Midterm Elections Heating Up As Futbol’s Biggest Event Gets Under Way!

2026 FIFA World Cup groupings (Source: stock.adobe.com) 

As you’re reading this, the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights are tied 2-2 in their best-of-seven series to see which team will take home Lord Stanley’s Cup.

That means mine and Jannah’s beloved Tampa Bay Lightning (obviously) didn’t make it this far in the playoffs this year. It also means that we now have plenty of time for other pursuits.

For me, that means watching as much as possible of the 2026 World Cup — which kicks off tomorrow — Thursday, June 11. And, while I am hopeful that a much-improved U.S. National Team can advance out of its tough Group D (with Turkey, Paraguay and Australia) as one of the three host nations for the event, I think that the World Cup is amazing to watch no matter which country ends up bringing home the coveted trophy and which player wins the Gold Ball as the tournament’s most outstanding player.

I will watch most of the games (alone) at home, but Jannah and I will most likely plan to visit local restaurants and bars every time the U.S. team takes the pitch. 

Oh, and because there are more teams than ever competing in the World Cup this year (48 vs. 32), there will be more futbol played than ever before — 104 total matches vs. 64 in years past.

Also for the first time, eight of the 12 third-place teams will advance out of the group stage into the first knockout round of 32 countries.

The Final match won’t be played until July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. In other words, even though the NFL preseason won’t start until August, there is still plenty of futbol to watch between now and then.

Speaking Of Seasons…

As much as I love both hockey and soccer, that’s how much I actually dislike politics. As I’ve written many times before, I’m a registered Republican who has never voted strictly along party lines — I’ve always voted for the candidates I felt most seemed to align with my views.

But, finding such candidates — whether federal, state or local — has gotten harder and harder to do for not only me but for anyone who feels they ride the middle between the two major political parties.

(l.-r.) Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, Gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds & Republican Party of Pasco (RPP) chair Troy Stevenson (Source: RPP). 

The 2026 Midterm Election “season,” which will begin with Primary elections on Tuesday, August 18, is coming up fast and Floridians will be voting for a new Governor, as well as a U.S. Senator, our area’s U.S. Representatives, plus State Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture, State Senators, State Representatives (all districts) and Pasco also will be electing both a State Attorney and a Public Defender (both in the 20th Judicial Circuit).

Also in Pasco, where all County Commissioners and School Board members are elected countywide, it’s particularly difficult to get to know all of the candidates, which is one reason why so many Republican incumbents were reelected by such wide margins in 2024. Of course, the fact there are nearly twice as many registered Republicans as registered Democrats in Pasco also doesn’t hurt the GOP’s chances in our county. 

And, although School Board elections, which also are held in August, are non-partisan, the affiliations of these candidates are usually known, too. 

At any rate, although I may not be a fan of election season, the Neighborhood News will be updating you about as many of the candidates as possible in our June 23 and July 21 New Tampa issues and our July 7 and August 4 Wesley Chapel editions.

And…They’re Off!

In the meantime, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco has announced that he will resign in November to run in the special election for the Florida Senate District 21 seat being vacated by Florida Sen. Ed Hooper, who is retiring.

Nocco, who has been Pasco’s Sheriff since 2011, is running as a Republican and did not yet, at our press time, have an opponent in that race. Wesley Chapel voters can not vote in Dist. 21, as our State Senator is Dist. 23’s Danny Burgess.

School Is Almost Out — Can We Please Try To Drive Even More Carefully?

Photo source: NAVEE Scooters US 

With the 2025-26 school year ending in just a few days, one thing that has me worried is the way people drive around our area. 

We’ve all seen the speeders and people who think the shoulders on I-75 and I-275 are their personal “I have to get home faster than you” lanes. But, as if those highway issues weren’t enough, the local neighborhood roadways are now also being inundated by golf carts, electric bicycles, skateboards and scooters — and it’s clear that many parents either don’t realize, don’t understand or somehow don’t care that some of their children are riding these dangerous vehicles on the same streets as your neighbor’s Cybertrucks and high-powered sports cars. 

I am not pointing fingers at anyone in particular here — we all know that many people drive too fast, don’t use turn signals, don’t stop at stop signs or at signalized intersections before turning right and are generally distracted by texting/looking at screens, eating and/or applying makeup when they drive. 

But now, with children as young as 8-9 years old both on motorized vehicles and out of school — kids who clearly don’t know the rules of the road — sharing the local roadways at all hours of the day, as well as at night, as a father and grandfather, I am truly scared for all of us. 

Just a few weeks ago, one Wesley Chapel family suffered the ultimate loss, as the father of a 12-year-old boy struck and killed his own son, who was riding his electric skateboard in their own neighborhood. Obstructed views from hedges were cited as a factor in the tragic accident, but when you hear of this kind of horror that anyone has to endure, it’s not about looking to blame anyone, it’s about trying to prevent the next tragedy from happening. 

First of all, I honestly believe that no unlicensed young driver should be allowed to own and operate one of these motorized vehicles without first having to complete an extensive safety course — with their family members, so everyone is aware of the sometimes difficult-to-follow rules governing each different type of these vehicles. I’m not talking about an online course. I’m talking about something in person, with law enforcement officials at least providing the rules if not the actual training, so that every kid who is given the ability to go 10-25 miles per hour — or more — on any kind of motorized vehicle understands the potential for tragedy they have beneath them. 

We’ve already published stories about how the insurance industry is now having to deal with writing policies for these vehicles, many of which didn’t exist just a few years ago, but here are a couple of those stats again: 

‱ E-Scooter injuries soared by 80% from 2020-24, from less than 30,000 to more than 115,000. 

‱ E-Bike injuries rose from just 1,600 in 2018 to 23,000+ in 2022 

Since standard auto and homeowner’s policies don’t include coverage for motorized bikes and scooters, thousands of claims have been denied. These vehicles are also 2.5 times more likely to be stolen than cars, with an estimated $1.4 billion in annual bicycle theft losses. 

But, it’s not about the monetary cost. It’s about losing someone you love, especially a child, to something so senseless. 

I’m fine with it if you disagree, if you say that kids should have their freedom, too. That’s easy to say until it’s your child who pays the ultimate price. 

All I can say is that if you’re not going to be extra careful, especially now that school is about to be let out and the number of these new motorized threats sharing the road with already-distracted drivers is about to skyrocket, you’re literally asking for more tragedy to affect someone else’s family…or your own. 

So, please drive carefully…and please talk to your kids about the very real dangers. 

‘I Wish A Life Like This On You, Gary’ — Marion Brodarick (1922-2026)

I’m sorry to have to report that my friend, Pebble Creek resident and frequent Neighborhood News contributor Marion Brodarick passed away on March 10. 

Marion was about five months away from her 104th birthday when she said goodbye to her family for the last time. I was lucky enough to be able to visit with her twice during that last week of her life and I was so happy to be able to tell her how much I loved and appreciated her and all of the stories about Pebble Creek (where she had been a Board member of her homeowners association) that she was the first to tell me about throughout my 32 years of owning this publication — as well as all of the contests she entered during that time. 

But, Marion and I were somehow both aware that we shared a bond that went deeper than her feeding me some stories or entering contests or the fact that she also was a former newspaper editor (which she loved reminding me about) — of her school’s newspaper back in Chicago, where she had grown up and was 6th in her graduating class. 

During my last visit to her home, with her daughter Ellen Fiss and her grandson-in-law Dylan Crawshaw by my side, Marion told me something I will carry with me forever: 

“I wish a life like this on you, Gary,” she told me, “not just because it’s been long, but because it’s been such a good life. I’ve loved almost every minute of it.” 

My own beloved grandmother Betty, who lived to almost 92, told me in the weeks before she passed “Everyone says it’s been a good, long life, Gary, but it’s just not enough life for me.” 

I feel like that’s how I will be if I am fortunate enough to reach 92 or 103, but when Marion told me “It’s been a good life” and immediately beamed that beautiful smile at me, I understood that she had accepted that this was her time. 

During those last two visits, we both fondly remembered not only Marion’s amazing 100th birthday celebration (more on that below), but also the fact that I came to visit with her and her bridge club’s smaller celebration for her centennial at Heritage Isles Country Club (the bridge club had originally met at Pebble Creek Golf Club, where Marion once scored a hole-in-one). 

“That was so sweet of you to come see me that time,” she said. “I’ll never forget it.” 

I also reminded Marion that she once won not only one of my Reader Dining Survey Contests, but also one of the Crossword Puzzle Contests that she loved to enter that I used to run in every issue of the paper when I was obsessed with a new crossword creator program I had found more than 25 years ago. 

“I loved entering all of your contests,” she told me. “There was a group of us (in Pebble Creek) who used to all enter them.” 

But, that 100th birthday celebration that was orchestrated by Ellen was one of the greatest events Jannah and I have ever been to together. 

Featuring a big band, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe and other impersonators in an amazing converted home downtown, it was attended by former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco. Visit Tampa Bay president and former New Tampa resident Santiago Corrada was among those who sent videos, as Marion worked there greeting conventioneers and proctoring the Florida Bar exam for 35 years. 

The birthday party also had about 100 photos and letters from the likes of Johnny Depp, Dick Van Dyke (Marion’s celebrity crush), David Muir of ABC News (whom she also loved), Mayor Jane Castor, Sheriff Grady Judd, many local news anchors and reporters and just so many more. 

As Ellen also said in the beautiful obituary notice she wrote for her mom, “She became the first volunteer at the Straz Center for the Arts, serving joyfully there for 30 years, until her mid-90s.” 

Also in that obit for her was the retelling of Marion’s love story, her second-date engagement and 58-year marriage to her beloved husband, Urban “Brod” Brodarick, who passed away in 2005, at age 86. “She loved unconditionally and was so proud of the lives her family built,” Ellen wrote. 

I feel so fortunate to be able to have felt a tiny bit of that love for the past 32 years. Yes, it was a good life, Marion. I just wish we had a little more time to share. RIP 

The Neighborhood News Is Looking To Pay More Writers!

Whether you or someone you know is 16, 36 or 76 but has always loved to write — and would like to get paid for those efforts — I hope you’ll read and respond to this editorial. 

As I have periodically throughout my 32 years of owning and being the editor of the Neighborhood News, I am looking once again for additional freelance writers to help me continue to provide more news and information about the New Tampa and explosively-still-growing Wesley Chapel areas than any other local medium — whether print, broadcast or online. 

Even if you’ve never had anything published before, send me your resumĂ© and something you’ve written — on any topic — both of which you have checked carefully for spelling and grammatical errors, to my attention (see ad, above) at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com. 

If you are sending a clip, please don’t send me three or four. All I need is ONE piece of 300 to no more than 1,000 words that indicates your ability to write in English (not text-speak), tell a story with full sentences and, if possible, one that uses a few quotes that shows that you know how to use them (and quotation marks) properly. 

Please also note that if you’re going to send me a link to a web page or social media site, that the first thing I see needs to be your strongest work because I probably won’t get to the second item on the site/page if the first thing I see doesn’t grab my attention. 

So, whether you have a journalism or English background or not, or any professional writing experience or not, all I am looking for are people who are interested in being part of the Neighborhood News family who are willing to learn. 

In other words, if you think you already know everything there is to know about writing, this probably isn’t the right freelance opportunity for you. That’s why I’m fine working with young people — as long as they’re willing to work, follow directions and can submit stories on deadline. Just please be prepared for a lot of edits and comments about each piece from me. 

If you’re interested in writing news stories, I’m particularly interested in people who are willing to do actual research for those stories, not just regurgitate what they find on Chat GPT or any other Artificial Intelligence app. 

All successful applicants also should be prepared to have to write the Business Feature stories that appear towards the center of each issue, even if you tell me you’re more interested in news, sports, features, human interest or online stories. 

You’ll still get to write those, too, but our advertisers tell us that the Business Features provide them with the best response they receive from any local media, so I do still need them. 

So, send me something and let’s go from there. Good luck — and no phone calls, please! 

So, What Actually Qualifies Someone To Be An ‘Influencer?’

Before this past year, the only people I had ever heard of who were referred to as “influencers” were national and worldwide celebrities. 

But, as the months went by in 2025, it seemed that half the people I met whenever Jannah, Charmaine and I would visit a new restaurant for the first time were either calling themselves or, more often, being referred to by the owners of those restaurants as “influencers.” Several were actually invited to be there to help the restaurants announce their respective openings, while yours truly had to drive by the places months before they were set to open, write about them multiple times and follow up still more times in order to attend their soft openings, “Friends & family” pre-openings or the actual openings of the places. 

When I’ve asked some of these restaurant owners why they invited some of these influencers — many of whom I’ve had really nice chats with at these events; some of whom have even told me they’re “fans” of mine, the Neighborhood News or both — at least three or four restaurant owners have told me, “We always try to invite local influencers to help get the word out for us.” O.K. 

Hey, I know I’m old school, but I can see now why so many young people are iPhone-recording every moment of their lives in an effort to become influencers. But, since I didn’t have any idea how many of them actually qualify for the title — or what criteria actually makes them able to qualify for it — I decided to do a little Google/ AI searching to try to find out what those criteria are and whether or not I and the Neighborhood News already meet those qualifications. 

Here’s what I found: 

Key Characteristics of an Influencer: 

Authority/Expertise: They are seen as knowledgeable or an expert in a specific field. √ 

Audience & Reach: They have a dedicated following on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc. (OK, not so much, at least not yet) 

Trust & Authenticity: Followers trust their recommendations & value their perspective. √ 

Niche Focus: They typically focus on a particular interest area (e.g.,New Tampa?) √ 

Content Creation: They consistently produce engaging, entertaining/informative content. √ 

Engagement: They actively interact with their community, building relationships. √ 

Impact: Their endorsements or opinions can sway followers’ behaviors and buying choices, making them valuable partners for brands. √ 

Types of Influencers by Follower Count: 

Nano Influencers – 1k-10k followers. Nano influencers have a following ranging from 1,000-10,000 followers and are considered to be mid-tier influencers. Influencers in this category can earn anywhere from $50 to $250 per sponsored post. (Ummm, no!) 

Micro Influencers – 10k-100k followers. Micro influencers are defined as having between 10k-100k followers. Despite having a larger following than nano influencers, they still manage to maintain a similar “relatability” or “authenticity” factor. Which, in turn, means they still have high engagement rates. Often, micro influencers fall into a particular niche or influencer category that can be specific to a particular location, job, or hobby. √ 

Most of the local influencers I’ve looked up fall into one of these first two categories. The difference between them and us is that they have more followers on TikTok or Instagram (IG) than we do, although our Facebook numbers (17,000+ followers) would put us in the “Micro” category — if Facebook even “counts.” We only started attempting to increase our Instagram following about four months ago, and we’ve increased our number of IG followers from about 100 at that time to more than 700 today 

At any rate, I’m proud that we had nearly 3 million views of our 350 Facebook posts in 2025, led by our top-10 posts of the year in this chart. 

And that doesn’t include the number of you who still read — and dare I say, are “influenced” by us the old-fashioned way — by holding our publications in your hands and reading them. 

You’re still the main reason so many advertisers are willing to spend money with us in a supposedly dead medium — so, thank you!