Tag: New Tampa

Cold Stone Creamery Is The New Tampa Area’s Original Ice Cream Shop!

The people of New Tampa have now been hearing the phrase “Welcome to Cold Stone” for 20 years and even though many other ice cream shops have entered the local market (and many others have gone away), Cold Stone Creamery has been a constant source of joy for young and old alike. It features a unique selection of super-creamy, ultra-premium ice cream flavors, and a huge variety of toppings that you can have the happy Cold Stone ice creamers mix in from more than two dozen ingredients (bottom photo) — from fresh bananas, strawberries and raspberries to candies and cookies like Heath bars, Twix and Reese’s Oreos and toppings like real (but not hot) fudge, marshmallow, caramel and even pistachio cream sauce.

New Tampa store general manager Nola Davis (above) says that this summer before the kids go back to school is a great time to try or return to Cold Stone, as there are several new flavors and new Signature Creations everyone can check out.

For example, she says, “in honor of the recently released “Supergirl” movie, Cold Stone currently has ‘Supergirl’s Cosmic Kettle Corn’ (above left), which combines kettle corn-flavored ice cream, big pieces of kettle corn (above right), a caramel swirl and Supergirl-colored sprinkles.”

Another current specialty creation is the Oreo® Pretzel Perfection (left), which Nola says, “has a sweet cream-based, Oreo® Cookie chocolate-covered pretzel ice cream, Oreo® cookies, mini-pretzels, caramel and sugar crystals (below left).”

There’s also a new “Cup & Cookie Chaos” (not pictured) that features Cookies ‘n’ Peanut Butter ice cream that is made with Oreo® cookies, Reese’s peanut butter cups and Oreo® Reese’s cookies.

And finally, Nola says, the big hit of the summer so far is, “Our Dubai Chocolate Creation” (top photo). “It has our chocolate ice cream with pistachio cream, kataifi (finely shredded phyllo dough) and chocolate shavings. Everyone is crazy about Dubai chocolate these days. And, people are really loving it!”

Nola even sent us home with samples of each creation, so we could all sample them. My favorite, not surprisingly, is the “Cup & Cookie Chaos,” but I can definitely finish off a serving of any of them.

She adds, “Even if you pick one of our Signature Creations,” Nola says, “You can still make it your own.”

All of these Signature and “Create Your Own” Creations can be put on your choice of a cone, cup or waffle bowl, in the usual Cold Stone sizes — Kid’s Size, “Like It®,” “Love It®” and “Gotta Have It®.”

I had for me to not take one of these entire cakes home with me and finish it all myself.

Nola also explains that although there is always a supply of ready-made cakes in the store (above right photo), including some of the “Perfect Pair” cakes, “Most of our cakes are custom-ordered, so you can always get whatever flavors of ice cream you want, toppings, everything, but please always give us at least two days to create the cake you want because someone has to build the cake and someone else will have to decorate it. Then, it has to stay in the freezer for a certain amount of time.”

So Many Specials!

The New Tampa Cold Stone Creamery also offers different specials every Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Monday is “Mega Monday!,” when you get one FREE “Like-it Create” creation with one mix-in when you purchase any two “Love-it” sizes (or larger).

Tuesday is “2-for-$10 Tuesday!,” when you get any two “Like-it” creations (with one mix-in each) for only $10.

Wednesday is “Waffle Wednesday!,” when you get a FREE plain waffle bowl or cone when you buy one “Love-it” size (or larger),

Thursday is “Thriving Thursday!,” when you get $2 OFF any Cookies, Cupcakes or Reese’s Cups OR $5 OFF any Large-Size Signature Cake.

And, right now, when you mention this story and present the coupon in the ad below, you’ll get a FREE scoop of ice cream!

All of these offers are valid in-store at the Cold Stone location on Preserve Walk Ln. in New Tampa ONLY. Please note that they are not available with any other offers and are limited to one special per family/per order.

We definitely agree with Nola that the summer is the best time of year to check out the New Tampa Cold Stone Creamery. Now you know why!

New Tampa’s Cold Stone Creamery is located at 17519 Preserve Walk Ln., in the Highwoods Preserve area, just off I-75. It opens every day at 11 a.m. and stays open until 11 p.m. on Sunday, until 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and until midnight on Friday & Saturday. For more info, visit ColdStoneCreamery.com or call (813) 977-0024.

Back To School, New Tampa: Chiles Elementary & Freedom High Have New Principals

The beginning of the 2026-27 school year in Hillsborough County (unfortunately for our schedule) began on Aug. 10, or the day after we went to press with this issue.

And, while we did not get to interview new Freedom High principal Deanna McCahan (right) before school started, we did chat with (and photographer Charmaine George got a few pictures of) new Chiles Elementary principal Kelly Wackes.

In her Principal’s Message on Freedom’s web page on the HillsboroughSchools.org website, McCahan (who spent the last five years as principal at Shields Middle School in Ruskin, said, “As your principal, I am thrilled to welcome you to another exciting school year. Our dedicated staff is committed to providing a supportive and challenging environment where every student can thrive. We believe in fostering a community of respect, responsibility, and excellence. Whether you are a returning student or new to our school, we are here to support you every step of the way. Let’s make this year memorable and full of achievements.”

McCahan succeeds Kevin Stephenson, who is the new principal this year of Sgt. Smith Middle School in the Citrus Park area.

Welcome, Kelly!

Kelly Wackes is already a familiar face to many New Tampa residents, as she served as the assistant principal at Clark Elementary in West Meadows for the past five years and has been part of Hillsborough County Public Schools for the last 11 years — first as a math coach and then as a teacher.

“This week, getting to know the staff has been amazing,” Wackes told me just before the 2026-27 school year began. “Everyone has been so welcoming.”

She said she is proud to be the new principal at Chiles, as this is the school’s 25th year of existence, “and it’s never been anything other than an ‘A’-rated school,” she said. “And, all of us — the teachers, staff, parents and students — are committed to continuing that tradition of excellence. Our motto this year is, ‘Honoring the Past, Soaring into the Future.’”

Wackes, who holds a Master of Education (MEd) degree from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, said her oldest child is entering the 4th grade and is still at Clark, “but my youngest is starting Kindergarten with me at Chiles. I’m so excited for this year!”

She added that the 25th anniversary celebration for Chiles has been temporarily set by the District for March 5, 2027. — GN

chiles elementary Deanna McCahan freedom high Kelly Wackes New Tampa Principals

Hillsborough County Commission District 5 Primary Election Preview

The 2026 Midterm Primary Elections are quickly approaching and one of the most interesting local races will be for the Hillsborough County Commission District 5 seat.

The incumbent in the race is Republican Donna Cameron Cepeda, whose Primary Election opponent on Aug. 18 is current District 2 School Board member Stacy Hahn, so both candidates are already known to voters. The winner of the primary will face Democrat and local urologist Dr. Neil Manimala, and was profiled in these pages back in February. Manimala’s campaign currently has a huge fund-raising lead over both of his Republican opponents, as he has raised more than $165,000, compared with $81,000+ for Hahn and only $24,700 for Cepeda. (Note-These fund-raising numbers are from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections website and were accurate as of July 9.)

Dr. Donna Cameron Cepeda

Commissioner Cepeda (left) is a U.S. Army veteran and author, while previously working in finance and as an associate professor at Life Christian University (LCU). She earned a Bachelor’s degree from USC, along with Master’s and Doctoral Degrees from LCU. Unfortunately, Comm. Cepeda did not respond to interview requests from the Neighborhood News.

Dr. Stacy Hahn

Hahn has served in Dist. 2 on the Hillsborough School Board since 2018. In addition to her time on that Board, she helped found Literacy is Key, a nonprofit to help improve early childhood literacy rates by expanding access to books. She is a longtime educator, serving as a public school teacher and professor at the University of South Florida. She holds a Ph.D. in Early Childhood & Special Education from the University of Florida.

Below is a brief question-&-answer session with Dist. 5 Republican candidate Stacy Hahn:

Neighborhood News (NN): Tell our readers why you decided to run for County Commissioner.

Stacy Hahn (SH): For the past eight years, I have had the privilege of serving the residents of Hillsborough County on the School Board, overseeing one of the largest school districts in the nation and helping manage a multi-billion-dollar budget. I have spent my career focused on education, accountability and serving our community.

I’m running for County Commission because Hillsborough County needs experienced, principled leadership focused on fiscal responsibility, public safety and responsible growth. Families deserve a commissioner who will protect taxpayer dollars, improve infrastructure, support law enforcement and ensure government lives within its means. My record demonstrates that I ask tough questions, make difficult decisions and always put the interests of the taxpayers first.

NN: What would you say have been your top achievements during your time on the School Board?

SH: I’m proud of many accomplishments, but the one that will have the greatest long-term impact is strengthening the District’s financial stability while improving student outcomes.

I championed the District’s first formal fund balance policy, increasing our reserves to 10 percent, so taxpayers are better protected during economic downturns and emergencies. At the same time, we made difficult decisions to close underutilized schools, prioritize maintenance and new schools in areas of high growth, as well as focus academic resources where they directly benefit students.

This year, Hillsborough County Schools earned its first “A” District grade (from the Florida Department of Education) in more than a decade. That success reflects years of improving accountability, supporting teachers, investing strategically and maintaining strong fiscal stewardship.

NN: What is your top priority should you win election to the County Commission?

SH: My top priority is making sure our infrastructure finally catches up with our growth. Residents spend too much time sitting in traffic, and too many communities have experienced rapid development without the roads, intersections and public safety infrastructure necessary to support it. We need to prioritize transportation improvements, synchronize road projects with new development and ensure growth pays for growth. At the same time, I will continue to prioritize public safety, protect taxpayers and make county government more efficient before asking residents to pay more.

NN: Many readers have expressed a variety of opinions on the proposed constitutional amendment to increase the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027, followed by an increase to $250,000 in 2028. Some believe that it will diminish essential services for county residents. Others believe it’s a needed action to address concerns. Where do you land on the proposal and do you think the county will need to make cuts to maintain public safety and other essential county services?

SH: Florida families continue to face rising housing costs, insurance premiums and everyday expenses. Providing meaningful property tax relief deserves serious consideration, and I support efforts that allow homeowners to keep more of their own money. That said, public safety remains government’s first responsibility. I will never support cutting funding for the Sheriff’s Office, Fire Rescue/EMS, or emergency management. If revenues are reduced, the county should first identify operational efficiencies, modernize technology, eliminate duplication and prioritize core services before considering reductions that impact residents. Responsible economic growth also expands the tax base over time, helping generate additional revenue without raising tax rates.

We should always look to make government work smarter before asking taxpayers to do more.

Donna Cameron Cepeda election Hillsborough County Commission District 5 New Tampa Stacy Hahn

Now Open At Former New Tampa Wendy’s — House Of Biryanis & Kebabs

People have been asking us for years — and posting questions online — about whether anything was ever coming to the former Wendy’s location at 19430 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. Until now, we didn’t have any answers.

The replacement for Wendy’s is a local link in a small but growing chain of 35 halal Indian/South Asian restaurants called House of Biryanis & Kebabs (HBK) — and, three days after the restaurant’s ribbon-cutting event with Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera on July 6 (above right), photographer Charmaine George and I were treated to a number of delicious dishes by the restaurant’s five local franchise owners, led by Satya Meka (left in photo) and Karthik Achanta (right in same photo). And yes, we thoroughly enjoyed everything we sampled.

The three appetizers we indulged in were the most uniquely garlicky Murgh Malai Kebabs (top photo),which were chunks of chicken served fajita-style on a sizzling dish, followed by a spicy Mongadu Gobi (cauliflower, bottom left). Next was an order of Onion Samosas (bottom right), which were different than most Indian samosas I’ve had before, as the tasty onions and potatoes were wrapped in a crisp, spanakopita-style, almost-cellophane-like crust and were not spicy at all.

“We can vary the spice on any of our dishes,” Satya told us. “But, these authentic recipes use the same quality ingredients and taste the same at every HBK location (most of which are along the East Coast and in the Midwestern U.S., with one location in Manchester, England).”

Of course, we had to try one of the restaurant’s signature biryanis — the HBK Special Chicken Biryani (right photo), which combines spicy, long-grain rice, a hard-cooked egg and a side of zesty, slightly sweet red curry chicken.

Our friend Prahlad Madabushi, who introduced us to the owners and is a vegetarian himself, also had us sample a mild mixed-veggie curry that also was excellent.

Our final sample (left photo) was HBK’s traditional, thick, creamy butter chicken, which we savored with three different varieties of naan flatbreads — butter, garlic and the spicy (but not too) “Bullet Naan” shown bottom right of the page. The naans were all pillowy soft, with a slightly crispy edge perfect for indulging in the butter chicken. I also loved the true Masala Chai tea and Charmaine and I both gave thumbs-up to the Thums Up soda (the Indian version of Coca-Cola now owned by Coke) and the house-made, creamy Mango Lassi.

In other words, even with its supposedly limited “soft opening” menu, HBK has a lot to offer those looking for authentic (mostly South) Indian cuisine. There’s also lamb, goat, paneer (cheese) and other dishes we will definitely return to try sometime soon.

For more information about House of Biryanis & Kebabs, visit HBKTampa.com or call (813) 388-6777.

House Of Biryanis & Kebabs Indian Restaurant Karthik Achanta New Tampa Satya Meka

Indoor Cross Creek Recreation Center & Revamped Playground Now Open!

Many New Tampa residents are aware that District 2 Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan (photo below) used to live in Cross Creek. Fewer people probably know, however, that Hagan grew up in Carrollwood — and he says both experiences helped him decide to fight for an indoor/ outdoor recreation facility in New Tampa — all of which is located in his district.

“When I was in college,” Hagan says, “I spent my summers working in the same county park in Carrollwood I grew up playing in. Then, when I was raising my family in Cross Creek, I realized that we didn’t have any county park facilities. So, when I first became the County Commissioner for the New Tampa area (way back in 2002), I decided to try to get a large county park built here.”

Hagan says the county had purchased land in K-Bar Ranch, “and my original plan was to partner with the City of Tampa on a big park there, but the city killed that. (Note- K-Bar is now getting a city park of its own.) So, I was able to take that money and use half of it to redo Branchton Park (on Morris Bridge Rd. south of Cross Creek Blvd.) and the other half to build this facility here.”

Hagan and other county officials cut the ribbon on the $8.6-million Cross Creek Recreation Center at 19019 Bassett Creek Dr. (next to Pride Elementary) on June 29.

In addition to completely revamping the 15-acre park’s outdoor playground and adding shade shelters, new basketball courts, a walking trail and benches, the project’s crown jewel is the 16,000-sq.-ft. rec center, which has a full-sized basketball gym, fitness (not yet stocked) and multipurpose rooms, classrooms and a public meeting space — and recreation supervisor Kim Gilchrist and assistant rec supervisor Alex Spacone (photo, left) say the summer camp program was full for this summer, but there will be programming for children and adults throughout the year for those with a “Wellness Access Pass-Cross Creek.”

“There are a lot more programs still to come,” Hagan says. “I wish we had something like this when my kids were growing up here.” Me, too, Ken!

For more info about the Cross Creek Rec Center, call (813) 744-5978 or visit FLHillsboroughweb.myvscloud.com. — GN; all photos by Charmaine George

Alex Spacone cross creek Cross Creek Recreation Center Ken Hagan Kim Gilchrist New Tampa playground