Cover Story
Raider Klan alum Denzel Curry slides into Orlando with a stacked lineup
A usually sleepy Tuesday night is absolutely roiling this week, with arguably the most stacked single night of shows around town all autumn. And though Maxwell, Bob Log III and Dying Fetus are all well worth your money and attention, never sleep on an appearance by Denzel Curry in the City Beautiful. The young Floridian…
Mayhem on Mills returns to Will’s Pub to crack a few skulls
This is no-mercy sporting at its best, and it takes place at one of Orlando’s finest establishments – the parking lot outside Will’s Pub – instead of a vast, sterile arena. So for those of you who are sick and tired of fake-news wrestling, where matches are as choreographed as a Broadway production of The…
Cupcakke is coming to Orlando this Saturday to snatch your wig
Glue your wigs down tight because Cupcakke, aka Marilyn MonHOE, is coming to snatch them clean off. The raunchy genius responsible for rap lyrics like “Coochie guaranteed to put you to sleep so damn soon/Ridin’ on that dick, I’m readin’ Goodnight Moon” is coming to Orlando this weekend for Pride Week. The Chicago MC has…
Tiga headlines a free ‘Road to Electric Daisy Carnival’ show this weekend at Celine
Presented in part by Corona, Celine hosts a free “Road to Electric Daisy Carnival” show this weekend with Canadian DJ and producer Tiga. Tiga’s remixes of ’00s groups like LCD Soundsystem, the Kills, Scissor Sisters and Peaches established him as a musician with feet in both the dance and rock camps. This free show takes…
Bill Frederick Park hosts both the Asian Cultural Expo and Orlando International Dragon Boat Festival this weekend
This free-to-the-public cultural event will host interactive workshops in Tai Chi, Filipino Tinikling dance and Japanese Taiko drumming, as well as performances of Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian and Vietnamese dance. The Orlando International Dragon Boat Festival happens at the same time, where you can view more than 70 teams facing off against each other in dragon…
Two chameleonic actors play eight roles in ‘The Mystery of Irma Vep’ at Orlando Shakes
On the extremely slim chance that you saw Olivier Assayas’ ’90s indie-rock masterpiece, forget it – great movie, but that Irma Vep has nothing to do with this one. Charles Ludlam’s “Comedic Penny Dreadful” was born in the rarefied high-camp atmosphere of 1984 off-off-Broadway, a truly distinguished pedigree indeed in the annals of camp. Two…
Orlando Ballet takes the lead this week with ‘Carmina Burana’
File under “ballet,” though this is very much a collaborative production, with live voices and music provided by the Bach Festival Society Choir and Orchestra. Orlando Ballet artistic director Robert Hill celebrates his 10th season this year, and this performance of his setting of Carl Orff’s thundering cantata about sex, excess and the fickle nature…
Big Gay Brunch, the party before the parade, returns this weekend for Orlando Pride
With Orlando Pride finally here, what better way to celebrate love and tolerance than with a big, gay brunch – literally? The Big Gay Brunch happens in conjunction with Come Out with Pride 2018, an organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community with grants and scholarships. The brunch benefits Pride Gives Back, an initiative that, like…
Stir Restaurant and Bar in Ivanhoe Village closes
It was about a year ago we reported the closure of Nova Restaurant — the Ivanhoe Village boite touting its scratch kitchen and farm-to-table ingredients. Now it appears as though The Curse of Brian’s Restaurant has claimed its successor — Stir Restaurant & Bar — as its latest victim. Since Brian’s closed in 2014 after 30…
Fairvilla offers free cocktails at this year’s Choose Your Own Adventure: A Halloween Party
As Fairvilla reminds us every year, Halloween is the season when it’s perfectly acceptable to attend functions while dressed in what would any other day be lingerie. Get a look at Fairvilla’s selection this year while enjoying free cocktails, a costume contest, games, raffles and more. 7-9 p.m. Thursday; Fairvilla Megastore, 1740 N. Orange Blossom…
Orlando activists call for termination of police officer who called people ‘savages’
Orlando activists gathered Monday at the steps of City Hall to call for the termination of a police officer who made offensive comments online and called “savages” a group of patrons from the LGBTQ nightclub Parliament House. “We believe that is is imperative for communities to take action against police brutality, police misconduct and fix the broken system…
Winter Park Wine & Dine Fall Edition adds booze to an already superb farmers market
If you’ve ever thought that a trip to Winter Park’s picturesque farmers market could only be improved with access to free booze and food, you’re in luck. The Winter Park Wine & Dine is a nibble-and-graze feast giving you access to various bars and restaurants serving beer, wine, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. You can…
Pizza Bruno expanding to downtown Orlando and Mills 50
If your mouth watered at the news of Pizza Bruno offering lunch service, then you’ll positively salivate at the thought of Pizza Bruno expanding to the downtown core AAAAAND Mills 50. We can’t share full details (as yet) about the downtown location, but we can tell you that Pizza Bruno will open a satellite locale…
It would appear that Florida’s voter registration website is shitting the bed
In yet another example of why Florida needs to adopt automatic voter registration, the state’s year-old online registration portal seems to be glitching at the absolute worst time possible. Today, Tuesday, Oct. 9, is the last day to register to vote for the upcoming midterms, and despite objections from Florida election officials, the state’s voter…
Lucky’s Market locations in Winter Park and Hunter’s Creek are now open
A day ahead of schedule, two new Lucky’s Markets opened their doors today — one in Winter Park and one in Hunter’s Creek. The Winter Park store is located at 7580 University Blvd. and the Hunter’s Creek store at 4169 Town Center Blvd., joining the newly opened Clermont and East Orlando locations. Both locations had…
Airbnb is offering free housing for evacuees of Hurricane Michael
People in need of a place to stay during Hurricane Michael are in luck. Vacation home rental site Airbnb is now providing free temporary housing in Northern and Central Florida, as a part of their Open Homes Program. The program is being implemented in Florida, Alabama and Georgia from Oct. 8 – 29. Housing will be…
Orlando dance icon Michael Donaldson gets back into the music label business
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Among Orlando music figures, the accomplished Michael Donaldson has long been one of the smartest guys in the room. Under the moniker Q-Burns Abstract Message, he first made a name for himself both locally and globally as not just one of the city’s premier talents in the massive dance music boom of…
Breakfast restaurant First Watch releases first cookbook, ‘Yeah, It’s Fresh’
Here’s how I like my eggs: cooked by someone else. But if you’re not me, a new cookbook by the chefs of First Watch will show you how to re-create their award-winning breakfasts and brunches in your own kitchen. Yeah, It’s Fresh comes out in celebration of First Watch’s 35th year in business. Published by local agency Story…
Disney CEO Bob Iger says he won’t make presidential bid in 2020
At the Vanity Fair summit Tuesday, Disney chairman Bob Iger confirmed that he will not launch a 2020 presidential run after all. “I happen to be speaking with a presidential historian, but it’s just a coincidence,” Iger said, per a Twitter post by a reporter at Yahoo Finance. “Just to set the record straight – I…
National gun-control group set to spend $2 million on Florida races
Going bareknuckled against the National Rifle Association, Everytown for Gun Safety, a national gun-control group, will spend $2 million to help Florida Democrats snag state Cabinet positions, among other races. The non-partisan group, co-founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, will also donate to Republicans running for the state Senate. Democrats set to…
Florida Democrats sue to extend voter registration deadline because of Hurricane Michael
Florida Democrats are suing the state to extend the voter registration deadline until Oct. 16 because of Hurricane Michael. The last day for voters to register in Florida for November’s general election is Tuesday, Oct. 9. The Florida Democratic Party filed a complaint for emergency relief in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District…
Ahead of next year’s Sesame Street land, SeaWorld announces seven new rides for its Orlando parks
As SeaWorld Orlando hosted the grand opening of Infinity Falls, their long-delayed new river rapids ride, they used the occasion to point ahead to even more new things heading to their Orlando parks in 2019. Park officials finally confirmed new details regarding the much-anticipated Sesame Street at SeaWorld Orlando area. As reported on here in February,…
Iconic playgrounds in Mount Dora, Eustis, and Tavares are about to get major facelifts
With Wekiva Parkway construction well underway, the impact of the new Orlando metro beltway loop is starting to be felt in Lake County’s Golden Triangle area. New housing developments are being proposed nearly every day in Tavares, Eustis and Mount Dora, and with new residents soon to flood these cities, the three historic areas are…
Rick Scott warns of devastation, storm surge from Hurricane Michael, now Category 2 storm
Hurricane Michael, swiftly moving north through the Gulf of Mexico, is growing more dangerous as it is set to bring “devastation” Wednesday to parts of the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region, Gov. Rick Scott said Tuesday morning. Scott, after getting a briefing at 8 a.m. at the State Emergency Operations Center, urged people who…
Speaking in Orlando, President Trump praises Rick Scott, Brett Kavanaugh
President Trump used Orlando as the stage for his racy political criticisms on Monday, speaking to a room of some 1,500 law enforcement officials about Gov. Rick Scott, Orlando Police Chief John Mina and a slew of controversial topics like his increasingly enthusiastic defense for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The president’s speech came…
Reggaeton star Wisin to play Orlando in November
Puerto Rican reggaeton sensation Wisin is heading out on a North American “Corona Estereo Beach” next month, with just two Florida dates. Luckily for his Central Florida fanbase, one of those dates is in Orlando! Wisin headlines the House of Blues on Friday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here. Get our…
Three counties ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Michael barrels toward Florida Panhandle
While the National Hurricane Center expects Hurricane Michael to hit the Panhandle as a Category 3 storm, three Florida counties were issued evacuation orders Monday afternoon. As of now, the evacuation orders only include Gulf County, Wakulla County and Bay County. Life-threatening storm surge warnings have been issued for these areas, as well. Florida State…
New Kids on the Block to play Orlando with Salt N Pepa and more next summer
Boston’s boyband innovators New Kids on the Block today announced a blockbuster tour heavy on sweet, sweet nostalgia for a golden age of pop-radio. And there is an Orlando date set for next year! NKOTB’s “Mixtape Tour” seeks to approximate the preteen 1980s ritual of taping songs off the radio with a boombox live and…
Carol Burnett heading to the Dr. Phillips Center
If you miss The Carol Burnett Show, the comedic legend herself is bringing her nationwide tour to Orlando. On Feb. 18, 2019, Burnett will take questions from the crowd and show clips from her show in “An Evening of Laughter and Reflection” at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets, starting at $69.25, go…
TLC to hit the stage at the Hard Rock Orlando
Iconic girl group TLC announced this morning that they’re coming to Orlando and all are welcome to join, unless you’re a scrub, of course. On Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, they’ll be playing their greatest hits at Orlando’s Hard Rock Cafe. Talk about the ultimate Flashback Friday! Tickets, starting at $35, go on sale Oct. 12…
UCF lands among top 10 in both college football polls
As of Sunday, the University of Central Florida football team is ranked in the top 10 in both the Associated Press and coaches’ top 25 polls, following the Knights’ 48-20 romping of Southern Methodist University on Saturday. Moving up two spots, UCF is ranked No. 10 in this week’s AP poll. That means the Knights…
Rick Scott warns Florida to ‘seriously’ plan for major Hurricane Michael impact
Gov. Rick Scott on Monday warned residents of the Panhandle and the Big Bend region to “seriously” plan for the impact of the rapidly developing Hurricane Michael, which is expected to reach Florida by mid-week with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. “You’ve got to take care of yourself,” said Scott, sporting his faded Navy…
Today is your last chance to register to vote in Florida
If you haven’t registered to vote yet in Florida’s general election this Nov. 6, you’ve still got time. The last day to register to vote in time for the election is Tuesday, Oct. 9. The deadline to register for an upcoming election is 29 days before that election, though you can register to vote in…
Michael strengthens into a hurricane as it heads for Florida Panhandle
Tropical Storm Michael strengthened into a hurricane Monday morning as the storm headed for the Florida Panhandle. The National Hurricane Center says Michael is “forecast to be a dangerous major hurricane” by the time it reaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Wednesday. Parts of Florida’s coast could see life-threatening storm surge. Heavy rainfall from Hurricane…
Tropical Storm Michael prompts state of emergency in Northwest Florida
Gov. Rick Scott on Sunday declared a state of emergency in Northwest Florida as a looming hurricane threatens to hammer the region in the middle of the week. Scott said during a 6 p.m. news conference that he declared an emergency in 26 counties in the Panhandle and the Big Bend — generally areas surrounding…
Turkey legs, Dole Whips, and pretty much everything else at Disney World just got more expensive
In an odd move, Disney World carried out a significant increase of food and beverage prices across property recently in the middle of this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The move means updates anywhere and on anything that mentions prices. While the new price increases are permanent, the rollout required updates at nearly…
Jon Bon Jovi cruises are now a thing
Less than two weeks after Carnival announced they’re discounting their onboard Carnival Live concert series, a new major cruise concert was announced. Norwegian Cruise Line announced the Runaway to Paradise cruises that will feature two Jon Bon Jovi concerts, including an acoustic storyteller-style concert and numerous other Bon Jovi-themed events. Two separate Jon Bon Jovi…
Orlando launches whirlwind tour for Florida punks Gouge Away with hot sellout
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Gouge Away record release show with Culture Abuse, Will’s Pub, Oct. 4 Rocketing Florida punk band Gouge Away are rising with palpable heat. The groundswell they’ve been amassing by the minute has been officially consummated by a blistering new album (Burnt Sugar) that just dropped on notable punk label Deathwish Inc. Although…
Florida judge blocks releasing records on FIU bridge collapse
Siding with arguments of transportation-safety officials, a federal judge Friday blocked an attempt by the Miami Herald to get records related to a March bridge collapse at Florida International University that killed six people. Senior U.S. District Judge William Stafford quashed a ruling by a state-court judge that would have required the Florida Department of…
Portuguese film ‘MAR’ will screen at Come Out With Pride Orlando next week
Come Out With Pride Orlando and QLatinx have partnered for a screening of the LGBTQ-themed Portuguese film MAR (The Sea) next Tuesday. The award-winning short film is a love story about a couple vacationing in a coastal Portuguese town of Peniche, according to the film’s website. A visit by Xavier (Lourenço Seruya) and Eduardo (João Santos…
Luke Bryan, Toby Keith and Luke Combs will headline Orlando’s Country Thunder Festival
Multi-state country music festival Country Thunder just announced a Florida outpost set for next year, and it will be in nearby Kissimmee. So far three heavy headliners have been revealed for the event – Luke Bryan, Toby Keith and Luke Combs – and the Ram National Rodeo Circuit Finals will also be held at the event.…
Curry Ford West is Orlando’s newest Main Street District
Wedged between Conway and SoDo, a mile-and-a-half stretch along Curry Ford Road has joined Orlando’s Main Street Districts. City Council is expected to officially dub the area with the title of Curry Ford West Market Street and signature branding on Monday, when all the agreements for the following year will be voted on, says Main…
This dad built a working replica of Disney’s Haunted Mansion in his garage
The “Coolest Dad Ever Award” goes to Dan Schmidt, who turned his garage into a mini-replica of Disney’s Haunter Mansion ride, a feat he does every year. Since 2014 Schmidt, who is a design director for Great Wolf Lodge, has spooked trick-or-treaters at his home in Madison, Wisconsin, with his free DIY attraction. According to…
A Florida gas station owner wants people to stop warming their pee in his microwave
A gas station owner in Jacksonville is extremely pissed that people keep warming their urine in the store microwave. “They walk in off the street, microwave urine containers then, leave,” said On the Fly (yes, that’s the real name) convenience store owner Parlu Patel to WLTV. According to the television station, the store is within walking distance…
Puerto Rican trap star Anuel AA to play Orlando in November
Puerto Rican trap star Anuel AA today announced dates for his “Real Hasta La Muerte” North American debut tour and an Orlando date is in the mix! The singer’s new album and tour namesake, Real Hasta La Muerte, is currently burning up the charts. The album dropped this summer as surprise release, just hours before…
Rick Scott distances himself from pre-existing conditions lawsuit by saying health care is a ‘right’
In trying to distance himself from a multistate lawsuit that could eliminate insurance protections for people with pre-existing conditions, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said this week he believes health care should be a “right.” Scott’s statement, which came during a debate against U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, is at odds with other Republican politicians and followed…
Newborn sperm whale dies after washing up on shore in Flagler Beach
A newborn sperm whale calf died shortly after washing up on shore this week in Flagler Beach. According to a Facebook post from the Flagler Beach Police Department, the whale, which was 12 feet long and weighed roughly 1,000 pounds, was discovered Wednesday night. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of bystanders and local authorities, the calf…
In second Orlando show this year, Telekinetic Yeti prove they’re one of the best rock duos alive
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND ASG, Telekinetic Yeti, Coagulate and the Dancing Bones, Will’s Pub, Oct. 3 It’s been some years since I’ve checked in on ASG and it’s nice to see that the North Carolina hard-rock horsemen have stayed staunch in honing their devotion to the almighty riff during the Relapse Records phase of their career.…
New parody video shows a toxic algae version of Visit Florida’s ‘Sexy Beaches’
New #VISITFLORIDA commercial ¡Dale! #ILiveWhereYouVacation #RedTideRick pic.twitter.com/x79wi2qjqd — Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) October 5, 2018 While Gov. Rick Scott, a man who over his career has cut nearly $700 million from state environmental agencies, continues to throw money at the sludge lining every coast of our state, a new parody video of Visit Florida’s “Sexy Beaches”…
Florida AG Pam Bondi launches statewide investigation into sexual abuse by priests
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has launched a statewide probe into sexual abuse by Catholic priests, following a Pennsylvania grand jury report this summer that found more than 1,000 children were molested over decades by hundreds of priests whose wrongdoing was covered up by church leaders. Bondi, whose office is investigating all seven Catholic dioceses…
Chef Josh Oakley leaves Sanford’s Smiling Bison
More discouraging words from the culinary front. Josh Oakley, the talented chef who made the Smiling Bison one of the better restaurants in Central Florida, has decided to sell his stake in the restaurant to business partner Ron Thomas. Oakley says creative differences led to his departure, but that he’s exploring a handful of opportunities…
El Buda on Church Street shutters less than a year after opening
El Buda, the Latin-Asian fusion restaurant inside the Bumby Arcade on Church Street, has succumbed to the jinx that saw scores of restaurants (Maddey’s Craft & Cru, Eternal Tap, Chicago’s Stuffed Pizza, Brick & Fire, Absinthe Bistro) shutter in the beautiful space. The restaurant, by chef Roberto Treviño and business partner Luis Garcia, was well received…
Blue Bird Bake Shop owners branch out, sell shop to new owners
Neither of them talks about Blue Bird Bake Shop in the past tense. They have sold their Audubon Park business and all but handed over the reins to the new owners – the Aguilera family, who also currently own and run a pizza restaurant in Acapulco – but Jeff Lambert and Joel Pfrogner still feel…
Sette, from Se7en Bites owners, to bring rustic Italian eats downtown
I couldn’t help but do a mental Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita dance as Trina Gregory Propst and wife Va Propst were describing their new Italian concept to me. “Rustic Italian kitchen,” they said. “Pastas made from scratch!” I kicked and whirled and clapped and laughed in my flowy black dress. Umm, yeah. Anyway,…
As beaches across Florida close, Rick Scott directs another $3 million to battle red tide
As beaches across Florida’s Atlantic coast closed due to the continuing spread of toxic red tide, Gov. Rick Scott directed $3 million Thursday to the counties most recently affected by the crisis. The state Department of Environmental Protection will offer $3 million in grants to St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties to help…
SeaWorld Orlando announces new $10 a month annual pass program
Today, SeaWorld unveiled a new system for their annual passes — a four-tier system where customers choose the amount of perks they want, including a pass that costs only $10 a month. These four levels are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each subsequent level offers more perks and increases in price. Here’s what each pass offers,…
Universal Orlando’s new annual pass deal adds three to six extra months
Anyone looking to renew their Universal annual pass is in luck. Universal Orlando Resort announced today a new deal that tacks on three to six extra months for free. From Oct. 4, 2018, through April 4, 2019, anyone renewing their Seasonal Pass or Power Pass will get a free three months. Preferred Pass and Premier…
Three major I-4 mayors very loudly endorsed Andrew Gillum for governor in Orlando today
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum and his running mate, Chris King, stopped in Orlando on Thursday to garner three pivotal endorsements from mayors along the I-4 Corridor, attracting a small group of supporters and a smaller throng of protesters. Standing next to a construction zone alongside I-4 in downtown Orlando, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Tampa…
New soul superstar Leon Bridges to play Orlando next year
Up-and-coming R&B singer Leon Bridges has just announced a second leg of his “Good Thing” tour, currently selling out venues all over the country. And in a stroke of luck for Orlando fans, this run of dates commencing in April of 2019 does include an Orlando show. The Grammy nominated Bridges is touring behind his…
Orange County sheriff candidates take on community policing issues at forum
Orange County sheriff candidates Orlando Police Chief John Mina and retired Florida Highway Patrol Chief Joe Lopez discussed their takes on policing issues at a community forum Wednesday evening. Issues on the conversational chopping block included school safety, filming police, the use of deadly force by police, the “stand your ground” law, hiring practices and…
John Legend visits Orlando to push for restoring felon voting rights
Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor John Legend, along with the founders of the Orlando-based Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, gave students at Maynard Evans High School a lesson on Wednesday: the most important part of a democracy is the right to vote. FRRC hosted Legend in Pine Hills for a lively get-out-the-vote event promoting Amendment 4, an…
Media groups fight NRA request to keep teens anonymous in Florida gun case
Media organizations from across the country are urging a federal appeals court to reject an attempt to allow two teens to remain anonymous in a challenge to a new Florida gun law. A brief filed last week on behalf of 21 organizations argued that allowing the teens to take part in the challenge as Jane…
Judge blocks Florida’s medical marijuana license process
In what could be another delay for Florida’s burgeoning medical-marijuana industry, a Tallahassee judge agreed Wednesday to block state health officials from moving forward with the application process for highly sought-after medical marijuana licenses. Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson’s verbal order during a hearing came nearly two months after he found that a state…
Well, the Maitland Boulevard exit on I-4 isn’t where it used to be
This morning the westbound I-4 exit for Maitland Boulevard made a drastic shift to a new location. The new layout places Exit 90 nearly a half-mile east, requiring drivers heading either east or west on Maitland Boulevard to exit I-4 nearly a half-mile earlier. The exit also handles any westbound drivers heading to Lake Destiny Road.…
Adam Putnam says NAFTA falls short for Florida farmers
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam would like the renegotiated and rebranded North American Free Trade Agreement to do more to help the state’s farmers. And he’s not alone, as U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., also expressed concerns about the absence of relief for Florida agriculture in the revamped trade pact announced late Sunday. Putnam, who…
Wall Street Cantina in downtown Orlando is giving away free lunch to anyone who’s won an EGOT, specifically John Legend
When we put it on the chalkboard we mean it. Thanks for visiting Wall St. Cantina @johnlegend congrats on your EGOT. pic.twitter.com/UC8BkVVaBp — Wall Street Plaza (@wallstplaza) October 3, 2018 Downtown Orlando’s Wall Street Cantina gave away free lunch today, but only to anyone who’s ever won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a…
Donald Trump will attend a convention in Orlando on Monday
Donald Trump, a man who just yesterday mocked a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted, will be in Orlando next week. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders informed press today that the President is addressing Monday’s International Association of Chiefs of Police at the Orange County Convention Center. According to PBS News Hour, “The…
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes will film his show tonight at Hooch in downtown Orlando
MSNBC’s Emmy-winning news host Chris Hayes will film tonight’s episode of All In at Hooch in Wall Street Plaza. The host tweeted about tonight’s appearance this morning, telling fans to be there at around 7:30 p.m. Hey, #inners! Tonight we’ll be broadcasting the show live from Orlando. Come by Hooch in the Wall St Plaza…
The three Orlando police officers involved in this week’s fatal shooting at ORMC failed to use their body cameras
On Tuesday, the Orlando Police Department admitted that there was no body-camera footage from the three officers who shot a man making threats Monday in the emergency room at Orlando Regional Medical Center. The suspect, 33-year-old Brian Baker, was unarmed and died on the scene. “He made a motion that is consistent with pulling a…
$15 an hour is great, but it’s still not enough to live in Orlando
Last month, Disney World and its unions agreed to raise wages to $15 an hour by 2021, and yesterday Amazon agreed to raise the wages of their minimum wage employees to $15 an hour starting in November. This is all great, but it doesn’t change the fact that people in Orlando will continue to be…
Florida candidates reel in record amount of taxpayer-funded matching money
With slightly more than a month to go before the November election, Florida statewide candidates have topped a matching-funds record from the 2010 election. Bolstered by small-dollar fundraising in the race for governor, $6.08 million has been sent by the state to candidates this year, according to figures provided Tuesday by the Florida Division of…
Rick Scott says Florida ready to address red tide in Atlantic
Florida has money and resources ready as red tide that has lingered along the Gulf Coast has been detected in Palm Beach County’s coastal waters, Gov. Rick Scott’s office said Tuesday. The announcement came after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found the toxic bacteria present in low-to-medium amounts in the Atlantic Ocean off…
Surprisingly contemporary, ‘The Birds’ has a post-apocalyptic energy that’s very much in the zeitgeist
Ordinarily, I honor October’s arrival by visiting haunted houses, but last week’s Senate hearings were far more frightening than any chainsaw-wielding maniac. So instead, I’m turning this week’s column over one of my favorite local stage directors and her terrifyingly timely tale of gendered power dynamics and collapsing social norms. If you think the idea…
Opening in Orlando: Venom, Mandy, and more
THIS WEEK: Mandy Remember when Andy Samberg’s Nic Cage said an essential element of any of his movies was that “everything in the film is on fire”? Well, the first act of Cage’s new flick features his character’s wife being set on fire. And that’s upping the ante in a way even Weekend Update couldn’t…
Bradley Cooper helms a respectable remake in ‘A Star Is Born’
Every generation needs its Star, and the latest version – starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga – is a worthwhile addition to the series. Star was born in 1937 when William Wellman directed the melodramatic Janet Gaynor and the subtle, heartbreaking Fredric March in the eternal story of celebrities at opposite ends of their careers.…
Savage Love: ‘Hearts and Minds’
Is it even possible for a couple that stopped having sex to start back up again? My girlfriend and I (we’re both women) have been together for four years, and we haven’t had sex for two. I thought the sex was good before it stopped, but apparently she was going through the motions. She’s a…
Gimme Shelter: Meet Kevin!
Here’s Kevin (A413670), the sweetest young tuxedo gentlemen you could ever hope to meet! When his foster mom picked him up from the shelter, he was very shy but just look at this sweetheart now! This boy has a huge heart and teeny little squeak of a meow. He is calm and gentle and will…
Thornton Park’s Big Time Street Food serves hangover food at its hedonistic best
That Big Time Street Food isn’t open until 4 p.m. should tell you something. That something is: This stuff ain’t for lunch. Here, you won’t find the kind of invigorating, light-but-hearty dishes designed specifically for midday. In this primarily takeaway space with just a few barstools and a counter that looks out onto Washington Street…
Eggs and Oats opens in Winter Garden, Vinia Wine Bar coming soon, plus more in Orlando foodie news
OPENINGS: Eggs and Oats, a breakfast and brunch cafe (they even serve an Impossible Burger and waffles!), has opened on Plant Street in Winter Garden … Vinia Wine Bar hopes to open sometime this week in Hannibal Square … Dixie Chix Southern Kissed Chicken, a venture with Top Chef Season 5 contestant Fabio Viviani as…
Fast-rising Florida punks Gouge Away talk touring, new album
Break the walls
The best concerts coming to Orlando this week
Marília Mendonça Fiery young Brazilian hitmaker Mendonça (known – fondly, we promise – as the “Queen of Suffering”) is staring down the patriarchy, one irresistible sertanejo tune at a time. 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, at House of Blues, $97.25 Watsky San Francisco MC and onetime Grand Slam Poetry champion brings Chukwudi Hodge and Feed the…
ICYMI: UCF extends tuition break for displaced students, Orange County schools set medical marijuana policy, and more
Orlando Police officers kill ORMC patient who claimed to have gun: Orlando Police officers shot and killed a patient at Orlando Regional Medical Center who told hospital staff he had a gun. The suspect was not in fact armed, according to Chief John Mina. The ORMC emergency room was locked down Monday morning as law…
Who’s up, who’s down in Florida politics this week
Welcome to “Who’s Up, Who’s Down,” a scatter-graph in which we rank Sunshine State pols’ behavior each week. Candidate making crowd-savvy moves? Elected official got a case of foot-in-mouth disease? Read about it here.
