Welcome to Monday Morning in Orlando
Faithful readers may remember my goal. Take my fam out on the weekend and experience something new! Saturday morning’s experience was a Lemon Merengue Latte at Deeply Coffee in the City District. It was hella good, too!
In today’s issue: 👇
- Made Orlando Hungry
- 11 Parks, Zero Excuses
- Mohawk Smokehouse
- ….and much more
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Let’s dive in!
- Philip
P.S. Want some hawt community sourced foodie recommendations? Check out the Orlando Signal Restaurant Guide, right here.
ORLANDO REWIND ⏪
50 Years of Making Orlando Hungry on I-4
Orlando had a lot of famous smells over the years: orange groves, sunscreen, theme-park churros, but nothing hit quite like the Merita Bread factory.
For over 50 years, the plant at 2200 South Division Avenue sat right along I-4 and blasted the scent of fresh-baked loaves across the highway like the world's greatest air freshener.
Commuters didn't just tolerate it. They rolled their windows down on purpose.
Opened in 1961, the bakery employed 200 to 300 workers and cranked out Merita, Wonder, and Nature's Pride breads for decades. You could even pop in and buy discounted loaves straight off the line.
Eventually Hostess Brands acquired the plant, and when Hostess went bankrupt in 2012, the ovens went cold overnight, putting nearly 200 workers out of a job. By 2015, the building was rubble.
The happy ending? The factory's massive neon sign, 18 feet tall, 48 feet long, was rescued by the Morse Museum and now makes guest appearances downtown as public art, sometimes with fake bread smell pumped in.
Because Orlando gets it: the sign's nice, but the nose knows.
🚨 Want the full Merita Bread factory Monty? Check out my expanded version, right here.
THE SQUEEZE 🍊
Central Florida Has an E-Bike Problem. The Law Has a Bigger One.
Nobody told the e-bikes to wait for the rulebook, and now Central Florida is paying for it. Communities across the region are scrambling to regulate vehicles that arrived faster than the laws meant to govern them, with DeLand the latest city moving to boot them off downtown sidewalks and require helmets for riders under 18.
The chaos runs deeper than sidewalk etiquette, though. Florida's tidy three-tiered classification system evaporates the moment someone soups up their ride: ditch the pedals, crank the wattage, and suddenly even the law shrugs.
Crash reporting is equally hit-or-miss until standardization arrives in 2028. That's where Senate Bill 382 comes in. Sitting on the governor's desk, it would mandate crash tracking, cap e-bike speeds near pedestrians at 10 mph, and create a statewide safety task force to finally sort out the mess.
(Dig deeper into the two-wheeled mess reshaping Central Florida's streets with Molly Duerig, right here)
Down the Drain, In a Good Way
One Orange County homeowner was hemorrhaging money, pumping a failing septic tank every six to eight weeks at $375 a pop. There had to be a better way.
Turns out, there is. Orange County's Septic Upgrade Incentive Program hands out up to $10,000 per qualifying household to swap aging systems for modern tech that cuts nitrogen pollution by at least 65 percent.
Wekiwa Springs and Rock Springs, two designated Outstanding Florida Springs, will thank you for it.
So far, 467 households have qualified and 87 are already fixing the mess underground.
(Dig deeper into Central Florida's most love-hate highway with Jerry Hume, right here)
11 Parks, Zero Excuses: Orlando Is Serious About Playtime
Last week, Mayor Buddy Dyer and District 6 Commissioner Bakari F. Burns showed up at Poppy Park for the best kind of ribbon-cutting: one with swings.
The freshly upgraded playground, reopened March 19th, is packed with new structures for ages 2–5 and 5–12, bigger climbing areas, multiple slides, improved drainage, and an ADA-accessible swing so every kid gets in on the fun. For Orlando’s youth, it's tax dollars they can actually play on.
And this is just the warm-up act. Orlando has 11 park improvements planned citywide over the next two years, making Poppy Park the first stop on a much bigger adventure.
💼 This Week’s Curated Jobs
Sourced from the Orlando Signal Job Board!
🏡 Residential Service Supervisor - $1,000 Sign-On Incentive Orange County Government | Orlando
Lead direct care staff supporting Central Florida youth in residential programs, ensuring safe operations and quality care with excellent government benefits.
💰 $24.27-$27.91/hour + $1K bonus | 👉 Learn More & Apply
🎯 Director of Strategic Operations SCLA | Orlando (Hybrid)
Be the CEO's operational right hand, building the systems that scale a national student leadership organization from 125K to millions, AI-curious process nerds thrive here.
💰 $80K-$120K/year | 👉 Learn More & Apply
🏀 Marketing (Strategy and Media) Graduate Associate Orlando Magic | Orlando
Launch your career courtside with the Magic, crafting campaigns that fill seats, sell jerseys, and make Orlando's hoops scene irresistible, all game nights included.
💰 $18/hour + OT + game tickets | 👉 Learn More & Apply
📱 B2B Sales Account Executive AT&T | Orlando
Hunt down businesses that need better connectivity, close fiber and mobility deals across your territory, and earn $225K+ if you crush it, $5,500 sign-on bonus sweetens the pot.
💰 $88K-$225K+ total comp (uncapped) + $5.5K bonus | 👉 Learn More & Apply
📢 Communications Agent Alphabe Insight Inc / SkillBridge Academy | Orlando
Keep messages flowing smoothly across a growing training academy, writing professional comms and keeping everyone on the same page with polish and precision.
💰 $56K-$60K/year | 👉 Learn More & Apply
Tap/click here for lots more opportunities. Over 100 added last week!
✈️ Orlando’s best flight deal - Cobblestones and clam chowder edition
Something clicks in Boston come early May. The city shakes off winter, the Charles River fills up with rowers, and suddenly everyone's eating outside in the North End like they've been starved for sunshine. You've got the Freedom Trail if you're feeling historical, Fenway if you're feeling lucky, and seafood so fresh it's almost rude. This city's got an edge to it. Smart, scrappy, zero patience for nonsense, and you'll either love it immediately or respect it begrudgingly. Either way works.
Orlando (MCO) → Boston (BOS) for 144 bucks*, round-trip Thursday through Sunday in early May. See the deal.
*Price shown above is accurate as of the time this newsletter was sent.
TASTY NEWS 🧑🍳
Orlando Area Eateries Coming & Going
1️⃣ COMING SOON: La Diperie - Belgian Chocolate Dips Hit Winter Park
Winter Park is about to get a whole lot sweeter. La Diperie (Insta), the Canadian soft serve shop where everything gets dunked in Belgian chocolate, is opening late May with 18 chocolate varieties, customizable toppings, and a menu that goes way beyond ice cream. Dipped donuts, cheesecake, cookies, and vegan soft serve? Yes, please.
2️⃣ RE-OPENING SOON: Hamburger Mary’s - Kissimmee's Newest Hangout Is Coming
Good news, Central Florida, Hamburger Mary's coming is back. The beloved bar and grill that called Orlando home for 16 years is trading Church Street for Kissimmee's Old Town District. Expect burgers, lively shows, and plenty of good times when doors open mid-May.
3️⃣ JUST OPENED: Unplugged Social Cafe - The Antidote To I-Drive
Unplugged Social Cafe (Insta), steps from the Orange County Convention Center, is now fully open and slinging locally roasted coffee, fresh-made bites, and dirty sodas by day. Thursday through Sunday evenings? Regional wines and charcuterie boards take over. A host greets you at the door, and the only thing on the agenda is actually enjoying yourself.
#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸
Morning MOOs with baby cows
📷 via @orlandosignal |📍On da pasture
Tag @orlandosignal to get your photo featured in the newsletter!
FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
Mohawk Smokehouse
📍Pop-ups around Orlando. Check their calendar, right here.
Since 2022, Tyler and Sarah Evans have been bringing Central Texas brisket, Southern comfort, and a touch of Italian grandmother magic to Orlando, one pop-up at a time (Insta).
The menu spans BBQ traditions from across the country, with fresh, locally sourced ingredients at the heart of every dish.
Catch them Tuesdays at Tasty Takeover regularly at the Milk District Food Truck Block Party, and several times a month at Forward/Slash Distillery & Blending House.
👉 Check out their menu, right here 👈
Source: Mohawk Smokehouse
MORE PULP! 😎
Weekday things to check out
🚀 Space on Tap
📅 Monday, March 23rd | 7pm
📍 Judson's Live, Dr. Phillips Center
Central Florida Public Media's space storytelling show celebrating Are We There Yet?'s 10th anniversary with comedy, games, live astronaut conversation, and tour reveal.
👉 Science & Stories
🍔 Tasty Takeover in The Milk District
📅 Tuesdays | 6:30-10pm
📍 The Milk District – 2424 E Robinson St
Orlando's premier weekly food truck block party featuring diverse culinary offerings behind the shops and bars.
👉 Dine Alfresco
💎 Dirty Soda + Bedazzle Social
📅 Wednesday, March 25th | 6:30pm
📍 Hosted by Authentic Books x Cafecito Mio
Grown-up sleepover featuring dirty soda bar, book bedazzle station, curated perfume rollers, confessional room, and light bites; wear PJs or lingerie.
👉 Sip & Sparkle
🎭 Spotlight Cabaret Series: Kevin Kelly
📅 Wednesday & Thursday, March 25th-26th | 7:30pm
📍 Winter Park Playhouse
Local treasure performs standards from Tony Bennett, Duke Ellington, Frank Loesser, Johnny Mercer, Bobby Darin, and Dean Martin with pianist Christopher Leavy.
👉 Classic Standards
💃 Dancing with the Stars: Live
📅 Thursday, March 26th | 7:30pm
📍 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
All-new show starring favorite pros including Alan Bersten, Val Chmerkovskiy, Daniella Karagach, and more with special guest co-host Elaine Hendrix.
👉 Ballroom Magic
🎭 Want to share an event? Use this link.
THANKS!
✅ Want to connect with 20K+ curious Orlandoans for your business?, start a conversation here.
🌟 Know a community superstar? Tell me about them, right here.
Thanks for reading! I’ll see you again on Thursday’s weekend fun issue.
My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal
