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The Daystarter: Lightning even playoff series; it's harder to track bad substitutes in Hillsborough; more on man with body in shed; how she skirted Busch Gardens' free beer rules

 
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) attempts to guide the puck into the net as Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (40) blocks his shot during the first period of Monday's Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal [DIRK SHADD   |   Times]
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) attempts to guide the puck into the net as Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (40) blocks his shot during the first period of Monday's Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal [DIRK SHADD | Times]
Published May 1, 2018

Here are the top things to do today in Tampa Bay including free admission at the Glazer Children's Museum, Gulfport's Fresh Market and the Tampa Bay Symphony performs.

• Today is the day Busch Gardens brings back free cups of beer for all its guests older than 21. It only lasts through Aug. 5, but it's been almost a decade since the theme park last offered the perk. See how one writer and her friends wasted half an afternoon</> getting more than their share of freebies in the theme park's Hospitality House.

• The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins 4-2 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The series is now tied 1-1, guaranteeing a Game 5 at 3 p.m. Sunday back at Amalie Arena. Here's our recap of live coverage from the game, and make sure to check out the Times' Lightning page for all of our coverage of the team.

• The biggest turnaround was executed by Brayden Point and his linemates, who dominated a Bruins top line that looked unstoppable in Game 1. Times columnist Martin Fennelly hands out the Game 2 grades here in his game report card, and you can check out all the Game 2 images in on our All Eyes blog. And, see how the game had a decidedly retro feel to it, writes Times columnist Tom Jones.

• And did you see the punching man in the stands during Game 2?

• Angelo Dante Beckford invited some people over to his house. He had something he wanted to show them inside a shed in the back yard. It was the body of a woman, police said. Police swarmed the Bartlett Park home at 524 16th Ave. S later that afternoon, arresting the resident after a brief chase and launching a homicide investigation after . The St. Petersburg Police Department will provide an update today at 10:30; stay with tampabay.com for updates.

• The Hillsborough County School District has made it even harder for the public to see what sometimes goes wrong when substitute teachers take charge of a classroom. While the district says the new system is faster and more efficient, Marlene Sokol explains that it also allows principals to skip why they don't want substitute teachers to come back.

• A two-year battle over Pasco County school attendance zones comes to a head this morning, with the School Board scheduled to vote on another plan that some parents have already challenged with the state. Also, the board will consider a plan to staff elementary schools with armed security officers. Reporter Jeff Solochek has the details.

• Michael Hazard wanted to be Tampa's mayor. Now, he faces possible charges of illegal voting. Hazard's long-shot run for mayor of the state's third-largest city recently came to an end when county election officials ruled he is unqualified to vote let alone seek office. Charlie Frago explains why.

• The clock is ticking. Today is Give Day Tampa Bay and you can help your favorite charity or nonprofit by donating before midnight tonight. Even small donations help because they are competing for the most donors, not the most money, to win even more money from deep-pocketed donors.

• Lois Stroh of Cape Coral is 81 years old, and she's been waiting for 15 years to be paid by the state of Florida for damage to her property. Stroh is among thousands of homeowners whose prized fruit trees were destroyed as part of the state's failed effort to prevent the spread of citrus canker. But she'll keep waiting. A circuit judge in February ordered the state to pay up and spend about $17 million to compensate Stroh and the owners of nearly 12,000 parcels in Lee County. But Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, a Republican candidate for governor, challenged the decision in the Second District Court of Appeal, ensuring that the homeowners won't be paid, despite having won multiple courtroom victories over the years, Steve Bousquet writes.

• Hancock Bank is changing its name. The bank, owned by Mississippi parent Hancock Holding Co., announced today that it is rebranding as Hancock Whitney to reflect its 2010 merger with New Orleans-based Whitney Bank.

• Ricky Torres is the best basketball player from Tampa Bay that you've never heard of. Find out how Torres went from a Pinellas Park High School dropout to one of the top junior college players in the nation to a Division I-A signee at tampabay.com/sports

• From our food editor, this week's Drink of the Week is the Mint Julep, with a fool-proof recipe just in time for Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

• Last month police and social workers shut down two unlicensed assisted living facilities in St. Petersburg. Now Josh Solomon has new details about the situation: The owner repeatedly bounced checks to the city and the water was shut off the water was shut off for three days before police discovered what was happening on Second Avenue S.