04-10 wcnn 1-36 web

Gaudet says he is now living his dream. “I love my job,” he says. “I feel

fulfilled, and I love my students. It’svery rewarding, and I don’t know whyI’d ever want to change that.”

Gaudet, with his easy-going atti-tude and neat ponytail, could almostpass for a high school student himself,and he seems to enjoy a great rapportwith those in his classes. Part of that,he says, is because of the nature of hisclass, which allows students to focus onexpressing themselves and finding out

who they really are, rather than simplyon studying and passing tests.

“It’s less of a forced march,” hesays. “Unlike in, say, math, where ifyou flunk a test, it’s just another test,but here, when you’re working on aplay or film and you flunk, it alsoaffects a lot of other people who arecounting on you. So, [drama] reallyteaches cooperation and accountability,and how to play together nicely, andthere are quite a few adults I know

who Stoddardbelieved had bro-ken into his homeand stolen someof his belongings,including a TV,DVD player and aPlaystation videogame console.After the shoot-ing, Stoddardwent on the run and was finally arrestedon May 7, 2008, after a brief standoffwith police at a residence in Dade City.

During his trial, Stoddard claimedthat it was Abrams who had pulled thegun while the two were arguing in thedriveway of a home on Mangrove Dr.,where the two men lived, and that hehad only shot the younger man after

Abrams had advanced towards him. Several prosecution witnesses testi-

fied, however, that it was Stoddard whohad brought the gun to the fight, andthat he had shot Abrams first in the leg,and then two more times after Abramsfell to the ground. Stoddard was origi-nally charged with first-degree murder,but after deliberating for 90 minutes,the seven-woman, five-man juryreduced the charge to second-degreemurder. Circuit Judge Pat Siracusa thenhanded down the life sentence, which

By Michael Smith

Two years ago, Edward K. Stod-dard kept authorities guessing as to hiswhereabouts for more than two weeks,as they sought him for questioning inconnection with a deadly shooting inthe Angus Valley area of Wesley Chapel.

Anyone who wants Stoddard now

will know where to look for him for thenext 25 years, however, since he wassentenced in January to life in prisonafter being found guilty of seconddegree murder.

The shooting took place on theafternoon of April 23, 2008, after Stod-dard, who is now 30, confronted aneighbor, 26-year-old Doug Abrams,

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 4 • February 13, 2010 • www.WCNeighborhoodNews.com 1

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February 13, 2010NEWS

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LOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS &SPORTS UPDATES

Local Dealer Responds To Toyota Recall,A Look At The New FHZ Orthopedic

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WCH’s Sean Gaudet Named Pasco’s Teacher Of The Year!By Michael Smith

Wesley Chapel High (WCH)drama teacher Sean Gaudet is one ofan increasingly rare breed these days.

While more and more teachers areexpressing dissatisfaction with thedemands of their profession — thelong hours, the low pay, the pressuresof being held accountable for their stu-dents’ success — Gaudet, who recentlywas named Teacher of the Year by thePasco Education Foundation, seemsgenuinely happy spending his days inthe classroom.

Before joining the WCH faculty11 years ago, the 40-year-old Massa-chusetts native was a customer serviceteam leader for a grocery store that wasbought out by the Whole Foods Mar-ket chain, and, while the harsh wintersof his home state were one of his rea-sons for heading south, Gaudet says hehad another dream in mind as well.

“I always had this romantic visionof being a teacher in a small town in

Florida, where people would recognizeyou at the grocery store and that kindof thing,” he says. “It just seemed tome like a good life.”

After receiving his Bachelor’sdegree in English from the Universityof Massachusetts-Amherst in 1992,Gaudet became certified as a teacher,but he says the system in Massachusettsis very hard to break into, so, afterspending nine years in the grocerybusiness, he just up and moved toTampa, where his father lives, “to getback on my track,” as he says.

He came to Florida with no joband no home of his home, and at firstfound that it wasn’t much easier to getwork as a teacher here. But, he eventu-ally was hired to head up the dramadepartment at WCH, mainly, he says,because no one else wanted to.

Now, however, even though hehimself had limited theatrical experi-ence in his own days as a student, per-forming in one production of “Hello,Dolly!” as a senior in high school,

Wesley Chapel Man Receives Life Sentence For 2008 Shooting

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Wesley Chapel High drama teacher Sean Gaudet has been named Teacher ofthe Year by the Pasco Education Foundation.

Edward K. Stoddard

2 For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 18, Issue 4 • February 13, 2010 • www.WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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I remember a time, afew short years ago, whena number of folks (espe-

cially those who lived near S.R. 54)were none too thrilled about a Salva-tion Army Thrift Store opening in Wes-ley Chapel. There were those who saidit wasn’t the right image for the com-munity, others who were concernedthat vagrants would congregate outsidethe building (located west of the cornerof S.R. 54 and Old Pasco Rd.), etc.

Flash forward to the 2008 and2009 holiday shopping seasons.Although I have no hard numbers orproof of this, I’m betting that therewere more people shopping in the Sal-vation Army store BOTH years thanthere were at the nearby Grove at Wes-ley Chapel shopping center (the onevisible from the intersection of I-75 andS.R. 54), despite the presence of retailgiants like Best Buy, TJ Maxx andDick’s Sporting Goods at The Grove.

I had never done any serious shop-ping at a Salvation Army store before,but whether you need clothes, a 27-inch-TV, knickknacks for the house or acomplete living room package, thequality of the merchandise at the localdonation/retail center is definitelyhigher than I expected and the pricesare always at least fair. And, every nowand again, you come home with a reallygreat bargain. It’s almost like flea mar-ket shopping, something I personally

never really got into, although I knowmany men and women who like noth-ing better than to bargain hunt at theflea market on a Saturday afternoon.

I therefore wasn’t surprised that Iheard no quibbling over the impendingopening of the new (and significantlylarger, at 25,000 sq. ft.) GoodwillIndustries Donation & Retail Super-store, which opened February 6 in aneven more visible location right smackdab on S.R. 56, just east of I-75.

Considering that it just opened,I’m sure the merchandise at the newGoodwill store will continue to evolve,but right now, it’s really loaded withnice clothes for men, women and chil-dren and lots of decorative householditems. There currently isn’t as much ofa selection of furniture or electronics asthere is at the Salvation Army store, butI’m sure there will be a lot more ofthose to come as more people see thatthe sprawling new store is now open.

All I know is that both stores arewelcome additions for anyone whowants to try to save some money onnice gently used and some new mer-chandise while helping a good cause.Both Goodwill and the Salvation Armyhelp people in need and until the localeconomy comes all the way back, moreand more of us will definitely appreciatethe value of both stores!

The Wesley Chapel SalvationArmy Thrift Store is located 27040C.R. 54 (Wesley Chapel Blvd.). Call991-6830 for hours and more info.The Goodwill Industries Superstoreis located at 2390 Willow Oak Dr.For more info, call 751-2047.


Table of ContentsNEWS UPDATES...................................Pages 1-13News Briefs (cont. from Page 1)..................................4Local Man Acquitted On Bomb Threat Charges, Photographer Offering Clicks For Crutches, Homeless Bandits Arrested

Gaudet (cont. from Page 1)...............................................4WC Toyota Working Overtime On Recall Repairs............6BBD Widening Begins In New Tampa..........................8-9City Of Tampa Studying I-75 Bridge Impacts.................10Wesley Chapel Community Calendar.........................13

BUSINESS UPDATES...................................16-23USF Dermatology......................................................16-17Insight Family Eyecare....................................................18Fl. Hospital Zephyrhills Orthopaedic Institute..........22-23

EDUCATION UPDATES....................................24Young Inventors Honored, WCE Wildcat Walkathon Encourages Fun & Fitness, Donations Needed For WCH Fund Raiser

LOCAL SPORTS UPDATES..............................25WRH Soccer Team Finishes Second In District; Girls’ & Boys’ Basketball Teams Enter Postseason

NEIGHBORHOOD MAGAZINEA Valentine’s Visit To The Don CeSar Hotel...........27,31V-Day Gift Ideas From T’s Boutique..............................28More Local Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas............................29A Review Of The New Panda Buffet In Tampa Palms....32Neighborhood Nibbles...................................................33WESLEY CHAPEL COLOR CLASSIFIEDS...34

An editorial by Gary Nager

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

Website: WCNeighborhoodNews.comAdv. E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial E-mail: [email protected]

Publisher & Editor Gary Nager

Managing EditorMichael SmithCorrespondentMelissa O’Brien

Advertising Customer Service ManagerDavid Zacharia

Art Director Billing ManagerTony Sica Ashley Knoblach

Office & Marketing AssistantsJacob Glenn • Karen Glenn

Nothing that appears in Wesley Chapel NeighborhoodNews may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, with-out permission. Opinions expressed by Wesley ChapelNeighborhood News writers are their own and do not reflectthe publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissionsand advertisements for Volume 18, Issue 6, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Friday, February 26, 2010.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will considerpreviously non-published outside editorial submissions ifthey are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words.Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to editand/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makesno guarantees regarding publication dates.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will not returnunsolicited editorial materials.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the rightto edit &/or reject any advertising. Wesley Chapel Neighbor-hood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyondthe actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for thevalidity of any claims made by its advertisers.

© 2010 JM2 Communications, Inc.

Salvation Army, Goodwill Success Another Sign Of The Times

You can pick up this three-piece leather sectional couch for just $200 at the GoodwillIndustries Superstore on S.R. 56 — if a certain editor doesn’t beat you to it!

who [need to] learn how to playtogether nicely, too.”

Since his class isn’t based in strictacademics, Gaudet says that he wasvery surprised to be nominated andnamed as the county’s top teacher.

“My job as director is to makeother people look good,” he says. “Mytime in the spotlight is usually limitedto introducing other people and thengetting out of the way, so it’s a littleweird to be in the spotlight myself.But, it’s also extremely flattering.”

When he isn’t teaching, Gaudetsays he enjoys spending time withRenee, his wife of ten years, who also

is a teacher, and his daughter. And,contrary to what you might think, heisn’t secretly working on a novel or amovie screenplay of his own, but iscontent to let his students be the ulti-mate expression of his life’s work.

“It may sound strange, but teach-ing is my art,” he says. “My job, ulti-mately, is to be obsolete, because ifI’ve done it right, then my studentsshouldn’t have any need for me whenthey’re finished.”

You can see the results ofGaudet’s inspiration upon his studentslater on this spring, when they presenttheir work in a one-act play festival thatwill be held in March, and at theWCH film festival in April. Some oftheir work also can be seen online,at GaudetWC.com.

requires Stoddard to serve at least a25 years under Florida’s mandatoryminimum sentencing guidelines.

Man Acquitted Of Threat ToBlow Up State Atty.’s Office

In other court news, anotherWesley Chapel man was acquitted Jan-uary 13 of charges that he had threat-ened to blow up the HillsboroughCounty State Attorney’s Office lastfall.

In that case, jurors agreed withdefense attorneys for Michael J. Wyn-perle, who argued that it couldn’t beproven that it was their client whomade the threatening telephone callon August 4.

Wynperle, 36, has a long historyof issues with the justice system, andhad even been arrested in 2005 afterthreatening to blind State AttorneyMark Ober by putting lime powder inthe air conditioning system of hisautomobile. That charge was eventual-ly dropped, but Wynperle also madeseveral other phone calls in which heinsulted Ober and blamed him forwhat he felt was persecution by thestate, but he denied ever saying thathe would blow up the state attorney’soffice.

Wynperle’s case was bolstered bythe fact that the receptionist who hadtaken the threatening call testified thatshe couldn’t be certain that it wasactually Wynperle on the phone, eventhough she had positively identifiedhis voice from a recording the day thecall was made, and by the fact that noone in the state attorney’s officeapparently took it as a serious threat.

Photographer Trading Studio Time For Crutches

We have all been touched by theimages and reports of the devastationin Haiti ever since the island nationwas struck by a terrible earthquake onJanuary 12, but the tragedy really hitclose to home for Lutz photographerJessica Dana, whose husband andother family members are from there.

Fortunately, Dana says that noneof her family members were injured inthe ‘quake, but she still wants to con-tribute to the relief efforts, so she isnow offering free studio time to any-one who donates a pair of crutchesthat can be sent to Haiti.

Dana says that she knows a doc-tor who recently visited Haiti and hetold her that there is a great need for

crutches, because so many peoplewere injured and had to have limbsamputated after being crushed byfalling buildings and other debris.

“Haiti is already such a sufferingcountry, and this just makes it tentimes worse,” Dana says.

Dana says she has worked out anarrangement with a local medical sup-ply company, My Supply Depot, locat-ed at 16122 N. Florida Ave. in Lutz,which has agreed to sell pairs ofcrutches for $35 to anyone who wantsto participate in Dana’s “Crutches forClicks” campaign. She will then tradea 45-minute mini photo session (regu-larly valued at $75) to people whobring those crutches to her studio. Inaddition, she also has pledged todonate 10 percent of her total salesduring the campaign to the Haitianrelief effort.

“I just thought this was a goodway for me to contribute, and also away for people who wanted to dosomething to get something in returnfor it,” Dana says.

The “Clicks for Crutches” cam-paign ends Wednesday, March 31.

For more info, or to schedule aphoto session, call 949-8652 orvisit JessicaDanaStudios.com.

Homeless ‘Troll’ & HisFellow Bandits Arrested

A trio of would-be bandits wasarrested earlier this month after theyattempted to rob a man who waswalking along S.R. 54.

According to reports, the victim,who works as a mechanic at the Toy-ota of Wesley Chapel dealership onS.R. 54, was walking back to workafter picking up lunch from a nearbyrestaurant when he was accosted bythe three vagrants in the parking lot ofthe former Shell gas station at 28104S.R. 54, near the I-75 interchange.

One of the men, later identifiedas 27-year-old Jimmy L. Morris,reportedly told the victim, “I am atroll. This is my bridge, so you willhave to pay a toll to pass.”

Meanwhile, one of the othermen, Dylan Patrick O’Shea, 18, wastrying to pry a metal pipe from theground to use as a weapon, and the


“News Briefs”Continued from page 1

(L. to r.) Jimmy Morris, DanielO’Shea & Christopher Johnson havebeen arrested for attempted robbery

on S.R. 54 near I-75..

“Gaudet”Continued from page 1

third man, Christopher L. Johnson,24, stood nearby in a threateningmanner. Morris then reportedly toldthe mechanic to hand over his money,but the mechanic managed to getaway and called police.

When deputies from the PascoCounty Sheriff’s Office arrived on thescene, all three of the would-be rob-bers were arrested on charges ofstrong-arm robbery. Johnson alsoallegedly began arguing with the offi-

cers, and eventually had to be sprayedwith pepper spray when he begankicking the windows of a patrol carafter being placed inside. He wascharged with an additional count ofobstruction of a police officer in thecourse of his duty.

All three of the men are listed ashaving no home address, but at ourpress time, all three were enjoyingtemporary accommodations courtesyof the Land O’Lakes jail.


Wesley Chapel Toyota Working Overtime On Recall RepairsBy Michael Smith

For years, Toyota has been amongthe top-selling, highest-rated brands ofvehicles in the U.S., but now, as newsof potential dangerous safety hazardson a number of different models con-tinue to surface, the local Toyota deal-ership has its hands full with calls fromworried customers.

“Our phones have been on fire,”says Danny Geist, who is the servicemanager for Wesley Chapel Toyota at5300 Eagleston Blvd., adjacent to theintersection of S.R. 54 and I-75.

The headaches for the Japaneseautomaker started last November, whensome Toyota owners began reportingcases where the gas pedals in certainmodels were getting caught under thevehicles’ floor mats, causing them toaccelerate out of control.

“Part of the problem was thatwhen the gas pedal was trapped underthe floor mat, by pressing down on thebrake pedal, (drivers) were also stillpressing down on the gas,” Geist says.

That issue prompted a massiverecall by Toyota that included morethan 4 million of the company’s mostpopular models, including: the 2007-2010 model year Camry, 2005-10Avalon, 2004-09 Prius, 2005-10 Taco-

ma and the 2007-10 Tundra pick-uptrucks. At the time, Toyota officialsadvised drivers to remove the floor matsfrom the affected models andannounced plans to fix the problem byinstalling new, shorter gas pedals lesslikely to be trapped under the mats.

In January, however, the automak-er announced a second recall of vehicleswhose gas pedals were prone to stickingpart way down, which resulted in anumber of reports of accidents causedby “runaway” vehicles. That recallaffected another 2.3 million cars andtrucks, including approximately 1.7million that were already under recallfor the floor mat issue. The list ofaffected vehicles provided by Toyotaincludes: certain 2007-10 Camrys, cer-tain 2010 Highlanders, certain 2009-10Rav4 models, certain 2009-10 Corollas,2009-10 Matrixes, 2005-10 Avalons,2007-10 Tundras and 2008-10Sequoias.

Geist says that the problem hasbeen traced back to pedals that weremade by two specific manufacturers,according to the Toyota factory repre-sentatives who visited the dealership lastweek. He also noted that letters havebeen mailed out to the owners of thevehicles that include those pedals.

Geist suggests that if you own one

of the suspectedmodels, you caneither wait toreceive a letter inthe mail, or youcan call or visitthe dealership,and they cancheck your car’sVIN number tosee if your vehicleis on the recalllist. If it is, he saysthat the dealershipdoes have theparts to make therepairs in stock,and it only takesabout 30 minutesto correct the problem, depending, ofcourse, upon demand.

But, Geist says that Wesley ChapelToyota has one of the largest servicedepartments around, with 44 servicebays and two dozen mechanics, andthey have been staying open for extend-ed hours to handle recall repairs forboth customers and for the vehicles thatthey have on the lot.

In the meantime, if you own aToyota and experience any problemswith sudden acceleration before youcan have it serviced, safety experts

advise that you should put the car inneutral and steer to the side of theroad, then shut the vehicle off and haveit towed to the dealership.

For more information about therecall, visit Toyota.com. The servicedepartment at Wesley Chapel Toyotais regularly open Monday-Friday, 7a.m.-7 p.m., and 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.on Saturdays, but Geist says thatduring the recall period, they will beopen until 11 p.m. six days a week,and also on Sundays, if necessary.For more info, call 407-5799 or visitWesleyChapelToyota.com.

The expansive service department at Wesley Chapel Toyotahas been extra busy tin light of the recent recalls.


Tampa), says that while Segment Dcurrently is not funded, some new fed-eral stimulus funds may make fundingof that segment a reality soon, too.

In addition, although there was nomention of it at the Hillsborough pub-lic hearing on January 6, Pasco Countyalready has begun the process of widen-ing its three-mile section of BBD fromits current one or two lanes in eachdirection to three lanes in each direc-tion (with additional turn lanes), a proj-ect (as reported last issue) that isexpected to be completed by the end ofthis year. In other words, when thatconstruction is concluded, those threelanes in Wesley Chapel will have to befunneled down to two lanes crossingthe county line and then down to the

construction site less than two mileslater — for at least two years!

Passmore also notes that althoughthere will be plenty of lane closuresmaking an already difficult drive alongBBD even more stressful, the countydoesn’t anticipate any actual road clo-sures during construction of any of thephases. He adds that although theremight be some issues with some of thesegments of the bike path along BBDduring the construction, the bike pathitself “has to remain open throughoutthe construction.”

Other Issues To Deal WithOther Issues To Deal WithIf you’ve ever been on a major

roadway when it’s been under con-struction (and who hasn’t?), you’ve

An editorial by Gary Nager

When I attended last month’spublic hearing hosted by HillsboroughCounty public works officials at Paul R.Wharton High about the impendingwidening of Bruce B. Downs (BBD)Blvd. between Palm Springs Dr. inTampa Palms and Pebble Creek Dr.,my first thought was, “Wow! Anothermajor New Tampa road project begin-ning construction in my lifetime!”

My second thought, however, was“Uh-oh.”

The $40-$42 million wideningproject now beginning is just the firstthree years of what is shaping up as atleast five years of reduced speeds andeven greater tie-ups somewhere onBBD. In other words, it’s definitelygoing to get and stay worse along NewTampa’s main drag long before it getsbetter, especially considering that theother two phases of the BBD wideningin Hillsborough (from Bearss Ave. toPalm Springs Dr. and from PebbleCreek Dr. to the Pasco County line)may not yet be fully funded and at leastone segment may not begin buildinguntil after the first segment is complet-ed, even if funding for it becomes avail-able (more on this below). Of course,that means the current bottlenecks on

BBD will just be moved to the north-ern and southern ends of the first phaseof the BBD widening project when it iscompleted in 2013.

Just for clarity’s sake, a few yearsback, Hillsborough broke BBD intofive segments:

•Segment A - From Bearss Ave. toPalm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms

•Segment B - Palm Springs Blvd.to Richmond Place Dr. (across from theBBD entrance to Flatwoods Park)

•Segment C - Richmond Place Dr.to Pebble Creek Dr.

•Segment D - Pebble Creek Dr. tothe Pasco County Line Rd.

•Segment E - County Line Rd. toS.R. 54 (all in Pasco County)

The widening project now underway in Hillsborough includes SegmentsB and C, a 3.5-mile section. The coun-ty previously planned to then do the1.5-mile Segment D before the 3.6-mile Segment A, but moved Segment Aup on the priority list a couple of yearsago and already has full funding for thatlongest segment, which is scheduled tobegin being widened in 2011.

But, while Segment D already isdesigned, former county engineer ScottPassmore, who is now working for theconstruction engineering firm for theproject (KCI Technologies, Inc., of

Bruce B. Downs Widening Begins A New Chapter In New Tampa

The current left turn from northbound Bruce B. Downs Blvd. onto Pointe of TampaWay will no longer be available when the BBD widening project is completed.


probably seen those blue signs thatsometimes include the names of thebusinesses on the other side of the con-struction. Other times, the signs simplysay “Business Entrance,” which is allthe construction contractor Kamminga& Roodvoets, Inc., is required to pro-vide in the case of this first phase ofBBD widening.

But, District 7 Tampa City Coun-cil member (and Tampa Palms resident)Joseph Caetano has pledged that thecity will provide signs that say the actualbusiness names on them.

“Even though Bruce B. Downs isa county road and the widening is acounty project,” Caetano said at thejanuary 6 public hearing, “all of thosebusinesses (not including those in frontof Pebble Creek and Live Oak Pre-serve) are in the city, so I will get theCity Council to provide better signage,because doing business during roadconstruction is hard enough. Peopledefinitely still need to be able to findthose businesses.”

Caetano already has played a rolein one improvement now included inthe plan — a traffic signal and the abili-ty to turn left out of the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center plaza (infront of the McDonald’s and Mobil gasstation) at S. Regents Park Dr. Current-ly, the median on BBD in front of theplaza is closed off, so drivers can onlymake a right out of that plaza exit.

“It’s hard enough to get out ofthat shopping center now, without theconstruction slowing things down evenmore,” Caetano told interested resi-dents at the public hearing. “A signaland a way to turn left there is definitelythe right thing to do.”

Caetano also is trying to help outthe Frost family, which owns theMcDonald’s franchises at both the NewTampa Center and next to Red Lobsterin Tampa Palms. The Frosts and theowners of the 7-11 gas station, as wellas several other business owners in TheShoppes at The Pointe in Tampa Palmsaren’t happy with the fact that the cur-rent left turn from BBD northboundinto the plaza at the McDonald’s and7-11 will no longer exist when the con-struction is completed.

“If you’ve ever tried to make theleft turn onto Tampa Palms Blvd. infront of Red Lobster during rush hour,you know how hard it can be to getthrough that turn signal,” John Frostsaid during the hearing. “And, we’renot the only ones upset about that turngoing away.” He notes that he is in dis-cussion with Marriott International,which is in the process of building theSpringHill Suites hotel off CommercePark Blvd. (near USAA Insurance).

“The Marriott people told us theydidn’t know the turn wasn’t going tobe there anymore,” Frost said. “It’shard enough to get back there behind

our plaza now, with the turn in place.”Caetano said he didn’t know if

there was anything that could be doneabout the turn going away, but prom-ised to continue to work on the issue.

Green Vs. Green? Green Vs. Green? Considering the crazy fluctuations

in the cost of gasoline, more peoplethan ever are talking about — andpushing for — additional mass transitopportunities, both Tampa Bay area-wide and in the New Tampa area.

Even so, even the strongest propo-nents of bringing a light commuter railsystem to BBD have to be wondering ifthis whole BBD widening wouldn’t bea lot easier if the designers of the proj-ect didn’t have to include the 20-foot-wide light rail “envelope” along theentire length of BBD.

We were originally told that theonly way the light rail would workwould be if it went down the center ofBBD, so instead of landscaped medians,we’d have commuter trains in the mid-dle of the roadway.

Now, however, the BBD wideninghas been designed to include the railenvelope on the east side of BBD —the same side as the existing 10-foot-wide BBD bike path.

Although light rail may never hap-pen along BBD and even the most real-istic estimates say it won’t happen untilsomewhere between 2025-2050, Pass-more did admit at the public hearingthat, in some locations along BBD,there may not be enough room forboth a rail envelope and the BBD bikepath. He didn’t elaborate on where thebike path might have to at least bereduced in size, but how much fun willit be to have to ride your bike alongsidespeeding trains?

I’ve never felt that the light railsystem, as proposed, was a good ideafor our area, but even the strongestproponents of it would have to agreethat pitting one form of green trans-portation against another would not beideal. In other words, if it were up tome, I’d rather save the bike path thanworry about trains that may nevercome. Of course, that’s not my call.

Familiar Faces & StrugglesFamiliar Faces & StrugglesIt just so happens that I was

about 20 minutes late for the start ofthe meeting, in part because the trafficon BBD was particularly gridlockedthat evening.

It’s only five or six miles from myoffice to Wharton High, which nor-mally takes 15-20 minutes, even dur-ing rush hour. That night, however, ittook more than 35 minutes for me tomake that same trip, but while it wasfrustrating, I felt it also was fitting. Noone who made their way from anypart of New Tampa could possiblythink BBD doesn’t need to bewidened, even though some in atten-dance I spoke with wished it wereonly being widened to six lanes total,instead of eight. I also always like itwhen public officials, most of whom(whether elected or staff members)don’t find their way “up here” fromdowntown very often, get a first-handtaste of our traffic issues.

I’ve been attending meetings likethis since 1994 and I have to say it’salways like old home week for mewhenever I go back. Many of the peo-ple who attended this most recentpublic hearing are folks who havebeen involved in New Tampa’s trans-portation woes as long (or at leastalmost as long) as I have, from Joeand Debby Amon of Pebble Creek toBill Schneider of Tampa Palms andfrom Lutfi Jadallah of Meadow Pointeto Councilman Caetano himself.

Like I said earlier, it’s nice thatanother New Tampa road project isbeing built in my lifetime — and I’vebeen waiting for this one for alooooong time.. But now, here comesthe really hard part for us — trying tolive — and make a living — in thisarea while this project is being built. Iknow it’ll end up being worth it whenit’s all said an done, but until then,let’s try to keep our spirits up and ourroad rage down.


City Examines Issues Related To The I-75 Bridge ProjectBy Michael Smith

While the widening of Bruce B.Downs (BBD) Blvd. is now under wayin both Hillsborough and Pasco coun-ties, the City of Tampa has agreed todelay the start of construction on itsplanned bridge over I-75 betweenTampa Palms and West Meadows.

The decision to do so was an effortto placate residents of the two subdivi-sions who will be most affected by thebridge—residents who expressed fearsthat if the bridge was built before thewidening of BBD began, their neigh-borhoods would become a bypass routefor drivers looking to avoid the dustand delays caused by the widening.

However, city officials continue towork towards moving forward with theproject, and recently revealed the resultsof a traffic safety study that the city hadcommissioned to look at issues relatedto the bridge project as it would affectthe two neighborhoods — West Mead-ows and Tampa Palms Areas 4 & 8(nearest to Commerce Park Blvd.).

The city hired consulting firmVanus, Inc., to conduct the study, andaccording to a presentation given byVanus representatives and city officialsto the members of the Board of Direc-tors of the Tampa Palms CommunityDevelopment District (CDD) earlierthis month, the purpose of the studywas fourfold: 1) to identify the citizens’concerns; 2) to collect current data; 3)to perform necessary traffic analyses;and 4) to make recommendations forpotential improvements.

The Vanus study concluded thatthe top areas of concern for residents ofthe two subdivisions were the potentialfor cut-through traffic, especially onTampa Palms Blvd. and on New TampaBlvd., the effects that traffic would haveon the safety of pedestrians, bikers andother drivers, the delays that trafficwould cause within the two neighbor-hoods and other issues related to thedecline in quality of life that the trafficproblems would be expected to cause.

Vanus’ study looked at both themajor roadways and side streets thatwould most likely be impacted by thebridge project, and included speed andvolume counts on all of the roadwaysand at specific intersections within theproject area, turning movements at theintersections and an analysis of the acci-dents that already occur in those areas.

The main roadways examined inthe study were New Tampa Blvd.(specifically the segment betweenMeadow Pine Dr. and BBD), Com-merce Park Blvd. (between W. TampaPalms Blvd. and the Freedom High/Liberty Middle School campus), theentire length of Tampa Palms Blvd.,both east and west of BBD, andAmberly Dr. The study also specificallylooked at issues related to access to theLiberty/Freedom campus, access to theNew Tampa Center plaza at BBD andNew Tampa Blvd., school bus stops onNew Tampa Blvd. and access to theWest Meadows Community Center.

After looking at all those things,the consulting firm made a list of 36separate recommendations to improvetraffic conditions within the study area,both now and when the bridge is built.Most of the recommendations, 14, tar-get New Tampa Blvd., and especiallythe access to the New Tampa Center.The study noted the hazardous condi-tions that currently exist at the entranceto the plaza from New Tampa Blvd.,where through traffic has to competewith vehicles trying to get into and outof the plaza and the lines of cars thatqueue up at the BBD New TampaBlvd. intersection.

The study notes that as part of theBBD widening project, dual left turnlanes will be installed from eastboundNew Tampa Blvd. to northboundBBD, and an additional eastbound lanewill be added for vehicles going acrossBBD to Cross Creek Blvd. Therefore,they did not recommend that a trafficsignal be installed at that entrance, butthey did call for one at the plazaentrance at BBD and Regents Park Dr.

S. (which was not originally included inthe BBD widening plans, but which hasnow been added, see the BBD widen-ing story which begins on page 1).

Vanus also suggested revising thetiming of the existing traffic signal atBBD and New Tampa Blvd., restripingthe roadway to reduce some of theconfusion for drivers, and changing thelandscaping in the median of NewTampa Blvd. to give drivers clearer linesof sight in all directions.

Meanwhile, on the Tampa Palmsside, many of the study recommenda-tions dealt with access to the schoolcampus on Commerce Park Blvd.Vanus noted that the area becomes atraffic nightmare, especially on schooldays, when buses mix with both stu-dent drivers and vehicles driven by par-ents trying to pick up their children.

“No kids who attend Liberty Mid-dle live on the other side of I-75, so allthe cars (driven by parents picking uptheir children from Liberty) go downthere and turn around,” says MaggieWilson, a consultant for the TampaPalms CDD. “So when the bridgeopens, it going to become an even big-ger mess down there.”

Among the recommendations thatVanus made to alleviate the situation atthe school campus are additional turn

lanes at the school’s northernmostdriveway, as well as a part-time trafficsignal at that driveway and additionalspeed limit signs along that stretch ofCommerce Park Blvd. Wilson says theCDD Board was told that the city isworking with officials from the Hills-borough County School District tomake those recommended changes.

Other recommendations targetedthe intersections of W. Tampa PalmsBlvd. and Amberly Dr. and at W.Tampa Palms Blvd. and the Shoppes atThe Pointe Plaza, which are both notedas places where accidents frequentlyoccur, and at the intersection of NewTampa Blvd. and Highwoods PreservePkwy., where Vanus noted that a trafficsignal may be warranted in the future.

Although we were unable to reachcity transportation officials for com-ment, Wilson says the city officials she’stalked to have said they are committedto either make the recommendedchanges themselves, or to work withother entities, such as the HillsboroughCounty School District, the CDD andthe Tampa Palms Homeowners Associ-ation, to get them done.

A complete copy of the trafficstudy results can be found at thewebsite for the West Meadows com-munity, West-Meadows.org.


Community CalendarWESLEY CHAPEL

Cancer Survivors WantedThe Survivors Committee from the

American Cancer Society’s WesleyChapel Relay for Life is looking for can-cer survivors and their caregivers to par-ticipate in the Relay, which will be heldat Wesley Chapel High School on Fri-day, May 7, beginning at 6 p.m. Sur-vivors and their caregivers will walk thefirst lap after the opening ceremonies ofthe event, and there will be a free din-ner and dessert following the openinglap for those who participated. All par-ticipants also will receive a free T-shirtand other gifts.

For more information, pleasecontact survivor chair Shanon Weissat (484) 336-0527 or by e-mail [email protected].

Wesley Chapel ToastmastersMonday, February 15 – The new

Wesley Chapel Toastmasters Club meetsevery Monday, 6 p.m., at the AmericanConsulting Engineers Building (2818Cypress Ridge Rd., off S.R. 56). Clubmeetings are open to all interested par-ties.

For more information, call(352) 567-1508 or visit www.toast-mastersd84.org.

Free Networking Int’lMonday, February 15 – Free

Networking International (FNI), agroup of area business owners, meetseach Monday for networking and dis-cussion, 8 a.m., at the Lexington OaksGolf Club (26140 Lexington OaksBlvd.).

For more information, callStacy Dalton at 469-5499.

Business Networking Int’lTuesday, February 16 – Business

Networking International (BNI), agroup of business professionals whowork to support each other throughqualified business referrals, meets everyTuesday at 7:30 a.m. at Song & DanceStudio (27221 Foamflower Blvd.) inWesley Chapel.

For more information, contactNancy Cross at 789-7836 or by e-mail at [email protected].

East Pasco Networking Group

Tuesday, February 16 – The EastPasco Networking Group meets everyTuesday morning, 9 a.m., at BeefO’Brady’s (1660 Bruce B. DownsBlvd., in the Shops of New Tampa atWesley Chapel plaza).

For more information, contactFrankie Ammons at 479-7997 orby e-mail [email protected].

Wesley Chapel Rotary ClubWednesday, February 17 – The

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel meetsevery Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at LasVallarta Mexican Restaurant (in the Vil-lage Market shopping center at S.R. 54& Bruce B. Downs Blvd.).

For more information, call263-7188 or 383-6683.

Civil Air PatrolWednesday, February 17 – A

new Civil Air Patrol squadron nowmeets every Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.-9p.m., at Tampa North Aero Park (4241Birdsong Blvd.). Civil Air Patrol (CAP)is the volunteer civilian auxiliary arm ofthe U.S. Air Force, and membership isopen to youths ages 12-18 and theirparents. Adult members performsearch-and-rescue, disaster relief andother emergency services, while teenmembers, or cadets, learn through lead-ership and character-building activities,including flight training.

For more information, visitwesleychapelcap.com or call CherylSpence at 973-7270.

Networking For Your Success

Thursday, February 18 – TheNetworking For Your Success groupmeets every Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-10a.m., at Song & Dance Studio (27221Foamflower Blvd.) in Wesley Chapel.

For more information, callJohn Anglada at 298-3232 or visitnetworkingforyoursuccess.com.

Free Resume WorkshopThursday, February 18 – With

unemployment in the county currentlyat around 13 percent, the Pasco CountyLibrary System and Career Central areteaming up to offer a free resume work-shop, 6 p.m., at the New River branchlibrary (34032 S.R. 54). Space is limit-ed, so the workshop will be first come,first served. In addition, the CareerCentral Mobile One Stop bus will be atthe library on the first Wednesday ofeach month, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., to offer jobsearch assistance.

For more information, call788-6375.

Wesley Chapel Wind Ensemble

Thursday, February 18 – The

Wesley Chapel Wind Ensemble, a com-munity group of brass and woodwindplayers, meets every Thursday at 6 p.m.at Hyundai of Wesley Chapel (27000Wesley Chapel Blvd./S.R. 54). Newmembers are encouraged to join.

For more information, contactGlenn at 746-4821 or by e-mail [email protected].

Sunrise RotaryFriday, February 19 – The Wes-

ley Chapel Sunrise Rotary Club meetsevery Friday at 7:15 a.m. at the Lexing-ton Oaks Golf Club (26140 LexingtonOaks Blvd.).

For more information, callLynne Wilson at 695-6466.

PACAThursday, March 11 – The Pasco

Alliance of Community Associations(PACA) meets at 7 p.m. on the secondThursday of every month at the Land

O’Lakes Community Center (5401Land O’Lakes Blvd./U.S. 41). Themeetings are free and open to the pub-lic.

For more information, visitwww.myPACA.org, or call presidentBill Parsons at 991-6003.

‘Savvy Senior’ SeriesThursday, March 11 – The Pasco

Education Foundation, Inc., will hostanother of its “Savvy Senior” work-shops, 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., at the NewRiver Library (34043 S.R. 54). The“Savvy Senior” series is intended forresidents 55 and older and includesinformation on a variety of topics,including estate and financial planning,healthcare and more. There also will berefreshments and door prizes. Theworkshop is free to attend, but space islimited, and pre-registration is required.

To register, or for more infor-mation, call 310-9772.

ATTENTION: To make sure that our Community Calendar is current, weare asking all club and group representatives to please update their meeting andcontact info for 2010. To do so, please send an e-mail to ntnnedit@yahoo. com.You may also submit info by fax at 910-2483 or by regular mail to: New TampaNeighborhood News, 15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa FL 33647, Attn: CommunityCalendar. Please keep in mind, also, that our Wesley Chapel edition is publishedevery four weeks, and our deadline for editorial submissions is two weeks prior tothe cover date of each issue. Please call 910-2575 if you have any questions. Thank you. — MS


USF Dermatology Offers Comprehensive Care For Your Skin

appointments because of the office’sphysician extenders – Advanced Regis-tered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) andPhysician’s Assistants (PA) who alsocan see patients.

Dr. Fenske started the depart-ment 33 years ago. “It is the only jobI have ever had,” he says. Fenske, wholives in South Tampa and is a memberof the Ye Mystic Crewe of Gasparillaand the USF Boosters, adds “I havetrained many residents who now workthroughout the Tampa Bay area andthroughout the country.”

Dr. Fenske also adds that therehas been an evolution in the practice

of dermatology over the years. “Therehas been a dermatological metamor-phosis,” he says. “It is not just acneand warts. Twenty-five years ago, asmall part of the practice was skin can-cer and melanoma. Across the countrynow, there is more skin cancer in anaging population. For many years thepopular thing to do was to go to thebeach. There is a whole wave of olderpatients who didn’t use sunscreenswhen they were young. In morerecent years, because of people’s inter-est in remaining youthful, dermatol-ogy also transformed into a surgicalspecialty which is now a major part ofour training program.”

Dr. Fenske says the beauty ofUSF’s program is that they offer com-prehensive dermatological care. “Wehave a complete menu of services,”says Dr. Fenske. “We need to be com-prehensive providers of servicesbecause to be accredited, we need tooffer comprehensive training opportu-nities for our residents.”

Some of the other services USFDermatology offers include cosmeticand general dermatology, treatmentfor acne, rosacea, sun-tanned skin,laser vein therapy, pediatric dermatol-

By Melissa O’Brien

One of the many great quality-of-life features about New Tampa is itsclose proximity to the University ofSouth Florida (USF). In addition tooffering our community great sportsand arts events, we auspiciously bene-fit from being neighbors to a teachinghospital with its many medicaladvancements and the expert care itprovides patients. These benefitsinclude the great team of physicians atthe USF Health Department of Der-matology and Cutaneous Surgery.

“One of the most importantthings we want New Tampa residentsto know is that we are here to servethe community,” says professor NeilFenske, M.D., Chair of Dermatologyat USF Health, who was recentlynamed among four dermatologists inthe Southeast and 17 nationwide asAmerica’s Top Doctors for Women inWomen’s Health magazine. “A lot ofpatients think they need a referral tosee us, but they can come here oftheir own volition to see our doctors.”

“When you come in to see us,you have the added benefit of having

a resident with a physician,” he adds.“It increases the quality of care tohave two sets of eyes looking at youand every patient has a team workingfor them. Dermatology is one of themost competitive and difficult medicalspecialties. Because it is so competi-tive, we have the best and the bright-est residents.”

The physicians at the USF HealthDepartment of Dermatology andCutaneous Surgery specialize in thediagnosis and treatment of both com-mon and rare skin disorders inpatients of all ages. From psoriasis andeczema to aging skin and Mohs skincancer removal (a form of surgery thatremoves the least amount of tissue),USF Dermatology offers a wide rangeof services for patients. It is staffed bya team of physicians certified by theAmerican Board of Dermatology.

Physicians in the practice in addi-tion to Dr. Fenske include PhilipShenefelt, M.D., Basil Cherpelis,M.D., George Cohen, M.D., andMary Lien, M.D. Physicians JaneMessina, M.D., and L. Frank Glass,M.D., are dermatopathologists withthe team but do not see patients.Patients can often receive same-day

Dr. Neil Fenske, M.D., heads up theUSF Dermatology Dept.


USF Dermatology staff regularly goout into the community to performcommunity outreach. They offer“Melanoma Monday” cancer screen-ings and have performed free cancerscreenings at sporting events and atcommunity functions around theTampa Bay area.

Sandra Koch of Carrollwood saysshe likes the USF Dermatology prac-tice because the doctors are knowl-edgeable about the latest proceduresand have perfected their techniques.

“There are doctors who performcosmetic procedures out of theiroffice, but it is not their first special-ty,” she says. “Dr. Fenske has perfect-ed his techniques and for him, it isalmost like an art. He takes all thenecessary precautions and does it withfinesse, so I think the results you getare better.”

Koch says she first visited theoffice for a discoloration on her face

but since then has had other cosmeticprocedures done as well.

“The office staff is, by far, themost professional I have ever beento,” she says. “They make you feelright at home and answer every ques-tion you have. I think the communitydoes not take advantage as much aswe should of the USF Hospital. Theyare up on every latest procedurebecause they are a teaching hospital.Dr. Fenske is always on the cuttingedge of knowing what is new.”

USF Health Department ofDermatology and Cutaneous Sur-gery has two offices — 12901Bruce B. Down Blvd. on the USFCampus and 17 Davis Blvd., Ste.402, on Davis Islands. Both officesare open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-6p.m. For more information, call theUSF office at 974-4744 or theDavis Islands office at 259-8694 orvisit www.usfdermatology.com.

ogy, Botox, skin cancer screenings andtreatment for skin of color, for whichthere is a growing need in the com-munity but which few physicians offer.The group even offers hypnosis to

reduce anxiety, needle phobia and painduring cutaneous surgery, as well asreducing postoperative discomfort.

In addition to the work they per-form in the office, the members of the

Dr. Fenske and two members of his team, residents Sarah Bair, M.D., andBrooke Baldwin, M.D., examine a patient for signs of cancer.


Let The Insight Family Handle Your Family’s Eyecare Needs

SEVEN OAKSFAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Welcoming new patients of all ages

Dr. Lee Daniels

Seven Oaks Professional Park(Next to Sam!s Club)

2112 Ashley Oaks Circle

(813) 907-7313

Over 14 yearsexperience

• Access to Discount Dental Plans• Most insurance plans accepted/In-network• Nitrous Oxide Available• Tooth Colored Fillings• Crowns, Bridges, & Veneers• Whitening, Zoom! 2 & Take Home Kits• Implant Dentistry• Extractions, Root Canal Treatment• Digital X-Rays

By Michael Smith

Let’s face it, there are a lot ofplaces you can go nowadays thatpromise to have your new eyeglassesready in an hour or less, but do youreally want to trust your vision to justanyone?

If not, then you need to makeyour next eye appointment at InsightFamily Eyecare, at 27607 S.R. 56,Suite 101, in the Seven Oaks retailplaza in Wesley Chapel, where Dr.James Robinson, O.D., and Dr. LeslieChurch, O.D., offer a full line of pro-fessional services that those one-hourplaces just can’t match.

The husband-and-wife team (he’sa midwesterner from a small town inKansas and she’s a south Floridanative) met while studying at NovaSoutheastern University in Davie, FL,where they both earned their Doctorof Optometry degrees, and have beenpracticing eyecare in the north Tampaarea for 10 years. They both continueto work in private offices, but decidedto open Insight Family Eyecare threemonths ago after noticing that manyof their patients were coming from theNew Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas.

“There’s just been [next to] noth-ing up here for the longest time,”Church says.

Now, in addition to carrying awide selection of glasses, sunglassesand contact lenses for children andadults from designer labels like Coach,Prada, Versace and Nike, as well asother high-quality yet affordable lines,Robinson and Church also offer com-plete diagnostic exams, specialized test-ing and fittings to make sure that yourfamily’s vision is the best that it can be.

“From the minute you walk in thedoor, the entire experience here isunique,” Robinson says. “We like tothink we’re more thorough in ourexams, we can do extra testing, if nec-essary, we offer better quality productsand are more precise with fittings andadjustments than most other places.”

“We think it’s like buying a Kiaversus a BMW,” Church adds. “It maycost a little more, but the quality isincomparable, and you definitely getyour money’s worth.”

Being as theirs is a family-orientedpractice, Drs. Church and Robinsonalso emphasize the importance of eye-care for children. That’s why theirpractice includes machines and testing

methods especially designed forpatients as young as six months of age,which you won’t find at most of thechain outlets or in-store optical cen-ters. In fact, Robinson and Churchrecommend routine eye testing forchildren beginning at six months, thenagain at two years of age, and thenagain when they are ready to startschool, just to be sure there are noproblems with their vision.

“It’s just like any medical condi-tion,” he says. “The earlier (problems)are detected, the better the outcome islikely to be.”

“There are a surprising number ofchildren who are labeled as learningdiabled, when they actually have avision problem,” Church adds.

Insight also offers specialized test-ing for wheelchair-bound and disabledpatients, as well as those who areunable to communicate verbally. Theoffice can accept a large number ofinsurance plans and can file insuranceclaims directly for most patients, eventhough, as Church says, many peoplearen’t even aware that their medicalinsurance includes eyecare coverage.

“A lot of people will go to Wal-Mart or other places like that and pay

out of pocket when they could haveused their vision benefits,” she says.

Regular store hours at InsightFamily Eyecare are Monday,Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m.-6p.m., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesdaysand 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays.Appointments are recommended,but walk-ins are accepted. Thewebsite is currently under construc-tion, but for more information, call406-4993 or visit the Insight Fami-ly Eyecare page on Facebook.com.

The husband-and-wife team of Dr.James Robinson and Dr. LeslieChurch offer quality eyecare for

every member of your family.


Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Responds To Your Orthopaedic NeedsBy Melissa O’Brien

As Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills,Dade City and other bedroom com-munities in eastern Pasco County con-tinue to grow, so does the need toexpand the scope and availability ofquality health care services for thoseareas. As we have previously reported,Florida Hospital Zephyrhills (FHZ)has answered this need and continuesto do so, with the opening last Octo-ber of the FHZ Orthopaedic andSpine Institute (OSI). This new, state-of-the-art office specializes inorthopaedic and spine care, pain man-agement and podiatry for adults andchildren.

“We opened this new facility inorder to respond to the needs of thecommunity,” says Alicia Geib, FHZ’sassistant vice president overseeing prac-tice operations. “We have an olderpopulation in our community, but ourcommunity also is growing. As thecommunity grows, we are able toaccommodate a wider spectrum ofpeople of all different ages.”

The OSI is located in a separatebuilding about a quarter-mile awayfrom FHZ’s 28-acre campus on GallBlvd. This Christian-based, not-for-

profit hospital is a member of theAdventist Health System, which owns38 hospitals in ten states and is thelargest not-for-profit, Protestanthealthcare system in the U.S. Estab-lished in 1985, FHZ (formerly EastPasco Medical Center) has experiencedmore than 35 additions or renovations,growing to its present-day capacity of154 beds in a 407,000-sq.-ft., full-service healthcare facility.

The OSI can care for patients witha range of orthopaedic, spine, painmanagement and podiatric conditions.At approximately 5,000 sq. ft., thefacility is a one-stop-shop, staffed by ateam of highly-trained physicians,nurses, therapists and radiology tech-nologists. Services at the new facilityinclude general orthopaedic surgery,

hip and knee replacements, sportsmedicine, arthritis treatment, spine fac-tures and kyphoplasty (a proceduredesigned to treat the pain caused byspinal fractures sometimes associatedwith osteoporosis). In addition, theOSI also offers foot and ankle care,podiatry, hand care, pain management,physical and occupational rehabilitationand imaging services.

“What is important is that we areeasily accessible in the community,”says Geib. “You don’t have to traveloutside of the area or drive into thecity (of Tampa) to get highly qualifiedcare. It is that way with all of the serv-ices at our hospital. We also specializein cardiac care, radiology, and women’sservices and emergency patients [expe-rience] little to no wait time. If you

live in Wesley Chapel –or anywhere in easternPasco County, you haveaccess to high-qualitycare literally right inyour back yard.”

The physician teamat the OSI is led bymedical director SamuelAgnew, M.D., a Board-certified orthopaedicsurgeon. Dr. RandolphKnight, M.D., is an OSI

orthopaedic surgeon with more than25 years of experience practicing ineastern Pasco County. Paul Murphy,M.D., also is a Board-certifiedorthopaedic surgeon and MazenAbboud, D.M.P. (Doctor of PodiatricMedicine), is Board-certified in Podi-atric Medicine; while Joseph Condon,M.D., is Board-certified in Physicaland Rehabilitation Medicine and PainManagement.

Geib says the OSI physicians canperform fracture care, evaluations, takeX-rays and offer pain management inthe office as well as more complexorthopaedic services and surgeries atthe hospital. In addition, the OSIoffers a high-tech radiology depart-ment where films can be viewed

The Orthopaedic & Spine Institute of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills combines the experienceand talents of (l. to r.) medical director Dr. Samuel Agnew, Dr. Mazen Abboud, Dr. Joseph

Condon, Dr. Randolph Knight and Dr. Paul Murphy.


instantly by a radiologist on-site. “We also are fortunate to be able

to offer the kyphoplasty procedurebecause there are not many practicesthat specialize in it.” Eventually, theoffice plans to expand its imagingdepartment with ultrasound and anMRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)machine.

For Dr. Knight, working at OSImeans being a part of a great team.

“When I was in solo practice here,I was busier than I wanted to be,” saysDr. Knight, who grew up in St. Peters-burg and has practiced in Florida – andZephyrhills – for most of his career.“For many years, I was the onlyorthopaedic physician in town. As thearea grew and the hospital was built, itmade sense to create the Institute. Bybeing together we can cross-cover eachother and make sure we are taking careof everyone who needs to be takencare of in the community.”

Dr. Knight is a generalorthopaedist who says, “About a thirdof my practice is replacing hips andknees. Zephyrhills is a large retirementcommunity. In fact, we have the largestnumber of adult tricycle injuries in theU.S.”

For patient Donna St. Cyr, thenew facility hasn’t changed the qualityof care she has been receiving for thepast 11 years, it just changes the loca-

tion. “Dr. Knight has performed all ofmy orthopaedic surgeries,” says St.Cyr. “I broke my wrist at LakelandMall and before that I had a kneeproblem that he helped me with. Hehas taken good care of me. He is avery caring person and he takes thetime to listen to you. I have told manypeople about him.”

The Orthopaedic and SpineInstitue, an outpatient office ofFlorida Hospital Zephyrhills, islocated at 6748 Gall Blvd., about 8miles east of Wesley Chapel. Theoffice is open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5p.m. For more information, call782-1200.


As part of its ongoing effortto encourage students to stay fitand active, Wesley Chapel Ele-mentary (WCE) held its annual“Wildcat Walkathon” on Friday,January 22.

For the walkathon, the stu-dents collected donations fromfamily and friends and thenwalked or ran around a track setup within the schoolyard, withpunch cards to record each lapthey took.

All proceeds from the eventare used to purchase new physi-cal education equipment for theschool, and the class with the highestaverage number of laps received a freeChick-fil-A party at the school.

“We want our students and staffat Wesley Chapel to reap the rewardsof being physically fit and live a longand healthy life,” says WCE physical

education specialistChris Gorman, whoadds that the schoolalso recently opened itsWildcat Student &Staff Wellness Center,which has 27 differentactivity stations thatteachers can utilize forphysical education. Theteachers can also usethe center before, dur-ing, and after school.

Education UpdatesWESLEY CHAPEL

Donations Needed ForWCH Relay Fundraiser

The Wesley Chapel High (WCH)faculty and staff Relay for Life team willhold a “Crop for a Cure” scrapbookingfundraiser on Friday, March 19,p.m.-8 p.m., at the school. All pro-ceeds from the event will support the

American Cancer Society through theRelay for Life of Wesley Chapel.

The team is currently seeking localorganizations to support the event bydonating door prizes, small items forgoodie bags, or food and beverages.

For more information, pleasecontact Adeline Brill at 794-8700.

Students Focus On Fun & Fitness At Wildcat Walkathon

Amanda Novotny’s third-grade class won a Chik-Fil-A party by completing

the most laps during the Wildcat Walkathon.

As part of the school’s annual Young Inventors Fair, Seven Oaks Elementary students in grades three through five were asked to create an invention or adaptan object that already exists. Above, the winners are: (l.-r.) Karlye Finn (alter-

nate), Scott McCleod, Lindsay Elfering, Robbie Sabow, Jessica Kenville, AlexDaGama, Jake Hracho, Lauren Conway, Stefano Marconi (alternate) and

Alexi Depp. In the back row are fair coordinator Shannon Schultz, Seven OaksElementary assistant principal Shirley Ray and principal BJ Smith.

Young Inventors Honored At Seven Oaks Elementary

The Wiregrass Ranch High(WRH) boys soccer team had a roughend to their season, but still had reasonto celebrate after earning the bestrecord in the school’s history and fin-ishing second in Class 4A, District 8.

The Bulls finished the season at18-5-2, led by an outstanding perform-ance by senior Steven Esoff, who scored33 goals throughout the season, nearlyhalf of the team’s total scoring out-put.Unfortunately, Esoff was heldscoreless in WRH’s final two games, a4-0 loss against Land O’Lakes High inthe District championship, and a 5-1loss to Mitchell in the Region 4A-2quarterfinals, where midfielder JoeyMiller scored the team’s only goal toallow the Bulls to avoid a secondstraight shutout in post-season play.

WRH coach David Wilson hadhoped to get another shot at LandO’Lakes, which the Bulls would havehad if they could have gotten pastMitchell, but he praised his team’s heartand effort.

“They’re young, but they playedwell all year and we’ll definitely be evenbetter next year,” he said.

Meanwhile, a little north at WesleyChapel High, coach Brian Dorkowskiled his team to a 10-14-1 record inDistrict 4A-7, capped off by a 3-0shutout at the hands (or feet) of LandO’Lakes in the first round of theRegion 4A-2 tournament.

The Bulls and Wildcats played eachother twice during the season, and theWRH won each of those games by ascore of 2-0. —MS


Sports BriefsWESLEY CHAPEL

Wiregrass Ranch High’s AlexanderMaxson (right) battles for a ball inthe 4A District championship game

vs. Land O’Lakes.

WRH Boys Soccer TeamFinishes Second In District WRH & WCH Girls

Basketball Teams AdvanceTo District Championships

Both the Wiregrass Ranch(WRH) and Wesley Chapel High(WCH) girls basketball teamsadvanced have to their respective dis-trict championship games. Unfortu-nately for us (and our readers), bothof those games were yet to be playedas this issue went to press.

The Bulls (20-6) advanced to theClass 4A, District 8 championshipwith a 40-33 win against Citrus Highon February 5. Kelly McCaffrey led allscorers with 12 points, while KaylaDeLoach contributed 10 points, 10rebounds and 8 blocked shots. Theywere scheduled to host Lecanto in thedistrict championship game on Satur-day, Feb. 6.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats (19-2)won their Class 4A, District 7 semifi-nal game, 50-32 over Mitchell High,also on Feb. 5, to earn a rematch withGulf High for the district title.

Simone Brown led the Wildcatswith 13 points, while Hannah Noblehad 12 and Shantel Houston got into

foul trouble early but still finishedwith 11 points.

The Wildcats traveled to GulfHigh on Feb. 6 for the championshipgame, hoping to avenge a 37-47 lossto the Bucs back in December.

Williams Records A Triple-Double In Win Over WCH

In varsity boys basketball, WRHsenior Eric Williams scored the1,000th point of his career on the wayto a trible-double while leading theBulls to a 67-57 victory over theWCH Wildcats on February 4.

Williams finished the game with18 points, 14 rebounds and a school-record 18 blocks for his first triple-double of the season. The Wildcats’Tommy Roldan led all scorers in thegame with 30 points.

With the victory, the Bulls were20-5 going into the Class 4A, District8 tournament, which was scheduledto begin on February 10, while theWildcats were 12-10 going into theirconference tournament, which startedon February 8.

We will have all the results in ournext issue. — MS


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other words, whether youwant to enjoy the fun andfunky nightlife of St. PeteBeach or never come out ofthe room except to eat, youwon’t be disappointed at“The Pink Palace.”

Spectacular Dining AtThe Maritana Grille

The elegant MaritanaGrille is the dining centerpiece of yourstay at the Don. With a four-diamondrating from AAA the past 14 years,the Maritana Grille features NewAmerican cuisine with Floribbeanaccents. The food and its presentationeven more spectacular than the hugeaquariums, one of which is “protect-ed” by CeSar, the resident moray eel.

During my most recent visit to“The Pink Palace,” Executive Sous

Experience The Magic Of Valentine’s Day Any Day At The Don CeSar!

See “Don CeSar” on page 31.

By Gary Nager

The next few pages of this issueare devoted to giving you some roman-tic ideas for St. Valentine’s day — Sun-day, February 14. I may not have allthe answers, but since Valentine’s Dayis still mainly about her, I’ve come upwith a quick guide to some of the bestplaces to bring that special someone tostay, dine and/or shop for her not onlyfor this most romantic of holidays, butevery day.

The Most Romantic Hotel —The DonCeSar !

If you’ve lived in the Tampa Bayarea for any period of time, you’veprobably heard of the DonCeSar, ALoews Hotel, aka “The Pink Palace.”

Originally built by Thomas Roweto be a replica of the Royal WaikikiHotel, the Don became a military hos-pital in 1942,when Rowe’s estrangedwife allowed it to fall into disrepair.Some say the hotel is actually hauntedby a woman named Lucinda, the greatlove of Rowe’s life, although I’ve seenno evidence of ghosts any of the timesI’ve stayed there.

Now restored to even greaterglory, the Don, one of the Bay area’smost famous destinations, still sitsalongside the crystal blue waters andwhite sands of St. Pete Beach. It’s alsoeasily, in one man’s opinion, the mostromantic hotel you can bring that spe-cial someone to this Valentine’s Day —or any day, for that matter.

As visually stunning as the Don isfrom the outside (and many coupleshave gotten married in the hotel’s spec-tacular courtyard), it’s even morebreathtaking inside.

The elegant lobby is home to theMaritana Grille, an outstanding culinaryexperience (see below), as well as theimpressive Lobby Lounge. Every deskclerk, bellman and bartender makes youfeel like someone special.

The guest rooms provide evenmore luxury. No appointment has beenleft without proper attention to everydetail, from the thirstiest towels to themost comfortable beds to the best skinand hair care sundries. All of the TVsare high-definition flat screen modelsand even the furnishings themselves arean invitation to romance.

The Don also features an elegantEuropean-style spa, magnificent shops,a spectacular outdoor pool and spa andmultiple lounges inside and out. In

(Above left) There’s no more romantic place you can stay than at the Don CeSar, a Loews Hotel, aka “The Pink Palace.”(Aboveright) Even the lobby at the Don is the perfect combination of soothing and exciting. (Below) One of the Don’s elegant guest rooms.

CeSar, the moray eel, enjoys watching youeat dinner at the Maritana Grille.


I have to admit that the main rea-son I keep coming back to T’s Bou-tique in the separate plaza in front ofThe Grove shopping center on WesleyGrove Blvd. (off S.R. 54) in WesleyChapel isn’t the great selection of gifts“for her.”

No, it’s because owner TheresaLoftin is a great, fun person to talk towho really knows the kind of giftswomen want. Anytime I’m stuck whenlooking for a gift, I visit Theresa andshe comes up with anything from acool dress in University of Florida (orother schools’) colors to a great T-shirtfor the upcoming Gasparilla parade toscented Tyler candles to beautiful,unique handbags and costume jewelry.

T’s Boutique has everything froman extensive line of Vera Bradley hand-bags to hand-painted glassware for anyoccasion and so much more that it’suseless for me to try to describe every-thing in the store. All I can tell you isthat if you’re looking for a unique giftfor any woman of any age or size, withTheresa’s help, you can find the perfectgift for Valentine’s Day or any day.

But, speaking of Sunday, Febru-ary 14, Theresa had a couple of specialevents prior to V-Day that were notonly planned to be fun get-togethers,but also great shopping opportunities.

“Men are often at a loss when itcomes to buying something appropriatefor Valentine’s Day,” Theresa says.“That’s why I gave them a free keg tokill — to interest guys in coming hereto shop for their special someones.”

In fact, Theresa offered twoexclusive shopping days, one forwomen only with free margaritas andan exclusive “men only” shoppingexperience and yes, she was seriousabout that keg, so too bad you missedit, guys! The good news is that it’s nottoo late to stop in at T’s Boutiquebefore Valentine’s Day, so please tellTheresa we sent you!

T’s Boutique is located at 6027Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 101. Thestore is openTues.-Sat., 10a.m.-7 p.m.,and noon-5p.m. on Sun-day. For moreinfo about T’sBoutique’snext uniqueshoppingopportunitiesfor men andwomen, call973-4405. —GN

The Best Place To Shop For Her? T’s Boutique In The Grove!

At T’s Boutique in The Grove in Wesley Chapel, you’ll find great gift ideas for her for Valentine’s Day, from hand-painted glasses (top) to unique handbags & jewelry (bottom right), Gasparilla shirts, coffee mugs and more!


Here’s Some More Of Gary’s Favorite Valentine’s Day Options!Whether you’re shopping for

your spouse, girlfriend or even yourmom this Valentine’s Day, here’s a fewof my favorites:

• The most romantic restaurant— Charley’s Steak House? To me, arestaurant can’treally be all thatromantic if thefood isn’t great,so few things aremore enticing tome than enjoying a full order of (inmy opinion) the best tuna sashimi inthe Tampa Bay area (and that’s sayinga lot!) and the best New York stripsteak (photo) in one outstanding mealat a very fair price.

Plus, although I usually eat at thebar at Charley’s for the Manhattan-like ambience and people-watching,the restaurant does have some privatedining areas for those seeking a moreromantic backdrop for that greatValentine’s meal.

Charley’s Steak House is locat-ed at 4444 W. Cypress St., off theLois Ave. exit of I-275. Call 353-9706 to find out more aboutCharley’s special Valentine’s Daymenu February 8-14.

• The most romantic Euro-pean-style spa — SaddlebrookResort & Spa Tampa & Spa Moritz!We have lots of great salons and spasadvertising with us, but there’s nodoubt in my mind that if you want toget her a gift of a day of beauty, thebest place you can go in WesleyChapel is the European-style spa atSaddlebrook Resort Tampa (off S.R.54). The most romantic choice inNew Tampa is Spa Moritz, located onCommerce Park Blvd., opposite Free-dom High in Tampa Palms.

Anyone who lives in WesleyChapel has surely at least heard ofSaddlebrook, the world-class golf andtennis resort and spa located right inyour own backyard. Saddlebrook hasamazing dining at Dempsey’s SteakHouse and The Tropics restaurant,but I also can vouch for the outstand-ing massages and “take me away” feelof the resort’s beautiful spa. From acomplete beauty makeover to a hotstone massage, a gift card to the Spaat Saddlebrook is a great gift idea forher AND for you!

Saddlebrook Resort & SpaTampa is located at 5700 Saddle-brook Way, off S.R. 54, between

Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (C.R. 581)and Curley Rd. For more informa-tion, visit Saddlebrook.com or call973-1111.

Meanwhile, Spa Moritz also iselegant and classy-looking, has well-trained hair stylists, nail techniciansand massage therapists and some ofthe best spa treatments you’ll findanywhere. That’s why I believe a giftcard from Dyan and Dennis Piller’sSpa Moritz (photo) is one of the bestgifts you can give to someone youreally want to see smile.

Spa Moritz is located at 17401Commerce Park Blvd., in theOrthoTechnology building. Call971-4772 or visit SpaMoritz.comfor more information.

• The bestplace to buy thatperfect rose bou-quet — A SpecialRose Florist! Forme, the wholedozen red rosesthing has beendone to death, so I long ago decidedthat if I was giving a dozen roses,they’d have to be in assorted colors,just to be different.

Although she’s at least 10-15minutes from any part of WesleyChapel, my friend Rose O’Berry at ASpecial Rose Florist, located in theShell gas station on Bruce B. DownsBlvd. just south of Tampa Palms,knows that I love giving roses of asmany different colors as possible, soshe always has a great selection for me.At any rate, if you have to give rosesthis Valentine’s Day, I know youwon’t find better quality flowers ofany kind than you will at A SpecialRose. And, if you call A Special Rosetoday (Feb. 12), Rose will give you10-percent off your order!

Call A Special Rose Florist(14546 BBD Blvd.) at 979-9453 orvisit ASpecialRose.com. — GN

A gift card to Saddlebrook Resort & SpaTampa will put a smile on her face, too!


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“Don Cesar”Continued from page 27

You can enjoy outstanding lamb chops(top) and crab cakes (left) at the Mari-

tana Grille or have Thomas (above)make you the omelet of your dreams at

the Sea Porch Café at the Don.

Chef Scott Lazlo created what he calledan “amuse bouche,” but I called themost delicious crab cake ever. He saidthe cake, which was topped with a giantslab of Alaskan king crabmeat, was actu-ally held together by chopped scallopsinstead of bread crumbs and toppedwith caviar. Yum!

The rib lamb chops and pan-friedsalmon were equally spectacular and theservice was second-to-none.

I also thought the Sunday brunchserved in the Sea Porch Café was a dealat $19.95 per person, as the omelet sta-tion had every ingredient imaginableand the French press coffee and freshbaked goods rocked my world.

In other words, if you’ve neverbeen to the Don CeSar or haven’t visit-ed recently, you owe it to yourself andyour special someone to check it out.

For more info about the DonCe-Sar, a Loews Hotel, call (727) 360-1881 or visit LoewsHotels.com.


Panda Buffet Is A GREAT Chinese Buffet! There, I Said It!By Gary Nager

I will freely admit that I’ve neverbeen a big fan of buffet-style Chineserestaurants. A buddy of mine backwhen I lived a few miles outside of NewYork City in Westchester County, NY,once summed it up this way: “I wantmy Chinese food to be so fresh that itsings to me. You can’t get that fromheat lamps.”

You can therefore imagine howskeptical I was when the new PandaBuffet restaurant opened last month inthe Shoppes at The Pointe plaza inTampa Palms.

Well, in this case, I was wrong.Owner Lixin Shi and his family havecreated a clean, comfortable, casualplace with really good Chinese food atprices you can’t beat. Shi, who alsoowns the Golden China takeout placein Highwoods Preserve (behind BostonMarket), has gone to great lengths touse delicious ingredients for dishes bothcommonplace and unique and best ofall, the crowds of visitors have been bigenough that the food never seems to sitso long as to get to the point where itseems or tastes like it’s been sitting outtoo long.

The sushi bar at Panda Buffet pro-vides standards like California roll and

unique items like seaweed saladroll, and all of the items I’ve sam-pled have looked and tasted fresh.

I really like the appetizers, likethe egg rolls, teriyaki chicken on astick and pan-fried dumplings. Ialso have enjoyed the Brazilianbeef with broccoli so fresh andcrisp it might actually sing to you,the chicken with broccoli in garlicsauce and the roast pork withmixed Chinese vegetables.

The 100-item (I’m guessing)buffet bar, which allows you toenjoy all-you-can-eat of everythingfrom fresh salads to fresh fruit,from pizza pies (seriously) to hotapple pies and from candied yamsto you-peel-’em shrimp, all for theridiculously low price of $6.99 forlunch, $9.99 for dinner on week-days and $10.99 for dinner on Friday-Sunday (when Panda Buffet adds freshoysters on the half shell to your choic-es). And, crab lovers (like my son Jake)can simply add $4 to any lunch or din-ner order and enjoy all the fresh snowcrab legs you can eat.

Panda Buffet does also offer acomplete a la carte dine-in and takeoutmenus, but trust me, you’re going towant to try the buffet first, if only tosee which dishes you like the best and

to sample one of the best values in Chi-nese food anywhere in New Tampa orWesley Chapel — where seniors (60+)get a 10-percent discount, kids under 3eat for free and kids 3-9 cost just $3.99for lunch and $6.99 for dinner.

Panda Buffet (17012 PalmPointe Dr. is located just south of theintersection of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.and I-75, a few minutes from mostof Wesley Chapel. It’s open every dayfor lunch and dinner, so call 978-8938 or stop in anytime!

At Panda Buffet, you can enjoy allyou care to eat of great (clockwise

from lower left): chicken with broccoli,you-peel-’em shrimp, fresh sushi, egg

rolls and pan fried dumplings.


Neighborhood Nibbles—Checking Out World Of Beer & More!When last we checked in (in these

pages) with Tampa Palms World ofBeer (WoB) franchise owners PhilippeTheodore and Jason Rappaport, theyand their staff were at an event forReeves Porsche-Audi serving a few ofthe hundreds of beers now beingenjoyed every day at the new WoB inThe Shoppes at The Pointe plaza inTampa Palms, behind Olive Gardenand next to Stonewood Grill & Tavern.

The Tampa Palms location of WoBfeatures a classy-looking bar area down-stairs, a private upstairs party room andliterally hundreds of beers from around

the world — including dozens of thepopular German and Belgian offerings,

TVs and taps abound at the newWorld of Beer in Tampa Palms.

as well as most of my favorite beersfrom places like Japan, Mexico, theCaribbean and the Philippines.

You’ll also find lots of great flat-screen TVs, great beers, fine wines anda selection of finger foods you definitelyshould try. And, with the ad in thisissue, you can get half off your firstdraft beer (through March 31).

World of Beer is located at17004 Palm Pointe Dr. For moreinformation, call 632-0020 or visitWoBTampaPalms.com.

Celebrate Valentine’s DayCelebrate Valentine’s Day

At Café Ole!At Café Ole!My friends at Café Olé in the

Cross Creek Center plaza on CrossCreek Blvd. hope you will try “A TrueTaste of Spain” when you celebrateValentine’s Weekend on Saturday,February 13, with a fixed-price three-course dinner, a Flamenco dance showand much more!

Call Café Olé at 907-5242 forall of the details! Next issue’s Nib-bles will take you inside the newlyexpanded Santo’s Pizza & Pasta andmore! — GN


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Sparkling Clean! Commercial, residential &rentals. Professional service @ affordable prices!Please call 1-630-561-3173

Custom Painting! *Artist* “20 yrs. Exp.” Faux,Murals & designer finishes at bargain prices. Call630-561-3173.

Lawn Maintenance *Commercial*Residential*Rentals*HOA Cleanups*Investment Properties*Complete Lawn Care at Prices you can AFFORD!Service that you can depend on Ken 334-3460.

WINDOW WASHING most windows $6.00incl. inside, outside & sills. “Make Your WholeHouse Shine” 10+ yrs. experience. Convenientappointments. A POINT OF VIEW WINDOWWASHING. Wesley Chapel. 813-973-1451.

Tranquility Pool Service. New Tampa Owned& Operated! Great pricing w/outstanding cus-tomer service. Relax & enjoy while we keepyour pool in pristine swimming condition!Licensed, Bonded & Insured. Call Christoday for a free quote @ 857-5400 or visit usat www.tranquilitypoolservice.com to seewhy we are New Tampa’s #1 choice! Mentionthis ad & receive one month FREE!

Aquatec Pool Service **Special offer! New cus-tomers get 1 Month FREE!** We offer QUALI-TY weekly full service at an affordable price & fol-low strict National Swimming Pool Foundation(NSPF) standards. Licensed & insured. Call today780-8616 or visit our website www.aquate-cpool.com to see why you should choose us!

Enjoy your time & let A.T.B. Landscaping &Lawn Service do the work for you. We providelandscaping, lawn maintenance, clean-ups, tree &hedge trimming, sodding, sprinkler repair & fertil-ization. Other services also available. 907-LAWN

Tai Chi Classes open to the public at Club TampaPalms. New Beg. 6/week course. Tuesdays 7-8pm starts Feb. 16th, Cost-$60. Benefits: Strength,Flexibility, Balance, Focus. On going classes Tues.2:30-3:30 pm, Wed. 8-9 pm. Cost-$10/class.Also personal instruction in Tai Chi, Kempo, Fit-ness training and more. With more then 28 yearsof teaching and training exp. Call Peter today tofind out more #787-7560.

OWN A CATTLE FARM IN COSTARICA for just $600,000. One hour fromSan Jose City. Ten acres with 2 homes, onefor owner w/cable TV and phone, and onefor foreman. 30 heads of Brahman Cattle, 3pure breed "paso fino" horses with new sta-bles. For information and pictures contactGerardo Acosta at [email protected] or ph.813-504-3240.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY

POLICY AS TO STUDENTS.St. James

16202 Bruce B. Downs, Tampa, Fl 33647Admits students of any race,

color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activitiesgenerally accorded or made available to

studentsof the organization. It does notdiscriminate on the basis of race, color,

national and ethnic origin in administrationof its educational policies, admissions

policies, scholarship and loan programs,and other organization-administered

programs.

Everyday Gardener’s Club. Full-serviceproperty maintenance available for residential& commercial. One-stop shopping withlicensed, insured professionals. Specializing inlandscape design with conceptional drawings& renderings available. Let your imagination& our professionals come together to createdreams that will last a lifetime. Call 933-1120or visit www.EverydayGardenersClub.com

Tampa Cat Lady Professional Cat-SittingService. You say goodbye - we say hello. Catsare happiest when in their own home, sur-rounded by familiar sights, sounds & smells.When you are away, we feed, cuddle & playwith your kitties & clean & dispose of litter. Wehelp deter crime by bringing newspaper/mail& rotating lights/blinds, giving your home thatlived-in look. Licensed, bonded & Red-Crosscertified in pet first aid/CPR. Call 994-9449or visit www.TampaCatLady.com.

RAYMOND PAINTING. Interior & exterior,pressure washing, paper hanging, plaster, stucco, tiles,concrete, clean & seal pavers. Licensed & Bonded.References available. Free estimates. YOURNEIGHBORHOOD ARBOR GREENE RES-IDENT. We Work 7 Days. Call 994-5124.

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