new tampa neighborhood news

It’s BAAAAACK…The Rotary Club ofNew Tampa and five other local RotaryClubs (see below) will host the 10th annualRotary PigFest on Saturday, February 22,noon-8 p.m. These local Rotary Clubs willbe raising funds through fellowship and tastyfood for local charities. The PigFest has mor-phed over the years from a small event ex-clusively for members of the New TampaRotary Club (which meets Fridays at 7 a.m.at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club) to alarger, more inclusive community event heldat different venues in New Tampa.

The 2014 PigFest will be held at Prim-

rose Park, the same venue as the 2013 Tasteof New Tampa. The park is located acrossfrom Liberty Middle School on CommercePkwy., behind the Primrose School ofTampa Palms. The New Tampa (Breakfast)Rotary Club is the event’s primary host, al-though president Peter Gambacorta says heis still finalizing this year’s involvement withth New Tampa Noon, New Tampa Evening,Wesley Chapel, Tampa North and TempleTerrace Rotary Clubs, as well as local BoyScout troops. The PigFest will have tents,lighting and heaters if needed, to keep every-one comfortable.

The event will again feature pulledpork, roasted chicken and two sides for eachattendee and there will be hot dogs, chickennuggets, French fries and pizza by the slicefor the kids. Coca-Cola products will beserved and adults can enjoy fine and beer.The suggested donation for an adult admis-sion ticket is still only $25 and childrenunder 12 are admitted for $10.

The PigFest on Saturday afternoon andevening also will have great local name en-tertainment: the Bob Thompson Trio, Crab-grass Cowboys and, back by populardemand, the Freedom High Jazz Band.

The Rotary Club of New Tampa alsowill bring back its popular “reverse raffle” forthousands of dollars in cash prizes. The oddsare 11 to 1 that you will win something back.All profits go to local charities and nonprofitsin our area. The PigFest also will feature fam-ily fun, such as Pig Races, musical entertain-ment and great BBQ and a specialappearance by Bobo the potbellied miniaturepig and his equally porky friends.

And, as we announced in our last issue,

on Friday, February 21, 6:30 p.m., Gam-bacorta, who also is the owner of PrivateChef of Tampa, will host a unique WildGame Dinner at the same site. Among thewild game delicacies to be sampled at thisspecial meal are Montana elk, wild boar,venison, and (for the less adventurous)roasted 1/2 chicken, fish fry, all the sides andsalads, plus apple cobbler for dessert. Seatingwill be limited to the first 100 ticket pur-chasers only and the price will be just $50each. Door prizes and auctions items will beoffered, and there also will be entertainment.

All proceeds from the Wild Game Din-ner will go to the Rotary Club of NewTampa Foundation, Inc. a 501(3) c corpo-ration which spends all its proceeds eachJune to local non for profits.For more info,email [email protected], call380-4014 or visit RotaryPigFest.com.

By Matt Wiley

Fans of the iconic, Olympic-sized (50-meter) pool at the New Tampa FamilyYMCA (located on Compton Dr. in TampaPalms) are getting ready for a dry month,as the New Tampa Y pool is set to close forsome much-needed renovations.

According to a press release from theTampa Metropolitan Area YMCA, theNew Tampa location will close its more-than-500,000-gallon, 17-lane, heated poolon Monday, January 13, which is sched-uled to reopen on Monday, February 3.

“Our goal at the New Tampa FamilyYMCA has always been to create the bestenvironment for our swim team program,”says director of competitive swimming StuWilson. “We are excited to modernize andexpand our pool facility to better serve ourswimmers. We appreciate the community’spatience during the temporary closure.”

Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCAcommunications director Lalita Llerena ex-plains that the plan to renovate the pool hasbeen in the works for months.

“There are some issues that needed toget fixed,” Llerena says. “There were a fewleaks in the pool and some cracks in thepool deck. There also was some slanting inthe deck, which was causing issues for thewater aerobics teams.”

The renovations are estimated to costapproximately $60,000 and will be paid forwith funds already available in the NewTampa Y’s budget. Sarasota-based MyrthaPools will take on the project. Once com-pleted, the pool will boast three additionalswimming lanes, bringing the total up to20 lanes, each about eight feet wide —without changing its 50 meters x 25 metersdimensions. The available area is just beingreworked to include more swimming lanes.

“Of all the Tampa area YMCAs, NewTampa is known for its pool and competi-tive swimming program,” Llerena explains.“(The pool) is definitely a benefit to thecommunity. We hope that these renova-tions will help the pool better serve ourmembers, as well as bring in more.”

The pool and the New Tampa Y itselfboth opened in 2001. It is 7’-6” deep at its

deepest point and a littlemore than three feet deepat its shallowest. The poolis open year-round and iskept at a temperature ofaround 80º F.

The last time thepool was empty was notfor renovations or clean-ing. In fact, a little morethan two years ago,pranksters drained morethan 400,000 gallonsfrom the popular poolovernight into a nearbyretention pond.

For members of theNew Tampa Y’s compet-itive swimming programs— such as the TampaYMCA Stingrays, don’t worry, in-waterpractices will be held at both the East PascoFamily YMCA on Chapel Hill Loop inZephyrhills and at Bob Sierra FamilyYMCA’s Youth & Family Center onNorthdale Blvd. in the Carrollwood area.

The New Tampa synchronized swim teamwill have its practices at both the Plant CityFamily YMCA and also at the Bob SierraYMCA’s Youth & Family Center.

For detailed schedules, please visitTampaYMCA.org.

NEIGHBORHOOD MAGAZINE

Exclusive Clientele Salon Treats You Like Family,Our Editor’s 2013 Local Dining Favorites,

Vallarta’s Now Open In Tampa Palms, Plus LotsOf Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes!

Pages 45-64

Also Inside This Issue!NEWS, BUSINESS, SPORTS &

EDUCATION UPDATES Liberty Middle School & GrillSmith Donate

To Schenecker Fund, Widening Of BottleneckArea Of BBD To Commence, Lots Of Local

Business Features & Much More!Pages 1-44

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Volume 22Issue 01

January 1, 2014

Inside:Gary’s 2013 Local Dining Favorites!

See Neighborhood Magazine!

New Tampa YMCA Pool To Close Until February For Renovations

Get Ready For The 10th Annual Rotary PigFest February 21-22!

The 50-meter, Olympic-sized pool at the New Tampa Family YMCA, lo-cated on Compton Dr. in Tampa Palms, will be closed for renovations

from Monday, January 13 - Monday, February 3.

I can’t say I reallyknew the Strom family —Dick, Kathy and their sons

Michael and Patrick — before I heard ofPatrick’s tragic passing in a single-vehicleaccident in June 2012 in the Hunter’sGreen neighborhood the family has lived insince 1998.

But since that day, I realized that I dohave a bond with the Stroms (that I’m suremany of you feel as well), and not just be-cause Dick and I used to coach againsteach other in the rec basketball league thatused to be held every year in the gym atBenito Middle School (as a program of theCity of Tampa’s Benito Rec Center adja-cent to the school).

The Stroms had two sons, I have twosons. All four of those boys attendedHunter’s Green Elementary, Benito Mid-dle School and Wharton High. And, al-though Patrick and my younger son Jake(who is now 21 and a year older thanPatrick would be today) weren’t closefriends themselves, they did have a lot ofmutual friends — especially the Stroms’close friends and neighbors, the Aronsonfamily. Michael Aronson was Patrick’s bestfriend and David Aronson has been one ofmy older son Jared’s best friends sincechildhood.

But, even if I had never met or evenhad heard of the Strom family before (asI’m sure many of you reading this may nothave), so many of us in New Tampa andWesley Chapel live here to raise our fami-lies, to give our children as healthy, happyand prosperous a life as possible and seethem grow into adults who might one daygive us grandchildren. Whether you call ittrying to live the “American Dream” or

simply trying to do “the right thing” forour loved ones, no parent ever plans tooutlive their children.

But, those plans don’t always workout. A little more than a year after Patrick’stragic passing, Dick and Kathy still have noidea how they lost their son — other thanhe was driving faster than he should havebeen in the neighborhood (how many ofus or our kids haven’t done the same?) andlost control of his car.

“The ironic thing,” Dick says. “Is thatour other son Michael is a Tampa Policeofficer, so we are always at least somewhatprepared for a phone call about him. Wejust never thought we had to worry asmuch about Patrick.”

What Dick told me he does know,however, is that no matter how difficult theholiday season is for his family right now,for those of us still blessed to be on thisplanet, life goes on, even after having toendure such a terrible loss. He and Kathyalso knew they both needed to do some-thing to honor the former lacrosse player(for both the New Tampa Raiders andWharton High teams) who rooted for hishometown (the Stroms moved to Tampawhen Patrick was 5) Syracuse UniversityOrange lacrosse and basketball teams.

And, since Patrick loved to be the firstin line at stores for the release of the latestsneakers (aka “kicks”), they decided to cre-ate “Trick’s Kicks,” a future 501(c)(3)nonprofit corporation dedicated to provid-ing as many new pairs of high-level sneak-ers to children who might otherwise nevereven have a new pair of shoes, much lessthe latest Jordans or LeBrons or whatever“kicks” are hot these days.

And, while the Stroms and their sup-porters are still working out the details ofhow to identify the kids to help and how toget them their “kicks,” they already havestarted raising money to fund the organiza-tion and its mission.

“We raised about $1,650 at our

Neighborhood News @ntwcnews

An editorial by Gary Nager

New Tampa Neighborhood News15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647Phone: (813) 910-2575 Fax: 910-2483

Advertising E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial E-mail:[email protected]

Publisher & Editor Gary Nager

General ManagerNikki Bennett

Assistant Editor / PhotographerMatt Wiley

CorrespondentsBenjamin Carter • John Majeski •

Bonnie Mason • Lauren SaslowSenior Graphic Designer

Porsha LemosSales & Marketing Assistant

Antwon GildonNothing that appears in New Tampa Neighborhood News

may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permis-sion. Opinions expressed by New Tampa Neighborhood Newswriters are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions andadvertisements for Volume 22, Issue 2, of New TampaNeighborhood News is Monday, January 20, 2014.

New Tampa Neighborhood News will consider previouslynon-published outside editorial submissions if they are doublespaced, typed and less than 500 words. New Tampa Neighbor-hood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside ed-itorial submissions and makes no guarantees regardingpublication dates. New Tampa Neighborhood News will not re-turn unsolicited editorial materials.

New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit&/or reject any advertising. New Tampa Neighborhood News isnot responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual costof the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claimsmade by its advertisers.

© 2013, 2014 JM2 Communications, Inc.

Table of ContentsLOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS, EDUCATION &SPORTS UPDATES..............................Pages 1-44Liberty Middle School & GrillSmith Donate To Schenecker Fund.....4Medical Examiner: USF Rapist Bates Had Bath Salts In His System...6 New Tampa News Briefs...................................................................8BBD Widening To End Bottleneck CommencesDonna Sheppard’s Death Ruled SuicideIncreased Water Restrictions In EffectTPD Warns Of Smash & Grabs’Wesley Chapel Man Arrested In Stabbing Death

Porter Campus To Open As Pasco Hernando State College!............10Pasco BOCC Votes To Continue Studying Elevated S.R. 54/56.....12New Tampa Community Calendar...................................14Local Business Updates.................................16-39KONA Multisport Has Everything A Triathlete Needs...........16New Tampa Plastic Surgery Can Help You Look Your Best....20STAT Auto: Surgically Trained Automotive Technicians.........24Green House Mortgage Helps You Find The Right Loan.......28Essentials Massage & Facials Of New Tampa...........................32D & E Couriers Gets Your Package Across Town Quickly.......36

Local Education Updates...................................40New Tampa High Schools Get Good Grades

Neighborhood MagazineExclusive Clientele Salon Treats You Like Family............. 45, 47Freedom Student, Friends Write Song For Jordan Harris........46Wesley Chapel WingHouse Girls Always ‘Dress To Impress’...49Vallarta’s Brings A Familiar Taste To Tampa Palms..................52Our Editor’s Favorite Local Restaurants For 2013............56‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes’...............................60

NEW TAMPA COLOR CLASSIFIEDS....................62

The Strom Family Honors Patrick’s Memory With ‘Trick’s Kicks’

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 01 • January 1, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com 3

‘Cookie Exchange,’ held Nov. 17 at the Arbor Greeneclubhouse, and have raised a total of more than$4,000, including some corporate donations.”

The largest corporate donors so far are the officesof Wesley Chapel-based general/cosmetic dentist Dr.Joan Lynch and local pediatrician Dr. Teena Hughes,who each donated $500. Upcoming fund-raisingevents for “Trick’s Kicks” are a 5K (3.1-mile) walk/run in May 2014 and a golf tournament in October.

I wish the Strom family, “Trick’s Kicks” andyour family — a happy, healthy and prosperous 2014.

To make a donation to “Trick’s Kicks,” visitGoFundMe.com/4uid6o or mail checks to Trick’sKicks Inc., PO Box 48011, Tampa, FL 33646.

To find out more, visit TricksKicks.com.

The memory ofPatrick Strominspired thecreation of

“Trick’sKicks.”

By Matt Wiley

For the third consecutive year, theLiberty Middle School Future BusinessLeaders of America (FBLA) and NationalJunior Honor Society (NJHS) clubs havemade substantial contributions to theCalyx & Beau Schenecker Memorial Fundthrough a fund-raising campaign held inconjunction with the school.

This year, students at Liberty wereable to raise $5,000 for the memorialfund established in memory of Calyx andBeau Schenecker, who were tragicallykilled in 2011. The fund was set up by thelate children’s father, U.S. Army Col.Parker Schenecker to provide scholarshipopportunities to those in need in theTampa Bay community.

A check presentation ceremony washeld at Liberty in the media center onDecember 16, during which an oversizedcheck was presented to Col. Scheneckerand Calyx and Beau’s grandmotherNancy. Liberty students sold more than3,000 pounds of cookie dough during thefund-raising process, which took placeduring the past several months.

“I’m always amazed when you givestudents a task that they truly believe in,”said Liberty principal James Ammaratiduring the ceremony. “When the studentsbelieve in it, the sky is the limit for theircause. I commend all of the students here

and in FBLA and NJHS. The skills youare learning now you will take with youfor the rest of your lives.”

A crowd of faculty, parents, staff andeven District 3 Hillsborough CountySchool Board member Cindy Stuartwatched as FBLA and NJHS membershelped Col. Schenecker unwrap thecheck. “This is the best gift I’ll unwrapthis holiday season,” Col. Schenecker saidin a speech, following the unwrapping.“This is about doing something biggerthan yourselves. What you all have done,once again is just incredible.”

So far, Col. Schenecker said thatfund-raising efforts have helped provideone full scholarship to HillsboroughCommunity College that will be awardednext year and set the fund on the right

path for funding another opportunity.But, Liberty students weren’t the

only ones recently raising money for thememorial fund.

Tampa-Area GrillsmithsTampa-Area GrillsmithsRaise More Than $8,600Raise More Than $8,600

According to a press release fromGrillSmith, the restaurant chain’s presi-

dent Billy Grimm and cor-porate chef Joe Guli pre-sented a check for$8,644.54 at the Nov. 23USF football game toCol. Schenecker for fundsraised during the annualscholarship drive held atlocal GrillSmith restau-rants, including the loca-tion in the Shops atWiregrass mall, for theCalyx & Beau ScheneckerMemorial Fund.

Since the fundbegan, through the gen-

erosity of Tampa Bay residents, $120,000has been raised for the memorial fund.

Thanks to the Tampa Bay commu-nity for your continued support of theCalyx and Beau Schenecker MemorialFund and thanks to Parker Schenecker forcontinuing to make a difference in ourcommunity.

Neighborhood News @ntwcnews

Liberty Middle School & GrillSmith Donate Thousands To Schenecker Fund!

4 For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 01 • January 1, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Left: Liberty Middle FBLA and NJHS members unwrap a $5,000 check to present to Col. Parker Scheneckeron Dec. 16. Right: GrillSmith president Billy Grimm (left) and corporate chef Joe Guli (center) presented a check

for $8,644.54 at the Nov. 23 USF football game to Col. Schenecker (right)

Bates was able to get into the apartment ofanother woman, someone HillsboroughCounty Sheriff David Gee said that Batesmight have known at one time, inside thePointe at South Florida apartment complex(located on E. 138th Ave.), where the fugi-tive shaved his head and left in the woman’scar. Authorities were alerted that he hadtaken the vehicle and were able to locateBates at around 1 p.m. on E. Fowler Ave. atGillette Ave. in Temple Terrace.

HCSO deputies, Tampa Police officers,Florida Highway Patrol troopers and U.S.Marshalls chased Bates through Temple Ter-race to Temple Terrace Hwy. and onto U.S.

301. Bates’ vehicle reached speeds up to 100mph at some points, as he fired gunshots athis pursuers through the rear windshield ofhis vehicle and out the driver’s side window.

Shortly before 1 p.m., authoritiescaused Bates to lose control of his car justsouth of Sligh Ave., where he came to a stopon the westbound shoulder of U.S. 301, infront of a Waffle House restaurant. He con-tinued to fire at authorities and was struckseveral times, before being taken into cus-tody. Bates died at 1:21 p.m. on Sept. 6.

Although more than 100 total shotswere fired, no law enforcement officials werehurt in the shootout.

By Matt Wiley

The Hillsborough County Medical Ex-aminer (HCME) office has confirmed thatthe man responsible for a rash of local homeinvasions and sexual batteries in Septemberwas, in fact, under the influence of drugsthat could have contributed to his violentbehavior.

According to theHCME autopsy andtoxicology report,Charles Christopher(“Chris”) Bates, 24,had the chemicalmethylone in his sys-tem when he beganhis violent crime spreeduring the lateevening hours of Sep-

tember 5 that ultimately led to his death thefollowing day, after a manhunt in TampaPalms and a fatal shootout with authoritiesin Temple Terrace. The autopsy report re-veals that Bates was shot 27 times duringthe shootout with multiple law enforcementagencies (see below).

According to the U.S. Drug Enforce-ment Administration (DEA), methylone isone of the active ingredients in the recentlypopular drug known as “bath salts,” or syn-thetic stimulants, which people ingest fortheir euphoric effects. The DEA reports thatthe effects sought are those similar to thosefelt after ingesting cocaine, LSD, MDMA(the primary drug in Ecstasy and “Molly”)

and methamphetamine. However, the DEAreports that additional effects can sometimesinclude impaired perception, extreme para-noia and violent episodes.

As previously reported in the NewTampa Neighborhood News, on September 5,Bates entered an apartment inside the Cam-bridge Woods USF student rental apartmentcomplex, located on N. 42nd St., armedwith a gun. He bound four men with ducttape before sexually battering four womenand fleeing on foot. Two of the womenwent to Florida Hospital Tampa on BruceB. Downs (BBD) Blvd., where hospitalstaffers alerted HCSO about the incident.

Bates then entered another nearby resi-dence in the Eagles Point at Tampa Palmsapartment complex, located on N. 46th St.,but left without harming the woman inside.

After leaving that apartment, Batesthen went to The Oaks apartment complex,also located on N. 42nd St., and entered aresidence where another party was going onthat involved about 25 people. Using hisfirearm, Bates forced everyone into a bed-room before fleeing again on foot. Batesalso shot at a man in the parking lot, al-though that man was unharmed.

Deputies searched through the nightand into the morning for Bates using heli-copters, dogs and a heavy law enforcementpresence throughout the morning, with au-thorities positioned at several intersections,under the bridge at Cypress Creek on BBD(south of Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms) andat nearby apartment complexes. However,

Neighborhood News @ntwcnews6 For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 01 • January 1, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Medical Examiner: USF Rapist Suspect Had ‘Bath Salts’ In System

Charles Christopher(‘Chris’) Bates

BBD Widening Under I-75BBD Widening Under I-75Finally CommencingFinally Commencing

Dirt is moving once again along themedian of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. inNew Tampa, as crews prepare to beginwidening the section under and around I-75, which isn’t expected to be completeduntil July 2014.

Since the recent completion of thewidened I-75 overpasses above BBD, thetemporary Acrow bridge has been removedand dismantled by Prince Contracting. Thesupports for that bridge were the last thingholding up the finishing touches on theportion of “Segment B” of the BBDwidening project, which stretches fromPebble Creek Dr. south to Palm SpringsBlvd. in Tampa Palms.

“Once the temporary bridge center(supports) have been removed, (Prince)will be able to use the median area for thevarious traffic shifts that will be needed toconstruct permanent drainage and pave-ment,” FDOT spokesman John McShaf-frey explains.

McShaffrey adds that Prince crewshave been working on the portions of theneeded drainage outside of traffic for thepast several weeks and were expected tobegin working in full force on the wideningof BBD under I-75 on January 1, whichwas after we went to press with this issue.The widening of this approximately 1-milestretch of BBD is expected to cost about$4.7 million and is part of the overallwidening of I-75.

Currently, BBD funnels from thenewly widened four lanes in either direc-tion back down to two lanes from Com-merce Palms/Tampa Palms Blvd. north toDoña Michelle Dr. Although the otherbottle neck will still exist from PebbleCreek Dr. north to the Pasco County line,when Segment B has been completed, NewTampa drivers will have four lanes in eitherdirection all the way from Pebble Creek Dr.south to Palm Springs Blvd.

Donna Sheppard’s DeathDonna Sheppard’s DeathRuled A SuicideRuled A Suicide

Just more than a month after her mys-terious death, it has been determined thatDonna Sheppard, the wife of former Free-dom High principal David Sheppard, com-mitted suicide.

According to the HillsboroughCounty Medical Examiner’s office, DonnaSheppard, 44, drowned herself in the fam-

ily’s pool at theirLutz home onOctober 29. Theautopsy reportstates that Mrs.Sheppard wasfound at the bot-tom of the six-foot pool with aweight-belt hold-ing a 25-pounddumbbellstrapped to herwaist.

Sheppardwas found deceased just four days after herhusband David stepped down as principalof Freedom High (located off CommercePark Blvd. in Tampa Palms), citing healthreasons. On September 11, Tracey Seenath,40, of The Hammocks community in NewTampa, was arrested on charges of aggra-vated stalking, a Hillsborough CountySheriff’s Office (HCSO) report states.

One month after Sheppard becameprincipal at Freedom in 2011, he ended anaffair with Seenath that had gone on dur-ing their time working together at Paul R.Wharton High, located on BBD.

After ending the relationship, Seenathcontinued to harass Sheppard and his fam-ily, leaving notes on the family’s mailboxand vehicles and packages at their frontdoor. She reportedly also sent thousands ofemails to Sheppard, many threatening toexpose their affair, and also made hundredsof phone calls and text messages to thecouple’s cell phones.

Seenath, who has since been released,was arraigned on December 10 and thecase is scheduled for a disposition hearingon January 23.

Hillsborough County Public Schools(HCPS) spokesperson Tanya Arja says thatDavid Sheppard has been reassigned toGaither High, located on N. Dale MabryHwy., where he will teach science, whichwas his background before becoming anadministrator.

Arja says that due to the nature of thesituation that unfolded, the HCPS humanresources department made the decisionthat Sheppard will no longer be in a posi-tion to evaluate employees.

Seenath remains suspended withoutpay, Arja explains, and her future withHCPS will be determined by the outcomeof her court case.

No additional information was avail-able at our press time.

Tighter Water RestrictionsTighter Water RestrictionsIn EffectIn Effect

As the New Tampa area gets into theheart of the dry season, increased water re-strictions now are in effect from the South-west Florida Water Management District,or “Swiftmud.”

According to a December 17 Swift-mud announcement, Phase II Water Short-age Restrictions were set to go into effecton December 26, which was just a few daysafter our press time. Under the tighter re-

strictions, lawn watering is reduced toonce-per-week until March 1, 2014.

Both the City of Tampa and Hillsbor-ough County are following suit with Swift-mud’s new restrictions.

“As we move into our dry season,river levels are declining, our rainfall hasbeen below average, and Tampa's supple-mental water provider, Tampa Bay Water,has its regional reservoir offline for re-pairs,” said Tampa Water Department di-rector Brad Baird in a December 17 pressrelease. "Moving to a once-a-week irriga-tion schedule and voluntarily reducingother water uses where possible is thesmart thing to do."

For residences in both HillsboroughCounty and the City of Tampa, the in-creased restrictions allow watering between6 p.m.-8 a.m. and watering days are deter-mined by address.

Home addresses ending in 0 or 1water on Mondays; addresses ending in 2or 3 water on Tuesday; addresses ending in4 or 5 water on Wednesday; addresses end-ing in 6 or 7 water on Thursday and ad-dresses ending in 8 or 9. as well as areaswithout addresses (such as common areasin communities) water on Fridays.

As usual during water shortages,homeowners associations and other entitiesmust suspend any requirement to replacelawns or engage in other activity that in-creases water use.

TPD Warns Of ‘Smash &TPD Warns Of ‘Smash &Grabs’ In Our AreaGrabs’ In Our Area

The Tampa Police Department (TPD)is urging New Tampa residents to be cau-tious and on the lookout for suspicious be-havior in parking lots, following a series ofcar burglaries.

According to TPD, between 4:50p.m. on December 10 and 6 a.m. on De-cember 11, three vehicle burglaries werereported in New Tampa and Tampa Palms,all with similar patterns, commonly re-ferred to as “Smash & Grabs.”

The first occurred on December 10 inthe parking lot of the New Tampa DanceTheatre (NTDT) on Cross Creek Blvd.TPD reports that an unknown suspectbroke the passenger side window of aparked vehicle and stole a large, “counter-feit” Michael Kors purse. Inside the pursewas a wallet containing one debit card.

NTDT director Dyane Elkins Iron-Wing said that no one witnessed any suspi-cious behavior and that the dance school islooking into installing additional securitymeasures in the parking lot.

A few hours later, in the parking lot ofPeabody’s Billiards & Games — located inthe Shoppes of Amberly in Tampa Palmsnext to our office — unknown suspect(s)smashed the windows of two vehicles thatwere parked while the victims were joggingin the area. The suspect(s) took the victims’purses, which contained IDs and creditcards. The victims told TPD that their cellphones also were taken.

Peabody’s chief financial officer JeffBennett says that he has advised his securitypersonnel — who are on-hand every nightuntil 4 a.m., even though the bar closes at

3 a.m. — to pay additional attention to theparking lot while patrons are still present.

TPD urges residents to use cautionwhen leaving valuables in their vehicles. Ifsomething of value must be left in a vehi-cle, make sure that it is stowed away andout of sight. Also, when you go out atnight, try to park in well-lit areas.

If you see any suspicious behavior,don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 or the non-emergency line at 931-6500.

Wesley Chapel Man ArrestedWesley Chapel Man ArrestedIn Stabbing DeathIn Stabbing Death

A Zephyrhills High student has died,following a stabbing in Wesley Chapel.

According to the Pasco County Sher-iff’s Office (PCSO), following an argumentaround 3:30 p.m. on December 13, 16-year-old Tuvarrion Sirmons was stabbedmultiple times by Cleave Shavon Gittens,18, of New Port Richey, at the Meadow

Pointe II clubhouse.PCSO reports that

Gittens stabbed Sirmonstwo times and then fledthe scene, throwing theknife into a nearbywooded area. Gittens wasapprehended at his homeat 7:30 p.m. and admittedafter his arrest that he had

gone to the clubhouse to provoke Sirmons.PCSO spokesman Doug Tobin says

that the stabbing followed a verbal disputethat had occurred at a residence about twoblocks from the Meadow Pointe II club-house that had de-escalated.

A witness told deputies that Gittenscame into the Meadow Pointe II club-house and challenged Sirmons to a fight,saying that he would “kill him.” The arrestreport states that Gittens was throwingrocks at Sirmons. The two faced eachother, during which time Gittens grabbedthe unarmed Sirmons arms and began tostab him with a knife, the report states. Sir-mons was taken to an undisclosed Tampahospital, where he later died of his injuries.

Gittens remains in custody in lieu of a$100,000 bond. Tobin says that Gittenshas been “well known” to PCSO since hemoved to the area about two years ago andhad several juvenile charges for drugs andcriminal mischief. — MW


News BriefsNEW TAMPA

Crews from Prince Contracting begin work on the widening of Bruce B.Downs Blvd. between Doña Michelle Dr. and Tampa Palms Blvd., which is

expected to be completed by July.

Cleave ShavonGittens


at the planned Raymond James Financialoffice nearby on S.R. 56 and the other largecompanies that may soon be coming to thegrowing S.R. 56/Wiregrass Ranch area.

And, Dr. Giannet told the Rotarians,at seven stories tall, the beautiful mainbuilding at the 60-acre Porter Campus willbe the tallest building in Pasco Countywhen it opens, “but the real story is every-thing that will be going on inside thosebuildings...and the people who will bestaffing them.”

The Provost called those who alreadyhave filled the first 47 of 50 available posi-tions at the Porter Campus, “a superstarteam of faculty, professionals and staff,”and thanked FHWC CEO Brian Adams

for the hospital’s hosting of a three-eveninginformation session about the school, at-tended by, “about 180 people.”

And, speaking of people, although Dr.Giannet said the total 2014 enrollment atPHSC is expected to be about 2,500, withmany of those already coming from NewTampa, Wesley Chapel and the entire I-75corridor, “we may have to up our enroll-ment estimate because we’ve only been ac-cepting registrations for six weeks (at presstime) and already have 1,400 students reg-istered for the spring semester. We’re veryexcited about opening.”

For more info about PHCC’sPorter Campus (2727 Mansfield Blvd.),call 527-6615 or visit PHCC.edu.

By Gary Nager

Even though, at our press time, thenew Pasco Hernando Community College(PHCC) Porter Campus at WiregrassRanch (located on Mansfield Blvd. at S.R.56), still looked a little more like a con-struction site than a college campus,PHCC Porter Campus Provost Stanley M.Giannet, Ph.D., says that school officialswere happy to receive the “substantial com-pletion” OK they needed to start gettingthe buildings housing the newest ofFlorida’s 29 two-year college campusesready for occupancy on Dec. 10. The Cer-tificate of Occupancy was expected by Dec.26, the buildings are scheduled to open tostaff on Thursday, January 2, and classesfor the Spring 2014 semester will begin —on time — on Monday, January 13.

Dr. Giannet gave a complete updateon PHCC — which actually will be re-named Pasco Hernando State College(PHSC) when the five-campus communitycollege receives its expected final accredita-tion from the Southern Association of Col-leges & Schools Commission on Colleges(which was expected in late Dec. and willtransform the current four-campus PHCCinto a fully-accredited, four-year state col-lege the day it opens) — at the Dec. 4meeting of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club(which meets every Wednesday at noon at

Ciao! Italian Bistro in the Shops at Wire-grass mall).

The high-energy Provost of the (fornow) PHCC Porter Campus explainedthat the new campus is playing an integralrole in PHCC’s transition to a four-yearstate college because it will be the home ofthe new PHSC’s first two Bachelor’s de-gree programs — a Bachelor of Science inNursing and a Bachelor of Applied Sciencein Management & Supervision.

And, many of the two-year Associateof Arts (A.A.) degree programs to be of-fered at PHSC’s Porter Campus will be inallied health fields, including pharmacytech and surgical technologist programs.

“Two full floors of the Porter Campuswill be devoted to nursing and allied healthcourses and degrees,” said Dr. Giannet.“And, we already have an affiliation in placewith Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel(FHWC) and are still finalizing opportuni-ties for our students at the new NorthTampa Behavioral Health (NTBH) facility,both just a couple of miles from the school.This campus is really going to be fully tiedin with this community.”

In fact, the Provost also was hopefulthat the other two-year degree programs atPHSC’s Porter Campus, which will includeparalegal, financial services, heavy work-force business programs and informationtechnology, will help PHSC grads get jobs

PHCC Porter Campus To Open As Pasco Hernando State College!

Dr. Stanley Giannet, Ph.D. (left), is the new Provost of the Pasco Hernando Community CollegePorter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch (on Mansfield Blvd. and S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel), which will

open for classes on January 13 as the Porter Campus of the new Pasco Hernando State College!

Neighborhood News @ntwcnews For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 22, Issue 01 • January 1, 2014 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com 11


Commissioners debated before mov-ing for a vote. District 3 commissionerKathryn Starkey expressed concern aboutthe economic ramifications of not gettingtraffic moving along the corridor.

“We have to move our traffic,”Starkey said, “or businesses are not goingto want to come here.”

District 5 commissioner and Boardchair Jack Mariano stated that although hewas not initially a supporter of the ele-vated road plan, he thinks the countyshould continue to consider it as a possi-ble solution to the corridor’s traffic woes.

“(The elevated lanes) look betterthan 8-10 lanes across (S.R. 54),” Mari-ano said at the Dec. 3 BOCC meeting.“(Pasco County is) the solution. It’s notdown south. Maybe this (plan) isn’t the

exact solution, but it’s worth looking at.”In addition to continuing to study el-

evated lanes as a traffic solution, Comm.Starkey expressed interest in visiting simi-lar elevated toll road projects around thestate (such as the Lee Roy SelmonCrosstown Expressway, which connectsBrandon to downtown Tampa, MacdillAFB and Pinellas County) to get a betteridea of what an elevated lane project ofthat magnitude could look like in Pasco.

“You see the pretty pictures, butwould you want to live near (the struc-ture)?,” District 1 Comm. Ted Schraderasked the Board prior to the Dec. 3 vote.A vote in favor didn’t necessarily meanthat the BOCC supports the project beingbuilt, only that the commissioners supportcontinuing to study it.

By Matt Wiley

After receiving unanimous approvalfrom the Pasco Board of County Com-missioners (BOCC) on Dec. 3, Pasco willcontinue to study whether or not an ele-vated toll road that would connect easternand western Pasco can help solve one ofthe county’s biggest traffic issues. TheBOCC voted unanimously to approve aresolution to continue to consider thepossibility of an elevated toll road thatwould connect New Port Richey at U.S.19 to Wesley Chapel at Bruce B. Downs(BBD) Blvd. by expanding the S.R.54/S.R. 56 corridor.

The vote came at the request of theFlorida Department of Transportation(FDOT), which wanted the BOCC’s con-tinued support for the project, which wasproposed as a private-sector-only projectbecause FDOT had received an unso-licited bid in June from International In-frastructure Partners (IIP), LLC (a groupof investors and infrastructure construc-tion companies), to lease right-of-wayalong the corridor in order to design,fund, build, operate and maintain an ele-vated toll-lane system that would spanmore than 33 miles across the county.

That group has since withdrawn itsbid, citing an unfavorable political climateand the possible need for bus lanes, whichhadn’t been factored into the original bid.

“Given these reasons and the antici-pated additional cost to build (the proj-ect), IIP and its partners need more timeand clarity from all parties affected, as wellas those parties that will benefit from ourproposal,” wrote IIP partner Wayne A.Middleton, CPA.

IIP requested an extension for theproposal period, which was extended toDec. 9, but that date was after we went topress with this issue.

“(FDOT) received (the IIP proposal)as an unsolicited bid,” said FDOTspokesperson Kris Carson. “Before mov-ing forward with the project, especiallygiven the discussion following the UrbanLand Institute (ULI) report (see below)and knowing the county had previouslysupported this concept, it is crucial toknow whether our transportation partner,Pasco County, still supports (the construc-tion of) an elevated toll road.”

Pasco County’s website says that theULI report was a study done by a groupof panelists composed of economic devel-opment, land use, real estate developmentand public and private experts fromaround the world, who volunteer theirtime to help communities solve difficultdevelopment or related public policyproblems. The group spent a week study-ing the county and advised against the ele-vated road project in its initial report. Thefinal ULI report is not yet available.

Pasco BOCC Votes To Continue To Study S.R. 54/56 Elevated Road Possibility

An artist’s rendering of what the future Gandy Connector might look like was shown at theDec. 3 Pasco BOCC meeting to give commissioners an idea of what the S.R. 54/56 corridor

could look like with elevated lanes, which the county is considering to combat traffic issuesalong the overloaded east-west thoroughfare. Photo: Hillsborough County MPO


January 2014January 2014MOMS Club Of New TampaMOMS Club Of New Tampa -- The MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club ofNew Tampa is currently open to new members in the New Tampa area. The MOMS Cluboffers a variety of daytime activities for mothers and their children, opportunities for Moms’Nights Out and many more benefits. For more information, or to join the club, [email protected].

Sunday, January 4Zen Meditation Group -Zen Meditation Group - Enjoy meditation? Looking for a new way to relax? Check outthe FREE Zen Meditation Group that meets Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Arbor Greene Com-munity Center (18000 Arbor Greene Dr., off Cross Creek Blvd.) Aerobics Room. People of allfaiths are welcome. You only need an interest in meditation and a more peaceful and relaxedmind and life. For more info, call Jeremy at 528-6285.

Monday, January 5Community Acupuncture -Community Acupuncture - A Monday night community acupuncture and discussiongroup is forming at Ion Medi-Spa (8903 Regents Park Dr., Suite 130), 6:30 p.m. Topics in-clude needle-free acupuncture, facial rejuvenation and stop smoking and customized weight-loss programs. For more info, call 960-8833 or visit IonMediSpa.com.

New Tampa Players ‘The Miracle Worker” Auditions -New Tampa Players ‘The Miracle Worker” Auditions - Auditions for the New TampaPlayers’ upcoming production “The Miracle Worker” are being held at CrossPointe CommunityChurch (919 Debuel Rd. in Lutz), 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., and on Tuesday, January 6, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. For more info, visit NewTampaPlayers.org.

Tuesday, January 6New Tampa Tri Club -New Tampa Tri Club - The New Tampa Tri Club is open to runners, swimmers, cyclistsand triathletes across the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. The club hosts group bike rides/runsat Flatwoods Wilderness Park (13330 Morris Bridge Rd.) every Tues., Thur.y and Sat. at 7:30a.m. For more info, join the Facebook group or e-mail [email protected] - This video-seminar-support group is for anyone who is grieving the death of aloved one. The cost is $20 for a workbook and 13 sessions, begin any week to find healing andhope. The group meets Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Lake Magdalene Methodist Church (2902 W.Fletcher Ave., Room 310). For information/registration, call 963-1555.

NAMI Support Group Meetings - The Pasco County Chapter of NAMI (National Allianceon Mental Illness) offers a support group for friends & family of those with mental illness the firstand third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at North Tampa Behavioral Health (29910 S.R.56). For more info, call (727) 992-9653.

Wednesday, January 7 BNI Millionaire Makers -BNI Millionaire Makers - The BNI Millionaire Makers chapter meets every Wednesday atPebble Creek Golf Club at 7:15 a.m. (10550 Regents Park Dr., off BBD Blvd.). The $13 meetingfee includes a hot breakfast. Contact Lisa Jordan at 621-6015 for more details.Business Networking International (BNI) -Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business professionals ded-icated to helping their respective businesses grow through qualified referrals, meets every Wednes-day morning at 7:30 a.m. at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Club clubhouse (18630 Plantation BayDr., off Morris Bridge Rd.). For more info, call Ed Gleason at 299-4475. New Tampa Noon Rotary Club-New Tampa Noon Rotary Club- The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets every Wednes-day for lunch at noon at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Guests arealways welcome.New Tampa Evening Rotary Club -New Tampa Evening Rotary Club - The New Tampa Evening Rotary Club meets everyWednesday at 6:15 p.m. at Hunter’s Green Country Club. New members are always welcome.For info, call Liz DeAmbrose at 956-6487 or email [email protected] Toastmasters -Tampa Toastmasters - Great speeches & great topics. Come hone your public speaking skills.Tampa Toastmasters meets every Wednesday 7 p.m. at Pebble Creek Golf Club (10550 RegentsPark Dr.) New guests are always welcome. For more information, call 428-6356.

Thursday, January 8CBC Networking -CBC Networking - Come together with like-minded professionals at the Christian BusinessConnections (CBC) Networking group, which meets every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at St. An-drew Presbyterian Church (located at 5338 Primrose Lake Cir., off Commerce Park Blvd. inTampa Palms) for a “meet & greet,” followed by a meeting of the group. For more informa-

tion, please send an email to [email protected] As A Second Language (ESL)English As A Second Language (ESL)- This group meets Thursdays at Tampa

Bay Presbyterian Church (19911 BBD Blvd.), 9 a.m.-11:45 a.m. Classes are taught by a na-tive English speaker using several ESL and Bible study resources. The cost is $20 each quar-ter, for the workbook & class materials. For info/registration, call Heather at 753-8567.

Northeast Tampa Women In Business Meeting -Northeast Tampa Women In Business Meeting - The Northeast Tampa Women inBusiness group meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Hunter’s Green CountryClub (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Visit NETWIB.org or call 843-2354.Food Addicts In Recovery Anonymous (FA) -Food Addicts In Recovery Anonymous (FA) - Are you having trouble controlling theway you eat? Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous is a support group without any dues, feesor weigh-ins and is based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. FA meets at Florida Hos-pital Tampa at (on BBD) in the Camelot A room at 7 p.m. For additional information, visitFoodAddicts.org or call Roz at 355-4197.

Friday, January 9New Tampa Rotary Club -New Tampa Rotary Club - The original New Tampa Rotary Club meets for breakfast at7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPGCC, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). The guestspeaker will be Dr. Jonathan Phillips, MD, speaking about concussions.

For more information, call Eric Longphee at 202-1105.

Saturday, January 10New Tampa Dog Pack -New Tampa Dog Pack - Do you have a dog? Enjoy scenic nature walks? Join the NewTampa Dog Pack on Saturday mornings at 8:30 a.m at Flatwoods Wilderness Park (at the18205 BBD entrance) and on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at Compton Park (16101 ComptonDr., Tampa Palms). For more info, please visit MeetUp.com/New-Tampa-Dog-Pack.‘We Work’ At Lifepoint Church‘We Work’ At Lifepoint Church - “We Work,” meets at Lifepoint Church (8702 Hunter’sLake Dr.) at 8:45 a.m. and is designed to help you search for jobs, improve interview skills,write a resume, negotiate a job offer, improve your attitude, develop networking skills and dis-cover your gifts. For info, visit LifepointChurch.tv/WeWork or call 907-9818 ext. 14.

By John Majeski

If you’re looking for running gear,you go to a running store. If you want cy-cling gear, you’ll likely visit a bike shop.But, where do triathletes and other multi-sport enthusiasts go for a truly one-stopexperience?

A good number of local triathletes al-ready go to KONA Multisport on CountyLine Rd., located next to L.A. Fitness justsouth of Wesley Chapel in northern NewTampa. The shop’s employees are alltriathlon veterans who bill themselves as“swim-bike-run experts” who truly knowthe high-end products they sell.

“We can handle everyone from thenovice triathlete all the way to the pros,”says general manager Bruce McCarthy.

The 4,000-sq.-ft. store carries every-thing required for you to cross that finishline. KONA carries a broad mix of apparel,running shoes, bikes, other gear and evenprotein supplements to stay energized dur-ing training or a race.

Bicycling is a particularly serious busi-ness in the triathlon world and McCarthysays the bikes KONA sells cost anywherefrom $800-$12,000, but the majority ofofferings are in the $2,500 range. Howcan two wheels cost so much? McCarthysays triathlon bikes are not your neighbor-hood cruisers, but are instead sleek racers

that feature space-age carbon fiber framesand aircraft aluminum components.

McCarthy also says that a high-endbike should feel just right. Therefore, shopemployees properly fit riders by using 3-Dmotion-capture technology, customizingrides for individuals right in the store.

Brands include Bianchi, Scott andQR, but the newest brand that KONAstocks is Felt, an international bicycle man-ufacturing company that produces some ofthe most technologically advancedtriathlon bikes on the market.

“We’re very excited about (carryingFelt) for 2014,” McCarthy explains.“We’re planning to showcase (Felt) andhave the brand be a big part of our focus.”

Broke a gear? Need a tweak? KONAcan fully service your bike(s), too.

When it comes to swimming, theshop carries various wetsuits, goggles, fins,and other accessories for both training andraces. One training tool that caught thisreporter’s eye was the Finish Swimsenseperformance monitor. It’s worn like awatch, but can capture and analyze per-formance with “pace times, distance (inyards or even laps), stroke count, strokerate, distance-per-stroke and caloriesburned across all four major strokes,” ac-cording to the online description.

Finally, brands such as Saucony, New-ton, Mizuno, K-Swiss and Pearl Izumi

round out the selec-tion for those need-ing shoes for therunning componentof a triathlon.

Of course, youdon’t have to be atriathlete to shop atKONA.

“We’re set up soif you’re a runner,you’re welcome,”McCarthy notes. “Ifyou’re a swimmer,you’re welcome andif you’re a cyclist,you’re welcome.”

A Business &A Business &A LifestyleA Lifestyle

The name KONA apparently is a nodto the world championship IronmanTriathlon held each year in Kailua-Kona,Hawaii, and the shop prides itself onknowing the multisport world. TheKONA website states: “If you have ques-tions like, ‘Which wheel set should I useon the Bee Line Hwy.?’ or ‘What is Konareally like?, call us! We have the answers.”

KONA Multisport employees, on be-half of the shop, sponsor a series of raceseach year in Fort De Soto Park in St. Pe-tersburg: one duathlon and threetriathlons.

“It’s pretty much a year-roundthing,” McCarthy says of the events,which he adds draw about 1,000 partici-pants each. “That’s the beauty of living inFlorida.”

In addition to connecting triathleteswith quality products, KONA also con-nects triathlon enthusiasts with other en-thusiasts. McCarthy, who has been atriathlete for about 20 years, says, “Wemeet over at Flatwoods Park (in NewTampa) on Saturdays to bike, and Sun-days at Sand Key Park (in Clearwater) forswimming and running. We encourage


KONA Multi Sport Has Everything Every Triathlete Will Ever Need!

Bruce McCarthy, the general manager of KONA Multisport next toLA Fitness off County Line Rd. in New Tampa, promises that thestore has everything you need to train for/compete in triathlons.

our customers to come and hang out.”McCarthy notes that KONA Multi-

sport is owned by New Tampa residentsJames Tedesco and Gary May, both ofwhom have other jobs, but enjoy the mul-tisport lifestyle.

“The two owners were looking fortriathlon gear,” McCarthy says, explainingKONA’s origins. “They were into thesport. There were many bike shops andrunning stores around, but nothing specif-ically that catered to triathletes. Theywanted a central place.”

And so, because of the need, Mc-Carthy says, KONA opened five years ago.

A Race To PopularityA Race To PopularityTriathlon is one of the fastest-grow-

ing sports in the country. Ac-cording to a 2012 reportfrom USA Triathlon, the offi-cial governing body oftriathlons in this country, thenumber of registered mem-bers has roughly quadrupledin the past decade.

Although Texas has thehighest number of USATriathlon members in theU.S. (with more than16,700), Florida isn’t far be-hind with nearly 13,400, thesecond highest number ofmembers in the country.

KONA Multisport is insync with the sport’s upward

trajectory – and with its customers, too.The shop’s service has been lauded on theinternet.

“Thanks Bruce (again) for setting meup on a sweet QR Kilo bike. I took 3rd inmy (age group) at the FIT triathlon (myfirst!) and it was my bike that put methere!” — Ash Ryczek Price wrote onKONA’s Facebook.com page.

And, Barbara Benedict raved, “Greatshop and great team sponsor.”

KONA Multisport is located at6417 E. County Line Rd., Ste. 104.For more info, visit SwimBikeRun.comor call 751-1255. The shop is openMonday–Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., 10a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and noon-5p.m. on Sunday.


KONA Multisport has as many bikes to choose from as manybike-only shops, as well as everything you need for the swim-

ming and running legs of any triathlon.


By Bonnie Mason

New Tampa Plastic Surgery, a pre-mier cosmetic surgery “boutique,” hasbeen helping Wesley Chapel and NewTampa residents look and feel their bestsince 2011. Specializing in the aestheticplastic surgery of the face, breasts andbody, Board-certified plastic surgeon PeterFakhre, M.D., rejuvenates and enhancesthe natural beauty of his patients with thelatest cutting-edge surgical and non-surgi-cal procedures.

Located in the Windfair ProfessionalPark off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.,across from Florida Hospital WesleyChapel (FHWC), New Tampa Plastic Sur-gery sees patients from all across Pasco andHillsborough counties. Dr. Fakhre and hisstaff help everyone who walks throughtheir doors feel welcome; their primarygoal being to make the patient feel com-fortable while exploring his or her best op-tions for plastic or reconstructive surgery(and non-surgical alternatives, in somecases) in a highly professional and confi-dential environment.

You can see the results of Dr. Fakhre’swork when you visit NewTampaPlastic-Surgery.com. Although his work defi-nitely speaks for itself, he also is highlyrecommended by his patients. In a physi-cian review written on Vitals.com (a med-

ical review forum for consumers) Dr.Fakhre’s patient Jane Gibbons says, “Plas-tic Surgery? More accurately— SurgicalArtistry! Dr. Fakhre is a master of his craft.He not only is an accomplished surgeon,(he also) is a man of integrity who listens,counsels and guides his patients towardthe goals they are seeking. (He) then satis-fies those goals with skill and precision!

“Dr. Fakhre works with his patientsto determine the best surgical and non-surgical options that will achieve the de-sired outcome. As a bonus, his office staffis compassionate, efficient and share hisphilosophy that everyone deserves to looktheir best. Unquestionably, Dr. Fakhre isthe best that Tampa Bay has to offer!”

Dr. Fakhre, who is one of the fewplastic surgeons in the Tampa Bay area tobe double-Board-certified by both theAmerican Board of Plastic Surgery and bythe American Board of Surgery, explains,“There are many things that are importantin achieving successful outcomes in plasticsurgery: an understanding of the patient'sdesires, their physical examination, realisticgoals, sound surgical technique, attentionto detail and outstanding postoperativecare, all of which contribute to success incosmetic plastic surgery.”

He earned his Bachelor of Science inBiology from the University of SouthFlorida in Tampa, graduating summa cum

laude. He then electedto attend the Universityof Florida College ofMedicine. It was at UFthat Dr. Fakhre’s surgi-cal talent, aesthetic eyeand love for plastic sur-gery were realized.

Dr. Fakhre thencompleted a general sur-gery residency at theworld renowned MayoClinic, where he scoredin the 98th percentile inthe American Board ofSurgery in TrainingExam, the highestamong all residents inhis program. He was in-volved with numerouspublications and research projects, whichhave been presented at numerous scien-tific meetings, including the distinguishedAmerican Society of Plastic Surgeons.During his surgical training, Dr. Fakhrewas awarded the Excellence in TeachingAward by the Mayo Clinic Medical Schooland served as Chief Resident in Surgery inhis final year of surgical training.

Dr. Fakhre was then privileged tomatch at his first choice of Plastic Surgeryfellowship programs at the prestigiousMethodist Hospital in Houston, TX,

where he again excelled, scoring the high-est in-service exam score among all plasticsurgery residents in his program and serv-ing as Chief Resident in his final year ofplastic surgery training.

“I had the wonderful opportunity totrain with members of the original groupof plastic surgeons that invented the breastimplant, as well as facial and body plasticsurgeons whose surgeries have been fea-tured on The Discovery Channel,” Dr.Fakhre says. “Working in such an environ-ment provided great exposure to a largevolume of primary as well as revision cos-

New Tampa Plastic Surgery — Expertise & Artistry To Help You Look Your Best

Dr. Peter Fakhre of New Tampa Plastic Surgery in WesleyChapel (just north of S.R. 56) has the education, experience and

skills necessary to help you look and feel your best.

Makeover” combines a breast lift (with orwithout breast augmentation for reshap-ing), a tummy tuck to tighten the midsec-tion that was stretched during pregnancyand liposuction to remove unwanted fatdeposits.

Dr. Fakhre, who has surgical privi-leges at Florida Hospital Tampa andFlorida Hospital Wesley Chapel, says thathe performs most of his surgeries at theNew Tampa Surgery Center, locatednearby (off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel), al-though he says he does perform minorprocedures in his office as well. Whereverhe performs his artistry, however, his satis-fied patients are a testament to his experi-ence and training.

“From the moment I walked throughthe door in his office I was always greetedby first-name basis, which made me feellike I wasn't just another patient to get inand out,” Christina Vargas wrote in herpatient testimonial about her experiencewith New Tampa Plastic Surgery. “Thewhole process — from scheduling my ap-pointments to the day of the procedure,even my recovery — went so smoothly. Ihighly recommend Dr. Fakhre. I give him10 stars!"

Non-Surgical Options, TooNon-Surgical Options, TooBut, New Tampa Plastic Surgery also

is a true cosmetic boutique, offeringskin and other non-surgical cosmeticprocedures, in addition to plastic sur-gery. Many of these non-surgical cos-metic procedures — such as Botoxand dermal fillers, Latisse eyelashlengthening and thickening, fat injec-tions, chemical peels that rejuvenateand energize the skin to beautify yournatural state — often provide the re-sults a patient is looking for, and areless “invasive” than surgical options.

Board certified nurse practi-tioner Christina Ahrens has sevenyears of experience in Dermatologyand Plastic Surgery and performs allof the non-surgical procedures atNew Tampa Plastic Surgery.

“We are fortunate to haveChristina as part of our team,” saysDr. Fakhre. “she does an outstandingjob in the treatment of our patients.”For your free cosmetic surgery con-

sultation, call to make an appointmentwith Dr. Peter Fakhre at New TampaPlastic Surgery at (813) PLASTIC(752-7842). The office is located at2541 Windguard Cir., Wesley Chapel.

For a full menu of services, visitNewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. And, besure to hit the ‘Like’ button on NewTampa Plastic Surgery’s Facebook.compage so that you can be notified of theoffice’s monthly promotions on variousservices.


metic surgery cases. This experience waspriceless and I’m happy to bring this typeof training to the New Tampa and WesleyChapel area."

This training and his own expertisehelped Dr. Fakhre earn the highest scorepossible, in the 99th percentile amongPlastic Surgeons, in Plastic Surgery of theBreast, on the American Board of PlasticSurgery Written Examination.

In addition to refining his surgicalskill and technique during his plastic sur-gery training, Dr. Fakhre also volunteeredhis time with Operation San José and trav-eled to Guatemala on a cleft lip and palatesurgical mission. There he helped deliverplastic surgical care to many cleft lip andpalate patients who may have otherwisenever received treatment.

Dr. Fakhre says that he was happy toreturn to the Tampa Bay area after histraining and currently lives in Seven Oakswith his wife of 10 years and their 14-month old son, who keeps them busy andentertained.

So Many Surgical OptionsSo Many Surgical OptionsSo many of us have things we would

like to change about our bodies. Time,age and weight changes take a toll on thebody and these factors can affect your ap-pearance and self-image. Cosmetic plasticsurgery is a way to help you look and feelbetter. “When we are happy with our ap-pearance, we feel more confident,” saysDr. Fakhre.

New Tampa Plastic Surgery offers aplethora of cosmetic surgery proceduresfor women and men, including breast en-hancement (augmentations, lifts and re-ductions), tummy tucks, face and necklifts, eyelid surgery, liposuction and more.Known for his technical skill, eye forbeauty and superior aesthetic practice, Dr.Fakhre will work with you to develop apersonalized treatment plan to achieveyour desired outcomes and to make the“new you” a reality.

“Cosmetic plastic surgery allows thesurgeon to combine artistry with soundsurgical techniques to produce superior re-sults,” says Dr. Fakhre.

Breasts, for instance, are often at the

core of a woman's femininity and self-con-fidence. Dr. Fakhre explains that breastsurgery is one of the most personal deci-sions a woman can make.

“Breast augmentation surgery can in-crease your self-confidence and satisfactionwith your body,” says Dr. Fakhre. “By in-creasing or restoring breast volume, wecan help patients achieve a better-propor-tioned body.”

Dr. Fakhre’s breast augmentation pa-tients are educated about implant size andtypes so they can make informed decisionsabout which would be the best to satisfytheir personal goals. The two main implanttypes available are still silicone and saline.The implant selected depends on a varietyof factors. Currently, the most commonimplants that Dr. Fakhre uses are siliconeimplants, which look and feel more naturalthan their saline counterparts.

Breast lift surgery removes excess tis-sue and repositions the breast and/or nip-ple to a more youthful position. Thisprocedure is often chosen by women de-siring to restore form to their breasts orreclaim their "before-baby" appearance.And, although breasts are intertwinedwith the feminine profile, women are notthe only ones who have breast surgery. Infact, Dr. Fakhre says that he has helpedmany men feel better about their appear-ance with male breast reduction surgery(also known as Gynecomastia).

Another popular cosmetic surgicalprocedure is liposuction, which can im-prove the body’s contour by removing fatdeposits that are resistant to diet and exer-cise. Liposuction restores proportionalityand minimizes problem areas. Dr. Fakhresays that if you find yourself shopping forclothes that hold your tummy in or slimyour thighs, liposuction may be your an-swer. He adds that liposuction offers sig-nificant results with minimal downtime.

“In fact, many (liposuction) patientsrecover over a weekend and return towork on Monday,” he says.

A full “Mommy Makeover” also is apopular procedure sought by women whowant to get back to the body they had be-fore they had children. Dr. Fakhre saysthat the most common “Mommy

Liposuction at New Tampa Plastic Surgery canhelp transform your body, too.

By Matt Wiley

When considering an auto repair shopfor your vehicle, a doctor’s office isn’t usu-ally the visual that first comes to mind. Infact, it’s usually quite the opposite. A cleanenvironment doesn’t sound much like anauto repair shop, but that’s not the casewith STAT Auto Repair.

Owner, CEO and former NewTampa resident Jon Delucia prides himselfon the cleanliness of his auto repair shop,which is located on N. Nebraska Ave., be-tween Bearss Ave. and Fletcher Ave., a fewminutes southwest of New Tampa. In fact,Delucia says the entire idea behind STATAuto was inspired by the medical industry,from the workspace, to the uniforms andeven to the name itself.

Delucia, who currently lives in Bran-don, used to own a car part manufacturer,also in Brandon, specializing in automobileair conditioners for street rods and Jeeps.

“I broke my leg,” Delucia explains.“In order for it to heal, I had to give upmy company. So, I decided to start an autorepair shop.”

Delucia says that the owner of theplaza in which STAT currently is locatedcalled him up early in March 2013 andsaid that he had space, which is whenSTAT Auto Repair was born. Having un-dergone recent medical treatment for his

leg, Delucia decided to go with a medicaltheme for the shop.

“The acronym worked out to be ‘Sur-gically Trained Automotive Technicians,’”Delucia explains. “Our goal here is to havethe cleanest shop with the motif being that(STAT) will resemble more of a doctor’soffice than a car shop. We don’t want dirt,we don’t pictures of cars on the wall. Wejust want it to be professional.”

And, just like a doctor’s office, whenyou walk into the shop at STAT, cus-tomers are greeted by mechanics wearinghospital scrubs and an absence of clutterand any evidence of dirt or grease. Instead,there are clean, painted floors and wallswith tools and equipment stored neatly, ei-ther on shelves or in the storage area be-hind the shop.

“We offer general automotive repair,”Delucia explains. “Shocks, brakes, tune-ups, but we don’t do the big jobs. Wedon’t change out engines or transmissions.We specialize in preventive maintenanceand we know a lot about air conditioners.”

Delucia says that STAT Auto per-forms a lot of oil changes, brake repairs,C/V (or constant velocity) axles and fixes“other common things that wear out.”

Delucia also prides himself on STAT’spricing for parts and repairs.

“Our pricing is always reasonable,” heexplains. “We don’t fluctuate on pricing

and try to keepeverything low-priced for our cus-tomers. We alsodon’t mess withpeople.”

Delucia saysthat he and his fel-low technicians willrecommend repairsfor customers andtell them what theyneed. However, if acustomer seems un-sure about STAT’srecommendation,the technicians alsowill recommendthat they go get asecond opinionfrom another shop.

“You won’t find high-pressure salestactics here,” Delucia says. “No one hereis working on commission.”

In addition to cleanliness, Deluciasays that integrating high-end technologyinto a customer’s visit also is the missionat STAT Auto, beginning with incorporat-ing online programs for vehicular diag-nostics, which often helps to narrowdown a vehicle’s problem.

Delucia also incorporates vehicle up-dates for customers using his website.

“We utilize email alerts for cus-tomers, which will give them updates ontheir vehicle’s progress while we’re work-ing on it,” Delucia says. “Customers alsoget an email every 3,000 miles withcoupons and special offers at the shop.”

In keeping with the medical motif,Delucia says he plans to implement a fea-ture on the STAT Auto website to keepcustomers updated on the status of theirvehicle’s repairs in real time, similar to arecovery room in a hospital. He says thatit will let customers know where their ve-


STAT Auto Repair: Bringing The Values Of A Doctor’s Office To Auto Repair

STAT Auto owner/CEO Jon Delucia (center) with surgically trainedauto technicians José Ramirez (left) and president Brent Pitt (right).

hicle is in line, whether the shop is waitingon parts and when it has been movedonto one of the shop’s lifts.

“(The website feature) is going tomake it much easier for customers tocheck the status of their vehicle,” he says.“It sure beats having to call a shop numer-ous times per day when a vehicle is gettingworked on to check for an update.”

Currently, customers can type in themake, model and mileage of their vehicleto see if it is due for a tune-up. Signing upon the site also makes customers eligiblefor exclusive coupons, to see their vehicle’sservice history, as well as receive serviceand recall notices.

Need an-other reason tocheck out STATAuto besides freecoffee and WiFiin the waitingroom? Howabout free 69point inspectionswith every oilchange and free“check enginelight” diagnoses?

Lutz resi-dent EliseBengston can at-test to the cus-tomer service atSTAT Auto.

“I had an issue with my drive axle andstarter,” she explains. “I was on the way toSTAT, but the employees had left to at-tend a continuing education class. My carbroke down on the way there. They actu-ally skipped their class to accommodatemy vehicle. They are extremely conscien-tious and there is no sales pressure, whichI greatly appreciate.”

So, if your vehicle is giving youtrouble, or you just need an oil changeor tune-up, give STAT Auto (13787 N.Nebraska Ave.) a call at 374-8894, orvisit StatAutoRepair.com. The shop isopen Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m.,and 8 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturday.


Technician Brent Pitt changes the oil on a vehicle inside the spotless STAT AutoRepair shop, located south of New Tampa on nearby N. Nebraska Ave.

By Matt Wiley

Since 2009, the word mortgage hascarried with it an almost negative conno-tation, especially considering the fact thatdefaults on home loans were among theleading causes of the recent recession —from which the New Tampa and WesleyChapel area, as well as the rest of thecountry, continues to try to bounce back.

However, with local companies suchas Green House Mortgage, getting ahome loan doesn’t have to be a long, tor-tuous process.

New Tampa resident ScottTellinghuisen, 38, says he started GreenHouse in 2005, following his departurefrom another mortgage company inClearwater that ended up closing in2008. Tellinghuisen left to begin his ownstreamlined mortgage company, whichhe named Green House Mortgage.

“I used to joke around and tell peo-ple (that Green House’s mission was) tohelp them realize their dreams, and thensay, ‘Just kidding, we help people withmortgages,’” Tellinghuisen explains. “Wetry to help people get into a new home,whether it’s their dream home, or justtheir next step in life. It’s a big purchaseand we understand that.”

Tellinghuisen explains that he

wanted to create a mortgage companynot just to make a living, but also to pro-vide a top-notch service to the local com-munity.

“You can get a mortgage prettymuch anywhere,” he says. “In this indus-try, (mortgage brokers) really are a dime-a-dozen. But, we’re a local company.We’re not a call center located ‘some-where.’ Everything is processed here.Plus, we’re almost always available, evenon weekends.”

So, whether you’re looking for aconventional home loan backed by Fan-nie Mae or Freddie Mac, a governmentloan (e.g., FHA, or Federal Housing Ad-ministration loan; a VA, or Veterans Ad-ministration loan; or a USDA, or U.S.Department of Agriculture loan) or a re-verse mortgage (for seniors aged 62 andolder to be able to access the equity intheir homes), Green House can help youfind a loan that will work best for youand your family. In addition, GreenHouse also provides both adjustable-rateand fixed-rate mortgages.

Green House also provides servicesfor refinancing your home with theHome Affordable Refinance Program(HARP) 2.0, which allows homeownerswith private mortgage insurance to seekout private lenders, other than those

their bank canprovide. However,Tellinghuisen saysthat refinancingrates have begunto trickle back upfrom their low ratein 2012, whichmade refinancing apopular idea.

“Anythingthat has to do withresidential finance,we do,”Tellinghuisen says.

“Getting amortgage is a hec-tic process,”Tellinghuisen explains. “Most peoplework all day and come home to theirfamilies at night. We know that youdon’t want to deal with the mortgageprocess after work. We try to approachcustomers with the understanding ofhow busy life is. We want people toknow that it doesn’t have to be such apainful process.”

What can often make the mortgageprocess more painful, Tellinghuisen says,are what he calls the “mortgage mon-keys,” which are the miscommunicationissues that sometimes accompany getting

a mortgage. “(Getting a mortgage) is astressful process,” Tellinghuisen says.“Especially when a customer has to re-submit pay stubs eight different timesbecause a company can’t keep his or herfile organized. Sometimes, it’s like theleft hand doesn’t know what the righthand is doing. Don’t let the ‘mortgagemonkeys’ wreak havoc on your loan.”

Keeping customers updated on theprogress of their loan is a key factor tomaking the process smoother, he says.

“(Getting the right mortgage) canbe a very simple 1-2-3 process, although


Green House Mortgage Will Help You Find The Right Loan For Your Home

Scott Tellinghuisen (right) of Green House Mortgage watches asAnna Dutko and her daughter Priya close on a South Tampa home.

usually it’s not. But, the reasons are oftenvery fixable,” Tellinghuisen says.

One of the most important reasonsto consider Green House is that even if adeal can’t be reached right away, cus-tomers are not cast away.

“Loans are like snowflakes,” he says.“No one’s situation is exactly alike.However, even if we aren’t going to beable to work out a loan right away, wetry to counsel customers about what theycan do to be able to purchase a home.We still want them to feel like they have aplan of attack, and that’s what really setsus apart.”

Tellinghuisen says that interest rateson home loans are still very good.

“It is still a good time to buy,” heexplains. “Refinancing depends greatly

on what each sce-nario provides.From one person tothe next, they mayneed or have differ-ent financial goalsfor refinancing ahome that they al-ready own.”

Tellinghuisensays that if by look-ing at a customer’sfinancial informa-tion it’s determinedthat now isn’t thebest time to pur-

chase a home, he will provide tips onhow to strengthen that customer’s finan-cial situation.

“At Green House, we will not putyou in a loan, because we need a pay-check,” he explains. “We want to findyou the right loan.”

Still on the fence about consideringGreen House for your next home loan orrefinance? Don’t just take Tellinghuisen’sword for how good Green House Mort-gage for its customers.

“Scott Tellinghuisen with GreenHouse Mortgage made the process of re-financing my home effortless,” says Na-talia M. from Oldsmar. “Scott got me anawesome rate, answered all of my ques-tions and kept me in the loop the entire

time. I couldn’t have asked for a betterloan consultant!”

David A., of Tampa, sings similarpraises. “Thank you so much for helpingus with the refinance of our home. It wasa very painless process compared to someof the stories I have heard about refi-nancing an ‘underwater’ home withHARP.”

Bill H. from Lakeland also had agood experience with refinancing.

“I am happy to say that GreenHouse Mortgage was able to assist mewith my HARP refinance,” Bill explains.“I had some pretty unique terms that myprevious bank could not help me with. I

was in need of a lower rate and differentterms, based on my scenario. Now that Ihave what I need in a solid mortgage, Ican concentrate with confidence onother areas of my day-to-day routine.”

Tellinghuisen says that he plans tobegin giving seminars in the New Tampaarea during 2014 to help educate peopleabout homes. Stay tuned to the GreenHouse website (see below) for details asthey become available.

Considering a new home and/orlooking to refinance your existinghome and need a loan? Give ScottTellinghuisen a call at 732-3155 orvisit GreenHouseMortgage.com.


Scott Tellinghuisen (left)poses with members of the Brandon Chamber ofCommerce after giving a seminar about home loans to Chamber mem-

bers and their guests.

By Bonnie Mason

Winter holidays are wonderful, butlet's face it — they can be extremely stress-ful, too. With the hours we spend shop-ping for the perfect gifts, preparing adelicious holiday feast, baking Santa's fa-vorite cookies and even traveling acrossthe country to visit with family andfriends, the holiday stress can leave youwith knots in your shoulder muscles andkinks in your neck. Essentials Massage &Facials of New Tampa may be just whatyou need to de-stress and start the NewYear out right!

Conveniently located in the SevenOaks Professional Park off S.R. 56 (nextto the Sam’s Club in Seven Oaks), Essen-tials has been rejuvenating and invigorat-ing Wesley Chapel and New Tamparesidents for nearly three years.

Tom Stavro purchased this Essentialslocation (one of 16 in Hillsborough,Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee and Sarasotacounties) from its previous owners lastyear and is excited to offer an extensivemenu of unique services to pamper every-one who visits in a luxurious fashion — allat truly unbeatable prices.

Yes, even with all of those holidaybills, a luxurious and affordable spa day atEssentials is still within your reach. The2,500-sq.-ft. oasis of stress relief boasts 11private treatment rooms, all with the same

calming and tranquil environment. Plus,Essentials has a “party room,” which canbe used for birthday celebrations, bridalparties, or Ladies Night Out gatherings.

“Our goal is for our clients to leaveEssentials completely relaxed and feelingfabulous,” Stavro says. “Whether the serv-ice they receive is a massage, facial, bodywax, body wrap, eyelash extension, mani-cure or a spa pedicure, our mission is al-ways the same.”

The spa’s well-trained concierge staffis happy to assist you to determine thebest service or services to fit your needsand budget.

“If you’re not sure what you’re look-ing for, the front staff is well-versed in theavailable treatments and is ready to recom-mend the best fit for each client’s needs,”explains Stavro. “They can answer ques-tions like which massage will be the bestchoice -— hot stone, deep tissue, or ourpopular hour-long relaxation massage. Or,if you’re not sure if an anti-aging facial, amicrodermabrasion treatment or a chemi-cal peel is best for your skin, (our staff’s)experience and product service knowledgeis key to keeping you satisfied and wantingto come back to us.”

Stavro adds that there are three maincomponents to the spa — skin care, mas-sage therapy and nail services.

Essentials has four licensed aestheti-cians on staff who are ready to help cus-

tomers achieve the soft,smooth skin they desireand all of them are avail-able to provide skin analy-ses for free.

Essentials offers basicfacials, as well as cus-tomized facials based oneach client’s individualneeds. Among the treat-ments available include aclinical, one-hour Euro-pean facial, anti-aging andacne facials, as well as mi-crodermabrasion. The fa-cials are all performedusing Atzen, Glo Thera-peutics or the AcademyAward-winning GMCollin products.

Among the GMCollin skin treatments are the Algomask,PurAcne Oxygen Treatment, Hydrolift-ing Treatment, Sea C Spa (all 60-min-utes) and a 90-minute Collagen 90-IITreatment.

Stavro says that a high-quality, afford-able skincare product line also is “essen-tial” to achieve glowing, healthy skin.Pineapple Essentials™ exfoliant is Essen-tials’ signature product and is combinedwith a hot towel treatment, which is com-plimentary with all services at the spa.

“This amazing formula contains the

natural-occurring pineapple fruit enzymeBromelain, which aids in the natural exfo-liation of the skin,” Stavro says. “Unlikemany products on the market, PineappleEssentials™ exfoliates without dehydratingthe skin.”

The products developed by Circadia,also available at Essentials of New Tampa,are designed to work in harmony with thebody’s natural systems to defend the skinfrom environmental insult during the day,and repair during the night.

Stavro says that Essentials clients havetold him that both Pineapple Essentials™

Evelyn Hoyt, one of four licensed aestheticians at Essentials Massage &Facials of New Tampa (located near Sam’s Club in Wesley Chapel),

applies one of the spa’s signature exfoliants to a customer’s face.

Essentials Massage & Facials Of New Tampa Can Relieve Your Holiday Stress!

time at Essentials and rival any five-star re-sort spa. Stavro says bridal parties andLadies Night Out events are extremelypopular at the spa. Parties can be bookedwith a minimum of four people and in-clude a one-hour massage, one-hour facialin a private setting with wine, cheese andcrackers, plus all gratuities, for only $95per person.

On Thursday, February 13, Essen-tials of New Tampa will host Tampa Bay'scelebrity skincare guru Anthony Loren ina “Love Your Skin” event, featuring hissignature skincare product line. Guests willexperience skin care demonstrations andwine and cheese will be served from 6

p.m.-9 p.m. Please call the phone numberbelow to reserve your space at this excitingevent and take advantage of all of theevening’s specials!

Call Essentials Massage & facials ofNew Tampa (License ##MM30617)today to schedule your luxurious spamassage, facial or mani/pedi at 527-6979! Essentials of New Tampa is lo-cated at 2230 Ashley Oaks Cir. in theSeven Oaks Professional Park and isopen 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Mon., Tues. –Sat., 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and 11 a.m.-6 p.m.on Sun. Gift certificates are available.For a complete list of services and fees,visit EssentialsWesleyChapel.com.

and Circadia are quite effective and af-fordable to purchase for home use..

Eyelash Extensions & More!Eyelash Extensions & More!“In addition to providing facials, we

also offer body wraps, waxing, microder-mabrasion and peels, and one of our aes-theticians even specializes in eyelashextensions,” Stavros says. “Women whodesire fuller eyelashes don't need to lookany further. An Essentials consultantworks with you to determine which lash isthe best fit for your desired look, syntheticor mink. Eyelash extensions come in a va-riety of lengths and are adhered to theeyelid to get a fuller effect. Lash exten-sions last approximately 3-5 weeks and fallout with original eyelashes during the spe-cific eyelash cycle, which varies with eachindividual.”

Massage therapy is one of the mostimportant component of Essentials’ serv-ices and all fourteen licensed massagetherapists (LMTs) serving the NewTampa/Wesley Chapel location are veryexperienced, and offer flexibility in sched-uling, as well as a wide spectrum of thera-pies to choose from, includingtherapeutic, neuromuscular, reflexology,hot stone, deep tissue, relaxation and pre-natal. And, the signature hot towel treat-ment with the Pineapple Essentialsexfoliant mentioned earlier also is includedin any massage. Stavro explains that thehot towel treatment applied before thetherapy helps clients relax and allows the

muscles to loosen quicker during the mas-sage. And, aromatherapy can be added toany service to further enhance and com-plete your total relaxation.

Manicures and pedicures are the finalcomponent that Stavro explains is key tomaking sure customers leave relaxed. Reg-ular, Shellac, or gel manicures and basic orspa pedicures are available. Again, clientscan expect the soothing hot towel andPineapple Essentials™ treatment!

Generally, luxury comes at a highprice, but the spa services at Essentials areaffordable and easy on the wallet.

“No one can beat their prices,” saysWesley Chapel resident and Essentialsclient Megan. “I’m paying a fraction ofwhat I used to pay!”

For $30, customers can get a one-hour facial or massage any day of theweek. And, on Tuesdays, clients pay only$25 for either a one-hour massage, a Eu-ropean facial, or a mani/pedi!

“But, the best package we offer is ourSpa Day package, which includes all threeof our spa components,” Stavro says. Es-sentials’ Spa Day package consists of aone-hour massage, one-hour facial, basicmanicure and pedicure — all for only$95! If you don’t have that much time, oryou’re looking to spend less, $65 will getyou a “Mini Spa Day” that includes a one-hour massage and a one-hour facial. Bothspa day packages include a complimentaryglass of wine and a light lunch.

Brides can create memories of a life-

Essentials Massage & Facials of New Tampa customers Lindsay & Megan enjoy a glass of wine inEssentials’ party room, while taking a look at the spa’s extensive menu of services.


Despiteowning the com-pany, David stillalso does deliver-ies on a regularbasis himself. Onany given day,drivers may travelback and forthbetween Tampaand St. Peters-burg multipletimes beforeheading as farnorth asBrooksville andthen takingsomething backto South Tampa,David says.

“We haveaccess to as many drivers as a companymay need,” David explains. “All of whichare insured and have been personally in-terviewed by me.”

Drivers have their own vehicles andlook to D & E for assignments. AlthoughD & E is mostly a local service, the couri-ers can make deliveries all over the state.

“We pride ourselves on same-day de-liveries, locally,” David says. “However,we can make deliveries across the state. If

you need something taken to Miami, oreven Jacksonville, we’ll get it there,quickly. It just won’t be in an hour.”

D & E offers four levels of service:Express, Standard, Economy and PriorityOut-of-Town. Customers are charged foreach service based upon the mileage re-quired for each delivery and the time inwhich the package (whatever it may be)needs to be delivered. Whatever the per-mile rate is determined to be for Econ-omy Service, the price for Standard and

By Matt Wiley

During this busy season of holidayshopping, when so many gifts are beingpurchased online, it can be tough to de-cide which shipping method actually willget your purchases where they need to goin the time period left before the big gift-giving holiday. Sometimes, things get lostin the mail or delayed, forcing them to ar-rive later than expected.

However, this is not the case withNew Tampa-based D & E Couriers, alocal delivery service that truly ensuressame-day delivery to locations all acrossthe Tampa Bay area. D & E specializes indelivering packages, sensitive documentsor anything else that individuals and busi-nesses need delivered in a timely manner,without having to go through a major de-livery service at the risk of that deliveryshowing up late.

Whether it’s document deliveries,pharmaceutical transfers, court deliveries,inter-office deliveries, bank deposits orpayroll deliveries, D & E Couriers is yoursafe, dependable and efficient solution.

“We are always on time,” says D & Eowner David Gross. “We are very con-scious about (our delivery time).”

David and his wife Ellen (together,the “D & E” in the company’s name)

have lived in New Tampa’s Heritage Islescommunity off Cross Creek Blvd. sincethey relocated to Florida twelve years agofrom West Orange, NJ, where David ran alimousine service. Although he says hedoesn’t like to drop names, he admits thattransporting top-billed actors and direc-tors around the Big Apple (New YorkCity) was a pretty common task.

David sold that business before thecouple moved to New Tampa, where heworked in retail sales and even got his realestate license. He also worked as an inde-pendent courier, delivering documents forlaw firms, prescriptions for doctors andpharmacies, as well as other deliveries forlocal companies before deciding to starthis own delivery service.

“I knew I wanted to start a courierservice, but I didn’t want to do limousineservice anymore,” David explains.

Now, David has a fleet of independ-ent couriers that work for him at D & E.Ellen handles the calls from businesseslooking for a courier and dispatches driv-ers to handle the different deliveries.

“(Ellen’s) job is pretty tough,” Davidexplains. “In addition to knowing the areawell, she also has to know which driver islocated within that surrounding area sothat packages will get delivered in themost prompt manner.”

D&E Couriers Will Get Your Packages Across Town In No Time!

David Gross of D & E Couriers will get whatever you need delivered to itsdestination in no time at all, whether in town or across the state.


Express service will be slightly higher.Express Service promises pick-up and

delivery with 90 minutes of the packagebeing ready. Standard Service promisespick-up and delivery within three hours ofbeing ready. Economy Service ensuresthat all deliveries that are ready for pick-upby 11 a.m. will be delivered by the end ofthe business day at 5 p.m.

“What a lot of people don’t realize isthat courier services are usually cheaperand, in many cases, more reliable than thebig-name overnight delivery services,”David explains. “A lot of people don’teven realize that they can use courier serv-ices for their deliveries.”

West Meadows resident and local at-

torney Dennis Kapustin knows the bene-fits of using D & E well.

“We use D & E for all of our courierservices,” Kapustin says. “D & E has al-ways been good to me. I can’t give them abetter rating. No matter what it is, (D &E) always is prompt and efficient.”

Kapustin explains that he uses D & Eto send legal documents around town toclients and other attorneys, includingwills, trusts and real estate deeds.

“I highly recommend D & E,” Ka-pustin says.

Need something delivered aroundtown the same day? Give D & E Couri-ers a try. For more info, please visitDECouriersInc.com or call 994-5909.

By Matt Wiley

It looks as if New Tampa’s highschools have once again received good re-port cards from the Florida Department ofEducation (DOE).

According to the annual schoolgrades report for Florida high schools re-leased on December 18, more than half ofHillsborough County’s high schools (14of 27) received an “A” grade, includingPaul R. Wharton High, located on BruceB. Downs (BBD) Blvd.

Although elementary and middleschool grades were released in August, theDOE waits until December each year torelease the previous school year’s highschool grades, so that additional factors(such as graduation rates) can be includedwhen determining a high school’s grade.

This year marks the first year thatWharton has received an ‘A’ grade since2010.

“(Receiving an ‘A’) is fantastic,” saysWharton principal Bradley Woods. “It’s aconfirmation of how great a school wehave here, from our faculty and staff toour students and parents.”

Woods notes that the school was ableto raise the graduation rate of Wharton’s“at-risk” students, or those at risk of drop-ping out, a factor that kept the school at a“B” grade last year.

Meanwhile, Freedom High, locatedon Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms,

once again received a “B,” which it hasmaintained since 2010. Neither highschool has fallen below a “B” since 2009.Freedom and Wharton both improvedtheir graduation rates from 75-percent forboth schools in 2012 to 77 percent and79 percent, respectively, for 2013.

Other factors included in determininghigh school grades are FCAT 2.0 scores,postsecondary readiness in math and read-ing, the graduation rate of the school’s“at-risk” students and the improvement ofthe lowest performing 25-percent of stu-dents at each school.

New Tampa Students BetterNew Tampa Students BetterPrepared For College?Prepared For College?

Many high school students in NewTampa are more prepared for college thanstudents across the State of Florida, ac-cording to data recently released by theFlorida Department of Education(FDOE).

In a December 3 press release, Hills-borough County Public Schools (HCPS)announced that results from Florida’sentry-level college placement tests — in-cluding the College Placement Test, SATand ACT — show that schools in Hills-borough are performing higher than otherdistricts in mathematics, reading and writ-ing, including Freedom High and Paul R.Wharton High right here in New Tampa.

In fact, the overall results for Free-dom and Wharton are above both the

State and District average scores, too.“This is great news in a district that is

focused on college and career readiness,’’said Hillsborough School SuperintendentMaryEllen Elia in the press release. “For ahigh school diploma to be meaningful,you should be able to get into college andbe ready to do college-level work. Moreand more of our students are achievingthat goal.”

The results in the report are basedupon how many students at each schoolwho took college placement tests scoredabove the “cut-off score.” Students whotest below that score on their respectivetests must take remedial classes in eithermath, reading or writing when they doenter college.

During the 2012-13 school year atFreedom, 273 degree-seeking studentstook one of the three placement tests. Inmath, 84.9 percent of those tested scoredat or above the cut-off score. In reading,88.2 percent scored at or above the cutoff, while 90.8 scored at or above the cut-off in writing. Of those students tested,80.4 percent scored above the cut-off inall three subjects.

“We were excited (to see the re-port),” says Freedom assistant principalRosemary Owens. “It’s truly a distinctionand a testament to the hard work of ourstudents and teachers.”

At nearby Wharton High, of the 264

degree-seeking students, 78.4 percentscored above the cut-off in math, 82.2percent above the reading cut-off and83.7 percent of students tested scoredabove the cut-off in writing. Of those,73.1 percent scored above the cut-off inall three subjects.

Compare those numbers with the7,751 students tested across HCPS,where 77.3 scored at or above the cut-offin math, 87 percent were at or above thecut-off in reading, 87.9 percent were at orabove in writing and 72.5 percent were ator above in all three subjects.

Across the state, of the 82,576 de-gree-seeking students, 70.8 percentscored at or above in math, 86.3 percentwere at or above in reading, 86.1 percentwere at or above in writing, but only66.4-percent scored at or above the cut-off score in all three.

However, not included in these re-sults are students who did not go to col-lege or who went to private andout-of-state institutions after graduatingfrom a Florida public high school. The re-sults reflect only those students who grad-uated from a public Florida high schooland attended an in-state, public college oruniversity in the year following highschool graduation.

For more information aboutschool test results and what they mean,visit FLDOE.org or SDHC.k12.fl.us.


New Tampa High School Grades High, Students Prepped For College

By Gary NagerEven though it’s usually the male-

dominated barber shops that are famousfor their unique banter between clientsand haircutters on everything from presi-dential politics to sports to popular music,if you’ve been looking for a great, newplace to get your hair cut, a place whereevery client is made to feel like family, youhave to visit the incredible ladies at thenew Exclusive Clientele Salon in the CrossCreek Plaza on Cross Creek Blvd.

Of course, neither owner and MasterStylist Christy Johnson nor her equally-well-trained, ultra-talented crew of MasterStylists — Nica Kennedy, Tiffany Ivy andCrystal Garcia — are men, but they all canhave fun speaking to any subject and al-ways make their clients feel comfortable.

“When I first moved to Tampa fromMaryland, I found that a lot of the hair sa-lons weren’t very welcoming,” saysChristy, who has now owned three salonsand has 30 years of experience in the in-dustry. And, she is licensed to cut hair infour states (Florida, Maryland, Californiaand Pennsylvania).

She adds, “So, when I opened myfirst Exclusive Clientele Salon in the Peb-ble Creek area a few years ago, my goalwas that everyone who wanted a greathair style or color job — men and womenof every color and ethnicity — should beable to feel that they were more than justcustomers to not only me, but also toeveryone who works with me, and that wewere able to provide professional stylesand color for every hair type. I even chose

the name ‘Exclusive Clien-tele’ because we want tomake all of our clients feellike they’re special to us.”

Speaking of special,Christy says her husbandThomas Johnson, the“Michael Jordan of taxes,who has done Michael Jor-dan’s taxes” believes in herability and her goal of hav-ing the most popular salonin Tampa.

It was Christy’s “weare family” attitude that firstattracted Nica, Tiffany andCrystal to work with herand, like the owner herself, all of the styl-ists at Exclusive Clientele Salon also havehad amazing training and experience.

For example, Nica has had 20 yearsof experience, as she, “went right fromhigh school to hair school” in Delawareand moved to Tampa in 1995. She metChristy less than three years ago andworked with her at the original ExclusiveClientele Salon.

“I actually scouted out a few salonswith a local product distributor when Iasked for recommendations about salonsin Tampa, says Nica, who is licensed inFlorida and Georgia.“Christy was the onlyone I met that I wanted to work with.”

Nica, who has been married for fouryears to her husband Frederick, adds thather specialty is creating precision, custom,“trendy” cuts for natural hair, as well ashair transitioning from relaxer to natural.


Exclusive Clientele Salon — Where Every Client Is Treated Like Family!

(L. to r.) Nica Kennedy, owner Christy Johnson, Tiffany Ivy and Crystal Garcia invite you be part of the fam-ily at Exclusive Clientele Salon, located in the Cross Creek Center Plaza on Cross Creek Blvd. at Kinnan St.

“We all have similar training and stay upon the latest trends by going to tradeshows and taking classes every year.”

Are You Kidding Me?Are You Kidding Me?As someone who gets his hair cut

only once every 6-8 weeks, dependingupon how good the haircut turned out tobe, I was stunned to learn that somewomen get their hair cut or styled everyweek, sometimes even twice a week!

In fact, Tiffany (who has 24 years ofhair styling experience) says that for somewomen, having the same person cut theirhair is so important to them that 30 ofthem are willing to actually pay for her tofly back to her native St. Louis (she is li-censed in Florida and Missouri) to cuttheir hair once every month.

“They’ll have local people do theirweekly touch-ups,” says Tiffany, whosehusband Jerry Ivy recently started provid-

ing great BBQ for customers of the Half-time Sports Lounge in the New TampaCenter plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD)Blvd.. “But, they all want me for theirmajor styling and coloring and especially,for my weaving. I see all 30 clients in oneweek each month and fly back to Tampa.”

Master Colorist, Stylist and EducatorCrystal Garcia has been working in thebeauty industry for 28 years. Her profes-sional background has allowed her towork in many areas of beauty and designworld. Although she wasn’t available to beinterviewed for this article, ExclusiveClientele Salon’s website says that Crystalprides herself in her ability to work withany texture of hair and is always educatingclients and peers alike on the most up-to-date products, techniques and styles.

“We’re looking for one more stylistto join this family,” Christy says. “All of us

See “Exclusive” on page 47.

one. But, I could tell that Taylor and Kel-lie were so deep with the song as I wasrecording them.”

Snelgrove hopes the song will helpthe mourning process of those who knewHarris. Emery says that they won’t know

how much money the song has raiseduntil January.

“Jordan may be gone / but I’ll neverforget how he inspired me,” Emery saysin the song. “He’s watching over us now,what a great thing to bear.”

‘Harris,’ By Taylor EmeryChorus: Why, why'd you have to leave? So early you see. I was hoping we would make it

through together. Fight through any weather. Wind, rain, sun, whatever. I can't let you go

Verse 1: Too early to say goodbye. Intruded by this enemy and I don't know why. Unableto grasp this unbelievable news. Not quite being able to refuse. 18 years old, he shouldn't havedied. Just a kid living stride after stride. Attacked by this invisible enemy that has no morals, anever ending war. Soldiers stayed loyal. But it wasn't enough and now our hearts are cuffed. In-dividualized by our minds, but united by our sorrow. We expect to see him tomorrow. Sodom-ized by our brain's vision of what could be. Not accepting the truth, idealizing a falsehood ofwhat should be. Jordan may be gone, but I'll never forget. I'll never forget how he inspired me.

Verse 2: We flock together to mourn his death. Crying over his last breath. Crying over hisfriendliness. Refusing to accept his nonexistent presence. Reacting at his struggles and not re-sponding ideal. Not keeping our emotions concealed. We wear it on our sleeve because we misshim. We thought his will to win was stronger than the enemy, but the enemy prevailed and con-tinued to sail. While we stood here confused and kept asking why, needing to cry. The good dieyoung and I don't understand, undermining the ability to be grand. Killing off our future, notprepared to halt. We think on what could've been, putting ourselves at fault. Feeling a heavy bur-den day in and day out 'cause of Jordan. No doubt.

Verse 3: We look back on the past and think of that kid. What he said and what he did tolift our happiness above our scale. He was the light in our eyes leading to his happiness spread.The goal of striding across that stage, succeeded and celebrated. Main goal checked off the neverending list of life. An angel left us today. A being refuting our tears and exemplifying our faith.He left us and went to heaven. Floating up with no regrets and despair in our hearts. He wantsno pain or struggle from us, just happiness and memories. Loving the past and blinded by ourfuture, a future he never knew. He's watching over us now, what a great thing to bear.

Rest in peace, JHarr. — Taylor Emery

By Matt Wiley

If you were to search “Harris” oreven “Taylor Emery” in the iTunes Storeon a computer, numerous results for bothsong names and artists would appear.However, one result would be a song ac-tually named “Harris,” written and pro-duced right here in New Tampa, to honorFreedom High graduate Jordan Harris,who passed away after a long battle withbrain cancer in October at the age of 18.

To help offset the cost of medical andfuneral bills, two of Jordan’s friends gottogether with a local music producer andproduced a song that recently went up onthe popular online music store, the pro-ceeds from which will go directly to theHarris family.

“This song means a lot to me,” says16-year-old Taylor Emery, the Freedom

High girlsbasketball starwho wrote it.“It's the wayI released allof my built upemotions Iwas feelingfrom hisdeath. I listento it wheneverI need moti-

vation because (Jordan) taught us to nevergive up, regardless of the situation athand.”

Emery met Harris when the two en-tered Freedom together as freshmen. To-gether with her friend and CountrysideHigh student Kellie Gaston, 16, who pro-vided backing vocals, and BloomingdaleHigh student Kyle Snelgrove, 17, whoproduced the song, the three collaboratedto produce a four-minute hip-hop songabout Harris and the battle that ultimatelytook his life.

“The challenge was writing it,”Emery says. “It took about seven daysfrom start to finish.”

Emery says that she didn’t want toactually include the word “cancer” in thesong, so she took another route, by in-cluding a more subliminal message.

“Intruded by this enemy / and Idon’t know why,” Emery says in one lineof the song (see complete lyrics, right).

Emery says that her message is thatcancer is horrible and that a cure needs tobe found to prevent more tragedies likethe loss of her friend.

Snelgrove says that he was able to put“Harris” together using sound mixers anda computer program in his bedroom.

“Putting together the song washard,” Snelgrove says. “Especially since Idon't know the feeling of losing a loved


Freedom Student, Friends Write Song For Fallen Classmate To Help Family

Jordan Harris Photo:Mojo Studios

have had our work featured in beauty in-dustry magazines, but we know there arestill plenty of other talented stylists andcolorists out there and we would love atleast one more to handle the number ofpeople we see in this salon.”

If you’re interested in joining theExclusive team, look for the info at theend of this story.

Start With Healthy Hair!Start With Healthy Hair!One of the things Christy and her

crew all stress is that any hair type can be“good” hair, as long as it’s healthy.

“Although we all have no problemwith styling kinky or over curly hair,”Christy says, “a lot of people think curlyhair is bad hair. It’s not. You just have toknow what you’re doing...and we do.Not only can we give you the proper cutfor your hair type, we can recommendand provide the best products (from Red-ken to nairobi and many more) to keepyour hair as healthy as possible.”

And, perhaps best of all, Christy andher style team all offer free consultations.

“Anyone who wants to come talk tous about their hair is welcome,” saysChristy proudly. “Whether you’re black,white, Asian, Hispanic, blonde, brunette,redhead, or want to know more aboutextensions, we hope you’ll think of Ex-

clusive Clientele Salon, where our goal isto leave all of our clients happy and smil-ing.”

To that end, Christy recently addedeyebrow threading with a woman of In-dian descent to Exclusive ClienteleSalon’s already impressive list of hairstyling, coloring and weaving services.Call or visit the salon for details. Also,check out the Exclusive ad on page 22 ofthis issue, where you’ll find a couponworth $10 off any hair service for newclients only.

If you want you and your hair to betreated like family, please visit Christy andher crew and tell them that the NewTampa Neighborhood News sent you!

Exclusive Clientele Salon is lo-cated at 10026 Cross Creek Blvd.,near Café Olé. For appointments andmore information, call 994-2393 orvisit ExclusiveClienteleSalon.com.


“Exclusive”Continued from page 45

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men and women of every ethnicity.


The Wesley Chapel WingHouse — Minutes From New Tampa On S.R. 54! By Gary Nager

Just a few minutes north of NewTampa, Ker’s WingHouse has opened onS.R. 54 (just west of the corner of OldPasco Rd.). Of course, the Wesley Chapellocation is just one of more than 20 Wing-House restaurants in Florida, and the com-pany itself has a 20-year history in theTampa Bay area. Founded by former DallasCowboys and Denver Broncos offensivelineman Crawford Ker, the first WingHouseopened in Largo in 1994 and there are plansto open locations throughout the Southeast.

All WingHouse restaurants are openfor lunch and dinner and feature full-servicebars with a wide selection of liquor cocktailsand major domestic, imported, and specialtybeers. Signature items include Ker’s famous“Naked” Chicken Wings — skinless drum-

mettes that are marinated, baked, and tossedin one of Ker’s award-winning wing sauces— and the Dallas Burger: two juicy 8 ozBBQ burgers topped with bacon.

All WingHouse locations also featurestate-of-the-art TV packages for all of thebig games and Pay-Per-View boxingmatches and Ultimate Fighting Champi-onship (UFC) fights.

But, of course, the main attraction atevery WingHouse are the “World-FamousWingHouse Girls.”

The girls are the foundation of Ker’sconcept. These “ultimate girls next door”wait tables, tend bar, work as hostesses, par-ticipate in brand promotions and are thecompany’s cheerleaders — and also are theprimary reason the Wesley Chapel and otherlocations are all so popular. Wesley Chapelgeneral manager Tony Santos promises thathis WingHouse girls are always attractive,polite and provide great service, positive atti-tudes and pretty smiles — all to encourageguests to make frequent visits and becomeloyal customers.

Every month or so, each WingHousehas certain days called “Dress to Impress,”where the girls wear special outfits or cos-tumes. The most recent “Impress” eventswere the Halloween, Military and “Santa’sLittle Helpers” days in Oct., Nov. and Dec.,respectively. The next “Dress to Impress”day wasn’t yet scheduled at our press time,but Tony promises that although the outfitscan be a little more risqué at other Wing-

Houses, “We usually have the girlstone it down a little for this location,because we get so many families here.”

And, with so many beautifulyoung women working at all of theWingHouse locations, the companyputs out an awesome yearly calendar(buy yours at the Wesley Chapel loca-tion), which for 2014 features two ofyour Wesley Chapel WingHouse girls— Alex (photo left) and Skyla.

But of course, this is still mainly adining review and I’m definitely a fanof not only WingHouse’s aforementioned“naked” wings (I prefer the medium Buf-falo-style, blackened and Asian versions), butalso of the huge “Grouper’s Teammate” andmahi-mahi sandwiches, which I prefer grilledor blackened with a side of WingHouse’sperfectly spicy red cocktail sauce.

I also have enjoyed some of the Wing-House’s great daily lunch (served 11 a.m.-4p.m.) specials, including Monday’s meatballsub, the hot ham & cheese sandwich onThursday and fried fish & chips on Friday.

I’m also partial to the regular Wing-House burger, although there are some op-tions that I’ve heard people rave about,including the mushroom Swiss burger. I alsohave had no problem devouring any of thefour wrap sandwiches on WingHouse’smenu, although my favorite is the big Phillycheesesteak wrap. I’ve never sampled Wing-House’s Texas chili or chicken and sausagegumbo, but I do enjoy the zesty chicken tor-

tilla soup. And, WingHouse’s salads arefresh, huge and share-able. There’s even agreat kids menu and desserts like New York-style cheesecake, Key lime pie and ice cream.

For more info about the WesleyChapel Ker’s WingHouse (5510 PostOak Blvd.), call 428-7157 or visit Wing-House.com. And, please tell Tony andthe girls we sent you!

Bartender Alex is one of two Wesley ChapelWingHouse girls selected to be featured in the

2014 WingHouse calendar.

Among our editor’s favorites at the WesleyChapel Ker’s WingHouse, located on S.R.54 west of Old Pasco Rd., are the naked,

blackened wings (top) and the “Grouper’sTeammate” sandwich (above).

By Gary NagerFor those of us who have lived and/or

worked in and around Tampa the last 10-20years, the name “Vallarta’s Restaurante Mex-icana” is synonymous with delicious Mexicancuisine at very fair prices. The family-owned“chain” of Tampa-area restaurants startedwith its first location, on N. 56th St. in Tem-ple Terrace, in 1989 and today has successfulrestaurants under the Vallarta’s “umbrella”in Carrollwood, Town & Country, LandO’Lakes and in the Wesley Chapel VillageMarket off S.R. 54 at Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

But, the newest link in the Vallarta’schain is probably the most ambitious for mybuddy Fabian, who also owns the WesleyChapel location. A little more than a monthago, my friend Fabian opened his newestVallarta’s in City Plaza at Tampa Palms, in

the space most re-cently occupied byCiccio’s Lodge, al-though this primelocation next toPublix also has beenThe Lime, WinnersGrill and theBoston Cooker.

In otherwords, it may seemlike a great location,but some of theothers may havenot been able tomaintain their re-spective successes inthe space because they couldn’t offer whatVallarta’s has been able to do to not onlysurvive, but to thrive at all of its locations —

offer the best possible value for yourmoney. That means you shouldn’tbet against this popular Mexicanrestaurant ending up a long-termwinner in Tampa Palms, too.

The newest Vallarta’s may alsobe the prettiest of the group, with arevamped tile bar with flat-screenTVs, full liquor, including frozenmargaritas in a variety of flavors,premium tequilas and rums, ice coldDos Equis, Modelo, Pacifico andother favorite import and domesticbeers on draft and more.

And of course, most folks starttheir meal with Vallarta’s signature

(and addictive) puréedsalsa and homemadetortilla chips. I also canrecommend thelighter-than-mostcheese dip, the spicyMexican chicken soup,huge nachos supremeand fresh pico de .

Lunch combos arehugely popular at Val-larta’s, and cost only$5-$8, with only thesteak or chicken fajitas lunch costing thatmuch. Whether you like tacos, enchiladas,chalupas, chile rellenos, burritos, quesadillasor even huevos Rancheros (ranch-styleeggs), you can enjoy jany combination ofthose items for as little as a fast food lunchMonday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

But, even at lunch (and certainly fordinner), I still prefer Vallarta’s more upscalesteak, chicken and pork dishes. The carnitas(pork tips) are delicious and tender and youcan even add red or green sauce.

The fajitas always come out sizzlingand I usually enjoy a combination of beef(sliced flank steak) and chicken, although


Vallarta’s Opens The Newest Link In A Family Chain In Tampa Palms!

This veggie quesadilla is overstuffed with freshveggies and cheese.

(Clockwise from top left) The chips andpureed salsa at Vallarta’s are addictive, but

so are the combo Fajitas Vallarta and thesteak a la Mexicana, plus all of the sides.

new sales and marketing assistant AntwonGildon also raved about his fajitas Vallarta,which adds sizzling shrimp to the combo.And, if I could eat the shrimp, I would defi-nitely try the ultimate fajita combo at Val-larta’s (certainly big enough for two), theParrillada, which combines beef, chicken,pork, chorizo sausage and shrimp fajitas,with pico de gallo and all the sides.

But, I also love Vallarta’s ribeye steakchoices, including the nicely spicy steak a laMexicana, which is grilled with freshjalapeños, tomatoes and onions and is mynew favorite entrée at Vallarta’s, the batter-dipped steak Milanesas (although I don’tneed the nacho cheese dipping sauce thatcomes with it), and the Vallarta’s special,which is like the steak Mexicana, withoutthe jalapeños.

Vegetarians also have to be impressed

with Valllarta’s vegetarian menu, which in-cludes veggie fajitas, potato and bean burri-tos and a unique vegetarian combo — aburrito with squash, tomatoes, onions andjalapeños, plus one cheese enchilada, servedwith rice and beans.

And yes, Vallarta’s has an outstandingkids menu, with everything from hamburg-ers and hot dogs to tacos and enchiladasand all costing just $4.50, including a drink,for kids 12 and under. There’s even churros(like the ones sold at fairs, only better), friedice cream and flan for dessert.

Vallarta’s (16023 Tampa PalmsBlvd.) is open every day for lunch anddinner. Happy hour is every day, 2 p.m.-7 p.m. For more info, call 978-3761,visit VallartasTampa.com or see the ad onpage 61 for great coupon specials. ForWesley Chapel, call 907-5161.


The interior of the new Vallarta’s in Tampa Palms is spacious and casually elegant.


Gary’s 2013 Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa

1. Café Olé - The combination of the clos-ing of several of my other favorite restaurantsin New Tampa and the continued amazingmastery of sauces, especially for pork andfresh fish entrées (like the paella above), hasmoved Café Olé up to my #1 favorite inNew Tampa for the first time. Owner FrankAliaga is getting ready to open his third din-ing room (in the former Pizza Kitchen loca-tion) in February, which means Café Olé isnow also an even better place for even largerparties than it was before. 2. Acropolis Greek Taverna - Also mov-ing up a notch this year, Acropolis still hasdelicious fresh fish and great lamb chops,

plus all the traditional Greek and Mediter-ranean dishes (gyros, souvlakis, hummus,etc.) and evening entertainment.3. Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill - Movingup three spots this year, the best value infresh sushi, hibachi grill entrées and more inNew Tampa continues to improve and is oneof the most popular lunch locales in our area.4. Ciccio's Cali (See page 61 & photo)

5. Sukhothai6. Thai Ruby7. Stonewood Grill & Tavern8. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine9. Takara Sushi & Sake Lounge10. Sushi Raw (see page 60!)11. The Little Greek12. Sushi Cafe13. Oakley's Grille

14. Petra Mediterranean15. Woodfired Pizza (Bearss Ave.)16. La Cubanita Café17. Casa Ramos18. Toast Fine Wine & Café19. Taste of NY Pizza20. Las Palmas Spanish Café21. Sushi Ko22. Fushia Asian Bistro23. Peabody's24. Full Circle Pizza25. Mulligan’s Irish Pub

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel

1. Dempsey's Steak House — Untilsomeone in Wesley Chapel comes up witha better bone-in cowboy ribeye steak, abetter gourmet salad bar or a better atmos-phere, Dempsey’s will continue to be #1 inWesley Chapel for me.2. City Grill — Owner Gerry Maly-nowsky and Chef Kasia have created a truewinner (no pun intended) in WesleyChapel. The hangar steak and freshgrouper (photo below) are top-notch andwe love City Grill’s small plates, too. 3. D'Alessio Ristorante Italiano — Lastyear, Wesley Chapel had no restaurantsserving homemade pasta. Today, there are

two and both scored high on my score-card. D’Alessio has some of the best pennea la vodka (photo, above), authentic pizzaand veal parmigiana in the entire TampaBay area4. Ciao! Italian Bistro — With newchef/owner Justin serving different varia-tions of his homemade pasta every week atmy Wesley Chapel Rotary Club meetings,Ciao! jumped up ten slots from last year. 5. Bonefish Grill6. The Hungry Greek7. La Prima Pizza8. Cantina Laredo9. Hibachi Express10. Wolf's Den11. Best NY Pizza12. Yamato Japanese Steakhouse13. GrillSmith14. Taste of Boston15. NY NY Pizza16. Vallarta's (Village Market)17. Fine Thai Express18. 900º Woodfired Pizza19. Café Fresco20. Amici Pizza21. PizzaMania22. Outback Steak House23. Quail Hollow Country Club24. Bonsai Sushi25. Ker's WingHouse

Once again, here is my list of favorite eateries in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel for 2013and again, my list looks very different from the list compiled through the votes of our readers.

Of course, one reason for the differences between my “survey” and yours each year is thatI get virtually all of that calendar year to look back on, while we start asking you to submityour favorites in September or October, and there are always newcomers that catch my eyethat either weren’t open long enough to register with you or didn’t open until after your voteswere already submitted. Three of my absolute new favorites this year that didn’t open untilDecember, for example, are City Grill and D’Alessio’s Ristorante in Wesley Chapel andSushi Raw in Tampa Palms.

The restaurants in bold on the first two lists include my five favorites each in new Tampa& Wesley Chapel, as well as the restaurants which opened in 2013 that made my list.

I also once again want to remind you that although only the top 25 of my favorites ineach area are listed, I actually genuinely like closer to 40-50 restaurants in each of our distribu-tion areas, so finishing 25th is still far from finishing “last.”— GN

1. Oakley’s Grille (photo)2. Five Guys Burgers & Fries3. Burger 214. Peabody’s5. Hunter’s Green Country Club6. City Grill 7. Wolf’s Den8. Red Robin9. Stonewood Grill & Tavern10. Mulligan’s Irish Pub

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Latin/Mexican Food In NT/WC

It’s still hard to group “Latin” (orCuban/Spanish food with the Mexicancuisine, because they’re all so different,but since we have limited number ofeach, I have to group them together.Obviously, Café Olé (my #1 overall inNew Tampa) is my favorite in this cate-gory, but all of the Mexican and Cubanplaces on the list have good food, too. 1. Café Olé2. La Cubanita Cafe3. Cantina Laredo4. Vallarta's5. Casa Ramos6. Las Palmas Spanish Café7. La Fuente (photo)8. Latin Twist Café

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Greek/Mediterranean Food In NT/WC

Acropolis continues to be the clearwinner for me, but the other three onthis list all have their outstanding attrib-utes, including Little Greek’s steakkabobs, Hungry Greek’s gyros andPetra’s beef shawarma.1. Acropolis Greek Taverna2. The Little Greek3. The Hungry Greek

4. Petra Mediterranean Grill

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Bars/Taverns In NT/WC

For eye candy rivaled only by thenew WingHouse in Wesley Chapel andconvenience to my office, plus the factyou can no longer smoke inside keepsPeabody’s at my number one spot. Be-yond the scenic locales, my favorites alloffer high-end, premium alcohol in amore upscale setting. Beer-only bars andsmoking bars all finish lower on my list.1. Peabody’s2. Dempsey's Too Lounge3. Acropolis Greek Taverna4. Cafe Ole5. Ker's WingHouse6. Casa Ramos7. PJ Dolan's Irish Pub8. Stonewood Grill & Tavern9. Bonefish Grill10. Toast Fine Wine & Cafe11. Mulligan's Irish Bar12. Cantina Laredo13. Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club14. PrimeBar15. Back 9 Cafe16. City Grill17. Hunter's Green Country Club18. GrillSmith19. Skinny's Sports Bar20. (tie) The Brass Tap &

Linkster's Tap Room

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Ice Cream In NT/WC

With all of the frozen yogurt placesnow open in our area, I find it too hardto rank them because, in my opinion,they’re all too similar in taste, so it’smore a matter of which toppings theyoffer for me. But, I still prefer ice creamto frozen yogurt and I can (and do)enjoy an occasional cone or hot fudgesundae from all of these. 1. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream2. Cold Stone Creamery3. Baskin-Robbins4. DQ5. Twistee Treat6. Sprinkles Ice Cream Parlor

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Coffee In NT/WC

1. Caffé Nove2. You Do The Dishes3. Toast Fine Wine & Café4. Season’s Fresh Café5. Café 3656. Barnie’s Coffee Company7. Dolce Gelato & Crepes (see page 61)


Gary’s 2013 Favorite NEWRestaurants In NT/WC

We had such a great crop of newrestaurants this year that pretty muchevery place on the list below will con-tinue to draw me in, as long as the qual-ity of the food continues. If you stillhaven’t tried any of these, you’ve reallybeen missing out.1. City Grill2. D’Alessio’s Ristorante Italiano3. Ciccio’s Cali4. Sushi Raw5. The Little Greek6. Petra Mediterranean7. Hibachi Express8. Best NY Pizza9. Casa Ramos10. (tie) NY NY Pizza & Lanna Thai

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Chinese Food In NT/WCA tough category because we have a

lot of decent Chinese takeout restau-rants, but not many great sit-down ones.Liang’s consistently has my favorite eggrolls and sautéed green beans in ourarea, Sushi Ko has the best spare ribs andgreat sushi, to boot, and Fushia has myfavorite combination fried rice and spicybeef with Chinese broccoli.1. Liang's Bistro2. Sushi Ko3. Fushia Asian Bistro4. China Taste5. Ho Wok

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Sushi/ Japanese In NT/WC

This may be the toughest categoryfor me this year because we just have somuch great sushi. Newcomer Sushi Rawmay eventually overtake Takara, but youreally can’t go wrong with any of theplaces on this list.1. Takara Sushi & Sake Lounge (photo)2. Sushi Raw3. Sushi Café4. Sukhothai5. Soho Sushi6. Sushi Ko7. Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill 8. Hibachi Express9. Bonsai Sushi10. (tie) Yamato & Kobe

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Thai Restaurants In NT/WC

Sukhothai beats out Thai Ruby by ahair every year because I can enjoy deli-cious sushi as a prelude to outstandingThai entrées, but Thai Ruby has the bestduck with ginger sauce and equally deli-cious fried rice and Fine Thai Express inWesley Chapel is owned by the samepeople, while Saffron (our only Indian

restaurant) has the best sizzling lambchops in our area. 1. Sukhothai2. Thai Ruby3. Fine Thai Express4. Saffron Indian Cuisine5. Lanna Thai

Gary’s 2013 Favorite PizzaPlaces In NT/WC

Another toughie. La Prima’s cheesepizza most reminds me of the pizza Iloved in New York City, but NY NY hasgot a non-traditional “Grandma’s pizza”with dollops of a garlicky tomato sauce,900º Woodfired has both excellent NY-and delicious woodfired Neapolitanstyle. Best NY (photo above) may be justa cut below the top three pizza-wise, butis such a great sit-down restaurant that itfinished above NY NY in my list of over-all Wesley Chapel favorites. And, I obvi-ously still prefer NY-style places to anyChicago-style pizzerias. 1. La Prima Pizza2. NY NY Pizza3. 900º Woodfired Pizza (Wiregrass)4. Best NY Pizza (photo)5. Taste of NY Pizza6. Amici Pizza7. Woodfired Pizza (Bearss Ave.)8. Full Circle Pizza9. Biagio’s II10. (tie) PizzaMania & Cappy’s Pizza

Gary’s 2013 Favorite SteakRestaurants In NT/WC

No one can touch Dempsey’s, butthe hangar steak from City Grill is ascrumptious newcomer at a great price.Stonewood is a little pricey comparedwith everyone except Dempsey’s, or itmight have finished higher on the list.1. Dempsey`s Steakhouse2. City Grill3. Texas Roadhouse4. Stonewood Grill & Tavern5.. Outback Steakhouse6. Café Olé7. GrillSmith8. Quail Hollow CC9. Bonefish Grill10. Koizi Endless Hibachi Grill

Gary’s 2013 Favorite Gary’s 2013 Favorite Hamburgers In NT/WCHamburgers In NT/WCOakley’s continues to hold the top

spot and I have to give Five Guys itsdue, too, especially for the money. Youreally can’t go wrong with Burger 21(great selection), Peabody’s or Hunter’sGreen Country Club either.


ing a cross-country trip or taking ayear off to travel, you should defi-nitely visit the 2014 Florida RV Su-perShow, the signature annual eventof the Florida RV (Recreational Vehi-cle) Trade Association which hasbeen helping RV dealers throughoutFlorida since 1979. The SuperShow— the largest RV show in the U.S.— will be held Wednesday-Sunday,January 15-19, at the Florida StateFairgrounds off I-4 at U.S. 301 inTampa, minutes from New Tampa.

There will be 1,100 RVs on dis-play (including all new 2014 models) andmore than 350 booths to explore and ad-mission is just $10 for a two-day pass (kidsunder 16 get in free) and seniors receive a$1 off discount on Wed. of the event.

For more info, visit FRVTA.org orsee the ad on page 26!Kumquat Festival® Jan. 25!Kumquat Festival® Jan. 25!

The Dade City Chamber of Commerceis proud to once again present the unique,quaint and family fun of "old Florida" dur-ing the Chamber’s 17th annual KumquatFestival® on Saturday, January 25, 9a.m.-5 p.m., in historic downtown DadeCity — it's truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

The Greater Dade City Chamber ofCommerce has established a flagship eventthat celebrates everything that makes theDade City area unique, while encouragingvisitors to participate in the fun! Since thenearby town of St. Joseph was alreadyknown as the “Kumquat Capital of theWorld,” the Dade City Chamber decidedthat this little fruit with a funny name couldbe the focus of an annual festival.

Come enjoy live music, delicious food,family fun and the “little gem of the citrus

industry” — the kumquat — with kumquatpies and products, arts & crafts, a great carshow, a health & wellness section, children’sactivities, a farmers market and much more.

For more information, call the DadeCity Chamber at (352) 567-3769, visitDadeCityChamber.org or see page 17.

Dolce Gelato & Crepes CaféDolce Gelato & Crepes CaféOpens In Meadow Pointe!Opens In Meadow Pointe!

Even though it’s located “deep” insidethe Meadow Pointe community (at 30004County Line Rd.), I definitely think it’sworth a short drive (three easy miles fromthe Shops at Wiregrass mall and only twomiles from Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd.)to visit my friend Tarek at the decadent newDolce Gelato & Crepes Café for mid-morning breakfast, lunch or after any meal.

Dolce, which opens every day at 9 a.m.and is open after dinner, too, has excellentdesserts, including authentic Italian gelato,French crepes and Belgian waffles, plusbacon or ham, egg and cheese crepes forbreakfast, a variety of Boar’s head fresh-pressed panini sandwiches for lunch, deli-cious coffee, tea and smoothies and more.

The Latest & Greatest News About Dining, Shopping, Retail & More In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!

Sushi Raw Now Open InSushi Raw Now Open InTampa Palms!Tampa Palms!

Those of us whose offices are located inthe Shoppes at Amberly plaza in TampaPalms have been missing the original sushirestaurant in our area, Sushi Tsu, since itclosed and became the new Casa RamosMexican Restaurant earlier this year. So, wewere thrilled to hear that a new sushi placewas coming to the other end of our plaza.

And, I know I wasn’t the only one whowas even more excited to find out that Fong,everyone’s favorite sushi chef from SushiTsu, was the one opening the new SushiRaw (15311 Amberly Dr.). And, I was evenmore psyched to know that original SushiTsu owner Jay (and several other formerSushi Tsu employees) were all helping Fongso he can do what he does best — make thefreshest and most creative sushi in our area.

Jay, who is now a sous chef at Ruth’sChris Steak House in the Westshore area ofTampa, has been focusing on creatingunique hot appetizers and entrées for SushiRaw, including the amazing Crispy Lobsterpictured above (photo by Matt Wiley).Think Bonefish Grill’s Bang-Bang shrimp,only better — and with lobster.

When you visit Sushi Raw, which isopen for dinner every day and for lunch

every weekday, check out some of my newfavorites I’ve sampled there so far — includ-ing the spicy ahi tuna poki appetizer, searedmahi-mahi sashimi and Korean-style BBQbeef, among others — and please tell Fongand the crew that we sent you.

For more info, call Sushi Raw at 977-3838, or see the ad on page 56 for a great$2 off any sushi roll coupon.

Wolf’s Den...Again!Wolf’s Den...Again!Although we told you in a recent issue

that Wolf ’s Den — Wesley Chapel’sNeighborhood Diner — was adding dinnerhours and a full selection of BBQ favorites toits already impressive menu, Wolf’s Den(27606 S.R. 56) owner Roger Wolf has sincedecided to, “go back to doing what we dobest — serving the best breakfast, brunchand lunch in Wesley Chapel at the best possi-ble prices.”

And, if you’re like me (and obviously, alot of you are, as Wolf’s Den was our read-ers’ second-favorite restaurant in WesleyChapel, and second favorite pizza and fourthfavorite burger place in New Tampa or Wes-ley Chapel), you’re probably hoping thatRoger will continue to serve some of his de-licious dinner entrées (my favorite is his best-in-Wesley Chapel fried chicken) for lunchand takeout.

And, he’s doing just that. But now,Wolf’s Den is only open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.

“We’re still packed every day for break-fast and lunch,” Roger says, noting that hecurrently has pumpkin and eggnog pancakesavailable for the holidays. For info, call907-9124 or see the ad on page 53.

Florida RV SuperShow AtFlorida RV SuperShow AtThe Fairgrounds Jan. 15-19!The Fairgrounds Jan. 15-19!

If you’ve ever even thought about tak-

Sampling kumquats at the 2013 Kumquat Festival inDade City. The 2014 Festival will be held Jan. 25.


I’ve already sampled a pressed roastbeef panini, Dolce’s “Carabanella” (caramel,banana and Nutella spread) crepe and theButterfinger gelato-topped waffle (withchocolate topping) pictured here (right).

Please tell Tarek that the New TampaNeighborhood News sent you. For moreinfo, call 991-0350.

Here & There, This & ThatHere & There, This & ThatTo update an item that appeared in our

last issue, the new Ciccio’s Cali (17004Palm Pointe Blvd.; 975-1222) has openedin the former World of Beer location in theShopees at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms(behind Olive Garden). Our office sampleda few delicious items at the new Ciccio’ssince it opened in December and I have tosay that although there are some menu itemsI miss at the new Ciccio’s, the brick-ovenpizzas are crisper and better, the Cali bowlsand stir-fry entrées (photo below) andgrilled wrap sandwiches are still awesome.

Chevrolet of Wesley Chapel (322-3441) has opened, although right now, thenew dealership (which is owned by the samegroup that owns the Wesley ChapelHyundai and Mazda dealerships next door)is operating out of a trailer. Sales consultantBobby Page says that Chevrolet of WesleyChapel’s building will open in about a year.

The Wesley Chapel Village Market(S.R. 54 at BBD) will soon be home toStonemill Artisan Bakery & Desserts. Theshop, which should be open next to Val-larta’s and Woody’s Pizza & Wings withina couple of weeks as you receive this issue, iswhere you can expect to find gelato, icecream, frozen yogurt, French pastries, au-thentic artisan breads, great coffee andmore. We’ll keep you posted.

A&A Boutique, which was owned byyoung sisters Amber & Allie Malott in thesame plaza as The Hungry Greek and thenew D’Alessio’s Ristorante on BBD inWesley Chapel (across from the new FloridaHospital WC), has closed. The Malott twinsare now only selling their original fashiondesigns online at TwinCollections.com.

And finally, congratulations to my fel-low Wesley Chapel Rotary Club memberBen Alexander, whose company, BalloonDistractions, will appear on the smash hitABC-TV show “Shark Tank” on Friday,January 17, 8 p.m. Ben can’t talk abouthow it all turned out until after the showairs, but we’ll have the complete story in anupcoming issue and on our website, NT-NeighborhoodNews.com.

For info about Balloon Distractions,visit BalloonDistractions.com or call(800) 645-2114. — GN


C O M P U T E R S E R V I C E S

H E L P W A N T E D H E L P W A N T E DPHYSICAL THERAPIST – An estab-lished New Tampa outpatient clinic is hiringa part-time PT to provide customized, one-on-one care. Fax resume to (813) 994-3080

HELP WANTED – Full Circle Pizza &Grill is looking for an EXPERIENCEDpizza maker/line cook. NO phone calls.Walk-ins with resumes ONLY. 19651 BruceB. Downs Blvd., Suite B2, Mon-Sat, 11a.m.– 8 p.m. Ask for Ron.

HELP WANTED - -Looking for hairstyl-ists with established clientele. -Relaxing con-temporary environment. -Busy shoppingcenter in new tampa -Booth rental available$175/week -Newly furnished private suitew/ shampoo bowl for $225/week -Firstweek free !! Contact Ms.Johnson @8139942393 [email protected]

HELP WANTED - Attractive, PersonableSales Person sought by new restaurant lo-cated on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel. Experi-enced or we can train. The position calls forthe person to contact large local businessesabout their catering needs. Apply in per-son, with resume, at CityGrill (5429 Vil-lage Market, S.R. 54 between I-75 &BBD) between 11 a.m.-5 p.m. & ask forGerry.

HELP WANTED - Busy real estate agentlooking for dependable, honest, self starterfor clerical position. Must have workingknowledge of all Windows Office software,reliable phone with unlimited text /emailservice, and dependable automobile. Parttime to full time available with some week-end hours. Please send resumes to [email protected] no later than December 20,2013. Qualified individuals will be noti-fied, for an interview, by phone

HELP WANTED - Multiple position needto be filled at KW mega agent office. TeamBohannon is expending we need additionalexperienced Buyer’s Agents, and listingAgents. Skilled, highly organized, and ex-perienced Transaction Coordinator…Justlist and sell and we do the rest for you. Wewill provide you with lots and lots of qualityleads. Contact Annette Bohannon TeamBohannon Keller Williams Tampa Prop-erties. today at (813) 431-2840.

HELP WANTED - Plastic surgery practicein New Tampa is seeking a motivated,friendly medical assistant to work full time inboth front office and back office capacitiesstarting in January. Candidate must be pro-fessional, reliable, and familiar with com-puter software (Excel, Microsoft Word).Please send your resume and a cover let-ter with your qualifications for the posi-tion to [email protected]

HELP WANTED - Award winning RealEstate Team with an overflow of seriousprospects. Seeking professional full t vime realestate agents who want to expand their hori-zons, make more money, and have a fulfill-ing life. Great training available, KellerWilliams Tampa Properties, Annette Bohannon 813-431-2840

F I T N E S S & W E L L B E I N GPROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT – inyour home or small business. A+ certified computertech with 20 years of exp. Maintenance & repairs,upgrades & tutoring. More affordable than thelarge chains! Friendly, personalized svc. Technicaljargon explained in plain English. Remote assistanceavailable. References available upon request. Call957-8342 for free estimate.

DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? -WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, instal-lation, networking & virus removal. WE COMETO YOU! Servicing residential & businesses, w/over 25 years experience. Contact Jeffrey Blank(813) 973-4507 today! www.WSICA.COM;[email protected]

NEW TAMPA & WESLEY CHAPEL Classifıeds TAI CHI CLASSES - open to the public at theClub Tampa Palms. Benefits: Strength, Flexibility,Balance, Focus and reduced stress. New Beginner 6week courses starting every few months. AdultsCourse: Thursday evening’s 7-8 pm. Seniors Course:Tuesday afternoons 12-1 pm. Space is limited! Alsopersonal instruction in Tai Chi, Kempo Karate, BootCamp Fitness training and more. With more than30 years of training and teaching experience. Pleasecontact me for more details or go to: chuan-fa.org. Peter #787-7560 or e-mail [email protected]

LICENSED MOBILE MASSAGE THERA-PIST Available seven days a week, 9am -9pm. $55for 1 hour! Types of massage available: Swedish,Deep Tissue, Aroma Therapy, Hot Stone, CorporateSeated, Pregnancy, Sports & Injury Rehab. Refer-ences available.www.barkdollmassagetherapy.comCALL (727) 372-6389 Lic #MA47546.

INDIVIDUAL & COUPLES COUNSELING- Over 90 years of personable & experienced therapy& testing services. Better Business Bureau Accred-ited. With 6 clinicians, we’ll find the best therapistfor you. Call (813) 418-7188 or [email protected] Website: www.Tampa-Therapy.com

M U S I C L E S S O N S PIANO LESSONS - Develop your unique gift ofmusic at Expressions Piano Studio, through the expertinstruction of Aline Giampietro, an accomplished pi-anist and instructor in New Tampa. Consider themany benefits of quality musical training for your childor pursue your own dreams of playing the piano!Call 509.995.4234 or Visit www.expressionspianostudio.net to find out more!Flexible hours and first lesson free!

MUSIC LESSONS - Private, Classical Music Les-sons- Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Guitar and Voice.Traditional, European training with engaging, modernapproach. Auditioning for Winter Term now. Wen-delken Studio of Musical Arts at Grace EpiscopalChurch. Recitals, Festivals, Competitions and RoyalConservatory of Music Credit opportunities, or simplystudy for the love of it. For further informationabout our internationally-recognized music schooland to schedule an interview, please call MaryWendelken, Director, at (813) 978-1771 and visitour website at www.TampaPiano.com

C A R S E R V I C E S CAR SERVICES – Don’t Have a Ride? Don’tWant to Leave Your Car? Shouldn’t Drive? We DriveYou and Your Car Home! Night Clubs, CorporateEvents, Sporting Events, Concerts, Appointments,Airport or Stranded..Call Jay at (813) 966-1530.

EDUCATION / BABYSITTING

L.I.F.E Academy for Learning, LLC- A licensed in-home daycare located in New River Township. Thedaycare is managed by Nora Dudley, who is an experi-enced elementary Florida certified teacher and is alsoFirst Aid/CPR licensed. She is a loving mother of twoand is passionate about helping children. Call today toenroll your child and mention this ad to waive your reg-istration fee! Tutoring sessions for grades K-3 are alsoavailable upon appointment. Contact Nora Dudleyat (813) 395-8487 or for more information visitwww.lifeacademyforlearning.com

P E T C E N T E R

TAMPA CAT LADY- Professional Cat-SittingService. Cats are happiest in their own home, sur-rounded by familiar sights, sounds, & smells. Whenyou are away, we feed, cuddle, & play with your kit-ties & clean & dispose of litter. Insured, bonded,& Red-Cross certified in pet first aid/CPR.Call 813-994-9449 or visit www.TampaCatLady.com

DOG WALKING; PET CARE - 24-hour emer-gency visits for existing clientele; Pet Taxi andMORE. Paws in the Palms provides pet care servicesthat fit your lifestyle. We recognize that no two petsare alike and will accommodate his or her uniqueneeds (medication requirements, exercise, food in-structions, etc.). Familiarity and consistency are keyto a happy, healthy pet and a happy, reassured YOU!Let Paws in the Palms makes traveling paws-ible!(813) 252-5577 [email protected]

H O M E I M P R O V E M E N T

DRY WALL SPECIALI ST - Not a handyman.Affordable Quality Work repairing water damage,ceilings and walls, retexturing, popcorn removal,room additions, cracks, holes, plaster and stuccorepair. 26 Years Experience. Wesley Chapel resi-dent. State Certified. Call Ron for a free esti-mate (813) 784-5999

NEED HOME MAINTENANCE – Almost anyjob, large or small, ext/int, fencing , screening, sm.concrete, sprinklers, painting, repairs, int. doors, locks,sheet rock, windows, paint, caulk, grout, trim, shelv-ing, garages organized. Installations, removals, pres-sure washing, wood restoration & more. Call Dale’sHome Maintenance @ 973-0194 or 727-2582.

GREG’S PAPERHANGING – For all of yourwallpapering needs. Licensed & insured, clean, quick& reasonable. Call 973-2767 for free estimate.

RAYMOND PAINTING – Interior & Exteriorpressure washing, paper hanging, plaster, stucco, tiles,clean & seal pavers, roofing leaks, etc. Licensed &Bonded. References available. Free Estimates. YourNeighborhoond Arbor Greene Resident. We work7 days. Call 994-5124.

DAVID BRIDGES PRESSURE CLEANING- Complete exterior cleaning of your home or busi-ness with a professional and personal touch. - Pooldecks and screen enclosures - All fencing/ drivewaysand walkways/roofs - Gutter and downspouts. Findyour happiness in a fresh, bright clean home. Yourneighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed.Licensed and insured. (813) 215-1177

D & D PRESSURE WASHING - licensed andinsured. We clean driveways, sidewalks, homes, pooldecks, screen enclosures, fences and other items. Freeestimates. Call Dina or Doug 813-949-5131 www.ddpressurewash.com

C L E A N I N G S E R V I C E S

F O R R E N T

D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE - We haveour own supplies & more than 300 clients in NewTampa! For more information, Call 758-9710.

FOR RENT - Tampa Palms Villa. Mint condi-tion/Great location! 3 bed 2 bath, wood floors.Modern new kitchen with state of the art appliancesand quartz countertops. Open floor plan, cathedralceilings, new W&D, double pane windows, screenedlanai; master bath offers frameless enclosure. Closeto shopping, parks, USF, hospitals, I-75.$1200/month. One month deposit plus applicationfees. Call (813) 309-6399 Chelin Lauer.

S P O R T S & A C T I V I T I E S BASEBALL TRAINING - Ages 6-18, for private,group, team or league instructional development. Getstarted...FREE PLAYER EVALUATION! New trav-elball academy starting soon, register online with yourinterest and train at our new 5 acre baseballranch.www.rockstar-baseball.com or email [email protected]. Current Varsity Pitching and Hit-ting Coach at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic HS &Former Wiregrass Ranch HS Varsity Coach ( 2013state semi-finalist).Former British National Coach,College player, youth coach and 8u travel ball man-ager. You practice... WE TRAIN! 813 992 1030

HELP WANTED - LEGAL ASSISTANT (WES-LEY CHAPEL) Fast paced/expanding personal in-jury law firm seeking talented legal assistant assist inall phases through trial. Must be a team player andbe very organized. Prior legal experience requiredand background in medical/insurance claims is aplus. Compensation commensurate with experience,plus 401K with match after 12 months. Email cover letter with resume to [email protected].

P O O L S E R V I C E S

TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE - NewTampa owned & operated. Gareat Pricing withoutstanding customer service! LICENSED,BONDED & INSURED. See why we are NewTampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! Newcustomer’s ONE MONTH FREE! Call ChrisToday @ (813) 857-5400 or visit www. TranquilityPoolService.com

AQUATEC POOL SERVICE - keeping pool sclear & swim safe since 1994. WE DO POOLSRIGHT! Commercial & Residential. CPO #33-303052 Licensed & Insured. Service guarantee.Call (813) 312-5694 TODAY and get 1MONTH OF QUALITY SERVICE FORFREE. www.aquatecpool.com

L A W N C A R E JASMINE’S LANDSCAPING - Complete lawnmaintenance, Tree, palm and hedge trimming, Plant-ing, mulching, stones, Sod replacement, Pressurewashing, Gutter cleaning and more. Cited by yourHOA for violations? Need to comply for: Pressurewashing, Trimming, Mulching, Sod replacement,Sprinkler repair or Mailbox repair or replacements?Ask about our HOA SPECIAL! FREE ESTI-MATE! (813) 420-4465

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

TURN YOUR CLUTTER INTO CASH ! -Garage & estate sales, inventory liquidation,& ap-praisal services. We'll sell it for you online! We evaluate& appraise your products then get you top dollar.We do the work you get the cash. Ask me how,contact Mary at 813-428-5793

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