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Op-ed: Puerto Ricans should reject Rick Scott’s pandering
Even in a town built on fairy tales, it would require too large a suspension of disbelief to buy the successful hurricane recovery narrative the GOP was selling at their recent Sunshine Summit in Kissimmee. But Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria made sure the real story was told. They set up a tent city…
Ugly Orange celebrates a belated anniversary with Karen Meat and more
There are shows and then there are happenings. And local DIY booking duo Ugly Orange specialize in the latter to an extent few match in the area. What has distinguished Ugly Orange’s two-year booking run is their careful attention to detail, both in curation (seriously, you can tell how much they believe in all the…
Music of the Night Masquerade puts the audience in the center of operatic action
Opera del Sol and Orlando Light Opera – a subsidiary of Central Florida Vocal Arts – host a three-day immersive party for fans of opera this weekend in the newly renovated lobby and staircase area of the Rep. Guests will get to experience interactive performances and engage with singers in innovative ways – the program…
Trump formally endorses Ron DeSantis in Tampa, and calls for voter IDs
They — the president’s faithful posse of fans — showed up by the thousands. Wearing red, white, and blue, and anything you could stamp the name “Trump” across, the Trump army were there to treat the president as if he were the only car running the Daytona 500. Quite frankly, on this occasion he was.…
Florida judge weighs records dispute in FIU bridge collapse
A Tallahassee judge is set to decide by the end of the week whether records related to a deadly bridge collapse at Florida International University must be released to the Miami Herald. The newspaper sued the Florida Department of Transportation in May, after officials with the agency refused to turn over some documents related to…
Linda Stewart calls for Florida to join lawsuit against 3D-printed gun blueprints
State Sen. Linda Stewart is calling on Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to join a lawsuit filed by eight states and the District of Columbia to block the online release of 3D-printed gun blueprints. Democratic attorneys general in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Oregon and New York are suing the Trump administration to challenge its…
Busch Gardens introduces new Bier Fest event
Busch Gardens is doubling down on beer this summer. Busch Gardens Tampa announced the addition of Bier Fest, an event dedicated to beer tasting and snack sampling, which will take place every weekend from Aug. 25 to Sept. 16, including Labor Day Weekend. The new event will feature live music and more than 100 beers from 65…
Femme Hop returns with a new location for the best in underground female-led hip-hop
Parramore’s Stonewall Bar continues to see an influx of artsy underground events. This week, Femme Hop, a night devoted to women and femme artists in hip-hop that’s previously been held at places like the Henao Center, makes its Stonewall debut. DJs Gay-Z, Amorphous and YourMobileGeek keep the dance floor crowded with a selection of mainstream…
Silverstein announce anniversary tour stop in Orlando this November
Emo-punks Silverstein have announced another Orlando show set for later this year – a a sequel to their engagement earlier this year with Tonight Alive – and they’ll be marking a big fan-favorite anniversary with this upcoming autumn tour. The band is hitting the road to mark the 15th anniversary of When Broken Is Easily…
Cirque du Soleil’s first foray into ice skating, ‘Crystal’, slides into the Amway Center this week
Last summer, Cirque du Soleil purchased Blue Man Group; this summer, they’re sliding into our lives with this first-of-its-kind production. The 34-year-old company has pushed boundaries before, but this is a bit different. For seven shows, gymnasts and skaters will suspend and glide their way through an ice skating show – hence “Crystal,” which is…
Nearly 1 million gallons of sewage was just dumped into Florida’s Indian River Lagoon
Faulty equipment is being blamed for almost 870,000 gallons of wastewater leaked into Indian River Lagoon in Titusville, Florida, on Monday. Titusville Water Resources stopped the leak within three hours after its discovery, according to the City of Titusville. The cause of the mess was an old force main that was not properly abandoned or…
San Juan mayor endorses Philip Levine for Florida governor
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz endorsed former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine Tuesday in his bid to get the Democratic nomination for Florida governor. In an ad, Cruz talks about how Levine flew to San Juan in a cargo plane days after Hurricane María devastated Puerto Rico, bringing thousands of pounds of provisions like…
Florida lawmakers seek ‘stand your ground’ changes after Clearwater shooting
Florida’s Legislative Black Caucus intends to file legislation for the 2019 session to readdress the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law after the July 23 shooting death of Markeis McGlockton in the parking lot of a Clearwater convenience store. Caucus Chairman Bruce Antone, a Democratic House member from Orlando, said in a news release Monday…
Kennedy Space Center raises ticket prices, but promises a new ‘out-of-this-world announcement’
After years of unprecedented growth with dozens of new exhibits, Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center has now increased its admission prices. The price rise was proposed by Delaware North, the management company that oversees the Visitors Center, and was approved by NASA, who owns the complex. The $7 increase, which pushes daily admission tickets for…
Feld’s latest concept has the company joining forces with Universal for a traveling ‘Trolls’ show
Feld is known for their impressive arena shows, such as Monster Jam and Disney on Ice!, but their latest plan switches out the arena for the mall. DreamWorks’ “Trolls: The Experience,” opens this fall in New York City ahead of a multi-city tour, in what Feld Entertainment has called “the inaugural location-based entertainment collaboration” between…
Poll gives Rick Scott slight lead in Senate showdown against Bill Nelson
With both candidates receiving solid support from their political bases, Gov. Rick Scott has opened a small lead over Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson in their high-stakes battle for a U.S. Senate seat, a new poll shows. Scott leads Nelson by a margin of 47 percent to 44 percent, with 9 percent of voters remaining undecided…
Party in the Pines country festival to feature Dan and Shay, Cassadee Pope and many more
North Florida’s massive country music festival, Party in the Pines, is set for this autumn and a second round of big-time headliners and country contenders has recently been announced. Confirmed additions for this year’s fest include: Dan + Shay, Granger Smith, The Cadillac Three, Cassadee Pope, Drew Baldridge, Clare Dunn and Raleigh Keegan. They will be…
Bill Nelson calls for federal investigation into troubled SunPass contractor
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is calling on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the troubled vendor responsible for a backlog of 170 million unprocessed SunPass toll transactions. In a letter sent to FTC chairman Joseph Simons, Nelson and Michigan Sen. Gary Peters accused Conduent State & Local Solutions of violating federal laws that prohibit unfair and deceptive trade…
Universal releases details on new ‘Stranger Things’ maze at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights
Universal is finally giving us more details about how Stranger Things and its upside down universe will be a part of the Halloween Horror Nights 2018 experience. Back in April, The Netflix series was confirmed to be the source of inspiration for a maze at the terror-filled fall event in Orlando, as well as the Universal…
Tom Cruise is now an official Florida man
Tom Cruise, the star of Mission: Impossible – Fallout and a man with extremely high OT levels, has officially moved into a penthouse in Clearwater, Florida, because he reportedly wants to be closer to the Church of Scientology’s international headquarters. According to an Aug. 6 cover story in People Magazine, the actor sold his Beverly…
Congrats to Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis on the creepiest ad of the year
Ron DeSantis, a Florida congressman running for governor endorsed by President Donald Trump, released an ad this morning reminding voters that his Trump endorsement is now eating his entire brain. The 30-second clip, which is narrated by his wife, Casey, shows DeSantis doing very normal “amazing dad” things, like teaching toddlers how to keep Mexicans…
SeaWorld had a horrible July
After a few months of an improving outlook, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment was hit with a double whammy of bad news in July. Zhonghong, SeaWorld’s largest shareholder, saw their months of unsteady financial woes come to a head in July when it was revealed they couldn’t meet their financial obligations forcing them to sell off…
New government documents suggest Epcot is about to get an updated nighttime show
For more than five years there has been an ever-increasing amount of rumors regarding an update to Epcot’s Illuminations nighttime show, with the rumors reaching near fever pitch levels last month. Now new government documents seem to confirm the rumors. More than $2 million in upgrades to Epcot’s World Showcase Lagoon, including $1.8 million in…
Four new SunRail stations are now in service
Four SunRail stations are now open, bridging Osceola and Orange counties and introducing 17.2 more miles of tracks to the rail system. On its official Monday morning debut, the first 50 people headed northbound on the rail ride roundtrip for free. A standard one-way fare is $2, plus an additional $1 for each crossed county…
Today is the last day to register to vote for the Florida primary
There’s still time. Monday, July 30 is the last day you can register to vote for next month’s primary election on Aug. 28. Visit the Florida voter registration website to submit a new registration or update an existing registration. To learn more or find out how to register in Orange County, call the supervisor of…
‘Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story’ debuts tonight
Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, a six-part documentary series revolving around the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Central Florida, will premiere tonight on the Paramount Network. The series, directed by Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason and produced by hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, is based on Rest In Power: The Enduring…
Janelle Monáe shows she’s the most now pop star alive in dazzling Orlando concert
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Janelle Monae, House of Blues, July 28 Janelle Monáe is doing it. This decade has proven her the best, most iconic exemplar of Atlanta’s game-changing avant-garde since OutKast. Though her high-concept R&B retro-futurism immediately distinguished her, where she currently sits in both quality and impact is on another level. Now operating beyond…
Emily’s List gives $400K to Gwen Graham in Florida governor’s race
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham is getting a big assist from Emily’s List, the national group that backs women candidates who support abortion rights. The Emily’s List PAC contributed $400,000 on July 17 to the political committee Gwen Graham for Florida, according to a newly filed finance report. That brought the group’s contributions to Graham’s…
Rick Scott and his wife are much richer than previously reported
Rick Scott, the wealthiest governor in Florida history, filed a financial disclosure Friday as part of his campaign for the U.S. Senate that revealed new details on his elaborate finances, including hundreds of investments controlled by his wife. Last month, Scott, who is challenging U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, filed his annual state disclosure that showed…
Florida Greyhound Association asks judge to remove racing ban from ballot
Arguing that it is misleading, the Florida Greyhound Association on Thursday asked a judge to remove from the November ballot a constitutional amendment that would ban dog racing in Florida. “The (ballot) title and summary must be accurate. It must be informative. The title and summary cannot be misleading either expressly or by omission,” Major…
San Juan mayor endorses Florida Sen. Bill Nelson
On Saturday, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz endorsed three-term U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, in his reelection campaign. Following the Aug. 28 primary, Nelson will face off against Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who’s term-limited and widely favored to win the GOP gubernatorial primary. “Do you think Donald Trump respects us?” Cruz, who…
Bearded ladies, sword swallowers and more take over Maxine’s on Shine for a vaudeville dinner show
Maxine’s on Shine frequently offers live entertainment during dinner, but this dinner show goes beyond the usual mellow musical accompaniment. The prix fixe dinner is paired with a variety show featuring four performances ranging from burlesque to sword swallowing to a singing bearded lady. Dinner includes an entree, app and dessert, along with your first…
Janelle Monáe honors Pulse victims, Sasha Garden at Orlando concert
During her concert at the House of Blues, interstellar android and artist Janelle Monáe paid tribute to the transgender woman recently killed in Orlando and the 49 victims of the 2016 mass shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse. Monáe, who identifies as queer, read the names of the 49 victims before launching into the song…
Florida’s medical marijuana chief is stepping down
After three years as a target of ire amid delays and disputes clouding Florida’s nascent medical-marijuana industry, Christian Bax is stepping down as the state’s pot czar. Bax, who’s been at the helm of what is now known as the Office of Medical Marijuana Use since the first cannabis products went on the shelves, leaves…
Florida lawmakers call for federal investigation of ‘stand your ground’ shooting
Last week, Pinellas County authorities announced they would not pursue charges against a Florida man involved in a fatal shooting, due to his protections under the “stand your ground” law. Now, lawmakers are asking the Department of Justice to do something about it. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Charlie Crist are among five Senators…
Hair metal icon Sebastian Bach to return to Orlando in November
Gregarious Skid Row vocalist and heavy metal true believer Sebastian Bach has announced a slew of new dates for his North American tour – the Home Away From Home Tour – set for the summer and autumn, and rest assured, Orlando will be severely rocked. Expect crowd-pleasers and showmanship aplenty, with Bach drawing from his…
Another Florida man was spotted clinging to a moving vehicle for some reason
Rather than paying the standard $2 bus fare, an unidentified Florida man recently opted to hang from the back of a moving bus instead. A video of the incident was uploaded to Facebook by Chris Martin on Monday, and shows a man who clearly has no issues with standing on the back bumper of a…
Blended Cafe Bar is now open in College Park
Blended Cafe Bar is now officially open in College Park. The new cafe, located at 2306 Edgewater Drive in the former Juliana’s Italian spot, opened yesterday offering bubble tea, coffee, wine and wine cocktails, craft beer, breakfast, small plates and more. Blended is owned and operated by the Dao sisters, who also own House of Pho on South…
Disneyland agrees to boost employee wages to $15 an hour
Following pressure from unions and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Disneyland has agreed to a three-year contract to pay their employees a $15 per hour living wage. Effective immediately, union employees at the Anaheim resort who were making the minimum $11 an hour wage will be bumped by 20 percent to $13.25 an hour, and then increased…
Orlando organizations will spend $75K on study to find out how panhandlers spend their money
Judging by recent reports on the issue, Orlandoans have a problem with downtown’s panhandling population (re: homeless people). Now local organizations have commissioned a study to gain a better understanding. The goal: to figure out how many homeless panhandlers are in the city, and how they spend their money. The six-month study, set to launch…
AIDS Healthcare Foundation files public records lawsuit against Rick Scott
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation filed a public-records lawsuit Thursday in Leon County circuit court alleging that Gov. Rick Scott’s staff refused to provide copies of his public calendar and travel schedule. The lawsuit came after the group said it tried to contact the governor about concerns with the state Agency for Health Care Administration’s recent…
‘80s shock-rockers the Mentors arrive in Orlando to appropriately little fanfare
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND The Mentors and Awesome & the Ass Kickers, Will’s Pub, July 25 Before there were the Dwarves or even GG Allin, there were the Mentors. The name may only hold recognition and cachet in the deepest bowels of the shock-rock underground but, at one time, but the sleaze merchants raised alarm all…
Game of Crawls helps ease the wait for the next season of ‘Thrones’
We still have months – maybe even a year – to wait until the final six-episode season of Game of Thrones somehow wraps everything up – and even longer to wait if you’re a book-reader – which means that the hangover you get from this pub crawl should be going away just in time. Dress…
Prosecutor won’t file criminal charges against former Florida lawmaker Jack Latvala
Former state Sen. Jack Latvala won’t face criminal charges after the Leon County state attorney announced Thursday there was insufficient evidence the Clearwater Republican promised legislative favors to a lobbyist in exchange for sex. Jack Campbell, state attorney in the 2nd Judicial Circuit, said Thursday there was not enough “evidence to prove beyond a reasonable…
Batman villains take over Icebar Orlando for Gotham on Ice party
Moshi Moshi Productions have made a name for themselves by throwing elaborately themed afterparties for all of the area’s biggest conventions, bringing in film-quality cosplayers, body paint artists, celebrity guests and live surprises. But this pop-up at Icebar is their first party not tied to a particular con. The concept is cool: Mister Freeze and…
U.K. band the Struts announce Orlando show set for October
British rockers the Struts have just announced a headlining North American tour – dubbed “The Body Talks” – and Orlando will be the first stop of a small handful of Florida dates. The band have also just released their new single, also titled “Body Talks,” ahead of a new album and are currently supporting Foo Fighters…
This map lets you see if your Orlando neighborhood is filled with Trump supporters
A new map allows you to stop scanning your neighborhood for Trump yard signs, Truck Nutz or an overabundance of people who don’t mind being lied to. Released today by the New York Times, this new, extremely detailed interactive election map actually allows readers to see exactly how many Trump and Hillary supporters occupy any given neighborhood across…
Look at this massive 826-pound tuna, which is now the new Florida state record
A meaty 826-pound, 8-ounce tuna, which comes out to roughly 3,307 cans of Sunkist, was the biggest catch on record for the state of Florida, announced the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This 114-inch-long bluefin tuna was caught on the boat “You Never Know” off the coast of Destin in May 2017 by fisherman…
Winter Park’s new standalone Sephora store opens today
You can get a sneak peek of the new stand-alone Sephora store in Winter Park today. For today’s soft opening, the store will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 1030 N. Orlando Ave. in the Winter Park Square shopping center. Although the store will host activities for the big event, details have…
Paul Paulson resigns from Orange County Republican post following ‘sham charity’ scandal
Paul Paulson, the Republican state committeeman for Orange County, has resigned from his post. His resignation comes amid a lawsuit charging that Paulson was behind a veterans’ charity fraud, Orlando Rising reports. The lawsuit involving Paulson and his nonprofit, Help the Vets Inc., which alleged that an overwhelming majority of the $11 million collected by…
Madame Tussauds Orlando now has a shirtless Justin Bieber wax figure
Madame Tussauds Orlando has officially crossed the Uncanny Valley with their debut of a new tatted-up and shirtless Justin Bieber wax figure. The original figure was introduced to the museum last year, but over the course of those 12 months, the real Bieber got an array of tattoos, which of course meant the replica needed…
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and Infowars host Alex Jones are fighting
After U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz denounced his appearance on the conspiracy-centered website Infowars, the show’s host, Alex Jones, apparently got his feelings a little hurt. According to the website Right Wing Watch, it all began last week when Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, told Hill.TV that he regretted speaking on the show and acknowledged the damage caused by Jones’…
Disney will ban plastic straws across all locations worldwide
Today, Disney announced plans to ban all single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all company owned and operated locations by mid-2019. In a statement sent this morning, the company says that this initiative will eliminate more than 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers annually. Over the next several years, the company also plans to transition…
Family of transgender woman killed in Orlando sets up GoFundMe to pay for funeral
The family of Sasha Garden, a transgender woman whose body was found at the back of an Orlando apartment complex last week, has set up a GoFundMe to pay for her funeral. Garden’s mother, Sharon Daniels, created a fundraiser asking for $10,000 to pay for the cost of bringing Garden’s body home to Milwaukee, Wisconsin from Orlando…
SunPass backlog hit 170 million transactions after troubled upgrade
Florida’s troubled $287 million upgrade of the SunPass toll system created a backlog of 170 million transactions, the Florida Department of Transportation said Wednesday. More than 122 million of the transactions had been processed as of Wednesday morning. “SunPass is working diligently to clear the backlog of toll transactions,” Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kim Poulton…
New poll shows momentum for Ron DeSantis in Florida governor’s race
Polling trends continue to favor U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis in his Republican gubernatorial primary fight with Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. A poll released Wednesday by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative showed DeSantis leading Putnam by a margin of 36 percent to 27 percent among Republican voters in the Aug. 28 primary,…
Mennello Museum throws a happy hour for dogs and their humans this weekend
Celebrate the summer with your canine at the Mennello Museum’s garden party with a spiked lemonade in hand. While you’re sipping something strong, your furry best friend can enjoy the day with a pup cup from Jeremiah’s Italian Ice; Mercantile Coffee Co. will have complimentary sparkling Arnold Palmers, and other drinks for purchase. Yappy Dog…
TV Dinner, Wet Nurse and more celebrate Bad Balloon’s first anniversary at Will’s Pub
Look, promoting shows – especially if you’re doing it out of naive enthusiasm for the healing powers of music – can be thankless and exhausting work. You work a job all day, and then spend off-hours posting fliers and promoting online and badgering friends, acquaintances and strangers alike to come out on the night –…
Fairvilla gets nerdy at their summer party this week
Fairvilla’s summer party comes with a “nerdy” theme this week, though we don’t quite get the connection. Enjoy free cocktails – sponsored by Kissimmee swinger hotel Secrets – along with music from RealRadio 104.1’s DJ Angel Rivera while checking out demos and giveaways from the likes of Cal Exotics, Fantasy Lingerie and WeVibe. You’ll also…
Guy Fieri is opening a new restaurant in Disney Springs
It seems the Mayor of Flavortown liked Orlando so much when he came to visit to tape Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives last year that he’s planning to make a permanent mark in Disney Springs. Today, the flame-fringed Fieri announced a new chicken tenders spot called “Chicken Guy!” in partnership with Planet Hollywood owner Robert Earl.…
Ms. Lauryn Hill abruptly cancels upcoming Central Florida shows
Ms. Lauryn Hill has canceled a string of shows — including a July 29 show at St. Petersburg’s Al Lang Stadium — due to what promoter Live Nation has called “unforeseen tour production issues.” Hill’s August 2 show in Jacksonville plus shows in Charlotte (July 25) and Raleigh (July 26) have also been canceled along…
32 free shows happening in Orlando this week
Wednesday, July 25 Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 pm at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. The Daniel Heitz Band 10:30 pm at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Conditional Fidelity: OhTwo, Superwill, Spvtnik, Byson 10:30 pm at The Geek Easy, 114 S. Semoran Blvd., Winter Park. SteveSongs 10 am at Orlando Public Library,…
SeaWorld is offering $59 tickets as part of their ‘Christmas in July’ celebration
Christmas came early at SeaWorld this year. The park is offering $59 one-day tickets from now until July 31. In addition to discounted admission, guests can also score special savings on holiday shows during the park’s annual Christmas celebration event, and $179 tickets to Discovery Cove to swim with dolphins. Tickets to SeaWorld can be purchased…
Florida attorney general candidate files lawsuit to remove Democratic primary opponent
On Tuesday, attorney general candidate and state Rep. Sean Shaw filed a lawsuit in Leon Circuit Court against the state’s Division of Elections, Secretary of State Ken Detzner and Democratic primary opponent Ryan Torrens, claiming that Torrens “failed to properly qualify” due to an “illegal campaign contribution.” According to the lawsuit, Torrens, an Odessa-based lawyer,…
The ‘I-4 Eyesore’ just went live
Last night someone flipped the switch inside the Majesty Building, an 18-story shell of building that’s been under construction for more than 17 years. Images of the building lit up from the inside circulated on social media Tuesday evening, including a Facebook post from Valerie Bush with the comment “And then there was light!!!” Every…
Mills 50 video game bar BART announces closing date
Sad news for retro game lovers today. Mills 50 video game bar BART, one of the pioneers of the bar-arcade format in Orlando, announced that it will close at the end of September. A statement on their Facebook page reads: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce BART will be closing at the…
Study says Ocala is one of the least educated cities in the country
According to a new study, Ocala, Florida, comes up short when it comes to educational attainment. The study, released by personal finance website WalletHub, compared 150 U.S. metropolitan areas for its 2018 Most & Least Educated Cities in America, and placed Ocala near the bottom at 141. The data set included a large range of adults…
Rick Scott plans to skip Donald Trump’s rally but will appear with him at Tampa school
Gov. Rick Scott, who is running for U.S. Senate, will not attend President Donald Trump’s rally July 31 in Tampa but will appear with Trump earlier in the day. Scott will attend an afternoon event with the president at Tampa Bay Technical High School, Scott campaign spokeswoman Lauren Schenone said Tuesday. Trump plans to hold…
Universal announces original haunted house ‘Carnival Graveyard: Rust in Pieces’ for Halloween Horror Nights
Today Universal Orlando revealed a few details on an all-new original content haunted house titled “Carnival Graveyard: Rust in Pieces,” which will be added to the Halloween Horror Nights 2018 lineup. In a statement released today, Universal Orlando says the new house will take guests through a dilapidated carnival where they will face creepy rides, games, guard…
Florida’s SunPass toll system works to catch up on millions of transactions
More than 113 million toll transactions have been processed as the Florida Department of Transportation continues trying to catch up from delays in a $287 million project to upgrade the SunPass toll system. The state agency indicated that 17 million transactions were handled Monday, one of the largest days of processing. The SunPass upgrades were…
Judge strikes down Florida’s ‘discriminatory’ early voting ban on college campuses
Calling it a “ham-handed” effort to keep young voters from casting ballots, a federal judge Tuesday struck down as unconstitutional an opinion issued by Gov. Rick Scott’s administration that barred early-voting sites on college and university campuses. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker found that the Florida Department of State’s prohibition against campus early-voting sites “is…
It sure sounds like Trump is talking to Florida AG Pam Bondi in Cohen’s secret audio tape
On Tuesday evening, CNN released an audio recording between Donald Trump and his former personal attorney Michael Cohen, in which the two discuss purchasing the story rights to an alleged affair between Playboy model Karen McDougal and then-candidate Trump. The conversation happened in September 2016, right around the same time records surfaced showing a potential pay-to-play…
Demented ’90s noise-rockers Unsane screech their way into Will’s Pub
Of the noise-rock groups of the early ’90s, a rogues’ gallery of guitar destroyers clustered around labels like Matador, Amphetamine Reptile and Touch & Go, there were none quite as demented as New York’s Unsane. Blood-soaked album imagery, true crime-worthy lyrics and maddeningly precise guitar scree somehow even scored the band a brief major-label deal…
Rising hip-hop locals OhTwo anchor Conditional Fidelity showcase at the Geek Easy
A few weeks ago, Orlando Weekly happened to catch newer local hip-hop group OhTwo at a house show and we were utterly stunned. The trio – MCs Faust and Xavya, assisted by busy beatmaker Byson – had just come off an Illuminated Paths-helmed tour up the East Coast and were lethally honed by the stint…
Miyazaki’s ‘Princess Mononoke’ returns to the big screen for a 20th-anniversary screening
On its 20th anniversary, Fathom Events presents the cult favorite animated film Princess Mononoke on the big screen. In Mononoke, Hayao Miyazaki takes as his subject nothing less than a battle between humans and gods, pitting all the beasts and spirits of the forest against the incursions of industry. Personifying the forest is San, a…
The best concerts coming to Orlando this week
Von Nacht Local femme black metal duo hold a sonic ritual at Lou’s in the wake of their recent “Dimensional Discordance” 7-inch release on Minneapolis imprint Lighten Up Sounds. 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, at Uncle Lou’s, $5 Cyndi Lauper New York pop/New Wave phenom should wake up the crowd showing up to see Rod Stewart…
Pat Greene is leaving Orlando, and we don’t want to talk about it. But we have to
In Life of Pi, author Yann Martel writes, “I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.” Last issue, we tipped our fur-trimmed hats farewell to Harriett Lake, and in the two years since Pulse…
Legal Public Notices 7/25
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE NINETH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2018-CA-001837-O FREDERICK A. RAFFA, and JEAN B. RAFFA, his wife, Plaintiffs, vs. ROBERT EAGAN, as the Personal Representative of THE ESTATE OF ROBERT S. KAFKA a/k/a ROBERT KAFKA; THE UNKNOWN BENEFICIARIES AND/OR HEIRS…
Opening in Orlando: Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Dhadak and more
THIS WEEK: Mission: Impossible – Fallout There’s a nasty series of memes going around that compare the apparent agelessness of Tom Cruise to the physical deterioration of his Top Gun leading lady, Kelly McGillis. Why anyone would raise the specter of Kelly McGillis at this point just for the sake of a cheap putdown is…
Savage Love: ‘Quickies’
I’ve been faithfully reading your column in the Chicago Reader for years, and now I’m reaching out to you about my own problem. I’ve been dating this guy for almost a year. Everything is great, except one thing: He wants me to kick him in the nuts. It really bothers me, and I’m not sure…
Gimme Shelter: Meet Peanut!
Are you looking for a new furry friend? Meet Peanut! Peanut (A379003) is a 6-year-old male who was surrendered to us by his owners because they could no longer care for him. He knows the commands “sit,” “paw” and is learning “lay down.” Peanut enjoys car rides, and he is greatly loved by our staff…
ICYMI: Anna Eskamani’s ‘fake primary’ opponent drops out, Orange County schools are spending millions on security and more
Paul Paulson sued for running ‘sham charity’: Former Orlando mayoral candidate Paul Paulson is being sued after six states and the Federal Trade Commission accused him of running his nonprofit Help the Vets Inc. as a “sham charity.” The lawsuit was settled before it was filed, with Paulson agreeing to pay $1.75 million to legitimate…
Royaltea brings ‘cheese tea’ to Mills 50, Hampton Social comes to Pointe Orlando, plus more in local foodie news
OPENINGS: After a year inside the Citgo gas station on North Orange Blossom Trail near Lee Road, Jamaican vegan restaurant DaJen Eats will open its new restaurant at 323 E. Kennedy Blvd. in Eatonville on Wednesday, Aug. 1 … Vegan-ish taco joint Orlando Mission Kitchen opened in March, but they recently revamped their menu and…
Say her name
A transgender woman was found dead last week at an Orlando apartment complex. Adding deep insult to mortal injury, how it was first reported by deputies and local media was awful. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says her body, which had signs of trauma, was found at around 5 a.m. behind the Reserve at Lake…
On the one-year anniversary of Billy Manes’ death, we stop to wonder what he would make of this shitshow administration
The persistence of resistance
Legal Public Notices 7/18 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE NINETH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO .: 2018-CA-001837-OR FREDERICK A. RAFFA, and JEAN B. RAFFA, his wife, Plaintiffs, vs. ROBERT EAGAN, as the Personal Representative of THE STATE OF ROBERT S. KAFKA a / k / a ROBERT KAFKA;…
