With Hurricane Florence expected to affect South Carolina later this week, organizations in Columbia and around the Midlands are announcing closings, cancellations and changes of plans.

The State will continue to update this list.

If you know of any closings, cancellations, delays or other information you think should be on this list, please write to online@thestate.com

School Closures

« S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster ordered the closure of schools in 26 counties during a Monday afternoon press conference. Tuesday, McMaster narrowed that scope to 18 counties. Schools will be closed in the following counties:

Berkeley Beaufort Calhoun Charleston ClarendonDarlington Dillon Dorchester Florence Georgetown Horry LexingtonLeeMarionMarlboroOrangeburgRichlandSumterWilliamsburg

« The Charter Institute at Erskine closed all six schools, including Costal Leadership Academy, Gray Collegiate Academy, Mevers School of Excellence, Oceanside Collegiate Academy, Royal Live Oaks Academy and Virtus Academy of South Carolina, according to a statement.

« Lexington-Richland 5 School District offices, events including athletic events, adult education classes and other after school activities are canceled until further notice, according to a statement from the district.

« Lexington 2 School District offices will close, including all activities, athletic events, after-school programs, according the district.

« Lexington 1 is canceling all meetings and events, including programs, athletic practices or events, adult education classes, or extra-curricular activities, according to a statement from the district.

« Richland 1 School District offices will close, according to a statement from the district.

« The University of South Carolina’s campus in Columbia will be closed Wednesday, but essential student services including housing, food service and the Student Health Center will continue to operate, according to a statement from the university.

« Midlands Tech is closing all of its campuses, according to a tweet from the college.

« Columbia College will close, according to a statement. Dining halls and residence halls will remain open, but the Terrace Cafe will close.

« USC Aiken will cancel all classes and university-related activities, according to a tweet from the college.

« Claflin University closed, according to a statement. Evening classes and activities were canceled. The university will continue to house students from South Carolina State University and all students will be required to evacuate from residence halls.

« Denmark Tech and its satellite campuses will close, according to a Tweet from the college.

« Limestone College is canceling classes for the remainder of the week for Aiken, Charleston, Columbia, and Florence, according to a tweet from the college.

Closures

« Orangeburg County offices will close Wednesday, according to a statement from the county administrator.

« Sumter city offices will close until further notice, according to a statement from the Sumter Police Department.

« State government offices in 18 counties listed above will be closed, according to McMaster. That includes the Department of Motor Vehicles, according to a statement from the DMV.

« The South Carolina State Library will close, according to a tweet.

« All Richland County Recreation Commission facilities and parks will close, according to a statement.

Postponements

« The Special Primary Runoff Election for Dorchester County Council District 1, that was scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed and will be rescheduled for September 18.

« Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter will no longer be hosting the 20th Fight Wing 9/11 ceremony Tuesday, according to a statement from the Air Force. The event was postponed after the base upgraded its hurricane condition in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.

« A celebration of a decade of the Health Carolina Farmers Market hosted by Patricia Moore-Pastides, USC’s first lady, has been postponed, according to a statement from the university. The new event will take place Oct. 2.

« The Palmetto Tennis Center postponed its invitational tournament, according to a statement from the center. The new date will be announced later.

« The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is postponing its Workforce Development Symposium, according to a statement from the chamber. The event was originally scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. A new date has not yet been announced.

Cancellations

« The S.C. Board of Health and Environmental Control canceled its Thursday meeting, according to a statement from DHEC.

« Special Olympics South Carolina canceled it’s September Slammer State Tennis Tournament and an Aiken Fundraiser, according to a statement from the organization. Neither event will be rescheduled.

« The Red Cross canceled blood drives across the coastal areas of South Carolina, according to a S.C. Red Cross Tweet. The organization asked that residents in areas not affected by Florence continue to donate.

« The Columbia Food Policy Committee’s meeting scheduled for Wednesday was canceled, according to a statement from the city government.

High school football, athletics schedule changes

« All athletic events, including this week’s high school football games, have been canceled for Richland and Lexington County schools after McMaster ordered the school districts close. No makeup dates have been scheduled.

« The college football game between Benedict and Fayetteville State scheduled for Saturday has been canceled and no make-up date is scheduled, according to a statement from the college.

« The college football game between Newberry College and Virginia of Lynchburg scheduled for Saturday has been moved to 1 p.m., Thursday. Admission is free for evacuees.

« North Carolina Central at South Carolina State football game scheduled for Saturday has been moved to Nov. 24.

« Stetson at Presbyterian football game has been canceled.

« Fort Mill at Lugoff-Elgin has been moved to 7:30 p.m., on Wednesday.

« Ninety-Six at Mid-Carolina has been moved to 7 p.m., on Wednesday.

« Fairfield Central at Newberry has been moved to 7 p.m., on Wednesday.

« Andrew Jackson at North Central has been moved to Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.

« Pinewood Prep at Heathwood Hall has been rescheduled for 6:30 p.m., on Monday.

« CA Johnson at Pelion has been moved to Monday, 6 p.m.

« West Florence at Camden has been moved to Monday, 7 p.m.

« South Carolina men’s soccer team has postponed its Saturday game with Marshall.

« South Carolina’s cross country meet at Winthrop, originially scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed to Oct. 5, but the Gamecocks will not compete on the makeup date.

« South Carolina volleyball’s weekend tournament at VCU in Richmond, Virginia, has been canceled and will not be made up.

« South Carolina baseball has canceled its first fall scrimmage on Thursday, which was scheduled to be open to the public. The Gamecocks currently are still set to scrimmage Friday at 4 p.m.

« South Carolina equestrian’s intrasquad exhibition has been moved up to Thursday, 1 p.m. at One Wood Farm in Blythewood.

Staff writers Lou Bezjak and Greg Hadley contributed to this report.

September 11, 2018 | State, The: Web Edition Articles (Columbia, SC)

Author/Byline: Emily Bohatch and Noah Feit, The State | Section: local