New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 33, Issue 23, November 11, 2025

St. Mark Choir To Perform For Pope Leo XIV In Rome!

By Gary Nager

by Charmaine George

I’m not Catholic, but I can’t help but feel proud to have seen and heard the amazing choir at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd. perform shortly before 15 members of the choir and St. Mark director of music Dr. John Paul Cappa before the group embarked on a 10-day “Peter’s Way” tour culminating with a performance for Pope Leo XIV in Rome.

Dr. Cappa, who has served in his position at St. Mark the past 18 years, has made this pilgrimage to perform for the Pope with two previous choirs — the St. George Parish Choir of Erie, PA, and the Mother of Sorrows Parish Choir of Murrysville, PA — but this will be the first time he has brought a group from St. Mark on such a journey.

After watching the choir rehearse prior to Sunday Mass at the church, all I can say is that this is a truly talented group of singers of different ages who will do St. Mark and the entire New Tampa community proud when they perform for the Pope and 2,000 people at the St. Paul Center, next to the Vatican.

“And, all of these folks are local,” said Dr. Cappa. “It’s really a blessing to be able to take this group on this journey.”

He noted that, unlike his previous Peter’s Way tours of Italy, the St. Mark group is

Dr. John Paul Cappa (center, with brown sport jacket) is bringing members of the St. Mark the Evangelist

including final stops in Rome, where the choir will perform for Pope Leo

starting its tour on the western coast of Italy — Milan, Turin (to see the Shroud), Naples, Amalfi, Sorrento, Positano and Pompeii — and ending with a mass with the Pope at the Vatican. “A lot of the choir

PASSING OF JAS WARREN

The long-time, beloved former theatre teacher at Wharton High passes away at age 61. See page 3

and have

members and musicians are seasoned travelers who have been to Venice, Florence and Naples before,” he said, “so we’re doing a different trip this time.”

And, even though he has brought groups to

perform for the Pope before, “It’s a different Pope now. And, it is always exciting and an honor to perform for the Pope.”

RANCH

Check out the latest news from one of the largest developments in Wesley Chapel. See page 8

Catholic Church Choir on a “Peter’s Way” tour of Italy,

XIV,

a Papal audience at Vatican City. (Photo by Charmaine George)

Photos

On The Passing Of Beloved Former Wharton Teacher James ‘Jas’ Warren

An Editorial by GARY NAGER

In 2021, we published a story about former long-time Wharton High theatre teacher and director James “Jas” Warren — who had been at New Tampa’s first high school since it opened in 1997 — that said “This is not how Jas Warren... expected the curtain to close on his long career.”

That story was about the “many teachers caught in the crosshairs after budget cuts were announced by Hillsborough County Superintendent of Schools Addison Davis in an effort to chop down a $100-million deficit.”

Although Jas and I only met a few times, I knew how important he was to the school that both of my sons graduated from while he was teaching there. He was even more important to the hundreds or maybe even thousands of kids who attended his classes and participated in his many productions.

Four years after that story ran, however, there was no way to anticipate that the curtain would fall on Jas’ life, as he passed away on Oct. 17 from a sudden heart attack.

“My dad wasn’t sick, as far as we knew,” his daughter Abby Rodriguez told me. “It was just a normal day, as I was on FaceTime with my parents when it happened. I said, ‘Mom, you have to call 9-1-1 right now. It was horrible.”

Abby, who grew up with her family — Jas, her mother Renee and her brother Jack — in Wesley Chapel, but attended and graduated from Wharton, was a featured actor and singer in several of her father’s many productions.

“I actually met my husband, Nathaniel (Rodriguez), around ten years ago, in my dad’s class, and we actually got married on the stage at Wharton. My dad officiated our wedding.”

Abby, Nathaniel (who is in the Army) and their three boys — 7-year-old Alexander James, who they call AJ, is named for her father, and Adrian, 6, and Aaron, 3 — live in El Paso, TX. But, Abby and the boys came back to Wesley Chapel to be with her mom after it happened.

“My parents were together since they were 19, so about 42 years,” Abby says. “I guess she’s doing OK. I’m here with my kids hanging out with her. But, they just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They were each other’s person, so I know how hard this is for her to take. It was just so sudden.”

I hadn’t heard about Jas’ passing until a couple of days after his public viewing (there was no memorial service), when I got a call from my long-time friend Pam Cazes. Abby says that the Cazes family — Pam, Dr. Elliot, Matt, Monica, Brett and Evan — is like a second family to her.

“Dr. Cazes delivered my brother,” Abby told me. “And, he was actually my OB/GYN for my first two babies. Evan is one of my really good friends and he and my dad were super close. And of course, Dr. Cazes and my dad hung out together all the time. So, that family is literally right in between everything with my family.”

And, speaking of close, Abby also told me that, “Me and my dad were always really close. He would always say that it was me and him. So, I grew up in the theater. It was my whole life. When I was a little girl, I’d skip school just to be with him. I loved being around the teenagers.

“My first show with him was ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ I was five and I played Toto. The joke was that, in order to get me to do it, they had to bribe me with Burger King chicken nuggets. My dad loved to tell the story about the chicken nuggets.”

Then, when Abby was seven, she played Wendy’s daughter in Wharton’s production of “Peter Pan.” So, by the time she got to high school, “I was able to get more and more involved in my dad’s shows. They were so very special to me. One of his favorite shows I was in was ‘Our Town’ (by Thornton Wilder), where he actually played the lead — the stage manager, who tells the story. He also played Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol,’ which was honestly his whole personality (giggles).”

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James “Jas” Warren (1964-2025) (Left photo is a NN file photo; right photo provided by Abby Rodriguez)

See “Jas Warren” on pg. 6

‘St. Mark’s Choir’

Continued from pg. 1

It’d been years since I had attended a service at St. Mark, so I didn’t realize that the church’s choir has 30 singers, including soprano soloist Ashely Shalna, bass soloist Marty Angiulli and accompanist Maureen Hartung. “But, when some of our college students come back during breaks, we have as many as 42,” Dr. Cappa said.

Of that group, he added, only 15 actual choir members will make the trip to Italy, “but with spouses and other church members, we’re bringing 37, I believe,” he said.

On Nov. 2, the day photographer Charmaine George and I visited — and 9 days before the group was leaving for Italy — there were at least a dozen incredible musicians from the Florida Orchestra, as well as some USF professors, practicing and performing with the group for the 10:30 Sunday Mass. The rehearsal of composer Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem” hymn with these woodwind, brass and string musicians was absolutely captivating.

But, Dr. Cappa — who has a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Organ Performance from West Virginia University and is working on a second DMA degree in Choral Conducting at USF — says the choir will perform five pieces for Pope Leo: the “Orbis Factor” ordinary chant, the “Cantate Domino” by Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni; the “O Domine Jesu Christe” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina; the “Locus Iste” by Anton Bruckner; and the “Adoramus Te” by Jacobus Clemens non Papa.

I wish them all “Bonam Fortunam!”— GN

Pope Leo XIV (Photo source: Wikipedia.com)

(Above) Soprano soloist Ashely Shalna; (below) bass soloist Marty Angiulli; (bottom left) accompanist Maureen Hartung & (bottom right) some of the musicians from the Florida Orchestra. (Left) St. Mark director of music John Paul Cappa. (All photos on this page by Charmaine George)

Warren’

Abby also noted that Jas not only directed other people’s works, but also his own — as he wrote many one-act plays.

“We were in New York City, at the famous Strand bookstore,” she says, “and I saw this book called The Tale, Dark and Grim, and it was like a children’s haunted fairy tale. There’s actually a Netflix show based on it. And I was like, ‘Dad, it looks so cool.’ He grabbed the book, and he ended up writing three one-act, 40-minute shows based on that book. And those were my three years of school.”

She added that, “Every year he would write an original one act that we would take to competition. And, I mean, he had straight ‘Superiors’ (grades at the competition) for 30 years. We would take those to USF and then to the Straz for the Florida State Thespian Festival.

(Left) Jas Warren and his son, Jack. (Above) Renee & Jas Warren. (Above right) Abigail (Abby Warren) Rodriguez & Jas. (Next page, top) Jas officiated at Abby’s wedding to Nathaniel Rodriguez, which was fittingly held on the stage at Wharton High. (Next page, bottom) Jas and his students bring home some more theatre competition hardware. (All photos on these pages provided by Abby Rodriguez) be much more said about this truly exceptional teacher, father, husband and man at that event.

“He would always do plays about murders, like JonBenét Ramsey, Laci Peterson, 9/11 and Columbine. He loved writing the ‘side’ stories about these events.”

I was planning to attend the celebration of Jas Warren’s too-short life (at Wharton) on Nov. 8, which was a week after this issue went to press, but before it hit mailboxes. I’m sure there will

“Jas Warren’s impact on the world, most notably through theatre education, can not be measured by awards or titles alone. He transformed countless lives. His legacy will continue to live on and he will be missed by so many.”

Amen. RIP.

“Last night, my father passed away unexpectedly. He was my best friend, my greatest teacher, and the person who shaped so much of who I am.

He shared his love for theatre with the world and touched countless lives through his passion, creativity, and kindness. The impact he had on his students and everyone who knew him will live on forever.

He brought me my family, my sense of purpose, and so much love. I’ll carry his lessons and his laughter with me always.

Dad, I don’t know how to exist in a world where you don’t. I will forever treasure our last conversation together yesterday.

I love you forever.” — Abigail Rodriguez

Wiregrass Ranch Updates On Publix, New Apartments, Medical Offices & Restaurants?

By Gary Nager & Joel Provenzano

It seems that there’s never a shortage of news coming out of Wiregrass Ranch these days, so we always try to check in with developer JD Porter and his development right hand man, Scott Sheridan, the chief operating officer of Locust Branch, LLC, to get the latest news.

After all, the 5,000-acre Wiregrass Ranch already has The Shops at Wiregrass mall, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Hospital, the Porter Campus of Pasco Hernando State College, more than 3,000 single-family homes (and townhomes) and 1,400 rental apartment units.

Wiregrass Ranch also is home to the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, The Beach House assisted living community, Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS), Moffitt Cancer Center and North Tampa Behavioral Health, and coming soon are the Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital, two Orlando Healthowned medical office buildings totalling 150,000 sq. ft., a PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital and two additional medical office buildings that Wiregrass Ranch will develop in partnership with Flagship Healthcare Properties — and what Porter says will one day be Wesley Chapel’s true downtown, The Legacy at Wiregrass Ranch.

One of the big things people keep asking me (and online) is about the new Publix planned for the east side of Wiregrass Ranch Blvd., just north and east of Walmart (see map above left) on a 9.5-acre site appraised at $3.97 million.

Of that 48,848-sq.-ft. Publix (with a 2,100-sq.-ft. liquor store), which is being built

(Left) Publix could soon begin building its new location east of Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. earlier this year. Map locations: 1-Chili’s, 2-Chase Bank, 3-Bank of America, 4-Advance Auto Parts, 5-Sweet Nail Spa, Mathnasium, Pizza Hut & Starbucks. (Map from Publix plans submitted to Paco County, modified by NN) (Right) Rendering of the resort-style pool at the under-construction Arcadia at Wiregrass Ranch apartments. (Rendering from ThirdLakeDevelopment.com)

in front of the newest apartment community — Arcadia at Wiregrass Ranch — the main thing most people want to know is whether or not the opening of that new Publix will cause the existing store in the Hollybrook Plaza (less than a half-mile away) to close. Neither Sheridan nor Porter would address that question directly, but Sheridan says, “Final permitting [of the new Publix] is under way now, and I expect them to break ground by early next year. We have no direct knowledge of [Publix’s] intent to close the old store when they build the new one.” The site plan for the new Publix shows its main entrance lining up directly opposite the northern entrance to Walmart. Although most people appear to agree that

it seems a little crazy to have two Publixes located so close to each other, we have heard some online chatter that says the Hollybrook Publix will definitely close, while others say that it definitely won’t close. Without confirmation either way from Publix or the Wiregrass Ranch team, it seems ludicrous to us to speculate either way. But, speaking of Publix, Porter did mention the possibility of another link in the Lakeland-based supermarket chain coming to the area near the new FCS building on S.R. 56, but Sheridan cautioned that although he had seen a post on Facebook that a preapplication meeting had been scheduled, “there has been nothing from us directly on this.”

Also important to note is that if another Publix is coming to S.R. 56 in Wiregrass Ranch, that possible location is not the Publix planned for the front of the Two Rivers development five miles or so further to the east on 56.

In the meantime, the Arcadia at Wiregrass Ranch apartments have not yet gone vertical, but the 15-acre parcel (valued at $7.04 million) has been cleared to build the 320-unit luxury rental community and its resort-style pool, EV charging stations and more, which will be the seventh Arcadia project (and the third in Florida) for Tampa-based Third Lake Development.

As for the planned medical offices near the Orlando Health hospital, Sheridan says that the

To Arcadia Apts

first 46,000-sq.-ft. Wiregrass Ranch Medical Pavilion (rendering above), in partnership with Flagship Healthcare Properties, is getting ready to break ground before the end of this year.

“The second phase will move forward once the initial building is completed and fully leased,” Sheridan says.

As for the two Florida Medical Clinic/ Orlando Health medical office buildings (MOBs), Sheridan says, “The hospital is expected to open by April of 2026. We expect the MOBs would be under construction soon but can’t say for sure. They are just now completing all of the site work for both of those.”

Sheridan also said that Wiregrass Ranch is, “coordinating with Mast Capital on their requirement to build the Bypass Loop road within Wiregrass Ranch from S.R. 54 to Wiregrass Ranch Blvd.” as part of Mast’s redevelopment of Saddlebrook Resort (see pg. 40). “But we are not engaged or aware of their developments within the resort.”

New Restaurants? Although the rumor

mill has said that The Tilted Kilt, a Winghouse/ Hooters-style sports pub, could be the still-unnamed restaurant planned for next to Cooper’s Hawk, Porter told me that although they have had discussions with The Tilted Kilt, it definitely will not be the restaurant built next to Cooper’s Hawk.

Meanwhile, Sheridan says, “We are working on several upscale restaurants along the S.R. 56 corridor, including next to Cooper’s Hawk, which, we are told, is consistently the #1 or #2 restaurant in that chain.”

But of course, perhaps the most anticipated development in Wiregrass Ranch is The Legacy, which Porter keeps saying will be the only “true” downtown development in Wesley Chapel, and which will tie together everything already built and still planned for the Porter family’s sprawling cattle ranch. So, is there any Legacy news?

“We are exploring that now with potential partners but have not committed to any timing yet,” Sheridan says.

To be continued.

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Well Represented At 36th India Festival!

When New Tampa resident Sudhir (Sid) Shah invited me to attend the 36th annual India Festival 2025 — which was a 14-hour event held mainly indoors at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall on Nov. 1, presented by Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay (a 44-year-old cultural and educational Florida nonprofit organization) — I had no idea what to expect.

What I found were more than 80 amazing dance troupes, all in unique, brightly colored costumes, competing for top honors in three age categories (Minor, Junior & College/Adult), 160 vendors (including almost every Indian restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel — and dozens more from across the Tampa Bay area) — and literally thousands of attendees, including Dist. 67 State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, Dist. 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera and Hillsborough County School Board member Nadia Combs.

In fact, Sid — who is the chair of both the Board of Governors of Gujarati Samaj & the India Festival host committee — told me that there were 12,000 Festival attendees last year and that he was hopeful to surpass that number by 1,000-3,000 people when it was all said and done.

All I can tell you is that the place was packed and that new people kept joining the party during the brief hour or so I was there. Unfortunately, photographer Charmaine George was unable to attend with me, but I tried my best to do justice to the spectacle. I fear that I failed.

Even so, I definitely plan to attend for a longer time next year and actually sample some of the food and maybe buy Jannah some of the beautiful jewelry and/or fashions. It was all just that impressive.

Among the dozens of food and beverage vendors were Nawabi Hyderabad House, Minerva Indian Restaurant and Ambasari Zaika (all in New Tampa), plus Persis Indian Grill, Bawarchi Indian Grill, Inchin’s Bamboo Garden/Curry Club (Wesley Chapel) and Kini’s Icecream (Fowler Ave.).

Thanks again for the invite, Sid! — GN

(From top to bottom) Here are two of the 80+ dance troupes who competed in three different age categories (Minor, Junior & College/Adult). Hundreds of Festival attendees were in the audience for the dance programs all day. (Left) Just some of the dance judges who evaluated & scored every dance performance.

(Above) New Tampa’s Sudhir (Sid) Shah (left) with Fentrice Driskell. (Below) Two of the 160 total vendors at India Festival Tampa 2025.

Thousands of Indian food lovers sampled cuisines of many regions from (clockwise from top left) Persis Indian Grill, Kini’s Home Sty;e Icecream, Inchin’s Bamboo Garden/Curry Club & Ambarsari Zaika..

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Hosts A Successful ‘Explorers’ Program Open House!

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

In April 2024, AdventHealth Zephyrhills (AHZ) launched Pasco County’s first Health Care Explorers Post, leading the way to re-establish the program in the greater Tampa Bay area. Explorers is a program sponsored by Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America), where young people from all backgrounds can get immersive career experience.

Last year, after seeing the success of the nonprofit hospital group’s successful Explorers launch at AHZ, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (AHWC) launched its own Explorers program, and hosted its first cohort of 18 young people, ten of whom either went on to college health care-related programs (including four who now attend Pasco Hernando State College’s nursing and health science programs at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch) or plan to do so, according to Melissa Torr, the volunteer supervisor for AHWC and the post leader for the AHWC Explorers program.

“This year, we had 139 young people, ages 16-20, come to our Open House at the hospital on Oct. 15 to sign up to be part of our 2026 Explorers program,” Torr said. “Amazing!”

Torr also said that everyone who attended the Open House got a “taste” of what it’s like to

work in a variety of different hospital departments:

“They got to do CPR and first aid,” Torr said. “They had a simulation from the lab to look at slides and things to expose them to the lab. Our interventional radiology team and infection prevention were there to do different activities. So, even if they don’t get selected to participate in the program, they got a little snapshot of what it would look like to go to each department throughout the months they’d be with us.”

She stressed that even with the larger-than-expected turnout on Oct. 15, “we can

still only select 20 of them to be part of this year’s program.”

The Explorers who are selected will meet at AHWC once each month, from January through June, when they will receive hands-on opportunities in places like the medical laboratory, EMS, the pharmacy, the imaging department and even the operating room.

“And then, Torr said, “we will culminate with a simulation day at AdventHealth Tampa, in their sim lab, and [host] a graduation.”

She added, “I think the biggest take away for them is not only learning about the health care industry and AdventHealth itself, but also that we provide a leadership experience for them.”

Torr says many of last year’s AHWC Explorers are volunteering to help this year: “They’re telling their friends who are still in high school or just starting college, ‘Hey, you’ve got to try this program!’”

Upcoming Events — ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Abbey Road’ Tribute, A ‘Turkey Trot’ & More!

Saturday & Sunday, November 8-9, 2 p.m.

– Wesley Chapel Theater Group Presents: War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast. At Starkey Ranch Theater Library Cultural Center (12118 Lake Blanche Dr. Odessa). Step back in time to 1938, when a radio drama shook the nation. “War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast” reimagines the legendary Orson Welles broadcast that famously convinced Americans that a full-scale alien invasion was underway. With live sound effects, vintage microphones and lots of drama, this production captures the excitement and the chaos of that fateful night. Tickets $22.13-$31.59. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org or see the ad & story on pg. 22.

Tuesday, November 11, 5 p.m. – Wounded Warrior Project Carry Forward 5K. At Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPGCC) Fitness Center (5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). Help raise funds to provide vital life-changing programming for America’s wounded warriors. The official 5K race will begin and end at the TPGCC Fitness Center. For more info or to register, email Kimberly.Howey@InvitedClubs.com.

Wednesday, November 12, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. – Grand Opening Party for Conviva Wiregrass. At Conviva Wiregrass (located inside Walmart, 28516 S.R. 54). Learn more about senior-focused care tour the new center and meet the team. There will be music, food, bingo and more. For more info, call (813) 592-4856, visit HelloConviva.com.

Wednesday, November 12, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Essence Clinic (1912 Oak Grove Blvd., Lutz). Come out and see the expanded offerings with a variety of new wellness and aesthetic services. Light refreshments will be served. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Thursday, November 13, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Welter Law Office (2312 Cypress Cove, Ste. 101). Celebrate the grand opening of the attorney Denise Welter’s new office. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Friday, November 14, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. –Paint the City Date Night. At Downtown Avalon Park (33613 SR 54). Unwind together at our Couples Paint & Sip Night, where you’ll paint a beautiful diptych city scene side by side while enjoying wine & desserts. Guided by artist Sally Yoder. Tickets $65per couple-all supplies included. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com/newsevents/calendar/#

Friday & Saturday, November 14 & 15, 7 p.m.-8:45 p.m. & Sunday, November 16, 4 p.m.-5:45 p.m. – Tampa City Ballet Presents: “Cinderella.” At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Tampa City Ballet reimagines the classic fairytale of “Cinderella” in a dazzling spectacle that will captivate your entire family. Tickets cost $45-$90. For tickets to “Cinderella,” or for more info about TCB (15367 Amberly Dr., Tampa Palms), visit TampaCityBallet.org, see the ad on pg. 17 or call (813) 558-0800.

Saturday, November 15, 7 p.m. & Sunday, November 16, 2 p.m. – Wesley Chapel Theater Group Presents: War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast. At Zephyrhills Lions Club (5827 Dean Dairy Rd.). Same show as Nov. 8-9, in different location. Tickets $22.13-$27.38. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org or see the ad below.

Monday, November 17, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Wesley Chapel Miracle-Ear (1752 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.). Help welcome this new business to the community. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business. NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Tuesday, November 18, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. –Edward Jones Open House. At Edward Jones (8709 Hunters Green Dr., Ste 102). Celebrate the new office location. There will be light drinks and snacks. They will be accepting donations to Feeding Tampa Bay & Toys for Tots. Donors will be entered into a raffle. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 971-3432 or see the ad on pg. 15.

Tuesday, November 18, 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. – North Tampa Bay Ribbon Cutting & Open House. At Johns Hopkins All Children’s Specialty Physicians OB/GYN 54 Crossing Clinic (17907 Aprile Dr., Ste. 200, Land O’ Lakes). Meet the team and tour the state-of-theart facility. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. For more info and to RSVP visit t.jh. edu/54CrossingOpenHouse.

Wednesday, November 19, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Coffee Social. At Keystone Title (4865 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.). A relaxed morning meet-up designed for casual networking and meaningful connections. Join fellow Chamber members for coffee, light refreshments, and great conversation — no agenda, no speeches, just community. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Thursday, November 20, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. – Kuumba Dancers and Drummers (TYA). At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Through exotic, mesmerizing rhythms and joyous movements, the Kuumba Dancers and Drummers take kids on a journey to the beautiful continent on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Tickets $10. For info, call (813)

829-2760 or to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/ Kuumba-tya.

Thursday, November 20, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Skymor Wesley Chapel (6274 Caroline Dr.). Celebrate the grand opening of the newest townhome rental community in the area. There will be light snacks and refreshments. Free to attend. For more info, call (813)994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events

Friday, November 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. –Friends of New River Library Book Sale. At New River Library (34043 S.R. 54). The Big Book Sale brought to you by the Friends of New River Library. All proceeds support library programs. Free to attend. For more info, visit PascoLibraries.libnet.info/event/14796762 or call (813) 788-6375.

Friday, November 21, 8 p.m.-11 p.m. –Classic Rock Legacy: Abbey Road. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). The stellar musicians of Classic Rock Legacy return to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. Experience a note-for-note rec-

reation of the classic Beatles album, Abbey Road, along with an encore of the Beatles’ greatest hits. Tickets $17.50-$25 depending on seat selection. For info, call (813) 829-2760 or to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/ events/classic-rock-legacy-abbey-road.

Sunday, November 23, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. – New Tampa Unplugged: MJR Latin Project. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Experience the vibrant sounds of the MJR Latin Project, Tampa Bay’s premier Latin jazz ensemble led by Cuban bassist and composer Mauricio J. Rodríguez. Featuring top regional talent, including Grammy-winning saxophonist Zach Bornheimer, pianist Pablo Arencibia, drummer Andy Fornet and Cuban percussionist Carlos Javier Navarro, the group delivers an electrifying fusion of Cuban music and Latin jazz. Tickets $17.50-$25. For info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/ events/new-tampa-unplugged-mjr-latin-project.

Thursday, November 27, 7 a.m.-10 a.m. – BayCare Wobble Turkey Trot. At Tampa Premium Outlets (2300 Grand Cypress Dr., Lutz). Every finisher will receive a long sleeve tech-shirt and custom finisher medal. There will be a 5K and a 1K race. Volunteers are still needed. 1K$27.50, 5K - $40, 1K & 5K combo - $42.50 and virtual 5K - $35. For more info and to register, visit runsignup.com/Race/FL/Lutz/WiregrassWobbleTurkeyTrot5K, or see the ad on pg. 15.

Sunday, November 30, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. –The Nashville Brass. At New Tampa Performing

If you love The Beatles’ classic “Abbey Road” album, you should definitely check out Classic Rock Legacy’s note-for-note recreation performance on Friday, November 21, at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center.

Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Don’t miss an unforgettable evening as Grammy Award-winning ensemble Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass light up the stage with their signature blend of country favorites and powerful brass arrangements. Tickets $20 -$27.50 depending on seat selection. For info, call (813) 829-2760 or to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/the-nashville-brass.

Monday, December 1, 7 p.m. – New Tampa Democratic Club Monthly Meeting. At New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.). Guest speaker David Jolly, Democratic candidate for Governor of Florida. Free to attend. For more info, visit NewTampaDemocrats.com or Facebook.com/NewTampaDemocrats. See ad below.

Tuesday, December 2, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

– North Tampa Bay Chamber Business Breakfast. At Pasco Hernando State College – Porter Campus (2727 Mansfield Blvd., Conference Center, Third Floor). $25 for members, $30 for non-members. For more info, call (813) 9948534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Thursday, December 4, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. –

North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At RoofElite (190021 1st St. SW, Lutz). Tour the brand-new location and meet the team “behind the shingles.” There will be giveaways and exclusive discounts. Food and drinks will be served. Free to attend. For more info and to RSVP, call (833) 553-5483 or visit Roof-Elite.com.

Thursday, December 4, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

– Wine and Wealth Social. At Signature Workspace (The Shops at Wiregrass, 28210 Paseo Dr., Ste. 190). This is the ugly sweater holiday party. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 469-2739.

Friday-Sunday, December 12-14, 7:30 p.m. on Friday & Saturday, with matinees on Saturday & Sunday at 3 p.m. — Tampa City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker.” At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Join Clara on her magical journey filled with toy soldiers, mice and, of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy. With stunning dance and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, this holiday tradition brings joy to all ages. Tickets cost $45-$90, depending upon seat selection. For info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit TampaCityBallet.org or NewTampaArtsCenter. org/events/nutcracker-dec-12.

New Tampa Democratic Club

Monthly Meeting

Monday, December 1, 7 p.m. at New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.)

Guest Speaker: David Jolly, Democratic Candidate for Governor of Florida newtampademocrats.com https://www.facebook.com/NewTampaDemocrats

The Nikolov-West Duo’s ‘Under Four Hands’ Piano Concert Wows

By Gary Nager

by Charmaine George

The first time Jannah and I ever saw anyone perform “four hands piano” was at the 2024 “Concert Grand” event held at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) — the piano concert that unveiled the NTPAC’s new Steinway Model D grand piano to the local community. Classically trained pianists Grigorios Zamparas and Jane West shared the Steinway’s 88 keys and the ability for each of them to blend with each other had us captivated.

The next time we saw “four hands piano” was only a couple of months ago, at the NTPAC’s 2025 “Season Soiree,” when Jane shared the Steinway with another classically trained pianist, Viktor Nikolov, with whom she (who lives in New Tampa) also started a piano school — the Nikolov West Studio, located at 2907 W.Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa. Jannah and I were spellbound by their artistry. We promised Jane and Viktor that we would attend their next performance at NTPAC, “Under Four Hands” which was held on Oct. 29, as part of the center’s “Steinway Signature Series” of classical and jazz piano concerts.

And, even though Jannah and I both prefer rock and pop to classical music, Viktor and Jane’s performance was a mix of classic composers like Beethoven (they played his “Sonata Opus 6 in D Major) and Chopin (“Variations in D Major”) with more modern classical compositions by Thoma Gaqi (“Valle Simfonike No. 2) and Francis Poulenc (Sonata for Piano Four Hands”).

But, with their combination of on-stage talent, power and elegance and the obvious chemistry between them, Jane and Viktor could amaze an audience by playing “Chopsticks.” During one of the pieces, Jane even briefly played rhythm with one hand on the side of the Steinway — while still playing the keys with her other hand.

In other words, if you missed their performance, you again missed something truly special.

“Next time, we’ll try to find a weekend date to play, instead of a Wednesday,” Jane said after the magical evening. “Viktor and I absolutely love playing here.”

The other thing you missed that truly proves that these piano virtuosos also can teach was the opening performance by 12-year-old Aadrith Anand Ramaswamy (photos right & below), who has taken lessons from both Viktor and Jane

since he was only six years old. While you could tell — within the first few seconds of his performance — that Aadrith is clearly a prodigy with a brilliant future, his mother gave all the credit for his brilliance to his instructors. I forgot to write down the name of the piece Aadrith played, but his hands were an absolute blur at times and he has definitely adapted Jane and Viktor’s commanding stage presence, too.

As NTPAC general manager Keith Arsenault (photo above) reported, the next “Steinway Signature Series” event at NTPAC will be on Wednesday, February 25, and will feature Austrian-American artist Markus Gottschlich & Friends performing “A Global Jazz Journey.”

But, there are so many great events happening at the NTPAC — from rock to ballet to jazz to musical theatre — that if you’re not already attending them, you really are missing out.

To find out more about the NTPAC events coming up over the next month or so, see the Events Calendar on pages 14-15. For the full listing of upcoming events, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org. For more info about the Nikolov-West Studio, call (813) 364-4441 or visit NikolovWestStudio.com. GN; photos by Charmaine George

Photos

Wesley Chapel Theater Group Presents ‘War Of The Worlds: The Panic Broadcast!’

This month, the Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG) invites audiences — in two different locations — to experience one of the most thrilling stories ever told on the American stage.

The company will present “War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast,” adapted for the stage by Joe Landry with WCTG direction by Se’a Shelly-Ryan — a production that combines suspense, history and creative stagecraft into a truly unique theatrical event.

The play revisits the legendary 1938 radio drama originally directed and narrated by Orson Welles. That broadcast caused a nationwide sensation when many listeners believed a Martian invasion was genuinely unfolding. Panic spread across parts of the country, cementing the production as one of the most famous moments in broadcasting history.

Landry’s adaptation captures the excitement of that night while adding layers of theatrical storytelling. The script not only recreates Welles’ chilling broadcast but also provides a glimpse into the world of the actors, sound technicians and announcers who brought the performance to life. The result is a fast-paced blend of suspense and humor that celebrates both the magic and the power of a live radio play performance.

True to its roots, “War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast” is staged in the style of a live radio show. Period costumes, authentic sound effects and some crazy props set the tone, transporting audiences back to the gold-

en age of radio. Every detail has been designed to immerse theatergoers in the atmosphere of 1938, when imagination and storytelling reigned supreme.

Director Se’a Shelly-Ryan has embraced the unique challenges of this format, guiding the cast to deliver performances that feel immediate and authentic. Audiences can expect moments of spine-tingling tension as the “invasion” unfolds, balanced with a behind-the-scenes look at the actors (each of whom plays multiple roles, including Welles soundalike Ken Dockum, top right photo, as the renowned late actor/director) and crew racing to pull off a flawless performance.

As a nonprofit community theater organization, the Wesley Chapel Theater Group is committed to bringing engaging, high-quality productions to local audiences. “War of the

Worlds: The Panic Broadcast” reflects that mission by combining a beloved piece of radio history with the immediacy of live performance. Whether you’re a fan of classic science fiction, a lover of theater, or simply looking for a memorable way to spend an afternoon or evening, this production offers something for everyone.

WCTG is taking the show on the road to two locations outside of Wesley Chapel to share it with a wider audience. Performances will be held at the following venues:

•Saturday-Sunday, November 8-9, 2 p.m. — at Starkey Ranch Theater Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Dr., Odessa, FL 33556.

•Saturday, November 15, 7 p.m. & Sunday, November 16, 2 p.m. — at Zephyrhills Lions Club, 5827 Dean Dairy

Rd., Zephyrhills, FL 33541. Tickets are available now and can be purchased through the Wesley Chapel Theater Group’s website at WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org.

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Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Celebrates Urgent Care Grand Opening!

The Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital under construction in Wesley Chapel isn’t expected to open until late 2027, but that doesn’t mean the pediatric clinical and academic health system isn’t making news in our area.

Not only does Johns Hopkins All Children’s already have a specialty clinic open off Wesley Chapel Blvd., it also celebrated the opening of its first-ever pediatric urgent care facility in Tampa (which is located at 12220 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite B, near USF) on Oct. 17, with a North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon-cutting event that included tours of the

The tours were led by Susan Byrd, RN, the exec. director of ambulatory services, Dr. Joseph Perno, the VP of medical affairs, and Chrissie Ladd, PA (in floral dress in photo below), for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. The NTBC ribbon was cut by the facility’s first patient Shanella Fisher (with scissors in photo at right).

And, the Johns Hopkins All Children’s OB/ GYN Specialists Office located at 19707 Aprile Dr., Land O’Lakes, will host another NTBC ribbon-cutting event on Tuesday, November 18, 4:30 p.m. For more info about that event, see this issue’s Events Calendar on pg. 14.

Susan Byrd, RN (at right in left photo above) and Dr. Joseph Perno (at right in right photo above) led the tours of the new Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital After Hours Pediatric Urgent Care on Oct. 17. (All photos on this page by Charmaine George)

Attorney Herb Fiss — A Divorce & Family Law Specialist Who Really Cares

By Gary Nager

I have known attorney Herb Fiss of Cove nant Law Firm (located in the former Hunter’s Green Model & Visitor Center just off Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) for more than 30 years and the most important thing I can say about him — since I’ve never hired him to represent me — is that it’s clear from the moment you first meet or chat with him that he genuinely cares about his clients. And, based on my most recent conversa tion with Herb, I am confident that he will do everything in his power, with his nearly 35 years of having his own law firm, to find the facts that other lawyers might miss in order to win your case and get you the best possible settlement.

Herb’s ad in this publication (see page 5) represents him primarily as a divorce attorney, but he says he handles any type of “tort” cases. (Note- Torts are defined as “civil wrongs, other than breaches of contracts, that cause a claimant to suffer loss or harm, resulting in legal liability for the person who commits the tortious act.”)

“I don’t handle criminal cases,” Herb says. “But, while I am often retained to handle a lot of divorce cases and auto accidents, at the end of the day, what I really am is a seasoned civil trial lawyer and litigator.”

A Little History...

fit for me. So I ended up going to law school at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport.”

Herb graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Finance in 1985.

“I got a job right out of college in Tampa with NCNB, which is now called Bank of America,” he says. “I trained and worked in commer-

After graduating with his Juris Doctor (J.D., or law) degree in 1991 (and contemporaneously serving in the U.S. Marine Corps reserves), Herb opened the Law Offices of Herbert W. Fiss in the Publix-anchored City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center.

“I believe I was the first lawyer to set up shop in New Tampa, before the name ‘New

of the homeowners associations here, doing their deed restriction enforcement work, because they were all new. I had all of the associations in Pebble Creek, I was doing work for Hunter’s Green and Williamsburg, and a few others.”

“Over the years, I started getting referrals for tort cases, especially auto crashes,” he says, “as well as divorces and other family law cases, like child custody cases. I think one of the reasons I’m a good lawyer is because I love meeting peo-

ple and listening to where their lives have taken them. If you’ve been damaged or harmed by somebody or some other act, I’m the person you want to talk to. I will treat you and your family as I would my own.”

In fact, when I first bought the Neighborin 1994, Herb was already advertising with us (see his first ad with us on this page), even though I didn’t actually meet him until we both served on the Board of the long-defunct New Tampa Community Council in 1995.

And, even though he moved his firm to South Tampa a few years later, Herb decided, three years or so ago, to come back to where he started, in New Tampa.

“I needed a change of scenery,” Herb says, although he and his wife Ellen still live in South Tampa. “Plus, I really like the diversity up here. I meet — and handle cases — so many people from different countries here .”

Above is the first ad that attorney Herb Fiss ran in the Neighborhood News in 1994. Please note that none of the info in this old ad is still correct.

Cases That Can Break Your Heart

“I was hired by the brother of a New York City fire fighter who was there on 9/11. He was in one of the towers as it was collapsing,” Herb says. “But, even though he escaped, he had seen all the carnage and he understandably needed mental health counseling for PTSD after that. He just never could get over it. He decided to retire from the New York Fire Department and move down here with his brother to St. Pete.

“But things progressively got worse, where he needed to be admitted into a mental health facility. And this fire fighter, for whatever reason, was constantly hungry and he would just eat anything that was sitting around. He was just always hungry. The standing doctor’s orders in his chart was, to keep this patient away from any meat, because he was a choking hazard.

“He gets out of his room, goes to the patient’s room next door, grabs his pork chop, and you can see him walking away eating the pork chop. This is all on video. He goes into his room and you see an attendant finally walking in to check him out. The next thing you see is the attendant running out. The firefighter was choking to death on that pork chop. But, the attendant never goes to get help. Instead, the attendant left the room but never went for help, never called a code or anything like that. We don’t know what happened inside the room, but what we do know is he never ran out to get the MD, who was always on staff. The next thing you do see is that the firefighter is deceased and carted out on a gurney.

“I investigated that attendant and found that they had previously been fired for sexually assaulting a patient at another facility. It didn’t bring the firefighter back, but it’s cases like that,

which actually make me proud for doing what I do. I enjoy being an advocate for people.”

In another case, “I was camping outside of Gainesville with my two children and I met a family at the campground who asked me ‘What do you do for a living?’

“I said I was an attorney and they shared with me that their aunt and uncle had just been involved in a one-vehicle crash, a truck they rent ed from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which they had to rent while their other truck was being repaired.

“They were driving in a light rain, on a slight incline, when the truck went out of control and flipped three times, almost killing both of them.

“I said, ‘That doesn’t sound right. Where is the truck now?’ They said, ‘It’s impounded.’ So, I went to the impound lot to inspect the truck and instructed the junk yard not to let that vehicle go anywhere, because it was now evidence.

“I visited the people where they lived in Leesburg and asked them to tell me more about the truck. They gave me the lease agreement which had handwritten on it saying the ‘TPMS, or Tire Pressure Monitoring System, light was on.’ Enterprise told them, ‘Don’t worry about it. We’ll just put air in the tire and you’ll be OK. But, three days later, the truck flips.

“I did further research and found that the National Highway Traffic Safety Board had done an investigation on that exact year of Ford F-150 truck, because the tire valve stems were defective and the rubber was cracking, causing the tires to leak. You’d fill the tires with air, but they’d just leak back out again. I called the NTSB in Washington DC, and they came down and did an inspection and sure enough, the valve stems were defective and leaking air. I ended up having to sue both Enterprise and Ford, and got the people paid.

Herb is proud of the volunteer work he does for the

House and his church. (Photo source: CovenantFamilyLaw.com)

“It didn’t make them almost dying any better, but these are the kinds of cases I like to take, not what we call ‘nuisance cases,’ where someone is suing because their bumper got tapped from behind in the McDonald’s pick-up line and sues just to get paid. I don’t take nuisance cases like those.”

Herb also told me about a divorce case where a mom who started talking to him in Five Guys (because he was wearing his Covenant Law Firm polo shirt) said that her husband had left her, run off with another woman and moved to somewhere in Texas, leaving her with not one cent of child support or alimony and no word from her husband, other than he had filed for divorce in Texas.

“The judge in Texas asked why he had filed in Texas when his wife and children are back in Florida. They just recently transferred the case

here and I’m handling it for her to make things right, to get her paid. Her two boys can see her struggling just to make ends meet, through no fault of her own. I told her, right in front of those boys, “Ma’am, I’m going to take care of this for you.’ The case just got transferred to Dade City. I’m going to make sure she gets paid.”

A True Christian

Herb also is proud of the volunteering he does, both as a leader at the Palma Ceia Methodist Church in South Tampa that he and Ellen attend, and for the Tampa Ronald McDonald House on Davis Islands.

“The thing I love about the Ronald McDonald House (which houses the families of sick children at Tampa General Hospital for no charge) is that they don’t care if you’re Black, White, Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Jewish or what your socioeconomic status may be. They just say, ‘Let us help you save your child.’ To me, that is exactly what Jesus stood for.”

Herb and Ellen (whose mom is my longtime reader and friend Marion Brodarick, who recently turned 103) have two children — Garrett, 28, and 26-year-old Olivia. Garrett graduated from Wake Forest University and works for a company building a new airplane hangar at Tampa International Airport. Olivia is happily married and working as a radiology technician.

“At the end of the day, they are my reason for doing what I do,” Herb says proudly.

Covenant Law Firm, the office of attorney Herb Fiss, is located at 8709 Hunters Green Dr., Suite #100. It is open every weekday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, call (813) 258-1133, visit CovenantFamilyLaw.com or see the ad on pg. 5 of this issue.

Ronald McDonald

Computer Emergency Room Is Urgent Care For Your Home & Office Tech!

By Iris Vitelli

Neighborhood News Correspondent

Computer Emergency Room, located in the Publix-anchored Shoppes at New Tampa of Wesley Chapel plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., has become the place locals turn to when their technology needs help — and FAST!

Owned by brothers Jamie and Joe Hess, Jr., the business has been keeping the computers, phones and networks in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel (and throughout the Tampa Bay area) running smoothly for years, earning a loyal fol lowing from both home users and businesses.

The newly remodeled location on BBD, just south of S.R. 56, now serves as the central hub for all of their customers. Computer Emer gency Room has had a few other locations in the Tampa Bay area, but the brothers Hess made the decision to consolidate them all into one more efficient space that has allowed them to expand the company’s business-to-business (B2B) services while maintaining the personal family-style care that has always set it apart.

all. That’s why backups are so important.”

Computer Emergency Room offers repairs, network support, remote monitoring and backup, Help Desk support, service plans, software support, website design and website hosting.

“We can handle a lot of the work we do remotely,” Jamie says. “About 90 percent of the issues or requests our clients have can be solved without us having to go onsite. It saves time and lets us respond immediately.” That proactive philosophy drives everything the company does.

The Hess brothers opened their first tech repair shop in upstate New York in 1992 and the first store in the Tampa Bay area opened when Jamie and his family first moved here in 2018. Many of Computer Emergency Room’s clients have been the company’s customers for years.

“Being proactive is important,” Jamie says. “We put a plan in place so our customers are never surprised.”

For example, he says, if a company has twelve computers, “we recommend that computers should be no more than 4-5 years old. With this in mind, we recommend replacing three each year. This way, nothing ever gets too old, and their systems stay fast and reliable.”

For businesses, the risk of not being protected can be very high. “When a ransomware hits, it locks everything such as customer records, invoices, payroll, everything,” Jamie explains. “You either pay the ransom or lose it

Malware is a broad term for any harmful software that finds its way into your computer, often through emails, pop-ups, or fake links. It can damage files or steal information. Ransomware is a particularly nasty type of malware that locks you out of your own data and demands money to get it back.

Jamie says that malware remains one of the most serious threats facing both businesses and individuals today. A single infected email attachment can freeze an entire company’s network, leaving employees locked out and productivity at a standstill. Cybercriminals often target small and midsized businesses because they assume the security measures at these businesses are weaker. Without proper monitoring and cloud-based backups, the financial impact can be devastating, both from lost data and the downtime that follows.

Despite Computer Emergency Room’s growth, Jamie says the foundation of the business remains the same: “Care more about the customer than the money.” The company’s success rests on both experience and family commitment, which proved especially vital during the pandemic.

“We didn’t lay off anyone,” Jamie recalls. “Even when business dropped by half, we kept every employee on payroll. My brother and I went without paychecks because we value our people and their families.”

The company’s approach to data protection has saved countless customers from devastating losses. Jamie recalls one business that learned this lesson the hard way.

“[Management] thought their backup was

time, and stress tested it. Guys were super nice, knowledgeable and the price was very reasonable. Excellent service, great to see a quality IT business like this.”

working, but it wasn’t,” he says. “When they got hit, they lost everything and had to pay $15,000 for data recovery in a Clean Room. The company signed up with us right after that. Now they’re protected with nightly cloud backups, so they’ll never have to go through that again.”

A Clean Room is a dust-free, precision-controlled environment where technicians can open drives and directly access the platters (the circular disks that store magnetic data inside a hard drive).

“If even a speck of dust touches those components,” Jamie says, “the data can be permanently ruined. It works, but it’s extremely expensive. That’s why prevention is so much cheaper.”

That kind of real-world experience can be scary but as long as your computer or network is protected, the worst-case scenario is losing one day of data. Computer Emergency Room’s backup service provides its customers with peace of mind.

“People like that they can still come in and talk to someone face-to-face,” Jamie says. “We get the item on the bench within 24 hours. As it says in our name, when you have a tech emergency, we treat it like one.”

Computer Emergency Room’s commitment to service is reflected in its online reviews, as it has a 4.5-star (our of 5) overall on Google, on nearly 900 reviews. For example, Kaiyir Minoia’s recent 5-star review says:

“First of all I’d like to say I’m an IT guy myself, and know good service when I see it. I had a mess I didn’t have time to deal with, a coffee spill in a PC case, and I took it here on a whim and these guys provided amazing service, gave me a good timeframe on when to expect the job to be complete, cleaned the PC up in

The Growth Of AI

As technology evolves, Computer Emergency Room continues to adapt. The team now uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for marketing, design and client education, and explores ways AI can further help businesses stay secure and efficient. “We’re constantly training online to stay current,” Jamie says. “Technology changes fast. We make sure our customers don’t get left behind.”

He notes that 60 percent of Computer Emergency Room’s business comes from commercial clients, but its retail division remains an important part of the community. Walk-in customers still receive fast, honest service, and the team prides itself on never overselling or recommending something unnecessary. Whether you have a cracked iPhone that needs a new screen, a slow laptop that needs a tune-up or an entire office network that needs security, the Hess family and their team are always ready to help. They even still fix printers — a service most tech shops have stopped offering.

Residential customers benefit from the same forward-thinking mindset that protects the company’s business clients. For just $99 per year, Computer Emergency Room offers monitoring to safeguard personal computers from malware, ransomware and unexpected breakdowns.

While Jamie and Joe are still involved in both the New York and Wesley Chapel locations, Joe’s sons, Josh and Joe III, now run the dayto-day operations in Wesley Chapel, working closely with lead technician Austin Smith.

Beyond the business, Jamie also has served on the Board of Directors of the North Tampa

(Above right) Jamie Hess. (Next page) Josh solders a computer. (All photos by Charmaine George)

Bay Chamber for the past four years. It’s another example of the family’s long-standing commitment to giving back to the place they call home.

Looking ahead, Jamie says the company’s focus is on helping clients keep their systems dependable, secure and efficient. “Our goal is to make technology something people can rely on,” he says. “We’ve built our reputation on trust and experience, and that’s what keeps our customers coming back.”

Computer Emergency Room (1750 BBD Blvd.) is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. The store can be reached by calling (813) 406-4412. Visit ComputerEmergencyRoom.com to book a carry-in or onsite appointment. You also can follow “Computer Emergency Room” on Facebook or see the ad on pg. 31 of this issue.

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Home Gadgets Keeps Cooking Up New Surprises At The Shops At Wiregrass!

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

The hot summer months were tough on retail at The Shops at Wiregrass mall, but Rajiv Badal, the owner of Home Gadgets, says he is starting to see the difference the cooler weather always brings. The store, located next to Talbots on Paseo Dr., offers a variety of interesting items for the home, such as cookware, kitchen utensils and accessories, insulated tumblers and even some gourmet packaged food items. With more people now out walking, browsing and shopping, Home Gadgets is once again buzzing with activ ity. “Baking season has started,” Rajiv says, “and we have everything you might need and more.”

Rajiv is originally from Ocala, and his par ents, Radjes and Vidia Badal, opened a store that previously sold those once-famous “As Seen on TV” products. The business grew and the Badals added other kitchen gadgets. That Ocala store is slowly being phased out as the family now concentrates on the Wiregrass location.

Rajiv wanted to bring a little piece of home to Wesley Chapel and, with the help of his parents, opened Home Gadgets at The Shop at Wiregrass in 2024.

The store is unique because it carries so many items you won’t find anywhere else — except maybe online. But, the big advantage of shopping at Home Gadgets is being able to see and handle all of the items, so you can decide for yourself which of them will best suit your needs. And, as he has since Day One, Rajiv is always adding cool new items to the mix.

He says that among the most exciting new offerings is the enameled cookware from the French company Le Creuset, which is renowned worldwide. “As soon as I put the Le Creuset display in the front window, people started coming in to buy it,” Rajiv says. “It’s not cheap, but people love it because it looks beautiful, comes in a huge variety of colors, is fantastic for both cooking and storage and pretty much lasts forever with proper care.”

He adds that among the most popular Le Creuset items are the small 8-oz. individual Dutch ovens and the 12-oz. pumpkin-shaped cocottes. Home Gadgets also carries Le Creuset stoneware with a colorful glaze that is virtually non-stick for easy cleanup, as well as the brand’s tri-ply stainless steel cookware. “Our customers love Le Creuset,” Rajiv says. “You really need to see and feel it in the store to understand why.”

Another popular line is Heritage Steel’s stainless steel pots and pans, which are made in the U.S. Rajiv says many shoppers are making healthier choices, which includes moving away from plastics and towards stainless steel.

Rajiv also expects the Spicewalla line, a North Carolina company known for high-quality spices and spice blends, to fit perfectly with the store’s growing emphasis on quality food products. Among Spicewalla’s popular blends is a Chai Spiced Tea. Speaking of tea lovers, Home Gadgets carries many options, including the 3-in. Mesh Wonder Ball Tea Infuser — great for those who use loose tea leaves to make their tea. Also new to the inventory is Winco cooking equipment and utensils that are used by commercial stores.

“We also focus on supporting small business

owners who use commercial products, but cannot buy in bulk,” say Rajiv. He carries Winco’s large serving spoons, graters, mixing bowls and heavy-duty frying and paella pans, adding, “Whether you have a catering business or a bakery, you can now purchase Winco products here.”

Some items were popular from the beginning and continue to be. One is Lodge Cast Iron and Home Gadgets offers a variety of Lodge pans, including the unique Lodge cast iron pizza baking pan. Rajiv says the Amish Country Popcorn also has been a best-seller from Day One.

“It’s popular not only because it’s healthy but because it is delicious,” he says. “Once customers try it, they get hooked and come back for more. We also have multiple popcorn makers, and the large popcorn machine that we keep near the window is something kids gravitate to when they pass by and see it. And tell me, who doesn’t like popcorn?” Amish Country Popcorn comes in a variety of colors, some of which are completely hulless, which means the popcorn has a very thin outer kernel which doesn’t get stuck in your teeth.

Home Gadgets also still carries brands like Tervis and Corkcicle tumblers and glasses, U.S. state-shaped and other charcuterie and cutting boards, Mikasa and Wallace silverware, Messermeister cutlery and Nordicware bundt pans.

Rajiv says that despite competition from retailers like Walmart and Amazon, “We have exclusive contracts with some of our manufacturers, so you know that what we carry is authentic. And yes, we also do compete with them on price on many of our items, too.”

Customers can purchase at the store or on the website and have it shipped or pick it up in-store. “There are things though that are very heavy that we do not ship,” he says, including many of the heavier cookware pieces.

Home Gadgets’ customers clearly love the store. It has a 4.9-star (out of 5) overall rating on

Google, with nearly 90 reviews. In his 5-star review, Raphael Monta writes: “This is a gem of a home goods store right in the Mall at Wiregrass! Friendly staff and fair prices are the hallmarks of this store!! Please come down to support [this] local business!!!”

“Brand recognition is very important, and we research the items we think customers will want to purchase,” Rajiv says. “By doing this, we are always up to date with the latest gadgets and especially, the most desired brands. We change inventory as things become popular, people request them, or we see what is not really selling.”

Another important feature of purchasing at the store is that the staffers have been trained on the items available and can provide not only information about each product but also how to use them. They can answer any questions you may have. “Educating the customer is very important to us,” Rajiv says.

A New Idea — In-Store Demos!

In addition to stocking pretty much every-

thing you need for your home kitchen, Rajiv is now starting to host a variety of demonstration events right in the store.

The first such event, a sourdough bread-making demonstration, held on Oct.2, was put on by Bridget Mazzuco, who owns the local franchise of AR Workshop (Note-Bridget also offers many other demonstration events, from anything wood-related to embroidery and more, in locations across the S.R. 56 to S.R. 54 corridor.) Bridget brought in Wendy Jones of Bloom & Crust to lead the sourdough demonstration.

The ten attendees each received their own sourdough “starter” and were led step-by-step in order to learn how to do everything they would have to know to make their own delicious sourdough at home — except actually baking the bread. Bridget even told the attendees that pretty much all of the utensils they would need to replicate at home the process they learned in the store were available in Home Gadgets.

“I think this will be the first of many such events we will have here,” Rajiv says. “Everyone

You really need to visit Rajiv Badal’s Home Gadgets store in The Shops at Wiregrass to know why products like Le Creuset cookware (left) and Messermeister cutlery are among his most popular items. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on these pages, please stop in to check it out! (Photos on these pages by Charmaine George)

above) The

of it. My thanks to Bridget and Wendy!” Home Gadgets is located at 28250 Paseo Dr., Unit 180, in The Shops at Wiregrass. It is open Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; 10 a.m.–9 p.m. on Friday & Saturday; and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. For more info, see the ad on pg. 39 of this issue, call (813) 388-9422 or visit BuyHomeGadgets.com, @ buyhomegadgets on Instagram, or search “HomeGadgetsStore” on Facebook.

(L.-r.

sourdough bread demonstration on Oct. 2 at Home Gadgets. Bridget Mazzuco of AR Workshop Wesley Chapel. Wendy Jones of Bloom & Crust. (L.-r. below) Bialetti Italian coffeemakers, Amish popcorn and Winco commercial kitchen products like the giant paella pan Rajiv is holding, are also among the most popular items sold at Home Gadgets.

Steven Oliver Of Florida Family Mortgage Team Can Get You The Best Financing!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Steven Oliver first launched his Florida Family Mortgage Team five years ago, joining NEXA Mortgage, which is the largest home mortgage broker in the U.S., working with more than 280 lenders. (Note-NEXA Mortgage is in the process of re-branding and will now be known as NEXA Lending.)

It was 2020, and Steven was working as a finance manager at Brandon Ford.

“I did well,” Steven says, “but it was a lot of hours — a lot of nights, weekends and holiday weekends.”

When his wife, Lisa, gave birth to their son, Isaac, they decided it was a good time for him to make a move.

“I thought I could sacrifice a bit in pay to have more time with my family,” he says, which already included two daughters (Steven’s step daughters Emma and Caydence, who are now 17 and 13). They have since added Hannah to their family, who is 17 months old. The Oliver family lives in Epperson in Wesley Chapel.

Steven is licensed as a mortgage loan officer through the State of Florida, and also is licensed in Indiana.

His office is located on S.R. 54, just east of Curley Rd. While clients can choose to call if they don’t want to visit the office in person, Steven says that having a brick-&-mortar location allows him to provide loans through certain programs such as the Florida Hometown Heroes Program and others that offer down payment assistance.

He says that although he was prepared to have reduced income, there was a refinance boom during the pandemic that allowed him to start his business off strong and actually increase his pay that first year. It set his company on solid ground, allowing him to persevere through 2023 and 2024, as the local market slowed.

Florida Family Mortgage Team offers

piece all of that together.”

He says his time in the National Guard also helped him to understand the value of structure and discipline.

“Everyone loves the word discipline,” he says, “but it’s really just the starting point.”

He says to be successful, he has to be beyond disciplined.

“I grew up in a small trailer with a big family,” Steven explains. “We lived very tightly. I remember how it felt to be made fun of, or to never get what I wanted for my birthday or Christmas.”

But, Steven got a newspaper delivery route when he was 12. As he got older, he added more and more routes.

people buy a house who might otherwise not be able to do so.

“What keeps me going is that feeling of getting someone with a 500 FICO (credit) score in a house,” he says, “especially when it seems that no one can do that except me.”

He says that other mortgage brokers don’t have access to all of the resources he does. NEXA’s nearly 300 lenders means there’s a product out there for pretty much everyone.

Steven says he’s gotten really good at tweaking the inputs and running the software to get approvals for his clients.

“I get a lot of gratification when I can put that person in the house who gets laughed at by the big, traditional banks,” he says.

Steven also says that for most people, renting is almost always more expensive than buying. Even if renting costs about the same as a mortgage payment, “it’s not usually long before your landlord raises your rent, and you’re backed into a corner.”

He says that when you buy a house, your average net worth usually skyrockets.

conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans for purchasing homes. The company also offers refinancing and home equity lines of credit.

Steven graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 2013, earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Business Management.

After earning his degree, he was deployed to Afghanistan with the U.S. Army National Guard.

He served during Operation Enduring Freedom, returning home to Maine in 2014. He then moved to Florida with a friend who was going to attend the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

“When I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do,” Steven says. “Being deployed gave me time to

“Back then I would buy a PlayStation or nice clothes, [with my money]” he says, “or help my parents with the bills.” He says now, he works hard to ensure no one in his family will be made fun of for where they live.

That’s also his motivation for helping

“In five years, homeowners typically have $100,000 in equity,” he explains, “while renters usually have less than $10,000 in the bank.”

He says that the most common barriers to purchasing a new home are that people have a hard time saving for a down payment, and/or they have credit concerns.

“We have programs for that,” he says. “We have access to more lenders than anyone.” He says before you go out to look at

• Free, convenient phone appointments

Wesley Chapel residents Lisa and Steven Oliver and their four children — (l.-r.) Hannah, Caydence, Emma and Isaac — are the family behind the Florida Family Mortgage Team.

(The photos on these pages were provided by Steven Oliver)

Nothing makes Steven happier than getting his clients approved for a mortgage and into their new home!

houses you might want to buy, it’s a good idea to check in with him first.

“A lot of people want to put the cart before the horse,” he says. “But you want to know what you’re preapproved for, and what you can really afford.”

Jesse, who asked us to only use his first name, is buying a house in Wesley Chapel with his wife and three-year-old daughter. They had applied for a loan and were approved, but were introduced to Steven while looking at houses.

“He provided a better rate and a better package, and was so awesome,” Jesse says. “I knew he was definitely the guy I wanted to work with.”

Jesse says this is the first time he’s ever bought a house or needed a mortgage, and he had lots of questions.

“Steven was always there with an answer, and always on top of everything, and keeping me informed about the process,” Jesse says.

He adds that he would recommend working with Steven to anyone who is looking to buy a house or refinance.

“He is so helpful, nice and genuine,” says Jesse, “and he really puts you at ease.”

Jesse is far from the only person who feels that way. Florida Family Mortgage Team has more than 100 5-star (out of 5) Google reviews. In fact, every Google review for the business is a 5-star review.

Florida Family Mortgage Team is a Florida branch of NEXA Lending, which is headquartered in Mesa, AZ. The company has offices throughout the United States.

Those who need financing to purchase a home or want to refinance their home are welcome to stop by the Florida Family Mortgage Team office at 30740 S.R. 54 E., just east of Curley Rd., or call Steven at (813)825-6555 (office) or (407) 450-5472 (mobile). The office is generally open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but Steven says he often answers calls after hours. For more information, visit FloridaFamilyMortgageTeam.com or see the ad on page 44.

Peak Brain & Body’s Dr. Spencer Zimmerman Succeeds Where Other Doctors Fail

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Could your chronic fatigue actually stem from your brain health? Could there actually be a solution for those persistent, worsening migraines?

Spencer Zimmerman, FNP, DC, DACNB, owns and operates Peak Brain & Body, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, just east of I-75 and north of S.R. 56, in Wesley Chapel.

He says he can help those who haven’t got ten help anywhere else, thanks to his extensive training in how to treat the brain and how it affects the rest of your body.

Dr. Zimmerman graduated from Parker University in Dallas, TX, in 2015, with a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. After that, he started a track to become a nurse practitioner, first earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2016, then a Master of Science in Nursing f(M.S.N.) degree from Morningside University in Sioux City, IA, with a concentration as a family nurse practitioner (FNP). He also is a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Neurology Board (DACNB), meaning that he has completed extensive post-graduate training in neurology.

Plus, Dr. Zimmerman has thousands of hours of functional medicine training, as well as a certification in peptides (the building blocks of proteins which are short chains of amino acids that are used to treat a variety of conditions, from diabetes to cancer). He says a typical practitioner completes 15-20 hours of continuing education (CE) annually, but he has had several years where he has completed 200300 CE hours.

Focusing On The Brain

Dr. Zimmerman’s interest in the brain began when he was in chiropractic school, and was working at a brain injury clinic.

“I worked with Navy SEALs, Hall of Famers from the NFL and MLB, and people from all over world,” he says. “I saw how fast people could get their lives back, despite years of trying other things.”

Whether recovering from a traumatic brain injury, concussion, or stroke, or if you don’t even remember an injury but haven’t gotten relief for symptoms such as migraines or

It’s Personal

Dr. Zimmerman has been married to his wife, Sara, for 15 years. They have five girls, ages 12, 10, 8, 6, and 4.

When they first met, she had already been suffering from headaches for years.

He says that her doctors back then suggested maybe she needs more salt. They told her to drink Mountain Dew and eat potato chips.

“I know, at that point, I was just a dumb college student,” Dr. Zimmerman jokes, “but that didn’t sound like a good idea to me.”

How’s your stress? How do you exercise? How do you socialize?”

He also does basic lab testing, but doesn’t stop there. “For a lot of patients, their labs may come back ‘normal,’ but that’s because the right testing wasn’t done.”

Dr. Zimmerman and his team offer more in-depth lab tests to integrate a lot of different testing under one roof.

“And, we do all of the testing together, instead of sending you to several clinics,” he says.

Peak Brain & Body assesses 80 different points of data for brain and body health, so Dr. Zimmerman doesn’t make assumptions about what is causing problems for a patient.

In addition to blood tests, Dr. Zimmerman performs computerized eye movement testing, with the patient wearing specialized goggles.

chronic fatigue, Dr. Zimmerman says that you don’t have to live with your symptoms forever.

He sees many patients who have symptoms that fit with different systems of the body, going from one specialist — such as neurologists, cardiologists or rheumatologists — to another, never finding a resolution to their symptoms.

From gut health to hormones to how your liver functions, Dr. Zimmerman says all of these factors impact the brain, adding that the average person who comes to Peak Brain & Body has been to at least 10 different doctors and tried 10-20 different medications.

He also notes, however, that most people don’t know when they should give something more time and when they should move on.

As an example, he says that if you’re going to a chiropractor for headaches or dizziness and seeing at least some improvement, you should probably keep doing that.

“But,” he says, “if you’re going three times a week and it’s been two months and you’re not doing any better, you probably don’t need six more months with a chiropractor. You need a different plan.”

It took him years to develop the knowledge to ask her the right questions. When he was finally able to test her, he says, “She did worse than the average patient we had flying in to see us.”

In addition to the headaches, Sara also was having dizziness and brain fog that she thought were normal, since they also had been such a part of her daily life for years.

He suspects that his wife was injured during a car accident at age 13. She also was in two more car accidents, but no concussion was ever diagnosed or treated.

He explains that concussions are the most underdiagnosed injuries after a vehicle crash.

“People are going to get treated for neck and back pain after a car accident,” he explains, “but in general, the brain is not treated.”

And, he says, Sara also suffers from a very severe reaction to gluten that causes headaches, brain fog and gut issues.

“This is both ‘Brain and Body,’” he explains. “It’s not one or the other. How we set up people for success is to always look at both.”

How It Works

At Peak Brain & Body, testing begins with what Dr. Zimmerman calls “the basics.”

“How do you eat? How do you sleep?

“It takes eight to ten parts of your brain to move your eyes,” he says. “We do 30 minutes of testing and record everything your eyes do. We get considerable data [from this type of testing].”

Peak Brain & Body also provides computerized balance testing, which he says is another area that is rarely checked.

Once all of the testing has been completed, Dr. Zimmerman is able to help patients through treatments such as lifestyle recommendations, supplements, peptides and hormone replacement therapy, plus brain health recommendations.

“We promote neuroplasticity using eye movement therapy and balance training, also called vestibular therapy, among other treatments,” he explains, adding, “We Integrate all of these different things, whereas most providers only do one part, even in the natural health space.”

He says some of the therapies offered in his office are the same as in other medical offices, but he looks at it all from a different angle.

“They might be working on balance, so they may suggest strengthening your core or your leg,” he explains. “That’s good and valuable, but it’s a ‘bottom-up’ approach. With a brain focus, we go top to bottom. We see that something is ‘off’ in your brain, so we use different tools to strengthen the various parts of brain.”

Lindsey’s Life-Changing Story

Lindsey Sutherland is a Wesley Chapel resident who says she has suffered from debili-

Dr. Spencer Zimmerman of Peak Brain & Body, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, says his wife Sara’s struggles with chronic headaches led him to his studies of the human brain.

(Photo provided by Spencer Zimmerman)

testing on a patient. If you’ve been suffering with chronic migraines or other types of pain and haven’t gotten relief from other

invites you to find out if his unique approach can help you where other doctors have failed.

“I was to the point where I was having migraines that [sometimes] put me in the hospital three times a week,” Lindsey says.

She says she’s tried every medication on the market, had side effects from Botox that put her in a wheelchair, and went to Dr. Zimmerman as a last resort.

“It’s hard to explain what he does,” she says, “but it worked for me.”

In fact, after going to Peak Brain & Body for the first time in September and receiving treatments three times a week for three weeks, she says she has no more migraines. She doesn’t even have headaches anymore.

“He doesn’t take insurance so the cost was a little hard to swallow,” she says, “but you can’t deny the results.”

She says Dr. Zimmerman told her he felt that her migraines were stemming from brain trauma she had in a car accident as a teenager.

“Even though other doctors had considered that, none of the doctors I went to knew how to deal with it,” she says. “But, his approach was different.” In addition to changing some of her hormones and adding supplements, “mainly it was games (see below). It felt funny. When I first started it, I honestly was wondering if it could really help.”

But, “games?” Lindsey explains that she put on goggles and followed things with her eyes. For example, there were different letters and numbers all over the screen and she had to tap them, using a different finger or hand, such as left pointer finger for letters “A” to “E,” or right pinky for even numbers.

“You have to remember all this stuff at the

same time you’re trying to tap,” she explains, “but somehow it reconnected my eyes with my brain.”

She says she told her neurologist, “I can’t believe his system worked, but if you have other patients who have migraines, it might be able to help them, too.”

She says that, thanks to Dr. Zimmerman, her life has been completely transformed.

“It’s honestly changed my life,” she says. “I can go places and do things with my friends that I couldn’t do before. My migraines would get progressively worse during the day and were unbearable at night.”

By the end of the day, she was either in bed or in the hospital, and going out with friends was nearly impossible.

Not only is she grateful to not be in the hospital, but also to not have to pay for all of those hospital visits anymore.

“What I paid Peak Brain & Body is less than one hospital stay,” she says. “It was 100% worth it.”

Dr. Zimmerman recognizes that there is a lot that is still unknown about the human brain, but he says he has learned so much that he is able to change people’s lives.

“Most people don’t get their brains treated or even evaluated appropriately, because the brain is a mystery,” Dr. Zimmerman says. “It’s scary to patients and even to doctors. We all know there’s a lot we don’t know, but do we know enough to start changing lives?”

“We see people who are sick, frustrated and have been repeatedly told there’s nothing that can be done,” he says. “We find out what’s wrong by doing the right testing.”

He offers a strategy consultation for just

Estate Book!

page by Charmaine George)

$37. This gives patients a screening to be sure they are a good candidate for treatment at Peak Brain & Body, and allows Dr. Zimmerman to map out the priorities for their future visits.

While he does not accept insurance, patients can submit their bills to their own insurance companies for reimbursement out of network. In addition, Peak Brain & Body accepts credit cards, Care Credit, Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts.

Dr. Spencer Zimmerman’s Peak Brain & Body is located at 2404 Creel Lane, Suite 101, in Wesley Chapel. It is open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday.

For more information, visit PeakBrainandBody.com, call (813) 838-4005, or see the ad on page 39 of this issue.

If You Want Your Ad To Reach The Most Potential Customers In New Tampa & Wesley

813.910.2575 Ads@NT Neighborhood-

Your ad in the Neighborhood News can be seen by more than 160,000 people every four weeks! Find out how!

Dr. Spencer Zimmerman performs computerized eye movement

treatments, Dr. Zim merman

(Photos on this

Dr. Marta Rivera Of Pediatric Dentistry Of New Tampa & Aesthetics Beauty Lab

By Iris Vitelli

Neighborhood News Correspondent

Marta Rivera, D.M.D., has long been a trusted name for children’s dentistry in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. For more than two decades, “Dr. Marta,” as her patients call her, has cared for little smiles. Over the past year, she’s strengthened her practice and deepened her holistic mission: to Dr. Marta, caring for children’s teeth means caring for their whole well-being.

Her office — Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa —is located at the Tampa Palms Professional Center, just off the Bruce B. Downs Blvd. exit of I-75. After 37 years in dentistry, Dr. Marta says she still finds joy in the laughter of children, the small breakthroughs and the longterm relationships.

“I don’t even think about retirement,” she says, since a big part of her happiness is being in the office among the kids and her team.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in Puerto Rico from the age of 10, Dr. Marta holds a B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico and her Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D) degree from the University of Puerto Rico’s School of Dental Medicine. Before relocating to Florida in the late 1990s, she ran her own practice in Puerto Rico, then passed the Florida Dental Board and opened her own practice here. She says she has always loved this area.

“New Tampa is my favorite place,” she says. “It has had so much growth and change.” One of those changes is how richly diverse the community has become, and Dr. Marta says that being fluent in Spanish helps make the practice accessible to the many people in our area who also (or only) speak Spanish.

While her credentials and long track record remain impressive, what sets Dr. Marta apart is how she continues to evolve. She keeps sharpening her focus on wellness dentistry, strengthening her team, and providing sophisticated services for her tiny patients. Dr. Marta practices with a holistic mindset, recognizing that oral health and whole-body wellness are inseparable. She considers every factor — from breathing and nutrition to posture and sleep — because what happens in the mouth echoes throughout the body.

“Kids are not chomping enough these days,” she observes. “They need to eat things they can chomp on, like an apple. Nutrition, chewing, breathing and posture, all of it matters for dental development.”

Speaking of evolving and taking care of the whole body, Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa has also offered a variety of aesthetic services for adults for more than a year. Dr. Marta provides these services herself, and we will update you on these services later in this article.

The office also has grown, as Dr. Marta now employs a team of six dental assistants — Aymee, Jennifer, Carolina, GlerisBeth, Claudia and Monique. In the front office are Pamela the office manager, along with Samantha and Lucinda.

Using Ozone To Kill Bacteria

In the realm of clinical innovation and holistic dentistry for children, Dr. Marta continues to be ahead of the curve. Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa has long used leading-edge tools, and one area she has strengthened over the past

year is her commitment to ozone dentistry paired with natural, non-toxic oral-care alternatives.

“In children’s dentistry,” she explains, “preserving baby teeth until the permanent ones are ready is key, and for that, the use of ozone to kill bacteria to prevent having to drill is a major advantage.” She recommends select products from PurO3, an Arkansas-based, family-owned ozone company, for parents who wish to continue care at home. Dr. Marta does not sell these products at the office, instead, she refers her patients to the company’s website (PurO3.com) where they can purchase the products they need, since ozone products have a shelf life and do not require a prescription.

She also recommends nanohydroxyapatite-based toothpaste (nHA) a fluoride-free alternative and has a variety of these toothpaste brands for sale, like those offered by the companies DoTerra and Risewell. Some benefits to using the nanohydroxyapatite toothpaste include: remineralization (can repair small cavities and strengthen enamel); cavity prevention (by remineralizing and filling gaps, nHA toothpaste can help prevent cavities); reduce sensitivity (it can fill in microscopic gaps in tooth enamel, reducing sensitivity to hot, cold and acidic foods and drinks); whitening (nHA particles can help remove surface stains); and enamel protection (it can create a protective barrier over the enamel). Although she offers fluoride in the office, Dr. Marta works with families who prefer a fluoride-free approach. She says her mission is both preventive and educational.

“We educate parents,” she says, “on what to do during the months between dental visits.”

Dr. Marta’s holistic philosophy also extends to how she approaches oral function in infants. Her dedication to infants and children with tongue or lip ties remains a pillar of the practice. Babies treated at the hospital must pass the Rule

of 10s. The baby must be at least 10 weeks old, weigh at least 10 pounds and have a hemoglobin level of at least 10. This means a baby that cannot latch may have to wait up to 10 weeks before surgery.

Luckily, Dr. Marta can treat very young infants using a laser, which means no bleeding, no operating room and no need for the Rule of 10s. By using a laser, the procedure is fast, painless and can have the hungry baby latching immediately regardless of age.

“I recently saw this happen with a three-day-old who latched on the minute the procedure was completed,” she explains. In fact, she says that lactation specialists from across the region refer patients to her. and that the advantages for speech development, airway health, and arch growth can start very early. She works in concert with ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) specialists when needed. When the tongue or lips don’t function well, the jaw doesn’t develop properly.

Dr. Marta uses an intraoral digital camera

and the iTero® scanner (a handheld 3D digital imaging system) to scan the mouth with a safe laser to create a highly accurate virtual model of the teeth and bite. This laser scan replaces the need for messy “goop” impressions and helps Dr. Marta design orthodontic appliances or Invisalign® aligners with pinpoint precision. Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa has had the iTero scanner since 2018. It makes it easy to show parents exactly what’s happening in a child’s mouth.

Another area is early childhood orthodontics using Invisalign First. Each child is evaluated based on how his or her teeth are developing, using the many diagnostic tools available in Dr. Marta’s practice and in some cases, Invisalign First is recommended.

A Pillar Of The Community

Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa maintains partnerships with several local schools in the area, including Tampa Palms and Chiles

(Left) Dr. Marta Rivera of Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa in Tampa Palms, who believes in a holistic approach to children’s dentistry, offers ozone dentistry using PurO3 products. (Right) Expanded functions dental assistant Claudia Hilt scans a patient’s mouth using the iTero scanner. (All photos by Charmaine George)

“Through social media,” says Dr. Marta, “we keep parents and kids engaged with seasonal events, contests and promotions, to drive connection as well as education.

Aesthetics Beauty Lab Services

On the adult side, the practice’s Aesthetics Beauty Lab is now in its second year. Dr. Marta provides services like neuromodulators such as Botox, Xeomin and Jeuveau, skin-tightening lasers such as Denza and laser hair and tattoo

with an AI-driven skin-analysis device and a partnership with a French skincare line scheduled to launch this month.

Peptides are freshly mixed into a base formula customized for each client, rather than using off-the-shelf measurements. She describes her excitement of combining these three things she loves: dental training, facial anatomy knowledge and aesthetic artistry. Dr. Marta personally performs each treatment and continues to guide the expansion of adult services with the

Patients must be 18 years of age to be allowed in the Aesthetic Beauty Lab.

Looking ahead, Dr. Marta says there is always room to grow. She hopes more families will become aware of the unique services her practice offers and take advantage of her holistic, integrative model of care.

“I want more people to know how beneficial it is for their health to take care of their children’s teeth,” she says.

Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa accepts

as well as payment plans. Some of the holistic services may not be covered by insurance.

Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa is located at 5326 Primrose Lake Cir., in the Tampa Palms Professional Center. It is open Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (813) 374-0388, visit TampaHappySmiles.com or follow on Instagram (@ pediatricwellnessdentist and @theaestheticsbeautylab). Also, see the ad on page 41.

(Left) For those who are concerned about their children brushing with fluoride toothpaste, Dr. Marta offers a variety of non-fluoride nanohydroxyapatite toothpastes. (Right) Dr. Marta uses an AI-powered skin-analysis device at the Aesthetics Beauty Lab inside Pediatric Dentistry of New Tampa.

Johnny C’s Celebrates Two Years Of Delicious Food & Community Service!

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

If you’ve been reading this publication for any period of time and you still haven’t at least tried owner/Chef Erik Ravenna’s Johnny C’s Italian Eatery...well, let’s just say that I’m a little surprised. Not only does Erik create delicious Italian food — from New York-style pizzas to the largest variety of fresh seafood dishes (like the crispy calamari on this page to the Frutti di Mare, which means “fruits of the sea”) pasta and “comfort food” dishes like Momma’s Lasagna and spaghettini & meatballs — he also is one of the nicest, hardest-working restaurateurs in our area who also donates incredible amounts of food to local causes he believes in, such as special needs children.

Johnny C’s was actually named for Erik’s former partner Pat Ciaccio’s father Johnny, but he never changed the name, and he also bought out the family of his other partner — the late former Saddlebrook Resort owner Tom Dempsey. Both Erik and Pat previously worked at Saddlebrook.

Erik, who grew up in New Jersey, says the atmosphere at Johnny C’s is very much like having dinner at the home of a large Italian family, with its open kitchen and a large, dais-like table in the center of the restaurant, with a number of smaller tables around that table.

“This might be a little noisier dining room than you’re used to,” Erik says, “but it definitely feels like home to me.”

So, What About The Food?

Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I have eaten at Johnny C’s at least a dozen times — not including takeout and catering orders — since it first opened a little more than two years ago, and we always have chosen either our own favorite dishes and/or anything new on the menu.

This time, however, we asked Erik to make us either his favorite dishes or the dishes that have proven to be the most popular at Johnny C’s.

And, what a feast he provided! We started with his ever-popular “Johnny’s Own Bruschetta” (top left photo; it just happens to also be Jannah’s favorite appetizer) that combines fresh, diced tomatoes, garlic and balsamic reduction on garlic crostini, served on a bed of tasty greens that also are amazing with the balsamic reduction.

We also were served a zesty Antipasto Salad — spring mix, with tomatoes, black olives, banana peppers and spirals of ham, capicola, salami and provolone cheese and a house-made vinaigrette — and the aforementioned Calamari Fritti (tossed with banana pepper rings and garlic butter and served with house marinara). Thankfully, I’ve never had my shellfish reaction to calamari because I do love it and Erik’s is excellent!

We’ve previously also gobbled down Erik’s Italian meatballs, served with fresh Buffalo mozzarella and finished with asiago and basil, and his incredible hand-breaded fried mozzarella. And, while we’re on the subject of his fresh mozzarella, Erik’s Caprese Salad is another favorite of mine, with fresh yellow and red tomatoes stacked high with slices of mozzarella and finished with both balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil.

But, speaking of my accursed shellfish allergy, Erik also wanted us to sample and take pictures of his Frutti di Mare (top left photo on net page) —

olives and a side, house-made garlic knot. (Note-all of the pasta dishes are served with garlic knot; they’re also available as an appetizer on the menu).

Other seafood pastas on the menu include shrimp scampi, parmigiana, marinara and Fra Diavlo and my favorite, Erik’s linguini vongolé (with fresh clams, marinara or white wine with garlic butter basil).

Thankfully, he also decided to serve us his Momma’s Lasagna (top right photo), which he says is “Just how you remembered,” but only if you had an Italian momma or nonna (grandmother). The lasagna has more meat and sauce than ricotta cheese and even though it’s not “authentic Italy Italian” because it has ricotta instead of bechamel sauce, Jannah, Charmaine and I all agreed that it was hearty and oh so delicious.

We also loved his Linguini Alfredo with broccoli and chicken (lower left photo on next page), which isn’t actually on the menu, so you’ll have to ask for it, but it definitely is a lighter Alfredo sauce than at most places.

Other pasta dishes at Johnny C’s include Chicken Marsala (with mushrooms & Marsala wine brown sauce), Chicken Piccata (with white wine, lemon, basil & capers), Baked Penne (with house Bolognese sauce & mozzarella), Ravioli Pomodoro (cheese ravioli with vine ripened tomato sauce), Penne Vodka (with vodka cream sauce, basil & vine ripened tomato sauce), the previously mentioned Spaghettini & Meatballs and Eggplant

or Chicken Parmigiana. Some of these pasta dishes are now available with gluten-free pasta and several of the chicken dishes have a Halal option. Be sure to ask Erik about all of his Halal offerings, also including beef pepperoni and turkey bacon.

You Say You Want Pizza? You Got It!

Although we didn’t actually have any of Erik’s pizzas on this most recent visit, we’ve enjoyed plenty of those options over the years.

Although you can custom-design your own pizza, his varieties named for the five boroughs of New York City and the area known as “SoHo” are all among Johnny C’s most popular New Yorkstyle pies. The Brooklyn is a chicken, bacon, ranch pizza with Alfredo sauce and ricotta. The Bronx is your “Meat Lovers” option, with pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham and meatballs. The Manhattan has Hawaiian pineapple and ham, but I personally don’t think he should have named this variety after any borough of NYC. The Queens is your Margherita with light tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, Buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and garlic. The Staten Island is another white pizza, with Alfredo sauce, mozz, ricotta, mushrooms and a pesto drizzle. And the Soho is his veggie variety, with marinara, mushrooms, peppers, onion, spinach, olives and broccoli.

Also super-popular (and delish!) is the “Yea Babe!,” that Erik calls his “Grandpa Bill’s Warm Welcome to You!.” It features vodka sauce, Italian sausage and mozzarella. And yes, Erik still is happy to add Mike’s hot honey to your favorite pizza. “It’s a game-changing extra kick,” he says.

All of these pizzas, as well as the chicken & broccoli pizza in the top-right photo on the next

ing crust, you should definitely try a cauliflower crust pizza at Johnny C’s!

I also sometimes enjoy Johnny C’s “grinders” (I call them subs or hero sandwiches), but he offers meatball, eggplant, chicken or sausage parmesan hot grinders and a turkey BLT and Johnny C’s Italian grinder with capicola, salami, ham, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, banana peppers and roasted peppers with Italian dressing.

Johnny C’s also offers a kids menu with spaghettini & meatballs, a slice of pizza (with fries) and cheese ravioli with choice of marinara or Alfredo sauce, each for only $7.95!

Think you can still handle dessert? There’s a tartufo gelato “bomb” with hot fudge & whipped cream, NY-style cheesecake, tiramisu, chocolate chip or pistachio cannolis and two gluten-free options — a Reese’s pie and a chocolate torte.

Cooking Classes, Catering & More!

Also near and dear to Erik’s heart are his “Cooking Classes for Kids” (bottom right photos on next page). He has hosted these classes for special needs kids from Cypress Creek High and other local schools but also offers them as a unique birthday or other party opportunity to anyone whose kid wants to learn how to toss (and catch) pizza dough and make their own pizzas. I wish this was available when my two adult sons were still in school. Jannah and I want to learn how to make pizza like Erik, too!

around the corner, you also can’t go wrong with catering from Johnny C’s — for parties large and small and for anything from a single tray of Momma’s Lasagna or Baked Penne to go with your Thanksgiving dinner to a fully catered meal, give Erik a call at the restaurant and talk to him about his many different menu options — from appetiz ers, pastas and pizzas, to salads, pretty much any type of sandwiches and more — you really should give him an opportunity to do at least some of the holiday cooking for you!

During our most recent visit, Erik told me that he had an order the next day for a variety of breakfast pizzas, “So, even though I hadn’t ever even tried to make a breakfast pizza, I said, ‘Why not?’ and came up with five different options — fried egg, sausage & cheese; Canadian bacon, hash brown & cheese; biscuit cinnamon roll, a biscuit, gravy & sausage and the scrambled egg, bacon & cheese shown on this page.”

I asked, “So, what did everyone say?”

“Everyone loved them,” he replied. I think the biscuit and gravy pie was the biggest hit, though.”

Johnny C’s serves beer and wine and has dinein, take-out with online ordering, as well as delivery with Grubhub, Uber Eats, Seamless and Toast.

As it says on the Johnny C’s website, “Come and visit us at Johnny C’s Italian Eatery, where every bite is a tribute to our family heritage and a celebration of life, love, and good food.”

But, don’t just take our word for it — Johnny C’s has a 4.8-star (out of 5) overall rating on Goo

tell the heart he put into the restaurant & food. It was my first time coming and I told him I’d be back — two days later! I definitely found my new favorite,go-to Italian food. 10/10 recommend!”

ris Bridge Rd.), Suite A, is open for dinner only Monday-Friday, 4 p.m.-9 p.m. and for lunch and dinner on Saturday (11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.) and Sunday (3 p.m.-9 p.m.). For more information, call (813) 278-8020, visit JohnnyCsItalianEatery.com or see the ad on pg. 39.

Fresh Monkee Healthy Shakes Is Now Open In Former Island Fin Poké Spot

Congratulations go out to Phani Mukkavilli (center person holding a cup in the photo, right) and Keerthi Gollamudi (not in the picture), the franchise owners of the new Fresh Monkee Wesley Chapel “healthy shakes shop,” located at 6417 E.County Line Rd., Suite 101 (which, we know, is actually in New Tampa, not Wesley Chapel) — in the same plaza as LA Fitness, in the spot previously occupied by Island Fin Poké Co.

Fresh Monkee is a growing brand that differentiates itself from the usual “smoothie” shops because it doesn’t rely on sugary fruit blends and strange powders. Founder Judy Flynn started in 2014 with “10 recipes and $5,000” in a 650-sq.-ft. space in Wethersfield, CT. Although nine of its current 28 locations (in 14 states) are in Connecticut, the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel location is the first in the Tampa Bay area. There are 27 more

locations listed as “Coming Soon” on TheFreshMonkee.com, including Palm Harbor.

Flynn said on the website that her vision for Fresh Monkee was simple: “Start every shake with high-quality protein, good carbs, healthy fats, and, most importantly, real ingredients like the ones in your own kitchen. And make each shake to order –fast, convenient, and healthy.”

Perfect for the LA Fitness crowd next door, there are 25 “Protein Shakes” on the menu, from the “Chunkee Monkee” — vanilla (or milk chocolate) protein, banana and natural peanut butter (shown below right) — to “Antioxidant Berry” (water, splashes of pomegranate juice, orange juice and milk, with vanilla protein, spinach and mixed berries) and so many more.

There also are green shakes, like the “Ultimate Green” shown below left, with water, splash of pom juice, spinach, cucumber, green apple, banana, chia, flax, pineapple, ginger and your choice of lemon, orange or lime. Charmaine was a little surprised by how much she liked it. There also are “Mass Shakes” to help increase mass, like “Mass PB Cookie” and “Mass Strawberry Oats.” There’s even a “Protein Iced Coffee.”

Also available for your shakes are coconut and almond milk and more than 30 different “Add-Ons,” from agave and almonds to macro greens and turmeric.

But, Charmaine and I were both super-im pressed with the 130-calorie, 13 grams of protein “Monkee Ballz” (center cup in photo, left)) that are made in-house and taste like a healthy version of the peanut butter Buckeyes you find at Crack er Barrel and other stores. They are made with natural peanut butter, oat flour, chocolate whey protein, maple syrup and vanilla extract, rolled in semi-sweet chocolate chips and coconut oil and come in 6- and 12-packs. The store also has a small selection of pre-packaged healthy snacks.

Phani says that the shop is planning to host a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event later this month and that he really hopes the communities of New Tampa and Wesley

Sarasota-Based Food + Beer To Open In Former Shuckin’ Shack Location

For those who have been wondering what might be taking over the space at 25026 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Lutz, previously occupied by Shuckin’ Shack (just west of the Tampa Premium Outlets and Costco, in the same small strip plaza as Chicken Salad Chick and Ann’s Nail Spa), you can stop wondering!

The location, with an entrance off of the Wesley Chapel Blvd. extension just south of S.R. 56, is being taken over by Sarasota-based minichain Food + Beer and, best of all, the scratch kitchen with full liquor bar should be open by the time this issue reaches your mailbox!

According to a news release we received just before we went to press with this issue, “Food + Beer’s story started back in the early 2000s, when co-founders Mike Whalen and Casey Daniels first crossed paths working in restaurants — Mike as a server and Casey as a kitchen manager.

“What began as a solid working relationship turned into a real friendship, and eventually a shared dream: to create a place that serves up seriously good, scratch-made food in a laid-back, welcoming atmosphere. In 2018, they brought that vision to life in Sarasota’s Gulf Gate neighborhood, and it quickly took off.

“Today, the brand has grown into a local favorite (with seven current locations — two in Bradenton, three in Sarasota, one in Venice and one in Lakeland) and is known for good food, good people, and laid back vibes — now expanding across the Gulf Coast with more locations on the way, including Ellenton and West Tampa coming in 2026.”

The newest Food + Beer will seat 150 guests and, “Just like every Food + Beer, the kitchen is scratch-made, serving food until 1 a.m. (or later) — a welcome spot for those in the hospitality industry to grab a bite or a drink after a late shift. Guests can dig into house staples like fresh-cut fries, hand-breaded boneless nuggets, specialty burgers, and the flavorful Korean Beef Bowl — alongside creative comfort food with a twist, like Red Velvet Chicken & Waffles during brunch or Crab Rangoon Mozzarella Sticks that hit all the right notes.”

Food + Beer keeps things lively all week long with daily lunch specials starting at $8, plus the following lineup of weekly events and deals:

•Burger Monday – Cheeseburger + freshcut fries for $6.99

• Taco Tuesday – A variety of taco options with a side of chips and pico, as well as a buildyour-own margarita menu

• Trivia Wednesday – Starts at 6:30 p.m.

• 89¢ Wing Thursday – Everyone’s favorite weekly tradition

• Weekend Brunch – Featuring a build-yourown bottomless mimosa bar every Sat. & Sun.

Plus, “to keep things fresh, the team rolls out a seasonal menu four times a year, spotlighting new, scratch-made dishes and limited-time cocktails, paired with a signature cocktail list and a rotating selection of local beers.

The restaurant will feature an outdoor patio, a TV wall — perfect for catching the big game — and many more TVs.

We stopped in to check out the progress

on the new Wesley Chapel/Lutz location, and it already looked a lot like the finished product shown here, so we decided just to show you the photo provided by Food + Beer above.

“Were excited to join the neighborhood!,” Food + Beer director of marketing Cassi Knapik told me. We can’t wait to check it out either, Cassi! For more info, visit foodandbeer.com or @foodand.beer on social media. — photos provided by Food + Beer

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Former Gator All-American Celebrates Grand Reopening

As a former Gator, I remember when former University of Florida guard Shannon Snell — who recently became the franchise owner of the Sonny’s BBQ (Note-Snell took over for previous franchisees and New Tampa residents Jim and Cristina Hoff, who ran the local Sonny’s since it opened in 1998) on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel — was a first-team All-American back in 2003.

What I didn’t know was that Snell lived in Tampa Palms, but attended Hillsborough High instead of Wharton (where he was zoned to attend), and he was a three-year starter for the Terriers and a USA Today High School All-American.

But, Snell told me that he injured his shoulder during his junior season at Florida and somehow went undrafted by the NFL because he never had the shoulder repaired and couldn’t pass a physical. “It just kept getting worse,” he said. “But, I just wanted to rehab it and not have surgery.”

Between 2004-06, he had brief stints with the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys, but told me, “I loved football, but I knew I didn’t have the passion to play that some guys did. My dad said that when you find your passion in work, it’s more fun, more like a hobby.”

So, when he was still living in Gainesville, Snell says he “started at the bottom with Sonny’s. But, it had everything I wanted — a chance to move up, with a corporate structure.”

He adds that all Sonny’s franchisees have to also become pitmasters. “Every location has a real person who really knows how to do barbecue,” he says. “And, since every pitmaster does barbecue a little different, you’re allowed to have your indi-

viduality, but within our corporate standards. We go to Florida BBQ Association competitions and even have corporate competitions, so we’re always learning how to do barbecue better.”

Today, Sonny’s has almost 100 locations throughout the Southeastern U.S., owned by CEO Jamie Yarmuth, and Snell says that even though Yarmuth is young himself, he was “a mentor to me. After I was the GM of a Gainesville location for ten years, he came to me and said, ‘Wesley Chapel is coming available and we’d like you to become the new franchisee.’”

So, after a couple of months with Sonny’s “back home,” Snell held a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting (right) on Oct. 29.

He likes to show off the seasonal menu, with items that aren’t always available — like the maple BBQ turkey club sandwich (below) and the maple BBQ pork burnt ends (below right), which were my favorite of the seasonal items. There’s also a pulled pork stack on “corncakes” (corn bread “waffles”), sweet potato fries, pulled pork mac & cheese and seasonal wings tossed in maple or golden BBQ sauce.

My favorite thing at Sonny’s, since BBQ sauce doesn’t always agree with me, are the grilled steak burgers (like the candied bacon burger on the next page) and the new loaded

tots (topped with crispy onion straws, queso & drizzled with BBQ sauce, right). We added some pulled pork because the tots just didn’t seem messy enough (kidding).

Every attendee at the ribbon cutting also received a free “Pork Big Deal” with any other entrée purchase. It included a big pulled pork sandwich, a side and a drink.

And of course, Sonny’s — “Pitmasters since ‘68” — also still has “Signature BBQ” like St. Louis-style and baby back pork ribs, beef brisket and more. We believe Snell is going to do great at his new Wesley Chapel location!

Sonny’s BBQ (5324 BBD Blvd.) is open

Saddlebrook Resort’s New Dining Concepts Revealed!

We plan to update you on everything happening during Saddlebrook Resort’s $92-million transformation in a future issue, but in the meantime, Saddlebrook’s “bold new dining chapter,” with four new options, will be unveiled soon. The iconic resort’s new dining destinations include a signature Gulf Coast-inspired restaurant is called RARE 1981, and it opened the day after we went to press with this issue, in the former location of Dempsey’s Steakhouse

According to a press release, RARE 1981 (top right photo) will be the resort’s signature restaurant, “where Florida’s coastal ingredients will meet timeless culinary techniques. With regionally sourced meats and seafood, a curated wine list, and a whiskey-forward cocktail pro gram, RARE 1981 will set the tone for Saddle brook’s elevated guest experience.”

There also will be a vibrant new poolside bar & kitchen which also is expected to open sometime next month. Located at the resort’s iconic and upgraded 500,000-gallon “Super Pool,” the open-air bar and kitchen will serve fresh bites, citrus-marinated ceviche and signature frozen drinks in a relaxed, vacation-ready setting.

Expected to open in early 2026 is The Sports Tavern, “which will be a culinary twist on Saddlebrook’s athletic legacy. Expect big-screen TVs, elevated pub fare, craft cocktails and a lively game-day atmosphere.”

Last but not least is the resort’s all-day cafe and marketplace called

BREW (photo below), which is already open and serving artisanal coffee drinks, fresh pastries, omelet bites, a bacon, egg & cheese sandwich and over night oats for breakfast, plus Caesar and organic spinach salads, and pesto chicken, shaved prime rib, grilled chicken Waldorf, Cubans and other sand wiches for lunch, plus grab-&-go essentials.

Until the other restaurants open, Dempsey’s Too is now located in the resort’s former Bor deaux room and is still serving prime cuts of beef, plus burgers (left photo), fresh seafood and signa ture dishes like “our fan-favorite clam chowder, hearty ribeye and pan-seared wild salmon.”

For more info about all of the dining op tions open and coming to Saddlebrook Resort, visit Saddlebrook.com or call (813) 973-1111.

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Linda Is Back At The New & Improved Bagels Of Wesley Chapel!

You may have heard that Linda Henry (you may remember her last name as Carr, however) is back at her former location in the Freedom Plaza at 30032 S.R. 54, which is now called Bagels of Wesley Chapel (WC).

The former owner of Bagelicious & More in the same location is happy to bring a renewed energy, revitalized interior and especially, house-made bagels that are now boiled before they are baked.

“Do you see how big and fluffy the bagels are now?,” Linda asked as I enjoyed my over-easy eggs, crispy bacon and equally crispy homefries (below left) with a toasted poppy seed bagel (that actually came with the breakfast and was indeed bigger and fluffier than I remembered), all for just $8.95!

Charmaine also raved about her chicken salad melt with provolone cheese and fresh tomato on a hashbrown bagel (below right), served with a side of pasta salad (or fries, potato salad or, for $1 more, a bag of chips).

This was actually my second visit to the new Bagels of WC, where Linda now has pretty much her entire family working (top left photo). On my first visit, I had an equally tasty bacon, egg & cheese on a toasted, scooped-out sesame bagel (for just $6.49!).

Bagels of WC, which features more than a dozen varieties of fresh bagels (for only $14.99 for a Baker’s Dozen of 13; or $21.99 with two 8-oz. tubs of spreads) also serves omelettes, a selection of deli sandwiches and lots of smiles.

Bagels of WC is open every day, 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m. For info, call (813) 575-8300 (DoorDash delivery is available) & tell Linda we sent you.”—GN, photos by

Charmaine George

(Above) When you visit Bagels of WC, say hi to (l.-r.) Cheyanne, Liani, David, Sierra, Linda & Wayne.

Swig Is Open, But Not Everyone Is Impressed

As you’re receiving this issue, the new Swig “dirty soda” location at 25369 Sierra Center Blvd. (on the north side of S.R. 56, between Academy Sports & PopStroke), has “officially” been open for only a few days, although the small drive-through-only soda fountain started its “soft opening” the last week of October — and was packed with cars from Day One. So of course, yours truly had to try it for myself to see what all the fuss was about.

I haven’t been a big soda drinker for many years, but even if I still was, I can honestly say that I don’t get it. Although the crowds may have died down by the time you’re receiving this issue, I waited in a 30-minute car line at the new Swig and ordered a 32-oz. “The Fighter” Refresher with sparkling water, sugar free vanilla, sugar free peach, sugar free pineapple, raspberry purée and a wedge of fresh lime — for about $5. I also got an order of salted pretzel bites for $3.80.

Although Swig claims to have “fresh fruit,” the only fresh fruits are lemon, lime and orange wedges that most people call a garnish. Everything else on the drink menu is artificial garbage, although there is also half & half and coconut cream to make the sodas “dirty.” To me, The Fighter was no better than a flavored seltzer in a can you can buy for $3-$4 for an 8-pack.

Plus, the pretzel bites were microwaved to salty mush and they’re not exactly overfilling the cup as shown in the coupon picture above. This Swig location is reportedly owned by the same folks who own the nearby Crumbl Cookie store, but unless you have kids who insist they have to

Hangry’s Joe’s & Popeyes On S.R. 54 Both Close

Although I’m sure it had nothing to do with how the restaurant fared in our recent “Wesley Chapel’s Favorite Chicken Tenders” Contest, we’re always sad anytime a restaurant of any kind closes in our distribution areas.

So, we were still disheartened to find out that Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken & Wings at 27835 Wesley Chapel Blvd. had closed — the second spicy chicken restaurant to close at that location next to Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. (King of the Coop, of course, was the first).

We first read the news on a local Facebook page, but of course, I had to go find out for myself and, sure enough, there was a note on the door (top photo) saying that the Wesley Chapel Hangry Joe’s was “officially closed” as the location, “has been sold. A brand new Halal dining concept will soon be opening here and we are excited for the community to experience it.”

Although the location is a difficult one to get in & out of, Hangry Joe’s surely had a more noticeable (and legible) sign than did King of the Coop, and Brooklyn Water Bagel owner Daniel Kurland says that his business has definitely increased since the freestanding Starbucks opened next to the plaza with both Hangry Joe’s and the bagel shop, so we don’t know why the chicken place closed, Maybe it was the likely-oversaturated chicken tenders market in Wesley Chapel or maybe the Halal concept owners’ offer was too good to refuse.

The Hangry Joe’s location at 5347 Gall Blvd. in Zephyrhills is still open. For info, visit HangryJoesZephyrhills.com.

Meanwhile, the Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken location (right) a few hundred feet east of Hangry Joe’s also abruptly closed a short time after. We were not provided with a reason, but it seems that both a difficult entrance to access and the over-proliferation of fast-casual fried chicken eateries in Wesley Chapel had to at least be contributing factors. Also, people still don’t understand that there is neither a stop sign nor a yield sign at that exit. There’s actually a separate lane and a sign that says “Keep Moving” that most drivers still ignore at that off ramp. — GN

Ziggi’s Coffee Plans Hueland Pond Blvd. Location

Ziggi’s Coffee Drive-Thru has updated its permit application, which previously announced that the growing coffee chain was going to open on Mansfield Blvd.

But, new plans now show that Ziggi’s will instead open on Hueland Pond Blvd., just south of S.R. 56 and the 76 gas station and Daybreak Market (see map, right).

The new permit application announcing this different location was just submitted last month. Preliminary site engineering plans have been submitted for Pasco County’s review, which say:

“The project proposes the development of a new 1,800+/- sq. ft. coffee shop with a drive through,

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ELITE RIDES. Private rides in a sanitized 2023 Tesla, plus concierge services. Airport, schools, medical appointments, shopping, etc. Courteous, reliable professional. New Tampa to Tampa Int’l Airport - $45 (one way). Cory Lake Isles resident. For more info, call or text 813.765.2037.

CLEANING SERVICES

DUARTE CLEANING SERVICES, LLC has 10+ years of exp. in Tampa Bay! We specialize in move-in/out, deep/regular svcs, post-construction, home, apt & comm’l cleaning. Our prof’l team delivers reliable, spotless results every time! First-time clients get 10% off 1st svc. Call (813) 836-3974 or visit DuarteCleaningServices.com for free estimate.

CLEANSWEEP CLEANING CO, LLC. Fully licensed/bonded, 8 years exp, satisfaction guarantd. Prof’l staff. On-time. We can bring our own products or use yours, if you prefer. Christian-based, family-owned company that lives in New Tampa, serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel. Call (813) 340-0908 for a no-obligation free quote. Ask for John.

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

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

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

Our Classified Ads Are Still The Least Expensive Way To Reach 180,000+ People In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, But Our Rates Went Up, As Of Aug. 1!

Classified advertising rates:

- $400 Please visit

or call (813) 910-2575 to order or renew your Classified ad today! The New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News Classifieds are the classified ads your neighbors actually read!