FFF 2020 takes place Aug. 7-20
Thrash metal legends Metallica have now jumped into the drive-in movie pool with this week’s announcement of an Aug. 29 live performance broadcast to drive-in movie theaters around the country as part of the Encore Drive-In Nights concert series. Metallica will be the first non-country act to be featured in series and, obviously, the loudest…
Employees of vegetarian restaurant and gathering place Dandelion Community Cafe say they were locked out of work at 4 p.m. Tuesday, after petitioning the owners to form a union. The Dandelion employee union, dubbed “The Seeds,” made their case through Instagram and Facebook accounts, where they recounted that one of their fellows requested a staff…
Continuing to adapt to the twin necessities of social distancing in a pandemic and experiencing art in person, the Creative City Project has unveiled their newest production, Bright Young Things, set for a run in October. Bright Young Things is an immersive, outdoor theatrical experience from writer-director Donald Rupe and creative director Cole NeSmith. Set…
State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, D-Orlando, is set to host a virtual workshop on evictions and foreclosures in partnership with the Florida Bar Foundation this Friday. The “Housing & Covid-19 Workshop” will discuss tenant rights and legal avenues available to renters and homeowners as they face the economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic. One thing…
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices AUCTION Extra Space Storage – Store 8841 9847 Curry Ford Road, Orlando, FL 32825 Extra Space Storage will hold a Public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location Indicated: 9847 Curry Ford Road, Orlando, FL 32825 (407) 495-9612, August 25, 2020 @…
In the latest sign that theme parks are taking unprecedented steps to lure guests back inside their recently reopened gates, Universal Orlando has joined Walt Disney World in offering deeply discounted tickets to Florida residents. At the beginning of this month, Universal introduced a new “Buy a Day, Visit Every Day Thru Dec. 24 for…
The Orange County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a new COVID-19 Eviction Diversion Program during their meeting on Tuesday as a means of relief for Orange County residents facing eviction due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Eviction Diversion Program will put $20 million in federal and state CARES Act money toward rent assistance. The program launches Tuesday,…
Former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Tuesday afternoon his selection of U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris to be his vice presidential candidate on the ballot in November. Harris, a graduate of Howard University and University of California, Hastings, has been one of California’s two U.S. senators since 2017, after serving as the…
The popular local autumn tradition Mount Dora Craft Fair has been canceled this year over coronavirus concerns. Originally set for Oct. 24-25, organizers posted a statement on their website today confirming that what would have been the 36th annual Craft Fair is off until 2021: Due to safety concerns surrounding the spread of Covid-19 at…
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation issued an emergency suspension of the liquor licenses of Orange County bars Mathers Social Gathering, Shots and Joysticks on Tuesday. The suspension is effective immediately, placed on Mathers LLC and Dobson Family Trust, which includes all three downtown Orlando bars. The statement reads in part: This emergency license…
Central Florida’s largest employer, Disney, reopened its doors in mid-July. The reopening was viewed by many as the first step back towards normalcy. After months of uncertainty, the reopening meant many hospitality workers were finally able to return to their jobs. But Orlando’s parks, and many other across the nation, are quickly learning that their…
A federal appeals court Tuesday rejected arguments by prominent National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer in a lawsuit centered on graphic emails she received from a California attorney after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a…
Local repertory theater group the Ensemble Company has announced a new production of Broadway hit The Lifespan of a Fact set for September, as part of their second season. This is the Central Florida debut of The Lifespan of a Fact, a play that made a splash on Broadway in 2018 with a cast that…
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. Check Out These Disney Items Up For Auction This is a dream come true for so many Disney fans. This Friday and Saturday, hundreds of Disney collectibles will…
Gov. Ron DeSantis, while expressing hope that the coronavirus crisis could ease across Southern states in September, said on morning radio shows Monday that the pandemic will “loom” over every budget and policy debate during the 2021 legislative session. DeSantis said mapping out budget priorities for next fiscal year will depend on factors such as…
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political committee remained on the sidelines in July, marking the fourth consecutive month it has had little financial activity, according to a newly filed finance report. The Friends of Ron DeSantis committee did not receive any contributions during the month and only collected $276.17 in interest on a bank account. It spent…
Right about now, we’re on the lookout at all times for music that soothes and slows down our racing, anxiety-ridden brains. And this Friday, Aug. 14, local label Circuit Church is set to unleash the feel-calm hit of the summer with a new album – Say Those Words for Me – from Seattle artist, musician and composer Nat…
The slowdown of mail service across the country is causing a ripple effect that is placing a strain on small businesses that depend on timely delivery. While some cite political pressures for the slow down, the wide-ranging impact of the coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on the U.S. Postal Service, now reporting a $2.2…
Starting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, Walt Disney World’s Orlando theme parks are scaling back operating hours. Magic Kingdom will close an hour earlier, at 6 p.m. Epcot will close two hours earlier, at 7 p.m. Hollywood Studios will close at 7 p.m., also, an hour earlier than usual. Animal Kingdom will open an hour later each day,…
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. announced Monday the company had a net loss of $131 million in the second quarter of 2020, compared to the same three-month period last year. Total revenue in the same three-month period dropped to just $18 million between 2019 and 2020, as only 300,000 visitors showed up, compared to last year’s 6.2…
Weighing privacy issues, a federal appeals court has sided with a transgender student who argued his constitutional rights were violated when the St. Johns County school district prevented him from using boys’ restrooms at his high school. The 2-1 decision Friday by a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower-court…
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. YUM!!! Best Take Out Restaurants In Central Florida Thank you to Orlando Weekly. They’ve done the legwork and gathered Yelp’s incredible list of the 25 best take-out spots…
Meet Carrie! Carrie (A453457) is an adorable 8-year-old tortie cat who is searching for her forever home. She enjoys making biscuits, loves scratches behind her ears and would be the best lap cat. Carrie is available for virtual adoption or in-person adoption – the links to get started are posted below: Virtual adoptions: https://bit.ly/2NDWgUj Book…
With a major increase in infections reported Friday, nearly 11,000 state prison inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 and 63 have died, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. An additional 1,154 inmates had tested positive in numbers released Friday, bringing the overall total to 10,975. Also, the number of inmates who had died from…
Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested Friday a further broadening of what constitutes an “essential” worker as he continues efforts to revive the coronavirus-staggered economy. However, bars will have to wait for bigger declines in coronavirus case numbers before they can start pouring drinks for customers again. “Of course, I’m willing to look at it, but I…
‘Readers’ react in this week’s letters to the editor
In a major victory for victims of notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, an Atlanta-based appeals court on Friday agreed to revisit a decision in a lawsuit alleging that federal prosecutors violated victims’ rights by hatching a secret non-prosecution deal without getting the input of women who were abused by the wealthy financier when they were…
A Thursday executive order signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted the requirement of restaurant employees to pass two coronavirus tests before returning to work. This amendment marks a significant change to the March 17 executive order, which authorized the Department of Business and Regulation to prohibit any employee who meets “criteria indicative of concerns related…
About 60 percent of Florida households have responded to this year’s U.S. Census, trailing 31 other states in response rates, according to information released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The national response rate was 63.1 percent as of Wednesday, while Florida was at 60.1 percent. The top states for responses were in the Midwest, with…
New Yorkers and their neighbors from the tri-state region no longer have to self-quarantine for two weeks after entering Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had repeatedly disparaged New York as an example of how not to manage the coronavirus pandemic, quietly lifted travel restrictions Thursday on people coming to Florida from New York, New Jersey…
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. It’s Only Available At 4-Rivers This Month! It’s become somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon. 4-Rivers is bringing back their mouth watering Brisket Burger for one month only.…
Joining countless concerts, arts events, political debates and plays, this year’s CommUNITY Rainbow Run has moved online, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The fourth annual benefit for the OnePulse Foundation is still a go, at least, happening in September virtually. Runners can take on the 4.9K miles of the race – a number that is a tribute…
Florida had an estimated 73,955 first-time unemployment claims last week, a drop of nearly 20 percent from the previous week as the state continues to try to recover economically from the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, with more than 3.48 million unemployment applications filed since mid-March, a verbal battle has reemerged over the state’s troubled jobless system…
Local barbecue emporium 4 Rivers Smokehouse is pulling a McRib – perhaps the worst metaphor ever to use for an actual barbecue restaurant, forgive us – and bringing back their popular Brisket Burger for a limited time only. The towering combination of Angus brisket patty, melted cheddar cheese and fried onions all stuffed between two buns will be available…
On the 20th anniversary of ‘Almost Famous,’ more about Lester Bangs, Jaan Uhelszki and a score of other shoulda-been-famous rock writers
UCF professor Stella Sung and Opera Orlando have been awarded a $10,000 grant from Opera America as a commission to complete an opera based on – in a wonderfully Florida-centric turn – The Secret River, a children’s story by author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (Cross Creek, The Yearling). This grant is part of a $100,000 program on the…
With good reason, much ink has been spilled about Donald Trump’s trainwreck interview with Axios’ Jonathan Swan. It offered plenty of easy targets for mockery: Trump’s horrifyingly tone-deaf remarks about John Lewis (“Nobody has done more for Black Americans than I have”); his absurd insistence that the number of COVID deaths didn’t matter (“It is…
Orlando City has finally given its devotees and supporters something to believe in during the “MLS Is Back” tournament, going on now at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista. Today, Orlando City will take on Minnesota United in the semifinal of the tournament, after having beaten 2019 Supporter’s Shield winner LAFC…
A Florida Cabinet meeting scheduled for next Tuesday has been canceled, to the displeasure of Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the lone Democrat on the panel. Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office did not immediately give a reason Wednesday for why DeSantis, Fried, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Attorney General Ashley Moody won’t meet. The statewide elected…
A Tallahassee research organization called Wednesday for “universal” mail-in voting in Florida, a day after President Donald Trump backed the state’s current system for casting ballots by mail. The non-profit group Integrity Florida released an analysis of changes made after the troubled 2018 elections and suggested the coronavirus pandemic will require going to a universal…
We reviewed as many of this year’s festival films as we were able to see at scheduled critics’ screenings. Tickets and virtual passes are available on the Florida Film Festival website. Adam If you thought life was difficult for Rick and Isla on the streets of Casablanca, you haven’t seen Samia (Nisrin Erradi). Pregnant, unemployed,…
With some students set to return to classrooms on Monday, state officials and Florida’s largest teachers union are locked in a legal battle over an order requiring schools to reopen this month amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Florida Education Association last month filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and other…
Gov. Ron DeSantis, acknowledging what he called the “emotional damage” caused by a lockdown of nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic, said on Tuesday that the state will look at ways to ease restrictions that have kept nursing-home residents and family members separated since March. “I think that would put a lot of people at…
Retailers reeling from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic hope Floridians will indulge in a chance to save some money this weekend as students prepare for the new school year, whether it be in traditional classrooms or online. The state will hold a sales-tax “holiday” from Friday through Sunday, allowing back-to-school shoppers to avoid…
Consult your cardiologist and set that alarm clock. To celebrate the grand opening of a new Wendy’s location in Winter Park, the company is offering an entire year of free breakfast to those diligent enough to be among the first one hundred cars to make a drive-thru purchase on Friday, Aug. 7, starting at 6:30…
Prolific civil rights attorney Ben Crump is filing a civil lawsuit against Walt Disney World and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office over the “wrongful and traumatic” arrest of Hester Burkhalter, a then-69-year-old great-grandmother visiting the Magic Kingdom with her family in April 2019. The arrest led to a felony charge and a 12-hour stay in jail,…
During an interview with ABC News on Tuesday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said that he couldn’t see how bars could reopen safely in Orlando until a vaccine for coronavirus is developed. “I think bars are in one of the most difficult situation because, unlike a restaurant where you might go with your family and sit…
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. You Mean Wahlburgers Isn’t Gone Forever? They may have shuttered their Orlando and Waterford Lakes locations, but the Wahlbergs aren’t gone completely. The hamburger loving brothers still have…
Many people have reached peak cabin fever and, despite Florida’s continually climbing coronavirus case loads, are desperately seeing diversions outside their own overly familiar four walls. Are you eager for cutting-edge interactive amusement, but the idea of attending a theme park (even with all their safety precautions) is still too overwhelming? It may seem counterintuitive…
I’m a gay guy who’s involved with a guy I met a few months before COVID-19 took off. He’s a great guy, smart, funny, hot, healthy and easy to be around. It started as a hookup but we have chemistry on several levels and, without either of us having to say it, we started seeing…
Plus nine more streaming debuts for August
How to steal an election
FFF 2020 Opening Night Film
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday he would be “cautious” about linking school reopenings in Florida to COVID-19 positivity rates in communities. The governor’s remarks came a week after the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics sent a white paper to DeSantis advising that schools should not reopen unless they are in locales with…
