Feb 2-8, 2022
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Cover Story
Central Florida musician Aisha Badru releases a new EP of celestial folk on Nettwerk Records
In 1986, Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush released the heart-stopping collaboration “Don’t Give Up.” The song was a gorgeous slice of earthy ambience that balanced melancholic longing and a glimmering, essential undercurrent of hope. With Gabriel and Bush not slated for another collaboration anytime soon, Central Florida musician Aisha Badru is a more-than-worthy successor to…
Florida performs well on new U.S. News Hotel Rankings, no thanks to Disney
With visitor numbers rebounding, Central Florida’s tourism sector is ramping up for a busy year. The past two years have seen numerous hotels across the region undergo massive updates, and numerous new hotels have opened since many guests last visited the area. U.S. News is out with their twelfth annual Best Hotels rankings. The list…
Big Bounce America promises more bounce to the ounce in Orlando this month
Play basketball, climb walls, find your way through a giant maze and go down slides – all in a hop, skip and a jump. Big Bounce America, the world’s largest touring inflatable event, is coming to Kissimmee’s Osceola Heritage Park at the end of February. The massive, inflatable bonanza has been supersized to 13,000 feet…
Sixty years ago, Winter Park’s mall was a retail revelation. A revamp looks to make it a ‘mall of the future’ again
Looking to capture the evolving demands of consumers, one of the region’s oldest commercial shopping malls is about to undergo a massive reimagining, the boldest it has seen since its groundbreaking update in the late 1990s. Originally designed as an indoor shopping mall and the first in the area to offer the luxury of air…
SeaWorld continues to expand with $3.4 billion buyout bid of Cedar Fair
In one of the biggest signs yet that things are different on this side of the pandemic, Orlando-based SeaWorld Parks has made a bid to buy Cedar Fair in a deal valued at $3.4 billion. With a per-unit price of $60, the all-cash deal is roughly $10 per-share less than a similar failed cash and…
Orlando artist Brooks Dierdorff opens new exhibition of work Friday at Casselberry Sculpture House
Orlando creative Brooks Dierdorff is currently the artist-in-residence at the new Casselberry Sculpture House, and you can check out new work from him at an exhibition there opening Friday. Dierdorff will present an installation that “shines a light on a 2020 charter amendment that was passed in Orange County called the Wekiva Econlockhatchee River Bill of…
Legal Public Notices 2/9/22 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices ALL ABOARD STORAGE NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Personal property of the following tenants will be sold at public sale to the highest bidder to satisfy a rental lien in accordance with Florida Statutes, Sections: A83.801 – 83.809. All units are assumed to contain general household goods unless otherwise indicated. Viewing of…
Hannibal Square Heritage Center celebrates 12 years of folk art festival with new exhibit
Dive deeper into the folk traditions and arts of the many people who call Florida home at Community Collage, a celebratory exhibit of folk art that’s been featured over the first 12 years of the Hannibal Square Folk and Urban Art Festival. The exhibit will feature over 20 local artists who will not only show…
Incendiary rap duo Ho99o9 plot live return to Orlando this spring
Punk-rap firestarters Ho9909 on Tuesday announced a comeback tour set for this spring, with a long-awaited return to Orlando in the mix. Ho99o9 sets out in April for a coast-to-coast North American tour. There’s an Orlando show on the books for early May. This will mark Ho99o9’s first show in the City Beautiful since 2018…
Op-ed: It’s time to close a dangerous loophole protecting rapists in Florida
Trigger warning: Sexual violence. My name is Kat Duesterhaus. I am a small business owner living in Miami-Dade County. I serve on the Board of Florida NOW and Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equity (MCARE), and I’m a member of RAINN’s speakers bureau — RAINN is our nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization — Florida Council…
4 Rivers Smokehouse drops low-priced food bowls as part of new ‘Inflation Menu’
The pandemic has made everything a bit pricier. 4 Rivers Smokehouse has decided to offer a bit of respite with their new, low-price “Inflation Menu.” The menu includes two new dishes for the hungry and broke: the Mac Attack and the Barbacoa Bowl. Buffalo chicken and vegetarian versions of the new dish run $9.99. The…
Authorities identity 79-year-old Florida woman who fell to her death from an opening drawbridge
Authorities in South Florida say the woman who fell to her death from a drawbridge was a 79-year-old resident of West Palm Beach. Police say the woman, whose name was not released, was crossing the Royal Park Bridge, which connects West Palm Beach to Palm Beach. She was nearing the stationary span of the bridge…
Famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott to bring ‘Songs of Hope’ to Orlando in April
Famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott released their collaborative Songs of Comfort and Hope album at the end of 2020, and now they’ll bring that comforting music IRL to Orlando in April. Ma and Stott will headline the new Steinmetz Hall as part of a “Dance and Music” series at the venue starting…
Tom Brady won’t rule out future return to NFL
Tom Brady retired all of a week ago and he’s already talking about a possible return. Brady shared that his retirement following the 2022 season was “the best possible decision” he could make on an episode of his podcast, Let’s Go. He refused to rule out a return, however, noting that his feelings might change…
All Orlando-area Fuddruckers locations suddenly close
All Orlando-area Fuddruckers have closed, per a post shared to the locations’ Facebook pages. Until recently, the Orlando metro had three outposts of the fast-casual burger chain. The first to drop was at the Crossroads at Lake Buena Vista. That entire retail outlet was absorbed by FDOT as part of its ongoing I-4 expansion project.…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis endorses controversial ‘don’t say gay’ bill for public schools
The Senate is set Tuesday to wade into a fight about a controversial proposal that critics have dubbed the “don’t say gay” bill because it could affect discussions about sexual orientation or gender identity in schools. The proposal (SB 1834), filed by Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Education…
Florida Democrats promise to double down on registration efforts after numbers in Florida dip
After Democrats lost their traditional edge in voter registration in Florida, party leaders on Monday announced a $2.5 million effort to boost registration numbers before the November elections. Florida Democratic Party Chairman Manny Diaz acknowledged that his party had “taken our foot off the gas” after former Democratic President Barack Obama won the state in…
NBA player, current conservative star Enes Kanter Freedom announced as speaker at CPAC
There’s good money in saying exactly what the right wing of this country wants to hear. You can hear the checks hitting accounts every time writers like Bari Weiss or anchors like Tomi Lahren sell their own generational cohort down the river. Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedom has realized he can make himself a…
Controversial Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo to get second confirmation hearing
State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo is scheduled Tuesday to go before the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee for a confirmation hearing, after facing heavy criticism from Democrats during a similar hearing last month. Ladapo, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in September, has become a controversial figure because of his views on handling the…
Three Neo-Nazis arrested in connection with Orlando rally
Three men have been arrested in connection with a neo-Nazi rally in the Waterford Lakes area of Orlando last month. Joshua Terrell, and Burt Colucci and Jason Brown were arrested over the weekend after they were captured on video assaulting a Jewish man who confronted them at their hate rally. The man told police was…
Florida Department of Health appeals judge’s order asking them to explain why they stopped releasing COVID-19 data daily
The Florida Department of Health has gone to an appeals court in a battle about whether it should provide daily COVID-19 data, as it seeks to be shielded from explaining officials’ decision-making about releasing the information. Attorneys for the department filed a petition late Wednesday at the 1st District Court of Appeal as part of…
Viral TikTok shows Apopka cop who took part in Capitol riots violently arresting Black man in his driveway
@fuego42018 Apopka Florida police department brutally beating a Black Man not knowing that he is an ex police officer. #fuegosunnecessarynecessarynews #fyp ♬ original sound – Fuego A viral TikTok is bringing increased scrutiny to Apopka police. The clip shows members of that department violently arresting former law enforcement officer Jason Friend. In the clips that…
Domestic violence charges dropped against former Winter Park police chief at alleged victim’s request
Former Winter Park Police Chief Michael Deal is no longer facing a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. The former department head was arrested last month following an alleged altercation inside his home with his wife and daughters all present. The resulting charge came from an accusation that Deal forcibly moved a family member out of his…
A man attempted to rob a DeLand credit union in a Sonic the Hedgehog mask
A man in a Sonic the Hedgehog mask tried to rob a credit union in DeLand on Wednesday. He was (unsurprisingly) fast enough to get away before the police arrived. Witnesses at the Florida Credit Union told police they believe the robber was a man based on his tone of voice. He entered the bank…
The Bach Festival is back for an 87th year with concerts in Winter Park and Orlando all this month
The Bach Festival returns to Orlando concert stages for a landmark 87th year for much of this month, beginning Friday (today!), Feb. 4. This year’s Bach Festival, going from Feb. 4-27, will be held at familiar venues like Knowles Memorial Chapel on the Rollins College campus, but there will be a notable new location to…
Florida House moves forward with elections restrictions in spite of ongoing court case
As a federal judge weighs the constitutionality of an elections law passed last year, the Florida House on Thursday started moving forward with a new proposal that includes adding steps for voting by mail and creating a state office to investigate alleged elections fraud. The House Public Integrity & Elections Committee voted 12-6 to approve…
Activists draw line between Florida voting restrictions, Jim Crow in court case
Post-Reconstruction history, first-hand narrative and statistics have laid the foundation this week in a legal challenge to a state election law that plaintiffs say will curtail Black and Hispanic Floridians’ ability to cast ballots and register to vote. The 2021 law (SB 90) was part of GOP leaders’ efforts nationally to make it harder for…
Elon Musk continues to be outsmarted by a University of Central Florida freshman who tracks jets
$200 billion and a deep repository of Redditspeak are no match for a 19-year-old in Orlando with a decent knowledge of bot-building and aviation. That’s what Elon Musk found out when he tried, in vain, to get University of Central Florida freshman Jack Sweeney to take down a Twitter bot that tracks the whereabouts of…
Sanford hosts 8th annual Mardi Gras parade on Saturday, Feb. 19
It’s a long way from New Orleans (or even Mobile) but colorful beads, masks and feathers will be hard to miss at 8th annual Mardi Gras Street Party in Sanford. Mardi Gras will return to Historic Downtown Sanford on Feb. 19 with a parade starting at Sixth Street and Sanford Avenue at 3:30 p.m. Mardi…
Things to do in Orlando, Feb. 3-8: Alice Cooper, Tool, Resonate Festival, Anti-Gala
Our editors’ selections of the best events this week. THURSDAY-MONDAY, FEB. 3-7 Resonate Festival Six whole days devoted to Ludwig Van Beethoven, the original master of the power chord. Orlando Philharmonic’s first-ever artist-in-residence, Stewart Goodyear, solos in all five Beethoven piano concertos — in just three concerts. The Plaza Live, 425 N. Bumby Ave., orlandophil.org/resonate,…
Au Revoir Simone’s Annie Hart to soothe Orlando with solo sounds next weekend
Annie Hart, of electro-indie group Au Revoir Simone, will play her first-ever solo show in Florida this month — and it’s going to be right here in Orlando. Hart’s solo endeavors are much more deliberate and meditative than her day job in Au Revoir, and definitely welcome to hear live during the fucked up year that is…
Florida Republicans push for police at the ballot box
In the ongoing push by Republicans to exempt police from all laws, duties and measures of decency, Florida leaders are hoping to free cops from the concept of intimidation at the ballot box. State senators are floating a bill that could end with posting cops at area ballot boxes to fight the nearly nonexistent threat…
Orlando drag icon Ginger Minj goes country at Will’s Pub in April
Orlando drag royalty Ginger Minj is set to return to a local stage in April, and she’s going to show you a thing or two about proper honky-tonking. Minj, fresh off making it to the finals of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars, and with recent country album Double Wide Diva about to be released on vinyl, has remade…
State legislators suggest $15 minimum wage for Florida’s public school workers
As schools across the state grapple with staffing shortages in positions such as bus drivers and food servers, senators are considering setting a minimum wage for school workers at $15 an hour. Senate Education Appropriations Chairman Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, announced the proposal during a review of an initial budget recommendation for the 2022-2023 fiscal…
Florida Republicans strike down rape, incest exemption before backing 15-week abortion ban
A proposal that would prevent doctors from performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy got initial backing Wednesday in the Senate, as Republicans rejected an amendment that would have made exceptions for victims of rape and incest. The measure (SB 146) has emerged as one of the most controversial issues of the 2022 legislative session,…
Indie darlings Bright Eyes to play Orlando in May
Indie troubadours Bright Eyes are heading out on tour this spring, and you’ll be able to ‘Another Travelin’ Song’ (or two, or three or four) from them in May. Conor Oberst and company are heading out for a lengthy North American trek in March that includes three Florida dates — Orlando, Miami and St. Augustine respectively — in late May.…
BIG Salsa Festival takes over the Hyatt Regency Orlando this month
BIG Salsa Festival is back in town and you don’t want to miss out on what they have to offer. BIG Salsa Festival Orlando is bringing a host of global and local Latin artists like Iroko, G-Ya, Tomas Santorico, Juan Matos, Alex & Romi, and Majesty In Motion to Orlando. The four-day event runs from…
Former President Donald Trump to speak at CPAC in Orlando this month
As if hosting the Conservative Political Action Conference wasn’t hard enough on Orlando already, organized announced the inclusion of a very special guest: former president Donald Trump. The short-fingered vulgarian himself will speak at the four-day bacchanal of tax dodgers and sex pests. Trump announced the move in a true-to-form video that spent more time…
Here’s your chance to do yoga in the relaxing confines of…Camping World Stadium
Feeling stressed? Want to work it out while feeling that thousands of people could be looking down on you? Good news, Yoga at the Stadium is back this month. The 60-minute yoga session will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. on the field at Camping World Stadium. General admission tickets are $10…
Yaaaay! Muppets comics cartoonist Guy Gilchrist is coming to Clermont this weekend
Calling all Muppet fans! You can meet illustrator Guy Gilchrist (the cartoonist behind the Muppets newspaper comic strip), who is coming to Clermont this weekend. The meet and greet will take place on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4-5, starting at 10 a.m and ending at 8 p.m. on both days at Windu’s Comics & Collectibles…
Orange County Sheriff promises charges forthcoming for neo-Nazis who assaulted man during Orlando rally
During a press conference on Tuesday, Orange County Sheriff John Mina promised reporters that charges were forthcoming for a group of neo-Nazis who assaulted a motorist during a rally over the weekend. Mina said the rally put police in a difficult situation, having to weigh rights to assembly and speech against the safety of the…
Florida environmental groups file lawsuit to force protections for manatees following mass die-off
After a record 1,100 manatees died last year in Florida, environmental groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to force federal wildlife officials to upgrade habitat protections. The Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and the Save the Manatee Club filed the lawsuit in federal district court in Washington, D.C., against the U.S. Fish and…
Florida House Democrats argue against idea of ‘objective’ history as anti-CRT bill moves forward
Arguing that lawmakers “cannot legislate emotions,” House Democrats on Tuesday stepped up attacks on a bill that aims to prevent classroom instruction or workplace training sessions that would lead people to feel “guilt” or “anguish” based on their race or sex. Nevertheless, the Republican-dominated House State Affairs Committee approved the measure (HB 7) in a…
Bring your inner child to ‘Dragons and Fairies,’ Creative City Project’s latest immersive outdoors show
Back in the heart of Orlando at Leu Gardens, Creative City Project’s latest theatrical walking experience has debuted. “Dragons & Fairies” finally emerged, after a week’s postponement due to shipping delays. (Read Part 1 of this week’s column, which covered SeaWorld’s new Ice Breaker roller coaster.) I fell hard for “Dazzling Nights” and “Down the…
Lily James is positively buoyant as Pamela Anderson in Hulu’s ‘Pam and Tommy,’ premiering Wednesday
Premieres Wednesday, Feb. 2: Dark Desire — In the second and final season of the Mexican thriller series, law professor Alma Solares (Maite Perroni) faces the fallout of an extramarital affair that has threatened more than her relationship with her husband, an important but secretive judge. Whatever’s going on between Clarence and Ginni Thomas right…
Deadwords Brewing opens in Parramore, Black Rooster Taqueria serving weekend brunch, and more Orlando food news
OPENINGS: Reports of New York City’s famed Russian Tea Room opening an outpost in the Dellagio Town Center have been greatly exaggerated. The space will actually house Anqor Lounge, a luxury Russian hookah bar and tea room. Look for it to open toward the end of March. More Dellagio news: Work on the Norman’s space…
SeaWorld’s Ice Breaker coaster delivers radically different experiences depending on where you sit
After a month of momentous shows and events, I welcomed last week’s opportunity to lighten up with a couple of highly anticipated but less weighty Orlando attractions. While both are sure to please their intended patrons, neither proved to be exactly what I expected, making this week’s column an impromptu object lesson in learning to…
At 1921 Mount Dora, food imitates art
A palette for the palate
Enzian Theater screens documentary about Black punk icon and X-Ray Spex leader Poly Styrene, ‘I Am a Cliche’
There’s a picture of Poly Styrene shot onstage with X-Ray Spex in 1978 by Denis O’Regan that depicts the singer in full iconic flight: DIY-modified vintage 1950s clothing, gigantic hair, lips curled into a sneer exposing braces and eyes ablaze with fury. You’re welcome to your posters of the Clash and the Sex Pistols, but…
Free Will Astrology: Your horoscope for the week of Feb. 2-9
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries actor Bette Davis said that if you want to improve your work, you should “attempt the impossible.” That’s perfect advice for you right now. I hope to see you hone your skills as you stretch yourself into the unknown. I will celebrate your forays into the frontiers, since doing so…
Savage Love: I’m addicted to butt stuff and I won’t give it up, even though it makes my balls hurt
Dear Dan: I’m a heterosexual cisgender man who loves prostate stimulation. I discovered it later in life, but it’s been a staple for the last 15 years. I’m worried I’m pushing the envelope too much and need your advice. Lately, the last six months or so, I will have an orgasm that’s so intense I…
Orlando concert picks this week: Prof, Zeta, The Kernal, Thelma and the Sleaze
Omicron don’t give a shit about your plans, so definitely double-check the latest listings for anything you’ve got planned. And mask hard if you head out. The Kernal, Jordan Foley & the Wheelhouse: The son of longtime Grand Ole Opry bassist Charlie Garner, Tennessee’s Joe Garner laces his country music with a subversive sensibility under…
Good guys don’t ban books — which you would know if you read books
Informed Dissent
