A scene from “Zoe’s Party” by Lois Findlay. (Photos provided by Wesley Chapel Theater Group)
What do an elephant in a train station, a Beanie Baby, an unexpected visitor, a Florida hurricane and a grown man who believes in Santa Claus all have in common? They’re all integral parts of the Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG)’s second annual One-Act Festival — Seven plays. Seven stories. One unforgettable afternoon of theater.
This year’s One-Act Festival features seven original short plays by talented Florida playwrights. Directed and performed by local artists, this unique collection showcases some of the most creative original storytelling that can be found throughout our state.
Audiences will enjoy an eclectic mix of both comedy and drama, with each 10-minute play offering a one-of-a-kind story. With everything from laugh-out-loud moments to heartfelt, thought-provoking scenes, this year’s One-Act Festival is sure to have something for everyone. It is a celebration of new works, local voices and the power of live theater to entertain, inspire and connect communities.
A scene from “On the Likelihood of Elephants” by Brian S. Brijbag, Esq.
This year, WCTG took in more than 50 play submissions.
“Narrowing it down to seven shows was not easy,” says WCTG spokesperson Samantha Grahn. “We feel that we have an exceptional lineup. We are especially excited to welcome back playwrights Jessica Burchfield and Keith Whalen, whose works were featured in last year’s production. This collection of shows explores themes of family, enduring friendship and the moments that remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. It is truly a festival you won’t want to miss!”
This year’s Featured One-Act Plays include:
• “Twelve Books” by Philip Middleton Williams
• “Finding Help” by Marj O’Neill-Butler
• “Zoe’s Party” by Lois Findlay
• “On the Likelihood of Elephants” by Brian S. Brijbag, Esq.
• “Priceless” by Samara Siskind
• “Non-Weight Bearing” by Jessica Burchfield
• “Coming to Town” by Keith Whalen
Both performances of the 2026 “One Act Festival” will be held at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, located at 12118 Lake Blanche Dr., Odessa — on Saturday, July 18 & Sunday, July 19, both at 2 p.m. Tickets, which cost $15 for students and seniors and $20 for general admission, may be purchased at WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org.
You have to hand it to Frank Gouveia, the owner of The Grill at Morris Bridge, which has been one of my two favorite restaurants in New Tampa since it first opened back in late 2021.
The restaurant has gone through several chef changes — including losing the most recent chef Mike Touranjoe, who left to become a top chef at a cruise line — but Frank seems to have no problem finding outstanding new talent to lead the restaurant’s culinary team.
The latest case in point is new Executive Chef Zach Thorpe (at right in top right photo, with Frank), who moved to the Tampa Bay area from Phoenix, AZ, five years ago. Zach was most recently a sous chef at Caretta on The Gulf at the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater and he says he is excited for his first opportunity to be an Executive Chef.
“What appeals to me most at The Grill is the chance to use my creativity,” Zach says. “I feel like menu changes are necessary. I look forward to putting my mark on this restaurant in a good way and hope everyone will love my food and the atmosphere we try to create here at The Grill.” He adds that his favorite cuisine types are both Southern and Southwestern American.
“Currently, my favorite items to make off the menu are the shrimp scampi and the ribeye steak,” he says, but he also is already using his creativity on a constantly-changing “Chef’s Features” menu.
On our most recent visit, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I were able to sample three of those Chef’s Features — and we’re hoping that all three will stay on the menu.
We started our meal with Chef Zach’s refreshing and tasty Watermelon Salad (top left), which combined slices of seedless fresh watermelon, spring mix, pickled Fresno chiles, a slightly sweet blueberry compote, feta cheese, pepita (pumpkin) seeds and a delicate white balsamic vinaigrette.
We all also loved the blackened chicken linguine (above right), which had roasted tomatoes, peas, bacon and a light Alfredo sauce that was creamy the Italian way, without being loaded with heavy cream. The blackened chicken had just the right amount of spice, too.
My favorite of the specials was the braised lamb shank (left) which was topped with a rich, savory and slightly sweet port wine reduction and the tastiest, crispiest yucca frites I’ve sampled and fresh broccoli. The lamb was so tender you barely needed a knife to cut it.
I’m also hoping that the crispy pork belly with sweet potato purée, bourbon caramel sauce and candied pecans and the lump blue crab cake (with charred lemon aji Amarillo aioli, jicama, Kohirabi slaw and scallions) will either both be added to the regular menu or at least stick around long enough for us to try them.
But, speaking of seafood (and the regular menu), Charmaine also was able to sample the seafood risotto (below left), which included large shrimp, scallops and a lobster claw, in a lobster cream sauce and micros greens. Charmaine said the seafood was “perfect” and she loved the overall flavor of the risotto.
And, even though we all already loved several of The Grill’s famous “Southshore Bar Pizzas,” we tried one we hadn’t had before — the spicy “New Bedford” pizza (above right), which was topped with hot chicken, onions, scallions and spicy peri-peri sauce. If you’re a beer lover, this super-crisp-crusted New England-style beauty is a perfect complement to a Sam Adams seasonal draft or any of The Grill’s other draft, bottled or canned beers.
Speaking of great bar-friendly food, if you want to watch a World Cup soccer match, The Grill’s bar (right) is a great place to talk “futbol” with other local fans and enjoy an order of crispy grouper bites, mushroom arancini (rice balls) or one of the menu’s many great “Handhelds,” from a ground brisket, short rib and chuck smash burger to a fried, blackened or Nashville hot chicken sandwich to an excellent shaved ribeye sandwich (below left), which is topped with caramelized onions and Swiss cheese on an amoroso roll and served with au jus for dipping.
And, The Grill also has more upscale regular menu items, like the seared Florida grouper (bottom left), served on a bed of goat cheese and pea risotto, with a confit of baby vegetables. The Grill’s fresh fish and the filet mignon and NY strip steaks have always been among mine and Jannah’s favorites in the area and the prime rib (available Fri.-Sun. only) also is extremely tender and seasoned just right.
Other favorite menu items of ours at The Grill include the meatballs and the spinach & artichoke dip “Shareables,” the New England clam chowder, the grilled Caesar salad and the braised beef short ribs in cabernet demi-glace.
If you’re craving dessert, we’re still partial to the Chef’s cheesecake, but we tried the bourbon-glazed chocolate chip bread pudding (below right) and even though I’ve never been the biggest bread pudding fan, it was delightfully dense, not overly sweet and topped with house-made bourbon glaze, a streusel swirl and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Truly delish!
Jannah absolutely loves The Grill’s sparkling French (with Grey Goose vodka, Chambord, LaMarca prosecco and pineapple juice) and strawberry basil martinis and, of course, not only does The Grill have my Jameson, but on this most recent visit, I tried a super-smooth Dunbrody Irish whiskey and will almost definitely be enjoying it on my next visit to the Grill, too.
We don’t usually drink wine when we visit The Grill, but I firmly believe Frank, who was previously in the wine distribution business, has assembled the largest and best wine list in the area, with more Italian reds (Barolos, a Brunello, etc.), California pinot noirs and chardonnays and sparkling options than you’ll find anywhere in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel.
And, The Grill’s wine dinners are legendary and always sell out, so keep your eyes peeled or call to reserve your spot at the next one! Or, to elevate your next event, call Frank about The Grill’s catering.
The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open every day for dinner, and for brunch/lunch and dinner on Sat. and Sun. For more info, call (813) 388-5353, visit TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com, or email Frank at info@thegrillatmorrisbridge.com.
In Addition To Rep. & Dem. Primaries, All Wesley Chapel Registered Voters Can Help Fill 3 School Board Seats Aug. 18!
Roughly six weeks after this issue lands in your mailbox, Primary Elections will be held throughout the State of Florida — on Tuesday, August 18.
Ho-hum, right?
Sure, it’s ho-hum if you only want Pasco County’s Board of County Commissioners to maintain the status quo, if you’re not interested in helping our county decide who should be elected to Pasco’s School Board and/or if you have no interest in helping determine who will run our state government.
But, for those of you who complain in every local social media group about rampant over-development, about all of the problems in our schools and about how the decisions being made at the state level affect your quality of life, Aug. 18 is your chance to start attempting to make a difference.
But, hurry! The deadline to register to vote in the Primary Election is Monday, July 20. The Early Voting Period for the Primary Election is from Saturday, August 8-Saturday, August 15.
Here are the Primary Election races that are up for grabs for Wesley Chapel’s voters:
U.S. Senate — Incumbent Republican Ashley Moody faces three Republican challengers (Neelam Taneja Perry, Ernest “Ernie” Rivera & Chris Gleason). Democrats will choose an opponent from Angie Nixon and Alex Vindman. No-party candidate Neil J. Gillespie will not be eligible for votes until the Nov. 3 General Election.
U.S. Representative — With Florida having now redrawn its Congressional boundaries, some Wesley Chapel voters are now in House District 12 (where Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis is the incumbent), while other Wesley Chapel residents are still in House District 15, where Republican Laurel Lee is the incumbent. Neither Bilirakis nor Lee has a Primary opponent, but registered Democrats will choose an opponent for Bilirakis from Kimberly Overman and Darren McAuley, with no-party candidate Brandon Scrivener joining the fray in Nov.
Meanwhile, while Rep. Lee’s Dem. opponent will either be Christopher Irizarry or Robert People. Write-in candidate Angie Boone (whose name will not appear on the ballot) joins in Nov.
Governor & Lt. Governor — With current Gov. Ron DeSantis reaching his two-term limit, Republicans will choose their nominee on Aug. 18 to replace DeSantis from among eleven candidates, including front-running Congressman Byron Donalds (who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump), current Lieutenant Gov. Jay Collins and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner. There also will be a Democratic primary, where former Congressman David Jolly is the front-runner among six candidates. Jolly also is the only candidate from either party who has his running mate’s name — Gwen Graham, the daughter of former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham — on the ballot with his name. The two major party nominees will be joined on the Nov. ballot by six no-party candidates, five write-in candidates and Libertarian Party of Florida nominee Scott Eckhard Jewett.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) — Incumbent CFO Blaise Ingoglia’s Republican Primary opponent is Frank William Collige. Democrats will choose the Rep. winner’s opponent from Earle Ford and Annette Taddeo.
Commissioner of Agriculture — Incumbent Wilton Simpson’s Republican Primary opponent is Matt “The Welder” Taylor. In Nov., the winner of that Primary will face write-in candidate Kyle “KC” Gibson and the winner of the Democratic Primary between Joey Mendoza Atkins and Donald A. “Don” Prichard.
Florida House District 54 — In the Republican Primary on Aug. 18, incumbent Randy Maggard faces local community activist and long-time firefighter Michael Pultorak, who is running for political office for the first time. With no Democratic or third-party opponent in Nov., the “Closed Primary” winner will face only write-in candidate Paul Bybee in the General Election, whose name will not appear on the ballot.
Circuit Court Judges — There also are two District 6 Circuit Court Judge seats being contested on Aug. 18 and both are Nonpartisan races, meaning all registered voters in Wesley Chapel are eligible to cast ballots for them: Group 39, between Elizabeth “Liz” Constantine and Stefen Diskey; and Group 44, between Oxalis Garcia and Elizabeth “Liz” Jack.
Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BOC) — Although one of Wesley Chapel’s two County Commission districts — Dist. 2, where incumbent Republican Seth Weightman faces Democratic challenger Stephanie Vazquez — won’t be contested until Nov. 3, registered Republicans in Wesley Chapel can cast ballots on Aug. 18 in BOC Dist. 4 (see story on pg. 4), where incumbent Lisa Yeager faces first-time candidate Jonathan Deckard.
The winner of the seat won’t be officially decided, however, until Nov., because there will be a space on the ballot for write-in candidate Louie Rodriguez, even though his name won’t actually appear on the ballot, and I’m guessing the “trading” site Kalshi will offer odds on whether Rodriguez drops out of the race after the primary (as he did in 2022, when he was the write-in candidate for Dist. 2). If so, the winner of the Republican Primary will then be on the Nov. ballot unopposed, as Weightman was in 2022.
Pasco County School Board — Three seats are up for grabs, as two incumbents — Al Hernandez in Wesley Chapel’s Dist. 1 and long-time Dist. 3 incumbent Cynthia Armstrong — have opted to not seek reelection, while Dist. 5 incumbent Megan Harding will be opposed by first-time candidate Michelle Mandarin. Here are the other School Board candidates on the Aug. 18 ballot:
Dist. 1 — We also will preview the District 4 Pasco County Commission & District 1 Pasco School Board races over the next couple of days.
Dist. 3 — In the crowded field for Dist. 3, candidate Matt Geiger lost his bid to unseat Armstrong four years ago. None of the other candidates — Sean O’Flannery, who has previously run for the Pinellas County School Board; Dr. Kirk Phillips, who ran for the Republican nomination against incumbent Brad Yeager for the Florida House Dist. 56 seat in 2024; Erin Stroupe and Mollyana Ward — has run for the Pasco School Board before. In fact, neither Stroupe nor Ward has run for any political office previously, but Pasco Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Legg has endorsed Ward in Dist. 3.
I’m aware that Pasco’s voter turnout is historically pretty low for these Primary Elections — 24.88% in 2022 and 15.88% in 2024 — but please exercise your right to vote this year!
Eight of New Tampa’s eleven Hillsborough County public schools have earned “A” grades from the Florida Department of Education (DoE) this year, including Tampa Palms Elementary, which improved from the “B” it received in 2025.
Only three schools in New Tampa received either a “B” or a “C” grade, including Turner-Bartels K-8 School, which dropped from an “A” in 2025 to a “B” this year. Wharton High also received a “B,” after earning a “C” in both 2024 and 2025, and Freedom High received a “C” again this year.
Overall, the Hillsborough School District received its first-ever “A” grade from the Florida DoE, after earning a “B” each of the last two years.
The Neighborhood News applauds the excellence of our New Tampa schools.
Congratulations to all 21 public and charter schools located in Wesley Chapel, none of which earned lower than a “B” grade from the Florida Department of Education (DoE) for 2026, and a record 18 of those schools earned “A” grades!
Perhaps the biggest news was that New River Elementary improved its grade from a “D” last year to an “A” this year, although seven other schools — Double Branch, Veterans & Wiregrass elementary schools, Cypress Creek and Weightman middle schools, Innovation Preparatory Academy and Wesley Chapel High all improved from a “B” to an “A,” and Watergrass Elementary improved from a “C” to a “B.”
Also, not one school located in Wesley Chapel received a lower grade this year than last, and overall, the Pasco School District received its first-ever “A” grade from the Florida DoE.
“This achievement reflects the incredible dedication of our teachers, support staff, administrators, students and families,” said Pasco Superintendent of Schools D. John Legg in a statement released by the District.
The Neighborhood News applauds the entire Pasco School District’s improvement and the amazing achievements of all 21 public and charter schools located in Wesley Chapel.
