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Florida Senate wants insurance requirements for Uber drivers
The Senate rolled out a new set of insurance requirements Tuesday for popular app-based transportation services such as Uber and Lyft. However, senators are still not on board with a House measure that would prevent local governments from regulating “transportation-network companies.” The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee unanimously supported a revised bill (SB 1118) by…
Pearl Jam’s 2016 spring tour will make four stops in Florida, but none in Orlando
Pearl Jam released their 2016 tour dates today, and get this – the North American tour will begin April 8 in Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale! Is Pearl Jam going to be on spring break? Will today’s spring breakers know who Pearl Jam is? Who knows! From there, it hops to Miami for a show on…
This headline tells you all you need to know: Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump
In case you don’t care to read the entire press release (pasted below), here’s the takeaway. “Trusted conservative” Sarah Palin says she’s “proud to endorse” Donald Trump for president. “She can pick winners.” Henceforth, we shall call them Palump. Full text of the release from the Trump campaign, if you can stand it, below. Today…
Orange County: Dog found near dead racoon tests negative for rabies
Orange County Animal Services says Speck, the dog euthanized last week after OCAS officials found the canine next to a dead racoon but failed to quarantine her, has tested negative for rabies. “No shelter animals, personnel or volunteers are determined to have been at risk for the potential to contract the disease,” the agency says…
According to study, Floridians spend more than $1.5 million on smoking over a lifetime
Tobacco use has always made quite the dent in a smoker’s wallet, and according to a new study the average Floridian smoker spends a total of whopping $1.5 million over a lifetime. Based on a study by WalletHub, Florida ranks 21st in the nation for the cost of smoking in a lifetime. The study used…
Look at the gross, amazing burgers that could be at the Florida State Fair
The Florida State Fair is happening early next month in Tampa and bringing all kinds of culinary (mis)adventures with it. Before the fair starts on Feb. 4, you will have the chance to vote for one of four burgers hoping to get the “People’s Choice” award and appear on the fair menu, according to the…
Southern Fried Sunday celebrates 10 years with total festival atmosphere (Will’s Pub)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Two important local concert institutions notch big anniversaries this week: live series Southern Fried Sunday (10 years) and show promoter Norsekorea (five years). Presenting countless hours of good times and great bands, these are two of the most respected names in the Orlando music scene. So big salutes to them both for…
Campus MovieFest launches at UCF
Cameras are rolling today at the University of Central Florida as students scramble to produce cinematic masterpieces for the annual Campus MovieFest, where teams are given only a week to produce a five-minute short film. Campus MovieFest is the world’s largest student film festival, which started back in 2001 and has since grown to allow…
Pay your respects to the Thin White Duke at these David Bowie tributes
It’s been just over a week since the news broke about David Bowie’s death, but if you haven’t moved past depression into acceptance, there are several ways to mourn the man this week. Enzian wasted no time in securing a license to show both The Man Who Fell to Earth and Labyrinth this week. Nicolas…
Miami’s mayor embraces proposed ferry to Cuba, calling it ‘inevitable’
With tensions easing between the U.S. and Cuba, Miami is looking to position itself to benefit from new trade between the two former rivals. PortMiami is currently investigating the feasibility of building a terminal for a ferry linking Miami to Cuba. The new terminal would be for both passengers and cargo using larger boats that…
Orlando’s Black Lives Matter activists want to reclaim Dr. King as a revolutionary
Since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, his stances as a radical activist has been obscured by the image of a whitewashed hero who only has a cherry-picked message of peace and tolerance. It’s the only way we can explain why Donald Trump, a presidential candidate who has insulted Muslims, Mexicans…
Thirsty Topher is no longer a cash-only bar
Forget about all those dollar dollar bills, y’all, because cash no longer rules everything about Thirsty Topher. After moving from their old Ivanhoe Village location a few weeks ago, the popular bar and wine stop was operating under a not-so-convenient cash only policy. But, this is no longer the case. Drinks on the company card! …
Disney files intent with FAA to fly drones over Walt Disney World
In 2014, Disney filed a number of patents for the use of drones in show settings. Those patents included using drones to control massive puppets, hold massive shape-shifting projection screens and to hold digital pixel screens. Those floating pixels, better known as “flixels,” have now reared their head once again. This time, the flixels are…
Osceola County man charged with toddler’s death is denied a new trial
Back in September, we told you the story of Giovanni Vega, an Osceola County man indicted in 1999 for allegedly beating a toddler to death and who was trying to prove his innocence. After an evidentiary hearing on Friday, Vega, 36, was denied a new trial by Judge Jon B. Morgan. Vega was 19 when…
Activists and community members gathered to #ReclaimMLK during Black Lives Matter vigil in downtown Orlando
While some cities around the country reported some inconvenient disruptions related to MLK Day, the Black Lives Matter candlelight vigil in downtown Orlando outside police headquarters tonight was quiet. Rather than anger, it reflected sadness, solidarity and hope. People read the final words of some of the most recent victims of police brutality and abuse,…
Jack Daniel’s releases limited edition Motörhead bottle in Lemmy’s honor
Although Jack Daniel’s and Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister had already teamed up to release a Motörhead 40th anniversary line of the Kentucky bourbon and half (literally) of Lemmy’s favorite drink, Jack and Coke, there is now a limited-edition bottle and batch for Lemmy – a commemorative memento dedicated to the man who was killed by…
Eat all the meats at Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown, Jan. 30
There’s no guarantee it’ll stay chilly until then, but you can bet your boots there will be plenty of fire to go around at Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown, a barbecue invitational at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford. The saucy weekend kicks off on Friday night with a dinner for competitors, but really gets going on Saturday.…
Orlando’s first Coquito Master gives tips for concocting the perfect Puerto Rican drink
For the next year, Orlando Roman can say he makes the best traditional coquito in the city. Roman won Orlando’s first Coquito Masters competition last week against several other contestants at the Asociación Borinqueña on Econlockhatchee Trail. Coquito, a Puerto Rican beverage similar to eggnog, is a delightful mix of rum, coconut milk, condensed milk, vanilla,…
Today at 6 p.m.: Black Lives Matter vigil in honor of MLK Day
Yesterday, the city of Orlando held its 32nd annual parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Today, activists and community members are holding a vigil to remind the world that the work MLK set out to do is not finished. Organize Now! Racial Justice Committee, the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Florida, the…
Eat (sort of) and exercise at the same time at the Flavor Run, Feb. 13
If you always thought it might be cool to burn off your calories as soon as you eat them, your dreams have been made a reality at The Flavor Run 5K at Bill Frederick Park. The race begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. The Flavor Run 5K is basically the Color Run, only instead…
35 Years Later: Styx – ‘Paradise Theatre’
Last night, for reasons entirely too convoluted to explain, I was standing around in a Palm Springs casino showroom that was empty except for myself, my traveling companions, a tight-knit and highly efficient road crew, and the six members of Styx, who were onstage for a sound check. And although I’ve loved Styx since I…
Hub 925, a new coworking space, now open in Dr. Phillips
Dr. Phillips-area residents: You no longer need to hike to downtown Orlando to take advantage of coworking space. There’s a new shared workspace, called Hub 925, that recently opened at 7594 Sand Lake Road in the Venezia Plaza (upstairs from Starbucks). People interested in shared workspace can drop in (no contract needed) for $45 per…
Black Rooster Taqueria to open “second week of February”
Attention Mills 50 taco freaks! The wait is almost over. John and Juliana Calloway, proprietors of Black Rooster Taqueria, hope to open their much-anticipated eatery at 1323 N. Mills Ave. the “second week of February.” This won’t necessarily make the wait any easier, but they shared photos of some of their menu items and, well,…
Local chef Ashley Nickell gets fired up as a contestant on Hell’s Kitchen Season 15, premiering tonight
Chef Ashley Nickell of Funky Monkey Wine Bar & Bistro was a contestant in Season 15 of “Hell’s Kitchen,” which premieres 9 p.m. tonight on Fox. In the way of all reality TV, she’ll have to keep her mouth shut to avoid handing out spoilers as the rest of us watch week to week to…
Video: Man steals almost $4,000 worth of alcohol from Vain nightclub
A local homeless man has been accused of using a rolling trash can to take thousands of dollars worth of booze from the liquor room of downtown Orlando’s Vain nightclub, and rolling it away. “He cleaned us out,” says a Vain nightclub employee when watching the surveillance footage. According to police reports, George Goins stole…
Worth the drive: Sunshine Music Festival brings eclectic Southern Funk to St. Pete & Boca this weekend
The 2016 Sunshine Music Festival promises a foot-stomping good time for musical pilgrims this weekend. The fest, which takes place in in St. Pete on Saturday and Boca Raton on Sunday, features a comprehensive line up of rock, blues rock, bluegrass and folk acts. Headliners Tedeschi Trucks Band bring their Jacksonville twang to the main…
Walk down memory lane with Southern Fried Sunday founder Jessica Pawli
A few rockin’ Southern bands here, a mountain of pulled pork there, a roomful of friends around that corner and you’ve got yourself a typical Southern Fried Sunday—Orlando’s most delicious monthly music event. Under the leadership of founder Jessica Pawli, this gem originating at the Copper Rocket Maitland likely would’ve never blossomed into the Orlando…
Orange County Animal Services didn’t quarantine dog found next to dead raccoon
Speck, an injured dog found by Orange County Animal Services officials in a Dumpster next to a dead raccoon, was euthanized Wednesday after OCAS failed to quarantine her when they found her earlier this month. The Orlando Sentinel reports that finding Speck near a dead raccoon is a “red flag for rabies,” a deadly virus…
Reverend Horton Heat and Unknown Hinson headline Southern Fried Sunday’s massive 10th anniversary show
Southern Fried Sunday celebrates 10 years of pickin’ and grinnin’ this Sunday with a daylong anniversary hootenanny featuring an outdoor stage of local and touring acts headlined by Reverend Horton Heat and Unknown Hinson sharing a double-wide two-hour set. The red-eyed revelry kicks off early with local punks the Hamiltons, followed by accordion-wielding pub-core pirates…
Fifth annual Night of Fire creates a burning sensation at Crealdé School of Art
The heat is on tonight at Crealdé’s fifth annual Night of Fire, an evening of art activities and demos that’s crowned by a live bronze pour. In addition to the molten metal, there will be warming accompaniments like a raku pottery firing, a light-painting photography display and a storytelling session around a bonfire. Also on…
Functionally Literate pairs local writer Kristen Arnett with lauded up-and-comer Matthew Salesses
FuncLit is back with its first event of 2016, and it’s a doozy. Matthew Salesses has five published books to his name – Roxane Gay (Bad Feminist) called his recent novel, The Hundred-Year Flood, “epic and devastating and full of natural majesty” – as well as writing for basically your whole morning blogroll: Salon, The Toast,…
Haggis and hernias: Scottish Highland Games return to Winter Springs this weekend
Sponsored by the Scottish-American Society of Central Florida, these annual games mostly involve moving heavy shit, whether that means lifting a boulder and carrying it as far as you can or trying to chuck a telephone pole end over end, but the real fun happens on the adjacent field, where Highland dancing, bagpipers, border collies…
The Villages has the best credit score in the country, says study
Residents at the Villages seem to put as much care into their credit as they do their golf carts. According to a 2016 survey by WalletHub, credit ratings at the retirement community ranked the highest among 2,570 U.S. cities, with an average credit score of 779.51. Source: Wallethub This should come as no surprise; retirees aren’t closing…
Take a selfie with Monster Jam monster trucks next Thursday
Here’s your chance to stand next to a 10,000-pound monster truck. The annual Monster Jam truck rally will be making its way to the Orlando Citrus Bowl Saturday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., and in preparation for the show, trucks will be on display at various locations in and around the Orlando area next Thursday, Jan.…
The Color Run goes tropical for a good cause on Saturday
Sweat, island-themed paint and endorphins mix together at the Color Run this weekend at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. “The Happiest 5K on the Planet” brings its Tropicolor World Tour to drench you in color and island smells as you prance through an inflatable musical paradise. The run also highlights Second Harvest Food Bank of Central…
One of the last Kmarts in Central Florida will be closing its doors soon
Bad news, bargain-hunters: There will soon be one less blue light special in Central Florida. One of the last remaining Kmarts in Florida will shut its doors this March. “Store closures are part of a series of actions we’re taking to reduce ongoing expenses, adjust our asset base, and accelerate the transformation of our business model,”…
Watch DJ Khaled try to inspire Jeb Bush
You could say presidential candidate and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush needs some advice. He’s still trailing behind Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and taking veiled shots at his ex-protégé, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, for the latter’s height. To inspire Bush’s campaign, DJ Khaled sent the presidential candidate a personal message on Jimmy Kimmel Live. For…
Trump recruits Pensacola’s Freedom Girls for creepiest rally ever
In a move that should surprise exactly no one, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign appears to have thrown our basic precepts about reality out the window and recruited living cartoons from Pensacola to open for the Republican frontrunner at a rally on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The “Freedom Girls,” as Phoenix, Arizona’s Fox 10 affiliate identifies them,…
Athens’ Mothers validates early hype, Swept deepens Lakeland’s talent pool, Tre Hester goes solo
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND For a young act with very little tangible trail, Mothers is emerging on some considerable national-level groundswell. The Athens band doesn’t even have an album out yet (that happens on Feb. 26 on Grand Jury) but they’re already coming with some heavy advance buzz and even some industry forces gathering behind them.…
Local artist Thomas Thorspecken says he won’t sketch in Winter Park anymore due to newly passed ban on artists
The streets of Winter Park will be a lot quieter, and much less colorful, now that the city has voted to ban street performers from its sidewalks. On Dec. 14, the Orlando Sentinel reported that the Winter Park City Commission had unanimously voted to ban street performances after receiving complaints from merchants who said performers…
Sandwich of the week: hot pastrami
Pastrami sandwiches are usually kinda heavy, being of the deli-style “mountain of meat (and nothing else) between two slices of bread” school. But you have to admire the simplicity: pastrami, yellow mustard, rye bread, thats it. (Half-sour pickle on the side, please.) Today actually happens to be National Hot Pastrami Day (whatever), but also, we…
Third annual Flagler Film Festival scheduled for this weekend
The third annual Flagler Film Festival will be held January 15-17 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Palm Coast, Florida. The festival is open to the public, with ticket prices ranging from $5 for a single block, to $10 for a day, to $25 for the entire weekend. But because the event showcases many low-budget…
CNN investigation says Florida repealed pediatric heart-surgery standards after healthcare company donated to the GOP
Here’s a disturbing story posted today by CNN.com that suggests that the state of Florida and Gov. Rick Scott may have lowered quality standards for heart surgery in children after a troubled hospital shown to have an abnormally high death rate for pediatric cardiac patients donated $200,000 to Gov. Scott and the state GOP. According…
Winning Powerball ticket sold in Melbourne Beach
Someone in Florida has become very rich today, and has either not realized it or is too excited to move. Florida Lottery officials say a winning Powerball ticket for the $1.59 billion jackpot was sold at the Publix on Highway A1A in Melbourne Beach, according to the Associated Press. Two other winning tickets were sold…
Delaney’s Tavern coming to Downtown South
We told you this week about Doc’s Streetside Grille closing and how the space will soon give way to a 54-room boutique hotel with restaurant called “The Delaney.” Well, now we have some additional details. The restaurant will be called “Delaney’s Tavern” and will feature “New American cuisine, small plates, and shareables” says Greg Allowe,…
Ani DiFranco expertly combines the personal and political at the Plaza Live Friday
Ani DiFranco’s résumé can be pretty intimidating to those who have never seen her live. The lauded songwriter started her own label, Righteous Babe, before she was legally allowed to drink, and has worked with everyone from folkies Pete Seeger and Utah Phillips to jazz saxophonist Maceo Parker to the legendary Prince. But anyone who…
Florida ranks as one of the nation’s least innovative states
Innovative is a vague yet fiercely desired 21st-century label, one that Florida does not really possess, according to a new study. According to a study by Bloomberg News, Florida, despite statewide efforts, ranks as the 35th most innovative state in the nation. Bloomberg ranked each state’s “innovativeness” using an index that included research and development…
Get a glimpse of the future of interactive tech at Otronicon this weekend
Remember when being a techie meant that nobody understood you? You were the one who knew how to build websites from scratch and write your own code and you knew, at least in a general sense, what a simulator was for. Tech is no longer an oddball hobby or obscure vocation – being a techie…
Florida House takes aim at so-called ‘sanctuary’ cities
Despite emotional pleas from immigrant advocates, state House members Wednesday moved forward with measures aimed at cracking down on cities and counties that provide “sanctuary” for undocumented immigrants and increasing penalties for people who defy deportation orders. The House Civil Justice Subcommittee voted 9-4 to back a measure (HB 675) by Rep. Larry Metz, R-Yalaha,…
Tampa men form ‘mother of all Powerball pools,’ buy 73,000 tickets
The odds of Ryan McGuinness and Shane Krugman individually winning the $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to the Tampa Bay Times. But the odds of winning for McGuinness, Krugman and 270 other people who each chipped in $500 into what could be the mother of all Powerball pools: That’s slightly over 1…
Gov. Rick Scott urges job creation, tax cuts on first day of Florida Legislature’s session
Florida had such a busy day Tuesday with the news that the U.S. Supreme Court declared the state’s death penalty system unconstitutional that it overshadowed Gov. Rick Scott’s State of the State address to the Florida Legislature. For those who missed it, it sounded a lot like this: jobs, jobs, jobs, please pass my tax…
Nom nom nomimono: special food and cocktail pairing next Wednesday in Sushi Pop’s new lounge
Nomimono means “drinks” in Japanese, or so the friendly folks at Sushi Pop tell us. They also tell us seating is limited at their Nomimono Tasting next Wednesday evening, Jan. 20, so you’d better hop to if you want to get in on what looks like an extremely pleasing pairing of small bites with creative…
The Punknecks serve country-punk with swagger and style (Will’s Pub)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND As the name promises, the Punknecks (Jan. 11, Will’s Pub) – aka Jason and the Punknecks – are a country-punk outfit. They’re currently coming out of Nashville, but their caricatured aesthetic is more like outlaw country spirit filtered through L.A. or Vegas. With lots of costume, tattoos and attitude, their deal is…
Orlando City announces soccer stadium won’t open this year
Sorry, Lions fans. Orlando City Soccer Club founder and president Phil Rawlins says in a statement this morning that construction of the soccer stadium is taking longer than previously thought, so the team will play its 2016 season in the Citrus Bowl. “We continue to make progress on our new Downtown Stadium, and we expect…
TroyBoi brings the sound of London’s trap scene to Venue 578
Straight out of London’s underground dance scene comes TroyBoi, whose trap tracks bring Venue 578 a taste of the purest uncut filth that’s pumping out of the veins of dubstep’s birthplace. Perfect for both the most basic of betches and the glitchiest of tweakers, TroyBoi blends the best of hip-hop and EDM into a homogenized…
Savage Love (1/13/16)
As a queer man of color – I’m Asian – I feel wounded whenever I am exposed to gay men in New York City, Toronto or any city where white gay men dominate. Gay men, mostly whites and Asians, reject me because of my race and no one admits to their sexual racism. I understand that sexual…
Free Will Astrology (1/13/16)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) You love autonomy. You specialize in getting the freedom and sovereignty you require. You are naturally skilled at securing your independence from influences that might constrain your imagination and limit your self-expression. But here’s a sticking point: If you want the power to help shape group processes, you must give up…
Elixir Orlando is all things to all partiers
Elixir Orlando 9 W. Washington St., 407-985-3507, elixirorlando.net After work or after hours? Both – plus a big lunch scene Beer/wine or liquor too? Both Check all that apply: ☐ fancy cocktails ☒ make ’em strong and keep ’em coming ☐ wine list (5 choices or more) ☒ craft beer ☒ beer: the usual suspects…
Gimme Shelter (1/13/16)
This senior pup is in need of a comfy new home. Meet Oreo! He is a 10-year-old dog who was recently surrendered to the shelter. Oreo is a very friendly dog who gets along well with everyone. He really enjoys being petted and spending time outside. He walks well on a leash and he’s housebroken.…
Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, Jan. 13-19
Thursday, 14 TroyBoi MUSIC Straight out of London’s underground dance scene comes TroyBoi, whose trap tracks bring Venue 578 a taste of the purest uncut filth that’s pumping out of the veins of dubstep’s birthplace. Perfect for both the most basic of betches and the glitchiest of tweakers, TroyBoi blends the best of hip-hop and…
Playwrights’ Round Table, a ‘Cabaret Scream Fest’ at Parliament House and more from Orlando’s arts scene
Welcome to the first Culture 2 Go column of 2016, where we’re recovering from holidays with some New Year’s news nuggets from Orlando’s arts scene: Christmas has come and gone, but you still have one last chance to celebrate the holiday with Jane Henson’s Nativity Story, whose final tour stop of the season is at…
Lulu Eightball (1/13/16)
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Picks This Week: Punk Brunch, Marc With a C, Geri X and more
Geri X The St. Pete goth-folk troubadour makes an overdue stop in town to showcase the intimate songwriting of last year’s EPs The Low Road and The Bedroom Sessions, Vol. 2: The Naked Truth. 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Will’s Pub, $7 Defeated Sanity The German death-metal juggernaut headlines a packed bill that includes…
Theme-park fans bid emotional adieus to two long-running entertainments
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Jaws. Horizons. Back to the Future. All much-missed Orlando attractions whose closures caused consternation among theme-park fans. And as of the first week of 2016, you can add the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights and Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue to that list. The latest two members of this morose club may…
Carol is haunting despite its emotional distance
Unobtainable love
Opening in Orlando: 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Norm of the North and Ride Along 2
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi Personally, I couldn’t have made it through 2016 without knowing what Michael Bay thinks about Benghazi. Some people would like you to think that the schlockmeister’s impressions of the incident are all nice and apolitical: Star John Krasinski told Stephen Colbert that 13 Hours takes no stand beyond…
This Little Underground: Punk on the Patio makes big downtown debut
New year, new things – it’s how it should be (although I’d gladly have Bowie for a few more). And already, we have a fresh new live-series hopeful up at bat. I mentioned it last month, but Punk on the Patio, the new event baby by rising scene-maker Marshal Rones (of Foundation Presents), is now…
