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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Regional transit solutions still prove elusive for Tampa Bay

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The board for TBARTA — which stands for the Tampa Bay Regional Transit Authority — has disbanded.

The board voted unanimously at its Jan. 20 meeting to dissolve itself.

The action followed state legislation that has been filed calling for TBARTA to be abolished.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and then-Commissioner Mike Moore predicted the transit authority was on its way out back in September, when they recommended the county not pay its dues to TBARTA until it found out more about the organization’s future.

TBARTA is expected to cease operations after winding down current federal contracts and addressing issues, such as its vanpool program, according to Starkey, who was serving on the transit authority’s board at the time of its dissolution.

The regional transit authority, created by the Florida Legislature in 2007, was intended to find a regional transit solution for its five-county region, including Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties.

The TBARTA board included elected county and city leaders, representatives of local transit authorities and gubernatorial appointees.

The transit authority had been pursuing a Bus Rapid Transit system that would create a 41-mile route, between Wesley Chapel and St. Petersburg.

The idea was to create a system in which riders could travel from Wesley Chapel to St. Petersburg, with stops at State Road 54, State Road 56, the University of South Florida, downtown Tampa, Westshore, Tampa International Airport, the Gateway area of St. Petersburg, downtown St. Petersburg and the Tropicana Field area.

The plan faced opposition in Hillsborough County, where a debate arose over whether the portion of the route between the University of South Florida and downtown Tampa would operate on dedicated lanes, or in mixed traffic.

Commissioner Starkey informed her county board colleagues, during the Jan. 24 meeting, about the decision to dissolve the TBARTA board.

She added: “Just because TBARTA is disbanding doesn’t mean that we don’t have responsibility to come up with a transit solution for one of the largest metropolitan service areas in the country — the largest one without a transit solution.

“So, we plan to continue working as a group to find a way forward.

“I did have a meeting with Tampa Bay Partnership yesterday, who’s going to help move this conversation forward.

“And, a small group of us will be meeting to discuss some first steps, and then it will start to be shared with all of the counties and city officials and municipalities involved.

“We have a good route, I think, from Wesley Chapel — a route that goes from Wesley Chapel to St. Pete, and District 7 (of the Florida Department of Transportation) is doing what they can to build that, within the parameters that they have right now.

“They’re a little hindered by some things in Hillsborough County.

“That environmental permit, which you know the state gave us the money to go act upon, will be good for three years. We don’t want to have to spend that money all over again,” Starkey said.

“We just can’t sit back and find another generation to solve this. We have to take some action.

“So hopefully, we’ll be having more of this dialogue in the near future.

“We’ve just got to see what responsible group is going to take the reins, since it was not TBARTA,” Starkey said.

Published February 08, 2023

Pasco promotes from within for its executive staff

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Pasco County has elevated one of its own staff members to serve as the next assistant county administrator for public infrastructure.

The Pasco County Commission on Jan. 24 confirmed the appointment of Branford N. Adumuah to fill the position, which he has been handling on an interim basis for six months.

County Administrator Mike Carballa recommended Adumuah for the promotion.

Carballa said the county conducted a national search. A series of interviews was conducted with county team members at all levels, before a selection was made.

Branford N. Adumuah has been promoted to Pasco County’s assistant county administrator for public infrastructure. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

“I’m happy to say that the general consensus was Mr. Adumuah was the man for the job,” Carballa told the board.

Adumuah joined the county in 2017, as its public works director.

In that role, Carballa said, Adumuah “has made sweeping, amazing changes to really help that department achieve the outcomes that we all need and that our citizens deserve.”

Adumuah is filling the post that Carballa held before being promoted to become county administrator.

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano said he’s glad to see the county is developing its own employees to enable them to rise through the ranks.

He congratulated Adumuah, saying: “The way you’ve elevated your team, empowered your team to get stuff done, all of the way through. No matter what the situation, you’ve been doing a phenomenal job.”

Commissioner Gary Bradford added: ““I am very, very pleased that we kept it in-house, because it is about our employees. It is about how we move up the chain.”

Commissioner Ron Oakley said he’s pleased how quickly Adumuah takes care of problems.

“When you call in about a pothole, within a day or two, it’s already filled. It seems like a little thing, but it’s huge. I remember going through many, many years of going through potholes that didn’t get fixed,” Oakley said.

When commissioners asked Adumuah if he’d like to say a few words, he stepped up to the podium and noted that his wife had told him he should say something.

He then proceeded to read a short speech on his cellphone that he’d apparently prepared, in case the occasion arose.

“It is indeed a privilege and an honor to stand before you today,” he told board members. “My presence here today would not have been possible without the dedication, hard work and support of our great team — field personnel, office employees, supervisors, managers, directors, assistant county administrators.

“Making a difference in the quality of life of our citizens is what motivates me every day.

“Integrity, respect, empathy, people, teamwork, pragmatism and outcomes are what define my leadership and shape my decisions and actions for the past 30 years.

“Together with the team, we’ll continue to move toward improving the quality of life for our citizens and making Pasco a premiere county.

“I thank you, county administrator and the team, for their confidence and trust they’ve placed in me. I pledge to work hard and do my best. I will not let you down.”

Published February 08, 2023

Pasco officials praise Friends of Animal Services

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The shocking experience that Michael Cox had on his first visit to the Pasco County Animal Services facility is etched in his memory.

“The very first time I toured the shelter, the live release rate was in the 40s,” Cox recalled, during a Pasco County Commission meeting on Jan. 24.

“And, I’ll never forget seeing the sight of the deceased animals that had been euthanized that morning, that were stacked up like cordwood out there. It was a horrible sight.”

That isn’t true anymore.

The Friends of Animal Services support the work that’s done by the Pasco County Animal Services team. Over time, the shelter has gone from a place where the release rate was in the 40s to its current 93% release rate. (Mike Camunas)

“Now that they’re 93% (live release rate), it’s just incredible,” said Cox, who was appearing before the county board along with other members of the Friends of Animal Services.

The ‘Friends’ group was honored for its work to support efforts to keep the facility in good condition, to help animals staying there to thrive, and ultimately to support the work that’s done to help them find loving homes.

The nonprofit organization does this in all sorts of ways, according to a resolution adopted by the county board.

Between 2019 through 2022, Friends donated and provided grant funding of $264,500 to Pasco County Animal Services (PCAS).

“This funding helped create the pet enrichment program at the shelter to enhance the quality of life and ease the stress of shelter pets by providing pet toys, training aides, pet treats, and feeding puzzles. Friends also funded two new, fully outfitted dog play yards and many other shelter enhancements including a new Kubota Utility Vehicle and awnings to shade outdoor areas,” the resolution says.

The nonprofit group also invested in veterinary services, funding more than 113 heartworm treatments for heartworm positive dogs, thereby improving the likelihood the pets would be adopted.

And, it “funded new medical equipment including dental equipment, an ultrasound machine, diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments, and post-surgery digital monitors,” according to the resolution.

Plus, it “administered $125,000 in national animal welfare grants to support PCAS’ new public programs including free vaccination clinics for over 700 pets; a pet food pantry and pet boarding vouchers to help people retain their pets during financial hardships brought on by the pandemic; and programs for pet emergency medical procedures and pet sterilization,” the resolution adds.

Commissioner Gary Bradford, who sponsored the resolution, said he was honored to recognize the work that Friends has done.

“I think it’s just absolutely wonderful that we have citizens that will step up to the plate for our dogs and cats … that sometimes fall through the cracks.

This is the building that houses Pasco County Animal Services. The county’s department has developed a national reputation for excellence, and recently the Friends of Animal Services, which supports that work, received recognition for its contributions.

“You guys are truly doing what you should be doing and truly making a difference in the quality of life and the fabric of life in our community,” Bradford said.

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano lavished Cox with praise.

“As a commissioner, you were a very strong supporter of animal services, right from the get-go. Never wavered.”

Cox credited the animal services team.

“The real heroes here are your staff. The people that work at Animal Services are the folks that, every day, face those challenges, and do an incredible job. They do a great job out there and our group just supports that,” Cox said.

Darlene Greene, treasurer of the Friends group, expressed her appreciation to the county board for its support of animal services, and to the staff for its tremendous work.

“They (animal services’ staff) make it premiere.

“They are well-known throughout the state and the nation, for the terrific job that they are doing, and also for the training.

“They’re involved in training throughout the United States, and involved in all types of committees, so Pasco County should be very proud of the staff that they have out there,” Greene said.

The volunteer also came to the meeting prepared to drum up additional support for her favorite cause.

“As the treasurer of Friends of Animal Services, it’s always my pleasure to see funds donated by the community come across my desk so that I can go and deposit that money to help the people in Pasco County with the shelter.

“So, as the treasurer, I’d like to give you each a brochure, so you can remember us when you leave here today.

“And, (I would be) happy to deposit your check, as well,” she told commissioners, which elicited laughter in the room.

On a more serious note, she added: “I can’t tell you how happy I am with the citizens of Pasco County because they’re truly the ones who step up and make these donations possible that we give to the shelter. And we give 100% back, because everybody on our board are volunteers.”

Published February 08, 2023

Pasco singles out exceptional staff members

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Pasco County recently honored its Star Performer, Star Leader and Star Team of the year for 2022.

During the Pasco County Commission’s Jan. 24 meeting, board members formally acknowledged their contributions by adopting a resolution.

The 2022 winners of Pasco County’s program to recognize outstanding employees pose with members of the Pasco County Commission, Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles and County Administrator Mike Carballa at the board’s Jan. 24 meeting. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

They also took a few minutes to honor the recipients, to allow them to share their remarks and to pose for photos with them.

Pasco County Administrator Mike Carballa explained how the selection works.

“I just want to give you an appreciation of what it takes to really get here,” Carballa said. “We took from every department. We’ve got star performers and star leaders in these departments. Those departments have to make those decisions within their own sphere.

“It goes to the branch level. Then the branches decide, from that group, how do we narrow this down?

“Then they come up to the executive leadership team who really has to make that tough call, at the end of the day, with so many fantastic applications, as to which group of folks and which individuals are going to rise to that level to what we call Star Performer, Star Leader and Team of the Year.

“My hat’s off to these folks. They’ve done a phenomenal job. It is about people.

“These are the folks, not only do they accomplish our mission of serving our community to create a better future, but they do so in such an exemplary manner. That is the example and they set the gold standard for those to follow.”

Here are the county’s outstanding performers:

Star Performer
Jordan Miltner, digital media coordinator with Pasco County Libraries. In a county news release, she is described as achieving impressive engagement on the Libraries’ social media channels. She also was praised for routinely going above and beyond, making a daily difference with her work.

In accepting the honor, Miltner told the county board: “I was absolutely thrilled and honored when I learned that I’d been selected for the Star Performer of the Year.

“I just have to say that I wouldn’t be able to be up here and I wouldn’t be able to do all of the work that I do without our amazing Libraries team. I am so fortunate to work with a group of unbelievably talented people who freely share their skills and knowledge with me.

“They’ve inspired me. They’ve mentored me and they have pushed me so much to grow during my time here. I’m very honored and humbled by this. I plan to continue to work hard and impress. I feel like the best is still to come. Thank you so much for this honor.”

Star Leader
Veronica Ignat, program coordinator in the county’s Senior Services Division, was described in a county news release as being “the embodiment of Pasco County’s core values. Her leadership style is transformational, having a major impact on the Senior Services Division and Community Services Department. She’s pioneered several, innovative methodologies for motivating and inspiring team members.”

Ignat told the county board: “Thank you so much for this honor. I am very humbled and grateful to be in this country and in this county. This is because of the team that I lead and the team that leads me. And, again, I am so grateful for this wonderful gift.”

Star Team
The Plat Review Team. This group guides the subdivision plat process, working in step with developers to ensure a smooth process, according to a county news release. They average about 60 plats a year, using innovative technology to make sure reviews and comments are processed quickly.

Alex Parnes, county surveyor, spoke on behalf of the plat team. That team is made up of Lisa Kral, Gary Howorka and Cody Vaughn.

Parnes said: “I would just like to say publicly, in this forum, thank you to my Plat Review Team, Gary, Lisa and Cody.

“They’re definitely unsung heroes in the critical role, in the whole development process, and certainly with respect to subdivisions and plats here in Pasco County, in our division.

“I would like to say that I feel surprised, and quite pleased, that this hardworking team won this award at this level. So, now other departments and other teams at all levels are able to recognize this team and all of the work they do, behind the scenes, every day, as we do, in house, in our division, on a daily basis, from our tiny little division.

“Every day this entire surveying and mapping team does the plat process and we’re very thankful that they do it so well.

“They help us get through this plat review process on a daily basis.

“It’s a very long and tedious process.

“Of course, this is not a solo effort. They work with many other departments and divisions, as well as Jeff Steinsnyder, county attorney; Margaret Smith (county engineer), and we thank them for their assistance and direction every day, as well as our field crews.

Published February 08, 2023

County upholds bid award, despite protest by competitor

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The Pasco County Commission has upheld the award of a three-year contract with Sunbelt Sod & Grading Company, for as-needed sod, despite a protest by a competitor.

The three-year award is for the amount of $1,755,000 — which works out to $585,000 for fiscal year 2023; $585,000 for fiscal year 2024; and $585,000 for fiscal year 2025.

The contract is retroactive to Oct. 1, 2022 and runs through Sept. 30, 2025.

The county had its bid opening on Aug. 2 and Sunbelt Sod & Grading Company, based in Hillsborough County, was the sole bidder.

After the bid was opened, the current contract holder, Megascapes Landscape & Maintenance, based in Pasco County, contacted the county’s purchasing department and said its bid would have been much lower.

The county’s purchasing staff subsequently issued a notice to reject all bids and notified Megascapes that it planned to bid out the work again.

But that decision was protested by Sunbelt, which argued it would be at a competitive disadvantage because its price had been revealed.

The county agreed and, as is permitted, negotiated with Sunbelt to achieve a lower price and a fixed price for three years.

Megascapes then protested the county’s decision not to re-bid the contract.

That protest was denied by County Administrator Mike Carballa, who determined Megascapes had no standing.

The county’s position is that it is bound to uphold the integrity of its process.

Next, the issue came to the county board for its consideration at its Jan. 24 meeting.

Charles Graham, representing Megascapes, acknowledged that he failed to submit a bid on the project. He said his company had intended to do so and had even calculated its bid amount, which would have been a reduction of its current contract amount.

“We totally missed it. Didn’t see it. Human error,” Graham said.

“I finally placed a call to the purchasing department and realized to my horror that three days earlier it had closed. We had fully intended to submit a bid.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told Graham: “I think we have to be fair to everyone.

“As much as I would love to pay less money …  if you don’t bid, you don’t bid.”

Commissioner Seth Weightman agreed: “We have to uphold the integrity of this process.”

So did Commissioner Gary Bradford: “A mistake was made. They acknowledged it. A bid came in. The county played by the rules and I think that, because of that, we should support, uphold the decision by the county administrator.”

Published February 08, 2023

Forest Service announces grant programs

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced it will offer $41 million through the 2023 Wood Innovations Grant and 2023 Community Wood Grant programs, to spark innovation and create new markets for wood products and renewable wood energy, according to a news release.

These grants expand wood products use and strengthen emerging wood energy markets, supporting sustainable forest management, and were made possible in part by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, the release said.
“These grant programs provide opportunities for communities and businesses to develop innovative uses and markets for wood, a renewable and economical resource. Previous Wood Innovations Grants are making a difference across the country, and we are pleased to continue supporting wood use ingenuity that helps our communities and forests,” said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore, in the release.

Eligible project examples for the Wood Innovations Grant Program include:

  • Architectural and engineering designs, cost analyses, and permitting to secure financing for commercial wood construction or wood energy projects development
  • Establishing or increasing wood products manufacturing to support forest restoration
  • Showcasing environmental and economic benefits of wood as a sustainable commercial building material to encourage growth in the industry
  • Establishing statewide wood use teams or wood energy teams
  • Developing wood energy projects that use residues from wood products or woody biomass
  • Developing commercial woody biomass and wood product industrial parks
  • Overcoming market barriers to stimulate wood energy expansion
  • Purchasing wood processing equipment to create markets supporting forest management

Eligible submissions for the Community Wood Grant Program’s shovel-ready projects include:

  • Community wood heating, cooling, or electricity systems that replace fossil fuels
  • Purchase and installation of manufacturing equipment at a mass timber production facility
  • Expanding sawmills with innovative technologies, cost-cutting measures and higher value production lines
  • Equipment purchase and installation at new facilities producing forest products biofuels

To apply for either grant, applicants must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM).

Applications should show a clear benefit to underserved or historically marginalized people, communities, and the forests they value.

For-profit entities, state and local governments, Indian Tribes, school districts, nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, public utilities, and fire and conservation districts are eligible to apply.

For more information and details on the 2023 Wood Innovations funding opportunity, visit tinyurl.com/y78j8ct6.

For information on the 2023 Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program, visit tinyurl.com/3hynet5j.

Applications for both grants may be submitted via email to the Forest Service Regional Wood Innovations coordinator listed in the instructions. The application deadline is March 23, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Published February 08, 2023

This staple — peanut butter — offers lots of options

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Did you know that peanut butter has a day of its own?

I didn’t, but it turns out that it was just last week — Jan. 24.

It’s such a staple in my house that every day is peanut butter day.

Peanut butter has so much to recommend it.

It’s budget-friendly, shelf-stable, and a healthy plant food to include in your diet.

It’s true that its health benefits have been questioned at times given its fat content, but let’s take a look at its entire nutritional profile.

First of all, a peanut is technically a legume being that it grows in the ground; however, the dictionary definition classifies it as a nut.

It also is nutritionally similar to other nuts and is therefore categorized as such.

Peanuts are a plant-based protein that also supply healthy unsaturated fats in our diet. According to the American Heart Association, when it comes to fat, peanut butter is rich in monounsaturated fats, which help reduce your blood cholesterol and contain antioxidant properties.

When comparing the nutrition label of several brands, a standard jar of creamy peanut butter contains, in a 2 Tbsp serving of peanut butter, roughly:

  • 180 calories
  • 8 grams of protein, the equivalent of 2 ounces (most of us should get 5-6 ounces of protein a day)
  • 16 grams of fat
  • 5 grams of carbohydrates, with 2 grams coming from naturally occurring sugar
Homemade nut butters have a different taste than commercial ones. They are nuttier and usually less sweet and salty, unless you add your own flavorings. (Courtesy of Unsplash.com)

These numbers can vary slightly, depending on the brand.

Choose a brand of peanut butter that fits your taste and budget preferences.

Pay attention to the nutrition label and ingredients list, however.

Natural peanut butter must be at least 90% peanuts, with the only other allowable ingredients being salt, sweeteners, and hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Anything else, such as palm oil (a big clue), flavorings, or other ingredients, would make it a peanut butter spread, even if it does have at least 90% peanuts, according to the National Peanut Board.

While similar nutritionally, they technically don’t meet the FDA’s (Food and Drug Administration’s) definition of peanut butter.

What’s the difference between the peanut butters with the oil on top and those without?

The hydrogenated oil, such as cottonseed, rapeseed, soybean, or palm oil, prevents the natural oils in peanuts from separating and rising to the top of the jar, and extends the shelf life.

If you prefer the type of peanut butter with the oil on top, then it won’t have this hydrogenated oil (and therefore, has less ingredients, usually only peanuts and a dash of salt).

One tip to reduce the stirring: store the jar upside down in the refrigerator.

Peanut butter has countless recipe options from breakfast to dinner, sweet to savory.

  • Pairing peanut butter with apples, pears, whole wheat crackers or celery, creates great snack combinations that include plant-based protein and complex carbohydrates.
  • You can boost this nutritional combo with additional antioxidants and other micronutrients by sprinkling flax, chia or pumpkin seeds on top of your nut butter for an added crunch.
  • Adding peanut butter to granola bar recipes provide a sweet and salty combination while giving your snack bars a chewy yet crunchy texture.
  • Peanut soup, sauces and dressings are a great swap for your traditional cream or milk-based staples, which typically contain high amounts of fat with little nutritional value.
  • Peanut butter cookies are a quick and easy treat to satisfy a sweet-tooth craving.

Of course, not everyone enjoys, or is able to eat, peanut butter.

If you prefer nut butter with a lighter taste, you can use cashew or walnut butter; walnuts are actually a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which supports brain health.

For those with a nut allergy, some suitable alternatives to nut butter include sunflower seed butter, flax seed butter or even tahini, which has grown in popularity and is nutritionally similar to peanut butter.

Just be cautious, as the tastes of these substitutes are very different.

If you have the time and own a high-powered blender or food processor, you can even make your own nut butter.

Just choose your favorite type of nut, such as peanut, almond or pistachio (or combine them for a fun flavor combination!)

It’s easy but can take a bit of time; some nuts blend up easier than others.

If you make it yourself, you can even flavor your nut butters with cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and/or sweetener of choice to suit your taste.

Toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes for deeper flavor prior to processing.

Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County.

Pasco County Extension Intern, Syreeta McDonald, contributed to this column.

RECIPE
Homemade Nut Butter, courtesy of University of Illinois Extension:

Ingredients
2 ½ cups nuts
Yield: 1 ½ cup nut butter

Directions
In a 7-cup food processor with the chopping blade attached, pour nuts into work bowl.
Press the on button to process continuously.
Process until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes to 3 minutes.
Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Published February 08, 2023

Overpass Road interchange opens at Interstate 75

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Interstate 75 now has three exits to Wesley Chapel.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced on Jan. 18 that the new interchange with exits to I-75 at Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel were open. The new Overpass Road also now connects Old Pasco Road, all the way east to Handcart Road.

An aerial shot of the new interchange at Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel, which now features a ‘flyover’ ramp for westbound Overpass Road traffic entering southbound Interstate75. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

The $64.4-million project began in Feb. 2021, with Overpass being closed completely as construction crews removed the previous two-lane bridge and installed the new four-lane overpass.

Located about halfway between the State Road 54 and State Road 52 interchanges, the new Exit 282 provides an alternative commuting option to area residents, especially those who live in older established communities on Old Pasco Road, as well as newer communities headed east on Overpass, such as Epperson Lagoon and Watergrass.

The interchange includes exit and entrance ramps to both directions of I-75 and features a “flyover” ramp for westbound Overpass Road traffic entering southbound I-75.

Drivers are advised to be alert to new traffic signals that are now active at the ramp intersections with Overpass Road. Workers also will continue to be in the area over the next few weeks completing the project, such as opening both lanes of the flyover and calibrating the digital road signs positioned before the interstate on ramps that give traffic updates.

Additionally, FDOT recently proposed a tentative five-year work program that includes about $433 million worth of roadway improvements in Pasco County.

That figure includes about $258 million worth of projects to expand roadway capacity, but also includes resurfacing, pedestrian and bicycle safety enhancements, and other work, too, according to Jensen Hackett, of FDOT.

One of the many projects in that budget proposal is adding lanes leading from the State Road 56

interchange heading south toward I-75 and toward I-275. When complete, the project will be similar to the lengthy exit from I-75 toward State Road 56. The idea is to make it easier for motorists to get over to I-75 or over to I-275. Right of way acquisition is proposed for fiscal year 2024 and construction for fiscal year 2026.

Published February 01, 2023

Brushing up on a children’s book

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Kurt Weber fought tooth and nail to finish his children’s book.

While it took nearly a decade to complete and get published, the 63-year-old longtime Lutz resident and dentist knew he wanted to finish writing it before neck surgery in 2016. Even if he did end up rewriting in 2018.

He meticulously drew every illustration on every page.

Tooth Buddy and the Golden Toothbrush by Kurt Weber, DDS, is on display at his St. Petersburg and Seffner practices and available for purchase on Amazon. (Mike Camunas)

“I really just wanted to make Charlie Brown, but as a tooth,” Weber said. “I wanted him to tell a story, I wanted him to have adventures and an interesting life that children will want to read about, and if he teaches us a few lessons along the way, all the better.

“You want a simple message for children and sometimes that’s incredibly difficult to do, but I also feel very strongly that you don’t talk down to children,” he added. “They’re not going to listen to a lecture, but if it’s a cute story, and they see the pictures of him brushing or flossing, that will stick.”

That is how Weber invented his Charlie Brown.

In his book, “Tooth Buddy and the Golden Toothbrush,” Tooth Buddy and his new friend, Dentina Decay, teach lessons not only of the importance of brushing and flossing, but of respect toward others.

“I feel it is a very unique children’s book,” said Weber, who has dental practices in St. Petersburg and Seffner. “I really like the indirect message, but you have to distill down those lessons for oral care and for life to the bare minimum because if you say too much, eyes will glaze over — kids won’t pay attention.

“They’re not going to absorb dentistry if it’s too complicated.”

After years of writing and drawing and discussions with his wife of 39 years, Karen, an administrative medicine physician at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Weber’s book was published on Dec. 6, 2022.

Weber, who was an award-winning editorial cartoonist at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and has always been “a doodler” since he was a kid, said both writing and illustrating were quite the task.

When it came to writing, Weber knew he couldn’t be too complicated with story and lessons, even if the book introduces many of the top 250 vocabulary words children need in the book’s 3 to 8-year-old age range.

“There are people in their 80s and terrified of the dentist or adults who are not educated on how to care for their teeth,” he said, “so the importance of teaching these (dental) skills early was my goal.”

As for drawing the illustrations, Weber said each picture, or page — such as the one of Tooth Buddy flossing with the caption, “Tooth Buddy flossed every day to keep cavities away, his breath fresh, and his smile healthy,” — took about 20 hours.

Lutz resident Kurt Weber, DDS proudly displays his book, ‘Tooth Buddy and the Golden Toothbrush,’ at his St. Petersburg practice, where he has been treating patients for more than 30 years. Weber spent nearly a decade writing, and meticulously illustrating, his children’s book featuring Tooth Buddy, who he calls ‘Charlie Brown, but as a tooth.’

“Children’s books are incredibly complicated to look simple,” Weber added.

Which is remarkable since Weber, while a father to his kids, Kurt II and Katarina, isn’t a pediatric dentist. He does see a few kids, but his practice isn’t solely for child patients.

“If you teach a child to break up that colony bacteria that’s on their teeth at least every 48 hours, you’re not going to have issues getting older,” Weber said. “Just trying to teach them to get that brush or floss in there about once a day, that will work.”

Weber knew this message would need to be straight to the point, especially since the rule of thumb is children’s books should not be more than 500 words.

Tooth Buddy and the Golden Toothbrush is 498 words.

And so, with good reviews and online sales, including in Australia, Canada, Asia and Europe, a sequel is already in the works: “Tooth Buddy and the Magical Lost Tooth Adventure.”

“I’m happy with the response to it,” Weber said. “Kids don’t buy these books though, grandparents do. They see them in the lobby, and one lady bought five and then sent them all over the place, so that’s great, especially when you hear that one of my friends, her grandson is carrying the book around the house or another who said her son named her toothbrush ‘Tooth Buddy.’

“That’s really cool! I like that — a lot! (laughs).”

Tooth Buddy and the Golden Toothbrush by Kurt Weber, DDS
Synopsis: A fun adventure involving Tooth Buddy, his soon-to-be friend, Dentina Decay and, of course, the Golden Toothbrush. They teach four important lessons for children, ages 3 to 8. These include the importance of brushing and flossing, as well as the unstated larger-than-life lessons of nonviolent conflict resolution and respect for others and their property. Eventually, there will be a companion website to the book, which will include an interactive section for kids.
Cost: $18.59 for hardback on Amazon, Target, and Barnes and Noble

Published February 01, 2023

Pasco department wins national honors, again

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Pasco County’s Community Development Department has brought home the 2023 Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award for the third straight year.

The award, which was presented by the National Community Development Association, recognized Pasco’s department for its collaboration on the Family Services Center, according to a county news release.

The Family Services Center “helps families stay together until they get back on their feet,” Pasco County Commission Chairman Jack Mariano explained in the news release.

“We’re proud of the collaborative work by our Community Development team and our local partners to make this happen,” the board chairman added.

The Family Services Center consists of two buildings – a Family Services Shelter and a Housing Resource Center. More than 30 families have been helped there since it opened in 2021, according to the release.

Homeless families are referred through the county’s partnership with the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County.

The center helps families who are going through difficult times, by allowing families to get meals, receive case management services and keep their children in school, according to the release.

Pasco County owns the property, and the county has a 15-year lease agreement with Catholic Charities to operate the Family Services Center.

The county’s Community Development team was scheduled to receive the honor on Jan. 27 (after The Laker/Lutz News went to press), at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The Audrey Nelson Award recognizes exemplary local projects and programs funded through the HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and other HUD Office of Community Planning and Development funding.

The county’s Community Development also received the Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award in 2021 and 2022 for its collaboration on the Vincent House and Rosalie Rendu Residences Project, respectively.

Published February 01, 2023