In the front yard of a Pinellas Park home sits a monorail car. This is the story of how it got there
In a driveway of a Pinellas Park residence, a monorail car welded to a trailer has sat mostly untouched for the better part of two years. Then, late last month, it was listed for sale on Facebook. Skaia Colocado, the car’s current owner, tells Orlando Weekly there has been some interest in the unique item, but…
Emails show Fun Spot founder doubled down on anti-mask rhetoric as park became hot spot of COVID-19 safety violations
Despite the clear evidence that they work, masks have become a hot-button issue for some Americans who trust political discourse over science. Recently, that reality has been playing out in one of Orlando’s best-known local attractions. It was a full week after Walt Disney World began shutting down in an effort to stop the deadly…
Nighttime entertainment still likely far off, even as fireworks are seen at Disney World
Physical distancing and decreased capacity have meant many of the entertainment offerings that make Disney World magical are now on indefinite hold. Parades, nighttime spectaculars, and other entertainment that causes crowds to gather didn’t return when the Florida resort reopened this summer. Now seven months into the pandemic, we have the first indications of when…
Frontyard Fest and CFCArts present ‘Noel: The Carols of Christmas’ next week with local celeb narrators
CFCArts is getting in on some Frontyard Festival action next week with Noel: The Carols of Christmas, an evening of holiday song and stories with some special guest narrators. A handful of local celebs are set to take part in Noel, giving a dramatic read of the story of Christmas: Jason Guy from WESH, Mayor Buddy…
Two record stores in Orlando have autographed Megan Thee Stallion CDs for sale
Two worthy Orlando record stories have quite the exclusive available for purchase: autographed copies of Megan Thee Stallion’s new CD, Good News — in very limited quantities and apparently not available anywhere else in Florida. Park Ave CDs and Re-Runz Records are the only spots in town to get your hands on these rarities. Park Ave…
Legal Public Notices 12/9 issue
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: December 22, 2020 at the times and locations listed below. The personal goods stored therein by the following: 4:00 PM Extra Space Storage 610 Rinehart Rd. Lake Mary,…
Bach Festival Orchestra and Voctave’s ‘Spirit of the Season’ show this weekend sells out, second performance added
The bad news is that the Bach Festival Society’s Spirit of the Season holiday show this weekend, pairing Voctave with the Bach Festival Orchestra, sold out pretty quickly. The good news is that they’ve added a second, earlier performance for those who missed out on tickets. So for those holding tickets to the originally announced…
AdventHealth Orlando among Florida hospitals that could receive COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week
Florida’s top public health official said Tuesday that five Florida hospitals could receive COVID-19 vaccinations as early as next week. Department of Health Secretary Scott Rivkees, who also serves as the state’s surgeon general, gave the update during a statewide call with hospitals administrators, according to executives on the phone call. Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccination…
CFS Coffee opens fourth Orlando location in the Dr. Phillips neighborhood
CFS Coffee, the Colombian coffee house that got its start in Hannibal Square, is continuing to rapidly expand and open new locations all over town. A fourth location in the Dr. Phillips area has just opened in the old OK, But First Coffee storefront on West Sand Lake Boulevard. And the coffee purveyors aren’t done…
New study shows Floridian renters at second highest risk for eviction in the U.S.
According to a new report out this week, Florida is leading in eviction statistics nationwide — in all the wrong ways. AdvisorSmith released “States Where Renters Are at Highest Risk of Eviction,” a study that analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey for all 50 states (conducted between Oct. 28 and Nov. 9). Findings…
Restaurant servers across the country are experiencing ‘maskual harassment’ during the pandemic
You would think that, during a pandemic that’s wiping out thousands of Americans each day, people would treat others with compassion and do everything in their power to ensure the safety of not only themselves, but also their neighbors, right? As it turns out that’s a big nope, at least from those choosing to dine…
The 2020 top trends in pet names in Orlando are very much a product of this very strange year
A new survey from the Dog People at Rover.com was released this week, and it’s chock-full of treats (of knowledge) about Orlandoans’ preferences for pet names. Based on a deep dive into Rover’s — the “world’s” largest” network of dog-walkers and pet-sitters — database of more than a million pet names and some resultant number-crunching, here are some of…
Orlando Story Club stages outdoor storytelling contest this Wednesday at the CityArts Courtyard
Orlando Story Club is back, ready to close out the year with an outdoor storytelling contest, and we’d imagine people have a lot to share from this particular year. This Wednesday, Dec. 9, OSC is putting on “A Gift” at 6:30 p.m. outdoors at the CityArts Courtyard (the alley between the big green Rogers-Kiene building…
Royal Americana couple Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires play downtown Orlando’s Frontyard Festival on Thursday
Remember when big-name national acts came to town on the reg? Well, this bill featuring the powerhouse Americana couple of Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires is probably the closest semblance to those less contagious times seen here in a long-ass while. It’s part of the Dr. Phillips Center’s outdoor, thoughtfully spaced Frontyard Festival series in…
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck to roll into Orlando’s Florida Mall for one day only this weekend
The holiday season just got a little bit cuter. The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck — currently on an East Coast jaunt — is rolling into Orlando’s Florida Mall this weekend. The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will be parked outdoors, by the Crayola Experience on Saturday, Dec. 12 (and that’s it!), from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The mobile…
Florida’s Confederate holidays will be targeted in 2021 legislative session
State Rep. Mike Grieco, D-Miami Beach, wants lawmakers to eliminate legal holidays honoring the birthdays of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, along with a Confederate Memorial Day. Grieco on Thursday filed a bill (HB 6007) to remove the Lee, Davis and Confederate Memorial days from a list of legal holidays…
Even in Florida, you can now sink your teeth into the famous Detroit-style square pie from Buddy’s Pizza
Buddy’s original Detroit-style pizza is now available … everywhere. The creators of the Detroit pie that’s beloved nationwide have launched a new partnership with online marketplace Goldbelly that will ship anywhere in the United States. You can order Buddy’s frozen classic eight-square pizzas in three- or six-packs. “At Buddy’s Pizza, we’re always striving to help…
Resourceful Florida manatee frees self after lengthy bicycle tire entanglement
A manatee who had became entangled in a bicycle tire last year was recently spotted in Blue Spring State Park last week, completely free of this crappy, very painful, hula hoop-esque entrapment. And the manatee did it all by their damn self. The escape-artist manatee — who had been dubbed “Schwinn” by researchers and “Wheelie”…
Universal Orlando continues to move forward with new Jurassic World themed coaster
The year 2020 will go down in history for giving the most severe hit to the tourism industry in more than a generation. However, as layoffs and closures continue throughout the industry, new attractions are still being built. At Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure, the Jurassic World VelociCoaster is still moving forward with an expected…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Monday, Dec. 7, 2020
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. Uncork, if you will, the idea of Florida bar owners selling alcohol to-go. Area bars started the practice at the start of Covid-19 and a couple of state…
Cruise lines bring aboard health experts as they look to regain the public’s trust post-COVID
As cruise lines prepare to relaunch next year, many are looking to ensure the outbreaks that kept them in the news for much of this year never recur. Upgraded air filtration systems, improved onboard health clinics, and numerous new safety protocols are quickly becoming standard across the industry. Many cruise lines are also adding health…
Florida restaurants should be allowed to sell alcohol to go, say state senators
Two state senators have uncorked proposals to make permanent a coronavirus emergency order that allowed restaurants and other food establishments with liquor licenses to include alcohol with “to-go” orders. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, separately filed measures that would allow a business holding a state alcohol license to sell…
Colonial Drive under I-4 to be closed over the weekend for I-4 Ultimate construction until Monday morning
The section of Colonial Drive under I-4 will be closed over the weekend for construction, starting as early as 9 p.m. on Friday evening and continuing until 6 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 7. What that means for you, the frustrated I-4 driver, is that the eastbound I-4 exit to Colonial Drive and Garland Avenue from…
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings signs executive order instituting fines against local businesses for COVID-19 violations
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings earlier this week promised an executive order that would allow the county to impose fees and fines on businesses that repeatedly flout safety guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19 locally. And on Friday, that order arrived. Frustrated by a number of repeat offenders — mostly bars and nightclubs (footage from a…
Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini shoots for ‘campus carry’ concealed gun permits yet again in 2021 session
A long-debated proposal that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on Florida college and university campuses was filed Monday for consideration during the 2021 legislative session. Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, refiled the “campus carry” proposal (HB 6001), which did not receive a hearing during the 2019 and 2020 sessions. Similar measures were…
State of Florida bickers with drug companies over opioid pricing and profits info
Cardinal Health, one of the country’s major drug distributors, is fighting Florida’s attempt to glean how much profit the company has made distributing pain medications, as the state tries to recoup money spent combating opioid addiction and overdoses. The wrangling over Cardinal’s profits comes in a lawsuit filed more than two years ago by the…
Frontyard Festival to present a weekly Disney movie night starting mid-December
Let the Frontyard Festival be your IRL Disney+ with a newly-announced weekly series of outdoor Disney movie nights starting later this month. Every Sunday evening starting Dec. 13, a classic Disney film will be screened outdoors on the lawn area in front of the Dr. Phillips Center as part of the Frontyard Festival’s expansive arts…
Orlando Gay Chorus to put on online ‘One Slice of Fruitcake’ holiday extravaganza
The Orlando Gay Chorus is offering you a big ol’ slice of “fruitcake” — the musical kind — in the form of their annual holiday variety show this month. In the event organizers’ own words: There’s one (or more) in every family — the fruitcake! Cherished by some, loathed by others, but remarkably quirky — who doesn’t love some…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Friday, Dec. 4, 2020
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. Krampus is coming, Krampus is coming!! It’s all happening tonight (Dec. 4th) and while it’s not the normal Krampusnacht of days gone by, it does offer a great…
Orange County Animal Services to give out tons of free Science Diet pet food next week
Orange County Animal Services is partnering with Hill’s Science Diet to give out three tons of free pet food to Orange County pet owners — and their furry companions — in need. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, starting at noon, Orange County residents can come to the South Ekon Recreation Center and select two food items on a first-come, first-served basis.…
Annual holiday concert Songs of the Season returns Sunday as part of the Frontyard Festival at the Dr. Phil
No complaints about Christmas music from me this season. After the year we’ve had, every last one of us deserves a big cup of 90-proof holiday cheer. So jingle the shit outta them bells! Songs of the Season, the classic holiday music program featuring Rollins College musicians and vocalists, returns to the Dr. Phillips Center plaza this Sunday, Dec.…
Universal Orlando announces layoffs of more than 1,000 employees by the end of the year
Universal Orlando has announced that more than 1,000 employees will be laid off by the end of this year. On Nov. 20, the theme park filed a notice with the state confirming that 1,123 employees have been or will be terminated by Dec. 31. None of these layoffs will include hourly employees but will be…
Monthly Vegan Outlet outdoor market kicks off soon at Henao Center with guest Rep. Anna Eskamani
A new monthly plant-based market, the Vegan Outlet, is launching this month at Orlando’s Henao Center and there will be a special guest appearance by local Rep. Anna Eskamani to give the event that much more pizzazz. Set for the second Saturday of each month, the Vegan Outlet is debuting next weekend. The Outlet, the…
The tiger that tore into the arm of a volunteer at Tampa’s Big Cat Rescue today was also among a group of tigers that ate a guy’s arms in 2018
This morning a volunteer at Tampa’s Big Cat Rescue, nearly had her arm ripped off from the shoulder by a tiger. The victim was Candy Couser, who has volunteered at the animal sanctuary for nearly five years. The tiger, Kimba, reportedly grabbed Couser’s arm and nearly tore it off at the shoulder while she was…
Orlando tribute band Bithlo Rising channels Motörhead this Saturday for Will Walker’s birthday
So many cover bands, yet so few worth mentioning. Bithlo Rising, however, are almost certainly the area’s heaviest tribute act with a setlist loaded with legit hard rock classics. For the birthday of Will’s Pub owner Will Walker, they’re dropping aces and going full Lemmy with a bludgeoning Motörhead set at Will’s on Saturday, Dec.…
Soulful Orlando country singer Sean Holcomb plays the New Standard on Saturday
Just when 2020 looked like a shiny-eyed little baby, we gave you a fresh peek at the New Standard as an aspiring new music room. Now nearly through this enfant terrible of a year, the Winter Park spot — thanks to its primary restaurant function — has made the unlikely emergence as probably the area’s most…
Tiger bites staff member at Tampa’s Big Cat Rescue
A tiger reportedly bit a staff member at Tampa’s controversial Big Cat Rescue Thursday morning. Eric Seidel, of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, told Creative Loafing that the incident occurred at around 8:30 a.m. at the property located at 12802 Easy St. Because of HIPAA laws, the identity of the person who was bitten and the…
Orange County’s CARES Act Portal for pandemic assistance opens again Tuesday, Dec. 8
Orange County government will reopen the CARES Act portal for coronavirus pandemic assistance for another round of applications next week. The individual and family assistance portal will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8. While the portal may reopen again later in December, the program is winding down, with CARES Act funding set to expire…
Norwegian Cruise Line extends suspension of operations through Feb. 2021
Norwegian Cruise Line announced on Wednesday that it will continue to suspend all cruise operations into through February of 2021, with some routes even suspended through March next year. In a public statement, the cruise giant said that normal operations are now off the table “due to the current global environment” until Feb. 28, 2021 at…
Orlando DJ Dizzlephunk’s fifth annual charity Shoe and Sock Drive is asking for donations in December
Orlando DJ Dizzlephunk is turning his notable hustling skills toward a good cause this holiday season, with his annual Shoe & Sock Drive in full swing. Now in its fifth year, Dizzlephunk’s Shoe & Sock drive collects donations of new shoes and socks — for children and adults — from dropboxes placed all over town. Then, in tandem with First…
Lake Eola tree lighting ceremony to go virtual this year
The City of Orlando is moving the big annual Lake Eola tree lighting ceremony online this year. In the interest of health and safety (and not gathering tightly-packed crowds), the holiday tradition can be viewed from the safety of your own home. “Tune in” to clickorlando.com at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5. The lighting…
Things to do in Orlando Dec. 2-8, 2020
Excellent holiday events, shows, concerts, plays and more going on around town. Dec. 3: Bubbles From Around the World5:30 p.m., $200. Emeril Lagasse Foundation Kitchen House and Culinary Garden, 26 E. King St., edibleed.org Dec. 3: Front Porch Concerts: The 502sThe Plaza Live is holding a series of outdoors, weekly “weekend warm-up” shows starring a…
Netflix’s ‘Mank’ candies ‘Kane’ in a sumptuous slice of Old Hollywood
The Hearst cut is the deepest
What to watch this week: ‘Stylish With Jenna Lyons,’ ‘Bugs Bunny’s 24-Carrot Holiday Special’ and more glamorous streaming premieres
Premieres Wednesday: Alien Worlds – A four-part documentary series examines the possibility of life on other planets. Hey, if it can happen in Sumter County, it can happen anywhere. (Netflix) Premieres Thursday: Anything for Jackson – Bereaved grandparents kidnap a pregnant woman and try to implant the soul of their dead grandson into the fetus…
Rapid COVID testing is way less accurate than the government wants to admit
The federal government pushed it out without a plan, and then spent weeks denying problems with false positives.
Russell’s on Lake Ivanhoe plates stellar food while paying homage to Orlando’s Ivanhoe District
What’s old is new again in Lake Ivanhoe. I refer, however obliquely, to George Russell, who in the late 1880s settled in Ivanhoe Village, developed a pineapple farm along the shores of Lake Ivanhoe and then, a few years later, built Russell’s Point, an amusement park, on these very lands. It’s the same George Russell…
All signs point to big Christmas crowds at Orlando-area theme parks’ seasonal attractions
From Disneyland Paris to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, amusement parks across the globe that had reopened are closing once again in the face of a new surge of COVID-19 cases. But here in laissez-faire Florida, our attractions are not only open for business, they’ve decked their halls with new holiday offerings. As a result, Orlando…
Ramen Takagi is open in Oviedo, Lobos Coffee is open in Audubon Park, plus 7 more brave restaurants opening this month
OPENINGS: Ramen Takagi, the boutique ramen-ya run by Yoko Takagi and her husband Gabriel, has soft-opened in Oviedo … Owners of the now-closed Turkish Bar & Grill in Altamonte have opened Beyti Mediterranean Grill in the old Rolando’s Cuban Restaurant space at 870 State Road 436 in Casselberry … Grain & Berry, the superfood cafe…
An open couple can make rules trying to forbid catching feelings, but feelings aren’t easily ruled
Q: I’m a lesbian and my girlfriend is bi. I’ve read your column and listened to your podcast for a long time, Dan, and I always thought I’d be fine with having a partner ask me about being monogamish. Then my girlfriend of about a year and a half told me she wants to see what…
Shop local Orlando: A growing list of awesome small businesses that need your money
As the holiday shopping season hits high gear, we implore you to buy from local businesses in this, the toughest year small business has faced since the Depression. As Dan Price, business owner and income inequality activist, tweeted recently, “The founders of Amazon and Walmart have gotten $133 billion richer in the pandemic. Meanwhile, 20%…
