Lutz/Land O' Lakes/Odessa - Vol. 7, Issue 1, January 2016

The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To 20,000 Homes In Odessa, Lutz & Land O’ Lakes Areas

The Community Dining& Business Guide thatyour neighbors READ!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

ECRWSSPostal Customer

Dated MaterialPlease Rush!

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTAMPA FL

PERMIT 1185

H4 Benefit for Homeless High School Students.........3

Calendar & News Briefs......4-5Weddings at Crescent Oaks &

Wentworth Golf Clubs.....6-7Homebound Heroes...........8-9Rizzotto Tax Advisory....10-113D Solar.........................14-15The Vulnerable......................18Pasco Music Festival & Classic

Car Show.....................20-21Taso Italiano..................24-25

Vol. 7, Issue 1, January 2016

This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To:Ashley Lakes, Ballantrae, Belle Meade, Calusa Trace, Canterbury, Cheval, Citrus Greens, Concord Station, Devonwood, Dolce Vita on Lake

Keystone, Echo Lake, Farmington Village, Fern Glenn, Grey Hawk at Lake Polo, Heritage Harbor, Ivy Lake Estates, Keystone Groves, Keystone Manors, Keystone Reserve, Keystone Shores, Lake Charles, Lake Church, Lake Parker Estates, Lakeside Grove Estates, NorthlakeVillage, Northbridge at Lake Pretty, Northton Groves, Oakstead, Orange Blossom Creek, Reflections, Steeple Chase, Stillwater, Stonegate,

Suncoast Crossings, Suncoast Meadows, Swan Cove, Van Dyke Estates, Van Dyke Farms, Villa Rosa, Wyndham Lakes

Your neighborhood. Your magazine.

By Julie Kanehl

Massage is a universal languagethat has been “spoken” for centuriesin every region of the globe, and it hasmany benefits including the ability toreduce anxiety, relieve pain, reduceblood pressure, and aid in relaxation.For many people, massage is a raretreat that they look forward to at thespa or as an experience during theirvacation. Others use massage on aregular basis to help with chronic pain,reduce inflammation or to help healafter an injury. Whatever your reasonfor wanting a massage, Barkdoll Mas-sage Therapy makes it easy, affordableand best of all, Barkdoll comes to you.

Barkdoll Massage Therapy, anentirely mobile-based massage busi-

ness based in the Trinity area, isowned and operated by LicensedMassage Therapist Karla Barkdoll,who has been a professional in themassage industry since 2001. ServingTrinity and the surrounding commu-nities, Barkdoll Massage Therapy iscompletely different in that it takesall of the stress out of your massageexperience by bringing it straight toyou. No traffic, no stress, just purerelaxation where you feel the mostcomfortable!

Originally from a small town incentral Pennsylvania, Karla movedto Baltimore where she trained atthe Baltimore School of Massage.Licensed in Maryland, DC, Virginia

Barkdoll Massage Therapy Brings TherapeuticMassage Services to You at Home

Licensed Massage Therapist Karla BarkdollSee “Barkdoll Massage” on page 26.

By Julie Kanehl

There’s a new school in our areathat has been built on a dream and aprayer, aimed at providing the bestpossible education for your children,staffed with teachers who are passion-ate about their profession, and com-mitted to sharing a love of Godthrough education.

Christian Crossings Academy(CCA) is a dream come true for onelocal family, whose commitment toGod and to finding the best possibleeducation for their children, lead them

to open up, not just one school, buttwo! Before opening these incredibleschools, Salim Karnaby served as aNew York City Police Detective and aScience Middle School Teacher. Heholds a Master’s Degree in Profes-sional Studies. His lovely wife, Andrea,had a career in visual merchandising,and holds a degree in Education aswell. With four children of their own,Andrea and Salim created the kind ofschool that they wanted their ownchildren to attend, and in doing so,

Christian Crossings Academy and Discovery Point Suncoast CrossingsExcellent Choices for Your Child’s Education!

See “Academy” on page 22.

2 For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 • www.NNLFlorida.com JANUARY 2016 Neighborhood News & Lifestyles

For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 • www.NNLFlorida.com JANUARY 2016 3Neighborhood News & Lifestyles

Neighborhood News& Lifestyles

Directly mailed once a month to 20,000households in zip codes 33556, 33558 & 34638

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Phone: (813) 928-6124; Fax: (727) 942-2432Advertising E-mail: [email protected] E-mail:

[email protected]© 2016 NeighborhoodNews & Lifestyles is published by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.

Nothing that appears in Neighborhood News & Lifestylesmay be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permis-sion. Opinions expressed by Neighborhood News & Lifestyleswriters are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The management of Neighborhood News & Lifestylesis always happy to accept outside editorial submissions tothe paper. Please call for outside editorial submission and adver-tisement deadlines.

Neighborhood News & Lifestyles will consider previ-ously non-published outside editorial submissions if they aredouble spaced, typed and less than 500 words. NeighborhoodNews & Lifestyles reserves the right to edit and/or reject all out-side editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regardingpublication dates. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles will not returnunsolicited editorial materials.

Neighborhood News & Lifestyles reserves the right to editand/or reject any advertising. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles isnot responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost ofthe advertising space itself, not for the validity of any claimsmade by its advertisers.

Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is published by ADS 2Publications, Inc.

PublisherTim SelbyGeneral ManagerJim O’Reilly EditorKim ThomasAdvertising SalesManagerMatt SelbyAdvertising SalesJim O’ReillyLinda VeigaAlexis SelbyJared Nager

CorrespondentsJulie KanehlMarcy SanfordKatie ThomasDara TuckerArt DirectorDat X. Do

Graphic ArtistsDat X. DoTony SicaAccounting ManagerDoreen Selby

Billing AssistantTina O’Reilly

Paul Gigante’s Milestone 50th & H4 Benefitat Skipper’s Smokehouse on Jan. 24, 3-7 PMHelping Our Homeless High School Students Achieve Higher EducationNeighborhood News & Lifestyles re-

ceived word about an upcomingfundraiser aimed at helping homelesshigh school students and we want tohelp publicize the H4 Benefit, a funevent for a great cause!

As a professional school photog-rapher since 1991 and DJ since 1982in Tampa Bay, Paul Gigante has seenthe need to help less fortunate highschool seniors, as they transition thecrucial time after graduation to thestart of their college careers. His goalis to raise $50K at his benefit to helpas many as possible from the Class of2016 in Pasco and HillsboroughCounties.

The H4 Benefit will be held atSkipper’s Smokehouse (910 SkipperRd, Tampa) on Sunday, January 24,2016 from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. Entertain-ment will include the USF “Hot” PepBand, The Butch Ryan Band, localDJs and others. The cover charge is abirthday card for Paul with a donation

payable to the“H4 Benefit.”

“As amiddle schoolprincipal, Ihave had thegood fortuneto work withPaul Giganteas my ‘official’school pho-tographer formany years. Paul is someone you cancount on and I support hisefforts!”_Shae Davis, Raymond B.Stewart Middle School Principal

“Paul, what a unique and greatidea! To celebrate your milestonebirthday with friends and family andeveryone else who shares the gift ofhelping kids who need a break! Countme in!”_Max Ramos, Former HSPrincipal and District Administrator

Corporate/local business partner-ships/personal and family sponsor-

ships are now available. At the bene-fit, there will be silent auctions, sportsmemorabilia, gift baskets, a 50/50raffle, cornhole tournament, photobooth and other fundraising opportu-nities. Even if you are unable to at-tend this fun and rewarding event,please consider donating to the “H4Benefit.”

For sponsorship opportunites,questions or if you can/want to help,contact Paul Gigante @ [email protected] or 813-340-4080.


Community Calendar & News BriefsOdessa, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes Area

Equestrian Inc. Horse RescueBenefit Held at Tampa BaySporting Clays in Land O’ Lakes

Jan. 15, 2 PM––Please come andsupport our local Equine rescueleague at this fun benefit at TampaBay Sporting Clays, located at 10514Erhen Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes.Registration is at 2 PM; shoot beginsat 3 PM with BBQ dinner and drinksafter. There will be giveaways andraffles including a gun raffle – oneDeck of Cards only. All proceedsfrom the shoot will be donated toEquestrian Inc. Horse Rescue, a 501C (3) organization located in Tampathat has been supporting the rehabil-itation/rescue effort of Florida Thor-oughbreds for the past few years.Entry fee is $150 per person, whichincludes: Cart/ Ammo/ Clays/Dinner/ Beverages. EquestrianHorse Rescue wishes to thank TampaBay Sporting Clays and the beveragesponsor, Ciminelli Real Estate.

Annual Garage Sale at SevenSprings Golf & Country Club

Sat., Jan. 30, 7:30 AM–2PM––Don’t miss this huge sale heldat Seven Springs Golf and CountryClub, located at 3535 Trophy Blvd.in New Port Richey. Sponsored bySeven Springs Ladies Golf Associa-tion.

“The Fabulous Diamonds” Performing at Heritage SpringsSubmitted by Beverly Harris

Tues., Feb. 23, 7:30 PM––Markyour calendars now for you will notwant to miss this fantastic perform-ance by “The Diamonds.” This con-cert is being brought to you byHeritage Springs’ very own “Fab 3,”Ira Kahn, Barry Flashner and HaroldKlein.

What a night it will be! You willbe dancing in your seats and enjoy-ing those “forget-me-not” flashbackmemories of the Rock ‘n Roll andDoo Wop eras.

Tickets sales just started onWednesday, December 2nd and will

continue until this event sells out.Don’t delay purchasing your tickets-it could be too late!

Invite your family and friendsfrom near and afar. Cost of the ticketis just $30. As with all other venues,there are No Refunds.

Kindly make your checks out toIra Kahn and drop them off at theHeritage Springs clubhouse. Ira’scontact phone number is 727-645-5135. This price includes compli-mentary coffee/cake after the showwhile you meet and mingle with“The Diamonds.”

So “Lil Darlin,” take “TheStroll” to our Heritage Springs club-house to purchase your reservedticket seating and let’s fill the P.A.C.with our “Silhouettes” on the wall.

New President/CEO to TakeReins at Pasco EDC in January

Following an extensive, nation-wide search, the Pasco EconomicDevelopment Council’s Board of Di-rectors has selected William “Bill” C.Cronin as the new President/CEO.He will start in his new position onJanuary 19, 2016.

Cronin’s 25-year career hasspanned across Florida, Georgia,

North Carolina, and South Carolinaand includes proven experience inbusiness and economic development,international trade, logistics, and op-erations in both the private and pub-lic sectors. Most recently, he workedas the Director of Economic Devel-opment for the City of Charlotte,North Carolina.

“I am looking forward to re-turning to Florida where I firststarted my career in economic devel-opment,” said Cronin. “I am espe-cially excited about joining a greatteam at Pasco EDC and leading thecharge in Pasco County. We have agreat product here and a business-friendly community that understandssmart growth”

Pasco EDC’s Board of Directorsbegan the process of looking for anew leader beginning in April 2015when former President/CEO JohnHagen announced his retirement.The search committee worked withJorgenson Consulting, a national ex-ecutive search firm specializing innon-profit and economic develop-ment organizations, throughout thesearch process.

Barbara Wilhite, Pasco EDCBoard Chairwoman, noted that


Conin’s breadth of knowledge andexperience—including nine yearswith Enterprise Florida, specializingin international trade and businessdevelopment—helped him stand outfrom the crowd.

“Pasco County is at a pivotalmoment for economic growth,” shesaid. “We looked for a leader thatcould harness the momentum startedunder John Hagen’s leadership andtake it to the next level. We are con-fident Bill is that person to lead ourorganization forward.”

Pasco County Commissioner,Ted Schrader echoed Whilhite’s ad-miration for Cronin’s professionalqualifications. “The experience Billbrings with him from Atlanta andCharlotte in creating jobs is atremendous advantage for PascoEDC and the community. This is anexciting time in Pasco County.”

Pasco EDC is a private, non-profit organization whose mission isto guide Pasco County, Florida in thecreation of a sustainable and diversi-fied economy. Through a strongpartnership supported by both cor-porate and public investments, PascoEDC encourages a business climatewhere every business can achieve its

economic potential. Additional in-formation about Pasco EDC can befound online atwww.PascoEDC.com.

Native Plant Society Meeting2nd Tuesday, Monthly, 7

PM––The Nature Coast Chapter ofthe Florida Native Plant Societymeets at the Land O’ Lakes Commu-nity Center, 5401 Land O’ LakesBlvd/US 41, Land O’ Lakes, 34639,between SR 52 and SR 54. The sub-ject of the January 12, 2016 Pro-gram is “Preserving OurWaterways,” presented by JenniferSharples, Public CommunicationsSpecialist for Pasco County’sStormwater Management Division.From this presentation attendees willlearn what actions they can take tohelp preserve our water’s quality andhelp prevent and reduce water pollu-tion. By making simple changes indaily activities, attendees will learnhow to protect the environment. Anintroduction will also be provided onthe services the Stormwater Manage-ment Division provides to thecounty.

Meetings are free. Interestedparties are invited to attend, bring

questions, participate in light refresh-ments and the native plant drawing.Telephone inquiries taken by Sandyat (727) 207-1853. More info at:pasconativeplants.org.

New Tampa Players Auditions forSomething’s Afoot

Sun., Jan. 31, 6–9 PM & Mon.,Feb. 1, 7–10 PM––New Tampa Play-ers auditions for Something’s Afoot di-rected by James Cass and producedby Dianne Geiger and Frank Stine-hour. Location: University AreaCommunity Development Center,14013 N 22nd Street, Tampa, FL.

Prepare 16 bars of a song (inyour key) that showcases your rangeand personality. Bring sheet music; apianist will be provided. Recordedmusic also allowed. Please bring a listof any conflicts to the audition alongwith a current headshot and resumeif you have one. Email questions to:[email protected].

Pasco Hospitals Named “TopPerformers” on Joint CommissionKey Quality Measures

HCA Pasco County Hospitals –Medical Center of Trinity and Re-gional Medical Center Bayonet Pointwere named among the nation’s TopPerformers on Key Quality Meas-ures®. The Joint Commission’s TopPerformers recognizes hospitals thatattain excellence on accountabilitymeasures related to evidence-basedcare for certain conditions.

Medical Center of Trinity was

named a Top Performing Hospitalfor the following conditions: heartattack, heart failure, pneumonia,surgical care, stroke.

Regional Medical CenterBayonet Point was named a TopPerforming Hospital for the follow-ing conditions: heart attack, heartfailure, pneumonia, surgical care,Venous Thromboembolism (VTE –the formation of blood clots in thevein), and stroke.

“The Joint Commission’s TopPerformers recognition uses objec-tive data to determine the top hospi-tals, and we are proud that morethan three-quarters of HCA’s hospi-tals have been recognized for theirconsistent achievement of high per-formance levels on key quality meas-ures,” said Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin,HCA’s Chief Medical Officer andPresident of Clinical Services.

Inclusion on the list is based onaggregation of accountability meas-ure data reported during the previ-ous calendar year. To be recognizedas a Top Performer on key qualitymeasures an organization must meet95% or more on performance thresh-olds on accountability measure data.

In addition to being included inthe release of The Joint Commis-sion’s “Improving America’s Hospi-tals” annual report, HCA’s PascoCounty hospitals will be recognizedon The Joint Commission’s QualityCheck website –www.qualitycheck.org.


Alissa Klinger and her family relocatedfrom Cheboygan, Michigan to New PortRichey this summer. With extensiveexperience in events and restaurantmanagement and a real love for WeddingPlanning, Alissa found a position as EventsDirector at Ace Golf, two family-ownedgolf clubs including Wentworth andCrescent Oaks Golf Clubs.

Alissa’s passion for weddings has ledto a surge in wedding events at the twopopular East Lake area Golf Clubs. “Ichose Wentworth and Crescent Oaksbecause of their two very different,beautiful reception venues. Also, as local,family-owned businesses, I have a lotmore latitude to be creative and provideexceptional service,” says Klinger.

Membership is not required to holda wedding or event at either club, and thecost compares favorably with hotel andother venues. Wentworth offers a stately,upscale English Manor Clubhouse and

Veranda. Crescent Oaks is a larger,Mediterranean-style banquet facility withsweeping views of the golf and a newoutdoor event pavilion.

Alissa helps brides plan their wed-dings with her calm demeanor, creativity,and attention to detail. “I was raised in ahousehold with a stay-at-home momwho had an attention to detail like noother. Every dinner party was an exercisein planning and every holiday becamean event where my mother’s creativityand desire to please others made for aspectacular gathering.”

Alissa took her first Country ClubManagement position right out of collegeat an exclusive Golf Club in NorthernMichigan. It was here that she startedher journey in creating one-of-a-kindfunctions, creating lifelong memories.She later joined a resort restaurant andgrew their non-existent catering businessto a very busy wedding destination.

Michigan Transplant TransformsWedding Events at Crescent Oaks

& Wentworth Golf Clubs


Those considering a weddingor other event are invited to meetwith Alissa for a tour and to ex-change ideas.

Alissa is at Crescent Oaks GolfClub, 3300 Crescent Oaks Blvd. inTarpon Springs, off East Lake Rd.

a mile north of Tarpon (Keystone)Avenue. Alissa can be reached at727-937-4653 x31. For moreinformation on Crescent Oaks, logon to crescentoaksgolf.com. Formore information on Wentworth,log on to wentworthgolfclub.org.


Homebound Heroes: Helping Our Veterans, One Home at a Time!By Matthew Selby

It’s not everyday you meet some-one who has a selfless mission to helpothers in need with no desire to linehis own pockets. We’ve all becomeincreasingly aware of so called charitiesthat although may do some good, doso at the expense of making their own-ers and operators rich in the process.Roy “Bucky” Shell isn’t built that way.He saw too many of his friends comeback from serving our country over-seas only to be stuck battling a never-ending inner war. After carefulconsideration upon what Buckywanted to do for our Veterans, hecame up with an idea. He decided tostart Homebound Heroes, a privatelyfunded, non-profit organization thatprovides mortgage-free homes toreturning War Veterans.

“Homebound Heroes is some-thing I’m very proud of,” says Bucky.“It’s only in the beginning stages, butit has a huge potential. My goal is toeventually get it to a point where wecan help hundreds of Veterans; we justneed to get the word out. We are

dedicated to providing mortgage-freehomes to returning War Veterans whohave served our country. A majority ofour returning heroes suffer from mul-tiple levels of PTSD and have found itvery difficult to make the transitionback to a civilian lifestyle. Home-bound Heroes was created to helprelieve the pressure as they make oneof the biggest investments of theirlives. By providing a house for thesebrave veterans we can help them adaptto their next mission of succeeding inAmerica and turning their new houseinto a home.”

PTSD is an overwhelmingly big

problem for a large percentage of ourveterans. It’s crippling for many, leav-ing them a shell of their former selves.Our heroes need help! Fed up withthe lack of help our servicemen andwomen were receiving, Bucky decidedto do something about it.

Bucky was especially upset withorganizations who claim to be “all infor Vets” but really are just all in fortheir salary. This is not the case withHomebound Heroes. HomeboundHeroes is committed to ensuring thatover 90% of all received donationsgoes directly towards providing mort-gage-free housing for our Veterans.

Homebound Heroes is currentlyworking on providing two local Veter-ans with a mortgage-free home –Michael Yancey, a Veteran of the Army

National Guard and Marine BobbyMalina.

Michael YanceyMichael joined the Army Na-

tional Guard in July of 2003 thenwent to basic training and advancedindividual training. In the summerof 2005 his unit was put on alertthat they were going to be deployingto Iraq. During his first tour he tookon many responsibilities. Fromdefending Abu Ghraib prison andtaking control of all detainees insidethe facility to PSD (personal securitydetail) to convoy security.

After returning home just acouple days before Christmas 2006Michael started doing his weekenddrill with his unit, which he contin-


ued for the next few years. Then, inearly summer 2009 he was informedthat the 53rd Infantry combatbrigade was going to be deployingagain and needed volunteers. “Imade the decision to volunteer andby early 2010 I was on a planeheaded overseas again,” saysMichael. “Our mission was fob secu-rity at camp Patriot Kuwait. We werein charge of convoy security for allammunition and explosives comingfrom our military boats going tothe ammunition holding area.”

“I saw many things that havechanged my perception on life,” saysMichael. “I am thankful for my un-derstanding wife and my beautifuldaughter. Joining the military wasone of the best decisions I havemade. It gave me a new sense ofconfidence and pride.”

Bobby MalinaGrowing up in Palm Harbor,

Bobby has been an athlete his entirelife. All County his senior year forfootball, Bobby was voted on thePinellas County All Star Team. Bobbyhad scholarship offers to play collegefootball, but in March of 2003, just afew months before graduation, theUnited States of America declared waron Iraq. After that he didn’t feel col-lege was a top priority anymore andthe following weekend he went to therecruiting station and stood outsidefor a few minutes and thought, “TheMarines say they’re the best of thebest; let’s do this.” Bobby went toboot camp in October 2003 and wasmeritoriously promoted to PFC (pri-vate first class; E-2, the rank aboveprivate) for superior work before grad-uation in January 2004.

In his military career, Bobby

deployed three times and has been on200+ convoys, 200+ security patrols(mounted/dismounted), and has es-corted EODs to many weapon caches.On his 2nd tour to Iraq his vehiclewas blown up by IED’s twice onOct. 8, 2005 and Oct. 17, 2005.Bobby is very lucky to be alive.

After returning home his 3rd timeBobby got out of the Marines. In thattime the VA diagnosed him withPTSD and TBI (traumatic Brain In-jury) from the explosions.

“I didn’t think I needed to seekhelp until after a blackout where mybrother told me I was going house tohouse in my neighborhood trying toclear them, calling for air strikes, andtalking to people that weren’t there,”says Bobby. “Luckily I have a veryunderstanding wife who tries tounderstand what I have been through.We just take it one day at a time andtry not to dwell on the things thatdon’t go our way. I’m just happy I’mstill alive and have the chance to seemy son grow up.”

Nominate a HeroFor a minimum $20 donation,

you can nominate yourself or a fellowVeteran. A form is provided on their

website. If you are nominating your-self, please fill out all sections. If youare nominating a fellow Veteran,please fill out as many of the sectionsas you can.

Bucky says, “Our mission is toserve the brave men and women thathave served our country to protectour freedoms.”

If you have the ability to helpone of our heroes in need, anydonation helps. For more informa-tion or to make a donation, pleasevisit HomeBoundHeroes.com, call(727) 638-4418, or [email protected].


With the 2015 tax return dead-line looming, it is a perfect time forthose age 60 or older to take advan-tage of a flat-rate $69 fee to have theirincome taxes prepared and filed with acompany that is trusted for going theextra mile for its clients.

Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group ex-tends their $69 flat-rate fee for federalreturns (state returns are included ifapplicable) to Government Employeesand Municipal Workers, Teachers, LawEnforcement Personnel, Firefight-ers/EMTs, Retired and Active Mili-tary of ANY age. All tax returns areprepared by one of the firm’s experi-enced Tax Preparers or IRS EnrolledAgents.

Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group hasan experienced team of financial, tax,insurance, and legal professionals whohelp to educate their clients on impor-tant subjects including: reducing assetrisk and unnecessary taxes, diversifyingportfolios, importance of wills/trustsand planning for income during retire-ment. The firm is committed to pro-

viding exemplary service while display-ing the highest standards of ethics andprofessional knowledge. They are ap-proved members of the NationalEthics Association and the NationalAssociation of Tax Professionals. Ed-ward G. Rizzotto, Owner and Presi-dent, is an Insurance Agent andFinancial Representative who holdsboth a state-regulated license to offerinsurance products and a securities li-cense to offer specific investmentproducts.

The Rizzotto TeamEd Rizzotto, Owner/President,

moved to Florida 44 years ago fromNew York, grew up in Pinellas Countyand has been a Trinity resident since2000. He is a graduate of ClearwaterCentral Catholic High School andearned his Bachelor’s Degree in Busi-ness Management from National-Louis University in Evanston, IL. Edalso served both active and reserveduty for 13 years in the U.S. CoastGuard. He started his Insurance and

Financial career over 20 years ago asan agent for Allstate Insurance. Thenpromoted to Agency Manager, he wasresponsible for overseeing 22 agenciesin southwest Florida. In 1999, hejoined a local retirement planningfirm, where he helped hundreds ofpeople with tax and retirement plan-ning for over six years. Ed Rizzotto

enjoyed the opportunity to benefit thecommunity, and was determined tocreate a complete local business wherehe could help clients (both pre-retireesand current retirees) save money ontheir taxes and better manage theirportfolios, plan for the future andfocus more on enjoying their retire-ment years – and The Rizzotto Tax

The Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group“Your Partners in Tax & Retirement Planning”

(L-R) Alton Scott, Kate Laymon, Dori Greeson, Alexa Rizzotto, Nayda Stern, Lorrie Rizzotto & Ed Rizzotto


Advisory Group was established in2006.

Lorrie Rizzotto, Director of Mar-keting, joined the firm in 2009 as Di-rector of Marketing. Lorrie alreadyhad an impressive career in the mar-keting industry. Specializing in corpo-rate incentive and meeting planning,she worked at Allstate’s RegionalFlorida office for 11 years, and thenbecame an Independent MeetingPlanner with HelmsBriscoe, a nationalevent planning company based out ofScottsdale, AZ where she achieved“President’s Club” status in Top 50 inthe country. Currently she handles allmarketing, networking, event plan-ning and the firm’s year-end client ap-preciation gala. Lorrie and Ed will bemarried 27 years this November andhave two teenage daughters.

Dori Greeson is the Administra-tive Assistant and Office Manager whogives everyone a warm reception. Dorioversees the day-to-day operations ofthe office, and also is a licensed Lifeand Health Agent.

Nayda Stern, IRS Enrolled Agent,has more than 22 years of income taxpreparation experience and as an IRSEnrolled Agent, is able to representRizzotto Tax Advisory Group clientsbefore the IRS. Nayda is a member of

NATP (National Association of TaxProfessionals) and attends IRS spon-sored educational courses throughoutthe year, including the Annual IRSforum.

Kate Laymon, Tax Preparer /Senior Tax Accountant, has over 19years of experience in the areas of TaxPreparation, Tax Resolution, Account-ing and Bookkeeping for small busi-nesses. Kate has the ability not only toprepare, but also to advise and resolvemost income tax, corporate tax andsales tax issues.

Alton Scott, Insurance Consult-ant, has over 16 years of experience inthe Banking, Insurance and FinancialServices industry. Alton Scott holds astate-regulated Life and Health licenseand a Securities license to provide cer-tain investment products. He bringsextensive knowledge to Rizzotto’sclients in the areas of health insurance,Medicare supplements and Medicareadvantage.

Alexa Rizzotto has joined the firmthis year working part-time as Assis-tant Marketing Director. She is work-ing on special events and marketingcampaigns. Currently Alexa is a soph-omore at the University of SouthFlorida majoring in Marketing.

The Key is EducationIf you are retired or are nearing

retirement, then you need to knowhow to protect your money and un-derstand how tax laws will affect yourretirement. Often, there are legiti-mate adjustments that can be madenow to reduce tax liabilities.

“If clients are already collectingsocial security when they come to us,they want to know how they can re-duce or eliminate taxes on not only so-cial security income, but their overalltaxes as well,” says Ed Rizzotto. “Amajor concern today and what I be-lieve will be a concern for years tocome for pre-retirees and current re-tirees is how to obtain “GuaranteedIncome for Life” from your retire-ment and non-retirement plans. Un-fortunately many employer sponsoredplans and individual IRAs do not offerthis benefit when you retire. We willshow you how to put some things inplace now that will enable you to setup lifetime income down the road.This is income you will never out-live…similar to a pension. We spendmany hours with our clients to putsound plans in place by sharing ‘realtime’ tax, income and social securityanalysis through some of the most so-

phisticated software. We want ourclients to leave our office with a betterunderstanding on what their incomeneeds will be in retirement, and howto control, reduce or possibly elimi-nate taxes.”

As part of an overall financialplan, people should also have an estateplan to provide an easy transition oftheir assets when they pass on. Riz-zotto Tax Advisory Group takes ateam-oriented approach to tax, retire-ment and estate planning. Their staffwill work with their client’s attorneyto achieve their client’s goals. For ex-ample, the beneficiary designations ona client’s IRA could impact their estateplan so Mr. Rizzotto welcomes discus-sions from their estate planning attor-ney.

If you do not already have anattorney, Mr. Rizzotto can refer youto an estate planning attorney. MarthaV. Evans from Hitchcock Law Groupfrequently meets with clients in theTrinity office to review Wills andTrusts. Attorney Evans can help youmake sure you plan is up to date andEd Rizzotto’s staff will make sure youraccounts and beneficiary designationscoordinate with your estate plan.

See “Rizzotto Tax” on page 16.


Katie Thomas

3D Solar is Florida’s premier solarinstaller and outsourcing partner forsolar domestic hot water systems(SDW) and Photovoltaic systems (PV).Owner David Ringo opened 3D Solarin the Odessa area over two years agowith a mission to not only design solarsystems for homeowners, but also tobring awareness to the area about solarenergy and how it can work for the in-dividual homeowner. David says, “Be-fore beginning 3D Solar I worked for acouple different solar companies, but Iwanted to be in a business that focusedmore on customer service, educationand quality product, rather than hardsales. I started 3D solar to help peoplemake informed, educated decisions onsolar installation. We educate on thebenefits of the return of solar as awhole, how systems work and why it isone of the best investments as a home-owner you can make. Since our team’sgoal is to educate the consumer aboutsolar energy, rather than just make asale, we are able to really focus onteaching people about the benefits of

solar, which in my opinion, are end-less.”

Meeting with David and his teamto discuss the benefits of solar energy, Iwondered aloud why more peoplehaven’t chosen to install solar. Theguys explained to me that there is a bigeducation gap when it comes to solarpower and how it works, which is whythey take the time to really talk tohomeowners and explain the manybenefits of solar energy. David says, “Ifpeople ran their homes like you wouldrun a business, everyone would havesolar, because it is an investment thatnot only saves them money in the longhaul, but it increases the home’s value,offers tax breaks, and to my knowledgethere is no better return on invest-ment.” Going solar makes sense whenyou consider that you are spendingmoney anyway for energy – money thatis just gone with your electric bill – butthe money you put into solar energy isan investment that will eventually payfor itself, enabling you to harness yourown energy from the sun.

With Florida being the SunshineState, we have one of the biggest solar

production potentials in the countryand having a net-zero home has neverbeen as easily obtained or coveted as itis right now. 3D Solar is licensed andinsured to install and design solar sys-tems throughout Florida and hasgrown to be known as one of the topsolar companies for businesses to buyfrom over the past couple years. Al-though 3D Solar has grown their busi-ness through selling their product to

other installers and businesses, thecompany also is focused on helping res-idential communities get set up withsolar energy products. 3D Solar has afew different options for residentialhomeowners, including: Solar ElectricGeneration, Solar Hot Water Heatersand Solar Pool Heating.

Solar Electric Generation helps en-ables homeowners to generate theirown electricity by utilizing residential

3D Solar Educates Community on Solar Energy and Tax Breaks

photovoltaic (PV) systems or “solarpanels” on the home. PV systems aredesigned to supply accessible and us-able solar power by means of photo-voltaics. Basically, a PV system convertsthe sun’s radiation into energy you canuse as a power source through a grid-tied system. This means your homecreates its own energy and saves thatenergy to be credited towards your fu-ture energy use. Let’s say your home isusing the PV system to generate elec-tricity – even when you’re not homeusing power, that energy goes backinto the grid and is credited to your en-ergy usage. So if your home is creatingthis energy, your meter will turn back-wards to give you credit, eventuallyleading to a build up of free energy thatis sourced from nothing else but thesun.

It’s a new and exciting time foradvances in energy useright now andby in-

stalling solar photovoltaic panels, youare able to take the money you wouldbe paying a utility company and investit back into your home’s solar system,which not only provides cheapermonthly bills for you, it increases thevalue of your home and helps youreach a point where you no longer haveto be reliant on expendable (and ex-pensive) fossil fuels that are not cleanfor the environment.

In addition to PV systems, 3DSolar installs solar hot water heaters,which is one of the most efficient solarsystems for a residential property, alongwith solar pool heating. Even if youchoose to install a PV system, solar hotwater heaters are a great addition for abetter return on investment.

Solar is for EveryoneThe majority of the world’s energy

is generated from fossil fuels includingcoal, oil and natural gas.

Traditionally, fossil fuelshave been the go-to

source of energyproduction, but

growing environmental concerns, risingprices and the overuse of expendable re-sources has more and more peoplelooking into renewable energy. Solar, asopposed to fossil fuels, has unlimitedpotential and has emerged as one of themost rapidly growing renewable sourcesof electricity.

Solar power is appealing to home-owners and potential homebuyers forgood reason. It offers clean, infinitelyrenewable energy captured from thesun and converted to usable energythat heats and cools your home with-out tapping into non-renewable re-sources like oil, gas and coal.

The Time to Install Solar is RightNow!

The Solar Investment Tax Credit(ITC) ends on December 31st 2016,which means that homeowners nowhave less than a year to receive a 30percent federal tax credit for solar sys-tem installation for residential homes.The ITC has helped solar installationgrow by more than 1,600 percent sinceit was implemented in 2006 and has

ensured that solar companies havehelped create lower costs of installationfor the consumer.

If you want to produce your ownenergy using solar power, the time toact is now, so you can receive a solar-for-dollar reduction on your incometaxes that you would otherwise pay thefederal government. After the tax in-centive ends on December 31st 2016,the credit ends unless Congress extendsthe deadline.

The 3D Solar team is ready toshow you how solar energy productscan benefit you. They can show youhow solar works to power your homeand saves you money in real-time. Thefacts are clear and the time is now.Solar is the future. It is energy that paysfor itself.

For more information on PVsystems and solar energy products,log on to www.3-DSolar.com. Call3D Solar at 727-868-0110 to re-ceive a free in-home consultation.

Concierge Level ServiceWhile taxes are a large part of The

Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group, themajority of their clients also utilize thefirm’s other services including invest-ments, retirement planning, long termcare, annuities, life insurance, wills andtrusts. Ed says, “Clients like the op-portunity we provide to get every-thing taken care of in one place.”

“When people come in to seeus,” says Ed, “the first thing we do isdedicate one to two hours to completean overall review that covers the lastcouple of years, including going overtheir tax returns in detail, studyingtheir portfolios, and discussing theirimportant concerns to determine howwe can help them. Then, at a follow-up appointment, we present a thor-ough plan for them.

“Saving on taxes, reducing oreliminating taxation on social securityand protecting the financial wellbeingof a spouse after another’s death –those are things that my clients are

concerned about. Today, people alsowant alternatives to the low interestrate environment provided by CDsand money market accounts.”

Rizzotto explains that beinginvolved with his clients in all the keyareas of tax returns, insurance needsand investments allows his team tokeep a keen eye on each client’s bot-tom line. “We’ve had people who hadother advisors and financial plannerswho convinced them to makechanges, not aware of the tax impacts.To me, the tax return is the mostimportant document the client owns,that’s why it is the first thing we lookat when the client meets us for theirinitial appointment. If there is aninvestment or change that could causea taxable event, we know that upfront.”

Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group’sarea of expertise over the years hasbeen working with retirees, but theyalso work with clients of all ages in thearea of retirement planning. “You’renever too young or too old to startsaving for retirement,” says Rizzotto.“We have found that many people wemeet who are still working have

changed jobs about everyfive to seven years, andmany of those people lefttheir retirement plans attheir old employers (i.e.401k, 403b, 457, and TSPplans, etc.). Many of theseplans can be rolled over toindividual IRAs or RothIRAs, thus giving the clientmore control and the abil-ity to have someone to ad-vise them. We feel it isimperative for those people ages59–1/2 or older who are still em-ployed to become educated on a verysignificant act signed into law by con-gress over ten years ago that changedthe rules governing these employersponsored plans, what their optionsare, and what they can do to preparefor their family’s financial future.”

Rizzotto Tax Advisory Grouphas 2 locations: 3030 Starkey Blvd.at the Florida Design ConsultantsCenter in the Long Leaf commu-nity of Trinity; and 1034 BelcherRoad S. in Largo. Call (727) 683-9119 or visit www.rizzottotax.comfor additional information or toschedule an appointment.

“Rizzotto Tax”Continued from page 11


By Matt SelbyLast week I had the pleasure of

meeting with local author Betsy Mac-Donald to talk about her new book,The Vulnerable. A true story, The Vul-nerable is an intriguing book aboutBetsy’s autistic brother Michael, whosuffers from Asperger’s and her jour-ney to reconnect with her family andhelp Michael escape a tortuous rela-tionship with a couple that was sup-posedly caring for him; when all thewhile, they were taking advantage ofhim, abusing him, and even poisoninghim. They were slowly attempting tomurder him and make it look like anaccident just to gain his inheritance.

The Vulnerable has all the mak-ings of a Hollywood thriller, but like Isaid, this is unfortunately a non-fic-tion tale. Speaking of Hollywood,Betsy says she is meeting with somemovie producers that sought her outafter reading The Vulnerable, so ascreenplay may very well be next.

During our interview Betsy de-scribed to me some of the horriblethings that these people did to herbrother; it made my stomach flip flop.I can’t imagine how anyone could livewith himself or herself after commit-ting such heinous acts; manipulatingan autistic person for their own per-sonal gain. It’s absolutely disgusting,

Local Author Publishes The Vulnerable,an Intriguing Non-Fiction Novel About

Saving Her Brother From True Evil

and when I asked Betsy what her ulti-mate goal was in telling her story shereplied, “I just want to make peopleaware of what can happen to the oneswe love, especially those who may be-come vulnerable without the rightpeople in their lives. I want to helppeople see that they need to make aplan, especially if they have a child ora loved one with autism. I want peo-ple to really think about what couldhappen to that person if they weren’taround, that way they can prepare andhopefully prevent something terriblefrom happening, because once it’s toolate there might not be anyonearound to protect them.”

I don’t want to give too much ofthe book away, but I am happy to re-port that Betsy has saved Michael andhe currently lives with Betsy and herhusband locally. I personally have aclose friend, whom I’ve known since

high school, who has Asperger’s sothis story really hits home for me.Betsy says, “Knowledge is power. It ismy wish that by hearing our story,maybe one person’s life can besaved!”

Betsy MacDonald’s book TheVulnerable is for sale at Amazon.com.Betsy is a psychiatric R.N. holding po-sitions as a Mental Health Director,where she lectures the public andhealth agencies. She also served asDirector of Nursing at a hospital andhas counseled and evaluated youth inschool settings. Betsy MacDonald is anationally published author with non-fiction cover stories. This true mysteryhas clairvoyance, hauntings, and gut-wrenching emotion, as it takes thereader on a journey to crack a family’scode of silence.

For more information, visitwww.TheVulnerable.net.


By Julie Kanehl

Are you ready for a fun night ofentertainment? Get your tickets nowfor the Pasco Music Festival & CarShow, which is being held at TheConcourse, by Safety Town, in Hud-son on Saturday, February 20th,2016. This incredible evening ofmusic and entertainment will beginwith a car show, and will play on intothe night with amazing bands likeJoey Dee and the Starliters, Bill Cast-ner, Karen Kallin, and Lola & TheSaints. All benefits go to local chari-ties, and there will be great food pro-vided by local sponsors!

This fabulously fun event wasthought up by a group of volunteerswho wanted to create a fun night thatwould benefit local charities like theCARES Elfers Center, The Red AppleAdult Training Center, The Angelus,the SPCA, The Rope Center, TheGood Samaritan Health Clinic ofPasco, Inc. and more. These organiza-

tions do so much for thousands ofpeople (and animals) in our commu-nity, that this is a great way to giveback and lend our support.

This year’s event will be the 3rdPasco Music Festival, and some of thevolunteers that help to put this hugeevent together include Steve Luikart,Pasco School Board Vice Chairman,Louie Lord, a retired Pasco CountyDeputy, Rob Dunbar, and FreddyMack, a retired NYC Detective. That’sjust to name a few! This event takes alot of selfless coordination and com-mitment from local businesses, enter-tainers and more. This year, the PascoMusic Festival promises to be biggerthan ever, drawing more crowds andmaking a larger impact on the won-derful organizations that are benefited.

Luikart says, “Great time, greatpeople and all for a great cause! Won-derful event!”

Having the distinct pleasure ofspeaking to Freddy Mack, he ex-plained the passion and commitmentthat this group of volunteers has for

the community and this non-profitevent. He said, “I’ve learned that I’mblessed, more than I deserve, and if Ican help be a benefit to others, I bet-ter myself. That’s how the whole com-mittee is, like that.” He adds, “Every

bit of the funds goes to benefit theseorganizations. We volunteers even buyour own shirts!”

Sponsors from all over the TampaBay Area have already committed tothe concert, including Pit Boss BBQ,

Get Your Tickets Now for Pasco Music Festival& Car Show on February 20th, 2016!


Team Farrell, George’s WholesaleTires, Walmart, Longhorn Steak-house, Trinity-Odessa Chamber ofCommerce, Neighborhood News &Lifestyles, 72hrprint.com, and TheConcourse Council, Inc, which hasgenerously offered to host the event attheir Rotary Pavilion located on their216-acre property. If you or yourbusiness is looking to sponsor a day offun and entertainment that will trulyimpact the lives of people in our com-munity, the Pasco Music Festival &Car Show is still accepting sponsors!

Mack says, “Our event will openwith a prayer, the Pledge of Allegianceand the Star Spangled Banner. Therewill be food onsite from some greatsponsors, hot dogs and hamburgersand cold beverages as well. It’s goingto be a great event.”

Be Part of the Fun! Enter Your Carinto the Car Show!

To enter the car show, there is a$25 car entry fee, and that includestwo general entry wristbands to theconcert and a dash plaque. People canbegin to set up their cars at SafetyTown as early as 10 a.m., with the carshow beginning at noon. The first 100cars will get in for this event, and the

winner of the car show will be chosenbetween 5-6 p.m., and will even re-ceive a trophy! If you’d like to registerahead of the event, stay tuned to thePasco Music Festival’s website andfacebook page, as they will have regis-tration forms available that you caneasily print from home.

A member of the Car Show Com-mittee said, “You can register at theevent if there’s room! We only haveenough space for the first hundredcars, so registering early is recom-mended. It’s going to be a greatevent!”

Joey Dee & The Starliters areHeadlining!

This year, Joey Dee & The Star-liters is headlining the Pasco MusicFestival, and it’s going to be a greattime! Joey Dee & The Starliters have

been a part of the music scene sincethe late 1950s and truly made theirmark when they made the hit, “ThePeppermint Twist” in 1961. Morethan musicians, Joey Dee & The Star-liters have appeared in movies and inconcert halls all over the world. Thisyear’s Pasco Music Festival promisesto be lively and fun with them on thebill!

Other musical guests include Lola& The Saints, performing Doo Wopand Oldies, while Karen Kallin, alsoknown as “Little Miss Dynamite” willearn her nickname by singing anddancing to some of everyone’s favoritetunes. Bill Castner, nicknamed “TheKing of Dance, Sing & Swing,” is alively entertainer who will keep thecrowd on their feet.

The Pasco Music Festival prom-ises to be a great time, so bring yourfriends, and head on down on Febru-ary 20th! The concert begins at 3p.m., right after the Car Show, and themusic will play until 9 p.m. The con-cert pavilion is covered, so the eventwill go on rain or shine, and guests arewelcome to bring lawn chairs!

Tickets to the concert are just$10 with front row seats offered at$15. There also are tickets available for

a Preferred Seating Package for $50each, which includes dinner providedby LongHorn Steakhouse, preferredseating, beverages and more. If you’relooking for an opportunity to seesome great entertainment while sup-porting the needs of some really im-portant charities in our community,please head on down to the PascoMusic Festival on Saturday, February20th for a lot of fun in support of a lotof great causes.

The Pasco Music Festival & CarShow is a one-day event that will takeplace on Saturday, February 20th atThe Concourse (Safety Town) at15325 Alric Potterg Road in ShadyHills, Florida. For more information,call (727) 596-8214 or e-mail: [email protected].

The Car Show begins at noon,with setup starting as early as 10a.m. The concert will be from 3-9p.m., and tickets are affordable!You can order tickets ahead of timeat ticketleap.com or buy them atthe gate. For more information visitwww.PascoMusicFestival.com orlike them on Facebook. The PascoMusic Festival is a non-profit501(C)3 Fundraiser for localcommunities.


found that parents all over the BayArea were eager to do the same!

Christian Crossings Academy:Daring to Soar with SpiritualIntegrity and Academic Excellence

Located just minutes from Trin-ity, Tampa, Land O’ Lakes and Lutz at1830 Crossings Boulevard in Odessa,Christian Crossings Academy (CCA)is the direct result of Salim and Andreahaving the top Discovery Point pre-school in the nation since they firstopened in 2011. Parents who hadtheir children at Discovery PointSuncoast Crossings were so impressedwith the level of education that theybegan to ask the owners to open up anelementary school. Owners, Salim andAndrea Karnaby took those wishes toheart, and CCA was born from theirpassion for God and for education.

Now enrolling for Kindergartenand First Grade in the Fall of 2016,CCA is a private Christian school thatteaches the way children learn:Through emotional, intellectual,physical and spiritual development.Offering a STEAM approach in their

curriculum, whichfocuses on Science,Technology, Engi-neering, Art andMathematics, CCAis an elite schoolthat’s designed togive your childevery opportunity,and to instill inthem a love of Godthat they will takewith them throughtheir entire lives.With plans to add agrade level everyyear, ChristianCrossings Academyis already garneringpraise.

Salim Karnaby says, “The Missionof Christian Crossings Academy is toglorify God in all that we do by pro-viding an exceptional Christian educa-tion in an environment of genuinelove for each student and parent.” Headds, “We are all a family at CCA, andwe offer the best in equipment, re-sources and curriculum.”

The school philosophy states,“We seek to ground everything we doon the transforming gospel of Jesus

Christ. All members of the educationalprocess at Christian Crossings Acad-emy are not only committed to JesusChrist but seek to develop the totalchild, spiritually, mentally, physically,and socially.”

Offering a plethora of educationaloptions, including Spanish (which isused every day through immersiontechniques), art, drama and more,both CCA and Discovery PointSuncoast Crossings have a uniqueapproach to education that has peopletruly excited.

Lisa Goodwin Sankowski said,“My daughter has been at this won-derful school since she was 11 weeksold. I am so blessed for all of thewonderful teachers she has had overthe past five years. It’s a wonderfulschool where I trust that my child’sneeds come first!”

#1 in the Nation: Discovery PointSuncoast Crossings Earns TopMarks

Our children are our most pre-cious gifts, so choosing where to starttheir education is one of the biggestdecisions that a parent can make! Inthis crazy world, we want a place forthem that is safe and secure, warm andwelcoming, and that provides a top-notch education that will put them atthe top of their class while igniting afire for education that burns withinthem for their whole lives –yes, earlychildhood education is that important!Discovery Point Suncoast Crossings(DPSC) provides all of this and more,which is one of the many reasons thatit has won Discovery Point’s coveted“High Five” School of ExcellenceAward every year ever since theyopened their doors in 2011, makingthis the top Discovery Point in thenation!

“Academy”Continued from page 1

Christian Crossings Academy is now enrolling forKindergarten and 1st Grade for Fall 2016


Conveniently located at 1812Crossings Boulevard in Odessa, rightnext door to the brand new ChristianCrossings Academy, Discovery PointSuncoast Crossings (DPSC) is an in-credible school. Let’s put it this way,during the interview I happened tomeet a Florida State Inspector whosaid, “This school is spectacular!”

Parent David Chapman said,“Entrusting your child’s care and well-being is one of the biggest decisionsyou’ll ever make. After a truly in-depth

research of all local facilities and op-tions in the area, we chose DiscoveryPoint [Suncoast Crossings]. This wasby far the best decision we could haveever made…He loves the place, every-one and everything about it. Truth is,so do we. It’s an environment full ofhappiness, giggles, excitement andinterest. Our little boy, our most pre-cious gift, has been blessed by the staffand endless offerings of DiscoveryPoint. They honestly love theirstudents and it’s displayed every single

day. We will forever carry alife-long appreciation for theloving care, guidance anddevelopment this school hasprovided for our son.”

What’s their secret?Putting the children firstand having a passion foreducation in all that they do.At Discovery Point SuncoastCrossings, each child has theopportunity to discover theworld around them using awide variety of learning tech-niques aimed at helping littleminds grow. Combined withtheir steadfast commitmentto keeping classroom ratiossmall, it’s no wonder theschool has continued to draw

families from all over the Tampa BayArea.

Parent Aisha Houser said, “Soglad we chose DPSC for our daughter.After 4 visits to other establishments,as soon as we walked in, we knew thiswas her ‘home’! She is excited to go toschool and eager to learn all she can!We applaud everything we’ve experi-enced thus far!”

Discovery Point SuncoastCrossings accepts children as young as

six weeks old, all the way throughVPK. Discovery Point parents aretruly excited that their children cannow continue their child’s educationat Christian Crossings Academy rightnext door!

If you’re looking for earlyeducation for your child that raises thebar, choose Discovery Point SuncoastCrossings for your preschool anddaycare needs, and choose ChristianCrossings Academy to give your childa premier, Christian elementary schoolexperience!

Christian Crossings Academy islocated at 1830 Crossings Blvd. inOdessa. School hours are from 9:30a.m. – 3:40 p.m. For additionalinformation, call 813-792-9451or you can log on towww.christiancrossings.com, findthem on Facebook, or send an emailto [email protected].

Discovery Point SuncoastCrossings, located at 1812Crossings Blvd. in Odessa, is openMon. – Fri., 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.Please call 813-792-9451 toschedule a tour. For additionalinformation, please log on towww.suncoast.discoverypoint.comor find them on Facebook.

Discovery Point Suncoast Crossings is the top Discovery Point school in the nation!


By Katie Thomas

It isn’t just the amazing Italianfood that makes Taso Italiano a desti-nation restaurant. It is the hand-cutsteaks, the fresh caught seafood, thebeautiful lounge area, the consistentlydelicious food and the friendly and at-tentive servers that make this a favoritedining spot for locals and “not-so-lo-cals” alike. There is live music duringthe evenings on Wednesday, Thursday,Friday and Saturday. A favorite diningspot for dinner for many years, TasoItaliano has added something new tothe menu and now serves lunch.

Feeding people delicious foodisn’t just a career choice to Taso Stassi,owner of Taso Italiano: It is his life’swork, his passion and a way to honorhis own family’s history. With recipesthat have been handed down fromgeneration to generation in the Stassifamily, Taso Italiano is authentic, rightdown to the homemade sauces thatcome out of the kitchen. From thedécor of family heirlooms and themusic to the delicious, always fresh

ingredients, Taso Italiano is the perfectplace to enjoy the healthy, delicioustastes of the Mediterranean. A mix ofItalian, Greek and French cuisine withthe best of American specialties, TasoItaliano is “All the Best!” The openfloor plan and soft lighting add to theambiance, and a full liquor bar stockedwith top shelf liquor and a great beerand wine selection ensures favoritelibations for everyone in your party.

Located on Little Road in NewPort Richey, Taso Italiano is a restau-rant where diners are warmly wel-comed. Family photos give diners aglimpse of young Taso and his fatherEuripides Stassi. Taso’s inspirationcomes from his own experience inhelping his father open L’Epicure, afine dining restaurant on Long Islandthat served the wealthiest patrons inNew York. Some of Taso’s favoritememories of L’Epicure were the blacktie events that catered to big Italianfamilies, Greek nights and learning tocook from French chefs. Taso took theadvice he learned from these chefs andhe applies it to every aspect of hisrestaurant today – “You learn it and

you learn it the right way.” Taso has taught his team the

‘right way’ as well, saying, “You’reonly as good as the help at your sideand I owe much of Taso Italiano’ssuccess to my staff who is talented,kind and driven.” Taso credits much

of his success to lovely better half,Sabrina, and the restaurant’s frontmanager, Jennifer.

Taso Italiano’s menu includes: Akids’ section, fresh salads, pizzas andscrumptious appetizers in addition to abroad selection of land, sea and pasta

Dine at Taso Italiano for “All The Best!”

Taso Stassi, owner of Taso Italiano, honors his father, serving “All the Best!”


entrées. There are daily features fromall categories inclusive of land, air andsea, and fresh pastas daily.

“Regulars” at the restaurant areknown by name, and never tire of thedelicious creations and daily specials atTaso Italiano.

Meet for Lunch at Taso Italiano! Taso Italiano offers a new lunch

menu that features choices such as ahalf sandwich with soup AND a saladfor only $8.95. That is quite a deal!The lunch menu includes: ToastedHeroes and Platters, Signature Sand-wiches, Off the Grill choices, FarmFresh Salads and more! I enjoy theBalboa Signature Sandwich, which iscomposed of shaved Delmonico steakon toasted garlic rosemary focacciawith melted provolone, lettuce,tomato, onion and roasted garlic basilmayo - one of the best steak sand-wiches I’ve ever tasted! Another lunchfavorite is the Eggplant SandwichItaliano, which is hand breaded friedeggplant, topped with roasted red

peppers, fresh mozzarella, basil,tomatoes, onions on our toastedrosemary focaccia bread dressed witha balsamic reduction.

The 2 for $22 Early Bird menu atTaso Italiano is absolutely unbeatable.Early Bird specials include items suchas Baked Ziti, Antipasto, StuffedShells, Ravioli, Greek Village saladsand more!

Taso’s featured dishes are alwaysamazing! On any day, you can enjoyspecial features that easily rival theentrées at high-end, five-star restau-rants. Try the fresh flounder preparedwith a delicate batter and sautéed inlemon butter chardonnay sauce servedwith homemade gluten free sun-driedtomato and saffron risotto – so deli-cious! Another favorite dinner specialis the sautéed chicken breast withmelted Asiago cheese, topped withfresh roasted red peppers, mushroomsand garlic served with fresh vegetablesor rice pilaf. All entrees come withfresh baked bread, delicious sides anda soup or salad.

Taso Italiano also offers a family-style menu for parties of eight ormore, perfect for those times whenyou have a big group meeting fordinner. Or, if you’re looking for aneasy way to entertain at home or at theoffice, ask about Taso’s catering menu.

“Our genuine passion is to pro-vide people with what they’re notgoing to get anywhere else,” saysTaso. “My father used to say, ‘All TheBest’ which is what we strive for hereat Taso Italiano.”

Taso Italiano is located at 4016Little Road in New Port Richey.Dine-in, carryout and catering areavailable. Live music for your enter-tainment every Wednesday throughSaturday. Call (727) 807-7900 orvisit www.tasoitaliano.com for moreinformation. “Like” Taso Italianoon facebook and stay updated onweekly specials! Give a delicious giftthis year with a gift certificate toTaso Italiano.


and Florida, Karla Barkdoll is a mem-ber of the American Massage TherapyAssociation, and is Nationally BoardCertified.

Karla’s massages can be done any-where – at home, poolside, or at theoffice. Most of her clients choose theroom in their house that offers theleast distractions, and there she createsa wonderful environment for massage.She also takes the time to really speakto her clients before their massage tolearn more about them and any physi-cal discomfort or problems they have,so that she can create a therapeuticmassage that will be most beneficial toeach individual.

Lindsey from New Port Richeysays, “If you are looking for the bestmassage, then look no further thanKarla, she is a rare find. Once you havea massage from Karla, you will look nofurther, that I will guarantee!”

Massage Services that ImproveYour Life

“Your Health is your Wealth” isthe philosophy at Barkdoll MassageTherapy, and that is why Karla takes

the time to really find out what kindof massage you prefer, whether it’s aSwedish massage or a deep tissuetreatment for chronic pain, Karla’smassage will make a difference in yourlife.

Karla offers a wide range ofaffordable massage therapy styles andpackages. If you are looking for atraditional massage, Swedish massagetreatments are designed to improvecirculation, reduce stress and to relievemuscle tension. Hot stone massagesalso are popular. Warm stone therapy,which is the art of using heated stonesin combination with a Swedish mas-sage, is a great method of massageused to dissolve muscle tension andinduce deep relaxation.

Deep tissue massage is a therapeu-tic treatment designed to ease the painand discomfort associated withchronic pain. Karla says, “During deeptissue massages I use trigger points tospecifically find the places where thework needs to be done.” Deep tissuemassages can help people who livewith painful conditions live a fuller life.

Another style of massage thatKarla offers is sports massage and in-jury rehabilitation. This style of mas-sage combines the benefits and style of

a deep tissue massage withstretching, which can im-prove the range of motionin joints. Whether you arehealing after a car accidentor are suffering fromchronic pain associatedwith a medical condition,this kind of massage canbe extremely beneficial.

One of Karla’s clientsfrom Trinity said, “I havehad the pleasure of havingKarla as a massage therapist for thepast six years and it has always beenan enriching and healing experience.She is knowledgeable, professionaland a kindhearted person and I haveno hesitation in recommending herservice. She has hands of gold!”

Prenatal massages are a fantasticway to pamper the mom-to-be whileeasing some of the side effects ofpregnancy. Specially designed massagetable pillows create a comfortableposition just for a woman during thistime, so that pregnant moms cansafely enjoy their massage.

Aromatherapy is proven to aid inrelaxation, and Barkdoll MassageTherapy offers a variety of essential oilsand scents that can be used in collabo-

ration with any other style of massage.Most often used with a Swedishmassage, aromatherapy oils are appliedby Karla during your massage toenhance the massage experience.

One local couple wrote, “We allhave very busy schedules and it savesus time and stress to have Karla comeright to our home. My husband haschronic pain and her weekly massageshelp him tremendously. Whether youjust want a great stress reliever or youhave a medical condition I wouldhighly recommend Karla!”

If you are looking for a fantasticway to improve morale at work,how about offering your employees acorporate seated massage? This is afully clothed, seated massage that canbe done right at the office. This style

“Massages”Continued from page 1


of massage focuses on the back, neck,shoulders, scalp, arms and hands.What a great way to let your employ-ees know how much you care aboutthem!

My Massage with KarlaScheduling my massage turned

out to be a breeze because BarkdollMassage Therapy is one of the onlyplaces that offers evening massageappointments. It was all very easy forme since I wasn’t going to have toworry about driving anywhere or ababysitter for the kids! I simply pickedout a quiet room in the house, sentthe kids outside to play with myhubby, and got ready to enjoy mymassage.

Karla, a true professional, arrivesright on time bringing everything sheneeds with her. She takes the time toask about any injuries you may havesuffered in the past, and current com-plaints that she needs to be aware of.

Karla and I decided that a combi-nation Swedish and deep tissue mas-sage would be most beneficial for me.Karla put on what I like to call “mas-sage music,” and spoke to me aboutwhat she was going to do before shebegan. To my surprise, I was even

more relaxed because I was at home.I enjoyed the entire hour instead ofwondering how many minutes hadpassed, or wondering about the kids. Ifelt safe, pampered and well cared for.

After my massage, I felt like asoftened stick of butter, and I was ableto just put on my slippers instead ofmy shoes!

Massage can make one feel morecentered, and can even change one’soutlook. Following my massage withKarla, I felt great for days and my en-tire family could see what a differenceit made for me both physically andemotionally.

The best thing about BarkdollMassage Therapy is how affordable itis, making it possible to benefit fromtheapeutic massage on a regular basis.

Barkdoll Massage Therapy isan entirely mobile massage therapybusiness that comes to you. KarlaBarkdoll (License # MA47546) isavailable 7 days a week, from 9 a.m.– 9 p.m. To schedule an appoint-ment or to request more informa-tion about massage packages,corporate events or gift certificates,call (727) 372- 6389 or email KarlaBarkdoll [email protected]


TRINITY DENTAL CARETRINITY DENTAL CARE

Dr. S. Shayes - Dr. A. Eskandari

1843 Health Care Drive, Building #1Trinity, FL 34655

(at the corner of Mitchell Blv & Little Rd, behind Walgreens)

20729 Center Oak DriveTampa,FL 33647

www.trinitydentalcare.com

The patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment or be reimbursed for payment for another service, examination or treatment which is per-formed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, discounted or reduced fee, service, examination or treatment.

New patient only. Cannot be used with insurance.Coupon needs to be presented at time of service.

NEW PATIENT SPECIAL

#DN15013#DN15492

(727) 372-2001Toll Free: 1-888-tooth AK

We perform the following procedures:- Preventive Dentistry- Crowns, Bridges- Dentures, Partials, Repairs- Tooth Colored Fillings- Gum Treatment- Nitrous Gas (Happy Gas)

- Root Canals- Teeth Whitening- Dentistry for Children

and Adolescence- etc.

$39.99

Exam (D0140)

and X-Ray (D0272 or D0220)

EXP. 02/29/2016. WEEKDAYS ONLY.

Saturday Appointments AvailableTWO Locations!

New patients only. Valid weekdays. Cannot be usedwith insurance or any other offer. children ages 5-12 only

KID'S NEW YEAR SPECIAL

$89.99

Exam, X-Ray &Cleaning

(D0140),(D0272),(D1120)

NOW ACCEPTING

NEW PATIENTS

Lutz/Land O' Lakes/Odessa - Vol. 7, Issue 1, January 2016

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Transcript of Lutz/Land O' Lakes/Odessa - Vol. 7, Issue 1, January 2016