IN SPORTS: Dalzell-Shaw kicks off American Legion season against Manning-Santee B1 INSIDE Sister of fallen soldier uses gifts to honor others A4 TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents ‘Stop! But I won’t shoot’ State works on limiting police firing into cars BY JEFFREY COLLINS And if the driver is seriously ing back. The Associated Press wounded, the car can become an “The car’s not going to go side- uncontrollable missile. ways,” said State Law Enforcement COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s As stressful as these situations Division Chief Mark Keel, whose top law enforcement officer spotted can be for an officer, such shootings overhaul of officer training has re- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS an alarming trend while reviewing are usually avoidable. Because versed the trend, in South Carolina Trainers Brad Drawdy, center, and Jonathon Cox, shootings by police in the state: In- they’re so dangerous, a growing at least. “You’re not a barricade. right, speak to a police officer trainee during an ex- creasingly, the suspect’s only weapon number of law enforcement agen- Because you step in front of that ercise on May 11 at South Carolina Criminal Justice was the vehicle he or she was driving. cies, including the U.S. Department car and tell the driver to stop, Academy in Columbia. The academy is giving offi- Shooting at a driver is risky. It’s of Justice, either deeply discourage doesn’t mean he is going to stop.” cers more training about how to handle traffic stops hard to hit a moving target. Passen- or prohibit shooting at a moving and suspects in vehicles to try to reduce the num- gers or bystanders can be struck. car unless someone inside is shoot- SEE CARS, PAGE A5 ber of instances of police shooting into vehicles. 300 volunteers turn out for Decorating the Decorated event Fallen veterans honored by tending of local cemeteries BY CAITLAN WALZER me at (803) 464-6536.” [email protected] Staff Sgt. Christian Arvelo, Shaw fire protection crew chief On Saturday, volunteers and at Shaw Air Force Base, said several organizations gathered this was his first cleanup, and at Sumter’s oldest cemetery to he felt that the event was im- honor those who sacrificed portant for Sumter because it their lives for the freedom U.S. was a small way to honor the citizens continue to have. heroes who gave their lives for Sumter Cemetery was estab- the country. lished in 1831, and at that time, Arvelo said that the signifi- it only covered 5 acres. Accord- cance in decorating the ceme- ing to the manager of the ceme- tery “is the fact that this is tery, Mark Kerro, Sumter Cem- something in our, Shaw Air etery is the largest cemetery in Force Base’s, back yard.” the county, and 186 years since Peter St. Onge, vice com- its establishment, the cemetery mander of American Legion is now 80 acres and houses Post 15, said that nearly 300 vol- more than 3,000 veterans. unteers arrived at Post 15 head- Shaw 20th Civil Engineer quarters on Saturday morning Squadron Fire Department led to help in any way they could. the event, Decorating the Deco- The volunteers who arrived rated, with the Air Force Ser- were sent to several cemeteries geants Association and the across Sumter County and American Legion. were asked to help out with the Nick Nero, chairman and ad- landscaping by weed trimming, jutant of American Legion Post pulling weeds and raking 15, said the Legion owns 14 leaves. In addition, the volun- grave sites that are reserved for teers were expected to help pick veterans in need. up trash, clean the gravestones Nero said, “the sites are do- and align the headstones if mis- nated from Legion members aligned. that died and left them to the Le- “When looking at the head- gion. They (veterans that need stones and determining where the sites) are to be interred here to put the flags,” St. Onge said, CAITLAN WALZER / THE SUMTER ITEM in Sumter and will be offered at Cynthia Romero cleans the headstone of a veteran Saturday at the Decorating the Decorated event at the going rate. For more infor- Sumter Cemetery. mation, those interested can call SEE HONOR, PAGE A5 Grant project allows kids to spend a day at Congaree National Park Park ranger Rachel BY BRUCE MILLS — the only federally designated national Post discusses the [email protected] park in South Carolina. various species of Through that conversation, she be- trees at Congaree Na- Clarendon County resident Carrie came aware of a grant opportunity tional Park with Sinkler-Parker realized over time that through the National Park Foundation fourth-graders from she just no longer saw children out- that could provide free transportation St. Paul Elementary side. She researched various statistics, for about 400 school-age children from School in Summerton which proved her belief true. One re- the region to visit Congaree in Hop- this spring during port from the Kaiser Family Founda- kins for a day as part of a school field their field trip to the tion found that children 8 to 18 spend trip. The grant was called the Every park. about 7½ hours a day on electronic de- Kid in a Park Transportation Grant. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY vices, including TV, cellphones and The 2016 grant was competitive and CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK computers. That translates to about 53 awarded only 120 applicants across the hours per week in front of a screen. U.S., with a maximum award amount After discovering this, Sinkler-Parker to any winner of $9,000. set out to do something about it last sum- But Sinkler-Parker envisioned the mer. With a personal love for the out- opportunity would be ideal for chil- doors, parks and national historic sites, dren in high poverty-level schools in she talked with the staff of nearby Con- garee National Park in Richland County SEE PARK, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Thomas C. Hopkins Stanley E. Hayes Sr. STORMY TUESDAY 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES the .com Florence Sowers Charles Cuffie III Showers and thunderstorms VOL. 122, NO. 162 Hattie Mae Scott Geneva J. Lee around today, but cooler; Classifieds B6 Opinion A8 John W. McKinney Margaret Johnson tonight, cloudy and humid. Comics A9 Television B5 Raymond Cook Sr. HIGH 83, LOW 67 A2 | TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS ‘Feeling the burn’ causes big problems FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS BY ADRIENNE SARVIS degrees Fahrenheit or higher, [email protected] people should watch the UV City Council to hold index and humidity, Hingst A sunburn is basically your said. budget workshop skin getting fried by ultravio- There is a higher chance of let, or UV, rays, said Bobby becoming dehydrated if there Sumter City Council will Hingst, director of Sumter is more than 50 percent hu- meet for a special called County Emergency Medical midity because humidity meeting at 1 p.m. today at Services. It’s a form of radia- pulls moisture from the skin, the Sumter Fire Training tion, he said. he said. Facility, 470 Green Swamp Sunburns are just like nor- The elderly, people with Road. mal burns, he said. suppressed immune systems Council will continue to When most people get a and small children are most discuss the proposed budget sunburn, it is a first-degree likely to be affected by high for fiscal year 2017-18. The burn where the outer layers humidity, he said. discussion will include of the skin are burned, Hingst When the humidity is high stormwater utility program said. A second-degree sun- make sure to drink a lot of fees, water and sewer tap burn will result in blisters ADRIENNE SARVIS / THE SUMTER ITEM water, Hingst said. Avoid fees, other utility fees, and could leave scars after A wide variety of products containing sunscreen are available to sodas and other sugary building inspection fees and the skin heals, he said. help you avoid burning and reduce your risk of skin cancer. drinks because the sugar will miscellaneous planning and A first-degree sunburn cause the body to dehydrate zoning fees. does not last long, but it can Some people like to skip burn is to stay out of the sun, faster, he said. Council will also consider be painful, he said. Sun- applying sunblock to their he said. People should also avoid possible amendments to the burns typically heal within face because it can dry out Hingst also recommends drinking alcohol because it budget and a resolution sup- seven to 10 days depending their skin, but there is sun- wearing light-colored clothing thins the blood and makes a porting legislation concern- on the extent of the burn, he block made specifically for because lighter colors do not person more likely to be affect- ing the collection of sales said. the face, he said. It has mois- conduct as much heat as ed by the heat, Hingst said. tax from remote retailers. Hingst said the best meth- turizing elements in it to dark-colored clothing. UV index, or ultraviolet For more information, call ods to help prevent sunburns keep the skin from getting Wearing a thin, light-col- index, measures the strength (803) 436-2500. are limiting your time outside dry, he said. ored long-sleeved shirt will of UV rays which can cause and applying sunblock. If you’re going to tan, limit also prevent sunburns as well sunburns.