Cover Story
Mail art may be the perfect pandemic art form
Learn more about the history of the movement in a retrospective at Winter Park’s CFAM
After a year without cruise tourists, some ports are questioning if they want them to ever return
Cruises are still months away from resuming, but once they do, things will be very different. Those differences will be found beyond the full-service buffets and improved air sanitation onboard; in fact, many ports are questioning if they want to return to the pre-pandemic way things were. As ships grow larger and cruising becomes more…
Legal Public Notices 3/3 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices ALL ABOARD STORAGE NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Personal property of the following tenants will be sold at public sale to the highest bidder to satisfy a rental lien in accordance with Florida Statutes, Sections: A83.801 – 83.809. All units are assumed to contain general household goods unless otherwise indicated. Viewing of…
‘Outdated, random and scientifically unsubstantiated’: Critics slam Florida GOP over plan to cap THC levels
Many Republican lawmakers in Florida haven’t hidden their skepticism about the use of marijuana as a medical palliative. After voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment broadly legalizing medical marijuana in 2016, the Republican-controlled Legislature grudgingly laid out a framework for a cannabis industry that has since drawn hundreds of thousands of patients. But, after first…
Florida threw an extra $49 million at its broken unemployment system in 2020; now it needs another $73 million
More than $73 million is needed over the next two years to revamp Florida’s much-criticized unemployment system, which was overwhelmed in the initial weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, the head of the state’s unemployment agency said Monday. Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Dane Eagle told members of the Senate Select Committee on Pandemic Preparedness…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Tuesday, March 2, 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. We’re moving in the right direction as far as COVID vaccines are concerned. At Orange County’s latest briefing, Mayor Jerry Demings said three separate FEMA-run vaccine sites will…
Three Orlando-area FEMA COVID-19 vaccination sites will open this week
Three FEMA-run COVID-19 vaccination sites in the greater Orlando area will open in rapid succession starting Wednesday, March 3. During Monday’s Orange County Government Coronavirus Update press briefing, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings revealed logistical details for the three federally-run vaccination sites. The hub location is located at Valencia College on Kirkman Road and will…
Florida Gov. DeSantis further expands COVID-19 vaccine access to first responders and teachers 50 and above
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he will expand COVID-19 vaccinations to law enforcement officers, firefighters and K-12 teachers who are age 50 or older. DeSantis told reporters he would issue an executive order later Monday that will mark an additional expansion of vaccinations that have focused since late December on people age 65 or older.…
Florida Gov. DeSantis expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include the ‘extremely vulnerable’ regardless of age
After focusing almost exclusively since December on vaccinating seniors, Gov. Ron DeSantis has cleared the way for more people under age 65 to receive shots if they are “extremely vulnerable” to COVID-19. DeSantis issued an executive order late Friday afternoon that allows physicians to vaccinate people who are deemed “extremely vulnerable” to the disease. The…
Move over, Mandalorian — Disney’s next hit TV series could be based on the Magic Kingdom
With the cinematic universes of Star Wars and Marvel proving pivotal to the early success of Disney+, the company is now looking at how to bring new franchise universes to life, and that may entail tapping into one that began inside Disney theme parks. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney is looking at using the…
Tiger Woods-designed mini golf course heading to Waterford Lakes in Orlando
A new miniature golf course is in the works for Waterford Lakes, but don’t expect the whimsical props that have come to define the sport. This complex is ushering in a new era for the family-friendly game. PopStroke is planning two 18-hole putting courses on a two-and-a-half-acre lot near the Regal Waterford Lakes movie theater.…
CPAC 2021 in Orlando: Welcome to the freakshow
Related Stories
Video: Smarmy neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes gets kicked out of CPAC, brags AFPAC doesn’t ‘have homosexuals speaking on the stage’
Smarmy neo-Nazi and dirtbag homecoming king Nick Fuentes was kicked out of the Hyatt Regency Orlando today, where he was attempting to start a commotion on the CPAC floor. Fuentes, a Holocaust denier and cartoon frogophile, last gained attention as one of the speakers at the Jan. 6 rally at the U.S. Capitol followed by…
‘We’ve got to put our foot down’: Florida ends breeding of non-native tegu lizards and green iguanas
Commercial breeding of non-native tegu lizards and green iguanas in Florida will end in three years, despite the objections of reptile dealers and owners warning of the potential destruction of their industry. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to add 16 reptiles to a list of prohibited species, including several…
Florida Senate’s COVID-19 precautions have some advocates feeling shut out
Left-leaning advocates already face an ideological Mount Everest when trying to persuade the Republican-controlled Legislature to heed their recommendations. But the Florida Senate’s COVID-19 precautions have made their jobs an almost Sisyphean task, according to representatives of organizations that work on issues involving low-income families, immigrants and labor unions. “It’s the people who are most…
LGBTQ-centric thrift chain Out of the Closet opens new Mills 50 location on Saturday
What used to be the Circle K on Mills Avenue has a bold new look and reopens Saturday as a bold new business. An Out of the Closet thrift store will open in Mills 50 Saturday, Feb. 27, at 10 a.m., and Commissioner Patti Sheehan will be there for the ribbon-cutting. This is the California-based…
CPAC organizers roundly booed after reminding attendees about masking rules at Orlando host hotel
Conservative mega-gathering CPAC is off to a great start, with conference organizers getting roundly booed after gently reminding conference attendees to mask up. As reported by Mediaite, after Ohio Republican Josh Mandel finished his Friday morning speech with lusty Braveheart-esque chants of “Freedom!” it was CPAC conference organizers Dan Schneider and Carly Conley’s turn to take…
Florida legislature considers proposal creating ‘education savings accounts,’ another name for vouchers
With the 2021 legislative session set to begin next week, Florida lawmakers could further broaden the state’s school-choice landscape with what are called “education savings accounts.” Lawmakers are considering a far-reaching proposal (SB 48) that would expand eligibility for voucher programs and allow parents to use taxpayer-backed education savings accounts for private schools and other…
Orlando ranks fourth highest in concentration of gay and lesbian coupled households in the U.S., according to new Census report
Orlando is home to the most gay and lesbian coupled households in the entire state of Florida, according to a new study released by the U.S. Census Bureau this week. As reported by the AP, Orlando and Miami placed fourth and sixth respectively on a ranked list of metro areas nationwide with the highest percentages of same…
First Watch opens new flagship Winter Park location Monday, March 1
The long-awaited new First Watch location in Winter Park finally opens on Monday morning, March 1, with a revamped look and feel for the local breakfast chain. The “prototype” restaurant features innovations like a 360-degree indoor/outdoor bar, a spacious lounge patio area, and a separate entrance zone for take-out and delivery orders — as well as a…
Annual music festival the Sanford Porchfest gets down and neighborly this Saturday
The annual and innovatively folksy Sanford Porchfest returns on Saturday, Feb. 27, for its fourth edition. Across a walkable, eight-block residential stretch just off the main strip of Historic Downtown Sanford, the community event and music festival this year features 12 porches of live music showcasing 50 acts, including prime local names like Hannah Harber, Thomas…
Exclusive: Listen to a kinda blazed Kevin Smith talk about bringing Mooby’s to Orlando (it’s hilariously riveting)
In case you’ve been living under a rock outside the View Askewniverse, tickets to Mooby’s Orlando pop-up went on sale today, so we posed a few questions to Jay and Silent Bob creator Kevin Smith. Questions like: Why Orlando??? What’s the best part about having a sandwich called “The Cocksmoker” on the menu? Will there…
CPAC speaker called out for anti-Muslim sentiments, and that’s only scratching the surface of this year’s spectacle
Another speaker on the lineup for the conservative mega-gathering CPAC is getting some unwelcome spotlight for anti-Muslim statements and activity, and this is only scratching the surface of the extreme ideologies being trotted out at this week’s event in Orlando. On Tuesday, civil rights organization the Council on American-Islamic Relations called on CPAC organizers to…
Florida’s ‘Grim Reaper’ fundraises to troll CPAC with plane flying ‘Welcome Insurrectionists!’ banner
Florida’s Grim Reaper, aka lawyer Daniel Uhlfelder, is feverishly fundraising through his Remove Ron PAC to finance flying a plane over the Orlando hosting hotel for CPAC with a neighborly “Welcome Insurrectionists!” banner. On Feb. 22, Uhlfelder took to Remove Ron’s Twitter account to post, “Retweet if you’d like to see a ‘Welcome, Insurrectionists!’ banner fly…
Florida’s Senate is about to serve up its most conservative legislative agenda in years
The Florida Senate has long been considered the saucer that cools the hot tea, a metaphor purportedly coined by George Washington to describe the U.S. Senate’s tempering influence on the more hot-headed — and numerous — House of Representatives. The Florida Senate has steadily crept away from the political center since Republicans secured a majority in both legislative chambers…
Orlando attorney John Morgan dons meat sweatsuit and apologizes to Arby’s on Twitter
.@Arbys, I apologize! Your food is delicious!! Thank you for the meat sweatsuit! And Mr. Brown, I know you're the @InspireBrands CEO, there's no #Arbys in Maui. I want franchise information. We want to say: We Have The Meats… #ForThePeople pic.twitter.com/UngfzgBUSr — John Morgan (@JohnMorganESQ) February 24, 2021 Orlando attorney and minimum-wage hike activist John…
Disney Cruise Lines will remain docked through May
Disney Cruise Lines announced on Wednesday that all ships would remain docked through the spring, with sailings canceled through May 31. In the most recent Temporary Suspension & Travel Updates advisory posted online, the company confirmed the May cancellations and pledged to use the time to continue working on safety protocols for staff and customers. Those…
Florida board approves permit for Nestle to continue bottling 1 million gallons of spring water a day for just $115
Nestle Waters North America will be able to ramp up bottling to nearly 1 million gallons of water a day at a North Florida plant after a permit was approved Tuesday over the objections of opponents who said it will continue degradation of the state’s natural springs and rivers. After hours of public comment, mostly…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Wednesday, Feb. 24, 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. Weeks before opening the doors on its largest location in the world, White Castle is teasing Orlandoans with a “ghost kitchen.” – LINK As if we needed another…
Things to do in Orlando, Feb. 24-March 2, 2021: Danez Smith, Monster Jam, and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5
Our picks of the week for safe, socially distanced, and virtual events WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24Muriel AndersonComposer and “harp guitarist” Anderson is an actual champion fingerstyle guitar player, and will take you on a sensory journey with her playing matched to dazzling visual backdrops. Livestreaming option also available. 7 p.m., $5-$25. Timucua Arts Foundation, 2000 S.…
Biggie Smalls’ mother and his old pal Sean Combs present ‘Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell’ on Netflix
Streaming premieres you won’t want to miss. Premieres Wednesday: Ginny & Georgia — From White Oleander to Mom, nothing snags that coveted youth-viewer demographic like reassuring them they’re more mature and centered than their mother. The proud tradition of snot-nosed disrespect continues with Ginny & Georgia, a new series whose first 10 episodes find a…
No one in a generation shaped the Republican Party like Rush Limbaugh. That’s no compliment
Before Rush Limbaugh’s body was cold, Republican officials and thought leaders tripped over themselves to eulogize “an icon, patriot and [an] American hero” and “a giant of the conservative movement.” One after another, they lamented his passing last Wednesday like he was John Stuart Mill rather than a college dropout who got rich convincing mediocre…
Readers react to the Weeki Wachee ‘face diaper’ restaurant
Letters to the editor
Coco enjoys belly rubs and she’s waiting at the county shelter to meet her forever family
Coco (A460742) is a 6-year-old spayed female who’s been searching for her forever family for over 104 days at our shelter and is currently our longest-term resident. Coco would do well in a home where she’s the only animal and with younger adults in the home, but no small children. She enjoys belly rubs, takes…
Orlando releases this week: 3D Boy, Ivy Hollivana, and Corvus Incorporated
From his exceptional work in bands like Flashlights and Waxed, Terry Caudill is one of Orlando’s best, though unheralded, songwriters. He just dropped another reminder of this with a recent EP as his solo venture 3D Boy. The three-song I Love You is a tuneful, exuberant hat trick that merges 1990s-inspired indie rock with sweet,…
