Big Lots conducts going-out-of-business sales after sale of company falls through
By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Discount chain Big Lots is conducting going–out-of-business sales at its remaining locations after a sale of the company didn’t materialize.
The Columbus, Ohio-based retailer, which sells furniture, home decor and other items, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early September and said private equity firm Nexus Capital Management LP had agreed to acquire “substantially all of the company’s assets.” But on Thursday the chain said it didn’t anticipate completing the purchase agreement. It said it continues to work toward completing an alternative transaction with Nexus or another party.
How to avoid financial stress during the holiday season
By ADRIANA MORGA, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The holidays are meant to be a time of celebration with family and friends. But they can also bring pressure to spend money on gifts, gatherings and plane tickets home, exacerbated by brand emails, social media influencers and family expectations.
With credit card debt rising and prices for many items still high due to inflation, overspending during the holiday season can add to the financial stress many Americans are already experiencing, said Dr. Marketa Wills, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association.
“The idea that one is on the hook for buying gifts for all their friends and families adds an enormous amount of stress on someone trying to have a perfect holiday,” Wills said.
But there are ways to get through the holidays without spending more than you can afford. From setting expectations with your family to making a budget to gifting experiences rather than things, here are expert recommendations to avoid financial stress this holiday season:
SpaceX aims for 91st Space Coast launch on Friday night
SpaceX keeps lining up the launch pads set to send up what would be the year’s 91st orbital launch from the Space Coast on Friday night.
A Falcon 9 on the Astranis: From One to Many mission carrying four satellites headed to geosynchronous transfer orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during a 229-minute launch window that opens at 10:39 p.m. A backup 129-minute window opens at midnight Sunday.
Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron forecasts less than 5% chance of bad launch conditions Friday night.
The first-stage booster for the mission is flying for the 17th time and will attempts a recovery landing downrange on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic.
SpaceX has been responsible for all but five of what would be 91 launches from either Cape Canaveral or Kennedy Space Center this year, already besting by October this year the record of 72 set in 2023.
It would be the 67th launch from Cape Canaveral with the other 24 from KSC. For SpaceX, it would be the 86th overall with 84 being the workhorse Falcon 9 and the other two Falcon Heavy rockets.
Starbucks workers begin strikes that could spread to hundreds of US stores by Christmas Eve
By DEE-ANN DURBIN, Associated Press
Workers at Starbucks stores began a five-day strike Friday to protest lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company.
The strikes by baristas and other workers were scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle and could spread to hundreds of stores across the country by Christmas Eve. Starbucks Workers United, the union organizing Starbucks’ baristas, said at least 10 locations were closed down as of midday Friday.
The walkouts came a day after the Teamsters union announced strikes at seven Amazon delivery hubs.
Starbucks said early Friday there was “no significant impact” to its store operations.
“We are aware of disruption at a small handful of stores, but the overwhelming majority of our U.S. stores remain open and serving customers as normal,” the Seattle-based coffee giant said in a statement.
It’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel
By DAVID KOENIG, Associated Press Airlines Writer
Drivers and airline passengers without reindeer and sleighs better make a dash for it: it’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel in the U.S.
The auto club AAA predicts that more than 119 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday and New Year’s Day, which would top the previous holiday-season high set in 2019. The two weekends on either side of Christmas look to be some of the most crowded times on the road and at airports.
Trade group Airlines for America also foresees record travel, saying it expected U.S. airlines to carry 54 million passengers during a 19-day period that started Thursday and ends Monday, Jan. 6. The number would represent a 6% increase over last year.
A government shutdown that could start as soon as Saturday would likely be too close to the holidays to immediately affect flights and airport operations, but that might change if a shutdown dragged on.
What will be the busiest travel days?
Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Friday and Sunday, and on Dec. 26, Dec. 27 and Dec. 29. Flight traffic is expected to be light on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The slowest U.S. air-travel day this year — by a wide margin — was Thanksgiving Day.