New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 33, Issue 15, July 22, 2025

Dave Rathbun Remembered Fondly At His ‘Celebration Of Life’

By Gary Nager

Even though I had met David (“Dave”) Rathbun when he managed the Carrabba’s Italian Grill on N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace, I didn’t really get to know him until 2002, when he opened the first Stonewood Grill & Tavern in the Tampa Bay area.

There weren’t a lot of great restaurants in our area at that time — heck, there weren’t a lot of restaurants, period — but Stonewood became New Tampa’s favorite restaurant pretty much from the day it opened and there’s no doubt that Dave had as much to do with it as the restaurant’s steaks and seafood.

The way Dave seemed to remember everyone’s name after one or, at the most, two times meeting them, the way he made sure his instant slew of regulars always got their favorite table or seat at the bar — literally everything about the guy was warm, funny and genuine. He was the very definition of the word “hospitable” in the hospitality industry.

I didn’t know that Dave’s wife Gina was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, better known to many as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”) for the first several years she was stricken with it, and it wasn’t because Dave didn’t talk about Gina. It was because he constantly talked about how wonderful she was, what a great mom she was to her daughter (and Dave’s beloved stepdaughter) Emily and what a talented artist Gina was. The

first time I found out Gina was ill was when Dave asked if I could publish an article about her in the paper to show some of her art, which I did and I wish I could’ve found the issue with that story before I went to press with this issue.

Now, mind you, Dave Rathbun never asked me to write anything about Stonewood. He literally had never asked me for anything until that day. And, for the first time ever, I saw pain behind his ever-present, infectious smile.

When Dave left Stonewood, a lot of people were heartbroken. There were some who told me that they couldn’t keep going to their favorite place if Dave wasn’t there anymore.

The next time I heard from Dave was in 2023, when he had accepted a position as a manager at Bella Brava New World Trattoria in The Hub at Bexley (off S.R. 54 in Lutz) , which opened a few months later. He introduced me to general manager Tina Stormer and made sure the Neighborhood News was on-hand for Bella Brava’s “Friends & Family” pre-opening and introduced us to co-owner Thomas Sanborn, who was the original chef at Stonewood when Dave opened it.

Dave seemed to thrive in his new position at Bella Brava, but in April, he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that affects the kidneys. Suddenly, after years as Gina’s primary caregiver, Dave was receiving dialysis treatments three days a week for several weeks.

In June, Dave decided to work a full shift

Emily Barreira, Gina & Dave Rathbun (Photo provided by Emily Barreira)

So, Whatever Happened To That Chicken Contest & Your Podcast?

An Editorial by GARY NAGER

Do you remember that old saying about the best-laid plans of mice and men?

I had, I thought, such a great plan. I’ve talked about wanting to start a podcast for several years and I thought I finally had the perfect way to kick it off — by letting a group of our readers decide which of the eleven places in the Wesley Chapel area serving fried chicken tenders, sandwiches or both had the best mild and spicy options.

I put the contest in the paper and online. I received roughly 40 responses and emailed each and every one of those 40 people to tell them how the contest was going to work and what I would need them to do in order to be one of the five or so judges.

Those emails outlining the rules of the contest also let the potential judges know that they would have to be willing to judge the contest on video and that the contest itself, which would take place one day a week for a couple of weeks on specific days (when the conference room and podcast studio at the North Tampa Bay Chamber office in The Shops at Wiregrass mall are available), I received exactly three responses. I don’t know if the rules were the problem, or if everyone changed their mind all at once about wanting to be a judge, but at first, I was giving people time to respond and I put off starting the podcast because I thought the contest would be a great way to get as many locals as possible tuning in to it.

So, I’m making one last appeal to the 110,000+ potential readers in Wesley Chapel and 80,000+ potential readers in New Tampa:

If you want to help decide who has the best mild and/or the best spicy chicken sandwiches/tenders in our area — whether you tried to become a judge the first time around or not — email me at Ads@ NTNeighborhoodNews.com and put “I Want To Be A Chicken Judge” in the subject line.

Please include your first and last name, a phone number where you can be reached during the day (or will at least respond if you receive a message from me) and the community you live in (Heritage Isles, West Meadows, etc.) and I will respond within 24 hours of receiving your email to give you the details of how the contest will work.

But, here’s the thing: I’m through putting off the “Neighborhood Newsmakers” podcast for the contest. If not enough people are willing to follow through this time around, I’m still going to start lining up potential guests for the podcast.

I plan to chat with developers, elected officials, governmental staffers and — yes, restaurant owners/chefs — in lively conversations that can fill in the gaps of what we can’t cover on a timely basis in these pages. There is just so much happening in our communities these days — especially (but not only) in Wesley Chapel!

And, here’s a bonus — if you’re a local entertainer who sings, plays an instrument (that you can bring to the studio), acts, does stand-up comedy or even has had a book published that you think people would be interested in hearing excerpts from, I want to hear from you. What I’m genuinely not planning to do

on “Neighborhood Newsmakers” is interview business owners — yes, even our advertisers — to talk about their respective businesses because I honestly don’t think that most people will want to tune in (unless their family member is the guest talking about their business). I would be willing to consider revisiting that, however, depending upon how things go with my intended lineup of potential guests.

So, there you have it — yet another bestlaid plan. And, pardon the pun, but don’t be chicken! I’m hopeful that people still want to be a chicken judge but if the response is lukewarm again, I’ll find another way to kick off the podcast — even if I have to judge 11 chicken places by myself (nope, not happening)!

Saying ‘So Long’ To The Bishops!

It’s been a number of years since my friends Bonnie and Bob Bishop (photo) lived in New Tampa, but it was nice knowing they didn’t live too far away (in the Riverview area).

Jannah and I attended their New Tampa going-away party last month at Glory Days Grill on BBD. We’ve known each other since we each had a son named Jared playing hockey (and winning a league championship) for Wharton High. My son Jake, who also played for the ‘Cats, was one of Bonnie’s favorites and their Jared took Jake under his wing after my Jared graduated.

Bonnie, who recently celebrated a milestone birthday at Bern’s (photo), and Bob are moving to Maine. I’ll miss ya, kid!

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An Open Letter To USF Regarding Jim Leavitt’s Hall Of Fame Induction

By Gary Nager

Dear University Of South Florida:

I am not a USF graduate nor am I related to Joel Miller, the former USF football player your former coach Jim Leavitt assaulted in your locker room in front of 30 of your players who you paid $2.75 million to go away and never come back because he assaulted one of your players.

I am, however, a father to two young men who are now in their 30s with families of their own, one of whom was once a youth football rival of Joel’s who later became good friends with him — close enough friends that Joel’s mother Kathy says she thinks of my son as Joel’s brother.

But, Joel never made it to his 30s. He never got to have a family or even live to see if he could make his dream of playing in the NFL one day come true. And why?

Because Jim Leavitt decided to make an example of Joel at halftime of a game that USF was winning, by the way, by holding him by the throat, slamming him against the wall and — according to the reenactment Joel did for me of the events of that day in November 2009 — striking him with a closed fist three times, all in front of those 30 players.

But, Joel took this felony assault like a man. He finished out the game and the season without any attempt on his part to seek publicity, press charges or get money out of his school or even out of Jim Leavitt. All Joel wanted to do was play football. And the only thing he ever wanted from Jim Leavitt was an apology that never came. It was another player who witnessed Coach

Leavitt’s assault on Joel who contacted the local sports radio station. Colby Erskin wasn’t even necessarily calling the station to talk about Joel. Colby was calling to say that Jim Leavitt had gotten an assistant coach to throw all of his gear out of his locker and into a driving rain. He just inadvertently mentioned that what Leavitt did to him wasn’t nearly as bad as what he did to Joel.

And that lit the fire that Joel’s mother Kathy, his father Paul and his sister Jamie know in their hearts ultimately led to the end of Joel’s too-short life. Their son and brother was ridiculed, cursed at, had beer thrown on him and a brick thrown at him that sliced open the back of his head. He was unable to escape (as I wrote in the February 28, 2015 edition of New Tampa Neighborhood News when I became the first member of the media Joel allowed to tell his story) being “that kid” — that whistle-blowing, attention-seeking kid who got Jim Leavitt fired.

But, whether you knew Joel and his family as well as I did or not, if you’ve ever had a son of your own and you saw their life spiral out of control because of the actions of one pompous megalomaniac who assaulted your child, how would you feel about that worthless piece of garbage being inducted into the Hall of Fame of the school that paid to get rid of him?

I went to Leavitt’s USF Hall of Fame bio on GoUSFBulls.com for his picture and I couldn’t

help but notice that there was no mention of USF being sued by this “standup guy” or having to pay him out millions in order to send him on his way.

The Letter

Kathy told me that she found Joel’s hand-written letter to “Jim” less than two years after Joel passed away in 2017, at the age of 29. It’s a

(L.-r.) Paul, Jamie, Joel, Kathy & Jake Miller. (Photo courtesy of the Miller family)

powerful two-page (above) appeal to Leavitt for nothing more than an apology — one Joel knew when he wrote it (8/12/2015) would never come. Pompous megalomaniacs don’t generally apologize for their actions, especially when they get away with them scot-free. “Jim” went on to coach in the NFL and at four other college programs.

But, eight years after losing him, Joel Miller’s family is still broken. Their son and brother? Gone forever. All they really want — and genuinely deserve — is for your school to reconsider its decision to bestow this honor on a guy who never took you to a major bowl game — and committed felony assault and lied about it. Otherwise, please re-name it the USF “Hall of Shame” — and take the late, great Lee Roy Selmon out of it.

He deserves better — and so do the Millers.

Gary Nager, Neighborhood News

Why him? (Photo: GoUSFBulls.com)

COVENANT LAW FIRM TIME

‘Dave Rathbun’

Continued from pg. 1

at Bella Brava, even though Emily — who is a nurse with two degrees — was concerned that her stepdad wasn’t fully recovered from his weeks of dialysis treatment. He just loved the work.

But, when Dave got home, he told the caregiver that he wasn’t feeling well. He went to sleep...and never woke up.

At only age 69, the man who loved his wife for 28 years and had taken care of her for the last 17 years as she struggled with ALS, was gone.

Tiny quickly organized a Celebration of Life in Dave’s honor and memory on July 14 and an estimated crowd of 300-400 people showed up to hear his family and closest friends talk about what a wonderful husband, father, brother, friend and manager of people he was. Here are a few excerpts from the speeches given about Dave that day:

Gina (Emily read a letter from her Mom to her husband Dave): “From the moment David came into our lives, he became a second father figure to Emily, loving her as if she were his own. He was endlessly dedicated and loyal not just to me, but to our whole family. He showed his love through his strength and unwavering support by always putting us first. David, you carried your confidence and kindness with you. Wherever you went, your compassion touched countless lives, and your love will always remain alive in the hearts of everyone who had the privilege to know you. But, you left me so fast and unexpectedly. I love you more than you will ever know, and I will miss your radiant smile everyday. Your love is the lasting legacy you left with me and your family. Your kindness was a true gift to everyone who had the chance to know you.”

Emily: “David always had a favorite story that he love to share. When I was four years old, I was sitting out in the living room with him watching TV. My mom came over and reminded me that it was time to go to bed. I looked up at her and said, ‘No, mommy, I can’t go to bed. I’m watching baseball with my ‘little stepdaddy.’ From that day on, that’s what he was to me... my little step daddy. He instantly became my bonus dad at a very young age and supported me throughout the rest of my life.”

Paul (Dave’s brother): “When I was 16 years old, and we lived in Boston. David, John myself and Dave’s friend Tim took us to see the Trammps, a disco band in the seventies, and they were pretty hot at the time. There were a lot of problems with that evening, not the least of

Brava Bexley GM Tina Stormer (with Emily & her husband Ryan

and the memory board of Dave displayed during the

which was that four of us were under age. The five of us were invited on stage to sing the finale, “Disco Inferno” with the group. It was amazing. Okay, it was the seventies. Dave loved his family, He loved the restaurant. He loved the people he worked with. He loved his customers. He just loved people.

“Dave loved reading his devotionals. A recent one he shared was, ‘He’s Preparing a Place for You.’ Jesus promised that he’s preparing a place for us, a place where we will be with him forever. It’s not the size of the room or how fancy it is. It’s about being in his presence, where there’s joy, peace and love that never ends. Dave, you have fought the good fight. You finished the race. You have kept the faith. Well done, my brother.”

John (Dave’s brother): “He and I talked about the power of positive thinking — in the things you do, the things you say, the things you think — it all determines your destiny and the energy you give off to people. Dave greatly val-

ued his family, connecting with his creator, and mentoring his coworkers. He loved his customers and obviously, his friends, and many of his customers became his friends.

“The French have a phrase “‘Joie de vivre,’ which means “the joy of life.” I think Dave possessed that. He put a lot of effort into his relationships with his coworkers and his customers. and he brought a lot of joy to you guys and, to be honest, you brought a lot of joy to him, too.”

Tim (Dave’s long-time friend): “Dave had gone to school for physical education but when he moved here, he was going to nursing school and he was working in an Italian restaurant (Lorenzo’s). And I would come down from Tennessee to visit and you could just tell that he loved it. I soon realized that he all the things that he could do as a P.E. teacher, he could do in the restaurant business.

“He mentored so many people and was a great coach. He was so inspirational to so many

people. I’ll never forget that we were working on a paint crew here in Florida. I was going to school, and I’m borrowing money to go to school and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And I was really beating myself up and I had one conversation with Dave and he said to me, ‘Timmy, don’t worry about it. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. You’re smart, you’re a hard worker and people like you. Just focus on doing the best that you can every day and treat people around you the way you want to be treated, and you’ll be successful.”

Kelly (another long-time friend): “I worked at the Olive Garden in New Tampa, right across the parking lot from Stonewood. Dave and I had worked together like 30 years before that, and we end up working right next to each other. So, one day I was eating there and I’m just watching him.

“I knew what he was like, but I never got old to watch him work a dining room. He knows everybody by name. And he knows something about each of them. It’s not like he’s just out there saying, ‘Hey, how’s your dinner?’ And the person I was with was also in the restaurant business. And they said, ‘Oh my God, he’s like the Mayor of Stonewood!”

Tina (Bella Brava GM): We closed the restaurant today so all of our employees could be here to celebrate Dave. He was the definition of hospitality at its best. They called him ‘Diamond Dave’ for a reason. If he didn’t know who you were when you walked in, he would definitely know you by the time you left.”

Please join us for a second Celebration of ‘Dimond Dave’ Rathbun’s life on Monday, July 28, 1 p.m., at Stonewood Grill & Tavern.

(Top, l.-r.) Dave’s stepdaughter Emily Barreira & her mom & Dave’s wife Gina Rathbun, Dave’s brother Paul Rathbun, his brother John Rathbun & close family friend Tim; (next row, l.-r.) Dave’s brother Mark Rathbun, his sister Martha Peddle (with Paul) & his sister Mary DeSantis. (Bottom row, l.-r.) Bella

Barreira), Dave’s friend Kelly Barnett

celebration of Life. (All photos by Charmaine George)

State House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell Recaps The 2025 Legislative Session

By Gary Nager

Editor’s note - Unfortunately, due to the timing of our issues, we were not able to get this recap of the extended Florida Legislative Session that finally ended on June 16 into the June 24 New Tampa issue, but I did sit down for a chat with District 67 State Representative and Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (photo) a little more than a week after that lengthy session ended to get her impressions of the hits, misses and what the people of her District, which includes all of New Tampa, can expect between now and the start of the 2026 Legislative Session next January. — GN

NN: First, give me your general impressions of this year’s session.

FD: To me, this felt like a session of missed opportunities, because the Speaker set a tone at the beginning of the session, that it was going to be a member-driven process and that we were going to focus on affordability issues, and basically there would be opportunities to collaborate on such issues. But in the end, this session was marked by, in-fighting amongst Republican leadership. The Speaker of the House, the Senate President and the Governor just could not seem to get on the same page, so what was supposed to be a 60-day session wound up being over a hundred days. And unfortunately, the budget was the biggest bargaining chip and the budget process was held up and it wasn’t as transparent as it typically is, meaning that there wasn’t really the opportunity for the public, I don’t think, to advocate, as much as they specifically would have

for their budget appropriations. It was really tough — for the public and for lawmakers — because we also were kind of pretty much in the dark. It just seemed like they couldn’t even agree on even whether or not they were fighting, much less what they were fighting about. In spite of everything, though, I think, in the end, it was an O.K. budget. Definitely not an A+ budget, but it was an O.K. budget.

NN: What’s missing from the budget?

FD: What I would like to have seen that was missing were more funds for housing affordability. By my estimation, we actually reduced funds for affordable housing and this is not a time to do that. Especially here, when we know the Tampa Bay area is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and it’s becoming too expensive for locals to live here.

You’ll also notice that the Governor vetoed a number of water projects, just like he did last year. The problem with that, as we continue to endure stronger storms and flooding events, is that we need to have the right infrastructure to try to protect human life and property.

NN: What do you see as your caucus’ victories, despite the Republicans’ super-majority?

FD: In the end, they actually kept the funding for Advanced Placement courses and International Baccalaureate programs and certain certifications for students. And I think that was the right thing to do. And I give full credit, both to the Democratic caucus and to the public for really springing into action and embracing a lot of noise about that, so that they had to reverse

course. I am really proud of our advocacy for students and families on the AP classes. We really hammered them on that, which was good.

NN: What about your own successes?

FD: I was really proud to secure some significant appropriations. For example, in a prior session, I helped sponsor legislation to establish what we believe are the first Sickle Cell Disease Centers of Excellence in the country.

So this year, we were able to secure $3.75 million for sickle cell disease projects — $1.25 million to establish a “cause of death initiative” aimed at addressing a long-standing gap in knowledge surrounding sickle cell disease mortality. There hasn’t been enough study and focus to understand the exact causes of death for many in the sickle cell population. We’re trying to understand more about what happens to sickle cell patients and try to strengthen advocacy efforts.

Then, there’s another $2.5 million that is going to help that population with nonemergency transportation access because what we found is that transportation is a huge obstacle to that patient population from getting consistent preventive care. They miss a lot of appointments. When that happens, you know, things that were preventable become real complications, and they have worse outcomes.

This is going to allow for two transportation vans at each of the 15 sickle cell centers, including the one in my District on E. Fletcher Ave.

The other thing that we did get was a $350,000 appropriation for the Hillel Jewish Student Center of Tampa on the USF Tampa campus. We’ve heard stories of students feeling

threatened on campus. Probably like a month or two ago, there was a gentleman found with weapons on campus, who was not a student, and he had a copy of I believe it was Mein Kampf

There’s been an uptick of anti-Semitism, so we’re very proud to help our students feel safe. The appropriation is for school “hardening” and some technology, plus educational and cultural programming to try to counter disinformation and anti-Semitic rhetoric. The daughter of one of my colleagues in the legislature is half-Jewish, half-Black, and she used to wear a Star of David at school. But, there were some things happening at school and now, she doesn’t even feel safe to wear to wear her star anymore. And, she’s only in middle school.

There also was some drama this year where the Senate’s Democratic leader — Jason Pizzo — resigned his leadership position part-way through session and announced that he’s becoming an NPA. It was very dramatic. I’ve been in this posi-

tion now for about three years, and I’ll tell you that leadership is hard. There’s no glory in it. It sounds like a very nice title, but it’s tough. And, for whatever reason, he’d had enough. So then, the Senate elected Lori Berman unanimously as its new leader and I will tell you that Sen. Berman and I work together really well. And, from that point on, I’ve found that we’ve been very coordinated. The Senate and House Democrats are already working on a joint platform for next Legislative session, because we recognize that we’re stronger together.

And, we did have some platform bills that we worked together on this year, particularly related to housing affordability, expanding Medicaid, safe gun storage and universal background checks. These are things that are not easy to pass, but I do think it’s important to raise them so that we are a part of the conversation, and so that we keep trying to keep the conversation centered on affordability, because that’s what our constituents want. The most calls that we get are people worried about housing affordability and dealing with property insurance. And, even though we’re the minority party, I think it’s important that we uplift the voices of our constituents and our neighbors.

NN: Which bills of yours didn’t pass?

FD: I had a bill that was seeking to give clarity and direction to doctors with respect to the six-week abortion ban because we continue to hear reports of doctors being unsure of what they can do with respect to miscarriage management because, technically, that could be considered an abortion procedure sometimes. So, in consultation with physicians who practice in this area, we worked on a bill that would just give them some guidelines. Unfortunately, it didn’t pass.

Recently in the news, there was a Republican Congresswoman here in Florida who suffered an ectopic pregnancy, and she was having difficulties getting health care because the doctors weren’t sure what they could do. So, this is something that really has a need. That’s a dangerous thing to have an ectopic pregnancy and to have a doctor not know if he or she can provide care for that. I may not be the one who carries it, but we’ll definitely bring it up again next Session.

There was also a bill that I carried on water quality improvements. It actually was a platform bill for our caucus. I read a report that Florida is one of the states with the highest amount of lead in our drinking water. So, I was pushing for a study, so that we could better understand the issue and start to remedy this. The bill also is basically asking for the state to implement the recommendations that were made by the Red Tide Task Force that looked at that issue. But, when something is a big hot topic in the moment, the legislature will take action, but then, maybe once the news coverage dies down, they just put things on the back burner. But, our beaches are critical to our economy, so maybe we should be more preventive with it. That was a real disappointment that we couldn’t get that to go anywhere because environmental issues have been fairly bipartisan in recent years.

NN: So, you have one more legislative session in your current role before you’re term-limited out. What’s your next political move?

FD: I have just “officially announced my campaign for Florida State Senate District 16,” which currently is occupied by Darryl Rouson, who also has reached his term limits. (Note-The Dist. 16 seat doesn’t include New Tampa.)

2024-25 School Grades Are Out & Two New Tampa Schools Improved

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

New Tampa’s Hillsborough County public schools continue to earn impressive grades from the Florida Department of Education, which released its 2024-25 School Grades Report earlier this month.

All but one of New Tampa’s elementary and middle schools earned an “A” grade, with Tampa Palms earning a “B” for the second year in a row, after many years of consistent A ratings.

Two New Tampa schools improved from a B to an A. Heritage Elementary earned an A after dipping to a B in 202324. Turner Bartels K-8 earned an A after several years of earning Bs.

“We are so proud of everyone’s hard work,” says Heritage Elementary principal Mary Booth. “It’s a true team effort from teachers and staff, plus our students work so hard and our families are supportive.”

The six schools that maintained their A status include Chiles, Clark, Hunter’s Green and Pride elementary schools and both Benito and Liberty middle schools.

Both of New Tampa’s high schools again earned a “C” grade, as both schools have consistently, going back to 2016.

“But, we’re making growth,” says Taryn Anello, the rincipal at Wharton High. “Across the board, we’ve made gains in every category, and we’re on an upward trend.

We’ve improved 22 points over last year.”

She says she hates for teachers, students and families to feel disheartened because the school’s grade did not improve to a B, when the students, teachers and staff are all working so hard to make gains that they hope will show up in the school’s rating.

“With the storms and the chaotic year we had, sometimes it’s a heavy lift to maintain that focus,” Anello says. “It wasn’t just the adults who went through those hardships, but our kids went through that, too.”

Even those schools that earn an A recognize that boiling so many measurements into just one letter can be problematic, and may not be representative of all of the complexities of an entire school and all of the students within it. The letter grades take into account various measurements to represent student achievement, learning gains, graduation, acceleration success and maintaining a focus on students who need the most support.

For example, Heritage lost just a slight percentage in 2023-24 and dipped an entire letter grade. “It depends on the students in front of you and their needs,” explains Booth. “We look at student learning gains, for example, but sometimes the tests don’t accurately measure the gains we’ve seen.”

Hillsborough County received an overall B grade from the state, which Hillsborough Superintendent of Schools Van Ayres

New Tampa School Grades - 2024-25

2024-25 School Grades — New Tampa Schools

Source: Florida Department of Education

said in an email to families was only one percentage point away from an overall A rating for the District.

“These achievements are a result not only of the hard work of our students, teachers, support professionals and school

Appeals Court Overturns Pebble Creek Golf Course Decision

Although the Pebble Creek Golf Club has been closed for several years, members of the group called Save Pebble Creek, organized by long-time Pebble Creek resident Leslie Green, have been doing everything they could to have the golf club reopen, rather than become single-family homes.

On July 9, the group and the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) won a significant victory in their efforts to prevent golf course owner Bill Place and his Ace Golf and GL Homes (GLA Acquisitions Corporation, or GLA), which has been planning to rezone the 149acre property and build 250 single-family homes on the golf course site.

In July of 2023, the attempt to rezone the golf course property was denied 5-2 by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), after District 2 (which includes all of New Tampa) Commissioner Ken Hagan said he had received 1,800 letters from residents of the community, the vast majority of which were in opposition to the rezoning.

But, in October of last year, the home builder appealed the county commission’s denial of the rezoning request to Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Paul Huey and, on June 24, 2024, Judge Huey “quashed” the BOCC’s denial of the rezoning petition which means, in legal terms, “to set aside or void.” Judge Huey’s ruling on the developer’s appeal was that, “The court cannot find that the Board of County Commissioners relied on competent, substantial evidence when it denied GL Homes’ proposal.”

The county appealed Judge Huey’s decision to the Second District of the District Court of Appeal of Florida, which overturned that decision on June 9 and quashed the lower court’s order (see above) that would have allowed the rezoning.

Commissioner Hagan said of the new ruling, “I am very pleased to report that the Second District Court of Appeal agreed with the County’s rezoning denial and overturned the Circuit Court’s decision. I would like to thank you for your support and vigilance throughout this difficult ordeal. We would not have won without you!” He also previously said that the county would consider buying the golf course “if the price were right.”

Green echoed Hagan’s sentiments regarding the latest decision: “Thanks to the rallying of the

administrators, but also of our laser-like focus on high-quality core instruction in every classroom and intentional progress monitoring to drive these impressive results,” Super-

community and to our Commissioner Ken Hagan’s efforts, we have accomplished our goal of no rezoning that will keep the golf course land around which our entire neighborhood is based protected from development. I hope that we can now work with the landowner to find a more mutually agreeable solution. Ultimately, we would wish to have another golf course operator step in. Commissioner Hagan had mentioned in a Townhall meeting that the county would consider buying it for a municipal golf course. This would meet another goal of ours, which is to avoid having the toxins that lie under the ground dug up for remediation. Now, the land can be used for its intended purpose. I personally look forward to the next step.”

Place said that he would have no comment on the most recent ruling “until GL Homes reviews its options.”

At our press time, we also had not yet received comment from either of the homeowners associations in Pebble Creek. — GN

intendent Ayres said in a media release.

For more info about school grades, visit FLDOE.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/.

Here’s The Latest News From Two Rivers Ranch!

Updates On The County Park & School Sites, Private Club, Peak Surf Park, Publix & The Homes At The Massive Development

Introduction by Gary Nager

As the publisher and editor of the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, I’m having a dilemma — What should I do about the 6,000-acre development known as Two Rivers?

For more than three decades, I have used Morris Bridge Rd. as the eastern boundary of both Wesley Chapel and New Tampa. But, the Thomas family’s Two Rivers Ranch is just to the east of Morris Bridge, both north and south of the Pasco-Hillsborough County line, which, by my definition, is located in unincorporated Zephyrhills (not to be confused with the City of Zephyrhills, which is well north and east of Two Rivers) in Pasco and Thonotosassa in Hillsborough.

But now, with the Pasco side of Two Rivers already home to hundreds of new homes, plus the announcement last year that the Tampa Bay area’s first-ever surf park was coming to the community, and even more recent announcements of a Publix beginning construction, plus a private club, schools and the most recent addition — a Pasco County-record $18-million purchase of 85 acres on the south side of S.R. 56 to be developed as a district park — and its location just to the east of Morris Bridge, it’s clear that Two Rivers is very much Wesley Chapel-like and we have already published multiple stories about it in these pages.

So, my dilemma is — should I start mailing the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News to everyone who currently lives — and those who will one day move into the thousands of additional homes, apartments and townhomes — in Two Rivers?

The answer is most likely going to be “Yes,” even though we’re already mailing our Wesley Chapel issues to more than 40,000 residences and businesses — and more than 110,000 people (according to U.S. Post Office estimates) — in zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545 and Two Rivers addresses (at least so far) are all in 33541.

In other words, to misquote Bette Davis in “All About Eve”: “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!”

Here are the updates on what’s happening on the Pasco side of Two Rivers. A Hillsborough uodate is coming soon.

TWO RIVERS (Pasco side)

Story by Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

While not even a single ounce of dirt has been turned on the Hillsborough side of the Two Rivers development yet, whole communities (and most of the infrastructure— roads, utilities and drainage) — have been completed on the Pasco side, the side we’re going to be focusing our updates on, and there’s quite a bit to update for you.

In case you’re somehow not familiar, Two Rivers is the name for the entire 6,000-acre master planned development being developed on the Thomas family’s Two Rivers Ranch property both

north and south of S.R. 56 between Morris Bridge Rd. and U.S. Hwy. 301, with approximately 3,500 acres in the Pasco portion and 2,000+ acres south of the Pasco-Hillsborough county line, technically in Thonotosassa. The entire Two Rivers development is being managed by the Eisenhower Property Group, with multiple home builders building out the individual communities..

To put the size of Two Rivers into perspective for locals, the combined area of Meadow Pointe II and III, The Ridge, Union Park, Woodcreek and the upcoming Wyndfields development also total about 3,500 acres.

Construction on the project began in late

TWO RIVERS (Hillsborough side)

2022, after the S.R. 56 extension to U.S. 301 was completed in 2019. Most people noticed the two communities on the north side of 56 popping up almost overnight, with entire streets of houses going vertical within a couple of months, and it’s been breakneck speed ever since, with seemingly no shortage of buyers since the beginning.

This article will update the progress on Two Rivers, following meetings with the builders’ sales associates, driving the entire area and researching Pasco and Hillsborough records for clarity.

Our research and discussions indicate that most of the residential development on the Pasco side of Two Rivers will likely be completed within

Walmart

Parcel G Apts

Publix

Oasis at Two Rivers Apts

The Nest at Two Rivers

The Landing at Two Rivers

the next 2-3 years, with the commercial properties taking a little longer. So, anyone wanting a house in Two Rivers should probably start looking soon. 2025 Pasco Plan Amendment Updates

The best way to know what’s coming to Two Rivers is to look at the total entitlements Pasco has granted to the entire development. There was an original list, but it was modified at the beginning of 2025, and included in the “Project Needs Assessment” document from January. Below is the current list of Pasco entitlements:

• Single Family – 4,047 Dwelling Units

• Townhomes – 514 Dwelling Units

• Villas – 108 Dwelling Units

• Multi-Family – 1,878 Dwelling Units

• Assisted Living Facility – 300 Beds

• Office/Target Industry – 1,335,000 sq. ft.

• Retail – 1,335,000 sq. ft.

• Industrial – 1,335,000 sq. ft.

• Hotel – 480 Rooms

• K-8 School – 2,000 Students

• High School – 1,814 Students

• County (District) Park – 85 acres

• Surf Park – 35 acres, 700 parking spaces

These numbers indicate the maximum uses to be granted to the development, so it could be shy of what’s listed. The interesting items are the categories that were deleted, added, or modified.

The first such item to note is that Two Rivers has bucked the recent trend in Wesley Chapel and fully removed the original 55+ community entitlement of 1,125 homes. Added instead to the list is a 300-bed assisted living facility.

Also added are 480 hotel rooms, 108 villas (aka fancy duplexes, especially since Homes by WestBay will be building them) and 514 townhomes, and the number of apartment units was upped from the originally approved 1,400 to 1,878.

Instead of separate 762-student elementary and 1,306-student middle schools, there is now a combined K-8 school of 2,000 students being proposed, which had been rare for Pasco, but Kirkland Ranch K-8 off Curley Rd. is one of the four currently in the county. Combining the two schools on one campus helped free up land space for the retail entitlements to be increased from the original 630,000 to 1,335,000 sq. ft.

Apartments & Townhomes

While the townhomes are shown on the most recent Two Rivers Map, the location of the upcoming apartments had not been.

Six commercial outparcel lots were submitted for plat this year, with 146 townhomes behind them. The plat was finalized in June, and now the townhome parking lot is almost complete, with vertical construction of the townhomes to begin soon.

The first apartment complex on the list is labeled ‘Parcel G Apts’ in the map on pg. 12 (just east of Morris Bridge Rd.). There will be 324 units, with eight 3-story buildings in total. The site ground work has been started and vertical construction should begin soon, as the pool for the apartments received its final permit in April.

The second known apartment complex will be called “Oasis at Two Rivers” on the south side of S.R. 56, directly aligned with the full median opening at the entrance to the Northwater subdivision (at Wide Water Way). Construction of this site is in full swing and Oasis will feature eight 4-story buildings with 344 units in total.

Communities Aplenty

If you drive into Two Rivers, there’s a cohesiveness to the entire development, from

one community to the next. Everything from the playgrounds, to the beautifully designed mail stations, to the heavy emphasis on landscaping, the consistent rustic theme carries clearly throughout. It also helps that almost all of the streets were built by the developer at one time, so there’s no choppiness as you drive back.

In addition to the aesthetics, one thing we quickly noticed was just how much has already been completed — as the Lennar sales office was being converted into the last private residence in the community of Childers, which means that by the time this issue reaches your mailbox, this community on the north side of 56 will be the first in Two Rivers to be completely sold out.

DR Horton sales reps in the Northwater subdivision, also north of 56, believe that community is only be about eight months behind Childers, given how much inventory there is left. Homes in Northwater currently start in the low $300k range for 1,560 sq. ft., but that price point may not last forever, because the next DR Horton community of Archer (south of 56) — with a sales office that has only been open for a couple of weeks — has homes currently starting in the high $400k range, but this could change when the builder moves into narrower 40’ lots in a future phase.

Lennar might only be gone for a short time, as the builder’s next venture will be the community of Creekwood on the eastside. While Lennar has started building houses in Creekwood (well south of 56, almost to the Pasco-Hillsborough line), we did not see any models completed or a sales office open yet.

At the higher end of the current scale, builders like Homes by WestBay and M/I Homes are offering homes reaching well up into the $1-million range, with up to 70’-wide lots, 7

bedrooms, and 5,500 sq. ft. of space, some even offering to build pools before the house closes for an additional charge. Even if this is too rich, there’s a plethora of other builders (10 so far) to fit every need in-between.

Most of the builders we talked to are offering some type of special financing, too, as low as 3.99%, with others covering up to $40k for closing costs, and/or substantial savings in the prices of homes, depending upon when customers intend to buy. These incentives make it seem like now is one of the best times to buy new construction, as the competition is hot to attract potential buyers. Because of the endless choices, most real estate agents in the area still recommend buyers bring an agent with them to tour new construction, as many are well versed and know the ins and outs of the new construction process very well.

See “Two Rivers Updates” on pg. 14

Here’s a complete list of the single-family communities on the Pasco side of Two Rivers. The villas are included, given their prominence:

Two Rivers North:

•Childers (Lennar)

• Northwater (DR Horton)

Two Rivers West:

• Tamarack (Park Square Homes & William Ryan Homes)

•Ryals Field (Homes by WestBay)

•Fairwood ‘villas’ (Homes by WestBay)

•Delyle (Pulte Homes)

•Shortgrass (M/I Homes)

•Hammock (DR Horton, Pulte Homes, Taylor Morrison Homes)

•Holter (unknown at this time)

Two Rivers East:

•Archer (DR Horton)

•Fieldcrest (Casa Fresca Homes)

•Ackley (Meritage Homes)

•Creekside (Lennar)

Clubhouses & Amenities

The only two single-family communities in Two Rivers to have their own amenities inside the subdivisions themselves are those located north of 56 — Childers and Northwater, each of which has its own pool, clubhouse and playgrounds.

All of the other single-family communities in Two Rivers listed above will have one central amenity center, depending upon which side of Two Rivers a resident lives.

The Two Rivers East communities will have access to The Nest at Two Rivers, which will have everything one might expect from a normal-sized community amenity center, like a pool, pickleball courts, dog park, playground and a clubhouse (but no gym). The Nest currently is under construction and should be completed sometime in early 2026.

The Two Rivers West communities will have a larger The Landing at Two Rivers, a private social club whose size reminds us of the exceptionally large amenity center in Connerton up in northern Land O’Lakes. This will be an independent private club, not associated with an HOA or CDD, to keep the consistency and quality high. As stated in The Landing’s club brochure, “Our lifestyle director and team will be on-site managing club operations and member experience.”

The 23,000-sq.-ft. amenity center at The Landing (rendering top right) has just begun construction and is anticipated to open by late 2026, with a hefty price tag of $27 million. It will offer a lot for residents, including tennis and pickleball courts, playgrounds, event pavilions, massive resort-style swimming pool with slide, along with a junior Olympic-sized lap pool, poolside food and drink service, bars, onsite casual and fine dining, and a dedicated fitness building complete with separate cycling and aerobics/yoga studios, where classes will be offered.

In the future, Two Rivers will be adding one more club feature on the Hillsborough side that many newer communities have stopped providing — a golf course. Speaking of the future Hillsborough side, the developer writes, “The centerpiece of this community is a private, members-only 18-hole golf course designed by renowned Scottish architect David McLay-Kidd. Expect a golfing experience that breaks free from the typical Tampa landscape, with subtle nuances that transport players to a world afar.”

It’s Important To Know Your Fees!

Every potential Two Rivers resident needs to understand their Homeowners Association (HOA) fees and what they include, the Community Development District (CDD) fees, and whether or not there is a separate mandatory club fee — for each community. Here’s what we found;

It appears that all Two Rivers communities will have an annual CDD (whether for Two Rivers East, West, or North) fee. The CDD fees range from around $1,700 in the villas, up to $3,500 for other communities, depending upon lot width, builder and which side of Two Rivers the community is on. The manager for all of the CDDs is listed as Jayna Cooper with Inframark.

Two Rivers North appears to have higher (on average) CDD fees, because both Childers and Northwater have their own amenities, but their HOA fee is lower — less than $15 a month — because utilities have to be paid separately.

However, in Two Rivers East and West, the HOA fees are higher, from around $70-$140 a month ($385 for the villas because that includes exterior maintenance), due to the HOA fees in these sections also including Spectrum UltraFI Internet with speeds advertised up to 2 gigabits/sec (Gbps).

That seems like a good deal, considering many Spectrum customers (not new customers on a promotion) could be paying around $95 a month for regular high-speed internet (400 Mbps) with wifi, due to Spectrum’s advertised price hikes.

It appears that annual CDD fees for Two Rivers West are about $1,000 lower on average than East, but that is due to the fact that there will be a separate mandatory $285 monthly fee per household ($3,420 annually) for all West residents to have The Landing Private Club membership.

This mandatory fee is expected to begin in mid-2026, as the club gets closer to opening. This means that some West communities could have well over $600 per month total in community fees. For the villas, it would be just over $800/month.

For East residents, the CDD fee also includes access to The Nest amenity center. Holter, in Two Rivers West, is the only community that isn’t currently listed for any amenities, nor does it have any itself, and we’re not sure if additional info about Holter will be made available in the future.

Walmart & Publix

For a while now, residents have been looking forward to a proposed Lowe’s Home Improvement store, which was expected to be built at the southwest corner of S.R. 56 at Morris Bridge Rd. Unfortunately, that preliminary plan is gone and has been replaced with a full set of final engineering plans for a new Walmart, which were submitted to Pasco on June 11.

While not technically located inside of Two Rivers (see map on pg. 12), Walmart is being proposed just outside of the development, and will serve the residents at a very convenient location, considering the closest Walmart is eight miles away, on S.R. 54. The plan also shows something very interesting — a proposed roundabout on Morris Bridge Rd. as a way to handle traffic entering and exiting the southern driveway, located halfway between S.R. 56 and Colston Ave.

While nothing in the permit explicitly states that this is a new Walmart, the size is correct, and it has a proposed liquor store, a drive-through pharmacy and the curbside pick-up area design is uniquely Walmart’s new model. It’s what the New Tampa Walmart was changed to look like.

One thing we are certain of is that Publix has a plan to be in Two Rivers, and had even started

construction, but things abruptly stopped. The Publix location is right at the main entrance to Two Rivers in a spot that actually didn’t seem obvious for a grocery store, at the southwest corner of S.R. 56 at Two Rivers Blvd.

It almost doesn’t seem big enough for a Publix, but that could be because, unlike many other Publix stores that are part of plazas, this will be a fully standalone Publix,, with no other stores (except Publix Liquors) or outparcels on the site.

The permit reads, “This project entails the construction of a 58,834 SF Publix and a 2,100 SF Liquor store with associated vehicular use areas, parking, landscaping, utility connections, and storm water conveyance into the existing storm ponds.” A review of the plans shows it also has a drive-up pharmacy.

Some earthwork grading on the site is already completed, and the outline of the building and parking lot can be seen, but otherwise it appears construction is on hold for the parcel. We investigated a rumor that it was on hold because there was a question as to who would be installing the signal on S.R. 56, and when it might be installed, but had no confirmation from Pasco County staff about that rumor.

The permit shows that Traffic, Planning, and a few other county departments issued comments to request additional revisions to the updated plans that were submitted in April of this year but the revised plans have not yet been produced, which is likely what is causing the hold-up.

Schools & Parks

Two Rivers doesn’t yet have any schools built, but given the overall size of the community, this will become a necessity soon. Currently, Two Rivers residents are zoned for Chester Taylor Elementary, R.B. Stewart Middle School and Zephyrhills High, with an option for students to apply to go to either of the nearby charter schools — Union Park Academy K-8 or Pinecrest Academy K-9.

The Pasco County School District recently solidified a clearer plan for the Two Rivers school locations than it had at the beginning of the development, but there’s still a question as to when it will proceed forward, as we are not aware of any formal site plans that have been submitted yet.

What is known is that the School Board has purchased the two parcels (see map on pg. 15) needed for the proposed 2,000 student K-8 school — one of 23.43 acres and the other of 12.4 acres — for a total of 35.83 acres at the northern limit of the development, just east of Northwater, for $8.15 million total in Oct. of 2024.

For perspective, John Long Middle School’s site in Wiregrass Ranch is 29.2 acres, which means this Two Rivers K-8 school might have to be multistory to fit on the site. The proposed 40acre (50 acres gross), 1,914-student high school site immediately to the south, has been identified, but has not been purchased yet. This site also is a little on the small side, compared with, say, Wiregrass Ranch High, which is 60 acres, meaning it’s likely the future high school might also have to be multistory to fit.

Immediately east of the school sites is planned to be an 80-acre (85 acres gross) Pasco County Park, similar in size and function to the Wesley Chapel District Park on Vandine Rd. (see story on pg. 15). And, although Two Rivers is not getting a massive Crystal Lagoon, as we reported last year, it is expected to have Peak Surf Park, the first of its kind in this part of Florida, although no plans have yet been filed. It was announced that Peak owner Tony Miller was planning to acquire 35 acres immediately east of the county park location to build the surf park.

The most recent park rendering indicates that the 700 or so parking spaces (according to the plan amendment discussed on pg. 13) were covered with solar panels, so it will be interesting to see if Miller plans to generate all the electricity the surf park will need, or if that’s just for show.

The Landing Private Club is a separate amenity for Two Rivers West residents only. Renderings source: TwoRiversFL.com

Pasco To Buy Two Rivers Park Site For Record $18M+

At the June 17 Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, the commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the purchase from EPG Two Rivers QOZP LLC of an 85-acre (roughly 80 acres net) site at the eastern end of the Two Rivers development (see map above). The park site is located to the east of a 35.83acre site purchased by the Pasco School District in Oct. 2024 for what is now being planned as a combined campus for grades K-8.

To the south of the K-8 school site is a 50+acre site (about 40 acres net) dedicated for a high school, although the School District has not yet purchased that site.

“This is the most money we’ve ever spent on a park site,” said District 5 Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano during the June 17 meeting. “In the future, when we’re negotiating, I think we have to start working these developers at the start, saying that we want to put a park there and we want a good price. I think we should say we’re going to build it quicker to help sell more homes, instead of coming in at the end. Then, we’d have a lot more leverage to get it done.”

District 2 Commissioner Seth Weightman, who took the vote to purchase the park off the BCC’s consent agenda in order to discuss it, noted, however, that, “The park site is the most prime piece of real estate in the [Two Rivers] project for commercial development. Historically, the county gets less-than-desirable properties for park sites.”

Among those less-desirable park sites, apparently, is the planned 240-acre “Superpark”

located in the Villages of Pasadena Hills, adjacent to the Connected City, both of which are located in Commissioner Ron Oakley’s District 1.

The BCC and parks director Keith Wiley have been looking into procuring additional park land in Pasco’s “Connected City” itself since the Apr. 9 BCC meeting, but there was no discussion of those efforts when the Two Rivers park purchase was discussed on June 17.

Commissioner Oakley — Two Rivers also is in his district — said, “I’m very grateful this is coming forward. It’s another large park in District 1 and we need as many parks as we can get. It takes a lot of funds to have more and better parks. This park is going to be great and I’ve been working with Robert Thomas (whose family owns the Two Rivers Ranch, where the Two Rivers community is being developed) to name it the ‘Bob Thomas Memorial Park at Two Rivers.’”

We were told by the county staff that the size of the Two Rivers development triggered the County’s parks concurrency requirement — one community park (20-80 upland acres) is needed per 20,000 residents, a district park (80+ acres) per 55,000, and a natural resources park per 85,000 residents. As part of the zoning process, the developer was required to dedicate park land. By law, the County has to purchase that park land at fair market value. In this case, the appraised value was $18 million. County staff told the Neighborhood News that the purchase, however, wasn’t entirely in cash. The agreement included $13.5 million in cash, $3 million in park impact land credits, and about $1.6 million in facility credits. — GN

Sports Facilities Companies To Begin Managing Sports Campus Aug. 1!

Pasco BCC Votes 4-1 To Bring In Veteran Management Company; Parking At The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus

By Gary Nager

Clearwater-based Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), which manages 90 sports facilities around the country, will take over the management of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus (WRSC) on August 1. That’s the good news.

The better news is that SFC has six months to figure out the long-standing problem of not having enough parking at the facility. The not-asgood news, according to the only Pasco County commissioner who voted against entering into the agreement at the June 17 Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, is that improving the parking situation isn’t in black-&-white on that agreement.

When the BCC voted 4-1 to approve SFC as the new management company to operate the Sports Campus, District 5 Commissioner Jack Mariano cast the only dissenting vote — not because he doesn’t think SFC will do a good job of managing the facility, but because there is no official commitment regarding parking in place in the agreement, other than SFC has agreed to conduct a feasibility study, to determine the best way to add more parking at WRSC.

Mariano also said that it was obvious that the county’s tourism department, which goes by the moniker “Florida’s Sports Coast,” did not do a thorough or correct enough job of looking for a new operator when it put out its Request for Proposals (RFP) for companies to take over the management of the Sports Campus.

“You say you did it right,” Comm. Mariano said to deputy director of tourism Consuelo Sanchez before the agreement was voted on by the BCC. “But, we had only one bidder. If this company coming in says you need to do a feasibility study and you haven’t already done that, you can tell me you think you did a good job, but there’s a flaw there and they (SFC) exposed it.”

Sanchez said that the RFP went out to 7,800 sports facilities operators around the country, with only four responses and only one company, SFC, that submitted a bid.

Since June of 2023, the $56-million WRSC has been managed by Pasco’s Parks & Recreation Dept., after the BCC first voted to default (in Oct. 2022) and then bought out the contract of WRSC’s previous operator (RADDSports). According to RADDSports partner Anthony Homer, however, his company was on track to bring in 40,000 room nights when the agreement was bought out in 2023.

In 2024, the first full year the county managed the facility, Sanchez told the commissioners that the events at WRSC only brought in 21,000 room nights and the facility was on pace for about the same number of nights this year. SFC has committed to bringing in 30,000 room nights annually. The county, which is still paying off the four-year, $3-million buyout of RADDSports’ agreement, also has incurred costs of about $20,000 per month for the Parks Dept. to run the WRSC.

Under the newly approved agreement with

To Be Addressed

Eric Sullivan of Sports Facilities Companies (at microphone) and Pasco County deputy director of tourism Consuelo Sanchez (right) discuss the plans for parking improvements at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, prior to SFC being awarded the contract by the Board of County Commissioners to manage the facility. (Source: Screenshot from Pasco BCC meeting on YouTube, June 17. 2025)

SFC, the county will pay SFC $750,000 — an initial financial commitment of $500,000, which Sanchez called “bridge funding to offset potential revenue shortfalls,” plus a “management fee of $18,000 per month paid out of the Operating Account (an account to be managed by SFC which serves as the central fund to collect facility revenue and disburse expenses).” The 10-year agreement also calls for, “up to $250,000 for Facility Floor Resurfacing Reimbursement, since Sanchez said, “the gym floors [at WRSC] haven’t been resurfaced since the facility opened in 2020.”

She added, “This necessary upgrade must be completed regardless of facility management to ensure athlete safety, event eligibility and competitive standards.”

When Comm. Mariano raised the question of whether or not SFC was planning to provide additional parking for the Sports Campus, which already has a huge lack of proper available parking, Sanchez called Sullivan up to the microphone to confirm that his company is planning to conduct the feasibility study.

Sullivan noted, “We are really excited about this opportunity. We’ve been working diligently with Consuelo, with Keith (Pasco Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources director Keith Wiley) and their teams to find out what’s been working at the facility and what needs to be improved upon — and parking has been one of the challenges. It does us no good to not have convenient and adequate parking and we have full intention of solving the parking solution. We have proposals from three parking garage developers — two from here in the Tampa Bay region — and we know [parking] is going to be the number one thing we need to address.”

Wiley said that it appears that the only available space for more parking at the facility is an 18-acre lot located north of the 98,000-sq.ft. AdventHealth Sports Arena, which already is north of the five outdoor fields.

“It is a bit of a walk from that location to those fields,” Wiley admitted. Dist. 3 Commissioner & Board chair Kathryn Starkey asked if golf carts could possibly shuttle people back and forth from the parking area to and from the fields.

The resolution passed 4-1, with Mariano’s the only “Nay” because of the parking concerns.

Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter, who attended the June 17 meeting, but was not asked to speak, told the Neighborhood News after the meeting, “We are very pleased with the approval by the Board of the outside operator. From our conversations and research, they [SFC] seem more than capable of running the facility, as the donation agreement outlines, as an upper echelon sports tourism facility. We look forward to [SFC] raising the bar of the tournaments and tax dollars brought into Pasco County.”

Following the vote, the Neighborhood News emailed Sullivan a number of questions about SFC’s plans for the Sports Campus, including:

1)Will SFC have management on-site at the facility?

2)How many weekend events are already on the books at WRSC for the rest of 2025?

3)Are there any weekends available this year for SFC to book events? If not, when will SFC (or its LLC created to run the Sports Campus, WRSC SFM, LLC) be able to start adding new weekend events?

4)Will you be retaining all of the existing employees at the Sports Campus or will you be deciding on a case-by-case basis which of those employees you will retain?

5) Will you be continuing the local programming that’s currently in place or will SFC be replacing that programming with programs of its own?

6)When will the parking feasibility study actually begin?

7)Have you spoken with JD Porter and/ or Scott Sheridan of Locust Branch, LLC, since being awarded the contract?

8)Have you been in contact with the

not take over operations until Aug 1. I would like to kindly decline any media interviews/discussions until we are formally engaged. I appreciate

understanding.”

Peachtree Group about the Residence Inn that shares the Sports Campus site to address any concerns the hotel company may have? Sullivan’s response to our email was: “We do

your

Upcoming Events — Free Sports Physicals, ‘Pasco 2050,’ Music For

Wednesday, July 23, 3 p.m.-4 p.m. –Summer Reading – Music with Mr. Brad. At New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.). Join Mr. Brad in this entertaining sing-along musical adventure. Featuring a variety of instruments, he will get the kids moving, dancing, singing, and laughing all while teaching about music. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 273-3652 or visit attend.hcplc.org/ event/13370851.

Wednesday, July 23, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. –Pasco Education Foundation’s Wise Supplies “Stuff the Truck” & “Dine to Donate.” At Bubba’s 33 (26340 Silver Maple Pkwy.). Drop off school supplies for teachers and students in Pasco County and stay for dinner and 10% of your bill will be donated back to Wise Supplies. Kids eat for just $.0.99. For more info, call (813)794-2705, email SJohnson@PascoEducationFoundation.org or visit PascoEducationFoundation.org/ourevents/stuff-the-bus/.

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 left.

Monday, July 28, 7 p.m. – New Tampa Democratic Club Monthly Meeting. At New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek

Blvd.). Guest speaker: Vanessa Lester, Hillsborough County Democratic Party Chair. Free to attend. For more info, visit NewTampaDemocrats.com or Facebook.com/NewTampaDemocrats or see the ad on this page.

Thursday, July 31, 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. – 1st Annual Jingle Mingle. At Hyatt Place, Sierra Conference Center (26000 Sierra

Blvd.). Join amazing clients, partners and local friends for a festive Jingle Mingle Celebration. Enjoy light bites, cheerful sips and great company. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 803-5600 or to reserve your free tickets visit Eventbrite. com/e/jingle-mingle-tickets-1422424332469?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Friday, August 1, 9 a.m-10:30 a.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Leading Ladies. At USF Credit Union (20610 Bruce B Downs, Conference Room). Business Roundtable Discussion – Topic: Is the grass really greener on the other side?

Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship. $15 to attend, online registration is required. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or to register visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Kids, Theatre & More

Tuesday, August 5, 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Business Breakfast. At Pasco Hernando State College, Porter Campus (2727 Mansfield Blvd.). This month’s speaker is Ron Weaver, Land Development and Zoning Attorney. $25/members, $30 non-members to attend.

For more information, call (813) 9948534 or to register, visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Wednesday, August 16, at 6 p.m. & 9 p.m. – Keith Washington Celebrates the Music of Teddy Pendergrass. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Join us for a night you won’t forget as Grammy-nominated R&B sensation Keith Washington salutes the smooth, soul-touching sounds of the legendary Teddy Pendergrass. Comedian Finesse Mitchell also will perform. Tickets $79-$89 reserved seating. For more information, call (813) 829-2760 or see the ad on this page. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.

New Tampa Democratic Club

Guest Speaker: Vanessa Lester, Hillsborough County Democratic Party Chair newtampademocrats.com https://www.facebook.com/NewTampaDemocrats

New Tampa Players To Present The Tony Award-Winning Classic ‘The Music Man!”

Oh, the Wells Fargo Wagon is coming... to the stage at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center! The New Tampa Players, New Tampa’s community theater troupe, is preparing to open its summer production of “The Music Man.”

This classic musical features toe-tapping tunes, colorful costumes and a cast filled with neighbors, teachers and students. “The Music Man” is bringing people together both onstage and off.

“The New Tampa Players (NTP) chose ‘Music Man’ for this summer because it is just fun that will have our audiences humming the tunes for days! It has big dance numbers, silly comedy and characters that make you smile!,” says NTP producing artistic director Nora Paine.

The cast of 40 includes a wide range of community members — from first-time performers to stage veterans. David Groomes and Becky Groomes, veterans of the Tampa stage, join NTP’s cast as the con man Harold Hill and the River City mayor’s wife Eulalie Shinn. Melanie Marie Bierwieler, who earned raves as Lina in last summer’s “Singin’ in the Rain,” plays the female lead, Marian Paroo, River City’s prim and skeptical librarian.

Set in 1912, “The Music Man,” which won five Tony Awards in 1958, including Best Musical, was written by Meredith Wilson. It tells the story of Harold Hill (originally played by Tony winner Robert Preston and by Hugh Jackman in the 2022 Broadway revival), a

charming con man who poses as a traveling bandleader. He arrives in River City, Iowa, planning to sell instruments and uniforms to the townspeople, and then skip town without teaching the children how to play.

However, Harold’s plan starts to unravel when he falls for Marian (originally played by Tony winner Barbara Cook on Broadway), the town’s librarian and piano teacher. As he grows genuinely fond of Marian and the community, Harold inadvertently brings the town together — creating a boys’ band and actually lifting local spirits.

In the end, despite being exposed as a fraud, Harold is forgiven by the townspeople, thanks in large part to Marian’s support and the unexpected positive impact he ends up having on the town. The show celebrates themes of transformation, redemption and community.

Whether you know every lyric to “Seventy-Six Trombones” or are new to River City, “The Music Man” promises an unforgettable night of music, heart and good old-fashioned fun.

Performances will run Fridays-Sundays, July 25-27 and August 1-3 at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center, with both evening and matinee options. Tickets can be purchased at NewTampaPlayers.thundertix.com. For more info, visit NewTampaPlayers.org or see the ad below. — Special to the Neighborhood News, including the photos on this page.

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David Groomes (left) plays Henry Hill & Melanie Marie Bierwieler is Marian Paroo in the New Tampa Players’ production of “The Music Man” July 25-27 & Aug. 1-3 at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center.

North Tampa Bay Chamber Officially Opens New Office At The Shops At Wiregrass!

Although we post photos from North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting events pretty much every issue, the photos on this page are from the Chamber’s own ribbon-cutting event during the official Grand Opening Celebration at its office next to Dillard’s at The Shops at Wiregrass on June 26!

Yes, the office, which NTBC president & CEO Hope Kennedy says will be the Chamber’s last move for as long as she’s in charge, has been open for a few months, but Hope, office administrator Darlene Hill, Board chair Angelique Lenox and more than 100 people packed the Chamber office and enjoyed food from Chamber members Bubba’s 33, Texas Roadhouse, Jimmy John’s and 3 Natives. Dist. 2 Pasco Commissioner Seth Weightman talked about the days when the Chamber had a small office at the Brookside Prof. Park and Board past chair Roberto Hiller and Angelique gave Hope an award for her years of service and her impact on the Chamber and the community. — GN; some photos on this

page by French Flare Photography

On June 25, Deep Roots Dental & Facial Aesthetics, the office of cosmetic & sedation dentist Marnie Bauer, D.M.D. (below center), celebrated the Grand Opening of her second office (the other is in South Tampa) with an North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC; see previous page) ribbon-cutting event.

According to DeepRootsFlorida.com, “[Deep Roots] redefines the traditional dental experience by seamlessly blending state-of-theart dental services with the calming ambiance of a luxury wellness center.”

The new office, located at 3013 Allegra Way, in the Cypress Bend Professional Park

Monty Bryan, Broker/Owner @ (813)833-7786

(off Wesley Chapel Blvd.) in Lutz, is definitely beautiful and calming, with several exam and treatment rooms and room to add more practitioners, in addition to Dr. Bauer, who also helps those with sleep apnea who have difficulty dealing with their CPAP devices.

Jannah, who won a free facial during the Grand Opening event, recently claimed her prize and “thoroughly enjoyed” her facial with Deep Roots’ licensed medical aesthetician Angela White. “It was a relaxing and informative experience.” For more info, call (813) 667-9300 or visit DeepRootsFlorida.com — and please tell Dr. Bauer & staff we sent you! — GN

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PROtential Sports — 23 Years Of Great People, Camps & After-School Programs!

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

With the summer now just about over, what are your plans for your kids when school starts again and that last bell rings every day?

There are hundreds — or maybe even thousands — of parents over the last 23 years in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas who will wholeheartedly recommend that you trust your kids to my friends Tony and Nyree Bland (photo) of PROtential Sports.

The Blands aren’t in the camp/after-school business because there’s a lot of money in it. They’ve been running some of the longestrunning camps in our area because they love kids and want to play a positive role in their development when they’re not under your care.

Both of my sons were among PROtential’s earliest customers, including their after-school program, which they attended both in and outside at Benito Middle School. I give Tony and Nyree credit for helping my sons, now both in their 30s, become not only better young athletes, but also better people who learned teamwork, sportsmanship and character from these two former outstanding athletes — and great people.

Tony was a wide receiver who played for Florida A&M University in Tallahassee and for four years with the Minnesota Vikings in the late 1990s, where he was in the same receivers room as Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss.

While he was with the Vikings, Tony became friends with the team’s QB Brad Johnson, who later led the Tampa Bay Bucs to their first-

Super Bowl win in 2002 (Super Bowl XXXVII).

“After my career ended,” Tony says, “I was doing a lot of these NFL summer camps for kids, which could sometimes have a thousand kids. I decided to do a smaller camp of my own, at the New Tampa Community Park in Tampa Palms, and Brad was one of the NFL guys who helped me. That’s where PROtential got started.”

Thanks to Tony’s outstanding coaching and inspirational speeches, Nyree’s business savvy and, they say, their ads in the Neighborhood News, the fledgling youth sports camps and programs grew like wildfire. Nyree, who was the top-ranked girls tennis player in North Carolina for two years, decided to turn pro at 18 (instead of accepting offers from Duke, Harvard or Wake Forest) when she hurt her back badly enough to end what looked to be a promising pro career.

Tony has a daughter from a previous mar riage but together, the Blands have a son, Tony II, who is going into his senior year at Berkeley Prep and already has Division I scholarship offers from Toledo University, Western Michigan, U Mass and others. “If Tony II (he’s 5’-11”) had Tony’s height (6’-4’),” Nyree says, “he’d be getting offers from Florida and Clemson.”

“Yeah, he’s faster than I was,” Tony adds.

But, the Blands both learned the hard way that not every young athlete will even make it to the big-money-making top tier in any sport.

That’s why, in addition to outstanding training from coaches who are former college and some pro athletes, PROtential focuses on “teaching life through sports,” with inspirational talks, small groups and individualized attention.

soccer and more and focus on sportsmanship, listening, following directions and teamwork.

The after-school programs are available Mon.-Fri., 2 p.m.-6 p.m., for just $55/week.

And, PROtential will pick up your kids from Pride, Heritage, Hunter’s Green, Clark, Chiles and Tampa Palms elementary schools, plus Turner-Bartels K-8 School, at no extra charge.

Meanwhile, in Wesley Chapel, the afterschool program also is being offered at the Seven Oaks clubhouse, with pickup service available

my kids attend summer camp and enjoy swimming, playing sports and going on field trips.”

Also, PROtential’s NFL Flag Football program starts Sept. 27. Tony (who is still at his NFL playing weight at age 52 and still has an eight-pack, according to Nyree) teaches the fundamentals of the game, and sportsmanship and teamwork, as always, also are stressed.

For more information about PROtential Sports, call (813) 843-9460, visit PROtentialSports.com or see the ad on pg. 28.

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Roy Caldwood Is An American Hero Who May Be The Last Surviving Buffalo Soldier!

By Gary Nager

Editor’s note — One week after I interviewed Cory Lake Isles resident and retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Remo Butler — the first-ever Black General of the U.S. Special Forces — on the same day Gen. Butler attended the celebration of the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army in downtown Tampa on June 14 , I interviewed former U.S. Army vet, “Buffalo Soldier” and Grand Hampton resident Roy Caldwood, who took a very different path to becoming the true American hero he is today.

Gen. Butler and Army PFC (private first class) Roy Caldwood were both honored during that June 14 celebration and the two have become friends over the past couple of years, thanks in no small part to an introduction of the two by District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera.

Although I was hoping to tell Roy’s story in the same edition as Gen. Butler’s, I wasn’t able to schedule both interviews before I had to go to press with that June 24 issue, so the first half of Roy’s own amazing story appears in this issue instead. — GN

The first time I met World War II veteran and Grand Hampton resident Roy Caldwood, his 101st birthday was being celebrated at Grace Episcopal Church in Tampa Palms (the church Roy and his daughter Diane Royer attend) in Aug. 2023.

After that encounter, I told Roy I was excited to buy his book entitled Making The Right Moves: Rikers Island & NYC Corrections; Being Calm in the Storm about his harrowing experience as an assistant deputy warden who was held hostage during a riot at the notorious Rikers Island prison in his native New York City in 1972 (more than two decades after he completed his military service).

I also said that the next time I interviewed Roy, I wanted to talk about not only the two Rikers Island riots he survived but also his experiences as a “Buffalo Soldier” during WWII. In fact, today Roy may be the last surviving member of that 92nd Infantry Division, which was the only Black regiment that saw combat during the war.

I say “may be” because, according to the AI response I received during a Google search, the last surviving Buffalo Soldier was a man named Robert Dixon, who passed away in Nov. 2024 at the age of 103 — the same age Roy Caldwood is today. (So, for those of you who believe everything AI tells you, try doing some research on your own sometimes.)

But, Roy is not only still very much alive, he is a vibrant man who can still do “probably 40” pushups (although he says 20-30 is his usual limit) and who loves recounting his stories of the Second World War and his century-pluslong lifetime of amazing stories. If you ever get the chance to meet him, ask him to tell you one story and you will end up being regaled by many tales of bravery, heroism and true evidence of why the members of the American military who fought in — and ultimately won —WWII have been dubbed “The Greatest Generation.”

From Humble Beginnings

Roy J. Caldwood was born in New York City on July 10, 1922. Although his parents never divorced, he says they were separated because his mother, a devout Christian, could not deal with his father’s gambling.

“My father didn’t live very far from us,” Roy says. “He worked as an elevator operator and when I became a teenager and wanted to take a young lady on a date, I would visit my father at work and he’d give me a dollar. But I was raised without a father and the discipline that many of my buddies had growing up.”

In fact, Roy says, when he was picked on by bullies at school — which happened a lot because he was small and slight — he had to run home to get his “sister” (actually a cousin that Roy’s mother raised) to help him fight his battles. “If I went home and got my sister,” he laughs, “those boys would be scared.”

Eventually, a much larger classmate at the Parochial school he attended, “even though we weren’t Catholic,” took pity on him, “and taught me how to box. After a couple of lessons, I didn’t need my sister to fight my battles for me anymore.”

He admits that the nuns at the Catholic school were the only ones who ever really disciplined him. “If our teacher left the room and came back, she’d ask, ‘Who was talking while I was out?’ and some of the kids would rat on each other,” which could cause them to get whacked on the knuckles by a ruler. “That was enough to keep me from getting out of line too often.”

He also recalls an incident where, “I guess I did something bad. I don’t remember exactly what I did, but one thing I’ll never forget was that the nuns called for a bigger guy, an older student, and he picked me up and stuffed me in the dumbwaiter. I’ll never forget that. But, it was actually good for me. I learned how to control myself.”

On To The Army

After high school, Roy says he went to his draft board and mentioned that he was interested in medicine. “They put me in the Army, with 16 other Black guys, and said they were going to put us in a medical outpost or something, but they sent us to Camp Patrick Henry in Virginia and we formed a basketball team. And we were good. But then, I heard about this guy they called ‘Sweetwater’ Clifton, and I said, ‘We gotta this guy,’ so we drafted him and we played against colleges in the south...and beat the hell out of them.” (Note-Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton went on to become one of the first Black players in the then-fledgling NBA after serving in WWII from 1942-45.)

When they weren’t shooting hoops, Roy says that all he and his basketball buddies did at Patrick Henry was kill mosquitoes, “and we all hated it. But then, I read an article in Stars & Stripes magazine that the 92nd Infantry Division was badly in need of more help, so I got two of my buddies to go with me and we were sent off to Fort Huachuca in (southeast) Arizona,” which was the base of operations for the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Regiment from 1913-33 and was home to 25,000 soldiers during WWII.

“So, they put me and my two buddies in the medical unit and we had to pass a test to

Army medical/surgical technicians, and we all passed, no problem.”

But then, Roy says he got diarrhea and ended up in the hospital. He says the Army was “breaking down Black combat outfits and making them into labor battalions. They had already done that with the only Black division that they had before — the 93rd — and they sent them to the Pacific. They were going to do the same thing with the 92nd, but the Black leaders fought them. So, they came to a compromise. They said, ‘We’ll allow one infantry unit to go to Italy and go into combat and see how they do. In the meantime, I’m in the hospital trying to get out, and they wouldn’t let me out, so I just left.”

Roy says he went to the Day Room and spoke to the clerk there, who said, “Well, you have to pass the ‘Fit to Fight’ test, so you can qualify if the 92nd Infantry Division does go overseas.”

But, even though he had just left the hospital, “I’m dragging, you know, but I still passed. The only problem was that they made my two buddies corporals, but not me. They made me a private.”

Off To War

So the 370 Regiment (which participated in the Allied assault on the Gothic Line, including the capture of Lucca, Italy, as part of the 92nd Infantry Division) did just fine in battle.

“But, you read nothing about us in the American papers, while the European papers were full of news about the ‘Buffalos.’ But they said, ‘O.K., the rest of the 92nd division can go over.”

In 1944, as the European campaign was winding down (Note - In Sept. 1943, Italy was no longer allied with Germany, after fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was ousted), Roy says he and the rest of the 92nd went in zigzag on a boat, “because the Germans were right there and, as we were approaching Italy, the boat tried to stop at one island, but they asked , ‘Do you have Blacks on board?’ They said, ‘Yes,’ so they said, ‘Well, then you can’t stop here.’”

But then, the boat pulled up into Naples, where there were a lot of black longshoremen, “and oh, were they happy to see us,” Roy says.

“They said, we are having a horrible time here because of the ‘Ugly Americans.’ The Italian longshoremen called White Americans ‘Ugly” because they looked down their noses at every other country. So, they were happy as hell to see us and they said, ‘We’ve been following you guys, so you won’t be having any problems anymore.’”

After spending that one night in Naples, the 92nd proceeded on to Viareggio.

“I think it was maybe the first morning, and I hear us firing our mortars,” Roy says. “I go outside and I see the lieutenant and the squad, and they’re practicing their mortars. They say, ‘If the Germans come, they can come two ways — over the mountain, and we have a platoon up there, and we’re protecting down below.’”

Roy says he said to himself, “They should be warning the people where these mortars are falling. And then, I hear the sergeant say, ‘I think we hit one of their mules.’ I wanted to do something to warn the people in the village, but I can’t tell the lieutenant what to do. I’m just a medic. But, I can go warn these people myself. So, I said to the sergeant, ‘I am going over there to tell the people that we’re practicing our mortars and it’s a dangerous area, so they should take precautions — go in their houses and safeguard their animals.’

“The sergeant said to me, ‘You can go over there, but I am not going to stop firing the mortars.’ So, I said to him. ‘I’m going over there. You can keep on firing those mortars over there. But, if you don’t kill me, do not be here when I come back.’”

He adds, “Then, the lieutenant says to me, ‘You don’t talk to my sergeant like that.’ I said, ‘OK, fine.’ But, I still went over there to warn them and came back and nobody said anything.”

But then, over the next couple of days, one of the soldiers came to Roy and said he had a rash on his back. “I looked at it and said, “I’m sending you back to the rear. You need treatment. I can’t help you here [on the front lines].

“But, the lieutenant said, ‘Private, I don’t have enough soldiers up here now. You can’t send anybody back to the rear.’

“But, I didn’t pay him any attention,” Roy says. “I sent [the soldier] back to the rear anyway. I knew when he was supposed to be going out on patrol. And, when that day came, I picked up a rifle and took off my gear and I took his place. The lieutenant was surprised.

Grand Hampton residents Diane Royer and her father and former WWII Buffalo Soldier Roy Caldwood become

“But, that started it. From then on, any suggestion I made to the lieutenant, he’d say, ‘O.K.’ And yes, I made all kinds of suggestions.”

For example, Roy got the lieutenant to agree to allow the soldiers to have a dance — “Even the lieutenant danced the night away — because I said I thought it would be a good idea for morale, and it was. That was the first of many ‘O.K.s’ I got from him.”

The ‘Purple Heart Stretch’

As the American troops were moving through Viareggio, they were notified about a dangerous stretch of road known as the “Purple Heart Stretch.”

“When we got into this village,” Roy says, “the lieutenant called for a meeting of the townspeople and told them, ‘You will not be allowed to leave this village for any reason whatsoever. Nobody leaves this village.’ And this guy, he’s like the mayor of the village, or whatever, says to the lieutenant, ‘We have not been able to buy food. I don’t know why. And we are all really getting hungry. We need food very badly.’

“But then, the lieutenant says, ‘I told you, nobody leaves!’ But, I’m always trying to solve problems and I’m thinking, ‘I gotta help these people,’ but what can I say? The captain already gave the lieutenant his orders — ‘Nobody leaves the village.’ So, what can I say?”

So, Roy says to the lieutenant,“What if I escorted them myself, since I speak Italiano. And again, the lieutenant says, ‘O.K.’ So now, he’s defying his captain’s orders, and he’s gonna listen to a private — me — instead!

“I said, ‘O.K., but I’ll have to take two volunteers with me. And right away, guys are saying, ‘I’ll go.’ I say ‘We leave in the morning.’ But, next morning. No stores. I know, great. That takes care of that. But, I hear a lot of noise — we were upstairs and there’s a lot of noise downstairs. And I say, ‘The women are there. My guys are there. I gotta be there. I cut downstairs and I said, let’s go. We’ll let the women lead the way. I didn’t want it to look like I’m walking behind these women’s skirts, so I let them walk way ahead. We weren’t walking very long when I looked where we were and I damn near fainted. I said, ‘We’re on the Purple Heart Stretch!’

“The Germans can look down from the mountain and see us. They can kill us right now. I gotta make a decision what the hell to do. I’m not gonna try to run out of there. I have to convince the Germans that we’re humanitar-

“So I moved outside, and I stood there. And suddenly, no mortars. That’s the God’s honest truth. So I said, ‘Let’s go back.’ And my guys and the women came out, and we all headed back.”

Then, when Roy and his group went back, he says, “The lieutenant was standing outside up there waiting for me. When I met him, he told me, ‘The Germans sent a detachment to the village. They wanted to find out what the hell you were doing there — and our outpost saw them.’

“The men called the lieutenant and told him, ‘We see Germans coming into the village.’ The lieutenant called his captain who told him, ‘I want you to establish new quarters in the town.’ And, the lieutenant, said, ‘I can’t leave now because the doctor’s not here yet.’ So, the captain said to the lieutenant, ‘Don’t bother those Germans. Leave them completely alone.’ ‘Cause he knew if they did, me and my group were dead. The captain says, ‘When he gets back, then you reestablish.’

could do now to make this situation any better. I could mess it up by saying or doing something wrong, but I’m not gonna do it.’ We didn’t even have enough guys to stand there and watch them. The lieutenant is saying, ‘I don’t have enough men,’ which was true. The captain knew he didn’t have enough men. So, the lieutenant called for an Italian civilian, a guy who helped us with our supply mules. ‘We need Joe,’ the lieutenant said. ‘I want Joe to escort these prisoners.’

“The Germans had plenty of men and ammunition. More American and allied forces for sure would have died if the Germans had decided to fight to the death. But, one or two days after that, the Army issued an announcement saying that, ‘The Italian campaign is over.’

On Celebrating The Army’s 250th

ians — that we’re trying to help people who are starving. I gotta convince them. That’s my only hope. I’m gonna walk with my head straight up, like I don’t give a damn. Like I don’t care if I die. I said, ‘Let’s go’ to my two guys. It’s a good little walk but we get to the store. The women went in. And, when I went in, I saw the store was in complete blackness. I can’t see anything. I said, ‘There’s no getting any food in here. There’s nothing.’ So now, I walked the Purple Heart Stretch for no food, nothing.”

He adds, “Now we gotta go back. So we started off. We got maybe a little more than halfway there and a mortar drops. Boom! So now, I’m lying in the mud there ‘cause they had rain. And I said, ‘It looks like I made a big mistake, but I’m not gonna be able to apologize to these people because I’m gonna be dead.’”

But, Roy says he realized, “Germans don’t generally miss with their mortars — they’re very accurate. So, I’m lying there, waiting for the next one to finish me off, but nothing. So I raise my head up, I look around and I see a partial stone or cement wall and I said to my guys, ‘We’re gonna get behind that cement wall’ and I hollered to the group of women up ahead, ‘To the wall! To the wall!’ And they all get up and they start running and my guys are running. So then, I get up and I run. And, when I get behind the wall, the women had their prayer books and their Rosary beads out and they’re all just crying.

“Just as I made it to the wall, the Germans increased the mortars. They must’ve thrown 30 or 40 of them, and they’re going ‘Boom, Boom, Boom!’ It looked like the more the women prayed, the worse it got. I said to myself, ‘Maybe I should tell them that it isn’t helping. Stop praying.’ But of course, I said nothing to them.

“So then, I’m lying on the ground there, and the mortars are still dropping. And I said to myself, ‘Wait a minute. These mortars are not even falling close enough to kill us. They’re not trying to kill us. They’re talking to us! They’re telling me something.’

“So, I start trying to interpret the mortars. I figured out that the Germans are telling me that they figured out that I’m a humanitarian. I’m actually deciphering what this all means. It’s like they said, ‘We had decided earlier that we will fight to the death.’ But then they said, “Now, we’re not going to kill you.’ So, I said to everyone there, ‘They’re not gonna kill us. I am going to move outside very quickly. If I got it right, I’m alive. If I got it wrong, I’m dead.’

“So now, I’m back with the lieutenant and we’re hurrying to get to the new quarters down below. So, we get down below and we moved right in because we believed that the Germans were coming to peacefully surrender to us. So, we had to hurry.”

The Surrender Of The Germans

“So now, were back in the house, and we walk in the front room and one of our soldiers yells out to us, ‘The Germans are peacefully surrendering to us!’ So, he and I are running now to help with whatever. I see the lieutenant and the German soldiers lined up in twos, with no Americans standing guard over them. We don’t even have enough guys. They’re busy upstairs processing the other guys...the other Germans... that are still coming. It’s just one big, long line. And I can see what the Germans are saying.

“They said, ‘We have to thank that man for what he is doing. He’s a humanitarian. He has saved our lives. We were going to fight to the death. But now, we are not fighting to the death anymore. We owe our lives to that man now, because we are going home and we are going to do humanitarian work, just like he’s doing.’

“It was like 40 or 50 German soldiers and we only had twelve. All we had was just one platoon. There may have been others behind us, but we didn’t know for sure. And, I don’t really know how many guys the Germans had, but they believed they were gonna die. They said, ‘We have him to thank. He has saved our lives.’

“So now, they’re all lined up and what I want to see now is the guy in charge who didn’t kill me. The one responsible for me still being alive. I just wanna see him. And, as I walk down the line looking, I hear some talking and I’m listening and there are two guys speaking English. And, you know what they’re saying?

‘There he is!’ A couple of times. I could look at them, I could even go over and shake hands with them. But, I said to everybody, ‘Right now, things are going a hundred percent. The Germans are cooperating. There’s nothing I

On June 15, Roy posted on his Facebook page, “So grateful for being honored and invited to the 250th Army Anniversary Ball by Gen. Butler. An awesome evening of giving a toast, cutting the official Army cake and sitting in the Army war jeep behind the steering wheel.”

He adds, “I had no idea how I would be received and my friend, General Butler, also said he had no idea. He said, ‘Roy, you’ve got so many people here!’

“It was great — Generals, their wives...All sitting at the same table! General Butler’s wife was sitting next to me.”

Roy says if he never moved to Florida, he probably would never have met Gen. Butler.

Diane agrees, although she also credits Viera with making the introduction.

“Councilman Viera is who really made the connection. It was at least a year or two in the making. Luis kept saying, ‘Oh, Roy — I’ve got to connect you with the General. And it’s been a fantastic bond and relationship and like a love without them ever knowing each other before.”

As to why the native New Yorker made the move to the Sunshine State, Roy says, “I ended up moving to Florida because my wife, Muriel, was very sick, and we moved in with my daughter, Diane. It was the best move I ever made.”

Diane adds, “They were being considerate of my husband (Donald) and myself, because we moved to Tampa in 2001 and we were having to travel back to New York every time to check on them, even though they were very independent. And then came the pandemic. They decided to move here at the end of 2020 for our sake.”

In our Aug. 19 New Tampa issue, I’ll tell you about Roy’s 21-year career in corrections, including his book about being held hostage on Rikers Island. Thank you, Roy & Diane!

U.S. Army Brigadier Gen. (ret.) Remo Butler (left) & Roy Caldwood at the U.S. Army 250th Birthday Celebration Ball. (Photo: PamElla Lee Photography)

Touch Nail Spa Provides Luxurious Spa Treatments For Your Hands, Feet &

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

While it seems that nail salons often come and go, the original location of Touch Nail Spa on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel opened eight years ago and is still thriving. Husband-and-wife owners Timmy Pham and Tiffany Ha have opened two more salons in that time, including one in the Sprouts Farmers Market-anchored Village at Hunter’s Lake plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa.

Timmy says the key to Touch Nail Spa’s success is the commitment of the entire staff at all three locations (the third is on S.R. 54 in the Odessa/Trinity area) to customer service, the fact that all three Touch locations offer products that are healthy for nails and provide high-quality manicures, pedicures, eyelash extensions, waxing, facials and massages.

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

But, Timmy and Tiffany will tell you that it’s not important that they are the biggest nail salon in the area. What they really strive for is to be the best.

“We train our technicians to treat customers like family,” Timmy says. “But if there’s ever an issue, we ask you to come back and let us fix it. Whether it’s a misunderstanding or a nail technician’s lack of customer service, we always want to resolve the problem.”

Now that Timmy spends his days running all three locations of Touch Nail Spa, he trusts his

staff to treat those who come into the salon with an unmatched level of professionalism and customer service.

Each salon has an onsite manager who ensures that all three Touch Nail Spas pro vide a top-notch salon experience.

“We try to give the best customer service we can,” says Timmy. “There are so many nail salons, and they learn from us and copycat what we’re doing.”

Touch Nail Spa offers beautiful, up scale, serene surround ings with high ceilings for better ventilation, rows of comfortable leather pedicure chairs and plenty of manicure stations to minimize wait times. A compli mentary beverage (a glass of wine for those who are age 21 and older) is offered with any service.

Whether you’re looking for a simple mani/ pedi to keep your fingers and toes neat and polished, a relaxing spa experience with luxurious touches, or a skilled technician to provide the lat-

Spa can accommodate your every desire. The flagship Wesley Chapel location offers microblading, a semi-permanent treatment to fill in eyebrows. In addition, all three Touch Nail Spa locations now offer eyelash extensions with many options to fit a variety of budgets.

products, including dipping powder, acrylic nails, gel polish (which lasts longer than regular polish) and all kinds of nail designs, plus French manicures and much more.

While Timmy says the dipping powder technique continues to be popular, there are

such as T.A.P Gel and Gel-X offer an organic, non-chemical alternative.

“We are providing the best quality we can,” he says. “We don’t cut corners with our products. We keep purchasing the best quality products so they last. A lot of nail salons buy cheaper supplies, but we don’t.”

Timmy says that his salons also have recently invested in many new colors, so that there are more options where the regular polish, gel polish and dip colors all match exactly.

Surprise! New Pedicure On The Way!

By the time you’re reading this issue, Timmy says a new pedicure will have launched at all three Touch locations. He doesn’t want to reveal the details for this article, but he says it will be a high-quality pedicure that customers will love, and this new pedicure will be offered at a 10% discount for anyone mentioning the Neighborhood News!

selling any of his locations, as he says that he and Tiffany are in the community to stay.

Touch Nail Spa has more than 40 employees in Wesley Chapel and 35 in New Tampa, along with 20 employees in Odessa.

All three locations can accommodate groups, and the Wesley Chapel Touch location can provide a private room for the exclusive use of your gathering, whether it’s for a bachelorette party, birthday party or your entire bridal/wedding party.

Getting Rewarded

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

Discounted prices also are available for chil-

offers gift certificates for all occasions that can be used at any of its locations.

Timmy says that last year was difficult for many customers, as the uncertain economy made it harder for them to come in to get their nails done as often as they previously did. He says this year has so far been better and he hopes to continue to win customers over so that they want to prioritize getting their nails done in their budgets.

While he works to keep prices affordable, what Timmy says he wants most is to please his customers. He promises that at Touch Nail Spas, you will always be serviced by an experienced technician whose goal is to make you happy.

“We’ll always give you the best quality and customer service we can,” Timmy says. “We really appreciate all of our customers and we

In a recent five-star (out of five) Google review, Jan says, “You can’t get a better manicure and pedicure anywhere. Consistently great.”

Keylana also gave Touch a 5-star review, saying, “Touch Nail Spa is a hidden gem! I love that they offer you a beverage while you get your services... [My nail tech] has been able to achieve every nail design I’ve showed her thus far!”

The New Tampa (8630 Hunter’s Village Rd.) and Wesley Chapel (27233 S.R. 56) Touch Nail Spas are both open Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., and 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sun. To make an appointment with a specific nail technician or for more information about the New Tampa location, call (813) 536-1003. For the Wesley Chapel location, call (813) 9734111. Or, see the ad on page 33.

Call 24 Carat Clean For All Of Your Pool Maintenance & Exterior Cleaning Needs!

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

In New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, one small business is redefining how pools and the exteriors of homes get cleaned.

At first glance, 24 Carat Clean might look like just another pool and pressure-washing company. But, talk to owner Peter Taylor for five minutes, and it becomes clear that he’s not doing this the usual way. This isn’t just about clean water and power-washed driveways. For Peter, it’s about protecting your home, helping his family, and delivering a level of service most homeowners didn’t even know existed.

“I was happily retired,” Peter says with a smile. “But when my daughter’s boyfriend had no job and a terrible idea for a business, I told him to scrap it. I said, ‘Let me show you something people actually need, and need done right.’ That’s how in January of this year, 24 Carat Clean was born.”

What makes 24 Carat Clean unique is that it operates as a one-family-driven brand across three distinct Florida regions. What began as a plan to help his future son-in-law has now grown into a three-division operation. Peter runs the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel division himself, where he remains hands-on with every job. His daughter Camille Taylor and her fiancé Caleb Scott manage the Tallahassee division, offering the same personalized service and meticulous care in and around our state’s capital. Meanwhile, the Lake Nona location is led by Raquel Cavalcante, ensuring Central Florida residents benefit from the same trusted name and high standards. Each

team operates independently, but they all share Peter’s mission: to raise the bar for residential and commercial pool and exterior cleaning.

From Pizza Ovens To Pool Pumps

Before pressure washers and chlorine test kits, Peter spent 25 years in tech and also owned the successful Woodfired Pizza in the Palms Connection plaza on E. Bearss Ave. When the rent increased, he was forced to close the restaurant last year after 16 years in business. He says he wasn’t looking for a new venture, but that changed when he saw a need, not just in his family, but in the neighborhood.

“I looked around my own property and thought, ‘There’s no one contractor that can take care of all of this — pool, roof, stucco, driveway, fence.,” he says. “No one was doing it the right way. So, we built a business that could. If you think pool cleaning is just skimming leaves and dumping chlorine, think again.”

Peter monitors six different chemical levels, not just the three required by health codes.

“The county standards are 40 years old,” he says. “We test free chlorine, total and combined chlorine, pH, alkalinity, phosphates and calcium hardness. That’s the only way to truly keep your pool safe and neutral.”

Most homeowners don’t realize that chlorine can become ineffective if the stabilizer (cyanuric acid) level is too high. Peter takes time to explain these factors to his clients so they understand how to maintain proper levels and avoid issues like algae blooms and equipment failure. “The key is trying to make the pool neutral to be safe,” he says.

He also considers how each customer uses their pool. “If you’re hosting parties every weekend, that’s different than just taking a quiet swim,” he says. “You must know your load, your turnover rate, and filter pressure. It all affects the life of your equipment. Most companies are in and out in 15 minutes. I’d rather take my time and do it right.”

To make quoting and scheduling fast and seamless, Peter uses a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system with Google Earth integration. He can pull up your home, calculate the square footage, and give you a quote, without ever

stepping on your property. He’s also rolling out an AI call assistant, so no call goes unanswered.

“The first person to respond usually gets the job,” he says. “This will ensure we always answer that first call.” The CRM can call clients back and if they pick up the call, it will patch Peter in. It also texts and/or emails estimates with a detailed breakdown of the price and specific services included. It also can be configured to send out mass texts/email offerings, letting clients know about upcoming specials. But, even with all of the tech and service knowledge, Peter says it’s the personal touch that keeps customers coming back.

Peter Taylor’s 24 Carat Clean is raising the bar for pool maintenance and exterior cleaning for homeowners in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. (All photos on these pages by Charmaine George)

Chris, a recent customer, wrote in a 5-star Google review: “Peter with 24 Carat was amazing. He had top knowledge of his chemicals and their application. He gave competitive pricing, was on time, and kept us informed with continued communication. Highly recommended.”

More Than Just Pools

In addition to pool cleaning and chemical maintenance, 24 Carat Clean offers full exterior care — lanai washing, fences, driveways, mailboxes, trash cans, and even window rinsing (although squeegee-level window cleaning is a separate service). 24 Carat Clean will clean the outside of your home’s windows but will not clean the inside.

Peter uses a blend of soft-washing and pressure-washing and emphasizes property protection. “We use the lowest pressure and the saf-

est chemical concentration we can,” he says. “We water plants before and after. We cover doorbells, tape garage openers, protect Verizon boxes, and even collect runoff from downspouts.”

He’s especially cautious with fragile landscaping like rose bushes. “You can’t just spray and go,” Peter says. “You must know what you’re doing because rose bushes especially are very delicate. We take our time and rinse them thoroughly at the end.”

24 Carat Clean also will take care of your home’s exterior rust and other stains. “We won’t promise perfection on every oil stain,” he admits. “Rust? I can remove that 100%. Oil? Maybe 95%. It will look better, but you’ll still see a shadow. I always tell my clients the truth.”

Peter also is careful to not overbook himself. He prefers one or two jobs a day, especially in summer when the rain turns everything green fast.

Each service includes a walk-around with the homeowner, where Peter points out any concerns. “If I see something that could turn into a bigger problem, I’ll let you know. Even if it’s not something I’m fixing that day.”

Peter also offers a satisfaction guarantee and documents anything that he believes might be at risk before work begins. To date, he says he

coupon in his ad on pg. 34 or simply by mentioning this story. “I’m not trying to be the biggest company in town,” Peter says. “I just want to be the most trusted.”

For more information about 24 Carat Clean, call (813) 240-0293. You also can visit 24CaratClean.com, email info@24caratclean. com or see the ad on pg. 34.

Pam Turner’s Decoding Medicare Can Help You Solve Your Medicare Puzzle

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

When people turn 65, the options that become available to them for government-provided health insurance through Medicare can be confusing and even overwhelming.

That’s how Connie Simon felt in 2017, as she was trying to research what she and her husband, Paul, should do — or not do — regarding Medicare, as their 65th birthdays approached.

But then, a friend introduced her to Pamela Turner of Decoding Medicare.

“I had no idea people like her existed,” Connie says. “Now, I’m so thankful for her because she’s gotten us lower rates on Medicare supplements twice.”

Pam has been an independent broker and Medicare expert since 2008. She explains that a broker is similar to an agent, but an agent is typically employed by one company or insurance carrier. Pam isn’t limited to just one company.

Pam currently works with 15 different companies, including the AARP-branded United Health Care, Aetna, Humana, Cigna and Florida Blue, to help people find the best plan for them.

Pam says she boils down all of the information and advertisements to simplify Medicare into just a couple of choices, based on her clients’ individual situations, making decisions much easier.

Back in 2008, Pam lived in California and was transitioning from being a stay-at-home mom and running a home daycare. She was working as a nanny, where she met and was hired by an insurance agent to help his healthcare clients. She realized quickly that people were

confused about Medicare and that she could help them figure it out.

“I stumbled into Medicare and I absolutely love it,” she says. “It feels so good to help people.”

Pam says that when she started, there wasn’t a lot of information out there and it was hard to navigate. Fortunately, that has changed for the better, but that doesn’t mean the process is easy.

“There’s more education now,” Pam explains, “but people still struggle with it. It’s a lot of jargon and that makes people uncomfortable.”

In 2012, Pam moved to Tampa to marry her husband Joel Turner, with whom she had been in a long-distance relationship. She realized she was able to continue serving her California clients over the phone, so she decided to get licensed in Florida, too.

Now, Florida is her “home resident state” and Pam also is licensed in 45 other states, so she can help nearly anyone who is referred to her.

Originally, Pam was using telemarketers to help her find clients, but she soon figured out that she didn’t want to be responsible for those annoying dinner time calls, especially as the Facebook group she started was growing.

“I moved everything to Facebook,” she says. “Now I have a community of more than 5,000 people in a private group.”

Pam says that allows people to read information at their own pace, or watch the many videos she posts. Her website also offers a lot of information for people who aren’t yet 65 (she says that you should contact her around three months before your 65th birthday), or just want to educate themselves without committing to a phone call with Pam.

Whether you recently turned 65 or are turning 65 soon, Pamela Turner of Decoding Medicare can help you navigate the many options regarding Medicare. (Photo provided by

She offers free, convenient phone appointments. In fact, even if she helps you, you never pay her for her services. Pam is paid by the companies she represents when you purchase a plan with them.

Pam created a workbook anyone can download for free that walks people through the different phases and options, depending upon whether you want to take Medicare at age 65 or delay it, as many people do if they are still working. It helps people understand if there are penalties and what the process looks like, since it’s different if you start at a later age.

See the ad on page 37 for a QR code or go to DecodingMedicare.com and scroll to the bot-

tom of the page for the free workbook.

Pam and Joel live in New Tampa, with four adult children between them. Pam’s mom also lives in their neighborhood and is one of Pam’s clients.

While she continues to help other people around the country, Pam is hoping to become a free resource for more of her neighbors in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

“I like to meet people where they’re at,” Pam says, “but some people just want to go to the website, watch the videos, read the blog, and just learn. Some people might want to download the workbook. Or, they can just set an appointment with me, we can just have a conversation, and I will do all of the heavy lifting, and they don’t have

LICENSED WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA - 10

Pamela Turner)

to do any research. Or anywhere in between.”

She says the easiest way to set a free phone consultation with her is to go to the contact page of her website and use the calendar function to book an appointment.

“There’s no consultation fees, and no limit to the number of phone calls we can have,” Pam says. “What’s so cool about what I do is that I offer so many options for people to get their feet wet and learn about Medicare.”

Connie Simon says she and Paul can’t thank Pam enough for all that she’s done for them since 2017. “She’s fantastic,” Connie says of Pam. “Every year she reaches out to me to do an annual review to go over everything. She’s always upbeat, always supportive and always kind.”

Connie says she often recommends Pam to others, telling them it’s absolutely necessary for seniors to work with her to understand the

options available to them.

“Pam offers advice and is never pushy,” Connie says. “She just compares things and helps you draw your own conclusions.

To schedule a complimentary session with Pam Turner of Decoding Medicare, visit DecodingMedicare.com, where you can find links to her Facebook page and private Facebook group. For more information, call (888) 520-8683, email Pam@DecodingMedicare.com, or see the ad on page 37.

Pam says that the next Medicare Open Enrollment period for those already on Medicare is from Oct. 15-Dec. 7. There may be some limited opportunities to make some changes after this period, but review all coverages during Open Enrollment so there are no missed opportunities. If you’re new to Medicare, your timeline begins when you retire or on your 65th birthday month.

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Small World Pediatrics — Amazing Doctors Who Truly Love Kids!

By Iris Vitelli

Neighborhood News Correspondent

The word “pediatrics” comes from two ancient Greek roots: pais, meaning child, and iatros, meaning doctor or healer. Together, they describe the practice of healing children. And, caring for children is what Dr. José D. Jiménez and his wife, Dr. Nancy M. Silva, have dedicated their lives to for more than 20 years. The married doctors behind Small World Pediatrics are proud to provide trusted, heartfelt care for families in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. Their office has been located in the Windguard Professional Center across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, since 2010.

Dr. Jiménez says he always enjoyed being around kids, even in medical school. After transferring from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, to the University of Florida in Gainesville, he graduated in 1992 and then earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in 1996. “I did a ‘peds’ (short for pediatrics) rotation in medical school and thought it would be a fun job,” he says — and it turns out that he was right.

“I recently had an 18-year-old patient come in for a checkup,” he says. “His mom took out a photo from his very first appointment [as a young child] with me. Now, he’s heading off to college.” After nearly a quarter of a century of care, the doctors say they are seeing more and more second-generation patients.

Dr. Silva’s journey to pediatrics took a different path. She was in an honors B.S./M.D. program at the City University of New York (CUNY) in Manhattan, earning her undergraduate degree in 1993, and then earned her M.D. degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) Health Science Center in Brooklyn in 1997.

“The screaming, the crying, the parents, it didn’t sound like a fun day at work,” she laughs. But, during hospital rounds one night, she says, a young boy opened his arms wide to her, asking for a hug. “He didn’t need a doctor, he needed me,” she recalls. “I couldn’t say no to a child who needed something.”

The couple met in 1997 and married in 2001. They moved to Wesley Chapel in 2002, determined to raise their family and build a practice. And, in 2003, Small World Pediatrics was born. And, although Dr. Silva was working for a different medical practice in Brandon at the time, she left to join her husband.

“He opened the practice, and I supported the venture by working,” Dr. Silva says with a smirk. “And she never lets me forget it,” Dr. Jiménez jokes.

Working together might be tricky for some couples, but for this couple, it has worked out just fine. “One hundred percent bliss,” Dr. Jiménez jokes. “Yes, as long as he listens, it’s amazing,” Dr. Silva adds, laughing.

The close-knit team at Small World Pediatrics also includes office manager Tonya Weicht, medical assistant Courtney White and receptionist Marlene Oliva, all of whom help keep things running smoothly and try to make sure the office is very welcoming.

“We love the feel of our small office,” Dr. Jiménez says. “These aren’t just our patients, they’re our neighbors, [our kids’] classmates and

our friends. It’s all about community.”

They agree that word of mouth has brought in many new families. Both doctors speak Span ish, and Dr. Silva also speaks Portuguese.

“Word is spreading, and we’re seeing more Portuguese-speaking families,” she says.

Their care often extends beyond the child. One mom recently mentioned that her mother had breast cancer. “I asked if she had been tested for markers. She didn’t know,” says Dr. Silva. “I wrote down what she should ask her doctor, right on the exam table paper. I do it all the time. Parents can then snap a picture and don’t have to worry about remembering what I said.”

She says the key difference between pediat rics and general practice medicine is the involve ment of parents.

“Adults may not always come back,” Dr. Silva says. “But parents, they’re invested. They want to help their kids get better.” And, she encourages parents to stay organized. “Have a place to jot down questions and bring them in. I’ll answer them all. You could be tired and have brain fog and forget, so that list will help.”

Jimenez. “He’s very charismatic,” Dr. Silva agrees. “There’s always humor in the office.”

For answers between visits, many turn to Dr. Silva’s YouTube channel and social media — @drsilva_kids — which she launched during the pandemic. “We started doing telemedicine then, and we still do,” she says. “We can diagnose many things just by looking at the child. It’s great for follow-ups or families who are traveling.”

Her videos offer parenting tips, developmental advice and lots of positive affirmations. The goal, she says, is helping parents raise confident, happy kids.

One important topic covered is vaccines. The doctors follow CDC and AAP guidelines.

“Right now, we’re seeing hand, foot, and mouth, plus stomach bugs,” Dr. Jimenez explains. “Flu, Covid and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) will ramp up in the fall and winter,”

Flu vaccines arrive in late August or September and are recommended for children as young as six months old.

As for other vaccines, in the first 18 months, kids get protection against tetanus, whooping cough, meningitis, pneumonia, hepatitis and polio. After their first birthday comes MMR (mumps, measles & rubella) and chickenpox. Boosters are needed before VPK, elementary and middle school. Another vaccination comes at age 16, covering meningitis and measles.

“Measles is extremely contagious. It lingers in the air,” Dr. Jiménez warns. “It can cause encephalitis, which may lead to brain damage or even death. Meningitis is dangerous for young adults, who should have their vaccines updated at their 18-year checkup before college.”

The doctors also are currently doing school and sports physicals, which are valid for a year and include urine, hemoglobin, vision, hearing, blood pressure and blood work. These checkups also are a good time to update those vaccines.

Dr. Jiménez’s advice to parents is simple. “Ask questions. Use your pediatrician. We’re your biggest resource.” And, that commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed. Ashley Rae, a happy mom of a Small World patient, wrote in a glowing 5-star review: “Dr. Jimenez is such a wonderful Doctor! He really cares about his patients. He goes above and beyond for our family! 10/10 would recommend!”

“I like to chat and tell a joke.” says Dr.

That humor shines even when it comes to shots. “I’m always honest,” says Dr. Jiménez. “If they’re getting a shot, I tell them. I’ll hold them if they’re anxious, I’ll praise their bravery, and hand over a sticker and a lollipop. Hooray for lollipops and stickers! They fix everything.”

Both doctors stay current with medical trends and technology, completing continuing education and tracking updates from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Silva is especially excited about CRISPR (Clustered Regularly

Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), a geneediting breakthrough with potential to cure inherited diseases like sickle cell. Still, despite all of the innovations, they remain rooted in personal, hands-on care.

Dr. Jimenez and Dr. Silva have two children. Their son Jonathan, now a USF student, plans to study animation. And, their daughter Amanda, who is 11, loves to dance and is enrolled at New Tampa Dance Theatre, where she studies ballet, tap, modern dance, and jazz.

“At 11,” says Dr. Jimenez, “she knows exactly what she wants, and we encourage them

ceptionist Marlene Oliva of Small World Pediatrics, located in the Windguard Professional Center off BBD Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. (All photos on these pages by Charmaine George)

Silva says, “Possibly once the two kids are out of the nest. We are hands-on parents, and if we grow the practice, something will suffer, and it could very well be the kids. So, that’s not an option at this time.”

Small World Pediatrics (2527 Windguard Cir., Suite 102) is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and is accepting new patients. Most insurance plans, including Medicaid, are accepted. For more information, see the ad on pg. 36, call (813) 907-8001, or visit SmallWorldPediatrics.com.

Budget Blinds — A Family-Owned Choice For Quality Window Treatments & Fair Prices

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

If you’re in the market for a home renovation, it can be hard to know if you’re hiring one guy with a truck and a list of subcontractors he calls for backup, or a full-scale company that has employees in place to professionally handle the upgrades you want for your home.

When it comes to window coverings, Budget Blinds of Greater Tampa Bay is proud to have an entire staff of design consultants, customer service professionals and installers. These company employees offer a consistent level of quality and professionalism for customers.

The local franchise of Budget Blinds is on located on W. Fletcher Ave. (near I-275) in Tampa and is owned by Wesley Chapel residents Adriane and Mike Wonderlin.

The showroom is a hub of company activity and a place to explore a wide variety of blinds, including vinyl, wood, fabric, faux wood and aluminum. There also are many styles of shades, include roller, pleated, Roman, woven wood, bamboo, sheer, solar and graphic varieties. Shutters can be made from wood or composite materials. Also available are panels, valances and drapes.

However, many Budget Blinds customers never actually set foot in the showroom.

The design process usually starts with a phone call to schedule an in-home consultation. A design consultant will come out and measure your windows and show you a variety of fabrics and styles — pretty much everything you can see in the showroom — so you can visualize them in your space. Mike says Florida living means his design consultants are used to finding creative solutions to maximize views that may include a mix of blinds, shades, and shutters. Once you’ve made your selections, employee installers, not subcontractors, will complete the installation. They also will clean up, go over how to use the product(s), show you how to care for your new window coverings and explain the warranty.

“Some people have incredibly large sliding glass doors that overlook their pool or conservation area and they don’t want it blocked,” Mike says. “So we install a lot of roller shades with motorization.”

Mike and Adriane say that although their franchise is family-owned, it’s run more like a larger business.

“We run a tight ship,” Mike says. “Our employees are the first voice our customers hear,

and the job’s not done until the last screw is put in the wall. We want to make sure our customers are happy throughout the entire process.”

The administrative team is led by manager Kristi Cicolello, who has been a Budget Blinds employee since 2017.

“Kristi’s dedication and leadership hold everything together,” Adriane says. “She leads our staff with respect and ensures that every customer interaction is smooth and positive. From the first call to the final follow-up, she sets the tone for our commitment to service.”

Mike adds, “We have an exclusive, noquestions-asked warranty. So, even if the dog chews it up, it’s covered. The warranty covers use, misuse, abuse and accidental damage.”

The installation team is led by Brett Bolton, who has been at Budget Blinds for 10 years. Prior to that, he served in the U.S. Air Force for 10 years, mostly at MacDill Air Force Base.

“Brett is a skilled installer, problem-solver and motorization expert,” Adriane says. “He has a great ability to clearly explain how each product works, ensuring customers feel confident and taken care of.”

In addition, Brett serves as a mentor to the rest of the installation team.

“He plays a vital role in training all new installers,” Adriane adds. “He patiently shares his knowledge and leads with professionalism and accuracy, and truly takes pride in his work.”

Bridging together the administrative team, design consultants and installation crew is Rick Barbaro, the operations manager.

“Behind the scenes, Rick is the architect of our daily operations,” Adriane says. “His number one priority is making sure every customer is happy. Rick brings out the best in our team by leading with consistency and focusing on results. Whether he’s stepping in to troubleshoot an issue or coaching someone towards growth, he leads by example and always puts his team first.”

Customer Julie Stephenson first came across the Budget Blinds company in Sarasota and had a good experience with that franchise. When she sold her home in Sarasota and moved to Lutz, she wanted to use the same company, although the Greater Tampa Bay area is a different franchise.

“I had a great experience in Sarasota, but this was even above that,” Julie says, explaining that the installers were right on time, were professional and friendly, and even took their shoes off without being asked. They had all the information they needed and got right to work.

Julie says it’s important to her to share what a great experience she had because it’s unusual for a company to be so easy to work with from start to finish.

“I’ve moved five times in the last two and a half years, including rental properties, and I’ve learned the hard way that it’s difficult to find solid quality vendors who show that they love their job and want your business,” Julie says. “It’s a rare commodity these days. Budget Blinds cares about their employees and then their employees show that to you. I very much appreciate that.”

Julie also says that the company’s name may be a bit misleading, because although Budget Blinds works with your budget, that doesn’t mean the quality is inferior. The products are all high quality and look wonderful in her home.

Mike and Adriane say their outstanding team deserves credit for happy customers like Julie. Because they do such an excellent job, the

Wonderlins are able to continue to expand their business. As of July 1, they have added the Seminole Heights, Tarpon Springs and Dunedin territories. They now service the entire Tampa Bay area – from Ellenton to San Antonio and over to Lakeland – excluding Clearwater and St. Pete. Adriane and Mike are committed to giving back to the community they serve, too. They recently donated window coverings to the new Academy at the Lakes school building in Land O’Lakes.

A Little Background

Budget Blinds, which was founded in 1992 in Orange County, CA, has grown to more than 1,400 franchises across the U.S. and Canada. The Wonderlins purchased their franchise in 2018. They earned the Budget Blinds “Franchise of the Year” award in 2020 and continue to be one of the company’s top-10 franchises every year.

financing options — from no interest and no payments for six to 18 months to long-term, fixed interest with low payments.

If you’re considering upgrading multiple windows – or maybe getting rid of builder grade blinds throughout your home –Budget Blinds is currently offering a buyone, get-one-half-off special. Some exclusions apply, so be sure to ask for this offer.

To schedule a complimentary inhome Budget Blinds consultation, call (813)579-6081. You also can visit the Budget Blinds showroom at 1208 W. Fletcher Ave. in Tampa. For more infor mation, follow “BudgetBlindsofGreater Tampa” on Facebook or Instagram, visit BudgetBlinds.com/NorthTampa, or see the ad on page 44.

Lima Peruvian Cuisine — Have You Really Still Not Tried This Place?

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

Lima Rotisserie Chicken & Peruvian Cuisine owner Oscar Escudero is well aware that his restaurant, located in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. has been among my favorite restaurants in either of our distribution areas since he first opened in Feb. 2020.

Yeah, we opened less than a month before the pandemic hit,” Oscar remembers all too clearly. “And then, only a few months after we opened, the chef I brought over from Peru, Felix Picasso, suffered a stroke here in the restaurant.”

In other words, no matter how much a certain editor has always loved his place, Oscar has faced several challenges, including having to take over as the main chef in the kitchen — despite previously working in real estate — and even though he had never even cooked in a commercial kitchen before.

“Felix taught me how to take our recipes, which were mostly my mom’s anyway, and cook them for a large number of people,” Oscar says. “I have put in some 100-hour work weeks trying to keep this place going.”

But, not only has Oscar kept Lima afloat, in the five+ years since he first opened, his newfound experience in the kitchen has helped him expand his already-delicious Peruvian-Chinese fusion menu with ongoing specials that are a treat for both your eyes and your palette.

If you’ve been reading my reviews of Lima over the years, I’m sure you know that I’m basically addicted to his all-fish (since I can’t eat

shrimp) Ceviché de Pescado, which is as good as any I’ve had anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, with its perfect blend of South American lime juice and spices, those delicious, giant Peruvian corn kernels and sliced red onions. I don’t eat the raw onions themselves, but the flavor they add is a necessity. I also love the wedge of sweet potato that’s soaked in the ceviche’s delectable juice.

Well, on our most recent visit, Jannah, pho tographer Charmaine George and I sampled three new specials, including a “Marina Trio” (below left), which featured a nice-sized portion of that amazing fish ceviche, flanked on one side by Arroz Chaufa (Peruvian-Chinese-style fried rice) Mari scos, with shrimp, calamari, mussels and clams one side and by fried white fish fingers called Jalea on the other. Although I couldn’t eat the fried rice, Jannah and Charmaine agreed that it was delicious. I can vouch for the fried rice with either chicken or beef tenderloin tips, though. Yum!

Next up was the Aticucho de Lomo de Res (top) — tender, tasty beef tenderloin tips (the tra ditional dish is often made with beef hearts) on skewers on a steaming dish with sizable sides of crispy potato wedges and grilled Peruvian corn. The only warning I’ll offer is that if you don’t like a very spicy dipping sauce, the innocent-looking side of pink rocato sauce is literally an eye-opener. And, even though Jannah doesn’t like her meal looking back at her, even she admitted that the third special we tried — the whole, deep-fried yellowtail snapper, served with thick yuca fries (top of next page) — was excellent. The snapper was super-flaky and the flavor is unlike other whole snapper/fish you’ll find at other restaurants.

The only regular menu item we sampled on our most recent visit, because we had never tried it before, was the aptly named Lima Bowl (below right), which is a heaping portion of creamy (and well-spiced, but not spicy) chicken salad, made with Lima’s signature rotisserie chicken, served over white rice, black beans and Romaine lettuce with Peruvian-style pico de gallo. So good. It’s similar to Lima’s chicken wrap sandwich Jannah flipped for last year.

Our Old Lima Standbys

to attract my attention, there are always dishes Jannah and I allow ourselves to indulge in on a regular basis. Mine always starts with the aforementioned Ceviché de Pescado (although I also loved the new Ceviché Lima, which adds fried calamari and a savory golden pepper sauce to the usual ceviché), but Jannah’s absolute favorite dish at Lima is the Tallarin Saltado, which is similar to a Chinese lo mein-style dish, but combines flamed, sliced onions, tomatoes and cilantro, blended with fettuccine-style pasta and Peruvian

Of course, anytime a local place continues

I’m also partial to the variety of fried fillet of fish dishes, especially the Pescado a la Chorrillana, which is topped with sautéed spices, onions, tomatoes and cilantro, with a splash of wine, and served with jasmine rice, as well as the Asado de Res con Ensalada Rusa, which was a special I told you about last year that is basically the Peruvian version of beef pot roast/brisket, served with a Russian-inspired potato-&-beet salad.

And yes, I’m also a fan of Lima’s signature crispy-skin, Peruvian rotisserie chicken, but I get almost as much enjoyment simply from the aroma of the chicken anytime you enter the restaurant.

“It’s a very special oven we make the chicken in,” Oscar says. “We have quite a few regular customers who never get anything else.” If you’re one of these regulars, I get it, but my opinion is that you need to broaden your horizons.

Don’t forget dessert. Charmaine and I both flipped for last year’s Cake de Maracuya, which is sort of like a passion fruit cake & flan combo. It’s light, airy and delicious. We also agreed that the special we tried this time around — the Tres Leches de Lucuma (right) — definitely had a dif ferent flavor than any tres leches we’ve had before, thanks to the South American lucuma fruit which we agreed is a combination of maple, butterscotch and caramel. Light and not too sweet.

Other desserts include a creamy torta de chocolate, arroz con leche (rice pudding) and

alfajores, which are crumbly cookies filled with dulce de leche (always on the front counter).

Lima also serves beer (I usually get the Peruvian Cusqueña) and wine, as well as Inca Kola (regular and diet) and Peruvian juices in passion fruit and mango. The kids menu includes Salchipapas (French fries topped with diced hot dogs), chicken tenders and fried fish strips.

Lima (19062 BBD Blvd.) opens every day at 11 a.m. & stays open until 8 p.m. Mon.-Thur., 9 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. & 7 p.m. on Sun. For more info, call (813) 304-0205, order on UberEats or DoorDash, visit LimaTampa.com or see the ad on pg. 42 for 10% off all full-priced entrées — and please tell Oscar I sent you!

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CAO Bakery — Don’t Judge A Delicious Restaurant By Its Location!

By Gary Nager

I’ll admit that the first time I happened to walk into the Kangaroo Express gas station at 17519 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa last year, I was actually looking for the Paris Baguette bakery — which is now located across BBD, but hadn’t opened yet.

But, what I found was a section of the gas station’s convenience store that was a Cuban-style bakery that actually was open — known as CAO Bakery & Café— and you were definitely hit with a whiff of delicious baked goods in a large display case as you walked towards that case.

“OK, great,” I thought, “I can always go for a guava pastelito, a beef or chicken empanada and/or a slice of cake — or all of the above.”

CAO stands for Cuban American Original, but it also is the actual last name of one of the coowners, Antonio Cao, who is a third-generation baker. Antonio and his partner and childhood friend, Carlos de Varona, opened their first bakery together around 2000, in a very Cuban area of Miami called Westchester, not too far from Little Havana.

Today, there are 20 CAO locations, mostly in South Florida — although there also is a fullservice CAO Bakery on W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa — with more on the way. The BBD location is corporate-owned, but franchises are available, according to Antonio’s wife Yvette, who handles the marketing of the brand.

“Most of our other locations are full-service

bakery-restaurants of anywhere from 2,000-4,000 square feet,” Yvette says. “We were looking for a spot in the Wesley Chapel/New Tampa area and found that the previous vendor at this location had left, so we decided to open what we call an ‘express’ location there as a test market.”

Even so, I had no idea how huge the menu at the New Tampa CAO was until I spoke with Yvette. Yes, there is a tremendous selection of freshly baked (from frozen) sweet and savory treats that are delivered from Miami to Tampa twice a week. But wait, there’s more.

“You can tell that everything is freshly baked on premises,” Yvette says. “Once people find us, they tell us they love us!”

And, despite being open for less than a year at this location, almost all of CAO’s Google reviews are 5-stars out of 5, including customer Omar Rodriguez-Hazan, who says he drives an hour from South Lakeland at least once a week, “to enjoy the flavors of Miami. The food and service are awesome. Don’t be fooled by the fact they are located in a gas station. They are a topnotch bakery which I highly recommend!”

Cuban sandwich was good also and the prices are reasonable.”

As for the non-pastry food options, CAO has delicious bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches (below left), a twist on the popular Media Noche sandwich called Medio Dia (below right; it’s a classic guava and cheese pastelito filled with ham and melted Swiss) and even a churrasco steak plate (top photo) of which customer Jason Hicks said in his 5-star Google review, “The meat was tender and the chimichurri sauce was great. The

Other sandwiches include the frita CAO (a Cuban-style cheeseburger that is a house-made blend of beef, pork & chorizo, topped with crispy shoestring papitas, Swiss cheese and sazon aioli) and the Croqueta club (signature croquetas de la casa, layered with sliced turkey, crisp bacon, melted American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes & mayo) — and many more.

Other satisfied customers have loved CAO’s catering options, like trays of assorted pastelitos and croquetas (bottom right photo on this page).

There also are more American dessert

photo), carrot cake and Latin dessert staples like flan, cuatro leches, panetelita dulce de leche, flan cheesecake and so much more.

And, many customers, including yours truly, rave about CAO’s café con leche, including Oscar Olivera, who called it, “The best café con leche in Tampa, no questions about it!!!”

For more information about CAO, call (813) 280-9640 or visit CAOBakeryCafe.com to order pickup or delivery online. If you use code “CAOTAMPA” when you order, you’ll save $5 off any order of $20 or more. Or, bring in or mention the ad on pg. 45 or this story when you order in person to receive the discount.

Introducing...The All-New

(Formerly The Wexford Irish Pub & Grille)

2836 E. Bearss Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 Palms Connection Plaza

813.631.9033 • RemingtonsSteakandSeafood.com

Featuring:

APPETIZERS:

Escargot in Butter

Filet Tip Skewers

Shrimp Cocktail (photo)

Potato Skins

Crab Rangoon

Fried Pickles

Shepherd’s Pie

Quesadilla ...and more!

BURGERS & SANDWICHES:

Philly & Chicken

Cheesesteaks

Black Angus Burgers

Homemade Reuben on Rye ...and more!

WINGS

Bone-in or Boneless

**WING WEDNESDAY Special!** 10 Bone-In Wings For Only $12.95! (Available Wednesdays Only)

ROTISSERIE

CHICKEN

STEAKS:

Ribeye (photo)

Filet Mignon

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NY Strip

T-Bone

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

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

**BOGO FAJITA Special!** Beef or Chicken For Only $16.95! (Available Tuesdays Only)

KIDS MENU:

Chicken Tenders

Mac n’ Cheese

Steak Bites

Plus: Decadent Desserts, Happy Hour Specials, Outdoor Bar & Patio, Private Dining Rooms, Fun Atmosphere

Hours: Sun, 11 am-9:30 pm; Wed, 3 pm-midnight Tue, Thur, Fri & Sat, 3 pm-10:30 pm; Closed Mon

It was only 3-1/2 months ago that we were the first to tell you about the opening of Sushi Bowls by Kazoku Sushi (photo below) in the Pebble Creek Collection, but co-owner Cristina Chanquin admits that Sushi Bowls closed abruptly a few weeks ago. She cited issues with finding a solid team to work at the New Tampa location and a need to “focus on the foundation of our business,” as Cristina and her husband Sergio also own Sushi House in Ybor City.

“But, we do serve our bowls at the cafés at both the AdventHealth and BayCare hospitals in Wesley Chapel every Thursday,” she says.

So, if you (like yours truly) were a fan of Sushi Bowls, you can still grab a tasty bowl at those local hospitals.

Is It Sushi Time Yet?

But, speaking of sushi, if you’ve been wondering what happened to Ginza Endless Sushi & Hibachi next to LA Fitness at 6417

replaced with another Japanese restaurant — Sushi Time Hibachi, Ramen & Seafood

Now open less than three weeks as this issue is reaching you, the new owners want everyone to know that Sushi Time is not another all-you-care-to-eat place, nor does it offer teppanyaki/hibachi tables in the dining room.

It is, however, a reasonably priced, fullservice, sushi-focused, sit-down Japanese restaurant with nearly 80 different sushi and sashimi options. Of course, Jannah and I first had to try — and gave thumbs-up to — the California roll shown below right), but we’ll be back for more.

But, for those of you who, like us, enjoy Japanese/Asian appetizers like fried (or steamed) pork gyoza dumplings, spring and egg rolls, we did try all of the above and enjoyed them all — especially the extra-crispy pork egg rolls.

We also sampled the chicken hibachi (which is still available, but made in the kitchen) shown top right, which was loaded with large chunks of

chicken and fresh veggies and served with white or pretty good fried rice. There also are steak and shrimp hibachi options and Asian favorites like Mongolian chicken or beef, General Tso’s chicken, beef or chicken with broccoli and more. For more info about Sushi Time, call (813)364-4545 or visit SushiTimeTampa.com and please tell the owners I sent you! — GN

365 Woodfired & New York Pizza Is Now Open Off Bruce

As we told you a couple of issues ago, Tarek Yordi, the owner of 365 Café Italiano at both the KRATEs and the Shops at Wiregrass, was planning to open 365 Woodfired & NY Pizza at 3746 Windcrest Dr., in the plaza anchored by Abdoney Orthodontics (behind the Jammin’ Car Wash) off BBD Blvd. Well, Tarek’s new pizza, pasta and more place has finally opened and it’s definitely tasty!

Whether you prefer Neapolitan-style woodfired or traditional New York-style (like I do) pizza, the new 365 Woodfired & NY Pizza has got you covered. Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I have now sampled quite a bit of the menu and Charmaine says her favorite so far is the prosciutto burrata wood-fired pizza (top two photos on this page), although I definitely prefer the NY-style pizzas (I know, shocking), like the plain cheese on this page and the pepperoni, which are both always available at 365 Pizza as slices, too.

But, the three of us also have enjoyed the bruschetta on oven-baked slices of Italian bread, the Ortolano salad (below), with roasted eggplant

(top photo on next page) and the cheese ravioli al pesto

Other options include gourmet wood-fired pies like Bianca Verde (with vibrant green sauce) and chicken pis tachio (with pistachio pesto and grilled chicken), as well as Meat Lovers and other more traditional toppings.

Save room for dessert, too, as 365 Pizza has a great selection of freshly made options like tiramisu (below left), Brooklyn crumb cheese cake (bottom right) and oth er cakes, plus delicious Café 365 espresso, cappuccinos and lattes, as well as reasonably priced beer and wine. Tarek says he’s still refining the menu, but 365 Woodfired & NY Pizza is definitely worth a visit now!

For more information, visit 365WoodfiredPizzas.com or call (813) 388-9888 and please tell them the Neighborhood News you! — GN; photos by Charmaine

Cookie Plug Opens 3rd Florida Storefront In The Village At The Grove!

Cookie Plug, an edgy, innovative bakery with more than 25 locations nationwide (and growing), has opened its newest storefront in The Village at The Grove at 6013 Wesley Chapel Grove Blvd., Suite 102 (next to the Ice Dreammm Shop). A nice crowd of locals lined up outside the new Cookie Plug at 11 a.m. on June 28, where they received free samples of the different flavors. There also was a DJ and a great Opening Day special — eight free giant-sized cookies when you purchased four, plus a drink.

Cookie Plug Wesley Chapel is owned and operated by Florida resident David Johnson, who says he is eager to introduce the uniqueness of the bakery to locals. With support from his wife Jackie, Johnson plans to open more locations in the state, including one in Highwoods Preserve in New Tampa, which is at least a couple of months behind the Wesley Chapel store.

“I was initially drawn to the creativity of the concept and the nod to hip-hop culture that Cookie Plug brings to the table, but then, the minute I tasted the cookies, I was hooked,” Johnson said in a press release. “We are particularly excited to serve the Wesley Chapel community in a space that is surrounded by thriving businesses, shops and homes. We are eager to bring this sweet addition to the area, offering thick-cut cookies in a variety of flavors that are unlike anything else you can get in Tampa Bay and beyond.”

Originally founded in Riverside, CA, in 2019, Cookie Plug was inspired by graffiti and street art with the aim to add a unique twist to the conventional bakery. Offering cookies made

fresh daily that are part cake, part brownie, part cookie and 100% delicious, the brand’s inventive menu offers 12 different flavors, including: s’mores, chocolate chip, sugar, triple chocolate,

strawberry cheesecake (Charmaine and I both loved this one), red velvet, snickerdoodle and two rotating flavors, including this month’s “Black Ops,” the brownie-flavored cookie with red,

Cookie Plug also has keto cookie options available, as well as mini “plug popper” cookies, ice cream sandwiches and custom cakes to satisfy any sweet tooth.

“We have an incredible product and I can’t wait for locals in Wesley Chapel and Tampa Bay to experience it for themselves,” said David Denker, president and chief growth officer of Cookie Plug. Cookie Plug Wesley Chapel is open Mon.-Thur., noon-11 p.m.; noon-midnight on Fri. & Sat.; & noon- 9 p.m. on Sun. For more info, follow Cookie Plug on Instagram or Facebook @cookie.plug or visit CookiePlug. com/wesleychapel. For franchising opportunities, visit Franchise.CookiePlug.com. — GN

BOKof CUBANS

NEW HOURS OF OPERATION: MON-FRI 7AM-8PM • SAT 9AM-SPM • SUN 10AM-4PM

Nicole (left) and Sommer Cholnik were first in line to buy a dozen cookies at the new Cookie Plug store in The Grove at Wesley Chapel on June 28. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Vist BawarcHi & Secret Lounge In

Two new restaurants have recently opened in the Freedom Plaza. In the former location of Son, at 30056 S.R. 54, is BawarcHi Biryani Indian Cuisine. Naresh, one of the partners in the Wesley Chapel location, says that BawarcHi is a chain with more than 60 locations, including Brandon, Orlan do, Miami and Sanford, FL.

Photographer Charmaine George and I were impressed with the attractive décor and especially, the truly excellent Southern Indian (and Indo-Chinese) cuisine we sampled on our first visit, including the Karivepaku veggie dumplings in a delicate sauce fla vored with curry leaves (below left), plus traditional favorites like butter naan bread, butter chicken and my favorite, the noodles with chicken and chicken biryani (all above right). The prices are very fair and the food is excellent. For more info, call (813) 9919099 or visit BawarchiWesleyChapel.com.

Meanwhile, at 30120 S.R. 54 in the same Freedom Plaza, between Bosco’s and the Smoke Shop, Lounge, which is owned by Ahmed, who also owns the Smoke Shop. Former Bosco’s pizza guy Johnny (right) is among those serving up the Halal hamburgers, cheeseburg ers and hot dogs at The Secret Lounge, as well as French

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