This is our latest rundown of the top ten things you need to know this week, in Orlando’s downtown “bungalow neighborhoods.”
Click HERE to listen to Episode 359 of “Bungalower and The Bus” on Real Radio 104.1 FM, which was recorded with the Bungalower team in our offices, waxing poetic over the top headlines of the year.
TOP TEN HEADLINES
- Our annual roundup of our most-read headlines is here.
- The “Black Lives Matter” road mural in downtown Orlando is about to disappear thanks to a massive pedestrian-focused overhaul of the corridor. The project breaks ground this week.
- The (semi) autonomous bus service in downtown Orlando has been suspended until further notice.
- The City of Orlando provided an update on what it plans to do with the Pulse Memorial project shortly before Christmas.
- Orlando City Soccer has shared its 2024 season schedule with the season opener scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 24 against CF Montreal at Exploria Stadium.
- A fancy French chef is opening a Willy Wonka-esque macaron commissary factory in the Packing District but it won’t be open to the public.
- Bungalower Media is the proud media sponsor of the upcoming Faded Kingdom beer festival, coming to Baldwin Park on January 27 with our friends from Tactical Brewing.
- Award-winning Deadwords Brewing filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October but the owner says it’s just to rearrange some debt and start fresh. They’re still open.
- The U.S. District Judge Roy Dalton, Jr. just sentenced the former owner of Spice Modern Steakhouse to federal prison for failing to pay employment taxes for his staff.
- Snap! Orlando will share a new series of Augmented Reality installations around the City Beautiful in 2024, featuring the work of French digital artists.
ICYMI – (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)
- “Christmas trees count as yard waste.” – Bungalower
- “Cool Job Alert: Conservation Programs Manager, Walt Disney Company.” – Bungalower
- “Enzian screening 12 Monkeys for next Science on Screen event.” – Bungalower
- “Freehand Goods names Florida State Parks as charitable partner for 2024.” – Bungalower
- “Tickets now on sale for 2024 Dinner on the Avenue.” – Bungalower
- “Streaming Series: Blind Kitchen celebrates Orlando chefs and restaurateurs.” – Edible Orlando
- “40,000 fans expected at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium for first-ever Pop Tarts Bowl.” – FOX 35
- “Watch out for these astronomical events in 2024.” – FOX 35
- “Florida man with history of wildlife crimes is charged after allegedly running over deer on purpose for TikTok video.” – Law and Crime
- “Spirit Airlines employee gets fired for putting 6-year-old on the wrong plane.” – The Messenger
- “Best new Orlando restaurants and experiences for couples in 2024.” – Orlando Date Night Guide
- “Award-winning Winter Park home sells for $4.25 million.” – The Orlando Real
- “Florida may ban most businesses from going cashless. Proposal has Democratic and Republican support.” – Orlando Sentinel
- “Top Tastes: Of all the things we ate in Orlando this year, these are our favorites.” – Orlando Weekly
- “Orlando man shares journey to landing role in ‘The Color Purple.'” – WESH 2
- “‘It’s frustrating’ A Florida mom’s search for an infant COVID shot.” – WMFE
- “‘My driveway’s gone’: Florida woman says concrete slab outside her home was stolen.” – WSVN
- “The season’s sweetest gingerbread architecture.” – AZURE
- “The city-focused movies and shows we binged in 2023.” – Bloomberg CityLab
- “How animals and cities collided in 2023.” – Bloomberg CityLab
- “Majority of US home listings are unaffordable.” – Planetizen
- “5 urban transformation stories from 2023.” – World Economic Forum
HOT EVENTS THIS WEEK
- Monday 1/1: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (West Lakes)
- Tuesday 1/2: 2023 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour (Maitland)
- Tuesday 1/2: Loose Lips (Mills 50)
- Wednesday 1/3: Orlando Solar Bears vs. Jacksonville Icemen (Parramore)
- Friday 1/5: Lovataraxx, Ortrotasce, Earth Fault at Iron Cow (Milk District)