Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 33, Issue 16, August 5, 2025

How Many Storage Places Is Too Many, Wesley Chapel?

by Gary Nager

Story by Gary Nager & Joel Provenzano

Of course, it’s one of the most popular (albeit tiresome) running jokes in this community that Wesley Chapel is overrun by chicken places, car washes and yes, self-storage facilities.

In fact, a RentCafe report published in the Business Observer newspaper shows that over the past 10 years, Wesley Chapel, “has seen its storage capacity skyrocket 672%, jumping from 76,000 square feet to 587,000 square feet. That leap lands it as No. 1 on the top-10 list cities for storage growth in the country between 2014 and 2024.”

Of course, the report also notes that, “Wesley Chapel is not officially a city (see pg. 3) but considered an unincorporated census designated [place],” (or CDP) and it’s also not clear whether the RentCafe report uses the three Wesley Chapel zip codes (33543, 33544 & 33545) as its boundaries of “Wesley Chapel” or if the Wesley Chapel CDP boundary, which extends from I-75 west to Wesley Chapel Blvd. and includes the area around the Tampa Premium Outlets (but not some other communities located within the Wesley Chapel zip code maps) — but here’s the bottom line:

We’ve got a crap-ton of storage facilities in our area — nine within zip codes 33543 and 33544 (but just one, at least so far, in 33545) and two along Wesley Chapel Blvd. with either a Lutz (33559) or Land O’Lakes (34639) zip code — and, sorry to say, more are on the way. By our calculations (see chart on pg. 4), that adds up to 837,300 sq. ft. in 33543, 33544 & 33545, plus an additional 180,300 sq. ft. along Wesley Chapel Blvd. (or 1,017,600 sq. ft total), and at least two more under construction, totalling an additional 212,600 sq. ft., in Wesley Chapel “proper” — one on Curley Rd. just north of S.R. 54 (the second in 33545) and the other on Mansfield Blvd. near Wiregrass Ranch High (in zip code 33543). Without any additional facilities being built, our area will have 1,230,200 sq. ft. of these huge, most would say ugly, buildings “invading” our personal space.

CONGRATULATIONS, HOPE!

What is a CCE and why did the North Tampa Bay Chamber president become one?

See page 3

So, who needs them?

Apparently, we all do — and they surely seem to be cash cows for those who develop and own them — or they wouldn’t keep building them.

According to the RentCafe report, “In Wesley Chapel, the growth in storage space — like its growth in housing and retail — is being driven by more people moving to the area.” The report found that, “the central Pasco locality saw its population increase 53% between 2014 and 2023.”

“It seems, the report’s authors write, that

ROAD SIGNS ‘DOWN-DATE’

Hurricane Milton did a number on the road signs in our area. Some have still not been replaced.

See page 8

‘every new household comes [with] a wave of belongings, and self-storage has stepped in to help manage this overflow.’

“The report notes one other factor in its findings on Wesley Chapel: The growth in storage space is unlikely to slow down anytime soon. The area currently offers about 4.6 square feet of self-storage per capita, which remains well below the national benchmark, ‘suggesting there’s still plenty of room for further expansion.’ (A RentCafe spokesperson did not respond to a question about what the national benchmark is.)”

ABBY BROOKS CIRCLE UPDATE

The quiet Epperson community seemingly gets half a win from Pasco & a new townhome community.

See page 10

In other words, here in Florida, where there is no such thing as basements in most houses and attics are, in most cases, way too small to accommodate all of our “stuff,” these huge monstrosities are here to stay.

And no, they aren’t cheap, either. Although we found that most storage facilities list units “starting” as low as $54 per month for a 4’x5’ unit and most list their largest units — usually 10’x20’ — in the low $200s per month, we know first-hand that some of those climate-controlled units fetch more than $400 per month. Ugh.

See “Self-Storage” on pg. 4

Introduction

Photos by Gary Nager & Joel Provenzano; photo collage designed by Charmaine George

Congratulations, Hope! Chamber President Earns Prestigious Title!

An Editorial by GARY NAGER

As I’ve written multiple times previously, North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) president & CEO Hope Kennedy and I didn’t know each other at all when she moved here from Pensacola nearly 14 years ago to take over the reins at what was then called the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber (which later became the NTBC under her leadership).

But since then, Jannah and I have both been proud to say that we have considered Hope to be among our closest friends. As the publisher and editor of this publication the entire time she’s had her job, I couldn’t help but interact with Hope on a regular basis and what I have always found her to be is a consummate professional who took over a floundering organization and transformed it into a true regional powerhouse. In addition to her Chamber duties, Hope has served on the Boards of Directors of local hospitals and business organizations and has been asked to speak on behalf of her Chamber and the North Tampa Bay community at the openings of too many development projects to mention them all here.

But, as of a couple of weeks ago, Hope now has national credentials to go along with the evergrowing influence she has earned locally.

At the 2025 Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) conference in Philadelphia from July 22-25, Hope was proud to be given the title of CCE — or Certified Chamber Executive — which fewer than 3% of the leaders of the 7,500+ Chambers of Commerce in the U.S. have earned.

“CCE isn’t an honorary title or an award,” Hope says. “To earn the CCE credentials, you have to go through an extensive application process and everything about your Chamber is put under a microscope — from financials to accomplishments. You have to have held your position for at least seven years and you have to be sponsored by another CCE in order to even be considered (Hope was mentored by Tampa Bay Chamber president & CEO Bob Rohrlack). It’s a pretty big deal for both me and our Chamber.”

Hope also had to submit multiple essays, including one about a major project she’s proud of and she wrote about helping what is now called the Greater Pasco Chamber (GPCC) — which previously had been a competitor of the NTBC — recover from nearly going out of business. Hope’s NTBC Board allowed her to also take over the GPCC leadership on an interim basis, in order to right what otherwise likely would have been a sinking ship — even though there were some GPCC Board members at the time who didn’t want Hope to be the one helping them.

Today, the NTBC and GPCC work handin-hand and Hope deserves much of the credit for keeping that one-time rival afloat.

She is one of 26 new CCEs named at the 2025 National ACCE Conference — the largestever group to receive those credentials at the same time — but that doesn’t diminish in any way her accomplishment. “Earning the CCE designation means that I’ve reached the absolute top of my profession,” Hope says. “It was a lot of hard work, to get here, but it was definitely well worth it!”

So, What About WC Incorporation?

If you remember, back in March, we reported that Hope and her NTBC Board had decided to lead a group of local business owners who wanted to look into the possibility of Wesley Chapel incorporating as its own city, with the goal of ensuring that the residents and businesses located in the area had their own local government overseeing future development and other decisions and to find out if the idea was even economically or logistically feasible.

Through its nonprofit Foundation, the Chamber began asking for donations from individuals and businesses to fund two $75,000 studies — the first to determine the economic impact of the area known as Wesley Chapel and the other, if the results of the first study warranted

moving forward, an incorporation feasibility study.

However, the possible start of the first study was put on hold when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed ending property taxes, which would have made incorporation a lot more difficult to achieve. But, the State Legislature rejected the governor’s idea when its session ended in June.

“That at least revived the idea of exploring Wesley Chapel incorporation,” Hope says. “We have restarted our fund-raising efforts, so anyone who wants to make a tax-deductible donation for the study (or if you have questions about it) should call the Chamber office at (813) 994-8534.”

“We hadn’t actually started collecting any money before,” Hope says. “But, we did have commitments for about a third of the amount needed for the first study.”

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Congrats, Hope! (Photo by Matt Warticki)

Nationwide, the area from South to Central Florida was the hardest hit during the recession of 2008-09, in terms of housing foreclosures. Construction on nearly everything slowed for years, especially here in Wesley Chapel.

But, the Wesley Chapel area, in particular, has been playing catch up pretty quickly ever since, with both residential and commercial development skyrocketing recently, as well as in the number of storage facilities, which took nearly a decade after the recession’s peak to start coming out of the ground again in our area.

In a state without truly usable attics and no basements, Florida seems like a prime market for this industry, but there’s more to it than that, especially for a (literally) hot market, as most (but definitely not all) of the storage units are climate-controlled nowadays.

The RentCafe article cited on page 1 of this issue says that Wesley Chapel is the fastestgrowing self-storage market in the U.S. We confirmed this is likely true, but decided to pull the numbers ourselves (for both current facilities and those under construction), to give a more accurate representation of where our area stands today. In other words, are we actually “under-” or “over-” saturated with self-storage facilities?

According to the data in our analysis, we calculated the jump in storage space over the last 10 years for Wesley Chapel to be exactly 700% (close to the RentCafe’s report of 672%), from 175,600 total sq. ft. in 2014 to 1,230,200 sq. ft. by the beginning of next year. Here are more numbers, and the answer to that pressing question:

The average rentable storage area is about 75% of gross floor area, so: 1,230,200 sq. ft. x 0.75 = 922,650 rentable sq. ft., divided by an estimated 110,000 people (in our Wesley Chapel service area) = 8.4 sq. ft. (sf) per capita.

The National Average for self-storage is 7-8 sf per capita, so with the two newest ones under construction on Mansfield Blvd. and Curley Rd. (see chart, right), Wesley Chapel is just now slightly above the national average, putting us on-trend to keep up with the area’s rapid growth, making us a “balanced market,” that is neither under- nor over-saturated.

In fact, there’s almost no doubt that at least a couple of additional self-storage locations will almost definitely be needed — especially from Epperson and Watergrass north to Mirada/San Antonio — over the next few years to maintain that balanced dynamic, as more people continue to move to the area. So, as unpopular and maligned as they may seem, storage facilities provide important support for a healthy, thriving community.

But, Why Are They Needed?

Local social media comments on posts about self-storage facilities are quick to categorize them as “a blight on the landscape,” “a waste of space” or, at best, “a necessary evil.” But, are they really any of these things?

The plethora of customers filling these facilities and the nearly perfect Google reviews for all of the ones built during or after 2018 seem to indicate otherwise, as most people who use them seem to be, overall, pretty happy with the experience, with one caveat — price. ‘Self-Storage’ Continued from pg. 1

See “Self-Storage” on pg. 6

Storage Facilities In & Near Wesley Chapel

Facilities Located in Zip Codes 33543, 33544

Name Address (Year Opened)

& 33545

Note-Park & Store appears to be for vehicle storage, not belongings

Facilities

Located Just Outside of WC Zip Codes

Facilities Under Construction in WC Zip Codes

Total Square Footage of All Facilities 1,230,200

Continued from pg. 4

Self-storage pricing changes to match real estate trends — in other words, as housing, office and retail costs go up, so does the cost of self-storage.

But, Who Are These Companies?

Although many of the local self-storage facilities have changed hands recently — and several have changed brands multiple times — the largest current provider of storage space to rent in the Wesley Chapel area also is the #1 or #2 (depending upon which Artificial Intelligence search response you trust) largest such company in the U.S. — Extra Space Storage, which operates more than 4,000 storage facilities in 42 states and Washington, D.C.

The second largest operator is Public Storage, with more than 3,300 locations across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Our Google AI search response also said, “It’s worth noting that Extra Space Storage’s recent acquisition of Life Storage significantly increased their store count, pushing them past Public Storage in terms of number of locations.”

The trend towards more storage facilities isn’t just a local phenomenon, as StorageCafe says that, as of June 2025, there is now more than 2 billion sq. ft. of self-storage space in the U.S., with 62.3 million sq. ft. delivered in 2024 and 56.1 million sq. ft. expected to be added this year. StorageCafe also says that 1 of every three Americans rents a storage space in this country.

The trend increased during and since the pandemic, as more and more people have

operated home-based businesses, many of which require keeping inventory for those business somewhere other than in the peoples’ homes.

Based on personal experience, the growth of hoarding also seems to have been a factor.

But, self-storage also is a good business model in today’s world, with low numbers of employees, very little upkeep required and literally every available square foot making money for the business owners. Nationwide, occupancy rates peaked at around 92% during the pandemic, but even with slightly lower occupancy now (around 87%), that’s still higher than most apartment and hotel occupancy rates, with much less maintenance required.

Some Local Insight

While taking photos of the outside of one of the storage buildings, we saw a sign that said “Inventory Sale,” so we decided to check it out.

On the second floor, we met Lisa Gillispie, a business partner with L&J Elite events, a highly rated local business which focuses primarily on weddings. She explained that her business was “needing to downsize” — selling some of the inventory items the company uses regularly to stage its events — everything from candle holders and imitation floral arrangements to fine dishes and silverware, all in storage containers on shelving units from floor to ceiling (photo).

“Our biggest unit has been 10’x35’ and we need to downsize from our current five units costing $1,200 a month,” Lisa said. “We used to have four smaller units that cost $500 a month, but the price has almost doubled the last few years.”

Although she lives in Dade City, Lisa said her business partner lives closer to Wesley

Chapel and noted, “A lot of our business is in this area.”

That helped us realize that many of the people who need these units often have a very specific reason for needing them, and for those folks, at least, it’s not really about storing some useless junk.

We spoke with a long-term full-time employee at one of the local self-storage offices (who asked to not be named in the story) to get some insight into the business locally and the customers they end up serving.

“There are a lot of small business owners, consultants, local medical supply companies and home stagers,” the employee said, “so storage is a vital resource for them,” adding that, “We do have a lot of unit turnover” — meaning that many self-storage customers are only using the units for short periods of time. “For people moving in from out of town or apartment residents, storage helps. All of the new construction is bringing customers in, people who are waiting for their homes to be finished being built or other sudden life changes.”

The employee admitted that the cost of owning a self-storage business is pretty low.

“Yes, I’m the only full-time employee, and we have a couple of part time employees, but we’re good neighbors. We keep a clean property (building) and parking lot, maintain our landscaping, and don’t create much traffic.”

We also visited Morningstar Storage (behind the Audi Wesley Chapel dealership on S.R. 56), where we discovered that some local storage

businesses do even more for the community, offering free or discounted storage units to charities and other non-profits, with ten nonprofits listed on a board in the business’ lobby, with even more that Morningstar offers for seasonal storers, like Toys-for-Tots.

In other words, while you may hate the way they look and wonder why there have to be so f*@#ing many of them, self-storage facilities are pretty much a necessity in most communities, especially those growing by leaps and bounds, like Wesley Chapel.

But, are they here to stay? We’ll have to see.

State Road Street Signs Damaged By Hurricane Milton Are Still Missing

By Gary Nager; Research & photos by Joel Provenzano

As we all remember all too vividly, Hurricane Milton, which was a Category 5 tropical cyclone when it made landfall near Siesta Key on Oct. 9 of last year, was the first hurricane in decades (or maybe ever) to make a direct hit on the Wesley Chapel area later that day and cause widespread damage and flooding.

The after-effects of Milton continued to be felt for many weeks and, among the casualties of that storm were dozens of roadway signs that were knocked down and/or destroyed — some of which still have not been replaced now nearly 10 months later (highlighted in red in both pictures, right).

Pasco County Media Relations & Communications public information officer Sarah Andeara says, however, that the county’s Traffic Operations & Public Works departments, “have repaired all damages and replaced all signage on county roads that were damaged by Hurricane Milton. Traffic Operations replaced approximately 40 overhead signs and traffic signals, noting that each overhead illuminated street name sign costs approximately $3,700.”

At our press time, Andeara did not know how many post-mounted signs were fixed via the Public Works department, but said that for any missing signs on state roads — including S.R.s 56 and 54 — the Florida Department of Transportation (or FDOT)’s District 7 is ultimately responsible for the replacement of those signs. It’s also important to note that, unlike traffic signal “heads,” each of the signs — which are

important for tourism, emergency response and local businesses — has to be custom-designed.

FDOT transportation engineer Megan Arasteh says, “The Department has inventoried the damaged signs through field visits, and designed the new signs if as-builts were not available, and is in the process of securing the funds for manufacturing the signs.”

Arasteh also noted that, “The estimated timeframe to complete sign replacements throughout District 7 is approximately one year. It takes FDOT about one hour to design each sign if as-builts are not available. The manufacturing process requires a minimum lead time of four months, and each sign installation takes approximately three hours.”

As for how many signs FDOT needs to replace in our area, Arasteh says, “A minimum of 16 signs will be replaced in Wesley Chapel, nineteen signs total in Pasco County, and 203 signs total in all of District 7,” which also includes New Tampa. Arasteh also notes that, “FDOT recently completed the process of acquiring federal funds to replace these signs. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requires a Detailed Damage Inspection Report (DDIR) for approval of funding. FDOT began the process in December 2024. The report included details of the hurricane damage and pictures. FHWA approved the funds this month. As you can imagine with the extent of the damage due to Hurricane Milton, FHWA has had a very large number of DDIRs

to review and approve, [and] they have been a great resource to work closely with the Department throughout this process. Dist. 7 Traffic Operations is now working on a new contract that will advertise for bids in about two months for sign replacement.”

As for cost, Arasteh says, “The cost varies to replace each sign. Based on FDOT’s statewide averages for signs, the cost is approximately $7,500, not including design, maintenance of traffic and mobilization. A vendor will manufacture the signs on behalf of FDOT and Pasco County will install the signs.

Now, two months into the 2025 hurricane season, the hope here is that the work will be completed before our area takes another major hit.

Metro Development & County Agree To Elam Rd. Entrance For Townhomes

By Gary Nager

Although we hadn’t yet received, at our press time, confirmation that the deal has been finalized, it appears that Metro Development Group and Pasco County have come to an agreement that hopefully will help protect the safety of the residents of Abby Brooks Cir. (ABC), Lily Arbor Way and Swift Wind Dr. in the Epperson Ranch II Community Development District (CDD).

As we reported back in May, a new development of 186 townhomes in the Epperson North CDD is slated to open adjacent to those single-family homes in the Epperson Ranch II CDD — on property that was originally intended to be a school, with an entrance on Elam Rd.

When Pasco County rezoned the property for the townhomes, the entrance on Elam Rd., which currently is being used as a construction entrance (see photo), was eliminated, which meant the only entrance and exit to and from the new townhomnes would be from Epperson Blvd. through ABC, adding an estimated 400 daily trips through the quiet neighborhood by people who wouldn’t live in the neighborhood nor in Epperson II at all.

A large group of concerned Epperson II residents attended the May 6 Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting to complain, and the commissioners, to their credit, agreed that not having an Elam Rd. entrance for the townhomes was a mistake. They also said, however, that they didn’t think anything could be done about it, but had the group meet with the county’s Planning Dept. director David Engel and Development Services Dept. director David Allen while the

This construction entrance on Elam Rd. for a new townhome community in Epperson North is now expected to become a full entrance for townhome residents once the development has been completed, which is a compromise for those living on Abby Brooks Cir. (homes in the distance) in Epperson Ranch II.

May 6 BCC meeting was still in session. Engel and Allen said they would talk to Metro to see if the developer would agree to at least allow the entrance on Elam Rd. to be built as a full second entrance/exit, as an alternative to ABC.

On July 8, Metro VP of marketing & communications Lisa Gibbings sent me an email with the following update:

• Construction of the Elam Rd. entrance will begin when the county completes final review and approval of the plan modification.

• The entrance is expected to be completed at the same time as the completion of the overall townhome project, or by the end of 2025.

• While it is currently an active construction zone, access is not permitted for use by the public until the entrance and overall townhome project have been completed.

• To the best of our knowledge, there is no agreement in place nor one being discussed between Epperson Ranch II CDD and Epperson North CDD regarding the entrance. On May 13, 2025, the developer and Pasco County staff met with and shared the proposed (new) entrance plan to representatives of the Epperson Ranch II CDD and residents of the [Epperson II] neighborhood that attended. The proposed plan was well received, and the developer is

currently working with the county for final construction plan review and approval.

• It is our understanding that during the Epperson Ranch II CDD meeting on July 3, 2025, the Chair of the Board of Supervisors indicated the entrance road matter is essentially resolved.

• “Metro is excited to partner with Pasco County to bring this entrance to the new townhome community within Epperson. We hope this adds another layer of convenience and safety for residents while reducing congestion within the [ABC] community.”

The Epperson II residents would not comment until the agreement was finalized.

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Almost All Wesley Chapel Schools Earn Outstanding 2024-25 Grades

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

School letter grades in Wesley Chapel are up overall this year, according to a report released by the Florida Department of Education in July.

Four of Wesley Chapel’s nine elementary schools improved by a letter grade, including Sand Pine, which moved from a “B” to an “A.”

“We are thrilled,” says Sand Pine principal Angie Shauger. “For me, this A grade is more than a letter. It’s a celebration of what’s possible when a school unites around a shared mission to do what’s best for our students. I could not be prouder of our students, staff, and school community that has led us here.”

The other three elementary schools that improved their letter grades from the 2023-24 school year to 2024-25 are Double Branch, Quail Hollow and Veterans, all of which moved from a “C” to a “B.”

At Quail Hollow, both principal Norman Graham and assistant principal Nicole Sciarratta joined the school for the 2023-24 school year, and they agree that it’s rare for a school to have a complete turnover of the administrative team all at once. Last year, they say they experienced “typical growing pains,” while this year they were able to establish new expectations and increase the staff’s focus on student achievement.

“Our teachers focused on setting specific goals with every student in reading and math, so they were able to help students make growth in very specific areas,” says Sciarratta. “We saw tremendous growth in proficiency and learning gains this year, and we were just one point from an A.”

All of the elementary schools that improved their grades were quick to express their pride in their school and the importance of hard work by both teachers and students, and the support of parents and the community.

“I am super proud of our community pulling together,” says principal Lisa Grimsley at Double Branch Elementary. “Not just the teachers, but our fantastic PTA and even our PLACE [after-school program] staff, where they have time for homework and support our academic needs.”

While the principals are pleased with the higher grades, they are keeping an eye toward further growth.

“As we look ahead to the new school year, we are energized and committed to reaching an A,” says Melissa Bidgood, the principal at

Veterans Elementary, who says this year’s success “stems from a laser-sharp focus on data, identifying areas of need, and closely monitoring student growth.”

Seven Oaks Elementary maintained its A, while Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass elementaries maintained their Bs.

Two Wesley Chapel elementary schools dropped a letter grade, including Watergrass, which fell from a B to a C, and New River, which dropped from a C to a D. Neither New River principal Kelly Wisneski nor Watergrass principal Andrea Altman were reached for comments about their school’s respective grades.

Meanwhile, the new Kirkland Ranch K-8 school received an A as its first ever letter grade.

All of Wesley Chapel’s other K-8 and middle schools maintained their previous letter grades, including As for John Long, Pinecrest Academy, and Union Park Charter Academy, while Cypress Creek, Innovation Prep and Weightman middle schools all earned Bs.

At the high school level, Cypress Creek High earned its first-ever A after earning consistent B ratings since it opened for the 2017-18 school year.

Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation and Wiregrass Ranch High both maintained their As from the previous year, and Pinecrest Academy’s high school showed the largest increase of any Wesley Chapel school, as it moved from a C last year (its first year receiving a grade) to an A this year.

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

Quail Hollow’s Graham expresses it this way. “At the end of the day, we want each one of our kids to be successful,” he says. “We want to look at each student as an individual and help them get what they need.”

More information about the 2024-25 school grades is available online at FLDoE. org/accountability/accountability-reporting/ school-grades. You’ll find a much more extensive chart that breaks down how each school earned its respective letter grade.

Chapel School Grades -

2024-25 School Grades — Wesley Chapel

‘Homes For Our Troops’ Volunteer Day At Injured Marine’s Future Home

“We don’t have a lot of family or friends here in Florida,” said retired Marine Sgt. Christopher Lawrence during the super-hot “Volunteer Day” (July 26) at his family’s future “Homes for our Troops” (HFOT) home in Wesley Chapel, where about 10,000 sq. ft. (25 pallets) of sod was unloaded and dozens of plants were used to landscape the front and side yards at the home on Steeplechase Rd. “But today, we feel like we have a lot of new family members.”

You could see the appreciation and joy Sgt. Lawrence, his wife Michelle (Chelley) and daughters DeliaMarie and Cristiana felt as they helped more than 100 volunteers beautify the outside of the Kent Custom Home the family expects to move into by around the end of this month.

Partner Nathan Pratt explained how to place the sod and plant the plants and said how proud he was to have two more Kent Custom Homes — for Sgt. Lawrence and Army Sgt. Quincy Lopez, who, like Sgt. Lawrence, lost his right leg to an improvised explosive device blast in Iraq. (Note-Sgt. Lopez’s Volunteer Day will be this Saturday, August 9, at 9 a.m.; see the Events Calendar listing on pg. 18 for more details) — in Wesley Chapel, bringing the total Kent has specially adapted and built for Post-911 recipients designated by Homes for our Troops here in Central Florida up to nine.

Homes for our Troops is a national 501(c) (3) military nonprofit that continues to spend 90 cents of every dollar the organization raises to build more than 400 custom homes (and growing) across the country since its inception in 2004.

In addition to the landscaping on July 26, volunteers also sold HFOT hats and accepted cash donations to help HFOT continue to provide these homes at no cost to our severely injured military men and women.

To make a donation or for more information about HFOT, visit hfotusa.org or call (866) 787-6877. — GN

(Previous page, top) Sgt. Christopher Lawrence & his daughter DeliaMarie (both in red) pose with several of the 100+ volunteers who helped landscape (bottom pics) their future home in Wesley Chapel.

(This page, top left) The Lawrence family can’t wait to move into their new home.

Sgt. Lawrence raised the HFOT flag during the volunteer event (above).

Nathan Pratt of Kent Custom Homes thanks the volunteers & gives them instructions.

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

By Gary Nager

Editor’s note — Although his story didn’t run in our July 19 Wesley Chapel issue (it is available at NeighborhoodNewsOnline. net), I interviewed Cory Lake Isles resident and retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Remo Butler — the first-ever Black General of the U.S. Special Forces — on the same day Gen. Butler attended the celebration of the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army in downtown Tampa on June 14.

The week after that event, I interviewed U.S. Army World War II vet, “Buffalo Soldier” and Grand Hampton resident Roy Caldwood, who took a very different path to becoming the true American hero he is today.

Gen. Butler and Army PFC (private first class) Roy Caldwood were both honored during that June 14 celebration and the two have become friends over the past couple of years, with both now living in New Tampa.

On these pages is the first part of Roy’s amazing story. — GN

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

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

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

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

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

From Humble Beginnings

Roy J. Caldwood was born in New York

City on July 10, 1922. Although his parents never divorced, he says they were separated because his mother, a devout Christian, could not deal with his father’s gambling.

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

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

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

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

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

On To The Army

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

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

“So, they put me and my two buddies in the medical unit and we had to pass a test to become Army medical/surgical technicians, and we all passed, no problem.”

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

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

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

Off To War

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

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

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

But then, the boat pulled up into Naples, where there were a lot of black longshoremen, “and oh, were they happy to see us,” Roy says. “They said, we are having a horrible time here because of the ‘Ugly Americans.’ The Italian

longshoremen called White Americans ‘Ugly” because they looked down their noses at every other country. So, they were happy as hell to see us and they said, ‘We’ve been following you guys, so you won’t be having any problems anymore.’”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“But, that started it. From then on, any suggestion I made to the lieutenant, he’d say,

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

‘O.K.’ And yes, I made all kinds of suggestions.”

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

The ‘Purple

Heart Stretch’

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

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

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

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

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

“The Germans can look down from the mountain and see us. They can kill us right now. I gotta make a decision what the hell to do. I’m not gonna try to run out of there. I have to convince the Germans that we’re humanitarians — that we’re trying to help people who are starving. I gotta convince them. That’s my only

truth. So I said, ‘Let’s go back.’ And my guys and the women came out, and we all headed back.”

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

“The men called the lieutenant and told him, ‘We see Germans coming into the village.’

The lieutenant called his captain, who told him, ‘I want you to establish new quarters in the town.’ And, the lieutenant, said, ‘I can’t leave now because the doctor’s not here yet.’ So, the captain said to the lieutenant, ‘Don’t bother those Germans. Leave them completely alone.’

‘Cause he knew if they did, me and my group were dead. The captain says, ‘When he gets back, then you reestablish.’

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

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

On Celebrating The Army’s 250th

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

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

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

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

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

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

“So I moved outside, and I stood there. And suddenly, no mortars. That’s the God’s honest

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

The Surrender Of The Germans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In our next issue, I’ll tell you about Roy’s 21-year career in corrections, including his book about being held hostage on Rikers Island.

Thank you, Roy & Diane!

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

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

Tuesday, August 5, 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Business Breakfast. At Pasco Hernando State College, Porter Campus (2727 Mansfield Blvd.). This month’s speaker is Ron Weaver, Land Development and Zoning Attorney. $25/members, $30 non-members to attend. For more information, call (813) 994-8534 or to register, visit Business. NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Saturday, August 9, 9 a.m. – Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) Volunteer Day for Sgt. Quincy Lopez. At 6358 Country Club Rd., Wesley Chapel. Check in starts at 8:30 a.m. Grab your garden gloves and roll up your sleeves. All volunteers will receive an HFOT T-shirt and lunch. This event will be held outdoors (rain or shine), so please dress accordingly. For more info or to volunteer, contact community engagement coordinator Shannon Fuller at Sfuller@ hfotusa.org or call/text (774) 372-8772.

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

Wednesday, August 20, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Coffee Social. At Florida Central Credit Union (17502 Doña Michelle Dr.). Wake up and join your fellow chamber members for your morning brew and networking. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business. NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Wednesday, August 27, 10:30 a.m.-noon

Music For Kids, Theatre & More

– Charting Your Course: Protecting Yourself, Your Loved Ones & Your Legacy. At Blue Heron Senior Living (5085 Eagleston Blvd.). This session is an excellent first step in the estate planning process and will help you take control of your future with confidence. For more information or to register, call Lilly at (813) 733-4754.

Friday, August 22, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. & Saturday, August 23, 9 a.m.2 p.m. – Friends of the New River Library Book Sale. At the New River Branch Library (34043 S.R. 54). Join the Friends for this big summer book sale. Free to attend.

For more information, call (813) 788-6375 or visit PascoLibraries.libnet.info/event/14129499.

Friday, August 29, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber’s “Final Friday.” At Fuzzy’s Taco Shop (19729 S.R. 54). Join North Tampa Bay Chamber members as they engage and network in a relaxed environment. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business. NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Friday-Sunday, September 12-14, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday & ending at 9 p.m. on Sunday — 2025 New Tampa Arts Festival.

At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Help kick off the upcoming 2025-26 season with a weekend full of free activities and performances by Tampa Bay artists across music, theater, dance comedy and more. Free to attend.

For more info, call (813) 829-2760 or visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events.

Saturday, September 13, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. – Maker’s Market. At Oak & Honey Vintage (35720 S.R. 54, Zephyrhills). This fall Maker’s Market will feature some of the top artisans in our local community. For more information, call (813) 701-8090.

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Wesley Chapel Walmart Adding Gas Station; What About Sam’s Club?

By Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

Walmart Fuel Under Construction

The massive banner on the construction fence couldn’t be any less subtle — “COMING SOON, YOUR NEW WALMART FUEL STATION” (photo).

The underutilized northeast portion of the Wesley Chapel Walmart’s parking lot (directly behind Chase Bank) on S.R. 54 (east of Bruce B. Downs Blvd., or BBD) is being transformed into the next useful feature of the popular store.

Final site plan revisions for the gas station addition were submitted to the county back in January of 2024, but nothing transpired for almost a year and a half, so it was unclear when, or even if, the station would ever come to fruition.

That question has been answered, as the construction is now happening at breakneck speed. Walmart hadn’t even fenced the area off just a few months ago, but now, the massive fuel tanks are getting ready to be buried, the station’s canopy is about half done, and the convenience store is pretty much finished. At this pace, it appears that the new gas station, with 18 fueling positions (making it the largest such station in Wesley Chapel), will be done in a few months.

In addition to the gas pumps, the station will feature a very tiny and interesting 440-sq.-ft. convenience store. From what we can tell from the building plan and this photo, the tiny store will have two exterior restrooms to the rear of the building, with roll-up doors on the side of the building

that will protect what appears to be display doors that will open outward which will likely contain drinks and snacks. It’s unclear, however, if you will even be able to go inside the store to make your purchases or if everything will be done from the outside. We’ve never seen anything quite like it before. It’s certainly nothing like the full convenience store at the New Tampa Walmart on BBD.

In addition to these features, the plan also proposes to add a new right turn lane into the Walmart’s northern driveway on southbound Wiregrass Ranch Blvd., which should hopefully

a few months away. reduce conflicts for motorists who only want to access the new gas station.

Sam’s Club Expansion Not Happening?

Considering that the two stores are run by the same company, is the Sam’s Club on S.R. 56 getting its desperately needed fuel expansion next? Unfortunately, it seems that it’s not likely to be happening anytime soon, as the plans for that expansion were withdrawn from the county by the developer in January of this year.

We had previously reported — back in the

summer of 2023 — that Sam’s Club representatives had met with the county to expand the store’s existing gas station from 12 fueling positions to 16, which would include adding two more fueling lanes and a redesign to make things run smoother, as the existing location and design of the station causes backups on the access roadway (which sometimes extend out onto S.R. 56) in front of the main Sam’s Club parking lot. Engineering plans were submitted the following year, and the county gave comments, but it appears that the plan is off the table for now.

Based on the speed with which the construction is progressing, the opening of the Wesley Chapel Walmart’s gas station should only be

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

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

The design process usually starts with a phone call to schedule an in-home consultation. A design consultant will come out and measure your windows and show you a variety of fabrics and styles — pretty much everything you can see in the showroom — so you can visualize them

in your space. Mike says Florida living means his design consultants are used to finding creative so lutions to maximize views that may include a mix of blinds, shades, and shutters. Once you’ve made your selections, employee installers, not subcon tractors, will complete the installation. They also will clean up, go over how to use the product(s), show you how to care for your new window coverings and explain the warranty.

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

Mike and Adriane say that although their franchise is family-owned, it’s run more like a larger business. “We run a tight ship,” Mike says. “Our employees are the first voice our customers hear, and the job’s not done until the last screw is put in the wall. We want to make sure our cus tomers are happy throughout the entire process.”

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

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

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

The installation team is led by Brett Bolton,

who has been at Budget Blinds for 10 years. Prior to that, he served in the U.S. Air Force for 10 years, mostly at MacDill Air Force Base.

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

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

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

Bridging together the administrative team, design consultants and installa tion crew is Rick Barbaro, the operations manager. “Behind the scenes, Rick is the architect of our daily operations,” Adriane says. “His number one priority is making

sure every customer is happy. Rick brings out the best in our team by leading with consistency and focusing on results. Whether he’s stepping in to troubleshoot an issue or coaching someone towards growth, he leads by example and always puts his team first.”

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

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

Julie says it’s important to her to share what a great experience she had because it’s unusual for a company to be so easy to work with from start to finish. “I’ve moved five times in the last two and a half years, including rental properties, and I’ve learned the hard way that it’s difficult to find solid quality vendors who show that they love their job and want your business,” Julie says. “It’s a rare commodity these days. Budget Blinds cares about their employees and then their employees show that to you. I very much appreciate that.”

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

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

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

A Little Background

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

Budget Blinds has a new partnership with Service Finance Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Truist Bank, to offer a variety of financing options — from no interest and no payments for six to 18 months to long-term, fixed interest with low payments.

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

To schedule a complimentary in-home consultation, call (813) 579-6081. You also can visit the Budget Blinds showroom at 1208 W. Fletcher Ave. in Tampa. For more info, follow “BudgetBlindsofGreaterTampa” on Facebook or Instagram, visit BudgetBlinds.com/NorthTampa, or see the ad on page 45.

Small World Pediatrics — Amazing, Experienced Doctors Who Truly Love Kids!

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

our friends. It’s all about community.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ceptionist Marlene Oliva of Small World Pediatrics, located in the Windguard Professional Center off BBD Blvd.

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

Small World Pediatrics (2527 Windguard Cir., Suite 102) is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and is accepting new patients. Most insurance plans, including Medicaid, are accepted. For more information, see the ad on pg. 34, call (813) 907-8001, or visit SmallWorldPediatrics.com.

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

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whether you recently turned 65 or are turning 65

navigate the many options regarding

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

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

See the ad on page 38 for a QR code or go to DecodingMedicare.com and scroll to the bot-

tom of the page for the free workbook.

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

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

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

soon, Pamela Turner of Decoding Medicare can help you

Medicare. (Photo provided by Pamela Turner)

to do any research. Or anywhere in between.”

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

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

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

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

understand the options available to them.

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

To schedule a complimentary session with Pam Turner of Decoding Medicare, visit DecodingMedicare.com, where you can find links to her Facebook page and private Facebook group. For more information, call (888) 520-8683, email Pam@DecodingMedicare.com, or see the ad on page 38.

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

Louis Cerillo, DDSKim Tran-Nguyen, DMD General Dentists

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

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

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

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

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

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

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

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

Super Bowl win in 2002 (Super Bowl XXXVII).

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

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

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

clubhouse, with pickup service available from John Long Middle School, Wiregrass, Seven Oaks and Veterans elementary schools.

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

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

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

There are four New Tampa locations — at the Heritage Isles, Grand Hampton, Arbor Greene and Club Tampa Palms clubhouses. All locations will offer football, basketball, tennis, soccer and more and focus on sportsmanship, listening, following directions and teamwork.

The New Tampa after-school programs are available Mon.-Fri., 2 p.m.-6 p.m., for just $55/ week. And, PROtential will pick up your kids from Pride, Heritage, Hunter’s Green, Clark, Chiles and Tampa Palms elementary schools, plus

PROtential! The coaches have been great and my son has a ton of fun playing with his friends after school. Both of my kids attend summer camp and enjoy swimming, playing sports and going on field trips.”

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

For more information about PROtential Sports, call (813) 843-9460, visit PROtentialSports.com or see the ad on pg. 35.

Cozy Research Is Seeking Patients Experiencing Heart Failure For A New Study

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

For anyone who has been experiencing heart failure, a local research company is conducting a clinical trial that may help you or someone else. This trial currently is open and is enrolling new participants.

Cozy Research, LLC, is a medical research company founded in 2016 by Wesley Chapel resident Ryan DeWeese. It operates primarily out of the Wesley Chapel office of Dr. Jonathan Yousef at Lifetime Family & Urgent Care, located on Argerian Dr., off S.R. 54.

Ryan says his company conducts clinical research trials in a variety of areas. Past research projects have included testing Covid antibody treatments, as well as medications for everything from cholesterol and blood pressure to cosmetic dermatology.

At this time, Ryan says there are only two studies that are open and seeking new participants. Both are for people who are experiencing heart failure.

To qualify, patients must be 18 years of age or older, have been diagnosed with chronic heart failure for at least 3 months, and who are already receiving treatment for their heart failure.

These studies are sponsored by German pharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim, a company founded in 1885 that today is the largest private pharmaceutical company in the world. Both studies are testing the same medication, but patients can qualify for one or the other based on their lab results. One tests patients whose condi-

tion is more severe than the other group.

“Research subjects keep their primary care doctor, stay on their current medications, and nothing changes,” Ryan explains. “This study is for an add-on therapy meant to go with whatever meds they are already taking. We don’t take over any care of these patients.”

He says clinical trials, including these, are vital because for any medication to get approved for use in the U.S., it has to be tested in the U.S.

“It’s the only way we can get new treat ments approved and out there,” he explains. “We can’t look at a study in Germany and say we want that medication. To be used here, it has to be tested here.”

Although some local cardiologists and, in this case, Dr. Yousef, may recommend to their patients that they may qualify for a study, it is always voluntary to participate.

Once someone volunteers, they are first brought in for a screening.

“Each study is looking for specific lab results,” explains Ryan, “including if the patient is healthy enough to participate in the study.”

The screening includes paperwork, a comprehensive medical history, blood draw, and a physical.

Those who are chosen to participate will either receive medication or a placebo so that results can be measured for both those who receive the treatment, and those who don’t. All patients are made aware that they may receive a placebo.

Whether they receive the treatment or the placebo, all participants benefit from medical care that is funded completely by the study, such as

periodic blood testing and electrocardiograms. Results from these assessments are shared with study doctors, as well as with each patient’s physician.

“This is additional personalized care because all of the testing and labs go well above and beyond your regular annual physical,” DeWeese explains. “Your own doctors are looking at your results, study doctors are looking at it, plus the pharmaceutical team is overseeing it.”

And, no insurance is needed, since everything is covered by the study.

All medical testing and procedures will be provided by trained medical providers at the Lifetime Family & Urgent Care office, whether that’s Dr. Yousef or nurse practitioner Yana Luk-

jantschenko, MSN, FNP-C (Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner-Certified).

Ryan has been partnering with the practice for seven years and says study participants find Dr. Yousef and Yana pleasant and easy to work with. And, he says, compensation is provided for participants’ time and travel.

This trial has been reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB)/Ethics Committee (EC), which protects the rights, safety, and wellbeing of participants.

“The study may or may not help you,” Ryan says, “but if it doesn’t help you, it may help someone else.”

Ryan has worked in medical testing since

Wesley Chapel resident Ryan DeWeese of Cozy Research is enrolling patients experiencing heart failure for a new research study. (Photos on these pages by Charmaine George)

Health Care Administration from Ohio Univer sity in 2012.

He was working for a large pharmaceutical company and took the opportunity to move to the Tampa Bay area in 2012.

“I had always wanted to live somewhere warm,” Ryan says, “where I never have to drive in snow or shovel snow again.”

After more than 10 years in research, serving in positions from entry level to research director, he felt like he knew the industry well enough to start his own company, and did so in 2016.

Edgar Espana recently participated in a different study and says he’s glad he did.

Edgar says he doesn’t know if he got the placebo, but he did see a benefit. “I figured if I got the medicine, we’ll see if it works,” he says. “If not, it could help other people.”

He said the process of scheduling and going to appointments was easy, and it was a benefit to have his cholesterol checked more often than he otherwise would have.

“They were really flexible on time,” Edgar says, “and had really good communication.”

For more info about the heart failure study and Cozy Research, see the ad on pg. 45. To see if you qualify for the study, email Ryan@cozyresearch.com or call (813) 922-2115.

Spotlight On...Better Realty Services!

Monty Bryan, the Broker/Owner of Better Realty Services in Wesley Chapel, is one of a handful of people still in our area who began advertising in the Neighborhood News before I bought it in 1994. In other words, the guy knows as much about the homes and communities in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel as anyone — including yours truly.

Monty, who has been in the real estate business in the Tampa Bay area since 1982, founded that original Tampa Palms brokerage firm, called Florida Properties, in 1989, and Florida Properties was the first business to purchase the back cover of the Neighborhood News and continued to advertise with us until he sold that company to (and went to work for) Coldwell Banker in 1998.

Monty and his wife Jayne (who got her Business degree at USF and still handles the accounting at Better Realty Services), welcomed their daughter Emma into the world in 2004, when Monty decided to take a step back from real estate, even though his license remained active and he still worked in the business.

Then, in 2015, he founded Better Realty Services and opened an office in Wesley Chapel, as he was managing a townhouse project off S.R. 54 near I-75 for a company out of Miami.

Today, the Better Realty Services team is mainly Monty and property manager Kathy Rieger. “Kathy also is licensed as a real estate agent,” Monty says, “but she primarily handles all of our property management and does an outstanding job.”

He also says that although the property management side of the business is doing well, “We’re about 70-80% selling and maybe 20-30% property management right now.

“We’ve seen the growth over the past decade of Pasco County — especially in Wesley Chapel,” he says. “During Covid, selling homes in this area was easy — everything was flying off the shelves, with all-cash offers, usually above asking price. Now, it’s backed off a little, but [resale] prices are still OK, and even though the [new home] builders are offering all of these incentives, there’s usually higher fees in new home communities.”

Monty says his current featured listing (top photo) — a 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 3,374-sq.-ft. home at 8910 Magnolia Chase Cir. in Hunter’s Green — is a beautifully updated Bimini floor plan by Rutenberg Homes on hole #2 of the Hunter’s Green Country Club golf course with a great pool. It’s a “must-see,” listed for $1,050,000.

As for the name of his business, Monty says, “We’re called Better Realty Services because we want to — and can — do it better!”

For more information about Monty Bryan and Better Realty Services (2600 Cypress Ridge Blvd.), call (813) 833-7786, visit BetterRealtyServices.com or see the ad below. — GN

Licensed Massage Therapist Peggy Boyd Offers A Surgical Alternative

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) Peggy Boyd Peggy Boyd, says she never imagined that a single question on her first day of massage school would change the course of her life.

“The teacher asked what made us fall in love with the human body,” Peggy recalls. “I just knew I was in the right place. It felt like home because during college, I was a track athlete and fell in love with anatomy and physiology.”

Peggy worked with a chiropractor and a massage therapist before opening her own office in 2011. She wanted to show that her patients might have other options, that there was an alternative to surgery for some of them and Surgical Alternative was born.

Surgical Alternative, located on U.S. Hwy 41, near Sunset Ln. in Lutz, uses a holistic approach to help clients with physical and emotional pain. In addition to Peggy, who also is a Cranial Structural Bodywork Educator (or CSBE), the staff consists of three additional LMTs — all of whom also have additional certifications to help bring comfort and pain relief to their patients — Elizabeth Brown, Heather Thomas and Nancy Adams.

Peggy says that Surgical Alternative draws patients from as far away as Naples, Virginia and South Carolina. Many local clients drive from Wesley Chapel, New Tampa and St. Petersburg, not for a relaxing massage, but because they’ve tried everything else and they have not seen the pain-relieving results they have received at Surgical Alternative. Here, clients find real healing, often for the first time.

She started her journey after graduating from Florida State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Nutrition. After graduation, she says she considered going to school for occupational therapy but found an alternative in massage school.

Cranial Massage A Specialty

After completing her massage certification, Peggy began to attend workshops and found Chiropractic Physician G. Dallas Hancock D.C., Ph.D., who has been practicing since 1974 in Tampa and specializes in — and teaches — cranial massage. “It was therapeutic,” Peggy says. “It was powerful. I knew by learning this technique, I could make a difference in people’s lives.” Cranial massage focuses on aligning the body’s

core structures — the cranium, spine, and pelvis.

For those who recently watched the HBO Documentary “And So It Goes,” about pop star Billy Joel, Peggy says that cranial massage is similar to the treatment that Joel has received since being diagnosed with NPH (Normal Pressure Hydro cephalus). It has been reported that he is seeing a physical therapist. When asked if she has ever worked on someone with this diagnosis, Peggy said she had not, but that some of the clients she has worked on have had similar conditions.

“When there is too much pressure in the cranium, the spinal fluid gets stuck,” Peggy says. “This fluid removes toxins from the body by go ing through the brain, spinal cord and tail bone and back up again. The spinal fluid does this 14-16 times a minute. They are possibly doing cranial work for him and affecting the cerebral spinal fluid that may have gotten stuck and is not moving as it should.”

At Surgical Alternative, the goal is to restore balance so the body can heal itself. This isn’t simple massage, and it’s not a spa or chiropractic treatment. It’s targeted therapeutic work that has helped people avoid surgery, reduce medication, and recover from long-term pain and dysfunction. Clients come in for everything from sports injuries and TMJ (temporomandibular joint pain) to PTSD, chronic fatigue, anxiety, and fibromyalgia. Many have tried other things that have failed before they visited Surgical Alternative.

from Wesley Chapel to visit her Surgical Alternative on U.S. Hwy. 41 in Lutz if other treatments haven’t provided relief from your pain. (All photos on these pages by Charmaine George) full-body assessment. Every member of Peggy’s is a well-trained LMT and they all share her belief that healing is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.

Peggy and her staff have helped veterans with PTSD, teens with sports injuries, adults recovering from car accidents, children with sensory issues and others.

Grace Rickershauser, a long-term client of Peggy’s, was put in traction and a brace when she was young due to a child pulling on her neck in a pool. Many years later, she was still suffering from the same pain.

“My doctor wanted to put me in a brace and wanted me to have surgery,” Grace says, adding that Peggy was recommended and she began seeing her every week then every other week. A few months later, she went back to the doctor, who told her she was no longer a candidate for neck surgery.

“That was back in 2010 and I continue to work with Peggy,” Grace says. “I see her every couple of months now.” Peggy has also worked with Grace’s husband and her brother.

“I highly recommend Peggy and Surgical Alternative, whether you need a small adjustment or a large one as I did.” Peggy not only helped her avoid surgery, but she also restored her ability to move without pain.

Each session begins with a conversation and

“It’s incredible to watch someone change, not just physically but emotionally,” says Peggy.

One of the lesser-known but powerful tools Peggy and her staff use is BAUD (or Bio-Acoustical Utilization Device), which uses sound frequencies to stimulate the brain and interrupt neurological patterns associated with pain and trauma.

“It’s great for people who have had longterm trauma or emotional issues that haven’t responded to talk therapy (aka psychotherapy) alone,” she says. “Everything is connected. What happens emotionally will eventually show up [and have an effect] physically.”

Also available is “needle-less” acupuncture, which uses a microcurrent device on acupuncture points to help with pain, anxiety, digestive issues and more. Unlike traditional acupuncture, this method is painless and non-invasive.

“It’s another way to help the nervous system calm down so the body can heal,” says Peggy.

She adds, “We look from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head. The body tells

us what it needs.” She says this approach has helped clients of every age, as she has worked with everyone from a two-week-old infant who was struggling to latch after a traumatic birth and is now latching without a problem, thanks to cranial massage, to a 90-year-old woman who today walks without pain or a walker.

What sets Peggy and Surgical Alternative apart is not only her decades of experience, but her deep commitment to education for both her and her staff. She continues to train in advanced techniques and often teaches other professionals in the field.

She says that some patients come weekly at first, especially if they’re in acute pain,” says Peggy. “and then taper to every few weeks. Others come monthly to stay ahead of stress or movement issues, while a few just check in seasonally or when something flares up.”

Peggy also is the founder of the Institute of Alternative Therapy, which offers certification training in Cranial Structural Bodywork. She teaches everyone from massage therapists and chiropractors to physical therapists and acupuncturists. Her workshops don’t just teach techniques, they offer a deeper understanding of how to support the immune system, balance the sinuses and jaw, and treat conditions like TMJ. She’s even developed custom workbooks to sup-

port her students, and many return every year for additional Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

“We get people coming in from all over the state every year to learn with us,” she says.

Peggy also is focused on the wellness of her team. “We can’t take care of you if we’re not taking care of ourselves,” she says. She’s created a culture of balance by requiring her staff to trade services every week. “It’s built into the schedule,” she says. “Every Wednesday at 11 a.m., we work on each other. It’s mandatory.” She also encourages her LMTs to work a four-day work week.

Peggy and her staff welcome your questions

when you call the office.

“We tell the client exactly how we can help them and then make the appointment,” she says.

Peggy says she would like to open additional locations but, for now, she’s content continuing her life’s work in Lutz.

First-time Surgical Alternative customers are offered a 20% discount (see ad on pg. 39).

To schedule an appointment, call (813) 9486300 or you can book your appointment by visiting SurgicalAlternative.com/treatmentstampa. The office is located at 18115 N. U.S. Hwy 41, Suite 1000, Lutz.

(Left photo above, l.-r.) Elizabeth Brown, Peggy Boyd, Heather Thomas and Nancy Adams of Surgical Alternative are all highly trained,

Massage

demonstrates (above right). (Below) The exterior of the Surgical Alternative office

The Search For Wesley Chapel’s Favorite Fried Chicken Has Begun!

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

So, which is our readers’ favorite fried chicken place in the Wesley Chapel area?

We’re still nowhere close to the answer to that question, but as the publisher and editor of the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, I’m proud to say that after months of effort and roughly 50 total volunteers who said they wanted to be judges, the contest is at least under way. Round 1 was completed on July 23 and Round 2 is taking place on July 30, or the Wednesday after this issue was printed. The Grand Finale, where our nine judges will finally get to pick their favorite mild and spicy chicken, hopefully will be completed before school goes back in session on August 11.

Picking the nine judges was not an easy task. Of the 50 people who volunteered, I originally planned to only have five judges. But then, I thought, what would happen if more than one of the people we picked ended up not being able to be there for Rounds 2 and 3? I decided that a couple more couldn’t hurt — it would even allow us to employ Olympic-style scoring where we could throw out the high and the low and just use the other seven scores for each restaurant, if I wanted.

At any rate, the nine people selected, from left to right in the top left photo, were: Bill Johnston (aka Colonel Sanders himself!) and his wife Suzanne Reno of Quail Hollow, Aaron “Dion” Rocha of New River Township, Cindy Cooley of Tampa Palms, Dion’s wife Suzanne Rocha, the father-daughter duo of Joshua & Zoe Paine of Heritage Isles and the son-&-father team of Karson (the self-proclaimed & costumed “King Chicken Wing” and Jason Centeno of Live Oak Preserve (and yes, a certain editor is in there, too).

The first round was a blast for yours truly, the judges and even for Jannah, whose unenviable job it was to go and pick up the chicken from the first five restaurants. I thought we were going to split the number of places into one group of 5 and one group of 6, but I forgot to include one chicken place that recently added tenders to its menu, so Round 2 will now have the mild and spicy chicken tenders from seven places being sampled. A few other things I have to mention:

1)Because we are bringing the chicken from multiple locations to one central location, the judges know that none of the chicken will be as hot or as moist as it would be at each of the places.

2)None of the chicken was served with sauces for fear that the judges would figure out whose chicken was whose too easily. But again, it also keeps each place’s chicken from tasting its best.

3)I have to thank president & CEO Hope Kennedy (see pg. 3) and office administrator Darlene Hill of the North Tampa Bay Chamber for allowing us to use the board room in the Chamber’s beautiful, new office in The Shops at Wiregrass for all of the rounds of the contest.

4)I also have to thank our photographer/ videographer Charmaine George for not only shooting still pictures, but also videotaping all of the proceedings. When we’re ready to announce the winning restaurants, we will do so as the premiere episode of our “Neighborhood Newsmakers” podcast. Look for updates about that event on our “Neighborhood News” Facebook page.

5) Yours truly didn’t sample all of the chicken nor did I try to influence the judges in any way.

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

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

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

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

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

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

But, not only has Oscar kept Lima afloat, in the five+ years since he first opened, his newfound experience in the kitchen has helped him expand his already-delicious Peruvian-Chinese

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

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

Next up was the Aticucho de Lomo de Res (top) — tender, tasty beef tenderloin tips (the tra ditional dish is often made with beef hearts) on skewers on a steaming dish with sizable sides of crispy potato wedges and grilled Peruvian corn. The only warning I’ll offer is that if you don’t like a very spicy dipping sauce, the innocent-looking side of pink rocato sauce is literally an eye-opener. And, even though Jannah doesn’t like her meal looking back at her, even she admitted that

our most recent visit, because we had never tried it before, was the aptly named Lima Bowl (below right) — a heaping portion of creamy (and wellspiced, but not spicy) chicken salad, made with Lima’s signature rotisserie chicken, served over white rice, black beans and Romaine lettuce with Peruvian-style pico de gallo. So good.

Our Old Lima Standbys

to attract my attention, there are always dishes

mentioned Ceviché de Pescado (although I also loved the new Ceviché Lima, which adds fried calamari and a savory golden pepper sauce to the usual ceviché), but Jannah’s absolute favorite dish at Lima is the Tallarin Saltado, which is similar

served with jasmine rice, as well as the Asado de Res con Ensalada Rusa, which was a special I told you about last year that is basically the Peruvian version of beef pot roast/brisket, served with a Russian-inspired potato-&-beet salad.

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

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

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

Other desserts include a creamy torta de chocolate, arroz con leche (rice pudding) and alfajores, which are crumbly cookies filled with

(regular and diet) and Peruvian juices in passion fruit and mango. The kids menu includes Salchipapas (French fries topped with diced hot dogs), as well as chicken tenders and fried fish strips. Lima (19062 BBD Blvd.) opens every day at 11 a.m. & stays open until 8 p.m. Mon.-Thur., 9 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. & 7 p.m. on Sun. For more info, call (813) 304-0205, order on UberEats or 25700

REHABILITATIVE AND THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE THERAPY

Double Branch’s New Owner

When I read on Facebook that Double Branch Artisanal Ales, located at 5956 Wesley Grove Blvd. in The Village at The Grove, was under new ownership, I was excited to meet the new owner and learn about his plans for the place — even though I’ve never been a big beer drinker.

Well, after meeting the new owner, who goes by Dee (shown here with his friendly bartender/ team member Jenna), and seeing how he’s already opened up Double Branch’s interior, including creating a window into the sizable working brew ery, added more TVs (including a 190” projection screen) and upgraded the entire look of the place, I have to say that Dee is on the right track.

He’s also added several more beer taps (with a rotating selection of excellent craft beers and “a new commitment to sustainable brewing practices”), with live entertainment, trivia nights, brewery tours and fun community events all coming up soon.

Dee also says that although you can bring in food from The Grove’s restaurants and enjoy them with his tasty beers, seltzers, ciders and white, red and rose wines on tap, he plans to bring in “maybe 20-30 total items” from Falabella Family Bistro across the way sometime in the future. In the meantime, he also plans to host a Grand Opening event sometime later this month, but had not yet announced it as we went to press with this issue, so check our “Neighborhood News” Facebook page for that announcement soon.

For more info about Double Branch Artisanal Ales, which is open every day except Monday, call (813) 492-880 or visit DoubleBranch. beer — and please tell Dee I sent you!

do you expect from a true ice cream lover?

Well, OddFellows — which currently has four locations in New York City, where brand founder and co-owner Mohan Kumar lives,

plus one in Pittsburgh, one in Woodlands, TX, four in South Korea and one in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village — definitely offers a unique and creamy twist on traditional ice cream.

There are nine “Classic” flavors (like cookies & cream and the flavor I can’t wait to try, peanut butter s’mores), plus “Limited Time” flavors, like vanilla blackberry blondie, matcha strawberry, banoffee pie, miso peanut butter brownie and the Brooklyn blackout and mango sticky rice flavors Charmaine and I sampled that day — and they both had delightfully different flavors. There’s also vegan options for those of you who insist.

OddFellows’ Ian Heim (at right in photo above) didn’t know exactly when the shop will open in Wiregrass, but he said it’s expected to be sometime later this month. Keep checking our

“Neighborhood News” Facebook page for updates. When it opens in Wiregrass, OddFellows will be located at 2001 Piazza Ave., Suite 125, next to The Living Room. For more info, visit OddFellowsIceCream.com.

Haraz Coffee Coming Soon, Too?

expand across the U.S., we’re committed to creat ing unforgettable coffee experiences that connect communities and celebrate culture.”

Since starting off in Detroit in 2021, Haraz has grown to 31 locations in 13 states (with the closest one to us, and the only one in Florida, in Orlando), with 185 more “in the pipeline.”

I was equally excited to see a sign posted next to Fine Ink Studios (the former location of Pinot’s Palette) that Haraz Coffee House was “Brewing Soon” at 1722 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in the Publix-anchored Shoppes at New Tampa of Wesley Chapel plaza.

I’ll admit that I’d never heard of Haraz before, but any coffee shop that isn’t Starbucks that opens in our area is definitely worth a try and Haraz’s website says that the brand and founder Hamzah Nasser are “on a mission to share the rich heritage of Yemeni coffee with the world. By sourcing the finest beans and honoring traditional craftsmanship, we bring the bold, authentic flavors of Yemen to every cup. As we

Whether you like traditional lattes or cappuccinos or prefer Turkish, Saudi, French Press or cold brew coffee, or even coffee with cardamom, ginger or other spices, Haraz has got you covered.

There’s also hot chocolate, green and matcha tea and pistachio and saffron lattes. Haraz also features milk cakes, cheesecake & cinnamon rolls, and sells items like coffeemakers and bulk coffee.

I called the Orlando location but they said the Wesley Chapel shop is owned by another franchisee, so they had no idea when our Haraz is expected to open. Of course, we’ll keep you posted, both in these pages and on our Facebook page.

For more information, visit HarazCoffeeHouse.com. — GN

Einstein Bros. Bagels Opens Next To Nutrition Smart!

We know...some of you can’t control your excitement while others couldn’t care less, but the long-awaited Einstein Bros. Bagels, located at 1821 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite 112 (in the same plaza as Nutrition Smart) has opened, and a steady stream of customers has been enjoying Grand Opening special deals and of course, those ever-popular Einstein Bros. bagels, sandwiches, pastries and coffee ever since.

The smallish shop, which does not have a drivethrough, is open every day from 6 a.m.-2 p.m., and even though I already knew the menu pretty well from Einstein Bros.’ years of being a national chain (now with nearly 700 locations), I have already found a couple of sandwiches I hadn’t tried before that I like at the new location.

fresh cheesy hash brown gourmet bagel, and the unique bagel definitely added a nice flavor to the sammy. The second, more lunch-ori ented sandwich I enjoyed was the turkey, bacon & avocado sandwich (in the right pho

lettuce, tomatoes and roasted tomato spread (which I also ordered on the side).

And yes, Einstein Bros.’ selection of fresh-baked bagels (left) is bigger than most, with unique options like country sausage, spinach florentine, green chile and more. There’s also fresh pastries like the cinnamon roll shown in the photo above, muffins and To order or for more info, visit Ein steinBros.com or call (656) 202-4257 and tell Kurt (the GM) I sent you! — GN

APPETIZERS:

Escargot in Butter

Filet Tip Skewers

Shrimp Cocktail (photo)

Potato Skins

Crab Rangoon

Fried Pickles

Shepherd’s Pie Quesadilla ...and more!

BURGERS & SANDWICHES:

Philly & Chicken

Cheesesteaks

STEAKS: Ribeye (photo)

Filet Mignon

Top Sirloin

NY Strip

T-Bone

Lollipop Lambchops ...and more!

SEAFOOD:

Grilled Salmon

Grilled & Fried Shrimp

Fish & Chips

OTHER ENTREES:

Chicken Fried Steak

Black Angus Burgers

Homemade Reuben on Rye ...and more!

Grilled Chicken Breast

(Formerly The Wexford Irish Pub & Grille) 2836 E. Bearss Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 Palms Connection Plaza

Boneless BBQ Pork Chop

Mac n’ Cheese

WINGS

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

(Formerly The Wexford Irish Pub & Grille) 2836 E. Bearss Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 Palms Connection Plaza 813.631.9033 • RemingtonsSteakandSeafood.com

Bone-in or Boneless

APPETIZERS:

APPETIZERS:

813.631.9033 • RemingtonsSteakandSeafood.com

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

Escargot in Butter

APPETIZERS:

Escargot in Butter

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

STEAKS:

STEAKS:

STEAKS:

APPETIZERS:

Filet Tip Skewers

Escargot

ROTISSERIE

**WING WEDNESDAY Special** 10 Bone-In Wings For Only $12.95!

Filet Tip Skewers

Escargot

Shrimp Cocktail (photo)

Ribeye (photo)

Shrimp Cocktail (photo)

Potato Skins

CHICKEN

Crab Rangoon

Potato Skins Crab Rangoon Fried Pickles

Fried Pickles

Crab Rangoon

Fried Pickles

Crab Rangoon Fried Pickles

STEAKS:

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie Quesadilla ...and more!

Quesadilla

Shepherd’s

Quesadilla ...and more!

Shepherd’s Pie Quesadilla ...and more!

...and more!

APPETIZERS:

Ribeye (photo)

STEAKS:

Filet Mignon

Ribeye (photo)

Filet Mignon

BURGERS & SANDWICHES:

BURGERS & SANDWICHES:

Escargot in Butter

Filet Tip Skewers

Philly & Chicken

BURGERS & SANDWICHES:

Shrimp Cocktail (photo)

Ribeye (photo)

Top Sirloin

Ribeye (photo)

Filet Mignon

Top Sirloin

KIDS MENU: Chicken Tenders Mac n’ Cheese Steak Bites

Filet Mignon

Top Sirloin

NY Strip

Filet Mignon

NY Strip

Top Sirloin

T-Bone

NY Strip

Top Sirloin

T-Bone

NY Strip

T-Bone

NY Strip

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

T-Bone

T-Bone

Lollipop Lambchops ...and more!

Lollipop Lambchops ...and more!

Lollipop Lambchops ...and more!

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

Lollipop Lambchops ...and more!

SEAFOOD:

Lollipop Lambchops ...and more!

SEAFOOD:

Grilled Salmon

SEAFOOD:

Grilled Salmon

STEAKS:

SEAFOOD:

Grilled Salmon

SEAFOOD:

Ribeye (photo)

BURGERS & SANDWICHES:

Potato Skins

Philly & Chicken

Cheesesteaks

Cheesesteaks

Philly & Chicken

Crab Rangoon

Cheesesteaks

Philly & Chicken

Black Angus Burgers

Cheesesteaks

Fried Pickles

Black Angus Burgers

Black Angus Burgers

Cheesesteaks

Grilled & Fried Shrimp

Grilled Salmon

Grilled Salmon

Grilled & Fried Shrimp Fish & Chips

Grilled & Fried Shrimp

Fish & Chips

Filet Mignon

Grilled & Fried Shrimp

Top Sirloin

Fish & Chips

Fish & Chips

NY Strip

OTHER ENTREES:

Grilled & Fried Shrimp Fish & Chips

OTHER ENTREES:

OTHER ENTREES:

T-Bone

Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak

OTHER ENTREES:

Grilled Chicken Breast

Chicken Fried Steak

OTHER ENTREES:

Shepherd’s Pie

Homemade Reuben on Rye

Black Angus Burgers

Black Angus Burgers

Homemade Reuben on Rye ...and more!

Quesadilla

...and more!

Homemade Reuben on Rye ...and more!

Homemade Reuben on Rye ...and more!

...and more!

WINGS

Homemade Reuben on Rye ...and more!

WINGS

WINGS

Bone-in or Boneless

WINGS

Bone-in or Boneless

WINGS

BURGERS & SANDWICHES:

Bone-in or Boneless

Bone-in or Boneless

Bone-in or Boneless

Philly & Chicken

Cheesesteaks

Black Angus Burgers

**WING WEDNESDAY Special!** 10 Bone-In Wings For Only $12.95!

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

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

Homemade Reuben on Rye ...and more!

(Available Wednesdays Only)

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

WINGS

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

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

Bone-in or Boneless

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

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

Grilled Chicken Breast

Chicken Fried Steak

Lollipop Lambchops ...and more!

Grilled Chicken Breast

Chicken Fried Steak

Boneless BBQ Pork Chop

Boneless BBQ Pork Chop

Grilled Chicken Breast

Mac n’ Cheese

Boneless BBQ Pork Chop

Grilled Chicken Breast

Mac n’ Cheese

SEAFOOD:

Boneless BBQ Pork Chop

Boneless BBQ Pork Chop

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

Mac n’ Cheese

Mac n’ Cheese

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

Grilled Salmon

Mac n’ Cheese

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

Grilled & Fried Shrimp Fish & Chips

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

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

OTHER ENTREES:

Chicken Fried Steak

Beef or Chicken For Only $16.95! (Available Tuesdays Only)

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

**BOGO FAJITA Special!**

Grilled Chicken Breast

KIDS MENU:

KIDS MENU:

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

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

KIDS MENU:

Boneless BBQ Pork Chop Mac n’ Cheese

Chicken Tenders

Chicken Tenders

KIDS MENU:

Mac n’ Cheese

Mac n’ Cheese

Steak Bites

Chicken Tenders Mac n’ Cheese

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

Steak Bites

Chicken Tenders Mac n’ Cheese

Steak Bites

KIDS MENU: Chicken Tenders Mac

Steak Bites

Steak Bites

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hours: Sun, 11 am-9:30 pm; Wed, 3 pm-midnight

KIDS MENU:

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

Chicken Tenders

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

Tue, Thur, Fri & Sat, 3 pm-10:30 pm; Closed Mon

Mac n’ Cheese

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

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

Steak Bites

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

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

New Tampa Sushi Update — Sushi Time Replaces Ginza & More

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

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

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

Is It Sushi Time Yet?

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

Now open a little more than a month as this issue is reaching you, the new owners want everyone to know that Sushi Time is not another all-you-care-to-eat place, nor does it offer tep panyaki/hibachi tables in the dining room.

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

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

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

like Mongolian chicken or beef, General Tso’s chicken, beef or chicken with broccoli and more. For more info about Sushi Time, call (813)364-4545 or visit SushiTimeTampa.com and please tell the owners I sent you! — GN

Are You Being Treated for Heart Failure (HF)?

Our clinical trial is looking for a better way to treat people with heart failure. Join us today. This investigational treatment option combines an investigational medication with an approved medication for HF. All participants will also continue to receive their standard-of-care treatment for HF and will have regular trial site visits to check on their health. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IF YOU:

1.are 18 years of age or older

2.have been diagnosed with chronic HF for at least 3 months

3.are already receiving treatment for your HF.

There will be no cost to you for the trial-related medications, health assessments, and medical tests. This trial has been reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB)/Ethics Committee (EC), which protects the rights, safety, and well-being of participants.

For more information, please contact Cozy Research: Call us at: (813) 922-2115 or Email: Ryan@cozyresearch.com

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THE SALT AIR HOME SERVICES. Drywall Repairs, Texturing, Painting, Wood Rot Repair, Insulation Blown & Spray Foam. For a free quote please call 904-333-4678

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

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

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

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

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

___TREE SERVICES ___

MISCELLANEOUS

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

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

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

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

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

___ REAL ESTATE & OFFICE___ __ OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE! Pebble Creek Collection plaza space for lease, approx. 500 sq.ft. Perfect for someone in Health/Wellness/Cosmetology. Contact Deborah at SunMed - Your CBD Store of New Tampa (19651 Bruce B Downs) @ 813-994-0599.

CLEANING SERVICES

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.

__TRANSPORTATION

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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.

FITZPATRICK’s TREE SERVICE, INC. 27 yrs of Prof. Svc. Licensed & Insured. Free Estimates. Tree Trimming & Tree Removal. Dead-Wood Removal. Tractor Work. Affordable Rates. 24-Hour Emergency Storm Service. Free Mulch. Call 813495-9541 or 813-788-TREE. RATE INCREASE AS OF AUGUST 1!

COMPUTER SERVICES ____

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

Steven Kessel, REALTOR® w/Future Home Realty, Inc., has created just for you, the most advanced, up-to-date, user-friendly propty search engine for homes for sale in the Tampa Bay & Central Fla area — & it’s FREE to use & enjoy. BuyYourDreamHome.com.

The New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News Classifieds are the classified ads your neighbors actually read!

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

Here are those new Classified advertising rates:

7 Issues (3 months) - $150 13 Issues (6 months) - $250 26 Issues (1 year) - $400

Please visit NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net or call (813) 910-2575 to order or renew your Classified ad today!

Please also note that if your long-running Classified ad no longer appears on this page, you will have to pay the new rates above in order to renew your Classified ad!