New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 33, Issue 21, October 14, 2025

New Tampa’s Morris Lopez To Run For City Council!

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

I first met Morris Lopez 30 years ago, when he opened the original Amigos Spanish Café (later Las Palmas) restaurant in the same Pebble Creek Collection plaza where I moved the Neighborhood News office in 1995.

Morris, who was born and raised in Tampa, and his wife Yvette (also in the photo) and their two daughters moved into a 1,600-sq.-ft., $89,900 house in the adjacent Pebble Creek community, “because it was the only place we could afford,” he says.

At the time, Morris was only eight years into his now-38-year career with the Hillsborough County Fire Department, which did not then (and still does not today) have a location anywhere in New Tampa.

So, how did the career Hillsborough County firefighter and current shift commander decide that he wants to run for the District 7 Tampa City Council seat being vacated in 2027 (or possibly before) by twoterm incumbent Luis Viera?

Well, first of all, Morris’ childhood home was in District 7 and he moved his family to Tampa Palms after selling Amigos three years after opening it.

“I’ve been serving the public my entire adult life and I want to continue to serve,” he says. “And honestly, Luis has inspired me.”

New CEO Rob Higgins Fumbles First Major USF Decision

An Editorial by GARY NAGER

When former USF football coach Jim Leavitt was arrested for assaulting his former girlfriend, stealing her belongings and putting his hands on another man back in August, USF alumni Kathy and her daughter Jamie Miller were hopeful that their alma mater’s Athletic Hall of Fame committee would change its collective mind about inducting Leavitt into the USF Hall.

After all, Leavitt had previously assaulted Kathy’s son, Jamie’s brother and former USF football player Joel Miller at halftime of a game the Bulls were winning back in 2009, lied about it, convinced Joel to go along with his lie because he was, “the most powerful man in the building,” but got fired for it anyway, had the remainder of his contract bought out by the school to the tune of $2.75 million, was told to never come back but went on to receive multiple subsequent coaching jobs despite this less-than-impressive resume.

But, things didn’t go nearly as well for Joel or his family after that. Joel was blamed for being the “kid” who got Leavitt fired, couldn’t show his face on campus, got hit in the head with a thrown brick and saw his once promising future go down the drain before passing away at age 29 in 2017.

How Leavitt’s name was even on USF’s Hall of Fame ballot this year is beyond the imagining of this editor. Yes, he started the school’s football program but it never won anything of consequence under his leadership. Yet, there he was — one of five inductees in the Class of 2025. Just using Leavitt’s name and “Class” in the same sentence makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

On Sept. 10, the eighth anniversary of Joel’s passing, it was announced that the new charges against Leavitt had been dropped — interesting timing considering the fact he had only recently been announced as a USF Hall inductee.

Then, on Sept. 17, I brought Kathy and Jamie into the Emorys Rock Realty Podcast Studio at the North Tampa Bay Chamber office in The Shops at Wiregrass to try to help sway USF into changing its collective mind about inducting this lowlife. Kathy and Jamie started a Change.org petition that has now been signed by 641 people and they did everything they could —made phone calls, sent emails and even stopped in at the USF Athletics office to try to get someone to talk to them and update them about this sad situation. Instead, they were told that if they didn’t leave the premises, they would be escorted out by the campus police. That podcast episode was viewed more than 2,300 times on Facebook.

“We remained calm, didn’t raise our voices, didn’t threaten anyone,” Kathy said, “we just wanted someone to talk to us.” “Sad,” Jamie added. Into this unenviable situation stepped Rob Higgins, another USF grad who has spent the last two decades as the super-successful Tampa Bay Sports Commission executive director. Higgins was officially named the first-ever chief executive officer of a major college athletic department on Sept. 18 (although he didn’t officially assume the job until Oct. 1) and, on Sept. 19, committed his first fumble in his new position.

Higgins announced on X (formerly Twitter) that, “Jim Leavitt and I have had candid and

productive conversations...We have mutually agreed that he will not attend and/or be recognized at [the Oct. 2] USF Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony.”

Did that mean Leavitt was no longer being inducted? No, it did not. On Oct. 2, Higgins (right) oversaw the Class of 2025 induction, which didn’t mention Leavitt, nor was his photo shown with those of the other inductees

— former USF men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who passed away on Oct. 24, 2024, baseball legend Scott Hemond, women’s basketball star Kitija Laksa and football great Kawika

Mitchell. There were several comments on Facebook that Leavitt should have been included, which begs the question: If a “Hall of Fame” is an honor bestowed only on the best of the best, why would someone elected to a Hall not be invited to or included in their induction ceremony?

being able to honor this year’s inductees without distraction.” Really?

Higgins said in his post on X that, “Coach Leavitt understands the importance of USF Athletics

Will Leavitt’s mug shot be added to the Hall anyway? Shouldn’t the school be so proud of every inductee to not care what some people think?

I attended the news conference on Sept. 22 when Higgins was

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introduced to the public and I was impressed with everything he had to say. I believe he will be a great leader of USF Athletics.

But, I also say this was one he muffed and that he should have at least talked to the Miller family before finalizing this truly bad decision.

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‘Morris Lopez’

Continued from pg. 1

“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Morris said while sitting with Yvette and me in the restaurant at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club. “Once I got promoted with Hillsborough County, after 38 years and getting promoted into admin, I dealt with a lot of events and the political side of it.”

He added, “And, I met Luis (Viera) and got to know him a little bit, and became a fan of his, watched what he did out here and I just loved the fact that he was for all of the people and very much into public safety. And, he did a couple of things for us that were unexpected, including the tribute he did — and got City Council to do — for my grandfather, Morris Lopez I — and he’s actually working now on naming a street for him, which I think is very special — and I became a fan.”

For those who don’t know, or read Luis’ Facebook posts, Tampa Police Patrolman Morris Lopez was gunned down from a passing car while on his patrol in Ybor City on July 9, 1949. He was only 25 years old. The case remains unsolved to this day.

“I never got to meet my grandfather,” Morris said. “But, it was because of his service that I became a firefighter and I so appreciate Luis recognizing his service and his sacrifice.”

So, when Viera announced that he was leaving his seat, Morris said, “Believe it or not, that’s the first time that I ever thought about it. For 38 years, I’ve been in public service and now, at an administrative level. The next thing for me, to continue to serve, is to move into some kind of non-partisan position like this — where I can actually have a voice like I have at my job. I think I can transition into [elected office] and do well.”

A Lifetime Of Service

Morris started his career with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue in 1987, as a firefighter at the Gibsonton station, but soon moved to his “home” area of District 7 and the University area, “at the two busiest stations in the county. I never thought I’d one day be able to maximize my career, but I’ve done it.”

When I mentioned that his inspiration for opening his restaurant may have come from him doing a lot of the cooking during his 24-hour firefighter shifts, Morris said, “We don’t even allow the firefighters to cook now until they build their skills, but I’m not in the stations anymore.”

But now, as a shift commander, he said, “I am responsible for that whole shift [for the entire county], so after 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays, I’m pretty much running the entire department. It’s a lot different now than it was when I was a firefighter and my only responsibility was to clean toilets (and maybe do some cooking) and I only made $5.87 an hour — which is the reason my wife and I had to have a small business.”

He started cutting grass out of his truck, “and I would take my crews to that deli that guy had [in the Pebble Creek Collection] and I became the first to bring Cuban food to New Tampa.”

Yvette added, “We got married in 1990 and built our first house in Pebble Creek, because it was affordable. I was working at USAA (the giant insurance headquarters building in Tampa Palms) and we decided to raise our family here.”

Although they are doing some remodeling at their home, Morris says that he still has the story we published in the Neighborhood News about Amigos back in 1995.

Yvette also acknowledged that she and her

husband were among the very few people living in New Tampa at the time, “who were both originally from Tampa. Most everyone else was from someplace else. They’d say, ‘You’re from Tampa and you live out here?’”

It wasn’t long before Morris and Yvette decided to move to Tampa Palms. “The reason was because we had two young daughters (Danielle and Courtney) and I was — and still am — a very big advocate of the county’s public school system,” Yvette said. “My dad taught at Plant High School for 37 years. And I said, ‘These schools are good. We want to raise our children here.’ And what an experience we had, taking our children from Tampa Palms Elementary to Liberty [Middle School] to Freedom [High] and then to USF!”

County in the Fire Department. We’ve grown so much and to help with that growth — helping with quicker response times, knowing the area and being so involved for so long, and now, we’re going to be one of the best departments in the nation.”

Morris said that he believes that if elected, he can finally get the additional ambulance unit in K-Bar Ranch that Viera has been fighting for with Tampa Fire Chief Barbara Tripp. “Until I became an admin, I spent 34 years in the union and I have to walk that fine line every day,” he said. “I have to protect my admin family in the Fire Department but also co-mingle with the union. I’ve been that mediator between our union and our admin because I was part of it for so long.”

said, “but also infrastructure and transportation and traffic. We’ve grown so much in Tampa, but there are things we can do to improve the services we provide, so those items will be most important going forward. What I’m going to bring to the table is that I’m an information gatherer and although I’m only one decision-maker (out of seven), I will have a voice. I will do what I do for people in my department and carry that over to the residents of the district and the city. I will have the same passion in office as I do now when I serve my people in my department. That’s what my platform is.”

Yvette added, “Morris is the person you can go to if you have a problem. He will have a very open-door policy and the people need to know that he’s going to listen to every voice and help the city and county to work together.”

And finally, he said, “The county has been so good to me, but my heart and soul are in the city. I don’t want this to be about my grandfather, but he gave his life for the city. My dad was two years old when that happened. He grew up without a father and I grew up with nothing. That’s my inspiration. I would feel like I was doing him an injustice if I didn’t try this, no matter how it turns out.

Morris added, “We’ve only owned two residential homes in our entire lives. Pebble Creek was our ‘starter’ and I worked very hard to save enough money to afford a lot in Tampa Palms, when Yvette was pregnant with our second daughter (Courtney) — in 1997, after I sold the restaurant. I was still doing the landscaping and the money from the sale was the only way we could afford to move here. This is our forever home. We’re not going anywhere.”

The Election Itself

Morris said he has heard about some possible opponents for the Dist. 7 seat, but he isn’t concerned about whether or not he will have competition for it.

“I haven’t really delved into that,” he said. “It’s more about finding out if I had viability [as a candidate] myself. I’ve gone down the list and looked at what kind of support I could get and I feel very comfortable about that. But, the most important thing is my wife and how important she is to me and whether or not she wanted us to take on this challenge.”

Yvette smiled, “I honestly think it’s more of an opportunity. We’ve just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary and I always say that the only thing he’s been committed to longer than myself is the Hillsborough County Fire Department. The one thing I will say about him is that he’s a committed, loyal man — as he is to me and as he is to his department, he will be to the people of this District and this city. I’ve watched him grow from being a firefighter to being a Division Chief and he has used that platform to represent where he came from and he can do that now.”

She also noted, however, that, “We both grew up middle class and I used to think that you can’t really have a voice unless you have money, that money is power. But, you know what? Having a sincere desire to serve and help people and make a difference, I now think that’s what you really need.”

Morris added, “I maximized my position with the Fire Department and I became a voice and I was able to do things for my people and actually plant seeds and watch them grow. I don’t want that to stop.”

As an example of his voice, Morris said that, “We’ve made so many changes in Hillsborough

He added that, “When we lived in Pebble Creek, if there was a call for a cardiac arrest in our neighborhood, our Ladder Truck [from Hillsborough Station No. 5, north of E. Fletcher Ave.] would drive right past Tampa Station No. 20 on Bruce B. Downs in Tampa Palms. But now, we pay the city to cover [Pebble Creek, Cross Creek and Live Oak] because that’s the best way to get those county residents the best service at this time.”

Top Priority: Keeping People Safe

“My top priority will be public safety,” he

“I looked into the viability, got my wife’s support and I realized this could happen.”

If and when Viera vacates his seat next year — if he is able to gets elected to replace House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell in House District 67 the State Legislature, “I will have an interview with the City Council. If that goes well, I could be appointed to the seat, but I still have to be prepared to run for it, too. I will file all of the paperwork by the first of the year.

“This isn’t a political aspiration,” Yvette said. “He wants to run to make a difference.”

New Operator Takes Over At The Sports Campus!

Sports Facilities Companies Studying Parking & Other Improvements At Popular Wiregrass Ranch Facility

By Gary Nager

It’s only been roughly two months since Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) received the contract with Pasco County to manage the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, but the Clearwater-based company that manages dozens of similar facilities across the country is already taking action to make improvements to what has been called the “crown jewel” of sports attractors to Florida’s Sports Coast, also known as the Pasco County Tourism Department.

Although we have yet to be able to sit down and actually chat with any of SFC’s upper management, SFC partner Ashley Whitaker did respond to all of my questions about SFC’s plans for the Sports Campus by email — and it’s obvious from those answers that this company definitely knows how to manage facilities like these and, as Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter recently told me, “the county made the right choice when they chose [SFC].”

Checking Back In

It’s been quite a while since I’ve been back at the Sports Campus. As you readers know, my wife Jannah (who is now my Neighborhood News sales manager) was the director of sales and marketing under the previous Sports

Campus operator — RADDSports, which had its contract bought out by Pasco County back in 2023, after the County Commission had previously voted to default RADDSports and RADD then sued Pasco County. The county then opted to manage the facility itself, even though Pasco’s agreement with Wiregrass Ranch was that the county

was never allowed to operate the facility. But, that’s all water under the bridge now, as SFC has already made a number of important moves — with more still to come.

On this page is my email discussion with Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) partner Ashley Whittaker (photo, right & “AW “in the Q&A below), who leads SFC’s in-house marketing and branding “agency.”

I appreciate Ashley’s candid answers to my many questions about SFC’s plans for the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, now that the company has roughly two months of manging the facility under its belt.

For those who are unaware, SFC has developed and/or managed nearly 100 sports facilities across the country, making it one of the leaders in this industry. — GN

GN - Does SFC now have its own management on-site at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus (WRSC)?

AW - SFC has been fortunate to inherit the hardworking staff at WRSC, and we are aligning them with our industry-leading standards in all departments, integrating with our support center in Clearwater.

GN-Is SFC retaining all of the existing employees at the Sports Campus or have you been deciding on a case-by-case basis which of those employees you will retain?

AW-All existing employees of WRSC were offered the opportunity to remain with the venue under SFC management.

GN-How many weekend events are already on the books at the Sports Campus for the rest of 2025?

AW-Along with the Florida’s Sports Coast DMO (Destination Management Organization), we have a robust schedule and are looking forward to a great fall season with events both inside and outside on the new grass fields throughout the end of the year, every weekend.

GN-Are there any weekends available this year for your company to book your own events? If not, when will SFC be able to start adding new weekend events?

AW-With such a full calendar, there are few weekends available for any additional events. When we do have availability, events (including SFC ones) will be selected on merit for the benefit of the community.

GN-Will you be continuing the local programming that’s currently in place or will SFC be replacing that programming with programs of its own? If so, what programs will you change/add?

AW-Yes, we will be continuing with the local programming. The only change will be how parents register for the programming through our enhanced software.

GN-I know the county said that SFC will be conducting a study to see how additional parking can be configured at that site and that it will take up to six months for you to conclude that study, but when will the study actually begin (or has it already)?

AW-Yes, the study is

under way. In addition to parking, we are also exploring the feasibility of indoor and outdoor complimentary amenities. The study is under way and will be reviewed with the county in the November/December timeframe.

GN-Is there anywhere at the Sports Campus site where you can see being able to expand the existing parking?

AW-We are exploring with Pasco County the opportunity to enhance parking at the Sports Campus.

GN-Have you now spoken with JD Porter and/or Scott Sheridan of Locust Branch/Wiregrass Ranch? Can you tell me anything about that (or those) discussion(s)?

AW-Yes, we have engaged in conversations with JD Porter and Scott Sheridan and look forward to being great neighbors and community partners.

GN-Have you been in contact with the Peachtree Group about the Residence Inn that shares the site? Can you tell me anything about that discussion?

AW-We have hosted specific meetings intro ducing ourselves to the hotel community and also presented to local business owners at the request of Florida’s Sports Coast DMO.

GN-Is there any way to do a live interview with you, your partner Eric Sullivan or someone else from SFC — at the Sports Campus or at the North Tampa Bay Chamber office for my new podcast? Even if it needs to be much further into the future, an actual interview is much more personal and will be better received by my readers (because I also will do a story about it in print) and podcast viewers.

AW-This is possible to be scheduled sometime in the future.

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Provides Updates At Chamber Event!

By Gary Nager

Photo by Charmaine George

The North Tampa Bay Chamber’s quarterly Economic Development Briefing on Sept. 24 brought four of the principals involved in the design, construction and staffing of the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital of Wesley Chapel, which is being built just off the Overpass Rd. exit of I-75. The event was held at Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

NTBC president and CEO Hope Kennedy led the panel discussion that included Justin Olsen, the chief operating officer and Dr. Joseph Perno, the VP of Medical Affairs of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, as well as HKS Architects partner Teresa Campbell, and Bryan Durkin, the operations manager from Robins & Morton, which is building the 230,000-sq.ft., 56-bed hospital at the northwest corner of Overpass Rd. and McKendree Rd.

Wesley Chapel’s first and only pediatric hospital is expected to be completed in late 2027, but this was the first real opportunity for the local business community to get an update on the progress of the hospital since the groundbreaking ceremony for it back in April of this year.

“The overall land purchase was about 112 total acres, and the hospital will be on about 30 acres, which is actually the same size as our St. Petersburg campus,” Olsen said. “The facility itself will have a full-service pediatric ED (Emergency Department) and will offer perioperative and surgical services and also will have our first inpatient rehab program for physi-

cal rehab. I will tell you that in St. Pete, we have a need for that service, so this project is going to become a center of excellence for us, to be able to provide rehab following traumatic injury. It’ll have med-surg beds, or general admission beds, and it’ll also be ready for a pediatric intensive care unit. We may not launch with that, but the facility will be designed so that, if we need to turn that on right away, we can. Lastly, it will have a really extensive outpatient footprint, with approximately 30,000 sq. ft. for kids coming in for ambulatory visits. And, we’ve already started recruiting a host of subspecialists to join the staff and live in Wesley Chapel to provide that care.”

Dr. Perno added, “It’s more than just a building. It’s moving our culture and our attitude about how we care for children, and

replicating that from what we do in St. Pete to provide that same high-quality care. I’m really excited about finding the physicians that want to be part of this community and provide that care to our local pediatric patients.”

He added, “I’m probably not telling anybody in this room something they don’t already know, but this is a growing area. There’s a lot of young people here and there’s a dearth of pediatric care in this area. I’ve seen a lot of patients from this area coming to the emergency department in St. Pete and I know they’re commuting all the way down there to see our caregivers. And, I knew that we could bring the care we deliver in St. Pete closer to home for our patients in Pasco County, so we feel we’re fulfilling a big need for the community and really helping

children, which is what we’re all about.”

Campbell said, “We love designing pediatric facilities. Just because a patient is having a stressful health situation doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be in an environment that’s elevating and inspiring and playful. We also think about the patient’s family, and we need to be really thoughtful about the design We work with the Patient Family Advisory Council, to really ask them, ‘What do they need? What do they want? What do they like? What do they dislike?’ We work with real patients with real parents, who provide feedback and input that really helped influence the design aspect of this project.”

As for the construction process, Durkin said, “As important as the doctors and nurses are to a hospital, subconratctors and trade partners

are the folks who get the job done on the construction side. We’re getting our door knocked on consistently by high-quality contractors who want to work in a health care facility and understand the unique challenges of building health care and hospitals.”

He added, “And, what’s unique about this arrangement is that Johns Hopkins hired the construction manager at the same time as they hired the architect design team, so there was a collaboration right from the get-go of budget, design and purpose. I’m happy to continue to extend our invitation out to additional trade partners throughout the area, but our outreach started almost two years ago, when we were awarded the project . We’ll have 400-500 people on the site on any given day and 1,200-1,300 different folks come in throughout the course of the overall project. It’s important that we engage folks in Pasco County, specifically — it’s one of our contractual requirements.”

And, speaking of that workforce, Olsen said, “Yes, we’re bringing 500 jobs to the community, which is good news, but it’s also anxiety-provoking. We all know health care team members are in short supply, so making sure we can find people is going to be a challenge. We will hire a myriad of different types of roles, from administrators through nursing, and all those areas that go into a hospital and make it work. So we’re gonna have a lot of hiring to do here, and it is gonna be certainly a challenge as we look at some of our in-demand specialty areas.”

He added, “I didn’t appreciate how many of our current team members actually drive to St. Pete from this community. So, a lot of them have already started sending emails almost every

week. ‘When do I get to apply for it?’ I love that people who are currently part of that culture and our team are going to join the facility here, and they will help make it the exact same in terms of always putting the kid first. It is going to be a big lift, to bring 500 new, really well-paying jobs to this community.”

Dr. Perno also noted that, “We’re looking for physicians who want to care for kids and be embedded in this community. And I’m already hearing interest on that. And, you know, we, already have people asking, ‘When is it opening? When can I start working there?’ I’m like, well, we’ve just got dirt right now, but we’re working on it.”

He added, “We have a clinic in this area now that’s bursting at the seams (on Allegra Way, off Wesley Chapel Blvd.) with physicians and practitioners working there, seeing patients. So, we’re looking at more opportunities up in this area and the physicians are fighting to go there and be part of it.”

Campbell also talked about how the building itself is being designed to be as hurricaneproof as possible, with multiple backup systems for power and water, high-wind-rated windows and more. And, Durkin talked about the challenges of dealing with two more hurricane seasons while the hospital is being constructed.

Olsen noted that this $300-million project, “is not Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital of St. Pete coming to Wesley Chapel. We are building Wesley Chapel’s children’s hospital. We will provide the departments and services this community asks for. This is a partnership. We’ve already been accepted amazingly by this community and will do what the community asks to improve kids’ health.”

Benito Middle School Welcomes New Principal Jacqueline Enis!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Jacqueline Enis is the new principal of Benito Middle School.

Enis started in the role on Sept. 16, after former principal Brent Williams was tapped to lead Franklin Boys Preparatory Academy Middle Magnet School in Tampa. It was announced at the school board meeting on Aug. 26 that Williams would begin in his new role on Sept. 2. Hillsborough County Pubic Schools officials then acted quickly to interview candidates and appointed Enis to lead Benito, making the announcement at the School Board meeting on Sept. 9.

Enis joins Benito after six years at neighboring Turner Bartels K-8 School, where she served as the assistant principal of curriculum.

Prior to that, Enis had served as assistant principal of curriculum at Farnell Middle School since 2013. She began her career with Hillsborough County Public Schools in 2001, when she taught ESE language arts and reading and served as a reading coach.

Enis says the transition to taking the reins at Benito has gone smoothly.

“It’s absolutely awesome,” she says. “I love the community and I love what we’re doing for students. I’m happy to continue

the legacy of those who came before me.”

Benito has been a strong “A”-rated school for more than two decades. It has only two “Bs” in the school’s history, with the last one coming in 2001, so Enis says

she isn’t looking to make a lot of changes on campus.

“The students respect adults and have been very welcoming,” she says. “They tell me that they miss Mr. Williams, but they

have embraced me and have made me feel at home.”

Benito PTSA president Rob Taylor agrees with the students’ sentiments. “While we miss Mr. Williams, we are very excited to have Ms. Enis as our new principal,” Taylor says. “She seems on board with our goals of planning fun and exciting activities, events and rewards for students, and doing everything we can for our amazing teachers.”

Enis says she’s happy to partner with the PTSA and volunteers on campus, and she likes to be accessible to parents.

“I’m waving at them in the car line to make sure they recognize who to go to, whether they have positive things to share about their students, or concerns,” she says.

Enis says her first few weeks at the school have been filled with one-on-one meetings with every employee on campus and that the teachers and support staff have been welcoming to her, as well.

“I want to inspire students to succeed and help my school grow,” she says. “Benito is a place where learning is respected and there is collaboration. I want to continue to build those connections with students, staff and the community.”

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All Of Kirkland Ranch Being Purchased By The State For Conservation!

By Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

Residents wanting to see land and the environment protected in and near Wesley Chapel are getting their wish, as one local family intends to sell their almost 1,000acre ranch to the state for natural preservation, instead of to developers for homes or apartments — and the state just approved the funds to do exactly that.

How much?.... $30.8 million.

Shortly after our article went to print last month, entitled “Where Are The Villages of Pasadena Hills (VOPH) & Why Should You Care?,” a surprise press release came from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD, aka “Swiftmud”) on Aug. 26, explaining that the Kirkland Ranch portion of the land in VOPH — immediately between the Kirkland Ranch school complex and the community of Watergrass — was approved to be purchased by Swiftmud’s board, with funds being provided by Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

“We appreciate Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature’s commitment to preserving this conservation land in one of the fastest-growing areas in Pasco County,” said Swiftmud’s executive director Brian Armstrong. “This important purchase will help preserve the region’s lands

and water resources for future generations.”

Deemed to be a critical watershed for the state of Florida, and specifically Pasco County, the six contiguous cattle farming parcels owned by Kirkland Ranch since

1956 (938 acres total, of which 41% is wetlands), would have made up almost all of the residential area of “Village K” in VOPH, directly along the burgeoning Curley Rd. corridor (see attached map for

location). But now, that land will remain fully undisturbed.

“This acquisition meets all four of the District’s ‘Areas of Responsibility,’ which are water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems,” the Swiftmud news release from Aug. 26 says, “and is consistent with the District’s ‘Florida Forever’ workplan.”

For those not familiar, VOPH is the 20,000+ acre special development district making up the area directly between Wesley Chapel, Dade City and Zephyrhills.

This purchase will presumably affect two of Pasco’s so-called “vision roads,” the first being the northern Watergrass Pkwy. extension that was supposed to cut diagonally through Kirkland Ranch, serving as an important north/south corridor. The other is the eastern Elam Rd. extension, which would have run behind the Kirkland school complex (which includes the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation and the Kirkland Ranch K-8 school) — all of which was shown in the “Pasadena Hills Land Use Vision Plan” and transportation maps. But, now that it’s no longer being developed, these road extensions are likely off the table. But, we’ll keep you posted.

North Tampa Bay Chamber Helps The Performance Lab Host A Truly Grand Opening!

It’s not every day that we cover the Grand Opening of a business located on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Tampa. But, when North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) president & CEO Hope Ken nedy tells me “This is one you shouldn’t miss,” I generally take her at her word.

And, oh boy! The Grand Opening and NTBC ribbon-cutting event for The Perfor mance Lab (TPL) not only included Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper, (as the Lightning have a partnership with TPL), it also unveiled a state-of-the-art, 25,000-sq.-ft. facility “uniting world-class medical care, advanced diagnostics, and progressive rehabilitation under one roof.”

As described by founder Bahir Manios during the Grand Opening event attended by more than 200 people, TPL features top-of-theline imaging (MRI, X-ray, ultrasound & C-arms) technology, including wide-bore MRIs, more than 25 exam/treatment rooms (including handicapped-friendly rooms and exam tables), multiple procedure rooms for interventional pain management, a dedicated brain health suite equipped with multiple modalities to assess and treat patients, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy (bottom right photo), a rehabilitation suite equipped to allow patients of all abilities to progress to complete recovery in a comfortable environment and a unique performance center.

life care planning for long term support.”

“In other words,” said Manios, “TPL is much more than a medical center. It’s a destination for recovery, performance and total wellness. Whether you’re a first responder, an athlete, a veteran, or just an ordinary person simply seeking strength, clarity and recovery from an ailment, TPL was built for you, and it’s all under one roof. We’ve put together physical medicine and reha bilitation, interventional pain management, brain health and neuro recovery, advanced imaging and diagnostics, sports performance and recovery, and

The event was as spectacular as the place itself, with a catered lunch outside, the ribbon cutting with (l.-r., above) Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Coach Cooper, Manios and TPL chief revenue & legal officer Shant Mel konian. Once inside, Manios played a short video showing the remarkable technology patients can expect to be treated with, and there was an informative panel discussion featuring (below, l.-r.) executive director of brain & strategic partnerships Marissa McCarthy, MD, executive medical director Michael Lorenz, MD, and chief medical officer Hadi Shah, MD, plus tours of the former (but completely gutted and recreated) Harley-Davidson dealership.

In other words, if you missed it, you really

The New Tampa Players Present ‘Oklahoma!’ At NTPAC

The heart of the American frontier comes alive on stage this October as the New Tampa Players (NTP) — New Tampa’s community theatre troupe — opens its highly anticipated production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center.

Directed by Nora Paine (who also directed NTP’s “Singin’ in the Rain” in 2024), G. Frank Meekins (“Grease,” 2023), and Karissa Barber (“Into the Woods,” 2025), the production captures the spirit and charm of this beloved 1943 musical known for its rich score, iconic characters and sweeping depiction of life in the early 20th-century Oklahoma Territory.

A Classic Reimagined For The Community

“‘Oklahoma!’ is more than just a musical: it’s a celebration of resilience, hope, and love,” says director Nora Paine. “We wanted to stay true to the classic while also making it feel fresh and relevant to our community.”

From the opening strains of “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” to the stirring finale, the show features standout performances from a terrific cast of local talent.

Gabriel White Marin, who previously earned raves as Marcellus Washburn in “The Music Man” earlier this year, delivers a charismatic performance as Curly, while Isabella Ruano, a newcomer to the NTPAC stage, brings strength and warmth to the role of Laurey. The

supporting cast — including NTP newcomer Madison DeBrino as Ado Annie, newcomer Tristan Horta as Will Parker, and long-time NTP veteran Michael Neary as the troubled farmhand Jud Fry — bring their roles to life with humor, heart and depth.

Local Collaboration & Heart

The production is a true community effort, involving more than 50 volunteers. Leading the team are costume designer Deb Lastinger, technical director Paul McColgan and scenic artist James Cass. Audiences will be especially delighted by the vibrant choreography from Christan McLaurine and ballroom choreographer Erica Holland — a beautiful highlight of the show.

Music directors Rick Barclay and G. Frank Meekins have teamed up to guide this 23-person cast and 14-musician orchestra through a score that will have you humming all the way home, including “Oklahoma!,” “Oh, What

The New Tampa Players’ production of “Oklahoma!,” starring Isabella Ruano (left) and Gabriel White Martin, will have seven performances the weekends of Oct. 17-19 & Oct. 24-26, at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. (Photos by Charmaine George)

a Beautiful Mornin’,” “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” and many more.

Don’t Miss It!

Don’t miss your chance to experience “Oklahoma!” like never before and get ready to be swept away by the beauty, music and magic of this unforgettable production.

Buy your tickets now, before NTP sells out this seven-performance run! Performances of “Oklahoma!” will be Fri. & Sat., Oct. 17 & 18, at 8 p.m., Sun., Oct. 19, at 3 p.m., Fri. & Sat., Oct. 24 & 25, at 8 p.m., and Sat. & Sun., Oct. 25 & 26, at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at NewTampaPlayers.org and cost $22-$40. Also, see the ad below for more info.

Recapping The Tampa City Ballet’s Spectacular ‘La Septima: A Gatsby Affair’

I have seen the future — and the past — of professional ballet in Tampa, as Tampa City Ballet (TCB) founder and award-winning choreographer Paula Nuñez presented two spectacular shows of “La Séptima: A Gatsby Affair in Ybor,” an historic and emotionally charged premiere journey through Ybor City’s rich history, the weekend of Oct. 3-4. This groundbreaking production masterfully blended the elegance of modern ballet with the power of opera, live music and cutting-edge technology.

“La Septima” tells the story of how Tampa’s Ybor City became the cigar capital of the world, beginning in the 1880s, and explores Ybor’s culture, beauty, grace and dark underworld connections with amazing artificial intelligence-generated effects by Santiago Echeverry, plus jazz, bossa nova and classical music, including original music by Pacho Chibas and multiple operatic arias (including Giacomo Puccini’s “Quando m’en vo”) that featured the soaring, coloratura soprano voice of New Tampa’s own Daniella Mass, and some of the most amazing dancers and modern ballet choreography we’ve seen to date from TCB artistic director Paula Nuñez — who, as always, credited the dancers themselves for providing a lot of the choreography.

“We even added a narrator (the wonderful Cornelio Aguilera) to ‘La Septima’ to help the audience better follow along with the story of the ballet,” which features the dancers as cigar factory workers, and includes an infamous love triangle and the killing of underground leader Charlie Wall by his rival — both to rule Tampa’s speakeasies and gambling, as well as for the affection of famed cigar roller Maria Ferlita — the notorious Santo Trafficante.

“La Séptima” is set in the roaring 1920s, when cigar smoke curled through the streets of Ybor City, there were speakeasies that pulsed with jazz, and secrets that were traded in the shadows of 7th Ave. The ballet truly brought the spirit of the Gatsby era in Tampa to life, while honoring Ybor’s diverse heritage and exploring universal themes of human resilience and the unbreakable spirit of civic pride — “from the heart of Ybor to the heart of New Tampa.”

Following the performances of “La Septima,” Paula, TCB executive director Dr. Marguerite Pinard and the cast held a wonderful question-&-answer session with the appreciative audience. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience!

Up next for TCB is “Cinderella,” with three shows in November (see story on next page). For more information about TCB (15367 Amberly Dr., Tampa Palms), visit TampaCityBallet.org, see the ad on the next page, or call (813) 558-0800. — GN; photos by Charmaine George

Get Your Tickets Now To See The Tampa City Ballet’s ‘Cinderella’ At NTPAC

Tampa City Ballet (TCB) will return to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC; 8550 Hunters Village Rd.) next month, with three performances of “Cinderella,” Friday & Saturday, November 14-15, at 7 p.m. & Sunday, November 16, at 4 p.m.

Since our photographer Charmaine George was able to attend and take pictures at the preview performance of “Cinderella” during NTPAC’s Fall Festival weekend (see pages 24-25), it’s obvious that TCB artistic director Paula Nuñez and her super-talented professional dance troupe will bring their own magical interpretation of this classic fairy tale to life, so don’t miss it!

For tickets ($45-$90) to “Cinderella” at NTPAC and more info, see the ad below or visit TampaCityBallet.org. — GN

Upcoming Events — ‘Oklahoma!,’ ‘Cinderella,’ Fall Festivals, Classical Piano & More!

Wednesday, October 15, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

- North Tampa Bay Chamber Coffee Social. At BayCare Hospital (4502 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., 1st floor classroom). Wake up and join your fellow Chamber members for your morning brew and networking. Free to attend. For more info or to register, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business. NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Wednesday, October 15, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. –Fall Fest Senior Expo. At Amberlin Apartments Clubhouse (28149 Sparrows Edge Cir.). Meet local businesses that help seniors in our area. There will be raffles and giveaways. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 553-3138 or email AmberlinWiregrass@SparrowLiving.com.

Friday, October 17, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Johns Hopkins All Children’s Urgent Care (12220 Bruce B Downs Blvd.). Be part of the ribbon cutting ceremony and tour this new state-of-the-art facility dedicated to providing trusted, compassionate care for children in our community. Free to attend. For more info, call (813)994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Friday, October 17, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. –Caribbean Chillers Concert. At The Shops at Wiregrass (Piazza Ave). Kick back, relax, and let the island vibes take over as the Caribbean Chillers, the ultimate Jimmy Buffett tribute band, hit the stage! From flip-flops to beachy beats, you’ll be dancing, singing, and soaking in paradise under the stars. Please no outside alcohol or coolers. Lawn chairs and blankets are recommended. Free to attend. For more info, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com/event/31388the-caribbean-chillers-live-concert.

Friday-Sunday, October 17-19 & October 24-26 – New Tampa Players Present: “Oklahoma!” At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Tickets $22 - $40 depending on seat selection. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaPlayers.thundertix.com/ events or see the story & ad on pg. 16.

Saturday, October 18, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. –Fall Community Yard Sale. At Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel (4424 Friendly Way). Plan to attend for a morning of treasure hunting throughout the neighborhood. Free to attend. For more info, email Info@AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com or call (813) 783-1515.

Saturday, October 18, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. – Avalon Park Spooktackular. At Downtown Avalon Park (4424 Friendly Way). There will be trick-ortreating, food trucks, community performances, bounce houses, vendors and a costume contest. Fun for the whole family. Free to attend. For more info, email Info@AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com, call (813) 783-1515 or see the ad on pg. 21.

Monday, October 20, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. –Broadway Open Mic Night. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Broadway Open Mic Nights are for everyone — whether you’re a seasoned performer, practicing for an audition, or just love to sing. Live piano accompaniment (but please bring your own sheet music). Cash bar. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 829-2760 or visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/open-mic-oct.

Saturday, October 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. –Community Shred Fest & Secure Electronics Disposal. At Downtown Avalon Park (33613 SR 54). This event is open to the public and provides a safe way to dispose of sensitive documents and approved electronics. A suggested donation is $5 per box, with proceeds supporting local non-profit organizations. For more info and a list of approved electronics, visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com/news-events/calendar/#

Saturday, October 25, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. –“2025 Oktoberfest!” At Christ our Redeemer Lutheran Church (304 Druid Hills Rd., Temple Terrace). Celebrate the 26th annual Oktoberfest –a beloved tradition filled with fun, food, live music and festivities for the entire family. Free to attend, there will be food for purchase. For more info, see the ad below, call (813) 988-4025 or email church@CORLutheran.org.

Saturday & Sunday, October 25 & 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. – 2nd Annual Wesley Chapel Craft Festival. At The Shops at Wiregrass (along Paseo Dr.). Discover unique handmade treasures as you stroll through the Shops at Wiregrass and explore a wide variety of jewelry, pottery, art, photography, plants, specialty foods, and more — all crafted by talented artisans. Free to attend.

For more info, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com/event/30968-2nd-annual-wesley-chapel-craft-festival.

Saturday & Sunday, October 25 & 26, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber’s Wesley Chapel Fall Festival & Carnival. At The Grove (5854 Wesley Grove Blvd.). The 21st annual Fall Festival returns to The Grove. There will be a full carnival, food trucks, kids play zone & activities, pumpkin photo stops, “Trunk or Treat” on Sunday, costume contests (photo), local bands, community performances and more. For more info, call (727) 674-1464, email Drew@FloridaPenguinProductions.com or visit northtampabaychamber.com/2025-fall-festival.

Monday, October 27, 7 p.m. – New Tampa Democratic Club Monthly Meeting. At New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.). Guest speaker Jack Forsth with Equality Florida. Free to attend. For info, visit NewTampaDemocrats.com or Facebook.com/ NewTampaDemocrats.

Wednesday, October 29, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Community Health Talk – What to Expect Before, During & After Surgery. At Blue Heron Senior Living (5085 Eagleston Blvd.). Hugar McNamee, DO, General Surgeon from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel will share helpful information about surgery. A light lunch will be provided while supplies last. Tours of Blue Heron available after the presentation. Free to

attend, but you need to RSVP. For more info or to RSVP, visit AHWesleyChapel.com/Events or call (813) 929-5432.

Wednesday, October 29, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. –Steinway Signature Series: Nikolov-West Duo: Under Four Hands. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). This special concert by the Nikolov-West Duo, featuring Viktor Nikolov and Jane West, brings a fresh perspective on the piano duo experience. This dynamic piano four-hands program will weave together beloved traditional masterpieces with bold, rarely heard gems. Whether or not you’re already a classical piano lover, this is one performance you should not miss. Tickets $17.50-$25 depending upon seat selection. For info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/ under-four-hands.

Friday, October 31, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber’s “Final Friday.” At the Marriott Residence Inn at Wiregrass Ranch (2867 Lajuana Blvd, at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus). Join Chamber members as they engage and network in a relaxed environment. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Friday, October 31, 5 p.m.-11 p.m. – Halloween Party on the Rooftop. At Skybox Rooftop Bar at the Marriott Residence Inn at Wiregrass Ranch (2867 Lajuana Blvd, at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus). There will be live music, games, costume contests and more. Register for

the Grand Prize, a free 2-night hotel stay. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 591-2915.

Saturday, November 1, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.36th Annual India Festival. At Florida State Fair Grounds (4800 US 301, Tampa). Come experience dances that dazzle, food that delights and shopping that excites. For more info, see the ad on pg. 2 or visit IndiaFestivalTampaBay.com.

Saturday, November 1, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. – Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Libraries Author Event: Mary Roach. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Join the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Libraries for a very special event as they welcome New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach to discuss her latest book, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law. The first 150 people in attendance will receive a free copy of her book. An opportunity to meet the author and have your book signed will follow the talk. Free to attend but seating is limited so please reserve your tickets in advance. For info, call (813) 8292760. Or, to reserve your seat, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/mary-roach.

Sunday November 2, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Pavlo Presents: Angelo Tsarouchas – The Funny Greek Live. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Angelo Tsarouchas is a standup comedian, podcaster and actor. You’ve seen him in cult classics like Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and Fred and Vinnie. His extremely funny and adaptive show has kept him in high demand worldwide. Tickets $50. For info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to

purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter. org/events/funny-greek-live.

Tuesday, November 4, 9 a.m.-10 a.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Coffee & Conversations with AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. At Fairfield by Marriott Tampa Wesley Chapel (2650 Lajuana Blvd). Get an inside look at the exciting new addition to the hospital and what it means for our growing community. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business. NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Thursday, November 6, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Ribbon Cutting for Fierce Flamingo. At North Tampa Bay Chamber Office (28329 Paseo Dr., Ste 195). Celebrate the ribbon cutting for Fierce Flamingo Boudoir Photography Studio. There will be light refreshments, product displays and a session raffle. Free to attend. For info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business. NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.

Friday, November 7, 8 p.m.-11 p.m. –Tampa Bay Symphony: Fife and Drum: A Veteran’s Salute. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). The Tampa Bay Symphony consists of more than 80 musicians and has been described as “one of Tampa Bay’s hidden jewels.” Come and experience the excitement of live classical music! Tickets $25. For more info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter. org/events/tbs-fife-and-drum.

Saturday & Sunday, November 8-9, 2 p.m. – Wesley Chapel Theater Group Presents: War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast. At Starkey Ranch Theater Library Cultural Center (12118

Lake Blanche Dr. Odessa). Step back in time to 1938, when a radio drama shook the nation. “War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast” reimagines the legendary Orson Welles broadcast that famously convinced Americans that a full-scale alien invasion was underway. With live sound effects, vintage microphones and lots of drama, this production captures the excitement and the chaos of that fateful night. Tickets $22.13-$31.59. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org.

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

Friday & Saturday, November 14 & 15, 7 p.m.-8:45 p.m. & Sunday, November 16, 4 p.m.-5:45 p.m. – Tampa City Ballet Presents: “Cinderella.” At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Tampa City Ballet reimagines the classic fairytale of “Cinderella” in a dazzling spectacle that will captivate your entire family. This isn’t just a ballet; it’s a magical blend of theatrical wonder and contemporary dance, bringing Cinderella’s timeless story to life with breathtaking artistry and innovative choreography. Tickets cost $45-$90.

For tickets to “Cinderella,” or for more info about TCB (15367 Amberly Dr., Tampa Palms), visit TampaCityBallet.org, see the ad & story on pg. 18 or call (813) 558-0800.

New Tampa Performing Arts Center Hosts Its First-Ever ‘Season Soiree!’

We clearly are devoting a lot of space in this issue to our friends at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) — and why shouldn’t we?

In a little more than two short years, the NTPAC, under the guiding hands of manager Keith Arsenault (top left photo), has truly established itself as the crown jewel and cultural hub of zip code 33647.

As shown on pages 24-25, the NTPAC has now hosted its third annual Fall Festival weekend (this year’s Festival was held Sept. 12-14), but this time around, Arsenault and his amazing staff also kicked off the weekend with an incredible, invited “Season Soiree” on Sept. 11.

This unique preview event included a number of performances by classical

and jazz pianists, dance troupes (see pages 18-19 & top right photo) and the New Tampa Players (see pg. 16), all of whom will again be performing during the exciting 2025-26 season at NTPAC.

In addition to Arsenault, the speakers included NTPAC education coordinator David Estevez and Jonathan Hunt (top middle photo), the CEO of Steinway & Sons Tampa Bay, who assembled the center’s beautiful Steinway “Model D” grand piano that will again be the centerpiece of the NTPAC’s Steinway Signature Series.

The incredibly talented pianists who will be part of that series this season include the incredible “four hands” classical piano duo of Viktor Nikolov and Jane West (photo above), the co-founders of the Nikolov West Studio in Tampa (performing Oct. 29), who performed at the Season Soiree, as well as “Markus Gottschlich & Friends: A Global Jazz Journey” (Feb. 25, 2026), and “Reflections Chamber Ensemble with Ghadeer Abaido” (Mar. 17).

But, Arsenault also touted all of the NTPAC’s upcoming events, including Broadway Open Mic Nights (Oct. 20 & Feb. 9); an Author Event with Mary Roach (Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, presented by Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Libraries) on Nov.

1; Tampa Bay Symphony performances on Nov. 7 & Feb. 13; rock music tributes to The Beatles’ Abbey Road (Nov. 21), Meat Loaf (Dec. 21), Pink Floyd’s The Wall (Mar 27), Santana (Apr 19), and the return of the Pieces of Eight band’s tribute to the band Chicago (Jun. 21).

Other upcoming events include “Pavlo Presents: Angelo Tsarouchas - The Funny Greek Live” (Nov. 2); “New Tampa Unplugged: MJR Latin Project,” Tampa Bay’s premier Latin-jazz ensemble (Nov. 23); “The Nashville Brass” (Nov. 30); Tampa City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” (Dec. 12-14); New Tampa Jazz Nights (Jan. 17, Mar. 28 & Apr. 25); “New Tampa Unplugged” events (Jan. 18, Mar. 29, Apr. 26 & May 24), the Rudram Dance Co. (above) at the Margam Dance Festival (June 7), plus fantastic classes and too much more to fit in this space.

The good news? You can check our Events Calendar listings every issue (see pgs. 20-21), visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org for tickets to & descriptions of all of these events, or stop in at the NTPAC (8550 Hunters Village Rd.) to find out more — and please tell Keith and his out staff we sent you! — GN

3rd Annual Fall Festival Shatters Attendance Records At Performing Arts Center!

The New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC), located off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa, has only been open for two years, but this is the third time NTPAC has held its

now-annual — and totally FREE — Fall Festival, featuring performances by a wide variety of vocal, dance and theatrical acts, plus a Florida Orchestra-sponsored “Instrument Petting Zoo,”

crafts and activities for the youngest attendees.

This year’s three-day (Sept. 11-14) Fall Festival shattered last year’s attendance record by more than 1,000 people and NTPAC man-

ager Keith Arsenault couldn’t have been more thrilled with the turnout, the talent on display or the reaction of those who came to enjoy the entertainment and culture they got to see.

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“Where else can you see everything from professional dance companies and concert pianists to community theater, vocal and dance school performances, all in one weekend, in one location?,” Arsenault asked rhetorically.

“There’s only one place that I know of, especially in this area.”

Indeed. Among the dance performances were West African, Indian, Chinese, modern and professional ballet, plus musical and

comedy theatre troupes, and super-talented youngsters singing and dancing their hearts out.

Photographer Charmaine George and I each attended at different times and we’re sad that we still didn’t get to photograph everything

that took place over those three days!

The Neighborhood News is proud to list the events happening at the NTPAC in every issue. See this issue’s Events Calendar on pages 1819. — GN, photo collages by Charmaine George

From Vein Treatments To Aesthetics & More, Check Out Pinellas Vascular!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Avianne P. Mills Bunnell, MD, is a Board-certified vascular surgeon who owns Pinellas Vascular, LLC, and also serves as its chief executive officer and medical director.

Pinellas Vascular offers vein and other vascular (the vascular system also includes arteries) and cosmetic treatments at two locations — with the Tampa office being located on E. Fletcher Ave., near AdventHealth Tampa Hospital. Dr. Bunnell and her team offer vein treatments, hair restoration, medical weight loss, scar and wrinkle treatments and can even treat arthritic knee pain.

“A lot of people don’t know when they have vascular issues,” says Dr. Bunnell. “I want to educate people so they can take care of themselves. They don’t realize the root of their problems may be vascular.”

She says these issues may show up as discomfort in the legs or lower pelvis, or in pain, cramping, restless or tired-feeling legs, or numbness or tingling. Patients also may see skin discoloration, or have cuts, bruises, or wounds that take a long time to heal.

“These are not symptoms to just live with,” Dr. Bunnell says. “They’re not just normal parts of getting older.”

She says that if you have any problems with blood vessels or blood flow, you could be at risk for other serious problems that could be avoided with proper treatment.

She treats patients who have carotid

disease with blockage of the carotid artery, and those with venous disease, which may include varicose veins, leg swelling or spider veins.

“We have a comprehensive approach as to how we work up and evaluate symptoms, with a personalized treatment plan to address issues,” Dr. Bunnell explains.

Maria Knorowski says she was referred to Dr. Bunnell for treatment for the veins in her legs, which were causing her tremendous pain and looked unsightly, too. After treatment, she says she had no pain and that her legs look

much better, too. “This doctor is amazing,” Maria says. “She and the staff are really, really nice and she’s so professional. I would give her five stars – or ten!”

Maria had such a great experience at Pinellas Vascular that she brought her mom to see Dr. Bunnell, too, and then her sister. She says she would highly recommend her to anyone.

Relief From Knee Pain

Dr. Bunnell says many patients are experiencing relief from knee pain in her office, too.

“Every day we screen osteoarthritis patients to see who can benefit from our minimally invasive GAE treatment,” she explains. GAE, or genicular artery embolization treatment, can help patients to be completely free from osteoarthritis pain in their knees.

“With just a little poke hole and no incisions, we go into the artery that is the source of inflammation and plug it,” explains Dr. Bunnell, “to stop inflammation from the root.”

This outpatient procedure is performed in the Pinellas Vascular office and Dr. Bunnell says that patients receiving GAE treatment have practically no downtime. She explains that most patients experience immediate relief from knee pain after the procedure.

“Some patients have been getting steroid or stem cell injections for years, or may be considering a knee replacement surgery,” she says, “but we can control the pain and give them a better quality of life. Most people who have osteoarthritis in their knees are candidates because the treatment is non-invasive.” She also notes, however, that GAE has not been studied in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

She also says that, “There aren’t a lot of orthopedic surgeons who even know about GAE. It’s outside of the scope of their ability to practice, like asking someone in construction to explain to a chef — they serve different purposes and do different things. The tools they have are physical therapy, injections, and joint replacements. They don’t have the capacity to do an intravascular procedure.”

She adds that the treatment is young in its

course of existence, even though it has been performed for about 20 years, “which is young in the course of medicine,” she says. “Overall, we need to do a lot of work to get the word out as to this being available as a course of action. We need to educate our colleagues in other fields.”

Dr. Bunnell notes that although vascular surgeons have been around for about 100 years, “There are still colleagues in other fields who don’t understand what we do. Some patients don’t understand the difference between a vascular surgeon and a cardiologist. That being said, GAE is not always done instead of a knee replacement. Not everyone who needs a knee replacement is a candidate for GAE. There may be structural problems or other issues. There are many other tools that are used before a knee replacement — such as injections, physical therapy, etc. GAE adds to that list of other things you can do before the joint replacement. Also, someone who has had GAE could still have a joint replacement in the future. GAE wouldn’t prevent that from being an option down the line.”

Also treated at Pinellas Vascular are carotid artery blockages, which are treated using“cutting edge technology.” Dr. Bunnell says she uses a hybrid procedure that’s minimally invasive.

“It’s just a small incision at the base of the neck, where I will insert a stent. The part that’s so nuanced is that because we’re doing a catheter instead of an open wound, we don’t clamp it shut. We connect it to a tube that reverses the blood flow and allows continuous blood flow to the brain while working on the carotid artery. If something were to break off, instead of it floating up to the brain, it’s flushed out to the tubing.”

Dr. Bunnell says that this procedure,

called TCAR, “has the lowest possible risk of complications and everyone is going to convert to this,” she says, noting that there’s a section of the practice’s website — PinellasVascular.com/ vascular-care-serving-tampa-bay/carotid-disease-blockage — that gives more details about this important procedure.

Dr. Bunnell says that while she often treats symptoms in the legs, there are veins throughout the entire body.

“One of the things I love about this profession is that we treat and operate on the whole body,” Dr. Bunnell says, “so we have to be prepared for it all.”

In fact, she says that’s a major reason her office has added medical weight loss and aesthetic treatments to its menu of services.

Although she is a surgeon, there isn’t another type of physician who is responsible for the medical management of the vascular system.

“As surgeons, we are doing both surgical and medical management of our patients,” Dr. Bunnell explains. “I’ve always wanted to holistically care for my patients and make sure all of their needs are being addressed.”

She adds that some cardiologists focus their practices to manage vascular issues, but they aren’t trained in both surgery and medical management. “A vascular surgeon is the [only] specialist who handles both surgery and medical management of the vascular system,” she says.

Weight Loss Treatments

When patients struggle with their weight, she says it “very directly affects their vascular health.” So, she studied how to help those vascular patients, eventually extending weight loss management to others, too.

She says it’s more complicated than just being overweight.

“Obesity causes many different issues, including excess strain on joints and musculature, and the vascular system. Obesity and increased cholesterol and inflammatory substances correlates with vascular disease such as plaque buildup in the heart and blocked arteries and veins. It puts a burden on the veins in your body and overall makes the blood circulation system more stressed and strained to do its everyday normal workings than if you were not obese.”

She emphasizes, however, that obesity is not the only thing that leads to vascular disease.

“Even more so than obesity, diabetes, kidney abnormalities and smoking all contribute to vascular destruction.”

Aesthetic Treatments, Too

In addition to medical weight loss, Dr. Bunnell also helps patients with aesthetics.

She says the technologies that she uses in wound healing also can be applied to aesthetics, such as hair growth, skin health and rejuvenation, and to take away scarring and blemishes.

“We utilize techniques such as microneedling and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) as well as using exosomes (taking material from plants that has similar building blocks to healthy human substances) to stimulate growth and healing, which can be used for hair growth or skin rejuvenation,” she says. “It’s a very similar paradigm to things we’re developing to deal with wound healing,”

Her extensive background in using exosomes – tiny, naturally occurring particles in the human body that help in tissue repair – helps Pinellas Vascular’s aesthetics patients get great

results, such as when she uses microneedling in combination with exosomes.

As for microneedling itself, Dr. Bunnell says it creates channels of microscoping injury on the scalp or face, like little microscopic holes, to allow your body to stimulate processes to heal yourself.

“For example, it stimulates more collagen formation and immune cells to heal the microscoping injury,” she says. “It repletes the collagen and other substrates we tend to lose as we get older, which is one of the main driving forces to our aging process. It stimulates or triggers an immune response for healing in our skin to bring in more collagen and hydration to our skin to slow the aging process. The microneedling creates the channel for the exosomes to seep into the skin more deeply. Imagine taking lotion and wiping it on top of an orange. [The lotion] will just sit on top of the peel. But, if you poke holes with a fork and wipe the lotion on it, it will go deeper into the orange, because you’ve created a channel where it can work even better. It’s similar with PRP, but if a patient is not generally healthy, the plasma you get from their blood isn’t that helpful, either. Exosomes are a way to get a more consistent good product into the tissue, independent of who is receiving it.” Pinellas Vascular also offers laser therapies using a NOUVADerm machine.

“Once I meet with a patient, we get to know their goals and then cater the treatment,” Dr. Bunnell says.

The NOUVADerm machine treats hair loss, does resurfacing of scars, takes away discoloration, etc. Dr. Bunnell says it is the only machine on the market that can lighten and

from

alleviate pigmentation related to melasma, which is a discoloration of the face and cheeks. Dr. Bunnell says it is more common in women, often noticed during pregnancy, but then doesn’t go away. “That is a nuanced issue that a lot of places aren’t able to treat,” she says.

For hair restoration, the laser is another method to stimulate a healing cascade and allow a channel for exosomes to get deep into the scalp. That can be done by laser, microneedling or ultrasound, depending upon the patient’s unique needs and goal.

“We get into the weeds of what their best option is during the appointment,” Dr. Bunnell says. “We have many options available to help with pigmentation, more even skin tone throughout the skin — not just the face. You can use it on the whole body. The ultrasound technology that further permeates the exosomes into the skin and scalp is like an intense hydro facial that goes into deep layers of the skin. It’s a good cleansing and anti-aging strategy.”

About The Providers

Dr. Bunnell served as chief resident at the Medical University of South Carolina, where she completed her specialty training in a Vascular Surgery Integrated Residency program. She earned her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando after graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Physiology from the University of Arizona.

Petersburg in 2019 and expanded to Tampa in February 2025. After six months in Tampa, the practice is growing. Dr. Bunnell recently hired two nurse practitioners — one to serve clients in Tampa, and another to serve patients in St. Pete. Gayatri Pandey, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, is a Board-certified nurse practitioner with more than 12 years of nursing experience. She specializes in vascular medicine, aesthetics, and chronic cardiovascular care. She will see patients primarily in Pinellas Vascular’s Tampa office. Gayatri is skilled in the diagnosis and management of complex vascular and circulatory

for arthritic joint pain. She also offers hair restoration, skin rejuvenation and tightening, scar treatment, corrective measures for skin discoloration/uneven skin tone, and medically guided weight loss management.

At the St. Pete office, Gisselle Rodriguez, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is a family nurse practitioner with a doctorate in nursing. She has clinical expertise in multiple specialties, including cosmetic surgery, vascular medicine, sedation, operating room care and both preand post-operative management.

“Everything the nurse practitioners do is

done under my direct supervision,” Dr. Bunnell says. “I’m directly aware of each patient’s plan of care, their treatments, etc. I take every single one of our patients as my personal responsibility. Gayatri was already focused in this line of care, so she has a lot of her own experiences and insights, which is helpful, but I make sure everyone in my group is performing to the highest level of care.”

She adds, “We tend to focus on a natural, holistic approach. We are less focused on the use of chemical-based products and more focused on natural and homeopathic options. We want to partner with our patients for good quality of life for their vascular and aesthetic health, so they can age gracefully. That can be through saving their lives, maintaining their functionality (many patients with vascular disease end up with amputations) and by combining our ethical focus with aesthetics. Our compassionate focus for our patients sets us apart. Our reviews show that, pretty consistently, we make sure our patients feel unique, special, and important, and not just a number. We give them the time and energy to do that, and consider them as a whole, and not just their disease or problem.”

For medical issues, Pinellas Vascular is happy to help you determine insurance benefits when you make an appointment. For aesthetics, there is currently no consultation fee to meet with one of the practice’s providers to evaluate the options available to you.

Pinellas Vascular’s Tampa office is located at 3450 E. Fletcher Ave., Suite 330. For more information or to make an appointment, call (813) 771-VEIN, visit PinellasVascular.com, or see the ad on page 39.

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Confused By Medicare? Dawn Trail Of Trail & Associates Insurance Can Help!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Dawn Trail of Trail & Associates Insurance knows that it can be overwhelming to try to choose the right health insurance plan, whether you’re turning 65 and getting Medicare for the first time, or if you’re between jobs or self-employed and need to purchase health insurance from the Afford able Care Act (ACA) marketplace.

Dawn has been an independent broker since 2007, and is able to offer health insur ance plans from many different companies, unlike an insurance agent, who is a representative of just one company.

Trail & Associates Insurance offers free guidance and can explain all of your options to you at no cost to you.

“It’s so important that people understand what happens when they turn 65 and age into Medicare,” Dawn says. “They need to be fully aware of their options and what happens if they take a supplement plan, for example, or if they don’t. The decision they make now may impact them down the line.”

She explains that once someone enrolls in a plan, they have to wait until the next “Open Enrollment Period” to make changes to that plan. This can have some unintended consequences.

“The older we get,” she says, “the more health issues we have. You may be perfectly healthy today, but you don’t know what will happen three or four months down the line.”

Dawn says she knows firsthand about how quickly health changes can come.

“I’ve had two spine surgeries,” she says. “We all think we’re going to be healthy, but I woke up one morning in excruciating pain. You never know from one day to the next what might happen.”

The next Open Enrollment Period will soon get under way. For Medicare, open enrollment starts on Wednesday, October 15, and goes through Sunday, December 7. For plans purchased through the ACA marketplace, open enrollment is from Saturday, November 1- Tuesday, December 30.

For any plan, Dawn says you should make an appointment now so you can be sure to meet with her and get all of the

She says this is the time of year to be sure you review everything and fully understand your health insurance.

“The plans are each good in their own, different way,” she says. “We look at each client as an individual and look at all of the products to see what [will work] best for them, and make sure they understand what they’ve got [once they’ve chosen a plan].”

For example, she says, some clients may not be able to afford a Medicare supplement plan. Others may choose not to purchase a supplement, but that might mean it can be harder to get the supplement plan down the road if they change their minds.

“Our biggest thing is education,” Dawn says. “We’re not here to sell you something. We’re here to educate you.”

She says many of her clients have become like family, especially those who began working with her when she first started nearly two decades ago.

She checks in with each of them annually to ensure they are still on the best plan for them, and she’s happy to answer questions throughout the year — not just during open enrollment.

husband John needed Medicare, they met with a Medicare consultant who had been recommended by friends. They were left feeling like that consultant didn’t really know his products and they just weren’t confident he would be able to help them.

“There are so many options out there that it can be really overwhelming,” Ginny says. “Once you’re in your early 60s, they

start bombarding you with mail. My husband saved it all for years.”

She says the couple ended up with hundreds of pamphlets, brochures and mailers. But, even with all of those papers at their fingertips, it was too much to try to navigate the volume of information on their own.

So, when John was getting ready to turn 65 and it was time to choose a Medicare plan, they reached out to Trail Insurance. Ginny says that meeting with Dawn was a very different experience than with the first consultant, saying that her knowledge and confidence put them at ease right away.

“I can’t speak highly enough about Dawn and how helpful she’s been in the process,” Ginny says. “It’s so important to be informed and not to make a wrong decision, and Dawn did a really great job of informing us of what we needed to know.”

Now that Ginny and her husband are both on Medicare, she says it’s the best insurance they’ve ever had.

Ginny credits Dawn with making the

process easy by getting her and John on the right plan for them. “I have plenty of friends who think they can choose a Medicare plan themselves,” Ginny says, “but I really think they shouldn’t.”

Dawn says she’s always been in customer service — working for a boat builder and a car rental company and then the home building industry — and thought getting into insurance would be a good fit for her.

She and her husband, Glenn, moved to North Carolina from South Africa in 1993, and then to Lutz in 2000.

“I had worked for a builder until that world turned upside down in 2007,” she said. “At that point, I knew I didn’t want to go back to the corporate world. I wanted to be my own boss, make my own hours, and be sure no one would give me a letter that says, ‘You’re done on Friday.’”

She reminds people that even though no one — including her — likes to pay insurance premiums, it’s important to protect your body even more so than your car, and that health insurance can help protect your family’s finances, if something major should something happen.

“We help people protect their financial health,” Dawn explains. “If you don’t have insurance and you get sick or injured, you’ll get the care you need, but you’ll also get the bills. Many people file for bankruptcy after unexpected medical bills.”

While Dawn and Glenn now work together, only Dawn is licensed to sell life insurance, health insurance and annuity

products with a State of Florida 215 license for Life, Health, and Variable Annuities through the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Dawn generally meets clients in their homes, but also can meet in a restaurant or via Zoom and says she is willing to meet with clients more than once, if needed.

“There are so many different networks,” Dawn says, giving an example of a detail she goes over with her clients. “For example, some carriers don’t carry [the] Moffitt [Cancer Center]. Living in this corridor of Tampa, is this important to you? If it is, we need to make sure you’re in a plan with Moffitt in it.”

These and other questions help her to understand how to best meet a client’s needs through the many products available through Medicare and the ACA marketplace.

She says sometimes that means not making any changes, and simply confirming that a potential client is already on the best plan for them, meaning they don’t purchase anything from her.

But, Dawn says the times when that does happen, it doesn’t bother her one bit.

“I have to go to bed at night and put my head on the pillow,” Dawn says, “and I think, ‘What if that client was my mother or grandmother?’ We don’t sell what’s right for us, we sell what’s right for that client.”

For more information, visit TrailInsurance.com, call (813) 649-8624, email Dawn@trailinsurance.com or see the ad on page 41.

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Trust Your Smile To The Expertise Of Dr. Sam Jureyda’s Radiance Orthodontics!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

It’s been almost 10 years since Sam Jureyda, DMD, opened his Radiance Orthodontics practice in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off of Commerce Park Blvd. near the New Tampa Rec Center.

“Dr. J,” as his patients call him, offers orthodontic treatment to children, teens and adults, primarily using InvisalignTM aligners and braces to move teeth and correct bites.

When patients visit Radiance Orthodontics, they always see Dr. Jureyda personally. He enjoys getting to know the families who entrust their care to him and taking his time to treat them the way he would want his own family to be treated.

“We love being able to help families in our community,” Dr. Jureyda says. “It’s very motivating to know that we offer our neighbors something different here at Radiance Orthodontics.”

His patients say the differences between Radiance and other practices are obvious.

As a privately owned practice, Dr. Jureyda runs his office exactly how he wants — by always putting patients first.

As a specialist with decades of experience treating patients with sophisticated cases, he offers a deep expertise in orthodontics. He relies on the latest technology and research, combined with years of studying facial biology and growth dynamics, to be able

recommended him,” Kaidy says. “From day one, he has been just wonderful.”

She says Dr. Jureyda is very thoughtful and takes his time with her family.

“When you go in there,” Kaidy says, “there’s a lot of trust and authenticity when he speaks to you. It’s something you really don’t get all the time.”

In fact, Kaidy recently found herself in an awkward situation at the dentist. She went to a new office for a cleaning and was told that she urgently needed Invisalign and should sign a contract to start treatment right away.

“They were so convincing,” Kaidy explains. “I had this $4,000 proposal in front of me when all of a sudden, this little voice in my head said, ‘Wait, you know an orthodontist. Why not just go to him?’”

to offer patients options for their treatment.

Before moving into private practice in 2006, and subsequently opening Radiance Orthodontics in 2016, Dr. Jureyda taught graduate-level orthodontics at the University of Buffalo, NY. Prior to that, he earned his Doctorate of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from the Boston University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA, a Certificate of Specialty in Orthodontics from the Howard University College of Dentistry in

Washington, DC, and completed a clinical fellowship in Orthodontics from University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics.

Kaidy Solesky is a local mom who says her daughter loves going to see Dr. J. They found Radiance Orthodontics when Kaidy’s daughter needed to start orthodontic treatment.

“A friend had done a comparison of all of the surrounding orthodontists in the area and she landed on Dr. Jureyda and highly

She booked a free consultation for herself with Dr. Jureyda, who gave her a thorough examination and then explained that she could benefit from Invisalign, but that it wasn’t urgent or medically necessary. He explained the potential outcomes of several options, which included — but was not limited to only – Invisalign. Kaidy left with a thorough understanding of her situation and what to consider in the future. She opted for a simple night guard instead of a full treatment.

“I’m so grateful and thankful that we have someone like that,” Kaidy says, “a family orthodontist we can call on to get

that kind of input. He could have totally just taken my money, but he didn’t. He gave me options.”

The Private Practice Difference

Having a private practice allows Dr. Jureyda to see a lower volume of patients and spend more time with each of them. This means patients at Radiance Orthodontics get customized care from an orthodon-

tist who is invested in them personally, whether they choose treatment via traditional braces or via Invisalign aligners.

Noren Lee-Johnson lives in Wesley Chapel and has three children. Two of them are currently in treatment at Radiance Orthodontics.

“Dr. J checked the little one because she wants to be the same as the big ones,” Noren says. “He told her, ‘Not yet, but we’ll check again when it’s time.’ He was so nice about it. The kids absolutely love him.”

She says the main reason she enjoys bringing her kids to Radiance Orthodontics is because of how comfortable her children are.

“There are a lot of orthodontists in Wesley Chapel that I definitely could have gone to,” Noren explains, “but I have tried them and I am way more comfortable with Dr. J than with any of the others. He makes us feel at home.”

She says he is a good listener who initially took her concerns seriously, offering options no one else did.

“He listened to everything I said,” she

says, “I know my kids. He heard my concerns and said he could do things differently. That was a ‘Wow!’”

Dana Delcher is another local mom whose son is in treatment at Radiance Orthodontics.

She says Dr. J has been able to provide solutions that have resolved a number of problems.

And now, Dana says, her dentist recommended she also visit an orthodontist because her teeth have moved since having braces previously, so she is starting treatment at Radiance Orthodontics, too.

“I definitely recommend it,” Dana says. “My son is very happy.”

Getting a second opinion from Radiance Orthodontics is completely free and may provide additional avenues for treatment or a lower cost than other options.

And, Dr. Jureyda promises to have reasonable fees that avoid the need for coupons or complex payment structures.

For anyone who wants to learn more about the practice, Dr. J recommends that you search Google for Radiance Orthodon-

tics’ reviews. The office’s rating is a perfect 5.0 out of 5 stars on nearly 170 reviews, which definitely speaks to the way Dr. J cares for his patients.

As a former educator, Dr. Jureyda makes it a high priority to support students and educators in our community.

Not only is Radiance Orthodontics a long-term business partner of all of New Tampa’s public schools and some Wesley Chapel schools, as well, he also awards scholarships each spring to one senior at both Wharton and Freedom high schools. These scholarships recognize students who have demonstrated a commitment to serving the community through volunteering.

Radiance Orthodontics offers Invisalign and braces for children, teens and adults of all ages. To schedule a free consultation, text or call Radiance Orthodontics at (813) 972-1100. For more information about the practice, located at 17427 Bridge Hill Ct., Suite A, in the Tampa Palms Professional Center, visit MyRadianceBraces.com, or see the ad on page 9 of this issue.

Convenient, High-Quality Eye Exams Inside Costco At Excellence In Eye Care!

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

David Scamard, O.D., is an independent optometrist who has been caring for his patients’ eyes for more than 30 years.

In 2017, Dr. Scamard moved his practice, Excellence In Eye Care, LLC, into the Costco on S.R. 56. Shortly after that, Carson Woolwine, O.D., joined the practice.

The two doctors and a team of five technicians — Francesca, Evangelina, Savannah, Shreya, and Maria — see patients six days a week. They offer convenient scheduling, staying open until 7 p.m. two days a week and offering Saturday appointments, too.

Costco shoppers have gotten used to seeing Dr. Scamard over the last eight years, but many of his patients have known him much longer. He opened his first private practice in New Tampa in 2002 and has taken care of patients in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel ever since.

It isn’t necessary to have a Costco membership to visit Excellence In Eye Care. But, Dr. Scamard says serving patients inside Costco has worked out well for his business. “It’s turned out to be great,” he says, “We’re going on nine years here now, and it’s been a real blessing.”

Dr. Scamard earned his Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree from Nova Southeastern College of Optometry in Ft. Lauderdale in 1999, after earning an undergraduate degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Dr. Woolwine also earned his O.D. degree from Nova Southeastern, in 2016.

Together, the doctors offer comprehensive eye exams for adults and children, fit patients for glasses and contact lenses, and treat conditions such as pink eye and look for everything from glaucoma to macular degeneration, hemorrhages and tumors when they examine your eyes.

“We also do diabetic retinal exams,” Dr. Scamard says. “Some patients are under the false impression they have to go to an ophthalmologist for a diabetic retinal exam, but we check that, too. Patients only need an ophthalmologist

if they have a specific disease or abnormality we can’t treat. But we even treat glaucoma.”

All Of The Latest Tech

Dr. Scamard says his practice is committed to the latest technology to make exams more convenient for patients.

For example, he recently purchased a new retinal camera, upgrading to a newer model with higher resolution.

“Patients can choose to have us use the

retinal camera rather than use drops for dilation,” Dr. Scamard says. “Many times our patients tell us they don’t want their eyes dilated and they’ll wait until their next appointment. However, at the next appointment, they don’t want their eyes dilated again. With the retinal camera, now there’s no excuse.”

There is an additional $39 fee for using the retinal camera, but there is no down time where eyes are sensitive to light or uncomfortable, so many patients prefer the nominal cost to the inconvenience of dilation.

“The retinal camera can detect signs of disease or abnormalities in the eye,” Dr. Scamard says. “It gives us the same views as dilation, but without drops and the side effects, including blurry vision for 3-5 hours and sensitivity to bright light. The machine costs $85,000, so we have to charge to pay for the machine, but what we charge for using it is a fraction of what an ophthalmologist would charge. It’s only $39 for new patients, and returning patients get a 50% discount. As another benefit, the camera photo documents the condition of the patient’s eye on that date, so we can go back and see if there are any changes from year to year. It also can detect macular degeneration by imaging the blood supply under the retina. That can’t be done with dilation, so that’s another advantage to using the camera.”

Dr. Scamard also says that it’s important top have your eyes checked every year. “A lot can change within a year,” he says. “Some patients come in after two or three years and are surprised that something has changed. If there’s any history

of eye disease in the family, it can be inherited. If mom or grandma had glaucoma or macular degeneration, you’re at a higher risk for that. A lot of times, problems occur as we get to middle age and older. Things start to break down, so it’s very important for adults to get an annual eye exam.”

At the end of the visit, the doctor will provide a prescription you can take anywhere to fill. You can get glasses or contacts from anywhere that sells them, but many patients prefer to purchase them from Costco, since it’s so convenient.

You do need a membership to purchase your glasses and contact lenses from the wholesale giant’s eyewear department. “At Costco, you can get two pair of glasses for what people pay for one pair at other offices,” he explains.

As an example, he says patients can get Oakley frames at Costco for $100. They are typically $200 to $300 anywhere else.

Exams For Children, Too

Dr. Scamard encourages parents to pay close attention to early signs of vision issues, and recommends that all children start getting their eyes examined early, even if no problems are noticeable. “A lot of parents are under the false impression that children’s vision is checked at the pediatric visit,” he says. “But, while pediatricians do a basic eye test, there are many children who end up having undiagnosed vision problems.”

He explains that part of the problem is that children often have no idea their vision is impaired. “Parents expect the child to tell them, ‘Hey, I can’t see well,’ but a kid doesn’t know that they should be able to see better,” Dr. Scamard explains. “They have nothing to compare it to.”

He says catching problems early can save a child’s vision for a lifetime, as recently happened with a young patient he saw.

Jennifer Duffy used to live in a small town in Illinois. She thought her daughter, Audrey, who was just three at the time, was having eye issues. She could see Audrey’s eye turning abnormally, so she took her to the local eye doctor.

“The doctor was nice and seemed thorough,” she says, “He gave her glasses, told us not to worry, and said the issue would likely correct itself over time.”

When they moved to Florida, it was time for a new pair of glasses for Audrey, so Jennifer’s parents recommended their optometrists at Excellence In Eye Care.

Both Jennifer and Dr. Scamard were in for a big surprise when he saw Audrey for the first time. “She had amblyopia (aka “lazy eye”) so bad that she couldn’t even see the big ‘E’ on the eye chart,” Dr. Scamard says, explaining that in one of Audrey’s eyes, the visual pathways to the brain didn’t form properly, so the brain had essentially “shut off” the pathway.

“We only have until about the age of nine to correct this problem,” he explains. “After that, there’s very little you can do.”

He directed Audrey to wear a patch over her good eye for most of the day, which Audrey did for months. Both Dr. Scamard and Jennifer were impressed with her compliance in wearing the patch. “She had an exceptional recovery,” Dr. Scamard says. “She went from being blind to having 20/20 vision.”

While Audrey’s mom, Jennifer, will never know why the first doctor she took Audrey to wasn’t concerned about her condition, she is grateful that Dr. Scamard was able to help her daughter. She says that it’s remarkable that Audrey will not need surgery or have permanent blindness — both outcomes that are likely with her condition, had it not been caught early.

“I was so pleased with his level of care and how thorough he was in diagnosing her,” Jennifer says, “and also with the follow up. He saw her every few months to make sure she was making progress, since it was a more serious condition.”

She says this included Dr. Scamard taking pictures of Audrey’s eyes and showing them to her, even walking Jennifer through the anatomy of Audrey’s eyes.

“It was well above and beyond what I would have expected,” Jennifer says.

Excellence In Eye Care sees patients as young as six months old.

In fact, the practice participates in the InfantSEE program, a public health initiative started by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Managed by the American Optometric Association (AOA), the program offers no-cost comprehensive eye assessments for infants ages 6 to 12 months, regardless of a family’s income or insurance status. This ensures that vision care becomes a vital part of infant wellness.

Excellence in Eye Care doesn’t accept insurance, but will provide an itemized receipt to submit for reimbursement with vision insurance companies.

Excellence In Eye Care is located at 2225 Grand Cypress Dr. The office is open Mon., Wed. & Fri., 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; 1 p.m.–7 p.m. on Tues. & Thur.; & 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Sat. To schedule and appointment or for more info, call (813) 279-7038, visit ExcellenceInEyeCare.net or see the ad on pg. 3.

This Is Your LAST CHANCE To Win $200 In FREE Dining In Our Reader Survey!

Here it is, New Tampa residents and foodies

— your last chance to win up to $200 in FREE dining at any restaurant you choose in the entire Tampa Bay area in our 2025 Reader Dining Survey & Contest! One person who enters will be selected at random from among all of the entries we receive that are filled out and submitted correctly by Friday, November 7, to win the $200 Grand Prize! We also have prizes of $100, $75, $50 and $25, all of which also will be randomly selected. As I’m writing this, we only have about 300 entries so far, so your odds are pretty decent to win one of our five FREE dining prizes! Here is what you need to know to enter this year’s Survey & Contest:

Brick-&-mortar restaurants that serve food and are located in & near New Tampa (NT) and Wesley Chapel (WC) that are either a true mom & pop eatery or part of a small “chain” (with fewer than ten [10] total locations) is listed in alphabetical order. on the next page. At the top of the NT & WC lists are five spaces for you to write (or type) the names of your five favorite restaurants located in & near zip code 33647 (NT) & zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545 (WC). We also include restaurants in Lutz’s 33559 zip code that are no further west on S.R. 54 than the traffic signal at Oak Grove Blvd. in the WC lists.

Although the restaurant lists don’t include any chain eateries with 10 or more locations, you can still write the names of your favorite chains in any or all of the five spaces.

But, whether you choose five places from the NT list of 65 or the WC list of 100 restaurants or five chains that aren’t on the list or some combination thereof, in order to be considered to win any

of this year’s five dining prizes, you must write the names of FIVE (5) NT-area restaurants in the five NT spaces at the top of the first column. The same goes for the five WC spaces. However, if you don’t eat at or order food from any restaurants in or near WC’s three zip codes, you don’t have to fill in those spaces at all. But, if you do also enjoy at least some restaurants in WC, feel free to write up to five names in the five spaces provided.

I also have 10 spaces this year for everything from your Favorite PIZZA to your Favorite COFFEE, but you don’t have to fill in any of these spaces for your votes to count or to win a prize.

HERE ARE OUR OTHER RULES!

1) DO NOT write the name of your one favorite place in more than one Top-5 space. Only its first-place vote will count. If the restaurant is in NT, only write its name in a NT space, unless it also has a WC location (or it also has your Favorite Pizza, Steak, etc.). If you’re not sure where a restaurant is located, look it up!

2) In order for your votes to count and help your favorite restaurants, you must include your real first AND last name, the community you live in (K-Bar Ranch, West Meadows, etc.), your daytime phone number where I can reach you (which I will only do if your name is selected to win a prize) and your valid email address.

3) This year’s prizes are again for FREE dining at any restaurant YOU choose anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, from the Grand Prize of $200, as well as prizes of $100, $75, $50 & $25.

4) See the Entry Form to find out how to have your votes counted & win prizes! — GN

NEW TAMPA (NT)

5)__________________________________

Please

Acropolis Greek Taverna

Al-Sham Palace

Bayscape Bistro

Box of Cubans

Burger 21

Cali Tampa Palms

Cantina Mexican Grill

Cappy’s Pizzeria

Capri Pizza-N-More

China City

China One

Coffee Latitudes Café

Cross Creek Gourmet

Don Julio’s Authentic Mexican

Dosa Hut

Dummy Crabby

EggTown Breakfast & Lunch

Fat Rabbit Pub

Fire Up Halal Grill

Frammi American Grille &

Italian Food

Gorkhali Kitchen

Ha Long Bay

Ho King

Hummingbird Jamaican Cuisine

Hungry Crab Juicy Seafood

Hunter’s Green Country Club

Ice Spice Indian Street Food Café

Johnny C’s Italian Eatery

Kabob Café & Grill

Kay’s Kitchen

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse

Koizi Endless Hibachi & Sushi Eatery

Las Palmas Latin Grille

Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine

Lima Peruvian Cuisine

Little Greek Fresh Grill

Michi Ramen

Minerva Indian Restaurant

Mpanitas Restaurant

Mr. Dunderbak’s

Namaste Express

New China King

NY Pizza Express (Livingston Ave.)

Palm Thai

Peabody’s Grill & Bar

Poké Island Plus

Provisions Coffee & Kitchen

Rain Bistro

Sorimmara New Tampa

Stonewood Grill & Tavern

Subs & Such (Livingston Ave.)

Sushi Avenue

Sushi Café

Sushi Masa Premium

Sushi Raw

Sushi Time (formerly Ginza)

Taaza Mart Café

Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club

Taste of NY Pizza

The Bean Bar Co.

Thai Lanna & Sushi

Thai Ruby

The Grill at Morris Bridge

Via Italia

Zio’s NY Bagel & Deli Co.

WESLEY

CHAPEL

My Five Favorite (Overall)

Restaurants in (& near) WC:

El Pasta & More

El Prince Mediterranean

Falabella Family Bistro

Flipn’ Fries Factory

Florida Ave. Brewing Co.

Fratelli’s Pizza & Café

Garden Mediterranean Grill

Gonna China

Green Market Café

Grillsmith

Grilltopia

Grove Mini-Golf

Happy Hangar Café

Hangry Joe’s (out of business)

Hot Wok 88

Ho Wok

La Creacion Xpress

Latin Twist Café

Los Chapos Tacos

Los Perritos Factory

Los Vallartas

Macondo Coffee Roasters

Mac’s Custom Meats & Deli

Mama B’s Pizzeria

Mangomix

Mojo Grill

Moschella’s Italian Eatery & Market

New York New York Pizza

Noble Crust

2&2 Restaurant

3 Natives

365 Caffé Italiano

365 NY & Woodfired Pizza

900º New York Pizza

900º Woodfired Pizza

Amici Pizza

Arroy Thai

Asian Buffet

Ato Sushi

Azteca D’Oro

Bagels of Wesley Chapel (new)

Bakery X

Bebo’s Cheesesteaks

Best NY Pizza

Bluefin Sushi

Blush Wine Room

Boba Mac’s

Bodega Deli

Bonsai Sushi

Bosco’s Italian-to-Go

Brunchies

Burger Monger

Cafe Zorba

Caprese Pizza House

Chamo Bites

Chick’n Fun

China Gourmet

China Wok

Crazy Sushi

Curry Club

Dempsey’s Too (Saddlebrook)

Dummy Crabby

EggTown Breakfast & Lunch

O’Brien’s Irish Pub

Omari’s Bar & Grill (Lex. Oaks GC)

Palani’s Hawai’i Noodles

Papichy’s

Pasta di Guy

PeppaJak

Persis Indian Grill

Pisco Express

PizzaMania

Poké Falls

Poké Lulu

Provisions Coffee & Kitchen

Rhythm Pon de Grille

Rice N Beans Puerto Rico

Roong Aroon Thai Café

Rudraksh Indian Cuisine

Señor Tequila

Shake-A-Salad

Shang Hai

Skybox Rooftop Bar (Residence Inn)

Sweet Krunch Korean Fried Chicken

Tacos el Patron

Tallo American/Caribbean Restaurant

Tasty Ramen

The Alley

The Living Room

The Reef Café (Epperson Lagoon)

The Secret Lounge

Tokyo Grill & Sushi

Top Shelf Sports Grille (AH Center Ice)

TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar

Umu Japanese & Thai

Yamato Japanese Steak House

Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill

My Favorite PIZZA in NT/WC

My Favorite BURGER in NT/WC

My Favorite CHICKEN in NT/WC

My Favorite STEAK in NT/WC

My Favorite ASIAN FOOD in NT/WC

My Favorite BAR in NT/WC

My Favorite BREAKFAST in NT/WC

My Favorite ICE CREAM in NT/WC

My Favorite BAKERY in NT/WC

My Favorite COFFEE in NT/WC

2025 Neighborhood News Dining Survey & Contest!

To enter to win up to $200 in FREE dining to the restaurant of your choice, please fill out your five (5) Favorite NT restaurants & as many of the other spaces on this page as you like — plus all of the information requested on the entry form below — and email a picture of the entire form to us at Ads@ NTNeighborhoodNews.com, with “Dining Contest” in the subject line of the email by Friday, November 7. Or, enter at NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net. No purchase necessary to enter or win, but please see our website for all of the official rules.

First & Last Name

You Live In (Cross Creek, Tampa Palms, etc.) Your Daytime Phone Number ___________________________________________

Try The Fresh Flavors At Kini’s Home Style Icecream On E. Fowler Ave.!

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

If you’re looking for fresh ice cream with everything from exotic fruit flavors, like mango, custard apple and jack fruit, to traditional favorites like Oreo Delight and even vegan options, you should definitely take a ride down to E. Fowler Ave., a few blocks west of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., to try Kini’s Home Style Icecream.

Owners and Wesley Chapel residents Srinivas and Gauri Kini make all of their tasty ice cream flavors (there’s always about a dozen available at any time) right in their small store. Srinivas, who prefers to be called Kini, says that Gauri’s family back in India (they are both from Mumbai) was in the ice cream business and when she started making ice cream at home, many of their friends and neigh bors told them they had to open a store.

They started bringing their uniquely creamy creations to local farmer’s markets, including the twice-a-month Fresh Mar kets at the Shops at Wiregrass.

“But, even though we make our ice cream in small batches, we realized we needed a commercial kitchen,” Gauri says, adding that they first started renting time at a commercial kitchen before looking for a small space where they could put an ice cream machine — and, about six months ago, Kini’s Home Style Icecream was born.

Even though I’ve never really been a fan of most fruit-flavored ice cream other than banana and maybe peach, Kini and Gauri had photographer Charmaine George and I sample every flavor in the shop, including rose petal pistachio and Kesar Pista (saffron pistachio), Kaju Draksha (cashew raisin) and Shahi Anjeer (“royal fig”), all of which Charmaine loved, plus Sapota/ Chikoo, an evergreen fruit in India which tasted a little like caramel.

I was surprised at how much I liked the custard apple, which wasn’t custard made from apple, as I expected, but an actual type of apple the “meat” of which has a consistency a little like custard. Neither Charmaine nor I could really tell a difference between the regular and vegan mango flavors. There’s also a tasty vegan Nutty Delight, with almonds, cashews, pistachio and fig.

My favorites were the Oreo Delight, the bold espresso-flavored Coffee Walnut and the Chocobite, a creamy chocolate ice cream with chunky bits of chocolate.

Tea, Pink Guava, Blueberry, Honey Lavender, Chai Biscuit, Tender Coconut, Mango Passion Fruit, Vegan Pina Colada and Vegan Strawberry. All of the flavors are available in cups, cones and sundaes and four to-go sizes. There’s also a To-Go case with a variety of pre-packed pints.

Gauri says you also can always call the store to find out what flavors are available when you plan to come in and you can even request flavors you want if they aren’t available when you do visit.

only top-quality, real ingredients, with no artifi cial flavors or colors,” Gauri says. “Our customers tell us they can really taste the difference.” All I can add to that is that you definitely should sample flavors you wouldn’t normally order. You just might end up being surprised! Kini’s Home Style Icecream (2017 E.Fowler Ave.) is open Mon.-Fri., 4 p.m.9 p.m., and noon-9 p.m. on Sat. & Sun. For info, call (813) 728-8430, visit KinisIceCream.store or see the ad on pg. 43.

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

When Azteca D’Oro co-owner Victor Ramos told me he wanted to highlight his new menu items in his next ad (about a month or so ago), I definitely wanted to check out the new items the authentic Mexican restaurant in The Shops at Wiregrass would be bringing to the table (pun intended).

But, when I saw the photos of those new items he sent me to put in that new ad (see pg. 45), I knew Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I had to try them — all of them, that is!

Already one of the Wesley Chapel area’s favorite restaurants (based on Azteca being named our readers’ second favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel in our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest each of the last two years — the first two years it’s been open here), I also knew that Azteca was due for its 2025 Dining Feature, so I figured the new menu items were a great way to tell you more about the restaurant this year. And yes, we were all impressed with the new options.

regular-sized (16-oz.) Grand Vida Style margarita, so we could show just how much bigger the Big Azz Margarita is by comparison (top photo on next page). Azteca’s full premium liquor bar has lots of top-shelf tequilas if you want to truly make your margarita your own or add a shot to it, as well as my Jameson and a nice variety of Mexican and other beers.

We all also agreed that our favorite of the new menu items was the birria “pizza” (right), which layers melted cheese and a unique combination of lamb, pork and beef between two large flour tortillas (like a quesadilla), garnished with fresh cilantro, pickled onions and lime and served with a cup of birria consommé that is plenty large enough for dip ping every delicious piece of the “pizza.”

We did also enjoy the huge 12-taco Taco Sam pler Platter (middle photo on next page), where you can select up to three different proteins (four tacos of each) from: pollo adobato (chunks of chicken marinated in flavorful adobo sauce, made from dried chiles, vinegar, garlic & spices), pastor asada (pork with chiles and spices), carnitas (crispy pork chunks), chorizo sausage, shrimp, lengua (beef tongue) or tripa (beef tripe).

Executive

Since I couldn’t eat the shrimp, we chose to have four chicken, four carnitas and four of the crispy fish tacos and all were yummy. My favorites were the crispy fish tacos, served with a semi-spicy chipotle ranch sauce. Jannah preferred the chicken tacos, which also had their own zesty sauce, and Charmaine liked the carnitas the best. Being able to sample at least one of each was fun, too!

And of course, Azteca still has upscale favorites you can’t find at most other Mexican places, like pescado frito (whole fried snapper), grilled salmon

and molcajete d’mar (snow crab, clams. mussels, scallops, shrimp & octopus), as well as Mexican standards like fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas, vegetarian dishes and more.

And, don’t skip dessert! Try the deep fried ice cream, churros, tres leches, flan or the cream cheese-filled mini empanadas (right) we had for the first time. All delectable ways to finish a meal!

Azteca D’Oro (2000 Piazza Ave., Unit 170) is open every day for lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (and until 11 p.m. on Friday & Saturday). For more info, call (813) 527-6033, visit AztecaDoro.com or see the ad on pg. 45!

The New Wexford Is Open In Former 40 Thieves Location On County Line Rd.!

Are you looking for a new place to watch football (or even futbol) this weekend? If you’ve been missing 40 Thieves, the Irish pub that closed on County Line Rd. at Livingston Ave., and/or The Wexford, the Irish pub that was re placed by Remington’s Steak & Seafood on E. Bearss Ave., the all-NEW Wexford Irish Pub & Grille has opened in the former 40 Thieves location at 2741 E. County Line Rd., with an all-new, delicious menu.

Mark Birkin, the owner of both Birkin’s Steak & Sushi on N. Florida Ave. in Lutz and Remington’s, has opened the new-and-improved Wexford with a revamped, brighter décor that still feels very much like the Irish pubs I used to frequent in New York City, but with better service and cuisine (at least in my opinion) than either the old Wexford or 40 Thieves.

Jannah, Charmaine and I sampled a few items from the new menu and we were definitely impressed with what we found.

We started with the yummy Shepherd’s pie quesadillas (top left photo), which were wellstuffed with seasoned beef, onions, carrots and cheese in a grilled-‘til-crispy flour tortilla with a side of brown gravy for dipping (and sour cream, too, but definitely try them with the gravy).

I loved my house-cooked corned beef Ruben (top right) on marble rye, with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing. Charmaine really liked the “Bangers & Mash” (near right), another traditional dish with Irish sausages and mashed potatoes all smothered in that same delicious gravy as the quesadillas.

Jannah also enjoyed her chicken wrap (bot-

tom right), with grilled chicken, lettuce and cheese (and usually tomato, but she held the tomato) and although the skin-on fries (aka “chips”) weren’t as crispy as they looked, they were definitely delicious. We finished off our meal with a slab of delectable homemade Bailey’s Irish cream cheesecake (above).

Although Mark says he is still refining the menu, we’re definitely going back to try the Irish eggrolls, 6-oz. filet, wings, burgers and more. The full premium liquor bar has a nice selection of Irish whiskeys, plenty of beers, plus specialty drinks like the Hendrick’s gin & straw-

11 a.m. and stay open until midnight (1 a.m. on Fri. & Sat.) For

call (813) 9098207. For now at least, Mark says he has no plans to add live music. — GN

OddFellows Ice Cream Opens At The Mall!

Congratulations go out to franchise owner Ian Heim, general manager Tyqui Lawrence and their friendly staff at the OddFellows Ice Cream, which celebrated its Grand Opening (at 2001 Piazza Ave., Suite 125, next to The Living Room) in The Shops at Wiregrass on Oct. 3 with a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event and free ice cream for everyone who showed up for two hours after the opening.

OddFellows founder Mohan Kumar, who opened his first ice cream shop in Brooklyn in 2013, today has eight corporate-owned and franchised U.S. stores (including one in South Tampa’s Hyde Park), plus one location in South Korea. Kumar, who originally created savory ice cream flavors to satisfy the cravings of his thenpregnant wife Holiday, partnered with acclaimed pastry chef and James Beard Award nominee Sam Mason to create 500 new and unique flavors, plus “reimagined and improvised classics” that rotate in and out of the shop’s menu (below).

The Cheesecake Factory Set To Open Nov. 11!

and the Marshmallow Chocolate Cake. Jannah loved the Chocolate Raspberry Delight and Charmaine’s faves were the Coconut Mango Sticky Rice and Ube Marshmallow. But, OddFellows definitely has at least one flavor you’ll end up craving! For more info, visit OddFellowsIceCream.com. — GN; photos by Charmaine George

Cheesecake Factory To Open Nov. 11!

The Cheesecake Factory®, named to the Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work For®” list for twelve consecutive years, is opening at the Tampa Premium Outlets in Lutz on Tues day, November 11, and “is looking for 275 passionate staff members to join its team and create delicious, memorable experiences.”

than 30 legendary cheesecakes.”

We released this info online the same day we received it, and within two days, it had passed (with 443,000+ views) our second-most-viewed post about Rodizio Grill’s opening and was falling just short of the 475,000+ views of our most-viewed post about Chuck Lager America’s Tavern closing.

Despite numerous comments on our post about parking concerns, it’s clear that a lot of

According to the media release we received on Sept. 18, “Hospitality-minded individuals who take pride in their work and thrive in an energetic, fun environment are encouraged to apply online now for rewarding positions such as bartenders, bussers, cashiers, dessert finishers/baristas, dishwashers, hosts, line cooks, prep cook and servers.”

The new restaurant will feature “The Cheesecake Factory’s signature menu with more than 250 selections — freshly prepared from scratch in each restaurant — and more

New York’s Famous H&H Bagels Makes Its Tampa Debut

If you’re a fan of the classic sitcom “Seinfeld,” I’m sure you remember the episode when Kramer goes back to work at H&H Bagels (top left photo) after being on strike for twelve years.

Well, that episode, and H&H’s appearances on “Sex and the City,” “The Office” “Entourage” and other TV shows and movies helped keep one of Manhattan’s best-known “real New York” bagel shops in people’s memories for years, after being founded in 1972 on Manhattan’s Upper West Side by Helmer Toro and Hector Hernandez.

Today, H&H Bagels has 13 locations — seven scattered around NYC, plus one in Califor nia, one in Washington, DC, one in Knoxville, TN, and three in Florida, including the newest location at 1155 S. Dale Mabry Hwy. in South Tampa (bottom left photo). There also are eight more locations coming on-line, including five in the Sunshine State, one in California, one in North Carolina and one in Chicago.

Yes, the H&H name is growing again, thanks to CEO and Florida State University grad Jay Rushin (top right photo), who worked on Wall St. in Manhattan for 20 years before taking over at H&H eleven years ago (he also has family in Tampa).

Having lived just a few blocks from the second H&H location on 2nd Ave. in Manhattan, as soon as I heard it was open ing here, I knew I wanted to check it out. The company’s kettle-boiled-then-baked bagels in New York were as good as any I had ever had, so I knew I had to sample the loca tion here as soon as it opened.

“We bake everything fresh here,” Rushin told me during the Tampa location’s soft opening on Sept. 30. “The bagels are made with that famous New York water, boiled, frozen and shipped here. We then bake them every day.”

bagel (below left) was “so fresh” and delicious. Also available are sausage and Jersey-style Taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwiches, plus an egg white and avocado option.

And yes, the bagels are excellent. I, of course, had to have a toasted, scooped-out sesame bagel with cream cheese, Nova Scotia salmon and I was surprised and thrilled to be able to add a shmear of real whitefish salad, plus a slice of tomato (photo above). Just yum!

H&H carries 13 varieties of fresh bagels — from standards like onion, everything and cin namon raisin to egg, blueberry and even jalapeño cheddar options. And, unlike other bagel places that offer a Baker’s Dozen — 13 bagels for the price of 12 — when you buy a dozen at H&H, you pay for ten bagels and get the last two free.

“It’s just another one of our different ways of doing things,” Jay said.

In addition to that perfect house-made whitefish salad, H&H also makes its own tuna, egg and chicken salad, and offers deli sandwiches with roast beef, roasted turkey, Black Forest or Taylor Ham and also sells the salads, the deli meats, the Nova and even cheddar, American, pepper Jack and provolone cheese by the pound. Also available are to-go tubs of plain, flavored and even tofu cream cheese, plus lox spread, but

And, while H&H doesn’t sell cappuccinos, lattes and other “fancier” coffee drinks, Jay says the hot coffee is a private H&H blend roasted in Wisconsin by Ruby’s Coffee Roasters, which was named for founder Jared Linzmeier’s grandmother, Ruby Szitta. Also served is iced and cold brew coffee, a variety of hot teas, iced sweet tea, green teas, apple and orange juice, chocolate milk, lemonade, sparkling water and even Mexican Coca-Cola.

“We’ve looked for more locations in the

So, go and give H&H Bagels a shot. You’ll put a smile on Jay’s face — and on Kramer’s! For more info, visit HHBagels.com, but the store was so new that online ordering at the Tampa location was not yet available at our press time. — GN; photos by Charmaine George

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