In addition to some widespread damage, Tropical Storm Andrea is causing delays and cancelations, with a particularly strong effect on local high school graduations.
UPDATE AT 4:30 P.M. THURSDAY
The University of Tampa has canceled Thursday evening classes starting at 4:30 p.m. There are no regularly scheduled classes on Fridays or scheduled co-curricular events or activities for the rest of today. Special events scheduled for tomorrow will go on as planned.
Five of the eight Florida State League's baseball games scheduled for today have been scratched. Doubleheaders in Bradenton (Cubs vs. Marauders) and Fort Myers (Manatees vs. Miracle), along with a game between the Flying Tigers and Mets in St. Lucie have all been canceled. No word yet on the status of the Stone Crabs vs. Blue Jays in Dunedin, Threshers in Hammerheads in Jupiter and Cardinals vs. Yankees in Tampa.
UPDATE AT 2:00 P.M. THURSDAY
Stetson University College of Law has now canceled all classes at both its main campus in Gulfport, and the Stetson Tampa Law Center.
Manatee County Schools has canceled all school district after-school activities for today. However, after-school daycare programs remain open, and parents with students in these programs should pick their children up at the normal time.
Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa is closed.
In additions to the graduation delays and changes we told you about earlier (see below), the Tampa Bay Times reports Largo, Pinellas Park and Seminole high schools are all still hoping to hold their graduations at Bright House Field in Clearwater as scheduled: Seminole at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Pinellas Park at 8 a.m. Friday, and Largo at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
All three schools have contingency plans. Largo would split the graduating class into two sessions at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the school auditorium. Pinellas Park also would have two sessions, at noon and 2:30 p.m. Friday in the school auditorium. But Seminole has changed its contingency plan from having two sessions; now its back-up is to hold the graduation at 1 p.m. Friday at Bright House Field.
ORIGINAL POST AT 11 A.M.
Also closed are Adventure Island in Tampa and the American Health Institute in Pasco County.
Andrea has affected a number of local graduations.
Countryside High School moved today's graduation from Bright House Networks field to the school's auditorium, causing split ceremonies. Last names A through L graduated earlier this morning, M through Z will graduate at 11:30 a.m.
It may be a similar story for St. Petersburg High School, which has moved its ceremony to tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. on the school's Stewart Field. If they can't get the graduation in there, they'll move it to the the school auditorium and split the ceremony. Students with last names starting with A through J will graduate at 10 a.m., K through Z at 1 p.m.
And St. Pete's Lakewood High is now onto its third plan. The school first postponed its ceremony from tonight to tomorrow morning, moved it into the school auditorium, and split the class in half, girls and boys. Now, the students will graduate together TONIGHT, with a ceremony at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church at 1900 Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg. Students have been asked to report to First Baptist Church at 5:30 p.m. for a walkthrough practice.
