One reporter spent 2021 freelancing, giving her just the kind of low-paying tax mess that TurboTax’s innovative services should be able to help with … right?
With an impressive new nighttime show, two new attractions, three new dining venues, and a massive new front gift shop all opened or opening by this summer, Epcot’s initial overhaul is wrapping up. A new chapter to the park’s revamp is about to begin, however. While it won’t see the headlining grabbing attractions this current…
This year’s Mario Day, which takes place on Mar. 10, saw one of the largest announcements in the history of the fan-created holiday. Nintendo used the celebration to announce the world’s second Super Nintendo World will open at Universal Studios Hollywood next year. The announcement doesn’t come as a surprise as the land, which is…
A notable Winter Park couple will join Pete Davidson and other civilians on a commercial spacecraft flight this month. Marc and Sharon Hagle will be the first married couple to fly on a commercial spacecraft. Marc is the CEO of Tricor International Corporation. Sharon is the founder of SpaceKids Global and a board member of…
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…
Valencia College is on the hunt for a new mascot. And one of the mascots looks like it’s on the hunt for you. Two of the three options recently pitched to fans and students are standard sports fare: a cardinal and a puma. “Valencia College Cardinals” has a nice ring to it, and the Puma…
Celebrate Mister Rogers’ birthday by taking a walk in his sneakers through his alma mater. Rollins College is resuming its on-campus Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Walking Tour from March 21-25 to celebrate the children’s TV host’s birthday. Born on March 20, 1928, Fred McFeely Rogers would be 94 years old. He died in 2003 from stomach…
Oviedo’s inaugural St. Patrick’s Day Festival will take place this St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The fest is on Saturday, March 19 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Oviedo Amphitheatre & Cultural Center. It is a free, family-friendly event that will celebrate everything Irish culture has to offer. There will be live entertainment by…
The extravagantly named Freestyle musical reunion show Freestyle Explosion Throwback Jam is happening this summer in downtown Orlando and the lineup is stacked. The evening will feature Freestyle stalwarts and icons like Stevie B., Lisa Lisa, Lisette Melendez, George Lamond, Lil Suzy, Connie, Exposé, Cover Girls, TKA and — curiously — Montell Jordan and the 69 Boys (the…
Reggaeton duo Wisin y Yandel announced their final tour together on Monday, celebrating a 19-year musical career as a duo with one last trek. The tour, “La Última Misión,” will have its second stop in Orlando at the Amway Center on Oct. 1. Wisin told Billboard on Monday that their career as a duo has been…
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More video of motorcyclist who crashed thru safety arm of Main Street draw Bridge @CityDaytona Saturday am as bridge was going up. He fell off but motorcycle towing trailer kept going. Bike dangled off bridge while trailer stayed on. Motorcyclist, from #Georgia, cited. pic.twitter.com/N1TcOkHcCy — claire metz (@clairemetzwesh) March 14, 2022 A Georgia motorcyclist very…
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday reiterated his intention to veto a congressional redistricting plan that he contends is unconstitutional. Lawmakers, who passed the plan this month, have not formally sent it to DeSantis, and congressional redistricting is now the subject of two lawsuits. DeSantis said discussions are needed on the next steps for the once-a-decade…
In a case that has drawn national attention, a federal appeals court Monday ruled against a man who served three decades in prison for a Brevard County murder that he said he didn’t commit. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a federal district judge in 2018 improperly overturned the…
With all the buzz about the “Don’t Say Gay” bill backed by Governor Ron DeSantis, it isn’t surprising that Orlando Weekly hasn’t found the time to cover yet another piece of controversial legislation—one with even more dire consequences for Florida’s children than the already questionable “Don’t Say Gay Bill.” SB 1796, a bill that deals…
Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced that the entertainment giant is halting all political donations in Florida in the wake of the state’s recently passed “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The wider bill that Republicans claim is a way for parents to exert control over public school education has drawn national attention (and ire) for a provision that…
Bubbalou’s Bodacious Bar-B-Que’s Apopka location has been sold. According to a press release from the broker who represented the seller, the property was sold for a little over $1.5 million. The longtime barbecue restaurant was purchased by investment firm V3 Capital. The firm plans to lease the space to a Mexican restaurant called El Cielito…
Good evening, Alaska!” Billy Joel called out to a freezing cold Saturday night crowd at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium. “What the hell’s going on?!” It’s been a hot minute since the Piano Man has performed in an outdoor venue in Florida. During the summer, it’s too hot for that shit, and when he takes on…
The circle is one of our most celebrated forms. Either as an object of the mathematician’s mind or living on the edges of the moon, the circle is simply beautiful and beautifully simple. When you divide its core element (diameter) into its outer body (circumference), you will get something constant and magically special: the birth…
SOUND ON 🔉 | Video shows Ocala tornado damage as it happens. How would you react if this was you? MORE: https://t.co/BKyyhgeDYm (📹=Alex Sierra) pic.twitter.com/YNAEFtmtSB — News 6 WKMG (@news6wkmg) March 14, 2022 A tornado with winds of up to 110 miles per hour touched down in Ocala over the weekend. The twister was one…
Tom Brady may have broken yet another record in deciding to tack another season onto his already legendary career. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback didn’t even make it two months into his supposed retirement before deciding to haunt Raymond James Stadium again. Other probable GOATs spent at least a season away. Michael Jordan played baseball…
With Gov. Ron DeSantis vowing to veto a congressional redistricting plan, a lawsuit filed late Friday asks a federal court to set new U.S. House districts that would be used in this fall’s elections. The lawsuit, filed in the federal Northern District of Florida by two groups and five voters, is similar to a case…
‘Knuckle draggers’ and ‘glitter bombs’
Earlier this week, a massive robot appeared in a field along I-4 just north of the Vineland Premium Outlets. The robot, Mechan 11, planted the flag announced AREA15 was coming to Orlando. The announcement, later confirmed by a human representative for the Vegas art attraction, comes after news first broke earlier this year that a company…
Rapper, Autotune pioneer and Masked Singer winner T-Pain is throwing the inaugural Wiscansin festival in Wisconsin in June — a riff on his masterful rhyming of “mansion” and “Wisconsin” in “Can’t Believe It.” Not content with that conceptual coup, the rapper has set up a monthlong North American tour as a prelude, and “The Road to Wiscansin”…
Orlando music legend Eugene Snowden on Friday dropped new single “Just To Get By” through local label Molasses Records. “Just To Get By” is a smoldering, bluesy vamp and a welcome return to form from Snowden. For his part, Snowden will mark the occasion by playing with JJ Grey & Mofro, Steel Pulse and Ben…
In a video exclusively obtained by @FoxNews Digital. @GovRonDeSantis slams #Disney saying “In Florida, our policies got to be based on the best interest of Florida citizens, not on the musing of woke corporations.” pic.twitter.com/Op87xgsLzB — Kelly Laco (@kelly_laco) March 10, 2022 The days just keep getting dumber, don’t they? Yesterday afternoon, the governor of…
Here are a few ways to support Ukraine and some of our local Ukrainian-Orlandoans this weekend.
School board members soon could be limited to serving 12-year terms under a bill that is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis —- but the measure also includes a controversial provision that would intensify scrutiny of school library books and instructional materials. The Florida House on Thursday passed the bill (HB 1467) in a 79-41 vote…
Southern Fried Sunday and Will’s Pub are teaming up to host a touring show of queer country music across generations, and these musicians have some stories to tell. The “Round Up Tour” features Lavender Country, a trailblazing openly gay country act who’ve been tearing up stages since the early 1970s. But that’s not all! The…
The Florida Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would restrict how race-related issues can be taught in public schools and in workplace training sessions, giving final legislative approval to an outgrowth of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ fight against critical race theory. An emotionally raw debate that played out over two days in the Senate centered…
Orlando music veteran Beth McKee and her Swamp Sistas perform and write many songs together in their frequent series of collaborative performances, workshops and sessions. Few, however, actually see a formal release. But McKee’s upcoming new single is effectively a Swamp Sistas family affair. “Swamp Sistas Cosmic Drifter” was co-written and co-performed with breakout Orlando…
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, many people are looking for ways they can help out the citizens caught up in the fighting. Russian Ballet Orlando is offering an option that’s a damn sight better than changing the name of a cocktail or salad dressing. The company is throwing a fundraiser on Saturday, March…
During a recent shareholder meeting, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that his company worked “behind the scenes” to oppose Florida’s recently passed “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The head of Disney addressed criticism of his company’s response to the bill barring discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida public schools. Protesters called for a…
The Florida Senate is poised to pass a controversial education bill that would limit the way certain race-related topics are taught in public schools, putting lawmakers a step away from fulfilling a legislative priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Republican-controlled Senate could vote on the bill (HB 7) as early as Thursday. The House passed…
In the latest battle over Florida’s elections system, lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would make a series of changes, including creating a state office to investigate voting irregularities. The Republican-controlled House voted 76-41 along straight party lines to pass the bill, which was approved last week by the Senate. It is…
Some very tempting musical propositions this week, if you feel frisky enough to venture out … DJ Nigel John’s Funk Omakase ft. Johnny Wells: Nigel John’s weekly DJ explorations into the full spectrum of funk are already a worthwhile proposition. But this next edition features special guest Johnny Wells. An anchor DJ of the Kinda…
The Maitland Jazz & Blues Festival is shaping up nicely, with 13 local and touring acts set for a free two-day event kicking off on the very fortuitous date of April 1. The lineup is anything but an April Fool though, with veteran blues musician Jimmy Hall — known for stints in Wet Willie, Blackberry Smoke and Jeff…
Florida wildlife officials have now killed a nearly 12-foot alligator that swam within inches of a frightened paddleboarder in a popular state park during an encounter in September recorded on video that went viral. The male alligator – 11 feet, 10 inches long – was shot in the head one evening near dusk last month…
Shev Jones knows a thing or two about being forced to keep quiet about his sexual orientation. The state senator from Miami Gardens didn’t come out to his family until 2018, when he was 34 years old. In an emotional bit of testimony against Florida’s controversial “don’t say gay” bill, Jones urged his fellow senators…
Madame Tussauds wax museum in Icon Park has a new resident: pop singer Ariana Grande. The wax simulacrum of Grande, the newest and most up-to-date version of the singer, has arrived and is ready to meet her adoring public. This is Grande’s third figure (did Tussauds’ staff say “Thank You, Next” to the previous two?),…
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NEWS FLASH 🇺🇸 Don't know the back story here but we're looking to ID a naked man who stole an American flag from a home on John Anderson Drive in Ormond Beach last week. Send tips to TMaxwell@vcso.us, call the office at 386-323-0151 or use the non-emergency line at 386-248-1777 pic.twitter.com/t9fmtstuvT — Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff)…
The Florida House appears poised to give final approval to a controversial bill that could lead to businesses filing lawsuits against cities and counties if ordinances cause lost profits. House Republicans on Tuesday rejected amendments proposed by Democrats and positioned the bill (SB 620) for a vote as soon as Wednesday. The Senate voted 22-14…
House and Senate budget negotiators on Tuesday revamped a plan that called for shifting $200 million away from school districts that required students to wear masks last year during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial version of the plan, labeled the “Putting Parents First Adjustment,” was swapped Tuesday for what is being called the “School Recognition…
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Sistas are doin’ it for themselves
Orlando music veteran Beth McKee and her Swamp Sistas perform and write many songs together in their frequent series of collaborative performances, workshops and sessions. Few, however, actually see a formal release. But McKee’s upcoming new single is effectively a Swamp Sistas family affair. “Swamp Sistas Cosmic Drifter” was co-written and co-performed with breakout Orlando…
Our selections of the best stuff to do this week. Thursday, March 10 KorinePhiladelphian synth-pop duo make a long-overdue return to Orlando. With a maximal heartbreak-pop sensibility born by shimmering electronics, these two never fail to dazzle. And local Moondragon is playing one of his last shows here before he moves. 8 p.m., Will’s Pub,…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Singer-songwriter Jill Scott has earned one platinum and two gold records. She approaches her craft with diligence and intensity. On one occasion, she was frying a burger at her boyfriend’s house when she sensed a new song forming in her imagination. Abandoning the stove, she ran into the next room to…
Back in November, our officers responded to a call for an injured dog. Barbie (A483066) was found limping on the side of the road, with barbed wire wrapped around her neck and collar. Our officers were able to impound her and remove the barbed wire. She was brought to OCAS, received medical care, and was…
Over the past 14 years, this column has explored a wide range of Central Florida’s arts and attractions, from family-friendly theme parks to world-class theater; but from Live Active Cultures’ very first installment, I’ve always openly declared that my primary allegiance is to all things geeky. Whether it was comic and sci-fi fandom, video gaming…
