Savannah Boan, new education ambassador at Gatorland
Savannah Boan has long been a friend of the paper – she featured for many years as Billy Manes' sidekick in his Blister column, back in her days as "the Sexy Savannah," a Monsters in the Morning radio regular. The 6-foot-tall platinum-haired former Marine played the dumb blonde persona to perfection, but underneath that South Carolina drawl, there was always a brain working quicker than a crocodile's jaw can snap. Fitting, then, that she's returned to the Orlando area in full Swamp Girl glory after a stint in SoCal as a snake handler at the Reptile Zoo to serve as animal education ambassador and "crocodilian enrichment coordinator" at Gatorland. And it's no gimmick, either – to hear her tell it, she digs gators more than most humans. Brains, beauty and boldness ... our kinda girl.
Local Color: The best in local media, radio shows, Instagram feeds, activists and more
The best in local media, radio shows, Instagram feeds, activists and more.
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.
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
1. Second Harvest Food Bank, feedhopenow.org
2. Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, petallianceorlando.org
3. Give Kids the World, gktw.org
1. "A Mediocre Time With Tom & Dan," tomanddan.com
2. "Scotch and Good Conversation," scotchandgoodconversation.com
3. "BYOCB," byocbshow.com
1. Mayor Buddy Dyer
2. Commissioner Patty Sheehan
3. U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy
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
