USA TODAY: Russian inquiry by special counsel could expose Trump secrets C1 THE CLARENDON SUN 3 new principals take over in Clarendon 1 A6 FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Another meeting called today Sumter School District Board of Trustees to assemble for executive session BY BRUCE MILLS Superintendent Frank that the board and Baker mutually [email protected] Baker’s last day with the SUMTER SCHOOL DISTRICT agreed he will retire, although a pub- district is Monday, the BOARD OF TRUSTEES lic vote in an open meeting was never The Sumter School District Board of last day of the month. taken. WHAT: Special called meeting Trustees has called another special Baker and the board mu- On Monday night, at another called called meeting at 4 p.m. today, accord- tually agreed last week WHEN: 4 p.m. today meeting, the trustees voted unani- ing to a meeting agenda that was re- BAKER that he will retire then, WHERE: 1345 Wilson Hall Road mously to name Debbie Hamm interim leased to the media on Wednesday af- after eight months of tur- superintendent — effective Tuesday. ternoon. moil after the December There was no action taken, or even After the meeting begins today, the release of the fiscal year 2016 audit re- Today’s meeting will be the board’s comments made, by the board after a board agenda states the board will im- port. second special called meeting this June 27 called meeting. mediately enter executive session be- That report revealed the district week and fourth in the past five That meeting’s agenda indicated hind closed doors for receipt of legal overspent by $6.2 million that year weeks. trustees were to discuss an employee’s advice from attorneys and discussion and had an ending general fund bal- At least two of the three previous contract and receive legal advice in of an employee’s status, according to ance on June 30, 2016, of $106,449 — a called meetings during the time frame executive session. the agenda. It’s not known who the critically low level, according to the have involved Baker and his retire- Today’s 4 p.m. meeting will be at the employee is. district’s auditor. ment. It was at the July 18 meeting district office, 1345 Wilson Hall Road. Hamm Military Order of the Purple Heart meet the mayor has fond memories of Sumter BY BRUCE MILLS [email protected] For Debbie Hamm, who will become Sumter School Dis- trict’s interim superintendent on Tuesday, it all began in Sumter. After graduating from col- lege in California in 1973, Hamm moved to Sumter be- cause her hus- band, Steve, had a job here. She taught for a year in the former Sumter School District 2 at the former Eastern RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM HAMM Elementary Members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Gen. George L. Mabry Jr. Chapter 817 of Sumter, visit with Sumter Mayor Joseph T. School, which McElveen Jr., left, on Thursday morning before the mayor signed a proclamation declaring Monday, Aug. 7, as Purple Heart Day. See went through the eighth grade proclamation photo on page A2. at the time, and her principal was R.E. Davis. Today, the ele- mentary school is named after Davis. Hamm said Wednesday that Traveler ranks Sumter as 6th best place to see eclipse she and her husband of nearly 44 years look back fondly on their time here. BY CAITLAN WALZER “It was not only where I had [email protected] my first job, but it was where my husband and I lived when Traveling the path of the eclipse we were first married,” Hamm along the Southeastern part of the said. “We loved our time in country, Jason Barnette, a freelance Sumter.” photographer and writer, ranked Sum- It was the 1973-74 school ter as the sixth best place to visit and year, she said. see the total eclipse on Aug. 21. Hamm said her best memo- For nine years, Barnette has been ries of being a teacher at the traveling and taking photographs; how- school that year were the ever, it was not until three years ago school children and also the that he began to write about his desti- opportunity to work with nations and journeys. Davis. Originally from Virginia, Barnette “He was an amazing man, travels and visits his parents in and I am so happy the school Charleston where he got the idea to fol- was named after him,” Hamm low the path of the eclipse. said. “We got to know both Mr. Starting in Charleston, he visited a Davis and his wife. Part of the large portion of South Carolina and is fond memory is the privilege now in Tennessee. of knowing both of them and “By the end of my journey,” Barnette particularly working with R.E. said, “I will have visited five different Davis.” states, over 90 destinations and will PHOTO PROVIDED After that school year, have been on a three-month expedi- Freelance photographer and writer Jason Barnette stopped by Sumter on May 26 and 27 Hamm and her husband tion.” during his tour of the path of the total eclipse, which is on Aug. 21. Barnette took this pho- moved to Columbia, where she At his stops throughout South Caroli- tograph saying, “Swan Lake is unique and the perfect location to view the eclipse and visit pursued her master’s degree na, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee the swans.” at University of South Caroli- and Kentucky, Barnette said that he na. She actually has spent all gets to know the towns he stays in by for visitors and Sumterites to watch the During his search, Barnette said he of her professional career searching for the best lodging and food eclipse. learned that Dillion Park will be host- since then in the Columbia for future visitors. “Since Sumter is in the path of the ing a viewing party for the community While in South Carolina, Barnette eclipse,” Barnette said, “I went down- visited Sumter on May 26 and 27 and town and all around Sumter looking for SEE MEMORIES, PAGE A5 scouted out several possible locations the best places to see it.” SEE TRAVELER, PAGE A5 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B3 and B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Ronnie Lee McFadden Herbert Gayle STORMS LIKELY 3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Rose Lee B. McQuillar Jeremiah Heyward Jr. VOL. 122, NO. 204 Classifieds: 774-1200 Strong afternoon Lillie Wells Nancy L. Pace thundershowers. 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Opinion A9 HIGH 92, LOW 72 Television C4-C5 A2 | FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] FARM REPORT DeWitt says farmers ready to ‘fire the combines’ BY JIM HILLEY this week and early next week; it’s a year, he said, but cotton is showing a ed first, and then I’ll worry about sell- [email protected] little bit early, but some people got an mix. ing it.’” early start,” he said. “Everybody is “Cotton is all over the board,” De- DeWitt said the hemp program in This year’s growing season is look- getting ready to fire the combines.” Witt said. “Overall good, but we got so the state is getting ready to start. ing pretty good, Clemson Extension He said he expects an above-average much rain during the planting season Applications for hemp permits will Agent David DeWitt said. corn yield for the season. that some got drowned out and some be available next week, he said. “Insect pressure has been fairly low; “We’ve had some disease show up in that was planted late or had to be re- “They are only going to permit 20 rainfall has been fairly plentiful for corn, something we haven’t seen be- planted.” farms at 20 acres max for this coming the most part,” he said. “Occasional fore and got everybody excited a little Tobacco and grain sorghum are also 2018 season,” DeWitt said, “so it will spots got too much, and occasional bit,” DeWitt said. “It is brown spot doing well, he said. not be a big thing.” spots didn’t get enough.” that looks a lot like a rust, but it seems “That’s about as positive report as I A lot of people can use the fiber in He said he couldn’t make it sound to be leveling off.” can give on state agriculture right hemp, but he said if they are going to too good, however. Soybeans are also doing well, he now,” DeWitt said. have only 400 acres, that’s not enough “I’ll get some farmers that call and said. Commodity prices have been vola- to justify a manufacturing or process- say: ‘I haven’t had rain in a month,’” “We got some beans planted early tile, he said. ing plant. he said. that are just beautiful and even some “Prices are fluctuating every day; “This hemp has no THC in it, so Corn is in good shape this season, late beans,” DeWitt said. “It makes a every time they get a rain or heat there is no smoking it to get high,” De- and the harvest will begin soon, De- difference when you get a rain every storm in the Midwest, prices go up 20 Witt said. “If you smoked a pound of Witt said.