Nightclub owners to open Mexican restaurant on Park Avenue in Winter Park
The movers behind downtown Orlando nightclubs like Celine will soon be opening a new Mexican restaurant in Winter Park. As reported by the Orlando Business Journal, Park Avenue Concepts LLC have leased a nearly 3,000-square-foot space at 331 S. Park Ave. Per the ownership group, the new space will be a “high energy” Mexican restaurant called Oro.…
Legal Public Notices 08/04 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices ALL ABOARD STORAGE NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Personal property of the following tenants will be sold at public sale to the highest bidder to satisfy a rental lien in accordance with Florida Statutes, Sections: A83.801 – 83.809. All units are assumed to contain general household goods unless otherwise indicated. Viewing of…
Perla’s Pizza in Ivanhoe Village has closed
[UPDATE: We’ve learned that Perla’s Pizza’s principals, Mike Collantes and Christian Ziegler, have dissolved their partnership and while Perla’s Pizza has closed, a pizzeria will continue to live on in the space. Thirsty Topher owner Jason Perez contacted us to say that Ziegler will run a pizzeria there under a different name, but with the…
Tyler, the Creator is coming to Orlando’s Amway Center in spring 2022
Hip-hop firebrand Tyler, the Creator has announced the 2022 North American tour dates in support of his new album Call Me if You Get Lost, and it features some all-star musical guests and an Orlando show. Tyler will be hitting the road in spring of next year on a 30-plus-date U.S. tour that will touch…
An impostor tried to sell a Winter Park home that he didn’t own
Anyone who can take advantage of our overheated real estate market is doing so. And that includes people who don’t own any property. An unknown person posed as the owner of a home in Winter Park, attempting to sell the house without the consent of the real owner. The bold fraudster person contracted the services…
Volusia County schools are giving extra time to students to sign up for online learning
They might not be able to ask students to mask up, but Volusia County is giving their students the option to avoid the classroom altogether. Volusia County Public Schools have extended the signup window for virtual learning. A new signup window will run from Aug. 3 to Aug. 5, ending at 5 p.m. on Thursday.…
Orange County opens second COVID-19 drive-through testing site
Somewhat overshadowed by anti-vaccination demonstrators trying to push their way into the coronavirus news briefing on Monday was Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings’ announcement of a new drive-through COVID-19 testing site opening immediately at the Econ Soccer Complex. Opening for business on Tuesday, this drive-through testing site at 8035 Yates Road will be operating seven…
Florida puts Ben & Jerry’s parent company on ‘scrutinized’ list over boycott of Israel’s occupied territories
Florida put Ben & Jerry’s parent company Unilever on a list of “scrutinized” companies following the ice cream maker’s decision not to sell their product in territories illegally occupied by Israel. Unilever will have 90 days to reverse their decision before the state will bar future investment and contracts with them. “As a matter of…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calls record COVID-19 numbers a media-fueled ‘hysteria’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dismissed the ongoing hospitalization crisis caused by COVID-19 spikes in the state as media-fueled “hysteria.” During an event in Miami on Tuesday, DeSantis responded to a reporter’s question about the record numbers of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the state. He dismissed concerns about the ongoing spread of the delta variant…
Haunted attraction Scream-A-Geddon returns to Tampa Bay in September
Tampa Halloween attraction Scream-A-Geddon is getting an early start on the spooky season, returning for a seventh year on Friday, Sept. 10. Debuting at the Dade City outdoor “horror park” this year is a new haunt concept, Bloodwater Bayou. “The urban legend claims a priestess haunts the bayou, hypnotizing the innocent to purify its murky…
Anti-vax protesters attempted to disrupt Orange County coronavirus briefing following employee vaccination mandate
Anti-vaccine mandate protestors trying to get into @OrangeCoFL bounding, shouting to bring @OCFLMayor out. pic.twitter.com/1NtISExWNO — Lauren Seabrook (@LSeabrookWFTV) August 2, 2021 Anti-vax protesters descended on the Orange County Administration building yesterday in an attempt to disrupt Mayor Jerry Demings’ scheduled coronavirus briefing. Unmasked demonstrators stormed into the building’s security screening area and demanded to…
Amway Center to host iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina in Orlando this fall
Orlando’s Amway Center on Monday was confirmed as the hosting site for the eighth annual iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina in October, and the lineup of performers is stellar. On Saturday, Oct. 16, the Amway Center’s stage will be graced by Wisin & Yandel, Prince Royce, Luis Fonsi, Natti Nataasha, Zion & Lennox, Lunay, Mariah Angeliq and…
Florida continues to see record COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of people hospitalized in Florida because of COVID-19 continued at a record pace Monday, according to the Florida Hospital Association. The industry group said 10,389 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 — the second day in a row that the number was over 10,000 and the highest daily total since the start of the…
Florida school districts repeal mask mandates following order from Gov. Ron DeSantis
Two school districts that had mandated masks for students because of COVID-19 are reversing course after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Friday barring such mandates. The Broward County School Board voted last week to require masks as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state spike because of the highly contagious Delta variant of…
New Smyrna Beach Police share video of possible tornado
.#breaking. Police @NSBPolice just shared this video of a tornado in the area. They recorded this from the back door of PD. No report of significant damage though they are looking in the area right now. pic.twitter.com/4BAGx0ba2i — claire metz (@clairemetzwesh) August 2, 2021 New Smyrna Beach Police shared a video of a possible tornado…
Orange County to begin mobile vaccine program in Orlando neighborhoods this week
Orange County is expanding mobile COVID-19 vaccine services through August and into September. Starting this week, community centers throughout Orlando will be hosting sites for one-day vaccine clinics. A partnership between Orange County government and Florida Department of Health Orange County, the mobile vaccine program comes as Florida hits troubling milestones in new COVID case numbers…
Tabla Indian Restaurant plans to open two new locations in Lake Nona
A beloved local Asian restaurant is expanding to Lake Nona. Tabla, a restaurant featuring Indian, Indian-Chinese, and Thai cuisine, is adding two more locations in the Orlando area, according to the Orlando Business Journal. The restaurant is set to open a location at 99 Tagore Place in Lake Nona, as well as in one possible…
Florida universities plan return to normal operations as COVID-19 cases soar
State universities are staying on track for a return to normal “pre-pandemic” operations as the fall semester approaches, while Florida grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases. Classes begin Aug. 23 for most universities. While universities remain poised to keep mask-wearing optional and discontinue limits on the numbers of people in classrooms, they are encouraging…
Orlando woman finds large python hanging out in her bathroom
A woman found an unexpected visitor in her house, later realizing the guest had been living with them for weeks. Ali Skipper, who lives in Orlando’s Baldwin Park neighborhood, found a large python hanging in her bathroom, Fox 35 reported. Skipper posted pictures of the 4-foot-long ball python writhing by her sink on social media,…
Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried says she would not support statewide mask mandate as governor
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said she would not support a statewide mask mandate in Florida if she were governor. Fried, who is challenging Florida governor Ron DeSantis in 2022, made the sort of case that Republicans used to make before they settled on draconian punishment of the poor and vulnerable from on high. In…
Florida rep. Matt Gaetz mocks Delta variant of COVID-19 as state sets new case, hospitalization records
Florida congressional representative and purported sex pest Matt Gaetz mocked the Delta variant of COVID-19 as it rages through his home state. At a rally in Brevard County over the weekend, Gaetz poked fun at masking recommendations while Florida set new highs for daily numbers of cases and hospitalizations. Speaking to a maskless crowd at…
Walt Disney World requires all non-union employees to get vaccinated against coronavirus
Just days after the park announced a return of indoor mask mandates, Walt Disney World shared that all of its employees will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19. “At the Walt Disney Company, the safety and well-being of our employees during the pandemic has been and continues to be a top priority,” the company…
Florida reports over 100,000 new cases of COVID-19 in last week
Florida’s COVID-19 situation got even worse over the last week. The state reported more than 110,000 new cases of coronavirus in the week beginning July 23. Central Florida was not immune from these terrible numbers. Nearly every single county posted positivity rates at 18 percent or higher. Orange County had nearly 8,000 new cases and…
Universal Studios, Publix to require employees to wear masks
Universal Studios Orlando and Publix have both shared new guidelines requiring their employees to wear masks. The Publix mandate goes into effect on Monday, with all employees being required to wear masks while inside of their stores. Universal Studios Orlando’s mandate for employees will start on Saturday. Neither business has announced plans to require customers…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs executive order to punish schools that implement mask mandates
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order effectively barring mask mandates in Florida public schools. The order is based on the recently passed Parent’s Bill of Rights, which grants parents more sway in Florida public schools and makes it illegal to provide health care to children without parental consent. Under the law and the…
Git-N-Messy to open new Sanford location
The future of barbecue shop Git-N-Messy was up in the air after the tragic, sudden death of original owner and pitmaster Chuck Cobb earlier this year. However, co-owner Chris Poulos has carried on the Sanford shop and plans to expand into a nearby food hall. “I got a gift of meeting Chuck,” Poulos told WKMG.…
Zaza to open new Oviedo location, plans larger Central Florida expansion
Zaza is continuing its march across the greater Orlando area. The beloved Cuban chain just announced a new location in Oviedo. According to the Orlando Business Journal, the company signed at lease for the property at 1351 Alafaya Trail, the former home of tiny burger shop Burgerim. The restaurant will be just one in a planned…
AdventHealth postpones all non-emergency surgery, enters ‘black status’ with nearly 1,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations
Local hospital groups are reeling due to the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases in Florida. Citing the uptick in coronavirus cases being handled by the hospital system, AdventHealth updated their operating procedures to “black status” under which all non-emergency surgeries are indefinitely postponed. In a statement shared with Orlando Weekly, AdventHealth noted that they were…
Parliament House will return in new downtown Orlando location
Parliament House is returning at a new location. The beloved gay resort that called Orange Blossom Trail home for decades will move into the heart of downtown Orlando. The new Parliament House will sit at 29 S. Orange Ave., across the street from the Beacham, inside the former home of CityArts. The force behind the…
Florida pediatricians call for masks in schools as COVID-19 cases surge
A statewide group of pediatricians Thursday called for “universal” use of masks in schools as the academic year gets ready to start and as Florida deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases. “The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics supports the continued, universal use of masks and physical distancing in schools by all…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs brief imploring Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed on Thursday to a brief that calls for the U.S. Supreme Court to reject the landmark Roe v. Wade decision and leave abortion issues to states. DeSantis and 10 other Republican governors joined a friend-of-the court brief filed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster in a closely watched Mississippi abortion case.…
Icon Park is opening two record-breaking attractions in December
Icon Park is getting ready to open two record-breaking rides in December: the world’s largest tallest drop tower and slingshot. As we previously reported, both of the new attractions will go on an empty lot on the southwest side of Icon Park. They will join StarFlyer, the world’s tallest swing ride. The names of these…
Legoland shares first look at Peppa Pig Theme Park
Legoland just shared the first look at its planned Peppa Pig Theme Park. We had previously reported on the possibility of a Peppa Pig land and what that might entail. Not to toot our own horn, but we got pretty close to what Legoland has shared. The themed land features plenty of kid-friendly rides based…
The ‘penis snake’ is Florida’s latest invasive species
They aren’t technically snakes or penises, but scientists have now confirmed that Florida is currently home to the invasive “penis snake.” According to a report for the Florida Museum of Natural History, recent DNA testing confirms that legless amphibians captured in Miami’s Tamiami Canal two years ago are, in fact, caecilians, otherwise known as penis…
More than 144,000 Florida renters are at risk of eviction if CDC moratorium ends, per report
With the Center for Disease Control’s eviction moratorium set to expire on July 31, 144,000 Floridians are at risk of eviction, according to a new report from online real estate site Zillow. Since June, more people in the U.S. have fallen behind on rent, leading to an increase in the number of renters at risk…
Several Brevard County restaurants close doors temporarily after employees test positive for COVID-19
In what feels like a sad déjà vu, a number of Brevard County restaurants have temporarily closed their doors this week due to fast-rising COVID-19 numbers brought on by the Delta variant. As reported by Florida Today, at least three area eateries — Ossorio Cafe & Bakery in Cocoa, Pizza Gallery and Grill in Viera and Villa Palma at…
Seminole County schools vote to keep masks optional for all students amid coronavirus spike
Face coverings will be optional in Seminole County schools during the 2021-22 school year. Seminole County had already voted to make masks optional earlier this year, but the surge of the Delta variant raised doubts among school board members. Members of the school board argued over mask mandates at a board meeting on Tuesday, with…
Doctor Who’s Billie Piper cancels appearance at Orlando’s MegaCon
In this particular — the worst — timeline, it looks as if Rose Tyler will not be appearing at Orlando’s MegaCon this summer after all. Tucked into the bottom of an official announcement post on Wednesday confirming Flash actress Danielle Panabaker (Killer Frost) as a guest was an apologetic addendum that Doctor Who actress Billie Piper would not…
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried to run pro-vaccine PSA on Fox News
We are running this vaccine PSA on Fox News statewide tomorrow. RT to help us end the pandemic of unvaccinated in Florida & the nation. pic.twitter.com/DuPCOZsK04 — Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) July 29, 2021 Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried will run a PSA on Fox News urging Floridians to get vaccinated. “You won’t hear this on…
Susuru Juju, another retro-themed izakaya from Lewis Lin, will open this winter on East Colonial Drive
He’s being coy about the location, but Lewis Lin, the man behind Susuru, Jade Sushi & New Asian, and the soon-to-open Susuru Yatai in the Bumby Arcade food hall, will open another retro-themed izakaya in town, this one on East Colonial Drive just outside the Mills 50 corridor. Just sleuthing from the provided rendering, my…
Central Florida business owner says she’s had no trouble finding workers at $15 an hour
A Tampa business owner said she hasn’t experienced the much-reported labor shortage and she credits the fact that she’s always started her employees at $15 an hour. Danielle Ferrari, owner of Valhalla Resale in Tampa’s Seminole Heights, said she’s seen waves of applicants for her open positions. “I had double the amount of applicants from…
Walt Disney World will require all guests to wear masks indoors
Walt Disney World will require all guests to wear masks indoors and on park transit, starting on July 30. The park briefly allowed for vaccinated guests to go without face masks indoors. As the park did not check vaccination status of customers, this amounted to an honor system (which meant, in effect, all guests could…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis mocks CDC masking recommendation as state leads the nation in COVID-19 cases
Surprising no one who has been paying attention to his governorship, Ron DeSantis wasn’t in Florida yesterday. The state’s top executive, who seems concerned with just about everything but the state’s dire coronavirus outbreak, was in St. Lake City to speak at a conservative policy conference. While speaking at the American Legislative Exchange Council, DeSantis…
Florida is home to nearly 1 out of every 5 new US COVID-19 cases
Florida reported 16,038 new COVID-19 cases to the federal government on Tuesday, the highest number of new cases since Jan. 15, federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show. The Tuesday total was the seventh consecutive day in which Florida reported more than 12,000 new cases and came as the CDC issued guidelines advising…
Florida asks judge to toss Norwegian Cruise lawsuit against state’s vaccine passport ban
With a hearing scheduled next week, attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration are asking a federal judge to reject arguments by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings that a state ban on so-called “vaccine passports” is unconstitutional. The state’s attorneys on Tuesday filed a 28-page document contending that U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams should turn down Norwegian’s…
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings declares local state of emergency, mandates county employees get vaccinated
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has declared a local state of emergency and mandated that all non-union county employees be fully vaccinated by the end of September. Demings announced the move during a coronavirus briefing where he discussed the county’s startling spike in coronavirus positivity and bad prognosis for the coming weeks. The mandate only…
Universal Orlando to begin more hiring for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights
In the 1960s, cult-favorite horror director Herschell Gordon Lewis traveled to nearby St. Cloud to film his pulpy masterwork Two Thousand Maniacs! And on Wednesday, Universal Orlando announced their intention to hire 2,000 possible-maniacs to help staff this year’s cult-favorite Halloween Horror Nights (and the rest of the resort). Coincidence? We’ll leave it to you to…
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings to announce new COVID-19 guidelines due to coronavirus case spike
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings plans to announce new coronavirus guidelines in the wake of a recent statewide spike in cases. Demings plans to announce the changes in a news conference at 4:30 p.m. today. While he was vague in interviews about the substance of the new guidelines, it is unlikely that they will carry…
Tallahassee billboards draw line between Matt Gaetz’s sex trafficking investigation and Governor Ron DeSantis
Two new billboards close to the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee attempt to draw a line between Ron DeSantis and embattled Florida congressman Matt Gaetz. The pair of billboards, paid for by an anti-DeSantis advocacy group called Ron Be Gone, imply heavily that the governor knew of Gaetz’s supposed seedier side, including allegations that the Panhandle…
Anti-mask Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responds to updated CDC school guidelines
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been clear that he doesn’t want mandatory mask policies in Florida public schools. He’s not backing off that position, even now that the CDC has updated their guidelines to encourage in-school masking. In their new COVID-19-combating recommendations, the federal agency urged vaccinated people to wear masks indoors. When it came…
Florida university presidents urge students to get vaccinated before fall semester begins
The presidents of Florida’s 12 state universities are asking students returning to campus for the fall semester to get vaccinated against COVID-19. An open letter to students published Tuesday by the university system’s Board of Governors “strongly” recommended students get vaccinated before coming back to school. The letter was signed by the leaders of each…
Orlando punks Vicious Dreams released a new record last year. Now they finally get to play the songs live
The story of the album Vicious Dreams by Orlando punk trio Vicious Dreams has, like many albums with the unfortunate distinction of being released in 2020, been one of bittersweet highs and lows. The band — Amanda Little (guitar/vocals), James Moudy (bass/vocals), Andrew Cabbage (drums) — finally had a full-length album under their studded belts…
‘The Pursuit of Love,’ ‘Jungle Cruise,’ ‘Tattoo Redo’ and more streaming shows debuting this week
Streaming premieres this week that you won’t want to miss. Premieres Wednesday: Bartkowiak — Did you hear the one about the Polish MMA fighter? He was the main character of an action drama about familial loss and revenge, and there was nothing funny about him whatsoever. (I’m trying not to offend anyone this week. Wish…
Adoptable dog Tigger is ready to bounce out of Orange County Animal Services and into your home
Meet Tigger! Tigger (A472727) was surrendered by his previous family due to the landlord not allowing him in the home. According to his family, Tigger is housebroken, knows basic commands, and is friendly with women, men and children. Tigger would do best as the only dog in the home; he has been in our care…
Savage Love: ‘My lying husband gave me crabs twice. Should I stay?’
Dear Dan: I’m a gay man in my 40s and I’ve been married to my husband for nine years. There was some mild infidelity on his part (exchanging photos and flirting via text with another guy) early in our relationship. I confronted him at the time, and he lied to me. I decided to let…
Things to do in Orlando, July 28-Aug. 3: Rauw Alejandro, Struggle Jennings, Auto Chlor, Teni the Entertainer, Dave Koz
Our Selections of the best events this week. Wednesday, July 28LaTasha N. Nevada DiggsPlease join us in welcoming the newest artist-in-residence at the Maitland arts hub, poet and sound artist LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs. The New York-based writer, performer and sound manipulator has performed around the world, cutting and splicing her poetry through effects and…
Lake-Sumter State College faculty on edge after the sudden dismissal of a tenured professor and key union member
The sudden firing of a longtime co-worker is always jarring. But Lake-Sumter State College faculty see well beyond their own offices when it comes to the recent termination of Dr. David Walton. They see a precedent that could tear up the very foundation of higher ed employment and make union actions little more than a…
An open letter from 57 medical groups calling for all healthcare workers to be vaccinated
Getting vaccinated should be a no-brainer; unfortunately, we seem to be surrounded by people with no brains. Harsh? Maybe. But when medical personnel who work directly with or are in close proximity to immunosuppressed people, children and the elderly won’t get vaccinated, we think justified. The open letter below, from 57 groups representing millions of…
Orlando concert picks, July 30-Aug. 1: Wet Nurse, Systematic, Tribute to Eddie Foeller
There’s some important, pandemic-delayed local business to catch up on this week. But the Delta variant’s now in full inferno and Florida’s dragging national ass in vaccinations, so if you’re coming out, be smart — if anything, for yourself. Systematic: Earlier this month, the Orlando Girls Rock Camp gave their annual workshop glimpse of the…
When begged by her family to get vaccinated, this nursing home worker said ‘Nope lol’
They are two sisters in two states. Both are dedicated health care professionals who watched in horror as COVID-19 swept through the nation’s nursing homes, killing a staggering number of residents and staff alike. One sister is now vaccinated. The other is not. “Dude. Get vaccinated!” Heidi Lucas texted her sister Ashley in May from…
New Orlando music drops: Classic street heat from Midaz the Beast and electrodrone from Danielfuzztone
On his way to being a heavy hitter in the Ozone underground, MidaZ the Beast has teamed up with lots of people and shown lots of different manifestations. For his latest release, the five-song #LIVENIGGARAP EP, he once again rolls with Central Florida producer Sharp to cast his bars in dark and moody East Coast…
