Alan Cohn Throws His Hat Into The Ring To Succeed Viera!

Long-Time Investigative Journalist & Congressional Candidate Says His Qualifications Set Him Apart 

Former investigative journalist and long-time New Tampa resident Alan Cohn is running for Luis Viera’s Dist. 7 Tampa City Council seat. Cohn is the second candidate to announce his intention to run for Viera’s seat in Mar 2027. (Photo by Charmaine George)

Editor’s note — If District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera is successful in his bid to succeed Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell in the State House District 67 election next November, Viera will have to resign from his City Council seat before his second — and final — term in Dist. 7 ends in March of 2027. 

That would mean that the remaining Council members would have to vote to appoint someone to fill Viera’s seat for four months. That appointee would clearly have the inside track in Tampa’s Municipal Elections in Mar. 2027 to remain in the seat. 

In other words, with the primary season for the 2026 Midterm Elections coming up in August, it’s not too early to start telling you who may or may not run to replace Viera. We’ve already introduced you to long-time New Tampa resident and Hillsborough County firefighter Morris Lopez, who is expected to file paperwork to run for Viera’s Council seat this month. We’re equally proud to introduce you to another long-time New Tampa resident who also is planning to file his paperwork soon to replace Viera. — GN 

Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist. Local TV news personality. Two-time candidate for the U.S. Congress. Sixteen-year New Tampa resident. Proud husband and father who cares enough about his community to want to serve it in a new way. 

Those are the qualities 16-year Grand Hampton resident Alan Cohn hopes will earn him enough votes to win the District 7 Tampa City Council seat that fellow New Tampa resident Luis Viera has held for the past nine years. 

Originally from Pearl River, NY, Cohn, 63, acknowledges that Viera has done “a terrific job” of not only representing, but also fighting for the needs of New Tampa — and he plans to continue to fight that good fight for the people of his community. Cohn says that no matter who else also runs for Viera’s seat, he believes he is uniquely qualified to achieve results for the people who live and work in District 7. 

“I’ve raised my family in New Tampa,” Cohn says of his wife, Patty (who also is a former journalist) and their son Aaron, 27 (a former Minor League pro baseball player), and daughter Ann, 29, both of whom graduated from Wharton High. “We’ve been ingrained into this community, so not only do people know me as a friend and neighbor, they know that I care deeply about where we live and the obstacles and the issues that we’re facing.” 

He also believes his background in investigative reporting will help make him a successful City Councilman. 

“I was an investigative reporter for 30 years,” Cohn says. “I’ve covered presidents, governors’ races, Senate races and Congressional races. I was confronted in my first TV job in Massachusetts with a corrupt district attorney who was in bed with the mob. I helped break that story and this guy who had been in that office for 30 years ended up having to leave office.” 

He won the 2007 George Foster Peabody Award, one of journalism’s highest honors, for uncovering that Stratford, CT-based Sikorsky Aircraft, which makes Blackhawk helicopters, was allowing defective parts in its aircraft. 

“I had the facts in black and white because Sikorsky employees snuck documents out of the factory to give to me,” Cohn says. “What Sikorsky did, in the name of efficiency, was lay off their quality control inspectors who inspected subcontracted parts. I was given Department of Defense (DOD) documents saying that they were seeing increased cases of major defective parts on aircraft. I credit my (TV station) management that allowed me to stay on that story for three years until I was able to prove that those aircraft were crashing. And, once that happened, I actually had the George W. Bush administration on my side and Sikorsky had to change what they were doing. And, that probably got me the job down here at ABC Action News.” 

Within a couple of months of starting at that new job, Cohn says, “I found out about a guy who was going around the entire area dressed in a full Marine Corps uniform with the Navy Cross and I discovered that he had never served a day in the military. I thought he was living near the VFW hall off I-275, so I went there, gave the bartender my card and said, ‘If you ever see this guy around here, call me.’ And, that Friday night, he called me to say, ‘He’s here.’ I rushed over, interviewed the guy on my phone and he wound up being charged and convicted federally.” 

An Aspiration To Serve 

Cohn worked at WFTS-TV Channel 28 in Tampa until 2012, but took a break for a few years, until WWSB-TV (ABC7) in Sarasota created an interview show for him. He left that job in 2020 for his first U.S. Congressional District 15 run, where he defeated State Rep. Adam Hattersley and Marine Corps vet Jesse Philippe in the Democratic primary, earning 41% of the vote. 

Viera, who appointed Cohn to the city’s Charter Review Commission, poses with Alan and his wife Patty. (Photo provided by Luis Viera)

“That District 15 race was targeted by both sides from the get-go,” Cohn says. “The incumbent, Ross Spano, was a first-term member of Congress. He also was under criminal investigation. So, I saw it as an opportunity. I thought it would be a first-term member of Congress under criminal investigation against an investigative reporter who had sought out corruption. The problem was that Spano was defeated in the Republican primary (by Lakeland City Commissioner Scott Franklin), so that changed the narrative of the race.” Cohn lost to Franklin 55%-45%. 

Then, in the 2022 election, Cohn again won the Democratic primary for the newly redrawn 15th District, finishing first out of a five-candidate field with 33.1% of the vote. He went on to lose the general election for the District to Republican Laurel Lee by 17 percentage points. 

“My aspiration has always been to serve,” he says. “I look at the role of City Council as where the ‘real work’ is done. This is where you can have a profound impact on your community. And, that’s why I’m running.” 

Cohn also believes that this is a critical, important moment for the City of Tampa. 

“We’re at a point in time, which is almost like a tipping point, not only for New Tampa, but for the entire city,” he says. “I want to be a part of that. I want to make sure that hard-working families can afford to live here and can enjoy living here. I believe City Council is where I can have the most impact at this point in time.” 

As for what he hopes to accomplish for New Tampa on City Council, Cohn wants to make sure that the projects Viera has been working on, but may not see through to fruition before he leaves office, don’t go away because someone new is elected to fill his seat. 

He wants to make sure the city finds the funds necessary to build the under-design, but not-yet-funded city park in K-Bar Ranch that Viera has championed, as well as find a way to put either another fire station or at least an emergency rescue vehicle in K-Bar, “because the response times there aren’t acceptable.” 

In fact, Cohn says, public safety is a top priority for him. “We don’t have a police department location in New Tampa, so TPD officers who patrol here have to check in by Busch Blvd. And, when their shifts end, they have to exchange paperwork in parking lots. That has to stop.” 

He also says that although coalition-building is important, “I have been, throughout my journalism and political career, an advocate who knows how to push properly and knows the tactics and the methods to bring about change. I have always been able to shine a spotlight on whatever is needed, and push until it’s done.” 

Cohn adds that it’s still all about communication. “You can have the greatest ideas in the world,” he says, “but you have to be able to communicate them in an effective way. And, that’s the advantage I think I have over anyone else.” 

Although Viera isn’t making any endorsements in the race to replace him (see pg. 10), “at least not until the race is down to only two candidates,” he did recently appoint Cohn to the city’s Charter Review Commission, which meets every seven years to propose changes to the city’s charter, which Cohn says is akin to its “Constitution.” 

“The Commission is difficult and time-consuming work,” Viera says, “and I thank Alan and all of the other Council and Mayoral appointees who will dedicate a great deal of time to this endeavor. I was proud to appoint him to this position. It is important to have people who are responsible and quality on this Commission and Alan fits that bill. He is a good man and I know he will do an amazing job.” 

Cohn says that there is a constant struggle in Tampa about our form of government. 

“We have a strong mayor form of government,” he says. “I know there are people on the City Council who are frustrated that our Mayors can do whatever they want. And I know Mayors who have felt like Council meddles in what they’re doing. I think that we need to bridge the gap here and create a situation where there’s a much better working relationship between the City Council and the Mayor, because it has been incredibly divisive for too long. And, as to how the City Charter could have an impact on [that relationship] is part of what we want to work at, to make sure that it meets the moment. It’s no coincidence that people who have served on the Charter Review often become City Council members afterwards.” 

Cohn also says that he would love to help the Rays Major League Baseball team move to this side of Tampa Bay and that he definitely supports the recent development of downtown Tampa. “I would like to see more of it, but I’d like to see it be affordable to most people. I also want to help bring more family-friendly things and restaurants to right here in New Tampa, so you don’t always have to go downtown.” 

And, although he is Jewish, Cohn says, “I’ve always had strong support in the local Muslim community because it’s been based upon a shared dedication to civil liberties. The last few years have definitely put strains on those relationships, but I will seek to open that dialogue again. As Luis says, New Tampa is a very diverse community of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus, so we all need to start talking to each other.” 

And, speaking of dialogue, he says, “I will be pesky in terms of my invitations to other City Council members to come up here because even though I’d be representing New Tampa on City Council, I’ll still also responsible for making decisions for South Tampa and Seminole Heights. We all have a responsibility to know how our issues impact the other areas of the city. I’m going to use my energies and my voice to do that.” 

In conclusion, Cohn says, “Patty and I love our community. I’m blessed with not only an understanding wife, but with someone who also has her finger on the pulse here. We complement each other that way.” 

Sushi Time — Excellent Sushi & Japanese Fare At Affordable Prices!

The Former Location Of Ginza No Longer Offers All-You-Can-Eat, But Is A Big Step-Up In Quality! 

I can honestly say that I’ve never been a big fan of all-you-can-eat restaurants. Especially when you don’t know which dishes you even like at a place, all-you-can-eat basically means you’re “forced” to sample a number of different items in order to find the ones you like — and by then, you’re usually too full to enjoy those items. 

Once you’ve been to a particular all-you-can-eat restaurant more than once, and know what items you like there, I’ll admit that there is a certain value in this type of dining, but it usually causes you eat more than you normally might to “get your money’s worth.” 

That’s why I wasn’t upset when the owners of the new Sushi Time restaurant — which opened a couple of months ago in the former location of Ginza All You Can Eat Sushi & Hibachi (on E. County Line Rd., next to LA Fitness, just south of the Pasco County line) — decided to do away with Ginza’s all-you-care-to-eat concept. 

In fact, the first thing those of you who loved Ginza should know is that even though you no longer receive unlimited food for one price, the quality of the food — especially the sushi — at Sushi Time has been upgraded significantly, as has the presentation of that food (as evidenced by photographer Charmaine George’s beautiful pictures on this page). 

Let’s start with the sushi. Jannah, Charmaine and I were treated to a beautiful and delicious sushi boat (top photo), which included three rolls — Jannah’s favorite California roll, a spicy tuna roll topped with avocado and a black dragon roll (tempura shrimp and avocado with eel and eel sauce on top) that I couldn’t eat but Jannah and Charmaine both loved. The grilled eel on top was so sweet that they both thought it was cooked banana — and loved it! It was Jannah’s first time ever even eating eel and she was stunned to find she actually enjoyed it! 

The boat also included thick slices of raw tuna, white tuna (escolar), salmon and yellowtail, plus nigiri (sliced sushi on rice) of salmon, yellowtail and my favorite — red snapper. Slices of the snapper also were formed into a pretty flower and topped with ikura (salmon roe). 

The boat alone would have been more than enough for the three of us, but we had already ordered Charmaine’s favorite Naruto Roll (above right), which is an extra-large sushi roll with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, spicy krab, avocado and tobiko (flying fish roe) wrapped in cucumber. Simply amazing. 

Charmaine and I also really enjoyed the yellowtail jalapeño (above left). which was only slightly spicy, as well as a salmon “sprint,” which is slices of salmon wrapped around julienned cucumber in a mild chili sauce (right). And, since my companions loved the eel so much, we also had three pieces of eel nigiri. All of the sushi was incredibly fresh. 

But, since Jannah is only a casual fan of sushi, we also got an order of crispy and delicious gyoza (fried pork dumplings; below left) and equally crisp Chinese-style pork egg rolls (below right). Both were yummy! 

And, even though we were totally stuffed by now and took much of the food home with us, we wanted to sample (and of course, photograph) at least one hibachi dish, so we had the chicken hibachi, which featured big chunks of chicken and broccoli florets in a zesty sauce. Please note that Sushi Time does not have teppanyaki (hibachi) tables. The hibachi dishes are made in the kitchen, but are well worth having. Other hibachi options include tofu, sirloin steak, shrimp, scallops, king salmon and a variety of combos. 

Other entrĂ©es include favorites like sesame, orange and General Tso’s chicken (or tofu), Mongolian beef or chicken, beef & broccoli and “Dragon & Phoenix” (shrimp with mixed veggies & General Tso’s chicken). There also are ramen and udon noodle dishes and all of the entrĂ©e categories feature vegetable-only options. 

So, despite already being barely able to get up from the table, we finished off our meal with one order of fried (chocolate) ice cream (topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce; below right), an order of fried bananas (which were done to crisp perfection) and Jannah’s favorite green tea ice cream. 

Best of all, Sushi Time is a pretty restaurant with a variety of Japanese (Sapporo, Asahi and Kirin) and other beers, plus red and white wine, green, jasmine and boba tea, as well as a variety of soft drinks, including Japanese soda. 

The portions are large, the prices are very fair and as I said, the quality is a quantum leap above Ginza and other all-you-can-eat places. 

Need more incentive to try Sushi Time? With the coupon in the ad below, you’ll save 20% off your total bill when you dine in! 

Sushi Time (6417 E. County Line Rd., #104) is open every day for lunch and dinner, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. For more info, call (813) 907- 1688 or visit SushiTimeFL.com. Reservations are not required. Please tell them I sent you! 

Stonewood Is Again Our Readers’ Favorite Restaurant In New Tampa!

Tampa Palms Staple Stretches Streak To 10 Years In A Row! Noble Crust Regains #1 Spot In Wesley Chapel! 

 The thing that’s perhaps most amazing to me about Stonewood Grill & Tavern’s 10-year run as the #1 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa is more than just the delicious food, the always-happening bar or even the amazing people who work there (photo) — although all of that is true. 

As the person who tabulates our readers’ votes every year for the Dining Survey & Contest, the thing that always stuns me is that not only has Stonewood always received the most first-place votes, it also regularly receives the most 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th-place votes, too. And, no matter which other excellent local restaurants finish 2nd and 3rd each year, whether you count total votes or use my point system to score the results, Stonewood has still come out ahead by a wide margin. 

In other words, our readers have loved the place since it opened and, every year, people who never participated in our annual Reader Survey before, as well as many of the newcomers to our area, hear about Stonewood’s quality from their friends, try it for themselves and agree that it’s the best or at least one of the best restaurants in our area. 

And yes, that starts with both the food and the people. Executive Chef Danny Manzur (far left in photo) and operating partner Dennis Diaz (far right) bring not only years of experience to the Tampa Palms Stonewood, but also a shared understanding of how to manage people. 

For example, when I told Dennis that Stonewood had won again this year and that we needed to take pictures of at least him and his top management, he turned it into a previously unplanned pre-holiday breakfast party for his entire appreciative staff. He had them come in hours before the restaurant opened for the day and Chef Danny, kitchen manager Gary Zimmerman (2nd from right) and their kitchen staff got the grills fired up early to create three of the new dishes on the menu for our photo shoot. 

“We appreciate that the Neighborhood News readers continue to rank us #1,” Diaz told the staff before we took the photo above. “I know it’s because every one of you is just as committed to being the best as we are. And, I thank all of you for that!”


2025 Dining Survey & Contest — Your #1-#10 Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa! 

1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern 

17050 Palm Pointe Dr., Shoppes at The Pointe, Tampa Palms 

(813) 978-0388 ‱ StonewoodGrill.com 

What else can you say about the restaurant that has been our readers; favorite for ten years in a row and close to 20 times in its 20+ year history? 

Stonewood is an elegant, upscale restaurant with a happening bar crowd and some of the best steaks and fresh seafood in our area. 

The top photo is of the new grouper Giovanni, which is a limited time special that is served with a tomato cream sauce and butternut squash ravioli. Yum! 

To the right is the delicious new baked brie with a raspberry glaze, fresh fruit and nuts served with crispy toasted bread. And of course, Stonewood serves some of the best prime rib (above, right) among its #1-rated steaks.. 

And, although Stonewood is a mini-chain, now with seven locations, we are fortunate that the chain’s executive chef Danny Manzur, who creates many of Stonewood’s seasonal dishes, is based at the Tampa Palms location. Congrats! 

2. Via Italia 

8644 Hunters Village Rd., The Village at Hunter’s Lake 

(813) 475-4857 ‱ EatViaItalia.com 

Our readers have placed Via Italia in their top-3 in New Tampa every year since it opened, so clearly the restaurant being sold by original owner Roberto Maganuco to Sanjay Patel in early 2024 hasn’t affected what our readers think of New Tampa’s largest selection of fresh pasta dishes, like the spaghetti con zucchine e gamberetti (shrimp) shown above. 

Via Italia also serves outstanding woodfired pizzas, salami and cheese platters, appetizers like four different kinds of bruschetta, two different capreses, polpetta della nonna (grandma’s meatballs), chicken wings and the suppli’ al telefono (Arborio rice croquettes with premium shredded mozzarella, hand-milled pomodoro sauce and cut basil) shown here. 

3. Kobe Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse 

17641 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., North Palms Village 

(813) 680-5800 ‱ KobeSteakhouse.com 

Our readers were happy to see Kobe reopen in its new New Tampa location in Sept. 2023, as it was ranked #10 in our 2024 Reader Survey and shot up seven places to #3 for 2025. Serving some of the highest quality Japanese hibachi fare in our area, Kobe finished ahead of Liang’s Bistro (see below) overall with our readers for the first time, but somehow only finished 4th for “Favorite Asian Restaurant.” Go figure. 

4. Fat Rabbit Pub 

16029 Tampa Palms Blvd. W., City Plaza at Tampa Palms 

(813) 252-3004 ‱ FatRabbitPub.com 

After coming in at #5 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa each of the last two years, Fat Rabbit moved up to #4 this year and also finished second for both Favorite Burger and Favorite Chicken in NT & WC and as the #1 Favorite Bar in NT & WC. 

Our readers definitely seem to love Fat Rabbit’s food — like the Buffalo chicken sandwich shown here — and craft cocktails. Many readers rave about its wings, sliders and loaded fries and tater tots, too. 

There also is now a popular second location on Main St. in downtown Sarasota. 

5. Cali at Tampa Palms 

17004 Palm Pointe Dr., Shoppes at The Pointe 

(813) 975-1222 ‱ EatCali.com 

Moving up three spots with our readers this year, Cali continues to be a consistent performer in our annual Reader Survey, thanks to its high-quality fare, like the Hot & Crunchy bowl shown here (with seared ahi tuna). Cali also features hand-tossed pizzas, small plates like garlic & lime edamame and turmeric hummus, plus “chill” salads and more. 

6. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine 

17515 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 

(813) 978-1225 ‱ LiangsBistroTampa.com 

Moving down a couple of spots with our readers this year, (perhaps due to a brief closure shortly before our voting began for health department violations), Liang’s is still the go-to Chinese and Asian fusion restaurant in New Tampa, for its outstanding appetizers like egg rolls, NY-style BBQ spareribs and the Thai coconut shrimp shown here, as well as wok-fired classics in a variety of styles — from Korean BBQ to Mongolian to Sichuan & Thai. Although we didn’t have a “Chinese” category this year, Liang’s ran away with the 2025 “Favorite Asian Restaurant” title. 

7. Mr. Dunderbak’s Biergarten und Brauhaus 

14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Oak Ramble Plaza 

(813) 977-4104 ‱ DunderbaksBeer.wordpress.com 


Mr. Dunderbak’s has only missed being in our readers’ Top-10 Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa only a couple of times since moving from University Mall to the Oak Ramble Plaza more than 20 years ago. Its limited menu of deli sandwiches and a few German favorites, like the JĂ€gerschnitzel shown here, continues to attract plenty of votes and its unquestionably huge beer selection and cool vibe keeps Mr. D’s high on the “Favorite Bar” list, too, despite not having full liquor. 

8. The Grill at Morris Bridge 

10920 Cross Creek Blvd., Cross Creek Commons 

(813) 388-5353 ‱ TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com

I find it hard to believe that The Grill, which peaked at #2 Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa three years ago, has fallen as far as #8 this year. Owner Frank Gouveia and chef Mike Touranjoe continue to offer some of our area’s best steaks, fresh fish and other unique American & Italian specialties — like the pork Milanese shown here — and our readers from New England also always mention their love for its authentic “South Shore bar pizza.” The Grill also has New Tampa’s largest wine list, a happening bar scene and great craft cocktails. 

9. Box of Cubans 

17512 Doña Michelle Dr. 

(813) 632-9021 ‱ BoxofCubans.com 

It came as no surprise to yours truly that Box of Cubans was this year’s highest-rated newcomer in New Tampa. So many people have told me how much they love the authentic Cuban sandwiches and dishes like the tasty red bean chicken bowl shown here. It’s also a great place for huge Cuban breakfast sandwiches and specialties, plus some of the best cafĂ© con lechĂ© in our area. If you’re one of the few locals who haven’t yet tried it, definitely go check it out & please tell them I sent you! 

10. Acropolis Greek Taverna 

14947 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Oak Ramble Plaza 

(813) 971-1787 ‱ AcropolisTaverna.com 

After barely making the Top-25 Favorites in New Tampa list in last year’s Reader Survey (it was 23rd), Acropolis jumped 13 spots to return to its usual spot among the Top-10 Favorites in New Tampa with our readers for 2025. I guess it took a year or so for the new ownership — which has beautifully redesigned and opened up the restaurant’s interior and improved on many of the traditional Acropolis favorites (like the always-yummy Athenian fish shown here) — to recapture some of the restaurant’s former customers and attract new ones. 


2025 Dining Survey & Contest – New Tampa Top-25 

1. Stonewood Grill & Tavern (photo) 

2. Via Italia Wood Fired Pizza & Bar 

3. KobĂ© Japanese Steakhouse 

4. Fat Rabbit Pub 

5. Cali Tampa Palms 

6. Liang’s Bistro Asian Cuisine 

7. Mr. Dunderbak’s Bier Garten 

8. The Grill at Morris Bridge 

9. Box of Cubans 

10. Acropolis Greek Taverna 

11. Minerva Indian Restaurant 

12. Ha Long Bay 

13. Michi Ramen 

14. Johnny C’s Italian Eatery 

15. Sushi CafĂ© 

16. Frammi American Grille & Italian Food 

17. Don Julio’s Mexican Restaurant 

18. Cantina Mexican Restaurant 

19. Zio’s NY Bagel & Deli 

20. Las Palmas Latin Grille 

21. Cappy’s Pizza 

22. Koizi Endless Hibachi & Sushi 

23. The Little Greek 

24. Bayscape Bistro 

25. Thai Ruby 

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.

Fresh Monkee Healthy Shakes Is Now Open In Former Island Fin Poké Spot

Congratulations go out to Phani Mukkavilli (center person holding a cup in the photo, above) and Keerthi Gollamudi (not in the picture), the franchise owners of the new Fresh Monkee Wesley Chapel “healthy shakes shop,” located at 6417 E. County Line Rd., Suite 101 (which, we know, is actually in New Tampa, not Wesley Chapel) — in the same plaza as LA Fitness, in the spot previously occupied by Island Fin PokĂ© Co. 

Fresh Monkee is a growing brand that differentiates itself from the usual “smoothie” shops because it doesn’t rely on sugary fruit blends and strange powders. Founder Judy Flynn started in 2014 with “10 recipes and $5,000” in a 650-sq.-ft. space in Wethersfield, CT. Although nine of its current 28 locations (in 14 states) are in Connecticut, the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel location is the first in the Tampa Bay area. There are 27 more locations listed as “Coming Soon” on TheFreshMonkee.com, including Palm Harbor. 

Flynn said on the website that her vision for Fresh Monkee was simple: “Start every shake with high-quality protein, good carbs, healthy fats and, most importantly, real ingredients like the ones in your own kitchen. And make each shake to order — fast, convenient, and healthy.” 

Perfect for the LA Fitness crowd next door, there are 25 “Protein Shakes” on the menu, from the “Chunkee Monkee” — vanilla (or milk chocolate) protein, banana and natural peanut butter (shown left) — to “Antioxidant Berry” (water, splashes of pomegranate, or “pom,” juice, orange juice and milk, with vanilla protein, spinach and mixed berries) and so many more. 

There also are green shakes, like the “Ultimate Green” shown below left, with water, splash of pom juice, spinach, cucumber, green apple, banana, chia, flax, pineapple, ginger and your choice of lemon, orange or lime. Charmaine was a little surprised by how much she liked it. 

There also are “Mass Shakes” to help increase mass, like “Mass PB Cookie” and “Mass Strawberry Oats.” There’s even a “Protein Iced Coffee.” 

Also available for your shakes are coconut and almond milk and more than 30 different “Add-Ons,” from agave and almonds to macro greens and turmeric. 

But, Charmaine and I were both super-impressed with the 130-calorie, 13 grams of protein “Monkee Ballz” (center cup in photo, above)) that are made in-house and taste like a healthy version of the peanut butter Buckeyes you find at Cracker Barrel and other stores. They are made with natural peanut butter, oat flour, chocolate whey protein, maple syrup and vanilla extract, rolled in semi-sweet chocolate chips and coconut oil and come in 6- and 12-packs. The store also has a small selection of pre-packaged healthy snacks. 

Phani says that the shop is planning to host a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event sometime soon and that he really hopes the communities of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel will come to check out Fresh Monkee and discover why it’s truly a different…animal. 

Fresh Monkee is open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. It is closed on Saturday & Sunday. For more info, visit TheFreshMonkee.com or call (813) 838-8306. — GN, photos by Charmaine George