On June 7, Little Caesars Pizza celebrated the Grand Opening of the chain’s second Wesley Chapel location (at 5482 Post Oak Blvd.,off Wesley Chapel Blvd., in the same retail strip plaza as Jimmy John’s), with a DJ, a prize wheel attendees could spin and visits from both a stilt-walker and “Little Caesar” himself..
To me, Little Caesars is more about convenience and competitive pricing than it is about deliciousness, but I’ll admit that I enjoyed the new (at least to me) pepperoni “Crazy Puffs®” and the chewy Cookie Dough Brownies made with M&Ms® minis.
But, the fact that there were nearly 70 people waiting on line (below right photo) before the shop opened that day to win free Little Caesars for a year does indicate to me that people do enjoy the chain’s specialty pizzas like the “3 Meat Treat®” (bottom photo) for just $12.99 (it’s also available in a larger “Detroit-style deep dish” rectangular version for just $15.99).
The “Hot-N-Ready®” options are even less expensive, with the “Classic Cheese” and “Classic Pepperoni” both for just $7.29 & up, the “Extramostbestest®” cheese or pepperoni pizzas starting at just $8.29 each, and “Stuffed Crazy Crust” pizzas start at just $$13.99. There’s also pretzel crust pizzas ($6.99 & up), breadsticks, Italian cheese bread (top left photo, with pepperoni) and more.
And, with Little Caesars’ new “The Pizza Portal,” picking up your to-go order is as easy as grabbing an Amazon package at an apartment complex. And yes, DoorDash delivery is available, too.
The Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) voted 4-1 to approve Clearwater-based Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) as the new management company to operate the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus (WRSC), which has been managed by Pasco’s Parks & Recreation Dept. since the county agreed to buy out the contract of WRSC’s previous operator (RADDSports) in June of 2023.
Under the newly approved agreement with SFC, which manages 90 sports facilities throughout the U.S., the county will pay SFC $750,000 — an initial financial commitment of $500,000, which Florida’s Sports Coast’s deputy director of tourism Consuelo Sanchez called “bridge funding to offset potential revenue shortfalls,” plus a “Management fee” of $18,000 per month “paid of the Operating Account (account managed by SFC, which serves as the central fund to collect facility revenue and disburse expenses) and “Up to $250,000 for Facility Floor Resurfacing Reimbursement,” since the Sports Campus’ “gym floors have never been resurfaced since the facility opening in 2020. This necessary upgrade must be completed regardless of facility management to ensure athlete safety, event eligibility and competitive standards.”
District 5 Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano raised the question of whether or not SFC was planning to provide additional parking for the Sports Campus, which already has a huge lack of proper available parking, even though nothing in the agreement the commissioners approved mentions parking. Sanchez, however, said that SFC does plan to conduct a parking feasibility study “which they have six months to complete.” SFC founding partner Eric Sullivan, who also appeared at the meeting, confirmed that SFC is planning to conduct the study and noted, “That we know additional parking is needed at the facility.” Pasco Parks & Rec Dept. director Keith Wiley said that it appears that the only available space for more parking at the facility is located north of the 98,000-sq.-ft. indoor gym, which already is north of the five outdoor fields.
The resolution passed 4-1, with Mariano’s the only “Nay” vote because of the parking concerns.
Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter, who attended the meeting, but was not asked to speak, told the Neighborhood News after the meeting, “We are very pleased with the approval by the Board of the outside operator. From our conversations and research, they [SFC] seem more than capable of running the facility as the donation agreement outlines as an upper echelon sports tourism facility. We look forward to [SFC] raising the bar of the tournaments and tax dollars brought into Pasco County.”
More details of the new management agreement will be provided in the July 8 edition of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News.
On The Passing Of Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson
My City Council colleague Gwendolyn Henderson (above) has passed on (only five days after attending the kickoff event for Viera’s campaign to be the next Dist. 67 State Representative; see story below). Gwen was many things — a fighter who was hilarious, independent and stubborn and a woman with a beautiful heart.
Councilwoman Henderson was raised in Carver City — a Tampa community created for returning black veterans in the 1950s. Her Dad, Asbury Henderson, was a Korean War veteran. Her mother, Gladys Henderson, was a caring woman of faith. Gladys was descended from Sam Hightower — an enslaved man who was emancipated in Georgia in 1865 and would die in 1932.
Gwen owned the Tampa Heights Black English bookstore. If you want to see the heart of Councilwoman Henderson, go to Black English bookstore. It is a love letter to Black History and people like Sam Hightower and Asbury and Gladys Henderson.
She was proud to be a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (a sisterhood comprised primarily of Black, college-educated women with more than 1,050 chartered chapters worldwide), and a Carver City woman. She was proud to be a Dragon from Jefferson High School. She was proud of her Christian faith. She was proud to be a mom. And, she was proud to be a public servant representing the community where Gladys and Asbury Henderson raised a family.
She was also hilarious. I sat next to her [at City Council meetings] and laughed a lot. But, she was a tough lady, too. She endured some mean political attacks and never flinched. Public service can be a pleasure — but there are those who take the cheapest of all shots from the cheapest of all seats. Councilwoman Henderson punched back against those cheap shots.
I last saw her at an event she put on for young people attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). I told her: “Look at all of these young people, you are doing what you were meant to do.”
She brought a passion to the plight of everyday families like the one raised by Gladys and Asbury Henderson. She had a beautiful heart and will be missed.
On The Repaving Of New Tampa Blvd.
New Tampa Blvd. — home to God knows how many potholes and broken tires — is finally in line to be repaved.
This $2.5-million mobility project will repave 1.8 miles of the main road through the West Meadows community — from Meadow Pine Dr. to Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. The project will include pedestrian accessibility features with safety and ADA improvements.
This work will begin in Quarter 2 of 2026 and is set to be finished by the end of 2026.
I am glad we are finally getting here. Had the 2018 penny sales tax not been struck down in court, New Tampa Blvd. would have been repaved long ago. As it stands, I had to fight hard to get it in the budget — and I thank Mayor Castor and my fellow Council members for the support.
I would be remiss if I did not give a shout out to my long-time friend, Brad van Rooyen of West Meadows, who has been pushing for this project for years. If Brad is Captain Ahab, then West Meadows is his Moby Dick.
Not long ago, we got portions of Tampa Palms Blvd. repaved. We will finish the rest of Tampa Palms Blvd., too. Remember folks, like the Johnny Cash song goes: “One piece at a time.” Until we get better funding sources for mobility, it’ll have to be just one piece at a time.
On The Fourth Of July
The Fourth of July is coming up and I look forward to marching in some Independence Day parades. I love the Fourth of July for many reasons — for sentimental reasons and because I was raised in the 1980s.
And, I love how it is a good time to celebrate our country. A former President once said: “What is right with America can help heal what is wrong with America.” This Fourth of July, think about what is right with our country and how that good can help overcome what is wrong with our country. It has in the past and it will again.
Know what a real pleasure it is to represent you all in public office.
Viera Kicks Off Campaign To Succeed Rep. Driskell
As we told you back in April, District 7 Tampa City Councilman and New Tampa resident Luis Viera has announced that instead of running for Mayor of Tampa, a citywide Council seat or a spot on the Hillsborough County Commission, he is instead seeking the position currently held by his long-time friend and Dist. 67 Florida Rep. (and State House minority leader) Fentrice Driskell.
Viera officially kicked off his campaign for the seat at a fund-raising event held at the Columbia Centennial Museum in Ybor City on June 5 that was attended by more than 200 people, including Richard Gonzmart (at microphone, left), the chairman of the 1905 Family of Restaurants (including the original Columbia Restaurant adjacent to the museum), who introduced Viera to the crowd, as well as fellow City Council members Gwendolyn Henderson (who passed away suddenly a few days after the event) and Charlie Miranda and Dist. 1 Hillsborough Commissioner Harry Cohen.
Unable to attend the campaign event was Leader Driskell herself, who was (and is) still in Tallahassee with the rest of the State Legislature trying to get a Fiscal Year 2026 budget passed.
Viera, who was actually the second Democrat to enter the race for Driskell’s seat, no longer faces a primary election, as retired U.S. Air Force Colonel William “Will” Atkins, the first candidate to file for the seat, pulled out of the race after reading my profile of Viera (photo, right) — at least, that’s what Will told me when I saw him at the YMCA groundbreaking in Wesley Chapel last month.
“I come from the heart,” Viera told the crowd at the event. “I always tell people I’m the same guy on Saturday night that I am on Sunday morning. That means that I’m the same guy I was before I got elected, and [I’ll be] the same guy when I go to Tallahassee that I am now. And by the way, I’m gonna be the same guy in the primary that I am in the general election, because you don’t put your finger in the wind on your values. Your values count when they are rock-solid. They come with you, and they don’t change based upon what’s happening. I always believe in dignity for all, which is the idea that you’re entitled to dignity and respect — the idea that we all do better when we all do better.”
In a surprising twist, long-time Wesley Chapel resident, family man and entertainer Layne Harper has stepped into the spotlight by portraying Sean “Diddy” Combs on Hulu’s gripping hit new docuseries, “Diddy on Trial: As It Happened.”
Layne’s involvement in the show has garnered national attention, especially considering the sensitive and sensational nature of the content. As the trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs continues to unfold in real life, with testimony from various witnesses, including rapper Kid Cudi, Diddy’s former longtime girlfriend Cassandra Ventura and “Jane,” an alleged sex trafficking victim, the series provides an alternative medium for audiences to engage with the case through reenactments and on-screen analysis.
Produced by ABC News Studios, “Diddy on Trial” debuted on May 25 as the third most-watched show on Hulu (as of May 28), behind “A Handmaid’s Tale” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” according to FlixPatrol, a site that provides Video on Demand (VOD) charts and streaming statistics worldwide, and has continued to garner high ratings through its first four episodes as we went to press with this issue.
Hulu’s website states that the docuseries, “takes you inside the criminal trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, one of the most salacious and hotly anticipated courtroom showdowns in decades. Watch bombshell moments and heart-wrenching testimony unfold in real time through meticulous actor reenactments sourced each week from courtroom transcripts.
“Prosecutors allege the music icon and business mogul engaged in a dark underworld of sex trafficking and prostitution. Combs denies all accusations, maintaining his innocence. Join host Sunny Hostin [Senior Legal Correspondent for ABC News] as she breaks it all down with a rotating roster of legal and pop culture experts, giving you a front-row seat to this high-stakes legal battle.”
Since cameras are not allowed in the federal courtroom, the actor reenactments allow viewers to more accurately, and emotionally, connect with what’s actually happening in a more natural way than just reading about it in news articles. The series is a “must watch” for those who like courtroom dramas, as well as, of course, pop culture fans.
As of this writing, here are the four episodes of “Diddy on Trial” have been released:
#1: “The Freak-Off”
#2: “The Assault.”
#3 “Secret Life of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs”
#4: The Bribe & The Balcony”
New episodes are being released every Sunday as the trial continues.
The Man Playing The Monster
Testimony in the trial so far has painted Diddy as a violent and controlling man that people feared. So, how does someone like Layne Harper — who’s known locally to be a genuinely nice guy — get to portray one of the most mocked and allegedly vile men in America?
Layne says he is actually “really excited” about this opportunity and that one of his agents in New York City helped him land the lead role. “I’ve never been told that I resemble Diddy,” Layne says. “My agent in New York submitted me for the role because he had a strong feeling I could execute on the role as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.”
He adds, “I’m not concerned at all because I’m playing the role of ‘Diddy.’ I’m my own person. I’m a husband and father of three and I choose to protect my peace and strongly believe in not entertaining negativity. One thing that cannot be erased from the entertainment industry is that Sean Combs will always be a music mogul.”
He admits, however, that stepping into this unique role has been a wild ride for him.
“Everything is happening so fast,” Layne says. “I’m flying back to New York again tomorrow night, and will be back and forth in Tampa for the next 4-6 weeks — maybe longer, depending on the trial, [since] I’m doing the entire season.”
Assuming that Diddy is going to take the witness stand at some point, Layne says of that possibility, “I just pray. I don’t overthink it. That’s how I booked the role. I’m on the edge of my seat because no one knows if he will take the stand.”
Layne Harper, Jr., 43, was born in Memphis, TN. Raised in a military family, he spent seven years in Darmstadt and Mannheim, Germany. After graduating from Millington (TN) Central High School in 2000, Layne moved to Brooklyn, NY, to pursue a music career.
He later relocated to Nashville, TN, where Layne met his wife Jennifer. The couple moved to the Tampa Bay area in 2009, and has been living in Wesley Chapel since 2010 with their three children (l.-r. in top left photo on the next page) — Jaydon, Enyal and Xavier, the latter of whom is currently serving in the U.S. Navy.
Playing Diddy is actually somewhat ironic for Layne, as he is also an experienced and talented rapper/musician with an amazing voice. His songs “A Thing Called Love,” “Hell Ride to Heaven” and “Medicine Cabinet” are his most popular originals with his message landing somewhere between faith and hope. “Hell Ride to Heaven” definitely has that New York sound. The music videos for Layne’s music can be streamed on Youtube under “Layne Harper” and his album “House of Blues” also can be streamed on Spotify.
Layne also has ventured into fashion — he has launched his inspirational and faith-based urban clothing brand called Vctry (which Layne is wearing in the photo below right). The designs seem to resonate with customers who appreciate Vctry’s blend of style and functionality, offering pieces that are both fashion-forward and comfortable.
As an actor, Layne has had a few roles in small, independent films, and he’s also done a few commercials, but most recently he scored a role as a reporter/member of the press in a major film — the upcoming and hotly anticipated Apple Original racing film called “F1,” starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris and Javier Bardem. The movie is about Formula 1 racing and is scheduled to be released in theaters on Friday, June 27.
As for portraying the most ridiculed man in the world (at least currently), Layne says, “I actually turned the role down twice and prayed that someone else would be blessed with the opportunity rather than me. However, God had other plans for me. Yes, I feel I’m out of character, but there’s a difference between natural actors and method actors and for this role, I bounce between the two.”
More Than Just A Role
As Layne takes on the role of Diddy in “Diddy on Trial,” he isn’t just stepping into a role — he’s stepping into a cultural moment, one with lots and lots of baby oil.
The show doesn’t shy away from controversy and neither does he. His performance captures the complexity of a man under intense public scrutiny, while also reflecting the broader questions regarding celebrity culture, justice and the role of the media.
As the world watches the trial, Layne’s performance reminds us that storytelling — no matter the medium — has the power to challenge, provoke and, ultimately, inform. Whether or not this role also will make this Wesley Chapel family man a star in his own right remains to be seen.
From Wesley Chapel to the world stage, Layne Harper is hoping to prove he’s more than ready for the spotlight. As his diverse background and creative endeavors continue to shape his multifaceted career, faith. hope and family continue to shape the man himself.
New episodes of “Diddy on Trial: As It Happened” will be available for streaming on Hulu every Sunday through the conclusion of the trial.
Sushi Masa in Tampa Palms has a huge variety of Japanese cuisine, including a sashimi variety display (bottom photo), chicken & Steak teriyaki, fried rice & Udon or Soba noodles (above), tempura cheesecake (below left), assorted sushi rolls & gyoza (below left). All Items on this page, except the sashimi display, are included on the all-you-can eat dinner for $36.95 or lunch for $23.95.
Congratulations to owner Ryan Chen and his team (photo below) for finally opening the beautiful new Sushi Masa Premium in the former Red Lobster location (at 17021 Palm Pointe Dr.) in Tampa Palms. Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and her friend Austin and I got to sample pretty much everything on Sushi Masa’s all-you-can-eat (AYCE) menu (for $36.95 for dinner, $23.95 for lunch) the day before it opened and we agreed that the sushi rolls (maki), sashimi (no rice) and nigiri (sashimi on rice) were all fresh and delicious — especially the tuna and yellowtail options. The appetizers, like the assorted tempura (not shown) and gyoza dumplings (below) were excellent and the Udon and Soba noodles (we all preferred the latter), the fried rice and chicken and steak teriyaki were all pretty tasty, too. And, save room for dessert (also included) — the tempura cheesecake, fried Oreos and green tea ice cream were all delish.
The only items not included on the AYCE menu are the hibachi/teppanyaki entrées — veggie, chicken, salmon, steak & shrimp, plus combos — and the alcoholic beverages at the spacious bar, but Ryan, who also owns the Lakeland location (there are now ten total) is off to a great start! Love the fast service, too! For more info, call (813) 252-9302 or visit SushiMasaUS.com. — GN
(L.-r.) Sushi Masa assistant manager Trinity Carmenaty, kitchen manager Camila Cortes, owner Ryan Chen, & general manager Juliet Ebanks
