Coffee drinkers and craft beer lovers unite. The Falcon bar in Thornton Park will be home to a satellite Austin’s Coffee pop-up next month. The opening day is Tuesday, April 2 at 819 E. Washington St., and guests are invited to enjoy a free coffee on the house. The pop-up café, which will be open…
Orlando rapper and Second Subject affiliate Skip today releases a music video for the single “Red vs. Blue,” taken from the upcoming reissue of his album Until the Very End, and we’ve got an exclusive first look at it! Originally released in 2010 with production from Swamburger, Until the Very End was well received at the…
Wednesday, March 20:Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. The Daniel Heitz Band 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Not Your Parents’ Record Collection 9 pm at Iron Cow, 2438 E. Robinson St. Thursday, March 21:Leisure Chief 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave.…
The folks behind Bullitt Bar will be opening McQueens Social Lounge in downtown Orlando this spring 2019. McQueens will be next to Bullitt at 33 E. Pine St. Paying homage to actor Steve McQueen, the new cocktail lounge bills itself as an “approachable craft cocktail lounge with an Americana Bad Ass influence accompanied by a modern day flair…
2019 will be one of the most memorable years ever for Orlando tourism. A brand-new water park is slated to open on Highway 192 at the new Margaritaville, Universal is opening the first major Wizarding World ride not featuring Harry Potter and Disney is planning a full year of new offerings at Hollywood Studios ending…
A countywide animal abuse registry scored unanimous approval Monday by members of the Volusia County Council. Using court documents, the registry will include people who have been convicted of felony animal cruelty and misdemeanor animal cruelty and will be available on the county website. The intent is to make it easier for animal shelters, as…
The Space Coast Consortium Apprenticeship Program (SCCAP) will be holding a town hall meeting near the Kennedy Space Center next week for students to learn more about becoming an apprentice with local space and defense firms. The group will meet Wednesday, March 27, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Space Life Sciences Lab,…
People who leave pets restrained outside and unattended during natural or manmade disasters would face up to a year in jail or a fine of up to $5,000, under a measure approved Monday by the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sponsor Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said the proposal (SB 1738), which would create a first-degree misdemeanor, is in…
Coffee addicts will soon have a new place to find their caffeine fix in downtown Orlando. Coffee at The Robinson will be located on the ground floor of its alcoholic companion, The Robinson Cocktail Room, at 61 E. Pine St. Coffee at The Robinson lists no opening date, but signs on its windows say, “Coming Soon.”…
Psychedelic soundscapers Unknown Mortal Orchestra have added a surprise debut Orlando show to their slate of North American shows and festival gigs this year, set to kick off in April. The cult-favorite ensemble has been relatively quiet since wrapping up their last tour and releasing exclusive instrumental track “SB-06” as a Christmas present to fans…
The YMCA of Central Florida released new designs of the family center planned for Orlando’s Packing District in a Tuesday announcement about the development team that will lead the construction of its 23rd location. General contractors for the two-story, 27,000-square-foot family center will include Brasfield & Gorrie, engineering firm GAI Consultants and architecture firm RLF. Foundry…
Country singer and lifestyle brand Jessie James Decker is set to return to the concert stage after a two-year absence starting this April. And her 19-city trek will include a date in the City Beautiful in May! Decker has been releasing music consistently since 2009 and has somehow found the time to simultaneously cram in…
Juice Bike Share has been squeezed out of Orlando, with service ending March 24. Juice, which launched in 2015 as the first public bike share program in Orlando, has already begun removing dock stations after its contract with the city ended, according to an email sent to members Monday. The company will not be going…
SeaWorld Orlando’s Chef Héctor Colón has showcased his familiarity with traditional Hispanic food culture for years, but until recently, most of this was reserved for the park’s “Viva la Música” festival. Now the park seems to be settling in on a line-up of events. The “Viva la Música” and “Bands, Brew and BBQ” festivals have…
Since first being announced in 2015, there has been a slow but steady trickle of details regarding the upcoming Stars Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land that will open this fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In an unprecedented move, Disney is building two nearly identical lands, one in Orlando and one at Disneyland in California. The California…
Attorney General Ashley Moody supports a Senate proposal that would give her the authority to file civil actions against local governments that do not fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities. “City officials must obey the laws that they swore to uphold,” Lauren Schenone, a spokeswoman for Moody, said in a prepared statement. “The attorney general…
Hookers who’ve been convicted of prostitution three times, cyberstalkers and inmates who expose themselves to prison workers wouldn’t be eligible to have their voting rights automatically restored, under a House proposal aimed at carrying out a constitutional amendment approved in November. The constitutional amendment, which appeared on the ballot as Amendment 4, granted “automatic” restoration…
Find free tickets to the U.S. Men’s National Team’s Thursday match against Ecuador at the Orlando City Stadium in a local scavenger hunt that starts tomorrow. In partnership with USMNT and Orlando City Soccer, the Greater Orlando Sports Commission has set up clues in 13 Central Florida hot spots to win the tickets. The scavenger hunt starts Tuesday,…
Actor, comedian and woodworker Nick Offerman is coming to Orlando’s Hard Rock Live in December. Offerman, best known for playing the bacon-obsessed curmudgeon Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, will be bringing his one-man show “All Rise” to the Hard Rock on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. The show promises to be a “evening of deliberative…
This afternoon, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation repealing the state’s ban on smoking medical marijuana. “Over 70% of Florida voters approved medical marijuana in 2016 and today I signed SB182 ‘Medical Use of Marijuana’ into law,” DeSantis tweeted. “I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for working with me to ensure the will of…
Editor’s note: Additional information has been added to clarify the relationship between Brew Hub and Carnival. Lakeland’s Brew Hub has partnered with Carnival Cruise Line to launch the very first program of canning and kegging the cruise ship line’s own private-label beers. This is a pretty big deal. Brew Hub is helping Carnival mass produce…
He can dunk. He can DJ a mean set. And now Shaq can help arrest you. Former Orlando Magic center and NBA star Shaquille O’Neal has accepted a job as an auxiliary deputy for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, the department announced late last week. Basketball legend @SHAQ goes by many nicknames, and now added…
Splash around in Fun Spot Orlando’s nearly 4,000-square-foot interactive water experience when it opens this summer 2019. The new attraction will have over 30 interactive water features that will be included in Fun Spot’s all-day armband pass. “When we approached the design for the interactive water feature, we took Fun Spot’s motto of ‘Safe-Clean-Fun’ to…
Busch Gardens Tampa made history when it opened Florida’s first dueling wooden coaster in 1999, Gwazi, and now the park is about to make history once again with an insane record-breaking 210-foot hybrid coaster replacing the long-closed attraction. When it first opened, Gwazi was a departure for Busch Gardens, where metal coasters and animal displays were…
New wave survivor Adam Ant just announced dates for a North American tour set to start in September dubbed the “Friend or Foe” tour, and the City Beautiful is set for a night of fine antmusic. The title of the tour comes from the prospective setlist, where Ant will play the whole of the iconic…
The new pedestrian overpass bridge on West Colonial Drive is now open. The quarter-mile pedestrian bridge crosses the Colonial Drive area just east of Interstate 4, before reaching North Orange Avenue. City officials have said the bridge will “help provide a safe connection from the Downtown core to the north, providing critical links between the…
After a 14-year drought for the University of Central Florida men’s basketball team, they’re finally headed back to the NCAA tournament. Better yet, the team learned during Sunday night’s announcement that they received an at-large invitation (the first time that’s ever happened) and are seeded No. 9 in the East Region. The Knights will face off against…
Hop on over to the Nook on Robinson for some free bunny snuggles on March 30. The pop-up Bunny Café at the Nook will be from noon to 4 p.m. at 2432 E. Robinson St. with first-come-first-serve sign-ups for the free event. Guests will be given 15 minutes of play time with the adoptable bunnies and guests must…
Welcome to Orlando Weekly’s “Band of the Week.” Every week, we highlight one of our favorite local bands. This week, we’re pleased to bring you Cat Company. Cat Company is playing Henao Contemporary Center on March 24 with Traveling Infinity, Gold Steps, and Orion. Just the facts: When did the band form?Cat Company, as an…
Vegans and plant-based gourmands will no doubt recall Cafe 118, the fine dining restaurant in Winter Park and one of the first in the city to serve a menu of raw food. That menu was conceived by celeb vegan chef Matthew Kenney, a two-time James Beard Award nominee and Food & Wine’s Best New Chef…
It appears as though the old Brian’s Restaurant space in Ivanhoe Village is in for a period of stability after a revolving door of restaurants (Elliot’s Public House, Nova, Stir) came and went. Sette, from Va Propst and Trina Gregory-Propst of Se7en Bites, will open to the public March 22 at 5:30 p.m. and serve a…
Publix debuted a new Orlando City-themed Pub sub last week as part of a partnership deal with the soccer club. The “Orlando City sub” is a whopping 2,130 calories, but it sounds worth it – the sandwich has hot chicken tenders, cheddar cheese, black bean hummus, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and an avocado cilantro dressing from…
Food truck franchise Kona Ice has a new member of the fleet: Gene and Denise Hays are wheeling a Kona Ice tiki truck into Hunter’s Creek. It’s pretty much perfect timing for a new cold-treat truck in Orlando, as the temperatures are already climbing to summer levels, plus we’re pretty sure shaved ice is a…
An 800-pound alligator affectionately nicknamed “Larry The Alligator” by residents at The Villages retirement community was recently relocated to a new home at Gatorland in Orlando. According to WKMG, the hefty chonk arrived at the Orlando attraction Tuesday after trappers discovered he was being fed by humans, which is illegal. “The Villages called and said…
Authorities with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have filed charges against the vacationing dumbass who filmed himself jumping on a pelican in Key West, only to be immediately bitten in the face. On Wednesday, the FWC brought charges against Maryland resident Hunter Hardesty for “conservation violations regarding brown pelicans committed on or about…
It should come as no surprise that second-home owners love Florida, which may explain why three cities in the Sunshine State currently lead the country in percentage of vacant homes. According to a new study from online lending company Lending Tree, 17 percent of homes in the Miami area are vacant, compared to 16 percent…
Orlando’s affordable housing crisis has just imploded, in case you were wondering. Orlando Weekly made that prediction last year when a 2018 report ranked the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford area second in the country for having the most severe affordable housing shortage, offering only 17 available and affordable units for every 100 extremely low-income renters. It is now worse. The…
In a priority for Republican leaders, the House on Thursday began moving forward with a dramatic expansion of school vouchers, including allowing middle-class families to apply for state-funded scholarships to send children to private schools. The GOP-controlled House and Senate and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis all want to expand voucher-type programs and point to a…
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Tatsuya Nakatani, The Dining Room, March 13 By nature, avant-garde music always has it uphill. But fortunately, there’s a small but serious network of cognoscenti here that keeps it a viable factor in Orlando. From the In-Between Series gallery shows to the Timucua White House to wherever the Civic Minded 5 touch…
Dark-alternative godfathers the Church have announced a new round of touring to celebrate the 30th (!!!) anniversary of their milestone album Starfish. And even though the Social’s unfortunate air-conditioning malfunction had the band on the ropes last time they played here, they’re gonna be back there for round two. Starfish is widely considered to be…
Orlando’s classical music boundary-pushers Alterity Chamber Orchestra announce a quick return to the Abbey in April for an evening of music by contemporary composers dubbed “The Art of Levitation.” This will be the second and, sadly, last full orchestra performance by Alterity this season, so they’re certain to give their all performing work by the…
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio zigged when U.S. Sen. Rick Scott zagged during Thursday’s vote to terminate the Trump administration’s border wall national emergency declaration, making for a split vote between Florida’s senators. Rubio joined a cast of Democrats and 11 other Senate Republicans in the 59-41 vote against Trump declaring a “national emergency” to bypass Congress and…
Over the last two or three years Elizabeth Baker has performed in Orlando roughly six times, and no two sets have been the same. She’s largely put aside the toy piano, switched between her arsenal of instruments, collaborated with a handful of different worthies, worn some amazing costumes and increasingly incorporated body movement and dance…
Jeff Tweedy, the chief writer and vocalist of Wilco, launched his 2019 tour in Iowa about a week ago to support his new album, Warm. His alt-country roots in the Americana ’90s shine throughout his newest and, technically, debut solo album. The songs are rife with dizzying rhythmic and bluesy riffs, alternating with very soft…
Pity the poor speculative-fiction writer. Living as we all do now in The Darkest Timeline™, it’s tough to come up with a plot that exceeds the implausibility and dystopia of reality. Or maybe congratulate them; living in that mindset must make each day’s headlines easier to wrap your head around. Tonight two of the best…
The Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival may be taking a breather for 2019, but one of its signature attractions – an outdoor dance floor featuring a crashed UFO and otherworldly lightshows – makes a pop-up appearance at the fairgrounds this weekend. They’ve grabbed some top talent for this outing too, with techno stars Dubfire (Ali…
Thousands of gardens across the state of Florida are playing a part in saving pollinators and the nation’s food system. The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge was launched in 2015 as part of a nationwide call to revive collapsing bee colonies and improve the health of birds, bats, butterflies and other pollinators. The challenge was to…
A YouTube Originals documentary premiering this week at the SXSW festival examines the notorious legacy of Orlando boy-band mogul and convicted fraudster Lou Pearlman. Pearlman, who died at 62 behind bars in 2016, was a key figure in the ’90s pop craze and made Orlando a literal boy-band machine, launching acts like *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, O-Town and…
It may be years until the more than 300 Griffin Park residents in West Orlando receive housing relief, even as they struggle with ongoing conditions such as mold, rats and alleged air-quality issues. In June, the Orlando Housing Authority announced plans to demolish Griffin Park, a Parramore neighborhood located just southwest of downtown, and in…
If post-Record Store Day depression in the summer almost drives you, the music obsessive, to drink, have we got an event for you! The Record Store Crawl is set to return to Orlando a second time, combining the pub crawl and record store crate-dig in a sort of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup commercial scenario. The…
Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy is officially on the Beto train. Apparently it didn’t take long for Murphy, D-Winter Park, to make up her mind on who she’s rooting for in the lead-up to the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, as she threw her wholehearted endorsement behind former three-term Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke on Thursday. “Our party will benefit…
The Florida House’s top investigative committee adopted a series of recommendations on Thursday that would reform spending practices in the state university system after finding University of Central Florida officials ignored state rules when misspending $85 million in state funds. Seeking to address a systematic problem, the House Public Integrity and Ethics Committee wants more…
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida’s bipartisan 29-member congressional delegation had a number in mind when they requested federal budget funds for the Everglades restoration project: $200 million. But President Donald Trump’s budget is falling short – way short – as it calls for $63.3 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the…
Jaleo, the modern Spanish restaurant conceived by renowned humanitarian chef José Andrés, opens at Disney Springs this Sunday. The location opening on March 17 in Orlando will be the fifth Jaleo location in the U.S. and the first in Florida, according to a press release. It will also be the largest location yet at 22,000 square…
The Black Keys are back, and they’re coming to Orlando. Today, the band announced a 31-date tour whose second leg kicks off in Florida with a Nov. 5 show at Sunrise’s BB&T Center before it heads to Orlando’s Amway Center on Nov. 6. Modest Mouse and Shannon & The Clams will open those shows, but…
Selling child-like sex dolls would be a crime in Florida under a measure ready to go to the full Senate. The Rules Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved the measure (SB 160) focused on “obscene or lewd materials,” with lawmakers pointing to a need to combat pedophilia. Sen. Lauren Book, a Plantation Democrat who was sexually…
Greg Kinnear, Blythe Danner and Anne Heche will be among the celebrity guests at the 21st annual Sarasota Film Festival. The event will screen more than 200 films April 5-14 at Regal Hollywood Stadium 11, the Sarasota Opera House and the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, all in downtown Sarasota. Kinnear will attend the world premiere of…
In their first full action of the 2019 legislative session, Florida lawmakers —- many of them grudgingly —- ceded to a demand by Gov. Ron DeSantis and overwhelmingly approved a proposal doing away with the state’s ban on smokable medical marijuana. DeSantis issued an ultimatum to the Legislature shortly after the Republican governor took office…
Jim Norton’s penchant for pushing boundaries has been the distinguishing feature of his career. From his days on cult radio show Opie & Anthony to 2017’s Netflix stand-up special, A Mouthful of Shame, Norton has consistently been the guy most willing to cross over into subject matter that most people wouldn’t discuss with strangers, like…
A proposal that would require Florida public universities to survey faculty members and students about their personal viewpoints was approved Wednesday by a House panel, with Democrats concerned about what lawmakers would do with the results. House Higher Education & Career Readiness Chairman Cord Byrd, R-Neptune Beach, said the survey is necessary because of concerns…
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Kurt Vile & the Violators and the Sadies, The Beacham, March 12 Befitting his continuing climb into the indie stratosphere, Kurt Vile this time commanded a much bigger venue than his last Orlando show a couple years ago. In the pursuit of his sometimes rambling muse, the current reigning king of left-bent…
Do you feel like walking death? Welcome to Orlando’s pollen season. The five-day forecast for Orlando on Pollen.com has us in the “high” range of pollen levels for the next four days. Oak trees, grasses and bayberry trees are the main perpetrators responsible for your car being covered in yellow dust and, oh yeah, murdering you…
A new report from the Service Employees International Union reveals just how low the pay is among adjunct professors in Florida. The report, titled Florida Colleges in Crisis, found that while 7 in 10 professors in the Florida College System are employed as adjuncts, meaning instructors who are employed on a semester-to-semester, course-by-course basis, these non-tenure-track…
Wednesday, March 13:Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. The Daniel Heitz Band 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Thursday, March 14:Leisure Chief 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Thursday Jazz Jams 8 p.m. at Austin’s Coffee, 929 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park.…
U.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy, D-Winter Park, and Jason Smith, R-Missouri, introduced bipartisan legislation Wednesday that lawmakers say would help working-class families in Central Florida gain access to affordable child care. “For far too long, working families have struggled with the rising costs of child care,” Murphy says. “Our tax code should reflect our priorities, and…
A Republican lawmaker’s effort to deport more undocumented immigrants detained by Florida law-enforcement agencies is quickly moving through the Senate. The Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee on a party-line vote Tuesday approved the bill (SB 168) without being able to finish hearing testimony from members of the public, who for the most part came to…
In a decision that could have statewide implications, an administrative law judge Tuesday ruled that the Palm Beach County School Board is required to assign safety officers to charter schools under a law passed last year. Judge John Van Laningham sided with Renaissance Charter School Inc., which operates six schools in Palm Beach County and…
A House panel Tuesday advanced two gun bills, backed by the National Rifle Association, that are reopening a debate about whether people with concealed-weapons licenses should be able to carry guns on school campuses used by churches and store firearms in vehicles on school property. The proposals are being considered a year after gun restrictions,…
A 17-year-old junior student shot and killed herself with a handgun Wednesday morning at Lake Mary High School, deputies say. Seminole Sheriff Dennis Lemma says the 11th grader asked her teacher for permission to go to the bathroom just as first period was ending, around 7:48 a.m. About 5 to 10 minutes later, students and…
Spring is the season when theaters spring their upcoming schedules on subscribers, and several of Orlando’s biggest companies have released their 2019-2020 lineups in recent weeks. In November, Escape to Margaritaville: The Jimmy Buffett Musical will kick off the first full Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando season since Hamilton’s sold-out run at the Dr. Phillips…
OPENINGS: Eola General, a neighborhood venture by Sean Kelley (Henry’s Depot), Shaun Noonan (Dixie Dharma) and Joe Roberti (Grain & Ember), has opened in the former Handy Pantry building on Amelia Street. The general store serves a mix of sandwiches, vegan fare, pastries, raw milk products, cheese, wine and more … Foxtail Coffee will join…
Opening this week: Captive State In the latest film by Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Chicago is the center of a human rebellion against an alien force that has occupied the world. Sounds reminiscent of the sociopolitical sci-fi film that was District 9 – except that one was a metaphor for…
My grandfather was a pillar of the community and beloved by his family. He was also sexually abusive. He died when I was a child. I remember only one incident happening to me – during a cuddle session, he encouraged me to put my mouth on his penis, and then told me to let it…
Memphis (A418152) is approximately 4 years old. He was brought in as a stray and tested FIV-positive, but he is also one of the most easy-going and sweetest of cats. He is a total foodie and will tell you all about it with his silly-sounding meows, as he often hangs out in the kitchen to…
Kong. Aladdin. Beetlejuice. Simba. Potter. Right now, Broadway theaters are bursting at the seams with shows starring mythical characters whose singular names should be familiar to Floridians, and whose stories are being brought to life through a combination of high-tech wizardry and old-fashioned stagecraft. Last week, you could have added “Ajijaak” to that list, as…
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: March 21st, 2019 at the times and locations listed below. The personal goods stored therein by the following: Facility 1: 4:00 PM Extra Space Storage 831 N. Park Avenue…
Tatsuya Nakatani The last time eccentric genius percussionist Nakatani came through town, he came maximal with a full gong orchestra; this time he’s playing a house venue solo. The mind boggles at what he’ll come up with. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at the Dining Room, donations suggested Daniel T Celebrated L.A. wax-spinner Daniel T…
Ballot measure raising minimum wage to $15 by 2026 heads to Florida Supreme Court: The political committee Florida for a Fair Wage has submitted 87,528 valid petition signatures to the state as of last Friday, making the proposed amendment eligible for review by the Florida Supreme Court. Backers of proposed constitutional amendments must submit at…
