Volume 17 Issue 26
WESLEY CHAPEL Inside:
Bonefish Is Still Your Favorite!
NEWS
See page 26!
December 18, 2009
The Direct-Mail Newspaper Serving Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Since 1993! THIS INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IS DIRECTLY MAILED TO: WESLEY CHAPEL: Aberdeen • Belle Chase • Brookside • Chapel Pines • Country Walk • Lexington Oaks • Meadow Pointe • New River • Northwood • Pinewalk • Pine Ridge • Saddlebrook • Saddleridge Estates • Saddlewood • Seven Oaks • Lakes at Northwood • The Villages of Wesley Chapel • Wesley Pointe • Westbrook Estates • Williamsburg NEW TAMPA: Arbor Greene • Cory Lake Isles • Cross Creek • Grand Hampton • Heritage Isles • Hunter’s Green • Hunter’s Key • K-Bar Ranch • Lake Forest • Live Oak Preserve • Pebble Creek • Richmond Place • Tampa Palms • West Meadows
Celebrating The Spirit Of Giving This Holiday Season By Michael Smith & Gary Nager The holidays are a time for being with family and friends, giving and sharing and being thankful for all of the blessings that we enjoy every day. But, it’s also a time for us to remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves and to do what we can to share the spirit of the holidays with them. This year, with the struggling U.S. economy and record-high levels of unemployment, there are even more people than usual who are in need of assistance. Metropolitan Ministries, which provides food, clothing and other services for poor and homeless people throughout the Tampa Bay area, says that it is preparing to help more than 29,000 families this month, an 18 percent increase over the 24,000-plus families who received assistance during the holidays last year, and with the level of donations declining along with the poor economy, the organization needs all the help it can get.
Andreychuks Help Leukemia & Lymphoma Event
New Tampa resident Bonnie Bishop was happy to be able to enlist the help of fellow New Tampa resident and former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk and his wife Sue for an event Bonnie hosted at WineStyles (in front of the SuperTarget-anchored Northwood shopping center on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. at County Line Rd. The event, which featured outstanding food 100-percent donated by Stonewood Grill & Tavern in Tampa Palms, live entertainment, free chair massages and silent auctions, as well as wine tastings by WineStyles owner Troy Melquist, brought together about 30 of Bishop’s friends to raise about $1,000 to benefit the Suncoast Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Team in Training.” Bishop said she wasn’t really concerned about how much money she
raised, “because every little bit really does help.” Andreychuk, who autographed bottles of wine for attendees (as well as a hockey stick that was auctioned off), said, “It’s a great cause and the Bishops are good friends of ours, so Sue and I were happy to help.” If you’d like to help (or find out more about) the (L. to r.) Bob & Bonnie Bishop, WineStyles owner Suncoast Chapter of the Troy Melquist and Dave & Sue Andreychuk Leukemia & Lymphoma helped raise about $1,000 to benefit the Suncoast Society, visit LeukemiaChapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Lymphoma.org.
Helping The Poor & Homeless
Even though Christmas is just around the corner, you still have an opportunity to get involved with Metropolitan Ministries’ ongoing drive for the needy. This year, in addition to the organization’s main donation drop-off location at 2010 N. Florida Ave. in Tampa, there also are dozens of other
drop-off sites for donations around the area, including the AAA New Tampa branch office at 20315 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., just south of County Line Rd. “The ability to make a difference this holiday season is very important to us at AAA,” says AAA Auto Club South public relations specialist Jessica Brady. “We realize how fortunate we are and See “Giving” on page 8.
Attempted Kidnapper Busted After Approaching Three Women
NEIGHBORHOOD MAGAZINE!
Thoughts About Tim Tebow & Bobby Bowden, Shoplifters Arrested, PHCC To Have Campus In Wiregrass Ranch & Education & Local Sports Updates!
A Place For Truly Unique Holiday Gifts, The Results Of Our ‘09 Dining Survey & Contest, Neighborhood Nibbles & A New Date For The Suncoast Arts Fest!
See pages 3-19!
See pages 21-32!
ECRWSS
LOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS & SPORTS UPDATES
Five minutes later, police say Sortor drove up to another jogger, a 49-yearold female, exited his vehicle and asked her if she could help him find the Home Depot store. When she refused, he grabbed her by her arm, but she also managed to pull away and Sortor fled after another resident who was walking his dogs approached them. Police flooded the area and an officer saw Sortor driving through the movie theater parking lot. He and a couple of other police units were able to block Sortor’s vehicle and he was See “News Briefs” on page 4.
Postal Customer
Also Inside This Issue!
ride. When she ran to a neighbor’s house, Sortor allegedly followed in his vehicle and parked outside the neighbor’s house for a few minutes. He then left, but the girl was able to get Christopher A. Sortor a partial license plate number, which she gave to police. Then, on December 8, Sortor allegedly approached two separate women who were jogging in the West Meadows subdivision. He approached the first, a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, after she jogged past his parked car. He allegedly reached out and tried to grab her, but she managed to avoid him and ran away. Sortor chased her for a short distance in his vehicle, police say, but she got away.
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA FL PERMIT 2801
Tampa Police have arrested a man who they say attempted to kidnap at least three different local women on two different days. According to a Tampa Police Department (TPD) report, Christopher A. Sortor, 25, of 4411 Shady Terrace Lane in Tampa, was arrested in the
parking lot of the Muvico Starlight 20 movie theater in Highwoods Preserve (New Tampa) at around 5:45 p.m. on December 8. Police say that two days earlier, on December 6, Sortor had allegedly approached a 17-year-old female who was walking to a friend’s house on Linebaugh Ave. in Carrollwood, pulling up alongside her in his vehicle and asking her if she needed a
Dated Material Please Rush!
By Michael Smith
For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 17, Issue 26 • December 18, 2009 • www.WCNeighborhoodNews.com
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