What Orlando is talking about
🍸 While on the subject of drinking, one of the few silver linings of the pandemic has been the relaxing of Florida’s alcohol rules. Now, state legislators are working out how to enshrine the a-OK for restaurants to include alcoholic beverages with to-go orders into Florida law. We’ll drink to that! (WLRN / News Service of Florida)
- In related news, Orlando Rep. Rene "Coach P" Plasencia wants to ease liquor license restrictions for small restaurants. As it stands now, a restaurant must be at least 2,500 square feet and able to serve a minimum of 150 patrons in order to sell liquor. Plasencia’s bill would lower the thresholds to 1,800 square feet and 80 patrons and cost less for the smaller businesses. Both Reps. Travaris "Tray" McCurdy and Anna Eskamani said they’re for it so long as it’s more inclusive of all neighborhoods. As of now, Plasencia has agreed. (Orlando Weekly)
😋 So we told you that Winter Park Biscuit Co. officially launched its full menu in yesterday’s newsletter, but we forgot to mention that they’re hiring too! They’re looking for a line cook (experience is necessary) to join their growing team. Email your resume to peter@winterparkbiscuitco.com if you think you’re the person for the job! (Winter Park Biscuit Co. on Instagram)
🍻 There’s a new brewery coming to the Milk District. Twelve Talons will take up shop in the old South Street Coin Laundry, although the exact date is still TBD. (Bungalower)
📚 Sen. Randolph Bracy (D-Ocoee) held a press conference yesterday asking for reparations over the Ocoee Massacre in the form of scholarships. Last legislative session, Bracy spearheaded a bill that required public schools to teach the Ocoee Massacre — a bloody, racially-motivated Election Day riot that left many Black people dead and destroyed a community —to students. Now he’s focused on securing compensation for the descendants of individuals who were killed, injured, or victimized during the bloody Election Day in 1920 and he plans to accomplish this by expanding an existing scholarship program. (WKMG)
🗣 Orlando Sentinel journalist Mike Lafferty tweeted yesterday, “Rick Scott wrote a letter asking us to write an editorial about his environmental record. So we did.” And that they did... but something tells me a “disaster” wasn’t exactly what Scott had in mind. 😬 (Orlando Sentinel)
📹 The Orlando Police Department is looking to buy 900 new body cameras that would automatically start recording when an officer removes a gun or taser from its holster. City commissioners will vote on the proposal next week. Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolón said the move would “enhance our ability to show transparency (to the community).” (Orlando Sentinel)