Happy Birthday, New Tampa Regional Library!

More than 25 years after being dedicated to our community, the New Tampa Regional Library is still the heart and one of the jewels of New Tampa. (Photo: Charmaine George)

Lisette May was so excited about a library being built near her Hunter’s Green home that she was the first one there the day the New Tampa Regional Library opened in May of 1997.

The library staff handed her a bouquet of flowers for being the library’s first-ever patron. She was accompanied by her then-5-year-old daughter Lindsey (6-year-old Lauren was in school that day), and Lisette remembers marveling at the modern design and layout, the view of the lake out back and the stuffed animals and bean bag chairs in the children’s area.

“There was a lot of anticipation,” says Lisette, who checked out a half dozen books, a movie on videotape and signed her daughters up for the summer reading programs while she was there. “It was very exciting for everyone. I remember thinking, wow, they did a really good job with this.”

On May 4, the New Tampa Regional Library (NTRL) turns 25 years old. Lisette still visits, impressed by all of the library’s new additions and offerings, and happily recollects her years taking her children to story times or just to sit and enjoy a book with them.

“I always felt like going to the library made you feel like you were part of a really great community,” Lisette says. “We would go and see our neighbors there; the kids would see their friends from school there. It was a great place to see your friends and educate your kids.”

The story of how the NTRL came to be is one of Said Iravani’s favorites. The longtime Heritage Isles resident  thinks about it almost every time he drives by the library on Cross Creek Blvd. — which, of course, is almost every day.

More than three decades ago, a group of Hunter’s Green and Tampa Palms residents, headed by a retired  librarian, put hundreds of hours into a grassroots movement, calling city and county officials and cajoling a local developer to donate the land, with the goal of building a 25,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art regional library that is arguably the heart of the New Tampa community and, while perhaps a little underappreciated, may be its greatest resource.

“It’s such a great story,” says Iravani, who has written a few of the pages himself as the former president of the Friends of the New Tampa Regional Library, a group dedicated to raising funds for programs and equipment the county’s budget does not cover.


Then-Hillsborough County Commissioner Jan Platt (left) and Friends of the New Tampa Library founding president Jeri Zelinski were on hand when the New Tampa Regional Library was dedicated. (Photo provided by Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library)

The first thing you may notice when you walk into the NTRL lobby is the Jeri Zelinski Community Room, which was dedicated to the library’s patron saint in 2004, two years after her passing.

Zelinski, the retired librarian and founding president of Friends of the Library, which was formed in 1990, is credited as being largely responsible for securing the library for New Tampa. 

With help from friends like Lorraine Clewis of the Tampa Palms Ladies Club, the New Tampa Community Council (led by then-president Frank Margarella) and others, Zelinski forged partnerships and soon began attending Tampa-Hillsborough Library Advisory Board and County Commission meetings. 

She developed a close alliance with then-County Commissioner Jan Platt, who helped push through a .10-mill property tax to pay for the library.

The Tampa Palms Ladies Club also played a big role in helping circulate petitions, and Zelinski did all she could to find a home for the library. It could have ended up in Tampa Palms, but its developer, Ken Good, only offered 1.6 acres of land, according to The Tampa Tribune, which was not enough for a regional library.

Clewis had to withdraw from the library effort due to family obligations, which could have been a big blow to the Friends. But, Zelinski continued to look for land, expanding her search to the Cross Creek and Pebble Creek areas.

Eventually, however, Zelinski contacted Markborough Florida, the developers of Hunter’s Green, and helped secure 3.6 acres just east of Hunter’s Green Elementary and west of the future Benito Middle School.

“Quite simply, there wouldn’t be a library without Jeri Zelinski,” says Iravani, who has fought against efforts to name the library after anyone other than Zelinski, and was active in efforts to begin an expansion project in 2008.That effort was tabled but is still under consideration.

The New Tampa Library ribbon cutting. (Photo provided by Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library)

On May 2, 1997, a black tie- optional gala was held at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club to celebrate the opening of the library. The grand prize that night: two round-trip plane tickets to Lima, Peru.

Two days later, the New Tampa Regional Library opened its doors at 9 a.m.

Wendy Prasad, administrative librarian and the NTRL branch manager since 2017, says that despite changing reading habits and the effects of technology on libraries in general, the New Tampa Library is still going strong. 

Last year, more than 72,000 people visited the library, and it has consistently been one of the most popular libraries in the county’s system.

“There are so many things we provide the community,” she says, including a main reading room,  a separate children’s room, Grandma Claire’s Early Learning Hive, robust summer reading programs, meeting and study rooms, free WiFi and computer use and a wealth of online services. 

The library continues to be a place that can open up the world to newer and older generations.

When it first opened, this newspaper published stories about the videotapes, audio cassettes and compact discs that were available to check out. How times have changed — you can now check out a 4K video camera the size of a couple of packs of gum.

“We have definitely evolved,” Prasad says. “And I think you’ll see us continue to evolve.” 

The NTRL is located at 10001 Cross Creek Blvd. The Friends of the Library are hosting a Giant Book Sale at NTRL May 6-7. For more info, email FriendsofNewTampaLibrary@gmail.com. 

Another Starbucks for Wesley Chapel?

According to permitting requests filed with Pasco County, the Grove at Wesley Chapel has begun the process of adding a Starbucks to its ever-evolving footprint.

The new 2,566-sq.-ft. Starbucks will be constructed on the north side of Wesley Chapel Blvd. on the parcel of land immediately west of Brooklyn Bagel Water Co. and King of the Coop.

The new location of the iconic and omnipresent Seattle-based coffee chain is just 1.1 miles west of the Starbucks on S.R. 54.

According to our count, it will be Wesley Chapel’s fifth Starbucks location.

Celebrating More Than 25 Years Of Covering The New Tampa Regional Library!

Gary Nager Editorial

As indicated on page 8 of our current issue (in a story that will be be posted tomorrow), the New Tampa Regional Library (NTRL) on Cross Creek Blvd. is celebrating its 25th anniversary as one of the true jewels of the New Tampa community. The library officially opened to the public on May 4, 1997.

And, I’m more than proud to say, only one publication has covered every story about NTRL since not only the beginning, but also since the plans for the library were first announced more than two years earlier.

Plus, even though I didn’t write all of the stories about the NTRL myself throughout the years, I have been the proud owner and editor of that publication and have been the person responsible for editing every word of every one of those stories.

Our first story about the library was a small news item (to the left), from our June 1994 issue — almost three years before the library opened — about a 5K “Fun Run” whose $800 in proceeds would benefit the Friends of the Library, even though the library itself would not be approved by the Hillsborough County Library System and the County Commission until more than a year later.

We also were the first news medium to announce that the bidding process to build the 25,000-sq.-ft. regional library on 3.6 acres of land donated by Markbrough Florida (the developer of Hunter’s Green) in Aug. 1995, when the expected completion date for the NTRL was announced as the fall of 1996.

In fact, we published no fewer than a dozen articles about the library between that first 5K Fun Run news item and the actual ribbon cutting and opening of the library to the public in May of 1997 (see below).

Unfortunately, we have no electronic records of those early years (I believe the first electronic versions of our issues weren’t kept until about 2002, but even those were saved on hard drives that are no longer compatible with any computer program still in use today), so the pictures of the news stories shown on this page are actual iPhone camera pics of the print issues where those stories appeared.

If anyone knows someone interested in creating electronic archives (and a directory) of all of our issues since April of 1994 on our behalf, it’s a service I would gladly pay for, so I can avoid having to take fuzzy pics of our issues for future historic pieces.

Please email me at ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com if you or someone you know would be interested in providing this service.  

Troy Stevenson Kicks Off His County Commission Campaign

Troy Stevenson is running to replace Mike Moore as Pasco County Commissioner for District 2, which represents much of Wesley Chapel. (Photo; Charmaine George).

A harrowing experience involving his wife Iris’ health led Troy Stevenson to explore response times and the needs of Pasco’s Fire Rescue and Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), which led him to think about their needs in relation to the massive growth in Wesley Chapel, which led him to think about traffic and roads and development.

And where did all of that lead him? Right into the Pasco County District 2 Commissioner’s race to replace the Mike Moore who has announced he is not seeking re-election.

“It all got me thinking,” says Stevenson, “about how I could help.”

Stevenson, a registered Republican and Land O’Lakes resident for the last 20 years, entered the race in February and held his kickoff event April 6 at Design & Construction Innovators, the office of North Tampa Bay Chamber Board member Roberto Suarez. Roughly 75 supporters showed up.

“I know I’m the underdog,” he says of what is now a three-candidate race, “but I’ve received so much support that I’m starting to feel like I’m not the underdog anymore.”

You may not know Stevenson’s face, but you’ve almost certainly seen his ACME On The Go trucks — which are those high-definition LED mobile billboards — driving around the county.

In fact, Stevenson, an active, involved  member of both the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club and the North Tampa Bay Chamber,  has used those trucks to support a number of causes, raising tens of thousands of dollars over the years for a variety of projects and businesses. The trucks operate as a billboard, but have also shown movies at some local charity events, whether for kids with cancer or Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco’s K-9 Officer program. He also has helped build homes for Habitat for Humanity. 

That’s one of the things he says separates him from the other Dist. 2 candidates, race favorite Troy Weightman and Cynthia Zimmer. While both have political experience, Stevenson says he has been more of a boots-on-the-ground guy, literally getting his hands dirty behind the scenes with community involvement — he has been an active part of FEMA’s National Disaster Medical System group for 16 years, and has been among the first people on the scene following many major hurricanes, including Hurricanes Katrina (2005) and Maria (2017). 

“Katrina changed my life,” Troy says about having being deployed to New Orleans for two weeks. “It’s when I became a Christian and made me more thankful for my family and for people who help others.”

Troy is complimentary of the current Pasco Board of Commissioners (BOC) and says they have done a “phenomenal” job. If elected, he would like to continue along much the same path that Moore has paved.

But, he also says he would like to see the BOC become more proactive when it comes to infrastructure. And, while he is a believer in development, he also thinks the Board has to provide for the police, first responders and local residents who have to get around on heavily-populated roads.

“It feels like they (the BOC) are always playing catch up,” Stevenson says. “I’m not political. I’m analytical. I see things that need to be done and I am always ready to jump in and help.”

Weightman has collected a number of big endorsements, including Moore’s, as the Republican Party has coalesced behind him.

Stevenson says he has been endorsed by former Pasco County Clerk of Court Paula O’Neill, who spoke on his behalf at the kickoff event, but adds that he doesn’t place much emphasis on endorsements.

He has already put $50,000 of his own money into his campaign coffers, and hopes that those who know him and have benefitted from his community efforts will turn out at the polls for the August 23 primary.

“I don’t need the money, I don’t need the popularity,” Stevenson says. “I just feel deep in my heart that I want to help the county, and help the people in the place I live and love.”

For more info, visit TroyforPasco.com.

Business Owner Helps Local Resident Survive Electric Bike Accident

Pete Veloz

Anne Oliver was riding her electric bike to her dentist’s office for an 8 a.m. appointment when she decided to cross S.R. 54 during a lapse in the traffic.

With plenty of time, she proceeded across the road.

“I looked and there were no cars, just one truck,” Anne says.

Anne thought she could drive right up on the median, and assumed it had an angled curb, which many do. Unfortunately, this median had a steep curb, which Anne remembers looking down and not seeing until the last second. 

It was the last thing she remembers before a violent crash.

Fortunately for her, Pete Veloz was driving that truck.

Veloz, who owns Paver World of Wesley Chapel a little east on S.R. 54 and is known as “Paver Pete,” was cruising along in his Ford F-350 work truck when he saw a woman crossing the road on her bike. He could tell she was heading to the median, but then everything happened in slow motion, he says.

“She went flying through the air, she went one way and her bike went the other way,” Pete says. “She landed face first on the grass. If that was a concrete median, it could have been really bad.”

The bike landed in the lane closest to the median. Pete swerved around it, looked in his driver’s sideview mirror, and saw Anne laying motionless, her leg sprawled out into the road. He thought she might have broken her neck, or even worse.

Anne, left, and her husband John.

“You know how sometimes someone will wreck their bike, but the adrenaline is going and they pop back up and keep going?,” Pete says. “She was knocked out.”

He backed up his truck, jumped out and dragged her all the way onto the median. He helped take off her helmet. He pulled the bike off the road. Cars were driving by, but Pete’s truck was serving as a caution and slowing them down.

Pete called 9-1-1. A woman from the Brookside Professional Park across the street ran over and called 9-1-1 as well. The police were there in moments, Pete says. Anne came to, moaning in pain, but was discombobulated and didn’t remember anything from the accident.

“I remember Pete’s voice and him trying to help me,” Anne says. “It was sunny. My face was bleeding, so he got me a rag. I still have never even seen his face.”

Anne’s husband, John, was driving back from Riverview when he got a call from the woman who had also come over to help. He doesn’t remember her name, just that she was calling from a New York area code. 

“Your wife’s been in an accident,” she told him, “but she’s okay and wants to talk to you.”

Anne tried to explain what happened, but was still struggling to sort things out. She doesn’t remember talking to John. She was loaded into an ambulance, and the woman with the New York area code called John back to tell him his wife was being transported to St. Joseph’s hospital.

John, a nurse, knew that wasn’t great because there were a number of closer options (like AdventHealth Wesley Chapel) but that St. Joseph’s has the nearest trauma center. 

As he headed in that direction, Pete called him with more details, and offered to take the bike so it wasn’t impounded.

Anne was in the hospital for nearly two weeks. The crash had been fierce. She fractured her nasal cavity, her face was scraped and bloody, she suffered tissue damage on her right hand and wrist, and worst of all, she suffered a tibia plateau fracture, which is a break of the larger lower leg bone below the knee that breaks into the knee joint itself.

Anne had Open Reduction and Internal Fixation, or ORIF, which is used to repair broken bones with hardware. In Anne’s case, it was synthetic putty, brackets and screws.

Because it is such a vital load-bearing area, it will take months for her leg to heal. Anne says she is facing three months of a non-weight-bearing existence.

But, she is alive.

If Pete wasn’t driving that truck, she’s not sure she would be.

“I am very grateful that things were not worse,” Anne says. “It could have been a lot worse. With all the cars that drive by, anything could have happened.”

Anne and John actually bought their electric bikes because John suffers from multiple sclerosis and cannot walk, so the bike offers pedaling assistance. The Seven Oaks residents typically ride their bikes around the nature trails where they live.

On the day of her dentist appointment, Anne had to take John’s heavier bike because hers was having its brakes fixed.

A Growing Trend

Electric bikes generally don’t have great suspension or shocks, and Anne thinks that — as well as the weight of the bike — contributed to the forceful accident, as the tires did not absorb the contact with the curb.

Anne and John say the doctors and nurses at St. Joseph’s said they were just one of many they had seen come in following an accident on an electric bike. 

According to a CBS News report, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission determined that injuries from electric scooters, bikes, hoverboards and other “mirco-mobility” products are up 70 percent the past four years, with 200,000 ER visits and at least 71 deaths from 2017-20.”

But, Anne and John say they hope to go back to riding their bikes — albeit in less crowded areas — when she heals.

As Anne fills in the blanks, she finds the possibilities of what could have happened to be terrifying. That’s why she wants everyone to know about Pete.

“That’s nice,” says Pete, “but I’m just glad she’s alright. It was pretty scary.”

Years ago, Pete says his youngest daughter was in a car accident, and no one stopped to help her. 

“That really broke my heart,” he says. 

So when he saw Anne collide with the curb and was laying there motionless, it was never even a decision.

“That’s what you do, right?,” Pete says. “That’s the type of guy I am. You see someone in need, you stop to help. That’s how it should be.”