Gas prices hit lowest point since last summer
The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florida rounded to $3 on Thursday, as motorists made holiday trips. The AAA auto club said Florida’s average price was $2.995 a gallon. That was down nearly 9 cents from a week earlier and about a dime cheaper than the national average. The last…
Florida Supreme Court impanels grand jury to investigate COVID-19 vaccines
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday approved a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate alleged wrongdoing related to COVID-19 vaccines. The Supreme Court issued an order that impaneled a grand jury for a year and appointed Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Ronald Ficarrotta to preside over it. Grand jury…
Freeze warning issued for Orlando area on Christmas weekend
The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for the Orlando area going into the Christmas weekend. The freeze warning runs from 1 AM to 9 AM on Saturday. The warning area extends from Daytona Beach in the north to Melbourne in the south. It includes all cities in the Orlando metro, including Winter…
Orlando horror-drag heroine Victoria Elizabeth Black wins ‘Dragula: Titans’ reality competition
Orlando, a ‘Titan’ walks among us. Local drag performer Victoria Elizabeth Black has emerged triumphant on the Shudder network’s reality competition The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula :Titans. Dragula :Titans is an all-star spinoff of Dragula, a reality contest hosted by Los Angeles’ Boulet Brothers, that showcases the best performers in horror-drag and pits them against one…
Florida’s lack of public health funding exposed in new state rankings
Florida is 43rd among states in public health funding, and 46th in rate of uninsured residents.
Free Will Astrology: Sagittarius, you are authorized to be ‘difficult’ in your 2023 quest for success, but don’t be a diva
Your horoscope for the week of Dec. 22-28
Florida emo showcase brings Intervention, Virginity to Will’s Pub in January
Will’s Pub is going all in on all things sad and loud in the new year. The venerable Orlando institution will show off a who’s who of Florida emo when newish Jacksonville yearners Intervention join Daytona’s preeminent Superdrag enthusiasts Virginity and Orlando’s own Overthinker and Like Father on January 6. Intervention dropped their debut album…
Orlando’s The Killer Robots! to debut explosive feature film ‘Robotica Destructiva’ at Enzian in January
It might not be your thing, but no one would accuse Orlando’s The Killer Robots! of half-assing their latest project Robotica Destructiva. The stop-motion-esque, explosive sci-fi feature is equal parts MST3K and Gwar showing the titular robots facing off against an entire universe of baddies. The film is the third in a trilogy produced by…
It’ll be a ‘Drag Queen Christmas’ at Orlando’s Plaza Live next week
You, a drag queen dressed as a sexy reindeer, a Mariah Carey Christmas classic, holiday lights — all at the Plaza Live for ‘A Drag Queen Christmas.’ Who says the season ends on Sunday? We promise you’ve never seen Rudolph sashay this hard. Several RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni, including season winners, fan favorites and Miss Congeniality winners,…
All of the Orlando New Year’s Eve 2022 events that we know about
New Year’s Eve sure brings on a lot of stress for a holiday that’s meant to be about letting go and starting over. We’d love you to head into the last day of the year with little on your mind but partying with your friends, so we’ve compiled a list of all the events we…
Tampa Bay Rays to use Orlando’s Disney World as home for upcoming spring training
While some sports luminaries opt for a trip to Disney World after a successful season, the Tampa Bay Rays are going to get that journey out of the way before their next season — using Disney as a temporary location for spring training next year. The Rays are moving their spring training operation to the ESPN Wide…
Ivanhoe Village’s Hideaway Bar reopens a few days after drunk driver smashed into it
Ivanhood bar the Hideaway has already reopened its doors this week, after a drunk driver smashed into the bar on Sunday night. Four people were injured after a driver crashed his truck into the local dive bar on Sunday night. Orlando Police say the truck crashed into the Hideaway around 6 p.m. The driver as…
Orlando-area music venue the Haven under new ownership, will reopen as the Conduit in January
Orlando — well, Winter Park — venue The Haven is getting a serious remake and becoming The Conduit in early 2023. The longtime Aloma Avenue spot, host to an unholy legion of metal shows over the years, has been purchased by the intriguing troika of Pete Olen of Endoxa Booking, Will Walker of Will’s Pub, and Jerry Dufrain of…
Progressive reports $600 million in vehicle losses from Hurricane Ian
The Progressive insurance company incurred more than $600 million in losses from vehicle damage in Hurricane Ian, according to information released Wednesday. Progressive said a November estimate of $615 million was “essentially unchanged,” with the total including losses to boats. In a news release, Progressive also said it estimated property losses of about $1 billion,…
New on Netflix: Everyone’s having a blast in ‘Glass Onion,’ the second ‘Knives Out’ whodunit
Plus streaming premieres on Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and the rest
Opera Orlando presents still-timely holiday tale ‘All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914’
The true story of how WWI soldiers set aside their weapons for just one night and embraced each other’s humanity
Filipino sweet shop Sampaguita aims for a Jan. 1 soft opening in Mills 50; waffle shop Dolly Llama to open in Winter Garden
Plus more sweet local food news
‘The Culture Warrior’
“Hey, I know you! You’re that pathetic libtard!”
Body Shop headline bill of promising young Orlando underground acts at Will’s this week
In sound and attitude, this exciting young bill on Wednesday is pure underground. Between the primitive and evocative garage rock of Body Shop, the deep post-punk moods of new band the Synthetics, the EBM beats of KT Kink and the dark synth-pop of Altar Boy, the lineup cuts an excellent cross-section through Orlando’s most interesting…
Orlando musician Derek Engstrom starts over again with solo album ‘Easy Living’
Every now and again some new music rolls down the pike that hits all the senses at once — a sophisticated pop gem that charms the ear, sparks the imagination and moves the heart, if not the feet as well. This is what Orlando musician Derek Engstrom has gifted us with on his newest album,…
It will not be a silent night at the ‘Noise Before Christmas’ show headlined by Jiblit Dupree at Orlando’s Uncle Lou’s
If you think escaping family and loved ones by going to a mere bar is enough to put you on the naughty list over Christmas, you’ve got another thing coming. The Grinchly gathering at Uncle Lou’s that is ‘A Noise Before Christmas’ takes place in the wee hours of Xmas eve when Santa is out…
Orlando’s DJ BMF brings back his James Brown-themed holiday DJ night this week
A lesser known fact about the Godfather of Soul James Brown is that he had a sizable (brand-new) bag of certified Xmas classics. (We’re particularly partial to “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” from the late 1960s.) But he’s also recorded seasonal gems like “Let’s Unite the Whole World at Christmas,” “Soulful Christmas” and…
Carmen Morales and Ken Miller come ‘Home’ to the Orlando Improv for the holidays
The Orlando Improv typically reserves prime nights for touring headliners, but this week, two comedians who came up in Orlando, Ken Miller and Carmen Morales, are treating everyone to two special nights with Home for the Holidays. Miller is Orlando’s comedy dad, known not just for his killer set but also for looking out for…
Ericka Dunlap hosts a ‘Christmas With Soul’ at the Dr. Phillips Center
Orlandoan Ericka Dunlap brings her holiday revue ‘Christmas With Soul’ to the Dr. Phillips Center this week, promising soulful takes on Christmas tunes bolstered with choreography, costuming and big production. The former (or forever, as her fans would tell you) Miss Florida and Miss America will be joined by guest singers and an eight-piece band…
Orlando indie-rock band TV Dinner serve up some delicious ‘Leftovers’ on new mini-album
While Orlando’s TV Dinner have been steadily honing their sound on stages over the past several years, they haven’t actually released any new recordings since 2017 debut album Table Manners. In that time, the band have progressively shed some of their early twee-pop hues for a moodier, more personal shade of indie rock. Their new…
Orlando experimental hip-hop duo OhTwo continue creative evolution with new album
Since reshuffling after parting ways with member Sean Mingo, O-grown experimental hip-hop act OHTWO have been simultaneously settling into their new groove and pushing themselves forward. On their new, eponymous album on hometown label Xylene Records, OHTWO’s Byson and Faust have further dug into the uniquely intimate dance that can happen between producer and MC.…
The casual jazz jam ‘Thursday Night Hang’ at Winter Park’s Blue Bamboo offers sonic respite from the holiday rush
Between all the sturm und drang of the holiday season, just an ounce of respite can quickly rocket to the top of anyone’s personal wish list. That’s why the casual weekly ‘Thursday Night Hang’ jazz performance headed by Blue Bamboo figurehead Chris Cortez is especially on-time right about now. Although Blue Bamboo showcases a wide…
