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LAMAR BENEFIT RIDE ON B1 2A OPINION 4A OBITUARIES 7A SPORTS 2B PUZZLES 3B BOOKINGS 5B CLASSIFIEDS QUOTE ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.’ EDMUND BURKE News&Press Vol. 145, No. 32 TWO SECTIONS • 14 PAGES AUGUST 7, 2019 ESTABLISHED 1874 75¢ Darlington, S.C. WWW.NEWSANDPRESS.NET Candidates quick to file in Darlington mayor’s race By Samantha Lyles hope to secure the trust of the Staff Writer citizens and bridge those gaps [email protected] that keep us from making a bet- The filing period for Nov. 5 ter Darlington,” says Bruce. elections opened last Thursday, “We need to see one Darlington and two candidates promptly and move the city forward in a filled out their paperwork, paid positive direction.” the $355 filing fee, and set out Darlington businessman to challenge incumbent Mayor Curtis Boyd filed just past noon Gloria C. Hines. on Thursday, moments after Darlington City Council the filing period opened. member and Mayor Pro Tem Boyd's unofficial campaign for Carolyn Bruce filed on Friday mayor began in October 2018; morning. Bruce says her cam- in the interim, numerous signs paign will focus on healing racial and economic divides and vehicle wraps have kept his and bringing citizens together face and campaign slogan to work for a brighter future. (“Some things are worth fight- “Being on City Council for ing for”) in the public eye. the last four years, I feel that “(I'm running) to make a dif- there is a divide in the city. ference,” says Boyd. There seems to be some dis- Darlington citizen Curtis Boyd (with City of Darlington Darlington City Council member and Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn Bruce trust among the citizens, so I CANDIDATES ON 3A Clerk/Treasurer Gloria Pridgen) files for mayor. files for mayor. PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA LYLES Local governments Intern learns what makes a city run By Samantha Lyles put accent on progress Staff Writer [email protected] By Bobby Bryant county school district. Editor Some of the highlights: Before heading off to [email protected] -- Darlington’s southwest study political science at Clemson University in the Lamar’s water problems are water and sewer project has been completed, Mayor Gloria fall, 18-year-old Will “much, much better.” Johnson decided to get Hines reported. This should Darlington County students’ some first-hand, real-world preliminary test scores seem to help relieve some of the city’s experience. Since he aims be rising. flooding problems after storms to run for political office And Darlington’s new Sonic hit, city officials have said. And someday, Johnson felt that Drive-In should be finished by the Sonic being built off U.S. 52 learning what it takes to late August. near McDonald’s and the rem- keep the gears turning in Those are among the take- nants of what was a Huddle day to day city operations aways from a quarterly confer- House restaurant should be would help him become a ence of all the county’s govern- completed by the end of more effective and ing councils and boards, held August, she said. informed public servant. last week at Sara’s Porch “Sonic is coming,” Hines “That's why I'm up here, restaurant in Darlington. said. “ . We are lucky to have to try and figure out what I The July 29 conference, it.” An opening date for the want to do. My end goal is hosted this time by Darlington Sonic hasn’t been announced to run for public office, County Council, avoided any by Sonic corporate officials. whether it's local, state or public debates, instead offering The company has not even offi- federal,” says Johnson. a chorus of updates on projects cially announced that it’s build- Johnson graduated from Darlington High School in involving Darlington, ing a restaurant here. June, and his time playing Hartsville, Lamar, Society Hill, varsity tennis, serving on county government and the CONFERENCE ON 3A student government and working with a variety of civic service clubs prepared him for the workload and Will Johnson, City of Darlington summer intern. PHOTO BY SAMANTHA LYLES variety of tasks involved in a summer internship. While extra time on cut-off day, or have to understand what peo- drains, city workers sweat floating from assignment to defendants behave ignobly at ple go through on a daily every day for their pay. During assignment, Johnson has court, Johnson says patience basis. That's everybody from his internship, Johnson has learned about the duties, and compassion are key. department heads to workers expended some physical staff, and operations of the “I've learned a lot about on the street to people trying effort, too -- sweeping streets, police and fire departments, customer service,” says to pay their bills,” says painting curbs, washing fire codes enforcement, recre- Johnson. “My grandmother Johnson. “Capt. Kim Nelson trucks -- which gave him a ation, streets and sanitation, owns Clifton's Car Stereo in (DPD) told me, when I new appreciation for those water and sewer, municipal Hartsville and I've worked up worked with her, never to who work so hard to make the court, and city administra- there, so I had some back- look down on anyone and city look better. tion. He also observes that most ground on how to talk to peo- always treat them with He says that one common- people outside city govern- ple – what to say and what not respect.” ality among all these depart- ment might assume that ments is a commitment to to say.” Aside from the valuable departments work very inde- helping citizens who ask for He adds that this attitude soft skills needed to navigate pendently of each other, but help, even when those citi- was reinforced during his prickly people, Johnson also he's found that to be untrue. zens are less than cordial. intern hours with the got a sense of how much hard Johnson noticed that city When callers phone the street Darlington Police Department physical work city employees employees often call each department, irate because and city administration. do every day. From picking up other to help solve problems, their trash wasn't picked up, “Howard (Garland, city garbage, yard waste, and or for advice and support. Darlington County school board member Richard Brewer, left, with or water customers request manager) told me that in storm debris to cutting grass Hartsville city manager Natalie Zeigler. PHOTO BY BOBBY BRYANT order to govern a city, you and clearing clogged storm INTERN ON 3A Stellar readers help library unveil Cowick trial ‘Darlington Discovery Dome’ delayed until next By Samantha Lyles themed show. Obtained with Staff Writer support from the Sonoco [email protected] Foundation, the planetarium year, officials say Kids who excelled in the will provide an immersive Darlington County Library educational experience The death-penalty trial of awaiting trial in the killings of System's summer reading pro- designed to fire the imagina- Cephas Cowick, which had a Darlington woman and her been scheduled to begin this gram helped the library tions of future scientists and 9-year-old granddaughter. launch its latest educational explorers. Best of all, the plan- month at the Darlington County Courthouse, has been Cowick’s wife, Katherine program and cut the ribbon etarium is conveniently locat- pushed back until sometime Baucom-Cowick, also remains on a new portable planetari- ed and show admissions will next year, the county Clerk of um, dubbed the Darlington be free. jailed on two murder charges Discovery Dome. Court’s office says. in the case, but she will be “Not everybody has the The trial had been set to On Friday, Aug. 2, the transportation or the tried separately. Her trial date Darlington Library unveiled begin the week of Aug. 19, resources to go to the plane- remains unclear. the 18-foot StarLab inflatable and three weeks of court time dome and welcomed two out- tarium (at Francis Marion had been set aside for what The victims, Denise standing readers and their University) ... so we worked was to be Darlington County’s Couplin, 52, and her grand- with the Sonoco Foundation first death-penalty trial in at families inside for a preview daughter, Deziyah Davis, were of the space exploration- to bring the planetarium least 10 years or more. experience to Darlington But the trial has been “con- shot to death at their home off County,” said Jimmie Epling, tinued” and will be resched- Bobo Newsome Highway in Darlington County Library uled sometime next year, July 2016. according to the Clerk of System director. Couplin’s car was stolen; it Court’s office. Cowick has been jailed later was found burned. DISCOVERY DOME ON 3A PHOTO BY SAMANTHA LYLES without bond since 2016, -- Bobby Bryant Word of the Week The Pee Dee’s Oldest Independently passim - in one place and another Owned Newspaper Merriam-Webster.com AUGUST 7, 2019 | PAGE 2A THE NEWS AND PRESS, DARLINGTON, S.C. opinWWW.NEWSANDPRESS.NETion OP-ED You see it, you own it, Part II By Tom Poland tured and fragmented. team working on the litter Ken is a man on a mission. deposit on single-use plastic groundswell of indignation. Volunteers picking up litter project. He believes education and law and aluminum containers “Any place I go,” said Ken, “if I Part I approached litter as a have proven ineffective at Emily Oakman, director of enforcement need to step it up. must be well thought out,” said bring up litter, blood pressures problem that you own if you meeting the challenge. I meet Outreach and Education for Some people, he says, have Ken, “so as not to disrupt recy- go up and everyone has a story see it.