New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 33, Issue 13, June 24, 2025

Retired Gen. Remo Butler Celebrates The Army’s 250th Birthday!

By Gary Nager

I had the honor and privilege of interviewing the first-ever Black General of the U.S. Special Forces — Brigadier (1-star) General Remo Butler — the same day the U.S. Army celebrated its 250th birthday — June 14, 2025.

Gen. Butler, who commanded honorably and admirably at every level for 29 years in the Army, was first commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1974, after graduating from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, as the Vietnam War was winding down. He and his wife Mylitta are long-time Cory Lake Isles residents who invited photographer Charmaine George, Jannah and yours truly into their beautiful home shortly before they had to get ready to attend Tampa’s celebration of the Army’s sestercennial anniversary in downtown Tampa.

“The Army is more than a year older than our country (the U.S. won’t celebrate its 250th birthday until July 4, 2026),” Gen. Butler says, “and it was an honor for me to serve. When people ask me if I miss being in the Army (he retired in 2004 as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in South Tampa), I always say that my body, especially my knees, don’t miss it at all. But, I do miss the great people I got to serve with. It wasn’t really my first choice of a career, but I don’t regret a minute of it. I took pride in everything I did.”

TO ST. PETE BEACH! Our editor visited the beaches ravaged by the 2024 hurricanes as the 2025 storm season began.

Dealing With Racism

Although Gen. Butler, now age 73, was always able to move up the ranks in the Army, he says he still encountered racism along the way.

“I know I’m a role model for Black men and women in the military because many people have told me that in the years since I retired,” he says.

In fact, according to an article published in 2010 on the website ResearchGate.net, “Over the past two decades, U.S. War College students have written several papers touching on the experiences of black officers as they relate to representation, promotions, influence, and culture. Interestingly, only Gen. Remo Butler’s paper (1997), which was one of the first to be written, has received any widespread attention. Butler found that, ‘Black officers are falling behind their white counterparts in promotions at and above the rank of lieutenant colonel at a disconcerting rate.’ Specifically, Butler suggested that Black officers were failing in two areas: (1) promotion to the ranks of lieutenant colonel and higher, and (2) selection for battalion and brigade command.’”

Gen. Butler says he is particularly proud of that nearly-30-year-old essay. “Where a lot of the other War College graduates were writing about the future of the military on Mars or in the Andromeda Galaxy, I wanted to help future Black officers to understand that to succeed, you have to bring pride and integrity to everything you do.”

“General Butler” on pg. 4

Tampa’s City Councilman honors a fallen colleague & discusses New Tampa Blvd. repaving.

page 3 THE MAN WHO WOULD BE DIDDY! A Wesley Chapel resident portrays the music mogul in Hulu’s “Diddy On Trial” docuseries!

page 6

pages 16

RODIZIO GRILL IS OPEN!

Our area’s first-ever Brazilian steakhouse has opened near the Tampa Premium Outlets!

page 38!

Retired U.S. Army Special Forces Brigadier General & Cory Lake Isles resident Remo Butler (right) and his wife Mylitta celebrated the Army’s 250th Birthday on June 14. (Photo by Charmaine George)

Our Return To St. Pete Beach — Still Recovering As The 2025 Hurricane Season Begins

An Editorial by GARY NAGER

St. Pete Beach has been an important part of mine and Jannah’s relationship since we first started dating ten years ago. It’s where we were married six years ago and where have spent some of the most magical times of our lives — with the most beautiful sunsets, the greatest live music and some of the most delicious meals we’ve ever enjoyed together.

But, as pretty much everyone knows, all of the Gulf beaches from Clearwater south to St. Pete were devastated by last year’s trio of major hurricanes, especially Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in the Big Bend region of Florida on Sept. 26 of last year. That was only six weeks after Hurricane Debby brought record flooding, also to the Big Bend area, despite “only” hitting as a Cat 1, because the storm stalled along the Gulf coast of our state. Helene was followed less than two weeks later by Cat 3 Hurricane Milton, which did as much damage to inland areas as it did to the coast.

But, Helene — which hit roughly 35 weeks before the 2025 Memorial Day weekend, when Jannah and I finally returned to St. Pete Beach — did the most damage of the three storms to Pinellas County’s beloved — and world-class — beaches.

That means its been eight+ long, difficult months for the hotels, restaurants and merchants in those Gulf Coast communities, so even though we’d seen and read news reports about how difficult it’s been for those areas to fully recover, we (wrongfully) assumed that things had to have gotten back almost to normal by now. Um, no. A thousand times no.

During our visit, we drove from Pass-A-Grille Beach, at the southern tip of the strip, almost to the Sand Key Bridge just south of Clearwater and, even though the weather was beautiful and there were still plenty of great places open for business, what we found saddened us to our cores.

Pass-A-Grille seemed mostly intact, but the fabled Don Cesar Hotel had only recently reopened and still was not fully restored to its former glory.

Still closed were many of our local favorite St. Pete Beach haunts like the Bellwether Beach (formerly the Plaza Grand) Hotel, home to the popular rotating Level 11 rooftop bar and Spinners restaurant. Even the Beachcomber Resort, home to our favorite live music spot Jimmy B’s, was still shuttered. Popular restaurants like The Frog Pond and further south to Caddys on the Beach (photos above) also were still shut down, although the owners of Caddys at least had a tented bar, food trucks and picnic tables on-site so those enjoying the live music at Ka’Tiki across the street could come out to take in the still-breathtaking sunsets.

We continued north through Treasure Island, where the fabled Thunderbird Beach Resort, which opened in 1957 and had survived many hurricanes and tropical storms, had never reopened since Helene and was getting ready to be demolished.

We then headed to John’s Pass, which was mostly reopened, although our bartender at the Pirates Pub & Grub told us that Helene brought 5-7 ft. of water inside all of the boardwalk’s first-floor businesses and had to be completely renovated for weeks and even months, while the second floor restaurants and shops were pretty much still OK.

Continuing north of John’s Pass, through

Madeira Beach, the Redingtons, Indian Shores, Indian Rocks and Bellaire, where it has always been less crowded, also was chilling. Those areas seemed even emptier than usual. And yes, I realize that Sand Key, Clearwater Beach and Dunedin, forming the more northern, but equally touristy, part of the Pinellas strip, are all also still suffering, even though we didn’t drive that far during this visit.

And again, our stay was the better part of a year after all of this devastation, so it was hard not to have a queasy feeling about what might be in store for our favorite beach communities this year, as the 2025 Hurricane Season began on June 1.

All I can say is that until we get word that our amazing beaches are again in the projected track of a storm, Jannah and I plan to return to — and pray for — St. Pete Beach as often as we can.

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Getting Started

“Two years into college, I’m looking at some of my friends who had graduated,” Gen. Butler recalls. “Some had Master’s degrees, some just had regular degrees, and they weren’t doing well because there was a recession going on. So, these guys were having a hard time finding jobs.

I went to Sears one day, and there was my high school chemistry teacher selling shoes and I’m like, “Wow, that is not what I wanna do.”

So, one day, he runs into someone who was in ROTC, “And this guy said, ‘You know, by doing ROTC, you’re gonna have a job. You’ll be an officer in the Army.’ My father was in the Army, so I decided to look into it. But, I really wasn’t excited about it, because during those days I wanted to have the big Afro and kind of do what I wanted.”

He adds, “But, common sense took over and I said to myself, ‘Hey, do you wanna eat?’ So, I joined ROTC. And, some of the instructors didn’t like me and I didn’t like them either. When it was time to go to summer camp, the PMS (Professor of Military Science) calls me in because he really didn’t like me and he said, ‘Listen, we’re gonna send you to summer camp, against my better judgment. But, if you don’t maintain at least a ‘B’ average, you’re out of here.” So, summer camp ends and I came back with a straight-’A’ average, so he was stuck.”

Butler started looking down the road and thought, “I might wanna do this for a while. I’ll go in [to the military] for two or three years, put it on my resume, get a little experience, and then go do something else. And, when I went in, I did a couple of years, went to a few places I’d never been, went to Korea and Panama, and, I said, ‘OK, this is not so bad. So I stayed a while, got promoted, came back to the advanced course in Fort Benning, (Georgia) and ran into some really good people. One of them, who turned out to be a lifelong mentor for me, was Sidney Shachnow, a retired Major (2-star) General who passed away (in 2018 at age 83). He was a Holocaust survivor who had spent two years in a concentration camp, but he made it out, came to the U.S. and joined the Army. He was a great man who was the first real mentor I ever had. And I had enjoyed Special Forces.”

He adds, “So one day — at that time he was Colonel Shachnow — he tells me, ‘Your command is going to be here at Fort Benning, but I’m going back to Fort Bragg (in North Carolina). I have some issues here, but if you can take care of this one issue here for me, I’ll get you

to Fort Bragg with me.’ I said, ‘Done deal. I took care of his issue and about a year and a half later, I got orders to go to Fort Bragg and I was back in Special Forces.”

(Note-Gen. Butler explained that every military branch has its own Special Force. The Navy has the Seals. The Air Force has its Special Operations Command, the Army has Special Forces and Army Rangers, Marines have Marine Raiders and Force Reconnaissance units, and the Coast Guard has Deployable Specialized Forces.)

Moving Up The Ladder

“But anyway, I was already getting promoted. And the best thing, though, was that I met a lot of great people and just enjoyed working with them. When I got in, it was still Vietnam, which was ending, so they weren’t sending many of us there by ‘74...and I kept sticking around.”

He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1977 and was assigned as a detachment commander in Company C, and later as executive officer of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Panama. In 1980, he attended the Infantry Officer Advanced course and later commanded Company C, Infantry Training Group, in Fort Benning. He returned to Fort Bragg and Special Forces in February 1984 and served as company executive officer and Battalion S-3 before assuming command of Company C, 2/7th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Then, after completing the Armed Forces Staff College, Butler was assigned in 1988 to Special Operations Command South, Panama, as director J3 and as a special operations plans officer. He was also a participant in “Operation Just Cause,” to liberate Panama from the neverelected dictator General Manuel Noriega.

Gen. Butler left Panama in July 1991 to become an instructor at the Armed Forces Staff College until December 1992. He then returned to Fort Bragg to command the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) from 1993-95. He then was assigned as deputy chief of staff to U.S. Army Special Forces Command until his departure to the United States Army War College in Pennsylvania.

After completing the War College, he was assigned as chief, Special Operations Coordination Element, XVIII Airborne Corps. Gen. Butler commanded the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), U.S. Army Special Warfare Center & School, from 1997 through 1999. He was reassigned as the deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, at Fort Bragg 1999-2000. His most recent assignment was as the commanding general, Special Operations Command South, from June 2000 to July 2003.

“So, one day I in 2001, I was in Fort Bragg, and I was working out with a friend of mine who was a Brigadier General, and he said, ‘I’m going someplace else and you’re going to be taking my place here.’ And I’m like, ‘No, you obviously got something wrong. You got it confused.’ But, a few days later, it turned out that I was going to be taking his place. And, at that time, you gotta figure that after 29 years of carrying heavy ruck sacks and jumping out of airplanes, my body was revolting,. We used to do a monthly run, and it was only about a three- or four-mile run. But, at the end of that run for the next two or three days, I had to ice down my knees and try to rest.”

He added, “But, to me, a leader leads from the front and I was still leading from the front, but it was getting harder and harder. So, I retired in 2004 and went to work for some great companies, and I’ve never looked back.”

Sometimes Unspoken Racism

As for the racial difficulties he encountered, Gen. Butler says, “When I was a Second Lieutenant, I got stationed in Korea and there were a lot of racial problems going on in the military, and the first unit I was assigned to had just had an Inspector General (IG) inspection.

“And, even though I had just gotten there and the inspection was before I got there, the company XO (Executive Officer) kept pointing out things in the report, saying, ‘Lieutenant Butler, you messed up real bad on this. This [problem] here is yours,’ but I was clueless as to what he was talking about. I decided to educate myself on physical block security, which was a big thing, because we were going to be reinspected. And by educating myself, I became the battalion’s de facto expert in these fields.”

He added, “In any unit, there’s a hierarchy and everybody knows who’s at the top and who’s at the bottom. And, among the Lieutenants, this Lieutenant named Mark, who was a great guy, and I became good friends because we were Lieutenants #1 and #2, depending on what day it was. But, it was a very friendly rivalry with no animosity between us. We used to hang out together and drink together, even though he graduated from West Point and I didn’t.

“So, in those days, you got a 60-day OER (Officer Evaluation Report) and I knew what I had done, and everybody knew what I had done. We all knew what everybody had done because we were a small unit. So, we all got our 60-day OERs back in the mail at about the same time. Mark opened his first and he got what he deserved. Another guy opened his and he was in the middle of the group and then this other guy opened his and it wasn’t a real good report, but it was what he deserved and we all knew that. And then, I opened mine and I only got one point above what this lowest guy got.

“So, Mark says, “Hey, something’s wrong here. You need to go talk to the old man ([he XO, our Captain]. So, I knock on the door and he says, ‘Hey, Lieutenant, how you doing? What can I do for you?’

“I said, ‘I want to talk to you about the OERs. I took a lot of time working on that OER for you but sir, you only gave me one point higher than so-and-so and 10 or 15 points less than so-and-so.’

“He said, ‘How do you know that?’ and I said, ‘Because we all went around and looked at all our results.’ He looked at me and said, “Lieutenant, those scores are a private, personal thing. You don’t share them with anyone. You need to understand that. But, you should know that I did not give you that score because you’re Black.”

“And, even though bells and alarms went off in my head, I just said, ‘OK,’ and I walked out.

“I was still new there. I didn’t know jack. But I was concerned about the conversation and I didn’t know what to do.

“And, because of all the racial issues back then, there was an office called Equal Opportunity, where you could make a complaint. But I didn’t know how to do it. So, I talked to another Lieutenant who said, ‘Go talk to this guy. He’s a Black Captain. And, this Captain said, ‘I was waiting for you come see me. I knew what was gonna happen to you because I know him.’

“He said, ‘If I was evaluating you, this is what I would have given you.’ But, he couldn’t give me a lot of help, because, you know, he didn’t want to get himself in trouble. So, this

other Special Forces Captain, who was a battalion commander, he calls me and says, ‘Let me tell you what you need to do.’ He laid it out step by step and one of my commander’s friends saw me and said, ‘Look, you know, I’m not in this, but I’m just telling you that so-and-so stuck it to you. So, what are you doing about it?’ And I said, ‘I’m writing to the XO.’”

But, as it turned out, Butler says, “The IG inspection was good for me because everything that we flunked really badly [before] that he gave to me was re-inspected and I had only two minor deficiencies out of everything, which was good. Plus, I became the battalion’s resident expert in certain things, so the units would call me and say, ‘Hey, can you come help us do this?’”

After that, Gen. Butler says he went to see his commander, a Colonel, “who wanted to talk to me about what was going on. I tell him and he says, ‘Well, I’ve talked to some people here and most everyone has a high opinion of you. So, I’m going to get you out of here because I need to protect you.’

“I said, ‘Number One, I’m not running. I don’t run from anybody and I’m not gonna start now. I appreciate you wanting to protect me, but I don’t need protection. I’ll take care of it myself.’”

But, the Colonel knew that the XO was going to, “look for some way to ambush me. Some of the other Captains there who knew this guy came to me on the side and said, ‘Listen, be careful, because he’s gonna try to get you’ and these were that XO’s friends telling me this.”

“So, one day [the XO] calls me in about my next OER. It was ten times better than the first one but it still wasn’t what I thought I deserved. And, the XO says, “I just wanna make sure you’re happy. Lieutenant.’ And, I’m looking at this piece of crap and I said, ‘OK.’ But, when my appeal came back, the XO lied and said, ‘I just made a mistake.’ So, even though it didn’t hurt me, as you can tell, it did sour me a lot on the Army. But, one of the reasons I was in Special Forces, was because of those two captains who helped me. Both of them were great Special Forces guys who walked me through how to do things.”

He says that when he went to Special Forces school, “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. But, I graduated and, at that time, there were very few Black officers in the Army and almost none in Special Forces, although there were some Black enlisted men. Then, when I went to Panama, there were two black officers, and later, there were three.

“And, back then, some folks would throw the ‘N’ word around, which was the quickest way to get my fist in your mouth. But, because it was a different time, even a guy and his wife who ended up being my youngest daughter’s godparents once said to me and my wife, ‘Black people should marry Black people and White people should marry White people.’ But, we became an inseparable group anyway.. Those are the kinds of

relationships you establish in Special Forces.”

Another time, when Gen. Butler was a Colonel who was commanding a training group, he says, “My secretary came in, and had this crazy look on her face, and went back out. I didn’t know what was going on. Anyway, this guy comes in and looks around, and I heard her say to the guy, ‘No, sir, he’s in there. I told you that’s Colonel Butler,’ but the guy, I guess, wasn’t expecting someone Black to be a Colonel.”

He added, “I tell folks all the time, people have expectations of what you should be. I push my own son and tell him ‘You have to look the part and talk the part. If you can’t speak [proper] English, people are going to downplay you.”

Another time, Gen. Butler says he went for a job interview in West Virginia.

“I went up there and it was a big table, and they had about 20 people sitting around this table, with one Black guy at the table. One of the guys said, “I want you to tell me why we should put you in this position.’ I looked at him and I said, ‘Well, I’ve been sitting here [telling you] for over two hours, so if you can’t figure it out, I don’t need to work for you.’”

The guy responded, “Oh, wait a minute. That’s not what I meant.’ Then, the guy who recommended me [for the job] was taking me back to the airport. And he said ‘You know, General. I just never knew you were that articulate.’

“I said, “I feels like I knows what you guys talks about.’ And, he understood what I was saying. But, a lot of people look at you and they expect certain things and I try never to give you what you expect.”

“So, the guy says, ‘I’m sorry, sir. But, I’ve talked to a lot of people about you, and nobody ever told me you were Black.’ But at some point, people will stop looking at you as the Black officer, and just look at you as the officer.”

When I asked about the Army’s 250th birthday, Gen. Butler said, “It signifies to me that 250 years ago, our military was formed, and has been serving the United States and the government for 250 years.”

He noted, however, that even during the Revolutionary War against England, “There were many Blacks who fought on both sides. The first man who was killed during the War, Crispus Attucks, was Black. Some of the slave owners told their slaves , “If you fight for us against the British, I will set you free. The British did the same thing by sending their people out to talk slaves into fighting for them to earn their freedom.”

Gen. Butler also knows that there were no Black officers in the U.S. military until after the Civil War, when Henry Ossian Flipper graduated from West Point in 1877.

“I tell my son, hat if people do not know and understand their history, they will not last long. So, I always wanted to know our history. And I want him to know our history.”

He is proud to have studied our history and he and Mylitta also are proud to be New Tampa residents. “After I came back from working for Halliburton in Iraq after I retired, we were looking for a house [in the Tampa Bay area]. We were riding around, and came across [Cory Lake Isles]. And, back in those days, there were still a lot of trees everywhere and you could drive to Wesley Chapel and look at farms and cows. And I said, ‘You know, this looks like a nice area. And, this house just happened to be the San Remo model, and I was like, whoa, I like this! And we’ve been very happy here ever since.”

About ‘Why Black Officers Fail’

Despite his many other accomplishments, Gen. Butler says that his article “Why Black Officers Fail” is one of his greatest achievements.

“I didn’t want to write about esoteric things, like war in outer space in the year 5250,” he says. “I wanted to write something real. And, I still get emails and texts from people saying, ‘Thank you for writing that article. You helped save my career.’

He adds, “In War College, when I was still a Colonel, we had active-duty faculty members who would help with each class. But, after three or four of them told me they couldn’t help me,I went to see Dr. Nagami, a Japanese American, who said, ‘Are you sure this is what you want to write about?’

I said, ‘Yes,” and she said, ‘I’m going to tell you a story. Two years ago, a Black MP (Military Police) officer wrote something similar and after he got out of War College, the military was downsizing and he was one of the ones to go.’

“But I said, my record speaks for itself, so I don’t think they could do that to me.’ So, Dr. Nagami helped me and we wrote it and it was a very good paper. Everybody who was Black in the War College loved it. A big percentage of the white guys loved it. I had a lot of guys ready to lead a brigade ask me, ‘How do you suggest I bring the Black guys into the fold? How do you recommend I make my Black officers to feel a part of it?’ These were serious questions, which was good.

But, even so, he says, there was still a spectre of racism hanging over the essay.

“The day of our graduation ceremony from War College, they were giving out writing awards and everybody Black just knew I was going to get a writing award. Dr. Nagami just knew I was getting a writing award. But, at the end of the day, I didn’t get an award. Nor was I expecting

on because [the article] was controversial. So, Dr. Nagami went and asked why I didn’t get an award and one of the guys said, ‘Well, you know, it wasn’t that well written.’ She said, ‘Wait a minute. I was in the meeting and you guys were all talking about how well written it was.’ I told her, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ But the thing for me is that almost 30 years later, people are still reading it, but I guarantee they’re not reading the papers about wars on Mars. I’ll always be proud of that.” As if to prove his point, the ResearchGate. com article from 2010 I found online said, “This paper is an extension of Butler’s paper in that it seeks to determine what, if anything, has changed in the years since Butler published his paper, using Butler’s original research methods. The author’s working hypothesis for the paper is that little has changed and that African Americans are ‘still’ failing in today’s Army. The findings overall suggest that Black officers are getting promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel at higher levels than in 1996. Furthermore, Blacks are being selected for both battalion and brigade levels command at higher rates than 1996. However, Blacks are stilling failing to rise to the strategic decision-making levels of the Army. In trying to come to grips with this, the author has found that there are some limitations to this paper. The first is that this study does not employ a rigorous methodological approach to understanding senior officer perceptions. Instead it relies on anecdotal evidence, like Butler’s thesis, to support the contentions herein. Also, like Butler’s paper, this paper takes a myopic black-white approach to understanding why black officers [still] fail.”

Thank you so much for your service, General Butler, and for sharing a few minutes of the Army’s big 250th birthday with me.

Viera On The Passing Of Gwen Henderson &

District

By Luis Viera

7, Tampa City Council

On The Passing Of Councilwoman

Gwendolyn Henderson

My City Council colleague Gwendolyn Henderson (right) has passed on (only five days after attending the kickoff event for Viera’s campaign to be the next Dist. 67 State Representative; see separate story on this page). Gwen was many things — a fighter who was hilarious, independent and stubborn and a woman with a beautiful heart.

Councilwoman Henderson was raised in Carver City — a Tampa community created for returning black veterans in the 1950s. Her Dad, Asbury Henderson, was a Korean War veteran. Her mother, Gladys Henderson, was a caring woman of faith. Gladys was descended from Sam Hightower — an enslaved man who was emancipated in Georgia in 1865 and would die in 1932.

Gwen owned the Tampa Heights Black English bookstore. If you want to see the heart of Councilwoman Henderson, go to Black English bookstore. It is a love letter to Black History and people like Sam Hightower and Asbury and Gladys Henderson.

She was proud to be a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (a sisterhood comprised primarily of Black, college-educated women with more than 1,050 chartered chapters worldwide), and a Carver City woman. She was proud to be a Dragon from Jefferson High School. She was proud of her Christian faith. She was proud to be a mom. And, she was proud to be a public servant representing the community where Gladys and Asbury Henderson raised a family.

She was also hilarious. I sat next to her [at City Council meetings] and laughed a lot. But, she was a tough lady, too. She endured some mean political attacks and never flinched. Public service can be a pleasure — but there are those who take the cheapest of all shots from the cheapest of all seats. Councilwoman Henderson punched back against those cheap shots.

I last saw her at an event she put on for young people attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). I told her: “Look at all of these young people, you are doing what you were meant to do.”

Gwendolyn Henderson (Photo source:

Tampa.gov)

She brought a passion to the plight of everyday families like the one raised by Gladys and Asbury Henderson. She had a beautiful heart and will be missed.

On The Repaving Of New Tampa Blvd.

New Tampa Blvd. — home to God knows how many potholes and broken tires — is finally in line to be repaved.

This $2.5-million mobility project will repave 1.8 miles of the main road through the West Meadows community — from Meadow Pine Dr. to Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. The project will include pedestrian accessibility features with safety and ADA improvements. This work will begin in Quarter 2 of 2026 and is set to be finished by the end of 2026.

I am glad we are finally getting here. Had the 2018 penny sales tax not been struck down in court, New Tampa Blvd. would have been repaved long ago. As it stands, I had to fight hard to get it in the budget — and I thank Mayor Castor and my fellow Council members for the support.

I would be remiss if I did not give a shout out to my long-time friend, Brad van Rooyen of West Meadows, who has been pushing for this project for years. If Brad is Captain Ahab, then West Meadows is his Moby Dick.

Not long ago, we got portions of Tampa Palms Blvd. repaved. We will finish the rest of Tampa Palms Blvd., too. Remember folks, like the Johnny Cash song goes: “One piece at a time.” Until we get better funding sources for mobility, it’ll have to be just one piece at a time.

Viera Kicks Off Campaign To Succeed Rep. Driskell

As we told you back in April, District 7 Tampa City Councilman and New Tampa resident Luis Viera has announced that instead of running for Mayor of Tampa, a citywide Council seat or a spot on the Hillsborough County Commission, he is instead seeking the position currently held by his long-time friend and Dist. 67 Florida Rep. (and State House minority leader) Fentrice Driskell.

Viera officially kicked off his campaign for the seat at a fund-raising event held at the Columbia Centennial Museum in Ybor City on June 5 that was attended by more than 200 people, including Richard Gonzmart (at microphone, right), the chairman of the 1905 Family of Restaurants (including the original Columbia Restaurant adjacent to the museum), who introduced Viera to the crowd, as well as fellow City Council members Gwendolyn Henderson (who passed away suddenly a few days after the event; see Viera’s column on this page) and Charlie Miranda and Dist. 1 Hillsborough Commissioner Harry Cohen.

Unable to attend the campaign event was Leader Driskell herself, who was (and is) still in Tallahassee with the rest of the State Legislature trying to get a Fiscal Year 2026 budget passed.

Viera, who was actually the second Democrat to enter the race for Driskell’s seat, no longer

On The Fourth Of July

The Fourth of July is coming up and I look forward to marching in some Independence Day parades. I love the Fourth of July for many reasons — for sentimental reasons and because I was raised in the 1980s.

And, I love how it is a good time to celebrate our country. A former President

faces a primary election, as retired U.S. Air Force Colonel William “Will” Atkins, the first candidate to file for the seat, pulled out of the race after reading my profile of Viera (photo, below left) — at least, that’s what Will told me when I saw him at the YMCA groundbreaking in Wesley Chapel last month (see story on pg. 8).

“I come from the heart,” Viera told the crowd at the event. “I always tell people I’m the same guy on Saturday night that I am on Sunday morning. That means that I’m the same guy I was before I got elected, and [I’ll be] the same guy when I go to Tallahassee that I am now. And by the way, I’m gonna be the same guy in the primary that I am in the general election, because you don’t put your finger in the wind on your values. Your values count when they are rocksolid. They come with you, and they don’t change based upon what’s happening. I always believe in dignity for all, which is the idea that you’re entitled to dignity and respect — the idea that we all do better when we all do better.”

For more information or to make a donation, visit VieraforFlorida.com. — GN

once said: “What is right with America can help heal what is wrong with America.” This Fourth of July, think about what is right with our country and how that good can help overcome what is wrong with our country. It has in the past and it will again.

Know what a real pleasure it is to represent you all in public office.

Presenting The Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA!

By Gary Nager

Editor’s Note - While New Tampa has had a super-popular YMCA for more than two decades, Wesley Chapel is finally getting one of its own — one that will relieve some of the stress on the facilities at the New Tampa Family YMCA — so even though this is a Wesley Chapel story, it’s still important news for New Tampa, too. — GN

“This is much more than just the begin ning of a construction project,” said Tampa Metropolitan YMCA president & CEO Matt Mitchell. “This is a beginning of a new chapter for the YMCA, and it’s the beginning of a new commitment on behalf of our YMCA to this Wesley Chapel community, because we’re here to break ground on what soon will become an impactful community resource and a vibrant hub for health and wellness.”

Mitchell was speaking to a group of about 100 people gathered to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the new Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA (more on the name below), on land provided by BayCare Wesley Chapel Hos pital, which is located just south of the 86-bed hospital itself.

“This will be a place for day camps and new sports and drowning prevention programs for our children,” Mitchell continued. “There will be programs for our families that come together, and connect programs for cancer survivors, both adults and children. Programs that help prevent chronic disease. And programs for our seniors not just to exercise, but to have a place to come and socialize and be a part of an engaging community that helps them thrive. Programs like that, and much, much more, will be right here beneath our feet in the summer of 2026, and it’s gonna be something special.”

Mitchell then acknowledged that, “Wesley Chapel is already a very special community, but this YMCA will be a new place where families and neighbors come to connect and build valuable friendships, all supporting this venue where every individual who lives in this community can come and live their healthiest and most fulfilled life in Pasco County and beyond.”

As to how the Tampa YMCA came to be able to build this $35-million, 49,319-sq.-ft. YMCA on BayCare’s property, Mitchell said, “We’ve got a lot of good partners, sponsors, funders and friends. And, just to name a few — BayCare made this land very available and affordable to the YMCA long term, plain and simple. Without BayCare, there is no YMCA here. Thank you so much for the partnership.”

Mitchell also thanked Fleischman Garcia Maslowski Architects and the firm’s co-founder Sol Fleischman, who was on-hand at the event.

“Thank you so much for the inspiration and the great design of the great spaces for kids and families that thrive in our buildings,” Mitchell said. “We appreciate you so much for being part of this project.”

Next, Mitchell thanked Joshua Bornstein, the president and CEO of Creative Contractors, LLC, for, “building this project. Josh has built

[several] buildings for us and they’ve all been tremendous, quality projects. There’s a lot of comfort knowing that Josh and his team are on this project as well.”

He also thanked project engineer Dan Bergin, as well as the Seven Oaks Property Owners Association. “When we do a project like this, we like to engage with our local neighbors sooner than later and just see how they’re feeling and talking to them about our project. And, the Seven Oaks POA made our immediate neighbors very accessible to us. So, thank you for the conversation, and for engaging us. We are going to do our best to be good neighbors.”

Mitchell also thanked a few of the key donors, since, “This is a $35-million project, and a project like this does not come out of the ground unless you have some great lead donors,” including the Sierra family — “Bob and Mary, Hi and Lisa and Michael — who have all been such great friends of the YMCA,” including previously securing the naming rights to the Bob Sierra YMCA in Northdale.

In addition, Mitchell thanked Joanne Spurlino of the Spurlino Foundation, who won, with her late husband Cy, the Tampa YMCA’s Red Triangle Award in 2021 as the organization’s top volunteers the year before Cy passed away. Mitchell said, “You’ve shown up for us in so many different ways throughout the years on so many different projects. During Covid, Joanne, Cy and I were sitting in my truck in the middle of this field, just imagining the possibilities. And we’re here, Joanne. Thank you so much for everything. You’ve been such a great friend.”

Mitchell also gave thanks to Congresswoman Laurel Lee, “who couldn’t be here today to speak with us because she got bucked off a horse yesterday, so she’s a little sore this morning. She’ll be here for the ribbon-cutting. But, if you see her, thank her, because she really advocated for this community, for this YMCA, and secured some great funding through the federal government to help build this YMCA.”

Mitchell also thanked lead donors David and Liz Kenney and the YMCA’s new bank,

Valley Bank, which is providing the funding for the project.

He then turned the mic over to Larry Bevis below), the chairman of th Board of Directors for the Tampa Metro YMCA.

Bevis said, “Today is really the beginning of something truly transformational. This new YMCA represents a shared vision that provides opportunities for a healthier and more connected commu nity here in Wesley Chapel. And, this project is the result of years of careful planning, true collaboration and the incredible generosity of so many of our neighbors

Care

our

— Bay-

Hospital,

elected officials, civic leaders

(Top) Seemingly the entire Sierra family participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA next to BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital. (Above right) Tampa Metro YMCA president & CEO Matt Mitchell hosted the groundbreaking ceremony for the new YMCA on May 28. (Photos by Charmaine George)

and, of course, our friends from the surrounding communities, many of whom are with us here today. Your belief in this mission and your unwavering support have made this possible. From the bottom of our hearts., we thank you.”

Bevis added, “We’re obviously very excited about this new YMCA. The two-story building will encompass, nearly 50,000 sq. ft., with an additional 36,000-sq.-ft. outdoor aquatic center.”

(Note-That aquatic center will be home to three pools — a covered 25-yard, 8-lane, 4,465-sq.-ft. competition pool, a 1,229 -sq.-ft. therapy pool, and a 2,625-sq.-ft. main pool with interactive water features and slide structure, pool equipment area and pool deck with shade coverings.)

“Just imagine the laughter and energy of children playing on multiple acres of sports fields,” Bevis said. It will be an epicenter for families to connect and have fun. But, it’s certainly not just about square footage. It’s about the lives it will touch.”

He also mentioned that 27,000 people, “live within a twelve minute drive from here. This YMCA will become a hub for those young people — a place to learn, grow and build lifelong friendships. And, it’s not just for the young. Nearly 20,000 seniors also live in this area. And this Y will be a gathering place for them, offering programs and a supportive community.”

Bevis closed with, “As we turn the soil today, we’re not just starting construction. We’re turning towards the future, a future where this YMCA stands as a cornerstone of strength and belonging, an opportunity for generations to come. A future where the Wesley Chapel community grows stronger together. Personally, what inspires me most about the Y is our unwavering commitment

to serving all. Everyone is welcome. No one is ever turned away because of an inability to pay. That means families, children and seniors, regardless of their financial situation, will always have access to life-changing programs and support right here at this new YMCA. And, like all YMCAs, this is more than just a building. It’s a promise to our community. And together we’re making that promise a reality.”

Another Personal Connection

Next up was District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman (below), who shared his own personal connection to the Y.

“The YMCA has played an incredible role in my life, and in a whole lot of people’s lives around this county. I spent summers in my youth working through college at the East Pasco YMCA and down to the Tampa Y. And it had a tremendous impact on my life.

It’s where I started to understand, at an early age, about service to others and to our youth, our community and to seniors. And, just being a part of something bigger than yourself.”

He added, “We’ve all been watching this beautiful piece of land here in Wesley Chapel for a while, wondering what might go on it. I think it was the best-kept non-secret around town.”

See “Wesley Chapel YMCA” on page 10.

‘Wesley Chapel YMCA’

Continued from page 9

And, Commissioner Weightman said, “I’ve got to say, this is truly worth the wait, because today we’re breaking ground on something that’s gonna make a real difference in our families, our kids, our entire community with this brand new YMCA. Here in Seven Oaks is a place where kids can play their first team sport and seniors can stay active and socialize.”

Comm. Weightman also gave, “a huge shout-out to BayCare. You know, without BayCare making this possible with such a generous land lease, I don’t think this would ever have happened. And, the opportunity that BayCare has provided to the Y shows real vision for the health and care of Pasco County. This project is a win-win for us, for wellness, and for our economic development, too. Over 300 new jobs will be created here at this facility. Many of our local teens will have their very first taste of working right here at this YMCA. And, I can tell you that if you’re going to go into the workforce, there is no better job than working at the YMCA.”

He then read a couple of the letters he received from the parents of kids when he was a camp counselor at the East Pasco YMCA in Zephyrhills. “I guess I kept [the letters] because of the feelings I got from these at the time. It just showed the special relationships that you build and the impact and what it means to the people, to parents, especially as they’re going to work, and they’re dropping their kids off at summer camp, and here they are entrusting you with their kids.”

One of the notes from a parent said, “Mr. Seth, I just wanted to let you know that you’ve made an impact on my son Brandon this summer. He often talks about the things you tell him, and also that you have taken the extra minute when he needed you. Brandon looks up to you, and it’s been a positive experience for him all summer long. Thanks for making a difference in my child’s life.”

Weightman closed with, “I’m very passionate about this organization and just incredibly excited that they’re building right here in Pasco County and Wesley Chapel. So, thank you all. I’m excited to see what the future has in store.”

The final speaker was BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital president Nanette Wilcox (inset photo above), who said, “This project has truly been a community effort. I’d especially like to recognize YMCA President Matt Mitchell for his leadership and our BayCare Wesley Chapel Board members for their continued work during this journey. BayCare and the YMCA have had a

and wellness of those we serve and provid ing high-quality care. With a Y, that means care for the commu nity by providing a safe wellness space for families, care that is accessible and focused on the needs of the residents. For Bay Care, it’s providing safe health care options in our community and excellent services.”

Speaking of those services, Wilcox added, “We recently opened our BayCare Medical Group offices in this hospital (see page 12), where patients can get imaging and lab services, primary and specialty care, such as orthopedics [in one place]. With the opening of the new YMCA next door, the patients will have a new space to continue their wellness journey. This extends to our hospital team members as well, many of whom have been looking forward to taking advantage of the amenities and services offered by the new YMCA that they’ve been hearing about.”

She added, “As we all know, the Wesley Chapel area is rapidly expanding, with our population expected to grow by 40% over the next 20 years. This gives us a tremendous opportunity to reach so many people and strengthen our community through our commitment to health and wellness. I can’t think of a more reliable partner to join us in meeting the community’s needs than the YMCA.”

A Very Special Dedication

Before turning the dirt for the groundbreaking ceremony, Mitchell said, “As you know, we take immense pride in our work to help strengthen our communities and really enable everybody to be the best version of themselves. But, but there’ve been people along the way that have enabled us and propelled us into being the impactful organization that we are today.

“Back in 1985, we had the pleasure of opening up the Bob Sierra Family YMCA. And, that Y, for the past 40 years, has really served as a pillar for potential and promise as people pursue their health and wellness together. Over the last four decades, there’ve been hundreds of thousands of people who’ve gone in and out of the doors of that YMCA. Kids, families, seniors, all engaging with their neighbors to really pursue health and well being. Today, our Bob Sierra Family YMCA has nearly 12,000 members, and that’s not including all the kids who come there for day camp and new sports and things of that nature. Each and every year, that Y sees almost 400,000 individual visits. That YMCA has been

We thank Bob for his great vision back then to provide that resource to so many families.

“Bob and Mary really wanted to make sure that this Wesley Chapel YMCA was a reality for this community. So, Bob and Mary have agreed to fund the naming rights for this YMCA.

“So I’m really happy to share that this Wesley Chapel YMCA will be known as the Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA.”

For more information about the Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA in Wesley Chapel, visit TampaYMCA.org.

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tan YMCA, including (top) the building’s exterior & the outdoor aquatics center and (bottom) the fitness center.

Nanette Wilcox

BayCare Medical Group Opens Office Inside BayCare Hospital WC

By Joel Provenzano & Gary Nager

Congratulations to the new BayCare Medical Group (BMG), which celebrated its Grand Opening on the second floor of BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital (4501 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite 205) with a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event on May 8.

The new BMG office currently features three medical specialties — General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery and Family Medicine. According to site manager Rjaye Lowe, who led attendees on a tour of the 8,600 sq. ft. of new offices, the BayCare Medical Group may expand to an additional floor and specialties in the future. Considering that the entire BayCare system has more than 1,100 providers in 54 specialties, that seems like a pretty safe bet.

“We have the space to continue to grow and expand beyond the current specialties and we are anticipating adding cardiology in the near future,” Lowe said.

He added, “Over 30 rooms are dedicated to the BayCare Medical Group General & Orthopedic Surgery and Primary Care. The benefit to it being in the hospital is that everything is in one location, in just one building. Having the physicians in-house means that patients can get their lab work and imaging services done all in

heading up one of the three BMG specialties now available inside the hospital.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ravi Vaswani can treat patients as young as 12 years old, while general surgeon Dr. Sahand Bamarni and Family Medicine Dr. Ronika N. Newbold see patients ages 18 and older. All three physicians expressed their excitement about being part of the opening

also has room to grow).

The new medical offices are designed to provide integrated, patient-centered care, offering residents greater access to primary and specialty services within the BayCare network.

BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital president Nanette Wilcox said, “We’re very excited to officially open our new BMG offices. As we continue to grow our footprint here in Wesley Chapel, we’re committed to providing seamless access to high-quality care for the community,

and this is a big step in that direction.”

Of course, there already is a BMG office on S.R. 54, in the same plaza as Glory Days Grill, but according to BayCare spokesperson Cherie Miller, “The doctors at the S.R. 54 office will be unaffected. The only change is that their patients will now have the added benefit of being able to utilize the new outpatient imaging and lab services at the hospital.”

For more info about BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital and BMG, visit BayCare.org.

(Above, l.-r.) General surgeon Dr. Sahand Bamarni, BayCare Medical Group primary care site manager Alexa Jordan, Dr. Newbold, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ravi Vaswani and BayCare Medical Group site manager Rjaye Lowe at the Grand Opening of the BayCare Medical Group office. tal (which

(Above, l.-r.) Dr. Newbold, BayCare Medical Group director of operations for specialty care Jennifer Jusino, Dr. Vaswani and North Tampa Bay Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy. (Below) The X-ray room at BayCare Medical Group’s offices located inside the hospital.

Upcoming Events — Patriotic Events At NTPAC, WC IPAC & Avalon Park WC & More!

Wednesday, June 25, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Deep Roots Dental & Facial Aesthetics (3013 Allegra Way). Meet Dr. Marnie Bauer, discover the latest in skincare & enter the raffle. Champagne & light hors d’oeuvres will be served. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/Events.

Thursday, June 26, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. - North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At the Chamber office (28329 Paseo Dr, Ste. 195). Celebrate the opening of the new Chamber office. There will be food, drinks& entertainment. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/Events.

Friday, June 27, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Final Friday. At Hilton Garden Inn (26640 Silver Maple Pkwy.) Join the Chamber to engage and network in a relaxed environment. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/Events.

Saturday, June 28, 3 p.m. – Florida Wind Band Concert. At Pasco-Hernando State College, Instructional Performing Arts Center (8657 Old Pasco Rd.). “Red Feathered Soul, a Concert of Patriotic Music Featuring American Composers.” Free to attend. For more info & to RSVP, visit PHSC.edu/about/events/campus/ florida-wind-band-concert.

Wednesday, July 2, 9 a.m.-3:15 p.m. –Alzheimer’s Caregiver C.A.R.E.S. Workshop, presented by USF Health, Byrd Alzheimer’s

Rebecca Penneys, Courtesy-Steinway-Artist-in-Residence at USF, will host the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival Concert at NTPAC on July 5. (Photo source: RebeccaPenneys.com)

Center & Research Institute. At Embassy Suites-USF (3705 Spectrum Dr.). This workshop gives Critical Answers, Resources, Education & Support to families dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease. $25 to attend, includes breakfast, lunch & resources. To register, visit Shop.USF.edu, click on “Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute Caregiver Cares Conference” & click “attendees” to register and pay. For more info, call (813) 396-0849 or see the ad below.

Friday, July 4, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. – 4th of July Celebration. At Avalon Park (4424 Friendly Way). There will be an apple pie bake-off, bike parade, bounce houses, food trucks, community performances, vendors & don’t miss the fireworks

show at 9 p.m. For info, call (813) 783-1515, visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com/NewsEvents/calendar/# or see the ad on pg. 30.

Saturday, July 5, 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. –Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival Concert. At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). The Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival (RPPF) is one of the world’s premier piano festivals that brings together award-winning collegiate pianists from around the globe. The NTPAC invites the community to check out performances by these world-class pianists. Tickets cost $10 (general admission). For more info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.

Sunday, July 6, 3 p.m.-5 p.m. – Florida Jazz Express: Fourth of July Big Band Concert. At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Florida Jazz Express is back for this special concert of patriotic songs that symbolize America, Independence Day & summer traditions in true big band style. Tickets cost $15 (theater seats) or $20 (table seats). For info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.

Saturday, July 12, 7 a.m.-10 a.m. – FREE Sports Physicals & ECG Screening Event. At AdventHealth Care Pavilion New Tampa (8702 Hunters Lake Dr.). Make sure your child is clear to play sports. Free for all school sports & students under age 18. Registration is required. For more information or to register, scan the QR code in the ad on pg. 13 (facing page).

Saturday & Sunday, July 12 & 13 at 2 p.m. – Wesley Chapel Theater Group Presents: “One-Act Festival.” At Starkey Ranch Library Theatre (12118 Lake Blanche Dr., Odessa). For more info & to purchase tickets, visit simpletix. com/e/wctg-presents-one-act-festival-2025-tickets-218617, or see the ad & story on pg. 17.

Monday, July 14, 7 p.m.-8:15 p.m. –Bon Voyage! A Musical Adventure Around the World. At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Join award-winning pianist Alisanne Busico (two-time 3rd place winner of Charleston International Piano Competition & 2nd place winner of Glory International Piano Competition) for an unforgettable musical celebration of world cultures. Tickets $15 Adult, $10 Child. For more info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.

Wednesday, July 16, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. – The Virtual Dementia Tour. At Blue Heron Senior Living (5085 Eagleston Blvd.). Gain a better understanding of the needs of a person living with dementia & how you can best support them. Free to attend but space is limited, so RSVPs are required. For more info or to RSVP, call Lilly Gonzalez at (813) 733-4754, or see the ad on pg. 19.

Fri.-Sun., July 25-27 & Aug.1-3; shows at 8 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. & at 3 p.m. on Sat. (Aug 2)& Sun. – “The Music Man. “ At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). For more info or to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaPlayers.org or see the ad below.

WC Resident Portrays ‘Diddy’ In ‘Diddy On Trial’ Docuseries On Hulu

By Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

In a surprising twist, long-time Wesley Chapel resident, family man and entertainer Layne Harper has stepped into the spotlight by portraying Sean “Diddy” Combs on Hulu’s gripping hit new docuseries, “Diddy on Trial: As It Happened.”

Layne’s involvement in the show has gar nered national attention, especially considering the sensitive and sensational nature of the content. As the trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs continues to unfold in real life, with testimony from various witnesses, including rapper Kid Cudi, Diddy’s former longtime girlfriend Cassandra Ventura and “Jane,” an alleged sex trafficking victim, the series provides an alternative medium for audiences to engage with the case through reenactments and onscreen analysis.

through meticulous actor reenactments sourced each week from courtroom transcripts.

“Prosecutors allege the music icon and business mogul engaged in a dark underworld of sex trafficking and prostitution. Combs denies all accusations, maintaining his innocence. Join host Sunny Hostin [Senior Legal Correspondent for ABC News] as she breaks it all down with a rotating roster of legal and pop culture experts, giving you a front-row seat to this high-stakes legal battle.”

New episodes are being released every Sunday as the trial continues.

The Man Playing The Monster

Testimony in the trial so far has painted Diddy as a violent and controlling man that people feared. So, how does someone like Layne Harper — who’s known locally to be a genuinely nice guy — get to portray one of the most mocked and allegedly vile men in America?

Layne says he is actually “really excited” about this opportunity and that one of his agents in New York City helped him land the lead role. “I’ve never been told that I resemble Diddy,” Layne says. “My agent in New York submitted me for the role because he had a strong feeling I could execute on the role as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.”

Produced by ABC News Studios, “Diddy on Trial” debuted on May 25 as the third mostwatched show on Hulu (as of May 28), behind “A Handmaid’s Tale” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” according to FlixPatrol, a site that provides Video on Demand (VOD) charts and streaming statistics worldwide, and has continued to garner high ratings through its first four episodes as we went to press with this issue. Hulu’s website states that the docuseries, “takes you inside the criminal trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, one of the most salacious and hotly anticipated courtroom showdowns in decades. Watch bombshell moments and

Since cameras are not allowed in the federal courtroom, the actor reenactments allow viewers to more accurately, and emotionally, connect with what’s actually happening in a more natural way than just reading about it in news articles. The series is a “must watch” for those who like courtroom dramas, as well as, of course, pop culture fans.

As of this writing, here are the four episodes of “Diddy on Trial” have been released: #1: “The Freak-Off” #2: “The Assault.”

#3 “Secret Life of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs”

#4: The Bribe & The Balcony”

He adds, “I’m not concerned at all because I’m playing the role of ‘Diddy.’ I’m my own person. I’m a husband and father of three and I choose to protect my peace and strongly believe in not entertaining negativity. One thing that cannot be erased from the entertainment industry is that Sean Combs will always be a music mogul.”

He admits, however, that stepping into this unique role has been a wild ride for him.

“Everything is happening so fast,” Layne says. “I’m flying back to New York again tomorrow night, and will be back and forth in Tampa for the next 4-6 weeks — maybe longer, depending on the trial, [since] I’m doing the entire season.”

Assuming that Diddy is going to take the

witness stand at some point, Layne says of that possibility, “I just pray. I don’t overthink it. That’s how I booked the role. I’m on the edge of my seat because no one knows if he will take the stand.”

Layne Harper, Jr., 43, was born in Mem phis, TN. Raised in a military family, he spent seven years in Darmstadt and Mannheim, Germany. After graduating from Millington (TN) Central High School in 2000, Layne moved to Brooklyn, NY, to pursue a music career. He later relocated to Nashville, TN, where Layne met his wife Jennifer. The couple moved to the Tampa Bay area in 2009, and has been living in Wesley Chapel since 2010 with their three children (l.-r. in top left photo on the next page) — Jaydon, Enyal and Xavier, the latter of whom is currently serving in the U.S. Navy.

Playing Diddy is actually somewhat

ironic for Layne, as he is also an experienced and talented rapper/musician with an amazing voice. His songs “A Thing Called Love,” “Hell Ride to Heaven” and “Medicine Cabinet” are his most popular originals with his message landing somewhere between faith and hope. “Hell Ride to Heaven” definitely has that New York sound. The music videos for Layne’s music can be streamed on Youtube under “Layne Harper” and his album “House of Blues” also can be streamed on Spotify.

Layne also has ventured into fashion — he has launched his inspirational and faith-based urban clothing brand called Vctry (which Layne is wearing in the photo above right). The designs seem to resonate with customers who appreciate Vctry’s blend of style and functionality, offering pieces that are both fashion-forward and comfortable.

As an actor, Layne has had a few roles in small, independent films, and he’s also done a few commercials, but most recently he scored a role as a reporter/member of the press in a major film — the upcoming and hotly anticipated Apple Original racing film called “F1,” starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris and Javier Bardem. The movie is about Formula 1 racing and is scheduled to be released in theaters on Friday, June 27.

As for portraying the most ridiculed man in the world (at least currently), Layne says, “I actually turned the role down twice and prayed

that someone else would be blessed with the opportunity rather than me. However, God had other plans for me. Yes, I feel I’m out of character, but there’s a difference between natural actors and method actors and for this role, I bounce between the two.”

More Than Just A Role

As Layne takes on the role of Diddy in “Diddy on Trial,” he isn’t just stepping into a role — he’s stepping into a cultural moment, one with lots and lots of baby oil.

The show doesn’t shy away from controversy and neither does he. His performance captures the complexity of a man under intense public scrutiny, while also reflecting the broader questions regarding celebrity culture, justice and the role of the media.

As the world watches the trial, Layne’s performance reminds us that storytelling — no matter the medium — has the power to challenge, provoke and, ultimately, inform. Whether or not this role also will make this Wesley Chapel family man a star in his own right remains to be seen.

From Wesley Chapel to the world stage, Layne Harper is hoping to prove he’s more than ready for the spotlight. As his diverse background and creative endeavors continue to shape his multifaceted career, faith. hope and family continue to shape the man himself.

New episodes of “Diddy on Trial: As It Happened” will be available for streaming on Hulu every Sunday through the conclusion of the trial.

Theater lovers: mark your calendars for an afternoon of creativity, laughter, and powerful storytelling! The Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG) is proud to present its “One-Act (Play) Festival” on Saturday & Sunday, July 12-13, 2 p.m., both days. The Festival will be a vibrant celebration of local talent that brings original one-act plays to life on stage.

This exciting event showcases the power of community-driven art, featuring short plays that have been written and will be directed and performed entirely by local artists. From heartfelt dramas to witty comedies, each one-act play promises a unique and captivating experience, all within a single afternoon.

The Festival performances will be held at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center (12118 Lake Blanche Dr., in nearby Odessa). The doors will open at 1:40 p.m. both days, so arrive early to grab your seat and settle in for a memorable ride through the imaginations of our hometown playwrights.

“This festival is all about celebrating the incredible talent we have right here in our own backyard,” says WCTG Board member Samantha Grahn. “We’re giving local voices the spotlight and inviting the community to come together to laugh, feel and be inspired.”

Whether you’re a seasoned theatergoer or new to the stage, this is the perfect opportunity to support local artists, enjoy original performances and be part of something truly special. Gather your friends, grab your tickets and get ready to be swept away by the magic of live theater!

Featured Plays At WCTG’s ‘One-Act Festival’: “A Rainy Night in Hollywood,” by Tom Erb “Cliché,” by Keith Whalen “Three Years,” by WCTG’s Samantha Sacasa “Full Frontal Transparency,” by Jenna Jane “The Oatmeal,” by Robert Grogan “Love, Lost (Rings) & What We Wore,” by Jessica Burchfield

Tickets to WCTG’s “One-Act Festival” cost just $25 and can be purchased online at Simpletix.com/e/wctg-presents-one-act-festival-2025-tickets-218617. For more information, follow “Wesley Chapel Theater Group” on social media, visit WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org or see the ad below. — Submitted to the Neighborhood News

Wesley Chapel Theater Group’s Samantha Sacasa is the playwright for “Three Years,” which will be performed at WCTG’s “One-Act Festival” July 12-13 (Screenshot photo courtesy of Samantha Sacasa)

NTBC News — Chick-fil-A & Clean Freak II Cut Ribbons & A Special Breakfast Event

Second Wesley Chapel Chick-fil-A

DeeDee and Jim Larreau (far right photo), the owners of the new Chick-fil-A on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, celebrated the Grand Opening of their new Chick-fil-A Epperson Ranch location (which actually is at 7910 Curley Rd.,, north of Overpass Rd., in front of the Watergrass community) with a North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon-cutting and “First Taste” (top left photo) on May 22. Jim and DeeDee’s daughter Rachel sang the National Anthem (lower right photo) at the event.

Clearly, the opening was exciting for the Epperson and Watergrass communities, as the announcement on our “Neighbor hood News” Facebook page on May 24 was viewed nearly 66,000 times, with more than 400 likes!

We congratulate DeeDee, Jim, Rachel; and their crew on the new Chick-fil-A, which has been packed from Day One!

For more info, call (813) 402-4969 or visit Chick-fil-A.com.

Clean

Freak Celebrates 2nd Wesley Chapel Location’s Opening, Too!

Speaking of second Wesley Chapel loca tions that opened recently, we told you last issue about the new Clean Freak Car Wash that opened its first Florida location, at 32359 Overpass Rd., behind the new Chick-fil-A (the one we congratulated above), on May 1.

Well, on June 5, Clean Freak opened its second Florida — and Wesley Chapel — location, at 31373 S.R. 54, adjacent to a new Circle K, also with an NTBC ribbon-cutting event. As we told you last issue, Clean Freak’s parent company was purchased by Circle K’s parent company, so the car wash locations are often paired with a Circle K gas station & convenience store. For info, call (813) 7019884 or visit CleanFreakCarWash.com.

Nonprofits!

The North Tampa Bay Chamber continues to provide unique opportunities for its member businesses — and even the NTBC’s nonprofit business members also get their respective moments in the sun.

At the Chamber’s Business Breakfast at Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch on June 2, more than 100 attendees were treated to a roundtable featuring four NTBC-member nonprofit organizations — (seated l.-r. in top photo) The Thomas Promise Foundation (TheThomasPromise.org), the PTSD Foundation of America (PTSDUSA.org), the Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org) and Pepin Academies (PepinAcademies.com).

The roundtable — which gave representatives from each nonprofit the chance to

introduce themselves and their respective needs to the Chamber members — was hosted by NTBC Board member Chuck Sullivan (standing in top photo) of the law firm McFarland, Gould, Lyons, Sullivan & Hogan, P.A., and was the brainchild of NTBC Board chair Angelique Lenox, who promised that the Chamber will host more such events for nonprofits in the future. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com/Events. — GN, all photos on these pages by Charmaine George

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Nations Roofing & Construction — A Legacy Of Excellence Since 2006!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Hurricane season is upon us again, with many homeowners in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa feeling weary after 2024’s busy season.

Since Debby, Helene and Milton all hit the Tampa Bay area last fall, Nations Roofing & Construction, LLC, has helped hundreds of families repair or replace their roofs, whether because of storm damage or fears that their roofs might not hold up if major storms strike again.

In fact, owner Jason Morphet says, “On average, we re-roof three to five houses every day, and have completed over one million square feet since last October.”

Offering both residential and commercial roof installation and repairs, Nations Roofing can provide metal, shingle, tile and flat roofs to meet any needs. In addition, the company installs gutters, soffits, fasciae and siding.

Jason says that if you haven’t had your roof inspected since last storm season and you are currently missing any shingles, Nations Roofing is available to inspect your roof and provide a thorough repair or re-roof estimate. If you are still waiting on an insurance claim, Nations can help with your inspections, tarping and repair/ replacement needs.

He warns that after a storm, homeowners need to be careful who they trust, especially if roofing companies come knocking at their door.

“Is this company licensed in Florida? Is it insured? Local? Will it be there for you after the work is completed?,” Jason asks. “When doing

any kind of roofing work, from a small repair to a new installation, always look for a local company with the proper licenses and insurance.”

In addition to having those prerequisites, Nations Roofing & Construction has nearly two decades of experience in the roofing industry, as the company was established in 2006.

“We are a local company that provides roofing services to customers year-round,” Jason says. “Much of our business comes from word of mouth and customer referrals, and we are proud that we have been able to establish and grow our

removal, small tree trimming off roof lines and a condition report.

A Team Effort

Jason says that Nations Roofing & Construction has received the CertainTeed Certification — Master Craftsman Certified SELECT ShingleMaster.

The SELECT designation means Nations Roofing & Construction can offer homeowners a 25-year labor and materials warranty backed by the manufacturer. Having this certification gives the company the ability to provide extra warranty coverage from the manufacturer to the homeowner that other companies often are not able to provide.

“Roofing contractors who earn the CertainTeed Certified SELECT ShingleMaster Installer designation are among the top 1 percent of all roofers nationwide,” Jason says.

business here in the communities where we live.”

Jason says that now is the time to get ready for this year’s storm season — which began on June 1 — by cleaning gutters and downspouts, trimming nearby trees and replacing any missing or damaged shingles, soffits or fasciae.

He also says that regular maintenance is essential to your Florida roof. Nations offers a $95 annual roof maintenance package for standard single-family residential homes, which includes gutter clean out, pipe boot and vent check and seal, flashing check, minor debris

Although a new shingle roof in Florida typically lasts 18-20 years, Jason says, “the usual lifespan of a roof mainly depends on the workmanship of the installers and the materials used. Roofs mostly fail before the end of their lifespans due to poor workmanship. Tile and metal roofs can last up to 40 years or longer, provided that they are installed properly.”

His dedicated team of professionals, from crews to office staff, has a wealth of experience and deep commitment to the work, Jason says.

“Many of our employees have been with the company for years,” he says, “and of course, our team is fully licensed, giving clients peace of mind that their homes are in safe hands.”

The Morphet family — (l.-r.) Jason, Ellis, Ayleen and Lilly — invites you to find out why Nations Roofing & Construction has been a trusted roofing & general contractor for nearly 20 years. (Photo by Charmaine George)

The Nation Roofing staff is headed up by office manager Kristie Eager, production coordinator Renee Jackson, head of residential sales Dan Rutherford, head of the commercial roofing division Dan Bonebrake and service department head Daryl Viens.

Jason calls his team of foremen, “the backbone of the company,” ensuring that customers have an excellent experience with Nations Roofing each and every day. The foremen include Diego, Gio, Zeb, Adan and Jimmy.

“We promise to provide a seamless and high-quality roof installation for our customers,” Jason says. The company’s attention to detail and use of premium materials guarantee that your roof that will be both durable and aesthetically pleasing.

The ‘& Construction”’ Part

While Nations Roofing & Construction specializes in roofing, its name is a reminder that the company doesn’t stop there. In addition to roof installations, Nations has a large service department that focuses on repairs, inspections, maintenance and warranties.

The company also offers a range of additional construction services, such as gutter installation to protect a home’s foundation, channeling water away from the structure to prevent potential damage. Nations also does soffit and fascia work, which both protects the roof and also enhances a home’s overall appearance.

In addition, the company can pro-

vide quality siding, will rebuild and repair chimneys and even offers solar panel installation services.

“One thing that sets us apart is our personalized approach to each project,” Jason says. “We believe in building relationships with our clients — understand ing their unique needs and providing tailored solutions.”

Keri is a local homeowner who asked friends for recommendations when she needed to replace her roof, due to its age, last fall.

“I reached out to a few companies and had them all come out and give me quotes,” Keri says. “Nations had the best pricing and we had a good interaction with Dan when he did the initial inspections, so we decided to go with them.”

And, Keri says, she’s so glad she did.

“They were very professional with how they communicated and always answered all of our questions quickly and thoroughly,” she says. “And they were so fast. They arrived when they said they would, they were efficient and we didn’t have any delays.”

And, most important of all, “We love the way [our roof] looks. We’re very happy with the end product and have had no issues.”

Together with his wife, Ayleen, a teacher in Pasco County, and their daughters, Lily and Ellis, Jason is committed to giving back to the community.

For example, the company supports Pasco County Schools, is a Gold Sponsor

of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser supporting underserved children and families in the local community, and provides yard signs for parents to celebrate their children’s “Student of the Month”

awards, among other community-based initiatives. For more information about Nations Roofing & Construction, LLC, call (813) 531-8500, see the ad on page 11 or visit NationsRoofingCompany.com.

Army Veteran Turned Realtor® Jimmy Cox Now Serving Home Buyers & Sellers

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Jimmy Cox retired from the U.S. Army after 23 years of active duty back in 2010, then transitioned to a civilian role handling national level marketing for the Army. His background as a recruiter fit perfectly into his marketing roles for the Army, and now he’s channeling all of that experience into a new role as a Realtor®.

“I’m always looking at model homes and I love interior design,” Jimmy says, “so I thought I should use my marketing and sales background to get into something I love — and sell real estate.”

Jimmy and his wife Erica moved around quite a bit throughout their careers. Erica also is retired from the Army and they have been married for 18 years. They settled in New Tampa, where they built a new construction home and their two children attend Wharton High.

They had been living in Washington, D.C., when they started thinking long-term about where they wanted to spend their retirement. Jimmy’s marketing position with the Army allows him to work remotely, so they had the opportunity to move wherever they wanted.

“I knew I wanted to be in hot weather with palm trees,” Jimmy says. “We looked around and then had a house built in K-Bar Ranch in 2021.”

Jimmy is originally from Rochester, NY, and the Army took him to live in Germany, Korea, Texas, Tennessee, Connecticut, Virginia, then the Bronx, where he ran all of the Army recruiting stations in New York City from 2006 to 2010.

“I’ve moved so much and purchased many homes in that time,” he says. “I’ve been around

for a while, but I’m looking for what’s next. I don’t really have hobbies, but I love houses. I don’t golf, I don’t watch TV or sports, but I have a lot of energy, and I don’t see me slowing down, so I want to do something with all of the experi ence I have.”

In all that moving around, he sometimes sold homes without a Realtor, and he and his wife both love making a house a home.

“It helps that I can stage your home, and I have that eye for design when I’m selling a home,” Jimmy says. “Also, when I see an empty home, I can help clients envision what they can do. And I have all of the contractors lined up to do anything for someone’s home — from electricians, to painters, to drywall — like a one-stop shop.”

He says that separates him from other agents who don’t have his design sense and have to hire someone to stage a home.

But, that’s not all, he says.

“A lot of people get their real estate license, but they don’t have the level of national sales experience that I have,” he says. “For 13 years of my Army career I was a recruiter and trainer of recruiters, and I have more than 29 years of national-level marketing experience, so I’ve always been in sales.”

Now, Jimmy is certified as a military relocation professional, so he helps military families that are being relocated to Florida. Plus, being former military himself in a military town like Tampa, he can relate to military families in a way that those who have never served simply can’t.

U.S. Army vet (see photo on next page) Jimmy Cox of Power Real Estate Group has the national marketing experience to help you sell your home or buy a new one. (Photos on these pages provided by Jimmy Cox)

kids and a miniature Schnauzer.

“Buying a house with Jimmy was fun,” Angel says. “Being that he’s ex-military, he knows how to talk to us and how to talk to spouses, and also understands a system a lot of Realtors don’t understand. With Jimmy, it’s so easy.”

Angel recommends him to non-veterans, too. “He’s very patient, outgoing and easy to get along with. And he’s ready to work,” Angel says,adding that Jimmy would send him messages about new houses to consider faster than he could even review them, and also would use Facetime to show Angel houses in Wesley Chapel while he was in Orlando.

“He’s super friendly and always willing to help,” Angel says.

Jimmy got his real estate license in 2024 and works as part of the Power Real Estate Group under broker Selena Weathersby, who is based out of Spring Hill. “She’s been a great mentor to me,” Jimmy says of Selena.

Jimmy also says since he’s still new to the

business, Selena reviews his contracts to be sure everything is perfect. But the intricacies of real estate closings don’t phase him at all.

“It’s actually similar to a recruiter packet,” he says. “The details of putting someone in the Army makes for a thicker packet than a real estate contract, and I’m an attention-to-detail type of guy.”

Selena launched her brokerage in 2022, after two decades as a healthcare executive. She now leads a fully remote team that includes 16 agents handling residential and commercial sales and property management of about 220 homes. Her team serves a wide area around Tampa Bay and beyond, and Selena says they will go wherever their clients need them anywhere in Florida.

About Jimmy, she says, “He’s a huge asset to our team, with both his military and marketing background. Everything he’s done in his career he applies in real estate and it’s been working well for him.”

“He’s going to give you top-notch service,” Selena adds. “He’s going to go above and beyond to market any listing. He creates an experience for each client — even when he’s handled open houses for my clients — and you can tell it comes naturally to him.”

Jimmy says that despite some “experts” saying that the local market is cooling, people are still buying homes.

“Rents are steadily going up,” Jimmy says, “so now is the time to buy if you’re not already a homeowner.”

If you have questions about buying or selling a home, or for more information about working with Jimmy Cox, visit JimmyCoxTampaRealtor.com, call or text (813) 424-0559 (texting preferred), or see the ad on page 33.

Spinner Law Firm Serves Personal Injury Clients & Gives Back To The Community

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

The Spinner Law Firm has been represent ing personal injury clients for more than two decades, earning a reputation for providing top-notch representation while prioritizing the community around its office, which is located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 (just east of I-75) in Wesley Chapel.

And, while some volume-based attorneys flood the airwaves and billboards with unrelenting advertising, Charles Spinner, Esq., says that’s not his firm’s priority.

“One of the secrets of our success is that we offer something the large firms can’t,” he says — “direct access to the attorney. We give each case and each client the attention they deserve. At a big firm, you’re likely to deal primarily with a case manager. With us, you’re a name, a story and our priority.”

And, he says, you won’t be working with some junior attorney.

“We have two seasoned and accomplished attorneys with reputations for being aggressive advocates and compassionate advisers to our clients,” he says. “We offer an elevated experience.”

Those two attorneys are Spinner, who established the firm in 2003, and Anissa Morris, who joined in 2011.

“We attain strong results while truly caring about our clients,” Spinner says. “We don’t spend millions on advertising. We invest in our clients and our community.”

Spinner graduated from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and then received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, in Toledo, OH, in 1996. He worked for several years as a civil trial and insurance defense attorney before opening his private practice.

Morris holds an undergraduate degree in public relations and communication arts from Xavier University in Cincinnati. She earned her Juris Doctor degree at Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, KY.

While both attorneys are passionate about serving their clients, they also see the opportunity to serve the larger community as a significant part of the company’s mission.

“Our success has come from word-ofmouth referrals, getting strong results and truly caring about people,” Spinner says. “We are deeply passionate about our clients and the community that supports us.”

(Above left) Attorneys Charlie Spinner & Anissa Morris of the Spinner Law Firm in Wesley Chapel will give your personal injury case their personalized attention. (Above right) Spinner himself visits local high schools to help young drivers focus on avoiding distracted driving.

Giving back to the community has been a priority since the firm was founded.

“We have been the preeminent personal injury firm in Wesley Chapel and east Pasco County for over 20 years,” he says. “We’ve been so well supported by the community and we are grateful to do the work we do, so it’s important to us to make a commitment to give back.”

A Focus On Distracted Driving

high school drivers,” Spinner says. The timing correlated with prom and graduation season, and ahead of summer, where the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the “100 deadliest days” for teen drivers.

While the firm has found many ways to give back to the community for more than two decades, such as supporting local schools and sports teams,Spinner Law launched an initiative this spring to correlate with Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the designation for April from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“We created a new decal (below right) and a parent-teen safe driving contract,” Spinner explains. “We reached out to our local schools and various organizations and gave presentations on the dangers of distracted driving on several campuses.”

He says the campaign is a priority for several reasons — first and foremost because both he and Morris are parents to young drivers, ranging in age from late teens to early 20s.

“It’s personal to us,” he says.

It’s also personal because of the families the firm has represented over the years where so many teens have been victims of the dangers of distracted driving.

“It’s such a valuable initiative because we care so much about our local teens and our

And, Spinner says he believes distracted driving is a problem everywhere, but even moreso in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, where he often notices people who fail to recognize an upcoming red light, don’t proceed when the light turns green and other behaviors that indicate distracted driving.

“We want to make sure our teens know they should be paying attention to the task of driving and nothing else,” Spinner says.

The contract covers rules of the road, such as following posted speed limits and ensuring all passengers are wearing seatbelts. It also includes not texting or using the phone while driving, among a few other simple boundaries.

Another goal of the campaign is to empower passengers. “When you’re a passenger in a vehicle with another driver and they are trying to text or fidget with an app, the passenger needs to be alert and have the courage to speak up,” Spinner explains. “They can say, ‘I can find that song,’ or ‘I can help with the navigation.’ It’s incumbent on the co-pilot to step up and speak up.”

Spinner is careful to say that the campaign’s focus is on teen drivers because there is an opportunity to interact with a large number of them via presentations at the local high schools, but distracted driving is a problem for people of all ages, and he hopes that this initiative will reach both students and parents.

While the effort was launched in the spring, it continues, Spinner says, as long as there are high school groups that invite them to share. He says the firm will be presenting to the Wharton High football team over the summer and continues to work with Cypress Creek High students during the school break, too.

“It’s such a prevalent issue,” he explains. “We are really making it a priority, and it seems to be well received.”

The firm also is the presenting sponsor of the annual Spinner Invitational girls weightlifting meet that kicks off the season at Cypress Creek High (photo at top of next page).

In addition to the two attorneys, Spinner’s team includes a community outreach director a litigation assistant, three pre-litigation paralegals, an office administrator and a receptionist.

past year, the

“Stella learned a lot about personal

law and had a lot of interactions with our clients,” he says. “Everyone on the team loves working with her and she will be missed.”

Spinner says team building is an important part of the work experience at his firm. There are quarterly activities such as playing mini-golf or making gnocchi together. The firm also celebrates birthdays and work anniversaries, “as a way to put an emphasis on improving collaboration and strengthening our ties as a team.”

Spinner and his wife Carrie have been married for 22 years and have five children, including Stella. Their oldest daughter Sophia graduated this spring from Ole Miss (the University of Mississippi in University, MS), and his next oldest daughter (Olivia) also is studying there. Their youngest daughter (Charlotte) will start her freshman year in high school and their youngest child, and only son (Luke) is going into seventh grade this fall.

A client named Eric, who left a 5-star (out of five) review on Google, says, “Spinner Law Firm is a great choice for an accident attorney. Our daughter was a passenger in a car accident and was severely injured. We contacted them through their website and Mr. Spinner called

me back in less than an hour and spoke with me about her case.”

Eric continued, “To our surprise, our daughter received almost twice as much as we were expecting, all thanks to Mr. Spinner’s law firm. We are forever grateful for their kindness and dedicated work they did for our daughter.”

Spinner Law Firm is located at 2418 Cypress Glen Dr. For more information, call (813)991-5099, visit SpinnerLawFirm.com, or see the ad on page 34.

Spotlight On: Celly De Freitas

Clean-it owner Celly de Freitas has been cleaning homes and businesses in the New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and surrounding areas for the last 26 years.

But, she says, that wasn’t always the plan. She was a teacher in her native country of Brazil and planned to continue that career when Celly and her husband, Rogério Buchner de Freitas, moved to the Tampa Bay area, “but it was very hard for me to go to college (USF) here, because I didn’t speak Eng lish as well then as I do now,” she says. “I ended up leaving USF to go to school for the skin care business.”

In order to help pay for that schooling, she started cleaning houses and, even though she did end up opening a skincare spa, “I was making a lot more money cleaning houses, so I let the spa go after about two years,” Celly (below) says.

Today, not only does this Wesley Chapel resident speak and understand English (as well as Spanish, Italian and her native Portuguese) fluently — despite still having a fairly thick accent — she has a team of twelve Brazilian women working with her, all of whom also speak and understand English, Spanish and Portuguese.

“I tell everyone who works for me that they have to be able to communicate with clients in English,” Celly says. “You have to be able to understand what the clients want and do whatever they ask when it comes to cleaning their homes.”

She says she usually uses a “team” approach, sending at least two and sometimes

(Photos

clean a lot more places when we work together.”

Celly, who has been an American citizen for about 20 years, isn’t usually actually working with the teams — she’s the one coordinating the schedules and checking up on all of her employees to make sure they are getting to each location on time (and calling or texting the clients when one of “my girls” is running late). “But, when I have someone out sick or they’re stuck someplace, I will still go and help out,” she says. “And, I try to be as flexible as possible when a client needs to change their schedule, too.”

The Covid-19 pandemic definitely took a toll on Celly’s business, but says she was able to survive because she received a PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loan from the government, “and continued to pay all of my employees who didn’t go back to Brazil, even though they weren’t able to work for several months. Without that money, I might have lost all of my clients.” Clean-it offers (and is licensed to provide) residential and commercial (“We are licensed to do medical and dental clinics, but not hospitals,” Celly says) cleaning services, including monthly, bi-weekly and weekly services, one-time cleans and move-in and move-out cleans. “We have amazing references, too.,” she says.

Most of Clean-it’s clients are in Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Lutz and Land O’Lakes, she says, “but we do travel a little further for some clients, especially those one-time cleaning clients.” She adds, “We really specialize in those move-in cleans. We usually end up getting the [new homeowners] as clients because we do such a great job.”

For more information about Clean-it and/or a free job quote, call (813) 505-0431 or see the ad below. — GN

by Charmaine George)

Radiant Wellness Spa For Post-Surgical Massages, Skin Care, Waxing & More

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

When Yuhanna Alahmary first opened Radiant Wellness Spa in April 2022, she had one mission in mind: to help people feel better in their own bodies, especially those healing after surgery. With 14 years of experience as a licensed massage therapist (LMT) specializing in lymphatic drainage, Yuhanna saw a need for this kind of care in Wesley Chapel.

“This service, until recently, often required a long drive to South Tampa,” Yuhanna says.

Since opening Radiant Wellness Spa, however, Yuhanna says she also has had many clients asking for additional services, including skin care, facials, waxing and brow services, so she is now offering those services at her spa as well.

Lymphatic Drainage

“Not many people in this area are certified in lymphatic drainage,” Yuhanna says. “But, there are a lot of people who need this kind of care, whether it’s post-operative, recovering from cancer or just dealing with swelling.”

Lymphatic drainage may be a gentle technique, but Yuhanna says it can play a powerful role in recovery. It’s all about moving excess fluid, reducing inflammation and boosting immunity.

“Technically, it’s still a massage,” she explains, “but it’s a lighter touch. It helps reduce edema, promotes healing and helps eliminate waste from the body.”

Many of Radiant Wellness Spa’s clients are recovering from procedures like tummy tucks or

bariatric (weight-loss) surgery. Others are managing lymphedema (caused by lymph fluid buildup, often because someone had their lymph nodes removed), lipedema (a painful chronic condition where fat builds up in the legs, hips and sometimes arms, mostly in women), or healing from breast cancer. Every session begins with a thorough intake questionnaire to find out and understand each client’s condition and goals.

“Every massage isn’t the same, because every person is different,” says Yuhanna. “That’s why we start with a consultation. It’s about what they want and what their body needs.”

Yuhanna isn’t doing this work alone. The spa is home to a team of certified, skilled and compassionate professionals who offer a wide range of healing techniques. Yuhanna and her other staff LMTs are all trained in relaxation and Swedish massage, prenatal massage, cupping, hot stone therapy and assisted stretching.

Jeannie, a neuromuscular LMT with five years of experience, focuses on pain relief and mobility. Her specialties include trigger point therapy, release of myofascial pain (caused by pressure on sensitive points in muscles), improving range of motion, stretch therapy and myoskeletal alignment therapy (to restore the balance between muscles, bones and connective tissues in the body).

Cassandra, who is certified in lymphatic drainage, offers oncology massage, which she says is a deeply personal calling for her, as her mother is a breast cancer survivor.

“Not everyone knows how to treat someone going through or recovering from cancer,”

Yuhanna says. “If they’ve had lymph nodes removed, you have to be gentle. It’s not something every LMT is trained to do.”

As for Yuhanna herself, she con tinues to offer ad vanced techniques, such as post-opera tive care, lymphatic drainage, body contouring massages and a unique blend of cupping and stretch therapy. She’s trained in both Thai stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF, a stretching technique that uses stretching and isometric contractions to improve range of motion and flexibility).

fessionals who can offer lash services, permanent makeup, and/or hair treatments.

Aesthetic Services, Too

In addition to massage therapy, Radiant Wellness Spa also now offers skincare services. Licensed aesthetician Srishti Jaioswar provides facials, waxing and brow services. Originally from India, Srishti runs her own business out of a treatment room she rents inside the spa.

Yuhanna also is looking to expand Radiant’s offerings even further. One room is currently available for rent, and she hopes to bring in pro-

“We’re also looking for a nurse practitioner to join the team,” she adds. “We’d like to bring back Botox and weight-loss injections (which Radiant did offer previously) to complement the services we already provide.”

One of the spa’s most popular newer services is body contouring. Originally offered only to post-op clients, this non-invasive massage service is now available for anyone who wants to reduce fat, smooth cellulite or improve skin tone. “Body contouring can be very beneficial,” Yuhanna says. “It can even help with wrinkles in some cases.”

The team at Radiant Wellness Spa on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel includes (l.-r.) aesthetician Srishti Jaioswar, owner & LMT Yuhanna Alahmary and Jeannie Jones, LMT. (Photo by Charmaine George)

Another unique offering is Thai massage, a stretching-based therapy that Yuhanna studied while traveling in Thailand. “It’s a full-body stretch using hands, elbows and feet,” she says. “It’s traditionally done on a mat on the floor, but we can also do it on a massage table. It’s really good for helping with flexibility and circulation.”

For clients who need deeper healing, the therapists also may incorporate Kinesio taping, CBD-infused lotion, or other supportive tools.

“We try to blend traditional techniques with modern tools,” Yuhanna says. “It’s all about what’s best for the client.”

As the spa has grown, so has its ability to serve the community. “It’s all been trial and error,” she says. “We’ve learned what our clients need and what makes sense for us to offer as a team, so we can focus on what we’re good at.”

Educated Clients & Therapists

A big part of that strength is education, both for the staff and the clients. “People think they’re going to wake up from plastic surgery looking like a model, but that’s not the reality,” Yuhanna says. “They’re bruised, swollen and in pain. We help them understand what they need — compression garments, rest, hydration, good nutrition and Epsom salt baths. Even general massage helps them stay loose while they heal.”

But, speaking of education, Yuhanna takes continuing education seriously.

“I’m a forever learner,” she says, noting that in addition to being an LMT, she also has certifications in MLD-C (manual lymphatic drainage); CCT (certified contour therapist); CMT (certified massage therapist; this is in addition to the LMT certification); and CMMP

(certified medical massage practitioner, trained in massage that supports medi cal conditions).

“Massage therapists are required to take 24 continuing education units (CEUs) a year,” Yuhanna adds, “but I probably take 50. I just got back from a massage convention and even repeated some classes I’d taken before, just to learn something new.”

All therapists at Radiant Wellness Spa are certified in their areas of expertise. “There’s a difference between CEUs and a certification,” Yuhanna explains. “A CEU might be a one- or two-day class, but a certification takes longer and includes an exam. My lymphatic drainage certification was 90 hours, with an exam at the end.”

Yuhanna also is committed to making her services accessible without the pressure of memberships. Instead, Radiant Wellness Spa offers a points program where clients earn one point for each dollar they spend. Once you reach 500 points, you’ll receive 25% off a massage or facial.

“Not everyone likes memberships,” she explains. “I don’t like them personally, and neither did my staff or our clients. The points system lets people come when they want and still get rewarded for being loyal.”

The spa also is active in the local community. Each December, Yuhanna and her staff donate to WLLD-FM (Wild 94.1)’s toy drive benefiting the Children’s Home Network. The crew also will participate in an event with ISI Elite Training in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

For clients with special medical needs, the spa carefully evaluates whether services are appropriate. “If a client can’t get dressed or undressed on their own, we may have to refer them out,” Yuhanna says. “We’re massage therapists, not doctors. If something’s been bothering someone for more than two weeks and isn’t getting better, we recommend they see their physician for imaging before we work on them.”

That honest, cautious approach has earned Radiant Wellness Spa the trust of its clients. Yuhanna and her team know when to refer out and always work within their scope of practice.

“It’s not just about offering a service,” she says. “It’s about doing what’s best for each client.”

In an effort to keep improving, the spa is adding a new feedback box at the front desk, so clients can leave anonymous comments or suggestions. “We want to hear from people,” she

says. “That’s how we keep getting better.”

Radiant Wellness Spa appears to be doing pretty well so far, with a perfect 5.0-star rating on Google on nearly 50 reviews, including client Vanessa I., who wrote: “I recommend this place if you’re looking for a good massage that will leave you feeling refreshed, I’ve been here twice and Yuhanna does a marvelous job targeting my areas of concern. Thank you so much and I look forward to my next Swedish massage session! Radiant Wellness Spa doesn’t accept insurance but does take FSA (Flexible Spending Accounts) and HSA (Health Savings Accounts) payments. The spa is located at 33905 S.R. 54, Suite 101. Hours are Mon. & Wed., 3:15 p.m.–8 p.m.; Thur. & Fri., 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; and 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. on Sat. For more info or to book an appointment, visit Radiant-Wellness-Spa. com, call (813) 715-2099 or see the ad on pg. 40.

Giovanni’s Flooring, Kitchen & Bath — So Much More Than Just A Flooring Store!

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

Whether you’re looking to replace your old carpeting with luxury vinyl plank (LVP) or tile, or you want to completely remodel your kitchen or bathrooms, Giovanni’s Flooring, Kitchen & Bath, located in the SuperTargetanchored Northwoods shopping center on Bruce B.Downs (BBD) Blvd., just north of County Line Rd., is a great place to start. Owner and licensed contractor Giovanni Gocaj transformed a former flooring-only store in the same location and opened the doors to the second full-service remodeling destination for his company last year.

With roots dating back to 2004, when his father Luk opened his location in Trinity, the business officially passed to Giovanni in 2011.

“My father came from Albania 20 years ago and opened the business,” says Giovanni, adding that his father is still very much involved in the day-to-day work and continues to collaborate on all projects at both the Trinity and Wesley Chapel locations. “It’s a family thing,” says Giovanni. “Most of my crew also are family members.”

Remodeling ‘Bundles’

Giovanni’s customers often benefit from bundled pricing when opting for a full-home remodel. “A complete remodel will get a discount depending on the house size,” he says. This all-in-one pricing model simplifies the process for homeowners by bundling design, labor and materials into a single package.

The company operates without subcontractors, something Giovanni proudly emphasizes.

“Each person we employ specializes in something — flooring, kitchens, or baths — and that’s what they do every day. You’ll never get someone who was randomly hired the day before and doesn’t know what they’re doing.” This hands-on, family-led structure ensures quality control and accountability from start to finish.

The Wesley Chapel location has already attracted many loyal clients, and local awareness continues to grow. Of Giovanni’s 20 Google reviews so far, every one of them is 5 stars out of 5. For example, in his 5-star review, customer

look beautiful. The shower, toilet and sink work great and they also adjusted the flooring to fit the vanity, which also was excellent. I highly recommend this company for anyone who wants remodeling done in their home.”

The showroom reflects everything that’s trending in home design.

“Right now, it’s all about the light wood-grain colors and European oak finishes,” Giovanni explains. “We’re also seeing a move away from traditional garden tubs to sleek, free-standing bathtubs (before-&-after photos below).” He adds that where people used to use a lot of different colors, monochrome has become the go-to: “Now, it’s all about tone-on-tone and different shades of the same color family.”

When asked to describe the customer expe rience at Giovanni’s, the owner says his clientele appreciates the smooth, no-hassle process, where customers can choose all of their finishes in the showroom. Design and pricing are finalized as quickly as possible. Installation begins on schedule and the same dedicated crew works on your home until your project is completed — with no interruptions and no bouncing between jobs.

“We commit to timelines,” Giovanni says. “If we say 10 days, it will be done in 10 days.”

The company’s commitment to quality and professionalism is what sets it apart.

“You can buy the most expensive tile or cabinets out there, but if the person doing the job doesn’t know what they’re doing, you’re not going to be happy,” Giovanni says. “We don’t take those chances. We know our crew and their specialties.”

Quality Products

Giovanni’ also is proud of the quality of the products he offers.

“We carry high-end brands like engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank and top-quality tile and fixtures,” he says. “We do not carry mirrors or lights, but we help customers pick the ones they want online, and we’ll install them, too.”

Both the Wesley Chapel and Trinity showrooms feature extensive sample displays,

last. From exotic hardwoods like Brazilian cherry and Santos mahogany to eco-friendly vinyl plank options, everything the location carries is backed by warranties and is designed to last.

Speaking of eco-friendly, Giovanni is particularly proud of his vinyl plank flooring options, which include:

•Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials, which release minimal harmful chemicals into the air.

•Phthalate-free products, avoiding synthetic chemical additives that are linked to health risks.

•California Air Resources Board (CARB)-

ability without sacrificing performance or style.

“When you purchase the higher-end products, you may spend a little more,” Giovanni says. “For example, on a 100-square-foot bathroom, the difference between what you can buy at a big-name store and ours is about $50 to $100. But with ours, you’ll get a lifetime warranty on the materials and installation. It’s worth that few extra dollars.”

Customer Robert Wilson agrees. In his 5-star Google review, Wilson wrote:

“My wife and I had a leak [at our home] while we were out of town. Our floors and kitchen cabinets were ruined. We stopped in to Giovanni’s just to look around. The attention and knowledge we received from Andy was very attentive and comforting at the same time. The entire process was very easy. I also want to commend their installers. They were informative and meticulous in their work. I would highly recommend this company and look forward to doing business with them in the future with our bathroom remodels.”

Meanwhile, Giovanni says he hopes to expand to four or five locations

“But, we want to grow in a way that doesn’t sacrifice quality,” he says. “Our eyes are on areas like Riverview and possibly Naples.”

He also notes that he is a licensed general contractor in the state of Florida, “while many others are only licensed and insured in the county. We can help our customers anywhere in Florida — from their design needs, to choosing the right products and completing the job. We are a one-stop shop.”

Giovanni’s Flooring, Kitchen & Bath (1285 BBD Blvd.) has Facebook and Instagram pages with many more before-&-after photos and reviews. Visit Facebook.com/giovanniflooring or Instagram.com/giovanniflooringstore. For more info, visit FlooringforFlorida.com, email info@flooringforflorida.com, call (813) 461-8686 or see the ad on pg. 39 of this issue.

Owner Giovanni Gocaj or Giovanni’s Flooring, Kitchen & Bath invites you to visit his showroom. in the SuperTarget-anchored Northwoods Plaza on BBD Blvd. (Photo by Charmaine George)

Spotlight On: The Middle Place Accounting

Donna Ray, the owner of The Middle Place Accounting & Consulting Services, and I have a friend in common — Paula Nuñez, the owner of the Tampa City Dance Center and the founder of the Tampa City Ballet (TCB; see ad on pg. 16).

“I used to be the executive director of Tampa City Ballet,” Donna says, “and they are currently still one of my clients. I still handle their bookkeeping and accounting.”

Donna says she first launched The Middle Place during the pandemic, “while I was still the executive director of the ballet, because I have two children and their school was closed, so I needed to home school them and work from home. I also was taking care of my father, who has since passed away, so it just made sense to be as independent as I could be based on the needs of my family.”

She adds, “I sent out a big email blast at that time to people I’ve known around the Tampa Bay area for a very long time that my services were available and that seemed to be all that it took.”

The idea for her company didn’t just come out of nowhere, however. Donna has a total of 30 years of experience working in accounting.

After a decade of working in the Cayman Islands as an IT director with Cox Lumber Co. and Senior Accounting and later as project manager with Fidelity Group of Companies, she returned to the U.S., which was still recovering from the financial crash of 2008. She enrolled at the University of South Florida and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Women’s and Gender Studies.

After that, Donna says, “I found myself working for nonprofits for the first time. I accepted a job at the Helen Gordon Davis Center for Women as director of the Women’s Business Center in Hyde Park, where I worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs at all levels of experience and with a variety of needs — from writing business plans and building financial projections to accessing capital. That’s where the Tampa City Ballet found me.” Both nonprofits also extended Donna’s skills with grant writing, reporting and building relationships with community stakeholders and corporate partners, as well as with city, county, state and federal funding authorities.

She adds that since then, she has served, “a lot of female entrepreneurs, helping them either launch or with their business. But, my focus was on finance and accounting, and that was sort of my specialty, helping people build business plans, financial statements and projections.”

A Diverse Range Of Experience

She brings all of that experience with her to The Middle Place, “and I’ve been really lucky because I have a wide variety of clients. Some are in for-profit industries, some are nonprofit. I also

work with a law firm and some retail companies.”

Donna says she provides a professional level of service that goes beyond just bookkeeping.

“I focus a lot on software implementation,” she says. “One nonprofit contract [I have] right now was implementing seven different unique technology stacks for them, and implementing Quickbooks Online and payroll and basically automating their entire organization.”

Originally from Chicago, Donna moved to the Tampa Bay area in the 1980s. She grew up as an aspiring young dancer, “but I had a very practical father who said, ‘If you break your leg, you need to have a backup.’ So as a teenager, she started out in business administration and, at age 19, as a legal secretary at a law firm in Clearwater.

While her extensive professional career was focused on accounting, IT, project and nonprofit management, Donna continued to study and dance with a local Tampa dance company and also performed with the Cayman Islands National Dance Company, where she also taught ballet and Gyrokinesis, a movement therapy specifically designed for dancers. After returning to Florida, she taught at the Patel Conservatory for Next Generation Ballet summer program.

Donna was thrilled when Paula Nuñez approached her needing help for the Tampa City Ballet. “I thought, ‘This is a perfect opportunity to work in an industry I love and provide my business expertise to help TCB grow and to help professional dancers in Tampa,’” she says. She also works with Diaz Shafer, P.A. an immigration law firm in Tampa that was on Quickbooks Desktop but wanted to switch to Quickbooks Online, “so I did that for them.”

Donna also has done contract work for Davis College in Rwanda, Africa, as well as for Drong Ngur Jangchubling, a Tibetan Buddhist Center in Wesley Chapel, and Skate Park of Tampa: She’s also the Board treasurer of Dance Tampa Bay, led by Shana Corrada, E.D.

Donna provides full-service monthly accounting services for businesses of all sizes and industries, including payroll, sales tax filing and software integrations. “A lot of clients first come to me to handle their bookkeeping,” Donna says, “But I also do software implementation, financial projections and can help you grow your business by offering financial advice from a unique perspective. For more info, call (813) 391-6890, visit TheMiddlePlace.com or see the ad below. GN

Donna Ray of The Middle Place (photo provided by Donna Ray)

Sushi Masa Premium Is Open In Former Red Lobster Location In Tampa Palms!

Congratulations to owner Ryan Chen and his team (photo on next page) for finally opening the beautiful new Sushi Masa Premium in the former Red Lobster location (at 17021 Palm Pointe Dr.) in Tampa Palms. Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and her friend Austin and I got to sample pretty much everything on Sushi Masa’s all-you-caneat (AYCE) menu (for $36.95 for dinner, $23.95 for lunch) the day before it opened and we agreed that the sushi rolls (maki), sashimi (no rice) and nigiri (sashimi on rice) were all fresh and delicious — especially the tuna and yellowtail options. The appetizers, like the assorted tempura (not shown) and gyoza dumplings (below) were excellent and the Udon and Soba noodles (we all preferred the latter), the fried rice and chicken and steak teriyaki were all pretty tasty, too. And, save room for dessert (also included) — the tempura cheesecake, fried Oreos and green tea ice cream were all delish. The only items not included on the AYCE menu are the hibachi/teppanyaki entrées — veggie, chicken, salmon, steak & shrimp, plus combos — and the alcoholic beverages at the spacious bar, but Ryan, who also owns the Lakeland location (there are now ten total) is off to a great start! Love

cuisine, including (clockwise from top left) a sashimi variety display, chicken & steak teriyaki, fried rice & Udon or Soba

Ryan Chen & general manager Juliet Ebanks. (All photos on these pages by Charmaine George)

Remington’s Steak & Seafood Opens In The Palms Connection On Bearss Ave.

We told you last issue that the new Remington’s Steak & Seafood was coming to the end cap space in the Palms Connection plaza at 2836 E.Bearss Ave. (west of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) that had previously been occupied by the original Remington’s Steakhouse, Cody’s Roadhouse most recently, by The Wexford Irish Pub

Well, not only is the new Remington’s now open, it’s also pretty delicious — and also provides the great value promised by owner Mark Birkin (who also owns the more upscale Birkin’s Steak & Sushi on N. Florida Ave. in Lutz). But no, the new Remington’s is not the same Remington’s on Bearss or the one that was on Wesley Chapel Blvd., in the space now occupied by Rice N Beans Puerto Rico

Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I have already visited the new Remington’s multiple times since its name (and menu) change from The Wexford and it certainly has great steaks and seafood at very fair prices — from the boneless ribeye with two sides shown upper right here (for $29.95; same price as the tender filet mignon), the 1/2 rotisserie chicken (bottom right; also $29.95, with two large-size sides) and the $11.95 shrimp cocktail (upper left). We’ve also enjoyed the bowl of creamy clam chowder ($6.95) and the sizzling chicken fajitas ($16.95; same price for beef). We also can recommend the house-made cheesecake, especially if it’s the Bailey’s Irish Cream edition we shared. There also is a kids menu for ages 12 & younger.

Speaking of the fajitas, Mark has brought back the BOGO fajitas on Tuesdays (only) made popular by the original Remington’s, but, at least for now, he isn’t planning to have live music on the spacious outdoor patio, which has its own bar.

For more info about the new Remington’s, call (813) 631-9033 or see the ad on pg. 37.

The Wexford Moving Into Former Forty Thieves Location!

Speaking of The Wexford though, for those who were sad to see Forty Thieves Irish Pub (2741 E. County Line Rd., at Livingston Ave., in Lutz) suddenly close, the good news is that The Wexford is preparing to move into that former Forty Thieves location. Birkin says that he and his crew are already working hard to re-open The Wexford, which is the Irish Pub that the new Remington’s replaced, at the former Forty Thieves location.

Birkin also says that he doesn’t know at present when The Wexford will open in its new location, but we’ll provide updates for you as soon as we have them. — GN

(Formerly The Wexford Irish Pub & Grille) 2836 E. Bearss Ave

Palms Connection Plaza Tampa, FL 33613

APPETIZERS:

Escargot in Butter

Filet Tip Skewers

Potato Skins (photo)

Crab Rangoon

Shrimp Cocktail

Fried Pickles

Shepherd’s Pie

Quesadilla ...and more!

SOUPS:

French Onion

Clam Chowder

Soup of the Day

BURGERS & SANDWICHES:

Philly & Chicken

Cheesesteaks (photo)

Black Angus Burgers

Homemade Reuben on Rye ...and more!

WINGS

Bone-in or Boneless

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

STEAKS:

Ribeye

Filet Mignon

Top Sirloin

NY Strip

T-Bone (photo)

Filet Medallions

Lollipop Lambchops ...and more!

SEAFOOD:

Grilled Salmon

Grilled & Fried Shrimp

Fish & Chips

OTHER ENTREES:

Chicken Fried Steak

Grilled Chicken Breast

Boneless BBQ Pork Chop

Mac n’ Cheese

KIDS MENU:

Chicken Tenders

Mac n’ Cheese

Steak Bites

DESSERTS:

Cheesecake

Key Lime Pie (photo)

Brownie w/French

Vanilla Ice Cream

Plus: Happy Hour Specials, Outdoor Bar & Patio, Private Dining Rooms, Fun Atmosphere *** NOW OPEN! ***

Rodizio Grill — Our Area’s First-Ever Brazilian Steakhouse — Is Finally Open!

Congratulations to franchise owner Charlie Haney (left in near photo), general manager Thiago Navarro (right in same photo) and their entire hard-working crew at the truly beautiful and new Rodizio Grill: The Brazilian Steakhouse, which finally opened at 2082 Grand Cypress Dr. (between At Home & Costco) on June 10 and is already drawing in big crowds. Haney and Thiago also cut a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon on June 9 — and the Neighbor hood News was on hand for both of those events.

Rodizio’s selection of skewered meats includes not only the signature “Picanha” (top sirloin cap) shown below center, but other tasty beef cuts like “Maminha” (Rodizio’s tender and exclusive tri-tip sirloin), “Bife com Parmesåo” (parmesan sirloin), “Bife com Alho (garlic steak), and non-beef skewers like “Frango Agri-Doce” (sweet-&-spicy chicken; photo below the picanha), “Linguica” sausage, “Presunto” (sug ar-glazed ham), the new “Cordeiro” (marinated lamb) and more. Jannah and I and Charmaine and her boyfriend Brendan sampled pretty much all of these and agreed that they were pretty much all very tasty — and, if one of the “gaucho” serv ers doesn’t bring a cut cooked to your liking, they will send someone else over who has it. All of us also agreed that the “Abacaxi” glazed & grilled pineapple (far right) was among our favorites.

The fresh salad and hot bars also have something for everyone — from Charmaine’s favorite “Palmito” (hearts of palm) to my favorites, the “Assado” (Brazilian pot roast; I know — even more meat?) and “Bananas Fritas” (cinnamon-glazed bananas) and Jannah’s favorite, the “Massa com Frutos do Mar” (seafood pasta salad).

And, although they’re not included in the $54.99 cost per person for the full menu ($39.99 for lunch; $12.99-$15.99 for kids) or the $32.99 ($29.99 for lunch)for just the salad and hot bars, don’t skip the decadent desserts! Jannah and I loved the “Torta Brigadeiro” (a dense, flourless chocolate torte served with ice cream, sliced bananas, chocolate sauce & whipped cream) and Charmaine and Brendan enjoyed the “Pudim de Leite” (creamy Brazilian flan).

You can’t order food at Rodizio’s wellstocked and beautiful premium bar, but Jannah

big news for our community, as the announce ment on May 27 on our “Neighborhood News” Facebook page that the opening of Rodizio Grill (2802 Grand Cypress Dr., Lutz, behind and in front of Kohl’s by the Tampa Premium Outlets) had been delayed until June 10 from its originally announced opening date of May 28 was viewed (at our press time) by a record-break ing (for us) 328,125 people, with more than 1,100 likes and 110 shares! We’ve had a couple of previous posts that reached more than 200,000 people, but this post — without being boosted — has far surpassed our previous record!

The Wesley Chapel/Lutz Rodizio Grill is open for dinner only (4 p.m.-10 p.m.) Mon.Thur., and for lunch/brunch & dinner on

More New Restaurants In Wesley Chapel/Lutz

The Wesley Chapel/Lutz area is still buzzing with new restaurants — from a new Chick-fil-A on Curley Rd. (see pg. 20) to the coming-soon brick-&-mortar location of the Pastelitos Papichy’s food truck on Wesley Chapel Blvd., to the beginning of construction of the “dirty soda” chain called Swig and The Cheesecake Factory

Pastelitos Papichy’s

Although the Venezuelan food truck Pastelitos Papichy’s (left photo) has been stationed near the LA Fitness and Five Guys Burgers & Fries (just south of County Line Rd. & west of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa) for some time, a sign recently went up at the Grand Oaks Plaza on the under-construction Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Lutz (right photo) announcing that Papichy’s will be opening its first-ever brick-&mortar location in the space previously occupied by the also-Venezuelan Arepa Mia, which sadly closed at the end of 2024.

We haven’t yet been able to speak to anyone who could tell us when the new Papichy’s is expected to open, but you can expect a selection of Venezuelan-style empanadas, pastelitos (similar to empanadas, but made of round-shaped wheat dough filled with sweet guava or savory meats

and cheeses), tequeños (fried cheese) and more. For more info, call (813) 576-9970.

The Cheesecake Factory

If our recent post about Rodizio Grill pg. 38) was record-setting, there’s little doubt that if we’re able to break the story of when The Cheesecake Factory will finally open in the park ing lot at the Tampa Premium Outlets, that post could double or even quadruple the 327,000+ views the Rodizio Grill post has generated.

But, while some rumors had Cheesecake Fac tory opening before the end of this year, that seems pretty ambitious, considering that the area that will one day be home to the full-service restaurant chain and cheesecake bakery (which currently has more than 200 U.S. locations) has only recently been fenced off near the mall’s main entrance. There is now a lot of heavy equipment on the site, but the parking lot hasn’t yet been leveled so that the restaurant can actually begin to go vertical.

Swig

This rapidly-growing drive-through “dirty soda” chain featuring seasonal favorites and concoct-your-own sodas, “revivers” and “refreshers,” as well as frozen hot chocolate, sugar cookies and pretzel bites, has begun going vertical just east

D’Oro Margarita with Monte Alban Reposado Tequila finished off with Gran Gala liqueur. Flavors: Strawberry, Mango, Raspberry & Passion Fruit.

Los Chapos Tacos Opens In The Same Plaza On S.R. 54 As Fazoli’s

Los Chapos Tacos, a small local chain of authentic fast-casual Mexican restaurants that began as a food truck business, has opened its new fourth location at 24799 W. S.R. 54 in Land O’Lakes, in the same small strip retail center as Fazoli’s

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you much about the food at the new Los Chapos Tacos because the restaurant cooks all of its food on the same grills and there are a few shrimp options on the menu.

This kind of bummed me out because there are several unique options on the menu, including Guacamole de Chicharron — slowbraised pork belly finished on the grill with Asian BBQ sauce, served over hand-smashed guacamole with queso fresco, cilantro and chips. I’d also be interested in sampling the elotes (or Mexican street corn on the cob) appetizer, with cotija cheese, chipotle aioli, lime and tajin.

There also are house specialties like the Torta Ahogada or “drowned sandwich,” which is a version of the signature sandwich of Guadalajara, with crunchy-outside sourdough bread filled with shredded “Birria” beef and melted cheese, with a spicy dipping sauce on the side. The same birria beef is available on tacos, and there also are “Surf ‘N’ Turf” tacos with grilled steak and shrimp, corn salsa, avocado and chipotle cream on a grilled flour tortilla.

Jannah and I just couldn’t leave without at least letting her sample something and she ended up having that birria beef on a tasty grilled quesadilla with melted cheese (top right photo). She said it was delicious, but I (heavy

sigh) simply had to take her word for it. She also tried and enjoyed the lavender sangria (photo below), and Los Chapos Tacos would probably be a place we would frequent fairly often if I could eat the food. My Victoria Mexican beer was ice cold and unlike most fast-casual establishments, the restaurant does have a limited (and cute) full-liquor bar with several different tequilas available (bottom right photo) to make your favorite margaritas.

kitchen, if they could keep one grill dedicated to non-shrimp orders, people like me could still enjoy it.

manager-in-training told me, “Even if we could do that, we’d still need both grills when we get busy.” Truly sad for me.

Tacos opens for lunch & dinner every day at 11 a.m., except Sun. (when it’s closed). For more info, call (813)868-3056 or visit LosChaposTa cos.com.

BOKof CUBANS

Little Caesars Pizza Opens Next To Jimmy John’s Off Wesley Chapel Blvd.

On June 7, Little Caesars Pizza celebrated the Grand Opening of the chain’s second Wesley Chapel location (at 5482 Post Oak Blvd.,off Wesley Chapel Blvd., in the same retail strip plaza as Jimmy John’s), with a DJ, a prize wheel attendees could spin and visits from both a stilt-walker and “Little Caesar” himself..

To me, Little Caesars is more about conve nience and competitive pricing than it is about deliciousness, but I’ll admit that I enjoyed the new (at least to me) pepperoni “Crazy Puffs®” and the chewy Cookie Dough Brownies made with M&Ms® minis.

But, the fact that there were nearly 70 people waiting on line (bottom left photo) before the shop opened that day to win free Little Caesars for a year does indicate to me that people do enjoy the chain’s specialty pizzas like the “3 Meat Treat®” (bottom right on this page) for just $12.99 (it’s also available in a larger “Detroit-style deep dish” rectangular version for just $15.99).

The “Hot-N-Ready®” options are even less expensive, with the “Classic Cheese” and “Classic Pepperoni” both for just $7.29 & up, the “Extramostbestest®” cheese or pepperoni pizzas starting at just $8.29 each, and “Stuffed Crazy Crust” pizzas start at just $$13.99. There’s also pretzel crust pizzas ($6.99 & up), breadsticks, Italian cheese bread (top left photo, with pepperoni) and more.

And, with Little Caesars’ new “The Pizza Portal,” picking up your to-go order is as easy as grabbing an Amazon package at an apartment com plex. And yes, DoorDash delivery is available, too.

For info, call (813) 923-0715 or visit Little Caesars.com. — GN; photos by Charmaine George

T ampa & w esley C hapel Classifieds

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable, Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings & walls, re-texturing, popcorn removal, room addt’ns, cracks, holes, plaster & stucco repair. 30+ years of exp. WC resident. State Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate: 813-7845999. Lic. #SCC131149699

AQUATEC POOL SERVICE has been keeping pools clear & swim safe since 1994. WE DO POOLS RIGHT! Commercial & Residential. CPO #33-303052 Licensed & Insured. Service guarantee. Call 813-312-5694 TODAY & get 1 MONTH of quality service FREE. For more info, visit AquatecPools.org.

FLOORING- Luxury Vinyl Plank Installed! Buy anywhere, we will install it!. $1.69/sq. ft. (over 300 sq.ft.). Regular-size bedroom - $399, We will haul away carpet/tack strip & move major furniture pieces. Call for free estimate 813-417-7689. Let’s save some money!

BATHROOM & KITCHEN REMODELING. Top quality, professional, licensed, & insured contractors. Family owned & operated for over 30 years. We take the hassle out of remodeling. Call Ken of Hangliter Residential for an estimate. 813-460-4548 or see our display ad on the next page for additional info.

Flooring/Waterproof Vinyl Plank Installation! Affordable & knowledgeable service, $4.99/sq.ft, including a 20-mil Luxury vinyl plank. We’ll move appliances, heavy furniture & existing floors & haul them away as recommended. Free in-home estimates always offered. Call today: 813-804-2544.

___TREE

SERVICES

___

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

COMPUTER SERVICES ____ DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, Installation, Networking & Virus Removal. WE COME TO YOU! Residences & Businesses, more than 25-Years Experience. Contact Jeffrey Blank at 813-973-4507, visit WSICA.COM or email Wsica@wsica.com.

If your long-running Classified ad is missing from this page, email us at Ads@ NTNeighborhoodNews.com or call us at (813) 910-2575 to renew your ad today!

MISCELLANEOUS

FOR SALE: Brand New, Complete Boy Scout Uniforms for Sale. Boys clothes size 10-14, shoes, plus new roller skates & ice skates. Dishes & many household articles. A 10x30 shed full of flea market items, will sell all very reasonable. Cartop carrier, professional bicycles, kayak, doggie furniture, crates feeder & much more. Call 813-297-1456.

ELECTROLYSIS - I am looking for someone who provides Galvanic (not laser) Electrolysis in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. Contact carola1243@aol.com.

PHOTOGRAPHERS & CREATIVES: Looking for a photo studio space in New Tampa? We offfer a weatherproof, luxury exp. for your clients in this 705-sq-ft creative space. Natural light, white walls & light laminate floors make the space bright & airy. Studio lighting, props, furniture, paper & cloth backdrops & more avail. Book/inquire online: Jessicabuttererphoto.com/rent-the-studio or call Jessica 914-844-2894

Were you self-employed during 2020 & 2021? If so, the IRS is giving out refunds — get your money in only 2 weeks. It takes only 10 minutes to find out how! Call 813-784-2243.

SHARPENING SERVICE. Knives, Scissors & Garden Tools. Prices/Svcs & Calendar of venues available @ mmsharpening.com. Every Friday, 9am-4pm, through March 2025. NEW LOCATION: @ Harvey’s Hardware (Case Knives), 5400 Land O’Lakes Blvd., LOL. Contact M&M SHARPENING, Mark Bertsche @ 518-260-5916.

HUGHES SCHOOL OF MUSIC is now accepting new students! Study Saxophone, Piano, Music Production, Composition or Theory w/a Master of Music. Zoom sessions also avail.! Contact us at 813-748-3216.

REAL

& OFFICE

OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE! Pebble Creek Collection plaza space for lease, approx. 500 sq.ft. Perfect for someone in Health/Wellness/Cosmetology. Contact Deborah at SunMed - Your CBD Store of New Tampa (19651 Bruce B Downs) @ 813-994-0599. Steven Kessel, REALTOR® w/Future Home Realty, Inc., has created just for you, the most advanced, up-to-date, user-friendly propty search engine for homes for sale in the Tampa Bay & Central Fla area — & it’s FREE to use & enjoy. BuyYourDreamHome.com.

CLEANING SERVICES

PATY CLEANING SERVICE. Comm’l or resid’l cleaning service. We have our own supplies & 10 years of experience. Free estimates. Call 813 790-8715 or email paty8624@proton.me.

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

CLEANING SERVICES (Cont.) ROSE’S CLEANING SERVICE. We make sure your home will be shiny & clean. Whether you need one-time, weekly, biweekly or monthly svcs, we will customize a plan to accommodatesyour needs. Residential/offices/airBnB,etc. Call/text Roseli for a free estimate anytime: 813 400.4946. Or, email:rrduar@yahoo.com.

RATE INCREASE COMING SOON!

Our Classified Ads Are Still The Least Expensive Way To Reach 180,000+ People In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, But The Rates Shown Below Are Going Up As Of Aug. 1! 7 Issues (3 months) - $120 13 Issues (6 months) - $200 26 Issues (1 year) - $300 Call (813) 910-2575 or visit NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net