Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Celebrates Urgent Care Grand Opening!

Susan Byrd, RN (at right in left photo below) and Dr. Joseph Perno (at right in right photo below) led the tours of the new Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital After Hours Pediatric Urgent Care on Oct. 17. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

The Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital under construction in Wesley Chapel isn’t expected to open until late 2027, but that doesn’t mean the pediatric clinical and academic health system isn’t making news in our area. 

Not only does Johns Hopkins All Children’s already have a specialty clinic open off Wesley Chapel Blvd., it also celebrated the opening of its first-ever pediatric urgent care facility in Tampa (which is located at 12220 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite B, near USF) on Oct. 17, with a North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) ribbon-cutting event that included tours of the after-hours (it’s open 5 p.m.-midnight on weekdays and 11:30 a.m.-midnight on weekends) and pediatric (under age 21)-only urgent care facility. 

The tours were led by Susan Byrd, RN, the executive director of ambulatory services, Dr. Joseph Perno, the VP of medical affairs, and Chrissie Ladd, PA (in floral dress in top photo), for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. The NTBC ribbon was cut by the urgent care facility’s first patient Shanella Fisher (with scissors in photo below). 

And, the Johns Hopkins All Children’s OB/ GYN Specialists Office located at 19707 Aprile Dr., Land O’Lakes, was set to host another NTBC ribbon-cutting event on Nov. 18, 

For more information about the new Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Pediatric After Hours Urgent Care, call (727) 767- 8170 or visit HopkinsMedicine.org. — GN 

Former Gator All-American Celebrates Grand Reopening Of Sonny’s BBQ

Photos by Charmaine George

As a former Gator, I remember when former University of Florida guard Shannon Snell — who recently became the franchise owner of the Sonny’s BBQ (Note-Snell took over for previous franchisees and New Tampa residents Jim and Cristina Hoff, who ran the local Sonny’s since it opened in 1998) on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel — was a first-team All-American back in 2003. 

What I didn’t know was that Snell lived in Tampa Palms, but attended Hillsborough High instead of Wharton (where he was zoned to attend), and he was a three-year starter for the Terriers and a USA Today High School All-American. 

But, Snell told me that he injured his shoulder during his junior season at Florida and somehow went undrafted by the NFL because he never had the shoulder repaired and couldn’t pass a physical. “It just kept getting worse,” he said. “But, I just wanted to rehab it and not have surgery.” 

Between 2004-06, he had brief stints with the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys, but told me, “I loved football, but I knew I didn’t have the passion to play that some guys did. My dad said that when you find your passion in work, it’s more fun, more like a hobby.” 

So, when he was still living in Gainesville, Snell says he, “started at the bottom with Sonny’s. But, it had everything I wanted — a chance to move up, with a corporate structure.” 

He adds that today, all Sonny’s franchisees have to also become barbecue pitmasters. 

“Every location has a real person who really knows how to do barbecue,” he says. “And, since every pitmaster does barbecue a little different, you’re allowed to have your individuality, but within our corporate standards. We go to Florida BBQ Association competitions and even have corporate competitions, so we’re always learning how to do barbecue better.” 

Today, Sonny’s has almost 100 locations throughout the Southeastern U.S., owned by CEO Jamie Yarmuth, and Snell says that even though Yarmuth is young himself, he has been “a mentor to me. After I was the GM of a Gainesville location for ten years, he came to me and said, ‘Wesley Chapel is coming available and we’d like you to become the new franchisee.’” 

So, after a couple of months with Sonny’s “back home,” Snell held a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting (top photo) on Oct. 29, that Yarmuth and other Sonny’s execs also attended. 

Snell likes to show off the seasonal menu, with items that aren’t always available — like the maple BBQ turkey club sandwich (left) and the maple BBQ pork burnt ends (above right), which were my favorites of the seasonal items. There’s also a pulled pork stack on “corncakes” (cornbread “waffles”), sweet potato fries, pulled pork mac & cheese and seasonal wings tossed in maple or golden BBQ sauce. 

My favorite thing at Sonny’s, since BBQ sauce doesn’t always agree with me, are the grilled steakburgers (like the candied bacon burger below right) and the new loaded tots (topped with crispy onion straws, queso & drizzled with BBQ sauce, top left). We added some pulled pork because the tots just didn’t seem messy enough (just kidding — they were definitely messy!). 

Every attendee at the ribbon cutting also received a free “Pork Big Deal” with any other entrĂ©e purchase. It included a big pulled pork sandwich, a side and a drink. 

And of course, Sonny’s — “Pitmasters since ‘68” — also still has “Signature BBQ” like St. Louis-style and baby back pork ribs, beef brisket and more. We believe Snell is going to do great at his Wesley Chapel location! 

Sonny’s BBQ (5324 BBD Blvd.) is open every day for lunch & dinner (11 a.m.-9 p.m.). For info, call (813) 994-8989 or visit SonnysBBQ.com. — GN

Whataburger Begins Building At Former Aussie Grill

Although there previously were two locations in Zephyrhills and others around the Tampa Bay area that closed, Whataburger, the Texas-based fast hamburger chain with nearly 1,200 U.S. locations, has begun the interior renovations at the former Aussie Grill, located at 25340 Sierra Center Blvd., between Walk-On’s and Bonefish Grill. 

The first new Whataburger in the Tampa Bay area in years will actually open soon in Largo, but the 2,800-sq.-ft. Lutz/Wesley Chapel location is expected to open by the summer of 2026. 

The $1.3-million renovation will be led by general contractor WH Bass, Inc. which recently fenced in the former Aussie Grill. The new Whataburger is expected to hire 80-100 people. — GN

Fresh Monkee Healthy Shakes Is Now Open In Former Island Fin Poké Spot

Congratulations go out to Phani Mukkavilli (center person holding a cup in the photo, above) and Keerthi Gollamudi (not in the picture), the franchise owners of the new Fresh Monkee Wesley Chapel “healthy shakes shop,” located at 6417 E. County Line Rd., Suite 101 (which, we know, is actually in New Tampa, not Wesley Chapel) — in the same plaza as LA Fitness, in the spot previously occupied by Island Fin PokĂ© Co. 

Fresh Monkee is a growing brand that differentiates itself from the usual “smoothie” shops because it doesn’t rely on sugary fruit blends and strange powders. Founder Judy Flynn started in 2014 with “10 recipes and $5,000” in a 650-sq.-ft. space in Wethersfield, CT. Although nine of its current 28 locations (in 14 states) are in Connecticut, the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel location is the first in the Tampa Bay area. There are 27 more locations listed as “Coming Soon” on TheFreshMonkee.com, including Palm Harbor. 

Flynn said on the website that her vision for Fresh Monkee was simple: “Start every shake with high-quality protein, good carbs, healthy fats and, most importantly, real ingredients like the ones in your own kitchen. And make each shake to order — fast, convenient, and healthy.” 

Perfect for the LA Fitness crowd next door, there are 25 “Protein Shakes” on the menu, from the “Chunkee Monkee” — vanilla (or milk chocolate) protein, banana and natural peanut butter (shown left) — to “Antioxidant Berry” (water, splashes of pomegranate, or “pom,” juice, orange juice and milk, with vanilla protein, spinach and mixed berries) and so many more. 

There also are green shakes, like the “Ultimate Green” shown below left, with water, splash of pom juice, spinach, cucumber, green apple, banana, chia, flax, pineapple, ginger and your choice of lemon, orange or lime. Charmaine was a little surprised by how much she liked it. 

There also are “Mass Shakes” to help increase mass, like “Mass PB Cookie” and “Mass Strawberry Oats.” There’s even a “Protein Iced Coffee.” 

Also available for your shakes are coconut and almond milk and more than 30 different “Add-Ons,” from agave and almonds to macro greens and turmeric. 

But, Charmaine and I were both super-impressed with the 130-calorie, 13 grams of protein “Monkee Ballz” (center cup in photo, above)) that are made in-house and taste like a healthy version of the peanut butter Buckeyes you find at Cracker Barrel and other stores. They are made with natural peanut butter, oat flour, chocolate whey protein, maple syrup and vanilla extract, rolled in semi-sweet chocolate chips and coconut oil and come in 6- and 12-packs. The store also has a small selection of pre-packaged healthy snacks. 

Phani says that the shop is planning to host a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event sometime soon and that he really hopes the communities of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel will come to check out Fresh Monkee and discover why it’s truly a different…animal. 

Fresh Monkee is open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. It is closed on Saturday & Sunday. For more info, visit TheFreshMonkee.com or call (813) 838-8306. — GN, photos by Charmaine George 

Crash Fatality Numbers Discussed At State Coalition’s Motorcycle Safety Meeting

On Oct. 30, at around 10 a.m., a tragic, fatal motorcycle crash occurred on I-75 in Wesley Chapel, resulting in the rider’s death: 

“Vehicle 1, a Kawasaki motorcycle, operated by a 17-year-old male from Land O’Lakes, was traveling southbound on I-75 in the outside lane. Vehicle 2, a tractor-trailer, driven by a 65-year-old Crystal River man, was traveling southbound on I-75 in the center lane,” the crash report from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said. “North of CR-54, the motorcyclist changed lanes and collided with the passenger side of the tractor-trailer. The motorcyclist overturned and was struck by the under-carriage of the tractor-trailer. The motorcyclist suffered fatal injuries at the scene of the crash.” 

Unfortunately for those who live in and near Wesley Chapel, especially those who regularly travel I-75 and I-275, the news of tragic and fatal crashes involving motorcycles are not uncommon, a concern highlighted at the most recent Florida Motorcycle Safety Coalition (FMSC)’s quarterly meeting, held Nov. 13-14 at the Hyatt Place Hotel Tampa-Wesley Chapel on the north side of S.R. 56. 

Dr. Chanyoung Lee (photo), the program director of motorcycle injury prevention and senior research associate at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (aka CUTR) in the College of Engineering at the University of South Florida, shared some of the data he has gathered from fatal motorcycle crashes that shows everything from the awge groups most likely to be involved in a fatal crash to the other factors (speeding, helmet use, intoxication, who was deemed at fault by law enforcement, etc.). 

Dr Lee’s fatal motorcycle crash findings were based on data gathered during the 36 months between April 2022 and March 2025. 

When it comes to particular age groups, Dr. Lee said, motorcycle riders between the ages of 26-30 accounted for the most significant number of fatal motorcycle deaths in Florida during that three-year period, at 237, followed closely by 21-25-year-olds at 236. Nearly half of the motorcycle fatalities in Florida involved riders younger than age 35, and around 85% of the fatal riders were below age 60. When comparing the data to the same three-year period from a decade prior (2012-14), fatality rates in some age groups have gotten much higher. In 2012-14, the number of fatalities for people ages 71-75 was 19, but Dr Lee’s recent data shows that number increased by more than 100%, to 41. 

Additionally, the types of motorcycles recovered from these fatal crashes varied significantly by age group. As you might expect, young motorcyclists, ages 20-30, tend to opt for high-speed, maneuverable bikes, like sports bikes, while older bikers (ages 40+) tend to ride touring motorcycles or cruisers. 

Dr. Lee’s data on the behavioral risk factors — intoxication, lack of helmet use and speeding (graphic below) — in fatal crashes shed light on the risky behavioral patterns certain age groups have. For improper helmet use, riders aged 16-25 have the lowest rate of non-helmet use fatalities, at around 20%. From there, the percentage steadily increases throughout adulthood and peaks with riders aged 61-65 at around 70%. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, when it comes to impairment fatalities on motorcycles, riders aged 16-20 had the lowest percentage, at roughly 10%. The intoxication fatality rates increase with age and peaks for riders ages 46-50, at more than 40% of the motorcycle fatalities. 

Less surprising is that younger riders between the ages of 16-20 had the highest rate of speeding-related fatalities, at more than 30%. The percentage steadily decreases as the rider’s age increases. 

Fault analysis in these motorcycle accidents also revealed age-related patterns. Riders under age 30 were statistically more prone to being found at fault by law enforcement, with 50-62% of single- and multi-vehicle accidents credited to the motorcyclist. Riders between ages 31-40 have a higher probability of another vehicle being at fault in a crash, at between 44-45%. Data regarding the at-fault driver stabilizes among riders ages 41-65, with roughly 54-62% of fatal crashes being their own fault and 30-45% caused by another vehicle. 

“So, the interesting portion that you can compare is, if you’re getting a multi-vehicle crash of one age group versus another, it’s quite different,” Dr. Lee said. Younger guys, when they get involved in a crash with a car (or truck, etc.), they are more likely to be at fault.” 

“When you compare that with someone over age 55 involved in a crash with another driver, the [other vehicle] driver is more likely to be at fault.” 

Ultimately, Dr Lee’s findings indicate that while there are motorcycle safety concerns for all age groups on the road, young riders are still statistically far more likely to be involved in a fatal motorcycle crash than their older counterparts 

While Dr Lee did not mention what is being done to prevent these percentages from rising — as the more recent three-year period definitely showed an increase overall in motorcycle fatalities over ten years ago — it’s clear that addressing the high risk for young motorcyclists is the first step in reducing fatalities and improving overall traffic safety. 

The FMSC, per their mandate, will use this data to better target their efforts to improve motorcycle safety to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths. But of course, there is little anyone can do about distracted and/or intoxicated drivers, speeding and other risky behaviors by both motorcyclists and drivers of other vehicles.