(20 posts)

Denise Diaz

Denise Diaz gives Lynx riders’ a seat at the table

Denise Diaz has been helping get people to work for years. As the executive director at Central Florida Jobs with Justice, her goal is to listen to the needs of public transit commuters. She finds herself in the office more these days, but for years she road Lynx buses and asked passengers questions about their […]

Changemakers / February 19, 2019

Swan eating out of human hand

Who takes care of the Lake Eola swans?

Tremayne Sirmons has 40 pet swans. Technically they don’t belong to him, but he does take responsibility for making sure they’re well taken care of. Sirmons is one of seven regular volunteers with the Lake Eola Swan Habitat Field Team, a city-organized group that helps educate the public about Orlando’s treasured creatures and keeps an […]

Downtown / February 14, 2019

Man standing in front of train tracks

SunRail blogger is trying to be passengers’ voice

Public transit runs in David Porter’s DNA. His father helped power the third rail in New York City’s subway system for more than 30 years, and Porter grew up navigating his way through the city’s boroughs via public transit. Porter first moved to Orlando to work as a writer for the Orlando Sentinel, before leaving […]

Changemakers / February 13, 2019

David Thomas Moran and Nathan Selikoff

Omnimodal wants you to swipe right on public transit

Can technology help Orlando overcome its traffic woes? David Thomas Moran and Nathan Selikoff think it’s a good first step. Moran and Selikoff met through a community art project focused on public transit in Orlando, bonding over their mutual love for the city and their frustration over how difficult it can be to get around […]

Changemakers / February 1, 2019

Man puts sausages on the grill

Orlando’s Vegan Hot Dog Cart satisfies dietary restricted downtown crowd

Hot dog vendors are a common sight for party seekers in downtown Orlando, but there is only one that can satisfy the meat-averse among us: The Vegan Hot Dog Cart has been a staple for late-night revelers in the City Beautiful for the past 22 years. “I’ve been told you haven’t been to Orlando if […]

Downtown / January 29, 2019

Woman standing in front of city skyline

Orlando’s transit lady is digging into our commuting issues

Figuring out how best to commute to work is Courtney Reynold’s life’s work. As a program manager for reThink Your Commute, Reynolds helps connect employers and employees with transit options other than driving alone. “The way to change things is to start somewhere,” she said. Reynolds began her relationship with public transportation in the fifth […]

Civic Issues / January 24, 2019

Man playing shuffleboard

Orlando Shuffle brings shuffleboard to all

Every first and third Saturday of the month, Orlandoans come together at the Beardall Senior Center for a mean game of shuffleboard hosted by The Orlando Shuffle, Orlando’s shuffleboard club. Founder Rick Kilby said he discovered his love of shuffleboard after a visit to St. Petersburg where shuffleboard is a big part of the community. “It’s […]

Neighborhoods / January 11, 2019

Evette Rahman adds butter to a dessert mix at her bakery Sister Honey's in the SoDo District in Orlando.

Sister Honey’s bakery in SoDo keeps mother’s legacy alive

Who needs pastry school when baking is in your blood? Evette Rahman learned to bake by watching and helping her mother in the kitchen. In 2012, she opened her own SoDo bakery and named it after her mom, who went by the nickname Sister Honey. Seven years and a handful of awards from the American […]

Drink / January 9, 2019

Timucua Arts Foundation audience from stage

Timucua Arts Foundation is part music venue part family living room

Timucua Arts Foundation started from humble beginnings, holding its first concerts for a small group of friends in September 2000. Founder Benoit Glazer, a local for 20 years, moved to Orlando to be the conductor of Cirque du Soleil. Frustrated by the lack of live music options, Glazer and his wife started hosting small musical […]

Orlando / January 8, 2019

A woman pours a glass of wine and a different woman pours a beer from a tap.

Drink and learn at Orlando Brewing and Swirley Wine Bar in SoDo

Orlando Brewing and Swirlery Wine Bar in the SoDo district offers an in-depth lesson is booze. The SoDo District in Orlando is brimming with unique spots to grab an adult beverage. But where should you go if you want to learn more about what you’re drinking? One of Orlando’s oldest breweries, Orlando Brewing, has a […]

Drink / December 20, 2018