Viera Still Hoping For A NT Police Substation; NT Blvd. Repaving Delayed & More

If you read this publication regularly, you know that District 7 Tampa City Council member and New Tampa resident Luis Viera will reach his term limits when Tampa’s Municipal Elections are held next March. 

You’re probably also aware that Viera is now actively campaigning to replace his friend (and current Florida House Minority Leader) Fentrice Driskell in the Dist. 63 State House seat in the November midterm elections. 

But, that doesn’t mean Viera is done fighting for the New Tampa community he calls home in City Council. Not by a long shot. 

Below are just a few of the items Viera has either recently gotten passed or is still working to bring to fruition: 

Morris Lopez Street Renaming — Although this one doesn’t directly benefit New Tampa, Viera has been lobbying for months to rename a street in Ybor City in honor of Tampa Police Officer Patrolman Morris Lopez, who was murdered on the streets of Ybor more than 75 years ago. Ofc. Lopez’s grandson, also named Morris Lopez, is not only a long-time New Tampa resident, but is also one of at least three people (Alan Cohn and Patricia Alonzo are the others, although only Lopez was listed at VoteHillsborough.gov as having officially filed his paperwork at our press time) to fill Viera’s soon-to-be-vacant seat. 

City Council is expected to have a first reading regarding the street renaming in Lopez’s honor at one of the May Council meetings. 

Viera says the honor for Patrolman Lopez is long overdue: “It’s just the right thing to do.” 

New Tampa Police Substation — Viera, who has been fighting for months for a TPD substation somewhere in New Tampa, said during the Apt. 7 City Council meeting that he “rejected” the memo he and the other City Council members received from Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw on Mar. 17 (right) that said, “Currently, however, the department’s most critical infrastructure priorities remain the construction of a new Forensic Facility and the development of a new Police Headquarters…Once progress is achieved on these critical projects, the department can better evaluate the need for future facility expansion opportunities, such as a New Tampa Substation, within a comprehensive long-term facilities plan.” 

“I’m not asking for a Taj Mahal big expenditure,” Viera says. “But all of the Tampa Police Officers I’ve spoken with in New Tampa support renting some small office in a strip center where the officers could meet with the community.” 

Viera’s motion for the City Council staff to look into what a substation office would cost and present a report to the Council, by the end of April or sometime in May, passed 5-0. 

New Tampa Blvd. Repaving — The funds allocated for this item were approved by Council months ago, and construction was expected to begin by sometime this month, but has been delayed until June or July of this year. In the meantime, almost all of the existing potholes on the 1.8-mile stretch of New Tampa Blvd. were recently filled in prior to the repaving (at left is one pothole that hadn’t been filled in at our press time). 

The City’s engineering department sent Viera the following memo: “The New Tampa Blvd project is ready to execute once the processing is complete of the 26-C-06 contract that council approved during the 3-26-2026 meeting. We are expecting paving to begin on New Tampa Blvd around June/July 2026, but this may vary to be sooner or later depending on the contractor’s schedule/availability.” 

Viera says, “You know I’ll be obnoxiously on this one until it’s done.” 

Nature Park All-Abilities Equipment Allocation — Viera also lobbied successfully for the City of Tampa to spend some of its surplus funds from the Fiscal Year 2025 budget on two pieces of All-Abilities equipment for the New Tampa Nature Park off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 

The equipment is allocated to cost $175,000 of the $4.4-million of the surplus funds to be spent on parks throughout the city. 

Big Brother Or Better Traffic Safety? The Truth About Roadside Devices

If You Want To Know What All Those Roadside Cameras & More Are & What They Actually Do & Don’t Do, Read On! 

If you drive around Wesley Chapel and New Tampa long enough, you’ll notice all kinds of devices mounted on poles, arms and cabinets along our roadways. 

We’re sure you’ve seen those cameras, sensors, flashing signs, small towers — and may have been wondering what they all actually do. 

Before I began writing for this publication, I spent 22 years in civil and transportation engineering and planning, including 19 years specializing in traffic operations engineering, including for the Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT). 

I’ve worked on everything from single-family homes and bridges to diverging diamond interchanges and large-scale community developments. Most importantly, I designed and implemented Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) throughout the Tampa Bay area. 

In that time, I’ve heard nearly every guess imaginable about what tall of these roadside devices are capable of. Let’s clear up some of the most common misconceptions and explain what you’re actually seeing out there — and whether actual speed cameras may be on the horizon. 

5G Small Cell Towers 

These are probably the most misidentified roadside devices — and they have nothing to do with traffic control. 

Because they’re allowed in the public right-of-ways, many people assume they’re traffic-related. In reality, these short roadside poles (above) are 5G “small cells” or microcells. They’re compact antennas, usually 10–30 feet tall, mounted on utility poles, streetlights, or even traffic signal structures. 

They provide high-speed cellular and internet service in a limited radius. Since 5G signals have shorter range and are easily blocked by buildings and trees, these units must be installed more densely in urban and suburban areas like ours. Bottom line: They’re for your phone — not for monitoring your driving. 

PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) CCTV (Closed-Circuit TV) Cameras 

When people see cameras at intersections, many immediately assume they’re red light cameras. Most of the time, they are not. PTZ CCTV cameras (both photos, left & right) are commonly used for roadway monitoring. You’ll see them mounted on poles, on mast arms near signal heads, or on tall “high mast” structures. 

They allow city, county, and state staff inside traffic management centers to actively monitor traffic conditions — crashes, congestion, disabled vehicles, or signal timing issues. 

Here’s the key point: These cameras typically do not record. They are live-view tools. You can identify them by the large rotating base that allows 360-degree movement and zoom capability. 

Important: These cameras do not record video. They function strictly as detection devices.

If you see a camera at a signal without that large rotating base, it’s likely not for surveillance — it’s probably a traffic detection camera (see below). 

360Âș Traffic Detection Cameras 

These cameras (right) are becoming increasingly common as older loop systems (below) are phased out. Unlike older directional cameras, these units look down over an entire intersection with a wide field of view. 

Typically, two are installed at opposite corners, mounted high for maximum accuracy. 

They create “virtual detection zones.” When your vehicle enters one of those zones, it tells the traffic control device that a car is waiting and may trigger a signal change. 

Traffic Signal Loops 

What about those rectangular or oval cuts (left) in the pavement near stop bars? Those are “inductive loops” — the oldest and still very reliable method of detecting vehicles at signals. 

They are not weight sensors. They function like large metal detectors. A coiled wire embedded in the pavement creates an electromagnetic field. When a vehicle moves over the loops, it disrupts the field, signaling the control device that a vehicle is present. 

Note-If loops are present, your vehicle MUST be positioned over them to receive a green light. 

Dilemma Zone Loops 

If you see similar small loops as those above further back from a high-speed intersection, those may be dilemma zone detectors. These detect vehicles approaching during the critical moment when the light is about to change from green to yellow. 

If a vehicle is detected in that “decision zone,” the system may extend the green phase to prevent abrupt braking or red-light violations. 

Count Station Loops 

If loops are located away from signals or just downstream of an intersection, they are likely permanent traffic count stations (photo right). These record vehicle totals to help engineers determine roadway usage and future expansion needs. 

Microwave Vehicle Detection Systems (MVDS, aka Side-Fire Radar) 

These pole-mounted MVDS radar units (left) are part of modern Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) deployments. Often called “side-fire radar,” they use low-power microwave signals to measure vehicle speed, lane presence, volume and even detect backups. 

MVDS are non-invasive — meaning no pavement cuts are required — and provide valuable real-time data to improve operations and detect incidents. 

Opticom Emergency Vehicle Detectors 

These small black vertical devices mounted near signal heads (right) are extremely important. Opticom systems allow emergency vehicles — fire trucks, ambulances, and law enforcement — to request a green light as they approach an intersection. 

Using infrared, radio, or GPS-based communication, they signal the traffic control device to provide priority. This reduces response times and improves safety for both emergency responders and the public. 

Video Traffic Count Stations 

You may have seen poles with large solar panels near their bases (left) set up along busy roads. These are video traffic counters used for planning studies and monitoring. 

They use high-mounted, low-resolution cameras and AI software to count vehicles, classify them (cars, trucks, bikes, pedestrians), and track turning movements. 

Note-These traffic counters do not read license plates, nor do they record faces. 

Their sole purpose is for traffic analysis — often in preparation for development reviews or roadway improvements. If you see a unit with a much smaller solar panel mounted directly on top of a camera, that’s likely something different. 

License Plate Readers (Flock Cameras) 

Those black cameras (right), with smaller top-mounted solar panels, are typically Flock Safety License Plate Readers, used by law enforcement agencies such as the Pasco County and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Offices, as well as some HOAs and CDDs. 

These systems scan license plates and vehicle characteristics in real time and compare them to databases for stolen vehicles, wanted suspects, or AMBER alerts. 

They are not used for traffic signal timing or speed enforcement. Their primary role is crime prevention and investigation. 

Red Light Cameras 

Despite popular belief, not every camera near an intersection is a red light camera. 

In Florida, red light cameras (left photo) must be clearly identified by a roadside sign stating “Photo Enforced” (right photo below) in advance of the intersection. 

Only a limited number of intersections in our area have them, including locations like Bruce B. Downs Blvd. at E. Fletcher Ave. 

It’s also important to understand that traffic signals include what engineers call “All- Red Time” — a brief interval, typically 1 to 6 seconds, where all approaches display red after the yellow phase. This provides time for vehicles to clear the intersection before opposing traffic receives a green. 

Unfortunately, I’ve seen drivers slam on their brakes at yellow lights out of fear of these red light cameras, which can create rear-end crash risks. The safest action is always controlled, predictable driving. 

Traffic Cabinets 

Those large stainless-steel boxes near intersections (left) house the brains of the traffic control system. They are typically bare, but might be painted or wrapped. Inside are controllers, power supplies, communications equipment and detection processors. The signal controller manages everything — signal heads, pedestrian indications, detection inputs, and coordination with adjacent intersections. 

You’ll often see a power meter beside the cabinet, just like on a home. Smaller attached (or standalone) cabinets typically house battery backup systems (UPS units), which can place signals into flash mode during power outages. 

After major storms or hurricanes, you may also see generators plugged in to keep intersections operational during extended outages. 

Wrong Way Detection Systems 

Wrong-way driving prevention used to rely solely on static “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” signs. Today, it’s some of the most advanced roadway technology in use. Modern systems use radar, video, or both (photo right) to detect vehicles entering exit ramps in the wrong direction. When activated, the sign perimeter flashes red lights, and alerts are automatically sent to law enforcement — including the Florida Highway Patrol. 

In many cases, nearby CCTV cameras automatically turn toward the ramp so traffic operators can monitor the wrong-way vehicle’s movement. 

These systems can record short video clips upon activation — one of the only permanent roadside technologies that does record, but only when triggered by a wrong-way event. 

These clips are sent to the control centers (along with an automated alert) to see if the vehicle turned around on the ramp to go back in the correct direction. 

Active Speed Signs/Cameras 

These radar-based warning signs detect the speed of approaching vehicles and display it back to the driver. If you exceed the desired speed, the sign may flash your speed. At higher thresholds, it may flash “Slow Down” more aggressively (left). 

These devices can record speed data — but not video — to help engineers evaluate driver behavior and determine whether the sign is improving safety. 

They are commonly used on curves, in school zones, and on corridors where speed-related issues are a concern. 

As of this writing, there are no traditional roadside speed enforcement cameras operating in Wesley Chapel or New Tampa. However, school zone speed enforcement is a developing topic. Under Florida House Bill 657, municipalities and counties are now authorized to implement school zone speed detection systems. 

The Tampa City Council voted 6-1 on Feb. 19 to partner with the same vendor used by the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office for a school zone speed camera program. If approved, Tampa could begin installing and using cameras that issue citations for speeding in school zones. 

The City of New Port Richey is the only Pasco municipality using school speed zone cameras. 

Another Morris Bridge Road Closure Ahead (Feb. 16–23)

Residents and motorists who use Morris Bridge Rd. should prepare for another full road closure tomorrow — Monday, February 16 â€” as Hillsborough County continues stormwater repairs along the corridor.

According to electronic message boards already placed along the roadway, Morris Bridge Rd. will be closed from February 16 through Monday, February 23, to allow crews to replace an under-road culvert immediately north of Cory Lake Blvd. The culvert currently is covered by steel plates.

This closure follows the Dec. 8–Dec. 22 shutdown near Bonnet Hole Dr., discussed in our January issues, which frustrated many residents due to long detours and limited alternative routes. That work occurred roughly a quarter-mile north of the upcoming project area.

-What’s Being Done

The current project involves removing and replacing an aging 30-inch reinforced concrete pipe (RCP), cleaning and sealing a nearby catch basin, replacing the end treatment and restoring pavement per county standards. The project budget totals $230,000, all allocated to construction.

Hillsborough County has emphasized that Morris Bridge Rd. is particularly vulnerable to flooding. In a December update on their website, the county noted what residents knew— that the roadway was compromised during a 100-year flood event when Hurricane Milton struck in 2024, underscoring the need for continued stormwater improvements.

The road runs through the Hillsborough River Watershed, one of the county’s largest, and contains multiple drainage systems beneath the pavement designed to move heavy rainfall toward the river. Its location within the floodplain — and its seven-mile stretch with few intersections — also explains why detours are unusually long whenever the road is closed.

-Traffic Impacts & Access

During the closure:
‱ Morris Bridge Rd. will be fully shut down from Cory Lake Blvd. to approximately 800 feet north at Cedar Cove Dr.

‱ The eastern entrance to Cory Lake Isles — Cory Lake Blvd. — will remain accessible to traffic traveling to and from I-75.
‱ Only local traffic will be permitted southbound past Cross Creek Blvd.; non-local traffic will be detoured west toward Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

‱ All Hillsborough County parks along Morris Bridge Rd. located south of the construction zone will remain open, but access will be from I-75 only, with drivers required to return the same way.

County officials have previously stated that full closures allow work to be completed faster and more safely than staged lane closures on narrow, two-lane roads like Morris Bridge Rd.

As Hillsborough County continues stormwater repairs along this critical corridor, residents should expect additional periodic disruptions and plan extra travel time during closure periods. Additional stormwater-related work on Morris Bridge Rd. is anticipated later in 2026.

What’s Happening With Morris Bridge Rd.? The Big Changes At 3 Key Intersections

Construction at the intersection of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. at MB Rd. (Photo by Joel Provenzano)

If it feels like Morris Bridge Rd. (MB Rd.) has been in a constant state of change lately, you’re not imagining it. From New Tampa through Wesley Chapel, this important north–south corridor, once considered little more than a two-lane country road, has seen closures, construction crews, and long-awaited reopenings — with even more changes on the horizon. 

As Neighborhood News has reported over the past several years, MB Rd. is gradually transforming from a quiet rural connector into a critical link between several fast-growing communities in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. 

Here’s a closer look at what’s recently been completed, what’s under way, and what’s still to come — with a focus on three intersections that are shaping the future of the MB Rd. corridor. 

MB Rd. At Future K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. 

As we first reported in April 2024, the final phase of K-Bar Ranch in Hillsborough County is more than just another residential expansion — it’s a long-planned transportation connection that will finally open all of K-Bar Ranch to MB Rd., benefiting both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents alike. That vision is now becoming reality. 

Construction is under way on the eastward extension of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. past Easton Park to MB Rd. Once completed, this connection also will allow access from Wesley Chapel, including from Union Park and Meadow Pointe, via the planned Wyndfields Blvd. extension to the south and the existing Meadow Pointe Blvd. extension. 

The map of the planned K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. extension we ran in Apr. 2024. (Source: NN) 

Although the Neighborhood News first told our readers the story of this future connection about a year and a half ago (see map), crews are now actively building the new phase of K-Bar Ranch, and the collector road that will extend Wyndfields Blvd. south into the New Tampa development. For Union Park residents in particular, this means a new and more direct route into Tampa — and fewer bottlenecks on already-crowded roads. 

Turn lanes are currently being added along MB Rd. at the future K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. intersection (top photo), and a traffic signal will follow. The signal is required under the developer agreement and will help manage the increased traffic once the road opens. 

According to the K-Bar Ranch III CDD Preliminary Engineer’s Report (Jan. 2025), construction on the overall final build-out is planned to run from Mar. 2025 through December 2028, and is broken into two phases. 

Phase 1 includes 471 single-family homes, followed by 188 townhomes in Phase 2. Based on issued permits and the pace of construction, it’s likely the road connection will be completed before Phase 2 even begins — possibly even this year. 

In short, the long-anticipated direct connection between K-Bar Ranch, Union Park, Meadow Pointe and MB Rd. is now closer than ever. 

MB Rd. At Bonnet Hole Dr. 

Just north of Cory Lake Blvd. (less than two miles south of Cross Creek Blvd.), the Hillsborough County section of MB Rd. reopened the week of Christmas after a full closure that frustrated many residents — particularly those still remembering the road’s prolonged shutdown following Hurricane Milton in Oct. 2024. 

The Dec. 8-Dec. 22 closure was necessary to complete stormwater drainage repairs between Apache Dr. and Bonnet Hole Dr., as Hillsborough County explained in a public release. To put it plainly — collapsing and aging culverts under the roadway had to be fully replaced. 

Although only a small segment of MB Rd. was actually shut down, detours were lengthy due to the lack of alternative routes. During our communications, county officials acknowledged the inconvenience to residents. 

Typically, fully closing the road allows crews to complete the work much faster than staged lane closures would have, especially on two-lane roads where it’s harder to shift traffic and breakup the digging into two phases, due to limited space. 

Chris Wilkerson, senior media relations strategist for Hillsborough’s Public Works Dept., told us this single stormwater project cost approximately $240,000. When asked if more closures are coming, Wilkerson confirmed that two additional stormwater-related closures are expected on MB Rd. in 2026 — one just north and one just south of the recent work area — so residents will need to keep an eye out for when those closures are announced. 

MB Rd. at Chancey Rd. (Pasco) 

Meanwhile, in Pasco County, the long-closed intersection of MB Rd. between S.R. 56 and Chancey Rd. finally reopened just before Christmas, ending months of detours and speculation about what went wrong. 

Despite early rumors of the closure being caused by a “sinkhole,” Pasco officials clarified that the issue was actually a damaged, buried 16-inch water main. When the main failed, it washed away soil beneath the roadway, creating a large underground void that looked like a sinkhole, but was not a traditional limestone collapse. 

The unexpected discovery of the water line — struck during routine work — complicated the repair. Replacement parts had to be specially ordered, delaying construction for months. Pasco officials had warned residents back on Sept. 19 that delivery and installation of the water main alone could take at least eight weeks, followed by another five to eight weeks to rebuild the road. 

In the end, the project was completed almost exactly within that extended timeframe. 

But, while the intersection is now open, some residents have been disappointed to see no new left-turn lanes added. According to Pasco officials, those improvements are part of a larger widening project that is still in development. 

The county’s current Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) list, adopted in June 2025, shows plans to widen MB Rd. to a four-lane divided roadway between S.R. 54 and S.R. 56. Construction is tentatively scheduled in two phases: 

2028 – From S.R. 54 south through the Chancey Rd. intersection 

2029 – From south of Chancey Rd. to S.R. 56 

Of course, the project has already been delayed once and timelines could change again. 

The Big Picture 

Taken together, these three intersections tell the story of MB Rd. today — a corridor under pressure from rapid growth, environmental challenges and aging infrastructure — but also one that’s steadily being improved. 

Some work is finished, some is still under way and more is coming in the next few years. For residents of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel alike, the changes along MB Rd. promise better connectivity in the long run, even as the short-term disruptions unfortunately continue. 

As always, the Neighborhood News will keep you updated with what’s happening with the MB Rd. corridor — one closure, one construction zone and one reopening at a time. 

Jas Warren’s Impact Fondly Remembered At Celebration Of Life At Wharton

When you know someone is a good person who has lived a life in service to others, you often still don’t really know the impact that person has made, or just how many people they helped — until you attend their Celebration of Life. 

Such was the case of former Wharton High theatre teacher James “Jas” Warren. As I mentioned in my page 3 editorial in our last issue, Jas passed away after suffering a heart attack at the age of 61, while he and his wife Renee were on a FaceTime call with their daughter Abby and her three sons. 

I had seen probably only four or five of the 100+ shows (including, I believe, two of his original works) Jas produced with his LSA (Lighting & Sound America) Repertory Theatre Company during his time at Wharton, and had spoken with him after most of those performances. It was clear at that time that his students — and their parents — loved him. And, as a native New Yorker who had seen at least 50-60 Broadway and Off-Broadway shows in my lifetime, the power of the performances Jas directed let me know just how good he was at his job. 

What I had no idea about, however, was just how powerful his impact was on his students until I attended the Celebration of Life held at Wharton on Nov. 8 in his honor. Even though I ended up leaving early because I had another event to get to, the hour+ I spent listening to his long-time friend and fellow Wharton teacher Carlos Rosaly, Jas’ daughter Abigail Rodriguez and son Jackson Warren, followed by at least eight of the dozen or so total speakers and performers that day, it was clear to me that I didn’t really know Jas Warren — or just how many children he impacted, how many lives he changed — at all. 

And I am as saddened by that fact today as I was uplifted by what I saw and hear that day. 

Act I — Abby, Evan, Jackson & Carlos 

I sat next to my friends Dr. Elliot and Pam Cazes, whose son Evan is one of Abby’s best friends. It was Pam who let me know that Jas had passed and when and where the Celebration of Life would be held. 

When I arrived, Evan and Abby were already sitting on the stage (photo), getting ready to sing the haunting “Those You’ve Known” from the Tony Award-winning musical “Spring Awakening.” How both of them were able to make it all the way through this beautiful, but overwhelmingly sad song is a tribute to the training both of them received from Abby’s dad. Believe me when I say that there literally was not another dry eye in the house: 

“Those you’ve known 

And lost still walk behind you 

All alone 

They linger till they find you 

Without them 

The world grows dark around you 

And nothing is the same 

Until you know that they have found you” 

When they finished singing, recently retired Wharton High math teacher (and baseball announcer) Carlos Rosaly — one of Jas’ closest friends and a fellow original member of the Wharton faculty when the school opened for the 1997-98 school year, was the first to speak.. 

Carlos recounted humorous stories of his long relationship at the school with Jas and their shared love of rock n roll. 

“The difficulty for us in his passage is that he wasn’t done telling stories and we weren’t done listening to him,” Carlos said. “We weren’t done watching it all on stage. And that’s our loss.” 

He also noted that Jas loved everything about the performances — “the auditions, the callbacks, the rehearsals, the running laps around the office, the vocal warmups, the read-throughs, the curtains up, the spotlights, the music, the show, he loved it all. Thank you, James.” 

Carlos also read a moving passage from the book Jesus in Blue Jeans by Laurie Beth Jones. But, it was all just getting started. 

Next up was Abby, who said her dad thought she never cried. “Well, Dad, I have never cried more in my life than I have in the past three weeks. Three weeks ago yesterday, I heard his voice for the last time. Every day since then, I wake up and hope that the nightmare is over.” 

She then retold the story of how she was on the phone with them when her dad was in the throes of the heart attack. After telling her mom to call 9-1-1, Abby waited to hear back from her. 

“Not too much time passed before I called my mom and they said ‘He didn’t make it.’ I remember standing in front of my fridge and dropping to the floor. I called my husband (who is in the Army) and said words I didn’t expect to end up saying, ‘Please come home.’” 

She added, “All I could think of were the things I wished I could have said if I knew it was his last moment…He was the kind of dad that everyone wanted and the kind of director that kids in other public schools dreamed of having. And I was lucky enough to get him. I idolized him…and there came a point where he thought I stopped, but I never actually stopped.” 

Abby also said that her earliest memories were on the very same stage in that Wharton auditorium. “He created magic on this stage,” she said. “Whether it was one of the One Act [plays] he’d spend all summer writing, or how he found the most perfect songs for those shows that he edited to perfection. He changed lives, not just through his art, but through who he was. He created lifelong friendships for most of us and introduced many of us to our spouses and our own families. And I’m living proof of that.” 

She also recounted how her dad officiated her wedding, how he supported her every time she announced she was pregnant, their Walmart runs during school, their trips to New York City to see Broadway shows. She also gave her many definitions of what grief is now that her dad is gone. 

“I will keep saying it: I don’t know how to live in a world where he doesn’t exist. He deserves so much more time and he has so many more stories to write…and to watch my kids grow up. Everything I am is because of him — my love of theatre, music, reading, writing, dark humor, everything. So, for now, I will still send a text when something reminds me of you, I will still cry for you and I will think of you every day and I will think about what life would be like if you were still here. Until we meet again.” 

Jas’ son Jackson (above right) said that, “Everywhere I look, he is there. I just can’t believe that he’s still gone.” Jackson said he wished his dad could watch another season of another show he loved. And how every moment that he thinks about his dad, “even the moments that I didn’t think would matter at all, are just so special. It’s just a lesson to learn — you never know how much time left you have with someone. Don’t live with regrets. Do what you want to do before it’s too late because you never know when it will be too late. I’m just glad that my final words to him were ‘I love you’ and I gave him a hug. It doesn’t solve anything, but it helps.” 

Act II — All Of His ‘Other’ Kids 

Next up was Tori Fuson, who sang an incredible rendition of the song “Leave Me Here” by Hem. This is just the chorus: 

“So, as I rise, I will reach for the livin’ 

And I’ll say no prayer 

Cuz tonight he brought me to heaven 

And left me here” 

Tori then added, “Mr. Warren was more than a teacher for us. He wanted to create the best works and he did, because he created all of us and that’s the reason we’re all here today. He taught us, at a very young age, about injustice and loss, love and human connection. He showed us that acting is not about pretending. It’s about telling the truth. He had a way of drawing discipline and authenticity from children, which is a really difficult thing to do. He changed every student who walked in his doors. And, for many of us, this auditorium was our home.” 

Tori was followed by Nicole Nouri, who put the Rolling Stones themselves to shame with her soaring rendition of “Wild Horses.” 

Nicole was followed by Stephen Arment and Lizzy Clark (left photo), who were both in Wharton’s first graduating class in 2000. 

Stephen, who is now the drama teacher at Durant High in Plant City, said, “There are a lot of ways to talk bout someone who shaped your life, but the truest place I could start is this. I loved being around him. He did not just teach theatre. He built families. Entire generations of us found our ‘people’ and our purpose under a new direction. When I arrived at [Wharton], he was one of the first people who made me feel seen for who I could become. We have each carried so many of his lessons with us. Not just how to block a scene, but how to make people feel seen before they even believe in themselves.” 

Stephen also said he remembered when Jas and Renee brought their newborn daughter, Abby, “in to meet us for the first time. He wasn’t just introducing his daughter to his students, he was introducing her to a community that she would always be connected to, whether she wanted to or not. It was like watching two parts of his world intersect — the family he went home to and the family that he built in this place. He poured so much of himself into us that we walked away feeling like we carried a piece of him into adulthood. So, to his family, thank you for sharing him with us.” 

Stephen concluded, “I became a high school drama teacher because of him. He wasn’t just teaching theatre, he was shaping what theatre education looked like across the board. He didn’t just attend [theatre] festivals, he helped build the blueprint for how they are run — the systems, the traditions, the way we gather, the way they create. So much of that traces back to him. So, thank you, Mr. Warren. We’ll take it from here.” 

When it was Lindsay’s turn to speak, she paid Stephen one of the best compliments she could: “I just have to say that I had the honor of watching Stephen run a rehearsal at his school today and he is Mr. Warren. There were so many ‘Warren-isms’ that I felt as if I was a student there myself.” 

She also said that “I’m deeply grateful to stand up this day, in this auditorium, a place stitched with memories, to celebrate the life of someone who didn’t just shape my high school experience, but helped to shape me.” 

Lindsay added, “Mr. Warren was brilliant, passionate and, let’s be honest, a little terrifying. He knew when to challenge us and when to protect us. His office felt like the safest place in the world. It was where we cried, we laughed, we vented and we dreamed. I remember he showed us what looked like a baseball card of a young pop singer no one had ever heard of. He said, ‘Believe me, she is going to be huge.’ We rolled our eyes and thought this is just another weird Warrenism. The pop singer? Britney Spears.” 

That was when I left the building, but it’s clear to me that Jas Warren left behind so much more than just hundreds of high school theatre awards. He built hundreds of young people into amazing people, not just amazing actors. 

I missed the final performance of the day, but Elliot Cazes recorded it for me (above right): Green Day’s “Time Of Your Life.” 

Just perfect.