IN OPINION: It’s time for the U.S. to embrace a strong new battle cry A8 NATION Death of coral reefs could have ‘dire’ consequences TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A6 School reform waits for funding plans in favor of the plaintiffs in Abbeville tional opportunity.” tablished the House Education Policy Some say legislators did well School District v. The State of South In a highly controversial move, the Review and Reform Task Force, which this session on issue, but Carolina, declaring the state was not court ordered the state and the plain- included legislators, education profes- providing a sufficient education as tiff districts to “present a plan to ad- sionals, representatives of the plain- survey holds up initiatives provided for in the South Carolina dress the constitutional violation … tiffs and a broad range of education BY JIM HILLEY Constitution. with special emphasis on the statutory and policy experts to hold hearings on [email protected] In that November 2014 ruling, the and administrative pieces necessary to how to proceed. court said state institutions had aid the myriad troubles facing these The task force’s report was released Improving public education in the “failed in their constitutional duty to districts at both state and local levels.” on Dec. 17, 2015, and was widely hailed state has become a hot issue since the ensure that students in the plaintiff In response to the ruling, House South Carolina Supreme Court ruled districts receive the requisite educa- Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, es- SEE EDUCATION, PAGE A3 Fit Fest’s goal is to spread awareness of deformity Tetralogy of Fallot is a deadly heart condition BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] Fitness leaders from Sum- ter and surrounding areas held free classes at the U.S. National Guard Armory on Saturday during Fit Fest 2016, a charity event for The Queen Victoria Miller Heart Foundation, a nonprofit raising awareness about a rare and deadly heart defor- mity. Sumter native Regina Miller started the foundation in 2015 to raise awareness about Te- tralogy of Fallot, a rare heart deformity that allows oxygen- poor blood to flow throughout the body, causing infants and children to have blue-tinted KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM skin because of the lack of ox- Donale Miles teaches her niece Victoria Perez how to stretch correctly during Fit Fest on Saturday at the National Guard Armory. The Queen ygen in the body. Victoria Miller Heart Foundation hosted the event to raise awareness of a rare heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. Miller’s first child, Victoria, for whom the foundation is Miller has heard of children tation and lodging for families Maybe if people lead health- Coral “Rocabye” Scott, named, died of complications living with the deformity until that need to take their chil- ier lifestyles, they can have Sumter native and founder of of Tetralogy of Fallot at the the age of 14, but they had at dren to the hospital for treat- children who are also healthy, Rocabye Fitness in Greenville, age of 2 on Feb. 19, 1990. least two surgeries within ment. Miller said. said living a healthy lifestyle “She would have been 27 that time. She said the purpose of Fit She does not know why her does not have to be difficult. today,” she said. Since losing her daughter, Fest was to encourage people daughter was born with Te- Scott said he eats what he Doctors predict that chil- Miller has made it her mis- to live healthy lifestyles to tralogy of Fallot, but she likes but makes sure to bal- dren with Tetralogy of Fallot sion to support other parents protect their hearts by offer- hopes that parents who stay ance what he eats with the will not live past the age of 2, of children living with the de- ing free yoga, Zumba, kick- active will not have to experi- she said. formity by funding transpor- boxing and Pilates classes. ence that pain. SEE FIT FEST, PAGE A3 Ministry happens on both sides of the counter BY JIM HILLEY as possible. So she fled, At that time, a volun- encountered trying to get help. United [email protected] leaving everything she teer who handles client Ministries was her lifeline. Minutes owned behind. intake walked in. As a later, a glimmer of hope shone in her A woman walked in the door and up Maria had been able to victim of domestic vio- eyes behind the tears. to the counter at Sumter United Min- come up with enough lence herself, she was the After the information was gathered istries. She said she needed help with money to rent a place but right person to help for Maria’s file, the volunteer called an electric deposit. Maria (not her real needed help with her Maria. The volunteer her back for her interview. When the name) was a victim of domestic vio- electric deposit. She said was introduced to Maria, first part of the interview was over, lence, having fled to Sumter from an- none of the agencies she and it was explained why Maria came back out into the waiting other state with her two teenage chil- went to for help was able she would be interview- room — looking much more relaxed — dren for safe refuge. to assist her because she ing Maria. while her case was being reviewed by Her situation was so dire, she was didn’t have the victim’s The tears began to fall the crisis relief director. She was instructed not to wait for documenta- documentation or a South Carolina as Maria recounted each “no” that she tion but to get out of the area as soon driver’s license. had heard and each roadblock she had SEE CARING, PAGE A3 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Edward L. Gause Jr. WARMER TODAY 2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Felecia Ann M. Bryan VOL. 121, NO. 207 Classifieds: 774-1234 Mostly sunny today and Everette M. Haley partly cloudy tonight Classifieds B7 Opinion A8 Delivery: 774-1258 Matthew Williams Comics B6 Television A9 News and Sports: 774-1226 Emma G. Joynes HIGH 91, LOW 72 Ella Rae H. Jones Mazie W. Nettles We Go Where You Go. Bank Local. Sumter: 803.469.0156 Manning: 803.433.4451 bankofclarendon.com ."//*/(t46.5&3t4"/5&&t46..&350/t8:#00 A2 | TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Straightline winds cause damage in Williamsburg National Weather Service says “The wind picked up really high; ev- cloud formation. weather service as widespread. Nu- erything went dark, and clouds start- “A shelf cloud itself is not danger- merous large limbs were blown out of no tornado formed on Friday ed circulating,” she said. “It came ous,” Weiss said. “It’s an indicator of healthy trees, and a few tree tops were through really quickly, maybe about where the strongest winds are rotat- snapped out of healthy trees. Medium BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY five minutes or so.” ing.” to large trees were uprooted. [email protected] Severe thunderstorms moved Jeff Singleton, Williamsburg Coun- Williamsburg County Fire Depart- through the area between 3 and 4 p.m., ty Emergency Management public in- ment Chief Randy Swinton said fallen The National Weather Service deter- with the most significant damage ob- formation officer, said no fatalities or trees blocked several roads, including mined Friday’s storm which hit sever- served along S.C. 261, between Easler injuries were reported. three miles of Seven Bridges Road, on al miles from the Clarendon County Highway and U.S. 52, according to Na- A few homes in the area received which motorists were stranded. S.C. line in Williamsburg County was not a tional Weather Service reports. A minor damage from falling trees or 261 and S.C. 527, between Williams- tornado but straightline winds that in- 5-mile stretch was affected, primarily limbs, he said. Several homes lost a burg and Clarendon counties, were cluded gusts as high as 85 miles per the Mt. Vernon community in Wil- number of shingles or flashing, ac- also impassable for several hours be- hour. liamsburg County. cording to the weather service’s re- cause of trees and several utility lines Sandy Akers, a Clarendon County Residents may have seen a shelf port. There were also a few outdoor that had fallen. resident who lives about 10 miles from cloud, said Josh Weiss, meteorologist buildings that were damaged or de- Clarendon County did not receive Williamsburg County, said from her with the weather service in Wilming- stroyed as the wind lifted their metal any significant damage except for a front porch on Flinn Road, she ob- ton, North Carolina, which monitors roofing and deposited it as far as 100 few fallen trees, said Anthony Mack, served what appeared to be a tornado Williamsburg County. A shelf cloud yards away, according to the report. Clarendon County Emergency Servic- forming. is wedge-shaped, low, horizontal Tree damage was described by the es director. LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Hydrant testing set for midweek The city of Sumter will per- form fire hydrant flow tests on North Lafayette Drive, Cross- well Drive, Poinsett Drive, East Charlotte Avenue, Theatre Drive, University Drive, Alice Drive, Snowden Street and Conyers Street on Wednesday and Thursday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Water customers in the sur- rounding area may experience temporary discolored water. Direct any questions or con- cerns to the City of Sumter Public Services Department at (803) 436-2558.