County Commissioner Mike Moore announced his retirement Monday.
Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore, who represents most of Wesley Chapel and has played a pivotal role in the growth of the area, unexpectedly announced Monday that he will not run for re-election in November.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Pasco County over the past seven years,” Moore wrote in a statement released Monday afternoon, “and I am pleased to have led a number of transformative changes to better the quality of life for the citizens of Pasco County.”
Moore said in the statement that after much deliberation with his family, he would be returning to the private sector full-time as a small business owner (he owns a business consulting firm) at the conclusion of his term.
He gave no further hints to what lies ahead.
“Not sure what I’m doing yet,” he told the Neighborhood News in a text message. “Haven’t made any decisions.”
Moore has held the District 2 seat since 2014, when he defeated Democrat Erika Jean Remsberg with 59 percent of the vote; he won re-election with 60 percent of the vote in 2018, defeating challenger Kelly Smith.
He has served as the commission chairman in 2017 and 2020, and vice-chairman in 2016 and 2019.
Moore has helped speed up a number of major transportation projects, including the diverging diamond interchange, spearheaded the addition of a new indoor recreation center (and before that, a universally inclusive playground) at Wesley Chapel District Park as well as playing a role in the building of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, and most recently was the driving force behind a six-month (now one year) moratorium on new apartments in the Wesley Chapel area.
In 2017, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber presented him with the Community Hero Award (picture), honoring his efforts in helping grow Wesley Chapel.
“I am extremely grateful for the citizens of Pasco County who placed their trust and vote in me,” Moore wrote. “Even though I am retiring from the commission, I will always be your champion and will continue to be by your side fighting for what is best for our county’s future.”
A former radio/TV major at the University of Central Florida, Moore launched Reel Politics in August 2021, a weekly talk show that can be heard on The Answer 860 AM or 93.7.
Moore lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife Lauren and their three children.
High school students looking for an innovative alternative to their neighborhood campus will have a new option this fall.
Pasco County Schools will open its Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation (KRAI) on Curley Rd., north of the WaterGrass community, for the 2022-23 school year.
The magnet school will initially start with just freshmen and sophomores, but will add a grade each year to serve ninth through twelfth grade.
No students are zoned for attendance at KRAI. Instead, students who are interested in its specialized programs will apply for a lottery. The school plans to prepare students for in-demand, high-salary, high-skill careers.
DeeDee Johnson (photo) was named the principal of the school last September. The former principal of Wesley Chapel High was serving at Pasco Middle School and transitioned to oversee the opening of the Kirkland Ranch Academy this January.
“I am most excited about the opportunities that it’s going to bring students in the District,” she says, “whether it’s college, career, or preparing them for life.”
She emphasizes that while the school can provide a pathway to an in-demand, high-paying job right after high school, it’s also a great choice for college-focused students.
“There are industry certifications, but also Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment courses,” says Johnson. “It’s going to give students a leg up by having connections with business and community partners.”
She says that one feature students will be excited about is that the school will have a 1:1 ratio of students to electronic devices. She anticipates that all students will be assigned a personal laptop for their own use, with some laptops being specialized to fit their chosen program of study.
The building and its construction are innovative, as well. The school overlooks the property’s large wetland, and was designed with energy efficiency as a priority, and its orientation creates a natural breezeway.
The first lottery for students to apply to attend the school closed in January, after we went to press. However, Johnson says she expects that a second window will open for students to apply later in the spring. To get more information about how to apply for Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, visit the school’s website at KRAI.pasco.k12.fl.us.
“I’m excited about having the opportunity to build from scratch,” says Johnson, “including our school culture – what we’re going to believe and how we’re going to get there.”
Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation is located at 9100 Curley Rd. in Wesley Chapel. For more information, visit KRAI.pasco.k12.fl.us.
Treble Makers owner Jamie Hess (left) and executive chef Kevin Maggard pose with Neighborhood News publisher Gary Nager, who has once again chosen Treble Makers as his favorite Wesley Chapel restaurant again.
Every year, in the issue after we report the results of our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, I always feel compelled to give you my dining favorites, including all of the restaurants that opened in (or very near) Wesley Chapel and New Tampa the previous year.
As someone who remembers when Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, Waffle House and Brewmaster’s Steakhouse (the original tenant in Vallarta’s spot in the Village Market plaza) were the only “restaurants” in Wesley Chapel outside of Saddlebrook Resort — and who has sampled every new place to eat since then — I do feel uniquely qualified to provide you with my annual list of favorites in both of our distribution areas.
And, even though quite a few new eateries opened in our distribution areas in 2021 after the reader voting ended, my top-25 “survey” lists aren’t quite as different from the readers’ lists this year as they have been in previous years, especially here in Wesley Chapel.
1 — TREBLE MAKERS 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd. The Grove at Wesley Chapel (813) 406-4371 Even though a number of local chain restaurants made it to my top-25 list of Gary’s Favorites in Wesley Chapel for 2021, I am still someone who most appreciates great mom-&-pop eateries. And, as someone who has been observing, enjoying and writing about the local dining scene for 28 years next month, I just have to say that of all the mom-&-pop places that have opened in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa (at least those that are still in business) since I bought the Neighborhood News in 1994, Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant truly is my #1 favorite — now for two years in a row!
In order to be at the top of my Favorites list, a restaurant has to specialize in the items that I appreciate most when Jannah and I go out to eat, whether for lunch or dinner.
Wahoo Bianco
First of all, we love sharing a great steak (Jannah prefers a filet, but I also love the New York strip).
Second, our favorite places always have to have great fresh fish on the menu, too. You can keep us coming back for more with grouper, snapper, mahi-mahi or the amazing wahoo bianco — it’s my favorite new dish in Wesley Chapel for 2021 — so thanks to Treble Makers Executive Chef Kevin Maggard for staying creative.
Co-owners Jamie and his brother Joe Hess and Lee Bevan also are to be commended for sticking to their guns with providing an affordable, yet upscale, fine dining experience with great food, located in Wesley Chapel proper, despite all of those chain restaurants and having to fight through the worst pandemic of all of our lifetimes.
An, while Treble Makers is still also an entertainment destination, especially on weekend evenings, you owe it to yourself to check it out during the day or any night other than Friday or Saturday, when Jamie admits that the service can be slower due to the sold-out nature of most of those dueling piano shows.
Jannah and I have enjoyed those shows, but most of the time, we just visit for a great meal. My favorite appetizers are the sesame-crusted seared ahi tuna appetizer, the potato gnocchi with smokey Alfredo sauce and the sweet & spicy fried calamari.
In addition to the delicious, tender steaks and the wahoo, our favorite entrées are the coconut curry grouper (which doesn’t really taste like curry at all; I told Kevin and Jamie they should just rename it coconut grouper), the savory penne alla vodka (to which we add the most tender grilled chicken) and my new favorite grilled double lollipop lamb chops. All are amazing.
I also really enjoy the diver scallops and bruschetta chicken entrées, but it’s hard to sample everything on the menu because we love all of these items so much. I don’t think we’ve had any of the handhelds on the menu other than the brisket/chuck blend cheeseburger and the blackened chicken sandwich, which also are among the reduced number of menu items available on the lunch menu at reduced prices. Our favorite sides are the Brussels sprouts and the garlic mashed potatoes.
In other words, Treble Makers is my back-to-back Favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel for good reason.
Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner. For dinner & show reservations or more info, call (813) 406-4371 or visit TrebleMakersofWC.com. `
2 — GRILLSMITH 2000 Piazza Ave #100 The Shops at Wiregrass (813) 907-1900
Speaking of fresh fish, Grillsmith’s “short trip” fish entrée has elevated the Tampa-based mini-chain to near the top of my rankings since it was first added to the Grillsmith menu a few years ago. We’ve had everything from grouper and mahi to corvina and amberjack since then and we’ve never been served anything but nice-sized portions of fresh, delicious fish. We’re also really fond of the smashed cauliflower side, as well as the crunchy tuna appetizer, the lemon feta chicken, port wine filet and the outstanding service we always receive at the spacious bar. I also enjoy the skirt steak chimichurri entrée and the desserts, and Grillsmith currently has “Fireside Flavors” like white chicken chili and burgundy braised beef tips. The Sunday brunch menu is outstanding, too.
3 — FALABELLA FAMILY BISTRO 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd. Suite 105 (813) 428-6957
Congrats to owner Steve Falabella, his family, GM Adrian Luna and the staff of Falabella Family Bistro, my favorite new restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel in 2021. Steve also managed to open his second local pizza place — 900º New York Pizza — adjacent to the Bistro in The Grove, all while turning the Bistro into the favorite Italian restaurant in The Chap. With delicious Italian specialties like beef short rib ragu, Sam’s meatballs and the spaghetti with white clam sauce shown above, plus amazing desserts (amazing cheesecakes, tiramisu, etc.) by Evelyn Barreno of 7 Layers Bakery, if the Bistro adds a fresh fish dish other than salmon to the regular menu (I loved the mahi-mahi special), the Bistro could move up in my ratings.
4 — ZUKKU-SAN SUSHI BAR & GRILL 25916 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz (813) 419-1351 The second year of Zukku-San being open on the north side of S.R. 56 hasn’t done anything but confirm for me why we loved it so much in the first place. From the most creative and delicious sushi (try the bluefin tuna options) and the appetizers like the chicken and beef tenderloin yakitori shown above, the gyoza dumplings, Japanese spring rolls, tempura and more, to the best chicken teriyaki entrée (served with amazing fresh, sautéed veggies) and the best Japanese-style fried rice, and its full liquor bar, it should come as no surprise that Zukku-San is again my favorite Asian restaurant in Wesley Chapel. And, later this year, the owners of Zukku-San will open Ato Sushi Burritos & Poké Bowls in the KRATE Container Park at The Grove.
5 — FLORIDA AVE. BREWING CO. 2029 Arrowgrass Dr. (813) 452-6333 Although the menu is missing some of our favorite items, what remains available at Florida Ave. Brewing Co. still keeps it near the top of my rankings. And, with the opening of what may be the largest microbrewery in Florida in 2021, Florida Ave. is only getting more popular. The restaurant’s cutely named specialty burgers are tasty, but you can still order a plain bacon cheeseburger with fresh veggies (photo) — and you won’t regret it. Florida Ave. also has crispy wings, a great chicken club sandwich and popular Korean-style bibimbap bowls (now available with a variety of protein options, from chicken and bulgogi shaved prime rib to salmon and vegan Beyond burger), plus beers, ales, hard seltzers and ciders and a full-liquor bar.
6 — NOBLE CRUST 28330 Paseo Dr. Shops at Wiregrass (813) 703-2602 I would be lying if I said that so many of you voting for Noble Crust in this year’s Reader Survey didn’t convince me to take Jannah there a little more often towards the end of last year. Although I enjoy a lot of Noble’ Crust’s ever-changing menu items, my favorites are still the house-made gnocchi, the unique beef and pork meatball appetizers (there’s even Impossible meatballs available now), as well as the chicken fried chicken parm (picture, right) entrées. And, I believe the fried chicken and waffles are outstanding, too. We also enjoy Noble Crust’s oven-baked pizzas, although we usually go for the entrées. We wish the bar area was a little bigger, but it offers an amazing selection of ultra-premium liquor and a great, fun vibe.
7 — BLUEFIN JAPANESE RESTAURANT 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd. (813) 803-4709 Based on the rankings shown on this page, BlueFin was my second favorite new restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel in 2021. It also qualified as my second favorite Asian restaurant in Wesley Chapel, behind Zukku-San. And for good reason. This newcomer offers completely different takes on its large sushi and sashimi menu, and its gyoza dumplings (photo), and veggie tempura, soft shell crab, chicken teriyaki and steak fried rice are all outstanding. We also really enjoy the hibachi-style filet mignon, chicken and scallops, the fried pork or chicken katsu and the overall vibe of the place, which is located directly next door to Treble Makers in The Grove. There’s also a great variety of beer, wine and sake.
8 — OMARI’S GRILL Lexington Oaks Golf Club 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd. (813) 907-7270 Omari’s Grill at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club may have dropped a little in my rankings this year, but not because the quality of the food has slipped at all. The problem is that, like many restaurants nationwide, Omari’s has greatly reduced the number of choices on its menu, including several of mine and Jannah’s favorites. The good news is that you can still get co-owner/chef Anass El-Omari’s perfect grilled mahi-mahi topped with mango salsa, crispy, but tender chicken parmigiana, filet mignon with cream sauce and Cajun pasta with andouille sausage, but only as Friday night dinner specials. The burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches (photo, right), wings and salads on the regular menu are all as good as you’ll find here.
9 — TOP SHELF SPORTS LOUNGE AdventHealth Center Ice 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd. (813) 953-1032 When Top Shelf first opened at what is now called AdventHealth Center Ice, it was a best-kept secret as far as being a place with great food and a rockin’ full-liquor bar scene for watching Tampa Bay Lightning games. Well, the word is out now, as Top Shelf is almost always packed, especially for Bolts games, but the food is still outstanding. Top Shelf still has some of the best wings, burgers and bar food around (you can even get delicious mixed veggies as a side), and has added new menu items like the brisket quesadilla (pictured) and ahi tuna and Havana bowls. The true Canadian-style poutines are super-popular, as are the craft beers from owner Keelan Cottle’s own 81Bay Brewing.
10 — CHUCK LAGER AMERICA’S TAVERN 2001 Piazza Ave, Suite 175 Shops at Wiregrass (813) 820-4500 Now in its second year, it didn’t take much for this third link in a new, small chain with a menu inspired by celebrity TV chef Fabio Viviani to surpass its predecessor (Primebar) in its space at the Shops at Wiregrass. Chuck Lager is a beautiful restaurant with a great vibe and a unique menu that has caught on with locals, even though it opened deep into the pandemic. Jannah and I love the Fabio’s meatball sub and Cajun grouper taco (pictured) handhelds, as well as the chicken parmesan, pork chop Milanese and Italian steak entrées and the sautéed baby broccolini is amazing. There also are great burgers, flatbreads and salads. Try the bourbon flights, featuring everything from Redbreast to Hotel Tango. Smooth.
One of the complaints by residents about Elevated Youth Services’ plan to build a residential treatment facility on Lawrence Ave. is overcrowding on what is barely a two-land road.
Residents in a Quail Hollow neighborhood are hoping to stop a residential treatment facility for young boys ages 13-17 from taking root — or at least wait until it has gone through a thorough zoning verification that examines exactly what its plans are and will mean to the community.
The issue, however, is that Pasco County may have already erroneously granted permission to Elevated Youth Services (EYS) to proceed with opening a facility at 26318 Lawrence Ave.
According to chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein, back in August, EYS owner Nicholas Browning sought approval for a residential treatment facility for 12 minors with handicaps and disabilities. Frederick Humberstone, a planning and zoning tech II for the county, wrote back to Browning informing him that the proposed use as a residential group (single family of unrelated people) was a permitted use (as opposed to a conditional use, which residential treatment and care facilities are supposed to be considered).
Browning then closed on the property, paying $495,000 for the five bedroom, 3,500-sq.ft. home.
However, Humberstone was incorrect, because the correct permitted use is only supposed to be for six or fewer residents.
“Was the letter probably erroneous under our code? Yes,” Goldstein said at the Jan. 6 Pasco Planning Commission meeting . “However, it’s clear that the applicant relied on it, and then bought the property after they got the letter.”
Goldstein says that makes this a “fairly unique” case, although he still recommended approval but with conditions, which would include a 1-to-4 ratio of supervisors to children, limits on street parking, and not accepting any residents who have been adjudicated as sexual offenders.
However, that wasn’t sufficient for other members of the planning commission — nor for a dozen or so Quail Hollow residents who showed up at the Dade City Courthouse — and the case was continued to the March 3 Planning Commission meeting while Goldstein and EYS continue to negotiate the conditions.
EYS is essentially seeking approval for a residential and treatment facility but want relief from going through the conditional use process (CUP) because it claims it would violate the Fair Housing Act (FHA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and unfairly burden EYS’s use of the property.
“We would have no problem going through the CUP process if it was required of all groups of unrelated persons,” said EYS attorney Dan McDonald, “but it’s only required of handicapped persons needing treatment and care at a treatment and care facility. The case law is very, very clear on this. This is discriminatory.”
Some members of the planning commission and the Quail Hollow residents argued that not enough is known about EYS to grant any approval, and would like to see them go through either the state screening process, or by a third party.
“They (EYS) haven’t agreed, and specifically refused to agree, to state screening,” claimed Dan Lincoln, the attorney representing Quail Hollow.
Some Planning Commission members and residents also raised concerns that the EYS website makes references to problem sexual behavior. Worried that the home’s residents may include juvenile sexual offenders, one resident said that while she understood the need to rehabilitate, “our quiet residential area is not the place.”
McDonald denied that EYS accepts any sexual offenders. He said EYS does not accept youths who pose a direct threat of harming others, and it uses individualized risk assessment and psycho-sexual evaluations to make those determinations.
Residents who spoke also raised other concerns, wondering where so many teenage boys would find room to play outside in a small yard, whether the property’s septic tank could handle so many people and parking on the street causing safety issues.
Goldstein suggested a continuance as both sides try to come to an agreement and the county can avoid getting sued.
Resident Lauren Taylor had little sympathy for the county’s predicament.
“It’s not our fault you sent that letter out,” Taylor said. “And, if there’s repercussions because of that, that’s not our fault either. Pasco is going to have to deal with it.”
The late, great Betty White always sort of reminded me of my grandmother — my beloved Nana Betty. Not only did they have the same first name, Nan lived until about a month before her 92nd birthday (and Nan’s older sister, my great aunt Molly, lived to three weeks before her 100th, just like Betty) and, like the esteemed actress and comedian, Nan was the queen of the one-liners and her relatively long life simply wasn’t long enough for her.
“I have to get better,” Nan told me as she lay dying from COPD. “I have a formal party to go to next month and I already have my dress picked out.”
And, also like the amazing Ms. White (photo), because she had such a zest for life and was always in good health until a couple of mild heart attacks in her 80s, we thought Nan was a shoo-in to make it to 100 years old.
Sadly, neither one made it that far. Even Aunt Molly, who was the oldest of the six siblings and who ended up outliving all of them, fell almost exactly as short of the century mark as did the former “Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Golden Girls” and “Hot in Cleveland” star.
While today’s social media age mainly honors heavily filtered beauty, it’s been a nice change of pace seeing a geriatric woman who started out as beautiful on the outside inspire so many people — including yours truly — because of her inner beauty that made people smile, laugh and want to support the causes that were near and dear to her heart.
To that end, Jannah and I made a donation to a local animal shelter on what would have been Betty’s 100th birthday — Jan. 17.
Is it just a coincidence that Nan was born on June 17? Maybe, but I think not.
On Losing My Favorite NFL Coach
Most people who are my sons’ ages only know the late, great John Madden (who died a few days before White, at age 85) because he leant his name to the first hugely popular football (or any major sport) video game.
But for me, as a sports-crazy kid growing up in Lawn Guyland, New Yawk, who never forgave my original favorite NFL team — the Giants — for trading away my favorite player (a little-known wide receiver named Homer Jones) after the 1969 season, I was on the lookout for another NFL team to root for and Madden had just completed his first season as the Oakland Raiders head coach.
But, the reason I chose the Raiders as my team wasn’t just because they went 12-1-1 in 1969 under Madden, it was because they had my second-favorite player — and the wide receiver who gave me the most hope that I could someday play in the NFL — the great Fred Biletnikoff, who was my NFL role model, with his relatively small size, great hands and lack of breakaway speed.
Whether intentionally or not, the Raiders became the bad boys of the newly merged NFL under Madden, known as much for cheap-shot defensive backs who tackled with elbows and forearm shivers as they were for being a consistently great team on both sides of the football.
Unfortunately, Madden’s last season as a coach — 1978 — was the same year that New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley was paralyzed on a clean hit delivered by one of the dirtiest of the Raiders, safety Jack Tatum.
That also was the last year I rooted for Oakland. I still loved the NFL, I just was a fan of the entire league, rather than of any particular team, until I moved to the Tampa Bay area in ‘93.
But, Big John finished his 10-year coaching career (all with Oakland) having never had a losing season and his .750 career regular-season winning percentage is still a record for coaches with at least 100 NFL games coached.
Yes, I loved John’s “Boom” Hall of Fame TV sportscasting career and his Miller Lite commercials, but for me, he’s the coach who taught me that you don’t always have to root for your home team to be a fan.
I miss you, big guy.
Bob Saget, Too
Although I wasn’t much of a fan of his TV shows “Full House” or “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” I was a fan of the late Bob Saget’s super-raunchy standup comedy, including his appearances on many celebrity roasts.
But, the fact Saget was only a couple of years older than me and died so close to my birthday (in an Orlando hotel room, no less), plus the amazing tributes about him from not only his former castmates but so many other celebs made me realize yet again that it’s not only about what you accomplish in your career or your life, but the legacy you leave behind.
