Aug 16-22, 2023
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Cover Story
Florida fights to preserve the future of gender studies: ‘This is about to be the entire country’s problem’
Far-right conservatives ban what they fear most: youth being taught to think critically about bias against women, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals
Movie review: ‘Gran Turismo’ tells the thrilling (true!) story of a video gamer who became a pro racing sensation
The kind of high-octane, feel-good movie that’s perfect to watch with your dad
Florida Republican files bill that bans venues from canceling shows over political views, social media posts
This isn’t the first time Rudman has filed a bill that directly impacts his own interests
DeSantis-appointed Disney chief Glen Gilzean resigns from ethics commission
Last week, commission lawyer Steve Zuilkowski wrote it would be ‘inconsistent’ with state law for Gilzean to maintain his position
DeSantis-appointed Disney board targets free passes, discounts for employees
A referral has been submitted to the Florida inspector general about ‘perks and benefits that the former Disney-controlled Reedy Creek Improvement District funneled back to Disney’
Legal Public Notices 8/23/2023
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: September 6th, 2023 at the times and locations listed below. The personal goods stored therein by the following: The personal goods stored therein by the following: 2:00PM Extra…
Winter Park venue Blue Bamboo Center puts out SOS fundraising request after rent apparently tripled
Don’t let the music stop
Death Eaters are on their way to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (no, not as tourists)
They will interact directly with park guests in Knockturn Alley
Series review: ‘Ahsoka’ is an exciting, Rebels-filled beginning to a new Star Wars era
The Disney+ series has the slow-burn intensity of ‘Andor’ with the magic and lore of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’
RIP, Publix hurricane cakes
The Lakeland-based grocer says it does not want to ‘make light’ of natural disasters
Max and Iggor Cavalera bring some good ol’ ‘Morbid Devastation’ to Orlando in September
Ex-Sepultura mainstays revisit their brutal teenage hits
Florida adds more secrecy to university president searches with new NDA requirement
The state university system’s Board of Governors quietly added an extra layer of confidentiality in November
Citizens, Florida’s home insurance of last resort, ordered to trim proposed rate hikes
Citizens this year asked the Office of Insurance Regulation for approval of an overall 13.3 percent rate increase.
Gatorland brings back Gators, Ghosts and Goblins Halloween event this fall
The haunted event returns for the fifth year in a row
‘DeSantis Is a Drag’: Corie Mattie talks about honing her political art in Orlando
The ‘L.A. Hope Dealer’ talks art, politics, and why Orlando holds a special place in her heart
Florida reports first unemployment increase of 2023
The department estimated 295,000 Floridians were out of work in mid-July, up 5,000 from a month earlier
Disney files countersuit against Gov. DeSantis, days after he said he’s ‘moved on’ from feud
‘The contracts are valid contracts and are binding on the (Central Florida Tourism Oversight) District,’ the counterclaim said.
SeaWorld announces new haunted houses, scare zones for Howl-O-Scream
Halloween screams are fast approaching
DeSantis-appointed Disney chief can’t hold both positions, ethics lawyer says
Commission lawyer Steve Zuilkowski wrote it would be ‘inconsistent’ with state law for Gilzean to maintain his position
Federal judge refuses to block law barring Chinese land ownership in Florida
An attorney for the plaintiffs argued the state has relied on ‘pernicious stereotypes’
Judge throws out challenge to Florida’s ‘don’t say gay’ education law, again
For the second time in less than a year, a judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging the 2022 state law
Abortion rights advocates launch fundraiser to benefit Orlando clinic fined by the state
An attorney for the clinic said the state’s proposed $193K fine ‘would likely force the clinic into bankruptcy or closure.’
Workers’ compensation denied for man shot while working at Orlando car-rental agency
A panel found no ‘causal link’ between the injuries he suffered and the work he performed for Value Car Rental
Late Black farmer’s family challenges court’s rejection of marijuana license
Family, partners argue officials were wrong to scrap his application because he died before the process was complete
Orlando Museum of Art sues ex-director, others over fake Basquiat paintings scandal
The lawsuit was filed in Orange County and addresses the alleged fraudulent origin of the pieces
Orlando debuts new free self-driving SWAN shuttles in downtown’s Creative Village
If the pilot program is successful, the shuttles could be expanded throughout Orlando
Aldi acquires Winn-Dixie supermarkets, plans to convert some Florida stores
The company did not say exactly which locations may get converted to Aldis
Taxpayer-funded security for Ron DeSantis surged during presidential campaign
Florida spent nearly $10 million on protecting and transporting the DeSantis family in past year
State of Florida seeks to block class-action lawsuit over trans treatment law
The lawsuit challenges a new law championed by Gov. DeSantis that banned doctors from providing treatments to trans kids
‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’, looking more and more plausible, screens as part of Enzian’s Cult Classics
Despite what Tina “Aunty Entity” Turner sang in the theme song to this 1985 film, I think we can all agree that we do, indeed, need another hero. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, the third installment in George Miller’s Road Warrior franchise, finds Max Rockatansky in Bartertown, a trading town run by the aforementioned Aunty. As…
Boundary-pushing rappers Danny Brown and JPEGMafia play Orlando this weekend
‘Scaring the Hoes’ tour comes to Vanguard
Medellin Burger serves up Colombian comfort with a classic parade of street and home dishes
Burgers, steak, chicharrones, sausage, pork belly and tricked-out hot dogs — it’s meaty
Central Florida Vocal Arts artistic director Eric Pinder discusses ‘A Little Night Music’ and ‘Cocaine Bear: The Opera’
‘I’m going to make the cocaine bear a countertenor.’
New on Netflix: ‘Untold: Swamp Kings’ revisits Urban Meyer, Tim Tebow and the early-21st-century heyday of Florida Gators football
Plus everything else debuting this week on Prime Video, Hulu, Max, Apple TV+, Disney+ and the rest
Free Will Astrology: Life will be spectacularly ‘not bad’ for Virgos in the coming weeks
Horoscopes to build your week around, Aug. 16-22
Hunky vampire saxman Tim Cappello to make Will’s Pub sweat this week
It’s all in the hips … or the pecs …
Orlando industrial-metal act CyberScream expands sound with new ‘Mixtape Vol. 3’
Combichrist drummer steps into the spotlight
Breakthrough Theatre Company engages in a little ‘Reefer Madness’ onstage
‘It is only through enlightenment that this scourge can be wiped out’
BLK Joy Festival returns to Orlando and Lake Lorne Doone Park for a third year
Looks like a great way to spend a Saturday
Onyx, Black Sheep, Chubb Rock and more head to Soundbar to play a Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary party
Rap music swaggers confidently into middle age
Luscious Lisa, Orlando’s dirtiest party-rap purveyors, finally return to a local stage
Awww shit. Look out, y’all. Orlando’s dirtiest party-rap act are back and will finally be getting nasty live for the first time since 2019. Our own homegrown coed 2 Live Crew aren’t just back on stage, they’re back with new material and will debut four new songs. With a catalog that packs titles like “T-Rex…
Vaunted jazz trumpeter Theo Croker plays the Orlando Museum of Art this weekend
The art of jazz in an art museum
Dave’s Hot Chicken opens in Lake Mary, Hung Huynh’s Bang Bang Noodle Co. is canceled, and more food news about town
All of Orlando’s heartiest food news
After DeSantis suspends Worrell, her chief of staff is fired while on maternity leave
Law enforcement showed up at Keisha Mulfort’s doorstep the day after DeSantis issued an executive order suspending state attorney Monique Worrell
Orlando community plans rally in protest of State Attorney Monique Worrell’s suspension
‘I am your duly elected state attorney and nothing done by a weak dictator can change that,’ Worrell declared Wednesday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Orlando state attorney Monique Worrell, citing ‘neglect of duty and incompetence’
It’s the second time this year DeSantis has booted an elected state attorney
