Things To Do In SW Florida

What time do Orlando grocery stores and retail stores close on Christmas Eve, and are they open on Christmas Day? What about our famous theme parks?

Here’s what you need to know about holiday operating hours in Central Florida:

Supermarkets

Publix: closing at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Winn-Dixie: closing at 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Walmart Neighborhood Markets: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Aldi: Most stores close at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Trader Joe’s: Closes at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Whole Foods Market: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

The Fresh Market:  7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Sprouts: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Sedano’s: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Day.

Family Dollar: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Big box and warehouse stores

Walmart: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day. read more

By Margarette Burnette, NerdWallet

If you kept money in a high-yield savings account this year, congratulations. Thanks to elevated interest rates, you probably enjoyed strong returns on those funds. And if you didn’t, don’t despair: Savings rates should remain solid through at least the beginning of 2025.

As we head into the new year, here’s a recap of what happened with savings rates in 2024, what it means for your wallet and how to prepare for whatever changes may occur in 2025.

A high-yield savings advantage

The Federal Reserve’s federal funds rate remained relatively high this year, though there were some rate decreases in the second half of 2024. The initial elevation came after a series of 2022 and 2023 rate hikes designed to combat inflation. This translated into better yields on bank accounts, particularly high-yield savings accounts. Although the national average rate for savings accounts was just 0.47% in January 2024, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., many high-yield accounts offered annual percentage yields (APYs) north of 4%. read more

By DIDI TANG, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russell Hedrick, a North Carolina farmer, flies drones to spray fertilizers on his corn, soybean and wheat fields at a fraction of what it would cost him to use a conventional ground spreader.

As a volunteer rescuer, Hedrick uses thermal drones to search for people trapped by mudslides and cargo drones to send water and baby formula to those who are stranded — something he did after Hurricane Helene.

Now he is fretting that one day he will have to ground his drone fleet. Most commercial drones sold in the United States, including those used by Hedrick, are made in China. They have become a target of U.S. lawmakers, who see the dominance of Chinese drones not only as an espionage threat but as a commercial threat because they make it nearly impossible for American manufacturers to compete.

It’s another front in the U.S.-China economic and technological competition that’s likely to intensify with the return to the White House in January of Republican Donald Trump, who has promised to get tough on China. read more

By MARI YAMAGUCHI and ELAINE KURTENBACH, Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have announced plans to work toward a merger that would form the world’s third-largest automaker by sales, as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels.

The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses.

Automakers in Japan have lagged behind their big rivals in electric vehicles and are trying to cut costs and make up for lost time as newcomers like China’s BYD and EV market leader Tesla devour market share.

Honda’s president, Toshihiro Mibe, said Honda and Nissan will attempt to unify their operations under a joint holding company. Honda will lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. They aim to have a formal merger agreement by June and to complete the deal and list the holding company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by August 2026, he said. read more

By Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald (TNS)

People of faith are not more generous than non-religious people — except in one case, a new study found.