Phase 1A Of County’s New Branchton Park Opens On Morris Bridge Rd. 

Congratulations to the Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation Department, which has now opened Phase 1A of a new $6.7-million multi-phase expansion of Branchton Park at 15508 Morris Bridge Rd., less than a half-mile south of Cross Creek Blvd. 

On a frosty cold Jan.23, Hillsborough’s director of Parks & Recreation Rick Valdez, District 2 County Commissioner Ken Hagan, park project manager Jason McKenzie, New Tampa resident and Dist. 4 Comm. Christine Miller’s legislative aide Rico Smith were among those who cut the ribbon on the new 43-acre park. 

Valdez said the new park includes a splash pad (which wasn’t yet open, but it was too cold to try that day anyway), a large playground area (with a blue turf facsimile of the Hillsborough River running through it), plus several changing rooms, restrooms and a “Cop Cabin” where Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office (HCS) deputies can have a desk, a lounge (with a working fireplace) and a place to keep an eye on what’s happening in the park. 

Also under construction in Phase 1B are six pickleball courts, large- and small-breed dog parks and an additional restroom. Phase 1B is expected to open by no later than March of this year. 

Phase 2, which is funded and includes renovations to the original 19-acre Branchton Park, also is expected to include a zipline (in partnership between the county and a private contractor, who has not yet been selected) and an event center. Valdez said Phase 2 will take about two years to build. 

“I am thrilled to be here this morning as the commissioner who championed this project for over a decade,” Comm. Hagan said prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony. “How this occurred is that, for six years, I lived around the corner, off Cross Creek Blvd. And every day, I would drive on Morris Bridge Rd., because before we widened Bruce B. Downs (Blvd.), the traffic was terrible. 

“So, I’d go down Morris Bridge, and I’d always look over here and see this beautiful area and I would never see more than two or three people on the basketball courts or in the little picnic area. And I just remember thinking that we could really do something special and make a destination here. Well, many years later, we’ve created it [and we] worked closely with the New Tampa community to get the amenities the residents wanted to see here.” 

Hagan added, “This park will serve 45,000+ people within a ten-minute drive of this area.” 

For more info, visit HCFL.gov. 

Sindbad Is Now Open In Former Bang-Bang! Bowls Location In The Pebble Creek Collection

Although we told you it was getting ready to open last issue, the second Sindbad Tampa restaurant — which features smoothies, juices, crepes, desserts, cakes, ice cream and more — is now open in the former location of Bang-Bang! Bowls in the Pebble Creek Collection (19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite C-2). 

The original Sindbad location is at 10933 N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace, and while the shop has a Middle Eastern-sounding name (Sindbad the Sailor is a fictional character from Baghdad), owners Laith Mahdawe and his wife Raghad Alkalide (who are Middle Eastern; top left photo), say their daughter-in-law, who is Mexican, was the inspiration for Sindbad’s many Mexican and Latin juices and other menu items. 

Although the new Sindbad was only open for two weeks at our press time and didn’t yet have all of its menu available, photographer Charmaine George and I definitely were impressed with the store’s incredible array of fresh fruits and veggies (photo below) that Laith and Raghad use to make fresh smoothies and juice drinks. We did also sample a few beverages, including a banana-strawberry smoothie (so fresh!) and a pure watermelon breeze juice served in a half of a small watermelon (Charmaine loved it). Sindbad also features juice drinks specifically created to help with everything from kidney stones to memory loss to indigestion (bottom left photo). 

We also enjoyed two dessert items — a slice of chocolate cheesecake with a scoop of fresh Hershey’s strawberry ice cream, and an unexpectedly delicious croissant ice cream sandwich filled with caramel ice cream. Both of the desserts were served with whipped cream and a couple of fresh strawberries. Both Hershey’s ice cream flavors we sampled (there are about a dozen flavors, and soon to also be served with Sindbad waffles), were creamy and tasty. 

For more info, visit “Sinbad Tampa” on Facebook or call (813) 443-9692 and please tell Laith and Raghad I sent you! — GN 

Enter Our FREE, Online-Only Academy Awards & ‘Big Game’ Contests! 

With pro football’s “Big Game” being played on Sunday, February 16, and the televised “Oscars” broadcast two weeks later — on Sunday, March 2 â€” we decided to have both our annual FREE “Big Game Squares” contest and our occasional FREE “Oscars” contests be online-only this year, to give everyone an equal chance to enter and win.

To be given a square in our “Big Game Squares” contest, sponsored by Gas N Grills on Livingston Ave., CLICK HERE. Our Grand Prize, for having the winning square representing the final score between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, is a $200 gift card to the restaurant of your choice, anywhere in the Tampa Bay area! The owner of the square representing the score at halftime will win a $100 dining gift card and having the winning squares at the end of the first or third quarters of the “Big Game” will win you a $50 dining gift card. So, CLICK HERE to enter now. 

And, with the Oscar winners being announced on March 2, CLICK HERE to enter our 2025 “Oscars Contest,” sponsored by B&B Theatres at The Grove. You will be asked to predict the winners of each major category for a chance to win the Grand Prize of dinner for two, plus top-level movie tickets, popcorn & beverages to a movie at B&B Theatres. There also will be five runners-up who each will receive two free top-level movie tickets at B&B Theatres.

There is no purchase necessary to enter either of these contests, but you will have to provide your real first & last name, the community you live in, your daytime telephone number & your valid email address to enter either contest. For more info, including the official rules of both FREE contests, email us at ads@ntneighborhoodnews.com. Good luck!

In years past, we’ve run either a “Big Game Squares” or an Academy Awards contest — or both — in our New Tampa and Wesley Chapel print editions. 

Both contests, especially the Squares, take up a lot of space in our print issues and often would only allow readers in one of our distribution areas to enter that contest by reading our print editions, which always ended up with a lot more entries from that one area, and sometimes, other readers would end up getting shut out of that contest altogether — and that seemed unfair to me. 

So, rather than give one group of print edition readers an unfair advantage over the other, I decided that this year, we would offer both of these popular contests online only. 

Of course, since the next Wesley Chapel issue won’t hit mailboxes until after the Big Game, only those of you who receive our New Tampa edition are finding out about both contests in print, even though both of them will be posted on our Facebook page no later than Friday, January 31, and we will limit our Squares contest to the first 100 entrants (we allowed 200, or two full “grids,” last year), so it may be too late to enter by the time this issue reaches your mailbox. 

Now of course, I know that not everyone has a computer or smart phone to enter online, but surely everyone knows someone who does who could enter for you. To that end, online-only seemed to be the best way to give readers in both distribution areas the same opportunity to enter. 

So, here’s how the two contests will work: 

‘Big Game Squares’ 

This has become our second most popular contest, behind our annual Dining Survey & Contest, as even non-football fans usually watch the Big Game — even though some only watch for the commercials and/or halftime shows. 

Non-football fans who would never place a bet (legal or otherwise) love the Squares contest because it’s entirely about luck — you either have a square that wins one of our gift card prizes or you don’t. And, since the winning squares are determined by the score at the end of each quarter and can sometimes change at the last possible moment, having a square may be the only thing that keeps non-football-fans watching the Big Game until the very end. 

So, CLICK HERE and provide us with your REAL (you’d be surprised how many fake entries we receive in our contests) first AND last name, the community you live in, email address and daytime phone number. 

If you give us all of the proper information, you will receive an email from me that says, “Congratulations, you will be assigned a square in this year’s ‘Big Game’ Contest! Once all of our 100 squares have been filled, we will email you again with the score digit for each team that will allow you to WIN!” 

For those who don’t know how these Squares contests work, the squares are assigned in the order they are received, but the numbers representing the last digit of the score for each team aren’t randomly assigned until all 100 squares are filled. 

Your second email will say, “Your square is KC 7, Phi 6.” That means if the score is 7-6 Chiefs (or 27-26, etc.) at the end of any quarter, you’d win the prize for that quarter — anywhere from a $50 to a $200 gift card to the restaurant of your choice anywhere in the Tampa Bay area. It’s fun and absolutely free — no purchase is ever required to enter any of our contests. 

‘Academy Awards Contest’ 

We’ve only been able to even have this contest a few times in the past because of the timing of when the nominees are announced to when the annual Academy Awards are held. 

As devastating as the uncontrolled wild fires in California have been, the fires caused both the announcement of this year’s nominees and the televised red carpet gala itself to be delayed — so much so that we actually have time to have this FREE contest this year as well. 

Here’s how it works: Once again, provide us with your REAL first AND last name, the community you live in, email address and daytime phone number. In addition, we ask each entrant in this contest to please pick the winner in each of the following major Oscars categories: 1. Best Picture, 2. Best Actress, 3. Best Actor, 4. Best Supporting Actress, 5. Best Supporting Actor, 6. Best Director & 7. Best Animated Feature. 

If only one entrant picks the winners in the most categories, they will win a prize package to the B&B Theatres at The Grove, with movie tickets, popcorn, dinner & drinks, valued at $200. 

If more than one entry has the same number of correct picks, the winner will be drawn at random from all tied entries. Each of the other tied entries will receive two B&B movie passes. CLICK HERE to enter.

Silva’s Coffee Grind For Real New York Bagels, Breakfast & Lunch! 

Silva’s Coffee Grind owners Hiram & Angela Silva invite you to visit their trailer in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply on S.R. 54 for yummy sandwiches like the pastrami & Swiss (below right) or the egg white triple stack (below left). (Photos by Charmaine George)

A few months ago, when we first told you about Hiram and Angela Silva’s new Silva’s Coffee Grind (located in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply on S.R. 54, a little west of Morris Bridge Rd.), Hiram had told us that he was planning to expand his menu, based on his own creativity, as well as on customer requests. 

“I’ve always loved to cook,” Hiram says. “I’m just having fun with this menu. Obviously, our kitchen inside the trailer isn’t big, so I’m a little limited, but I’ve already added a couple of new items.” 

Hiram says his favorite new item is the egg white triple stack pesto delight (left photo). It offers at least two eggs worth of egg whites, plus juicy turkey, Swiss cheese, fresh green leaf lettuce and Angela’s homemade mayo-pesto spread — and you also can add crispy bacon to it for just $2 more. 

My personal favorite new item, however, is the Boar’s Head pastrami & Swiss topped with sauerkraut, pickles and Thousand Island dressing. I had it the way it’s shown here (below right), on three slices of rye toast, but I definitely plan to try it on a sesame or everything bagel next time. It comes with a free bag of chips, too. 

As I mentioned in my first “Nibbles & Bytes” item about Silva’s back in October, I definitely felt close to these fellow New Yawkas from the get-go, especially because it was obvious how much care Hiram puts into his food. His fried egg, bacon and American (or Swiss) cheese breakfast “sammie” on a toasted sesame bagel definitely reminds me of home. And yes, Hiram is happy to make your egg sandwich with scrambled eggs or even egg whites and put it on a fresh croissant (Jannah’s favorite). 

In addition to the pastrami, I’m also partial to Silva’s turkey pesto BLT and tuna salad sandwiches (the tuna comes with a bag of chips, too). 

And, even though I’m mainly a coffee guy — and Silva’s has delicious brewed coffee (available with flavor shots, like vanilla or caramel) — there also are espresso drinks like hot or iced cappuccinos, lattes, mochas and cafe con leches, hot chocolate, a variety of hot or iced teas, lemonade and smoothies made with real fruit purĂ©e, creamy smoothies like toasted marshmallow, lavender and pumpkin spice, as well as vanilla, caramel, double mocha or green tea matcha drinks. Mango or strawberry bursting bobas also can be added to your cold beverage or smoothie. There’s even handmade fruit sorbets. 

But, the one item I haven’t tried yet that I promise I will sample on my next visit is an espresso affogato, which is two scoops of vanilla ice cream with a double shot of espresso poured over it, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and a sprinkle of cookie crumble. Is it a drink? Is it a dessert? YES! 

You also can order a dozen or half-dozen of Silva’s real NY bagels (below) that will be ready for pick-up in 2-3 days. I promise they’re legit — and so are their Silva’s Coffee Grind gift cards! 

Silva’s Coffee Grind is located at 34100 S.R. 54 and is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. For more information, search “Silvas Coffee Grind” on Facebook or “@ Silvas.coffee. grind” on Instagram. Also, see the ad below for a coupon that gets you 10% off all food and beverages at Silva’s. And please remember to tell Angela and Hiram I sent you! 

Angela makes your favorite coffee drinks and also can sell you a Silva’s gift card.

Antonyia McCray & Bonnie Walters Win District Honors! 

Leto High’s Edward Bryson Beats Out New Tampa’s Roxi Coriell & Adam Wilinsky For ‘Teacher Of The Year’ 

Hillsborough County Public Schools named the following winners of its “Excellence in Education” awards at the District’s annual awards event at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa on Jan. 23: (l.-r.) Tampa Palms Elementary’s principal’s secretary Bonnie Walters was named the Instructional Support Employee of the Year, AICE history teacher Henry Bryson of Leto High was named the 2025 Teacher of the Year and Freedom High success coach Antonyia McCray won the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year honors. (Photo courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Schools) 

 As we told you on page 1 of last issue, New Tampa’s Hillsborough County Public Schools had four finalists waiting to hear if they would win the District’s coveted “Excellence in Education” awards for 2025. 

When those winners were announced, at the Jan. 23 “Mission to the Stars” Excellence in Education awards event, held at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa, two of New Tampa’s four finalists were the proud recipients of their respective honors. 

First, Freedom High success coach Antonyia McCray was named the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year. Next, Tampa Palms Elementary principal’s secretary Bonnie Walters won the award as the District’s Instructional Support Employee of the Year. 

All that was left for it to be a clean sweep for New Tampa schools was for either Hunter’s Green Elementary Kindergarten teacher Roxanne (“Roxi”) Coriell or Pride Elementary fifth grade math & science teacher Adam Wilinsky to be named as the District’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. 

Freedom High success coach Antonyia McCray is clearly happy about being named the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year.

Sadly, the sweep wasn’t meant to be, as Henry Bryson, the Advanced International Certificate (AICE) history teacher at Leto High, was named the winner of the evening’s final, and most coveted, prize. Even so, it was an amazing night that Jannah and I were thrilled to attend. 

It had been many years since I last attended a Hillsborough Education Foundation Excellence in Education Awards event, but I am so glad Jannah and I attended the one on Jan. 23 at the Straz Center together. Although I can’t personally vouch for any of the finalists, if you think your children’s teachers and support staff in New Tampa’s schools aren’t amazing, I have seen clear evidence that at least some of them actually are. 

Our favorite parts of the evening’s festivities were the speeches by the student “escorts” for each of the finalists. Each of these young people, from age eight or nine to college age, spoke such impassioned words about their current or former teachers (and support staffers) that we couldn’t help but shed tears of joy for many of them — including the finalists that weren’t from New Tampa’s public schools. So, here are some excerpts from the students speaking on behalf of each of the New Tampa finalists. 

Michael, a Freedom High senior, speaking about the school’s success coach, Antonyia McCray: “With her outgoing personality, her unwavering kindness and dedication to her students, Ms. McCray has become a beacon of hope for anyone fortunate enough to cross her path. She has a unique ability to connect with individuals from all walks of life. Her vibrant personality creates an atmosphere of positivity and warmth, which helps even the most hesitant of students achieve their childhood aspirations. 

Tampa Palms Elementary principal’s secretary Bonnie Walters, with TPE 3rd grader Ethan. 

“Ms. McCray always make sure that no student feels left behind. She is a trusted figure that students feel comfortable turning to for guidance. She understands that every individual faces unique challenges. She is much more than just a success coach. She is an amazing mom, mentor, second mom and wife and I love her so much.” 

Ethan, a third grader at Tampa Palms Elementary, speaking about principal’s secretary Bonnie Walters: “I have the honor to speak about someone who is truly the heartbeat of our school, Ms. Bonnie. Every morning, Ms. Bonnie greets me with kindness and a smile, no matter how busy she is. I have known Ms. Bonnie my entire life because my mom is a teacher at Tampa Palms. 

“Even after all these years, I still get excited to see her every single day. Our school is truly blessed to have her. Every school should be lucky enough to have someone like Ms. Bonnie. Parents, students, teachers and staff all know they can count on her. No matter what we need, she’s always there with a smile and a helping hand. When my mom told me Ms. Bonnie was nominated for this award, I was so happy because now everyone can see that Ms. Bonnie is one of a kind and we are so fortunate to have her at Tampa Palms! Thank you!” 

Hunter’s Green Elementary Kindergarten teacher Roxi Coriell may not have been named the Teacher of the Year, but her former student Annabelle made her feel like a winner anyway. 

Annabelle, now a Benito Middle School sixth grader, speaking about her Kindergarten teacher at Hunter’s Green Elementary, Roxanne “Roxi” Coriell: “Looking back at your childhood, everyone has that one teacher…the one teacher that influenced you, the one teacher who made you the amazing person you are today. The teacher that makes you smile, laugh and spreads joy. Well, for me, that teacher came along when I was just five years old. That was the year I walked into Kindergarten with Ms. Coriell. I was new to the area and didn’t know anyone. But the minute I walked in through that classroom door, I was immediately happy and not scared anymore. I knew this was going to be the best year ever. She would always make me feel better with her warm smile and her joy. 

“But what I loved most was Ms. Coriell’s kindness. I know I’m lucky. Not everyone gets to meet their special teacher on their first day of school. This is the teacher who made the difference in my life, who inspired me, who is still teaching me. That teacher is Ms. Coriell!” 

Tanya, now an eighth grader at Benito, speaking about her fifth grade teacher at Pride Elementary, Adam Wilinsky: “I’m here to talk about how Mr. Wilinsky has impacted my life. I was taught early, and told often, that teachers are the most important members of society and belong to the most honorable profession. And, Mr. Wilinsky, you were the best example of this. Mr. Wilinsky is more than just a great teacher. [He is] an inspiration. His passion for teaching is infectious. He sparked a love for learning in me and all of my classmates. He makes every lesson come alive with his creativity and enthusiasm. Fifth grade was the most unforgettable year because of him. His patience and understanding created a safe space for me and so many other students to ask questions and take risks. 

Pride Elementary 5th grade Math & Science teacher Adam Wilinsky’s former student Tanya did the same for him. 

“I still remember when Mr. Wilinsky gave me the opportunity to teach the class a lesson about electricity. I was very nervous at the time because talking in front of my classmates was intimidating. But, when Mr. Wilinsky gave me that ‘thumbs up,’ I knew I had nothing to worry about. He showed me the importance of believing in myself, even when that seemed impossible. He helped me boost my confidence and become the person I am today. He taught us more than just facts and figures. He showed me and my classmates the importance of kindness, perseverance and courage. Mr. Wilinsky, thank you for being such a wonderful teacher and an inspiration. You made a difference in my life and I’m so grateful for that. Congratulations!” 

And, even though neither Coriell nor Wilinsky took home the title of 2025 Teacher of the Year for the District, McCray and Walters both got to make their own speeches as the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator and the Instructional Support Employee of the year, respectively: 

McCray: “It is such an honor to be standing here today accepting the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year award. This moment is truly humbling and I feel incredibly blessed. I want to take a moment to reflect on what this award means to me personally and what it means to me in the context of my role as Freedom High success coach. 

“First, this award is a reminder of the importance of diversity and inclusion. As a student success coach, I believe every student deserves the support, encouragement and resources they need to succeed. For me, it’s not just about helping student reach their academic milestones, it’s about creating an environment where they feel valued, heard and seen. I truly believe in the power of education to transform minds and I’m inspired by the idea that, as educators, we have the privilege to guide students on their journeys, helping them grow as individuals with the ability to shape their futures…and to watch them grow and succeed.” 

McCray, who has been at Freedom for her entire eight-year career, first as a math teacher, also thanked her husband, her family and her colleagues — “My Freedom family…Thank you so much for providing me with a platform for me to do this work in an environment that truly values inclusion, equity and student success. I am deeply grateful to be a part of this community and to receive this award, not just as recognition of my work, but as a reminder that we are all contributing to something much bigger than ourselves. Thank you all for this honor and for your continued commitment to diversity in education.” 

In addition to her role as success coach, McCray also serves as a FACE ambassador, Title 1 liaison and SAC chair. She holds a Master’s degree in Exceptional Student Education and gained international teaching experience through a service-learning program in Ghana, where she worked with children at a local orphanage. 

Walters: “Thank you to Ethan — you’re such a trooper — and to my family, my friends, for coming out here on a school night, and for supporting me. Thank you to Tampa Palms Elementary. I just couldn’t think of being in a better place and, thank you to my administrators, past and present, for all of your support. And, thank you to Mr. Ayres (Superintendent of Schools Van Ayres) and to the Education Foundation and everyone for supporting me. “ 

Walters has dedicated 27 years to Hillsborough County Public Schools, beginning as a one-on-one aide in an ESE classroom before serving as a clinic aide and as a Secretary 1. She has been TPE’s principal’s secretary since 2012 and has won the school’s Support Employee honors multiple times, but this is her first time being a District finalist and award winner. She has coordinated TPE’s HeartFELT program, partnering with a local church to provide food for students in need. She also organizes canned food and clothing drives and the school’s annual Turkey Trot. 

Congratulations to all of New Tampa’s finalists and our two award winners!