Category: Featured

New Tampa Resident’s The Poker Night Murders Has Local Flavor!

Even though I was still living in Hunter’s Green when retired forensic psychiatrist Donald Taylor first started hosting weekly poker games at his home in the same community, I don’t believe I had ever met “Don.”

But, when he contacted me by email a few weeks ago, asking about Neighborhood News advertising rates, I responded as I always do — asking him about the nature of the business he was trying to promote and whether he was interested in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel or both of our markets.

When he said that he was looking to promote his first-ever self-published novel — entitled The Poker Night Murders — I was intrigued. I told him, as I have many authors before, that if he would send me a copy of the book, I’d take a look at it and possibly write something to try to help him sell more copies.

We ended up speaking on the phone at length about the book, which is based both on Don’s weekly poker nights at his home and fictional accounts of murder cases, none of which, he says, were based on actual murderers he was called on to interview and testify about their mental states by either the courts or the attorneys involved in the cases.

Now, although I’ve done precious little reading for pleasure since I started editing thousands of pages every year for my publications nearly 30 years ago, and never really was too big on murder mysteries as a reading genre, I agreed to at least read the first chapter or chapters to get a feel for the book.

The fact that Jannah and I currently really enjoy the Steve Martin-Martin Short-Selena Gomez Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building” definitely made me even more interested in the book’s subject material.

And no, I do not regret my decision to read it…at all.

Poker, Murder & New Tampa

One of the things that appealed to me immediately about the book was its length — only 125 pages. The murders themselves take place over only four consecutive Thursdays, with each poker night played out in a single chapter of this four-chapter book.

The reason is not only due to my attention span, but also because I knew that even if I didn’t love the book, I could get through it in just a few sittings without it affecting my deadline schedule.

The second thing that immediately appealed to me was how Don — who goes by the pen name “D.R. Taylor” in his novel — would weave actual No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em poker hands (with graphic illustrations showing the cards as they are played) and the various players’ reactions to how other players played those hands into the story.

Although I love to play poker, I have always kind of hated Hold ‘Em because I tend to, especially in lower stakes games, stay in as often as possible to see the “flop” cards, just as the character in the book named Cody, who is known to all of the other players as the worst player in the game, usually does, almost all of the time to his detriment.

In the book, “D.R.” says his fictional players decided at some point during the weekly high-stakes ($1,000 buy-in; more on this below) game at the home of the character based on him — retired forensic psychiatrist Dr. Ronald Turner — to only play Hold ‘Em “after the televised poker boom began in 2003.” Don admits that “the stakes and the implied incomes of the players have been magnified for dramatic effect,” noting that he “thought readers would be more interested in a game where people won or lost $2,000, rather than $37.” Don also goes into detail about not only the rules (for the uninitiated readers) but also the intricacies of Hold ‘Em, which made me realize even more why I never really won playing it.

But, what really hooked me were all of the New Tampa and Tampa references — Ciccio Cali, Acropolis, USF, the Lightning, Bruce B. Downs Blvd., South Tampa, the Seminole Hard Rock Casino and even a local female TV anchor who never got promoted because of Kelly Ring. I don’t know if these references will be lost on readers outside of our area, but it definitely made the book more fun for me.

As for the murders themselves, I’ll admit that I focused on only two of the many major characters from the very beginning (and one of those two did actually “do it”), but Don did such a great job of making you doubt your sleuthing skills that right up until the “Fourth Thursday” (final) chapter, I wasn’t sure whodunit.

And, while I would guess that The Poker Night Murders skews more towards a male audience because of the amount of poker included in the story and the lack of much in the way of sexual overtones, the book was definitely a page-turner for me. Rather than my anticipated “few sittings,” I devoured the book in just two.

I congratulate Don, his editor Kathleen Strattan and his illustrator and book designer John Reinhardt on a job well done. Will there be a sequel? “let’s see how this one sells,” Don says. “But, you never know.”

Spoken like a true mystery writer.

Donald Taylor’s The Poker Night Murders is available online (only) on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble for just $14.95 per copy. It’s not currently available in stores, but, as Don says, “We’ll see about it in the future.”

The Poker Night Murders

Viera Files For Third Term & New Facilities Near Openings

Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, who represents the New Tampa area as part of District 7, likes to joke that he only won his first election by a mere 65 votes in a runoff.

In his second election, however, he trounced opponent Quinton Robinson 76.2 percent to 23.8 percent.

After building a strong list of accomplishments and being attentive to New Tampa, where he has lived for 16 years, Viera thinks a third term is in order. He officially filed for reelection earlier this month.

The Tampa City Council election isn’t until March 7, 2023; Viera does not have an opponent yet.

“I feel like I have a lot more work to do for the district, and the City of Tampa,” Viera said. “There’s a lot more things to be done.”

Viera played a significant role in rallying New Tampa residents to be more active politically and impacted a city budget that led to funding for the New Tampa Recreation Center expansion and the building of the New Tampa Sensory & Autism Friendly Park, the first of its kind in the city. The Sensory Park is under construction and will hold a ribbon cutting later this year.

Viera, who fancies himself as a throwback politician focused more on bridge-building and working with opponents to get things done, says there still are a number of transportation and fire rescue needs, like a fire station in K-Bar Ranch, that he says he will tackle if reelected.

One thing he has tackled is finally open — the closed-and-opened-and-closed and now open again Meadow Pointe Blvd. connector road to K-Bar Ranch, officially voted on by the City Council on August 27.

The connection between Meadow Pointe Blvd. (in Wesley Chapel/Pasco County) and K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. was opened around May 30 for utility workers to finish their work, but eager K-Bar Ranch residents immediately began driving on the new extension, forcing the barricades to be put back in place. The long-awaited connector has been back to being closed since early June.

New Tampa residents in the Cross Creek/Live Oak/K-Bar Ranch areas are now be able to bypass Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. by driving north on Meadow Pointe Blvd., which leads all the way to busy S.R. 56.

Ready For Branchton Park

A massive upgrade to the current Branchton Park will break ground on Wednesday, September 14.

A splash pad, pickleball and basketball courts, two dog parks and hiking trails are just some of the amenities planned for Phase 1 of the new park, which will be just south of the current Branchton Park, which sits on the southwest corner of Morris Bridge Rd. and Cross Creek Blvd.

The second phase could include a Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office mini-substation at the park, according to Hagan.

Hagan also has said a second phase could include a possible public-private partnership (PPP) with a zip line or “challenge” course for the park.

PAC Opening Set

The New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) ribbon cutting is officially set for Friday, October 7, says Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, who represents New Tampa in District 2.

The 20,000-sq.-ft. NTPAC, which can be expanded later to 30,000 sq. ft., will have a 343-seat theater with retractable seating among its other features. The NTPAC is located behind the Village at Hunter’s Lake shopping plaza, across BBD from the entrance to the Hunter’s Green community.

Long Lines But For One Hour, Cheap Gas For New Tampa

There haven’t been too many times this year that you would see Andrea Ramos smiling as she pumped gas into her 2020 Jeep Sahara.

On August 1, however, the West Meadows resident and about 100 other people were grinning from ear to ear as they filled their vehicles with gas priced at just $2.38 a gallon.

The cheaper gas at the Flatwoods Marathon on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. was offered for one hour only by the Americans For Prosperity (AFP) as part of its “The True Cost of Washington” campaign.

Ramos (pictured above) said that it usually costs about $90 to fill up her Sahara. She had about a quarter of a tank when she got in line for an hour wait, and then spent $42.10 for 17.6 gallons to top off her tank.

“That’s cheap. I’ll take it any time I can get it, especially with this,” Ramos said, pointing at her Jeep, which she says gets just 14 miles to the gallon.

Jeeps, vans and pickup trucks were the most common vehicles filling their tanks. Brandon Azzolini saw the event advertised on Instagram in the morning and drove all the way from Riverview to fill his 2022 Jeep Gladiator Mojave. He used some of his $50 savings to buy a pizza at the Sbarro inside the gas station before heading back to work.

Michelle Saffor said she drove up from South Tampa in her 2017 Dodge Caravan to put $30 in her tank, getting 12.5 gallons worth.

“I ain’t seen 12 gallons in a loooong time,” Saffor said. “You can’t beat that these days.”

Brandon’s Taylor Solomon had one of the biggest trucks to show up, a big-wheeled 2015 Chevy Silverado. She filled it up, with 24 gallons for $58. “It usually costs me $120-$130 to fill up,” she said. “That’s a big hit, so it was worth the trip.”

Making a shorter trip was Wesley Chapel’s Michael Rogers, who found out about the cheaper gas that same morning. He decided to take his chances anyway.

Although the line at one point extended to the I-75 interchange, turned right at the 7-Eleven and wrapped past the Home Depot and Steak ‘n Shake, Rogers got in before it backed too far up.

“It was a great deal, so I didn’t want to miss it,” Rogers said. “When I got here (about an hour before the event), I realized I had a chance.

Rogers filled the tank of his Ford F-150 truck, which was 75 percent empty, for about $40. He said it usually costs him $110 to fill it.

Another Wesley Chapel resident, Amanda Harrison, put 19.9 gallons of gas in her 2021 Dodge Caravan for $47.71, saving about $63 from her usual $120 fillup.

“I was practically on ‘E,’” Harrison said. “So, I was committed once I was in line.”

Afterwards, the workers from AFP paid their bill inside. They managed to serve 101 vehicles in an hour, while turning away dozens of cars. Those lucky enough to get the discount paid a total of $3,241.56 to fill their tanks with 1,362 gallons of gas.

The Marathon station was charging $4.07 at the time of the fillup event, leaving AFP to pick up the $2,301.78 difference — the cost of spreading their message (along with a few free hats) about government waste.

gas

Habla Español? There’s Cancer Support For You

When Mariela Labrador, a long-time parishioner of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd., found herself a caregiver for a loved one with cancer, she looked around for resources and support from her community.

As a native Spanish-language speaker, she found it helpful to connect with others who understood what she was going through, and where she could communicate without any language barrier.

She found Latinos Unidos Por Un Nuveo Amanecer (Latinos United for a New Dawn, or LUNA) online at LunaCancerFL.org. LUNA’s mission is to reach out to the Spanish-speaking community to help cancer patients, survivors and their families.

Over time, Mariela began volunteering for the organization, which has been part of the Tampa Bay community for more than 20 years, and eventually, she became a member of the organization’s Board of Directors.

Earlier this year, Mariela says, she decided to connect her work with LUNA to her church and organized a support group to meet at St. Mark’s for Spanish speakers who are facing cancer.

She says she hopes to grow the group to be large enough to support bringing in guest speakers on relevant topics, such as nutrition, relaxation, or pain management. But, at this time, she is focusing on building relationships and growing the group so people can share experiences and lean on each other.

“At this point, I’m concentrating on reaching out to the community and identifying the needs,” Mariela says.

The local LUNA group meets at St. Mark’s on the third Thursday of each month, from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

While the group took a break over the summer, its next meeting will be held on Thursday, September 15. All are welcome to attend. You do not have to attend St. Mark’s or be of any particular faith tradition to participate in the support group, and there is no need to RSVP in advance.

Anyone who has questions or needs more information, can call the church at (813) 907-7746.

cancer Spanish st. mark the evangelist

Wildcats Reload For State Run

The last time Wharton was led by a football coach that was a former All-American at the University of Southern California, won a Rose Bowl and went on to play in the NFL, the Wildcats made it all the way to the Class 5A State Championship game way back in 2002.

Those who remember that guy, Richard “Batman” Wood, might be getting a case of déjà vu this year.

Mike Williams, a former All-American at the University of Southern California who won a Rose Bowl and went on to play in the NFL, is entering his third season as the Wildcats head coach, and he might have the best team in the school’s history.

On paper, Wharton is loaded heading into the 2022 season, which kicks off Friday when it hosts Jesuit.

Williams is quick to temper his team’s expectations. Wharton return stars like leading rusher Arkese Parks; linebacker and tackle machine Cam Campbell; junior linebacker Booker Pickett, Jr., and senior defensive back Dijon Johnson, who have 70 college offers between them; as well as the entire offensive line.

What positions they don’t have returning due to graduation they have filled with enough transfers to make the NCAA transfer portal look tame, with 4-star running back Stacy Gage, rated the No. 2 back in the country for 2024, heading up a group of more than a dozen new players from at least 10 different high schools.

“That doesn’t mean (anything),” Williams says. “I firmly believe just because you get talented kids, it doesn’t equal winning. You must have the right kind of kids, that will be good teammates and work for the success of others. You get some ‘me’ kids, who want to know what’s in it for them, so it’s a fine juggling act.”

The prep pundits may not agree — they see a team that is one of the championship favorites in the Metro Division of State Class 3A.

It won’t take long to get an idea of how good this Wharton team can be. Jesuit went 15-0 last season, won the Class 6A State Championship, finished ranked No. 5 in the country (according to HighSchoolFootballAmerica.com), and returns RB Joquez Smith, who had 1,976 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns last year.

They start this year ranked No. 32 in the U.S., and MaxPreps.com ranks them No. 6 in Florida and No. 2 in Class 3A.

Wharton is No. 9 in the State.

“We are in wait-and-see mode, and the best part is we don’t have to wait long,” Williams says. “That’s a gravy train on biscuit wheels. It’s a great opportunity for our program.”

Williams doesn’t want to put too much emphasis on one game, especially the first one. “We’re going to be better moving forward no matter what happens,” he says.

*Quarterback Jackson Jensen (top left) and running back Stacy Gage are two of the key newcomers expected to have a major impact on the Wharton football team, which is ranked No. 9 in Class 3A.*

The Wildcats still have to get out of Class 3M, District 4, which includes State No. 3-ranked Tampa Bay Tech (October 14 on the road) and No. 8 Armwood (September 30 at home).

Those two teams were 3-0 against Wharton last year — handing the Wildcats their only blemishes in a 9-3 season — with TBT ending the Wildcats’ season in the third round of the playoffs 42-6.

No matter how closely you look, it’s hard to see many holes on the Wharton roster this season.

Three quarterbacks transferred in, with Jackson Jensen, who threw for 1,450 yards and 11 touchdowns for Carrollwood Day School last year, earning the starting spot over Noah Bryant (Chamberlain) and Luke Sather (Tampa Catholic).

Gage, a youth football legend in Tampa in his younger days, transferred in from IMG Academy, and has 42 college offers. He will start in the backfield alongside promising Nahiem Doctor, who ran for 400 yards at Tampa Catholic last year.

“They are built the same way,” Williams says. “Some guys say they have thunder and lightning. At Wharton, we have thunder and thunder.”

Defensive back Dijon Johnson (left) is one of the top-rated recruits in the country.

Parks — who ran for 570 yards and seven touchdowns last year, is a smaller, shiftier back who can go the distance every time he touches the ball — will get some carries but also play a bigger role in the receiving game, teaming up with Deandre Newton, Tyrese Smith and Javaughn Singleton, all juniors.

Everyone is back on the offensive line, including center Eddy Dominguez and twins Tolu Onikeku (a guard) and Lolu Onikeku (tackle). Pickett’s younger brother Kenyon, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound freshman, and Chamberlain transfer Stone Ferguson also are in the mix for starting jobs.

On the defensive line, two notable newcomers at defensive tackle will start — junior R.J. McCollough, who played for Jesuit last year, and senior Zyon Nobles, a Zephyrhills Christian transfer who recorded 24 sacks in 2021.

The duo will be a handful for opposing offensive lines, and free ends C.J. Green and Jeremiah Jacobs for additional sacks. Jacobs had nine sacks as a freshman but missed almost all of last season with a knee injury. Williams is excited about his return, and Green started on the offensive line in 2021.

“He told us he was tired of blocking people, that he wanted to hit some people,” Williams says. “He’s been one of our biggest surprises of the offseason.”

Booker Pickett, Jr., and Campbell head up a strong linebacking group. Pickett had 22 sacks last year, while Campbell added four to go with a team-high 105 tackles.

“If you’ve got 4 or 5 of him on your team, you’re hard to beat,” Williams says. “He’s everything you want in a football player.”

Tyler Green and Andre Ellis, two juniors, also will see time at linebacker.

Dijon Johnson, who re-opened his recruiting after initially committing to Ohio State, is ranked as the 10th-best cornerback prospect in the country, and leads a very strong cover group. Jamari Thomas, from Sumner High, is a rising star and John Doan was an All-Conference player for Steinbrenner last year.

Wharton has such a glut of riches that Williams can claim to have the county’s fastest…punter. William Hineline, the Hillsborough County champion and State qualifier in the 200 meters last spring, has decided to move over from wide receiver and handle kicking duties for the Wildcats.

“It’s an exciting time,” Williams says. “You want kids to set high goals and winning State is the highest goal. There’s a feeling here that we are on our way, but you try to fight the feeling of thinking that you’ve already arrived. There’s still a lot of work to do between now and December.”

wharton high