IN USA TODAY: Puerto Rico’s health system ‘on life support’ C1 Sumter Opera House exhibit opens today Public invited to reception SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 celebrating local treasure A2 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2017 75 CENTS Want to be superintendent? Teambuilder, visionary among characteristics school board seeks BY BRUCE MILLS Daryl McGhaney discussed the Directly after the work ses- Ghaney did later share the the individual should have an [email protected] various qualifications and per- sion began at 5 p.m., the board consensus qualifications and expectation of excellence in sonal characteris- went into executive session be- characteristics that all board the school district. Sumter School District’s tics that all the hind closed doors for more members agreed upon. As far as personal charac- Board of Trustees is looking trustees agreed than two hours to allow each Those qualifications include teristics, board members for a teambuilder and vision- were important trustee to share those charac- an earned doctorate degree agreed they’re looking for a ary in its next superintendent, in the upcoming teristics that he/she believes preferred, but not mandatory; teambuilder, visionary and a and someone preferably with search for a new, are critical in the next district and superintendent experience proven leader, McGhaney an earned doctorate degree full-time superin- superintendent. preferred, but not mandatory. said. Other characteristics de- and previous superintendent MCGHANEY tendent following After the board returned to McGhaney said the trustees sired by the trustees include experience, among other cri- a work session open session about 7:20 p.m., also agreed school district-lev- teria. Thursday night at the district it took no action related to the el experience is required for Board Chairman the Rev. office. executive session, but Mc- the superintendent post, and SEE BOARD, PAGE A11 Former sheriff inducted into state hall of fame Summerton man dies in Greeleyville plane crash FROM STAFF REPORTS Williamsburg County Assis- tant Coroner William Horton has released the identities of two men killed in the crash of a small plane Wednesday evening off S.C. 375 near Greeleyville. A hunter in a deer stand called and reported the crash about 6:30 p.m., and first responders arrived at the scene of the burn- ing twin-engine Cessna before 7 p.m., according to reports. The plane reportedly burst into flames upon impact. Horton said the crash victims were Henry Haddock, 66, of Salt- ers and Kenneth Britton II of Summerton. Haddock was the pilot and owner of the aircraft, he said. Autopsy reports indicat- ed the men died from “multiple- system blunt-force injuries,” Horton said. The National Transportation Safety Board was expected to be on the scene Thursday to begin an investigation into the causes of the crash. PHOTOS PROVIDED Jean Parnell Graham and Ira Byrd Parnell Jr., children of the late Sheriff I. Byrd Parnell, stand with Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis at the induction of their father to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Fire safety Parnell widely known for apprehending serial killer Donald ‘Pee Wee’ Gaskins FROM STAFF REPORTS honor of working alongside Parnell at forefront can tell stories of his quick wit, pho- On Wednesday, seven officers were tographic memory and strong work inducted into the South Carolina Law ethic. next week Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame Parnell dedicated 42 years of his including former Sumter County life to law enforcement after serving BY ADRIENNE SARVIS Sheriff I. Byrd Parnell. in the U.S. Coast Guard during World [email protected] Parnell and the other former offi- War II, Dennis said. He was the epito- cers recognized during the induction me of a law man, he said. Sumter Fire Department Bat- ceremony were chosen for their “mer- Dennis also addressed Parnell’s talion Chief Johnnie Rose said itorious service” and contributions to children, Ira Byrd Parnell Jr. and the headquarters station will law enforcement in South Carolina, Jean Parnell Graham, who also be packed with according to a news release from S.C. worked in law enforcement. “It was students next Department of Public Safety. natural that you followed suit as if it week, Oct. 8 Parnell was elected sheriff in 1952 were part of your DNA,” he said. though Oct. 14, for and served Sumter County until he South Carolina Law Enforcement Fire Prevention retired in 1981. Officers Hall of Fame was created by Week. During his speech Wednesday, Sum- the South Carolina General Assembly Firefighters will ter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis in 1974. Each person chosen for the ROSE also be visiting noted that Parnell served as president hall of fame has served at least 25 schools through- of the National Sheriff’s Association, years in law enforcement. out Sumter County to talk president of Federal Bureau of Inves- “All of the men inducted today about fire prevention and fire tigation Academy Associates, presi- made an indelible contribution to law safety, which will be recognized dent of South Carolina Sheriff’s As- PARNELL enforcement and a significant invest- all month. sociation and president of South Car- ment in making South Carolina a The motto this year is “two olina Law Enforcement Officers Asso- apprehending serial killer Donald safer place to live,” said S.C. Depart- ways out,” Rose said. ciation. “Pee Wee” Gaskins in 1975. ment of Public Safety Director Leroy Parnell is particularly known for Dennis said those who had the Smith in the news release. SEE FIRE SAFETY, PAGE A11 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B6 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Albert B. Thomas Jr. Eula Pierre PLENTY OF SUNSHINE 3 SECTIONS, 26 PAGES the .com VOL. 122, NO. 254 Michael A. Hudson Wilson Kenneth Britton II Mostly sunny and very Carmella De Santis Elizabeth C. Smith warm today; partly cloudy Clarendon Sun A7 Opinion A10 Ruth G. Blackwell Betty Gaillard and humid tonight Classifieds B7 Sports B1 Tammye C. Cox Terry Lynn Hughes HIGH 87, LOW 65 Comics C6 Television C4 A2 | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] and has brown hair and blue One of Sumter’s best LOCAL BRIEFS eyes. known sights is the FROM STAFF REPORTS Thomson suffers from clock tower in the mental illness, cannot stand Sumter Opera Parnell to make for long periods of time and House. A major part has fainting spells. He re- of the exhibit in the announcement Monday quires glasses to see well. He City Centre is devot- is not thought to be a danger ed to the still-work- Archie Parnell, who was the to the community. ing clock and the Democratic nominee for South Anyone with information tower that houses it. Carolina’s 5th Congressional can call 911, (803) 436-2000 or This replica is to District in the June 20 Special 1-800-CRIMESTOPPERS. scale and duplicates Election, will make an an- them. nouncement at 11 a.m. Monday Beware of discolored at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth PHOTOS BY IVY MOORE / St. water on Monday THE SUMTER ITEM “I am grateful to all of the thousands of South Carolin- The City of Sumter will ians who supported me be performing maintenance throughout the special election at Water Treatment Plant earlier this year. Their dedica- No. 4 on Lewis Road. Water tion and energy is what en- customers in the surround- abled the close result in June, ing area may experience and I owe them an answer as to temporary discolored what my plans are for 2018,” water. Work will be per- Parnell said. “I have been formed between 8 and 11 thinking long and hard about a.m. on Monday. what role I can play in finding For more information, real solutions for the people of call (803) 774-3988. South Carolina.” Parnell ran a surprisingly close race in June’s Special Take advantage of Election, losing to current Dis- health screenings Exhibit on opera house trict 5 Rep. Ralph Norman by 2,735 votes out of more than McLeod Health Claren- 88,000 votes cast. don will have a health fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Help sheriff’s office Wednesday, Oct. 11, at The history will open today Cypress Center, 50 E. Hos- find missing man pital St., Manning. Area residents can take BY IVY MOORE Sumter County Sheriff's Of- advantage of free health [email protected] fice continues to ask for the pub- screenings and education lic's assistance in locating about common health con- Many Sumterites recall attending movies 55-year-old Mi- cerns and services offered and other events at the Sumter Opera House, chael J. Thomson, by McLeod Health. but the iconic Main Street sculpture has a who went missing For more information, history longer than any of the city's resi- after being treated call (803) 435-5246. dents. Today, the long-anticipated exhibit on at Palmetto Health the history of the opera house will open with Tuomey on Sept. a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. 10. Seth Reimer, Cultural Director of the Sum- THOMSON Thomson was ter Opera House, thinks many people will be last seen at the CORRECTION surprised and that many will have their hospital wearing If you see a statement in error, memories tweaked by elements of the exhib- blue scrub pants, a green T-shirt contact the City Desk at 774-1226 or it, including some of the interactive exhibits. and brown flip flops. He is 6 feet [email protected]. "People can select interviews of those 1 inch tall, weighs 200 pounds who've recorded their memories," Reimer said.