NATION Court: Remington can be sued over school shooting FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A5 Trustee explains more about her vote to reopen Mayewood month to reopen This year, Mayewood stu- consolidation process was Ray says she didn’t like how consolidation the middle school dents have moved into R.E. handled by the district, saying next year, after it Davis Elementary School, it was done in “great haste.” process was handled almost 1 year ago voted just 11 which is less than two miles “Many times, when you are BY BRUCE MILLS 2 Representative Sherril Ray months ago — al- away. The school is now oper- closing schools you give peo- [email protected] explained further her ratio- beit one consist- ating as R.E. Davis College ple time to adjust to that,” nale for voting to reopen RAY ing of five differ- Preparatory Academy, a K-8 Ray said. “It’s a process that On Monday night and in an Mayewood Middle School — ent trustees be- school with a magnet curricu- can take up to a year before email last week to The Sum- something that she had yet to fore the Novem- lum. you do it.” ter Item, Sumter School Dis- clarify. ber midterm that brought on Ray said Monday that she trict Board of Trustees Area The full board voted 6-3 last Ray and four others. didn’t approve of the way the SEE MAYEWOOD, PAGE A8 ‘Changing lives one bicycle at a time’ Did you know? Manning home to largest bike BCA in Manning is the only assembly factory in the U.S., supplier of U.S.-produced and it’s expanding this year bicycles to Walmart’s 4,000 BY BRUCE MILLS stores across the U.S. [email protected] BCA production in Manning and Clarendon County’s claim to fame for the longest time has Manning in 2018 been fishing for the large striped bass in Lake Marion. Now, those stripers may 320,000 have a competitor roll into town. Bicycles. Yes, bicycles. Made in year First, a little history. … Given the glob- al economy, by 1997, all major U.S. bicy- 1,200 cling companies had moved bike produc- tion overseas to lower-cost providers in Made in a day China and Asia and were solely buying and importing models for sales here in 50 minutes the 50 states. That business model still exists today Current assembly time — with one exception. In 2014, Kent International Chairman for one bicycle and CEO Arnold Kamler de- cided to move 10 percent of his company’s business back to the U.S. and set up opera- tions in an abandoned ware- house in, of all places, Man- ning — which has long been KAMLER considered a small industrial town. Kamler created Bicycle Corporation of America as a division of Kent. His reasoning: The growing cost of labor in China and a long-term outlook on production costs in the industry. Also, Walmart had established a Made in U.S.A. initiative that encouraged U.S. manufac- turing and sales to its stores. “It’s a long-term play,” Kamler said. “Even without talk on tariffs, the cost of doing business in China and Asia is going up at a really high rate. It’s growing at a much higher rate than it’s growing in the United States.” BCA in Manning isn’t a back-to-the-ba- sics, full manual labor assembly line oper- ation. That would be too costly, Kamler said. Instead, it’s better described as “man PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM and machine.” Automated machines now Employees of Bicycle Corporation of America, a division of Kent International, in Man- handle the traditionally tedious task of ning manufacture bicycles that are sold in Walmarts across the country. BCA is the only company that supplies U.S.-produced bicycles to Walmart’s 4,000 stores. SEE BCA, PAGE A8 Shaffer granted a continuance in his trial until July Cody Groeber, a public to begin July 12 with jury selections. A 7 and remains free on bond pending the Former Manning police defender for the Ninth Cir- date for Shaffer’s pre-trial hearing has outcome of his trial. cuit Court, who is repre- not been set. Shaffer’s arrest came only five months chief arrested on federal senting Shaffer, asked U.S. Shaffer was arrested on Jan. 7 by FBI after his job as Manning police chief was charges in January by FBI District Judge Bruce Howe agents on multiple federal indictments terminated by city officials. Shaffer Hendricks for the continu- including money laundering, theft of fought his termination by requesting a BY SHARRON HALEY SHAFFER ance at the beginning of federal funds and providing false state- hearing before the city’s Grievance Com- Special to The Sumter Item what was scheduled as the ments after his arrest. According to the mittee. The committee sided with the first day of Shaffer’s trial indictments against Shaffer, he has former chief and recommended that his CHARLESTON — A continuance was on multiple federal charges. been charged with taking more than job be reinstated. Manning City Council granted Thursday morning in the feder- Hendricks granted the request and $75,000 in public funds between Septem- voted against the recommendations of al trial of former Manning Police Chief tentatively scheduled Shaffer’s trial for ber and November 2015. its Grievance Committee and voted to af- Blair Shaffer. her next term of court, which is slated Shaffer was released from jail on Jan. firm Shaffer’s termination. VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE John A. Smith Daisy G. Martin STORMY END TO THE WEEK 3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES the .com VOL. 124, NO. 105 Luella Hilton McCray Dorothy Mae Williams A shower and storm around Simmy Jones Bonnie Bray Burgess today and then tonight Clarendon Sun C1 Opinion A9 Carolyn Rhodes Ford Ora Lee Joe Abrams Classifieds B6 Sports B1 W.B. Way Andrew Moses HIGH 79, LOW 48 Tommy McFadden Comics C6 Television C4 A2 | FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Sumter Rotary Club to hold sixth-annual Farm to Table event BY DANNY KELLY [email protected] The Sumter Rotary Club will host its sixth-annual Farm to Table event on Thursday, March 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Sumter County Civic Center. PHOTO PROVIDED “It’s to showcase local, home- From left, Becka Smilowska and Diana Roof of Dearly Departed Tours grown produce and local restau- will present a program on some of the people buried in Sumter’s old- rants,” Sumter Rotary Club trea- est cemeteries on Oakland Avenue at Monday’s meeting of the Sum- surer Shelly Lundberg said. “All ter County Genealogical Society. Dressed in period costume, they will proceeds are going to local chari- share “tales of history, mystery, mayhem and even murder” of several ties.” people buried in Sumter Cemetery, Temple Sinai Jewish Cemetery, These charities include Coins Saint Lawrence Cemetery, Walker Cemetery and the Bradford/Brunson for Alzheimer’s Research Cemetery. (CART), 4-H (Head, Heart, Hands, Health), Sumter United Ministries and the Warm Heart Fund at Shaw Air Force Base. Genealogical society Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. This includes food and beverages. Tickets are to present ‘Echoes of available at The Sumter Item, Galloway & Moseley, Southern States, Farm Store, Frasier Tire Sumter’s Past’ Monday and through any Sumter Rotary Club member. Dress is business casual. BY IVY MOORE County Museum; Capt. Lu- “It’s a well-attended event,” Special to The Sumter Item cius Pitts Loring; and George Lundberg said. “We’ll also have W. Washington, body servant music and entertainment. People The Sumter County Genea- to Lt. Alexander McQueen, mingle, taste local produce and logical Society will present and several others. restaurants and have a good time featured speakers Diana Roof Roof and Smilowska say of while raising money for these and Becka Smilowska at its their research and presenta- worthy causes.” 7:30 p.m. Monday meeting at tion, “Everyone has a story For more information, call the Swan Lake Presbyterian to tell, whether they are dead Sumter Rotary Club at (803) 469- Church. Their presentation, or alive. We just need to lis- 7300 or visit the event Facebook “Echoes of Sumter’s Past,” ten.” page at https://www.facebook. will comprise tales of some The public is invited to at- com/events/365219494260947/. SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO of Sumter’s past residents tend the presentation and who are buried in the Oak- can join the society following land Avenue cemeteries. the meeting. Roof and Smilowska repre- The Sumter County Genea- Charleston police: Female runner beaten after smiling, waving at man sent Dearly Departed Tours, logical Society meets month- which offers virtual tours of ly from September through some of Sumter’s historic May at Swan Lake Presbyte- CHARLESTON (AP) — Police in South what she was looking at. areas. They’ll be dressed in rian Church, 912 Haynsworth Carolina say a runner was tackled from be- Police say he tackled her from behind and period costumes to share St., on the corner of Bland hind and beaten after smiling and waving at began punching her, leaving lacerations on “tales of history, mystery, Avenue and Haynsworth St. a passing bicyclist. her neck, chest and right ear. The man fled mayhem and even murder” Visitors are welcome and en- The Post and Courier reports Charleston and dropped several items from a grocery of several people buried in couraged to attend.