SouthS hore Apollo Beach/Ruskin/ Wimauma
June 2026 Volume 1, Issue 6
NOW OPEN IN SOUTHSHORE
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CELEBRATING 24 YE ARS OF PUBLISHING POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS
HGTV’S HOMETOWN DREAM TEAM LOCAL WINS $15,000 GRAND PRIZE IN LONGHORN’S STEAK MASTER SERIES CELEBRATES SIXTH SEASON SUCCESS By Libby Hopkins
“It feels incredible to be the 2026 Steak Master Series Champion,” said Montalva about winning the competition. “I wanted this so badly, so to bring the trophy home to Riverview and put my name out there is an amazing feeling. I still can’t believe I won.” The six remaining finalists were also honored for their grilling prowess: Second place: Aidyn LoVetro from W i l m i n g to n , North Carolina. Third place: Carlos Henning from Nashville, Tennessee. Fourth-place tie: Chuck Harrel from Rocky River, Ohio; Trenton Carver from Columbia, South Carolina; Diego Uribi from Phoenix, Arizona; and Shaka Craigwell from Mays Landing, New Jersey. This marks the ninth year of LongHorn Steakhouse’s Steak Master Series, which recognizes LongHorn’s commitment to food quality while also celebrating the skill and expertise of grill cooks, or ‘Grill Masters,’ across the brand’s 615 restaurants nationwide. For more or to see the award-winning chef in action, visit the Riverview Longhorn at 12974 South U.S. Hwy 301 or visit the website at www.longhornsteakhouse.com.
Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt of Riverview met in high school chorus class, but they didn’t become a couple until years later after high school. Mika spent a decade working in the fitness industry helping clients achieve their personal goals, while Brian went to attend the University of Central Florida, where he spent his spring breaks and weekends volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. He fell in love with building homes as he gained lots of handson experience as well. After Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt are HGTV reality TV stars and graduation he started flipping local real estate business owners. homes on his own. The 2008 housing crash made a way for Brian and Mika’s paths to cross. Since the housing crash left Brian unable to flip homes, he started opening a chain of fitness clubs. This led to him connecting Mika and them becoming a couple, and a romance and business were born. While Mika was becoming one of the top realtors in the area, Brian had the itch to get his partners, the Kleinschmidts are with their hands dirty again with construction. clients every step of the way. “Life has been amazing and we have done “With a personalized approach, strong so much since we were in the fitness indus- local connections and a commitment to extry,” Brian said. ceptional service, we make it easy to turn The couple just wrapped up season six of your ideas into reality and confidently take their HGTV show, 100 Day Dream Home. the next step,” Brian said. “We have a team Mika is also a mentor on the HGTV show of us servicing the Tampa Bay area. We Battle on the Beach, which premiered in love what we do locally for our clients.” June. Additionally, the couple has a local If you would like to learn more about realty company, Dirt 2 Design. Dirt 2 Design, you can visit the website at “We built this together from the ground https://dirt2design.com/ or call 813-400up,” Mika said. “We are local realtors in the 3910. Stay tuned for more exciting things area, and we do a ton of projects with our from this powerhouse couple. local community. Most of the things we do are not on TV.” At Dirt 2 Design, their ‘Dream–Design– Build–Start’ approach brings their clients’ HOSPITAL CAREER CAMP...............PG 3 entire real estate journey together in one HYDRATION MYTHS............................PG 7 seamless experience. Whether it’s helping them buy or sell in the Tampa Bay area, HOKUS POKUS LIVE!.........................PG 17 designing spaces that reflect their vision or GOLD BAR SCAM................................PG 21 building custom homes with trusted local EYE ON BUSINESS...........................PG 34
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After months of intense competition, Wimauma resident Jesse Montalva from the Riverview LongHorn Steakhouse has reached elite grilling status, taking first place in LongHorn Steakhouse’s Steak Master Series — a national competition that lets grill masters from across the country put their skills to the test. This was his second time competing as a finalist, having achieved fourth place in his first appearance in the first-ever Steak Master Series competition in 2016. Among the 3,000 competitors who participated in the rigorous series, Montalva came back to win it all. “The competition was more intense than it was in 2016, with more participants and a greater focus on steak execution. The questions were tougher as well,” said Montalva. “My manager pushed me to keep going, and I trained harder, so I’m happy I made it.” Montalva’s winnings include a $15,000 grand prize and the title of Steak Master Series Champion. He bested six other finalists in the championship round held during a one-day grill-off in Orlando to become the ninth-ever winner of the competition. A team member at the LongHorn Steakhouse in Riverview, Montalva has worked for the company for 25 years.
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CALL TODAY! 813-633-7333 | suncitycenter.osaicadvisors.com Riverview’s St. Joseph’s Hospital-South hosted a two-day career camp this summer for students entering the ninth or 10th grade in the 2026-2027 school year. See full story on Page 3.
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