Cover Story
Legal Public Notices 1/12/22 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below at the property indicated: January 21, 2022 at the times and location listed below. The personal goods stored therein by the following: 12:00 PM Extra Space Storage 1101 Marshall Farms Rd, Ocoee 34761 (407) 516-7221 Nikolai Dunkelberger- Houshold Goods, Morris…
Comedian Wanda Sykes to perform in Orlando this spring
Will we feel like laughing later this year? Hmmm, the jury seems out at present. But, just in case, we’re penciling in this newly-announced Wanda Sykes show at the Dr. Phillips Center in May. The comedian and actress (currently featuring in the Netflix series The Upshaws) looks to be spending a couple of days performing…
Things to do this week in Orlando, Jan. 12-18: Bruce Dickinson, the Mavericks, Felix Da Housecat
Our editors’ selections of the best stuff to do this week. Be sure to double-check with the venue before you set out to any of these events. Wednesday, Jan. 12 Puddles Pity Party Sad balladeering clown (with an admittedly gorgeous voice) returns to the City Beautiful. Seems pretty in line with where we are in…
Florida lawmakers propose 15-week abortion restrictions that would require women to carry pregnancies from rape, incest to term
As the 2022 legislative session started Tuesday, two influential Republican lawmakers filed proposals that would prevent doctors from performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The bills (SB 146 and HB 5), filed by Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, and House Judiciary Chairwoman Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, largely mirror the abortion restriction in a…
Florida Man Hulk Hogan incorrectly suggests Betty White died from getting COVID-19 booster
Terry Bollea, a sentient burnt hot dog covered in tanning oil (more commonly known as Hulk Hogan), is once again getting flamed for anti-vaccine shit posting. Yesterday, the former WWE wrestler and Clearwater Beach resident decided to chime in on a Facebook post from comedian Josh Pray, who was discussing the passing of actor Bob…
Indie-pop stars Of Montreal to let their freak flag fly in Orlando this spring
This spring, indie psych-rock collective Of Montreal will be heading down to the South for 10 days of dates — and the band will be returning to Orlando amid a handful of Florida shows. Springing out of a coveted slot on the Savannah Stopover music fest, Kevin Barnes and co. are playing dates all over Florida, Georgia…
Authorities release details about comedian Bob Saget’s death in Orlando hotel room
More details have emerged surrounding the death of comedian Bob Saget in an Orlando hotel room over the weekend. The Orange County Medical Examiner released a statement saying that an autopsy had been performed on the late comic on Monday. Their preliminary findings further enforced their initial assessment that there was no sign of drug…
Florida state senators propose redistricting maps
Florida senators wasted little time Monday advancing potential new district lines for themselves and the state’s growing congressional delegation as part of the once-a-decade reapportionment process. Members of the Senate Select Committee on Congressional Reapportionment and the Select Committee on Legislative Reapportionment each sent two staff-recommended maps to the full Reapportionment Committee, which will take…
Euclid Media Group sells downtown Orlando’s Tinker building to Southern Group of Florida
Euclid Media Group, the parent company of Orlando Weekly, has sold the historic downtown Orlando building that has served as the Weekly’s home for years. The Tinker Building at 16 W. Pine St. was sold to the Southern Group of Florida, a lobbying firm. The sale was brokered by Jere Matheny with First Capital Property…
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida near 10,000
The number of Florida hospital inpatients with COVID-19 has neared 10,000 as the omicron variant of the coronavirus drives up infections across the state, according to data posted Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The data showed that 9,888 inpatients had COVID-19, up from 5,700 a week earlier and up from…
Florida Dems hope to focus on ‘pocketbook issues’ rather than culture war distractions in 2022 legislative session
Outnumbered by Republicans and bracing for conflicts over what they call “culture war” issues, Florida House Democrats laid out some of their top priorities Monday on the eve of the 2022 legislative session. “What we can expect from Republicans in this session will be culture wars that distract us from the real issues at hand,”…
Converge, Thou, Uniform and Full of Hell to possibly blow the roof off Orlando’s Abbey in March
Things are going to get very heavy in Orlando this spring, when four of heavy music’s loudest and most adventurous practitioners hit town. Converge, Thou, Full of Hell and Uniform are heading out on a massive North American package tour starting in early March. And according to organizers/headliners Converge, “the order in which the support bands…
UF researchers predict 80% of Floridians will contract COVID-19 by end of Omicron surge. Some Orlando-area communities are already there
A new report from researchers at the University of Florida claims that up to 80% of Floridians will contract COVID-19 by the end of the Omicron-fueled outbreak. The biostatisticians base their findings on the fact that Omicron is much more contagious than any other variant we’ve seen. They report that Omicron is twice as infectious…
Florida saw 400,000 new cases of coronavirus last week
Florida totaled nearly 400,000 new COVID-19 cases during the week that ended Thursday, as the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus raced through the state, according to a Department of Health report issued Friday. The 397,114 cases during the week continued a dramatic increase that began in mid-December. In all, Florida has totaled 823,153…
Actor-comedian Bob Saget found dead at Orlando Ritz-Carlton hotel
One of America’s most memorable sitcom father figures, Bob Saget, was found dead in an Orlando hotel room Sunday, according to authorities. Orange County Sheriff’s Office says Saget was found at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando and no signs of drugs or foul play are suspected. Earlier today, deputies were called to the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes for…
Top Chef winner Hung Huynh won’t be in the kitchen when Ava MediterrAegean opens in Winter Park
Ava MediterrAegean, the Winter Park restaurant moving into the old Luma on Park space, won’t have Top Chef Season 3 winner Hung Huynh manning the kitchen when it opens next month. Huynh didn’t give a reason for leaving only to say that he is no longer involved with the restaurant. After snagging the Top Chef…
Florida Man BASE jumped off a construction crane on New Year’s Eve
Under a blanket of dense fog, an unidentified person apparently jumped off a construction crane with a parachute in downtown Tampa last weekend. In a video posted to Reddit by user SnooSketches6554, with the caption “Tampa BASE jumping ringing in 2022.” The 14 second video, which shows a single parachuter gliding to the ground, was…
New inspection requirements proposed following Surfside condo collapse
After the deadly collapse last year of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside, the chairwoman of the Senate Community Affairs Committee filed a proposal Friday to require inspections of multifamily residential buildings in the state. The bill (SB 1702), filed by Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, would require what are described as “milestone”…
COVID-19 hospitalizations near 9,000
The number of Florida hospital inpatients with COVID-19 continues to rise and is nearing 9,000, according to data posted Friday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The data showed that 8,914 Florida inpatients had COVID-19, up from 8,406 on Thursday and 7,647 on Wednesday. The increases in patients with COVID-19 have come…
Wekiva Island celebrates craft beer, critters at Otter Fest
Wekiva Island is offering you the chance to get out in nature and get a little toasty with their craft beer-focused Otter Fest. The fourth annual celebration of craft brews will offer drinks from 16 different breweries at “Central Florida’s watering hole.” The 21-and-up event runs from 1 to 5 p.m. on January 22. Tickets…
Bubbalou’s BBQ closes their Apopka location
Bubbalou’s has closed yet another of their barbecue restaurants. The Central Florida chain closed their original Winter Park location late last year and now their Apopka outpost has suffered a similar fate. “We are very sad to announce that we have closed our Apopka location. For almost the past two years, we have stayed ahead…
City of Orlando to open free COVID-19 testing site at Camping World Stadium on Monday
Camping World Stadium recently hosted the Vrbo Citrus Bowl, but now its pivoting to a more urgent use as a city-administered COVID-19 testing site, starting Monday, Jan. 10. Demand for COVID-19 testing is overwhelming in Orange County as the omicron variant spreads quickly through Central Florida, with reportedly a third of all Orange County residents…
Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest canceled as in-person event, but ‘Mini-Digi’ events will go on
Orlando Fringe organizers made the tough call on Thursday to partially cancel this month’s Winter Mini-Fest event. “It is with great sadness that we let you know that due to the omicron we are cancelling the 2022 in-person Winter Mini-Fest,” read a statement on the Fringe Facebook. “All in-person gatherings and events are cancelled.” The…
Florida Department of Health recommends people knowingly exposed to COVID-19 not get tested
The Florida Department of Health has a novel solution for the increased demand of COVID-19 tests: asking people not to find out if they are infected with the novel coronavirus. The state’s new guidelines say seeking tests if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 and are asymptomatic is “unlikely to have any clinical benefits.” The recommendation…
Florida begins distributing at-home COVID-19 tests directly to nursing homes
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday the state is shipping about 1 million at-home coronavirus tests to nursing homes and assisted living facilities, with the kits set to arrive over the weekend. The plan to distribute at-home tests directly to such facilities came as the Florida Department of Health issued new COVID-19 testing guidelines amid a…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis downplays Capitol riots on anniversary
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday downplayed aspects of the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol, adding he didn’t intend to watch “nauseating” media-driven, one-year anniversary remembrances. Appearing at a news conference in West Palm Beach about the coronavirus pandemic, the Republican governor also drew a comparison between the assault on the Capitol by…
Steinmetz Hall’s Grand Celebration series will bring Jennifer Hudson, Lyle Lovett and many more to Orlando this month
The long-awaited opening of the new Steinmetz Hall performance space at the Dr. Phillips Center is almost upon us, along with two weeks worth of eclectic performances to really show off the “acoustically perfect” space. Shows at the Steinmetz commence next week with the “Grand Celebration,” eight big-name events happening from Jan. 14-26, with seemingly…
Zora! Festival returns to Eatonville this month with arts, Afrofuturism and George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic
The Zora! Festival, an annual tribute to the life and outsized influence of writer Zora Neale Hurston, kicks off in Eatonville this week with a host of in-person and virtual events and some legendary guests all through the month of January. Zora! Fest begins this Friday, Jan. 7 with “Gathering & Gabbing: Zora Neale Hurston Book…
On the anniversary of the Jan. 6 riots, remember the 13 Florida congressional Republicans who voted to overturn the election
On the anniversary of one of the most embarrassing moments in American history, it’s important to look back and remember who clearly did not give a shit that Democracy was, and still is, clearly ripping at the seams. In the moments that followed the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, where a QAnon-fueled…
Thornton Park mascot Lulu the cat shines in yet another photo calendar
Lulu, local cat-about-town and perhaps even Mayor of Thornton Park, is getting his close-up — or 12 of them — in the sequel to last year’s photo calendar. And you can get yours now because it’s never too late to restart 2022. Lulu, recipient of the Best Non-Human Ambassador of Downtown Orlando in last year’s Best of Orlando honorifics,…
After 54 years in business, Maitland’s Lil500 Go-Karts is closing this week
Maitland’s Lil500 Go-Karts is closing after nearly 54 years in business. The go-kart track predates the boom in theme parks in Central Florida, and has become an iconic entertainment option for locals. The track’s last day will be Saturday, Jan. 8. “It has been our honor and privilege to serve Central Florida,” management wrote in…
Florida COVID-19 hospitalizations near 8,000
With the omicron variant continuing to cause a spike in cases, the number of Florida hospital inpatients with COVID-19 has topped 7,600. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released data Wednesday that showed 7,647 Florida inpatients had COVID-19, up from 6,914 on Tuesday. Wednesday’s total also was nearly double the 3,836 inpatients from…
Orlando LGBTQ+ nightclub Stonewall closes its doors and seeks new ownership
Downtown/Parramore LGBTQ+ destination Stonewall marked the last hours of 2021 not with a lively party, loud music and strong drinks, but with the doors of the club closed for the immediate future and a search for new owners underway. After an unassuming (and now-deleted) post on New Year’s Eve to the club’s Facebook announced that…
Orlando musician and SAK player Adam Scharf releases new solo album
Reflections on the human experience often overlook the impact of the seemingly mundane interactions that comprise our days. Those little moments become even more consequential in the midst of a global pandemic. This Wild Little Lifetime, SAK ensemble player and musician Adam Scharf’s newest full-length, embraces this theme. It’s a rock-opera-esque take on everyday existence…
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings slams Gov. Ron DeSantis over disappearance during Omicron surge
In the final weeks of 2021, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was nowhere to be found. As the Omicron variant pushed COVID-19 case numbers in the state higher than they had ever been, the line from Tallahassee was notably quiet. DeSantis explained his absence before reporters earlier this week, saying he was attending to First Lady…
OCPS teachers, bus drivers call in sick in massive numbers on first day back
OCPS faculty and staff called out sick in large numbers on the first day of school after winter break, according to OCPS Superintendent Barbara Jenkins. Jenkins, who spoke during Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings’ scheduled coronavirus briefing, noted that 700 teachers called out on the first day back. The wave of absenteeism coincides with an…
Orlando Phil to pay royal tribute to the music of the ‘Kings of Soul’ this month
The Orlando Philharmonic will be paying tribute to royalty later this month — musical royalty. The Phil’s ‘Kings of Soul’ concert later this month sees the orchestra getting down on the music of greats like Marvin Gaye and James Brown, with the help of some notable singers. As part of the Phil’s Pops Series, the ensemble will…
Monster Food Truck Jam to crunch attendees’ hunger in Oviedo this weekend
This Saturday (day day day) strap your stomachs in because there’s a Monster Jam on a collision course with Oviedo … but the only vehicles revving their engines that day will be some of Central Florida’s tastiest food trucks. This weekend’s Oviedo Food Truck Monster Jam, a benefit for local nonprofit Helpful Hands, will feature…
Orange County’s COVID-19 positivity rate crosses 30%
Nearly a third of all COVID-19 tests administered in Orange County are coming back positive. That’s according to the latest news conference from Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Demings shared that over 30% of all recent coronavirus tests in the county were positive. The county continues to run testing sites…
Competition with Joe Biden pushes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to do his job
Saying that the “federal government is not going to come through” on a plan to distribute at-home coronavirus tests, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday said the state is honing its own strategy to send tests to vulnerable Floridians. DeSantis has made testing for COVID-19 the latest front in his clashes with President Joe Biden’s administration,…
Free Will Astrology: Your horoscope for the week of Jan. 5-11
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the fantasy film The Wizard of Oz, a tornado lifts the hero Dorothy from her modest home in rural Kansas to a magical realm called Oz. There she experiences many provocative and entertaining adventures. Nonetheless, she longs to return to where she started from. A friendly witch helps her find…
Italian romcom ‘Four to Dinner,’ like a mash-up of ‘Sliding Doors’ and ‘Friends,’ premieres Wednesday on Netflix
Premieres Wednesday, Jan. 5: Four to Dinner — Now here’s one to get your new year off on the proper note of wistful resignation. It’s a romcom that follows four Italians through alternate narratives in which they pair up in every possible combination. Somebody who aced their math SAT would be able to tell you…
Things to do in Orlando, Jan. 5-11: Bob Saget, Chris Gethard, E-Turn, Molly Ringwalds
Our editors’ selections of the best stuff to do this week. Thursday, Jan. 6POSTPONED UNTIL MARCH Bad RomanceLe Petite Fete throws one of their patented dance parties, featuring “your favorite divas.” 8 p.m., Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., willspub.org, $20. Wayne EscofferyGrammy-winning saxophonist celebrates masters of the tenor sax. 7:30 p.m., Timucua Arts Foundation,…
