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Here’s what it’s like to be a Muslim in Orlando
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Donald Trump is coming to Orlando on Saturday
Donald Trump, a man who doesn’t have an opinion on the KKK, will be gracing the masses of Orlando this Saturday, March 5. The free event will be held at CFE Arena and doors will open at 9 a.m., although Trump won’t be making an appearance until around noon. You don’t have to pay to…
Whew! Fracking is dead (for now) in Florida; go drink a big glass of clean water
Last week we reported that SB 318, a Florida State Senate bill that would prevent municipalities from banning fracking, was moving forward; its counterpart in the State House, HB 191, had already passed. Today welcome news comes from Tallahassee that SB 318 is dead – for now. Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, SB 318 sponsor, withdrew…
Strong slate of shows announced for the 2016-2017 Broadway Across America season
Last night, the Florida Theatrical Association announced the touring shows that will be part of the 2016-2017 Fairwinds Broadway Across America series at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and the upcoming lineup looks shockingly strong. In recent years, it’s been de rigueur for the six-show season to feature a couple of big…
Nas phones it in for Tier Nightclub’s fourth anniversary party
This morning, @InMyEyesToo tweeted me this video of the great Nas at the fourth anniversary party of Tier Nightclub (Feb. 27), which was one of our own picks that week: The tweet summed it all by saying, “Karaoke over his own songs. RipOff 4 song/15 min set for $58.” Now, even though I seriously considered it,…
SpaceX will attempt to launch a satellite into orbit Tuesday night
After three failed attempts last week, SpaceX will try once again to launch a satellite into space this evening. The launch window for the SES-9 satellite will open at 6:35 p.m., 11 minutes earlier than the previously failed attempts, according to the Orlando Sentinel. SpaceX is hoping that the shift in time will give the…
Heroin-related deaths have quintupled in Orange County since 2011
Deaths associated with the opioid heroin have increased five-fold in Orange County, from 14 heroin-related deaths in 2011 to 75 deaths in 2014, says District Nine Medical Examiner Dr. Joshua Stephany. Stephany was speaking to the Orange County Heroin Task Force on Monday about the drug’s rising prevalence in local deaths. In 2015, 82 people…
Dr. Phillips Charities donates $3 million to UCF Downtown campus
Dr. Phillips Charities announced Tuesday, March 1, that they would be giving $3 million to the UCF Downtown campus, bringing the university closer to its goal of $20 million in community support. UCF President John C. Hitt, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, and Dr. Phillips Charities President and CEO Kenneth D. Robinson were all in attendance…
JFK’s Florida fallout bunker might finally see its demise
When a fallout bunker was constructed in Florida for John F. Kennedy, chances are no one thought that money, not a missile, could lead to its destruction. The shelter, located in Palm Beach County, is on the verge of being financially bombed out of the hands of its current operators, writes WPTV. The spot is being…
Deftones announce new tour, show at House of Blues Orlando
Some people insist that they left their industrial and nu metal days to rot once the early millennium started to fade away, yet the continuation of California-based rockers Deftones is evidence to the contrary. People’s love of this era of melancholic albeit sensual style of music is alive and well and touring, all in support of…
UCF rakes in $2.5 million more for downtown campus plans
The University of Central Florida landed $2.5 million in donations days before the school is set to present its downtown campus plans to the Florida Board of Governors this Wednesday. That puts UCF at $13 million in community support, according to a press release, which is $7 million short of the $20 million the university…
Molly Gene One Whoaman Band is next crush for Bob Log III fans (Lil Indies)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Perhaps chief among the approximately million reasons I love the little Will’s Pub/Lil Indies complex is that two shows can often be happening at once within steps of each other. Last night, under the shadow of the Grand Collab showcase next door (Feb. 28, Will’s Pub), some serious shit was getting kicked…
Disney Springs announces 30 new shops, attractions for summer of 2016
With the recent announcement of 30 new shops, attractions and restaurants coming this summer, it would appear that Disney Springs, formerly Downtown Disney, wants a slice of that sweet sweet outlet mall money. If the goal is to keep tourists on Disney property with “American” brands, then the following list of retailers will definitely do…
Alan Grayson endorses Bernie Sanders
U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson announced Monday that he #FeelsTheBern, and despite being on Hillary Clinton’s “Florida Leadership Council,” the U.S. Senate candidate says he’s endorsing presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. “I hereby endorse Bernie Sanders to be our Democratic nominee for President of the United States,” Grayson says on his Senate campaign website. “I will vote for…
West Coast descendants SWMRS and the Frights incite punk’s next generation (Backbooth)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND The recent double-headed bill of SWMRS and the Frights (Feb. 26, Backbooth) was a showcase loaded with the next wave of West Coast punk’s direct descendants. SWMRS’ lineup includes the son of Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong (drummer Joey Armstrong) and both bands are currently riding albums produced by frontman…
SeaWorld brings in former Universal Orlando hotel leadership to help with resort development
While some at SeaWorld have been infiltrating the enemy, others in the company are busy filling their luggage as they move to a new position. A massive shakeup in leadership was announced ahead of SeaWorld’s quarterly results report. Current Chief Parks Operations Officer Dan Brown has announced his retirement, being replaced by SeaWorld San Diego and…
New Star Wars fireworks display will be ‘the most elaborate’ in the history of Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Starting this summer, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will get even more Star Wars-y. A brand new nighttime show will debut at the park replacing the current Star Wars-themed Symphony in the Stars fireworks show. The new show is much more than just a traditional fireworks show. Disney is calling it “the most elaborate fireworks display in…
Second lawsuit filed against UCF over data breach involving 63,000 stolen Social Security numbers
The University of Central Florida was hit with a second lawsuit Friday over a massive data breach where hackers stole 63,000 Social Security numbers belonging to students and employees. The Orlando Sentinel reports Jeremiah Hughley, a former UCF men’s basketball team manager, is suing the university after he says his bank account was drained following the…
Tampa is getting the first ‘Cupcake ATM’ in Florida
The next best thing after an ATM filled with money is an ATM filled with cupcakes, and pretty soon Tampa will have both. The Tampa Bay Times reports Beverly Hills company Sprinkles Cupcakes is opening its first bakery and cupcake ATM in Tampa later this spring, making it the first location in Florida. The company’s…
Florida appeals court overturns injunction blocking 24-hour abortion waiting period
The Florida law that mandates women wait 24 hours before they can have an abortion is now enforceable in the state after an appeals court lifted an injunction that blocked the law, reports the Associated Press. A lawsuit was filed last year by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights for an emergency…
Theater review: ‘Kinky Boots’ high-steps into the Dr. Phillips Center
Here in the U.S.A., we like to think we are unusually advanced on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, with everything from Lady Gaga to legal gay marriage offered as evidence. But the most sophisticated American metropolis is decades behind your average blue-collar village in the British boondocks, if the past decade of movie-inspired…
Heartless Bastards evolve but stay true, country-rockers Susto prove one to watch (The Social)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND With each successive time seeing them on stage, I just root harder and harder for Heartless Bastards (Feb. 24, the Social). They started out true, with pure gut, but have been able to expand and evolve without losing any of that. Although deeply ancestral to great American music heritage, this mighty, enduring…
Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth updates his classic ’70s rockers at the Plaza Live Saturday
In our round-up of 2015’s best releases, we mentioned Uli Jon Roth’s Scorpions Revisited, noting that the iconic ex-Scorpions guitarist had, by re-recording mid-’70s Scorpions tracks, gone down a route not unfamiliar to aging rockers with decreasing royalty checks. That he wildly succeeded in updating those songs – “Dark Lady” and “Virgin Killer” most notably…
Miami’s the Grey 8s anchor the Grand Collab’s multi-genre showcase at Will’s Pub Sunday
For over a year, we’ve been singing the praises of the Grand Collab as one of the city’s most refreshing live-music serials. Its diverse-by-design format and curation have been a small goldmine for open-minded seekers of new Florida music, turning us on to more young acts (fresh finds like Heavy Drag, Hypoluxo, Kristen Warren and…
Eat yourself silly at this weekend’s Downtown Food and Wine Fest at Lake Eola Park
There doesn’t really need to be an excuse for daytime drinking, but if you insist on one, there’s always the Downtown Food & Wine Fest over at Lake Eola. The annual event is in its eighth iteration, and it’s presenting you with as many options as ever. Dive right into meals from over 30 local…
Get all the fun of an MFA program at a fraction of the cost at the Litlando Creative Writing Conference Saturday
Whether you’re trying to pitch a Pride and Prejudice and Werewolves spin-off or are stuck writing the next Great American Novel, the friends you’ve antagonized by constantly talking about your book might need a break this weekend. What better place for an aspiring writer than Litlando? The conference on Saturday covers seven major topics, including…
Flash back to Florida’s late ’80s heyday at Super Freestyle Explosion at the CFE Arena
Though Florida’s contributions to the national musical landscape are thought of too often as just Mickey Mouse boy bands (Backstreet Boys, NSync) or vehicles for douchebags (Creed, Limp Bizkit), there was a time in the late ’80s and early ’90s when South Florida’s burgeoning dance scene gave birth to a new style so fresh and…
SeaWorld admits employees posed as animal activists
Seven months after animal rights activists accused a SeaWorld employee of posing as one of them to spy on their organization, SeaWorld Entertainment CEO Joel Manby says the company will no longer allow employees to impersonate activists. Manby admitted the practice during a call with analysts, according to BuzzFeed News. “Our board of directors,” Manby…
Civil liberties groups support students in Valencia College lawsuit over transvaginal ultrasounds
Several civil liberties groups have filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting three female sonography students who are appealing a federal district judge’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges Valencia College faculty pressured students to undergo weekly transvaginal ultrasounds. A transvaginal ultrasound is a medical procedure that involves inserting a probe into the vagina to examine internal…
Somehow this cat made a mysterious journey from Wisconsin to Florida
Only this cat knows how she managed to travel thousands of miles from Wisconsin all the way to Southwest Florida. According to CBS Miami, a Russian Blue cat named Nadia disappeared, seemingly for good, last Christmas from her home in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. “Christmas Eve day, which was a very windy day here in Sheboygan, our…
You can now buy a Golden Snitch engagement ring for the witch or wizard of your dreams
In Quidditch, and in relationships, when a Seeker finally catches a Golden Snitch, the game is over. So, when that magical moment happens and you finally meet a wizard that puts the magic in your wand, be sure to have an appropriate engagement ring. For only $150, you can now put a winged-sterling silver Golden…
Gov. Rick Scott requests more Zika test kits after three pregnant women test positive
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 250 more Zika virus antibody tests for the state, according to the daily Zika update from the Florida Department of Health. The state department is also reporting three pregnant women tested positive for travel-related cases of mosquito-borne virus. So far, Florida…
Congress to hear testimony from Disney workers fired to make way for H-1B visa holders
Remember that time that Walt Disney World fired 250 tech workers so it could replace them with contract workers from other countries? If not, read about it here. We’ll wait. The quick-and-dirty version is that last year Disney fired the employees and told them that, if they wanted to receive severance pay, they had to…
Maitland sushi spot RanGetsu to close Saturday, March 5
RanGetsu, the Japanese restaurant and sushi lounge that relocated to Maitland from the I-Drive area in 2011, is closing its doors in just a little over a week. In our review of the rebranded restaurant, we said, “Stepping into the new RanGetsu is like stepping into a sexy Ginza supper club – everything exudes swank.”…
New film series More Q Than A premieres at Avalon Island with ‘The Story of a Three Day Pass’
Local culture movers Patrick Greene, Kyle Eagle and Joshua “Uncomfortable Brunch” Martin have joined forces in a new venture – their monthly film series, More Q Than A, launches tonight in the upstairs theater at Avalon, bringing a twinge of joy to the hearts of all the old D.MAC fans. The first film they’ll present…
The Central Florida Fair returns for three weeks starting this Thursday
This year, the Central Florida Fair encompasses three weekends of rickety carnival rides, fried Oreos and swine showmanship. Try to keep your lunch down with the rest of the thrill-seekers on stomach-churning vertical drop rides, or mill around the craft exhibits and admire the perfectly hand-stitched pillow covers. Events throughout the fair include dancers, musicians,…
Creed Bratton of ‘The Office’ gets back to his Grass Roots at Backbooth
When the American version of The Office premiered, many fans of the U.K. version denounced it for a mere rip-off that didn’t ascend to the comedic heights nor plunge to the cringey depths of the original. But it didn’t take long for the writers of the show to deploy their secret weapon: the supporting cast.…
Nerdcore pioneer MC Chris brings his high-pitched rap game to the Social Thursday
MC Chris didn’t just suck in a bunch of helium and then step up to the mic – that’s actually how his voice sounds. Now that the 40-year-old nerdcore hip-hop pioneer has gotten over the “nerdcore” label, he’s more focused on his rap game than ever – when he isn’t changing his new baby’s diapers,…
Washington Post speculates Donald Trump could pick Rick Scott as VP
When Florida Gov. Rick Scott praised presidential candidate and part-time Florida man Donald Trump last month in a gushy USA Today op-ed, it was a little strange, but the Washington Post speculates it could have been early flattery from a potential vice president. As the Miami New Times notes, both have been compared to…
Low wages cost Florida taxpayers $11.4 billion yearly, SEIU study says
Florida’s minimum wage of $8.05 isn’t just impacting workers who have to stretch every penny — it’s also affecting Florida taxpayers, to the tune of $11.4 billion in public assistance every year, according to a Service Employees International Union (SEIU) report. A recent study, done by Florida State University professor Patrick Mason and commissioned by…
Opening in Orlando: Eddie the Eagle, Gods of Egypt and Triple Nine
Eddie the Eagle I sometimes ponder what life is like for the members of the focus groups that were the first to evaluate “Who Let the Dogs Out.” I wonder if they wish they could go back and change their initial impression, which was probably along the lines of “Yeah, it’s cute, I guess. I…
This Little Underground: The Mayfield Family Parade
I’ve been to too many benefits in the name of local musicians. By very definition, they’re not ideal situations. But when you get to attend one where your support directly aids a living person rather than their memory, that’s a blessing. At the recent benefit for Junior Bruce guitarist Bryan Raymond (Feb. 20, Will’s Pub),…
Free Will Astrology (2/24/16)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Just one species has a big enough throat to swallow a person whole: the sperm whale. If you happen to be sailing the high seas any time soon, I hope you will studiously avoid getting thrown overboard in the vicinity of one of these beasts. The odds are higher than usual…
Gimme Shelter (2/24/16)
Are you looking to add a furry friend to your family? Johnny Cat (Animal ID A341267) is a 5-year-old kitty looking for a forever home. This handsome boy is very friendly with people and other animals. He loves being petted and he purrs up a storm. Johnny Cat has a mellow personality, and he would…
Savage Love (2/24/16)
Gay, 30-something male in Washington, D.C. My boyfriend of three years has been acting strange – not taking his anti-depression meds, says he’s feeling weird. He has withdrawn, sleeps 15 hours a day and has been canceling on commitments to socialize with friends. That I am fine with – he’s blue, and I get it.…
This Modern World (2/24/16)
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A local activist is suing the city for selling land to Orlando City Soccer Club, officials say she has no standing
Hours after Orlando’s local officials applauded themselves for a deal that would sell almost 12 acres in Parramore to Orlando City Soccer Club for $18 million, several news segments hit the airwaves with the latest scoop – the city was being sued. Community activist Lawanna Gelzer and her mother, Betty Gelzer, filed a complaint for…
Selections: Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, Feb. 24-Mar. 1
Thursday, Feb. 25 MC Chris MC Chris didn’t just suck in a bunch of helium and then step up to the mic – that’s actually how his voice sounds. Now that the 40-year-old nerdcore hip-hop pioneer has gotten over the “nerdcore” label, he’s more focused on his rap game than ever – when he isn’t…
Oblivion Taproom has reopened, James Beard nominations are out, plus more in our weekly food news roundup
Congrats go out to Kathleen Blake, Scott Hunnel, and James and Julie Petrakis for being named James Beard Award semifinalists in the Best Chef: South category. Final nominees will be announced March 15. The Art of the Cocktail, a three-part cocktail class and competition at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Feb. 24) at Aggressive Appliances, allows guests to mix it…
Picks This Week: Nas, Wet Nurse, the Zombies and more
The Zombies It’s the time of the season for Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone to remind you why they’re still packing the house 47 years after they broke up the first time. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, at the Plaza Live, $39.50-$150 Michael Brun The Haitian DJ and producer recorded his latest hit, “Wherever I…
At Big Daddy’s the drinks are cheap, but the experience is rich
Big Daddy’s 3001 Corrine Drive, 407-644-2844; bigdaddysorlando.com After work or after hours? After hours Beer/wine or liquor too? Beer, wine and liquor 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 ☒ wide selection…
Gary Metz’s Quaking Aspen: A Lyric Complaint renders the vernacular transcendent
What’s the difference between a selfie and a self-portrait? What distinguishes a majestic landscape from a humdrum one? Why is this building important, and that one no big deal? In other words, who gets to call it art? August and revered nature photographers of the Ansel Adams type (see also: David Muench, Clyde Butcher, Frank…
Current plays Ruined and Painting Churches take place – literally and sociologically – on opposite sides of the planet
When I cover two different subjects in a single week, I usually use a clever segue to tie them together. But for this column, I can’t even. After spending Saturday morning watching Trump trounce in South Carolina, and Saturday afternoon watching PBS documentaries about the Black Panthers and Tom Bradley, our world feels implacably polarized…
Locked and loaded: Predictions for this year’s Oscars
The tops look like locks at this year’s Oscars
