Mar 23-29, 2016

Mar 23-29, 2016 / Vol. 32 / No. 14

Orlando ranks highest in country for pollen levels

The City Beautiful in springtime can be an amazing sight to behold, but for those of us with allergies, this time of year is literally a living hell. As it turns out, Orlando is actually the worst place in the entire country right now for people with sensitive immune systems. According to Florida Hospital, Orlando is…

San Holo draws the trap and bass crowd to the Social

If, during the haze of Miami’s Ultra Music Festival two weeks ago, you remember bumping to the futuristic beats of Dutch DJ-producer San Holo, here’s your chance to hear him again. The 25-year-old San Holo – real name Sander Van Dijck – is coming to the Social this Thursday. Probably best known for his remix…

Ophira Eisenberg brings NPR’s “Ask Me Another” to the Bob Carr

National Public Radio listeners in Orlando have enjoyed a renaissance of in-person appearances in recent years, from David Sedaris and Ira Glass to “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” with Peter Sagal. The New York-based quiz show “Ask Me Another,” which is recording at the Bob Carr on Wednesday night, hasn’t been broadcasting on 90.7…

Gov. Rick Scott suspends Eatonville mayor charged in election fraud case

Gov. Rick Scott suspended Eatonville Mayor Anthony Grant after an Orange County grand jury indicted Grant on 25 charges stemming from allegations of absentee ballot fraud during the town’s last election.  Scott suspended Grant via an executive order, which says Grant is “prohibited from performing any official act, duty or function of public office; from…

For rockabilly fans, ‘Cry Baby’ is all about the soundtrack

It’s worth mentioning that tonight’s installment of the Enzian Theater’s Cult Classics film series is John Waters’ Cry-Baby. In the Waters corpus, Cry-Baby is one of his more mainstream works, a little more polished, a little more big-budget, and starring a very young and very pouty Johnny Depp. For our purposes, though, it’s all about the…

Daniel Bennett trio bridges jazz and folk at Timucua White House

THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND  Fresh in from New York City that day (Mar. 28), award-winning reed man Daniel Bennett and two wingmen kicked off a small weeklong Florida tour with a special engagement at local art-music bastion the Timucua White House. Although Bennett has some known early roots in jazz minimalism, what was on full display…

Get your dog spayed or neutered for free this April

As Bob Barker always said on The Price Is Right, “Always have your pets spayed or neutered.”  The Dawn Brancheau Foundation is sponsoring an event on Tuesday, April 19, to spay and neuter dogs and give rabies vaccines — for free — with no weight or breed restrictions. According to the nonprofit organization Dolly’s Foundation, the…

Donald Trump’s campaign manager charged with battery

Jupiter police have charged Donald Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski with assault after an incident earlier this month involving a reporter.  The charge is connected to an incident that occurred at a Trump campaign event in Jupiter, Florida, on March 8, according to The Atlantic.  Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields filed a police report against Lewandowski after…

This year’s UCF student government elections are completely insane

Student government elections at the University of Central Florida have been pretty weird this year, involving everything from alleged campaign violations to a Trump look-alike. Like the U.S. presidential elections we’ve come to hate, out of the ashes of politics-per-usual comes a crazy train you just can’t get off. All aboard the Anthony Safadi Express. Safadi,…

Rick Scott wants Yale University to relocate to Florida

After a strange request last week for President Obama to cut short his Argentina trip and come to Florida, Gov. Rick Scott is now asking someone else to come brave the mosquitos here: Yale University.  In a press release, Scott calls on the 314-year-old university to move its operations to the Sunshine State after the…

State agency drops case against Planned Parenthood clinics

Citing a new abortion law signed by Gov. Rick Scott, the state Agency for Health Care Administration has dismissed cases alleging that three Planned Parenthood clinics performed second-trimester abortions without proper licenses. The cases stem from a series of AHCA inspections last summer, which produced similar administrative charges against Planned Parenthood centers in St. Petersburg,…

Florida drivers can’t seem to stop running over panthers

2016 is already on track to be another terrible year for panthers.  A deceased male Florida panther was discovered last Friday, March 25, after the animal was hit by a car, says the Sun Sentinel. The panther was between 14 and 16 months old. The remains will be transported to Gainesville for a necropsy. This…

Eatonville mayor indicted on felony charges in election fraud case

An Orange County grand jury indicted Eatonville Mayor Anthony Grant and two others on 25 charges related to allegations of voter ballot fraud during the town’s 2015 election. Grant’s alleged co-conspirators, James Randolph and Mia Antoinette Nowells, were indicted on most of the same charges as the Eatonville mayor. During Monday’s press conference regarding the…

Daytona Beach witnessed largest spring break crowds in 10 years

What’s better than dealing with large crowds of drunken college students? Dealing with a record-breaking crowd of drunken college students.  Daytona Beach saw a spring break high this year, reports WFTV. Spring break 2016 marked the largest horde of way-too-excited teenagers and 20-something-year-olds the city has had to deal with in 10 years. Officials suspect that the…

35 Years Later: Discharge – ‘Why’ EP

In the Year of Our Lord 2016, there’s a lot of digital ink being spilled about the 40th anniversary of punk’s birth (the first Ramones album was released April 1976, and “Anarchy in the U.K.” was released in November 1976), and a lot of attention being given to a ridiculous stunt devised to exploit the…

Magic Kingdom stops using FastPasses for fireworks, parades

Disney World has been updating and testing the MyMagic+ program since it was first rolled out. Recently, two major changes happened regarding FastPasses, Disney’s version of a ride reservation system. FastPasses were rolled out across Walt Disney World more than three years ago. Since then, Magic Kingdom has done an extensive remodeled to the central…

Come hungry to the sold-out United We Brunch at the Orchid Garden

What’s the one thing you crave after a crazy Friday night out? Day drinking! Nurse your hangover with a Bloody Mary and some toast and eggs at United We Brunch, where brunch destinations from all over Orlando come together for the ultimate afternoon meal. Come knock down a few mimosas and beers while enjoying brunch…

Local artists pay tribute to Bowie at the Falcon

He was Halloween Jack. He was Aladdin Sane. He was the Starman. David Bowie was never just David Bowie; the musician, Goblin King and space explorer had a way of transforming himself into a slew of beings. Maybe it’s this metamorphic ease of his that allows him to keep living in people’s hearts despite his…

Caveman Cult gets savage tonight at Uncle Lou’s

Miami war metal trio Caveman Cult are poised to lay waste to Uncle Lou’s Friday, March 25, on a bill that includes Accursed Creator, Infinite Earths, Masticator and Visioner. And really, hyperbole is the only way to properly describe the utterly over-the-top, primitive, speed-fueled metal that Caveman Cult create.  Caveman Cult’s 2014 debut Rituals of…

24-hour dining coming very soon to downtown

Red Mug Diner, in the old Golden Knife space, is “currently hiring and training for a mid-April” opening, according to their marketing director. We’re seriously looking forward, not just because the Weekly offices are thisclose, but because finding food after midnight can be a challenge in Orlando. Also enticing: Chef Mark Dollard, formerly of Absinthe…

Hey Orlando kitty cafes, stop toying with our hearts

Look, we appreciate even the possibility of a cat café, whether it’s in Clermont or right downtown near Lake Eola. But as the months tick by it’s starting to feel like it will never happen, and every email or Facebook update we get ratchets up the anticipation another notch. On the other hand, cat lovers wanna…

DJ BMF to host Phife Dawg Tribute at Lil Indies tonight

When a beloved musician like Phife Dog passes, it’s best to fight the urge to somberly listen to favorite cuts alone; his work should be celebrated communally. And loud. To that end, Lil’ Indies and DJ BMF will host “Phife Dog Friday” this Friday, March 25th, at 10 p.m. The evening will be a celebration of…

FWC: Florida black bear population ‘robust’

The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission says the state’s black bear population is “robust” and growing.  The News Service of Florida reports scientific surveys estimate the adult black bear population to be at 4,350, up from the 300 to 500 bears in Florida during the 1970s. The surveys were conducted before the October hunt…

Theater Review: STOMP at Dr. Phillips Center

After circling the globe nonstop since 1991, you’d expect STOMP to be exhausted by now, or at least out of metal lids to smash. The found-object percussion show they spawned has certainly been imitated and exploited by enough theme parks and cruise ships to obscure the originality that brought the Brighton-based phenomenon fame in the…

Voting rights groups blocked from recouping legal fees

Groups that successfully challenged the Florida Legislature’s congressional map aren’t entitled to recover millions of dollars in legal fees from the state, an appellate court ruled Thursday. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal unanimously rejected arguments from a coalition of voting-rights organizations and a group of voters that their lawyers had…

With arms wide open, Scott Stapp met this dolphin at SeaWorld today

Scott Stapp, the former Creed frontman and Orlando native, stopped by Discovery Cove, March 24, to swim around with this dolphin, according to SeaWorld.  Stapp, who’s responsible for chart-topping rock ballads like “My Own Prison,” spent the afternoon splashing around with Roxy– an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who will probably spend the rest of its life…

Rick Scott wants Obama to end Argentina trip, come to Florida

President Barack Obama’s trip to Argentina will be over later tonight, but Florida Gov. Rick Scott just can’t wait anymore.   Using the power of the Caps Lock, Scott sent out this tweet to Obama:  .@POTUS SHOULD COME BACK TO AMERICA – COME TO FLORIDA: https://t.co/s9fatgCSN4 — Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) March 24, 2016 In a…

Universal Orlando reveals new creatures of Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Universal Orlando unveiled a few of the new monsters that will be featured in this summer’s new attraction Skull Island: Reign of Kong.  As expected, many of the new creatures were in the 2005 film King Kong. According to the official Universal blog, the new creatures include an arachno-claw (a six-legged carnivorous arachnid), a carnictis…

Colleen Green announces upcoming show at Will’s Pub

Today, garage rocker Colleen Green announced a new show at Will’s Pub with support from Ben Katzman’s DeGreaser and Wet Nurse. Green’s Orlando date is Wednesday, May 11th. Tickets can be purchased here. As of now, this appears to be a standalone headlining date, coming soon after the conclusion of an April tour alongside Basement, Turnstile, and…

House Ethics Committee investigating U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown

The House Committee on Ethics announced Wednesday that it’s investigating U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville.  In a letter, the committee says it’s investigating “allegations that she engaged in improper conduct relating to certain outside organizations, including allegations that she may have conspired with other persons in connection with fraudulent activity, improperly solicited charitable donations, used campaign…

Chicago rapper Skizzy Mars tests the waters at Backbooth

In the style of Kid Cudi and Kanye West, New York rapper Skizzy Mars’ rhymes won’t get you pumping your fist inside the club, but for the Netflix-and-chill stuff that happens after the party, it’s perfect. The intro from his latest single, “Comb,” starts out slow enough, almost ethereal, but quickly jumps into “When I…

24 free concerts this week in Orlando (3/23-3/29)

Wednesday March 23 Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints Of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. The Imperial’s Acoustic Soundcheck With Robin Lewis 8 p.m. at the Imperial at Washburn Imports, 1800 N. Orange Ave. Orlando Music Group Open Jam 10:45 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Tavern, 1300 N. Mills Ave. Reggae Night with…

Gov. Rick Scott signs needle exchange, rape kit bills

Gov. Rick Scott signed nine bills into law Wednesday, including a bill that creates a needle-exchange program at the University of Miami and another bill requiring rape kits to be submitted for testing within a certain time frame.  The News Service of Florida reports SB 242 establishes a pilot program at UM that “seeks to prevent…

Rapper Aesop Rock announces new tour and show at the Social

Hip-hop maverick Aesop Rock will soon be at the Social alongside Rob Sonic and DJ Zone. Rock’s Orlando show is set for Tuesday, July 5. Tickets and booking were made public March 23 and can be purchased here. Insert your own “verbal fireworks” pun and chuckle mirthlessly. Aesop Rock also announced his latest album, The Impossible Kid, will…

OPD Chief Mina: Officers benefit from Orlando Speaks

In the course of reporting the story about Samuel Sinyangwe, an Orlando data scientist with Campaign Zero who helped create Mapping Police Violence, we also talked to Orlando Police Chief John Mina about Orlando Speaks. If you haven’t heard of Orlando Speaks, it’s an interactive community dialogue between residents and police officers that’s been held three…

Jeb Bush endorses Ted Cruz in Republican race

After repeatedly clashing with Republican front-runner Donald Trump during the campaign, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Wednesday endorsed Ted Cruz in the battle for the GOP presidential nomination. Bush made the announcement a little more than a month after dropping his bid for the presidency and about a week after Trump won 66 of…

R.I.P. Phife Dawg (A Tribe Called Quest)

News outlets are reporting this morning that rapper Malik “Phife Dog” Taylor, a member of pioneering hip-hop outfit A Tribe Called Quest, passed away last night. Hip-hop, pop music, call it what you like, has lost an innovator. Related Stories

Picks This Week: Autarx, Freedom Fest, Dirty Dishes and more

Freedom Fest Red Lion Pub launches a four-day mini-festival to raise money for cancer patients and charities with sets from the Evan Taylor Jones Band and Caiti Patton, among others. 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, at Red Lion Pub, $5-$15 Daisyhead Tennessee’s Daisyhead released their debut album, The Smallest Light, last year to glowing reviews…

Tap & Grind may be the most chill little space in the CBD

Tap & Grind 59 W. Central Blvd., 407-455-1100 After work or after hours? After work Beer/wine or liquor too? Beer and wine Check all that apply: ☐ fancy cocktails ☐ make ’em strong and keep ’em coming ☒ wine list (5 choices or more) ☒ craft beer ☐ beer: the usual suspects ☒ wide selection…

Savage Love (3/23/16)

I’m a 24-year-old man, married three years, monogamous. My wife and I are religious and were both virgins when we got married. I’m sexually frustrated with two things. No. 1: How can I get her to give me oral sex? (She has never given and I have never received oral sex.) She is afraid to…

Free Will Astrology (3/23/16)

ARIES (March 21-April 19) When Orville and Wilbur Wright were kids, their father gave them a toy helicopter powered by a rubber band. The year was 1878. Twenty-five years later, the brothers became the first humans to sail above the earth in a flying machine. They testified that the toy helicopter had been a key…

Gimme Shelter (3/23/16)

We have an adorable dog who is looking for a loving home! Snoopy (Animal ID A343802) is a 6-year-old dog who was surrendered because her owner could no longer care for her. Even though Snoopy is 6 years old, she has a lot of energy! She loves to run around outside and she’ll make a…

Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, Mar. 23-29

Wednesday, 23 Bob Saget COMEDY Danny Tanner is the dad we all wish could navigate us through puberty, but if you were to ask actor-comedian Bob Saget how he feels about it, well, those would be “the dirtiest words you can say to me.” Saget has since come to grips with his role as the…


Recent

Gift this article