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CURTIS KRUEGERWhile federal and some state offices are closed, the day of mourning has created differing views on remaining open.
There will be no regular mail Friday, but garbage will be picked up as usual - in some cities. Federal courts will be closed, but state courts will be in session. The stock market will be closed, but many banks will be open.
The national day of mourning for former President Ronald Reagan has created an unusual patchwork of closings that vary from place to place and job to job. Friday is not an annual holiday like Labor Day, but it will not be business as usual.
"This is what I would refer to as an unexpected closing," St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker said late Wednesday afternoon, shortly after city officials announced which departments would close or remain open. "This is not a holiday, that's what's different. It's a day of remembrance and a day of mourning."
Because Reagan's death came quickly, business and government leaders were forced to make decisions on the fly this week. While the stock market will be closed, Raymond James & Associates, a brokerage with headquarters in St. Petersburg, will remain open even though it will not be able to execute trades for clients.
"We try to take a look at all the moving parts and see what the impact would be to our clients," said Thom Tremaine, Raymond James' executive vice president of operations and administration. "If a client has a need to move money in or out of our firm, we need to be open."
Looking for ways to honor the popular former president without inconveniencing local residents, many local governments have chosen a partly open, partly closed strategy.
Clearwater Assistant City Manager Ralph Stone said city libraries, City Hall and municipal services will be shut down. He also said many all-day children's recreation programs will stay open.
"There are so many kids that are out there that attend those, and we were concerned with the late notice."
It's the same in Tampa and St. Petersburg. Tampa city offices will close, but parks and playgrounds will continue providing summer daytime activities for children. "Leaving our citizens on the hook for finding alternative solutions was not something that we wanted to do," chief of staff Darrell Smith said.
In Tampa, garbage crews will take Friday off but work Saturday instead. But in St. Petersburg, residential garbage collection will continue as usual Friday.
State offices will remain open, but supervisors have been told to accommodate employees who wish to take the day off.
Pinellas Commissioner Susan Latvala initially questioned whether closing county offices was a good idea because of the short notice.
"In retrospect, I saw the news last night. It's a full state funeral Friday. That makes a difference," Latvala said. "My feelings have changed... It very much is appropriate to do it."
Pinellas Commissioner Calvin Harris, a Democrat, was one of the commission's strongest voices calling for closing county government to honor the late Republican president.
"We are getting to the point where we don't pay the proper respect to our institutions and leaders. It is appropriate that we teach our young people to do this," Harris said.
"It's not about individuals or the parties. It's about the importance of the office of the presidency in our history."
People have found ways to honor Reagan that are both somber and light-hearted.
In New Port Richey, the Alzheimer's Family Organization has scheduled a 10 a.m. candlelighting ceremony for Friday.
Statewide, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is moving its deadline for quota hunt applications from Friday to Monday.
And in Washington, the White House and the Senate Majority leader have taken away dishes of M&Ms and replaced them temporarily with jelly beans - Reagan's favorite candy.
- Times staff writers Michael Sandler, Louis Hau and Helen Huntley contributed to this report.