Dateline Florida

By Times Wires
Published December 15, 2007

Order gifts now, avoid fees now, Mail packages now

Better watch out, better not wait, Christmas deadlines are comin' to town. If you want free shipping on online orders, get moving. Most retailers have set Monday or Tuesday as the deadline. The U.S. Postal Service expects Monday to be its busiest mailing day of the year, given its Dec. 20 deadline for first-class or priority mail. To avoid crowds, try a larger post office with 24-hour automated tellers, or go to USPS.com to print out a postage label yourself. Customers have until Dec. 22 to send Christmas packages by express mail.

New exhibit explores John Paul II and Jews

A new exhibit chronicling the life of Pope John Paul II and his relationship with Jews is set to open next month at the Florida Holocaust Museum. The exhibit, "A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II & the Jewish People," includes items from the World War II era and the pope's cane, biretta and papal stole. The artifacts will be on display Jan. 13 through April 13. Created by Xavier University, the collection seeks to explain the historical relationship between Jews and Christians. For tickets or information, call the museum at (727) 820-0100 or visit www.flholocaustmuseum.org.

Better dig out your woolen flip-flops

Here's an only-in-Florida number for you: 80. As in, that's the temperature in December. But weather experts predict it will feel a little more like winter - or at least for what passes for winter in our part of the Sunshine State - by Sunday. A cold front should move in starting tonight. On Friday, moisture from remnants of Tropical Storm Olga set the stage for rain and thunderstorms. Showers are likely throughout the weekend, said Bay News 9 meteorologist Josh Linker. Although today's high should be in the low 80s, Linker predicts a Sunday high of just 65. Not exactly sweater-and-gloves weather, but cool enough to put the shorts away. Brr, almost.

[Last modified December 14, 2007, 23:40:04]