Congratulations again to our friends Cindy and Kent Ross of RP&G Printing, whose annual “Build-A-Bear for a Cause” held on Nov. 25 at the Build-A-Bear store in The Shops at Wiregrass ended with 179 bears being built for children in need at Quail Hollow, Chester Taylor, Wesley Chapel, Seven Oaks, Veterans, Double Branch and Wiregrass Ranch elementaries — as more than 70 people attended and 17 others made donations to this worthy cause. We are proud to call Kent and Cindy our friends — they are truly amazing people who love giving back to their community! For all your printing needs, visit rpandg.com or call (813) 949-5700 and please tell Kent, Cindy & their staff that we sent you!
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.”
More than 1,400 runners — a 40% increase over last year — participated in the annual BayCare Wobble Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, with Steinbrenner High runner and Lutz resident Luca Martin finishing first in a personal best time of 15:37:32 (or just about 5:02 per mile!). The first overall female finisher was Tampa’s Amira Johnson, who also competed in the age 15-19 division. Amira crossed the finish line in 19:00:37, or 6:08 per mile. For the full results of the BayCare wobble, visit runsignup.com and search “BayCare Wobble.”
(Above, left & right) The Hueland Pond Blvd. extension, which will be called Maggie Hill Blvd., is shown in the maps of two new planned communities in Wiregrass Ranch. (Map source: Pasco County)
The Wiregrass Ranch area north of S.R. 56 is about to get another major connector road — with construction anticipated to start very soon.
Since it was first built in 2016, Hueland Pond Blvd. (see maps) has ended at a large T-intersection with S.R. 56. That will soon change, as the Wiregrass Ranch development submitted final engineering plans with Pasco County on Oct. 14 to extend Hueland Pond Blvd. further to the north by about a mile, past S.R. 56 and through the cow fields, intersecting with another recently extended corridor — the east-west Chancey Rd.
The new Hueland Pond Blvd. extension will be known as Maggie Hill Blvd and will connect and align exactly where the new back gate for the 55+ community of Esplanade at Wiregrass Ranch is located.
The extension of Hueland Pond Blvd. is being designed to serve a couple of upcoming communities and will be a 4-lane divided roadway with 10’-wide sidewalks on both sides, making it very pedestrian-friendly.
Flanked by the 76 gas station on the east side and Florida Cancer Specialists on the west, the intersection of Hueland Pond Blvd. with S.R. 56 will become yet another major roadway for Wiregrass Ranch, as development continues around it.
These road improvements were approved nearly 20 years ago under the original Wiregrass Ranch Master-Planned Unit Development (MPUD) plan, and since that time, Maggie Hill Blvd. always been shown on the master development map as a critical future road, being placed in a sweeping ‘S-shape,’ almost exactly where the old cattle ranch service path (above photo) exists today.
Per the development agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (or FDOT), Wiregrass Ranch will be responsible to construct a traffic signal on S.R. 56 once traffic volumes at the intersection warrant one. The intersection will eventually feature dual left turn lanes in each direction.
All of this will probably come sooner rather than later, because plans have also been submitted for two new communities (pictured in the two maps) to be constructed on the north side of S.R. 56, both taking advantage of the upcoming extension of Hueland Pond/Maggie Hill Blvd.
The first one will be a 225 single-family-home community with access directly off of Maggie Hill Blvd, and the other one will feature 111 single-family homes with access off of Chancey Rd. — both on the west side of the proposed Hueland Pond/Maggie Hill extension.
Unfortunately, no builder info has been announced yet, nor do either of the planned communities yet have a name, but preliminary plans have been submitted that are being reviewed by Pasco County.
This photo (above) is looking south from Chancey Road across the cow fields toward S.R. 56, at the point of future connection of Hueland Pond/Maggie Hill Blvd.
You only have to look at today’s mobile phones and the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in both workplaces and schools to understand how quickly our technology is evolving.
That’s why the advent of electric bicycles, aka “e-bikes,” has become an important “should I or shouldn’t I?” issue for the parents of teens and even pre-teens clamoring for ebikes this holiday season. These motorized bicycles also are a hot topic for insurance companies now dealing with a rise in accidents for riders of all ages on these e-bikes, as well as for the Florida Motorcycle Safety Coalition (FMSC), which included a seminar about electric bicycles at its quarterly meeting held Nov. 13-14 at the Hyatt Place Tampa-Wesley Chapel hotel on the north side of S.R. 56.
Yes, there is clearly a growing concern about e-bikes and the regulations governing them — everything from properly defining what an e-bike is to discussing possible legislation to address these problems, especially with under-age, unlicensed drivers. All of these concerns were at least discussed, if not completely addressed, during the session at the FMSC meeting.
An electric bike, or “e-bike,” is defined in Florida Statutes Chapter 316 as, “A bicycle or tricycle equipped with fully operable pedals, a seat or saddle for the use of the rider, and an electric motor of less than 750 watts which meets the requirements of one of the following three classifications:
(a) ‘Class 1 electric bicycle’ means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
(b) ‘Class 2 electric bicycle’ means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the electric bicycle and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
(c)‘Class 3 electric bicycle’ means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour.”
These speed limit requirements and the presence of pedals on e-bikes are what keep them classified as bicycles rather than another type of motor vehicle. The problem with these definitions is that, as more and more new e-bikes continue to enter the market that are able to exceed the 28 mph limit set by the Florida Statutes, a legal limbo arises as to how these faster e-bikes should be classified.
In order to be considered a “street legal” electric motorcycle, the e-bike must have safety features like turn signals, headlights, brake lights, and be registered and license-tagged. Vehicles exceeding the electric bike definition, but that do not have these features, might only be considered for “off-road use,” like how gasoline powered dirt bikes have been classified for many years.
E-Bikes vs. Mopeds vs. Motorcycles
This $555 (on Amazon.com) CTVVXXC-brand “Electric Bike,” which has dual 3000-watt motors and can reach speeds of 47 mph, would be considered to be an “electric motorcycle” by the State of Florida if proposed House Bill 243 becomes law. Unlicensed drivers could then be ticketed just for operating this “e-bike.”
When an e-bike is capable of reaching speeds of up to 29-30 mph, it enters a legal gray zone in which it is closer to a “moped” — if it meets statutory requirements.
The Florida statutory definition of a moped is, “any vehicle with pedals to permit propulsion by human power, having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels, with a motor rated not in excess of 2 brake horsepower and not capable of propelling the vehicle at a speed greater than 30 miles per hour on level ground and with a power-drive system that functions directly or automatically without clutching or shifting gears by the operator after the drive system is engaged. If an internal combustion engine is used, the displacement may not exceed 50 cubic centimeters.”
But if an e-bike or moped is able to reach speeds in excess of 30 mph, it can be classified as an unregistered motor vehicle or a motorcycle.
“So, if you have an e-bike that is doing 40 miles an hour, it really classifies as a motor bike,” said Bill Milton, the chief counsel for the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and co-speaker for the state’s “e-bike definition, HB243, SB382, and More Panel,” at the FMSC meeting on Nov. 13. “There’s nothing else that classifies it. It would be a motor vehicle because a bicyclist, even on a human power bicycle, is still a vehicle.”
The consensus of the presentation was that, as of right now in Florida, any e-bike exceeding the 28 mph defined limit may fall under motor-vehicle law, creating uncertainty and confusion for not only the law enforcement community, but also for the parents of the young, often unlicensed children begging them to buy an e-bike. Attendees at the FMSC meeting discussed how law enforcement is trying to deal with e-bikes statewide, including Pasco County, which had a flyer distributed at the FMSC meeting (top photo).
“I’ve talked to a few law enforcement officers in Wildwood and they have a small department, but they’re out there with lasers and they’re clocking [the e-bikes],” said one attendee. “I asked [one officer], ‘are you making the correct charge? Are you writing them up?’ and he said, ‘we’re going to write them up, and we’re going to let the judge decide.’”
Meanwhile, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has created a safety flyer reminding people that some e-bikes are considered motorcycles by Florida State Statute and must follow the same rules as traditional motorcycles including: having proper registration and license plate, have a Class E (non-commercial) license, obey traffic laws, must wear a helmet (unless over 21 years old) and are prohibited from driving on sidewalks. Also required for these higher-speed e-bikes are “MOTORCYCLE ALSO” or “MOTORCYCLE ONLY” license endorsements.
The flyer also warns that, “These vehicles can reach dangerous speeds, and when driven in an unsafe manner, can impact the safety of the rider and others.”
Young e-bike riders in Florida are not required to have a drivers license because e-bikes that can not exceed 28 mph have the same legal rights as traditional bicycles. This means young e-bike riders can still use sidewalks and bike lanes, unless local law restricts such actions. The state also does not enforce a statewide minimum age restriction on who can ride an e-bike, meaning that anyone is allowed to ride them, regardless of their age.
New E-Bike Bill Proposed
Unlicensed riders under age 18 must wear a helmet when operating an e-bike, even those that reach speeds of 28 mph or less. (Photo source: istockphoto.com)
As concerns among Florida citizens grow about the possible dangers e-bikes pose to streets, lawmakers are now proposing a solution to address the problem.
House Bill 243, sponsored by State Representatives Yvette Benarroch (R-Collier County), Kim Kendall (R-St. John’s County) and Omar Blanco (R-Miami), addresses Florida’s rising e-bike concerns by modifying the state’s current definition of e-bikes.
If passed, this bill will update the current list of definitions for e-bikes and motorcycles.
Under this proposed bill for the 2026 Legislative Session, e-bikes that exceed 28 miles per hour will no longer be defined as such and will fall under the new definition of “electric motorcycle.” The proposed definition defines “electric motorcycles” as “any motorcycle powered by an electric motor of 750 watts or more that is capable of a speed greater than 28 miles per hour.”
Additionally, the bill will modify the existing definition of a motorcycle by including “electric motorcycle and an autocycle” into it.
For e-bikes, the new bill adds an amendment to Section 316.068 of the Florida Statutes regarding crash reports, stating that when describing the vehicle in a crash they must, “include whether the crash involved a motorized scooter, an electric bicycle, or an electric motorcycle.”
For education about e-bike safety, the bill adds that on the examination people take to obtain a Class E (non-commercial) driver’s license exams are required to have, “At least five of the 25 questions addressing bicycle and pedestrian safety must specifically cover safe electric bicycle and motorized scooter operation for all road users.”
On the manufacturing side of e-bikes, the bill also will require manufacturers and distributors to affix a permanently visible label to each e-bike that states the classification number, top speed and motor wattage. The bill adds that owners of e-bikes are not allowed to add modifications to increase speed, and that, “Any person who knowingly modifies an electric bicycle as provided in this subsection commits a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable by a fine of $100. Any person who commits a second or subsequent violation of this subsection within 3 years after a previous violation commits a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable by a fine of $250.”
Regarding who may operate or rent a Class 3 e-bike, the bill states that the individual must have a valid learner’s or driver’s license and must have it in their possession at all times. A person who is caught without a license will get a verbal warning and, if the individual is still not compliant, they may be charged with a noncriminal traffic infraction.
It is important to note that while HB243 offers clearer information on e-bike definitions and safety, it is still currently just a bill and has not yet been passed into law. For current e-bike riders and parents of young riders, it is crucial to stay informed about the latest laws and ensure that all state regulations and safety guidelines are followed.
About Insurance
Although the least expensive e-bikes we found on the websites of local bicycle shops ranged from about $1,200 to more than $10,000, we found this T5-Pro folding e-bike on Amazon.com, which has a 560-watt motor and can reach assisted speeds of only 24 mph, was on sale for only $168.99 (regular price: $199.99).
Because of the increase in the number of e-bikes on the road, both single-vehicle accidents and collisions with other vehicles and pedestrians involving e-bikes are definitely on the rise.
In fact, according to a Google search, the number of e-bike injuries doubled every year between 2017-22 and 2024 (the most recent year with data) shows, “a continued surge in injuries, especially among children and adolescents, including fractures, head trauma [and others].”
As such, people are starting to invest in insurance for their e-bikes, although Manny Saldana, the owner of Crown Insurance Group says that the only carrier he knows for sure is writing e-bike policies is Progressive. I went on Progressive.com and found that at my age, with a clean driving record the past three years, insurance for an e-bike that can’t go faster than 28 mph was $202 per year, which would give me $10,000/person or $20,000/accident in bodily injury and $10,000 in property liability coverage, plus $2,500 medical coverage (for me) and more.
“We have seen a large influx of claims involving e-bikes over the past year,” Saldana told me. “The biggest problem seems to be that even if the e-bike rider is using the sidewalk, vehicles coming out of a side road are looking for other vehicles coming from the street as they cross or try to make a turn, not an e-bike coming from the sidewalk. Especially with inexperienced, unlicensed e-bike riders, it’s becoming a pretty big issue.”
For more info about current e-bike definitions and safety regulations, visit Leg.State.FL.US or RideSmartFlorida.com (the latter is the state’s official website for all motorcycle-related resources).
