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At Orlando Weekly, we say gay, and we also say lesbian, queer, bi, trans and intersex
We won’t stop, even if DeSantis and 91 Florida legislators don’t want to hear it.
Big Daddy Kane and Color Me Badd coming to Orlando this weekend for a night of ’80s and ’90s nostalgia
With the weather getting warmer here in Orlando, it’s the perfect temperature to enjoy some freestyle. And some 1980s hip-hop and R&B. Well, there’s an event this weekend that combines both seamlessly like a Reese’s cup when Daddy Kane and Color Me Badd throw down with some old-school freestylers. Kane and Color Me Badd, both…
Perturbator and Health to get seriously dark at Orlando’s Plaza Live this summer
Synth magus Perturbator is teaming up with eldritch electro-rockers Health for a big summer tour and one stop on the trek is Orlando’s Plaza Live. The North American trek starts in Texas on Aug. 27 before making a beeline for Florida with Tampa and Orlando shows on the books. The seeds of this touring triumvirate…
New York experimental pop duo Leya talk new mixtape ahead of Wednesday’s show at Orlando’s TImucua Arts
Leya play the Timucua Arts Foundation on Wednesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available still via Timucua. In a time when the coronavirus death toll in the United States of America nears one million, and the country has yet to lament in a cohesive and meaningful way, the enchanting and hypnotic ethereal effects…
Legal Public Notices 3/23/2022
Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below at the property indicated: April 8th, 2022 at the times and location listed below. The personal goods stored therein by the following: 12:00 PM Extra Space Storage 1101 Marshall Farms Rd, Ocoee 34761 (407) 516-7221 Todd Schlott – Household Goods. The…
Help Orlando Brewing choose the city’s best donut at Donut Fest in April
Picking a favorite donut seems like an impossible task. That’s the reason they come in assortments. But the brave people of Orlando Brewing are doing just that, with the help of some citizens of The City Beautiful. Whether you like chocolate-frosted. jelly-filled or regular, old glazed your vote counts when Donut Fest kicks off on…
Nathan Fillion and Brendan Fraser added to MegaCon lineup in Orlando
Two beloved fan favorites are heading to Orlando’s MeganCon this May. Brendan Fraser and Nathan Fillion are among the many celebrity guests attending this year’s MegaCon. Fraser played Rick O’Connell from The Mummy trilogy, George in George of the Jungle, Adam in Blast from the Past, and Professor Trevor Anderson in Journey to the Center of the…
Florida Indigenous Alliance asks Disney to ban performances from groups with Native mascots
After a racially insensitive performance by a high school at Walt Disney World last week, a Florida Indigenous group is calling on the company to ban all institutions that use Native mascots. On March 15, the Port Neches-Grove High School “Indianettes” drill team from Texas performed during a parade at the Magic Kingdom. The team’s…
Art in Bloom festival showcases ‘nature’s beauty’ at Orlando Museum of Art
It’s time to stop and smell the roses (and probably other flowers) at Art in Bloom, an exhibition of floral fine arts. Displays, antique dealers and lifestyle designs will be showcased throughout the Orlando Museum of Art from Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will feature art auctions, curated antiques, special events…
Daddy Yankee to play Orlando as part of farewell tour this summer
Reggaeton icon Daddy Yankee is poised to embark on his ‘final’ tour before retiring from music — La Última Vuelta — but don’t worry, he will be saying goodbye to Orlando in person. The aptly-named “King of Reggaeton” on Sunday announced his shocking intent to retire from music, with upcoming album Legendaddy serving as his last musical statement and…
Pints n’ Paws Craft Beer Festival returns to Sanford this weekend to support pet rescues
Grab a pint while hanging with your actual best bud (your dog) this weekend at the 10th annual Pints n’ Paws Craft Beer Festival. The fest will return to Sanford on Saturday from 2-6 p.m. and raise money for local pet shelters. Of course, pets are welcome. Along 2nd street between Palmetto and Sanford avenues, Pints n’…
University of Florida renames Karl Marx study room following Russian invasion of Ukraine
The University of Florida has renamed a study room honoring economist and philosopher Karl Marx following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The room in UF’s Library West was named for the Prussian historian as part of a wider initiative to celebrate influential thinkers. A plaque outside the room has explained the impact of the “revolutionary…
Disney responds to planned ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill walkout at Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney Company responded to a planned walkout of LGBTQ workers on Tuesday. The company’s workers have been building toward an all-day walkout to protest the company’s actions around Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. “Disney Parks, Experiences and Products is committed to creating experiences that support family values for every family, and will not…
Gov. Ron DeSantis refuses to call special legislative session over condo safety, property insurance
If Florida lawmakers hold a special session to deal with the troubled property-insurance market or to put additional requirements on condominium buildings, it won’t come from a directive by Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis, appearing Monday in Wellington, said he’d “welcome” the return of lawmakers to Tallahassee to address either of the topics if a special…
Alachua judge tosses case against college seeking refunds following campus closure for coronavirus
An Alachua County circuit judge this month dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Santa Fe College student seeking to recover fees paid to the school while the campus was shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Student Rachel Burke alleged in the potential class-action lawsuit that the college committed a breach of contract and was…
Judge orders more information on recently passed elections bill
A federal judge considering a constitutional challenge to a 2021 state elections law ordered attorneys Monday to quickly file briefs about the potential effects of a bill that the Legislature passed this month to make further changes in the elections system. The bill (SB 524) had not been formally sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis as…
The first Florida Shake Shack with a drive-thru opens in Orlando this week
Clear your calendars, Shake Shack’s first drive-thru in Florida opening in Orlando this week. The new spot is located at 11637 Daryl Carter Parkway and is part of the Vineland Pointe shopping center. The opening is set for March 24 ar 11 a.m. It will be the fifth Shake Shack to open in the Orlando area.…
Pizza Bruno opening in Orlando’s College Park neighborhood
Guess what, College Park? You’re about to get another pizza joint! Only this time, it’s Pizza Bruno, arguably the best pie house in town. Owner Bruno Zacchini says he’s taking over the old Tin & Taco space at 2429 Edgewater Drive (which previously housed The Pie, serving Roman-style squares). Ever since opening his uber-popular neo-Neapolitan…
Disney apologizes after high school drill team performs racist dance at Walt Disney World
Cuz a bunch of kids in fringe chanting “scalp ‘em Indians, scalp ‘em” is honor, right? And any Natives who attend @pngisd should prolly just accept their classmates dehumanizing them cuz “tradition”, right? Shame on @DisneyParks hosting this. Nostalgic racism is RACISM. pic.twitter.com/ELsJHRgJlw — tara houska ᔖᐳᐌᑴ (@zhaabowekwe) March 18, 2022 It’s been a bad…
Advocate for abandoned Black cemeteries criticizes Florida senators for killing bill
A leading advocate for abandoned Black cemeteries sharply criticized Florida lawmakers for killing a bill that would have helped identify, protect and restore burial grounds across the state. “I want to know, many of these legislators, where are they from?” asked Gloria Jefferson Anderson, who is leading the cemetery restoration project in Tallahassee. “Can they…
Florida wildlife officials looking for sick turtles in Central Florida
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is asking members of the public to report freshwater turtles that appear sick, act strangely or are dead, as wildlife officials study a virus infecting softshells, cooters, sliders and common snapping turtles. The disease, turtle fraservirus 1, or TFV1, formerly known as turtle bunyavirus, has been under review…
Venerable Orlando comedy brand Bonkerz comes to Winter Park, running events at Twisted Root Burger
Bonkerz has proven to be a name you can trust in Central Florida comedy since 1987, when the founders moved the company from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Orlando. And now the venerable comedy franchise is expanding out to Winter Park, with weekly shows at Twisted Root Burger. By partnering with the Bonkerz comedy brand, Twisted Root Burger…
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival returns for its 63rd year this weekend
One of the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor art festivals is back for its 63rd year. The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is a free event kicks off today (March 18) and runs through March 20. On Friday and Saturday, the art fest starts at 9 a.m. to 6 p.m and on Sunday from 9…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged to save state’s solar industry with veto
The future of the Sunshine State’s solar industry now depends on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto pen. Solar-power advocates want the governor to veto a bill the Legislature passed at the behest of the state’s largest utility, Florida Power & Light, because they fear it would gut the rooftop solar industry. If it becomes law, utilities…
The average Orlando home made more money than the average Orlando worker last year
A sobering new report from Zillow found that the average Orlando home made more money in 2021 than the typical Orlando worker. With the costs of housing rising exponentially throughout Central Florida, the typical home’s increase in value was more than $20,000 greater than the average wage in the City Beautiful. According to the Zillow…
Bridgetender arrested following death of Palm Beach woman who fell from drawbridge opening
The bridgetender on duty when a 79-year-old Florida woman fell to her death from a Palm Beach bridge has been arrested on charges of manslaughter by culpable negligence. Artissua Lafay Paulk of Greenacres was taken into custody on Thursday. She had been a bridgetender with the company operating the bridge for over a year. She…
Alligator caught with football in its mouth is South Florida’s ‘most valuable predator’
It’s finally clear why Tom Brady came out of retirement: he heard two sets of primordial footsteps coming up from behind. An enterprising photographer named Sandra Harrison captured this alligator chomping on pigskin in Big Cypress National Preserve, sparking debate over where the gator found it and whether he was playing with the ball or…
Voters from across Florida seek to intervene in lawsuit over state’s redistricting process
A group of voters is seeking to intervene in a federal lawsuit asking judges to set new Florida congressional districts. The nine voters are the same group who filed a similar redistricting lawsuit last week in Leon County circuit court. While that case continues, their attorneys said in court documents Wednesday that they should also…
Appeals court questions Desantis’ attorney over anti-protest law
An attorney for Gov. Ron DeSantis drew skepticism Thursday from a federal appeals court during arguments in a challenge to a controversial law that enhanced penalties and created new crimes in protests that turn violent. DeSantis championed the measure after nationwide protests focused on racial justice following the death of George Floyd, a Black man…
Tampa Tarpons’ Rachel Balkovec will debut this season as first female manager of an affiliated baseball team
The Tampa Tarpons have a new full-time manager and she knows baseball very well. Rachel Balkovec is the first-ever full-time female manager in the history of affiliated baseball, and she’ll make her debut when Tarpons play the Lakeland Flying Tigers on April 8. Balkovec’s walked a long road to get this opportunity. The former college…
New Smyrna nerds institute Spring Break curfew
The New Smyrna Beach City Commission voted on Wednesday to enact a 60-day curfew for minors. The move comes after business owners and residents complained about visitors under 18 causing havoc. The head of the police pitched a scenario where children are left to their own devices in the city’s core. “Parents have come over…
Doctor caught in medical marijuana sting cleared of all wrongdoing
A Tallahassee doctor who ordered medical marijuana for two undercover investigators posing as patients didn’t do anything wrong, an administrative law judge decided Wednesday. The Florida Department of Health sought to strip physician Joseph Dorn of his medical license for five years, permanently ban him from ordering medical marijuana for patients and impose a $10,000…
Manatee feeding program appears to be working, but deaths still a concern
Wildlife officials appeared optimistic Wednesday that an unusual feeding program for starving manatees in the Indian River Lagoon has provided some relief for the sea cows as the cold-water season nears an end. But feeding lettuce to manatees might be necessary again next winter because of the dwindling amount of seagrass in the lagoon, officials…
Sanford’s Hurricane Party music bash returns in May with headliners Less Than Jake
West End Trading Co’s annual Hurricane Party bash returns this year, with a raucous lineup headed up by redoubtable Gainesville’s ska-punkers Less Than Jake. Hosted by West End, by sprawling out over six stages in the immediate area, Hurricane Party also features Passafire, Supervillains doing two sets, Aggrolites, American Party Machine, Gargamel!, Control This and…
Florida Film Festival announces 2022 fest lineup with over 160 films and William Shatner
The Florida Film Festival returns in April for a 31st year with a massive lineup of 167 films … and a very special guest in the form of William Shatner. Kicking off in just a few scant weeks, FFF offers all manner of new, diverse and challenging cinema, be it long-form features, documentaries, short films…
Alligator unsuccessfully tries out for high school swim team near Orlando
Unfortunately, a Central Florida alligator was not allowed to join a college prep school’s swim team last week. According to a social media post from the the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, last Friday two deputies responded to Montverde Academy, near Lake Apopka, because a 3-foot alligator was sitting on the bottom of the pool. “Deputy…
East Orlando neighborhood Azalea Park is overrun with rabbits
The population is rapidly growing all over Orlando, so it’s no surprise to see a new family or two on your block. But Azalea Park residents are dealing with a completely different type of population boom: The neighborhood is chock-full of rabbits. There are about 50 bunnies living in this Orange County neighborhood, and that…
Timucua Arts Foundation to kick off ‘Month of Jazz’ event series at the end of March
Timucua Arts Foundation are bringing back their ‘Month of Jazz’ performance series at the end of March, with several weekends of eclectic performances lined up to suit all tastes on the spectrum of jazz music. Month of Jazz will feature eight performances all taking place at the Timucua Arts Fondation, with familiar and new faces…
Orlando chefs and restaurateurs shut out of James Beard Award nominations yet again
Year after year, Orlando-area chefs and restaurateurs have regularly been named James Beard Award semifinalists, but none have ever made it to the short list of finalists. And this year is no different. Today, the James Beard Foundation announced the nominees for its chef and restaurant categories and the five Orlando culinarians vying for a…
LGBTQ Disney employees plan walkouts over company’s response to ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill
A group of LGBTQ Disney employees are staging virtual and in-person walkouts in response to the company’s handling of Florida’s recently passed “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Organizers are posting about the planned interruptions via a Twitter account called Disney Walkout. They posted an open letter to the company stating their concerns and demands and shared…
Video shows huge Lakeland alligator “Grandpappy” eating a smaller gator on a golf course
A recent video shows an impressively large Central Florida alligator named “Grandpappy” letting everyone know that absolutely nothing, not even another alligator, will ruin mating season 2022. The video was filmed at a Lakeland golf course and posted to Facebook last week by Julie Marchillo Smith, who claims that Grandpappy is about 20-feet long and…
Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill overhauling Florida’s standardized testing in schools
This spring will mark the final time that public-school students will have to take tests known as the Florida Standards Assessments, as Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure Tuesday that will revamp the state’s testing system. The overhaul was a priority of DeSantis during the 2022 legislative session that ended Monday, and lawmakers gave final…
New on Netflix this week: ‘The Principles of Pleasure,’ ‘Soil,’ ‘Black Crab,’ ‘Is It Cake?’ and more
Premieres Wednesday: Bad Vegan — Learn all about the strange case of Sarma Melngailis, who went from being one of New York’s most celebrated restaurateurs to doing hard time on Rikers Island for stiffing her employees — plus a whole bunch of other financial improprieties. Was she under the spell of a sleazy Svengali she…
Phase 2 of Marc With a C’s career is a sweeping sea change that shifts to the direct perspective of the real Marc Sirdoreus
If you haven’t been keeping up with Orlando indie-pop star Marc With a C lately then — holy drama, mama — have you got some catching up to do. In a nutshell, it’s been a bombshell. Actually, a surreal chain of them that’s entailed devastating life upheavals and a stunning overhaul of the famous Marc…
Orlando concert picks this week: Of Montreal, Ministry, Corrosion of Conformity, The Dewars, Rickolus
Of Montreal; Locate S, 1; Someday River: Of Montreal is proof that success and weirdness need not be mutually exclusive. Since emerging from the Elephant 6 boom of the 1990s, the legendary Athens psych-pop band has become and remained a major indie name for the past quarter-century, all while maintaining their wildly arty streak. (7 p.m.…
Things to do in Orlando, March 16-22: Soccer Mommy, Rich Homie Quan, Tyler the Creator, Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
Our selections of the best things to do this week. Thursday, March 17 The English BeatFans of left-of-the-dial 1980s sounds should not sleep on this gig — even if the Fixx have dropped off the date. The Beat, still led by founding vocalist/guitarist Dave Wakeling, were pivotal figures in the U.K. ska revival of the…
Orlando staple Southern Fried Sunday celebrates turning old enough to drive with a great big musical bash
“There’s something about a Sunday. Everything just seems a little bit more laid-back,” muses Jessica Pawli when asked about the easy-going, welcoming feel of her long-running Southern Fried Sunday musical event series. Indeed, before #SundayFunday was a rallying cry from every two-bit brunch spot in the known universe, Southern Fried Sunday was putting on events…
Free Will Astrology: Your horoscope for the week of March 16-22
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Never underestimate the wisdom of being easily satisfied,” wrote aphorist Marty Rubin. If you’re open to welcoming such a challenge, Pisces, I propose that you work on being very easily satisfied during the coming weeks. See if you can figure out how to enjoy even the smallest daily events with blissful…
Anqor Lounge, a Ukrainian-owned tea room, has opened in Dr. Phillips; Shake Shack opens its first-ever drive-thru in Orlando next week; and more local food news
OPENINGS: Anqor Lounge, a Ukrainian-owned tea room and hookah bar that also offers light bites, has opened in the Dellagio Town Center in Dr. Phillips … Look for another outpost of Aji Ceviche Bar to open on South Semoran Boulevard near the airport … Friendship BBQ, a stateside chain offering Xinjiang-style chuan’r (grilled skewers cooked…
Adoptable dog Oliver would enjoy a long stroll and a Netflix binge
But don’t touch his feet.
