New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 34, Issue 5, March 3, 2026

New Tampa Mourns The Passing Of Joseph Caetano

The Former Salon Owner, Community Activist & Political Figure Passes Away At Age 92

Editorial introduction by Gary Nager

When Joseph Caetano first opened the Bostonian Hair Studio in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center back in 1988, I was still writing for a number of different publications in New York City.

When I moved to the community around Saddlebrook Resort in 1993, Joseph’s Bostonian was no longer the only hair salon in Tampa Palms, but it definitely had become the #1 choice of most of the local residents.

When I purchased the Neighborhood News in February 1994, the Bostonian was already one of the publication’s biggest advertisers — and Joseph didn’t just own the salon, he was one of a very small group of people I could honestly say basically “owned” the fledgling community of Tampa Palms and the newer neighborhoods to the north of those original Tampa Palms subdivisions, which had only been grouped together and renamed “New Tampa” earlier that year.

A few months after I began my 32-year stretch as the owner and editor of this publication — in Nov. 1994 — Joseph ran for public office for the second time (at least here in Florida) when he was one of five candidates running to fill three seats on the Tampa Palms Community Development District (CDD) Board of Supervisors. The first time I really saw Joseph as anything other than a salon owner was at the CDD Candidate

MEET TONY BENGE

Our editor talks impact fees with the developer & new North Tampa Bay Chamber Board chair. See page 3

“When You’re Right, Why Not Fight?” — Joseph Caetano (1933-2026)

Forum, when I first heard him breathe the fire that I realized was his true nature. It was obvious that win or lose (and he did end up winning that time), Joseph would never stop fighting for anything he believed in — no matter who was on the other side of the same argument — and that he always brought facts, figures and a uniquely authoritarian voice along with him. And no, that voice never did take a backwards step, nor did Joseph in the three+ decades I have known him.

COLLINS MAKES HIS PITCH

Florida’s Lt. Gov. tells North Tampa Bay Chamber members why he should be our next governor. See page 8

On February 17, Joseph (“Please don’t call me Joe”) Caetano passed away, only five months after celebrating his 92nd birthday with his daughters Jacquie and Caron and Caron’s husband (and former NFL defensive back) Paul Dombroski.

“There’s no doubt that Dad was a lot weaker at his birthday party than he had always

REPAVING TAMPA PALMS

Are you wondering when the repaving of Commerce Palms Dr. & Compton Dr. will be completed? See page 12

been,” Jacquie says. “But he was still him, with that big personality and willingness to fight on any subject for any reason. He always said, ‘When you’re right, why not fight?’ I definitely adopted that attitude from him.”

For the rest of the Joseph Caetano story, turn to page 4.

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Talking Impact Fees With New North Tampa Bay Chamber Chair Tony Benge

An Editorial by GARY NAGER

The first time I ever met new North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) Board chair Tony Benge was at the NTBC’s annual meeting back in December, when he was sworn in with the rest of the NTBC’s 2026 Board of Directors and we were introduced to each other by NTBC president and CEO Hope Kennedy.

At that time, Mr. Benge and I agreed that we should sit down to discuss his vision for his tenure as the new Chamber Board chair, as well as his primary role as the president of Benge Development Corp., which has been based in Orlando since 1994, but also has one current development project in Pasco County and recently had its original Pasco development plan denied by the Board of County Commissioners.

Although neither of those projects is located in Wesley Chapel, the denied “Fletcher Project” (more on that below) was located at the intersection of S.R. 52 and U.S. Hwy. 41 in Land O’Lakes, immediately adjacent to the Moffitt Speros campus we told you about last issue.

The other project, called the Hawes MPUD, which is moving forward, sits north of Wesley Chapel and east of the Mirada development. both north and south of S.R. 52, east of Handcart Rd. in San Antonio, and is approved for up to 523 multifamily units (see map on page 7).

His Benge Development Corp. has developed more than 30 large-scale projects, mainly in Orlando and Apopka, FL.

Benge, who introduced Florida’s Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins at the NTBC Business Breakfast on Feb. 3 (see story on page 8), also asked Lt. Gov. Collins about mobility and school impact fees, subjects Benge knows a lot about because his company has to pay them every time he develops a new project.

“Impact fees have started to cripple a lot of the [development] industry,” he said to Collins. “For a typical residential unit, as an average, $30,000 per unit is now being levied. When they were originally passed, [these fees] were specifically to be limited to incremental new capacity for things like schools, roads, sewer and water treatment plants. But, we’ve paid into this now for a decade and there’s been no accountability. You can’t get any information from these counties, which seize the money, in essence. And yet, they have no new schools or anything else to point to. How do we get accountability for this?”

Collins responded, “It’s got to be statewide legislation. It can’t be executive action. It has to go through the legislature and it’s got to be codified into law. There has to be some form of accountability in that system.”

He added, however, “But, valid impact fees? I think we all agree that valid is a good word. We can do that, but the accountability has to be there. I don’t think DOGE ( (the Dept. of Government Efficiency) is something we should just do once and walk away from. I think sustained accountability and predictability for our people matters. We’re going to have to implement that.”

State Senator Danny Burgess, of course, presented a different solution when he was the guest speaker at an NTBC “Coffee &

Connections” event two years ago, before DOGE even existed, saying that he wanted to see an audit of every county regarding impact fees.

Benge agreed that an audit showing how much impact fee money has been collected and what that money was spent on would be a good way to hold counties accountable for the impact fees they collect.

He says that although Pasco’s impact fees are among the highest in the state, “Osceola County’s are actually the highest. They’ve really become insane, literally. The night [Osceola] did the most recent increase, there were probably 20 developers in the audience, representing hundreds of millions of dollars in projects. I told them, ‘If you pass this, just throw our application in the trash.”

He added that for a typical 300-unit apartment complex, the developer has to pay $9 million in impact fees to get a building permit.

“I mean, we’re already building all of the roads, improvements... we’re having to do turn lanes, traffic signals, water, sewer, bus stops, all of that. And we still have to pay regular taxes and everything else.”

Benge also told me that impact fees first started back in 2000, with something called the “Martinez Doctrine,” which was named after former Orange County Chair and U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, who served as Secretary of Housing & Urban Development under U.S. President

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‘Joseph Caetano’

Continued from page 1

The Early Years

Joseph P. Caetano was born Sept. 30, 1933, in New York. He was in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953-56, where he met his wife and fellow Marine, the former Nair Medeiros. The two married just three months after meeting, in 1956. Joseph and Nair had two daughters, Caron and Jacquie.

Joseph worked a variety of jobs — postal worker, police officer in Westchester County, NY, real estate agent and house painter — before becoming a hairdresser in the 1970s.

He later opened his first hair salon — called “Hair by Joseph” — in Burlington, MA, but he also served from 1982-85 on a school committee in Woburn, MA, that determined how a $6 million annual budget, affecting more than 1,300 students, would be spent.

Caetano’s daughter Caron is married to former NFL defensive back Paul Dombroski, who played his sixth and final season with the Tampa Bay Bucs in 1985, when he and Caron moved to Tampa. Joseph, Nair and Jacquie would move to Tampa Palms in 1987 and Joseph and Jacquie opened the original Bostonian Hair Salon in 1988, in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center.

Joseph ran for public office for the first time in Florida in 1992, when he lost, as a Democrat, to Republican Jim Norman for the District 2 seat on the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. He was then one of the three candidates (out of five total) elected to the Tampa Palms CDD Board in 1994, but did not seek reelection because he and Nair moved to Cory Lake Isles.

Speaking of 1994, that was the year Paul and Caron would both join Joseph and Jacquie at the Bostonian, when the family also opened Tano’s Café, a short-lived Italian restaurant and pizza place. Joseph then twice expanded the Bostonian to its full 6,000-sq.-ft. size, and even added a popular coffee shop he called “Java Joe’s” in a separated section of the salon’s space. He then added a second location in the New Tampa Center plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.

The Tampa Palms Bostonian closed in

2009, followed not long after by the BBD location. “Closing the original Bostonian in Tampa Palms was traumatic for me,” I remember Joseph telling me. “But I’ll be back.”

In 1998, Joseph first proposed the idea of New Tampa de-annexing from the City of Tampa and annexing into its own municipality, stating that Tampa treated zip code 33647 like an ATM machine — “always taking money out but not giving us equal value for what the New Tampa community pays in taxes,” he said. And, he wasn’t just

making claims — Joseph would appear at Tampa City Council meetings with charts showing the millions in taxes the city was collecting from New Tampa, compared with what he considered to be a paltry amount in return. He even did research into the City of Weston in Broward County, which successfully annexed into its own city.

Despite having some setbacks, Joseph wasn’t quite done, either politically or professionally, as he ended up changing his party affiliation to Republican and succeeded fellow Republican Shawn Harrison in the nonpartisan District 7 seat on the Tampa City Council in 2007. At that time, Joseph said that instead of still fighting to create the City of New Tampa, he would instead fight for New Tampa to receive more in return from Tampa while he was on City Council.

Joseph ultimately lost his Dist. 7 seat to Lisa Montelione in 2011 and sought a rematch against Montelione in 2015, but ended up withdrawing his name from consideration.

He opened his last Bostonian salon in the same plaza as the Hungry Greek on BBD in Wesley Chapel, having done almost all of the build-out work himself, but closed it in 2011.

Shortly after he opened that last location, he had a dispute with Verizon, which gave him a phone number for the salon that actually already belonged to someone else. He had advertised the phone number several times in the Neighborhood News, so I helped him secure a sizable refund from the phone carrier by sending him tear sheets and invoices of all of the ads he had run with us.

In his later years in the business, Joseph

also served as the head of the State Board of Cosmetology, where, according to Caron, “he opposed unlicensed cosmetologists who were cutting people’s hair in their homes. He viewed them as unfair competition for those of us who were licensed and paying rent in salons.”

In fact, because of Joseph’s concerns about unlicensed people working in the business, the State Cosmetology Board passed a rule that required licenses to be laminated, “so an unlicensed person couldn’t just switch out one picture for another,” Caron says.

Joseph’s final attempt to win public office came in 2016, when he finished sixth of eight candidates for the District 7 seat on the Hillsborough County School Board ultimately won by Lynn Gray in the runoff election in November.

But, even though he was no longer running for office himself, that didn’t mean Joseph wasn’t still politically active. When Luis Viera defeated Joseph’s friend, Dr. Jim Davison, by 65 votes in the 2019 runoff election for the Dist. 7 City Council seat Joseph had held eight years earlier, he asked me if I would ask the candidates what they thought of the idea of de-annexing New Tampa from the city and creating the “City of New Tampa.”

Dr. Davison said he would have to “look into it” once elected, while Viera said he was seeking election to City Council and wouldn’t consider it at all — something the (at that time) St. Petersburg (now Tampa Bay) Times turned into a headline story, which may or may not have played a part in that election’s result.

See

on pg. 6

Continued from page 4

More Than Just A Timeline

But, when a man lives 92 years, the last almost four decades of which were spent in the public eye, there is so much more to report about his life than just a chain of events.

There is no doubt that Joseph loved his wife Nair, as they were married for nearly six decades before she passed away following a long illness in 2014. Joseph cared for Nair for almost eleven years, even though she was non-ambulatory for most of that time.

He would become friends with Jill Barnes, who became his constant companion and another important part of Joseph’s life in the years between Nair’s passing and his.

Jacquie says, “Although it was challenging for us to accept that there was another significant person in our Dad’s life, Jill was there for him every day during his decline and we appreciate her.”

Whatever differences there may have been at first, the girls, Jill and Paul all believe that, “God restored our relationship” and Jacquie and Caron know that they truly loved each other.

The Caetano family (and Paul) are all people of faith, with Joseph having been an usher at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church.

Joseph’s daughters clearly adored their father and both give him credit for helping them become the women they are today.

Caron says that Joseph was always “hyperfocused on justice and basically unstoppable when he believed in something. He worked multiple jobs to provide for us and helped

install a strong work ethic, not only in Jacquie and me, but in Paul, too.”

Meanwhile, Jacquie says that thanks to her father and the Bostonian, “I basically became the hairdresser to the stars in Tampa Palms, including (former world #1-ranked tennis player and former Tampa Palms resident) Pete Sampras. My dad’s philosophy was always ‘more chairs, more stylists. At our peak, our payroll at the Bostonian reached $29,000 per month with annual revenue of more than $3 million.”

Among the people Joseph loved most was Elie Khadije, who also moved to the area from Massachusetts, walked into the Bostonian and started working there basically from Day One.

“Dad loved Elie (who passed away in Sept. 2025) like he was a member of our family,” Jacquie says.

Caron says that although Paul at first worked at Tano’s Café, he did end up going to

cosmetology school and also became a hairdresser.

“That’s when Paul and I came to work at the Bostonian,” Caron says. “We ended up managing the operations of the salon, while Dad managed the hairdressers. And, he always would book services for me and expect them to be completed within a certain time frame. He wouldn’t ask me, he would just book it and expect it to be done. I sometimes wondered why I was so tired, but that’s when I really learned how to work as a hairdresser.”

Jacquie went even further. “Everything I know about working hard and making sure my clients are happy is because of my dad,” she says. “I owe him everything.”

And, even though neither Jacquie nor Caron gave Joseph any grandchildren, “He said he didn’t need them.” Jacquie says. “His daughters and his work were all he needed.”

Viera Working On A Tribute

“We certainly will find a way to honor the memory of Joseph Caetano in New Tampa,” Councilman Viera wrote in his own sweet tribute to Joseph on his Facebook page. “Though city rules preclude us from doing any renaming until a year after someone has passed, I will do everything I can to get this process started for him.”

Both Caron and Jacquie started crying when I told them what Viera promised, something he also later told them on the phone.

“I know my Dad would love to have a street named after him,” Jacquie told me. “I also know he would love to know that you’re doing a story like this about him. It means a lot to us, too.”

She added, “I think we’re going to put his motto — When you’re right, why not fight? — on his stone.”

R.I.P. Joseph. You are sorely missed.

George W. Bush. The Martinez Doctrine attempted to limit school overcrowding by requiring local developers to address school capacity issues before breaking ground.

“The idea was that growth should have to pay for itself, which makes sense,” Benge said, “But the trade-off was supposed to be that we will always have utilities and roads and services available to go along with this.

“So when these impact fees first started, I don’t know who came up with the numbers, but they’re so abominably disproportionate. We’ve actually tracked some of the apartment communities, which might have kids in only 20% of the complex’s units. So, on 300 units, I’d have maybe 60 units that have kids, I paid $6 million in impact fees for the construction of new schools, which is basically 1/3 of a whole [700-student) schoolhouse for 60 kids. And, I’m still paying taxes every year, too. These fees were supposed to only be used for new school construction, but they never gave me any data.”

Benge also said he decided to go about it a different way. “Let’s just track how many homes and apartments were built from, let’s say, 2015 through 2025. So, I made up a number, let’s say 100,000 units were built. Each one paid $14,000 per unit. Where’s that $1.4 billion? Or, list me out the new schools that’ve been built with that money, with the budget you spent on each one.

“A K-8 school right now costs $18-$20 million, a high school is upwards of $50 million, and that would house, in Orange County, up to 5,000 students. By our estimation, there should have been around 84 new schools built during that time — and they only have three.

“So, where’s all that money? [Counties aren’t] allowed to use it for [their] general funds. You can’t use it to pay more administrators. This money should be segregated out and if it’s not, this is a big issue.”

He added that many of the assumptions used by counties to set their school impact fees, “are horribly flawed. If I build a 300-unit apartment complex and a third of those units are

one-bedroom units, how many kids live in onebedroom apartments? Historical precedence says that only unless someone is building a house that isn’t ready yet, one-bedroom units don’t generate any kids, yet I still have to pay the same school impact fees for those units. It’s crazy.”

The Fletcher Project

Speaking of crazy, Benge said that his Fletcher Project — named for the family that owned the 100-acre property — was originally planned in Aug. 2024 for 350 multi-family units, about 160 townhomes and 25,000 sq. ft. of commercial uses and had been through more than a year of meetings and plans when Pasco’s commissioners voted last year to deny it.

“The big pushback was the private, neverpermitted airstrip from the 1950s next door, which would have prevented us from building anything on 1/3 of the property. We agreed to not build on that portion, but we asked to have the same density on the rest of the property. So, we wouldn’t build as [many total units], and they turned us down. We started with Plan A and were up to Plan Q, and they still turned us down.”

Hawes MPUD

Despite that setback in Pasco, Benge Development is moving forward with its plan for the Hawes MPUD (marked in red on map below). The project will extend Handcart Rd. to the north, with 396 multi-family units on the south side and 127 townhomes on the north side and some neighborhood commercial (grocery store, etc.) entitlements. The Hawes project was approved in 2023, but Benge has not yet begun building at that site.

Jonathan’s Landing

Benge also is building Jonathan’s Landing, the first adult autistic facility in the U.S., in Lake Nona, FL. “It will have 5,000 beds and bring 5,000 jobs to that area,” Benge said. “My friend, Jason Eichenholz, has a son named Jonathan who is an adult with autism. This will help so many adults because state support for [developmentally disabled] people ends at age 18.”

Look for more info about Tony Benge and his vision for the NTBC in our next issue.

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins Makes His Pitch For Becoming Governor “Leadership Has A Cost...Your Own Self Interest.

By Gary Nager

No matter which side of the political aisle you may be on, if you sit and listen to Florida’s 49-year-old Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins speak, you can’t help but be impressed with him. He has had a 23-year career in the U.S. Army and has served as a medic and parachutist in the Army’s elite Special Forces Green Berets corps twice — qualifying the second time after having his leg amputated.

He’s been shot, “which I do not recommend,” performed surgery on himself on the battlefield, has been awarded a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and numerous other military med-als and his story — and his life — could have ended with his military service, during which he met his wife Layla, who had a 20-year mili-tary career as a counterintelligence agent.

Instead, he entered Florida’s political scene four years ago, when he was elected to Florida Senate District 14, defeating the incumbent Democrat Janet Cruz for the seat.

The father of two boys ages 13 and 10 served for almost three years in the State Senate and passed 55 bills during that time. “I passed more bills in three years than many in the State Legislature do in eight,” he told an enthusiastic crowd of more than 100 North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) members at the NTBC Business Breakfast on Feb. 3, at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel.

Then, in August 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him as Florida's 21st Lieutenant Governor, replacing Jeanette Nuñez, who had resigned in May. Collins may not be the favorite to win the Republican nomination for Governor of Florida in the upcominh 2026 midterm elections — he currently trails far behind Rep. Byron Donalds (who recently received U.S. President Donald Trump's endorsement) and Gov. DeSantis' wife Casey (who has not yet declared she is running) — but with more than a third of registered Republicans still undecided (and more than half undecided if Casey DeSantis ends up choosing not to run), it's still anyone's race. But, whether he has a chance to win the nomination or not, Collins definitely captivated that room.

He spoke confidently about his plans to improve upon the record of DeSantis, who he said, “has led the nation. He has put a lot of things together While other states have raised taxes, overregulated businesses and chased jobs away, Florida has chosen a different path. He’s fo-cused on freedom, responsibility and opportuni-ty

Rise Above It, Lead From The Front & Get Things Done.”

Florida is now the strongest state economy in the country We lead the nation in new business formation. Our workforce continues to grow. Families and employers are choosing Florida and that success is especially visible right here in this region. People want to be here because we have opportunity You’ve got the government out of the way as much as possible.”

Even so, Collins acknowledged, “That doesn’t mean we’re exactly where we need to be, but we’re on the right path.”

He said he had recently attended the opening of a health care innovation lab in downtown Bradenton that is doing implants that get rid of metal and use absorbable material, “so it goes right in and grows bone — safe, not causing scabs or abscesses. That’s going to change people’s lives by eliminating the need for at least one surgery.

“The number one killer of people in health care is sepsis. The less you have to open somebody up, the less susceptible they are to sepsis. If we can stop that, we stop or lower health care costs, and some of the frivolous or excessive lawsuits at the back end, further dropping health care costs.”

Collins added that he shared that story, “because that was one person who had a dream to build something great, came here to Florida, started a business and will now inject hundreds of millions and, at some point, billions of dollars into our local economy.

“And that is what each and every one of you do every day. It just takes one moment for something to catch like wildfire and change how we do everything.”

He then moved on to one of this year’s most discussed proposals being considered by the state legislature — reducing or eliminating property taxes.

“Show of hands,” he said, “how many of you would like to have your homesteaded property free and clear of property tax?” (Everyone raised their hands.)

“But now,” he continued, “how many of you have concerns about how that would affect our education, our roads, our firefighters and our law enforcement?” (Again, most hands went up)

“Well, let me tell you something,” Collins said, “in this state, we are not going to put at risk

our law enforcement or our firefighters. I would rather jump in front of a moving car than hurt the people who serve our communities. I would give my last full measure to protect our people. We will stand with our men and women of law enforcement and fire. We will not allow our cities or counties to underfund or cut that. It’s the same with roads and education.”

He noted that although people usually assume his kids go to private school, “My kids go to public school in Hillsborough County, just down the road from my house. A rising tide floats all boats.

“We have school choice in Florida because we understand that the money should follow the kids. It’s not the government’s money. It’s the people’s money being utilized to help provide something common to all — and we hold them accountable for those reasons. But, I also know that 85% of people will almost always go to public schools. And the right thing for my kids is that school just down the road, where they have their friends. I want my kids to be successful. I want them to have every opportunity to blow what

I’ve done out of the water, to make my name irrelevant. That is what I dream on. So believe me, we’re going to protect those exact things.”

The Unknown Property Tax Fact

The thing Collins said that raised the most eyebrows was about just how much of Florida’s property tax revenue comes from homesteaded properties. “Less than 30% of the money that comes from property tax comes from homesteaded properties,” he said. “That’s a shockingly low number. Now, some counties are higher, some are significantly lower — and I’m sure you can probably formulate which ones go that way, but that’s manageable. It’s solvable.”

He then asked, “How many of you have seen your property value go up every year, from a tax standpoint? Has anybody had theirs go down repeatedly? I’ve never had anyone who said that and I’ve asked it a hundred times.

“How many of you have had millage rate increases as well?,” Collins added. “You’re getting hit twice. It’s getting wider, because you’re paying more, and it’s getting taller because of the millage increase.

“Now, ask yourself this simple question. Have you seen that exponential increase over the last ten years positively impact your education, roads, fire or law enforcement? Do they have more time, tools and training?

“If the answer is decidedly ‘no’ — which it has been everywhere I’ve gone — where did that money go?

“Friends, I am not here to pay more taxes. Lord knows, I put in time for what I get. I probably get about seven cents an hour as Lieutenant Governor — and I am grateful to do it. Please

don’t think I’m whining. I’m just making fun of the system we’re in sometimes.

“It’s fascinating. We have to solve that — hold people accountable. What we’re doing with DOGE (the Dept. of Government Efficiency) in Florida is significant, but we have to lock that in and make sure the (city and county) governments follow through, that we’re holding them accountable.”

He also said that, “I’m frustrated that we have allowed the affordability conversation to focus just on saving our way to success.

“Friends, this is America, this is Florida. I expect us to lead, to dream boldly, to draw in more life-changing industry — to raise our salaries as part of that story. I don’t want my kids to make what I made someday. I want them to have so much more. We have to be dedicated to that.

“We can talk about property tax, but we have to draw in more businesses and get the government out of the way.”

Impact Fees & Permitting Issues

Collins was a little surprised that only a couple of people in the audience, including NTBC Board chair Tony Benge (see pg. 3) — who introduced Collins — were in real estate development.

“How many of you who are in development deal with impact fees? How about permitting? How many of you have bought or built homes and had a permitting crisis you had to deal with?

“There are two things right now that I believe we can lever and fix when it comes to home affordability. One is impact fees. They seem to just be levied left and right. Some counties are really great at it and some are less than stellar.

See “Jay Collins” on pg. 10.

from page 9

“Either way, it’s going right back to the consumer. We have to reward people and let those fees come back the appropriate way, but there’s got to be a lot of commonality and common sense.

“When it comes to permitting, I’ve gone through this as a business leader. I’ve gone through this personally when I built my home, but there has to be clarity and accountability in how that’s done.

“We have a building code that works. I worked in disaster management for many years. I was there everywhere lives were impacted by hurricanes and I would see a slab, a slab and then three homes almost completely unfazed by the same hurricane. [That means] our building code works, if we can get them there. We, as a state, have to do more from a resiliency, a power side, without spending ourselves into oblivion.

“Your individual amount that you owe to state debt is about $200. But, let’s compare that to the federal government, where it’s $126,000 per person. We have paid down 50% of our debt as a state over the last six years. We are balancing and lowering our budget every single year. Our reserves are maximized and yet, we’re still dropping them down more and more. That is what fiscal leadership and prudency looks like as a state. We have to maintain what we do.”

Before opening his appearance up to the floor for questions, Collins closed with, “In our state, I don’t believe the past is our best. I think the best lies ahead of us. I’m an optimist. I believe in our people. I believe in getting government out of the way so businesses can thrive

and more opportunities can exist.”

And finally, Collins asked a question of his own: “Tell us what you see, what your problems are. The simple fact is that, as a leader, I can’t solve what I don’t know. I listen to Ronald Reagan a lot. I love how he spoke to the people and he solved problems. I love his approach.

“To paraphrase him, ‘If the government thinks they have a solution, you should be afraid...very afraid.’

“Please work with us. We need business leaders from the Chamber and from the community, to help us understand where the rubber meets the road. How that impacts lives and how we can solve [problems], to really create solutions.

“And, as a former legislator, I can tell you that, of the 55 bills I passed, probably three quarters of them came from the community in some way, shape or form, because we worked with them. We solved those functional problems on the ground and they improved. That’s good work. That’s good government. That’s how we work together.”

Answering Questions

Collins then took a number of questions, the first from Ryan Quattlebaum, the CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, who asked, “As we continue to hire, recruit and retain doctors into the state of Florida, what do you see you can do to help us continue to attract and retain physicians to Florida?”

Collins responded that Florida, “needs more medical schools. I also know that every doctor we talk to says they are hemorrhaging people at the three-to-five-to-seven-year mark because they’re tired of litigation. They’re tired of the games. They’re tired of being told to write their SOAP

(Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan) notes in a specific way to fit into an insurance algorithm. Those are systemic issues we have to solve.”

Next up was NTBC Board member Jamie Hess, the owner of Computer Emergency Room, who told Collins that the Chamber was looking into incorporating Wesley Chapel as its own city, “but we put it on hold because of the property tax issue. What do you think, realistically, is the forecast to get the homestead property tax reduced or eliminated this year?”

Collins responded, “If I were Governor, I’ll tell you what I would do. I would call a Special Session so you have everybody there. I do think you can get full property tax relief for homestead properties [because] the math plays out.

“But, for those who may not know how the system works, you’ve got to pass identical bills — within a 98% margin — in both the House and the Senate, and then have the Governor sign it.

“And, because [incorporation] would have to be a constitutional amendment, it’s then got to go on the ballot and it’s got to get 60% of the people to vote for it.

“Friends, there are times when it’s hard to get people to agree that we should even have a 60% level. It’s going to cost, at a minimum, $15$25 million of advertising to understand what its going to look like.

“But again, on property taxes, if there’s more than one thing on that property tax [bill], it’s 100% going to fail. But, I think it’s pretty likely that we get this, but where it ends up

on the spectrum, that variability, I think you’ll know, probably within a month or so. But yes, it’s very doable, very manageable.

“I know the Governor pretty well and, when he lays out his plan, it will be very detailed. You have to get ahead of the system to make sure people don’t move the money, don’t revenue taxes, and don’t just create another bureaucracy, instead of solving a problem.

“I know pretty well where the Governor is at on this and I will not be part of anything that’s going to cut services. I will not do it.”

Collins also answered a question from Primrose School of Wesley Chapel owner Rob Fitzpatrick about Florida’s insurance crisis and one from yours truly about holding private schools that accept school vouchers to the same standards as public schools. He also addressed a question from Benge about the lack of accountability on the part of local governments regarding impact fees (see the Editorial on pg. 3 for more on this topic).

Very interesting stuff, Mr. Collins!

Thanks To Viera, Multiple Tampa Palms Roadways Are Being Repaved

By Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

With road crews mobilized across Tampa Palms, residents probably couldn’t have missed seeing the orange cones and fresh milling equipment before they read about it in these pages.

According to the City of Tampa’s Paving Report posted on Feb. 10, a long-awaited resurfacing project officially began on Feb. 18, and is expected to last approximately three weeks.

The work, confirmed by the City of Tampa, will be completed by a contractor rather than in-house crews. It is part of a broader slate of resurfacing efforts across the city, including projects along 7th Ave. in Ybor City and W. McCoy St. in South Tampa.

Roads Included In The Project

The resurfacing is focused on three heavily traveled corridors that serve not only as connector roadways but also as lifelines for daily errands, school drop-offs and daily commutes for Tampa Palms residents:

• Commerce Palms Dr. – the main commercial artery serving Lowe’s and BJ’s Wholesale Club. This stretch sees constant retail traffic and delivery vehicles.

• Compton Dr. – extending from behind Lowe’s, past the New Tampa Family YMCA, to Tampa Palms Blvd. at Tampa Palms Elementary. This corridor carries daily school traffic, afterschool activities and neighborhood commuters.

temporary closures and intermittent delays while milling and paving operations are active.

A Long Time Coming

or surrounding neighborhoods, the resurfacing is being done, so make sure to pay attention, take alternate routes when you can and be prepared for some delays.”

• Cypress Preserve Dr. – the connector that intersects Bruce B. Downs Blvd. at the RaceTrac gas station, a key access point into surrounding residential communities.

District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, who has fought hard for all of these repaving projects, emphasizes how significant this moment is for his district:

The councilman has previously voiced frustration over deteriorating roadway conditions in our area, sometimes directly referring to the New Tampa area as “pothole city.”

For residents, the timing of these projects means the impacts have already been felt for two of the project’s three weeks. Drivers heading to the YMCA, retail centers or surrounding neighborhoods should still anticipate lane shifts,

“This is a project that I’ve been working on — and fighting for — for a long time,” Viera says, “so I’m really happy this is finally coming to fruition. But, just know that if you travel these roadways, whether going to the YMCA...

A review of historic aerial imagery supports those concerns — the roads appear not to have been resurfaced since their original construction in the late 1990s, meaning the pavement on all of these roadways is approaching 30 years old.

Viera Also Still Pushing For New Tampa Fire & Police Upgrades

At the Feb. 19 Tampa City Council meeting, Viera again asked for some sort of Tampa Fire Rescue (TFR) station — or at least a rescue vehicle — for the K-Bar Ranch community.

“Four of the five [TFR] stations with the slowest response times are in New Tampa,” Viera said at the meeting, following a presentation by Tampa Firefighters Local 754. “This points to a drum I have been beating for too many years, especially for K-Bar Ranch. I have long advocated for a separate fire station for this community, which the Administration opposes — as there are comparatively few calls for service [in K-Bar] — but we can’t let up.”

At the same meeting, Viera also said that before he leaves office, he will push for some money in the city’s budget for a Tampa Police (TPD) substation somewhere in New Tampa.

“I’d even propose a small tax increase to fund these things,” Viera said. “I think Republicans and Democrats would support it if it meant our police and firefighters could do their jobs better.” — GN

What Residents Should Expect

Because this issue is reaching mailboxes as the project is nearing completion, Tampa Palms residents should:

• Allow extra travel time when using Commerce Palms Dr., Compton Dr., and Cypress Preserve Dr.

• Use caution near work zones and follow all posted signage.

• Watch for construction crews and equip-

ment, particularly during daytime working hours.

While the short-term inconvenience may be noticeable, the long-term payoff will be smoother roadways, improved safety and a much-needed refresh for infrastructure that has served the community for nearly three decades.

What About New Tampa Blvd.?

As for New Tampa Blvd., “which is another repaving project I have been wanting for some time — as have my constituents in West Meadows,” Viera says, “that project is expected to begin in early Spring of 2026, probably by sometime in April.”

He adds that, after New Tampa was left out of the repaving funds the city received from the All for Transportation leftover dollars, “I pushed for this project to be funded by the administration, and I am grateful that they worked with me on this, and that Council supported this in the budget.”

New Tampa Blvd. is now pending contract 26-C-00006 and although the paving is expected to begin next month, it actually depends upon the contractor’s schedule. This is a 1.8-mile repair which comes at a cost of $2.5 million.

Paul James Monsanto, P.A.

Tampa City Ballet Hosts An Amazing ‘Inside The Studio’ Wine & Cheese Social!

I’m so glad our photographer Charmaine George was able to be on hand for the “Inside the Studio” wine & cheese event at the Tampa City Ballet (TCB) studio at 15365 Amberly Dr., in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms. The event was hosted by TCB founder and artistic director Paula Nuñez (right in near photo) and Board member Marguerite Pinard (left in same photo) and featured demonstration dances by TCB’s super-talented professional dancers, as well as a vocal performance by Coloratura Soprano Daniela Mass, (below left), plus wine, cheese and many TCB supporters and joyous attendees.

Up next for TCB is “Dance Now,” Tampa Bay’s (FREE) Dance Festival, with hundreds of dancers from Bay-area dance troupes of all genres. It will be held at Tampa’s Water Works Park (next to Ulele Restaurant) on Saturday, March 15, 4 p.m. For more info, see the ad below or visit TampaCityBallet.org. — GN

Leapin’ Lizards! New Tampa Players Hosting Auditions For ‘Annie!’

The New Tampa Players (NTP), New Tamp’s local community theatre troupe performing at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC), is excited to announce auditions for its summer production — “Annie!”

NTP is looking for aspiring actors of all ages to be involved with this familyfriendly summer community production. From seasoned actors to first-time auditioners, everyone is encouraged to step into the spotlight.

“At its heart, ‘Annie’ is about finding family and friendship in unexpected places,” says Nora Paine, NTP’s producing artistic director. “That message reflects exactly what community theatre is all about. We’re not just casting a show — we’re building relationships, creating opportunities and bringing people together.”

NTP has put together a top-notch artistic team for “Annie,” including director Karissa Barber (who previously directed “Shrek: The Musical” and “Oklahoma” for NTP), musical director G. Frank Meekins (“Grease,” “Singin’ in the Rain” and more) and choreographer Jennifer Soto.

Auditions will be held at the Uptown Stage (at University Mall, between Fowler and Fletcher Aves.) on Monday & Tuesday, April 27-28, beginning at 7 p.m.

both days, with callbacks scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.

The production team is seeking youth and adult performers for principal and ensemble roles, including:

• Annie (age 8–13) — A confident and charismatic, experienced performer with strong vocal ability. Annie carries the heart of the show and appears in nearly every scene.

• Orphans (girls age 7–14) — Energetic performers with big personalities, comedic timing and energy. Featured orphans include Molly, Pepper, July, Tessie, Kate and Duffy

• Miss Hannigan — The delightfully villainous caretaker of the orphanage. A comedic tour-de-force role requiring bold character work and strong vocals.

• Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks — A wealthy businessman with commanding presence and emotional depth as he softens under Annie’s influence.

• Grace Farrell — Daddy Warbucks’ poised and kind assistant, offering warmth and elegance to the story.

• Rooster Hannigan — Miss Hannigan’s scheming brother, a charismatic con man with strong comedic flair.

• Lily St. Regis — Rooster’s glamorous and mischievous partner in crime.

In addition to these principal roles,

the production features a large ensemble portraying servants, New Yorkers, radio performers and White House staff — providing many opportunities for the ensemble.

No previous theatre experience is required. Auditioners should sign up for an audition slot at NewTampaPlayers.org and should prepare 16–32 bars of a song in the style of the show and wear comfortable clothing for a short movement combination.

Rehearsals will begin at the beginning of May, with performances scheduled for the weekends of July 24-26 and July 31-August 2. Rehearsals will mainly be held on Monday-Thursday, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., at NTP’s Uptown Stage rehearsal space (2200 E. Fowler Ave., rear entrance).

Please note that there will be some weekend rehearsals.

Community members who prefer to work behind the scenes also are invited to volunteer in set construction, costuming, lighting and front-of-house support.

If you’re interested in behind-thescenes opportunities, please email Nora Paine, Producing Artistic Director at nora.paine@newtampaplayers.org

“This production is about more than applause on opening night,” Barber says. “It’s about creating a space where neighbors become friends and stories bring us closer together.”

For audition registration and details, volunteer opportunities, and additional information, visit NewTampaPlayers. org or see the ad below. If you would like to support in the audience, tickets are already on sale at NewTampaPlayers.org.

Upcoming Events — Dance Festival, Stevie Wonder Tribute,

Saturday & Sunday, February 28 & March 1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. – Wesley Chapel Craft Festival. At the Shops at Wiregrass (28211 Paseo Dr.). Shop, stroll, and soak up the vibes at this outdoor craft festival at The Shops at Wiregrass. Discover unique, American-made goods from talented artisans featuring handmade jewelry, pottery, ceramics, art, photography, clothing, and more. Then wander through the Green Market filled with plants, orchids, exotic greenery, handmade soaps, gourmet spices and freshly popped kettle corn. It’s a fun weekend event perfect for browsing, finding something special, and enjoying the fresh Tampa Bay air. Free to attend. For more info, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com/ event/35505-wesley-chapel-craft-fait

Wednesday, March 4, 12:45 p.m.-1:45 p.m. – Take Charge of Your Heart: Simple Steps for a Longer, Healthier Life. At the New Tampa Family YMCA (16221 Compton Dr.). Join Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Mohamed Omer for an empowering session that goes beyond standard medical advice. Discover how to proactively shield your heart for the long term using the latest research in health and longevity. Free to attend. For more info, visit BayCareEvents.org or call 1-800-BayCare to register.

Thursday, March 5, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Laser Institute (18311 N. US Hwy. 41, Lutz). Join Dr. Roshni Ranjit--Reeves (Dr. Rosh) in celebrating the ribbon cutting of her new location. Champagne & light bites will be served. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com/ events. Or, to RSVP, text “Dr Rosh Pink Ribbon” and your name to (813) 303-0123.

Thursday, March 5, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Comprehensive Foot & Ankle Specialists (2816 Windguard Circle, Ste. 102). Come out and celebrate the Grand Opening & ribbon cutting. Meet the team and tour the new office. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber. com/events.

Sunday, March 8, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – 2026 Annual Kumquat Festival. At Downtown Dade

After thrilling the crowd with its “Abbey Road” Beatles tribute last November, the tribute band known as Classic Rock Legacy returns to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 27, with a “Night of Floyd.”

City (37918 Meridian Ave, Dade City). Enjoy the unique, quaint and family fun of “old Florida” during the rescheduled Kumquat Festival — it’s truly one of a kind. You’ll have the opportunity to experience delicious food, visit hundreds of arts & crafts vendor booths (including the event’s sponsors) and learn about kumquats, “the little gold gems of the citrus industry.” Free to attend. For more info, visit KumquatFestival.org.

Sunday, March 8, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. – The Shops at Wiregrass Auto & Truck Showcase. At the Shops at Wiregrass (28211 Paseo Dr.). Get ready to rev your engines and your retail therapy—because Paseo Dr. is turning into a full-throttle, open air playground for car lovers, families, foodies, shoppers and everyone in between. Stroll among gleaming vintage classics, jaw dropping modern builds and more. Free to attend. For more info, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com/event/32059-the-shops-at-wiregrassauto-and-truck-showcase

Thursday, March 12, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. –North Tampa Bay Chamber Member Event. At Ginger Health (27553 Cashford Cir., Ste. 102). Stop in at the Ginger Health open house. There will be a light lunch, refreshments and a free consultation to learn more about Ginger Health’s services. Free to attend, but please RSVP. For more info and to RSVP, call (813) 631-9700 or email Ask@GingerHealth.com.

Thursday, March 12, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –

overjoyeda stevie wonder tribute saturday, mar 28, 8 pm

North Tampa Bay Chamber Ribbon Cutting. At Optimum Health & Wellness (23031 Tabak Ln., Land O’Lakes). Celebrate the Grand Opening of this new whole-person wellness office. Free to attend, but please RSVP. For more info and to RSVP, visit Eventbrite.com and search “Optimum Health & Wellness Grand Opening.”

Friday, March 13, 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. –Smart Eats! (with optional health screenings): Decode Your Food with BayCare. At New River Branch Library (34043 S.R. 54). Join our community partner, BayCare, for a presentation that concentrates on reading and understanding nutrition labels line-by-line with explanations of all the label components and how they can affect your health. The event also includes information about shopping and dining out. The presentation will be followed by optional glucose, blood pressure and body fat analysis screenings from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free to attend. For more info, visit pascolibraries.libnet.info/event/15692367

Sunday, March 15, 4 p.m. – “Dance Now: Tampa Bay’s Dance Festival,” brought to you by Tampa City Ballet. At Water Works Park (1701 N. Highland Ave., downtown Tampa). The Dance Now Multi-Cultural Dance Festival is Tampa’s FREE, must-see outdoor dance event, presented by Tampa City Ballet. This high-energy celebration combines genres of dance with more than 120 professional dancers, choreographers, and independent artists from across the Tampa

Bay area for one unforgettable day of movement and live performance.

Throughout the day, audiences can enjoy performances by both professional artists and youth dancers, highlighting the depth of talent in our local dance community. The festival also features free dance classes for all ages and experience levels, plus a silent disco that invites everyone to jump in and dance!

The lineup of dance companies includes: Disfunktionals Tampa, Tampa City Ballet’s ERA program, USF School of Theatre & Dance, CreeAtive (Native American dancers & educators), Tampa Qipao Dance, Hillsborough Community College, Rudram Indian Dance Co., Scariff Irish Dance Tampa, Sunshine Dance Group & The Florida Center for Capoeira (Afro-Brazilian martial art & dance).

For more info, visit TampaCityBallet.org or see the ad on pg. 14.

Tuesday, March 17, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. – Steinway Signature Series: Reflections Chamber Ensemble with Ghadeer Abaido. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Reflections Chamber Ensemble artistic director and clarinetist Stacey McColley will be joined by pianist extraordinaire Ghadeer Abaido to bring to life a program shaped by the ensemble’s hallmark spirit of innovation, featuring contemporary works, rarely heard treasures and powerful musical voices spanning centuries. Tickets $17.50-$25, depending upon seat selection. Select tickets are available for $10 as part of NTPAC’s Affordable Art Commitment. For more info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to reserve tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter. org/events/reflections-abaido

Saturday, March 21, 8 a.m. – Annual Rotary Club Clay Shoot: Presented by Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel. At Tampa Bay Sporting Clays (10514 Ehren Cutoff, Land O’ Lakes). Registration begins at 8 a.m. There will be a safety talk at 9 a.m. and the shoot starts at 9:15 a.m. Includes lunch. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Team of 4 shooters-$600. Individual shooters-$200. For more info, call Capt. Rob at (813) 431-5887. To sign up visit TicketsCandy.com/e/annual-rotary-club-clayshoot-by-the-rotary-club-of-wesley-chapel-2026-13154

Don’t Miss Stretch’s Rubberband: “Overjoyed — A Stevie Wonder Tribute”

Saturday, March 28, 8 p.m.

Table Seats cost $35 (or $30 for Tampa Jazz Club members) & Theater Seats are $30 ($25 for members).

SPONSORED IN PART BY stretch’s rubberband

A full cash bar will be available. For tickets & more info, visit TampaJazzClub.com

Monday, March 23, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

– New Tampa Democratic Club Monthly Meeting. At New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.). Everyone is welcome as a guest and invited to become a member. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m. and the business meeting begins at 7 p.m. Free to attend. For more info, visit NewTampaDeomocrats.com or Facebook.com/NewTampaDemocrats

Thursday, March 26, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. –PureVida Ribbon Cutting. At PureVida Primary Care & Wellness (2404 Creel Ln., Ste 102). Celebrate the Grand Opening of PureVida, a high-quality direct primary care and medical spa that combines compassion, expertise and personalized attention to help you achieve lasting health and confidence. There will be food and drinks, exclusive offers, raffles, and office tours. For more info, call (813) 771-6048 or see the ad below.

Friday, March 27, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. –Classic Rock Legacy: Night of Floyd. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Join the band Classic Rock Legacy as it brings the magic of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center stage. The band includes a stellar cast of award-winning musicians. Tickets cost $17.50-$25 depending on seat selection. For more info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/classic-rocklegacy-the-wall

Saturday, March 28, 7 p.m. & Sunday, March 29, 2:30 p.m. – Wesley Chapel Theater Group Presents: “Icon Auditions.” At Zephyrhills Lions Club (5827 Dean Dairy Rd.). This is a laugh-out-loud musical parody inspired by

the wild world of televised singing competitions. Packed with radio’s biggest hits, outrageous performances and over-the-top judges, this show brings the drama, the talent and the chaos you secretly love. And here’s the twist — you’re not just watching, you decide who makes the cut. Tickets cost $22.13. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org/ events-calendar

Saturday, March 28, 8 p.m.-11 p.m. – New Tampa Jazz Nights: “Overjoyed – A Stevie Wonder Tribute,” Featuring STretch’s Rubberband. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Formed by prominent Bay-area jazz scene veteran, Richard ‘STretch’ Bruyn, the group pays homage to Stevie Wonder’s remarkable career, which has spanned six decades and has given us the soundtrack to our lives. Tickets cost $10-$35, depending upon seat selection. For more info, call (813) 829-2760 or see the ad on pg. 16. Or, to purchase tickets, visit mytbtickets.com/events/stretchs-rubberbandoverjoyed-a-tribute-to-stevie-wonder-3-28-2026

Sunday, March 29, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. – New Tampa Unplugged: Arenas, Lasky, and Nash present “Project: The Bacharach Book.” At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Vocalist Allison Nash, pianist Simon Lasky, and bassist Alejandro Arenas are each well-known jazz artists, composers and band leaders on the Florida jazz scene in their own right. Together, they are excited to launch this new collaboration which interprets and reinvents the great compositions of Burt Bacharach, with a jazz sensibility and for a 21st century

audience. In addition, the group will perform jazz standards and their own compositions and arrangements. Tickets cost $17.50-$25, depending upon seat selection. Select tickets are available for $10 through NTPAC’s Affordable Art commitment. For more info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/new-tampa-unplugged-arenaslasky-and-nash-project-the-bacharach-book

Sunday, March 29, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. –Celebrating World Piano Day with “Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival.” At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Featuring award-winning pianists E Na Song, Janna Pena and Chen Liang, this special program by the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival offers a vibrant celebration of classical piano at its core. Tickets cost $10 (general admission). For more info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/ world-piano-day-rebecca-penneys

Wednesday & Thursday, April 1 & 2, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. – Solo Spotlight Series: “Mrs. Bliss’s Titanic Adventure”. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). In Mrs. Bliss’s Titanic Adventure, written and performed by Bridget Bean, a disillusioned actress is working in a Titanic exhibition when an intriguing stranger lures her into an unreal adventure. Can she avert disaster? And what can possibly go wrong? Tickets cost $15-$20 depending on seat selection & select tickets are available for $10 through NTPAC’s Affordable Art commitment. For more info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit

NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/solo-spotlight-series-mrs-bliss-titanic-adventure

Saturday, April 4, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. – 2026 Absolutely Avalon. At Avalon Park Wesley Chapel (33613 S.R. 54). Enjoy a Kids Area & Bounce Park, food trucks, live performances, a Children’s Entrepreneur Market, photos with the Easter Bunny and artisan, craft & business vendors. End the night with a spectacular laser light show at 9 p.m. Come celebrate everything that makes Avalon Park Absolutely Amazing! Free to attend. For more info, visit AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com/news-events/calendar/#

Friday, April 10, 8:00 a.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber 2026 Fairways to the Future: 1st Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament. At Saddlebrook Resort (5700 Saddlebrook Way). This will be a day filled with golf, networking, and making a difference. Proceeds from the tournament directly fund scholarships for deserving local graduates in their educational journey. The cost to play is $700/team of 4 or $175/individual player. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com/events.

Sunday, April 12, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. – Cassidy Otto “Stomp Out Cancer 5K” & “Journey Around the World Festival.” At the Shops at Wiregrass (28211 Paseo Dr.). Lace up and run or stop by afterward to enjoy the festival and show your support for a great cause. Post-run there will be live music, a fashion show, International Food, a silent auction and more. 5K-$40, 5K-Virtual-$40, Kids Fun Run (7 & under)-$15. For more info or to sign up, visit runsignup.com/Race/FL/WesleyChapel/CassidyOttoStompOutCancer

By Joel Provenzano Neighborhood News Correspondent

If you happened to be driving down County Line Rd. a few weeks ago, just past Grand Hamp ton, you might have done a double take. We sure did. There, seemingly out of nowhere, was a brand-new traffic signal (photo on next page) going in at Dunham Station Dr. Curious enough on its own — but what really caught our attention was why it was being installed…especially since it didn’t appear anywhere on Pasco County’s latest comprehensive transportation projects map.

As it turns out, the signal isn’t random at all. It’s there to serve a huge, previously-un der-the-radar K-12 public charter school quietly rising (top left photo) at the south end of Wesley Chapel, about a mile west of Northwood.

And when we say “quietly,” we actually mean very quietly.

The school is called Mater Academy at Northwood, a tuition-free K-12 public charter school slated to open in August 2026. Until recently, most residents — including us — had no idea it was coming. Its Facebook page has had just nine followers since November, and there’s been almost no public chatter about it online.

Honestly, if it weren’t for that new traffic signal on County Line Rd., we might not have even known about the Mater Academy until it opened its doors.

The site is impressively hidden. When we drove back there out of sheer curiosity (and, of course, our ongoing commitment to nosy neighborhood journalism), we fully expected to find yet another three-story, climate-controlled

been the perfect place for self-storage. No one would have ever seen it back there.

Where Exactly Is This Located?

Mater Academy at Northwood is being built on a 15-acre site at the northern end of Dunham Station Dr., tucked behind the Woodside Trace townhomes, just north of County Line Rd. It’s barely visible from the main road. That detail matters, because Dunham Station Dr. also serves as the second, residents-only entrance and exit for Grand Hampton. This means many Grand Hampton residents are probably thrilled about the new signal — especially since it’s just 0.3 miles west of Grand Hampton’s main entrance signal, which only first went live in July 2024.

Yes, two signals. Less than a third of a mile apart. On already-packed County Line Rd.

Déjà Vu On County Line Rd.

If this sounds familiar, it should. This story is very much a sequel to our 2024 “Cheers & Jeers” story about the new Grand Hampton entrance traffic signal. Back then, residents were split — some cheering a long-overdue safety improvement, others grumbling about backups and timing issues.

Mater Academy — The (Charter) School You (Probably) Didn’t Know You Were Getting!

determined— maybe when (or if) it ever gets widened to four lanes. But, with the North Tampa Christian Academy and a brand new Primrose School (as we reported last issue) already adding traffic on this two-lane roadway, there’s no doubt that another 700-2,500 students is not going to make traveling on County Line Rd. any easier.

How Big A School Is It?

Big. Like, really big. (See rendering above)

That article also pointed out what longtime locals already know: Two-lane County Line Rd. may still feel rural, but it hasn’t been truly rural for a long time. With growing neighborhoods, schools, townhomes and commercial development, traffic volumes — and turning movement times — have steadily increased.

The new Dunham Station Dr. signal continues that trend. And unlike the Grand Hampton signal, this one comes with a new westbound right turn lane (from the Pasco side) and full pedestrian crosswalks, clearly designed to manage the traffic that a large school inevitably brings.

But, will County Line Rd. ever get proper, full- length arterial sidewalks? That’s still to be

According to construction plans dated September 2025, the school will be built in seven total phases:

•Phase 1 includes a 3-story, 38,000-sq-ft classroom building at the entrance, currently under construction

•Phases 2-4 will add three more 3-story standalone classroom buildings and a gym, bringing the total to five buildings and 139,000 sq. ft. overall

•Phase 5 adds outdoor basketball courts and playgrounds

• Phase 6 adds a full-size sports field and an additional baseball diamond

•Phase 7 includes the 12,000-sq-ft, one-story gymnasium at the rear of the site

In total, the school is planned to serve

gered start and end times. Current plans show:

•Elementary starting first at 7:30 a.m.

•High school ending last at 3:30 p.m.

Those details will likely evolve as construction progresses and subsequent phases get built-out.

Parking, Pick-Up & The ‘Shuffle’

The site includes 269 parking spaces and a three-lane-wide car drop-off and pick-up loop for most of the property, narrowing to two lanes at the end. If it operates like other charter schools, don’t be surprised if that triple-wide drop-off doubles as overflow parking during events.

It’s still unclear how many students will be accommodated in Phase 1 — although the building’s size indicates a likely maximum of 700 students in that Phase 1 building.

We also couldn’t reach anyone who could tell us whether or not all grade levels will open immediately. However, the school’s online “Student Interest Form” already lists all grades as options in the pull-down menu.

What Is Mater Academy?

Mater Academy is a Miami-based charter school network that, according to its website MaterAcademy.org — serves 29,000+ students in 44 charter schools in Florida, Nevada and Ohio. The company’s mission statement reads:

“Mater provides a safe learning environment where academics are facilitated by teachers, administrators, parents and the community which enables students to become confident, self-directed learners in a technologically-rich, college preparatory environment through rigor, relevance and relationships.”

The Takeaway

So yes — the new traffic signal on County Line Rd. is about traffic. But, it’s also the first visible sign of a major new educational development quietly taking shape just out of sight in Wesley Chapel.

Motorists should also expect another new signal to start taking shape soon— two miles to the west at Cypress Creek Rd., as this one is shown in the county’s work plan for 2026.

So, between these new signals, growing communities, and now a massive K-12 charter campus, one thing is clear: County Line Rd. is continuing its slow transformation from “sleepy connector” to full-blown growth corridor.

And apparently, sometimes the traffic light really is the source of the news.

Parents interested in learning more about the new Mater Academy can find some information, as well as the “Student Interest Form” at MaterNorthwood.org. We did not know at our press time about any application deadline for the 2026-27 school year.

Wesley Chapel 2026 (Continued) — I Left Out City Furniture, Portillo’s & Hooters?

We got a lot of great feedback — as well as thousands of online views — of our many updates of (almost) everything that is now under construction and/or expected to be built before the end of 2026 in (and adjacent to) Wesley Chapel.

As I said last issue, I know I’m still missing several projects that should be completed this year (or early next, at the latest), but the three surprises I neglected to include are all located either adjacent to or no more than a mile from where Jannah and I live in the Silversaw apartments on the north side of S.R. 56, just west of I-75, in Lutz.

The most obvious of these, which I’ve reported about at least twice before, is City Furniture. This 120,000-sq.-ft. behemoth — by far the largest furniture store in our area — is taking shape between Silversaw and the existing Floor & Decor store (right). As big as it is (the same size as

the City Furniture in Sarasota), you could nearly fit ten of our City Furnitures inside the company’s 1-million-sq.-ft. warehouse on I-4 in Plant City.

Just now fully cleared and outlined with a silt fence on the former site of Rock & Brews is Portillo’s (below right), the Chicago-style hot dog place that will be 6,250 sq. ft., with double drive-through lanes. Portillo’s is expected to be completed before the end of this year.

And finally, the one that seems to be the biggest concern of many locals is the long-anticipated 5,697-sq.-ft. Hooters restaurant in the parking lot of Harley-Davidson of Wesley Chapel. We were told Hooters had to re-submit its plans to Pasco County, but is expected to be breaking ground very soon. Of course, we’ll keep you updated about all of these projects & more! — GN, drone photographs by Charmaine George

Saks OFF 5TH To Close Sometime In April

A big change is coming to the Tampa Premium Outlets, as the Saks OFF 5TH store at the outlet mall is one of 62 Saks OFF 5TH and Last Call stores closing their doors, parent company Saks Global — which is going through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process — announced in Feb.

The Lutz/Wesley Chapel Saks OFF 5TH location is one of 34 stores now holding “Store Closing” sales and will reportedly be closed by the end of April — or until the remaining inventory is largely sold out. And, our Neighborhood News sales & marketing director (and my wife) Jannah Nager and I can confirm that, at our press time, seemingly all of the inventory inside the store was marked as being at least 20% off original prices and many items were 40% off or more, including the remaining supply of Effy Jewelry, all marked down 70%. Jannah said there wasn’t much still available in the women’s shoe department — and I can confirm that the remaining inventory in the entire men’s department is very low.

A note on the door proclaimed “All Sales Final as of Feb. 3,” with “no price adjustments made for purchases made after that date.”

There has not yet been any announcement regarding the future of Saks Global’s other retail brands — Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

Although Tampa Premium Outlets general manager Shannon Brzuchalski could not confirm or deny that Saks OFF 5TH was closing when we first posted this information on our Facebook page on Jan. 30 (she only said that, “We had heard rumors it might be.”), the “Store Closing” signs went up the very next day — and we’ve

had more than 112,000 views of that post.

Brzuchalski also said she had not heard anything about the possibility of a JC Penney Outlet coming to replace Saks OFF 5TH at the outlet mall, even though JC Penney has regularly been posting listings for “Tampa Premium Outlet sales associate” jobs on InDeed. “As far as we know, JC Penney is not coming to the Tampa Premium Outlets,” Brzuchalski told us.

Of course, there already is a JC Penney retail location at The Shops of Wiregrass, and we had no information as to the future of that store, nor were we able to reach anyone at The Shops at Wiregrass regarding that JC Penney location, but this is a developing story and we will keep you posted. For more info, visit SaksGlobal.com. — GN, photo by Jannah Nager

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All Children’s Specialty Physicians Outpatient Care Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

With the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (JHACH) in Wesley Chapel still about a year away from opening, the All Children’s Specialty Physicians Outpatient Care Wesley Chapel office, located at 2905 Allegra Way in the Cypress Bend Professional Park, celebrated its one-year anniversary with a big party on Jan. 28, and one message was abundantly clear:

“Everyone wants to be here,” Dr. Justin Olsen (top right photo), the vice president and chief operating officer of JHACH, told the nearly 100 people in attendance at the event. “This original office is already full with physicians and staff and we have had to expand into an additional office — and we’ll probably have to expand again by the time the hospital opens.”

Jill Lansky (blonde hair in top left photo), business growth & relationship development director, and Susan Byrd, the senior director of ambulatory services with JHACH, agreed that they were “extremely proud” of the quality of physicians at the office, which is 10 miles away from where the hospital is being built just east of I-75 on the north side of Overpass Rd. at McKendree Rd. and is expected to open in late 2027.

Among those physicians on hand for the event were pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Michele Winesett (below left), pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Yanerys Colon-Cortés (below center) and pediatric cardiologist Dr. Daniel Mauriello (below right). Attendees also got to check out the new exam rooms and ultrasound suite.

For more info, call (813) 910-5190 or visit HopkinsMedicine.org. — GN, all photos by Charmaine George

Art Of Drawers Turns Kitchen Frustrations To Joy With Quality Solutions

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

If the dark corners of your kitchen cabi nets seem to swallow up the things you need, the designers at Art of Drawers want to get to know your frustrations and come up with a solution that will make working in your kitchen a little more joyful, with beautiful, high-end, perfectly customized drawers that will make finding items in your kitchen a lot easier — and look a lot more elegant. And, in addition to erasing problems with your kitchen cabinets, Art of Drawers provides custom solutions for pantries and bathrooms, too.

“Art of Drawers offers premium quality, a lifetime warranty and really solves everyday problems for customers in their homes,” says Sid Kinghar, owner of the Tampa Bay area franchise.

He says his company is not about selling drawers. “We offer solutions to increase your storage and give you more accessibility and better organization,” he explains.

While that is helpful for anyone, it is particularly beneficial for those who may be struggling to reach items in their kitchen, sometimes due to aging.

“It can be a game changer for people who have accessibility or mobility issues,” he says. “For customers with back pain or who can’t bend down, this makes life a lot easier.”

He adds that, because everything is custom made, each project is completely unique. Art of Drawers can provide solutions for cabinets where there also is plumbing or other obstacles, because the drawers can be customized to fit around those items.

“We can install drawers where you would never think a drawer could be,” Sid says. “We also have drawer heights from two-and-a-half inches up to nine inches. Whatever it needs to be to fit your pots and pans, with dividers to stack lids, no solution is exactly the same.”

However, he says, what is consistent from job to job is Art of Drawers’ quality. In addition to a lifetime warranty on all product installations, the company offers an “elation guarantee,” promising that if you’re not thrilled within the first three days after installation, you can receive a refund.

But, he says, that just doesn’t happen. In fact, most of Sid’s customers enjoy their upgrades so much that they want to have Art of Drawers improve additional spaces, whether it’s

Why should you have to choose between beauty and functionality when doing a kitchen remodeling job? Why not get both? When you choose Art of

whether for installation of drawers, refacing of your cabinets or both, everything can be customized to your specifications.

more cabinets, a pantry or even bathrooms.

“All of our drawers are handcrafted in the United States, with solid wood construction and soft-close, undermount rails,” he says.

That high quality is what attracted Sid to the Art of Drawers brand, when he wanted to transition from corporate America to working for himself as an entrepreneur.

Sid previously held roles in finance and management for two decades. Originally from India, he came to the U.S. and earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Business Management, Finance and Marketing from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton in 2005. In 2013, he earned a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree from Babson College in Wellesley, MA, a school known as a leading college for entrepreneurship.

Sid’s background in both management and working for his family’s retail company in India has helped him serve his Art of Drawers customers well. He says that serving his neighbors throughout the community was another key reason he decided to become an Art of Drawers franchise owner.

Sid and his wife Faiza, who is an oncologist, have lived in Tampa Palms for the last six years. They have two young daughters, ages six and four.

A Little History...

Art of Drawers launched nationally in 2019 and opened a corporate location in the Tampa Bay area in 2022. The location was sold

in 2023 as a franchise, which Sid then bought last year. There are currently 43 Art of Drawers locations nationally, including three other Florida locations.

The Tampa Bay Art of Drawers franchise includes three designers who work throughout the Tampa Bay area, from Wesley Chapel to Sarasota and from Lakeland up to Brooksville — and everywhere in between. The team includes two installers who execute the designers’ plans to perfection.

Designers and installers are trained by Art of Drawers to be certified in the company’s products, so you can be confident that anyone working in your home will always meet the company’s high standards.

The process starts with a free in-home consultation. A designer will come to your home to create a personalized design that is unique to both your home and your individual needs.

Once the designer provides an estimate, you choose what to move forward with, whether it’s an entire kitchen upgrade or a smaller job to solve the problem you may be having with your most frustrating space.

An installer will come out to verify your measurements — down to the millimeter — before everything is custom-built for you. It typically takes about six weeks for the drawers and organizers to be built, but then everything is installed in one day.

“As the owner, I go back to make sure everything went smoothly,” Sid says. “We go on a ‘Wow’ tour so they can show off. I always want

to make sure my customers are 100% elated.”

Refacing, Too!

In addition to adding functionality to your kitchen cabinets, pantry or bathroom, Art of Drawers now offers cabinet refacing, too.

“You keep your existing cabinet boxes, but we can provide drawer faces, doors, and hardware,” Sid explains, saying that it’s a much longer-lasting solution than simply repainting cabinets, and Art of Drawers has about 200 options available. “It’s about half the cost of new cabinets and can be done in just two or three days. You can still use your kitchen while the work is being done.”

He says customers who are looking to improve both the beauty and the function of their kitchens appreciate that they can do both with Art of Drawers. Cabinet refacing also is available for customers who don’t also want to add drawers.

Judy Cochran recently hired Art of Drawers to solve issues in her kitchen.

“It’s been several years now that we’ve been frustrated because we couldn’t find anything in the pantry and it’s hard to get to stuff in the very back of the cabinets,” Judy says, “so we decided to seek out someone to do pull-out drawers for us.”

She says Art of Drawers was recommended to her, so she called the company for an estimate. “Sid came out and was very efficient and explained everything in-depth,” she says. After taking a few days to think about it, she decided

pantry and lower cabinets, and it was great.”

She also says that Sid provided ideas for her that she hadn’t thought of herself, such as including a pull-out drawer for her trash. She was happy with the follow-up and customer service, saying Sid always either answered her calls or called her back right away.

“I’m so glad we did it,” Judy says. Art of Drawers is licensed and insured, and comes to you for a free in-home estimate. For more information, visit ArtofDrawers. com or call (813) 548-6866. See the ad on page 32 of this issue and mention it when you call for free installation of your project, now through March 31.

Dr. Neeraja Jasthi’s Family & Cosmetic Dentistry — Two Decades Of Serving Our Area

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

Dr. Neeraja Jasthi, DMD, has lived in New Tampa for 27 years, having moved to the area in 1998. Her practice, Family & Cosmetic Dentist ry of New Tampa, is located in the plaza adjacent to the MidFlorida Credit Union and next to Amscot on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., in front of Live Oak Preserve.

Family & Cosmetic Dentistry offers com prehensive dental care for patients of all ages, beginning at age four. Services include general and family dentistry, hygiene and periodontal care, crowns and bridges, cosmetic dentistry, InvisalignTM aligners, veneers, dentures, bonding, white fillings, teeth whitening and dental implants. Dr. Jasthi believes in providing continuity of care for the entire family.

“When I first started the practice, I wanted a place where the whole family could go, “ she says. “Once the mouth is healthy and all the necessary work is completed, if the patient wants, we can then look at enhancing their smile with cosmetic procedures. It’s really a one-stop place for dental care.”

Dr. Jasthi was born in Vizag, India, and attended the Bapuji Dental College in Davanagere, where she initially received her Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree. After moving to the U.S., because of the different requirements in different states regarding the transferability of her degree from India, she again earned her D.M.D. degree (in 1996), this time from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA.

She has been practicing dentistry since 1997 and is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Florida Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. She established her practice in New Tampa in 2002 before relocating to her current location in 2005.

The practice also includes Dr. Jignesh Patel, who works part-time at the office. Dr. Patel received his Bachelor of Dental Surgery from K.M. Shah Dental College and Hospital in Vandodara, Guijarat, India, in 2011. He then came to the U.S. and attended the University of Southern

California in Los Angeles, CA and received a Certificate Program in Oral Pathology and Radiology in 2024. He received his D.M.D. degree from Nova Southeastern University’s Clearwater, FL, campus in 2025.

Supporting the doctors is a dedicated team of five hygienists, four front office staff members, three dental assistants, and one sterilization technician. The practice culture centers on treating patients like family, with a focus on creating a welcoming, comfortable experience at every visit.

A Personal Focus On Smile Insecurity

The path to dentistry for Dr. Jasthi began

with her own experience as a young patient. “As a child, I struggled with insecurity about my smile,” she says. Like many children with dental issues, she went through orthodontic treatment, including braces, and experienced firsthand how improving her smile affected her confidence. That personal transformation sparked a lasting passion.

“Today, what excites me the most,” she says, “is the ability to change people’s lives by giving them not only better smiles, but also healthy, pain-free mouths.”

Dr. Jasthi’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that dentistry and a person’s overall health are closely connected. She emphasizes that oral bacteria can affect the entire body and that maintaining good oral health plays a critical role in overall wellness. Through regular preventive care, early diagnosis, patient education and advanced diagnostic technology, she helps patients identify potential issues early and mitigate longterm health risks.

She says that modern dental technology plays an important role in supporting this approach. Digital scanning eliminates traditional goopy impression materials, improving comfort and accuracy while reducing the need for repeat visits. Intraoral cameras allow patients to see detailed images of their teeth and gums on a monitor, making it easier to understand treatment recommendations. Advanced 3D imaging provides detailed views of the teeth, jaw and surrounding bone, which is especially important when planning implant and restorative procedures.

One interesting piece of technology Dr.

that analyze a patient’s X-rays and detect subtle changes in a their dental anatomy that may not be immediately apparent to the human eye. It highlights areas of concern, such as early signs of decay or periodontal disease. This AI system also measures the progression of conditions over time, providing a comprehensive overview of the patient’s dental health.

Dr. Jasthi believes patient comfort is essen tial to successful care. She tries to help her patients “leave fear at the door” and feel confident they are entering a safe, caring environment.

seeing Dr. Jasthi after his previous dentist retired. Cory’s daughter was already a patient of Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, and that connection led him to the practice 25 years ago.

school. Caring for everyone, that’s Dr. Jasthi.”

For patients without insurance, major credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are accepted, as well as PPO insurance plans. For patients without dental insurance, the practice offers an exclusive in-house savings plan. Dr. Jasthi believes that whether or not a patient has insurance should not be an obstacle to getting the care they deserve.

Giving back to the community has always been an important part of Dr. Jasthi’s professional life. Along with volunteering several days each year at various community dental clinics, she has spent the past two years providing care at the Calvary Community Clinic in East Tampa, which offers completely free dental services to individuals who do not have insurance.

At home, family plays an equally meaningful role. She and her husband Ravi are the parents of two accomplished children. Their daughter Neha is an endodontic dentist practicing in Jersey City, NJ, and their son Rahul is attending the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston.

Implant dentistry is a significant part of the practice. Family & Cosmetic Dentistry offers single implants as well as full-mouth implant solutions. When patients lack sufficient bone, bone grafting options are available, using either synthetic or natural donor material. Procedures may include “All-on-X” treatment, where 4-6 titanium implants fuse with the jawbone over

While some dental offices rely on gas sedation, her practice does not. Adult patients who are apprehensive are given the option to take oral medication to help calm them before anesthesia is administered, allowing procedures to be completed more comfortably. It’s important to note, however, that she does not offer oral medication to help keep her younger patients calm. Instead, Dr. Jasthi and her staff just try to talk to anxious

“It’s a phenomenal experience. She is so knowledgeable,” Cory says. “She has done many procedures on me with excellent outcomes. She is kind, compassionate, and easy to work with. I don’t know what I will do if she retires. I can’t imagine going to someone else. She’s not only kind to her patients, but she is also kind to her staff. She [also] mentors, and [many] of her staff have gone on to dental school and hygienist

Her commitment to service, both professionally and personally, is rooted in her belief that everyone deserves access to quality dental care. It is this mindset that continues to guide Dr. Jasthi in her work each day.

Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is located at 20441 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Office hours are Mon.-Thur., 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Fri. Appointments can be made either online at DrJasthi.com or by calling (813) 866-9913. You also can find the practice on Instagram @ doctorjasthi, email questions to frontdesk2@ drjasthi.com, or see the ad on pg. 40.

Bloomin’ Blinds Offers In-Home, Custom Window Treatments & Repairs

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

When Sally Clark and her husband Joe decided to purchase a new home a few months ago, they “didn’t even let any dust gather on the awful builder mini-blinds,” says Sally. “My first call was to Michael. I told him, ‘Get ready. I’m moving again.’”

She’s referring to Michael Imses, who owns the local franchise of Bloomin’ Blinds with his wife Mariana. The couple provides custom window treatments to homeowners in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and surrounding areas such as Lutz, Land O’Lakes, Tampa and South Tampa.

Sally knew she wanted to work with Bloomin’ Blinds because Michael had provided window treatments at her two previous homes not too long ago.

Back in 2021, the Clarks had lived in their Valrico home for more than two decades and wanted to freshen things up, so they hired Bloomin’ Blinds to help.

“I really didn’t know what I wanted,” Sally says, “so Michael showed me a whole bunch of shades, shutters and blinds. He discussed all the different things we could get and what would look good, and we talked about color schemes. He has the patience of a saint.”

Sally was happy with her decision to add shutters throughout the house, but even with the renovations, she and Joe decided it was time to leave their long-time home and move closer to their daughter in Wesley Chapel. They bought a home in Esplanade at Wiregrass Ranch.

Once again, she says Michael spent lots of time explaining all of their options and giving them advice as to what would look best in their new home.

And once again, she has been thrilled with the results. This time, in addition to shutters, she added blinds to the home’s sliding doors.

Now, having recently finished her third home, Sally says she continues to recommend Michael without hesitation. “He’s fair and honest, and offers good prices,” she says, “and he’s the nicest person to deal with.”

Michael says he takes his time with his customers because he wants them to be well educated. For example, on all of its custom plantation shutters, blinds, shades and drapes, Bloomin’ Blinds offers a lifetime warranty on its products, and also provides repairs.

“Once we install a product,” he says, “we guide our clients well on how to use it. That’s very important and will minimize warranty calls.”

That includes a number of tips — such as how to ensure that customers don’t overcharge their motorized window treatments, and how

to raise and lower cordless shades so the fabric doesn’t get damaged.

But, Michael says, the good news is that, if anything does happen, you’re covered.

“Our warranty is great,” Michael says. “With us, customers don’t have to worry about if anything breaks because we always repair or replace our products for free.”

That’s one reason Michael and Mariana chose to become Bloomin’ Blinds franchise owners. They like that the company offers high-quality products, backed by a guarantee, so customers can have peace of mind about the investment they make in their homes.

They are both accountants, and about seven years ago — around the same time their only daughter was born — they decided that they wanted to own their own business.

They found Bloomin’ Blinds, a 25-year-old company that started in Dallas, TX, and began franchising within the last decade. There are now about 75 locations across the nation, including nine in the Sunshine State.

For window coverings such as roller shades, cellular shades, plantation shutters or blinds, Bloomin’ Blinds provides custom treatments direct from the factory, so the quality is much better than what you would buy off the shelf at a big box or home improvement store.

Michael says Bloomin’ Blinds sells Norman shutters, Graber window treatments, and Alta window fashions, among other brands — and notes that motorized, smartphone-operated shades also are available.

have to call and call and wait on the line for a long time to be transferred to someone who can help them,” Michael says. “We’re a small, family-owned local business and people love that we’re easy to communicate with.”

While Bloomin’ Blinds will replace anything that needs to be replaced, Michael and his crew can often make repairs on the spot, or come back soon if a part needs to be ordered.

In fact, if you have another company’s window treatments you already love in your home, and something breaks, such as a slat or a tilter, Bloomin’ Blinds will come out to provide a free estimate for the repair.

Michael says he recently repaired a window treatment for a homeowner who had a warranty from another company.

“She said they were giving her a hard time,” he explains, “She finally got so fed up with trying to get it fixed under warranty, so she decided to call us — and we were able to help her. She’s now very happy.”

He explains that since Bloomin’ Blinds didn’t install the product, there was a charge for the repair, but if he had installed it originally, there would have been no charge for the same work.

Bloomin’ Blinds provides a free estimate

in your home, allowing Michael to show you the available products in your own environment. That means colors and styles can be best matched to your existing décor, and you can see exactly what it all will look like in your space.

“We bring all the samples and colors to our customers,” he says, “we help them pick out what would work best, and share all that we’ve learned from our experience.”

Another advantage of Bloomin’ Blinds always

usually give our customers a better price.”

While plantation shutters continue to be a popular option in most homes, Michael says that, lately, Bloomin’ Blinds has been providing draperies (above) for many homeowners. These are often stationary panels that add a new color to the room or make an existing color “pop.”

Michael says he usually can install your new window coverings just three to four weeks after you order them, although shutters may take just a little longer.

Bloomin’ Blinds comes to you and offers a free in-home estimate. To schedule an appointment, call (813) 444-5536. Or, for more information, visit BloominBlinds.com or see the ad on page 34.

Your CBD Store Of New Tampa Is Your Local Health & Wellness Superstore

By Iris Vitelli Neighborhood News Correspondent

When customers walk into Your CBD Store of New Tampa, they’re not just browsing shelves, they’re looking for answers.

“I know that,”says Deborah Curler, co-owner of the store with her husband David Calcador, “because I was once the customer.”

After discovering Sunmed CBD and seeing the results for herself and her husband, they opened their store in the Pebble Creek Collection on Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

“Opening in New Tampa made sense,” Deborah says. “There wasn’t a CBD store in the immediate area and we live nearby in West Meadows, so it was a perfect fit.”

Education is at the center of everything Deborah does. “When a customer walks in,” she says, “I start with what I call a ‘wall walk.’”

She takes the customer around the store and explains each category of CBD products while asking the customer some questions.

“I want to understand their concerns,” she explains. “Once I understand their problems, I can help guide them towards possible solutions.”

An Award-Winning CBD Store!

And, here’s some news about New Tampa’s Your CBD Store that shows that everything that Deborah and David are doing is working. They are proud that their store has earned two significant 2025 awards, both reflecting community support and strong online reputation.

The first, the “Nextdoor Neighborhood Faves” award is an annual program where local residents using the Nextdoor app vote for their favorite neighborhood businesses, often recognizing the top 1%. Winners are determined by customer recommendations and “Faves” on the platform. The business page displays a trophy icon next to the profile photo along with a 2025 Neighborhood Fave badge in the awards section.

The store also has received the BusinessRate award, which is based upon an independent analysis of public, third-party data, including Google Reviews and other online platforms. While it is not an award issued by Google, Deborah says it is generated by an evaluation of customer reviews, volume and consistency.

“Together, the awards highlight both strong community engagement and consistently positive customer feedback,” she says. “We know what our customers tell us, but these awards show they also promote us to their friends, family and others.”

An Incredible Variety Of Products!

Your CBD Store of New Tampa offers a large variety of cannabinoids, each of which serves different purposes:

•Cannabidiol (CBD) is non-psychoactive and is derived from hemp. It’s commonly used to help relieve pain, anxiety, inflammation and insomnia.

•Cannabigerol (CBG) also is non-psychoactive and is often referred to as the “mother of all cannabinoids” because it is a precursor to both THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) and CBD. Research indicates that CBG may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti-anxiety properties.

•Cannabinol (CBN) also is non-psychoactive, and is primarily used as a natural sleep aid and for relaxation.

• Delta-9 & Delta-8 are psychoactive cannabinoids derived from cannabis that do produce a high. Delta-9 (closely associated with marijuana) is a naturally abundant, potent cannabinoid that is strictly regulated, while Delta-8 is a less potent isomer typically synthesized from hemp-derived CBD. It operates in a legal gray area with fewer quality regulations. Deborah says, however, that the quality of both the Delta-9 and Delta-8 products sold in her store are strictly controlled by SunMed.

Deborah also notes that most of the products sold at Your CBD Store New Tampa come in both Full-Spectrum and Broad-Spectrum CBD.

Full-Spectrum CBD contains all hemp plant compounds, including less than 0.3% of THC. Broad-Spectrum products contain all CBD prod ucts except the THC, which has been completely removed. She says that people who face drug test ing for their jobs should avoid her Full-Spectrum CBD products. Deborah and David are happy to educate you as to which products in their store would be best for your needs.

Best Sellers & Newer Product Lines!

Here are some of the best-selling products at Your CBD Store of New Tampa:

• CBD & Delta 9 Sleep Gummies & Tinctures

•Neuro Water Soluble (for mental wellness)

•Rise Tinctures & Gummies (for starting your day)

• Topical Cream (for pain and inflammation)

• Trim & GLP-1 (for weight loss)

•Pet Products, including Movin’ Easy Chews, Chillin’ Out Chews, Wellness Tinctures & more

Deborah says that customers should realize that CBD isn’t a magic bullet and doesn’t normally provide instant relief. “It can take up to three weeks before you should expect results,” she says. “But it does really work for a lot of people.”

Deborah recently tried the new GLP-1 capsule for weight loss herself. She says she definitely has experienced a reduction of appetite — which is one of the reasons why prescription medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro have worked for so many people — but GLP-1 capsules help

According to Sunmed, combining GLP-1 with Trim can produce even stronger results. Libido Boost gummies, both with and without THC, have been in the store for close to a year and continue to be strong sellers. These also are sold in bundles with Sunmed massage oils. Also recently added to the store’s product line is Xite, a Delta 9 candy that is not a Sunmed product. Deborah describes it as “uplifting.” Many older customers who grew up with marijuana are drawn to it because it provides what she calls “a mild buzz without drinking alcohol.” Also available are Sunmed seltzers for customers looking for an alternative to alcohol, some containing Delta 9, Delta 8, Indica THC or Sativa THC and others containing a unique combination of healthy mushrooms to help with mental clarity, energy and more — all without psychotropic effects. There also are

similarly formulated Sunmed mushroom gummies available at the store.

“If I try something and I don’t believe in it, I won’t carry it,” says Deborah. While the store is an affiliate location and can offer other brands, most of what the New Tampa store carries comes from Sunmed because she trusts the quality.

“Transparency is very important,” says Deborah. Every Sunmed product has a QR code that customers can scan to see lab reports. I stand behind what I sell.”

She adds, “And, let’s not forget the pets,” she says. “They too can suffer from different things and we have some solutions.” Move-N-Easy products are for arthritis and senior dogs, Chillin’ is for fireworks and thunderstorms and there are probiotic blends and wellness chews and tinctures for both dogs and cats.

helping you!!! You’re the best, Deborah.”

Deborah says that one of her customers uses a tincture for a pet with epileptic seizures and recommends it. Tinctures come in peanut butter, bacon and unflavored options. During holidays like New Year’s Eve and the 4th of July, Deborah keeps at least 100 bags of Chillin’ in stock to help pets cope better with exploding fireworks.

And, she notes, “There are still many misconceptions about CBD. But, it is not addictive and you can stop using it without experiencing withdrawal symptoms.”

Outstanding Reviews!

The store holds a 4.9-star (out of 5) rating on Google, with nearly 200 reviews. One recent review from customer Donald M states: “I can’t say enough about how Deborah is so helpful and explains everything and takes time with customers. She really cares about

Regulatory uncertainty about CBD, Delta-8 and especially, Delta-9, continues to be something Deborah watches closely. She has participated in advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. and Tallahassee. Legislative efforts regarding hemp in Florida have been pushed to 2027. She emphasizes that always being in compliance is important to her and David. All products in their store are sealed, responsibly sold and are not available to minors.

“I believe many people benefit from these products and it would be a shame if they were no longer available to the many people that have found relief by taking them.”

For more information, call (813) 9940599, visit GetSunmed.com, follow on Facebook at “SunMed Your CBD Store New Tampa” or see the ad on page 42. Your CBD Store of New Tampa is located at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite B-1. Store hours are Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and 1 p.m.–5 p.m on Sun. For those ages 55 and older, the store provides a 15% discount on Monday, with other daily specials Tuesday-Sunday.

Neighborhood News Editor Gary Nager’s 2025 Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel

New RARE 1981 At Saddlebrook Resort Is My New Wesley Chapel Favorite!

The Best Steaks & Fresh Fish In Wesley Chapel Highlight An Unbeatable Menu, Atmosphere & Service

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

Edwardo “Eddie” Torres, the director of restaurants at Saddlebrook Resort, says that working for the late founder and former owner of the resort Tom Dempsey and the resort’s Dempsey’s Steak House gave him a pretty good idea of what an upscale restaurant should be.

“Mr. Dempsey loved Dempsey’s and so did I,” Eddie told me on my most recent visit, when I told him that I had named the resort’s new RARE 1981 restaurant— which only opened in Nov. 2025 — as my 2025 Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel. “We want our guests to love RARE 1981 as much as they loved Dempsey’s.”

Eddie, chef Mark Davis and their outstanding crew at RARE 1981 are off to an amazing start, at least in one editor’s humble opinion.

Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I have now already dined at RARE 1981 four times, including the Media Preview day on Nov. 20, and we all keep finding new favorites.

The filet mignon (top right on this page) and the bone-in ribeye we showed you last issue are both so tender that Jannah (who usually finds ribeyes too chewy) said RARE 1981’s ribeye was the best she ever tasted, and it was perfectly seasoned and cooked to medium rare perfection.

The fresh fish on the menu, including the

(Above) Saddlebrook Resort director of restaurants Eddie Torres (left) and Chef Mark Davis (right) joined Neighborhood News editor Gary Nager for a photo celebrating Gary having named RARE 1981 as his 2025 Favorite Restaurant in Wesley Chapel.

recently revamped blackened mahi-mahi at the top left of page 33, is flaky and oh-so flavorful and Eddie says that the blackened spice mixture is absolutely house-made.

We’ve also enjoyed the pork osso bucco, ahi tuna tartare, the baby romaine Caesar salad, the seared snapper, the crispy Brussels sprouts, the charred broccolini and most recently, the

orecchiette (ear-shaped) pasta above right). We topped the pasta with grilled chicken and it was absolutely awesome.

Save room for the desserts, especially the house-made bread pudding (right) and the densest, creamiest guava cheesecake ever.

RARE 1981 isn’t cheap, but it is worth every penny. Tell Eddie and Mark I sent you!

Neighborhood News Editor Gary Nager’s 2025 Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel

1.RARE 1981

5700 Saddlebrook Way • Saddlebrook Resort (813)907-4586 • Rare1981.com, or see story on pg. 32

As I said in my longer write-up on page 32, RARE 1981 is off to a flying start, with some of the best fresh fish (like the blackened mahi-mahi on a bed of coconut rice, Green Goddess sauce, chili oil and seasonal veggie (right), as well as my Favorite Steak in New Tampa (NT) & Wesley Chapel (WC) — and many other delicious appetizers, entrées, sides & desserts. If you’re tired of all the chain restaurants in Wesley Chapel, RARE 1981 should become your new go-to individuallyowned restaurant — like it is now mine!

2. Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill

25916 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz (813)419-1351 • ZukkuSushi.com, or see the ad on pg. 45

My 2024 #1 Favorite Restaurant in WC didn’t drop too far in my rankings this year, as Zukku-San continues to be my Favorite Japanese Restaurant in NT & WC, for having the best assortment of appetizers — like the deep-fried pork gyoza dumplings shown here, the best tempura, great steak and chicken yakitori, tasty tuna tataki and artistically fresh sushi, plus dishes like the grilled short ribs, wok-fired udon or hibachi noodles and my favorite Japanese-style fried rice (see pg. 35).

3.Tallo Restaurant

4424 Friendly Way, #105 • Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel (813)355-3603 • TalloRestaurant.com

If Tallo, which opened back in May 2025, had a little bit bigger menu, it might have been able to grab my #1 ranking this year. That’s how much I enjoy Chef José Soto’s unique American-Caribbean fusion menu. Coming in at #3 in WC in my rankings in only half a year of being in business speaks volumes. I love the lemon “airline” chicken shown here, the Asian “pig wings,”, the Cuatro Carnes (four meats) flatbread, the churrasco, ribeye & filet mignon steaks, fresh fish specials, the brunch and the gorgeous bar and atmosphere at Tallo!

4.Falabella Family Bistro

6027 Wesley Grove Blvd., The Village At The Grove (813)428-6957 • FalabellaBistro.com

Speaking of specials, Jannah and I like the regular menu at Steve Falabella’s bistro, but what keeps bringing me back are the weekly weekend specials, from standards like chicken Francese to the cavatelli with spicy Italian sausage shown here, halibut topped with garlic sauce, spicy Calabrese calamari and so many more. Among the regular menu items we love are the crispy zucchini, the Sam’s meatballs, chicken parmesan & ricotta gnocchi Bolognese. And, the full liquor bar is another plus.

5.Pisco Express

.5903 Goldview Pkwy., #109, The KRATE at The Grove Container Park (813)703-2725 • Facebook/Pisco Express

Although I still enjoy many of the restaurants at the KRATEs, I read a lot of complaints about the container park on social media. What I don’t see is a lot of chatter about Pisco Express, the Peruvian Chinese fusion place that has some of the best food not only at the KRATEs, but in all of Wesley Chapel! Try the tallarin with chicken shown here, the equally delicious ceviche de pescado, the fried wontons, the lomo saltado steak, the chaufa (fried rice)...everything!

6.Azteca D’Oro

2000 Piazza Ave., #170 • The Shops at Wiregrass (813)527-6033 • AztecaDOro.com, or see the ad on pg. 38

Every time Jannah, Charmaine and I visit Azteca, we always try to sample new items we haven’t tried before. Yes, the tableside guacamole, steak and chicken fajitas and chicken taquitos (right) are always great, but have you tried the pollo asado al carbon, the unique birria pizza, the mini empanadas, the borrego (lamb shank) or my new favorite, the carnitas Michoacanas (slow-simmered, crisp pork chunks)? Azteca also now has a great brunch menu, a beautiful, full-liquor indoor-outdoor bar, occasional entertainment and now, you can “roll a 3, eat for free” (see the ad on pg. 38).

7. Arroy Thai

27427 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Pinebrook At The Grove plaza (813) 501-4924 • ArroyThaiWesleyChapel.com

Although there are lots of great Thai places in New Tampa, in Wesley Chapel, I only need one — Arroy Thai. This unassuming-looking place has the best Thai spring rolls (right) and the best crispy duck with fresh ginger or garlic & black pepper sauce (order the sauce on the side to keep that duck crisp!) & the best Thaistyle house fried rice in the Chap. Arroy Thai now also has fresh sushi, but that’s just a bonus to me.

8. Señor Tequila

1640 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.., The Shoppes At New Tampa of Wesley Chapel (813) 428-5411 • TheSenorTequila.com, or see the ad on pg. 2

I told you last issue a lot of the reasons why I love Señor Tequila in a full-length Dining Feature story. But, even with all of the new items Jannah, Charmaine & I sampled on our most recent visit detailed in that story, there are

9. Grillsmith

2000 Piazza Ave., #100 • The Shops at Wiregrass (813) 907-1900 • Grillsmith.com/Wesley-Chapel

There’s lots of reasons why Grillsmith is the only original restaurant at The Shops at Wiregrass still open — but the biggest reason is that it has always served great food at fair prices. Among my favorite dishes are the crunchy ahi tuna shown here, the smoked salmon bruschetta, the prime filet & NY strip steaks and the fresh catch. In addition to the grouper and mahi most places serve, the Grillsmith catch can be cobia, corvina, pompano or even wahoo. We also enjoy the lemon feta chicken, the au gratin potatoes and smashed cauliflower.

10. Noble

Crust

28330 Paseo Dr. • The Shops at Wiregrass (813) 703-2602 • Noble-Crust.com/Wesley-Chapel

The only reason I’ve never really ranked Noble Crust in my rankings as high as our readers do is because I feel like the menu limits my options. Yes, I love the

Neighborhood News Editor Gary Nager’s 2025 Other Favorites In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel

Gary’s

Favorite Thai Food In NT & WC

Thai Ruby in Tampa Palms is close behind these five, but Arroy, Palm, Roong Aroon & Lanna are all a cut above Umu & Ruby for me. I don’t need Thai places to also have sushi, but that seems to be a thing these days.

1. Arroy Thai (photo)

2. Palm Thai

3.Roong Aroon Thai Café

4. Thai Lanna

5.Umu Japanese & Thai

Gary’s Favorite Italian Food (not pizza) In NT & WC

This category is so close for me. The top four all have great pasta, with Via just a hair ahead of Frammi & Falabella has the best weekly specials. For me, Noble Crust’s “Southern” Italian is just a smidge below the top 3 & all 3 pizza places at #5 are solid, too.

1. Via Italia (photo)

2.Frammi

3.Falabella Bistro

4.Noble Crust

5.(tie) Amici, Fratelli’s & NY NY

Gary’s Favorite Mexican Food In NT & WC

Another really tough category for me, as I couldn’t argue with anyone selecting any of the top-4 below as their favorite. Vallarta’s definitely isn’t as high-end as the others on this list, but Jannah & I have had good meals there, too.

1. Azteca D’Oro (photo)

2. Señor Tequila

3.Don Julio’s Mexican Restaurant

4.Cantina Mexican Restaurant

5.Los Vallartas

Gary’s Favorite Latin (not Mexican) Food In NT & WC

We now have so many quality Latin restaurants that great places like Box of Cubans, Mojo Grill, Grilltopia, La Creacion Express, Tacos el Patron, Latin Twist and even CAO can’t crack my top-5.

1. Lima Peruvian Cuisine (photo)

2.Tallo Restaurant

3.Las Palmas Latin Grill

4.Pisco Express

5.Rice N Beans Puerto Rico

Gary’s Favorite Bars In NT & WC

Stonewood has the best bar crowd, but The Grill is just behind it, Tallo is the most beautiful bar and Fat Rabbit is a touch behind those 3. Joe Whiskey’s is mine & Jannah’s favorite dive bar, Food+Beer is a great new place & I still also love Brass Tap, Noble Crust, Azteca, Grillsmith & Living Room for drinks.

1. Stonewood (photo)

2.The Grill at Morris Bridge

3. Tallo Restaurant

4.Fat Rabbit Pub

5.(tie) Joe Whiskey’s & Food+Beer

Gary’s Favorite Breakfast In NT & WC

This is another tough category, as EggTown & Brunchies both have excellent breakfast food, Happy Hangar has the cool airport atmosphere and Box of Cubans’ breakfast sandwiches on Cuban bread are just so good, too.

1. EggTown (photo)

2.Brunchies

3.Happy Hangar Café

4.Box of Cubans

5.Keke’s Breakfast Café

Gary’s Favorite Ice Cream In NT & WC

The new OddFellows is the first place in our area to seriously challenge Ice Dreammm for my #1.

Ice Ssscreamin’ and Bruster’s (my former long-time #1) both have the delicious banana and peanut butter flavors I crave, too. I still enjoy Coldstone & Astro, as well and I also love Twistee Treat and Culver’s.

1. Ice Dreammm Shop (photo)

2.OddFellows

3.Ice SSScreamin’

4.Bruster’s Real Ice Cream

5.(tie) Coldstone Creamery & Astro

Gary’s Favorite Bakeries In NT & WC

I never would have thought that we’d have five bakeries I’d love in our area, but these 5 kept Moschella’s, The Cake Shop and Cookie Plug & Crumbl outside and looking in. Try that quiche at Bakery X if you never have before.

1. Bakery X (photo)

2.Paris Baguette

3.Nothing Bundt Cakes

4.Le Macaron

5.Tous les Jours

Gary’s Favorite Coffee In NT & WC

I have to have good coffee and although I still have most of mine at home, I do sometimes go out for a cup of Joe, but Coffee Latitudes is my clear #1. Just missing this list are Bad Ass, Sorbo, Rice N Beans, Raining Berries and Provisions. EggTown has great coffee, too.

1. Coffee Latitudes Café (photo)

2.Macondo Coffee Roasters

3.Box of Cubans

4.Bean Bar Co.

5.Las Palmas

O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill Goes Out With A Packed ‘Irish Goodbye’

At one time, the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas were home to three Irish pubs — PJ Dolan’s on E. Bearss Ave., Mulligans in the Pebble Creek Golf Club and the O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill in the Wesley Chapel Village Market.

However, now that O’Brien’s owners Randy and Mike Goodwin have hosted their “An Irish Goodbye” party on Feb. 21, none of those three are still open. The closest Irish pub to our area now is The Wexford, which relocated last year to County Line Rd. at Livingston Ave. in Lutz.

The Goodwin brothers posted on Facebook on Feb. 2 that, “At the end of 2024, the Village Market strip center was sold, and in early 2025, we began discussions with the new ownership (JBL Asset Management) in hopes of securing a renewed lease. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach an agreement that felt sustainable for both sides. After much consideration, we made the difficult decision not to renew.”

Following that post, there was a huge outpouring of support for O’Brien’s, which has been the only full-band live music venue in Wesley Chapel pretty much since the day it opened, and literally hundreds of those supporters came out to say their goodbyes to Mike, Randy and their staff.

The event featured O’Brien’s “beloved corned beef & cabbage,” as well as bagpipe music from Gemma Briggs, Irish music from Captain Kirk and DJ Aloha Kev closing out the event — and the restaurant. It’ s just a shame we couldn’t get one final O’Brien’s St. Patrick’s Day event this year.

However, while Randy is moving to Indiana to be near his grandkids, Mike is hoping to open Tampa Joe’s Sports Bar or The Landing in The Hub at Lexington. We’ll keep you posted. — GN

Bahama Breeze Also Going To Close

Meanwhile, all of the remaining links in the Bahama Breeze Island Grille chain are either completely shutting down or will be converted to other Darden Restaurants brands — including the Bahama Breeze located at 25830 Sierra Center Blvd. (across S.R. 56 from the Tampa Premium Outlets) (photo).

All 28 remaining Bahama Breeze locations across the U.S. are closing, according to a Feb. 3 Darden news release, after previously shuttering a third of its locations in 2025.

As mentioned above, half of those remaining Bahama Breeze locations — including the one in Lutz/Wesley Chapel — will be converted to other Darden eateries (see below), although it was not disclosed in the press release which locations would be converted into which brands.

The other 14 Bahama Breezes will close permanently on April 5. The 14 that are remaining open — including ten of the 14 in Florida, where the brand first opened in the 1990s — will remain open for the next 12-18 months, although there will likely be some temporary closures along the way, as needed for the locations to be converted.

The list of the Darden brands still operating include a number of more upscale eateries that many locals — after first reading about this news on social media — are hopeful will find a home at the location on S.R. 56.

Here is that list of possible Darden brands that our Bahama Breeze could become:

•Eddie V’s Prime Seafood

•Ruth’s Chris Steak House

• The Capital Grille

•Seasons 52

• Yard House

•Olive Garden Italian Kitchen

•Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen

•Longhorn Steakhouse

•Chuy’s

Of course, Cheddars, Longhorn and Chuy’s all already have locations on S.R. 56 and a previously undeveloped parcel on Wesley Chapel Blvd. to the east of Chick’n Fun is now under construction and may include Olive Garden, although we were unable to get official confirmation as to whether or not Olive Garden is still coming to 27391 Centerline Dr., just west of Gateway Blvd. — the plans for which were apparently submitted way back in Aug. 2025 — or whether that location would preclude another Olive Garden being opened in the former Bahama Breeze spot.

Obviously, the first four or five (as most people would probably also be OK with Yard House) Darden brands on the list would be the most desirable to locals, but we will keep you posted on any such announcements. — GN

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Eight Turn Crêpe Brings Unique Japanese Street Food To Wesley Chapel

If you’ve been wanting to try something truly different from the norm in our area — whether you want a delicious hand-held savory crêpe filled with crispy pork belly, chicken teriyaki or even smoked salmon and cream cheese, or a sumptuous dessert crêpe with Dubai chocolate or lychee, raspberry and almonds, you probably should go check out the new Eight Turn Crêpe, which celebrated its Grand Opening (photo on next page) at 2653 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., Suite 116, on Jan. 31.

This location was previously occupied by 35 Below ice cream, in the same plaza as Dickey’s BBQ, Umu Japanese & Thai and Sorbo coffee — which is interesting because Eight Turn Crêpe is an homage to Japanese street food, but offers items that are completely different from anything served at either Umu or Sorbo.

Let’s start with the company itself, which began with a single location in New York City’s Soho district in 2013 and is now up to about a dozen locations in New York, California, Texas, Idaho, Washington state and Virginia. The BBD location is the first to open in Florida and the chain’s VP of franchising Steve Kogan was on hand (left in top left photo) for the opening of franchise owner Lien Nguyen’s (center in same photo) Wesley Chapel location.

The former ice cream shop is small but attractive, with only a few tables inside and a few more outside, but the stars of the show are the super-tasty, naturally gluten-free, rice flour crêpes themselves. You can order them in either the classic Japanese cone shape (top right photo) or rolled and sliced sushi-style, like the crispy Tokyo pork belly

Charmaine and I shared (right) — an amaz ing mix of flavors, with kimchi, avocado, lettuce, crispy shallots, sesame seeds and Japanese mayo.

In addition to the options I mentioned above, there’s also Thai chicken, bacon, egg & cheese and Philly cheesesteak savory options and all of the sweet crêpes are layered with different flavors of custard cream — and most of them are stuffed with fresh fruits, including strawberries, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, mango and ly chee, with pistachios, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, crunchy flakes, granola and more.

I incorrectly assumed that the sweet crêpes also would include gelato, but even though only two of the sweet crêpes on the menu include a scoop of vanilla gelato, there are a number of other gelato flavors you can add to any sweet crêpe on the menu. Best of all, you also can design your own sweet or savory crêpe, using

any of the aforementioned ingredients. Eight Turn Crêpe also has a large variety of bubble and fresh fruit teas, “super food” smoothies and creamy Japanese milk shakes. Charmaine and I loved the cherry blossom milkshake we shared — it was bursting with real cherry flavor.

I’m hoping our readers will find and frequent Eight Turn Crêpe. It’s truly different from anything else in our area — and totally tasty. For info, call (813) 867-6413 or visit EightTurnCrepe.com. — GN, all photos by Charmaine George

Twisted Rolls Brings Its Delicious Desserts & More To The KRATEs

We told you in our last issue that the third brick-&-mortar location of Twisted Rolls Chimney Cake was getting ready to open in the space at 5903 Goldview Pkwy., Unit #103, in the KRATE at The Grove container park, that previously was home to both Urban Sweets and more recently, Mo Cookies

Well, the new Twisted Rolls, which has an original location on N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace and a newer location at 19406 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa, is now open (photo below left) and yes, everything photographer Charmaine George and I have sampled at the new location has been just as decadently delicious.

The local mini-chain, according to owner Ahd Hamdan, is named for the Eastern European dessert treat made of dough and sugar that is rolled around a stick and then specially baked in an oven (top left photo) until hot and semicrispy...then dipped in a variety of glazes and rolled in one of nine different toppings.

Like the other locations, the Twisted Rolls at the KRATEs also serves ice cream, crêpes, cheesecake, waffles, pancakes, coffee and smoothies.

new friend Sam made me a delicious Reese’s shake (top right), which is correctly billed as a “chocolate & peanut butter lover’s dream,” as it combines hand-spun vanilla ice cream and a full Reese’s cup, all layered in real peanut butter. Amazing.

Since we’ve both previ ously had — and really enjoyed — the store’s signature chimney cakes (bottom right is “The Classic”), I had Sam make us (photo) a “Dubai Strawberry Cup” (below far right), which layers of big, fresh strawber ries with Kunafa bisco cream, chocolate, some kind of pista chio crunchies and topped with a white chocolate-covered strawberry. I’ve never been the biggest pistachio lover and the “cup” is clearly loaded with sugar, but it is truly incredible — and hey, at least it has all those strawberries!

Twisted Rolls Chimney Cake has a crazy

Whataburger To Open This Month?

We’ve seen a lot of online chatter asking when the new Whataburger — which is getting ready to open in the space previously occupied by Aussie Grill at 25340 Sierra Center Blvd. (between Walk-On’s & Bonefish Grill), on the north side of S.R. 56 — is expected to actually open.

Well, I now have it on pretty good authority, from a spokesperson for the $1.3-million renovation project’s general contractor, WH Bass, Inc., that the new Whataburger is expected to open by “about the second week (or so) in March.”

For those who have never visited a Whataburger (and it’s been more than a decade since I have), the popular Texas-based chain was founded more than 75 years ago and now has nearly 1,200 locations in 17 U.S. states.

In addition to burgers, the chain (which has many locations open 24 hours a day) also serves breakfast sandwiches and platters, a couple of salads and (of course) fried and grilled chicken

and

We’ll keep you posted about Whataburger’s opening on our Facebook & Instagram pages and in these pages.

For more info, visit Whataburger.com. — GN, top photo by Charmaine George

EggBred Breakfast Sandwiches Opens At The Hub At Bexley!

Although we’re still waiting for the first restaurants to open at The Hub at Lexington in Wesley Chapel, The Hub at Bexley (near the Suncoast Pkwy., off S.R. 54) continues to add new eateries.

On Jan. 24, the most recent Grand Opening at Bexley was EggBred (16916 Focus Loop, Land O’Lakes), the unique California-based, fast-foodstyle (but still made-to-order) “craft breakfast sandwich” chain now nearing 20 locations in four states.

Photographer Charmaine George and I were on hand for the Grand Opening of the new EggBred and we did enjoy what we had.

The food isn’t cheap — most breakfast sandwiches are $10-$15 each, with lunch items starting at around $12 and going up to $18 — but we liked our bacon, egg & cheese sandwich on a toasted Japanese milk bun ($9.79, top right photo) and its crispy bacon, as well as the crunchy Country Fried Chicken sandwich ($13.99, bottom right) with “county fair” dill pickles, which was as large as advertised. Charmaine also was pleased with her avocado toast with heirloom cherry tomatoes on whole grain sourdough toast ($12.99).

ribeye steak & eggs, as well as a variety of burgers and burritos for breakfast and lunch, plus a number of platter options.

We told franchise owner Diane Hartzel (at right in photo above)

We both agreed, however, that our favorite item that day were the crispy “beer battered” potatoes ($3.89, photo below). You can get them without the house seasoning, which I normally do, but I thought they were crispy and yummy even with the seasoning.

EggBred’s menu also includes build-a-biscuit and build-aBenny options, all topped with country sausage gravy, a breakfast poutine, Nashville Hottie chicken and

“Break an egg!” For more info, visit EggBred.com. The Bexley loca tion opens every day at 7 a.m. and stays open until 2 p.m. Mon.— GN, photos by Charmaine George

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Wesley Chapel To Go From No CAVAs To Two?

I remember vividly the 2018 opening of the Wesley Chapel area’s MOD Pizza at 2227 Sun Vista Dr., in front of Costco and next to Aldi by the Tampa Premium Outlets (photo below).

Mike Evans, the future Hall of Fame wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was on hand for the opening and the almost-identical Blaze Pizza hadn’t opened yet directly across S.R. 56 from MOD.

Well, while Evans may be nearing the end of his amazing career, MOD Pizza has already been closed for about a year and now, the interior demolition of the former pizza place is nearly complete, and it has been announced that the location will become a CAVA fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant.

Of course, we also previously told you that CAVA also is coming to the same under-construction plaza as Whole Foods and Lifetime Fitness on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. at Aronwood Blvd., less than four miles from the under-construction CAVA near the outlet mall.

Which CAVA location will open first? Considering that Whole Foods and Lifetime Fitness are supposed to open, hopefully by later this year, before the adjacent plaza with CAVA, Pop-Up Bagels and other eateries on the same property even begin building, it would seem that the former MOD location will be completed well before the CAVA on BBD.

But of course, that remains to be seen. And yes, we will keep you posted, both on our Facebook and Instagram pages and in our print editions. — GN

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• Hip & Knee Pain

• Foot & Ankle

• Balance & Gait Disorders

• Dizziness & Vertigo

• Sports Injuries

• Work Injuries

• Pre & Post Surgical Rehab

• Auto Accident Injuries

• & Many More!

Restore motion, function & strength with one-on-one customized rehabilitative programs.

N ew T ampa & w esley C hapel

HOME IMPROVEMENT

JUNK HAULING SERVICE! We handle all types of furniture removal: bdrm sets, chairs, mattresses & box springs, hot water heaters, hot tubs, take apart & remove, constrctn. material, remove carpet, estate, eviction, yard, garage & attic clean-outs, ofc, home & factory. Comm’l/ res’l. GorillaJunkremovalExperts.com. For appts, call/text Nigel @ 888-346-5865.

JOE’S GLASS SHOP. Glass. Mirrors,Table Tops, Impact Glass. Laminate Glass & more! We also offer Patio Door, Window & Screen Repairs. CALL TODAY! 1-(800) 333-7326.

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

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

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

BATHROOM & KITCHEN REMODELING.

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

___TREE SERVICES ___

FITZPATRICK’s TREE SERVICE, INC. 27 yrs of Prof. Svc. Licensed & Insured. Free Estimates. Tree Trimming & Tree Removal. Dead-Wood Removal. Tractor Work. Affordable Rates. 24-Hour Emergency Storm Service. Free Mulch. Call 813-495-9541 or 813-788-TREE.

MISCELLANEOUS

NEED HELP FILING YOUR TAXES? Accurate, stress-free virtual tax filing for professionals & business owners. Secure portal, transparent pricing & expert support. Visit www.ckttaxpros.com

HEALTHIER CHOICES: “Deliciously Simple!” ‘Seed-ate’ your senses w/nutritionally dense treats made w/back-to-basic ingredients. Satisfying goodness in every bite, perfect for clean-eating snack lovers seeking flavor & nourishment w/no unwanted fillers. Gluten, wheat & oat free. Naturally sweetened w/ dates, packed w/wholesome seeds & no added sugar. Call Seed8me New Tampa @ 813-293-9209.

GREAT WATER ISN’T A LUXURY, IT’S A DAILY ESSENTIAL. From the water you drink to the water you shower in, quality matters. Our purification systems help protect your family’s health, improve your skin and hair, and extend the life of your appliances. Discover what pure water really feels like. Call (813) 692-6057 or VISIT naturaltapwater.com.

TENNIS & PICKLEBALL LESSONS! Master the court with a certified elite teaching professional. Offering individual and group lessons from beginner to top tournament levels. My holistic program focuses on skills, strategy, and mental toughness to help you unlock your full potential. Contact Steve at 843-422-3993

SHARPENING SERVICE. Knives, Scissors & Garden Tools. Every Friday, 9am-4pm, through March 2025. NEW LOCATION: @ Harvey’s Hardware, 5400 Land O’Lakes Blvd., LOL. Contact M&M SHARPENING, Mark Bertsche @ 518-260-5916.

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

___CLEANING SERVICES

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

____HELP WANTED __ _

PARALEGAL WANTED. Covenant Law Firm is seeking a skilled, detail-oriented paralegal to join our busy Tampa practice. Experienced caseload support & strong organizational skills essential. New Tampa/Wesley Chapel-area applicants preferred. Call or text (813) 258 1133, email herb@covenantlawtampa.com or visit CovenantLawTampa.com.

NAIL TECH WANTED! Noire Nail Bar (25682 Sierra Center Blvd., near Mellow Mushroom) seeks an experienced Nail Tech! Must know how to do Acrylic, Dip & Nail Designs. Start Immediately! Call 813.536.0161 or stop in at Noire Nail Bar.

COMPUTER SERVICES ____

Prof’l Tech support in your home or small business. A+ Certified Computer Tech with 30 years experience. Maintenance and Repairs. Upgrades and Tutoring. More Affordable than large chains. Friendly, personal service. Technical Jargon explained in simple terms. Remote Assistance and references available. Call Brian at (813) 957-8342.

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

__ TRANSPORTATION _

ELITE RIDES. Private rides in a sanitized 2026 Tesla, plus concierge services. Airport, medical appointments, etc. Courteous, reliable, professional. New Tampa to Tampa Int’l Airport - $50. Cory Lake Isles resident. For more info, call or text 813.765.2037.

for someone in Health/

Contact Deborah at

- Your

Store of New Tampa (19651 Bruce B Downs) @ 813-994-0599. Steven Kessel, REALTOR® w/Future Home Realty, Inc., has created just for you, the

up-to-date, user-friendly propty

engine for homes for sale in the Tampa Bay & Central Fla area — & it’s FREE to use & enjoy. BuyYourDreamHome.com.

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