NTP’s production of ‘Oklahoma!” was supposed to debut tonight (Friday, October 17), but due to male lead Gabriel White Marin leaving the area this week for a his new role in a touring company production of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the opening night of “Oklahoma!” had to be moved from tonight to tomorrow night, so that the show’s choreographer Christan McLaurine could properly learn the choreography of the show’s classic fight scene in his new additional role as “Curly.” “It’s never easy to lose a show lead,” Paine says, “but I can’t think of a better reason to lose one! We’re all excited for Gabriel and know he will do great! We also know that Christan will do an amazing job as Curly!”
Note — If you have tickets for tonight’s cancelled performance, NTP producing artistic director and “Oklahoma!” director Nora Paine says you can either have the cost of your tickets refunded or you can exchange them for any of the remaining available performances. Call the New Tampa Players Box Office at (813) 543-6252 if you haven’t already to make your arrangements.
As for the show itself, the heart of the American frontier comes alive on stage as NTP — New Tampa’s community theatre troupe — opens its highly anticipated production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center.
Directed by Paine (who also directed NTP’s “Singin’ in the Rain” in 2024), G. Frank Meekins (“Grease,” 2023) and Karissa Barber (“Into the Woods,” 2025), the production captures the spirit and charm of this beloved 1943 musical known for its rich score, iconic characters and sweeping depiction of life in the early 20th-century Oklahoma Territory.
A Classic Reimagined For The Community
“Oklahoma!’ is more than just a musical: it’s a celebration of resilience, hope, and love,” Paine says. “We wanted to stay true to the classic while also making it feel fresh and relevant to our community.”
From the opening strains of “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” to the stirring finale, the show features standout performances from a terrific cast of local talent.
The multi-talented Mr. McLaurine, who wowed audiences as James “Thunder” Early in NTP’s production of “Dreamgirls” (he also was the incredible baritone voice of the man-eating plant Audrey II in NTP’s “Little Shop of Horrors”), steps into the role of Curly for Gabriel. Meanwhile, Isabella Ruano, a newcomer to the NTPAC stage, brings strength and warmth to the role of Laurey. The supporting cast — including NTP newcomer Madison DeBrino as Ado Annie, newcomer Tristan Horta as Will Parker, and long-time NTP veteran Michael Neary as the troubled farmhand Jud Fry — bring their roles to life with humor, heart and depth.
The Heart Of The Community, Too!
The production is a true community effort, involving more than 50 volunteers. Leading the team are costume designer Deb Lastinger, technical director Paul McColgan and scenic artist James Cass. Audiences will be especially delighted by the vibrant choreography by McLaurine and ballroom choreographer Erica Holland — a beautiful highlight of the show.
Music directors Rick Barclay and G. Frank Meekins have teamed up to guide this 23-person cast and 14-musician orchestra through a score that will have you humming all the way home, including the title song, plus “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” and many more.
Don’t Miss It!
Don’t miss your chance to experience “Oklahoma!” like never before and get ready to be swept away by the beauty, music and magic of this unforgettable production.
Buy your tickets now, before NTP sells out the rest of this six-performance run! Performances of “Oklahoma!” will be Saturday, October 18, at 8 p.m., Sunday, October 19, at 3 p.m., Friday & Saturday, Oct. 24-25, at 8 p.m., and Saturday & Sunday, October 25-26, at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at NewTampaPlayers.org and cost $22-$40. Also, see the ad below for more info.
I first met Morris Lopez 30 years ago, when he opened the original Amigos Spanish Café (later Las Palmas) restaurant in the same Pebble Creek Collection plaza where I moved the Neighborhood News office in 1995.
Morris, who was born and raised in Tampa, and his wife Yvette (also in the photo) and their two daughters moved into a 1,600-sq.-ft., $89,900 house in the adjacent Pebble Creek community, “because it was the only place we could afford,” he says.
At the time, Morris was only eight years into his now-38-year career with the Hillsborough County Fire Department, which did not then (and still does not today) have a location anywhere in New Tampa.
So, how did the career Hillsborough County firefighter and current shift commander decide that he wants to run for the District 7 Tampa City Council seat being vacated in 2027 (or possibly before) by two-term incumbent Luis Viera?
Well, first of all, Morris’ childhood home was in District 7 and he moved his family to Tampa Palms after selling Amigos three years after opening it.
“I’ve been serving the public my entire adult life and I want to continue to serve,” he says. “And honestly, Luis has inspired me.”
“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Morris said while sitting with Yvette and me in the restaurant at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club. “Once I got promoted with Hillsborough County, after 38 years and getting promoted into admin, I dealt with a lot of events and the political side of it.”
He added, “And, I met Luis (Viera) and got to know him a little bit, and became a fan of his, watched what he did out here and I just loved the fact that he was for all of the people and very much into public safety. And, he did a couple of things for us that were unexpected, including the tribute he did — and got City Council to do — for my grandfather, Morris Lopez I — and he’s actually working now on naming a street for him, which I think is very special — and I became a fan.”
For those who don’t know, or read Luis’ Facebook posts, Tampa Police Patrolman Morris Lopez was gunned down from a passing car while on his patrol in Ybor City on July 9, 1949. He was only 25 years old. The case remains unsolved to this day.
“I never got to meet my grandfather,” Morris said. “But, it was because of his service that I became a firefighter and I so appreciate Luis recognizing his service and his sacrifice.”
So, when Viera announced that he was leaving his seat, Morris said, “Believe it or not, that’s the first time that I ever thought about it. For 38 years, I’ve been in public service and now, at an administrative level. The next thing for me, to continue to serve, is to move into some kind of non-partisan position like this — where I can actually have a voice like I have at my job. I think I can transition into [elected office] and do well.”
A Lifetime Of Service
Morris started his career with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue in 1987, as a firefighter at the Gibsonton station, but soon moved to his “home” area of District 7 and the University area, “at the two busiest stations in the county. I never thought I’d one day be able to maximize my career, but I’ve done it.”
When I mentioned that his inspiration for opening his restaurant may have come from him doing a lot of the cooking during his 24-hour firefighter shifts, Morris said, “We don’t even allow the firefighters to cook now until they build their skills, but I’m not in the stations anymore.”
But now, as a shift commander, he said, “I am responsible for that whole shift [for the entire county], so after 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays, I’m pretty much running the entire department. It’s a lot different now than it was when I was a firefighter and my only responsibility was to clean toilets (and maybe do some cooking) and I only made $5.87 an hour — which is the reason my wife and I had to have a small business.”
He started cutting grass out of his truck, “and I would take my crews to that deli that guy had [in the Pebble Creek Collection] and I became the first to bring Cuban food to New Tampa.”
Yvette added, “We got married in 1990 and built our first house in Pebble Creek, because it was affordable. I was working at USAA (the giant insurance headquarters building in Tampa Palms) and we decided to raise our family here.”
Although they are doing some remodeling at their home, Morris says that he still has the story we published in the Neighborhood News about Amigos back in 1995.
Yvette also acknowledged that she and her husband were among the very few people living in New Tampa at the time, “who were both originally from Tampa. Most everyone else was from someplace else. They’d say, ‘You’re from Tampa and you live out here?’”
It wasn’t long before Morris and Yvette decided to move to Tampa Palms. “The reason was because we had two young daughters (Danielle and Courtney) and I was — and still am — a very big advocate of the county’s public school system,” Yvette said. “My dad taught at Plant High School for 37 years. And I said, ‘These schools are good. We want to raise our children here.’ And what an experience we had, taking our children from Tampa Palms Elementary to Liberty [Middle School] to Freedom [High] and then to USF!”
Morris added, “We’ve only owned two residential homes in our entire lives. Pebble Creek was our ‘starter’ and I worked very hard to save enough money to afford a lot in Tampa Palms, when Yvette was pregnant with our second daughter (Courtney) — in 1997, after I sold the restaurant. I was still doing the landscaping and the money from the sale was the only way we could afford to move here. This is our forever home. We’re not going anywhere.”
The Election Itself
Morris said he has heard about some possible opponents for the Dist. 7 seat, but he isn’t concerned about whether or not he will have competition for it.
“I haven’t really delved into that,” he said. “It’s more about finding out if I had viability [as a candidate] myself. I’ve gone down the list and looked at what kind of support I could get and I feel very comfortable about that. But, the most important thing is my wife and how important she is to me and whether or not she wanted us to take on this challenge.”
Yvette smiled, “I honestly think it’s more of an opportunity. We’ve just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary and I always say that the only thing he’s been committed to longer than myself is the Hillsborough County Fire Department. The one thing I will say about him is that he’s a committed, loyal man — as he is to me and as he is to his department, he will be to the people of this District and this city. I’ve watched him grow from being a firefighter to being a Division Chief and he has used that platform to represent where he came from and he can do that now.”
She also noted, however, that, “We both grew up middle class and I used to think that you can’t really have a voice unless you have money, that money is power. But, you know what? Having a sincere desire to serve and help people and make a difference, I now think that’s what you really need.”
Morris added, “I maximized my position with the Fire Department and I became a voice and I was able to do things for my people and actually plant seeds and watch them grow. I don’t want that to stop.”
As an example of his voice, Morris said that, “We’ve made so many changes in Hillsborough County in the Fire Department. We’ve grown so much and to help with that growth — helping with quicker response times, knowing the area and being so involved for so long, and now, we’re going to be one of the best departments in the nation.”
Morris said that he believes that if elected, he can finally get the additional ambulance unit in K-Bar Ranch that Viera has been fighting for with Tampa Fire Chief Barbara Tripp. “Until I became an admin, I spent 34 years in the union and I have to walk that fine line every day,” he said. “I have to protect my admin family in the Fire Department but also co-mingle with the union. I’ve been that mediator between our union and our admin because I was part of it for so long.”
He added that, “When we lived in Pebble Creek, if there was a call for a cardiac arrest in our neighborhood, our Ladder Truck [from Hillsborough Station No. 5, north of E. Fletcher Ave.] would drive right past Tampa Station No. 20 on Bruce B. Downs in Tampa Palms. But now, we pay the city to cover [Pebble Creek, Cross Creek and Live Oak] because that’s the best way to get those county residents the best service at this time.”
Top Priority: Keeping People Safe
“My top priority will be public safety,” he said, “but also infrastructure and transportation and traffic. We’ve grown so much in Tampa, but there are things we can do to improve the services we provide, so those items will be most important going forward. What I’m going to bring to the table is that I’m an information gatherer and although I’m only one decision-maker (out of seven), I will have a voice. I will do what I do for people in my department and carry that over to the residents of the district and the city. I will have the same passion in office as I do now when I serve my people in my department. That’s what my platform is.”
Yvette added, “Morris is the person you can go to if you have a problem. He will have a very open-door policy and the people need to know that he’s going to listen to every voice and help the city and county to work together.”
And finally, he said, “The county has been so good to me, but my heart and soul are in the city. I don’t want this to be about my grandfather, but he gave his life for the city. My dad was two years old when that happened. He grew up without a father and I grew up with nothing. That’s my inspiration. I would feel like I was doing him an injustice if I didn’t try this, no matter how it turns out.
“I looked into the viability, got my wife’s support and I realized this could happen.”
If and when Viera vacates his seat next year — if he is able to gets elected to replace House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell in House District 67 the State Legislature, “I will have an interview with the City Council. If that goes well, I could be appointed to the seat, but I still have to be prepared to run for it, too. I will file all of the paperwork by the first of the year.
“This isn’t a political aspiration,” Yvette said. “He wants to run to make a difference.”
Monday, October 6, 10 a.m. – BayCare Annual Pet Blessings. At BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel (4501 Bruce B Downs Blvd.). Bring your pets to BayCare and hospital Chaplain Reid Isenhart will say a blessing over them at this annual event. For more info, call (813) 914-1971.
Tuesday, October 7, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Business Breakfast. At Pasco-Hernando State College, Porter Campus (2727 Mansfield Blvd., Conference Center – Third Floor). This month’s guest speaker is Lisa Richardson, ED.D., the VP of Advancement, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships for Pasco-Hernando State College. $25 for members, $30 for non-members to attend. For more info or to register, call (813) 994-8534, visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.
Wednesday-Thursday, October 8-9, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. – Solo Spotlight Series: The Light Bringer. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). This is the first Solo Spotlight Series of the season: The Light Bringer, an Arab immigrant’s story of family, freedom, and finding the American Dream. In this one-woman storytelling show, Laila Lee brings to light her experiences growing up Muslim in the American South, how she discovers her place in the world, and what sacrifices she has had to make. Tickets $15-$20, depending upon seat selection. For info, call (813) 829-2760. Or, to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/solo-spotlight-series-the-light-bringer.
Saturday, October 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – 10th Annual Candy Crawl, presented by Fun 4 Tampa Kids/Tampa Bay Moms Group. At The Shops At Wiregrass (28211 Paseo Dr.). Local businesses and organizations will give guests a very unscary day of fun, with booths featuring crafts, games, candy and treats. There will be a Not-So-Spooky Haunted Obstacle Course, a Monster Bouncer and more. Kids get a free trick or treat bag (while supplies last) so arrive early. Costumes are optional but there will be costume contests. Free to attend but please register for special giveaways. For more info and to register, visit candycrawl25.eventbrite.com.
Renowned tenor saxophonist Jeremy Carter and his Quintet will try to keep you “Up All Night” at his Tampa Jazz Club show at the New Tampa performing Arts Center on Saturday, October 11. (Photo from Jeremy Carter’s Instagram page)
Saturday, October 11, 8 p.m. – The Tampa Jazz Club Presents “Up All Night,” Featuring Tenox Saxophonist Jeremy Carter. At the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.) Electrifying tenor saxophonist Jeremy Carter (left), backed by trumpeter James Suggs & the Jeremy Carter Quintet, will provide an exciting evening of music designed to keep you “Up All Night.” Table seats cost $35 ($30 for Tampa Jazz Club members) or theatre seats for $30 ($25 for members). For tickets & more info, visit TampaJazzClub.com.
Wednesday, October 15, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber Coffee Social. At BayCare Hospital (4502 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., 1st floor classroom). Wake up and join your fellow Chamber members for your morning brew and networking. Free to attend. For more info or to register, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.
Wednesday, October 15, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. – Fall Fest Senior Expo. At Amberlin Apartments Clubhouse (28149 Sparrows Edge Cir.). Meet local businesses that help seniors in our area. There will be raffles and giveaways. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 553-3138 or email AmberlinWiregrass@SparrowLiving.com.
Friday, October 17, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. – Caribbean Chillers Concert. At The Shops at Wiregrass (Piazza Ave). Kick back, relax, and let the island vibes take over as the Caribbean Chillers, the ultimate Jimmy Buffett tribute band, hit the stage! From flip-flops to beachy beats, you’ll be dancing, singing, and soaking in paradise under the stars. Please no outside alcohol or coolers. Lawn chairs and blankets are recommended. Free to attend. For more info, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com/event/31388-the-caribbean-chillers-live-concert.
Friday-Sunday, October 17-19 & October 24-26 – The New Tampa Players Present: “Oklahoma!” At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Tickets $22 – $40 depending on seat selection. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit NewTampaPlayers.thundertix.com/events.
Saturday, October 18, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. – Fall Community Yard Sale. At Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel (4424 Friendly Way). Plan to attend for a morning of treasure hunting throughout the neighborhood. Free to attend. For more info, email Info@AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com or call (813) 783-1515.
Saturday, October 18, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. – Avalon Park Spooktackular. At Downtown Avalon Park (4424 Friendly Way). There will be trick-or-treating, food trucks, community performances, bounce houses, vendors and a costume contest. Fun for the whole family. Free to attend. For more info, email Info@ AvalonParkWesleyChapel.com or call (813) 783-1515.
Monday, October 20, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. – Broadway Open Mic Night. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). Broadway Open Mic Nights are for everyone — whether you’re a seasoned performer, practicing for an audition, or just love to sing. Live piano accompaniment (bring your own sheet music). Cash bar. Free to attend. For info, call (813) 829-2760 or visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/open-mic-oct.
Saturday & Sunday, October 25 & 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. – 2nd Annual Wesley Chapel Craft Festival. At The Shops at Wiregrass (along Paseo Dr.). Discover unique handmade treasures as you stroll through the Shops at Wiregrass and explore a wide variety of jewelry, pottery, art, photography, plants, specialty foods, and more — all crafted by talented artisans. Free to attend. For more info, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com/event/30968-2nd-annual-wesley-chapel-craft-festival.
Saturday & Sunday, October 25 & 26, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber’s Wesley Chapel Fall Festival & Carnival. At The Grove (5854 Wesley Grove Blvd.). The 21st annual Fall Festival returns to The Grove. There will be a full carnival, food trucks, kids play zone & activities, pumpkin photo stops, “Trunk or Treat” on Sunday, costume contests, local bands, community performances and more. For more info, call (727) 674-1464, email Drew@FloridaPenguinProductions.com or visit northtampabaychamber.com/2025-fall-festival.
Wednesday, October 29, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. – Steinway Signature Series: Nikolov-West Duo: Under Four Hands. At New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.). This special concert by the Nikolov-West Duo, featuring Viktor Nikolov and Jane West, brings a fresh perspective on the piano duo experience. This dynamic piano four-hands program will weave together beloved traditional masterpieces with bold, rarely heard gems. Whether or not you’re already a classical piano lover, this is one performance you should not miss. Tickets $17.50-$25 depending upon seat selection. For info, call (813) 829-2760 or to purchase tickets visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org/events/under-four-hands.
Friday, October 31, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. – North Tampa Bay Chamber’s “Final Friday.” At the Marriott Residence Inn at Wiregrass Ranch (2867 Lajuana Blvd, at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus). Join Chamber members as they engage and network in a relaxed environment. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 994-8534 or visit Business.NorthTampaBayChamber.com.events.
Friday, October 31, 5 p.m.-11 p.m. – Halloween Party on the Rooftop. At Skybox Rooftop Bar at the Marriott Residence Inn at Wiregrass Ranch (2867 Lajuana Blvd, at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus). There will be live music, games, costume contests and more. Register for the Grand Prize, a free 2-night hotel stay. Free to attend. For more info, call (813) 591-2915.
Saturday, November 1, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. – 36th Annual India Festival. At Florida State Fair Grounds (4800 US 301, Tampa). Come out to experience dances that dazzle, food that delights and shopping that excites. For more information visit IndiaFestivalTampaBay.com.
Former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn (photo) says that being the mayor of the 49th largest city in the U.S. (by population) is, “the only job I ever wanted.”
Buckhorn admits he was sad when term limits took him out of the job six years ago (when Jane Castor, who is coming up on her two-term-limit herself in 2027, took over), but during an exclusive recent interview with the former mayor, Buckhorn said he is seriously considering another run at the office, which he called, “maybe the worst-kept secret in town.”
Buckhorn first got into government work when he served as the special assistant to then-Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman during her two terms (1987-95). During that time, he lost a Democratic primary for the District 60 State House seat to Carol Palomino by 554 votes. Then, in 1995, he was elected to the Tampa City Council, where he served two terms under former Mayor Dick Greco (who served as mayor from 1967-74 and again from 1995-2003).
In 2011, Buckhorn won the first of his two terms as mayor when he succeeded Pam Iorio (who also served two terms, from 2003-11), defeating fellow City Council member Rose Ferlita and Greco.
“We have opened a PAC (political action committee), but I haven’t officially filed yet, so I’m not yet officially a candidate,” former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn told Jannah and me as we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Lima Peruvian Cuisine on Aug. 29. “I probably won’t file until after the first of the year (2026), but it depends on what happens. We’re still 19 months away, so I’m going to use this time to get around and reconnect with people and identify things that have changed since I left office in 2019 — of which there’s a lot. Let’s just say that the reaction so far has been very positive.”
He says that some of the challenges are, “because of our success. We completely reversed a lot of what the city was facing when I came in.
“I was here when we annexed this — from Day One of cutting the ribbons at Tampa Palms and Hunter’s Green. I knew Ken Good and Jim Apthorp (who developed Tampa Palms), so I know the whole history [of the New Tampa area] and what it took for us to get here. This area has become a vibrant, important part of our city.”
“Gary, you were my rabbi, my sensei that I could call and ask what’s going on up here and you’d always know the inside scoop. We were like brothers in arms.” He remembers “being booed when I cut the ribbon on that New Tampa Gateway Bridge in West Meadows,” even though now the people who live on both sides of that bridge now can’t imagine not having it.
Mayor Bob also remembers the 2019 debate between then-City Council candidate Luis Viera and his opponent, Dr. Jim Davison, when I asked them both, as one of the moderators of that debate, what they thought about New Tampa de-annexing from the City of Tampa and annexing into its own city. Viera said he was running for City Council and had no interest in de-annexation, while Davison said he would “have to look into it once elected.”
“That’s what got me involved in that race,” Buckhorn recalls. “When he [Davison] started talking de-annexation, I said I’m all in for Luis and will throw whatever support and weight I can to help him get elected.” Viera won by 65 votes.
Buckhorn was in his last year as mayor when the city broke ground on the expansion of the New Tampa Recreation Center. “And then, Luis got the All-Abilities Park funded after he first got elected,” Buckhorn recalls. “That was his baby, but it also was a big deal for the city. Luis is a good man. His heart is always in the right place.”
Part of the reason he decided to try to get his old job back, he says, is because, “Tampa was on such a trajectory as a city when I left office. We completely reversed the out-migration of our young people, where we had become a ‘donor city’ to places like Charlotte (NC) and Austin (TX). Now, Tampa is a magnet for young talent.”
When former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn was serving his second term in office, he visited Chiles Elementary in Tampa Palms. (NN file photo from 2016)
He adds, “Now, when you walk around downtown and see what Water Street has become, what that partnership with [Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff ] Vinik has done there — that’s part of getting us to that next level.”
Buckhorn says that connecting Tampa’s “urban core” will hopefully be part of his next administration. “How Water St. Phase 2 will connect to Channelside and then to Gasworx, with what Darryl Shaw is doing in Ybor City. And then finishing the Riverwalk on the west side and connecting Tampa Heights to where Armature Works is at the Hillsborough River. The completion of the original portion of the Riverwalk already transformed our city in ways that you can’t even imagine. I knew that if we started to focus on the waterfront as our best asset, that other things would follow. If you look at the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been invested, we are becoming a livable, walkable, 18-hour-a-day environment that will stretch from downtown to all the way around the urban areas.”
Buckhorn also notes that, “The good thing is that downtown has largely taken on a life of its own. It doesn’t need me pushing that boulder up the hill like it did before. So now, we have the opportunity to really expand our horizons, our view, throughout the rest of the city and really connect all of the dots.”
He adds, however, that, “We’ve got some challenges as the result of that growth — traffic, obviously, is a big issue and always will be our Achilles heel until we can get a dedicated revenue source. And then, there’s issues of infrastructure, like stormwater, road repairs and potholes. But, you can never lose sight of those basics as mayor, because those basics impact people’s lives on a daily basis.”
And, speaking of those basics, he says, “We have to do something about the permitting process in the city, which is in dire need of help. I fixed that process in 2011 when I first got in, but I guess we’re going to have to come back in and sort of re-do it.”
He also notes that it also will be a priority for him to, “Start driving that narrative again to compete on a global basis for corporate relocations and [bringing] jobs, with technology and keeping our young people from moving away again. So, we’ve got some more chapters to write. This city’s really only just beginning to realize its full potential.”
He also says he figured he had, “another two tours left in me. They can’t turn my hair any whiter — that’s already happened — and so, all I can say is ‘Let’s go!’”
What About Light Rail?
“Downtown will always be the heart of any city,” Buckhorn says, “but in order to connect the rest of Tampa to it, we do need light rail. Brightline (the privately-owned, eco-friendly intercity rail system now connecting Miami to Orlando) has been a client of mine (in his job working for Shumaker Advisors, a lobbying and public affairs firm) over the last couple of years, so I’m already kind of neck-deep in it. But, once Brightline comes in, you have to find ways to connect the Brightline station to other things in our city. You can’t, in an urban area, rule out light rail or mass transit. I know that some of our friends at the county think [mass transit] is a UN [United Nations] plot, but it’s important to start connecting where people live to where they work — that’s the next iteration of what our city could look like.”
But, of course, one of the most difficult challenges for Buckhorn will be to connect New Tampa to everything happening in “old” Tampa.
“We’re going to have to go back to a referendum again at some point, for a dedicated transportation revenue stream, because you can’t do these big public works projects without the ability to issue debt. You can’t pay as you go, because you’re never going to have enough money to be able to do it.”
He calls the Florida Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the county’s transportation tax referendum a “pretty political decision. I just hope that people will realize that without a similar referendum, we’re never going to be able to fix this transportation problem. But, it’s never really gotten the focus, the full weight of all of the political players, that it needs to be successful.”
As for what’s needed from the city in New Tampa, Buckhorn is still hopeful to work with Pasco County officials once he gets elected, to finally connect Kinnan St. to Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe, get some sort of additional emergency medical service for K-Bar Ranch and get the now-being-designed city park in K-Bar built.
As for why Viera has so far been unable to get that additional EMS service for K-Bar, Buckhorn says he doesn’t know, but he speculates that it may be because Viera has, “consistently sided with the [firefighters] union, which puts him at odds with the chief [Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Barbara Tripp], which at times also has put him at odds with the administration. Hopefully, there will be a different way to skin that cat when we get back in office. There needs to be a less contentious relationship between the fire chief and the union because it’s bad now.”
He also says, “There is nothing but opportunity for us. I thought when I left that I was finished. I went out with sky-high poll numbers. It was the only job I ever wanted and I did what I said I was gonna do, and it was time to go home. But, I still wake up just as excited everyday about what we could do and what Tampa could be.”
Buckhorn also wondered if the Hillsborough County portion of Two Rivers — the massive development just east of New Tampa in Hillsborough and Wesley Chapel in Pasco, could be annexed into the city. “Annexation is why New Tampa is part of the city. Maybe it could help us grow again.”
(Above) New Tampa-raised pro tennis player Vasil Kirkov (no hat) shakes hands with Julian Cash after Vasil & partner Brad Stevens (below right) lost in two tough sets to Cash & partner Lloyd Glasspool in the 1st round at Wimbledon., who ended up winning the tournament. (Photos provided by Stoyan Kirkov)
In the 31 years I’ve owned this publication, I can’t recall having actually interviewed any kid raised in New Tampa who played at Wimbledon — the oldest and most prestigious professional tennis tournament in the world — or the US Open, the only tennis major played on U.S. soil (in Flushing, Queens, NY).
But now, I can’t say that anymore, as Bulgaria-born Vasil Kirkov, 26, who has been raised in New Tampa since he was nine, played Men’s Doubles at Wimbledon with his partner Bart Stevens from The Netherlands — and has now also made it into the Men’s Doubles draw at the US Open.
The unseeded duo lost in straight sets (6-7[6-8], 4-6), in the first round in July at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in London — to the #5-seeded doubles team of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. The British duo ended up winning the entire tournament — becoming the first all-English pair from the host country to win the Men’s Doubles title at Wimbledon in 89 years — and lost only one set along the way.
“We definitely gave them as tough a match as anybody,” Vasil says. “We even took them to a tiebreaker in the first set. So, even though we ended up losing, I thought we played very well.”
Very well indeed for a team that only made it into the Wimbledon draw as the third alternate and had to wait for a call that said they were going to compete there. Even with that loss, however, Vasil is now ranked a career-high #78 in the world as a doubles player (Stevens is #74) and since Wimbledon, the pair made it to the Finals of the ATP Challenger Tour tournament in Hagen, Denmark, earlier this month.
Vasil says that he started his tennis “career” on “the courts in Hunter’s Green. I can still remember the first time I hit on Court 3 with my brother Kiril (who ended his tennis career after playing in college).” Depending upon which surface his next tournament will be played on (clay or hard-court), Vasil continues to practice when he’s in town at the courts at either Arbor Greene or Hunter’s Green.
He also admits that his mom Tanya used to beat him “until I was 11 years old, so she definitely played her part in this.” He credits his father Stoyan as his self-taught coach, even though Stoyan was never a high-level player himself.
Now standing 6’-1” tall, Vasil says he was home-schooled beginning with the seventh grade — after attending Benito Middle School on Cross Creek Blvd. for 6th grade. “I was playing tournaments all over and traveling too much to continue to attend school,” he says. “I had a lot of success in junior tournaments.”
So much success, in fact, that he says he was “always ranked in the top five of my class [nationally] when I was 18.” In fact, at the 2017 French Open on clay in Paris, France, Vasil and his then-partner Danny Thomas made it to the finals, but were defeated in straight sets (4-6, 4-6) by the team of Nicola Kuhn and Zsombor Piros.
And, even though he had offers from a number of Division I NCAA tennis programs, Vasil decided to turn pro. “That was more than eight years ago,” he says, “Looking back on that decision, it would have been nice to have that college experience, but I’m happy with my decision.”
He started out playing both singles and doubles as a pro, but injuries kept him from ever rising above the #439 in the world singles ranking he achieved in 2021. For his career, Vasil has won 10 ATP Challenger Tour and eight ITF doubles titles. He began partnering with Stevens in Oct. 2024 and, at our press time, the pair had a decent career match record together of 244 wins and 180 losses. Kirkov’s career pro tennis earnings recently surpassed $200,000.
“We know what we have to do in order to be successful,” Vasil says. “So, that’s what we’re focused on; not just the outcome.”
On To The US Open? YES!
Armed with his highest-ever doubles ranking and very good recent results, Kirkov and Stevens have now made it into the 64-team Men’s Doubles bracket at the 2025 US Open. The unseeded duo will take on the also-unseeded team of N. Siriam Balaji and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli of India tomorrow — Friday, August 29 — in their first-round match. We’ll keep you posted about this and all of Kirkov & Stevens’ matches at this year’s fourth and final tennis major, which is being played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens. The Wimbledon-winning team of Cash and Glasspool is seeded #1 at the US Open.
Even though US Open play has now begun, Stoyan says Vasil is still seeking local sponsorships as he continues his pro tennis journey.
If your business could benefit from having your name and/or logo seen by a world-wide TV audience, call Stoyan at (813) 841-8014 or email K1tennis@yahoo.com.
