AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, along with AdventHealth physicians, nurses and other team members across West Florida — spanning Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco, and Pinellas counties —took a bended knee today in silent reflection as part of the White Coats for Black Lives campaign.
The show of solidarity with medical professionals all over the world took place from 1-1:09 p.m. this afternoon, the 8 minutes and 46 seconds in remembrance of 46-year-old George Floyd, who died in police custody on May 25, and countless others.
Those who participated maintained social distance, wore masks and were encouraged to share photos as an expression of support online with #WhiteCoatsForBlackLives.
The #WhiteCoatsForBlackLives movement is centered on combatting :
higher rates of disease among Black communities,
higher barriers of entry to the health care industry for Black individuals,
lower rates of Black medical students, and
the fear among Black individuals to seek medical care.
Here at the Neighborhood News, we get an inordinate number of phone calls asking “Is this Aldi?” and “Are you open yet?”
We’re not sure why, other than Google must be taking many a curious reader to our website, where at least a handful of stories about the Germany-based discount-grocer reside.
Finally, however, we can give the next caller an answer: Wednesday, July 1.
So, why the question mark in the leadline?
In our next issue, which will be hitting your mailboxes any day now, we say the Aldi, located at 2215 Sun Vista Dr. (on the southeast corner of S.R. 56 and Wesley Chapel Blvd.) is opening June 17 because that’s what the Aldi website had posted the day we sent the issue to the printers. Oops!
Official plans for the Grand Opening should be coming soon.Â
ALDI says it has nearly 2,000 stores across 36 states, and is on track to become the third-largest grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022. It carries mostly lesser known brands, and many products can be had at deep discounts compared with other stores.
The Aldi store has been a long time coming for the Wesley Chapel area. The company first approached Pasco County planners about a site near The Grove on S.R. 54 back in 2015. Those plans were scrapped for a different location on the north side of S.R. 56, before being altered again for its current location on the south side of 56, in front of Costco.
Wesley Chapel seniors celebrated their graduation on June 1 at The Grove.
As the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, the 2019-20 school year was forced to come to a premature end.
Senior year, which can be the best and sometimes most eventful year of a teenager’s life, ended with a whimper, instead of a bang.
High school sports, proms and Grad Bashes were canceled. Yearbooks were passed out through open car windows by folks wearing masks. Graduations were postponed until August. Final goodbyes among classmates would have to wait.
As the mother of a Wiregrass Ranch High senior, and the president of the Pasco County Council PTA, Denise Nicholas found it all to be a shame. So, she decided to do something.
With the help of all the PTAs across the county, a host of volunteers and the determination to give all of Pasco’ seniors a sendoff, Nicholas and a team of helpers organized a car parade for the outgoing seniors for every school in the county.
“I brought the idea to my (PTA) board and they were very excited about it,” Nicholas says. “And, we found people to help at each of the schools that do not have PTAs. The schools that do not have PTAs, we found people to help at each of those schools. We really wanted to give the same experience to every senior in the county.”
Here in Wesley Chapel, The Grove shopping center enthusiastically stepped up and offered a parade route in front of its shopping plaza after a few other sites declined.
Cypress Creek and Wiregrass Ranch high schools had their parades — which featured decorated cars and large groups of friends and family cheering along the parade route — on May 19 and 20, respectively, while Wesley Chapel High’s parade, which was delayed by rain, was held June 1.
“Obviously with the pandemic, the (way school ended) was very saddening for our students and their families,” said Monica Ilse, Ed.D., assistant superintendent for Pasco Schools. “But, Denise reached out and wanted to do something to provide some community support for the seniors, which we appreciate beyond words.”
Nicholas had no shortage of volunteers to pull off the project. Pasco County Commissioners Mike Moore and Ron Oakley agreed to introduce the seniors and serve as the parade emcees, local professional photographers Jess Montgomery and Paul Gigante took pictures, Makayla Gulash (aka DJ Night Mixer) provided the music, Troy Stevenson (of Acme On The Go multimedia) also contributed video trucks at each event, and former Tampa Bay Bucs tight end (and father to a Wiregrass Ranch sophomore) Anthony Becht also donated time and services.
Ilse said the county hopes to be able to hold traditional graduations in August at the Yuengling Center on the campus of the University of South Florida, but that will depend upon the CDC and the status of the pandemic. If they can’t be held, she thinks the car parades made a nice send off.
“I took my niece to the Wiregrass Ranch one, and she had a great time,” Ilse said. “It was a lot of fun.”
Nicholas said the smiling senior faces across the county helped end their final years on a happy note, which was her primary goal. “Bryce (her son) thought it was a great idea, but he had no idea how much he would enjoy it,” Nicholas says. “Seeing how his face lit up, to be able to drive in the parade and hear the horns and the cheering and see the signs….it was worth every second.”
The team at the Spinner Law Firm, which has its main office located off S.R. 56 near I-75 in Wesley Chapel, has participated in many community-oriented projects, like helping build homes for Habitat for Humanity.
When people find themselves in need of a personal injury attorney, it’s often one of the most difficult times of their lives. Whether suffering from an injury due to a car accident or another reason, their lives are often marked by pain, confusion, and feeling of being overwhelmed.
Charles Spinner, Esq., is determined that anyone in this situation who calls Spinner Law Firm will experience both excellent legal representation and compassionate, personal service.
“We try to make some very unpleasant legal matters as pleasant as we can,” he says.
The practice was established by Spinner in New Tampa in 2003 but its main office is now located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 near I-75.
Now, almost 18 years later, he says that Spinner Law is one of the most established firms in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area.
“It means that people who are injured as the result of someone else’s carelessness don’t have to go downtown to get access to a highly accredited, experienced and aggressive law firm,” he says.
Before he opened his private practice, Spinner worked for several years as a civil trial and insurance defense attorney. Prior to that, he graduated from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and then received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, in Toledo, OH, in 1996.
Since 2017, Spinner has been peer rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell for personal injury law, which is the highest possible rating for professional excellence and legal ability and adherence to professional standards of ethics.
Originally, he shared a small office in New Tampa with a local accountant, alternating time in the office with office administrator Vicki Portfolio, because the space was only large enough for one person.
Vicki is still Spinner Law’s office administrator, and the practice has grown through the years, with the addition of two attorneys and ten staff members.
“Our case load covers everything from relatively minor car accidents to complex cases resulting in catastrophic injuries and death,” Spinner says. “We collaborate as a firm, and we welcome and invite everyone’s input. Our cases are about strategy and details. Having three highly experienced attorneys, and three sets of eyes instead of just one, that’s the advantage.”
Former State Representative Danny Burgess (3rd from left), who is now the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, poses for a picture with the attorneys from the Spinner Law Firm (l.-r.) Patrick Barnes, Anissa Morris and Charlie Spinner. Â
While Spinner Law Firm spends much of its time handling personal injury cases, some clients get help with estate planning, preparation of wills and trusts, probate and trust administration.
Many of those matters are handled by attorney Anissa Morris, who joined the firm in 2011.
In large part because of Morris, Spinner reports that the firm has written more than 1,000 wills for people in the community.
Often, these are for young families who are starting to acquire assets, such as buying their first home, or couples who relocate and need to establish a Florida will, or someone with an elderly parent who needs help putting their affairs in order.
Welcoming…
Attorney Patrick Barnes is the newest member of the team. Barnes joined Spinner Law in February, after working the past seven years in Colorado.
“Patrick worked for two of the most well-established personal injury firms in Colorado, so he brings a fresh perspective,” says Spinner. “He’s very forward- thinking.”
Thanks to Barnes’ influence, Spinner says the firm has improved some of its practices and technology, which has been especially helpful during the Covid-19 crisis.
“We’ve all established at-home workstations with every amenity we have at the office,” Spinner says, “so we’ve been able to make the best of this situation and not miss a step to continue moving our cases forward.”
But, they look forward to getting back to normal, so they can again invite their clients to stop by anytime.
“We have an open door policy,” Spinner says. “Some firms discourage phone calls or coming in to see the lawyer, but we encourage it. Come in and meet with us. We’re always accessible, and our staff is friendly.”
Plus, they’re your neighbors — all of the lawyers and staff members live and work in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.
“We have a strong foundation, from our kids attending local schools, churches and (participating in) youth sports, to belonging to local service organizations,” says Spinner. “We take great pride in the fact that this is our community.”
Spinner Law Firm supports local high school athletics, youth sports leagues and charitable organizations with both financial contributions and what Spinner calls “boots on the ground” participation.
That includes 145 hours of volunteer work so far in 2020. The team spent an entire day working on a Habitat for Humanity home build project, shortly after putting on a cruise-themed Valentine’s Day party for residents at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’Lakes. Team members also participated in the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club’s Duck Derby and other activities.
Barnes and marketing director Jennie Yingling are both members of the Wesley Chapel Rotary (Spinner himself is a former member) and the firm also is a member of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.
The attorneys and staff at Spinner Law take their commitment to people seriously, whether it’s through volunteer work or serving clients.
A local resident named Julie, who asked that we only use her first name, was grateful she reached out to Spinner Law Firm when she was injured in a car accident. “If I had to rate them, there’s not enough stars,” she says. “They’re above and beyond.”
She explains that the car accident left her in pain, but it was a while before she realized how serious her injuries were. She went to Spinner, and she says they referred her to a doctor who helped her get the care she needed. Then, her husband was diagnosed with cancer. “My husband died the day after my surgery,” she says. “The Spinner team was there for me when I needed them the most.”
While also handling her personal injury case, Spinner Law Firm also helped Julie get her husband’s affairs in order.
Julie says that at first, she was hesitant to hire an attorney about her injury because she didn’t want to deal with a lawsuit and didn’t know who she could trust. But now, she’s so glad she called Spinner. “They are unbelievable when it comes to caring,” she says. “It’s truly like a family.”
Spinner himself says his goal is for every potential client to have a similar experience. “From making their first phone call to us, we want them to have the best experience possible,” he says. “We want them treated respectfully. Then, we spend time understanding their needs, goals and objectives, getting to know them and how we can best serve them.”
Spinner Law Firm offers a comprehensive consultation for all legal matters at no charge. The firm is located at 2418 Cypress Glen Dr. in Wesley Chapel. For more information, call (813) 991-5099 or visit SpinnerLawFirm.com.
Adriane & Mike Wonderlin will be opening a new Budget Blinds showroom in a few months at the KRATE container park in The Grove off S.R. 54. (Photos courtesy of Adriane Wonderlin)
Considering the amount of time you have probably spent looking longingly out your windows the past few weeks while quarantined, have you noticed that maybe your window treatments aren’t as attractive as they could be? Do your drapes look a little outdated? Do your shutters need to be modernized? Is there too much sun coming in and driving up those electricity bills?
Budget Blinds can solve all of those problems, and more.
Lexington Oaks residents Mike and Adriane Wonderlin are owners of the Budget Blinds franchises in Greater Tampa, Brandon and Lakeland. North Tampa has the nearest showroom, which is located on W. Fletcher Ave. near I-275, two exits south of Wesley Chapel’s S.R. 56 exit. The Wonderlins have a second showroom in Riverview, which serves their customers in the Brandon and Lakeland ares.
However, Wesley Chapel residents will have even easier access to the almost unlimited selection at Budget Blinds in a few months. The Wonderlins have already signed a lease for another showroom at the upcoming container park called KRATE by Gold Box at The Grove.
“Wesley Chapel, Land O’Lakes, Lutz, that whole area is still growing like crazy,” Mike says. “That’s why we decided to open a third showroom.”
Mike and Adriane have owned the local Budget Blinds franchises for two years. In January of 2019, they expanded by purchasing the Lakeland territory.
The current showroom in Tampa has been open since 2013.
Budget Blinds was founded in 1992 in Orange County, CA, and has more than 1,100 franchises in the U.S. and Canada. The Wonderlins’ franchise has been named the company’s Franchise of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and finished second in 2019.
While Adriane says some of their customers know exactly what they want, many don’t, due to the countless design and style combinations available. That’s where Budget Blinds comes in and offers service that few others can match.
“I didn’t know what I needed, I just knew I wanted some blinds that my two large dogs wouldn’t destroy,” says Tara LeBlanc, whose Palm Cove home in Wesley Chapel has glass sliders in the back that receive a lot of sunlight. “I called Budget Blinds and they sent a consultant who was very nice, showed us a bunch of samples, went over the warranty and came up with the solution. Now, I have blinds that go up and down horizontally, they don’t get in the way of the doggie door and it’s actually pretty cool.”
LeBlanc adds that she also will be having solar shades installed. She said she has wanted to do her back windows for years, but thought it would be too expensive. But, she says she gave Budget Blinds a budget, and discovered it wasn’t nearly as pricey as she thought.
Whether it’s shutters or drapes or anything in between, Budget Blinds has what you need.
The Wonderlins have a staff of 27 consultants and have added an operational management team to its staff — installation manager Bill Tumelty, a U.S. Army veteran, and administrative manager Kristi Cicollelo.
Tumelty is one of a few military veterans who work for the Wonderlins.
“It was really important to us to find someone that was in the service,” says Mike, whose company partners with Homes For Our Troops by doing the window treatments for wounded veterans.
Additionally, Budget Blinds hired a drapery consultant, Terri Williams, who specializes in soft treatments such as drapery panels, Roman shades, and pillows.
Whether you’re looking for improved aesthetics or smarter energy consumption — or, like many customers, a little bit of both — Budget Blinds can steer you in the right direction. And, don’t let the coronavirus pandemic slow you down — Budget Blinds has adapted and offers “no-contact” service.
“We are here to help you with your next home renovation project,” Mike says. “But the well-being and safety of our customers is always our top priority. We’re continuing to follow all guidelines and updates suggested by the CDC and local departments of public health. We are currently operating under a no-contact consultation procedure for sales and installation appointments due to the coronavirus.”
It might be a good time to find a deal as well, while helping a locally-owned business.
“Shopping local has never been more important,” Mike says. “Our vendors have offered some additional discounts to help us due to Covid-19, and we’ll be passing those savings along to our customers.”
Budget Blinds offers a complete line of window coverings.
Blinds come in vinyl, wood, fabric, faux wood and aluminum. Shutter options range from real wood (in painted or stained) and also composite shutters that don’t fade or warp.
If you prefer shades, you can choose from roller, pleated, Roman, cellular, woven wood, bamboo, sheer, solar and graphic, not to mention a variety of panels, valances and drapes.
Budget Blinds has recently renewed a partnership with Mirasol Shutters, which has been around since 1991 and offers shutters made right here in Florida (customers can have them installed in as little as 7 days, with express shipping).
Mirasol Shutters feature a number of different collections depending on your needs (including arched window treatments), and are made of a 100-percent recyclable composite core that mimics the look and texture of natural wood but isn’t susceptible to the same moisture, UV damage or dents and chips as wood.
While you can find window treatments at a variety of big box stores, having a consultant visit your home and make suggestions is a touch those bigger stores rarely offer. Budget Blinds can find the right style and product to match your bedding, walls and floors.
“Our niche in the market is somewhere between a big box store and calling a decorator,” says Adriane. “Our design consultants don’t just go out and give a quote; they actually help design (your window treatments).”
And, Budget Blinds’ warranties are better, too. “You can buy the same exact line at Home Depot,” Mike says, “but you won’t get the same warranty.”
Budget Blinds only uses experts in the window treatment industry, and never uses independent contractors. Budget Blinds installers are employees, and Tumelty insures that every installation is done with the company’s commitment to quality.
Budget Blinds also is a leader in the “smart” products line, which allows you to open your drapes or raise your blinds from the comfort of your couch or bed by using your smart phone or devices like Alexa and Google Home.
In 2016, Budget Blinds began offering a “Smart Homes by Budget Blinds” partnership with the smart home company Lutron. The Tampa-area franchise was one of just 15 locations to pioneer the concept, introducing smart shades, lighting and thermostat controls for its customers.
That’s a big deal in neighborhoods such as Estancia,The Ridge, and Esplanade, where homeowners have nice conservation views, and people don’t want to have to go behind the couch to pull the cord to open or close their window treatments.
“There’s a big push for motorization and automation,” Mike says. “In five years, that’s all you’re going to see.”
Automation even allows you to set times for the drapes or blinds to open and close. Scheduled correctly, you can be awakened in the morning by natural sunlight as your blackout shades gradually rise, or change the ambiance of your whole home after the sun has set, all with the press of a button or a voice command.
Budget Blinds of Greater Tampa is located at 1208 W. Fletcher Ave. The showroom hours are Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sat. To schedule a complimentary in-home consultation, call (813) 968-5050. For more info, visit BudgetBlinds.com/NorthTampa.
