Best Of 2017

Best "Get Off My Lawn!"

Motion activated sprinklers at a house behind St. Matthew's Tavern

Look, we get it: Alcohol makes us have to pee too. But one neighbor of St. Matt's got so fed up with patrons of that bar using their garden (which it looks like they've put a lot of work into) as a Porta Potty that they hooked motion sensors up to their sprinkler system. Now, the wee hours of the morning are frequently punctuated by the sudden shrieks of public urinators getting blasted with an unwelcome jet of city water. It's a creative (and hilarious!) solution to an unsanitary nuisance, and has us thinking back to something our grandmother used to say every time we leave St. Matt's: "Do you have to go before we get in the car?"

Local Color: The best in local media, radio shows, Instagram feeds, activists and more

Local Color

The best in local media, radio shows, Instagram feeds, activists and more.

Best, Biggest, Blondest Hole in Our Hearts
Photo by Rob Bartlett

Billy Manes

May 22, 1972–July 21, 2017

The loss of Orlando Weekly's longest-term writer and foundational voice is devastating not just to his friends and family, not just to his colleagues, but to all of Orlando. Our bereavement is nothing compared to the loss of potential that his departure from this mortal plane represents – but we take some comfort in knowing that his husband, Tony Mauss, has launched the Billy Manes Foundation, which will work to fund various literary and advocacy issues. And, per Billy's request, Mauss will also finish the memoir Billy started but didn't have time to finish. Rest in power, Citizen Manes.

Best Kept Secret

1. Wekiva Island, wekivaisland.com

2. Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, scenicboattours.com

3. Sanford

Best Local Activist Group

1. One Orlando Alliance, oneorlandoalliance.org

2. Zebra Coalition, zebrayouth.org

3. Food Not Bombs, facebook.com/orlandofoodnotbombs

1. John Morgan

2. Mayor Buddy Dyer

3. Johnny Magic

Best Local Charitable Group

1. Second Harvest Food Bank, feedhopenow.org

2. Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, petallianceorlando.org

3. Give Kids the World, gktw.org

Best Local Podcast

1. "A Mediocre Time With Tom & Dan," tomanddan.com

2. "Scotch and Good Conversation," scotchandgoodconversation.com

3. "BYOCB," byocbshow.com

Best Local Politician

1. Mayor Buddy Dyer

2. Commissioner Patty Sheehan

3. U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy

Best Local Print Columnist

1. Scott Maxwell
Note: Scott Maxwell sent us a dedication request this morning: "Jessica, I’m honored by the voters' support. But this is Billy Manes’ award this year. So I’d like to very respectfully decline – and thank Billy for all he did to make us laugh and cry and think." He's a class act, that Maxwell.

No. 1 in our hearts: Billy Manes

3. Mike Bianchi