Finally in Their Forever Homes
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IN SPORTS: Clemson, USC are happy with early signing classes B1 STATE Columbia is 1st city to ban bump stocks THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A3 City councilmen concerned about recent killings, litter BY ADRIENNE SARVIS Sumter, he said. reading of an ordinance to amend raises the minimum price limits for [email protected] Officials need to have a conversation the city’s procurement ordinance to certain field purchase orders. about these recent murders, he said. reflect modern prices and the city’s Mayor Joe McElveen, Councilwoman During Sumter City Council reports Also, Councilman Steve Corley com- more-than $60-million budget. Ione Dwyer and Councilman Robert at its last meeting of the year on Tues- mented on recent efforts by local offi- The amendment requires city coun- Galiano were absent during the meet- day, Councilman Calvin Hastie said he cials to clean up litter in Sumter to cil approval for purchases of goods or ing. is concerned with the recent shootings make roads more appealing for visi- services that exceed $100,000, while the In other news, council recognized in the city and county. tors. previous ordinance required approval city employees who have been with the Those incidents shine a bad light on Council approved second and final for purchases exceeding $75,000 and municipality between 15 and 40 years. Finally in their forever homes Adoption Day brings new families together BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] or some children, the latest toy on the mar- Fket will not be the best gift they received this year — especially the 48 children who went home with their forever families in South Carolina during Adoption Day on Wednes- Makayla holds her new younger brother after the papers were day. signed for her to officially be One of those children was adopted into the Cooper family Makayla, 9, who was adopt- on Wednesday at Sumter County ed by Zach Cooper and his Judicial Center. wife, Amie, who have previ- ously adopted four other The Coopers, at left, are seen children. after signing Makayla’s adoption The Coopers’ other children papers. are one and a half, 6, 9, 14, 16 and 24 years old. Makayla was placed with PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM the Coopers — her ninth placement home — about 2 years ago. She said she is now happy to have a permanent home and siblings to grow up with she SEE FAMILIES, PAGE A5 Group helps special needs adults live in their own homes well Drive north of Broad Street is in actual neighborhoods in real hous- there’s no stigma of riding around in a Program creates even more. es like families without special needs, big vehicle.” Hollman took his first official step as opposed to in a hospital or facility, Residents of this three-bedroom families outside in his new house Tuesday surrounded said Thoyd Warren, executive director home join 101 other clients who are by his mother, Ann Hollman, and staff of the group. served by the board, including those from the Sumter County Disabilities “Some of the rules from the federal who live in another three-bedroom res- hospitals, facilities and Special Needs Board, the nonprof- government talk about downsizing idence, a nine-bedroom home, an eight- BY KAYLA ROBINS it that provided the home for Hollman. and getting people away from big facil- bedroom house and a 12-unit apart- [email protected] The Community Training Home ities,” Warren said. “Our individuals ment complex throughout Sumter. program is one of the services the do better in smaller settings ... They Professional caregivers work at the Not every house feels like home, but agency offers to adults with develop- don’t have to get in a big ol’ bus to go house to help the residents depending for Aaron Hollman and his two future mental and intellectual disabilities. It some place ... Just like you and me, roommates, their residence on Hart- gives residents the opportunity to live they can use a regular minivan, and SEE HOME, PAGE A5 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B3 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Aaron Canty Jr. Janie P. Edwards NO RAIN TODAY 2 SECTIONS, 14 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 45 Rose Auston Peter E. Sladic Times of clouds and sun; Jake Carter Thomas A. Rufus low clouds tonight Classifieds B6 Sports B1 Rhonda P. Richburg Glenn Ragin Sr. Comics B4 Television B7 Christopher O. Archie Evelyn W. McFadden HIGH 57, LOW 44 Robert Gregg James E. Davis Jr. Opinion A7 Kernell Hilton Hattie Mae Williams Santa Shops Here! If you didn’t buy from us, you paid too much! A2 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Keep kids safe from Christmas toy mishaps FROM MCLEOD SAFE KIDS and keep them in case you have for damage such as sharp edges or away loose batteries; "It's beginning to look a lot like questions; and loose small parts; • If a child swallows a button bat- Christmas," and everywhere we go • Complete warranty cards — this • Teach children to put away toys tery, go to the emergency depart- we see new toys that our children is how manufacturers notify you of after play-time; and ment right away. Do not let the child want. During the holiday season, and recalls. • Store toys for older and younger eat or drink, and do not induce vom- all year long, make sure you don't children separately. Safe storage pre- iting; and put your child at an increased risk SUPERVISION vents falls and other injuries. • Share this information with oth- for injury. • Remove and throw away all toy Another little-known risk for small ers. Make sure everyone who spends McLeod Safe Kids offers these tips packaging before giving it to a baby children is batteries. Inside small time with your child is aware of this when purchasing toys for children: or small child; electronic devices are powerful coin- risk. • Supervise children while they sized button batteries. When swal- Being proactive is key to injury SELECTION play to avoid injury; lowed, these batteries can get stuck prevention. Sign up to receive prod- • Before shopping for toys, consid- • Keep toys meant for older chil- in a child's throat and cause severe uct recalls with the Consumer Prod- er the child's age, interests and abili- dren away from younger children. burns or worse. Each year, children uct Safety Commission at http:// ties; These toys are inappropriate for swallow about 3,500 of these batter- www.cpsc.gov/. • Read labels and look for age rang- younger children; and ies, and the damage is devastating. For more information on prevent- es and safety warnings; • Join in your child's play. This To keep your child safe from this ing childhood injury, call McLeod • Children under age 3 put objects adds to their fun and development. risk: Safe Kids at (843) 777-5021. in their mouths and can choke. Be • Keep devices with button batter- For more information on safety careful with small balls and parts; STORAGE AND MAINTENANCE ies out of reach if the battery com- topics, call (843) 777-5021 or visit • Review assembly instructions • Check old and new toys regularly partments are not secure, and lock www.McLeodSafeKids.org. LOCAL & 5 generations of women gather in Sumter STATE BRIEFS FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS City won’t pick up trash on Christmas but will Saturday The City of Sumter will not collect household garbage or re- cyclables on Christmas Day. Res- idents with Monday garbage and recycling service will have pick- up on Saturday, Dec. 23. Resi- dents are asked to have their roll cart and recycling bin at the curb by 7 a.m. There will be household gar- bage and recycling pickup on New Year's Day. For additional information, call the sanitation department at (803) 436-2558. If Tigers win, there will be partying in the streets CLEMSON — If Clemson University's football team makes it to the national cham- pionship game, fans can toast in the streets. The Anderson Independent- Coleen McCoy Reyling, a longtime Sumterite, is shown with her generations of women in her family, including her twin great-great Mail reports Clemson City grandchildren, Langston and Lyles Shaw. Reyling is the historian at her church, Bethel United Methodist Church, where she has at- Council members voted Mon- tended her entire life. Her late mother, also a historian, used to go from town to town for research, and Reyling would shop for home- day to temporarily suspend coming dresses or other attire. "I wasn't particularly interested in history then, but now I'm the historian of our church. It's a wonder open container laws and shut what happens in our life. My mother would be dancing on the way things turned out for me," she said. Also pictured, left to right, are down a portion of downtown's Allena Ingram and Allison Shaw, sisters and great-granddaughters of Reyling, Mellette Lyles, Reyling's granddaughter, and Christine College Avenue if the Tigers Mixon, Reyling's daughter. make it to the Jan. 8 game in Atlanta. The closures and sus- pension would begin at 6 p.m. that day. Clemson City Manager Rick Cotton said the city made simi- lar closures this past year, Delta wants someone to pay for its losses in airport outage when Clemson clinched the title. Officials required wrist ATLANTA (AP) — tells The Atlanta Jour- bands for people drinking on The CEO of Delta Air nal-Constitution that he the street during the game.