Yes, we know itโs been a few weeks but because of our once-every-four-weeks print schedule, the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC)โs 2024 Wesley Chapel Fall Festival & Carnival was held the weekend of Oct. 26-27, which was the weekend after we went to press with our Oct. 29 issue, so this is our first opportunity to show you some of the scenes from that always-fun 20th annual event.
Held again at the Tampa Premium Outlets and benefiting the NTBCโs Foundation, a record 7,500 patrons raised a record amount of money and enjoyed carnival and pony rides, live entertainment, food trucks and vendors and of course, a great costume contest. For more info, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.ย
Although, as of the day this issue went to press, Morris Bridge Rd. between Cross Creek Blvd. and S.R. 56 was still closed (as it has been since Hurricane Milton blew through our area on Oct. 9-10), based on my conversations with more than one Hillsborough County Sheriff โs Office (HCSO) deputy on duty at the Hillsborough side of the closure, the road itself and a storm drain in that segment were both damaged by the storm.
The second deputy I spoke with said that despite reports that the road would reopen by sometime between Oct. 30-Nov. 4, he had no idea when the storm drain repairs would be completed or how long that segment of Morris Bridge Rd. would remain closed (top photo).
K-Bar Ranch residents who normally take Morris Bridge Rd. to work and/or take their kids to and from school were still being diverted away from Morris Bridge at our press time, but the hope here is that they would be able to resume using the two-lane roadway by the time this issue reached your mailbox, but there were no guarantees. Morris Bridge Rd. is already a dangerous place to drive because of people attempting to pass slower-moving vehicles, so please donโt make the situation worse by ignoring or attempting to move the barricades.
Flatwoods Park Reopens, But…
Speaking of damage from Milton, both entrances (at 18205 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. at 14302 Morris Bridge Rd.) to the Wilderness Conservation Park Flatwoods Site (aka โFlatwoods Park,โ bottom photo) reopened on Oct. 25, even though other county parks along or off Morris Bridge Rd. in the Lower Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area โ including Dead River Park and Trout Creek Conservation Park โ remained closed at our press time.
While Flatwoods Park itself is now fully passable along the 7-mile paved loop from Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and 8.25-mile loop from Morris Bridge Rd., park ranger Matthew Parejko said on Nov. 3 that many of the hiking and off-road biking portions of the park were โstill not safe to use due to damage from Miltonโ nearly three weeks after the storm.
A little south and east of Flatwoods, Morris Bridge Park (13630 Morris Bridge Rd.), best known for fishing along the Hillsborough River, also has reopened, although most of the areas closest to the river also remain unusable due to damage from Milton.
For more information about Flatwoods and the other parks along Morris Bridge Rd., call (813) 426-5583. There is a regularly updated recorded message and the park rangers do return calls, too.
PTR & PPRโs 23,000+ Professional Coaching Members In 127 Countries Now Call Saddlebrook Resort Home!
(Above, l.-r.) Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) & Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) CEO Peter Hurley,PTR Board Chair Lynne Rolley, Saddlebrook VP of International Sports Patrick Farrell, PTR Vice-ChairMartin van Daalen, Floridaโs Sports Coast Marketing & Comm. Dir. Raul Nardi, PTR COO Brian Parkkonen& USTA Senior Dir. Craig Jones cut the ribbon at Saddlebrook Resort.
Why is it such a big deal that Saddlebrook Resort is now the new home of both the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) and the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR)?
Well, for one thing, the 125-year-old PTR has moved its headquarters for the first time in 40 years, from Hilton Head, South Carolina, according to PTR Board Chair Lynne Rolley, who opened the festivities at the Grand Opening and ribbon-cutting event for PTR and PPR at Saddlebrook on Sept. 24. โWe made this significant move to relocate here to Saddlebrook Resort and we are just so excited,โ Rolley said. โToday marks the beginning of an incredible journey for us. Saddlebrook has always been a leader in the tennis community.โ
She noted that Saddlebrook has, โtrained so many Grand Slam champions, including Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, John Isner, Marty Fish, Lisa Raymond, Martina Hingis, Mary Pierce, Justine Henin and about 20 more. Some of our great coaches from Saddlebrook, sitting right here, have been responsible for that success.โ
Rolley also said this about Saddlebrook: โThis state-of-the-art facility will become a hub for developing coaches, empowering athletes and fostering a community thatโs passionate about the growth of tennis and pickleball.โ
Of course, those who have been responsible for PTR and its now 23,000 members under one umbrella (including 10,000 PPR members) in 127 countries have always been passionate about tennis and, for the last six years, pickleball.
Accredited by the United State Tennis Association (USTA), PTR offers globally-recognized certifications for tennis instructors and is the largest membership organization in the world for certifying tennis coaches.
And, with pickleball, still acknowledged as the fastest-growing sport in the country, PPR, which was founded in 2018, has grown exponentially and has been a big contributor to the 20% growth of PTRโs overall membership from 19,000 in a little more than a year.
โWho knows,โ Rolley said, โWe may soon train a Grand Slam champion in pickleball here.โ
Rolley then introduced PTR Vice-Chair Martin van Daalen and called up PTR and PPR CEO (and new Wesley Chapel resident) Peter Hurley to the microphone.
Hurley first thanked Rolley and said that her hard work also has helped Saddlebrook groom many of its long list of professional tennis champions and, โalong with Martin, helped bring PTR and PPR here to Wesley Chapel.โ
Saddlebrook VP Of Intl. Sports Patrick Farrell
Hurley joked that the day of the Grand Opening, โmarks my seventh day on the job as CEO of PTR and PPR, although I feel as though Iโve been here for a lifetime.โ
He added, โThis is a monumental day for our organization. I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to our passionate members and to our โpicklers,โ who are out here enjoying the day with Sarah (Ansboury, the managing director of PPR and a five-time U.S. Open Pickleball champion), our dedicated staff and Board of Directors and the entire Saddlebrook community for the warm welcome you have given us. We look forward to engaging members, developing content, education and curriculums and events that will drive visitors to the Saddlebrook area.โ
Hurley then introduced Patrick Farrell, the VP of International Sports at Saddlebrook. โPatrick has an amazing team here,โ Hurley said. โHe also oversees the operation of the Saddlebrook Preparatory School, one of the most prestigious golf and tennis academies in the world. Pat has held many key leadership positions at top resorts across America, but most important to me is that heโs also a great guy, a class act and a phenomenal partner.โ
Farrell welcomed everyone to Saddlebrook and thanked both the ownership group of the resort (Mast Capital) and Floridaโs Sports Coast (Pascoโs destination management organization), โbecause without them, this really couldnโt have transpired.
Their support and what they do to bring sports tourism to Pasco County is unsurpassed in this industry. The work that they do helps support the tourism business here. The impacts for not just racquet sports but the hospitality business in this area and the impacts for the community are immense.โ
He also noted that, โThanks to Floridaโs Sports Coast, we have people moving into the area to be team members of PPR and PTR, plus all of their events and programming throughout the year. So, itโs extremely exciting to have them as a partner for the long term. They are helping to take Saddlebrook to new heights and restoring it to its past grandeur. Our entire staff is extremely excited to partner with PTR and PPR and look forward to a great future.โ
Next up was Raul Nardi, the marketing & communications director for Floridaโs Sports Coast., who said how excited the countyโs tourism office was to have PTR and PPR moving to Saddlebrook. โWe know this move will have a profound impact on our tourism,โ Nardi said, โand Saddlebrook is renowned for its beautiful amenities and world-class tennis facilities. And, with the addition of PTR and PPR, we can expect an influx of visitors, coaches and sports enthusiasts to the region. These guests will not only fill our hotel rooms, but also dine at our restaurants, shop at our stores and visit our multiple attractions that our beautiful county has to offer.โ
Nardi added that Pasco County officials also are excited about the, โeconomic impact that all of these visitors and different events, tournaments and championships that are coming into our county [will bring]. Itโs going to create jobs, drive revenues, encourage investment in the area and we expect it to have a ripple effect and bring still more visitors to our area. Weโre just thrilled to see this flourish and come to fruition.โ
Then, Hurley introduced USTA senior director of coaching Craig Jones, noting that โThe USTA is a vital partner to PTR and PPR. Craig is responsible for developing coaching resources, workshops and accreditation. He is a certified PTR Professional and a USTA high-performance coach.
Prior to coming to USTA, Craig spent 25 years as a club owner, a director and a junior developer working with young players from novice through international champion.โ
Jones said, โWe want to welcome PTR to the great tennis state of Florida.โ He mentioned that the USTAโs own National Campus is located in Orlando, โSo, how great is it to have these two amazing facilities within 80 miles of each other? The USTA also is looking forward to more collaboration with PTR in the future.โ
Hurley, van Daalen,Rolley, Farrell, Jones & Parkkonen celebrate PTR & PPRโs new home at Saddlebrook with a champagne toast.
Hurley also thanked Brian Parkkonen, the Chief Operating Officer of PTR. โBrian has been juggling multiple responsibilities to facilitate our move from Hilton Head while also helping me get up to speed in the last seven days.โ
He also mentioned that Parkkonen has more than ten years of service to PTR. โBrian has played a pivotal role in advancing education pathways and developing innovative programs, including the PTR education dashboard and advancing the PPR pickle- ball certification curriculum.โ
Parkkonen then said, โYouโve heard about all of the exciting things that are going to happen with PTR and PPRโs headquarters being relocated here to the beautiful Saddlebrook Resort. Weโre excited about the impact that these organizations are going to have on Saddlebrook, as well as Pasco County. The question becomes now, โHow do we deliver this exceptional service?โ It gives me great pride and honor to introduce the staff thatโs going to be driving our initiatives here at Saddlebrook. As many of you know, putting together an exceptional team is not an easy task.โ
He noted that it takes time, โto identify those who have the right skill sets, that have a passion for their sports โ whether that be tennis, pickleball, padel, platform tennis, etc. โ that have a generational perspective, in that we have individuals from multiple generations, all with the same goal of really providing an exceptional experience for our members.โ
Parkkonen also quoted former NBA coach Phil Jackson, who said, โThe strength of a team are the individual members of the team. The strength of the individual members is the team. And I think that what weโve had the opportunity to put together at PTR and PPR is truly an exceptional team.โ
He added that โNot only are PTR and PPR bringing a successful business to Saddlebrook.
Weโre bringing exceptional individuals who will be contributors to the community. And, I donโt think most staffs have over 125 years of experience on their team, but we do.โ
Parkkonen then introduced both the team relocating to Saddlebrook โand those who will be working remotely as well โ (PPR managing director) Sarah Ansboury, (VP of special events & pickle-ball) Julie Jilly, (international director) Inaki Balzoa, Michael Baumgarten and (event coordinator) Dimitri Vlassov).โ The remote folks Parkkonen thanked included (PTR membership director) Helma Capp, (PTR marketing manager) Caitlyn Fries, (PTR director of education and diversity) Milena Vidos, (PTR membership coordinator Sanaz Marand, (PPR membership services) Melanie Beckler. Then, there was a champagne toast to end the festivities.
Cypress Creekโs Record Flood Stage Wreaks Havoc At The Enclave Community Off Wesley Chapel Blvd.
Carter Hoch, in his lifted side-by-side, drives by Paul Stevenson as they ferry residents in and out of the Enclave subdivision along Wesley Chapel Blvd. several days afterHurricane Milton roared through our area. Much of the Enclave was flooded by a record flood stage of the nearby Cypress Creek after Milton dumped a reported 16 inches (or more) of rain overnight from Oct. 9-10. The Florida National Guard and local law enforcement had to evacuate 100+ Enclave residents (Photo by Joel Provenzano)
After living in this area for more 30 years, I thought that living at least 25-30 miles from anywhere along the Gulf coast was enough to ensure that our area would never have to deal with the full brunt of a major hurricane.
Wrong again, G.
Even though Hurricane Milton made landfall in Siesta Key, five miles or so south of downtown Sarasota and more than 60 miles south and 30 miles west of here, the Category 3 storm brought winds estimated at about 100 miles per hour for several hours as it rumbled across Florida. Those of you who hunkered down in your homes here will probably never forget the roaring freight train sound that pounded our area from Wednesday night well into Thursday morning, Oct. 9-10.
But, when the smoke cleared, our area clearly had suffered its most direct hit, at least in the three decades that I have lived here, and itโs likely that no one will ever ignore the warnings to evacuate when itโs clear to every meteorologist on every TV station that another storm has us in its sights.
Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton caused the perfect storm (no pun intended) for flooding, creating record amounts of rainfall almost never seen before in the Wesley Chapel area.
Many parts of Wesley Chapel received around 10โ of rain with Debby, 4โ with Helene, and 13โ-16โ (or more) with Milton, on top of an already wetter-than-normal summer. One storm in September set an all-time record dumping of 4.7โ of rain in only two hours, causing flash floods in older areas of Tampa. Weather stations were reporting that before Milton hit, much of the Tampa Bay area had already seen 50% more rainfall year-to- date than average.
With Milton making landfall south of Tampa Bay, that helped reduce potential storm surge impacts but put us in perhaps the worst part of the storm for rainfall. The day Milton hit was recorded as the second wettest day EVER recorded for Tampa (in total rainfall), and officially made 2024 as the wettest year (with 77 inches) since records started in 1890, even though the year still has more than two months left!
All of this rain had to go somewhere. It doesnโt just magically disappear overnight. New lakes have been created all over Florida where none had existed before, and these flood waters eventually found their way into rivers, creating historically high river levels that continued to rise even after the storm was gone. In short โ itโs still kind of a mess out there.
Enclave In The News
Pulling into the entrance of the Enclave community along Hyde Park Dr. (off Wesley Chapel Blvd.), nearly a week after Milton made landfall, the smell of dead fish and sewage was still lingering in the air. The water was still high in the street, a little over 2 feet, making it look more like a river. Technically it was, as Cypress Creek topped its bank, flooding into the nearby community.
The storm was gone but the water kept rising, the river gauge maxing out a full 4โ above the major flood stage (at a record 15 feet), days after the rain had stopped falling.
The Pasco Sheriff โs Office, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission and the National and Florida State Guard were gone, a few days after performing more than 100 water rescues, and now the locals were stepping in to help each other. After all, even Gov. Ron DeSantis mentioned the Enclaveโs historic flooding during one of his post-Milton updates. The community was now famous…or infamous, at least.
Getting out of the vehicle to take pictures we immediately heard, โYou wanna go back there?,โ asked Paul Stevenson with Roofing & Sheet Metal Services. โIโll take you.โ
It was almost 7 p.m., and Paul (an Enclave resident himself ) had been giving rides to other residents in his big Dodge Ram 2500 since 2 p.m., ferrying them slowly down the flooded streets trying hard not to make a big wake. As big of a truck as it was, and all decked out for work, it was just barely tall enough, with the water level coming right up to the bottom of the doors.
โA lot of people left, but then, surprisingly, we got power back a few days ago,โ Paul said while driving and pointing out the worst. Paul has lived in Enclave for four years and said he has never even seen flooding on the streets before at all. Many were lucky, because as deep as the water got, the houses were all built a few feet above the level of the road, so the water came right up to a few door steps, but never made it inside.
Residents were being cautious though, as many had parked their cars sideways, right up against their garage doors to avoid the flood waters, which was a smart move. A few residents parked vehicles up at the entrance to the community in a makeshift parking lot, where Paul and another helpful citizen, Carter Hoch (see top photo), were picking people up and dropping them off.
Carter lives in Lutz and brought over his custom high-water vehicle, a lifted side-by-side with massive, chest high tires. โI did 10 hours yesterday, got back to help one more day. Been here for an hour,โ Carter said after lifting a suitcase out the back for a resident he had just picked up from the back of the community.
Paul chimed in that, โIt looks like regular pickup trucks might be able to make it in tomorrow,โ and both agreed that their extremely helpful services might not be needed much longer.
Wesley Chapel Effects
As far as the Wesley Chapel area was concerned, Enclave (which actually has a Land OโLakes address), got the worst of the post-Milton Cypress Creek flooding, although many local streets were severely flooded in the immediate aftermath of the storm, which saw gusts of 100 mph and higher, and received hurricane-force winds throughout the evening hours of Oct. 9 through the early morning hours of Oct. 10.
The flooding in front of the Publix-anchored Shoppes at New Tampa (right photo by Jeremy Frakes on the Wesley Chapel Residents Facebook page) subsided within a day or so after the storm passed, leaving downed signs and non-working traffic signals in its wake. Trees and power lines were also down everywhere, like at the home of Jason and Sarah Contino (below left), where a large tree that fell missed their home by only a few feet. Down fences were a common scenario.
But, some people with the newer PVC -style fences were able to replace and put back the panels that had blown out within hours of the sun coming up the next morning.
Equally frightening scenes were recorded by local residents across our area, although the above left photo the previous page was posted by WFLA-TV (News Channel 8) of a portion of Curley Rd. that completely buckled.
Most (but certainly not all) homes in the Wesley Chapel area (and more than 3.5 million statewide) lost power for at least a day or more, which caused the need for many people to throw out the perishable food in their refrigerators. Of course, restaurants were probably the hardest hit by this, but many seemed to barely skip a beat in terms of reopening within a couple of days.
As gasoline became scarce in the first few days after Milton passed, the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) opened up five free gasoline distribution stations across the Tampa Bay area, including one in the Dillardโs parking lot at the Shops at Wiregrass (bottom photo) from Oct. 14-17, where motorists could receive up to 10 gallons in free gas. The lines were long โ up to three hours at the busiest times โ and some online commenters didnโt understand why people still needed gas
a week after the storm, when the gas stations did finally all get to refill, apparently not realizing that many homes were still running gas generators in order to be able to have power in their homes.
And finally, a lot of people have been wondering why they were turned down for the $750 in assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), so I asked FEMA media specialist Sara Zuckerman that question.
โIf a disaster survivor gets a letter that they are ineligible for disaster assistance, it may not be a final decision,โ Zuckerman said, โSometimes, FEMA just needs more information or supporting documentation from the survivor. Make sure you read the letter carefully to see what items may be pending from your first attempt to apply.โ
Zuckerman also said that homeowners and renters in a declared county (like Pasco) can apply for FEMA assistance online by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-(800) 621-3362. Mobile access also is available through the FEMAApp.The latest Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) schedule and locations can be found at FEMA.gov or by texting 43362-DRC{yourzipcode} to find your closest DRC. There also are Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews working in Florida neighborhoods helping people apply.
The Hangry Joeโs Hot Chicken & Wings โMega Sando,โ with cheese, waffle fries & Hangry Sauce. (Photos by Gary Nager and Joel Provenzano)
Hangry Joeโs Hot Chicken & Wings is now open in Wesley Chapel! The new chicken-focused, quick-service restaurant has opened on the north side of Wesley Chapel Blvd. just west of I-75, in front of The Grove, next to Brooklyn Water Bagel (in the former location of King of the Coop).
This is the eighth Hangry Joeโs location in Florida. The Wesley Chapel restaurantโs Grand Opening was held on Oct. 19, following a โsoftโ opening a few days before. The husband-and-wife team of Nico and Jalahany Gutierrez was on hand for the Grand Opening, making sure everything was running smoothly in their new franchise, as the line outside their location began building several hours before the new Hangry Joeโs opened.
First-in-line Richard Coley celebrates theribbon-cutting at the new Hangry Joeโs in Wesley Chapel, then enjoys his Mega-Sando
In fact, Zephyrhills resident Richard Coley, who was first on line, said he arrived โat about midnightโ in order to be first. He even brought his own comfy chair with him!
As to why Richard โ who said this was his third attempt at being first on line for a Hangry Joeโs opening (he was first in Zephyrhills and third at Cocoa Beach, when he said a couple came to the soft opening the day before โand just never leftโ) โ is so taken with Hangry Joeโs, he said, โItโs the biggest chicken sandwich Iโve ever seen in my life…and itโs delicious!โ
Richard was guaranteed one of the 25 top prizes given away to the first 100 people on line โ one free โSandoโ per week for a year (Jannah also got one of the 24 other randomly-distributed top prizes) โ and as promised, the first 100 attendees all were served within the first hour of the new Hangry Joeโs opening.
Owner Nico Gutierrez (atleft behind the register) helped his employees deal with the crowd at the Grand Opening
Meanwhile, Nico, a Wesley Chapel resident for 14 years, wasnโt afraid to get behind the counter and help out both his customers and his staff. He wore a Hangry Joeโs branded polo, setting the example for his employees.
Nico also owns Code Ninjas, located in the New Tampa Center plaza at Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. at New Tampa/Cross Creek Blvd.
As to why someone who has a long professional background in software engineering got into the restaurant business, Nico said, โI worked in restaurants when I was younger and knew I would eventually get back to it.โ He also said he got connected with the Hangry Joeโs brand when he was invited to a Founders Dinner back in February because he wanted to learn more about the franchise. From that first meeting to opening in October, things obviously moved pretty quickly.
The line stretched around the building by the time the new Hangry Joeโs opened.
When asked what really sets Hangry Joeโs apart from its competition, Nico explained that itโs the Korean touch โ from the way the chicken is prepared to the way itโs fried. According to the companyโs website, โFounders Derek Cha and Mike Kim [both from South Korea] are the dynamic duo behind the success of Hangry Joeโs Hot Chicken & Wings…,โ and that, โTheir meticulous approach to sourcing ingredients, like locally-raised chickens and Korean gochujang peppers, ensures that each dish is a perfect blend of heat, sweetness, and smoky goodness.โ The company also prides itself on never freezing its chicken.
Unlike many fast food restaurants, the food that came out actually looked better than the pictures on the menu board! The โSando,โ their normal-size fried chicken sandwich, was plump and juicy, lightly fried, with the right amount of pickles and slaw, on a beautifully toasted bun.
The โmediumโ sauce had just the right amount of heat and flavor. For more extreme tastes, try the โMega Sandoโ which is a huge half- pound chicken breast, and go all the way up on the heat scale to โAngry Hot,โ but be aware that youโll have to sign a waiver if you do!
In addition to sandwiches, wings and Kore- an-style nuggets, Hangry Joeโs also offers chicken & waffles, waffle fries, mac & cheese, salads and wrap sandwiches.
The new Hangry Joeโs Hot Chicken & Wings is located at 27835 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Unit 102. For more info, visit HangryJoesWesleyChapel.com or call (813) 519-4997.
Try the crispy wings with soy garlic sauce & Reeseโs shake.
