Things To Do In SW Florida

Space Florida approved up to $65 million of state funds Wednesday to help stimulate a $1.8 billion launch site project in Cape Canaveral known as “Project Hinton.”

In a vote held by the state’s aerospace finance and development authority during a special project board of directors meeting, members approved matching grant funds sought by the unnamed company’s application of up to $50 million for construction of a “high-volume production facility, high bay and related infrastructure” through Space Florida’s Call for Projects within the Florida Spaceport Improvement Program in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation.

It also approved $15 million in common use funds for “utility improvements including power modifications and industrial wastewater treatment.”

“While there may be much work to do, we look forward to partnering with Project Hinton and local stakeholders to cement Florida’s place in history for decades to come,” Space Florida CEO Rob Long said during a presentation before the unanimous vote. read more

By Funto Omojola, NerdWallet

Mobile wallets that allow you to pay using your phone have been around for well more than a decade, and over those years they’ve grown in popularity, becoming a key part of consumers’ credit card usage. According to a “state of credit card report” for 2025 from credit bureau Experian, 53% of Americans in a survey say they use digital wallets more frequently than traditional payment methods.

To further incentivize mobile wallet usage, some credit card issuers offer bonus rewards when you elect to pay that way. But those incentives can go beyond just higher reward rates. In fact, mobile wallets in some ways are becoming an essential part of activating and holding a credit card. For example, they can offer immediate access to your credit line, and they can be easier and safer than paying with a physical card.

OK, but let’s start with bonus rewards

From a rewards perspective, it can make a lot of sense to reach for your phone now instead of your physical card.

The Apple Card offers its highest reward rates when you use it through the Apple Pay mobile wallet. Same goes for the PayPal Cashback Mastercard® when you use it to make purchases via the PayPal digital wallet. read more

Seven Central Florida restaurants shut down the week of Dec. 8-14, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Orange County

Hon Lee LLC at 18 N. Dollins Ave. K14/15 in Orlando shut down on Dec. 10. Inspectors found 20 violations, three of which were high priorities. Those violations included roach activity, food not being cooled from 135 degrees and a stop-sale issued on food due to temperature abuse. Authorities conducted a second inspection on Dec. 11. They found 16 violations, and issued time extensions for two high-priority violations dealing with temperature abuse. The restaurant met inspection standards.

Sister Soul Food at 436 S. Parramore Ave. in Orlando shut down on Dec. 12. Inspectors found 11 violations, two of which were high priorities. Those violations included a stop-sale on food due to temperature abuse and food held at the wrong temperatures. A second inspection the same day found seven violations, two of which were high priorities. Authorities issued a time extension on both. A follow-up inspection is required but the restaurant has reopened. read more

By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear arguments next month over the constitutionality of the federal law that could ban TikTok in the United States if its Chinese parent company doesn’t sell it.

The justices will hear arguments Jan. 10 about whether the law impermissibly restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment.

The law, enacted in April, set a Jan. 19 deadline for TikTok to be sold or else face a ban in the United States. The popular social media platform has more than 170 million users in the U.S.

It’s unclear how quickly a decision might come. But the high court still could act after the arguments to keep the law from taking effect pending a final ruling, if at least five of the nine justices think it’s unconstitutional.

Lawyers for the company and China-based ByteDance had urged the justices to step in before Jan. 19. The high court also will hear arguments from content creators who rely on the platform for income and some TikTok users. read more

Nemours Children’s Health plans to expand its pediatric hospital and develop two new facilities on its Lake Nona campus, spending $300 million in Central Florida during the next four years, the health system announced this week.

The 110,000-square-foot expansion of the pediatric hospital will double the size of its emergency department, increase space for the hospital’s imaging department and add new inpatient beds and observation rooms.

The hospital also plans to expand its surgery department, orthopedics division and sports medicine and rehabilitation services.

The new facilities should be ready for patients by 2028.

Central Florida’s pediatric population is now about 1 million and is is expected to grow by nearly 5% in the next five years, Nemours said, so the expanded facilities will help the hospital meet that demand. Nemours now serves more than 300,000 children in Florida at its hospital and other facilities.

“This investment is designed to care for more children, many of whom require highly complex care,” said Martha McGill, president of the Central Florida region for Nemours Children’s Hospital, in a statement. read more