Cover Story
2020: This was not the summer we asked for, but it’s the one we got
13 ways to salvage the season
A summer with no Brits could spell big trouble for Orlando
Florida is currently seeing record levels of confirmed COVID-19 infections, and visitors from Europe and the U.K. are taking notice. In a significant hit to Orlando’s tourism economy, both U.K. tour operator TUI and Virgin Atlantic have confirmed they will not offer any tickets to Orlando this summer. Virgin pushed back the restart of its…
On July 4, a day of Black Lives Matter protests planned at Lake Eola Park
Local activist groups and grassroots organizations are joining together for a Blackout and Black Lives Matter protest on the afternoon of July 4 at Lake Eola Park, with a block party set to to follow the event. A much better use of the park than for fireworks, we’d have to say. The coalition of groups…
Gov. DeSantis extends statewide eviction and foreclosure moratorium mere hours before it expires
In a totally normal and not at all capricious way of governing that is surely not borderline cruel to his constituents, Gov. DeSantis extended the statewide moratorium on eviction and foreclosures on Tuesday night mere hours before it was set to expire at midnight, July 1. Though waiting until the last second for such an…
Legal Public Notices 7/1 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices AUCTION Extra Space Storage – Store 8138, 1001 Lee Rd. Orlando FL. 32810 Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: 1001 Lee d. Orlando, FL. 32810 (407) 489-3742, July 16, 2020 @ 4:00…
Ron DeSantis signs law restricting abortion access in Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed a bill that will require parental consent before minors can have abortions, a long-sought goal of abortion opponents in Florida. DeSantis did not make a public statement about the bill signing, but Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, and other supporters praised the measure and said parents need to be…
The new Ford Bronco will no longer be unveiled on O.J. Simpson’s birthday
The return of Ford’s discontinued cult favorite SUV, the Bronco, will no longer celebrate its reveal on the 73rd birthday of former NFL star and alleged murderer O.J. Simpson. Ford Motor Company’s vice president of communications Mark Truby made the announcement Friday afternoon, saying Ford decided to push the Bronco’s reveal from July 9 to…
New Fort Wilderness barn gives us our first, and maybe only, glimpse of what Disney’s Reflections resort will look like
Since 2011, Disney has been looking to capitalize on the southern shores of Bay Lake, where the former River Country water park was located. In 2018, Disney confirmed it would be moving ahead with a new DVC resort, Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge. Reflections is surprisingly close to the Fort Wilderness Settlement, causing the outdoor…
Local mental health advocates to put on Black Mental Health Matters online event this Wednesday
On Wednesday, Orlando grassroots and advocacy organization Peer Support Space is putting on their first virtual event, Black Mental Health Matters, a “response to the increased need for healing and emotional support systems for Black community members” to coincide with the first day of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Aimed at facilitating communication and the…
Amid uncertainty, Carnival sees major leadership changes and ship delays
The first six months of 2020 have hit Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, like nothing before. Now, half a dozen changes in leadership have occurred in recent weeks. In late February, before the coronavirus was seen as a major concern in the U.S., Japan denied entry to passengers of the Diamond Princess, one…
Florida’s coronavirus surge could drop gas prices again
With the number of COVID-19 cases in Florida spiking, fuel demand and prices could drop again. The AAA auto club said a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florida now averages $2.03 a gallon, up a penny from last week. But prices of crude oil and wholesale gasoline fell last week, as COVID-19 cases surged…
Timucua Arts Foundation announces new performance season of in-house music livestreams
Rolling with the punches amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, arts nonprofit and show space Timucua Arts Foundation has announced a new season of in-house music livestreams. And, unlike the archival streaming content they’ve been broadcasting since March, these performances will be brand-new and filmed live at Timucua on the day, although with no audience. “We’re…
Orange County Animal Services temporarily closes after several employees test positive for COVID-19
Orange County Animal Services has temporarily closed its doors to the public after three employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to a post on the OCAS Facebook on Sunday. “Out of an abundance of caution and concern for the health and safety of our staff, volunteers and visitors, we are temporarily closing to the public,”…
Orlando haunted attraction Dark Horizon cancels their 2020 Halloween season due to coronavirus
Upstart local haunted attraction Dark Horizon announced via Facebook on Monday that they will be canceling their entire 2020 Halloween season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “It is with heavy hearts that we can now confirm the 2020 season of Dark Horizon: Point of No Return (Orlando, FL) has officially been cancelled due to…
Florida Gov. DeSantis slashes $1 billion from state’s budget
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday slashed $1 billion before signing a $92.2 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, as he tries to keep lawmakers from having to come back to Tallahassee ahead of the November elections to address revenue shortfalls caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to vetoing more than 500 spending proposals…
Surprise birthday party takes Maitland teen ‘Back to the Future’
Among the many casualties of the COVID-19 crisis have been the graduation celebrations that traditionally take place this time of year. So when Lake Howell High School canceled its scheduled July 17 commencement ceremony, Maitland mom Cyn Sellards turned to friends she made in her years as a Universal Orlando employee to help turn her…
Floridians’ most-searched term on Dictionary.com right now is ‘social distance’
After recent news that Floridians just don’t seem to get the whole social distancing concept — something backed up by our record COVID-19 infection rates — maybe there’s hope. Last week week, Dictionary.com posted a map displaying the top-searched terms by state during the pandemic, and Floridians apparently have been doing research on how to…
Florida manatee deaths are way up this year, and experts point to COVID-19 as a factor
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the phrase “nature is healing” has been a common and often false signal that animals are somehow making a comeback, and one species that’s apparently worse off is the Florida manatee. According to public mortality records from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, manatee deaths have risen…
Florida looks for a ‘way forward’ on bars reopening
Florida’s ban on serving alcohol to people in bars will be reevaluated daily, the state’s top business regulator said in a series of tweets over the weekend that also offered apologies for the crackdown. Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is “trying to figure out a way forward”…
Vice President Mike Pence calls off Florida appearances
As President Donald Trump gears up his reelection campaign in Florida, appearances scheduled Thursday by Vice President Mike Pence in Sarasota and Lake Wales have been called off. The Republican Party of Sarasota County said Saturday that Pence’s appearance in Sarasota has been “postponed to a later date” but did not explain the reasons. Similarly,…
Judge tosses out effort to require Florida’s county elections officials to pay for mail-in ballot postage
Laying the groundwork for an upcoming trial in a case seeking to expand the state’s vote-by-mail procedures, a federal judge on Friday tossed out an effort by left-leaning groups to require county elections officials to pay for postage for mail-in ballots. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle held a status conference in preparation for a July…
Florida business groups question Gov. DeSantis’ refusal to issue statewide masks requirement
Business groups say a “patchwork” of local face-mask ordinances across Florida is creating confusion for store owners and customers. Several cities and counties from the Panhandle to South Florida have approved requirements for face coverings to be worn in public settings. But other local governments have stayed out of the issue, and Gov. Ron DeSantis…
Florida Trump supporters want to set the world record for biggest ‘Trumptilla’
If Pinellas Patriots and Largo’s Trump-loving coffee shop Conservative Grounds has their way, Tampa Bay will soon be home to a world-record setting Trump boat parade. A Facebook event page says the shop is hosting a “MOAB… Mother of all Boat Parades,” on Sat. Aug. 15 (and yes, MOAB is probably a reference to the…
Former Florida sheriff’s deputy must remove his ‘Blue Lives Matter’ flag, says HOA
A New Port Richey homeowners association sent former Pasco County Sheriff Deputy Sean Kennedy a letter telling him to remove the Blue Lives Matter flag flying above his garage―and he refuses. In the letter dated June 22, the Fox Wood Community Association wrote, “During a recent inspection it was noted that you have an improper…
After resigning from office, former Seminole Tax Collector Joel Greenberg drops out of re-election race
Enterprising bigot and former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg followed up on his resignation from office on Wednesday by dropping his re-election campaign as well on Friday. Though the move was expected after federal indictments on stalking and identity theft against him were revealed on Tuesday, Greenberg is known for shady financial practices involving his…
Orlando Weekly’s Bite30 restaurant promotion will offer takeout due to COVID-19
Bite30, the city-wide promotion featuring 30-plus local restaurants serving $30 prix fixe three-course menus for 30 days, will be offering takeout options for the first time in the promotion’s decade-long history. “The promotion is specifically designed to bring people into restaurants for a three-course meal experience at a discounted price to experience the service, the…
Within 30 minutes, Disney World Annual Passholders claim every open theme park reservation
Walt Disney World Annual Passholders were up bright and early Friday morning, parked in front of their computers and primed to scoop up park reservations that will get them into the Disney parks when these attractions reopen in July. Disney’s new online reservation system opened Friday at 6 a.m. for Annual Passholders without a hotel…
Editor’s note: We killed the comments section on Orlando Weekly; long live letters to the editor
No more spam! I’m thrilled that I can finally announce we’ve decided to pull the plug on the commenting module on Orlando Weekly articles. To those of you hoping to find a job that pays you $5K a week to work from home … sorry, you won’t find it in our comments section. This decision came…
Florida just reported nearly 9,000 new coronavirus cases, obliterating previous record
Today, the Florida Department of Health reported 8,942 new coronavirus cases, a new single-day record that absolutely demolishes the state’s previous record of 5,511 new cases, which was just set on Wednesday. The agency also reported nine new deaths, and 212 hospitalizations. Florida now has a 13.5 percent positivity rate for new tests conducted. According…
Florida just suspended all alcohol consumption at bars statewide
After the Department of Health reported nearly 9,000 new COVID-19 cases in Florida, the state is suspending the consumption of alcohol at all bars statewide. The announcement was made Friday afternoon on Twitter by Halsey Beshears, the Secretary of Department of Business & Professional Regulation. “Effective immediately, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is…
Gov. DeSantis says Florida isn’t ready for third phase of reopening
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida isn’t ready for the next phase of his effort to reinvigorate the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. “We never anticipated necessarily doing anything different in terms of the next phase at this point anyways,” DeSantis said Thursday during a bill-signing event in Tampa. “We are where we are. Obviously, South…
Surge in Florida coronavirus cases sparks NBA concerns over games at Disney World
A surge in the number of coronavirus cases in Florida has sparked concerns over the National Basketball Association’s plans to resume play next month at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Twenty-two teams plan to be housed at Disney resorts in Orange and Osceola counties. Orange County added 1,285 new cases over the past two days,…
Vice President Mike Pence to campaign for Trump in Florida
Vice President Mike Pence will be back in Florida to campaign next week. With Florida a crucial state in the 2020 presidential election, Pence will bring his “Faith in America” tour to an 11:30 a.m. July 2 appearance at the Sarasota Event Center, according to an announcement Thursday by President Donald Trump’s campaign. Tickets are…
Howey-in-the-Hills Republican lawmaker brings lawsuit challenging county mask mandate
Calling it a “radical infringement” of constitutional rights, the head of the Republican Party in Leon County teamed with a conservative state representative Thursday to challenge a local ordinance requiring people to wear face coverings to curb the spread of COVID-19. “I don’t have a problem with masks. I have a problem with government mandating…
Splash Mountain to be re-branded based on Disney film ‘The Princess and the Frog’
The Disney fans (over 21,000 strong) who earlier this month signed an online petition to re-theme the log flume ride Splash Mountain appear to have been successful in getting their message heard Disney announced today that it will change both Splash Mountain rides – one at California’s Disneyland and one at the Magic Kingdom here…
Leslye Gale’s O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Thursday, June 25, 2020
Every morning on Magic 107.7 FM, Leslye Gale discusses the most interesting Orlando Weekly stories of the day on “Chad & Leslye.” Check out Leslye’s picks today. Florida’s COVID Numbers Shatter Records, Again Florida smashes the nationwide record for one day COVID-19 numbers, posting more than 55-hundred new cases Wednesday. – LINK Earlier this week, Governor…
Downtown Orlando Hamburger Mary’s closes temporarily after employee tests positive for COVID-19
Downtown bar, eatery and drag haven Hamburger Mary’s announced on their Facebook page Wednesday night that they will be closing temporarily because an employee has tested positive for COVID-19. Hamburger Mary’s will be closed through Monday while the entire staff gets tested, and they sanitize and clean their Church Street building. The post explained that…
The owner of the Knight’s Bar near UCF says his establishment is being used as a ‘scapegoat’
The owner of the Knight’s Pub in Orlando contended Wednesday that the bar is being used as a “scapegoat” after the state suspended its alcoholic beverage license for violating coronavirus reopening guidelines. Owner Michael D’Esposito released a statement disputing the bar violated a 50 percent indoor occupancy cap after reopening on June 5, when bars…
Enchanted Fairy Doors exhibit returns to Leu Gardens in August
Since we are quite frankly desperate for some whimsy and wonder right now, we’re happy to see that the Enchanted Fairy Doors are returning to Harry P. Leu Gardens this summer. For the last few years, we’re told that actual mystical fairies have been making Leu Gardens their summer home, and since every home has…
Florida Film Festival is back on and set for August
The Florida Film Festival is back on this year, with rescheduled August dates announced on Wednesday, and looks like Maitland’s Enzian Theater is set to be the sole host theater for all of this year’s FFF film screenings and events. The full Festival schedule and programming (including venue details) will be released on Wednesday, July…
Florida reports record 5,511 new COVID-19 cases statewide on Wednesday
Florida continues to set new and terrible milestones with reported COVID-19 cases. According to the state Department of Health, Florida added 5,508 new positive coronavirus cases and reported another 44 deaths. As Tampa Bay Times data reporter Langston Taylor pointed out, it took Florida the whole month of March to reach 5,500 cases, and we…
Wide open places in Central Florida where you can catch your breath this summer
I can see for miles
Orlando Meats’ whimsical daily menu is always worth checking out
The Dining-In Diaries
John Bolton’s big book backfire couldn’t have happened to a better pair of blowhards
He managed to make the prez look bad, but he could face jail time or fines
This summer, take part in the fine old pandemic tradition of graveyard outings
Meet me at the cemet’ry gates
Your Words: The Republican National Convention coming to Florida
After more than a week of speculation, the GOP announced June 11 that the Republican National Convention would come to Florida in late August – specifically, to Jacksonville – and that social distancing and mask-wearing would not be required. The RNC had been scheduled to take place in North Carolina, but that state refused to…
Meet Yuki! She’s a 1-year-old spayed female kitty who is friendly with men, women and children
Meet Yuki! Yuki (A436474) is a 1-year-old spayed female kitty. She has been vaccinated and microchipped and is ready to go home the same day she is adopted. She was surrendered by her family because they could no longer take care of her. According to her previous family she is friendly with men, women and…
‘Athlete A,’ ‘Search Party’ Season 3, ‘Welcome to Chechnya’ and more new films streaming this week
Premieres Wednesday: Athlete A – Top Olympians testify to the myriad abuses committed by USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Yes, friends, this week’s column is going to be a laugh riot. (Netflix) Crazy Delicious Season 1 – The special twist of this new British cooking competition is that the set itself is edible. Which, oddly enough,…
Savage Love: Blowing up
I’m committed to my male partner and he’s committed to me. (I’m a woman.) But we both understand we need to flirt and that we will both want to sleep with someone else at some point. We live together, we have a dog and neither of us believes in marriage. We plan to purchase a…
Superior sandwiches at Maitland’s Houndstooth Kitchen and Eatery
You may recall the days when the Houndstooth Sauce Co. hawked its soups, sandwiches and saucy wares from a humble space inside the East End Market. Chef-owner David Bressler had relocated to Orlando after cheffing about in the Atlanta area, and he managed to grab the last available vendor stall prior to East End’s public…
