Interim Deputy County Administrator Scott Herring started the four-part discussion at the May 23rd Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting. The discussion was the result of a request at the May 9th BOCC meeting for Herring and staff to provide updates on the South Brooksville Drainage Study, Twigg Street Drainage Easements, Code Enforcement options for South Brooksville, and the clean-up of county properties.

Herring turned the discussion over to Interim Public Works Director Todd Crosby, who has been the Project Manager on the South Brooksville Drainage Study. Crosby reported that four areas have been identified as BMPs, or Best Management Practice areas, that have existing issues to be addressed and handled.

A BMP area near Twigg Street is currently being investigated to determine if it is large enough to mitigate flooding in the area. The BMP is bordered by Twigg Street on the east side, Emerson Road on the west, and its southern boundary is just north of Cortez Blvd.

Culverts under Cortez and the construction of a Drainage Retention Area (DRA) to its north are also being considered as a mechanism to ease flooding. A cost-benefit analysis is underway for this BMP, as well as others, to ensure the costs will be justified.

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The BMPs are situated on both city and county-owned property, as well as property owned by the Hernando County School District (HCSD). Herring added that not only is the amount of water an issue but also the engineering of storage. “It’s more of a storage issue. Between the water table and what I can excavate, am I going to have enough storage to make a significant impact to the area?”

“We’re still trying to figure out of the number of properties taken out of the flood plain will be worth the expenditure, Crosby added. “We’re trying to find the best option to get the biggest bang for the buck.” Crosby pointed out that another factor hindering the progress is that there are multiple properties along Twigg Street to which the county does not have legal access for easements. “The main ditch line runs right through the back of these properties … one’s in probate with 12 owners, one has four owners, one property has two active mortgages, one is in Code Enforcement lien … there’s a number of hurdles we’ll have to jump through to get the legal access.”

Herring said the County will require temporary construction easements and permanent maintenance easements. “This is where we will need a community champion or champions from the community to help us get these easements signed and approved.” Court challenges may be in store in the case of properties in probate or otherwise hindered by complications.

Public meetings will be held on the subject of easements. Herring went on to say that the community is important in accomplishing these goals. “We’re here to assist the community on this, but the community’s got to assist us. One of the phrases I heard earlier in some of the public comments is that all of these improvements will involve pride in the community, ownership of the community, and a community effort. You can’t just leave it to government to do everything for you. We’re here to partner with you, we’re here to work with you, and we want to work with you.” The Twigg Street easements are expected to serve as a model for future easements to be considered in the neighborhood.

Connie Green, President of the South Brooksville Tax Redevelopment Advisory Committee (TRAC), asked about studies that were supposed to be ordered to determine the feasibility of building a community center on HCSD-owned property in South Brooksville. Herring summarized, “Until we know what the drainage requirements are and what properties are needed for that, we don’t know how much land is going to be left.”

With those questions answered Herring said Administration would take direction from the BOCC and go forward with those studies. According to maps shown during the meeting, roughly 50-60 percent of the proposed Community Center property lies in a flood plain. General clean-up will be another joint effort between the County and the South Brooksville community. Herring stated that the county would also like to work with Republic Services to obtain dumpsters either via donation or low-cost rental.

Herring asked those present from the community to communicate clean-up priorities to the county to ensure dumpsters can be placed appropriately. He estimates the cleaning of city, county, HCSD, and private properties to be completed over a weekend. After the clean-up effort, Herring expects to have a clean slate to work from to determine if the Code Enforcement department should address persisting issues.

Anyone can report a suspected violation online at https://hernandocountyfl.customerportal.help/en/report-an-issue . The website also allows for photos to be submitted. In accordance with a 2021 change in the Florida Statute (162.06(1)(b)), individuals submitting Code Enforcement violations must also submit their name and contact information.

Herring requested patience as the County moves forward with these items and projects. He anticipates working closely with Green and TRAC and Reverend Dr. Emery Ailes of Pristine Baptist Church to lead the effort. “The one thing I’m going to ask for is your patience. Government does not move quick, but we have been moving forward … I look forward to working with you all. If I need some funding, I will be back to the board, or we will see what we can raise from the community … I’ve got my marching orders, and I know which way to go.”

Monday, April 3rd, was a “red letter day” for residents of South Brooksville, with the initiation of a new county bus stop in their neighborhood. This represents an important step forward to making affordable transportation available to those who either don’t drive or don’t have a car. The bus stop is part of the purple route and is located at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Muhammed Ali Way.

Martha Maner, who was born and raised in South Brooksville, commented, “There used to be a bus stop in this neighborhood, but then it was moved to another location. We had some challenges to go through to get the bus stop put in. There had to be certain safety measures. For example, the bus had to have a place to be able to turn around, and it couldn’t be turning around on private property.”

The decision to pursue this matter came about from a survey that the South Brooksville Tax Redevelopment Advisory Committee (TRAC) made among the residents of the area last year.

Connie Green, president of TRAC, remarked, “We held face-to-face interviews with people to find out what their needs were, and one of the things was the bus stop. People had problems getting around.”

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The project would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), which provided the funds for the bus stop, the city of Brooksville, and the county commission. Because the land north of MLK Blvd. belongs to the city and the area south of this road belongs to the county, both jurisdictions were involved.

Blake Bell, Brooksville mayor, stated, “The county came to us and asked for approval to put an additional bus stop here. The plan received unanimous support from the city council. I’m very proud that this conversation came from the community, the county, and the city, all talking about what is good for South Brooksville. It’s a great day for South Brooksville.”

TRAC is a subcommittee of Community Conversation, which began several years ago because people wanted to have some input regarding their concerns and what needs to be changed in their community. It grew out of individuals and government officials sitting down and actually having a conversation about how to make the community better.

The Hernando County Transportation System consists of buses that cover four different routes, some of which connect to the Pasco County bus system. The buses run from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday – Saturday and arrive every hour. Reduced fares are available for seniors, students, and other individuals who provide documentation. These riders are then issued a Reduced Fare Photo ID which they present to the driver when they board the bus.

For more information, call (352) 754-4444 or visit www.HernandoBus.com You can request a printed schedule by calling the same number, or you can download an app that gives you details about the schedules and with which you can track the buses.

The completion of this project is a great example of what can happen when government entities and private citizens come together to make the community a better place in which to live. What benefits one segment of the community benefits the entire community.

As Ms. Green Connie Green remarked, “I want to thank the county and the city for all they’ve done to make this happen.”

Deep South Family BBQ is situated inside a small shack in Brooksville. Just look for the alluring smoker out front if you get lost. Visiting here is like popping in at a family BBQ – if your family includes a 5-star pitmaster. The menu is short and sweet, and lets you know a ton of TLC goes into each dish served.

I also want to give a huge shout-out to the spicy ranch sauce, and sweet BBQ sauce, those meal accompaniments are the real MVPs. Now, as the sign next to the order window says, “Feed me BBQ and tell me I’m pretty.”

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I’m a dessert person, so I’m going to start with the main event. The small white sign at the entrance claims that Deep South has the best fried peach pie in America. Naturally, I zeroed in on the treat and the heavenly slice did not disappoint. The golden peach filling glistens in the sun. Its fried exterior isn’t overly flaky or hard, it’s a pillowy encasement dusted with powdered sugar that comfortably yields to a fork. This thing is filling for sure, but I wish I ordered a second piece before leaving. They also offer fried apple pie, and banana pudding, both of which I plan to try on my next visit.

Fried biscuits and peach pie are on the menu

If you’re indecisive, then treat yourself to a Florida sampler platter. It includes FRIED BISCUITS. They’re surprisingly shaped like wings. They have a perfectly crunchy outside, and a soft, moist inside that provides a god-tier bite. Also included with the platter are fried okra, fried green tomatoes, and bacon-wrapped tots. I’m not ashamed to admit I housed this on my own.

Other must-try items include the huge, savory ribs. As I’ve said before, these things should be bathed in sweet BBQ sauce. The brisket sandwich is also perfect. The bark on the finely sliced meat shimmers, and the bun is equally addictive.

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There are several tables, and bar-style seating on its quaint patio, with several dedicated parking spots out back. Deep South BBQ is located at 7247 Cedar Lane in Brooksville. Follow the restaurant on its website and Instagram to learn more.

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Century Communities, a national homebuilder and industry leader in online home sales, recently celebrated the opening of three new Sales Studios for its Century Complete brand in Brooksville, Fort Myers and Punta Gorda, further enabling the company’s ability to provide best-in-class customer support as it grows rapidly in South Florida.

Featuring quality and affordable new homes through its intuitive and industry-first online homebuying experience, Century Complete has 743 owned and controlled homesites in the Florida South market. While buyers and their real estate agents are able to fully purchase any available new home online, the company’s new Sales Studios facilitate easy access for homebuyers seeking additional in-person support and offer a convenient Century Complete resource center for Realtors.

Sales Studio details:

Gulf Ports Sales Studio 24420 Sandhill Boulevard, Suite 201 Punta Gorda, FL 33983 941-213-0150

Fort Myers Sales Studio 3398 Forum Boulevard, Unit 106 Fort Myers, FL 33905 239-810-0395

Brooksville Sales Studio 3198 Aerial Way Brooksville, FL 34604 813-606-4095

“We’re incredibly excited to roll out these additional retail centers for our Florida homebuyers,” said Greg Huff, National President of Century Complete. “As we continue our steady growth in the state, these Sales Studios will help ensure a seamless experience for our homebuyers and Realtors from contract to closing.”

Century Complete is proud to feature its industry-first online homebuying experience on all available homes in Florida, allowing homebuyers to easily find their best fit and purchase when they’re ready—all while continuing to work with their local real estate agent of choice. Homebuyers can further streamline the homebuying process by financing online with Century Complete’s affiliate lender, Inspire Home Loans®.

How it works:

During a sentencing hearing last week, 26-year-old Corby Eisman pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors.

He used a social media feature to locate an underage girl and have sex with her multiple times over a two month period.

He was sentenced to two years in a Department of Corrections Facility, followed by eight years Sex Offender probation. Eisman was arrested on September 1, 2022 for a felony charge of sex battery on a victim under 17 years of age, and had no prior arrests in Flagler County.

“This pervert used social media to track down and prey on a teenage victim,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “This is a reminder to parents that not all predators use the cover of a keyboard and monitor to groom children. I urge you to closely monitor your children’s internet and social media activity and report any suspicious behavior. I commend our Major Case Unit for another job well-done and building a case that sent a felon to prison.”

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) Major Case Unit began investigating after deputies were made aware of a possible sex offense involving a teenage girl and an older male. The victim told detectives that Eisman said he was 19 years and that he was aware she was underage.

They met after the victim posted a life story on SnapChat’s Snap Map feature and Eisman used the feature to locate the victim. Using investigative techniques, detectives determined the victim had been sexually battered in Eisman’s home and his car.

Law enforcement warned that Snap Map allows Snapchat users to post photos publicly and share their location in real time with other users.

This is exactly why we encourage everyone to be very cautious of what you post on social media and the platforms you use,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “Something as innocent as a picture which gives away your location can attract people that want to victimize you. I especially encourage parents to be aware of what their kids are doing on social media platforms and talk to them about social media safety and how quickly a seemingly innocent post can make them a victim.”

It's never been easy to come up in a small town, leave as a young adult, and then flourish in the big city.

Some people flourished in those situations and others wilted. Here's an example of a former Cane who took his opportunity to be great and did so after coming up in a small town, as well as a new member of the Miami football family who's started to do the same.

For the Miami Hurricanes football program, several recruits came from smaller towns and did well. One of them would be legendary defensive tackle Jerome Brown, who came to The U from Brooksville (Fla.) Hernando. During his four-year stint in Coral Gables, Brown's 21 sacks and 19 tackles for loss would be prime reasons he went ninth overall in the 1987 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brown was a popular NFL figure because of his charismatic personality. Perhaps the Transfer Portal brought the Canes another football player with the ability to be dominant on the gridiron and be one fans look to off of it. Coming to Miami from Washington State, quarterback Cam Ward appears to have already flourished under the bright lights of Miami before ever playing a game inside Hard Rock Stadium.

During a video interview with WPLG Sports Ward stated, "Coach (Mario) Cristobal gave me an opportunity. A small-town kid, coming to the big city and trying to make a name for myself.

Ward grew up and played at West Columbia (Texas) Columbia, a town that's not only far away from Miami in terms of distance but also in regards to culture and opportunity. Columbia's population, as of 2021, would be 3,611 per City-Data. Miami's population was reported at 449,514, per the United States Census Bureau.

Where he grew up to where he is now did not cause Ward to flinch. He also discussed his relationship with teammates.

"It's been good. I'm blessed. Connecting with some of my teammates already. But, at the end of the day, we're all on the same mission; trying to get work in."

Ward certainly feels as if he's proven himself to his teammates as he also noted that Miami players are also seeing his leadership throughout the workouts.

In the video, he's seen signing autographs including one for a young girl. Good for Ward, good for Miami, and good for everyone around him. It's great to see a person like Ward take advantage of a tremendous opportunity and make the most of it.