs.

“If you can dream it up, I can make it for you,” she says.

7 Layers Bakery (26306 Wesley Chapel Blvd.) is open seven days a week. For more info, visit 7LayerCookieCakes.com or the company’s Facebook page, call 388-2271 or see the ad on pg. 34.

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

41

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

WCCC Still Cutting Lots Of Ribbons & More!

If you were expecting things to slow down a lot for the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) simply because the Chamber divested itself of putting on major events (see story on pg. 1), guess again.

Despite signing off to let a private company called Simply Events (SimplyEventsFL.com) put on this year’s 12th annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival (the weekend of October 29-30, at The Grove shopping center) and even more recently signing off on allowing the New Tampa Rotary to revive the Taste of New Tampa (&

42

Wesley Chapel) on Saturday, March 18, at Florida Hospital Center Ice, the Chamber remains dedicated to providing its member businesses with plenty of opportunities to meet, network and even learn more about doing business in our area.

As far as ribbon-cutting ceremonies since our last issue appeared in your mailbox go, the Chamber has cut ribbons at Ginza Endless Sushi & Hibachi (on Aug. 25), The Cake Girl dessert trailer at Gables Motorsports of Wesley Chapel (on Aug. 27), at O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill (on Sept.

14) and at the Intrinsic Wellness Clinic (on Sept. 15).

Recaps of the events we were able to

attend appear below. For a complete Chamber calendar, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

Intrinsic Wellness Clinic

The WCCC ribboncutting event at Intrinsic Wellness Clinic (above left) — which included amazing prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, smoked salmon on cucumber slices and a uniquely delicious tomato salad provided by Chef Peter Gambacorta of the Private Chef of Tampa — unveiled the office of Dr. Todd Di Leo, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic), C.S.C.S.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

(Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach), CGP (Certified Gluten Practitioner) and CTTH (Certified Traditional Tribal Healer).

The event was attended by at least 5060 Chamber members and well-wishers.

“We want the community to say, ‘I never thought I could be this healthy,’” Dr. Di Leo said with his wife Cathy by his side.

For appointments and more infor-

@NTWCNews

mation, call 549-3551, or visit the office at 2808 Windguard Cir. (in the office park behind Dickey’s BBQ), Suite 101, or IntrinsicWellnessClinic.com.

O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill

Of course, I’ve been telling you how much I love O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill since it first took over from the former City Grill in the Wesley Chapel Village Market.

O’Brien’s also held a packed WCCC ribbon-cutting event, where there were some great appetizers being served, on Sept.

14. I returned for karaoke later that evening (you can sing along with your favorite sngs every Wed. at O’Brien’s).

For more information about the place that should be your pro and college football headquarters — O’Brien’s (5429 Village Market) — check out the ad on pg.

41), visit OBriensWesleyChapel.com or call 973-9988.

Ginza Cuts A Ribbon!

Neighborhood News

Although it actually also has been open for several months, we also were on hand for the official Grand Opening and WCCC Ribbon-Cutting event on Aug. 25 at Ginza Endless Sushi & Hibachi, located between Winn-Dixie and LA Fitness in the plaza located off County Line Rd. at BBD. There was plenty of delicious food on-hand, as well as more than 50 Chamber members (photo above), many of whom stayed for dinner.

For more info about Ginza (6417 E. County Line Rd.), visit GinzaTampa.com or call 907-1688.

Lebanese Food On The Way!

Although we didn’t have any additional info at our press time, a sign in the former Subway location in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza on BBD in New Tampa says that coming soon is Paramount Lebanese Kitchen, which will be the New Tampa/ Wesley Chapel area’s 10th Middle Eastern restaurant. Look for details soon. — GN

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 •WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST with computer experience in intergy (greenway) practice management system.

Knowledge of insurances. Busy phones. M-F 9-6, 35 hours. Also, L.P.N. or M.A. for allergist office. Please fax resume to 813-558-9421 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 PIZZAMAKERS & LINE/PREP COOKS WANTED (exp’d. preferred) at New Tampa’s favorite authentic Chicago-style pizza place. Bring Resume during business hours to Full Circle Chicago Pizza at 19651 BBD Blvd. (in the Pebble Creek Collection).

ASSESSMENT ADMINISTRATORS NEEDED IN SCHOOLS FOR NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF ED PROGRESS (NAEP) from 1/23 through 4/17. Apply at www.westat.com/CAREERS (Select Search Field Data Jobs-Florida-AA positionApply) or call 888-237-8036

POOL SERVICES 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 Chris today @ (813) 857-5400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com. New customers get ONE MONTH FREE! ALL-STAR POOL SERVICE & REPAIR Expert repairs and installations of pumps, motors, filters, timers, salt and ozone generators. Marcite for $2,400. Tile repair and acid washes, paver and river rock sealing, pressure washing and deck repair, paver and eurocote decks. Mention this ad for $69 pool service. Call or text for details: 813-244-7077. See our display ad. www.allstarpoolsoftampabay.com

CLEANING SERVICES POWER HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES Residential cleaning weekly, bi-weekly, monthly & occasional. One time, deep cleaning, move in/move outs, real estate, holiday and events. Owner operator with personal care! Licensed and Insured. For free in-home estimate, call 813-356-8287 or e-mail powerclean16@gmail. com. You will be powerfully pleased!

B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 14 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 300 clients in New Tampa!

For more info, Call 758-9710.

SQUEAKY CLEAN HOME SERVICES Residential cleaning company offering weekly, bi-weekly, & monthly services and move-in/move-out cleanup. All supplies and equipment provided. We are an Owner Operator company with over 20 years experience. “If it Needs to be Clean, We’re your Team!” Call us for your free in home estimate today! 813-625-6045.

ICARE HOUSE CLEANING Free estimates. We use our own supplies, excellent references, cleaning New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 15 years, affordable & reliable, satisfaction guaranteed!!! Family operated, affordable & reliable, local business. Call today for your free, no obligation quote, (813) 531-1917.

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

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

LAWN & LANDSCAPING

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

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

HOMETEAM LAWNCARE LLC High-Quality Professional Services: Weekly or Bi-Weekly Year-Round FullSvc LawnCare starting at $90/month: mow, edge, trim, blow, mulch-bed maintenance, hedge and low-tree trim. Additional Services: Sod, Mulch, & Rock Placement; Hedge Trimming, & Tree Trimming; Landscape Installation; Fall/Spring Clean-Up. Family Owned & Operated, Licensed & Insured, Background Checked, Call or Text (813) 817-9554.

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Call 910-2575 To order your Classified or Display Ad today!

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 •WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Human Trafficking Walk At Wiregrass Oct. 15

Rachel Martinez (far right) and other volunteers participate in last year’s A21 Walk For Freedom.

By Celeste McLaughlin official A21 Walk For Freedom T-shirt from the website A21.org.

The average age of a victim of human Rachel became interested in supporttrafficking is just 12 years old. Only 1-2 per- ing the mission of A21 when she heard the cent of victims are ever rescued. Worldwide, founder of the organization, Christine Caine, an estimated 27 million people are currently speak at an event at her church. Caine is a in bondage.

Bible teacher, activist, and evangelist from These shocking statistics are according Hillsong Church, an Australian megachurch. to A21, an organization that gets its name “Her story and her passion really hit from its mission, which is, “Abolishing injus- home for me,” says Rachel, who adds that tice in the 21st century.” in her job handling statewide permitting A group of local volunteers is support- for a construction company, she’s often on ing this organization and its mission by par- websites for various municipalities, and she’s ticipating in A21’s annual “Walk For Free- struck by how often those local governments dom” with an event in Wesley Chapel on have task forces and resources dedicated to Saturday, October 15, 9 a.m., beginning at fighting human trafficking. the Shops at Wiregrass mall.

For example, the Pasco County Sheriff’s “A lot of people aren’t aware that hu- Office (PCSO) has information on its webman trafficking is in our own neighborhoods site (PascoSheriff.com) that underscores and communities,” says event organizer Ra- Rachel’s concerns. The PCSO website says chel Martinez. “We are hosting this walk to that human trafficking is an industry worth bring awareness to this issue.” billions of dollars, and is one of the largest Rachel is a Wesley Chapel resident who criminal enterprises in the world, second only participated in the walk last year, along with to the illegal drug trade. And, there are more her family and about 100 others. She’s hop- people held in slavery in the world today, ing that this year, even more will participate, than at any other time in human history. so that many people throughout our comThe National Human Trafficking Remunity will see the line of walkers, dressed in source Center ranked Florida third among all black, as silent ambassadors for a cause they states in the U.S. in the number of calls rewant others to care about, too. ceived by the center’s human trafficking hot“This year, the sidewalks are complete, line in 2015, as it has in past years, and many so we can walk west along S.R. 56,” Rachel of those calls were from the Tampa Bay area. says. “We want people to see us in our shirts “It’s big, big money, but maybe by as we walk all the way to I-75.” bringing awareness to this issue, we can nip She also says that local churches have it in the bud,” Rachel says. “Maybe kids will supported the walk by paying for necessary learn something that will keep them safe permits, and fund-raising efforts cover costs from an unfortunate situation.” for items such as bottled water for the walkTo register to participate in the walk, ers. There’s no cost for participants to attend, visit A21.org/WesleyChapel or email FLalthough they are encouraged to purchase an 4Freedom@hotmail.com.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 24, Issue 20 • September 23, 2016 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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