Cover Story
Orlando photographer Jimm Roberts’ portraits of Florida writers and artists from Albee to Willeford returns to OMA
In 2012, the Orlando Museum of Art presented an exhibition of Orlando photographer Jimm Roberts’ portraits of writers and artists in Florida — some Sunshine State natives, some longtime snowbirds — and I reviewed it then. It was part of a refreshing yearlong celebration of Florida at OMA, which culminated in the inaugural Florida Prize…
Farm & Haus to open a second location in the Cafe de France space on Park Avenue in Winter Park
Mere days after Park Avenue mainstay Cafe de France announced its closure after 37 years in the biz, Farm & Haus, the East End Market mainstay, is poised to move in. A second location of Patrick Lyne and Brittany Walsh Lyne’s healthy comfort-food operation has been a long time coming, so when opportunity knocked, the…
‘Bans Off Our Bodies’ abortion rights rallies set to happen in Orlando and around the country this weekend
Abortion rights advocates are hosting a Bans Off Our Bodies rally this weekend in Orlando as part of actions and rallies all around the country. Bans Off Our Bodies is set for this Saturday, May 14, at 6 p.m. at a location to be announced — though in all likelihood it will be in or…
Legal Public Notices 5/11/2022
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…
Conservation groups sue EPA over record manatee deaths
Three conservation groups have filed a second federal lawsuit involving poor water quality in Florida that is blamed for “catastrophic mortality” of manatees. The Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and the Save the Manatee Club filed the lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in Orlando. The groups are seeking to require the U.S. Environmental…
NLE Choppa wonders if Orlando or Miami crowds are wilder ahead of this weekend’s show at Celine downtown
At 19, rapper NLE Choppa has reached more ears with his music than most artists do in their entire careers, and now he’s coming to Orlando for a headlining show this weekend. The Memphis, Tennessee artist has been here once before with his family for a Disney vacation, but this will be his first time…
Seminole County high school’s yearbook censorship confirms some critics fears about Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill
The “Don’t Say Gay” era has arrived in Central Florida schools with controversy over photos in the Lyman High School yearbook. The Longwood school has postponed release of the publication because of images of students protesting House Bill 1557, the Parental Rights in Education legislation that “prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity…
Memorial service for late comics legend George Pérez to be held at Orlando’s MegaCon
Legendary comics illustrator George Pérez passed away last week due to health complications from cancer. And among an avalanche of tributes to the man’s work is the announcement that MegaCon Orlando will be holding a memorial service for Pérez during the convention. Pérez, a Sanford resident, is renowned for his decades’ worth of work for both DC and…
Osceola County Sheriff’s Office provide justification for executing man at Kissimmee Target over stolen Pokemon cards
After a week of stonewalling, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office finally saw fit to release some information about their deadly shooting of a 20-year-old Jayden Baez. The young man, along with three others, came into contact with OCSO deputies who were training nearby. They spotted Baez’s vehicle and marked it as suspicious, claiming a piece…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs off on October gas tax holiday
A series of sales-tax “holidays” on such things as school clothes, hurricane supplies and tools and a suspension of the state gas tax in October topped a package signed into law Friday by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The tax package (HB 7071), passed by the Legislature in March, will reduce state and local revenues by $804.3…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs law requiring schools to observe ‘Victims of Communism Day’
Calling it a “blockbuster day for freedom,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that will require public-school students to observe “Victims of Communism Day” on Nov. 7 each year. The new law, which went into effect immediately, describes the day as being geared toward “honoring the 100 million people who have fallen victim…
Pasco County Sheriff’s Office posts video of sharks to scare Floridians away from last free thing
Right now, at this very moment, sharks are swimming in the water, and some of them are near the shores of Tampa Bay. To make sure you are aware that sharks do in fact share the same body of water you occasionally use, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) recently shared an aerial video showing…
Former Orlando Magic player Adreian Payne shot, killed in Orlando
Former Michigan State and Orlando Magic player Adreian Payne was killed in Orlando early Monday morning. He was 31 years old. Police were called to the 2500 block of Egret Shores Drive in east Orlando overnight. Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Payne suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken from the scene to a…
National Hurricane Center reports first tropical wave of 2022 season
Though Atlantic hurricane season traditionally doesn’t start until June, a warmer Earth means the tropics will start roiling earlier and stay active longer. The National Hurricane Center is reported its first tropical wave of the season on May 8. The wave is just off the western coast of Africa, south of the Cabo Verde Islands.…
COVID-19 death toll tops 74,000 in Florida
Florida has exceeded 74,000 resident deaths from COVID-19, while newly reported cases steadily climb, according to data released Friday by the state Department of Health. The data showed that 74,060 residents had died as of a Thursday count. That was up from 73,830 reported two weeks earlier. Because of lags in reporting, it is not…
Florida appeals court reinstates state’s restrictions on voting over allegations that it discriminates against Black voters
Calling it flawed, a three-judge appellate panel on Friday put a hold on a federal judge’s ruling that said a 2021 Florida elections law was unconstitutionally intended to discriminate against Black voters. The 15-page ruling by a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with attorneys for the state, county elections supervisors…
Bynx Jazz Fest showcases new faces in Central Florida jazz this weekend
If you’re a fan of jazz music, then Orlando coffee spot Bynx is the place to be this weekend — they’ll be hosting a mini-fest of up-and-coming names in Central Florida jaz. The Bynx Jazz Fest starts today — the date crept up on us, sorry — and runs every niht through Sunday with performances in the early evening. The complete…
Orlando Police Chief Rolón cites George Floyd protests, COVID-19 in retirement announcement
After 30 years with the Orlando Police Department, Chief Orlando Rolón announced he will retire this fall. In a letter sent to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Rolón shared that his last day of work will be in August and he plans to officially retire on November 1. Rolón has served as the chief of police since…
Dead shark hung from rafters of Florida high school in apparent senior prank
A dead shark was hung from the rafters of a Florida high school in what appears to be a senior prank. The shark was hung above a staircase at Ponte Vedra High School in northern St. Johns County. The mascot of that school just south of Jacksonville is a shark. The shark hanging above a…
Ho99o9 talk new music importance of community ahead of storming Orlando return this weekend
Wrecking sonic havoc from the West Coast, theOGM and Eaddy of Ho99o9 are riding the Florida wave this Saturday at Orlando’s Henao Center. The underground genre-inclusive — punk, industrial, techno, rap all jostle for space in their sound — band are celebrating 10 full-throttle years as a band as well as their latest, and second album Skin, produced by…
TurboTax settles deceptive practices case for $141 million
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Millions of Americans will receive money from Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, as part of a $141 million settlement between the Silicon Valley company and all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The company will send up to $90 apiece to more than 4 million people who…
Walgreens agrees to pay $683 million in Florida opioid case
Nearly a month into a jury trial over the opioid epidemic, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on Thursday announced the state had reached a $683 million settlement with Walgreens Co. The pharmacy chain was the sole remaining defendant in a sweeping lawsuit that the attorney general’s office filed in 2018 targeting opioid manufacturers, distributors and…
Court rejects Florida businesses’ argument that insurance should cover losses from COVID-19 shutdown
A federal appeals court Thursday rejected arguments by Florida restaurants and a furniture retailer that insurance policies should have covered losses stemming from shutdowns early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The 34-page decision in four consolidated cases came after a flood of claims and litigation across the country from businesses that had to temporarily close their…
Central Florida taxpayers sue Gov. Ron DeSantis over dissolution of Disney’s Reedy Creek district
A group of Central Florida taxpayers are suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over a recently signed law that would dissolve Walt Disney World’s Reedy Creek special district. The group are suing for two reasons. Firstly, they believe the obligations of Disney under that district will be passed on to area taxpayers (a fear echoed by…
Disney is going green in newly released renderings of Epcot revamp
Disney has shared concept art for its planned revamp of Epcot at Walt Disney World. The most-notable thing in all of the illustrations is that Disney is going green. The planned World Celebration neighborhood of Epcot will be full of gardens and shade, providing a much-needed break from the Orlando sunshine in a manner we’ve…
Monster Jam celebrates 30 years of carnage at World Finals this month in Orlando
Monster Jam returns to Orlando this month to hold their world finals, celebrate some big anniversaries and, of course, Monster Trucks jumping, racing and smashing a bunch of smaller cars up. The weekend’s events commemorate the 30th anniversary of Monster Jam and 40th anniversary of the iconic Grave Digger monster truck. Competition categories include Racing, Freestyle,…
Denny’s buys Orlando-based Keke’s Breakfast Cafe for $82 million
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe is now part of the greater Moons-Over-My-Hammy-verse. The Orlando-born breakfast chain sold its name and 52 locations to diner giant Denny’s for a reported $82.5 million. Keke’s has grown rapidly since its founding on Conroy Road in 2006. Originally called Florida Waffle Stop, the owners shifted to the (much more memorable) name…
Democrats have to find a way to show Americans how their programs have helped people … without making eyes glaze over
According to a new book by New York Times journalists Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was privately terrified that the child tax credit Democrats included in last year’s American Rescue Plan would catch on and become impossible for Republicans to reverse — much like the Affordable Care Act. No need…
The Undertaker and more WWE stars confirmed for this year’s MegaCon
Attendees to this year’s MegaCon convention in Orlando now have a date with the Dead Man (no not, WHO – though he will also be in the house). Retired WWE legend the Undertaker will be making a very (emphasis on “very” bears repeating) rare convention appearance at MegaCon later this month. And he won’t be coming…
Central Florida rapper Rod Wave arrested following traffic stop in St. Petersburg
Up to today, St. Petersburg’s own Rod Wave’s been in the headlines for his chart-topping music and philanthropy. That changed last night when the rapper—real name Rodarius Marcell Green—was arrested during a traffic stop in St. Petersburg. According to an arrest affidavit provided to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, a St. Petersburg Police Officer witnessed a traffic…
Leaked Supreme Court decision stirs up debate at Florida Capitol
A leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision ignited a sense of urgency Tuesday among Florida Democrats while drawing praise from Republicans. Authored by Justice Samuel Alito, Jr. and supported by other members of the conservative majority of the Supreme Court, the draft opinion was reported…
Major upgrades are happening at West End Co. and it’s all going to give the Sanford scene a big boost
With all the stirrings happening at the West End Trading Co., the Sanford scene is about to get a pretty notable boost. The longtime Sanford live-music pillar is currently working on a spate of significant upgrades that will expand the venue by 50 percent (to a 450-capacity space), enhance the stage, open up the courtyard…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis commits more than $30 million to manatee conservation efforts
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he will approve more than $30 million in the coming year’s budget to help manatees, after a record number of sea-cow deaths in 2021 in Florida waters. The Legislature has not formally sent the proposed $112.1 billion budget to DeSantis, who has line-item veto power. But during an appearance at…
Handsome adoptable dog Gambit is looking for a new home!
Meet Gambit! Gambit (A360753) definitely knows how to smile for the camera. This handsome 5-year-old boy is looking for a new home. Gambit was here in 2016 as a pup and now he’s back, since his owners were having a baby and the person they gave him to lost their home. He’s been passed from…
Orlando artist Kieran Castano puts pen to paper for the historic ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not’ comic strip
The “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” comic strip has been a beloved staple of newspaper funny pages across the country since 1918. And, “believe it or not” (see what we did there?), the new artist behind this august institution is none other than Orlando artist Kieran Castaño. Castaño is known around these parts for his…
Orlando troupe New Generation Theatrical charges into an ambitious 2022-2023 season with ‘Reasons to Be Pretty’
If you want to hear a positive story about pandemic-driven pivots in Central Florida culture, just give theater producer Aaron Safer a phone call. He first burst onto the Orlando arts scene more than seven years ago with shows like The Flick and Heathers: The Musical, staging some of the first local productions to use…
Savage Love: ‘Catching your wife masturbating in the middle of the night isn’t evidence your sex life is lacking’
And no, you do not need to ‘give her a hand’
Netflix promises ‘The Circle’ Season 4 will be ‘the spiciest yet’ and debuts a Korean musical about an abandoned theme park
Plus: Amazon Freevee launches with ‘Bosch: Legacy’
Orlando concert picks this weekend: Better Strangers, Executioner’s Mask, and Ho99o9 with N8NOFACE
If you go out, be safe, be cool. Ho99o9, N8NOFACE: For their sonic and physical extremity on stage, incendiary rap punks Ho99o9 are already underground legends on the live circuit. Orlando knows this well because whenever they come to town, they leave a trail of destruction and bodies in their wake. This time, though, they’re…
Things to do in Orlando, May 4-10: Role Model, Forbidden Kingdom festival, Sebastian Maniscalco, Rockin’ Robinson
Our selection of the best things to do, see, hear, laugh at, buy and eat this week. Wednesday, May 4 Role Model Young and state-of-the-art pop star Role Model just played Coachella; now check him out in the Milk District. Listening to newest album Rx, we’re getting vibes pitched between Bryan Ferry and Mac Miller.…
Orlando band Super Passive waxes nostalgic with a classic post-punk aesthetic on new EP ‘Radio’
Plus Orlando’s Los Jarritos drop ‘Agua Fresca,’ a hit-and-run punk rock tribute to Mexican soda
Jon Padgett narrates Thomas Ligotti’s nightmares in ‘Gas Station Carnivals’
Tales from the crypt
