Airlines may not recover until 2023, but first, Florida needs to adequately address the pandemic at hand
As multiple U.S. airlines prepare for a round of layoffs that are expected to reach well into the tens of thousands, a new report by Moody’s states commercial air traffic may not recover until 2023, at the earliest. Just months after Congress approved a $25 billion bailout for U.S.-based airlines, the major carriers are already…
Universal Orlando joins Disney in closing face mask ‘loophole’ for park attendees
Universal Orlando updated its face mask policy on Tuesday to close a “loophole” that had allowed attendees to walk around the parks mask-free as long as they were eating and drinking at the same time. Or, as we like to call it, “chomping while clomping.” The amended rules now specify that park visitors must wear…
Legal Public Notices 7/22 issue
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 11, 2020 @…
Dollar Tree, Family Dollar reverse face-covering mandate, making masks optional in stores
Dollar Tree and Family Dollar disclosed last week they are no longer requiring thrifty shoppers to wear masks in their stores, a move that runs contrary to the advice of public-health experts and anyone with some damn sense. Employees and shoppers in areas with local mask mandates — including Orange and Seminole Counties — must…
Jacksonville’s Republican mayor and sheriff grapple with absurdity of hosting national party convention in Florida
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Tuesday he’s working to ensure law enforcement will have the resources needed for the Republican National Convention, while agreeing with the sheriff that security plans now in place aren’t adequate. Curry said “nothing” Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams conveyed Monday about a lack of preparedness was a surprise. But discussions have…
WonderWorks and other small Orlando attractions must evolve to survive, making some changes permanent
The past few weeks have seen attractions around the country start to reopen, but for many, the new COVID-induced reality means rethinking the entire guest experience. While much attention has been paid to how Orlando’s flagship attractions like Disney and Universal are responding, smaller regional attractions are also facing their own challenges, with smaller budgets.…
Florida just recorded more COVID-19 deaths than any other state
Today, Florida recorded more coronavirus deaths than any U.S. state, edging out Texas, which has 25 percent more people, says the Associated Press. According to the Florida Department of Health, as of Tuesday, Florida logged 134 new deaths, which is the state’s second highest amount for a 24-hour period. The total number of lives lost…
Researchers set to explore giant ‘blue hole’ off Florida’s Gulf Coast
A multi-institutional team of researchers is set to embark on a yearlong exploration of a 450-foot “blue hole” in Florida waters next month. The blue hole, known as “Green Banana,” sits off Florida’s Gulf coast, 155 feet below the surface. Blue holes are essentially sinkholes formed underwater, and scientists have no idea how many exist,…
Reunion reading of ‘The Last Days of Judas Iscariot’ happens online this weekend
Eleven years ago, a group of local performers affiliated with the Empty Spaces Theatre Co. and the Riverton Playground Theatre staged Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at the Lowndes Shakespeare Theater, a play that the Weekly then described as offering “a different perspective: absolute despair, shot through with gritty humor and, ultimately, hope.” If that…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Tuesday, July 21, 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. Do You Think You Could Be A Scare Actor? Maybe you’ve never considered working as a scare actor at Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights, but now you have…
Florida’s largest teachers’ union sues state over reopening schools
As Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran push to reopen schools in August, Florida’s largest teachers’ union on Monday filed a lawsuit seeking to block the return to in-person classes amid a surge of COVID-19 cases. Plaintiffs in the legal challenge, who include the Florida Education Association and three teachers from Miami-Dade, Broward…
Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum talks about depression, alcoholism
Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum emerged Monday from self-imposed political exile with a social media post addressing depression and alcoholism after a March incident involving a man who reportedly overdosed in a South Beach hotel room. According to a police report, Gillum, who was in the room where suspected crystal meth was found, was…
Following public backlash, Winn-Dixie will now require face masks
After initially announcing that it won’t force customers to wear masks at its stores, Winn-Dixie’s parent company is now reversing course. In a statement released Monday, Southeastern Grocers Inc. said that beginning next week, all Winn-Dixie and Harvey grocery stores will require face masks. “The majority of our stores are under either a local or…
New video shows Tampa police attacking peaceful protesters on July 4
A new video shows an unprovoked attack from Tampa Police officers against non-violent protesters at a demonstration held on July 4. The video, which was posted to Facebook by GR Goodwin on July 19, shows a crowd of about 100 people peacefully and non-violently blocking traffic on North Dale Mabry Highway, as they headed north…
Protester at Gov. DeSantis briefing: ‘We need to hold these folks accountable’
Before it happened again today in Orlando, the protester at a June 13 news conference who shouted and called for the resignation of Gov. Ron DeSantis over his handling of the pandemic said he would do it again. Thomas Kennedy, a longtime Miami-Dade advocate for undocumented immigrants, admitted he’s no fan of DeSantis, but speaking…
Walt Disney World closes face mask loophole at Orlando parks
The only thing worse than someone chewing on a meal with their mouth open is when someone infected with coronavirus does this, while walking past you, at Walt Disney World. That’s why Disney executives closed a loophole at its four Orlando parks this past weekend, one that had allowed eat-walking tourists to roam mask-free, as…
Hecklers interrupt Gov. Ron DeSantis at Orlando press conference: ‘You’re lying to the public!’
Another day, another angry heckler at one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ press conferences, this time on Monday at an Orlando OneBlood donation and testing center. DeSantis was speaking to reporters about two minutes into the press event, which was initially planned to be held outside, when protesters began shouting mid-sentence. “Shame on you Ron DeSantis! You’re…
Following Orlando Magic layoffs, former coach Stan Van Gundy lashes out at team’s billionaire owners
Former Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy isn’t taking the news of massive layoffs at his old team lightly. On Friday, the Athletic broke the news that the Magic is cutting 31 full-time employees amid the team’s pandemic losses. Soon after, team CEO Alex Martins acknowledged the layoffs, writing in a press statement, “Our business, as well…
Monday is your deadline to audition for Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights
If you’re looking for a job that’s truly terrifying, Universal Orlando is hiring talent right now for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights, despite an increase in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations across Central Florida in recent weeks. The local institution that’s been ruining visitors’ pants since 1991 needs all the fresh new blood, or talent, it can sink…
Walt Disney World is closing attractions and canceling others, which could benefit Universal Orlando
Updated with comments from Disney With so much uncertainty around the pandemic and the related economic slowdown, Disney has been aggressively reviewing every aspect of its Parks and Resorts division in an effort to cut costs. In May, CFO Christine McCarthy confirmed that the division would see $900 million in projects paused. Now, two and a half…
Orange County forming coronavirus ‘strike teams’ to enforce precautions
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced on Friday that officials are forming “strike teams” that will randomly inspect businesses to see which establishments are not following COVID-19 safety rules. “We will be putting together some strike teams that will be going out into the community to ensure that we get better compliance from the businesses with…
Lawsuit over Florida’s vote-by-mail terms reaches settlement
On the eve of a trial slated to begin Monday, lawyers representing the state and plaintiffs in a legal battle over Florida’s vote-by-mail procedures have reached a settlement. Priorities USA, Dream Defenders and other plaintiffs have been seeking to expand the state’s vote-by-mail process, arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a record number…
Coronavirus pandemic could trim Central Florida’s population growth
First came the damage to Florida’s tourism industry and all sorts of other businesses. And now, the state’s growth engine? A panel of state economists last week released a report forecasting that Florida’s population growth will slow in the coming years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That doesn’t mean the U-Hauls will stop trucking down…
ESPN legend Stuart Scott would have been 55 today. His early career came through Orlando at the perfect time
Sunday, July 19, would have been the 55th birthday of Stuart Scott, the legendary ESPN anchor who became a sports-television star before his untimely death from appendix cancer at age 49. A favorite of presidents, superstar athletes and young fans, Scott was an ever-present part of sports TV between 1993 and 2015, spending 21 years at…
Florida Democrats try to rally support through virtual convention
State political conventions are typically a platform for candidates, party officials and grassroots loyalists to pump up enthusiasm and rake in the dough in advance of primary and general elections. But with COVID-19 forcing the cancellation of in-person events in Florida and throughout the nation, the 2020 election cycle is far from normal. For the…
State of Florida says numbers have to ‘flatten’ before drinks can flow in bars
Florida’s bar scene will remain on hold until there is a massive reversal in the growth of positive coronavirus cases, according to the state’s top business regulator. Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears on Friday said no timeline has been set to let people again drink in bars and nightclubs as the…
Gov. DeSantis says it ‘doesn’t make sense’ to close Florida’s gyms
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday said he is not closing gyms because he thinks people who go to them are “even less at risk for the coronavirus” because they are staying healthy and working out. “I think taking that option away for people to be healthy just doesn’t make sense,” the Republican governor said during…
Wahlburgers closes final remaining Florida location, at Waterford Lakes
Wahlburgers, the restaurant chain started by Mark, Donnie and Paul Wahlberg, is leaving the Orlando area, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the restaurant said in a social media post on Friday. “Dear family and friends: Our Wahlburgers location in Orlando at Waterford Lakes has served its final burger,” said the post. “We’ve made some wonderful memories…
Orlando-area workers earning minimum wage must work 96 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom apartment, says new study
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, home prices have actually increased in Florida and in Orlando. So it’s really no surprise that we live in one of the worst places in the country to be a renter. A recent report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition shows Florida is currently the 12th most expensive state for…
Winn-Dixie won’t require face masks in its stores
The day after Publix announced that face masks will be required in its stores beginning July 21, Florida’s other giant grocer, Winn-Dixie, said it will “strongly encourage” face coverings, according to a statement from the Southeastern Grocers, Winn-Dixie’s parent company. “Currently, we are adhering to all local safety mandates within each of our stores and…
Florida doctors and nurses groups say new law concerning unwanted pelvic exams is confusing
A new state law aimed at protecting patients from unwanted pelvic exams — sparked by reports of women being subjected to exams while they were under anesthesia — has created uncertainty for physicians and nurses. Two state health-care licensing boards have been asked to weigh in on whether the new law applies to male patients…
Leaked White House document lists Florida and many of its counties in coronavirus ‘red zone’
A leaked report prepared for the White House Coronavirus task force, published by the Center for Public Integrity on Thursday, recommends Florida mandate face masks while increasing restrictions on restaurants, bars and gyms. The report breaks down the status of the coronavirus pandemic at a national, regional, state and local level. States and counties in…
Multimedia ‘(Un)continuity’ virtual art exhibition opens through UCF this week
The UCF-hosted multimedia exhibition (un)continuity opened this week virtually, a sign of the times in Florida when COVID-19 cases continue to surge and our phased reopening is paused. Originally intended as a gallery exhibit as part of UCF’s Electronic Literature Organization Conference and Festival along with a host of workshops and performances, (un)continuity has shifted to the virtual realm. The…
Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz featured in HBO’s new documentary, ‘The Swamp’
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz plays a pivotal role in HBO’s new documentary The Swamp, which premieres on the platform Aug. 4. The documentary looks to peek behind the curtain of Washington politics, exposing the path to power in Congress and the capacity of greed. The two filmmakers, Daniel DiMauro and Morgan Pehme, best known for…
Florida’s unemployment rate dipped in June but doubled last week, with Osceola and Orange counties hit hardest
First-time unemployment claims in Florida almost doubled last week as cases of COVID-19 spiked, leading the state to close down bars and nightclubs again on June 26. The monthly numbers for June, always lagging behind the reality of real-time human suffering, had indicated a decrease of 298,000 Floridians out of work from the prior month…
Florida emergency workers test positive for COVID-19
Four employees of the Florida Division of Emergency Management tested positive Thursday for COVID-19, bringing to 12 the number of division workers with the virus since twice-a-week testing began three weeks ago. All were asymptomatic and are working from their homes, as are immediate co-workers pending further testing, according to the division, which has been…
U.S. Supreme Court refuses to clear way for felons voting in Florida
Hundreds of thousands of Florida felons won’t be able to cast ballots in next month’s primary elections, after the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday refused to vacate an appellate court’s order in a closely watched legal battle over voting rights. Plaintiffs in the voting-rights case had asked the Supreme Court to lift a stay issued…
If you want to vote in the primary – and you really should – the deadline to change your registration is Monday, July 20
Florida residents face a Monday deadline to register to vote in next month’s primary elections. The Aug. 18 ballots in many areas of the state will include partisan primaries for congressional and legislative seats. Also, voters will cast ballots in local races, many of which are nonpartisan. Check your voter registration, party affiliation, and races…
Science, Florida, and the political machinery of death
On Thursday morning, the Trump administration killed Wesley Ira Purkey, a 68-year-old with dementia, two days after fatally poisoning Daniel Lewis Lee, who proclaimed his innocence to the last. These first federal executions since 2003 come despite the death penalty falling out of favor across the country. Including Lee and Purkey, only nine men have…
Abigail Disney slams Walt Disney World reopening, ‘incredibly concerned’ as Florida sets new coronavirus record
Abigail Disney is pissed. The granddaughter of Walt Disney Company co-founder Roy O. Disney is slamming Disney for its decision to reopen their Florida theme parks amid the nationwide highest-ever rates of COVID-19 infection. “I don’t have a say in the company and I don’t know what numbers they’re looking at,” said Disney on Yahoo Finance’s…
Florida Democrats call on Gov. DeSantis to scale back reopening
Florida Senate Democrats want to scale back economic-reopening efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus, as Gov. Ron DeSantis maintains his approach has been taken with an “eye towards what’s sustainable.” In a conference call Wednesday with reporters, Democrats continued to push for a statewide mandatory mask requirement as they offered a “Step Back…
Florida reports nearly 14,000 new cases of coronavirus statewide and sets a single-day record of 156 deaths
The Florida Department of Health on Thursday reported a shocking 13,837 new coronavirus cases and 156 new deaths statewide. The new statewide total of coronavirus cases stands at 315,775 – 311,640 residents – and 4,677 deaths. There are currently 19, 825 hospitalizations statewide. This is the second-highest single-day increase in new cases after Sunday’s (July 12) report of 15,300 new cases. And…
Canceled in 2020: Bite Night, Tacos and Tequila, United We Brunch, Big Gay Brunch, Best of Orlando Party
Orlando Weekly officially pulled the plug this week on the majority of its 2020 events. Those events include Bite Night, the Best of Orlando Party, Tacos & Tequila, United We Brunch (which was rescheduled from its original March date to September) and Big Gay Brunch. Beer ’Merica, the patriotic-themed American craft beer festival that happens…
Starting next week, Publix will require all customers to wear face masks
Publix, where shopping (in a mask) is a pleasure. The Lakeland-based grocer announced today that all stores will require customers to wear face masks beginning July 21. “With the number of coronavirus cases continuing to grow and current CDC guidance indicating face coverings can help slow the spread of COVID-19, we believe requiring face coverings…
Krispy Kreme celebrates 83rd birthday on Friday with glazed donut giveaways
National donut chain Krispy Kreme will be celebrating its 83rd birthday this Friday, July 17, and is marking the occasion with a glazed donut deal. On Friday only, you will get a dozen free glazed donuts with the purchase of any other dozen donuts at full price. This order is good for drive-through, pick-up and…
PechaKucha Orlando returns this weekend live via YouTube
PechaKucha Night Orlando returns this weekend – yes, online this time – with an adventurous lineup and free admission. The popular speaker series, named after the Japanese phrase for “chit chat,” sets out a simple framework for speakers across all disciplines – they can present 20 slides with 20 seconds for each slide on the topic of their…
Republican National Convention to be scaled back in Jacksonville over COVID-19
Only regular delegates will be allowed to attend the first three days of the Republican National Convention next month in Jacksonville, while they will be able to bring guests to hear President Donald Trump publicly accept the party’s nomination. As coronavirus cases continue to soar in Florida, Republican officials announced Thursday they are scaling back…
Hundreds of fake conservative ‘news’ websites pretend to be local, with more than a dozen around Orlando
Hundreds of bogus local news websites have popped up across the U.S., many with neighborhood-specific titles and purportedly offering local news. The sites, however, are right-leaning, nearly identical-looking products of a handful of big-business operatives. More than a dozen such sites are set up to represent the Orlando area alone. Websites like “College Park Today,” “Goldenrod…
Florida reptile breeders are suing the state to stop ban on tegu lizards, green iguanas and reticulated pythons
Arguing that a new law and executive order would “devastate Florida’s commercial reptile industry,” a trade organization and business owners are challenging the constitutionality of state decisions that would largely prevent the possession, breeding and sale of certain types of non-native reptiles. The United States Association of Reptile Keepers’ Florida Chapter and six individual plaintiffs…
Enzian Theater announces program for August’s Florida Film Festival
The Enzian Theater has announced the program for the 29th annual Florida Film Festival, which was originally scheduled for April 17-26 but is now slated for Aug. 7-20. The festival, which will screen 177 films from 37 countries, will be the first major event of its kind in Florida since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and…
Police union withdraws endorsement of Orange County Sheriff John Mina
The Fraternal Order of Police voted on Tuesday to rescind their re-election endorsement for Orange County Sheriff John Mina. This dramatic move comes in the wake of an internal survey recently conducted among union members in Orange County’s FOP Lodge 93, which revealed low morale among officers and a lack of confidence in Mina. According…
Florida has surpassed 300,000 coronavirus cases
The Florida Health Department reported 10,085 new cases of coronavirus Tuesday, bringing the state’s total number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic to 301,810. The total number of deaths statewide is over 4,500 and hospitalizations near 20,000. Florida’s highest single-day positive case total of 15,300 was set on July 11. On Tuesday, Florida…
Salty Donut to open fourth location in Orlando’s Audubon Park this fall
Premier doughnut emporium the Salty Donut announced on Tuesday that they will be opening their fourth location right here in Orlando. Salty Donut – with locations in Dallas and Miami – is well-loved for their creative and decadent doughnut concoctions. This fourth brick-and-mortar store will be in Audubon Park on Corrine Drive, with a tentative…
During record unemployment, Florida DEO quietly lays off hundreds of call-center employees
At the start of the pandemic in March, calls to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity went from 28,000 in one week to 130,000 in the next. Four months later, on Tuesday, the very DEO workers desperately trying to deliver unemployment relief to Floridians amid the pandemic were notified that they are losing their own jobs. An…
Mad Cow Theatre to stage virtual reading of Dylan Thomas’ ‘Under Milk Wood’ on Wednesday night
The Mad Cow Theatre company is staging a virtual dramatic reading of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood on Wednesday night for free. They’ll be following that up on Thursday with an installment of their online Drama Club series with Orlando Poet Laureate Susan Lilley and other guests talking about the play and all things Thomas. Mad…
Florida cities are fighting to stop penalties of $5,000 and removal from office, if they pass local gun regulations
Imposing stiff penalties on city and county officials who approve gun regulations that go beyond state firearms laws came under scrutiny Tuesday, as an appeals court considers a lower-court ruling in lawsuits filed after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County. Dozens of city and county officials filed the…
As COVID-19 cases surge during hurricane season, field hospitals not an option in Florida
As Florida hospitals face a surge in patients with COVID-19, they may not be able to rely on field hospitals to provide more space. And hurricanes are the reason. Florida Division of Emergency Management communications director Jason Mahon told The News Service of Florida on Tuesday that the state is focusing efforts on expanding hospital…
On Netflix, ‘Indian Matchmaking’ uses ‘the methods of the past’ to pair off millennials – plus seven more streaming premieres
Premieres Thursday: The House of Ho – When Crazy Rich Asians became a breakout hit, industry-watchers predicted that representation of Asians in the media was about to skyrocket. Cue me, under my breath: “Just as long as they’re rich.” Sure enough, here comes The House of Ho, a docuseries about Vietnamese-born banking/real estate magnate Binh…
My first trip to the Magic Kingdom since March both exceeded my wildest dreams and evoked my darkest nightmares
Be careful what you wish for
Yes, cloth face coverings help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Here’s the science
Mask wearing shouldn’t be controversial. But here we are.
Kadence pulls off takeout sushi with delicious flair
The Dining-in Diaries
Savage Love: If you’re a submissive husband, then submit already
My wife asked me to write to you about our situation. We’ve been married for 15 years. I am a submissive male and I like to play with my ass using different sized dildos. I enormously enjoy being penetrated with sex toys. A few years ago I introduced the idea of a FLR – female-led…
Readers sound off about the proposed reopening of public schools in August
Letters to the editor
