With COVID’s end in sight, details regarding Disney’s huge 100th anniversary celebration begin to emerge
Nearly a year after the pandemic forced massive closures and destroyed the U.S. economy, there’s little hope in a return to normalcy anytime soon. For Disney, this has put a huge wrinkle in plans for the biggest celebration in Walt Disney World’s history. The 50th Anniversary celebration was meant to feature dozens of new and…
Key West proves it: Florida voters care about the environment, but Florida Republicans overrule them
Despite rhetoric pushing for limited government Florida, Republican lawmakers often enforce their minority views on citizens who’ve voted for something different. (See Amendment 4, most recently.) The latest pre-emption attempt by Republicans pits them against Key West voters who in November voted to approve measures that would ensure the popular cruise destination doesn’t face the…
Disney may be ready to admit they screwed up their Star Wars land, but only because ‘The Mandalorian’ is making them do it
When Disney announced the two Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lands set for both their California and Florida parks at the 2015 D23 Expo, it was clear the project was in response to Universal’s two highly popular Harry Potter lands. Following Universal’s lead with Potter, the Star Wars lands were to be immersive “in universe” lands…
Disney’s newest baby white rhino announced his own name in an adorable video
Disney announced early Tuesday afternoon the name of their newest baby white rhino: Ranger. The baby’s name was announced in a 44-second video featuring Ranger “telling” viewers about himself as he is filmed running around, wallowing in mud and popping bubbles with his horn. The video was posted on the Disney Parks official YouTube and…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announces drive-thru vaccination site at the Villages
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference on Tuesday to debut a new state COVID-19 vaccination site and, to the surprise of utterly no one, it’s at the Villages. One of the few places in the state that still welcomes the governor with open arms, the Villages now has its own drive-through where seniors…
Legal Public Notices 1/13 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices AUCTION Extra Space Storage Ð Store 8138 1001 Lee Rd. Orlando FL. 32810 Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1001 Lee Rd. Orlando, FL. 32810 (407) 489-3742, January 22nd, 2021 @ 12:00 PM susan…
Florida Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith urges Gov DeSantis to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for K-12 educators
Florida House Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, on Tuesday sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis urging him to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for K-12 school teachers and school district employees, especially those over 65 years of age in direct contact with students. Smith posted the full text of the letter to his Twitter account, while…
Casselberry residents call for Vice Mayor Mark Busch to resign after inflammatory statements caught on video
Some Casselberry residents are calling on their Vice Mayor and City Commissioner Mark Busch to resign after video surfaced of him making inflammatory statements the day before last week’s insurrection in Washington, D.C. Bush’s words were captured on video for the website Rumble — the YouTube video-hosting alternative favored by conservatives. The video, partially broadcast by Spectrum News…
There’s a $5,000 reward for info on the fool who scraped ‘Trump’ on a Florida manatee’s back
After footage surfaced of a Florida manatee with “Trump” written on its back, a group is now offering a reward for information leading to an arrest. The Citrus County Chronicle reported Monday that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are currently seeking information regarding the MAGA’d manatee…
Brown Bag Brass Band launches strong new weekly run of Plaza Live’s Front Porch Series on Thursday
The Plaza Live’s Front Porch Series has been one of the city’s most pandemic-responsive live music experiences. And now, thanks to the experienced local curatorship of Joanne Grant and Southern Fried Sunday’s Jessica Pawli, its next salvo of dates is steadier, more robust and distinctly more studded with homegrown stars. Beginning this Thursday, Jan. 14,…
Orlando’s Rosen Hotels laid off hundreds more employees on New Year’s Eve
Orlando’s Rosen Hotels & Resorts laid off a second round of employees — just over 200 — on the last day of 2020. The Orlando Business Journal reports that the hotel company confirmed these Dec. 31 firings — a move which CEO Harris Rosen called “especially painful” — in a Jan. 8 filing with the…
Trump is leaving office, but will he be leaving Disney’s Hall of Presidents?
While the nation prepares to welcome Joe Biden as the new President, it’s clear Trump’s legacy is something the country will have to continue grappling with. The divisive politics fueled by Trump’s hatred and fear-mongering have had an impact on many traditions and pleasures the nation enjoyed before his Russian-fueled 2016 win, including theme parks.…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021
Every morning on Magic 107.7 FM, Leslye Gale discusses the most interesting Orlando Weekly stories of the day on “Chad & Leslye.” Check out Leslye’s picks today. A federal investigation is underway after a manatee was spotted in the Homosassa River with the word Trump scraped into its back. – LINK It’s National Pizza Month…
Florida Republicans push ‘anti-riot’ legislation, but state Democrats say it’s designed to squash free speech
A renewed vigor was given this week to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ call to crack down on violent protests, as the world watched an unhinged mob of supporters of President Donald Trump storm and occupy the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to subvert the counting of states’ electoral votes. The “Combatting Public Disorder” proposal was…
Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini and GOP Chair Joe Gruters set to speak at Tallahassee anti-vax rally this month
As Florida continues to break new records for daily coronavirus cases and deaths, the state is simultaneously witnessing a slow, confusing, vaccine rollout due to high demand from frustrated residents. But despite all this, two Republican lawmakers are slated as guest speakers at an upcoming anti-vaccine rally. The Florida Freedom Rally will take place on…
Federal authorities look into abuse after Florida manatee found with ‘Trump’ scraped on its back
Officials are investigating after a Florida manatee was abused last weekend. The Citrus County Chronicle reports that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently seeking information regarding a manatee that was discovered with “Trump” scraped into its back near the Blue Hole on the Homosassa River. According to the FWC, manatees are considered “threatened” in the…
Orlando artists invited to conjure up their ‘Beautiful, Dark Twisted Fantasy’ for CityArts group show
Downtown Orlando art gallery CityArts will be hosting the group art show My Beautiful, Dark Twisted Fantasy later this month, and organizers are putting out the call for local artists to contribute work. Set to open on Thursday, Jan. 21, and curated by Tyla Harrington, the show will deal in themes of “dark fantasy” and “whimsical…
Florida Film Festival returns to Maitland’s Enzian Theater this spring
The Florida Film Festival is returning to the Enzian Theater in Maitland in 2021, with a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Florida Film Festival organizers announced the dates for this year’s iteration — the 30th anniversary! — of the festival on their Facebook page on Friday. From April 9-22, the Enzian will play host…
Florida senator and Voldemort impersonator Rick Scott urges Trump to attend Biden inaugural
Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott on Friday asked President Donald Trump to attend the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to demonstrate “the peaceful transfer of power to our people and to the world.” Scott, a Republican, issued a prepared statement after Trump announced he wouldn’t attend the event.…
Three Florida men charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct in Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot
Three men identified as Floridians are among the individuals arrested for federal crimes involving the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that Matthew Council of Riverview, Michael Curzio of Summerfield and Douglas Sweet were charged as part of an ongoing investigation into the destruction of the building.…
State launches investigation after Florida nursing home reportedly funnels vaccines to rich donors
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that the state is investigating allegations that an upscale West Palm Beach nursing home diverted scarce COVID-19 vaccinations meant for residents and staff to members of the facility’s board of directors and donors. Appearing at a press conference in Vero Beach, DeSantis said that the Florida Department of Health…
Orange County’s COVID-19 Eviction Diversion Program extended through January
Orange County government has extended the deadline for its COVID-19 Eviction Diversion Program into early 2021. Orange County tenants now have until Jan. 29 to apply for up to $4,000 in rent assistance. These funds are paid to the tenant’s landlord. This program was launched last summer using federal CARES Act funds to provide some…
Gov. DeSantis and Florida GOP reintroduce broad anti-protest legislation in wake of U.S. Capitol attacks
As supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in an effort to block congressional certification of the 2020 election on Wednesday, Republican leaders in Florida released legislation aimed at cracking down on violent protests. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump, rolled out his proposed law-and-order plan in September, weeks ahead of…
Orlando Rep. Val Demings says she will support and cosponsor articles of impeachment drawn up against President Trump
As the old saying goes, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And U.S. Rep. Val Demings, a Democrat representing Florida’s 10th Congressional district, is ready to give impeaching Donald Trump another go. Demings, one of the House managers during President Trump’s impeachment hearings in early 2020, signaled willingness to cosponsor articles of…
Sanford firefighter placed on leave after being photographed as part of mob that stormed the Capitol
A Sanford firefighter has been placed on administrative place after being spotted at Wednesday’s attempted insurrection at Washington, D.C., confirms a Sanford Fire Department spokesperson. A photo of a MAGA-clad Andy Williams — a firefighter with the Sanford Fire Department — was sent to WKMG News 6 showing him as part of the mob of Trump supporters that stormed…
Jon Schaffer from Central Florida metal band Iced Earth reportedly photographed storming the Capitol
Yesterday’s riot at the U.S. Capitol building was a lot of things (a dark day in American history, embarrassing, scary), but it also shone light on Florida legislators who seemed to have no problem with the role they played in egging on insurrectionists who might end up spending years in jail if Trump doesn’t pardon…
Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy calls for 25th Amendment to be invoked to remove President Trump from office
Another Florida congressperson has called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked to remove President Trump from office. And it is Central Florida’s U.S. house representative Stephanie Murphy, D-Winter Park. On Thursday afternoon, Murphy posted on her Twitter account that “the President incited a violent insurrection — proof he’s unable to uphold the Constitution.” “The 25th Amendment…
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz goes all-in on false conspiracies blaming antifa for Capitol attack on House floor
Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz propped up what remained of his human form on the House floor late last night and blamed Democrats and the antifacist group antifa for yesterday’s attack on the U.S. Capitol, which resulted in four deaths and dozens of arrests. “This morning, President Trump explicitly called for demonstrations and protests to be…
Here are the 13 Florida Republicans who just can’t quit Donald Trump and voted to overturn election results
President Trump stood in front of thousands who gathered in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday for the “Stop the Steal” rally and instructed them to march to the U.S. Capitol, where they then attacked law enforcement officers and broke into the federal building. Incited by false allegations of a stolen election, the terrorist attack resulted in…
Orlando Shakes to stage a Valentine’s Day cabaret in their new outdoors space
Just as stores sweep all the Christmas paraphernalia off shelves to make way for Valentine’s Day items, so Orlando Shakes has gotten an early start on the February holiday with the announcement of an outdoors, socially distanced cabaret performance set for Valentine’s weekend. Kiss Me, Shakespeare! A Valentine’s Cabaret is happening on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 12-14, at the…
NSYNC’s Joey Fatone and James Murray of ‘Impractical Jokers’ to appear at Orlando’s Topgolf Jan. 16
If you love reality TV and mid-’90s boybands enough to gather at a fancy driving range bar and restaurant with other humans, then you might want to head to Topgolf in Orlando on Saturday, Jan. 16. That’s when comedian James “Murr” Murray (Impractical Jokers, the Tenderloins) and *NSYNC-er-turned-food truck kingpin and Masked Singer Joey Fatone…
Orange County reopening online registration Thursday morning for residents 65 or older to get COVID-19 vaccinations
The Florida Department of Health in Orange County will reopen the virtual window for local seniors to make COVID-19 vaccination appointments at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 7. Orange County residents age 65 or older will be able to register online on Thursday morning for a vaccination appointment at the Orange County Convention Center, as long as appointment…
Florida GOP leaders decried mob violence at the national Capitol but were careful not to condemn Trump
Florida Republicans decried scenes of chaos and violence in the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the building and shut down congressional debate over the certification of the 2020 presidential election. Thousands of protesters, including many dressed in paramilitary gear, had gathered outside the Capitol in advance of what was expected…
Florida Rep. Charlie Crist calls for Trump to be removed from office by the 25th Amendment
U.S. representative and former governor of Florida Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) has called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked and Donald Trump to be removed as president. Crist was uncharacteristically blunt in a Twitter post late Wednesday afternoon, in the immediate aftermath of Trump supporters-turned-domestic terrorists rioting and storming the nation’s Capitol. “The 25th Amendment allows…
Florida Republicans are now distancing themselves from the coup they helped incite
For the first time in 220 years there won’t be a peaceful transition of power in America, as hordes of Trump supporters-turned terrorists fought with law enforcement officers and broke into the nation’s Capitol Wednesday afternoon. Just about every politician took to Twitter to condemn the violence, including the ones who literally inspired these lunatics…
Central Florida AdventHealth CEO Daryl Tol tenders ‘unanticipated’ resignation on Wednesday
AdventHealth’s Central Florida division president and CEO Daryl Tol has resigned, an “unanticipated” decision according to a statement released by the healthcare company on Wednesday. “I want to thank Daryl for his many years of service to AdventHealth and his leadership both to our organization and the communities we serve, especially during the greatest challenge the health…
Florida Gov. DeSantis says he will not allow local governments to enforce lockdowns
Gov. Ron DeSantis strongly reaffirmed his opposition to local government officials’ attempts to impose their own rules to curb the spread of COVID-19, saying Wednesday that such measures “are not effective.” Appearing at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola to discuss the state’s vaccination efforts, DeSantis reiterated his position that mandates, lockdowns, and fines for violating…
Florida lawmakers weigh in on Capitol coup
As we watch the events unfolding in Washington, D.C., with horror, we checked in with Florida’s elected representatives in the Capitol Building. U.S senators and representatives were gathered today in the chambers to certify the results of the November election. Donald Trump addressed a rally to protest those results, vowing that “we will never concede.” At…
Orlando’s pop-culture extravaganza MegaCon pushed back to August
Orlando pop-culture mega-event MegaCon 2021 has been moved back to August from originally scheduled dates in March, according to event organizers. A post on the MegaCon Facebook page on Wednesday explained that the postponement was part of a continuing attempt to deliver the “safest, best possible fan experience” as the coronavirus pandemic stretches on into…
Publix heir dumped over $100,000 into Georgia Senate races, documents show
Publix founder George Jenkins died in 1996, but his wealthy, mostly Lakeland-based children are still very much involved in the political arena, including recently dumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into Georgia’s hotly contested Senate race. A review of Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show that former Publix chairperson Carol Barnett Jenkins donated a total…
Florida Gov. DeSantis announces that 22 Publix locations across the state will soon administer COVID-19 vaccines
In a surprise press conference in Ocala Tuesday afternoon, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said select Publix locations would begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to Florida residents 65 and over. According to the governor, 22 Publix pharmacies across Marion, Citrus and Hernando counties will launch the new pilot program, with more stores becoming available in the near…
Here are 10 questions for the Biden presidency. The answers will define what kind of year 2021 will be, for better or worse
With the annus horribilis 2020 finally in the rearview, we cast our gaze forward, if not to a sunnier future — I’m not that naive — then to a time when we don’t have to check each morning to see if the president tweeted a nuclear attack order because of a Hannity segment. We don’t…
Vanessa Kirby is a tightly clenched fist in the traumatic ‘Pieces of a Woman’
Happy New Year! While you were sleeping off your revelry (read: furiously refreshing your browser to schedule a vaccination), some of your favorite streaming services announced new programming for this week. Here’s the handful of shows that dropped in after our deadline for last week’s double issue had come and gone (just like your window…
Orlando Fringe best exemplified the ingenuity shown by our artists in this pandemic year
As we warm ourselves beside the dwindling embers of the dumpster fire that was 2020, it’s difficult to remember anything positive about this past year, especially amid the devastation of Central Florida’s cultural community. But despite bearing a disproportionate burden of COVID-19’s economic impact, Orlando’s artists and entertainers agilely adapted, inventing new ways of connecting…
Readers react to lawmakers’ latest proposals, including a ban on smoking on the beach
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