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Remembering Orlando musician and activist Eric Montanez
Orlando musician Eric Montanez passed away late last month, and his loss will be felt by our city’s punk and larger music scenes for years to come. Montanez died in a car crash near Bithlo. Reading the news reports — jarringly brief and to-the-point — and attempting to reconcile those with Montanez’s outsized influence on Orlando’s…
Legal Public Notices 7/27/2022
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices Erik F. Stidham (ISB #5483) HOLLAND & HART LLP 800 W. Main Street, Suite 1750 Boise, ID 83702-5974 Telephone: 208.342.5000 Facsimile: 208.343.8869 E-mail: efstidham@hollandhart.com Counsel for Plaintiffs IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF IDAHO, IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ADA Case No. CV01-22-06789 Judge…
Get ready for laughter and ‘ego death’ when Chris Rock comes to Orlando
Megastar comedian Chris Rock is out on his first tour in five years, and Orlando is one of two Florida cities lucky enough to land a date on his post-“slap” Ego Death jaunt. Rock was almost unquestionably the biggest comedian in the world at one point. Following a stint on Saturday Night Live, he became…
TikTok-famous Monsieur Periné are set to bring their ‘gypsy jazz’ to Orlando next month
Monsieur Periné, the masterminds behind the viral TikTok song “Nuestra Cancion,” are set to take the stage in the City Beautiful next month. If you are addicted to TikTok (like most of us), you’ve probably watched hundreds of users dancing 1930s-inspired choreography to the contagious and high-spirited beats of Monsieur Periné’s hit “Nuestra Cancion.” The…
Orange County commissioners to consider rent control ordinance today
With the cost of housing getting ever more unaffordable in Orlando, county commissioners are weighing an ordinance that would start the ball rolling on rent control. The ordinance would push the question of rent control to voters, asking if they would like to set limits on year-over-year rent hikes for the next year on certain…
Gatorland’s ‘Gators, Ghosts and Goblins’ is returning for a very Floridian Halloween
Central Florida attraction Gatorland is bringing back the ‘Gators, Ghosts and Goblins’ evemt — their Floridian twist on the spooky season — for a fourth year in October. The theme park announced this week that ‘Gators, Ghosts and Goblins’ will be happening on weekends from Oct 15-Oct. 31. Though details on specific haunts and shows have yet…
Florida man stole truck, attempted to break into military base to warn of fight between aliens and dragons
A man from Ocala was arrested after taking an unorthodox approach to getting the ear of the government. 29-year-old Corey Johnson was arrested after attempting to break into Patrick Space Force Base to warn of a conflict between aliens and dragons, per a Brevard County arrest affidavit. Johnson was driving an F-150 that was stolen…
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign receives $3 million in public money from controversial elections matching fund program
Crist got $964,646 and Fried got $634,092.
Appeals court rules in favor of Brevard deputies who shot, killed man
A federal appeals court Monday upheld a verdict in favor of two Brevard County sheriff’s deputies accused of using unreasonable force in the shooting death of a man in 2013. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments by the estate of Christopher Greer in the civil lawsuit. Deputies James…
Op-ed: An opinion of the housing crisis in Florida from a drowning tenant
‘I need a life raft!’
Orlando will be part of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s XFL football league (again)
Starting next February, Orlandoans will again have a professional football team to root for. Dwayne Johnson, famous from his time in wrestling as “The Rock” and his burgeoning acting career, is bringing the XFL football league to the City Beautiful. He co-owns the league with Dany Garcia, having purchased it in 2020. The XFL’s previous…
Women hospitalized after sailfish stabs her in groin during Florida fishing trip
A 73-year-old woman from Maryland on a fishing trip in Florida’s Atlantic Coast was hospitalized after a 100-pound sailfish stabbed her in the groin. The woman, Katherine Perkins, was on a fishing trip a couple of miles offshore from Stuart, Florida, with two companions last week. One of the anglers caught the large sailfish on…
Christian music fest Rock the Universe returns to Universal Orlando in 2023
The Christian music festival Rock the Universe will return to Universal Orlando in 2023. The festival is famed for combining headlining sets from top Christian artists with the hosting theme park’s thrills and spills. Rock the Universe returned to action earlier this year after two years of silence. Rock the Universe kicks off the night…
Universal Orlando’s CityWalk evacuated after shooting scare late Saturday night
Late Saturday night Universal Orlando’s CityWalk was evacuated after an active shooter scare. As reported by WESH, several “juveniles” got into a fight in one of the park’s garages, and the ensuing noise and shouting led to panic that there was an active shooter in the area. Videos shared by park guests across social media show…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis taunts the Walt Disney Co., infectious disease experts, and the current president of the United States at GOP summit
As he draws increased attention as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, Gov. Ron DeSantis focused heavily Saturday night on President Joe Biden while rallying Republicans for this year’s elections. Twice in the first minute after taking the stage for a dinner speech at the Republican Party of Florida’s Sunshine Summit, DeSantis tossed out the name…
Neo-Nazis gathered outside the Turning Point USA summit at Tampa Convention Center this weekend
The second day of Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit brought neo-Nazis to downtown’s Tampa Convention Center. The extremist groups arrived after more than 100 protesters marched from Lykes Gaslight Square Park to the convention center to speak out against recent actions by the Supreme Court, especially the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Creative Loafing…
Florida businesses sue to provide diversity training to their employees without running afoul of DeSantis’ busybody ‘anti-WOKE’ laws
The ‘party of small government’ continues its evolution into proponent of the nanny state
Universal Orlando adds free day for Florida residents who purchase ‘2-park 2-day’ passes for a limited time
Universal Orlando is offering Florida residents a free day at the theme park through December as part of a limited time bargain. Florida (and Georgia) residents who snap up a ‘2-park, 2-day’ ticket to Universal between now and Sept. 28 can get a third, free day as part of their purchase. This third day can…
Modern Korean restaurant Doshi opens in Winter Park with ex-Immersion chef Rikku Ó’Donnchü at the helm
Rikku Ó’Donnchü has been on one helluva wild ride in 2022. Early this year, the journeyman chef left Amorette in Lancaster Pennsylvania to lead the charge at Immersion at London House. The concept injected “phantasmagorical whimsy into the tasting menu genre” I said in my review from May 4, but after Immersion closed last month, Ó’Donnchü’s…
Starbucks union at Winter Park’s South Park Ave store fails by narrow margin after workers vote Wednesday
‘The election loss was disappointing, but the struggle continues.’
International punk showcase Foreign Dissent is coming back to Orlando in October
International punk showcase Foreign Dissent is finally coming back for a seventh round this autumn, and the lineup features bands from Australia, Croatia and Chile among other countries. Foreign Dissent is an Orlando-exclusive event spinning off from Gainesville’s annual punk supershow FEST. With a lineup curated by local promoter Punching Babies, Foreign Dissent aims to…
MagicBand+ coming to Walt Disney World next week
Disney’s all-new MagicBand+ will have its official (and presumably magical) debut July 27 at Walt Disney World Resort. This new wearable technology will offer an array of new amenities compared to the previous MagicBand. As a part of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, guests can embark on an adventure with Tinker Bell to bring the 50…
Publix heiress gave $50,000 to anti-LGBTQ PAC Moms for Liberty
Publix inheritances and donating to ultra-conservative organizations go together like a Pub Sub and a black & white cookie. Once again, Julie Jenkins Fancelli is donating big bucks to support the radical wing of the Republican party. The heiress of the Lakeland-based chain donated $50,000 to Moms for Liberty in June, the first major contribution…
Howl-O-Scream returns to SeaWorld Orlando with new haunts
Howl-O-Scream will return to SeaWorld Orlando in September, bringing new roller coasters, haunted houses, and scare zones along with it. SeaWorld released new details of the haunted attraction, saying that several former spooks will return in 2022. There will be fan-favorites haunted houses from last year, such as Captain’s Revenge and Beneath the Ice. For…
Cucina Pizza and Bar opens in downtown Orlando
We never say no to a pizza spot in town
Orange County Regional History Center to focus on Figurehead and Orlando’s alternative music heyday
The Orange County Regional History Center is doing a deep dive into the heady days of 1980s and ’90s nightlife in Orlando later this summer, dubbed Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando’s Underground. Opening in September, the exhibition explores the glory days of late-20th-century alternative music culture in Orlando, with a particular focus on infamous…
Naked Cowboy wins $90,000 settlement from Daytona Beach after arrest during Bike Week
The Naked Cowboy, a performer known to strum his guitar in his tighty-whities, settled a lawsuit with Daytona Beach on Wednesday after his arrest during last year’s Bike Week. Robert Burck, the performer, was arrested during the annual motorcycle meet-up. He was charged with panhandling and resisting arrest without violence. Burck responded by filing a…
President Joe Biden tests positive for COVID-19
President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19. That news comes from the White House on Thursday. Biden’s diagnoses comes shortly after several Democratic Party leaders tested positive for coronavirus following a Tampa conference. Biden was expected to visit Central Florida on Monday for the first time since being elected president, but that trip is…
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Brawl breaks out in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on Wednesday [VIDEO]
A brawl broke out inside Walt Disney World this week, as two families took turns exchanging blows in front of Peter Pan’s Flight. Video of the fight rapidly spread on social media, it shows an ongoing fight between two families. One group is wearing matching outfits and appears to be at the park to celebrate…
Black voter organization to monitor Florida polling places after creation of elections police
Pastors, community leaders and educators are joining forces to engage Black voters in Florida’s 2022 elections, with an emphasis on monitoring a new “elections police” office championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The push to register and turn out Black voters isn’t a unique endeavor. Black voters, as a group, largely have supported Democratic candidates and…
Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried aims to improve amusement park safety following Icon Park death
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried on Wednesday released a legislative “framework” that she said would improve safety for amusement rides, after a Missouri teen died in a fall out of a tower-style ride in Orlando. Tyre Sampson, 14, fell from a 430-foot tower-drop ride on March 24 at Orlando’s ICON Park. The state Department of Agriculture…
Colombian music legend Silvestre Dangond plays two shows in Orlando this week
Before capturing the crown as the king of vallenato (a popular style of Colombian folk music), singer Silvestre Dangond spent a lifetime honing his musical craft. Born into a musical family, Dangond was signed to Sony and recording his first album, Tanto Para Ti, barely out of high school. Dangond teamed with Juancho De La…
Keith Sweat celebrates his birthday in Orlando this week with famous friends like Monica and Silk
If you want to wish the singer who gave us immortal late-20th-century R&B singles like “I’ll Give All My Love to You” and “Make It Last Forever” a happy rotation around the sun — and why wouldn’t you? — add this upcoming Keith Sweat birthday event to your week’s calendar. Sweat will be the guest…
Joe Biden to visit Orlando for first time as president on Monday
Update: President Joe Biden has tested positive for coronavirus and will be isolating for the near future. Original story continues below. President Joe Biden will be in Orlando on Monday to speak to a conference of Black law enforcement officers. The White House announced the visit today, marking his first trip to Central Florida since…
Expert Timing cancel Friday show at Orlando’s Social, rest of bill moves to St. Matthew’s Tavern
UPDATE: This show at the Social has been canceled due to members of Expert Timing getting COVID. However, Dead Selves, Palm Tree Square and Default Friends will be playing at St. Matthew’s Tavern on Mills Avenue Friday night at 8 p.m. The end of times may be near, but punk is alive and well in…
Black metal band Hulder to rampage into Orlando on Wednesday
Black metal has proven to be a surprisingly nimble style of music, deftly avoiding any of several aesthetic and ideological dead ends. Indeed, there is a consistent flood of new, intriguing takes on the black metal template as the corpse-paint is taken up by legions of young enthusiasts. One-woman U.S. black metal powerhouse Hulder is…
Orlando’s Magical Dining returns next month
Prepare your wallets and waistbands — Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining event returns next month for a 17th year. Running from Aug. 26 through Oct. 2, Magical Dining “Month” means that even broke locals can feel fancy for an evening and enjoy a prix-fixe three course meal for $40. More than 80 different restaurants throughout Orlando…
Toys ‘R’ Us is returning to Orlando this fall
Apparently, Lots-o’ didn’t kill them all off. Toys “R” Us is set to make an epic return to the Orlando area after landing a resurrection partnership with Macy’s. The stores will be found inside every Macy’s location across the country by mid-October, according to CNN Business. The once-bankrupt toy retailer will begin opening stores later this…
St. Pete artist sells stickers of anti-LGBT Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in drag to benefit Equality Florida
As Florida continues to face unprecedented legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ communities, one St. Petersburg artist is responding with a dig of his own. Chad Mize, multimedia artist and designer, is now selling stickers depicting Gov. Ron Desantis as drag queen “Rhonda Santis.” The design comes weeks after the Florida republican expressed support of criminalizing parents who bring…
Florida school board candidate calls for lynching doctors who treat trans kids
A Florida school board candidate won a crowd with bigoted remarks against trans children and doctors who treat trans children. Alisabeth Janai Lancaster is running in Santa Rosa County School District 3, presenting herself as a conservative with “Christian values.” After serving in law enforcement for over 20 years, she is now retired and hoping…
Georgia backs Florida in lawsuit against limiting ballot drop boxes
Pointing to broader implications of the case, Georgia is backing Florida in a fight about a 2021 elections law that a federal judge said is unconstitutional. Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr filed a brief Monday at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals supporting the Florida law, which, in part, placed additional restrictions on “drop…
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has COVID-19 following Democratic Party conference in Tampa
Pritzker follows Val Demings as the second national Democrat to test positive after the event
Things to do this weekend: Keith Sweat Birthday Celebration, Grupo Niche, Silvestre Dangond, Expert Timing, Hulder
Our picks of the best stuff to do this week. Wednesday, July 20 Hulder Black metal has proven to be a surprisingly nimble style of music, deftly avoiding any of several aesthetic and ideological dead ends. Indeed, there is a consistent flood of new, intriguing takes on the black metal template as the corpse-paint is…
Savage Love: ‘Yes, gay dude, you do need to be worried about monkeypox’
Q: Gay dude here. What the fuck is up with monkeypox? Do I need to be worried? A: Yes, you do. I tried to raise the alarm about monkeypox on the May 24, 2022, episode of the “Savage Lovecast,” back when there were 100 cases in 15 countries, all of them among gay and bi…
Concert picks this week: Answers, Squad Five-O, JazzPro Monster Series
Answers: On their rise to the vanguard of Orlando’s contemporary classical music scene, Answers recently made a splash with a debut studio album mixed and mastered by post-rock giant John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake). This show officially celebrates with a performance of it. Even if you’ve already heard the album, you should still…
‘The Gray Man,’ the most expensive original film in the history of Netflix, is pretty much ‘The Winter Soldier’ minus tights
Everything new this week on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Shudder, Apple TV+ and Paramount+. Premieres Wednesday, July 20: It Was Always Me — When Colombia’s top music star dies mysteriously, there’s only one way for his daughter to get to the bottom of it: Enter a singing competition to hunt for clues.…
Orlando’s Renaissance Theatre Co. presents their immersive, experiential take on a Harlem jazz club of the 1920s
We’ve all had to bid premature farewells to far too many friends over the past few years, but Orlando’s theater community was dealt some particularly painful gut punches in recent days. First we lost longtime Universal Orlando show director Adrien LePeltier, who was the sweetest and most supportive person — and also the sharpest and…
Orlando band Leatherette’s new single is a ‘smoldering slither’ of blues and punk
No band in recent years has landed on the Orlando scene with as much sheer lightning as the Spoon Dogs. Their combination of wild punk abandon and feral stage electricity was immediate fire that made them instant darlings of the underground. This year, they officially changed their name to Leatherette and now they’re back out…
Standing sushi bar Edoboy soft opens in Mills 50; Park Avenue Tavern takes over the old Dexter’s Winter Park space in Hannibal Square
And lots more Orlando-area food news
