A year ago, when the world began moving away from in-person interactions, many businesses quickly shifted to digital options that they had never fully considered before the pandemic. For many workers, working remotely has remained one of the few constants since then. A new study commissioned by video conference company Zoom found many offices don’t…
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Congressman Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who was literally the only person to vote against a 2017 bi-partisan anti-sex trafficking bill, is now reportedly being investigated for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and violating laws against sex trafficking in the process. According to Tuesday evening report from the New York Times, the…
Lawmakers continued to move forward Tuesday with efforts to limit local-government emergency orders, despite arguments by Democrats that the proposals are a state overreach. The Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee voted 4-3 along party lines to approve a bill (SB 1924) that sponsor Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, said could be…
There’s more than just coffee brewing inside an upcoming Winter Park location of Foxtail Coffee. A meeting of regional mainstays is in the works, as Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream is planning to open a counter in the neighborhood cafe. The truck-turned-chain will offer its usual ice cream scoops, pints, shakes, waffle cones and dog pops at…
Florida businessmen may well save the Orlando Sentinel from being sold to a hedge fund notorious for blowing up newsrooms. Two separate offers have been made to Tribune Publishing company by local magnates, hoping to pre-empt a sale to Alden Global Capital. In the first, South Florida businessman Mason Slaine has offered up $100 million…
Cruise lines are allowing guests to book international cruises out of Florida, in spite of the CDC’s ongoing order barring them from sailing. Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are all accepting bookings for multi-night cruises that set sail in June from Floridian ports for destinations in the Caribbean. The CDC’s order…
Orange County will reopen several county-run facilities and programs in the next month. Starting on April 5, the county’s senior centers, gymnasiums, fitness centers and outdoor courts will be open at 50 percent capacity. The date may look familiar to anyone who has been peeking at the news from within their pandemic bunker: It’s the…
The Mount Dora Blueberry Festival will be back in action this April. The festival is on its seventh annual run, returning to the lakeside town after the coronavirus pandemic smacked it down last year. “Unfortunately, we had to cancel the event last year,” event coordinator Janet Gamache says, “but with the increased availability to get the…
Editor’s note: This story originally misreported the number of excess deaths found to be underreported by the study. While there were over 19,000 excess deaths in the period studied, the number of deaths that researchers believe weren’t included in the official tally is 4,924. The story has been updated to reflect this. It probably won’t…
Disneyland shocked fans this month when they announced a new project focused on future expansions at the resort. Known as DisneylandForward, the project looks at how the 510-acre resort in Southern California will evolve over time. A website for the project and the corresponding Disney Parks Blog post pointed to major new additions heading to…
Florida’s unemployment payments, among the lowest in the nation, would increase by up to $100 a week under a measure approved Monday by a Senate committee. The proposal (SB 1906), which cleared the Commerce and Tourism Committee, would lead to a range of unemployment benefits of $100 to $375 a week. That would be up…
Dreams of flying cars have existed since the days of Jules Verne, but the possibility of localized air travel is now quickly becoming a reality. On Tuesday, the Orlando city council voted to express interest in joining NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility Research and Demonstration Program. NASA researchers are hard at work in a Silicon Valley research…
The air travel industry is showing signs of a rebound, but it might not look the same when it returns. While still well below 2019 numbers, the data. shows that air travel is returning. Even as some of the moves by airlines over the past year are beginning to be rolled back, other practices look…
Over the past decade, Florida voters approved changes to the state Constitution that legalized medical marijuana, restored felons’ voting rights and directed more money to land and water conservation. But a pair of proposals approved Monday by a House committee would make it harder for organizations to get future constitutional amendments on the ballot —-…
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law protecting businesses from being sued by employees and others over exposure to COVID-19. The so-called “liability shield” sets an incredibly high standard that any plaintiff would have to meet before they could bring a case against a business. In a state that rushed to open and effectively forced…
A weed-themed sandwich chain that opened its first Orlando outpost today is already thinking about expanding. Cheba Hut, a Colorado-based franchise with locations in Orlando and St. Augustine, is looking to add more stores in Central Florida. The Orlando Business Journal reports that the ownership group behind the Cheba Hut at 12100 E. Colonial Drive…
Electric Daisy Carnival Orlando has set a date for its return. The dance music festival will take over Tinker Field for three days this fall, Nov. 12-14. The festival, like all major American music fests, had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. With vaccination numbers on the rise, the cavalcade of neon and…
A new, somewhat infuriatingly named martini bar is coming to downtown Orlando. The Oliv Bar is the latest offering from downtown bar veterans in the V Group. Like their downtown speakeasy Hanson’s Shoe Repair, Oliv Bar is tucked away in an unassuming space. The tiny oasis is located inside an office building at 745 N.…
Ten 10 Brewing and the Mills 50 Main Street District are teaming up to release a collaborative brew that seeks to capture the particular flavors of the neighborhood, and perhaps even give you a nice buzz in the bargain. The new Mills 50 beer will be unveiled at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, with Orlando…
Just as the 1918 pandemic caused a heightened awareness of hygiene that lasted well past the pandemic, the current health crisis has generated an increased understanding of the importance of fresh indoor air. As businesses begin to reopen, there’s a new focus on improving air quality. This focus is especially true for locations that consumers…
With supporters saying the issue is about property rights, the Florida House on Friday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow people to carry guns at churches that share locations with schools. House members voted 76-37 to approve the measure (HB 259), sponsored by Rep. Jayer Williamson, R-Pace, and Rep. Cord Byrd, R-Neptune Beach. Florida…
With Black lawmakers condemning the proposal as a return to the Jim Crow era, the Republican-controlled Florida House on Friday approved a measure aimed at cracking down on violent protests by creating a host of new crimes, enhancing riot-related penalties and creating roadblocks for local governments to trim police spending. The House’s party-line passage of…
Two teenagers were rescued by Osceola County firefighters early Friday morning after a ride at the Old Town USA amusement park in Kissimmee malfunctioned. The teens were on the park’s slingshot ride and the breakdown left them stranded over 30 feet in the air. According to a Facebook post by Osceola County Fire Rescue, a…
Orange County had the second highest unemployment rate in Florida in the month of February, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Unemployment rates have more than doubled in Orange County year-over-year. Due to the slowdown in service industry and tourism sectors, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford areas have experienced the largest over-the-year job losses in all of…
In spite of the fact that they’ve added surfing pools and waterslides, the rapid spread of sickness aboard seafaring vessels hasn’t changed much since the days of Jack Aubrey. Cruises are floating disease vectors at the best of times. Cramming people from all over the world onto a ship for days or weeks at a…
Atlanta’s hitmakers Manchester Orchestra are heading to the Frontyard Festival in downtown Orlando in May, for an exclusive acoustic set. Scanning their current itinerary, the Orchestra look to be playing this outdoors FF event as a one-off, which makes the affair even more of a rarity. The quartet this week celebrated the release of new single…
Looking to get out of town, but not too far? Hoping to have a little fun, but not the kind you’d necessarily cross-post to all of your social media accounts? The Taste of Oviedo festival is just the ticket, promising a cheesy, Saturday day trip as it rolls into its 27th year. This year’s theme…
This weekend will usher in the debut of the Culture Downtown Music Festival, with three stages of electronic and dance music taking over — where else? — downtown Orlando. Culture Downtown Music Festival happens Saturday, March 27 (tomorrow!), indoors and outdoors on Pine Street, including host venues Bullitt Bar and McQueens Social Lounge. Headliners include Roger Sanchez, G-Rex and Sage Armstrong.…
Moving quickly after the Senate passed the bill last week, the House is expected Friday to approve a high-profile measure that would help shield businesses and health-care providers from lawsuits related to COVID-19. The House took up the bill (SB 72) on Thursday, with Health and Human Services Chairwoman Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, answering a series…
The Republican-controlled Florida House is ready to sign off on a controversial proposal that would create new crimes related to violent protests, enhance riot-related penalties and make it harder for local governments to pare police spending. The far-reaching plan —- a top legislative priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis —- has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats,…
The state of Florida appeared willing and ready to spoil the precious few acres of undeveloped land left in service of toll roads back in 2019. That’s when they approved a bill meant to kickstart the development of three massive road construction projects. The Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (or M-CORES) plan would extend…
New Indian concept Bombay Street Kitchen, a spinoff of Bombay Cafe, opens on Orange Blossom Trail next week with some new twists and turns that should be of interest to local foodies. The resto will focus on hybrids of and new takes on traditional Indian dishes “direct from the streets of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore…
UPDATE: The compilation is out. Check it out below. Will's Pub Benefit Compilation by Montgomery Drive, The Ink Box, and Knife Punch Records Original story continues below. One of the biggest COVID-era drives in Orlando music has been the long-brewing Will’s Pub benefit compilation spearheaded and organized by tireless local promoter Montgomery Drive and presented…
Orlando Meats vacated their old Ivanhoe space to set up shop in Winter Park, and now a new ramen spot from a familiar foodie face will be moving in later this year. Ramen Revolution, a somewhat surprising new nood concept from Santiago’s Bodega owner Jason Dugan, has been confirmed as new tenant — as we…
If you’ve always wondered exactly how hoppy the City of Orlando is, you’ll soon have the chance to judge for yourself. On April 7, Orange Blossom Brewing will debut its new Orlando-themed brew, the City Beautiful IPA. Scheduled to coincide with “407 Day,” this local-centric beverage can only be had on draft at select bars and restaurants…
Anyone will eyes can see the Orlando Magic are uniquely terrible and they’ve been that way for quite a while. Super fans like Dennis Salvagio (affectionately known as “Fat Guy”) have been open about their disillusionment with the team for years. That feeling is seeping into the locker room with the team’s lone bright spot…
UPDATE: The state announced that it would also vaccinate 16 and 17-year-olds when the vaccine became available to all adult Floridians. According to the Tampa Bay Times, teens with parental permission will be given the Pfizer vaccine, the only one of the three shots circulating in the US to be approved for use by people…
Gov. Ron DeSantis would get more than he requested for Everglades restoration and water projects in the coming year under an initial Senate budget proposal that also would set up a grant program to address sea-level rise. In addition, the Senate is proposing an increase in money for the state’s springs, a reduction to the…
Proposals that would create a public-records exemption for information about state lawmakers are moving forward in the Florida House and Senate. The House Government Operations Subcommittee voted 12-4 on Wednesday to approve a bill (HB 1207), sponsored by Rep. Mike Beltran, R-Lithia, that would allow lawmakers to keep private information including their home addresses and…
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. Earlier this month we learned Disney World would be phasing out their state-of-the-art “magic band” program and introducing a new cutting-edge ticketing system. Now we’ve learned, over the…
A proposal that could allow high schools to offer prayers over public-address systems before athletic championship games is headed to the full Florida House. The measure (HB 1027) comes amid a long-running legal battle over a decision by the Florida High School Athletic Association in 2016 to block Cambridge Christian School of Tampa from offering…
They’ve already pre-empted us on all of the “toasted” subs and sandwich “joint” puns, so we’re forced to sadly call it right down the middle: Weed-themed sandwich franchise Cheba Hut is coming to Orlando at the end of March. Set to open on Monday, March 29, this will be the Hut’s first location in Orlando,…
In spite of coronavirus slowdowns, Brightline’s plans to connect to Orlando by 2022 are still on schedule. The South Florida high-speed rail provider still expects to complete their line connecting the current line between West Palm Beach and Miami to Orlando International Airport by December 2022. They shared this outlook in their report on February…
SeaWorld’s Aquatica water park will kick off spring with a treat for the daredevils (and the overly competitive) in every family. Their newly announced dueling waterslide Riptide Race is scheduled to open on April 3. According to a press release from the theme park, Riptide consists of two swirling tracks that will carry two two-person…
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has swept away four emergency orders dealing with visitors to nursing homes, just days before the Legislature is poised to pass a bill that would help shield the facilities from lawsuits associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The administration has told the nursing-home industry to abide by recently issued federal guidelines that…
The pandemic may have paralyzed most performing arts, but it’s proved a boon for two diametrically opposed forms of entertainment: binge-watching streaming sitcoms at home and site-specific outdoor plays. Starting this week and running through April 11, the Abbey hosts the Orlando premiere of a new touring production that cannily combines both genres into The…
If you go out, respect everyone’s distance, for all our sakes. Beth McKee & Her Funky Time Band: Whether it’s raising money for Second Harvest Food Bank or being the tide that lifts all boats in her work leading the Swamp Sistas network of women artists, Orlando mover and musician Beth McKee is seemingly omnipresent…
Selections: Thursday, March 25Insights and Sounds: Musical HumorFind out that the spectrum of musical humor goes far beyond the flatulent tuba and the sad trombone during an evening of sound and discussion presented by the Bach Festival Society and helmed by John Sinclair. 7:30 p.m., $75. Knowles Memorial Chapel, 1000 Holt, Ave., Winter Park, bachfestivalflorida.org…
In a year’s worth of pivots for Orlando Ballet artistic director Robert Hill, the opening of The Robert Hill Collection this month might be the most dramatic one yet. The Collection sees Hill, 60, take the stage again as a performer after a nearly 20-year absence — hearkening back to his previous creative life as…
It takes some guts — in both the “gore” and “fortitude” senses of the word — to name your band after an album from Central Florida’s death-metal glory days (Death’s Human from 1991), but new Orlando band Human pulls it off. The trio — all familiar local faces, with members having done time in volume…
Our weekly food news roundup
There’s a harsh truth underlying this political moment, one we do immense harm to continue pretending doesn’t exist. Unfortunately, it’s not the kind of thing our institutions, in particular our media, are designed to reckon with, conditioned as they’ve been by the fetishization of bipartisanship as a virtue unto itself. But the reality is what…
