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Study says more than half of Orlando renters are ‘rent-burdened’
The dank parking lot of the Great Value Suites on Orange Blossom Trail is seemingly abandoned and quiet one Saturday afternoon in January. Not for long, though. Gus Martinez and members of the charity organization Miles of Help Through Christ drive up to the parking lot. Their cars are packed to the brim with lunch…
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer focuses on transportation, connectivity in annual address
At his annual State of the City speech, Mayor Buddy Dyer outlined what Orlando has to do to become a defining city of the 21st Century. “In the century ahead, it’s cities that connect innovation, transportation, opportunity and quality of life together that will drive our country forward,” he says. “…We must become Orlando: The…
Rick Scott tries to buy coffee, gets yelled at by Florida woman
Gov. Rick Scott was just trying to get a cup of joe at a Gainesville Starbucks, but a local woman was not having it. In probably the most cathartic video this year, Stephen Bender captured Cara Jennings yelling at Scott about opposing Medicaid expansion and the moment when she straight up calls him an asshole.…
House Ethics Office calls for ‘further review’ of allegations against Alan Grayson
An investigation into U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson’s use of a hedge fund merits “further review” the Office of Congressional Ethics said in a report released Tuesday by the U.S. House Ethics Committee. But the committee has made no final decision regarding the complaint that the Orlando Democrat, who is running for U.S. Senate, used his…
Don’t do drugs, especially these fake Xanax pills that have made their way to Central Florida
A new fake Xanax drug being sold on the streets of Central Florida has been killing people in Pinellas County. The Washington Times reports that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a warning Tuesday that said that pills that appear to be painkillers actually contain deadly levels of fentanyl. Fentanyl is a strong synthetic…
Video captures insanely dangerous Florida road rage battle between a car and a motorcycle
A video recently posted to YouTube shows a Florida motorcyclist repeatedly getting chased down and nearly run off the road. According to WSVN, the motorcyclist, 23-year-old Roni Gonzalez, was on his way to work in Homestead, Florida, when he illegally filtered his way to the front of a light at an intersection. Apparently, this angered…
Peanut Butter Wolf talks Stones Throw Records ahead of show at the Social
DJ/producer/Stones Throw Records founder Peanut Butter Wolf recently obliged us with a brief chat regarding the past, present and future of his celebrated label, just for this blog. Look for an expanded interview in the April 6th edition of the Weekly. Two decades in to running a label, how do you keep from burning out? It seems…
Gláss gets moody, The Francis Vertigo gets freaky at Spacebar
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND I recently mentioned how the wider net currently being cast by art-minded Milk District venue Spacebar is a ripe opportunity for bands looking for a stage. To recap, the bar is now opening its calendar on its usually closed Sundays and Mondays for live events. Such upcoming confirmed events include the Slumberjack/Idle…
Last chance to see They Might Be Giants until 2018 this Wednesday
“Istanbul, not Constantinople. Istanbul, not Constantinople. Istanbul, not Constantinople.” Ahhh, remember listening to that song in school and then having it stuck in your head until one of your friends introduced you to flavored vodka? John Flansburgh and John Linnell of alternative rock band They Might Be Giants have been churning out classics like “Istanbul…
Miami’s luxury real estate boom connected to Panama Papers
One of the biggest data leaks in history, the Panama Papers, was published last weekend by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and newspapers across the world. The data trove is primarily focused on how Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca helped create shell companies and offshore accounts for global billionaires, politicians, celebrities and even criminals to…
Despite warnings from U.S. Coast Guard, a local mayor will paddle from Cuba to Florida in this thing
Clint Johnson, a man who describes himself on his Facebook profile as “Mayor of DeBary, Entrepreneur, Adventurer, Contrarian Thinker,” recently posted a photo of a raft design he will likely use to float from Cuba to Florida. Good luck, mayor. Johnson, who says he will fly to Havana and make a 2 week solo journey…
The FWC wants you to be aware that horseshoe crabs are having sex on the beach
Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission want Floridians to know that if they spot any beachside horseshoe crab sex, hook ’em up with the deets. Spring is when horseshoe crabs procreate on the sandy shores of Florida and unfortunately, populations are believed to be in decline. Any information about Florida nesting populations…
Florida approves Gainesville nursery to grow medical marijuana
State health officials on Monday paved the way for Gainesville-based San Felasco Nurseries to join five other dispensing organizations authorized to grow medical marijuana in Florida. San Felasco’s approval came after an administrative law judge ruled in February that health officials wrongly rejected the nursery’s application last year because of a decade-old drug crime. The…
Name new Benihana dish, get a lot of Benihana for free
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who love hibachi restaurants and those who don’t. If you live for the shrimp-in-the-hat, the egg roll and the onion volcano, listen up: Benihana is launching a new menu item and wants you to name it. Or, at least, wants you to submit your ideas…
SeaWorld announces release date for Mako hypercoaster
The Orlando rollercoaster industry will officially become harder, better, faster, stronger this summer thanks to SeaWorld. The company announced via press release that their long awaited Mako ride will be making its debut June 10, marking the first time a hypercoaster has made it onto the city’s theme park scene. Mako will be the “tallest,…
Orlando cancels police body camera bids after ethics complaints
In the midst of ethics complaints against two Orlando Police Department officers, the city of Orlando has decided to scrap bids it received on police body cameras. OPD Internal Affairs Manager Dwain Rivers filed complaints against officers Brian Cechowski and Anna Melnick to the state commission on ethics last week. The complaint alleges the two officers…
Route 192 in Kissimmee is about to get a Dubai-style resort
Route 192 has seen its tourist industry struggle post-recession, but a new massive development just might be the hope that the area needs. Magic Development, an Orlando-based vacation developer, will begin work on a massive new $1.7 billion, 87-acre resort this summer. The new timeshare development will feature between five and 10 towers, all stretching…
The MultipleTap Tour sets stunning new bar for noise with Japanese elite (Will’s Pub)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Unless you’re some kind of freak like our new music editor, noise music isn’t one of those everyday things. But that might change if more acts were like what I saw at the MultipleTap Tour (April 1, Will’s Pub). Of course, the loaded Japanese noise parade was already a historic happening just…
Jacuzzi Boys welcome summer with rock & roll at the Social
Miami-based power trio Jacuzzi Boys deals in a strain of garage rock that attempts to assimilate both the big hooks of Big Star and the tuneful nihilism of Jay Reatard. But, as one would expect from a band whose name references the hot tub of choice of the ’80s, the party-hardy antics are turned up…
Disney might give the Muppets their own themed land, for some reason
Disney’s Hollywood Studios saw a large number of attractions close on April 3, but surprisingly the Muppets 3-D attraction has missed the chopping block. With Star Wars and Pixar poised to take over large chunks of the park, many assumed that this dated 3-D film would be closed. The nearby Pizza Planet closed earlier this…
Expanded live opportunities at Spacebar; live review of Boxing at the Zoo and Sherlok
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND There’s some new booking blood at Spacebar that may mean an infusion of live music into the Milk District. Although Happy Camper Booking has been one of the promoters doing shows at Spacebar for a while now, its principal has recently been put in charge of the bar’s calendar. What’s more,…
Hijokaidan performance footage to further muddy April Fools’ Day online waters
Think of this as less an accidental April Fools’ post (honey, come look at this! is this real? is this performance art? is this viral like cats playing keyboards? is this music?) and more of a public service announcement. Below is footage of the rejuvenated Hijokaidan playing three days ago at Beerland in Austin, Texas. Make…
Get half-off Italian ice and gelati at the new Jeremiah’s on Orange Avenue tomorrow
It’s been open for a few weeks now, but the new Jeremiah’s on South Orange Avenue is celebrating the kick-off of warmer weather (hello, 90 degrees!) with half-off small, medium and large size Italian ices and gelati tomorrow, April 2. There will also be raffles, balloons and live music, so come for tacos at Tijuana…
Thousands of jellyfish washed up on Hallandale Beach yesterday
Just when you thought the Indian River fish kill was the most disturbing thing to happen to local wildlife, Hallandale Beach was littered with thousands of black and blue dead jellyfish Thursday morning. The wash-up contained mostly the velella velella species and a few man o’ war, said the city of Hallandale Beach on their Facebook page.…
UF and FSU announce merger, freak out people who forgot it’s April Fools’ Day
After years of trying to figure out how many Seminoles/Gators it takes to change a lightbulb, the University of Florida and Florida State University announced they are merging both universities and putting an end to the rivalry. Instead of trying to figure out which campus would best suit this merger, UFFSU is moving to Perry,…
Federal judge strikes down Florida’s same-sex marriage ban after resistance from state officials
More than a year after same-sex marriages began in Florida, a federal judge on Thursday issued a final judgment declaring that Florida’s voter-approved prohibition against gay marriage is unconstitutional. In a harshly worded ruling, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle rejected state officials’ arguments that a final order in the Florida case was unnecessary due to…
Publix says they will discontinue Pub subs, replace with Subway
Florida-based grocer Publix announced today, April 1, that they will no longer serve Pubsubs, their most popular deli item. According to a statement from William Crenshaw, CEO of Publix Super Markets Inc., the deli section of their stores has become too much of a hassle, citing an increase in customer fights and disorderly conduct. “Publix…
Poca’s Hottest serves up delicious food and music at Will’s Pub
Whether you like your sauce smoky, sweet or hotter than hell, Poca’s Hottest Sauce Cook Off is the place to find the flavors you’ve been craving. This annual parking lot party features local craft vendors, live music and all the hot sauce you can handle. You’ll have to splurge on a tasting ticket to try…
Of Montreal bring art rock spectacle to the Social
For nearly a quarter-century, defying expectations has been Of Montreal’s guiding principle. Kevin Barnes and his ragtag crew have dabbled in dusty alt-country, funky dance jams, twee indie pop, glammed-up garage rock and everything in between. Shoot, on the band’s last three albums alone, the focus has veered from dissonant experimentation to paisley-hued psychedelia to…
Bookmark It brings in two authors to shine light on different facets of Florida
We sometimes worry that we’re heaping too much on Bookmark It’s shoulders. The indie bookstore inside East End Market takes up less space than the magazine area at a Barnes & Noble, yet they manage to fit in a wide assortment of books by local authors alongside a well-curated selection of buzzy new novels, memoirs,…
Florida Supreme Court allows utility-backed solar amendment on ballot
Floridians will get a chance this fall to put solar-energy regulations into the state Constitution. The Florida Supreme Court, in a 4-3 ruling Thursday, found that the wording of a controversial ballot initiative backed by major utilities meets the legal standards to go before voters in November The court did not rule on the merits…
Food Truck Fridays returns to Dr. Phillips with two new trucks
Last week, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts hosted its first Food Truck Friday, and the event continues this week with two new trucks: Philly Fire Wagon and Simply Divine. Philly Fire Wagon peddles cheesesteaks, as you might gather from the name, but you’ll also find cheese fries, homemade chili and, to combine those…
Vans Warped Tour announces date for this summer’s Orlando stop
The excruciating wait is over. All is revealed for the Orlando stop of the Vans Warped tour. The Orlando date is July 2nd at Tinker Field. Lineup includes Sum 41, Waka Flocka Flame, Yellowcard, Atreyu, Bullet for My Valentine, State Champs, Good Charlotte, New Found Glory, Reel Big Fish, Everytime I Die, Less Than Jake,…
Spooky Empire returns to the Wyndham for Retro Con
For the most part, cons are filled to the brim with geeksphere entertainment. Daleks weave around a countless array of Supernatural and Harry Potter cosplayers while anime art is sold at every corner. There’s more to life than pop culture, however, and Spooky Empire’s Retro Con is here to serve. While the April rendition of…
A local woman dropped off 27 dogs at Orange County Animal Services last night
On Wednesday, March 30, a 73-year-old local woman decided that 27 dogs was just too many for one home and decided to drop the pups off at the Orange County Animal Services. According to a press release, the dogs appear to be in good health and will soon be evaluated by OCAS clinic staff. Last…
You can now realize your childhood dreams and meet Hello Kitty in person at Universal Orlando
As a little girl (and some boys), Hello Kitty is plastered on practically every single item you own. Now, you can relive that cute kitty obsession by meeting Hello Kitty in person at the Universal Orlando Resort. According to Universal Orlando, guests can now enter the world of Japan’s No. 1 cat at the new Hello…
Downtown Orlando’s first dog park is in the works
Every dog has his day, and if your pooch is looking for a place to play in downtown Orlando, that day could be right around the corner. The city’s Downtown Development Board said Wednesday that Orlando could soon be building a dog park at Constitution Green, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The city plans to…
‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’ puts the ‘fun’ in ‘dysfunctional’ at Orlando Shakes
Christopher Durang takes on Anton Chekhov in this comedy at Orlando Shakes. Durang, known for his biting absurdism, won the Tony Award for Best Play in 2013 for this mashup of Chekhovian characters and themes. Vanya (a name borrowed from Chekhov’s play Uncle Vanya, along with significant portions of the plot) and his sister Sonia…
Orlando Pride’s Alex Morgan among 5 players accusing US Soccer of wage discrimination
Despite winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup three times, five U.S. Women’s National Team soccer players allege they were paid less than their male counterparts on the national team who’ve never won the FIFA cup. The New York Times reports Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Becky Sauerbrunn, Megan Rapinoe and Hope Solo filed a federal complaint to the Equal…
Stream Orlando band Shania Pain’s gloomy new demo
Shania Pain is a brand new project from Andrea Knight (aka Bacon Grease) and Jason Kimmins. What struck us most about this project is how effortlessly and unconsciously Knight and Krimmins channeled everything good about early Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, and the Normal into one spontaneous, gloomy outburst. Stream their demo on Soundcloud below… Related…
Scott signs bill to pay for reburials of children who died at Dozier School
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday signed a bill addressing what one lawmaker described as a “dark chapter” in Florida history at a now-shuttered reform school. The measure (SB 708), one of 14 bills Scott signed into law Wednesday, will allocate money for the reburial of remains removed from the 1,400-acre site of the former Arthur…
Watch this Florida panther almost run into a jogger
Pantherpalooza, the Year of the Panther, the Panthering—whatever you want to call it, there’s been more than a few panther sightings lately that have got us proudly saluting to the Florida state flag. While taking a leisurely morning stroll March 29 at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, located just north of Naples, Tina Dorschel had an “oh…
Review: ‘Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story On Stage’ at Dr. Phillips
Despite having grown up vacationing at Jewish resorts just like Kellerman’s, the Catskills summer camp that is the setting of Dirty Dancing, I’ve never been a big fan of the 1987 film (must be my pesky Y chromosome). The fan-favorite flick has followed so many other stories in the journey from stage to screen, and…
Guests can now access SeaWorld’s Manatee Rehab Center
If you like watching manatees on their journey to recovery, or you just want physical proof of SeaWorld Orlando taking care of their animals, the aquatic theme park has you covered. In what seems to be an effort to up transparency, the park’s Manatee Rehabilitation center has been opened up to guests, just in time…
Tampa grindcore band I’m An Intestine plays Uncle Lou’s tonight
Hard-touring Tampa grindcore monsters I’m An Intestine are landing at Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall tonight for a show with Badparker, Deadmeat and Burn to Learn. Besides near-deafening live shows and the usual 6-car pileup instrumental chaos – whenever I hear a grindcore band, I always think about how John Peel played a Napalm Death track…
A Tampa man is suing his ‘dad’ William Shatner for $170 million
Peter Sloan, a Tampa resident who sorta kinda looks like William Shatner, has been claiming for more than 30 years that the former Star Trek star and Priceline pitchman is his deadbeat dad. According to the Tampa Tribune, the 59-year-old estate planner and radio DJ recently filed a lawsuit demanding $170 million in damages for…
Marco Rubio tries to keep delegates in effort to stop Donald Trump
For everyone who thought U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio was done with the circus that’s become the 2016 presidential race, think again. NBC News reports the junior Florida senator is asking 21 Republican state parties to stop from releasing the 172 delegates he won during his presidential campaign, which was suspended after the humiliating loss of…
Picks This Week: Morris Day and the Time, T-Pain, Blackbird Blackbird and more
Old Again These locals took a hiatus last year, but came back with an aggressive new sound and new singer earlier this month, putting the hardcore back in post-hardcore. 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, at the Space Station, $5 Morris Day and the Time Check your hair in a full-length mirror before this intimate performance…
Orlando experiences an opera renaissance in April
Over the last few years, I’ve written about the death and rebirth of opera in Orlando so many times that it’s starting to seem like a sucky Superman sequel. But with two companies offering fully staged operas (complete with live musicians) in April, it appears the classic musical theater art form is battling back from…
As warehouses around the city are demolished, the fate of McRae Art Studios hangs in the balance
For almost 18 years, McRae Art Studios has operated out of an unassuming railside compound like Winter Park’s cultural equivalent of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory: closed to the public eye, except for semi-annual open houses, when the visual wonders within are revealed. It will be business as usual when McRae hosts its Spring for Art…
Opening in Orlando: Collide and Everybody Wants Some!!
Collide This spring’s releases are looking like a Relativity Media fire sale, with titles that were left in limbo by the company’s bankruptcy finally making it to theaters via other means. This one is a crime/suspense drama that has Anthony Hopkins and Ben Kingsley as big-time gangsters and Nicholas Hoult as a lower-level criminal caught…
Savage Love (3/30/16)
I was honored to speak at JCCSF – Jewish Community Center of San Francisco – last week as a part of their Uninhibited: About Sex lecture series. The audience submitted questions on cards, which were ably put to me by Jourdan Abel, who was wearing a wonderful uterus-themed sweater. (Check out my Instagram account, @dansavage,…
Run River North breaks the Asian-band sterotype; Tancred keeps the ’90s revival train a-rollin’
Warning: This is about to get a little ethnic and meta. I didn’t walk in with that intention but the forces just aligned. Here goes. Run River North (March 24, the Social) is a six-member L.A. band constituted entirely of Korean-Americans. The Asian storyline is inevitable. And then there’s me, a card-carrying Asian-American, who’s now…
Free Will Astrology (3/30/16)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) According to my astrological analysis, you would benefit profoundly from taking a ride in a jet fighter plane 70,000 feet above the earth. In fact, I think you really need to experience weightlessness as you soar faster than the speed of sound. Luckily, there’s an organization, MiGFlug [migflug.com], that can provide…
Gimme Shelter (3/30/16)
Are you looking for a furry friend to adopt? Meet Rambo! Rambo (Animal ID A336534) is a 10-month-old pup looking for a forever home. Rambo is a little shy and nervous at first, so he’d do well with an owner who is willing to be patient with him. Rambo warms up to you quickly, though,…
Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, March 30-April 5
Wednesday, March 30 Ask Me Another EVENTS 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…
How to buy a house for the first time without losing your mind
Now that you know exactly why renting sucks, let’s talk about all the headaches you’re going to have when you decide you want to buy a house for the first time. Many first-time home buyers find just starting the process of buying a home daunting, but with a little guidance and determination, you too can…
Economist says Millennials will start buying homes
A common refrain heard when discussing real estate is that Millennials don’t want to buy houses. They prefer renting in urban markets and will continue to fundamentally shift money away from the suburbs. Take articles like “Millennials Will Live in Cities Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen Before,” which ran on Gizmodo last July, or “Young…
Metro Diner presents enjoyably embellished comfort-food classics
Standard deviation
Food Truck Fridays launches at Dr. Phil, Red Mug Diner coming to downtown, plus more in local foodie news
Food Truck Fridays launched March 25 at the Seneff Arts Plaza in front of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Arts. Expect two trucks from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday through May 13. Mark Dollard, former chef of Absinthe Bistro, is helming the kitchen in the soon-to-open 24-hour diner Red Mug. The diner…
10 under $10: Ten more Orlando spots to get lunch on the cheap
Orlando abounds in fantastic cheap eats – welcome to our monthly roundup of places to get lunch for less than $10. If you’ve got a 10 Under $10 suggestion for us, send it to jyoung@orlandoweekly.com. BB Junction 2103 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, 407-513-4134, bbjunction.com We are starting off this month with a bit of…
