As entertainment tastes change, Central Florida’s shopping centers are evolving to stay relevant
While the outlets and Disney Springs have seen some return of pre-pandemic crowd levels, many Central Florida shopping centers continue to struggle. The story isn’t one exclusive to the region as the nation grapples with the glut of underused retail and aging malls. Now, across metro Orlando, even some of the most popular shopping centers…
Icon Park is getting a ton of new attractions, but its developer seems to have given up on tourists
Orlando’s Icon Park made a big splash when, in 2015, it opened with the largest observation wheel east of the Mississippi. The development, then known as I-Drive 360, has seen a constant stream of tourists. Since then, various plans for a massive influx of new attractions have been planned but with multiple new attractions now…
A Florida couple was arrested after exiting a moving plane via emergency slide with their puppy
A Lake Worth couple caused mayhem on a flight departing New York’s LaGuardia Airport today when they unlatched a cabin door and bounced (literally) from the Atlanta-bound plane. The Associated Press reports that Antonio Murdock, 31, and Brianna Greco, 23, were arrested on charges including criminal mischief and trespassing. According to witnesses on the flight, Murdock…
Walt Disney World’s Blizzard Beach water park to re-open in March 2021
Walt Disney World Resort’s Blizzard Beach water park is finally going to reopen in early 2021, Disney representatives confirmed on Tuesday. The water park has been shuttered for the better part of a year, but will open its doors again on March 7, 2021, according to Disney’s website. Blizzard Beach closed along with all other…
Orlando International Airport’s new radar system tracks people, not planes
The ongoing pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands across the nation hasn’t stopped many Americans from traveling this holiday season, so Orlando International Airport has turned to new technology to keep travelers as safe as possible. Earlier this season, they rolled out the world’s first installation of the Evenflow Crowd Radar system at select…
There is an open call for Orlando musicians to contribute a tune to a Will’s Pub benefit compilation through January
Orlando show promoters Montgomery Drive are putting out an open call for musical contributions for a Will’s Pub benefit compilation album. And you, the enterprising local musician, have until the end of January to shoot your shot. To contribute a track or get more information about doing so, send an email to WillsPubComp@gmail.com. Confirmed bands…
Apopka’s Scotty Foundation horse sanctuary holding volunteer event this weekend
The Scotty Foundation, a Central Florida nonprofit horse sanctuary, is having a bit of a rough 2020, as are many nonprofits and charitable organization locally and all over the country. In hopes of ending the year on a happier note, Scotty is holding a charity event this Saturday; it’s free and all you have to…
Rebekah Jones files suit against DeSantis, FDLE alleging unlawful search and seizure
A fired Florida Department of Health data analyst who contends Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has manipulated COVID-19 statistics filed a lawsuit Sunday alleging state law-enforcement agents violated her rights when they searched her home and hauled away computer equipment. Attorneys for Rebekah Jones, who has drawn national attention for her battles with the DeSantis administration,…
Milk District becomes the ‘Almond Milk District’ through January to promote plant-based options
Merchants in Orlando’s Milk District are marking the start of 2021 with a health-conscious New Year’s resolution: to encourage vegan-friendly food and beverage options in the Main Street District’s shops and restaurants. To that end, through January the Milk District will be running the “Almond Milk District” promotion, with 15 businesses promoting plant-based food and…
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford area has the highest unemployment rate in the state as Florida’s jobless numbers hold steady
Florida’s unemployment rate held steady in November, as businesses did not boost seasonal hiring as much as usual amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The state Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday posted a 6.4 percent jobless rate for November, equal to a revised jobless mark for October. The rate indicates 651,000 Floridians qualified as unemployed in…
Florida Republican wants to make it harder for state to move to single-payer health care, a thing no one has said they plan to do
A Senate Republican wants to change the Florida Constitution to make it harder to move to a single-payer health care system. Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, filed a proposed constitutional amendment (SJR 340) on Monday that would require two-thirds votes of both the House and Senate before a single-payer system could be enacted. Diaz’s proposal…
Orlando’s Bad As’s Sandwiches to give away hundreds of to-go sandwiches this Wednesday for ‘Nurturing Day’
In a video posted to Facebook last week, Bad As’s Sandwiches owner John Collazo expressed gratitude toward the customers that have helped him and his staff pull through a really rough 2020. He followed that up with a promise to repay that debt the best he could, by giving away free to-go sandwiches and meals this…
A 6-foot alligator was freed today after being trapped in a Sarasota storm drain
Deputies with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Department said a 6-foot-long alligator had to be removed from a storm drain Monday morning. According to a social media post from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Department, the gator was stuck in a Cerromar Terrace storm drain in South Venice, and was freed after deputies lifted the cement slab…
Florida lawmakers will consider proposal to ban smoking on beaches and in parks
A Senate Republican wants to ban smoking at state parks and give local governments authority to curb smoking at their parks and beaches. Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, filed the proposal (SB 334) on Friday for consideration during the 2021 legislative session, which starts in March. In addition to prohibiting smoking in state parks, the bill…
Congress to vote on COVID-19 relief package that includes ‘Save Our Stages’ relief bill for independent music venues
After an agonizing 2020 that saw venues around the country shut their doors (some permanently), Congress over the weekend agreed tentatively on a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package that includes the Save Our Stages Act, an economic aid bill for a live music industry still reeling. “We secured the #SaveOurStages Act for indie music venues, Broadway,…
American Sirens conjure up Jazz Age holiday sounds for free Wednesday at ‘Live and Local Lunch’ series
Update: The Live & Local Lunch series has been postponed until January 2021. However, American Sirens will be opening for the Christmas Tenors on Dec. 22 as part of the Frontyard Festival. Yet another layer of the Dr. Phillips Center’s incredibly robust answer to in-person live music in the COVID age, the Live & Local Lunch…
El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico bring Christmas spice to Frontyard Festival on Wednesday
A white Christmas is a nice, old-fashioned notion, but it’s never really been like that down here south of the South. In clime and culture, our holidays still got that tropical heat, which means that sometimes salsa soundtracks our Navidad. And there’s no bigger way to ring it in like that than with legendary orchestra…
Mennello Museum founder and Orlando philanthropist Michael Mennello dies from COVID-related illness
The founder of Orlando’s Mennello Museum of American Art, Michael A. Mennello, passed away over the weekend due to complications from a COVID-19-related sickness. Businessman and philanthropist Mennello, 87, co-founded the Loch Haven cultural institution and museum with his wife, Marilyn, in 1998. The seed of the museum’s collection was 35 paintings by folk artist…
Today in scams, this absolutely brazen cash grab for a bus trip to Trump’s 2021 inauguration
After seeing this in the Bulwark newsletter today, we were pretty sure it would be dead on Eventbrite by the time we clicked. But nope, these hucksters are still taking money. For a bus trip to Donald Trump’s inauguration. On Jan. 20, 2021. <screaky-screaky noise as you grind your fists into your eye sockets in…
Have yourself a ‘Picture Perfect’ holiday in the Curry Ford West Main Street District
A group of theme park workers have teamed up to create an array of holiday scenes and life-size dioramas, bringing some festive eye candy to the Curry Ford West area. “Curry Ford Presents: Picture Perfect Holidays,” presented by Slice Creative Network and sponsored by State Farm agent Justin Bauknight, is a showcase of holiday creativity by…
Disney’s glorified strip mall Flamingo Crossings will soon be home to multiple local businesses
When Walt Disney World was first proposed in the late 1960s, the area around what is now Disney Springs was to be a mixed-use development with residences and offices within a short walk or PeopleMover ride of the commercial district. Just like its sister city, Bay Lake, where EPCOT was to be located, those plans…
Orlando’s Frontyard Festival adds new shows for 2021 including Preacher Lawson, Foreigner and more
The Frontyard Festival has added an eclectic and star-studded new slate of events for early 2021, including comedy, classic rock, classical and a heavy group of jazz stars. The six-month arts and music outdoor extravaganza, already underway, is set to continue through much of 2021 with performances most every day of the week from both…
Florida Gov. DeSantis vows to ‘hobble’ local leaders who try to shut down businesses for COVID safety
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has staunchly defended his decisions to reopen businesses, bars and restaurants, moves that drew withering criticism from Democrats. He also has rejected requests to order a statewide face mask mandate and has banned local government officials from imposing penalties on people who don’t wear masks. Vaccinations of frontline workers began on…
Finger-pointing as DeSantis says Florida vaccine shipments are ‘on hold,’ while Pfizer says that’s not true
Florida had a “magical moment” this week, as the first health-care workers and long-term care residents received vaccinations considered the cornerstone of a promised return to normalcy amid the coronavirus pandemic siege. With their sleeves rolled up and their arms held out, nurses, doctors and seniors were captured on camera as they received shots of…
New bill would require Florida drivers to go fully hands-free when using mobile phones
After helping craft a 2019 law that strengthened Florida’s ban on texting while driving, Rep. Emily Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, is seeking to require motorists to go fully “hands-free” while using wireless phones. Slosberg on Friday introduced a bill for the 2021 legislative session that would make it illegal for people to operate vehicles while “manually…
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park’s holiday special ‘A Classic Christmas’ to air on PBS affiliates around the country this year
Winter Park’s Bach Festival Society’s holiday performance A Classic Christmas will be broadcast on PBS affiliates locally — like WUCF — and around the country in the lead-up to Christmas once again this year. The 2018 performance features conductor John Sinclair leading the Bach Festival Choir, Youth Choir and Orchestra through a diverse program of holiday sounds…
Hillsborough County Democrat Ione Townsend wants a shot at the state party’s leadership
Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo, who torpedoed the party into losing five seats in the Florida House and two congressional seats last election, will not seek another term. And now it seems Hillsborough County Democratic Chairwoman Ione Townsend wants a shot at helming this wildly dysfunctional political machine. In a Thursday announcement, Townsend highlighted…
Florida GOP senator’s bill calling for a daily ‘moment of silence’ is definitely not an attempt to get prayer in public schools
The bill would amend the section of state law titled “Permitting study of the Bible and religion.”
Florida horror film director at work on documentary examining Gov. Ron DeSantis’ spine-chilling response to COVID-19
Filmmaker Michael Malott is working on a new documentary about the impact of COVID-19 on Florida residents and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ response to the pandemic. “We needed someone to have the ability to lead the state and protect the citizens and that didn’t happen,” Malott said in a phone call to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.…
‘Extraordinary level of cooperation’ urged as Florida physicians jockey for access to COVID vaccine
Noting a limited amount of COVID-19 vaccine available for distribution in December, the state’s largest physicians association urged people Thursday to be patient. “There are far more health care providers and long-term care residents who qualify for the first round of the vaccine than there is vaccine available,” Florida Medical Association President Mike Patete, a…
Florida GOP chair says rumors of Ivanka Trump running against Marco Rubio in 2022 are ‘just noise’
“Just noise” is how Republican Party of Florida Chairman Joe Gruters described Ivanka Trump’s name being tossed about as a potential challenger to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who will be up for re-election in 2022. However, amid speculation about a post-White House career in politics for the soon-to-be-former first daughter, Gruters, without missing a beat,…
‘Each day matters’: Florida nursing home residents receive portion of first COVID vaccine shipment
Long-term care residents and staff members at facilities in Broward and Pinellas counties began receiving COVID-19 vaccinations Wednesday after Gov. Ron DeSantis directed teams to use the state’s supply of a coveted Pfizer vaccine at the facilities. “Our residents of long-term care facilities are more susceptible to negative outcomes than people who are very young,…
Florida’s new python-sniffing dog Truman bags 8-foot python, is confirmed to be a good boy
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s new program to train dogs to sniff out Burmese pythons is a success! FWC recently started training a black Labrador, Truman, and a point setter dog called Eleanor to recognize a python’s particular scent. Truman and Eleanor are supposed to alert handlers when they catch a whiff of…
‘Museum of Illusions’ to open in Orlando’s Icon Park
Icon Park in Orlando will soon see the opening of a new “edutainment” attraction dubbed the Museum of Illusions. Set to open on Jan. 9, 2021, this is the 20th “Museum of Illusions” location worldwide, but the first outpost in Florida. Museum of Illusions Orlando will house 50 different exhibits based around optical (yes) illusions…
Florida Supreme Court turns down negligence case claimed by parents of Parkland shooting victims
The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to take up cases in which parents of victims of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School alleged negligence by a mental-health facility that provided services to accused shooter Nikolas Cruz. Related Justices issued two orders declining to take up appeals filed by Andrew Pollack…
‘Themers and Dreamers’ showcases the creativity of furloughed theme park workers at Orlando Public Library
The Themers and Dreamers art exhibition that has been on display at Downtown Orlando’s CityArts since mid-November is heading a few blocks over to the Orlando Public Library. From Dec. 18-Feb.28, 2021, the artwork of Themers and Dreamers will be on display — for free viewing, of course — at the Orlando Public Library downtown. The exhibit showcases multimedia…
7-Eleven tests out vast new coffee menu in the Orlando area
Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is introducing a wide array of new coffee options for purchase in-store, in hopes of competing with your favorite corporate coffee chain and/or cool neighborhood spot. And you will be able to experience this in Orlando starting now. 7-Eleven has bolstered their usual hot and cold coffee offerings with espresso, lattes,…
The Byrne Brothers bring traditional Irish song and dance to Claddagh Cottage on Saturday
While checking out the plentiful Irish music offerings at Raglan Road a couple of years ago, probably the most genuine and charming display I saw were the Byrne Brothers, who were then in residency at the Disney Springs entertainment spot and drew lots of onlookers. Accompanied by father Tommy, the three young brothers — Luca, Finn and…
10-piece Jacksonville orchestra LPT bring Afro-Cuban heat to the New Standard on Friday
With all the surprisingly sustained cool weather we’ve been enjoying lately, surely some of us Central Floridians are shivering like chihuahuas. Well, this concert at the New Standard is the perfect chance to thaw out in glory. With a whopping 10-piece orchestra, Jacksonville salsa syndicate LPT will blow through town like a hot tropical wind…
Maitland’s Holocaust Memorial Center stands firm behind ‘Uprooting Prejudice’ exhibit after online outrage
Maitland’s Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center opened the photographic exhibition Uprooting Prejudice: Faces of Change in November, and despite a bubbling up of online outrage, the institution is not backing down on this exhibit. The show features a series of black-and-white portraits taken by Minneapolis photographer John Noltner in the days immediately following the murder…
AdventHealth begins COVID-19 vaccinations for frontline staff in Orlando
AdventHealth began administering the COVID-19 vaccine to its frontline workers in Orlando and Celebration on Wednesday. AdventHealth’s chief scientific officer, Dr. Steven R. Smith, hailed the occasion as “a milestone.” This is the beginning of a massive rollout of the Pfizer vaccine on the part of AdventHealth. AdventHealth will inoculate thousands of their physicians, nurses and…
Wrestling legend Ric Flair claims WWE is going to build a ‘hall of fame’ in Orlando
Wrestling legend “the Nature Boy” Ric Flair dropped a bombshell in an interview this week: World Wrestling Entertainment is apparently planning to build a physical “Hall of Fame” right here in Orlando. As reported by the Wrestling Observer, Flair revealed the big news to Rachel Nichols on a Tuesday appearance on ESPN’s The Jump. When discussing…
Two downtown Orlando venues fined by Orange County’s coronavirus inspection teams
Some of Orlando’s first citations and fines were issued over the weekend by Orange County’s coronavirus strike teams as part of Mayor Jerry Deming’s new executive order, and two well-known downtown venues were among those found to not be following local and CDC guidelines. Just over 5,800 businesses were visited, and teams found a 98%…
DeSantis bucks science, suggests one dose of Pfizer vaccine may be enough
Gov. Ron DeSantis just a few days ago said that Americans need to unify behind the science that has led to the rapid development of vaccines. So it was a bit strange that DeSantis on Friday said that perhaps the number of Florida residents who receive COVID-19 vaccinations could be boosted — by not following…
Good news of COVID vaccine doses in Florida overshadowed by national ‘vilification’ over Jones raid
As the state approaches another morbid coronavirus milestone of 20,000 deaths, Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered some glad tidings to Floridians this week: Hope is on the horizon. Florida is in line to receive nearly 180,000 doses of Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine as soon as federal health authorities sign off on the drug, with 81,900 doses…
Legoland Florida is planning its biggest expansion yet — here’s what it might be
While Disney continues to cancel multiple upcoming projects, other local theme parks remain in a spending flurry, but none seem as optimistic about post-COVID-19 demand as Legoland Florida. Permits filed with the Southwest Florida Water Management District confirm the Winter Haven resort is planning one of the largest expansions in its history. Referred to as…
Orlando actor turned Broadway star Michael James Scott raises a cup of cheer at the Dr. Phil
It may feel like a thousand years ago in a faraway place, but it was actually just January this year when Broadway star and proud product of Central Florida’s schools Michael James Scott enchanted Dr. Phillips Center audiences as the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin. Now, as Orlandoans emerge from their own Cave of Wonders (aka…
In his new cookbook, an ex-vegetarian Orlando chef forays back into the meatless world
Dreaming in Spice: A Sinfully Vegetarian Odyssey
Historic Orlando nightclub reopens as the Vanguard, welcomes German trance breakouts Cosmic Gate
The fight for the U.S. election isn’t over yet, and I don’t mean that in the laughed-out-of-court Trump sense. I’m talking about the Waterloo of the Georgia runoffs that could flip the Senate and completely guarantee the correction our country is trying to make. To that end, Orlando punk band Debt Neglector are local heroes…
The worst people of 2020 (who aren’t Trumps)
Part 1: Seditionists and authoritarians
Things to do in Orlando, Dec. 16-22
Virtual and IRL shows and events
Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman tear up the screen in ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
Streaming premieres this week
Andrew Rannells gives you permission to dream about having sex with him
Dan: I’m wondering if you can help me with some dream interpretation. If it helps for context, I’m a single 29-year-old gay man. For just about as long as I can remember, I’ve been having mildly unsatisfying sex dreams in that the dreams never seem to lead to sex itself. My dream partners range from…
Adoptable kitty Pepsi loves playing with small squeaky cat toys — and snuggles
Meet him today at Orange County Animal Services
Readers sound off on Attorney General Ashley Moody: ‘foolish,’ ‘shameful,’ ‘dumb’
Letters to the editor
