Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Mmm Mmm Good!

Florida Hospital Center Ice Provides The Perfect Venue For The Triumphant Return Of The ‘Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!’

Congrats to all of my friends in the Rotary Club of New Tampa (which meets Friday mornings at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Cub) for successfully bringing back “The Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel,” in partnership with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC).

An estimated crowd of about 2,000 people came to sample the wares from the 49 restaurants and beverage providers my restaurant committee assembled for the event, which was held on March 18, inside surprisingly not cold Florida Hospital Center Ice off S.R. 56.

The food and beverages were awesome — my favorites being the seared ahi tuna from the People’s Choice 1st place-winning Bonefish Grill, the fresh sushi from Olde Heights Bistro, Little Italy’s meatballs, the angus burgers from OTB CafĂ©, the short rib sliders from Twisted Sprocket CafĂ©, Wok Chi’s spring rolls and pot stickers, gnocchi ricotta from Noble Crust (the 2nd-place People’s Choice), chocolate bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes (3rd place) and The Cake Girl’s double chocolate brownies.

563 Pride Students To Move To Hunter’s Green

The School District plans to move students who live in Arbor Greene & Cory Lake Isles to Hunter’s Green Elem. for 2018-19 school year 

**Please note — This story had to be updated after we went to press (on March 17) with our March 24 New Tampa issue. The information about which students the Hillsborough County School District planned to move wasn’t made available to the public or the media until March 21st.

On Thursday, March 30, 6 p.m., officials from Hillsborough County Public Schools will meet with parents at Benito Middle School (10101 Cross Creek Blvd.) to discuss proposed changes to attendance boundaries.

The affected schools will include Pride, Heritage, Hunter’s Green and Clark elementaries. These changes will not take effect for next school year (2017-18), but the following year, starting in August 2018.

Plans outlining the proposed new boundaries were released on the school district’s website on March 21 and are now available at http://www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/doc/251/growth-management/resources/boundary/.

The biggest change in the proposed boundaries is that the students from the University area who currently are being bused into Hunter’s Green and Clark are being reassigned to neighborhood schools closer to their residences to make room for expected growth – about 1,500 homes – in K-Bar Ranch.

Then, the boundaries of the four schools along Cross Creek/New Tampa Blvd., are being adjusted to balance attendance at those schools.

In the proposal, 563 students who live in Arbor Greene and Cory Lake Isles who currently are assigned to Pride will be re-assigned Hunter’s Green, says Lorraine Duffy Suarez, Hillsborough County Public Schools’ general manager for growth management. “We’re changing a lot of students, and I understand that,” Duffy Suarez says. “They have a lot of pride in their Pride, but Pride can’t hold all the students who are going to come there.”

She says moving so many students should give the affected students a measure of reassurance. “The whole neighborhood is moving,” she explains. “You’re going to a different school, but you’re taking 562 of your friends with you. It’s like a big chunk of Pride is now going to be called Hunter’s Green.”

She explains that, while it may be uncomfortable for those who are affected, the change is needed. “We monitor growth, and we know how much growth is coming, and we have to accommodate it,” she says. “Pride was built on land that we bought from K-Bar Ranch. The school was sited there because we knew that development was coming. Now is the time.”

School grades for last year, which are based on test scores, rank Pride and Clark as A schools, Heritage as a B, and Hunter’s Green as a C. For those families moving from Pride to Hunter’s Green, Duffy Suarez says, “You’re not moving from an A school to a C school, you’re taking your A school with you.”

Another proposed change is that students who are residents of the Morgan Creek apartments, just north of the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. exit off I-75 will move from Hunter’s Green to Clark, which affects assignments for 187 students.

Students who live in most of K-Bar Ranch, who currently are assigned to attend Heritage, will move to Pride. This affects 154 students. Some students who move into areas of K-Bar Ranch that are not yet built, along with students in Easton Park, will remain at Heritage.

Duffy Suarez explains these numbers are not exact. “These are the numbers of students who are assigned to (those) schools,” she says. “Not every kid we assign to a school actually goes there.” Some students attend magnet, charter, or private schools, or are homeschooled.

Jason Pepe, chief community relations officer for Hillsborough County Public Schools, encourages all parents and interested community members to visit a special webpage that’s been set up with frequently asked questions regarding the changes that are happening in New Tampa and surrounding areas. It is available at sdhc.k12.fl.us/doc/1831/universityfaqs.

“The purpose of the FAQs is to be transparent,” says Pepe. “We have shared everything we know at this point and we really want to get this information to as many people as possible.”

Comments from parents and the community will be accepted at the meeting on March 30, as well as via email.

Duffy Suarez explains that the meeting will be “open house” style. “We have tables and stations set up for people to ask questions,” she says. “For example, if you’re being changed, you can go talk to the principal of the school you’re moving to.”

She says they’ll have maps set up, and she and her colleagues will be there to explain the maps to those who attend.

There also will be staffers on hand at the meeting who can answer questions about the process for choosing a different school, rather than their assigned neighborhood school.

“Our purpose in this meeting is to hear from (people who are affected by the changes),” Duffy Suarez says. “We will take written comments, and then we (will) come back and sort through it. We can’t make everyone who doesn’t want to move not move, but we will review comments and rationale and can make changes to the proposals.”

Plans outlining the new proposed school boundaries were released on the school district’s website at sdhc.k12.fl.us on March 21 (after we went to press with our latest issue, hitting mailboxes Friday).

These proposed changes will not take effect for next (the 2017-18) school year, but the following year, starting in August 2018.

“It’s important to recognize that these changes are (only) proposed,” says Pepe. “All boundary changes have to be approved by the School Board.”

Comments from parents and the community will be accepted at the meeting on March 30, as well as via email. Changes may be made based on that input before a final recommendation is made by school superintendent Jeff Eakins to the seven-member School Board.

The School Board is expected to consider the proposed recommendation – including any changes made as a result of comments from the community – at its meeting on Tuesday, May 16.

Get Much More Than Just Tax Preparation With Murtha & Murtha CPA

Tom and Patrick Murtha admit that most new clients find their full-service accounting firm, Murtha & Murtha Certified Public Accountants (CPA), around tax season. That’s when people are scrambling to meet deadlines for both their personal and business taxes.

They are quick to point out, however, that with Murtha & Murtha, it’s just the beginning of a personal relationship that lasts year-round.

“We have a tremendous amount of experience,” says Tom.  “We’re here to be your most trusted advisor.”

Tom and Patrick are the father-and-son team who are both partners and owners of the firm, located in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56 (across from Sam’s Club). Kyle Flischel serves as the firm’s senior accountant.

Thomas E. Murtha, CPA, earned his B.S. degree in Management from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, in 1976, and his M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) degree in Accounting from St. John’s University in Queens, NY, in 1981. While he was working on his MBA, Tom also worked as assistant controller in the non-bank financial segment of a major New York City bank.

He moved to Tampa in 1987 and opened Accutax Services, Inc., a non-CPA public accounting business that he sold in 2010. In 1999, he also joined another CPA firm in Englewood, FL, that he eventually bought into — Flischel, Murtha & Associates. When Tom passed his Florida CPA test in 2000, he says it was with the fourth highest score in the state. He’s also taught accounting courses at both Hillsborough Community College in Tampa and at the American Institute of Banking in New York City.

Patrick grew up around his father’s business and met Kyle, the son of Tom’s former business partner, while they were both in high school and helping their dads with tax returns. Patrick and Kyle then both attended the University of South Florida. Patrick now holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Finance and a B.S. in Accounting, while Kyle holds a B.S. in Accounting and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Accounting with a tax concentration.

When the partners opened their firm in 2010, Murtha & Murtha focused on mergers and acquisitions and was located in downtown Tampa. In 2013, the Murthas expanded to a full-service accounting firm and moved to their current Seven Oaks location.

“We work with businesses from startup to $25 million,” says Tom.  “We don’t just juggle numbers. We get our business clients into budgeting.” He explains that businesses with a budget can then compare their budgets to their actual expenses to see where the numbers are out of line.

“When you have a budget, that’s when you start to control your business and keep it from controlling you,” Patrick adds.

Your Company’s CFO?

Murtha & Murtha offers a “CFO retainer package” to help businesses that need the role of a Chief Financial Officer but don’t have the budget to hire a full-time manager. For a fixed monthly fee, the firm provides services such as monthly accounting, annual budgeting and annual market value estimations.

Tom says that’s an important function. “Everyone who owns a business hopes to sell it someday,” he explains, “and hopefully make some income along the way.”

If you buy or start a business, Tom asks, “Is the value of your company going the right way?”

He says it’s important for business owners to take the time to consider these and other questions. “We like seeing our clients be successful,” Tom says. “That’s what makes us successful.”

Jorge Brea, owner of Symphonic Distribution, a Wesley Chapel company that distributes music to iTunes, Spotify and other outlets, is one of the companies that look to Murtha & Murtha for an annual market valuation and other services.

“Truthfully, they’ve been tremendous,” Jorge says. “They’ve helped us take more control of our books and have been really helpful in providing best practices and standards.”

Jorge also says the market valuation service is extremely helpful. “It’s this really cool yearly report that gives you a lot of statistics and data to see how you compare to other companies,” he explains. “It’s information that you can’t just look up on your own.”

Murtha & Murtha’s customized, personal approach is the hallmark of the way the firm works with both its business and individual clients. This isn’t the kind of accounting firm where clients are encouraged to simply drop off a folder and wait for an email. Tom, Patrick or Kyle will sit down with each new client, interview them and really get to know and understand each of them and their unique financial situations.

Responsiveness is another hallmark of Murtha & Murtha. “The number one reason people tell us they’re switching CPAs is because their CPA didn’t return their phone call or emails,” says Patrick. “We have a system in place to be sure we’re communicating with customers well, and we don’t use ‘it’s tax season’ as an excuse (for not returning calls).”

Tom and Patrick say people are often nervous about how expensive it is to hire a CPA to help with taxes. “The reality is that, of course, it costs more than doing it yourself with tax software,” explains Patrick. “But very frequently, we can find more savings, and we can go up to three years back to get refunds.”

He explains that silly mistakes answering simple yes or no questions can have implications that the typical tax software user just doesn’t understand.

“There are a lot of things you can do, and we understand the implications of the decisions you make in how to prepare your taxes,” explains Patrick, a long-time member, former treasurer and current Sergeant-at-Arms of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club. “We always advise what’s in our client’s best interest, not our own.”

Tom adds, “In my 30 years in the business, I have seen everything that can go right, and everything that can go wrong. I like getting into things that are complicated.”

They caution people not to make financial decisions based on tax implications alone. Murtha & Murtha has a strong network of financial advisors, bankers and attorneys to refer their clients.

“It’s great to be aware of tax implications, but what happens when life comes along?” asks Patrick. “We’ll work with your financial advisor throughout the year and look at financial implications and all factors in a decision.”

He adds, “We’ll sit and talk with you, and work together with you. We’re not high pressure, and we’re not trying to sell you on anything. People get intimidated by taxes, but we know the tricks and we’ve got the experience to help you.”

Murtha & Murtha CPAs is located at 2236 Ashley Oaks Cir., Suite 101. For more information, visit TampaTaxFirm.com. To schedule a free consultation, call 991-1120.

Love This Weather? Here Are Three Of My Favorite Restaurants On St. Pete Beach

If you’re loving the weather we’ve been having lately and plan a visit to one of our area’s world-class beaches over the next few weeks, I have some suggestions about some amazing restaurants you should try.

And, if you’ve been watching WCNT-tv (YouTube/WCNT-tv), you know how much I love St. Pete Beach. In fact, I’ve featured one of these three excellent eateries in my “Neighborhood Dining News” segments, and all three of them are located basically within walking distance of each other on St. Pete Beach proper.

All three offer not only still-swimming fresh seafood, but also other equally- high-quality entrées and appetizers. Two are on the pricier side, while the other is one of my favorite value places for my money on any of our local beaches.

In other words, you can’t go wrong with any of them — and please tell them that you heard about them from Gary of the New Tampa Neighborhood News and WCNT-tv!

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Mad Fish

5200 Gulf Blvd.

St. Pete Beach

MadFishOnline.com

(727) 360-9200

Under the direction of Head Chef Oliver Harris, Mad Fish was founded in 2016 to recreate the spirit of early twentieth century visitors who travelled to St. Pete Beach by railroad.

Although it looks to me, from the outside, more like the diners I grew up loving in Long Island, NY (but they never had food like this!), Chef Oliver has brought the old school dining car experience into the future, with innovative new dishes and twists on classic favorites, providing the ultimate dining experience to locals and travelers alike.

Whether you love the look of the place from the outside or not, there’s no doubt that inside this train car, the elegant interior and awesome food, wine and craft beer (not having full liquor is perhaps its only drawback) attract a great-looking, upbeat crowd…for very good reason.

I’ve enjoyed several wonderful meals at Mad Fish, including the 10-oz. aged filet mignon pictured in the previous column, as well as the Chilean sea bass and, since I can’t risk an allergic reaction to what I’m certain is an incredibly crispy lobster-crusted grouper on the menu. I’ve had the grouper without the crusting, and it was amazing. I also can recommend the ahi tuna poke and flash-fried Brussel sprouts appetizers (all of the veggies are awesome) and I plan to try either the chateaubriand for two or the rack of lamb on my next visit, which I will likely pair with a glass of the Familia Zaccardi Malbec “A.”

If you’ve never been to Mad Fish, you really need to check it out soon.

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Selene Fresh Fare & Bar

4945 Gulf Blvd.

St. Pete Beach

SeleneRestaurant.com

(727) 317-2064

My frequent weekend trips to St. Pete Beach have helped me become very well acquainted with the Skiadotis family — the patriarch Nick, who owns Neptune Grill in Gulfport and two of my favorites on St. Pete Beach proper (Selene and Skidder’s; see next item), as well as his son, Teddy, who owns the almost-too-good Craft Kafe in St. Pete, less than ten minutes from the beach.

Selene Fresh Fare & Bar, located about a quarter mile or so further south on St. Pete Beach than Mad Fish, is the most upscale of Nick Skiadotis’ restaurants and it is a big, beautiful, elegant place with prices very similar to those at Mad Fish and even though many of the menu items also seem similar and are also absolutely delicious, both restaurants have different takes on everything from fresh fish to steaks.

Among my favorite dishes to date at Selene are the pistachio-crusted black grouper (photo below), the branzino (whole grilled sea bass), the 16-oz., grain-fed ribeye steak and the beef pappardelle (large, flat noodles with beef short rib ragout, red wine and a rich beef stock with tomato and fresh parsley). There’s also three amazing seafood pastas I unfortunately can’t try as-is, although I’m sure the kitchen would probably make the seafood Americain for me without the Gulf shrimp, as I’m not allergic (at least not so far) to the scallops, clams or grouper in the dish, which is served in white wine, EVOO olive oil, fresh lemon and herbs over linguine with Pecorino Romano cheese.

Selene also is famous for its grilled octopus, fried calamari and crab cakes appetizers and I plan to enjoy the duck spring rolls on my next visit. Selene also features an ultra-premium full-liquor bar, Sunday brunch and live music on Wed., Fri. & Sat. nights.

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Skidder’s Restaurant

5799 Gulf Blvd.

St. Pete Beach

SkiddersRestaurant.com

(727) 360-1029

My first experience with any of the Skiadotis family’s eateries was with Skidder’s Restaurant, which is located almost directly across Gulf Blvd. from the Tradewinds Resort. And, although I’ve heard some people compare the interior of Skidder’s to a diner or IHOP (in part because it is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner), I can assure you that this casual, comfortable restaurant with full liquor bar is the place to go for not only an absolutely delectable grouper or flounder Francaise for dinner (for $20 or less), but also for whatever yu’re craving, from rack of lamb to Greek salads and souvlakis and for Italian-style veal and chicken dishes with pasta and even great New York-style pizza.

Families are welcome, as Skidder’s has a great kids menu, with everything from grilled cheese and hamburgers to spaghetti and meatballs, fried flounder and shrimp, all for just $4.95-$7.95.

Oh, and save room for dessert, as Skidder’s has a great New York-style cheesecake and authentic Greek baklava.   

Dr. Teena Hughes Has Been Treating New Tampa’s Kids For 20+ Years!

Dr. Teena Hughes (second from left, seated) and her happy, professional staff can help keep your kids healthy at Dr. Teena Hughes, M.D., P.A. Pediatrics off E. Fletcher Ave.

While growing up in Orlando, pediatrician Teena Hughes, M.D., decided early in life that she wanted to be a physician and heal young people.

“I always wanted to be a pediatrician,” she says. “That was my ultimate goal since the ninth grade.”

She achieved that goal, becoming a Board-certified pediatrician after earning her M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine, followed by a three-year residency at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

Since then, Hughes has been helping New Tampa families raise healthy children for more than 20 years.

Her experience includes practicing as part of a healthcare group for seven years and now, from her own solo practice in the University Medical Park at E. Fletcher Ave. and N. 46th St., about five minutes south of Tampa Palms Blvd.

Families visiting Dr. Teena Hughes, M.D., P.A., Pediatrics will find plenty of space. The lobby and well-child areas were enlarged, while new bathrooms and exam rooms were added in a recent expansion.

“In pediatrics you don’t get just one person coming to see the doctor,” Dr. Hughes says. “It’s usually (two or more) people in a group, with strollers.”

Services provided to patients start even before a child is born, with free prenatal get-acquainted visits and consultations available for moms-to-be.

Routine exams for school and sports are conducted and Dr. Hughes carries a complete line of vaccines as she recommends that parents follow immunization schedules set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control or as required by their school district.

When it comes to treating childhood afflictions, Dr. Hughes and her team are prepared to treat everything from allergies to whooping cough.

She also is on the staff of the pediatrics department at the nearby Florida Hospital Tampa off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.

The staff also is ready to take care of patients quickly, so the journey back to good health can begin.

“We always offer same-day appointments and try to get everybody in that needs to get in,” Dr. Hughes says. “Otherwise, they’ll just go to a walk-in clinic, but it’s much better to see your regular doctor.”

Receptionist and medical assistant Katie Klovski concurs. “We’re not going to turn them away,” says Klovski. “I want to make sure they’re taken care of and their medical needs are addressed.”

Klovski adds that one thing families can do to ensure things go smoothly during a medical appointment is to bring in your updated insurance cards whenever there are coverage changes.

Treating patients well is just as important a part of the care provided by Hughes Pediatrics as treating them quickly, according to nurse practitioner Brandy Higson, DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice). “It’s important to build a rapport so they feel like they’re getting the proper attention and you can have a trusting relationship.”

Trust is indeed an important part of any healing relationship, says Michelle Blackmon, LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse). “When they trust me, they’re comfortable asking for what they need.”

Blackmon has been with the practice for 14 years and speaks with confidence regarding the staff’s ability to take care of these young patients.

“We can handle anything that comes up,” she says.

Whatever maladies patients bring in the door, receptionist Jessica Archiquette says a caring attitude can help the office’s patients feel better.

“It’s important to show respect and empathy while taking care of their needs,” Archiquette says.

The commitment made by Dr. Hughes and her staff is such that many of their patients continue with the practice through their college years.

“A lot of them still need vaccines for college, so we’ll still see them if they want to come in,” she says.

Having treated an entire generation of children, Dr. Hughes is learning how much some of those patients appreciate her work.

“Some of my original (patients) are now bringing in their own kids,” she says. “It makes you feel like maybe you did a good job.”

Kendra Green is one of those former patients with children who are now patients of Dr. Hughes. She gives the practice five stars in her online Google review.

“It was only right that I trust her with the care of my children as well,” Green wrote. “Any time that I have contacted the after-hours service, I am responded to within the hour. Anyone I know with children, I always recommend this office.”

Also giving Hughes high approval in a Google review is Carly Reed, who writes, “Best caring and friendliest doctor. Teena is the best and she loves the kids and always makes sure to find out what’s ailing them.”

Two of the trends that Dr. Hughes says she finds noteworthy among her patients are growing problems with childhood obesity and diabetes. She says it’s not only important to eat the right foods, but to eat them the right way…as a family.

“It’s important to eat together,” says the longtime New Tampa resident. “You learn more about your children if you eat dinner together.”

Hughes also recommends limiting video games and electronic device usage and increasing exercise with things like walking, bike riding and sports to promote good childhood health.

Having previously worked in a group practice, Dr. Hughes says she finds that she actually likes the business side of what she does. Staying on top of things makes all of the difference as far as having the resources to attract good staff members and treat all of her patients’ needs appropriately.

“I think a lot of doctors just want to be doctors, but you can’t do that when you have your own practice,” Dr. Hughes says. “You have to make sure everything is completed and properly billed. It’s a lot easier to do that now with everything online.”

Most insurance plans are accepted at Dr. Hughes Pediatrics, which also participates in the Florida Healthy Kids program and in Medicaid.

Dr. Teena Hughes, M.D., P.A., Pediatrics is located at 4444 E. Fletcher Ave. For appointments and more information, call 903-0060 or visit TeenaHughesPediatrics.com (where you’ll find useful parenting and health links, as well as downloadable patient registration and history forms).