new tampa neighbohood news issue 23-12

it really is important to know whatchecking “Yes” or “No” really meanswhen it comes to these proposed Con-stitutional amendments.

However, on the actual ballot,many of the “definitions” of theseamendments are long and difficult todecipher without prior experience actu-ally writing legislation or at least havinggraduated from law school. Consider-ing the speed in which voting is expect-ed to take place on Election Day, it’sgoing to be tough to have a firm graspof what each amendment will mean toyou before you cast your ballot.

This year’s General Election alsowill bear the names of all of those run-ning for local, state and federal office

races that were not decided in theAugust primary, including Hillsbor-ough County Sheriff, Property Apprais-er, Supervisor of Elections and county-wide District 6 County Commissioner.

For a look at each Amendmentas they will appear on the ballot, in alanguage that is a little easier tounderstand, and other election info,we hope you’ll check out page 3 andour ‘Amendement Explanations’ atNTNeighborhoodNews.com.

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By Matt Wiley

It’s been four years since the sud-den, tragic death of New Tampa resi-dent Harrison Kowiak, but his familycontinues to fight to end “hazing,”which they know to be the cause ofHarrison’s death — and the deaths ofnumerous other college students overthe years. Harrison’s mother and sisterrecently brought their battle to Wash-ington, D.C., to support legislation tohelp end hazing in fraternities nation-wide, if possible.

Harrison, a 2007 Wharton Highgrad, was attending college on an aca-demic and golf scholarship at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC, in2008. A member of the school’s golfteam and a Theta Chi pledge, Harri-son was hoping to become a brotherin the fraternity. Instead of grantinghim entry into the fraternity, however,Harrison’s initiation activities ended uptaking his life.

“In North Carolina, there are nolaws that consider hazing a felony,”says Lianne Kowiak, Harrison’s moth-er of her son’s death. “The hazing wasconsidered a misdemeanor.”

U.S. Representative Frederica Wil-

son (D-FL), who introduced the“Halting Hazing Act of 2012” toCongress, could change that, if her billbeomes law.

Harrison’s 14-year-old sisterEmma and Lianne traveled to ournation’s capital in September to sup-port the new legislation.

“I got a call just after Labor Day,inviting us to the press conference toannounce the introduction of the bill,”says Lianne. The conference was heldat the U.S. Capitol building on Sep-tember 22 (see photo).

Also in attendance were the par-ents of Robert Champion, Jr., theFlorida A & M University drummerwho also was killed in a hazing acci-dent in 2011. Lianne says that the twofamilies met and shared their stories.

Wilson’s bill, if passed, woulddeny federal financial aid to studentswho are punished by colleges or statesfor committing acts that are deter-mined to be forms of hazing. Ifpassed, the bill also will punish statesthat do not enact anti-hazing laws, bydenying federal transportation funding.

Lianne also sat in on a panel dis-cussion about the bill during the 42ndannual Legislative Conference, in

which sever-al nationalfraternitiesand sorori-ties, stu-dents anduniversitieswere inattendance, as was theRev. Al Sharpton, whoserved as the moderatorfor the hazing panel

“The fraternities andsororities that were therewere very supportive,” saysLianne. “They recognizethe issue and realizechanges need to occur.”

Since Harrison’s death onNovember 17, 2008, the survivingmembers of this Arbor Greene familyhave been doing all that they can totry to prevent dangerous hazing activi-ties from taking place by raising aware-ness in local high schools, specificallyCarrollwood Day School on W. BearssAve., where Emma is a freshman.

To help warn students of the dan-gers of hazing, Lianne spoke to theclass of 2012 at CDS twice during the2011-12 school year, and will be

doing follow-up discussions with thesame class this year, as those studentsprepare to go on to their respectivecolleges. She also addressed a group ofWharton students in May of this year.

“I try to tell them to just beaware of what’s going on around themwhen they get to college,” Lianneexplains. “There is a lot of peer pres-sure when students want to join Greekor other on-campus organizations. Iwant the students to know that if haz-ing is occurring, they can get help, and

NEIGHBORHOOD MAGAZINE!

‘Saturday Night Lights’ Scores, ‘Night Out’Keeps Crime Out Of New Tampa, Rotary’s

‘Wild West Casino Night’ Plays The Odds &Your Chance To Win FREE Dining!

Pages 43-60

Also Inside This Issue!NEWS, BUSINESS, SPORTS &

EDUCATION UPDATES Commerce Park Blvd. Construciton Begins,‘Half-Baked’ Sale At Wharton, High SchoolBasketball Preview, Lots Of Local Business

Features & More!

Pages 1-42

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 20, Issue 23 • November 3, 2012 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com 1

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November 3, 2012

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Four Years After Hazing Death, Kowiak Family Raises Awareness In D.C.

Know What You’re Voting For In November: Florida’s Amendments DecipheredBy Matt Wiley

As the Tuesday, November 6,Presidential Election approaches, regis-tered voters in New Tampa have a lotto decide. In addition to voting againfor U.S. President, a U.S. Senator and

several other major local offices, therealso are, according to the HillsboroughCounty Supervisor of Elections Office(HCSEO), eleven proposed amend-ments to Florida’s Constitution thatalso will be in front of our local voterswhen they enter the voting booth, and

The famil of Harrison Kowiak (left) took part in thepress conference to announce Rep. Frederica Wilson’s“Halting Hazing Act of 2012” in Washington, D.C.

See “Hazing” on page 15.

2 For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 20, Issue 23 • November 3, 2012 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

As I do every presi-dential election season, Iwatch and pay close atten-

tion to all of the candidate debates beforemaking my choice of who I’d like to see(and endorse here to) become the nextU.S. President — and there’s no doubtthat the three presidential debatesbetween former Massachusetts Gov. MittRomney and President Barack Obama, aswell as the vice-presidential joustingmatch between current V.P. Joe Bidenand Congressman/candidate Paul Ryanhave given me a lot of food for thought.

As a registered Republican whoendorsed and voted for Pres. Obama in2008, one thing I can say is that whichev-er man wins our nation’s top office, Ibelieve our country will be in capablehands. I thought before the debates thatGov. Romney was going to be well “pre-pared” by a team of coaches and wouldmake a good showing, despite some ofhis “missteps” (e.g., the “47 percent”thing) just prior to the first set-to, butwhat I have seen instead is a man who isliving and breathing his “material,” a manwho can think on his feet and who trulyhas the courage of his convictions, eventhough I don’t agree with all of his plansfor our country.

Particularly impressive to me, asboth a newspaper columnist who is usedto having opposing viewpoints slappingme in the face all the time and as a formerseasoned debater, was when first debatemoderator Jim Lehrer multiple timesinterrupted the former head of Bain Capi-tal — in the middle of Romney’sresponse, mind you — and asked him an

entirely different question.Instead of, like most debaters, asking

if he could finish answering the initialquestion first and then take some time toconsider the new question, Romneyshowed an uncanny ability to jumpimmediately into answering the newquestion and then going back to answer-ing the original, without ever losing histrain of thought.

All I can say is that no amount of“prepping” can possibly get you to bethat comfortable with your information.You either know your stuff or you don’tand Romney clearly does. Whether or notI agree with everything he says isn’t theissue — I certainly don’t agree witheverything Pres. Obama says and doeseither — I just want to know, whetherthe candidate I endorse/vote for wins ornot, that our country will be run bysomeone who is smart and not afraid tosurround himself with other capable peo-ple. I never really felt that way with Sen.John McCain four years ago...and felteven less so after McCain chose formerAlaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his runningmate.

I also, however, was a lot moreimpressed with V.P. Biden in the debateagainst Rep. Ryan than I had been inyears. Biden, always known for his mala-prop-filled speech, was sharp, preparedand much more aggressive than Pres.Obama was in the first debate againstRomney, even though that “aggressive-ness” also, to me, made him come off astrying to bully his opponent into notbeing to get out his own answers.

Biden continually interrupted Ryanas the latter was trying to answer ques-tions, which may have won the VP somepoints with some voters for being a “bull-dog,” but surely didn’t win him pointswith the rest of us who really wanted to

Editorial — My Take On The Election & Florida’s Amendmentsby Gary Nager understand what his opposing views to

Ryan’s were. The V.P. continually talkedover Ryan in order to keep the Congress-man from being able to defend his posi-tion. Ryan also was somewhat argumen-tative, but I believe the “fault” clearly liedwith moderator Martha Raddatz, whodidn’t do enough to remain in control ofthe situation (at least, in my opinion), andI believe the losers were all of those unde-cided voters who have to actually hear anargument in order to be persuaded by it.

Meanwhile, Pres. Obama clearly wasmore on his own game, more in controland more “presidential” in the last twodebates than he was the first time around,but he continued to lose ground to Rom-

ney in the polls, despite that strongershowing. Why?

I believe it’s because so many peopleare still hurting financially all across thisgreat country of ours and the perceptionis that Obama hasn’t done enough to tryto pull us out of the worst economy sincethe Great Depression.

I also believe that the biggest mis-take the current president has made todate in his first four years was pushingthrough his “Obamacare” legislationbefore he did everything he could toaddress the nation’s financial woes. If thePresident spent his first four years helpingsmall businesses recover before forcing


New Tampa Neighborhood News15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647Phone: (813) 910-2575 Fax: 910-2483Adv. E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial E-mail:[email protected]

Publisher & Editor Gary Nager

Assistant Editor / PhotographerMatt Wiley

CorrespondentCamille Gillies

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Marketing DirectorAshley Knoblach

Senior Graphic DesignerPorsha Lamos

Advertising Sales RepTaylor Gardner

Nothing that appears in New Tampa NeighborhoodNews may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part,without permission. Opinions expressed by New TampaNeighborhood News writers are their own and do notreflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissionsand advertisements for Volume 20, Issue 23, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, Novem-ber 19, 2012. New Tampa Neighborhood News will con-sider previously non-published outside editorial submis-sions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500words. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the rightto edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions andmakes no guarantees regarding publication dates. NewTampa Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited edi-torial materials.

New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the rightto edit &/or reject any advertising. New Tampa Neighbor-hood News is not responsible for errors in advertisingbeyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, norfor the validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

© 2012 JM2 Communications, Inc.

Table of ContentsLOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS, EDUCATION& SPORTS UPDATES....................Pages 1-42Commerce Park Blvd. Widening Is Under Way...........................6New Tampa News Briefs..................................10Semi Rolls Over Onto Vehicle, Kills DriverWould-Be Freedom Bomber’s Sentencing DelayedStudents Arrested For ‘Half-Baked’ Sale At Wharton

‘Outback Plaza’ Property For Sale On BBD..............................12Kowiak Family Talks Hazing In D.C. (cont. from page 1)..........15New Tampa Community Calendar...............16-17New Tampa Chamber Newsletter......................18Local Business Updates...........................22-32Leiva’s Jewelry Has Something For That Someone.........22Insignia Care For Ob/Gyn Care & Weight Loss.............24WSICA Will Saves New Tampa’s Computers..................28New Tampa Realty Has New Tampa Home Sales Covered.....32Pediatric Dentistry Keeps Kids Smiling...........................36

Sports Updates..............................................40New Tampa High Schools Get Ready For Basketball......40

Neighborhood MagazineWesley Chapel Fall Festival Draws Thousands.................43New Tampa YMCA’s ‘Saturday Night Lights’ Scores!....46Recapping Rotary’s ‘Wild, Wild West Casino Night’.......47New Tampa Players Prepare To Perform ‘Pippin’............48Sophisticates Take Over PrimeBar...................................49‘National Night Out’ Keeps Crime Out Of NT...............48Recapping ‘Arts & Crafts Under The Palms’...................50Enter Our 2012 Dining Survey & Contest!!!............52Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Expands Its Presence...............54Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes...............................56

NEW TAMPA COLOR CLASSIFIEDS..............58

See “Elections” on page 41.

By Matt Wiley

In anticipation of increased trafficat the Commerce Park Blvd. end of theNew Tampa Gateway Bridge when it iscompleted in early 2013 (it will linkNew Tampa Blvd. in West Meadows toCommerce Park Blvd. in TampaPalms), crews have begun work on thewidening of Commerce Park Blvd. Thelone roadway to both Liberty MiddleSchool and Freedom High will bewidened from two lanes to four lanes,from where it currently dead-ends atthe student and staff parking entranceto Freedom to just south of PrimroseLake Circle, says City of Tampa trans-portation manager Jean Duncan, P.E.

The $1.2-million widening of thisless-than-one-half-mile stretch will makeCommerce Park Blvd. four lanes fromthe intersection at Tampa Palms Blvd.to where it currently dead ends.

“The widening will help traffictremendously,” says Duncan. “The sig-nal will help students get in and out ofthe Freedom student parking lot with-out having to wait for a gap in traffic.”

Duncan says that the currentmorning congestion on the roadwayalso will be alleviated with the trafficsignal and additional lanes.

“Right now, the queue to get inand out (of the schools) backs up all

the way down Commerce Park Blvd.,”she explains. “Once the lanes are doneand the bridge opens, traffic will be ableto flow from both sides and will easethat congestion.”

Duncan adds that when the bridgewas originally designed, the schoolcomplex had not yet been built, sothere wasn’t a need for Commerce ParkBlvd. to be four lanes all the way down.

So far, the number of open laneshas not changed, but drivers should beaware that the traffic pattern couldchange as construction goes on.

The project is expected to be com-pleted by the end of February, aroundthe same time as the Gateway Bridgeand the widening of the portion ofBruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. betweenPalm Springs Blvd. and Pebble CreekDr. Duncan says that if the CommercePark Blvd. lanes are done before then,they could open before the bridge.

Freedom principal David Sheppardsays that he is looking forward to all ofthe construction being completed,especially the Gateway Bridge.

“It’s going to be a communityconnector,” he says. “It’s going tomake it so easy for our West Meadowsand Richmond Place families to gettheir students to school. I think it willmake it safer for buses and drivers, sincethey won’t have to mess with (BBD).”


Caution! Widening Of Commerce Park Blvd. In Tampa Palms Is Under Way

Widening construction is under way along Commerce Park Blvd., currently the onlyroad that leads to the entrance of both Liberty Middle School and Freedom High.


News BriefsNEW TAMPA

Semi Crushes Pickup,Semi Crushes Pickup,Kills DriverKills Driver

Another fatal accident has occurredon I-75 near the Bruce B. Downs(BBD) Blvd. interchange, this one onOctober 21, marking the second fatalaccident in the busy interstate corridorin less than a month.

According to the Florida HighwayPatrol (FHP), 27-year-old GregorioFeliz was traveling southbound in theoutside lane on I-75 in his 1994 Isuzupickup truck at around 3:55 a.m. Sun-day, south of the BBD interchange. Forreasons unknown, he swerved into thecenter lane, side-swiping a semi truck.

The FHP release says that the col-lision caused the two vehicles to rotateand travel onto the grass shoulder. Thesemi trailer, driven by 54-year-old JuanEsquivel, rolled onto the pickup truckwhen it came to rest, crushing Feliz,who sustained fatal injuries and died atthe scene.

Esquivel and his passenger, 61-year-old Zaragoza William Alvarez, sus-tained minor injuries and were treatedat the scene. The accident is still underinvestigation.

Sentencing Delayed ForSentencing Delayed For

Would-Be Freedom BomberWould-Be Freedom BomberThe would-be Freedom High

bomber will not hear his sentence untilDecember, following an appearance incourt on October 16.

Jared Cano, 18, was supposed tobe sentenced when he appeared beforeHillsborough Circuit Judge KimberlyFernandez on October 16. However,after pleading “no contest” to chargesof threatening and attempting to dis-charge an explosive device at Freedomin August 2011, Cano’s sentencing hasbeen delayed until December 5 and hecould face up to 15 years in prison.

“He would have been sentenced(October 16), but the court hadordered a pre-disposition (pre-trial)report, and it wasn’t ready yet,” saidCano’s attorney, Norman Cannella, Sr.

As previously reported in the NewTampa Neighborhood News, Cano isaccused of attempting to set off a bombat Freedom on the first day of the2011-12 year, but, due to an anony-mous tip from one of Cano’s friends,the Tampa Police Department (TPD)was able to foil the plot. Cano was 17when he was arrested, but he is beingtried as an adult.

When TPD raided the apartment,

Cano was living at with his mother inthe complex formerly known asCypress Run at Tampa Palms, they dis-covered bomb-making materials and amarijuana plant. In addition to thebomb charges, Cano also faces threedrug-related charges, for which he haswaived his right to appeal and couldface up to seven years.

Wharton Students ArrestedWharton Students ArrestedFor ‘Half-Baked’ Sale For ‘Half-Baked’ Sale

A bake sale is a classic way to raisemoney at school, but an apparent“half-baked” sale really draws someattention, especially from the localauthorities, as two Wharton High sen-iors have learned the hard way.

According to the HillsboroughCounty Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), onOctober 10, two 17-year-old Whartonseniors were arrested for being in pos-session of and attempting to sell mari-juana-infused desserts at school.Through an apparent anonymous tip,the two students were caught with thebaked goods at around 11:30 a.m.

HCSO says that student wascaught with two individually wrappedpot brownies, while the other was inpossession of five individually wrappedpot cookies. Both were arrested andcharged with possession and attempteddelivery of marijuana on schoolgrounds. We have not released theirnames because of their ages. — MW


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involvement, Dickinson says there arenot yet any plans for any specific usesfor the property.

Ocean Bleu Group, a Tampa-based commercial real estate firm, ownsroughly 12 of the remaining acres,divided into three parcels which wraparound the Dickinson property.

“We’ve purchased that site,” saysBryan Schultz, of Ocean Bleu Group.“We’re looking to either sell the landor develop it. We’re open to whatevermight come up.” The three parcelsOcean Bleu owns are broken downinto 1.7 acres, 0.95 acres and 9.22acres, respectively, and the two smaller

parcels both feature frontage on BBD,as does the Dickinson property.

Dickinson says that a right turn inand out of the site onto BBD is cur-rently being negotiated with PascoCounty officials, but nothing has yetbeen finalized. He notes that directaccess to BBD would be a major sellingpoint for the land.

Bloomin’ Brands representativesdeclined to comment on the propertysale at our press time.

For more information aboutthese commercial sites, call Ed Dick-inson at 979-3522 or Bryan Schultzat 760-2621.

By Matt Wiley

Some prime realestate is up for grabs onBruce B. Downs (BBD)Blvd. in Wesley Chapelbetween Aronwood Blvd.in Meadow Pointe andWilliamsburg Dr.

What was onceplanned to be a proposed“Outback Plaza” featuringtwo or three possiblerestaurant conceptsowned by Bloomin’Brands (aka Outback’sparent company)is up forsale, as are three additional parcels (seemap) in this prime location situated lessthan a mile south of the Shops at Wire-grass mall and two miles south of thenew Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel(see page 4).

The 2.38-acre former proposed“Outback Plaza” property is being soldby Walter Dickinson of Tampa Bay,Inc., on behalf of Hoffman Ventures,Inc., the company that purchased theproperty from Outback’s former parentcompany, OSI Holdings, Inc., in Janu-ary of 2012.

“We are currently in multiple dis-cussions with several national compa-nies,” says Ed Dickinson, the owner of

Walter Dickinson of Tampa Bay, Inc.“The site has lots of opportunities andthere has been a lot of interest shownin (the property).”

The Outback site, which alreadyhas been approved for a developmentof up to 25,000 sq. ft., is part of a larg-er 17-acre site, which has several parcelsavailable. The property sold byBloomin’ Brands’ predecessor alreadyhas the infrastructure and site workdone for a 12,000-sq.-ft. building,which was originally going to be eithera Cheeseburger In Paradise, Carrabba’sItalian Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steak-house & Wine Bar or Roy’s HawaiianCuisine. However, without Outback’s

Real Estate Still For Sale Along BBD At Former ‘Outback Plaza’ Site

The “Former Outback Parcel” (in gray), and three othersites on BBD in front of Meadow Pointe are all for sale.


to not be just another bystander.”Since Harrison’s death, the family

filed suit against the national ThetaChi fraternity, including the Lenoir-Rhyne chapter and several of its mem-bers, as well as the university. The suitwas settled out of court in August.

Lianne says that the settlementfunds will go towards educating stu-dents and parents about the dangersof hazing, which Lianne has alreadybegun by purchasing more than 1,000brochures from HazingPrevention.org to hand out when she speaks atschools. She also was planning to par-ticipate in a hazing panel discussionand address students at Cornell Uni-versity in Ithaca, NY, on October 30.In addition, the Kowiaks have pur-chased three benches for Wharton’smemorial garden, in which Emma haspainted three leaves on the garden’swall in her brother’s memory.

“It’s a parent’s worst nightmareto wake up to that phone call abouttheir child,” she explains. “As a mom,I feel the need to raise as much aware-ness as possible. It’s the only way thisissue will get into the spotlight.”

According to HazingPrevention.org, 55 percent of college studentsinvolved in clubs, teams and organiza-

tions experience hazing, and, sinceFebruary of 2010 (almost two yearsafter Harrison’s death) alone, 96 stu-dents have died as a result of hazing.

Just within the past several weeks,another hazing-related death wasreported at Fresno State University inCalifornia, due to “acute intoxication.”The fraternity the student was pledg-ing just happened to be Theta Chi,another chapter of the same fraternityHarrison was rushing.

For more info about preventingcollege and high school hazing, visitHazingPrevention.org and Stop-Hazing.org. If you have a childstarting college soon, or one thatalready is enrolled, it’s important tocheck if any hazing or dangerousactivities have occurred, or havebeen reported, at that university. Ifyou know of hazing occurring, saysomething!

“Kowiak”Continued from page 1

Lianne Kowiak appearing at a panel discussionabout hazing moderated by the Rev. Al Sharpton.


Pebble Creek Golf Club (10550 RegentsPark Dr., off Bruce B. Downs [BBD]Blvd.). The $13 meeting fee includes ahot breakfast. Contact Lisa Jordan at621-6015 for details.

Business Networking Int’l Business Networking Int’l Wednesday, November 7, 7:30

a.m. - BNI, a group of business profes-sionals dedicated to helping their respec-tive businesses grow through qualifiedreferrals, meets every Wednesday morn-ing at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Clubclubhouse (18630 Plantation Bay Dr., offMorris Bridge Rd.). For more informa-tion, call Jal Irani at 451-8229.

New Tampa Noon RotaryNew Tampa Noon RotaryWednesday, November 7, noon -

The New Tampa Noon Rotary Clubmeets every Wed. for lunch at Hunter’sGreen Country Club (18101 LongwaterRun Dr.). Guests are always welcome.

New Tampa Eve. Rotary New Tampa Eve. Rotary Wednesday, November 7, 6:15

p.m. - The New Tampa Evening RotaryClub meets every Wednesday at Hunter’sGreen Country Club. New members arealways welcome.

For info, call Liz DeAmbrose at956-6487 or email [email protected].

Tampa ToastmastersTampa ToastmastersWednesday, November 7, 7 p.m. -

Great speeches & great topics. Comehone your public speaking skills. TampaToastmasters meets every Wednesday atPebble Creek Golf Club (10550 RegentsPark Dr.) New guests always welcome.

For more info, call 428-6356.

Free ESL ClassesFree ESL ClassesThursday, November 8, 10:30

a.m. - A FREE English as a Second Lan-guage (ESL) class is meeting at TampaBay Presbyterian Church (19911 BruceB. Downs Blvd.) on Thursday mornings.

Activities for school-aged childrenalso are provided during these classes,which are taught by a native Englishspeaker using several ESL and Bible studyresources. There is no charge to attend.The classes also discuss American cultureand English idioms and slang. Comepractice your conversational English andmake new friends in a fun and relaxedenvironment! For more information,call the church office at 973-2484.

Northeast Tampa WomenNortheast Tampa WomenIn Business MeetingIn Business Meeting

Thursday, November 8, 6 p.m. -The Northeast Tampa Women in Busi-ness group meets the second Thursday ofeach month at Hunter’s Green CountryClub (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Thismonth’s speaker is Sydney Alexander,founder of Basic Black Collection, a dressboutique in the Shops at Wiregrass.

For more information, visitNETWIB.org or call 364-2174.

Food Addicts In Recovery Food Addicts In Recovery Thursday, November 8, 7 p.m. -

Are you having trouble controlling theway you eat? Are you underweight oroverweight or obsessed with weight ordieting? You are not alone. Food Addicts

Community CalendarNEW TAMPA

MOMS Club New TampaMOMS Club New TampaThe MOMS (Moms Offering Moms

Support) Club of New Tampa is currentlyopen to new members in the New Tampaarea. The MOMS Club offers a variety ofdaytime activities of mothers and theirchildren, opportunities for Mom’s NightOut and many more benefits.

For more information, or to jointhe club, email [email protected].

Fisher House Golf Classic Fisher House Golf Classic Sunday, November 4, 11:30 a.m.

- The 2012 Tampa Fisher House GolfClassic will be held at Heritage IslesCountry Club, located off Cross CreekBlvd. All net proceeds from this year’stourney will again be donated to theTampa Fisher House, the nonprofit (501[c][3]) residence that houses the familiesof the wounded soldiers at the James A.Haley Veterans Hospital on Bruce B.Downs (BBD) Blvd. (south of E. Fletch-er Ave.). The Fisher House dependsupon volunteers and voluntary supportto enhance its operations and programs.The financial support from this tourna-ment will provide numerous productsand services for the family members visit-ing the Fisher House.

For more info, please call ValerieCasey at 317-8886 or Barry Shumanat (516) 523-2678.

‘WeWork’ At Lifepoint‘WeWork’ At Lifepoint

Monday, November 5, 7 p.m. -“WeWork,” which meets Mondays atLifepoint Church (on BBD, in front ofHunter’s Green), is designed to help yousearch for jobs, improve interview skills,write a resume, negotiate a job offer,improve your attitude, develop network-ing skills or discover your gifts.

For more info, call 907-9818, orvisit LifePoint.tv/WeWork.

New Tampa Tri ClubNew Tampa Tri ClubTuesday, November 6, 7:30 a.m. -

A new local club has formed for the fit-ness-minded. Membership is open to run-ners, swimmers, cyclists and triathletesacross the New Tampa/Wesley Chapelarea. All members receive club benefits,including a training schedule, group sup-port, seminars and socials. The club hostsgroup bike rides/runs at the MorrisBridge Rd. entrance to Flatwoods Wilder-ness Park every Tuesday, Thursday andSaturday at 7:30 a.m., and a group runfrom Kona Multisport (previously, the“Ironman Store,” in the same plaza asSweetbay & LA Fitness at BBD/CountyLine Rd.), at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays.

For more information, join theFacebook group or e-mail [email protected].

BNI Millionaire MakersBNI Millionaire MakersWednesday, November 7, 7:15

a.m. - The BNI Millionaire Makers chap-ter meets every Wednesday morning at


in Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a sup-port group without any dues, fees orweigh-ins and is based on the 12 steps ofAlcoholics Anonymous. It’s a fellowshipof individuals who, through shared expe-riences and mutual support, are recover-ing from the disease of food addiction.FA meets at Florida Hospital Tampa (onBBD) in the Camelot A room.

For more info, visit FoodAddicts.org or call Roz at 355-4197.

CBC NetworkingCBC NetworkingThursday, November 8, 7:45 p.m.

- Come together with like-minded pro-fessionals at the Christian Business Con-nections (CBC) Networking group,which meets every Thursday at St.Andrew Presbyterian Church (located at5338 Primrose Lake Cir., near FreedomHigh/Liberty M.S. in Tampa Palms).

Call Annete Faurote at 407-9225for more information.

New Tampa RotaryNew Tampa RotaryFriday, November 9, 7 a.m. - The

New Tampa Rotary club meets at theTampa Palms Golf & Country Club(5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). Lora M.A.Thompson will be speaking about a psy-chologist’s perspective of supporting can-cer patients and their families. For moreinfo, call Eric Longphee at 202-1105.

ProTential Scramble ProTential Scramble Friday, November 16, 9 a.m. -

Protential Sports presents its inauguralcharity golf tournament, which will be afour-person scramble and feature alongest drive, closest to the pin and put-

ting contest. Proceeds will benefit theProtential Sports Kids Foundation, theB.E.S.T. Program and the Richard KerrFoundation. Entry costs are $75 for onegolfer or $150 for two and multiplesponsorship options are available.

For info, please email [email protected].

Run With Pride 5KRun With Pride 5KSaturday, January 26, 8:30 a.m. -

Pride Elementary invites the public totake part in the school’s annual 5Krun/walk. Entry prices vary from $12for the “1-Mile Fun Run,” $25 for the5K or $65 for families to compete ineither or both events. Entry fee includesa t-shirt, breakfast and lots of fun!

For info, please email Kim Fran-cis at [email protected].


2011-12 Board of DirectorsPresident-Regina Ramalheira

New TampaChamber of Commerce, Inc.

15310 Amberly Dr., Suite 250 Tampa, FL 33647

Information: (813) 293-2464 Fax: (813) 388-4408

Website: NewTampaChamber.Org

Board Members:VP-Neil Heird

Treas-Karen HiltonSecy-John Lore

Non-Officers:Rachel Haviland

Mark LangeEarl Meyer

Chamber Newsletter To Feature Board Members; Publisher Speaks & MoreIntroducing The NewIntroducing The New

Tampa Chamber Board OfTampa Chamber Board OfDirectors & Staff!Directors & Staff!

New Tampa Chamber presidentRegina Ramalheira wants to introduce theNew Tampa community to the peoplewho donate their time and energy to helpmake the Chamber an important contrib-utor to life in our area. To that end, weare going to run a short bio of theChamber’s seven current Board members— and of executive assistant Jayne Baker— one or two at at time in each upcom-ing issue of the Chamber newsletter thatappears in each issue of New TampaNeighborhood News. In addition, all eightprofiles will be posted on the Chamber’swebsite — NewTampaChamber.org —by the time this issue reaches your mail-box. We don’t have room for all nine biosin this space, but rest assured, all eightwill run over the new two or three issues.

Please visit NewTampaChamber.org or call the Chamber’s executiveassistant Jayne Baker at 293-2464 or2012-13 president Regina Ramalheiraat 245-8893 for more informationabout the Chamber.

Regina Ramalheira, Regina Ramalheira, Chamber PresidentChamber President

Regina Ramalheira became a resi-dent of New Tampa in 1981. At the timeshe was the District Sales Manager of thepopular The Limited stores.

In 1996, Regina became an active

Board member of theNew Tampa CommunityCouncil and she soonbecame the “VolunteerCoordinator” for theannual “Taste of NewTampa.” For more thana decade, she has man-aged approximately 350local youths and thier families to do all ofthe behind-the-scenes tasks to make theTaste a success.

Regina remained on the Board whenthe Community Council evolved into theNew Tampa Chamber in ‘09. Her fulltime career is now as a Broker Associate& Realtor at ReMax First In Real Estate(17010 Palm Pointe Dr. in TampaPalms). Regina has been married toRichard Crate for 23 years and has onegrandchild, Jacob Crate. With her yearsof living, working and serving NewTampa, Regina knows New Tampa andwould love to get to know you — andany real estate needs you may have, too.

For info, call Regina at 245-8893.Jayne Baker, Jayne Baker, Chamber Executive AssistantChamber Executive Assistant

Jayne Baker is a Certified NaturalHealth Professional (CNHP) with anextensive background in Organic Nutri-tion and Enzyme Therapy. Focusing onsupporting the digestive system and phbalancing the body, Jayne has helped herclients achieve their goals while armingthem with the knowledge they need to

‘Working To Improve The Quality Of Life In New Tampa!’

maintain a healthy lifestyle. As someone who

struggled with a weightproblem herself, and hav-ing lost more than 70 lbs.,Jayne’s compassion forpeople in similar situationsis in part what makes herso successful.

Jayne also is the owner of “Gal-leries ByJayne.com,” which features hermany unique photos, and has had con-siderable proficiency and years of experi-ence in the merchant services industry.

For more info about Jayne’snutritional or merchant services, seethe ad on page 13 or call her at 482-8881. Jayne also is who will returnyour call when you call the Chamberhotline at 293-2464.

Thanks, Gary & Neil!Thanks, Gary & Neil!When scheduled feature speaker

Stephen Hayes of Tampa Bay & Co.couldn’t make it to the New TampaChamber luncheon on October 9 atTampa Palms Golf & Country Club, NewTampa & Wesley Chapel NeighborhoodNews publisher & editor Gary Nageragreed to step in as a substitute speaker.He provided an informative update onthe continuing development of NewTampa & Wesley Chapel. Also speaking atthe meeting was Chamber VP Neil Heird,who provided an update on the Cham-ber’s new and improved website —NewTampaChamber.org. Check it out!

Mark Your Calendars!Mark Your Calendars!Monday, November 12 - Chamber

luncheon at Hunter’s Green CountryClub, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. We are excitedto have Kay Van Der Vaart, Director ofHealth & Wellness at the new FloridaHospital of Wesley Chapel.

Since it is the holiday season, Kay’stopic will be “Maintain; Don’t Gain.”

We are looking for up to four non-competing sponsors at $100 each for thisluncheon. Sponsorship allows you to setup a business booth in one of the fourcorners of the room to display, advertise,promote and sell your products/services.Lunch costs $20. Please register by Fri-day, November 9, 3 p.m., at NewTam-paChamber.org!

Monday, December 3 - All NewTampa Chamber members are invited toattend the Greater Tampa Chamber ofCommerce and Tampa Bay & Co.’sannual joint holiday business networkingevent at the Straz Center in downtownTampa (5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.).

Visit NewTampaChamber.org toregister by 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30!

ReginaRamalheira

Jayne Baker

Executive Assistant:Jayne Baker

By Camille Gillies

If you’re looking to put smiles onyour loved ones’ faces, whether for theholidays, on their next birthday,anniversary or “just because,” look nofurther than Leiva’s Jewelry, a newaddition to the stores in the NewTampa Center, the Publix-anchoredshopping plaza located at the corner ofBruce B. Downs (BBD) and NewTampa Blvds.

The father-and-son team of Transi-to and Jonathan Leiva (pronouncedLAY-Vah) opened the store a monthago and are busy stocking the displaycases with show-stopping designs andprecious gems. A master jeweler withmore than 40 years of experience, Tran-sito (known to his long-time customersas simply Leiva) specializes in creatingcustom pieces and repairing all types ofjewelry. Although he has been a jewelerin Tampa for 26 years, this is the firsttime he has launched a storefront busi-ness of his own.

“We are excited to be at this loca-tion,” says Transito, in the Spanishaccent he acquired while growing up inNicaragua. “It is a very busy area and italready has worked out well for us --the landlord wanted a jewelry store forthis center and we wanted to be here.”

Jonathan believes the New Tampalocale is advantageous for Leiva’s newbusiness because it’s one of the fastest-growing areas in the region, and hereports that the new Leiva’s Jewelry isalready getting an enthusiastic responsefrom the community.

“People told us we were crazy toopen in this economy and around the(presidential) election, but it doesn’tseem to be affecting us,” Jonathan says.“My father has a large clientele in thearea. People trust him; he is all aboutcustomer service.”

Walk into the store and you’ll see aphoto of Transito with client and for-mer Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, andTransito will tell you he is pleased todesign pins for USF and to have USFPresident Judy Genshaft as a client.

Since some customers drop offthousands of dollars worth of valuables,Jonathan says trust is a serious consider-ation when choosing a jeweler. Interest-ingly, trustworthiness is the trait thatgot Transito involved in the jewelryindustry in the first place. When hecame to America from Nicaragua 46years ago, Transito worked as a janitorin a factory on W. 47th St., in NewYork City’s famed “Diamond District.”While cleaning, he says he often found

gold and other valuable items andimmediately turned them in. Theowner of the business was alwaysimpressed by Transito’s honesty.

“He told me, ‘In this busi-ness, you have to be an honestman,’ and he began teaching methe trade,” Transito explains. “Istarted out making 75 cents anhour, but I ended up actually run-ning the company.”

After five years, Transitoopened his own business whilecontinuing to work at the dia-mond factory. Tiffany & Co. andother high-end jewelers wouldoften send jobs to him.

After spending 16 cold win-ters commuting from the Bronx toManhattan, he decided to move toFlorida to raise his family. Jonathan andone of his sisters are in the jewelry busi-ness, while another is a hair stylist, andthe youngest, well, she is not in thebusiness of making or selling jewelrybut is at an age when she might wantto play with it!

That’s because Transito and hiswife, Angela, 38, last summer adopteda two-year-old child from Nicaragua.They named her Angelina after actressand humanitarian Angelina Jolie.

“It was always in my heart that I

wanted to help someone from mycountry,” relates Transito, who also hasspent a dozen years doing missionarywork in Nicaragua. He visits the coun-try four times a year and, on behalf ofCity Life Church in Tampa, works tohelp impoverished communities in hisnative country.

Jonathan, who manages and co-owns Leiva’s, and his wife, Lauren,have a five-year-old son named Elijah.Jonathan became involved in the jewel-ry business approximately six years agoand describes himself as his father’sapprentice.


Make Someone Special Happy With A Gift From The New Leiva’s Jewelry

Jonathan (left) and Transito Leiva are the father-and-son team at the new Leiva’s Jewelry in the

New Tampa Center plaza on BBD.


Together, they welcome you tostop in and browse Leiva’s own amaz-ing designs of rings, necklaces, earringsand pendants, which he crafts primarilyusing gold and silver. The store alsofeatures jewelry by Colore, Design byYagi, Reactor and G-Shock watches,and engagement ring settings by vari-ous New York distributors. Gemsfound at the store include sapphires,pearls, rubies, emeralds and diamonds.

If you have a design in mind andwould like a piece custom made, simplybring in a photo or describe yourdream creation. Transito can completemost pieces in two weeks’ time. Youmight want to get a jump on purchas-

ing a holiday gift by visiting soon andavoiding the Christmas rush.

While you’re there, take advantageof the opportunity to drop off the bro-ken necklace and watch that have beensitting in your jewelry box foreverbecause you haven’t gotten around tohaving them fixed (you know who youare). Leiva’s Jewelry does repairs as wellas installs new watch batteries. Mostrepairs have a 24-hour turnaround. Ifyour Rolex watch needs to be repaired,Leiva’s will take care of sending it to anauthorized Rolex jeweler, ensuring theuse of only Rolex parts.

For couples getting ready to tiethe knot, Leiva’s also offers a complete

If you’re looking for uniquely beautiful custom-designed rings, earrings, necklaces or bracelets, visit

Leiva’s Jewelry in the New Tampa Center.

line of beautiful bridal jewelry. “Whether people are looking for

engagement or wedding rings, orchoosing a new setting, we have manydesigns to choose from,” Jonathan says.

Because jewelry is such a personalgift, Transito stresses the importance ofgetting to know his customers.

“I am in this business because Ilike people,” he says.

And people like the Leivas, too.South Tampa resident Jim Mutasciomet Leiva and Jonathan six years agowhen he lived in New Tampa. Now Jimtravels here to visit the master jeweler.

“It’s worth the trip for anybody,”Jim raves. “He is the best jeweler I've

found in the area.” He has purchasedcustom-designed gifts for his wife,daughter, son and grandchildren.

“They come out unbelievable!,” hesays. The workmanship is fantastic. And(Transito) is just very eager to please."

With the number of customerswho have followed this master jeweleraround Tampa, it’s evident that theLeivas make their clients happy.

For additional information, stopin and visit Leiva’s Jewelry at 19020BBD Blvd. in the New Tampa Cen-ter shopping plaza the next time yougo shopping at Publix. You also canvisit Facebook.com/LeivasJewelry, orgive the store a call at 972-0417.

By Camille Gillies

Health insurance may havebecome more of a headache over theyears, but the care you can receive atyour physician’s office is more advancedthan ever. A prime example can befound at Insignia Care for Women, amedical group that has three offices —New Tampa, South Tampa and WesleyChapel — and specializes in obstetricsand gynecology. The practice’s eightBoard-certified physicians are now ableto perform in-office surgeries, as well asoffer laboratory services, ultrasoundtechnology and weight loss counseling,all within their walls.

Insignia’s main office, located at3268 Cove Bend Dr., near the intersec-tion of Bearss Ave. and Bruce B.Downs Blvd. (behind Cracker Barrel),is the site of a new surgical wing thatthe practice launched last month.

“We converted an area where wehad been conducting research into sep-arate pre-op, post-op and surgeryrooms,” says Mandy Stevenson,Insignia’s clinical manager. “We arereally pleased to be able to offer thisconvenience to our patients. Manywomen prefer to come to their doctor’soffice to have a surgery performedrather than go to a hospital or outpa-

tient center. It’s a more familiar envi-ronment for them.”

In the new surgical unit, Insignia'sphysicians perform procedures such asNovaSure Ablation, which treats heavymenstrual periods by using radio fre-quency energy to remove the lining ofthe uterus; Loop Electrosurgical Exci-sion Procedure (LEEP), which uses alow voltage electrical current to removeabnormal tissues of the cervix; polypec-tomies or the removal of polyps; biop-sies; dilation and curettage (D&C) toremove tissue in the uterus or to diag-nose or treat abnormal uterine bleed-ing; and hysteroscopies, which diagnoseand treat abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Insignia’s obstetrical (OB) carealso is geared toward patient conven-ience, with patients encouraged tomake appointments at any of Insignia’sthree offices. For example, someonewho lives in Wesley Chapel but whoworks downtown may want to visit

Insignia’s South Tampa office, and theyare welcome to do so. In fact, Steven-son, who also serves as the practice’sOB coordinator, advises patients tomeet all eight of the doctors. On arotating basis, three physicians are typi-cally in the South Tampa and Universi-ty Area offices while two see patients inWesley Chapel.

An OB coordinator might be anew concept to you, but Stevenson, aLicensed Practical Nurse (LPN), is thefirst stop for any OB patient. She part-ners with the patients, reviewing theirmedical histories and subsequently pro-viding information and guidance tohelp them throughout their pregnan-cies. She also is the person who cananswer common inquiries and will referspecific medical questions and concernsto the doctors.

Pregnancy and sonograms gohand in hand and, with three sonogra-phers on staff, ultrasounds are per-

formed in all three of Insignia’s offices.In fact, Insignia Care was the firstgroup in Tampa to be certified by theAmerican Institute of Ultrasound inMedicine (AIUM).

“We recently were certified for thethird time,” sonographer Carol Pickers-gill states proudly. Pickersgill, whoboasts 36 years of experience in thefield, points out that the types of sono-grams performed at Insignia rangefrom saline to doplar to three- andfour-dimensional.

“Sonograms are important for see-ing inside the uterus, for determininguterine anomalies, neoplasms ortumors, as well as for assisting withamniocentesis or seeing the placementor correct position of an intrauterinedevice (IUD),” explains Pickersgill,adding that it is more comfortable forthe patient to have sonograms conduct-ed in her own doctor’s office and it’salso more immediate. “If the doctor


Insignia Care For Women Has Offices In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel

Left to Right: Dr. Natasha Gooden, Dr. Steven Greenberg, Dr. Jennifer Irani, Dr. Galen Jones, Dr. TraceySchwartz-Miller, Dr. William Newton, Dr. Gregory Wilkerson and Dr. James Von Thron of Insignia Care.


suspects a problem, we can work thepatient in that same day.”

A Top-Flight GroupA Top-Flight GroupAt the core of any doctor’s office

are the doctors, and these physicians,six of whom trained at USF for theirresidencies, are all very like-minded intheir respective approaches to medicine.

“We share a consistency in medicalopinion and do things in a similar man-ner,” says William Newton, M.D., whoran the gynecology program at theUSF Medical School for two years andhas been practicing in Tampa since1985. “Because of our training, we areable to provide continuity of care.That’s beneficial when patients see mul-tiple doctors in a practice.”

Dr. Newton says the practicedevotes half of its time to obstetrics andthe other half to gynecology, adding:“We have extensive training and experi-ence in gynecological problems andsurgery. Several of us are associate pro-fessors at USF, where we occasionallyprovide resident training, and four (ofInsignia’s doctors) are trained in robot-ic surgery.”

The team also conducts clinicalresearch on menopausal therapies,fibroid tumors and endometriosis. Youmay see the doctors lecturing at publicevents, such as the recent Focus onFemales symposium at the Tampa Con-vention Center, or walking to support

breast cancer awareness. In addition toparticipating in large-scale events,Insignia’s staff organizes a successfulraffle to benefit breast cancer causes.

“Our goal is to improve the quali-ty of care for women, and with ourhighly educated doctors, in-house labservices, and comprehensive vaccinationand screening programs, we aim tomake it as convenient as possible forthem,” Resnick states.

Tampa Palms resident and localattorney Katie Wiltse, 40, credits thedoctors at Insignia with saving her life.

“I moved here about a year agofrom Orlando, where I went to five dif-ferent physicians to determine if I had arare form of cancer that runs in myfamily,” Katie explains, noting that hermother died of the cancer at age 42.“Dr. Miller (Tracey Schwartz-Miller,M.D.) and the Insignia doctors wentabove and beyond to advocate on mybehalf to my insurance company that Ineeded a specific blood test to deter-mine my predisposition to the cancer.The test revealed that I had an 86 per-cent lifetime risk of developing it, and Iwas able to have preventive surgery thatI believe saved my life.”

More Than Just Ob/GynMore Than Just Ob/GynAnother convenience afforded by

Insignia’s comprehensive approach towomen’s health is the practice’s well-ness and weight loss program.

“We follow Dr. Jay J. Garcia,M.D.’s weight loss program,” saysJoseph Resnick, Insignia’s divisionadministrator. “All of our physicians aretrained in his program, which promotesproper nutrition and health.”

The dietary program created byDr. Garcia, one of the top weight lossphysicians in the Tampa Bay area, canbe found at GarciaWeightLoss.com.The program features three phases:

• Adjustment, or the weight lossphase, in which you receive a personal-ized nutrition profile and are given thebest diet and medical supplements tooptimize your weight loss;

• Conversion, or the transitionphase, in which you move from weightloss to a program to maintain a healthyweight; and

• Maintenance, or the long-termplan, in which you maintain wellnessand a healthy lifestyle.

Resnick says the program has beena success with patients and staff alike.Christina Boddy, Insignia’s front officemanager, has lost 60 pounds in fourmonths by following the program.

“I think it’s great,” beams Boddy.“I follow the diet and I exercise, andsupplements like nutrition bars areavailable if you want them.” The pro-gram also includes a series of injectionsthat contain vitamins such as B-12.

Dorothy Szatkowski, the practice’sweight loss coordinator, is a medical

assistant who has been trained in Dr.Garcia’s program. She has a back-ground in weight loss management andis available to assist and support patientsin meeting the goals of their cus-tomized program.

To learn more about the practiceor the physicians at Insignia Care forWomen — Natasha Gooden, M.D.,Steven Greenberg, M.D., JenniferIrani, M.D., Galen Jones, M.D.,Tracey Schwartz-Miller, M.D.,William Newton, M.D., W. GregoryWilkerson, M.D., and James VonThron, M.D. — please visit Insigni-aCareforWomen.com. Insignia’s NewTampa office is located at 3268 CoveBend Dr. (971-4555); the WesleyChapel office is at 3743 Maryweath-er Ln., Wesley Chapel (973-0398);and the South Tampa office is at4150 N. Armenia Ave (876-0914).

Insignia Care staffers, like (l. to r.)Carolanne Metzmeier, Monica Medi-na & Elaine Claudio participate inlocal breast cancer awareness events.


• Cleanings(Ages 4 and up)

• Crowns, Bridgesand Implant Crowns

• Veneers• Zoom & Take

Home Whitening• Root Canals &

Extractions

FAMILY & COSMETIC DENTISTRY20441 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

(across the street from Wharton H.S.,in front of Live Oak)

Dr. Neeraja Jasthi, DMD

WELCOME TOFAMILY & COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Dr. Neeraja Jasthi

866-9913“Let Our Family Be Here For Yours”

By Matt Wiley

Do you hate your computer?That’s the question Jeffrey Blank asksmany of his customers. Are you fed upwith the infamous “blue screen,” theendlessly spinning “rainbow wheel ofdeath,” or the grey Apple logo screen?All of these are signs of doom to theproductivity and possibly the life ofyour computer. Regardless of the oper-ating system, however, Blank says thatevery computer is capable of having itsshare of problems.

That’s where he and his company,WSICA (We Save Individuals Comput-er Assistance) come in. New Tampacomputer viruses, spyware and malwarebeware. Help is on the way!

“I troubleshoot, repair computersand network computers,” says Blank. “Ialso remove viruses, malware and spy-ware. I give customers answers in plainEnglish so that I don’t confuse you —unlike some other places.”

Blank says he has been workingwith computers for more than 25 yearsand has made a business out of repair-ing them since 2000. He works mainlywith Windows computers, but hassome experience with Macs, as well.

“If you’re not sure if you shouldreplace your computer or not, I’ll

advise you,” he explains. “I don’t sellcomputers, so I don’t profit from youreplacing the one you have.”

Blank says that it all started withhis friends and neighbors back in Ver-non, NJ, who were always calling himto ask for advice about their homecomputers.

“I think my wife, Laura, got tiredof me leaving to go fix people’s com-puters all the time and said, ‘Hey, it’stime to do this as part-time work,” heexplains. “So, I started it as a part-timebusiness.”

He took the business full-timewhile living in New Jersey, but had tobuild an entirely new customer basewhen the couple moved to the Ham-mocks community of New Tampa(next to Grand Hampton, off CountyLine Rd.) in 2011.

Blank handles the repairs, andLaura handles the phones, making surethe customers get a quick call back.Because his customer base is still in theearly stages of growth locally, with mostnew customers hearing about his serv-ice through advertisements and word-of-mouth, it’s still a part-time gig here.However, when Blank left New Jersey,he says he also left behind more than600 customers.

“The problem with business up

there was that I wasdoing such a goodjob that peopleweren’t calling meback anymore,” hejokes. “I’d fix theircomputers and thenthey wouldn’t needme again. When Imoved, my cus-tomers were upset.They wanted toknow how I couldleave them. Wherewould they get theircomputer help?”

Slowly, Blank isbeginning to build aNew Tampa customer base, one com-puter issue at a time.

“The biggest ‘headache calls’ I getare from people who brought theircomputer into a small shop and the guyin the shop told them to replace theirsand offered them a deal on an off-brand computer,” he explains. “Sixmonths later, that shop’s out of busi-ness and the customer has a computerthat doesn’t work, with no way ofrestoring it. I always tell people to stickwith the name brands.”

Another issue Blank says that hedeals with most is “slow computers,” or

computers that have become boggeddown malicious background programsand viruses.

“Figuring (the issue) out I canusually do in an hour,” he says. “Fixing(the issue), however, can take longer.”

Blank charges $75 per hour whenhe works on computers, but, instead ofthe customer taking the computer to ashop, Blank comes to the customer’shome where, usually, all the repairs aredone. But, if the computer has to becompletely reloaded with software orneeds new parts, he may take it home.

Some free advice he offers is toalways have an up-to-date virus pro-


If You Hate Your Computer, Give Jeffrey Blank Of WSICA A Call

Jeffrey Blank of WSICA computer repairs, can tell youwhat’s wrong with your computer in


gram, for a PC-compatible especially,and to always clean your computer,especially the ducts. He says computersare like vacuums without bags, so dustcan cause a lot of problems.

Another way that Blank helps hiscustomers is by answering the “little”questions free of charge.

“Once you’re my customer, if youhave a quick question, I’m not going tocharge you,” he says. “Rather thanthrow geek-speak at the customers, Iexplain things to them in plain lan-guage. That usually calms people downa lot. They don’t have to call a softwarecompany and wait on hold for an hourto talk to someone in India.”

But, don’t just take his word for it.Amy Steele, one of Blank’s many cus-tomers, knows whom to call with hercomputer issues.

“I have confidence that if a com-puter problem can be fixed, Jeffrey isthe one to do it,” she says. “Not onlydoes he resolve the issue, but he takesthe extra steps to ensure that the propersoftware is installed to prevent similarproblems in the future.”

So, if you hate your computer,or it seems like it’s slowing down,give WSICA a call at 973-4507 orsend an email to [email protected]. For more information, you alsocan visit WSICA.com.


New Tampa Realty Can Help You Find/Sell...Your Dream Home!By Matt Wiley

Hunter’s Green is a tough com-munity to drive into, especially fromBruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., with itsnew security gate. Luckily, Tom Bosso’sNew Tampa Realty office is now locat-ed just outside that gate and is easilyaccessible to anyone looking to findtheir New Tampa dream home or selltheir property.

For the past 17 years, Bosso’s NewTampa Realty has been selling single-and multi-family homes to prospectiveNew Tampa buyers. In addition, for thepast five years, Bosso’s office has beenlocated just inside Hunter’s Green,where he also has lived since 1993.

“I cover just about all areas of realestate,” he explains. “I have propertiesranging from $100,000 to $4 million.I’ve sold land in Lakewood Ranch andbuilt custom homes in South Tampa.My services are pretty broad. I’ve evenbuilt commercial properties. I’m like a‘boutique’ real estate company.”

What makes New Tampa Realtystand out is the customer service Bossoalways offers.

“If the phone rings, I’m the onewho answers it,” says Bosso. “Whetherit’s another agent or a buyer, we don’tput you through to a ‘home-showing’

company. If there’s going to be a show-ing, we call our clients directly and fit itto their needs. We don’t just leave amessage on their (answering)machine.”

Another service that separates NewTampa Realty from other real estatecompanies in the area is Bosso’s on-sitecontractor, Nick Meyer of 1st ChoiceContracting.

Bosso says that a lot of homeown-ers are unsure whether they should ren-ovate or sell their home and that,thanks to his affiliation with 1st Choice,he can get the client a quick quote andthen let them decide what to do.

In addition, it comes in handywhen clients want to make an offer ona home, he says, since many homes inthe New Tampa area are now morethan 20 years old.

“This way, they can get a quote onhow much it would cost to renovate anolder aspect of a home,” he explains.“Then, they can make an offer on ahome they’re interested in that mightbe lower than the asking price, but nowcan actually say, ‘This is why,’ and showthem the quote.”

Whether it’s the customer serviceor the in-house contracting, NewTampa Realty is doing something right,as evidenced by the enthusiasm of some

of Bosso’s high-profilecustomers, such asMarty St. Louis of theTampa Bay Lightning,whose family also livesin New Tampa.

“Tom is a trueprofessional and agreat friend,” St.Louis says in his testi-monial. “He knowsthe business insideand out. We couldn’tbe happier with thejobs he has done forus.”

Former Lightning captain andlong-time New Tampa resident DaveAndreychuk offers similar praise ofBosso in his own testimonial. “Sincemeeting Tom five years ago, he and hiscompany have handled all of my realestate transactions with professionalismand knowledge,” Andreychuk says. “Iwouldn’t use anyone else.”

Recalling When NewRecalling When NewTampa Was Still NewTampa Was Still New

Bosso says that he started out as anappraiser back in 1994, appraising morethan 500 homes in two years.

“I figured, to be in real estate, youneed to know value, so I became an

appraiser,” he explains. “Then I becamean agent, then a licensed real-estateBroker before I started New TampaRealty.”

Bosso, who also is a licensed Com-munity Association Manager, says that,during the early years, he partneredwith Brant Construction, LLC, andbuilt the Oakcrest neighborhood inHunter’s Green, which consists of 77townhomes. He then bought two sitesin Pebble Creek — Clubview, whichnow consists of 50 villas, and Lake-point, where he built 35 townhomes.

Bosso says he comes from a con-struction background. Before movingto New Tampa, he had his own electri-

Tom Bosso and his New Tampa Realty office, which is located justbefore the main entrance gate to Hunter’s Green.


cal contracting company in NiagaraFalls, NY. He says the background inconstruction helped him with develop-ing communities.

“I was involved with purchasingthe land, developing it with verticalconstruction, as well as selling it,” hesays of the subdivisions he worked onin the area. “I’ve done some commer-cial, too. I did the Ortho Technologybuilding across from Liberty MiddleSchool and Freedom High, as well asthe Tampa Palms Professional Center,in the same area. But, since then, I’vejust done general real estate.”

And what a transition he says hehas seen since he first started sellinghomes in the area. “The transformationof New Tampa has been amazing,” hesays. “I think once (the BBD widening)is finished, it will make a big impact onthe New Tampa area, including thehousing market.”

Speaking of the market, Bosso saysthat although the local market definitelytook a tumble since 2007, he is confi-dent that our area is over the hump. Hesays he believes New Tampa’s residen-tial real estate bottomed out more thana year ago and has since stabilized,although he doesn’t expect any hugeincreases in the market until some ofthe current inventory (houses currentlyfor sale) is gone.

For example, he explains that, at

one point, the area had about 29months worth of inventory, which isthe estimated time it would take to sellall of the homes for sale.

Currently, the market only hasabout 4-5 months of inventory, he says,and that Hunter’s Green, specifically,has only about 25 homes on the mar-ket. In the 33647 area code, he saysthat the average New Tampa sellingprice is now back up to around$261,000. During the market boom,he says the average home in zip code33647 sold for about $340,000.

Bosso says that he is trying to getsome signage on BBD, since his officeis an outparcel. But, he says his locationis in an ideal place to show homes inHunter’s Green. Until he gets that sig-nage, however, Bosso is relying on hisreputation to attract customers.

“That’s why it’s called ‘NewTampa Realty: Realty with a differ-ence,’” he says. “That’s our difference.You don’t talk to my assistant, becauseI don’t have one. You talk to me. It’snot the easiest way to run a business,answering every call, but, to me, it’sworth it.”

Thinking of buying or selling ahome in New Tampa? Give TomBosso a call at 334-0007, stop inand see him at his office (8709Hunter’s Green Dr. Suite 300), orvisit NewTampaRealty.net.


Dr. Marta Rivera’s Pediatric Dentistry Can Make Your Kids Smile, Too!

Dr. Denisse Lasanta (far left) is the second dentist recently added to the friendly, profession-al staff at Pediatric Dentistry in Tampa Palms, the office of Dr. Marta Rivera (far right).

By Gary Nager

No matter how scary a visit to thedentist’s office can be for some chil-dren, it’s nice to know that there arepediatric dentists like Marta Rivera,D.M.D., who do everything they canto make the experience a little lessintimidating.

Dr. Rivera, a long-time NewTampa resident who calls her office the“Happy Smile Designers,” has beenhelping to improve the smiles of chil-dren in New Tampa for about tenyears. Her original Pediatric Dentistryof New Tampa office was located in theformer Model & Visitor Center at theentrance to Hunter’s Green, but thatoriginal office can’t compare, in designor technology, with the office in theTampa Palms Professional Center(located across Commerce Park Blvd.from the New Tampa Recreation Cen-ter) she moved to about four years ago.

The office features a variety ofnature scenes and cute characters thatDr. Rivera designed herself and had heraunt, a talented artist, hand-paint. Thecolors are bright, but soothing, and Dr.Rivera says her young patients (usuallyages 3-18) really enjoy all of the variousthemes, although my favorite is thepainted tree in one exam room that hasactual foliage attached to the tree. You

really have to see it to believe it.Dr. Rivera, although most of her

patients and their families call her “Dr.Marta,” was born and raised in Brook-lyn, NY, but moved with her family totheir native Puerto Rico when she was10 years old. She graduated from theUniversity of Puerto Rico with a Biolo-gy degree and then graduated from theUniversity of Puerto Rico Medical Sci-ence Campus School of Dentistry inSan Juan. She practiced at one of herprofessors’ offices before opening herown practice. She also worked with theOlympic committee of Puerto Rico,taking care of the athletes and childrenwho were boarded in the specializedtraining school.

In 1995, Dr. Rivera went back todo her residency in pediatric dentistryat the University Children’s Hospital inSan Juan Puerto Rico. Before finishingher residency, she came to Florida in1996 to take the Florida Dental Board.She then moved to Florida in 1997 andworked in other dental offices in Lake-land and Plant City. She has been a resi-dent of New Tampa since 1999.

Unique Orthodontic ServicesIn addition to the services provid-

ed by most pediatric dentists — whichinclude digital (low-dose) X-rays, treat-ing periodontal disease, bleaching of

teeth, sedation dentistry, conscioussedation with nitrous oxide, crowns,bridges, cosmetic dentistry, mercury-free restorations and custom-made ath-letic mouthguards, she also providesfunctional and interceptive orthodon-tics, even though she’s not technicallyan orthodontist.

“Because of where I went to den-tal school,” she says, “I received train-ing in orthodontics and have had yearsof experience with both traditionalbraces and myofunctional orthodontics,

which are unique appliances designedto train the muscles and nerves of theface, even in younger children, in orderto realign the teeth.”

Dr. Rivera adds that, in manycases, myofunctional orthodontics canreduce or even eliminate the need fortraditional braces by teaching thetongue to sit in the correct position,correcting swallowing patterns andteaching children to breathe throughtheir noses normally. “And, withmyofunctional orthodontics,” she says,


Whether she has to use traditional braces (top) or myofunctional orthodontics(above), Dr. Rivera can create a new & improved smile for your child.

These pictures may not do it justice, but there’s no doubt that Dr. Rivera’sPediatric Dentistry of New Tampa office in the Tampa Palms Professional

Center is colorful and soothing for her young patients.“the child never has to wear a retainer.”

She notes that she does have torefer some extreme cases to otherorthodontists or even oral surgeons,but says that many of her patients willchoose to do their orthodontics withher because she’s also their primarydentist, “and the parents know theirkids are already comfortable with me.”

Judging by the results she hasobtained with both traditional braces(photo, above top) and myofunctionalorthodontics (photo, above), it’s under-standable why so many of Dr. Rivera’spatients and their families choose to dotheir orthodontics with her.

And, Dr. Rivera is proud toannounce that she has added a seconddentist to her staff, Denisse Lasanta,D.M.D., who graduated from the samedental school in Puerto Rico as did Dr.Rivera and received the same training inboth pediatric dentistry and orthodon-tics that Dr. Rivera received.

“Our young patients already likeDr. Lasanta, too,” says Dr. Rivera.

The First Dental VisitThe First Dental VisitDr. Rivera recognizes that a

child’s first-ever dental visit is one ofthe most important of their lives. Herentire friendly, professional staff is dedi-cated to creating healthy and happysmiles for your child and providing asmile-filled, relaxed environment.

Your initial oral examination

includes a visualexamination,charting, peri-odontal assess-ment, orthodonticassessment, diag-nosis and treat-ment recommen-dations. The staffalso will take digi-tal X-rays, whichmay include apanoramic X-rayfor proper diagnosis of the anterior(front) and posterior (back) teeth aswell as the bite-wing X-ray series forproper diagnosis of proximal decay ofposterior teeth.

“That’s why we call our office the‘Happy Smile Designers,’” says Dr.Rivera. “And, our patients say that‘Pediatric Dentistry ROCKS!’”

In other words, whether your fam-ily recently relocated to the NewTampa area or you’re simply lookingfor a new pediatric dentist, check outDr. Marta Rivera’s Pediatric Dentistryof New Tampa office.

Pediatric Dentistry of NewTampa is located at 5326 PrimroseLake Cir. For additional informa-tion, call 374-0388 or visit Tampa-HappySmiles.com. For more infoabout myofunctional orthodontics,visit LessBracesTampaBay.com.

Low-dose digital X-rays are the norm atPediatric Dentistry.

By Matt Wiley

High school basketball soon willsoon return to New Tampa, as theteams from both Freedom and Paul R.Wharton High gear up for the tip-offsto their respective 2012-13 seasons.

Coming off of yet another winning(24-4) season last year, Tommy Tonel-li’s Varsity Wharton Wildcats are sure toonce again be a strong squad.

Tonelli, a former USF point guard,has been coaching at Wharton for morethan a decade and led the Wildcats totheir third consecutive Class 8A-District7 title last season.

“Our strength this season is ourexperience,” says Tonelli. “We have alot of guys returning from last year.”

Among those, Tonelli expectsimpressive performances from seniorsC.J. McGill and Sir Patrick Reynolds.

“McGill has been on varsity sincehe was a freshman,” explains Tonelli.“We’re going to see some great leader-ship out of him.”

McGill, a 5’10” point guard, aver-aged 13.7 ppg last season.

Reynolds, is a 6’3” guard andTonelli says he’s “dangerous,” due tohis versatility on the court. Reynoldsaveraged 9.5 ppg last season.

“He can play pretty much anyposition,” the coach says. “He playswherever he needs to, but is best atshooting guard. He had some hugemoments for us last year.”

Another player to watch, he says, is6’7” Drew Vanderbrook, a Freedomtransfer who averaged 7.8 ppg and 2.9rebounds per game (rpg). Tonelli saysVanderbrook’s height and skill set makehim valuable as a forward and defender.

Tonelli says that first and foremost,the Wildcats are focusing on winningtheir District games, especially againstPlant and Bloomingdale, which is keyto getting into the state playoffs.

“We’ve got a tough schedule,”Tonelli says. “We’re playing some goodnon-district opponents, as well.”

Among those are the StrawberryCrest Chargers, the Chamberlain Chiefsand the Freedom Patriots (District 7A-9). “We beat (Freedom) last year (72-43),” Tonelli says. “But, they’re asimproved as any team I’ve seen.They’ve made some tremendousprogress. It’s going to be a dogfight.”

Freedom coach Cedric Smithagrees that this year’s Wharton-Free-dom matchup could be a close one.

“They’ve been the team to beat fora long time,” he explains. “We just

want to compete and play well againstthem. I think we’ll match up prettywell this season.”

Smith, who is entering his secondseason as the Patriots’ head coach, alsowas a guard for the USF Bulls (1997-2001) who is looking to build on lastseason’s less-than-stellar 8-14 record.

“Our team is pretty set,” Smithexplains. “We’ve got a good group ofguys. They showed some seriousimprovement in the (Tampa Bay Bas-ketball Coaches Assn.) summer league.It was like a light bulb went off.”

Freedom seniors Brandon Patchanand Antwan Bradley will be among theteam’s players to watch this upcomingseason, Smith says.

Patchan, a 6’6” power forward,finished the previous season averaging10.7 ppg and 6.3 rpg.

“He’s a double-double kind ofguy,” Smith says. “We’re going to seesome big things out of him, for sure.”

Bradley, a 5’10” point guard, aver-aged 9.3 ppg last year.

“He’s our most seasoned player,”Smith says. “He’s a great leader whonever takes a possession off.”

Smith says some big defensiveplays will come out of 6-foot seniorsmall forward Marcus Butler. “He’s a

great wing defender,” says Smith.In addition to Wharton, Smith

says that Freedom is facing some othertough competition in its District, asboth the Steinbrenner Warriors — whobeat the Pats twice last season — andthe Chamberlain Chiefs, who were 3-1against Freedom last year.

Wharton starts the season at homeagainst Wesley Chapel High onNovember 16, while Freedom’s tip offwill be at Chamerlain on November29. Be sure to check out both the Free-dom and Wharton basketball schedulesat NTNeighborhoodNews.com soyou don’t miss a game this season!


New Tampa High School Hoops To Tip-Off November 16!

Wharton guard Troy Holston dunks againstBlake. Photo courtesy of TheBlueCrew.net.

them to provide health insurance fortheir employees they can’t today afford,I think he would win this year’s electionby a landslide.

A Local AngleA Local AngleI will say that here in New Tampa, I

definitely see signs of financial recovery.New businesses keep opening to replaceshuttered ones and more of those busi-nesses are hiring new employees andspending money locally to advertisethemselves in these pages. And, althoughthe housing market may never go backto pre-2007 levels, local real estate pro-fessionals like Tom Bosso of New TampaRealty (see page 32) say local housingprices are rising and that homes aren’tsitting unsold for as long as they hadbeen the last two or three years.

But, is that enough for me to votefor or endorse Obama to have four moreyears in office? I’m not so sure. As amember of the middle class, I admit I’mconcerned about Romney’s record ofshuttering American companies andshipping U.S. jobs to China when he ledBain Capital. Nor do I believe thewealthiest Americans should continue topay lower tax rates than teachers andfirefighters.

On the other hand, Romney’srecord as a one-term Governor of Mas-sachusetts was pretty good, although it

was, admittedly, a little easier to have agood record before the financial crisishit. If I was living in Massachusetts in2007, I would’ve liked to have seen Gov,Romney seek a second term to see if hecould’ve kept my state in better “shape”through those nationwide “lean” years.But, because he already had decided totake his first chance at running for presi-dent, we’ll never know if he could’vemade a difference there.

But, Romney says he knows how toget the country working and it seems alot of Americans either believe he canand will accomplish that goal. Or, a lotof us at least believe he would do a bet-ter job than the current president at get-ting us back to work. And, having thepublic’s confidence in your abilities issomething that can help speed ourrecovery. Although I don’t predict thedoom and gloom that most Republicansdo if Pres. Obama wins four more yearsin office, I still also believe that changecan be a good thing.

I therefore endorse Mitt Romneyto be our next President.

Sadly, I have not had the time Ineed to chat with any of the candidatesfor our local offices, so I don’t feel quali-fied this time around to make my usualendorsements. I will say that State Rep.Shawn Harrison (R-New Tampa) hasalways been our area’s best friend inoffice wherever he’s been elected toserve, but I do appreciate having a Dem-ocratic candidate (Mark Danish, D-New


“Elections”Continued from page 3

Tampa) who also is a local resident andwho suffers with the same issues we doevery day. Without chatting with Mr.Danish about what he knows and does-n’t know about our needs here, howev-er, I can’t in all good conscience endorsehim. The good news is that whoeverwins the new (New Tampa previouslywas in District 60) District 63 seat will atleast have New Tampa’s best interest atheart. I know Shawn will again do agreat job of representing us if he wins,but without ever meeting with or speak-ing to Danish, I don’t feel it’s fair tomake an endorsement in this race.

Deciphering AmendmentsDeciphering AmendmentsOne thing I definitely do not sup-

port, however, is any proposed amend-ment to the Florida Constitution thatyou have to be a legal scholar to under-stand (especially, this year, Amendments4 & 5, which I will vote against).

I do, however, endorse Amendment9, which was sponsored by Harrison inthe state legislature and which wouldgrant a full property tax exemption tothe surviving spouses of military veteranswho die while on active duty and to thesurviving spouses of first responders whodie in the line of duty.

Look for assistant editor MattWiley’s “translations” of all elevenproposed amendments to Florida’sConstitution at NTNeighborhood-News.com.


If you missed the fourth annual Wesley Chapel FallFestival at The Grove shopping center Oct. 13-14, youmissed perhaps the best year ever of this outstanding for-merly-crafts-only weekend event sponsored by the GreaterWesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC).

The near-zero-percent humidity, temperatures thatnever quite reached the 90s and the biggest and bestselection of food, crafters and entertainment for adults andkids alike combined to keep Chamber executive directorMary Adele Cluck and the Chamber’s entire Board ofDirectors smiling all weekend long.

“We couldn’t have asked for better weather or a bet-ter turnout,” Cluck said on the Saturday of the two-dayevent. “And, many of the vendors told us that they werevery happy with this year’s Festival.”

Of course, one of the biggest attractions for the Festi-val each year is the annual “Wing Battle,” a showdown forlocal restaurants with one winner chosen by a panel ofjudges — with that title this year going to Woody’s Pizza& Wings in the Village Market shopping center — andanother selected as the “People’s Choice, where the hon-ors went to Quail Hollow Country Club.

And, in addition to the free samples from the restau-rants taking part in the Wing Battle, everything from greatGreek gyros to delicious cupcakes were available to buy.

An awesome new addition this yearwas an entire section of pet rescue andadoption centers that most visitors simplycould not resist. Featuring everythingfrom the big, furry Great Pyrenees downto the popular Pug Rescue, dozens ofpuppies and even full-grown dogs andcats left the Festival with new owners.

Also new was a group of skydiversfrom the ZHills Skydive City who wowedattendees and landed in an adjacent field.

For more information about theWesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce,visit WesleyChapelChamber.com or call994-8534. — GN

Thousands Again Attend The Wesley Chapel Fall Festival!

(Clockwise from top left) The Wesley Chapel Fall Festival at The Grove’s “Wing Battle” judges and the winners from Quail Hollow Coun-try Club and Woody’s Pizza & Wings. The Greek food concession stands served up delicious gyro wrap sandwiches. Many of the “Pug Res-cue” dogs ended up getting adopted. Among the many crafts on hand, several offered equal time for handmade Gator & Seminole gear.Old Navy celebrated its Grand Opening in The Grove the same day as the festival with discount coupons and a candy Wheel of Fortune.

By Matt Wiley

The “scores” are in for the eighthannual YMCA “Saturday NightLights,” and what a landslide victoryit was! With the cheering USF Sun-dolls welcoming guests outside anduniversity “fight songs” playing asguests arrived, the spirit of competi-tion was in the air at the New TampaFamily YMCA in Tampa Palms onOctober 13.

“(Saturday Night Lights) was fan-tastic this year,” says Jen Berenyi, spe-cial events coordinator for the Y. “Weraised more than $22,000 throughtickets, the 50/50 raffle and the silentauction. This year was slightly moreintimate than last year, but that didn’tstop the enthusiasm.”

Berenyi says that only about 10items didn’t get auctioned off andthat they will be used in other events,or, possibly even auctioned off tomembers of the Y. She says that a fewof the items were auctioned off formore than $1,000, inlcuding a year-long YMCA family membership.

As the sun disappeared below thehorizon on Compton Dr., attendeesbegan to trickle in, donning theirfavorite college sports teams’ respec-

tive colors and jerseys. The gym wasbarely recognizable, resembling a highschool prom atmosphere with soft,low lighting.

The gym floor was littered withlarge tables for the “all-star” guests, aswell as tall tables for other guests topost up and enjoy food from a num-ber of local eateries, including Ciccio’sCalifornia Cuisine, Stonewood Grill &Tavern, Texas Roadhouse, the MeatMonkeys, Wright’s Gourmet House,Stacy’s Gluten Free Goodies andCakes by Laiza.

Attendees had their choice of col-lege football matchups to watch, asthree different games were projected

around the gym, including LouisianaState (LSU) vs. South Carolina, Flori-da vs. Vanderbilt and Florida State(FSU) vs. Boston College.

Lining the walls and center tableswere the items up for silent auction,including sports memorabilia, featur-ing autographed items from Marty St.

Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightningand legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus —and even an actual third base fromTropicana Field — as well as hotelvacation packages, free Subway subsfor a year, expensive bottles of wine,tickets to the Kennedy Space Centerand even a 14-karat white gold emer-ald necklace.

Sterling Manor resident ChrisTimothy enjoyed her fourth yearattending the event.

“It’s a great time every year,” shesays. “It’s good, casual fun, and thefood choices are excellent.”

Special thanks to all of the spon-sors that made the event a success,especially title-sponsor Aaron’s, whichdonated $5,000 to the New Tampa Y.

For more information aboutthe New Tampa Family YMCA(16221 Compton Dr.), call 866-9622 or visit TampaYMCA.org.


New Tampa YMCA’s ‘Saturday Night Lights’ Again A Big Win

The USF Sundolls were on hand when Aaron’s presented a check to theYMCA for $5,000 during “Saturday Night Lights” on October 13.

Great food, plenty of big TVs and a chance to raise money for the YMCAbrought another appreciative crowd to “Satursday Night Lights.”


Yahoo! Wolford Named ‘Sheriff’ At Rotary’s ‘Wild West Casino!’ Even though I belong to the New

Tampa Noon Rotary Club, there’s nodoubt that I have been a long-time fanof New Tampa’s original Rotary Club,which still meets for breakfast every Fri-day morning at Tampa Palms Golf &Country Club (TPGCC).

The New Tampa (morning)Rotary, which held its seventh annualthemed Casino Night at TPGCC onOctober 19, decided to try a “Wild,Wild West” theme this year and an esti-mated crowd of 125 cowboys, cowgirls

and southwestern “belles” was on-handto enjoy the festivities — and the BBQribs, pulled pork and “fixins” — helpedthe Rotary raise an estimated $9,000 sofar, as some funds are still coming in.

Event chair Tom Gruber says thatadding a fund-raising race to be theevening’s “Honorary Sheriff” was a bighit and helped the three “candidates”— Joyce Gunter, B.J. Harris and new“Sheriff” Brice Wolford — raise about$1,400 of that $9,000 total.

“Wesley Chapel has it’s ‘HonoraryMayor’ race every year, and we wantedto do something fun like that to helpraise more money for our selectedcharities, too,” Gruber said after theevent. “The good news for us is that itobviously worked.” He added that sev-eral of those on-hand for the Wild,Wild West Casino Night also added tothe fund-raising total by having to“pay” their way out of the makeshift“jail” during the event. Among thosebailing themselves out, according toGruber, was Rotary District 6890 Gov-ernor (and New Tampa Rotary co-founder) Tom Wade.

Gruber also wanted to thank theevening’s sponsors: Pepin Distributing,Southern Wine & Spirits of CentralFlorida, Chase Bank, FTI, Ardaman &

New Tampa Rotary “Honorary Sheriff”Brice Wolford & his Deputy (& wife) Terry.

If you didn’t attend the New Tampa Rotary’s “Wild, WildWest” Casino Night, you missed a colorful cast of characters.

Associates, SunDanceWealth ManagementGroup, LLC, Long-phee Locker WealthManagement of Ray-mond James Financial,The Bank of Tampa,Gunter & GunterInsurance, The TampaBay Times, ZichtWealth Management,the Zajac Family, Ger-ard Perret, Jr., DDS,YCN Publishing, theAlkow Family &Tampa Humidor.- GN

trying to raise enoughmoney to build acommunity theater inNew Tampa and Wallsays that there are stillplans to build theNew Tampa Commu-nity Theater a& Per-forming Arts Center,which has been in theworks for more than adecade.

“We’re still working with (theHillsborough County Commission),”Wall says. “The upcoming election has

put a damper on working with city andcounty officials. We’re waiting untilmid-November to try to get thingsmoving again. (NTP) is in its 11th year.We’re ready to call a place our own.”

“Pippin” opens with an 8 p.m.show on Friday, November 9, at theUniversity Area Community Com-plex (14013 N. 22nd St.), with per-formances running through Novem-ber 18. Tickets cost $14 for adults,$12 for students and seniors and$10 per ticket for groups of 10 ormore. For show times and ticketinfo, visit NewTampaPlayers.org.


By Matt Wiley & Gary Nager

The New Tampa Players (NTP)community theater troupe is hard atwork preparing its next production; acommunity theater take on the Broad-way hit “Pippin.”

Opening to the public on Friday,November 9, “Pippin,” which wasnominated for 15 1972 Tony awardsand won six, was originally written forBroadway by Roger O. Hirson, withmusic and lyrics by Steven Schwartz(who also crafted the popular alternatetake on “The Wizard of Oz” entitled“Wicked”). The legendary Bob Fosse(“All That Jazz,” “Chicago”) won theBest Director and Best Choreographerof a Musical Tony awards for theBroadway original, which starred thegreat Ben Vereen, who won the BestActor in a Musical Tony as the show’s“Leading Player” (see below). TheNTP version of “Pippin” will be on amuch smaller scale, but will still have17 cast members playing multiple roles.

“We try to pick shows that suit thesize of our troupe,” Doug Wall, thedirector of “Pippin” and the founder ofNTP. “It’s community theater, so wecan’t do shows that have a huge num-ber of cast members because it’s hardto find enough people to fill all of theroles. We’re fortunate that there is so

much talent for (‘Pippin’).”“Pippin” is a musical comedy that

actually is a “play within a play,” set inthe Middle Ages, in the time of KingCharlemagne, or Charles, for short.Pippin, played by Jarrett Koski — whohas starred in previous productions of“Baby” and “Urinetown” — plays KingCharles’ son who gets to sing “Cornerof the Sky,” the show’s most memo-rable song. Melanie Bierweiler, whoalso has starred in productions of“Chicago” and “Footloose” for othertheater companies, stars as Catherine,Pippin’s mother, and Clay Christopherstars as the “Leading Player.” MaggieScott and Diane Geiger are producing“Pippin,” with Franks Meekins as themusical director and choreography byKim Kluge.

As previously reported in the NewTampa Neighborhood News, NTP is still

New Tampa Players’ Premiere Of ‘Pippin’ Will Be November 9

The stars of the New Tampa Players’ production of “Pippin” are(l. to r.) Clay Christopher, Jarrett Koski & Melanie Bierweiler.


By Gary Nager

So, there I was...the only man sit-ting amongst a group of about a dozenbeautiful, intelligent women of variedages and backgrounds....and no, it sure-ly wasn’t an unpleasant experience.

“Men are always invited to ourevents,” said Kim Cass, a soon-to-be-published self-help author, local dailynewspaper writer and co-founder of“The Sophisticates” Social NetworkingGroup, which has been bringingtogether members from New Tampa,Wesley Chapel, Carrollwood, Brandonand as far away as Sarasota and PalmHarbor for ongoing networking andother events since July.

“We’ve been putting this togethersince last December,” said Kim’s

Sophisticates co-founder and co-author Angelina Clarke of KaresKommunications. “But we’re justnow trying to build the group anda more regular calendar of events.”

The Sophisticates, who cur-rently have “about 80 members,”according to Angie, held theirmost recent “Little Black Dress”networking party at PrimeBar inthe Shops at Wiregrass mall onOctober 9, where the ladiesenjoyed calamari, flatbread pizzas,a glass or two of Diseno Malbec orsome kind of fruit flavored marti-

‘The Sophisticates’ Social Networking Group Takes Over PrimeBar!

(L. to r.) Saadia, Kara, Isabel, Kim, Angie, Louise and Josephine are just a few of the roughly 80 current membersof The Sophisticates Social Networking Group.

Cheryl of Park Lane Jewelry (left) & Vickiof Premier Jewelry both shared their respec-

tive wares with The Sophisticates.

nis, more than a few laughs (some atmy expense, which I, of course, reallyenjoyed) and an opportunity to net-work and showcase their respectivebusinesses.

For example, Cheryl, a representa-tive of Park Lane Jewelry, and Vicki,who brought out a selection of PremierJewelry, were among those in atten-dance who got to show off their respec-tive lines and share good times with thegroup.

“We’ve got a lot of stuff planned,”said Angie, who recently competed in alocal “Dancing with Our Stars” eventat the Center for the Arts at WesleyChapel High on Oct. 20.

The Sophisticates also held theirfirst Masquerade Ball,” on Oct. 27 atthe beautiful Feather Sound CountryClub, just off the Howard FranklandBridge in St. Pete. A portion of theproceeds from the Ball will benefitMaking Strides Against Breast Cancer,but no totals were available at presstime.

“Think ‘Sex in the City’ for theTampa Bay area,” Angie said “This is agroup of fun, interesting women. Youreally should join us!”

For more information, visitSophisticates SocialGroup.com, callAngie at 420-8644, or email [email protected].

Bouchersays that flyersoffering securi-ty tips werehanded out togive membersof the commu-nity some ideasof how to bet-ter protect theirhomes andneighborhoodfrom crime,and even somesecurity items,including flashlights and sliding glassdoor locks.

“The main thing at these eventsis raising awareness,” says TPD Sgt.Robert Baxter, who attended both

events. “Just because people live ingated communities doesn’t mean theyare immune to crime. If the commu-nity helps keep an eye out for crime,it makes our jobs that much easier.”


By Matt Wiley

As the sun begins to set inHunter’s Green, periodic sirens canbe heard coming from the communi-ty’s Capt. Nathaniel Hunter Park. Apolice tank rumbles down HighlandOak Dr. as the bomb squad’s robotexamines a pipe-shaped object in thepark’s parking lot.

However, what sounds like ascene from an action movie was actu-ally just a friendly community meet-ing its first responders at the 29thannual “National Night Out AgainstCrime” on the evening of October 2.

Across the City of Tampa, 18neighborhoods united to meet theTampa Police Department (TPD)officers and Tampa Fire Rescue(TFR) squads that patrol their respec-tive communities.

In Hunter’s Green, where morethan 300 people again came out tomingle with TPD officers and TFRfirefighters and Hillsborough CountySheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies andto marvel at the different gadgets andvehicles each agency uses.

“This year’s turnout wasn’t asbig as in previous years, but it was stilla good event,” said James Lombardi,leader of the Hunter’s Green MasterAssociation’s Crimewatch Programand the event’s coordinator for thepast five years. “I think the fact that itwas on a school night might havekept attendance down, but it was stilla great turnout.”

Even Tampa Mayor Bob Buck-horn stopped by.

“I’ve been coming (to Hunter’sGreen’s National Night Out) foryears,” Buckhorn said. “It’s a greatexperience. It gets the communitytogether and they get to see all of ouremergency ‘toys.’”

The toys he was referring toincluded the TPD Dive Squad’sunderwater arsenal of gizmos that

they use in search and recovery mis-sions, the Bomb Squad’s robot, theTPD “Rescue 1” armored tank, and,of course, TFR Station 21’s fireengine.

“It gives the community anopportunity to meet their local sta-tion’s crew,” said TFR Chief ThomasForward. “These are their firefighters.These assets belong to them.”

Forward helped children, such as6-year-old Asia Thompson, into thefire engine to turn on the lights andsirens and see what it’s like behindthe wheel.

TPD Cpl. Robert Clifforddemonstrated TPD’s Bomb Squadrobot for the public using its massiveremote control.

“It’s a little more complex than aremote control car,” he said, jokingly,maneuvering the robot’s longmechanical arm.

Arbor Greene’s ‘Night Out’Arbor Greene’s ‘Night Out’Just a couple of minutes east on

Cross Creek Blvd., residents of theArbor Greene community alsobecame acquainted with their localTPD squads and were visited byTPD’s Rescue 1 at the Arbor GreeneCommunity Center.

“It went very well,” said HallyBoucher, who organized the event forthe second time with her husbandPaul. They hosted their first “NightOut” in 2010. “We had a large TPDpresence.”

Boucher says that, in addition toRescue 1, there also was a Q & A ses-sion with two TPD motorcyclepatrols and an appearance by the K-9Unit.

More than 60 members of theArbor Greene community came outto the event, which also included avideo presentation by MS-NBC secu-rity consultant Bill Stanton abouthome and vehicle burglaries, as wellas child abductions.

National ‘Night Out’ Aims To Keep New Tampa Neighborhoods Crime-Free

Clockwise from left: TPD’s Rescue 1 leaves Hunter’s Green on its way to Arbor Greene’s “Night Out,”Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn chats with Hunter’s Green residents, TFR Station 21’s crew and Tampa

Fire Chief Thomas Forward (far left) take a break from educating about HG residents about fire safety.

If you’ve somehow missed the last twodecades+ of the annual “Arts & Crafts Underthe Palms” crafts show & sale presented eachyear by the Tampa Palms Women’s Club, let’sjust say you’ve been missing a lot of amazingcrafts, fine art, kitschy household items and somuch more.

Presented for 22 years now by theTampa Palms Women’s Club — including thelast two at BJ’s Wholesale Club in the MarketSquare at Tampa Palms shopping plaza —Arts & Crafts Under the Palms is the NewTampa area’s longest-running annual event.“Palms,” which serves as the Women’s Club’slargest annual fund raiser, was again held thethird weekend in October this year and wasagain blessed with very warm, but still prettycomfortable weather.

“We had about 50 exhibitors whohelped us raise about $4,000 in booth feesand sponsorships this year,” says event chairStella Hardman. The club will give out someof the proceeds from this year’s show to itsselected beneficiaries in December.

Many of the crafters are part of thecrafts show “circuit” throughout Florida andthe southeastern U.S. and some even comefrom other parts of the country, but thisshow also brings out locals like the Desrosiersfamily, where mom Ann was selling her cro-cheted hats and daughters Jessica and Nicolewere hawking photography services & cus-tom-baked cakes and cupcakes, respectively.

“It’s definitely been fun for the three ofus,” Ann said. “And we’ve all made somegood contacts during the show.” — GN


Thousands Attend ‘Arts & Crafts Under The Palms’ At BJ’s Wholesale Club!


Win $100 In Free Dining In Our 2012 Reader Dining Survey & Contest!So, how would you like to win some FREE dining AND help local restaurateurs find out how many of you really enjoy their respective establishments? With super-couponing

sites like Groupon and Living Social still growing in popularity, I’m hoping more of you would like to have a chance to win absolutely FREE dining and enter our annual ReaderDining Survey & Contest, where we have a bunch of great prizes up for grabs! This year, we will again offer a $100 gift certificate to ANY restaurant of your choice inthe Tampa Bay area to one lucky winner, drawn at random from among all correctly submitted entries! We’ll also give away at least 10 other dining prizes valued at no lessthan $20 apiece and at least two of those will be worth at least $50 each! Submit your entry by U.S. Mail, fax, e-mail, or you also can enter at NTNeighborhoodNews.com nolater than Tuesday, November 20, 2012, to be eligible to win any of the prizes named above. — GN

Your Name_________________________________________________

Mailing Address___________________________________________

Community (West Meadows, Tampa Palms,, etc.) ____________________

Zip Code______________ Daytime Phone Number _______Valid Email Address _________________________________

Please include all information requested above on your entry form to be eligible,whether you enter by mail, e-mail or on our website (NTNeighborhoodNews.com).

You must submit your entry form by U.S. mail, fax, email or on our website nolater than Tuesday, November 20, 2012, to be eligible to win prizes!

New Tampa Neighborhood News 2012 Dining Contest15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647

Fax: (813) 910-2483 E-Mail: [email protected]

My 5 Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa!1. __________________________________________________________2. __________________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________________4. __________________________________________________________5. __________________________________________________________

My 5 Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel!1. __________________________________________________________2. __________________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________________4. __________________________________________________________5. __________________________________________________________NOTES - “New Tampa” (NT) is anyplace in zip code 33647 (Bruce B. Downs Blvd., fromBearss Ave. to the Pasco County line & all of Cross Creek Blvd.) and “Wesley Chapel” (WC) isanyplace in zip codes 33543-45 (BBD from the Pasco County line north to S.R. 54, west to Lex-ington Oaks, east to New River Township, and all of S.R. 56). Votes for Wesley Chapel restau-rants as one of “My Favorites in New Tampa” or New Tampa votes for restaurants in WesleyChapel will NOT be counted! Votes for restaurants located outside of these boundaries (e.g.,Benedetto’s, Amici Pizza) will not be counted. Votes for restaurants that are out of business (e.g.,Pagelli’s, Selmon’s Circles, Wasabi, etc.) will not be counted.

Please also note the one new category for this year’s Survey (below). — GN

My favorite NEW, NON-CHAIN restaurant in NT or WC that opened during thepast 12 months_____________________________________________________________

My favorite Asian restaurant in NT or WC (Chinese, Japanese, Thai or Indian) __________________________________________My favorite place for Latin/Mexican food in NT or WC _______________________My favorite Pizza place in NT or WC ________________________________________My favorite Sandwich or Sub shop in NT/WC________________________________My favorite restaurant for Steak in NT or WC ________________________________My favorite Bar or Tavern in NT/WC _______________________________________My favorite Dessert/Ice Cream/Yogurt place in NT/WC ______________________


By Gary Nager

Despite the recent addition of sev-eral very good frozen yogurt places inour area, there still is no dessert moredelicious to me than Bruster’s Real IceCream, located on Bruce B. Downs(BBD) Blvd., across from Paul R.Wharton High.

Bruster’s, which has consistentlybeen first or second every year it hasbeen open in our annual Reader Survey,has been my favorite ice cream any-where since I first tried it six years ago.

So, if you’ve never visited myfavorite ice cream parlor — and ifyou’ve ever sampled the ever-changing

peanut butter and bananaflavors (always myfavorites), you’d knowwhy it is my favorite —Bruster’s owners MattProvenzano and his momJudy want to invite youto let Bruster’s cater yourholiday party this year.

Speaking of parties,the New Tampa Bruster’shosted its annual Hal-loween Party on Oct. 27,which again featured a DJand games all night, plusa costume parade for kidsand adults and Bruster’sHalloween Ice CreamEating Contest, where “kids” of all agescompeted in one of three age categoriesand everyone again had a blast. Lookfor pics at NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

But, whether you prefer Bruster’sfor (see the photo above) cones, realhot fudge sundaes, ice cream cakes,shakes or even what I believe are theworld’s greatest ice cream pies, youcan’t go wrong with any of Bruster’sultra-premium flavors.

If you like any other place’s icecream cakes, Bruster’s ice cream piesfeature graham cracker or cookie crustwith no layers of cake getting in theway of your favorite flavors — for

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Wants To Cater Your Next Holiday Party!

Our buddy Scoops (right) definitely wasn’t the only one in cos-tume at the Bruster’s Ice Cream Halloween Party on Oct. 27.

Wesley Chapel residents Adelle &Ella say that “Bruster’s is the best!”

example, my new favorite, the choco-late peanut butter Buckeye (just orderit if it’s still around...trust me).

Plus, Matt and Judy are also reallygood people, as well as, apparently,good business people. Bruster’s RealIce Cream is now also available at theCobb Theater at The Grove and Tasteof Boston restaurant in Wesley Chapel,at A Cup of Organic Coffee on S.R. 54in Lutz and at You Do the Dishes inTampa Palms, with other distributionlocations on the way.

“The distribution locations usuallycarry eight Bruster’s flavors,” Judy says.“It’s a great way to get more of our ice

cream in more places, without havingto open another store.”

Matt adds that Bruster’s is perfectfor catering your next party or corpo-rate event. “We’ve been doing a lot ofcatering for corporate events lately,”Matt says. “We bring out our ‘SundaeBar,’ with several different flavors andtoppings. It’s always a big hit.”

On a personal note, we mournwith the Provenzano family the recentpassing of Judy’s husband and Matt’sdad, Joe Provenzano.

Bruster’s (20303 BBD) is openevery day. For hours & more info,call 907-7458 or visit Brusters.com.


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

What’s Cookin’ At Wiregrass?In case you haven’t heard, there

are so many new things happening atthe Shops of Wiregrass mall, it’s hard tokeep up, but here’s some new news youmay not have heard before:

Pagelli’s Italian Restaurant in themall has closed and has been replacedby an exciting, new, non-chain Italianrestaurant called Ciao Italian Bistro.Ciao, which has an ad on page 53 ofthis issue, is now open and promises“Amazing Italian food with a twist!”

For more info, visit CiaoItalian-Bistro.com or call 907-2200.

In addition, the former Cosi Cafélocation in the Shops also will soonhave an exciting, new eatery in its place,as Blue Lagoon Island Grill, whichhas an impressively eclectic menu,moves into the Cosi unit, hopefully notmore than a week after this issue reach-es your mailbox.

Visit BlueLagoonTampa.com andplease fill out the info on Blue Lagoon’s“Contact Us” page and put “I readabout you in the Wesley Chapel Neigh-borhood News!” in the space marked“Comments” on the site!),

Although it’s been one of themore successful ongoing events at themall, we, for some reason, never havewritten anything about the twice-monthly Fresh Market at the Shops.

Well, after my most recent visit tothis awesome array of everything fromthe coolest-lookingstriped eggplants tohome-baked gourmetdoggie treats and fromfresh salsa and Italiantomato sauce to bakedgoods and freshlygrown herbs, I justhope that you’ll visitone of the upcomingFresh Markets at Wire-grass, which are beingheld on the followingupcoming Saturdays —Nov. 3 & Nov. 17.

For more infoabout these and otherupcoming events and

specials at the mall, visit TheShop-satWiregrass.com.

Bob Thompson RecordsBob Thompson RecordsFor ‘The Voice’ At Ciccio’sFor ‘The Voice’ At Ciccio’s

Those of us who know and lovelocal photographer and singer/song-writer/guitarist Bob Thompson willlikely be on hand to check out Bob’srecording session for the NBC-TV hitshow, “The Voice,” on Saturday,November 3, at Ciccio’s CaliforniaCuisine in the City Plaza at TampaPalms shopping center.

The performance begins at 7 p.m.and the “Patio Party” drink specials willcontinue until 10 p.m.

For more information, call Cic-cio’s at 975-1222 or visit Facebook.com/BobThompsonBand.

PROtential Sports HostsPROtential Sports HostsFirst Franchise EventFirst Franchise Event

Congratulations to (above, l. to r.)Nyree and former NFL wide receiverTony Bland, the owners of PROtentialSports in New Tampa, who held theirfirst-ever Franchise Event at the Hamp-ton Inn on S.R. 56 on Oct. 13.

Nyree says that about 45 peoplecame to the franchise event, which fea-tured free food and beverages, a varietyof giveaways and lots of informationabout our area’s most successful sum-mer camp and after-school sports pro-gram for kids since 2004. “Several ofthe people who attended the franchiseevent have already started doing their

due diligence,” Nyree says. “We’repretty excited going forward.”

Look for a PROtential updatein a future issue, call 262-9688 orvisit ProtentialSports.com.

Café Olé Flamenco ShowCafé Olé Flamenco ShowNovember 17November 17

If you want to truly get a Taste ofSpain, we suggest you check out theupcoming Flamenco Dance Show atCafé Olé, located in the Cross CreekCenter plaza on Cross Creek Blvd. atKinnan St.

The next Flamenco event at CaféOlé will be held on Saturday, Novem-ber 17, with dinner seatings at 6 p.m.and 8:30 p.m. Call 907-5242 for

details about the Fla-menco shows (withseating now in CaféOle’s new formal din-ing area) and dinnerspecials. And, don’tforget that Café Oléhas great tapas anddrink specials almostevery day!

Here & There,Here & There,This & ThatThis & That

• I’m sad to reportthat Jalapeno MexicanGrill in the Oak RamblePlaza on Bruce B.Downs Blvd. has closed,

We had no word yeton possible replacements

for Jalapeno had at our press time.• I’m somewhat happier to report

that I — and about 12,000 other peo-ple — successfully completed the three-mile walk along Bayshore Blvd. for the“Making Strides Against Breast Can-cer” event to benefit the AmericanCancer Society on October 20.

The Hillsborough event raisednearly $400,000, only $60 of whichwas raised by yours truly, who walked(but did not don a pink bra) in honorof my dear friend and breast cancer sur-vivor Pegah Stegeman and in memoryof my best friend’s mom Norma Get-ter, who lost her battle with the diseaseabout 30 years ago. For info, visitMakingStrides.acsevents.org. — GN

Giant carrots, beautiful, striped and other eggplants andsamples of Olive Girl olive garnishes are just a small part ofthe twice-monthly Fresh Market at the Shops at Wiregrass.

(L. to r.) Julie, Nyree, Tony, Julie and Marcus hosted about45 potential franchisees at the first-ever PROtential Sportfranchise event at the Hampton Inn & Suites on S.R. 56.


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new tampa neighbohood news issue 23-12

Documents

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lianne kowiak

legislation tohelp end

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new legislation

election day

wilsons bill