Recapping The New Tampa Performing Arts Center’s First Fall Festival 

Dancers from the Tampa City Ballet catch some air during the ballet company’s performance at the first-ever Fall Festival at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center Sept. 8-10. (Photo by Charmaine George and Gary Nager)

If you somehow missed the first-ever Fall Festival at the all-new New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC), you missed a truly special weekend (Sept. 8-10) of 100% free performances of virtually every kind. 

A spectacular dance performance by the Jansen Dance Company.

Everything from ballet to modern dance and from Broadway to traditional Indian dance was available to attendees, thousands of whom packed the NTPAC throughout the weekend. NTPAC executive director Keith Arsenault (photo below) was clearly beaming all three days of the Fall Festival. 

“We couldn’t be happier with the performances, the attendance and the feedback we’ve received from everyone who visited this weekend,” Arsenault said. “It’s clear that this community has been hungry for more cultural opportunities.” 

Although we weren’t able to take pictures at every performance, Neighborhood News photographer Charmaine George and I were proud to be on hand for most of the weekend’s festivities, which also included Arsenault unveiling a plaque of thanks (bottom middle) to Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan (bottom left). Arsenault said that the land for the NTPAC was dedicated 15 years ago, and that it took 15 County Commission votes to make the Center a reality. “We have many people at the county to thank,” Arsenault said, “but we would not be standing here today without the long-standing efforts of Ken Hagan.” 

Hagan was clearly moved by the plaque. “Politicians are rarely at a loss for words, but I am blown away by this. Thank you!”

Among the memorable performances and activities on Friday afternoon and evening at the NTPAC’s Fall Festival were song-&- dance routines by the Freedom High chorus.
A hands-on “Instrument Petting Zoo” sponsored by The Florida Orchestra.
Members of the New Tampa Players theatre troupe (l.-r., Makayla Raines, TrevorLloyd, Alyson Gannon, pianist G. Frank Meekins & Kyle Billington) kept the huge crowd entertained with a cabaret lounge-style set of timeless classics.

After the impressive and super-fun performances on Friday afternoon and evening, the NTPAC’s Fall Festival didn’t rest on its laurels. To the contrary, it may have even stepped it up to another level on Saturday, as the outstanding Wharton High band (above) first filled the main stage theater and no one left disappointed. 

But, as great as the ‘Cats musicians were, the performance by the Tampa City Ballet (above pics) Saturday evening was the first of the weekend to have to turn away people who wanted to check out this professional-level ballet company, as somewhere between 20-30 people had to watch the dancers and the troupe’s incredible backgrounds that were projected onto the cyclorama (cyc) at the back of the NTPAC stage on a TV in the lobby. 

There was no let-up on Sunday, either, as the Rudram Dance Company brought a huge number of traditionally-costumed Indian dancers to the NTPAC’s main stage. Then, before two one-act plays (“Co-Workers” and “Sherlock Holmes & Case of the 5-Pound Note”) were presented by winners of the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival, the folk rock acoustic duo of Daisies & Axes performed in Studio 2. There also was a “Fun with Broadway Trivia” game presented by the New Tampa Players, followed by ATLAS Modern Ballet’s contemporary dance performance, but we didn’t get to shoot those because of our deadline. Wow! Can’t wait ‘til next year!—GN 


The Rudram Dance Company ‘s performance filled the Theater’s stage with traditional Indian dance, costumes & pageantry. 

Daisies & Axes perform acoustic folk rock in Studio 2. 

“Sherlock Holmes & the 5-Pound Note.” 

Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks Library To Break Ground In Early 2024! 

When the new library opens, sometime in 2025, it will have access from both Mystic Oak Blvd. (bottom road) and Seven Oaks Elementary. (Renderings provided by Pasco County)

It’s not happening right away, but by sometime in 2025, Wesley Chapel will be home to two Pasco County public libraries. 

The recently remodeled and completely revamped New River Library reopened on S.R. 54 — to rave reviews — last year. 

But, wait until you get a look at the new 14,000-sq.-ft. Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks Library, which is now under permitting review and should begin building next to Seven Oaks Elementary by early 2024. 

According to Pasco County public information officer Sarah Andeara, the county is in the process of evaluating and selecting a contractor for the award of the $10-million contract later this year. 

“The groundbreaking of the Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks Library is expected in early 2024 and the project will take approximately 16 months to complete,” Andeara says. “The architecture firm of Fleischman Garcia Maslowski has provided the building’s design and the $10 million budgeted by the county is expected to cover the design, construction, furniture, equipment and collection materials.” 

In addition to books, audiobooks, and DVDs, the new library will feature public computers, printers, a separate children’s area, collaborative spaces, a gallery wall in the lobby, an outdoor reading porch, a multi-purpose room for “makerspace” and other activities, a meeting room, and study rooms. Drive-up services also will be available at this location. 

The Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks Library’s design has been provided by Fleischman Garcia Maslowski
Architects.

The Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks library’s unique multipurpose makerspace room, with a designated outdoor mobile makerspace area, will provide all kinds of activities from Pasco’s other library makerspaces to the Wesley Chapel community. Some examples of these activities include woodworking, music and multimedia recording, ceramics and pottery, cooking, gardening, and more. 

After receiving input from the local community, it was decided that the best use of the new library’s makerspace space would be to go with a multipurpose room option. 

The intent for the multipurpose room is for it to serve as a “launch pad” for a mobile makerspace — which is expected to be a mobile van outfitted with a wide variety of different classic makerspace activities, such as woodworking activities, gardening, cooking, musical instruments, and recording options, as well as STEM activities. 

For more information about the Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks Library, visit PascoLibraries.org. 

Expressions Of Life Chiropractic Can Help Relieve Your Pain, Too! 

Dr. Emilio Castrillon and his chiropractic assistant Marcela pose with the decompression machine at Expressions of Life Chiropractic Center, located in the Medallion Corporate Park off S.R. 56. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Long before Dr. Emilio Castrillon opened his Expressions of Life Chiropractic Center in the Medallion Corporate Park off S.R. 56, he was a boy in Colombia who loved to run. Running became his ticket out of a violent nation, when he was invited to Puerto Rico to continue his running career. 

He won State and National championships while pursuing degrees in computer science and business at Turado University in Gurado, Puerto Rico. 

Dr. Castrillon also won running titles while attending college in Puerto Rico. 
(Athletic photos provided by Dr. Castrillon)

But, he never had a proper assessment of his body done and learned the hard way that when you start putting stress on your body, if everything isn’t in its proper place, something will get damaged. He had an injury to his lumbar disc that, at one point, completely incapacitated him. 

“At 25, I was a semi-professional runner,” he says, “but I was stuck and wasn’t able to move. The first doctor I saw said surgery was the only option. Then I went to a specific chiropractor who checked my X-rays and explained to me what was going on. After just three adjustments, I was running again.” 

Castrillon was inspired. 

He decided to go to Sherman College of Chiropractic in Spartanburg, SC, where he earned his Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree in 2019. 

In 2020, Dr. Castrillon moved to Wesley Chapel and opened Expressions of Life Chiropractic Center. He was briefly affiliated with a franchise called Disc Centers of America, where he received a national certification in non-surgical spinal decompression. Now, however, he has chosen to evolve and provide more than what that franchise offered. For example, he anticipates expanding to offer laser therapy in the future. 

He says the key to the success he has had with patients is his attention to detail. 

Dr. Castrillon studies his patient’s X-rays carefully, even while making adjustments, to help relieve their pain.

“The American Medical Association says that a one-millimeter (about 1/25th of an inch) misalignment in the spine can create a 12% impairment grade,” Dr. Castrillon explains. “So, we don’t (engage in) guesswork; we analyze in millimeters.” 

This includes X-rays and a proper examination that also could include an MRI. 

He says many of his patients have structural defects that are at the root of their pain. It might be that one leg is shorter than the other or the pelvis is uneven, or something else. 

“We start with the foundation,” says “Dr. C,” as his patients call him. That means he looks at the feet first, with a foot leveler system, and then he examines the entire body from the bottom up. “A lot of people have symptoms because of compensations, so we look at the cause of that problem.” 

“We are helping people with disc bulging, herniation and slippage,” he says, adding that his goal is to help people avoid surgery, as he did, whenever possible. 

“We do everything in detail,” says Dr. Castrillon. “We don’t take any case lightly. We take the time to explain if it’s something we can help with or we will refer them to the right provider.” 

Dr. Castrillon knows a lot about attention to detail — one of the business degrees he earned at Turado University was a Master’s degree in Quality Management. Before he became a chiropractic physician, he worked in quality management for Johnson & Johnson in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. 

He says he is most passionate about helping people do they things they love to do, because he knows how it feels to have something taken away by pain. 

“We want our patients to be able to enjoy the activities that they love the most,” he says. “In my case, I was unable to run and now I’m able to run again.” 

Dr. Castrillon recently took 3rd place at a State duathlon (running & biking).

He is grateful to be able to continue running to this day, and recently won first place in a statewide Duathlon, which is running and cycling. 

He hopes to help other athletes and encourages all athletes to have a detailed examination with him to help prevent injuries. 

Dr. Castrillon loves living in Wesley Chapel, being near the water and having flat land for running and cycling. He is always looking for ways to be more connected to his community, such as his recent participation in Freedom Church’s Freedom Race. 

Dr. Castrillon and his chiropractic assistants, Jazmin and Marcela, are committed to not only finding the source of their patients’ pain, but also communicating with the patients so they completely understand what is happening with their bodies and how their problems with pain can be corrected. 

They are happy to communicate in either English or Spanish. Dr. Castrillon says some patients who speak Spanish may hesitate to get treatment if they think they won’t understand the doctor. He wants those patients to know he will be able to communicate with them in their native language. 

“Most of our business comes from patients who keep recommending us to their friends and family members,” says Dr. C. 

Expressions of Life Chiropractic Center has many glowing reviews on Google — with almost all being five stars (out of five). 

“My Dad goes to Dr. Castrillon,” says Dustie Harris in one five-star review. “He was in severe back pain from three bulging discs. He went to another chiropractor for several months with no relief. [He also went] to pain management with no relief, and was told [he] should go to a surgeon. He wanted to try another chiropractor. [Now he’s] been going to Dr. Castrillon for couple of months and [has] found the relief he needed.” 

Dr. C says it’s common for him to see patients who have been to other chiropractors before — maybe even a lot of chiropractors — and they’re not getting any results. He is especially excited to help those patients. 

As a thanks for reading this article, Dr. Castrillon is offering an additional discount on his new patient special for a consultation, full spinal X-ray and X-ray analysis. The total charge will be just $120, if you mention this article. 

Expressions of Life Chiropractic Center is located at 2604 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Suite 102A, and is open by appointment only. Some evening and weekend appointments are available. For more information, visit EOLChiro.com or call or text (813) 560-4673.

Shuckin’ Shack To ‘Soft Open’ On Monday; Slim Chickens Opening Sept. 28!

We previously told you that both Slim Chickens (at 27244 Wesley Chapel Blvd.) and Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar (at 25026 Wesley Chapel Blvd. extension) were both expected to open soon, with Slim Chickens perhaps ready to open before our Sept. 19 New Tampa issue hit mailboxes. Both restaurants have now announced their new planned opening dates.

According to Jared, one of the franchise owners of Slim Chickens on Wesley Chapel Blvd. (just north of Old Pasco Rd.), although the restaurant’s gas hookup was completed, the threat of Hurricane Idalia caused additional delays and Jared says that the 225+-unit home of hand-breaded chicken tenders, sandwiches and nuggets (photo) and mason jar desserts is now expecting to open on or around Thursday, September 28. For more information, visit SlimChickens.com. 

Meanwhile, Shuckin’ Shack was previously set to open on Sept. 16, with a special North Tampa Bay Chamber VIP preview expected to take place on Sept. 12. Unfortunately, Shuckin’ Shack suffered similar Hurricane Idalia-related delays as Slim Chickens, but the soft opening — featuring a 15% discount for doctors, nurses, military & first responders — of the North Carolina-based chain’s 20th location is now expected on Monday, September 25. Look for a big photo spread of that opening day in our October 3 edition of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News! Visit TheShuckinShack.com or “Shuckin’ Shack Wesley Chapel” on Facebook for more information.—GN 

Walmart To Begin Utilizing Robotic Order Fulfillment By Next Year 

Research by Joel Provenzano 

The construction of the auto dispense towers at the New Tampa Walmart on BBD Blvd. should be completed and open for business by early 2024. (Photo by Joel Provenzano).

A few issues ago, we told you about the New Tampa Walmart’s drone delivery of a surprise reward for two teachers at Clark Elementary. 

The New Tampa location is still one of very few Walmart stores nationwide, and one of fewer than ten in Florida, to offer drone deliveries. 

But, for those who couldn’t help but notice the long-term construction at the New Tampa Walmart (especially anyone trying to access the store from Wharton High), the news about that construction is that the local Walmart store will be the first in Florida — and only the second in the country — to offer robotic/automated customer fulfillment pods for pickup orders. Walmart calls them “auto dispense towers” and the corresponding area inside the store as a Market Fulfillment Center (MFC). 


Blue bins that have been loaded with groceries & other items into the Alphabot are then brought to the store’s Market Fulfillment Center. (Photo from Walmart Corp.) 

The track-and-rail system of bins inside the MFC at Bentonville, AR. 

Items (including groceries) will be run in blue containers on a rail system that runs through (and inside of) the thick blue part of the ceiling structure, from inside the store, and then down to waiting vehicles parked under the awnings that cover the parking area (see top photo on this page). 

Customers awaiting their pickup orders put in a code, and their groceries and other items are transported through the ceiling out the door in front of their vehicles. There are eight dedicated parking spaces for customers to pick up from these digital auto dispense towers. There also are an extra four loading spaces to the right of the large doors for ‘other’ customer orders — including for large items, etc., where employees will manually bring the items out to waiting vehicles. 

The very large “fulfillment center” area behind the newly constructed pharmacy inside of Walmart is where products will be pulled in an automated fashion to fill orders. There will be refrigeration for cold items. Employees also will be back there to ensure orders are filled correctly. 


A Walmart associate inputs data for an order in one of the blue bins filled with groceries. 

A filled blue bin being brought out to the w area. 

It may be hard to understand how the auto dispensing works without being able to see it, so we have provided some photos from Walmart’s recently begun pilot program at its Store 100 in Bentonville, AR, near the company’s headquarters. 

The MFC is built inside the store and is powered by a proprietary storage and retrieval system – named Alphabot. Walmart believes fulfillment through digitization and connecting its store and supply chain assets end to end will transform order fulfillment. And, along with it, the company believes, this should improve customer satisfaction and offer more opportunities for associates. 

“This new order fulfillment system is truly game changing,” said Ryan Simpson, the store manager at Walmart’s Store 100. “Not only does it enhance the customer experience through quicker, more accurate online order fulfillment, it also provides us the runway to continue growing our business now and in the future.” 

Once the fulfillment center opens, Walmart management believes that customers can expect to see the benefits of the MFC almost immediately. 

A Walmart associate in Bentonville helps load a customer’s groceries. (All photos from Walmart Corp.) 

MFCs will significantly increase the number of orders the store is able to fulfill in a day, promising faster fulfillment with lower substitutions. Walmart+ members have even more to look forward to, with free unlimited delivery. MFCs also improve the in-store shopping experience by freeing up associates to help customers shopping in-store. 

“I love the MFC,” says Gilbert Giron, MFC digital team lead at Walmart. “The dedicated space allows us to concentrate on picking items for our online customers. I feel confident that the items our associates are looking for are going to be there when a customer wants them. I know our team is providing our customers with great service.” 

When Will Ours Open? 

Walmart began the permitting process for the New Tampa store’s new addition back in the fall of 2021. 

According to the plans filed, the inside portion of the new MFC area will take up approximately 27,000 sq. ft. inside the Walmart building. This will be one of the first operational ones in the nation with this new technology. 

The staff at the New Tampa Walmart stated that they expect the new system to be open for customers by sometime early in 2024. They explained that once the construction has been completed, they will need to test the system and run trials to smooth out any kinks. 

For more info, visit Walmart.com.Â