Special Needs Kids & Young Adults Have Special Skills 

When I notified the winners of our annual “Big Game Squares” Contest to find out what restaurants they wanted gift cards to, it turned out that one of the winners was John Sousa, the On the Job Training (OJT) Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher at Cypress Creek High that we had featured in a previous issue. 

You may recall that one of John’s ESE kids needed a tray for her wheelchair and he enlisted the help of two of the school’s young engineering students to create one for their schoolmate’s chair. 

I therefore should not have been surprised when John asked me if, instead of just meeting him somewhere to give him his $75 Bonefish gift card, if I would instead give it to him in person in front of his class. He also asked if I would be willing to talk to his class (photo) of 14 young adults between the ages of 18-22, who participate in his class, which is funded by Florida’s “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA, which was signed into law in 2015) to prepare these young people to join the workforce. 

“Basically, at age 22,” Sousa told me, “they’re no longer eligible for this program and there are very limited opportunities for them to be employed when they finish here.” 

He thought I could give his students — who are on the autism spectrum and/or have other physical, mental, emotional and speech disabilities — some pointers about writing resumes, about the advertising and publishing business and the workforce in general. But for me, it became more about the kids themselves and what their interests were. 

One young lady named Artia said she really wants to be a baker and would love to work at Publix, which offers work opportunities for a lot of differently-abled young adults. 

A shy young man named Tyler, whom Sousa said loves to look inside machines and is fascinated by trains, rail yards, airplanes and rockets, gave me his full attention when I described how the presses that print the Neighborhood News work. 

But, the young man who most intrigued me was Craig Moore, who said he really wants to be a songwriter but also has written a large number of poems. Craig said that what he does is listen to songs on the radio and then write his own lyrics to those songs. I explained that although I have no direct contact with the music business, that I would be happy to publish one of Craig’s excellent poems on this page, to see if anyone would be interested enough in his poetry to publish a book of his unique perspectives on a variety of topics. 

While I hoped that I was able to reach his students, the best part for me was that John sent me a text afterwards and said that not only did the kids really appreciate my hour with them, but that Craig told both his counselor at school and his parents how excited he was to have his poem published in the Neighborhood News.

John, who has been teaching ESE kids for 38 years — the first 20 in his native Illinois and the last 18 in the Pasco School District — said that he is looking for more local professionals who would be willing to talk to his class (photo). 

Cypress Creek principal Karen Hetzler-Nettles says, “Mr. Sousa is a special person who works hard to keep his students from falling through the cracks.” 

John, who also thanks his instructional assistant Keith Reiley for all the help he provides, also told me that one reason he cares so much for his students is because, “I was basically a special needs kid myself. I came to the U.S. from Portugal when I was eight and neither of my parents spoke English. I had to learn English quickly to help them buy their home and do their taxes and I did that by watching cartoons. I wish they had an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) back then. It would have really helped me.” 

If you would like to speak with his class, please email jsousa@pasco.k12.fl.us. 

Your CBD Store Of New Tampa Keeps Adding New Products! 

Your CBD Store of New Tampa owners David Calcador and Debra Curler invite you to check out the new products at their store in the Pebble Creek Collection. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

If you were a customer of the Your CBD Store on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel who was saddened by that store’s closing last year, the same outstanding SunMed products are available at Your CBD Store of New Tampa, located less than a mile south of the Pasco County line in the Pebble Creek Collection on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. 

The husband-and-wife team of David Calcador and Debra Curler make you feel immediately at home in their store, which has calming blue-grey walls, greenery throughout, comfortable seating and an expansive, open layout. With informational displays and posters and Debra and David’s exceptional customer support and product knowledge, Your CBD Store of New Tampa’s franchise location opened in November 2019 and has thrived through the pandemic, thanks to the dedication of these two local residents. 

“When customers come in, we ask them what they know about CBD,” Debra says. “Some are well-educated and we walk the others through the store and introduce and educate them about our product line. We find out what their problems are health-wise. Are they in pain? Are they having problems sleeping? Do they need more energy? We need to know what is happening in their bodies to help direct them to the proper products.” 

Neither a vape nor a head shop, Your CBD Store New Tampa is a holistic boutique providing USDA organic and carcinogen-free award-winning oral and topical SunMed CBD products for customers and their pets. 

If your dog or cat is prone to skin allergies or “hot spots,” you should check out the latest CBD pet products at Your CBD Store of New Tampa. 

At Debra and David’s store, CBD comes in both flavored and flavorless tinctures, oils, pills, gummies, weight-loss products, as well as a skincare line, bath bombs, lotions, massage oils, pain creams and products for dogs and cats. 

Unlike marijuana, Your CBD Store offers broad-spectrum CBD products that have zero THC, as well as full-spectrum products with the 0.3 legal limit of THC that contain all cannabinoids (CBD and THC), terpenes, or flavonoids. 

With anti-inflammatory and other health effects, flavonoids are plant compounds that give plants their colors and flavors. Flavonoids work with cannabinoids and terpenes, which are naturally occurring compounds in cannabis that shape aroma, taste, colors and therapeutic benefits, to produce the “entourage effect,” enhancing their impact. 

“CBD needs to have both terpenes and flavonoids,” David says. “They bond to receptors in your body. Without those, you won’t have the full benefit of CBD.” 

Debra and David say that they love educating their customers and clear up misinformation about CBD. Their CBD products won’t get you high, aren’t illegal, won’t make you impaired and you don’t need a Medical Cannabis card to purchase them. 

Instead, their products help with anxiety, sleep issues, chronic pain and more. 

“Our products are all-natural, organic, and non-addictive, Debra says. “You can buy CBD anywhere — a smoke shop or gas station, even on Amazon — but you don’t want to do that because anything you are putting on your body or in your body, you want to make sure it is good quality. You risk getting a synthetic, damaging product that can harm your health.” 

David adds, “We’re third-party tested. We have QR codes on everything we sell, and you can bring up each product’s lab report. We guarantee what’s in our products. We have referring doctors who send patients to us because they know the quality is there.” 

By scanning the QR code on Your CBD Store of New Tampa’s products, customers can track each from growth to sale. 

“In other words,” David says. “We follow our products from soil to oil.” 

New Products 

Debra and David are enthusiastic about their store’s newest products, some of which have been enhanced with more CBD — like their SunMed topical cream, which is now available in 4,000-milligram strength — while others are brand new. 

“Our topical cream is amazing for isolated pain,” Debra says. “I had a knee replacement years ago, and I had not been able to walk long distances. The product came out in December, and my husband and I were going Christmas shopping, and I could walk the entire mall. It’s been selling off the shelves left and right. We’ve always had 1,000- and 2,000-milligram strengths since we opened, but the 4,000 milligrams is amazing.” 

Debra also recommends Neuro, a water-soluble CBD, for pain management. While the store’s original daily oil tincture takes time to work, based on your metabolism and weight, the as-needed, water-soluble CBD effects of Neuro are felt more quickly. 

“You take the dropper of Neuro and put it in a Dixie cup size of water and drink it,” she says. “It goes into your body within 10 minutes, comes in 900- and 1,800-milligram strengths, and is also in a gummy form. People love it. I have a lady who comes in weekly and buys two jars. It helps with aches and pains throughout the body.” 

The Delta Effect 

Your CBD Store of New Tampa also sells both “Above” (with Delta 8 THC) and “Beyond” (with Delta 9 THC) by SunMed. 

Recently, Delta products have come under fire from the state legislature, with both houses of the Florida legislature trying to possibly ban them or at least severely reduce the THC in these products statewide. But, while the ban on Delta 8, Delta 9 and Delta 10 products did not pass both houses, Debra says that a reduction in the legal limit in Florida of THC in these products (from the current legal limit of 0.3%) is still a possibility in the future. Feel free to stop into Your CBD Store of New Tampa to keep up with the latest news, as David and Debra continue to monitor the situation. 

Among the many new products available at Your CBD Store of New Tampa are full-spectrum water soluble Neuro by SunMed pain management tinctures and gummies. 

“The problem is that the products the legislature really wants to ban are the synthetic Delta products,” Debra says. “They also want to reduce the legal amount of THC from 0.3% to a lower amount in all CBD products. Additional concerns are the labeling/packaging of these products, but SunMed has met all of the FDA’s package requirements.” 

She adds, “Our products with THC are all natural and are strictly regulated by our suppliers. There is nothing synthetic in our products. Banning all Delta products wouldn’t just hurt us in the CBD business. It would devastate the growers throughout Florida and damage the state’s economy. Our customers receive relief from our products, which have changed the quality of many lives.” 

As some prescriptions do conflict with CBD, Debra suggests that if you are taking medications, you should speak with your physician before starting a CBD regimen. 

“We can print out the lab report to give to your doctor,” David says. 

For pet parents, beyond their regular CBD pet treats, chews and tinctures for health and anxiety, Debra recommends another new product — Broad Spectrum Allergy Aid CBD Pet Chews, which have only been in the store for about a month, to help with “hot spots” and seasonal skin allergies. 

Debra and David are proud of their store’s Google reviews, which average a 4.9 stars out of 5, based on 170+ reviews. 

“If you look at our reviews,” Debra says, “you’ll see people love the products and that they’re changing lives.” 

The results of using these CBD products can be transformative, as R. Langelier attests in a 5-star Google review: 

“My wife was never a strong believer in CBD helping. But, because her anxiety had gotten worse, and her prescription was no longer doing the trick, on a whim, we came in
. The product itself works so well and so quickly that I can’t help but urge anyone who is on the fence about it to please, for your own sake, come in and try it. I feel bad I can only give 5 stars when they deserve so much more.” 

Your CBD Store of New Tampa is located at 19651 BBD Blvd., Suite B-1. It is open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and 1 p.m.– 5 p.m. on Sun. If you’re age 55 or older, find out how to save 20% off. your purchase. The store also offers a bonus points system that customers can accrue for discounts and free products. Free local delivery or free shipping are available for orders over $100. For more information, call (813) 994-0599, visit GetSunMed.com.

Is The Announced Whole Foods Still Coming To Wesley Chapel? 

Unfortunately, the site plan shown above, for the long-vacant parcel of land at the intersection of Aronwood Blvd. and Bruce B. Downs Blvd (photo on next page, by Joel Provenzano), which was released online, was withdrawn by the applicant just a few days later. 

When plans for a development with a Whole Foods grocery store (at Bruce B Downs Blvd. and Aronwood Blvd., in front of Meadow Pointe) and Lifetime Fitness in Wesley Chapel were leaked online, residents flooded multiple Community Facebook groups with comments, where half were rejoicing about the possible arrival of Whole Foods finally coming and the other half were still really hoping for a Trader Joe’s instead. 

Many were just grateful it was not another car wash, a self-storage facility, or more apartments. Some had concerns about added traffic and others about how the County Commissioners could allow another undeveloped lot to be built on. Others remembered this land already had a long history, but few could remember exactly what that was. 

Unfortunately, the plans for a Wesley Chapel Whole Foods store are now up in the air again. Just a few days after the planned store was made public, the chain’s meeting with Pasco County to present its concept plan was canceled by the applicant. We’ll keep an eye out to see what happens next. 

However, many local residents drive by the long-vacant parcel everyday and notice a long-standing relic and consequence of the Great Recession, an abandoned and unkept parking lot (of a never completed Outback Steakhouse development that was reportedly going to include a Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant and others) that’s been overgrown by tall weeds, grass, and trees, covered with trash and litter. 

Even as an overgrown parking lot, the parcel next to Pasco Fire Rescue Station No. 26 has still served the community in its own way. For a couple of years it was used as a temporary place where Christmas trees were sold and many new drivers have been out there practicing how to drive or learning how ride a motorcycle. 

A Little History 

Pasco County originally had a different idea for the use of the land. When Meadow Pointe 1 and Aronwood Blvd (back then called Meadow Pointe Blvd.) were first approved in the early 1990s, this land was zoned for commercial development, so there was a place to build the stores needed to support this large new community. Back then, BBD/C.R. 581 was called the “Road to Nowhere” and there was very little commercial development along the corridor. 

Since then, any number of large- and medium-sized grocery stores have popped up in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, Publix, Winn- Dixie, Nutrition Smart, Aldi, Sprouts and most recently, Lotte Plaza Market. However, the residents of Wesley Chapel have long desired for even more healthy and diverse options. For a while, Earth Fare helped satisfy this need, until all their locations in Tampa Bay abruptly closed a few years back. 

Two other Tampa Bay area grocery favorites — Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have yet to make it into the growing Wesley Chapel area. Trader Joe’s, one of the highest rated specialty grocers in Florida, currently has stores in many populated areas around the state (even in Gainesville) but the closest one in Tampa is nearly 30 miles away. 

One reason customers like Whole Foods (which was acquired by Amazon in 2017) is because Amazon Prime members receive special deals and deep discounts at the store, along with other perks like easy and free Amazon pickups and returns in-store, where they’ll actually pack your return for you. 

The chain is now quickly expanding to more areas throughout the Tampa Bay area. At the end of February, St. Petersburg’s first Whole Foods opened to a line around the store, and last year, the “green” grocer entered into discussions for a future store in the Trinity area. 

Here is a brief history of the land in Meadow Pointe where the Whole Foods and Lifetime Fitness were proposed to be built: 

2008 — Construction plans were submitted to Pasco County and then approved, which showed an Outback Steakhouse, Cheeseburger in Paradise and other restaurants up front, with a large retail plaza in the back under a future phase. The parking lot for the Outback was constructed but then construction of the restaurant was halted due to the recession. 

2013 — The parcels were platted to officially become part of Meadow Pointe, Tract 2, long after Meadow Pointe began developing. 

2019 — A Concept Plan submitted to Pasco county that showed a 30,000-sq.-ft. grocery store, multiple fast food restaurants with drive through lanes, plus retail and apartments in the back under a future Phase 2. 

2021 — Rezoning plans were submitted to Pasco County that showed keeping the original Outback Steakhouse parcel in the front (from 2008) as-is, but changed the plans in the back to remove the retail plaza and replace it with apartments. 

2024 — Preapp meeting with Pasco County was requested that showed Whole Foods and Lifetime Fitness as standalone anchor tenants, replacing all previous plans. However, a few days later, that preapp meeting was canceled at the request of the applicant.

Former Saddlebrook Owner Tom Dempsey Passes Away 

 The Man Who Put Wesley Chapel On The Map Was 97 Years Old & Surrounded By His Family 

Saddlebrook Resort founder Tom Dempsey, with his granddaughter Alexis and her husband James Doyle, got to meet his great granddaughter Darla Eleanor Doyle while he was in home hospice care. (Photo copied from Alexis Doyle’s Facebook page) 

Even though I knew he had been in home hospice care for several weeks, the news that Saddlebrook Resort founder and former owner Thomas L. (Tom) Dempsey — known affectionately to his family and friends as “T.D.” — had passed away the day before we went to press with this issue was still a shock to my system. 

Mr. Dempsey, who literally put the previously unknown area known as Wesley Chapel on the map, when the Pittway Corp. purchased and began building Saddlebrook way back in 1979, was always so kind to me and said such sweet, complimentary things to me about my efforts with the Neighborhood News. The fact that he ran the huge Penton Publishing empire (a subsidiary of Pittway) in his native Cleveland, OH, for so many years gave his words to me so much more meaning. Even though we only met maybe 10-12 times in all of the years I have owned the Neighborhood News, I still looked upon him as something of a mentor — especially the few times he told me he felt I had gotten something wrong. 

The ironic thing to me is that my first home in the Wesley Chapel area, which I moved my family into in 1993 (after leaving Westchester County, NY) was a condominium I rented in the community around Saddlebrook. My kids loved swimming in the resort’s Superpool and members of my family stayed at the resort when they visited us. 

I was there when T.D. first opened his beloved Dempsey’s Steak House, Saddlebrook’s crown jewel, and when the original European-style spa opened. The Neighborhood News also followed closely the saga of the resort’s sale, which T.D. definitely resisted for years.

Alexis Dempsey (now Doyle) & her brother Masterson received their diplomas from T.D. when they both graduated from St. Leo University (Alexis with her M.B.A.) in 2016. (NN file photo) 

I also became friends with not only Mr. Dempsey’s granddaughter Alexis, but also his former general manager at the resort, Pat Ciaccio, and long-time employee Erik Ravenna, both of whom partnered with T.D. in Johnny C’s Italian Eatery on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa. 

Both Pat and Erik also called T.D. a “mentor” and said that although his passing was tremendously sad, as Pat told me, “at least he is finally at peace, and with his beloved Ellie (his wife of 60 years, who passed away in 2017).” 

Meanwhile, JD Porter, the Wiregrass Ranch developer whose family trust provided the land for Saddlebrook, said, “Mr. Dempsey was both a visionary and a trailblazer for this community. It’s a rarity for someone in an industry as cyclical and tumultuous as resorts to have such a track record of success and the grit to weather storms that most would run from. We had our successes and battles over the years on certain items with Tom but, at the end of the day, he was a man with fortitude who fought the good fight and was essential in helping to shape not only Wesley Chapel but the entire region through not only his vision but his actions. He will be sorely missed.” 

May his soul rest in peace.

Persis Grill — Wesley Chapel’s First Indian Eatery Is A Delicious One! 

As much as I love doing the dining reviews for my publications, I’m sure you long-time readers are aware that Indian food has always been something of a hit-or-miss proposition for my taste. 

So, when I heard that Persis Indian Grill was moving into the space previously occupied by Omnivorous (adjacent to Double Branch Brewing) in The Grove, I didn’t know what to expect. 

Well, rest assured that the first authentic Indian restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel (outside of the clubhouse at Anand Vihar in Meadow Pointe) is an upscale (yet still casual and affordable) restaurant which offers a huge menu of favorites from what seems to be every region of the Indian subcontinent. 

The owner, who goes by Harry, admits that he has never owned a restaurant before but I have to say that his recipes, handed down from not only his own family, but also the family recipes of his chef and many of his employees, are as good as any Indian cuisine I’ve sampled, which includes at least a half-dozen places located in New Tampa. 

I basically always try the menu items that I’m more likely to enjoy on my first visit, which in the case of Persis, was the day before this issue went to press, less than two weeks after the new restaurant first opened. 

And, I’m happy to report that the butter naan bread at Persis (not pictured) has a delicious grilled flavor and just the right amount of butter. Harry suggested that I try the garlic naan on my next visit, “because it adds a different flavor when you eat it along with our other food.” 

I also had to try two of my other usual favorites — the Tandoori lamb chops (top photo) and the Indo Chinese style chicken fried rice (right photo), both of which were outstanding. 

The sizzling lamb chops were tender and not over-seasoned and the fried rice had delicious chunks of chicken, as well as tasty veggies, egg and spices. I planned to bring most of both items home, but I brought home a lot less fried rice than I planned because I couldn’t stop taking additional bites. 

Harry says he has applied for a beer and wine license but alcohol is not currently being served at Persis. Even so, great job, Harry & crew! 

Persis Indian Grill (5956 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 106) is open every day except Monday for lunch and dinner. For more info, visit PersisWesleyChapel.com or call (813) 388-2245.Â