CIVIL WAR EXHIBIT 1B 2A OPINION 4A OBITUARIES 7A SPORTS 2B PUZZLES 4B BOOKINGS 7B CLASSIFIEDS QUOTE ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.’ EDMUND BURKE Vol. 142, No. 39 NTWO SECTIONS e• 16 PAGwES s&PreESTAs BLISHsED 1874 75¢ OCTOBER 5, 2016 Darlington, S.C. WWW.NEWSANDPRESS.NET DarCo Progress talks agribusiness future the Palmetto AgriBusiness development. stant market demand for food By Samantha Lyles Staff Writer Council spoke to Progress mem - Shuler said that agribusiness and the prohibitive cost of ship - [email protected] bers about the need for east represents a $42 billion a year ping food from other countries The potential role of food coast food processing plants and industry in South Carolina, with or even from the west coast of processing took center stage last the potential financial gains $18 billion from forestry and the United States. Shuler noted week as Darlington County Darlington County could reap $24 billion from agriculture. that it costs on average about Progress, the private business by focusing on this industry. Breaking it down further, he $6,000 to transport a container arm of the public / private eco - “Darlington County is just added that 48-percent of that of food grown in California to nomic development partnership right for agribusiness,” said $24 billion comes from the the east coast, and said that between Darlington County and Shuler, noting the county's rich poultry industry alone. costs would be notably lower if local business and industry, history with farming and agri - Food processing plants could farming states like South held its 2016 annual meeting culture, and encouraging all provide a stable financial Carolina had more food pro - September 29 at the SiMT con - present to keep “top of the mind anchor for Darlington County, cessing and packaging plants. Darlington County Economic Jack Shuler of the Palmetto ference center. awareness” for opportunities in Shuler said, because they are Development director Frank Willis AgriBusiness Council Guest speaker Jack Shuler of this rich and growing field of “non-cyclical” due to the con - PROGRESS ON 3A PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA LYLES Statement on the 2016 DCSD Sales Tax Referendum Editor’s Note: then, there has been a great We are sharing the state - deal of misinformation circu - ment from the Darlington lating. As the public informa - County School District Public tion officer for the Darlington Information Officer below. County School District, I can - We received the DCSD state - not endorse or oppose the ment on September 28, direct - school district’s referendum ly following the story we print - question. I can, however, ed on September 21 “County share the events leading up to council chair speaks on penny the Board of Education’s deci - tax issue” about the sion, as well as the facts of the Darlington County Council ballot measure. meeting on September 19. We In 2003, voters approved a shared it on our website that $48 million sales tax bond afternoon. referendum to build three To clarify, it is the policy of new schools (Darlington the News and Press to tran - Middle, Hartsville Middle, scribe municipal meetings and and the Darlington County act as a scribe to share details Institute of Technology) and of the meetings and to directly renovate several others. The quote elected officials for our bond was to be repaid readers. through a one-cent sales tax Many thanks to Steve Roos of Ashcraft Studio for sharing his photo of the dance teams! We maintain all recordings. that would expire in 2030. See www.newsandpress.net for a photo gallery of additional images taken by Jana E. Pye at the Partner Reveal Party hosted by David and We do not, nor will we, editori - Through careful fiscal Mary Wood Beasley. (Note: Not all dancers, celebrities or choreographers were in attendance at the event, and are not pictured.) alize or “fact check” what an management, the Board of elected official says in a public Education was able to pay meeting. That is not our down the debt ahead of responsibility. Often we will do schedule, saving taxpayers Dancing with the Stars of Darlington County a separate story based on what more than $32 million and is said in those public meet - cutting 12 years off the ings, but the meetings will be repayment cycle. As a result, reveals dance partners for 2017 presented to the reader as if the current one-penny sales People’s Choice awards. The tion dedicated to the reduction Dubose; Professional dancer: they themselves were in atten - tax is set to end in 2018. By Jana E. Pye Editor theme for this year is “All of sexual assault, family vio - Tara Haynes; Celebrity: Jeff dance. With the current bond set [email protected] Aboard” and will include a lence, and child abuse and the Burr; Dance Style: Swing If you have any questions ending soon and several The dance teams for the scene from an old train station, needs of the victims. The event about anything that we print aging schools requiring 2017 Dancing with the Stars of and will be held on Thursday, is held to raise awareness and Choreographer: Shelbey in this newspaper, our doors expensive repairs, the Board Darlington County were January 26, 2017 at the funding for the services provid - Gray; Professional dancer: are open each week Monday of Education decided it was revealed on Thursday, Hartsville Center Theater ed by the Coalition. Shelbey Gray; Celebrity: through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 time to address some of facil - September 29th at the Beasley “This is the most amount of Franklin Jeffords; Dance Style: p.m., and you may reach me ity needs identified in a 2012 Farm in Society Hill, hosted by dance teams we have ever had The dance teams are as fol - Samba directly at 843-398-3811 or facility study. The Board David and Mary Wood Beasley. for this event,” said Jennifer lows: via email: editor@newsand - identified six schools with The fourth annual event is the Schock, who will be the artistic Choreographer: Shantella press.net. - Jana E. Pye critical needs. Through a major fundraiser for the Pee director for this year’s event. Choreographer: Brenda Harri;s Professional dancer: series of community and par - Dee Coalition Against “With 16 dance teams, the Cranford; Professional Shantella Harris; Celebrity: The Darlington County ent meetings, it became clear Domestic and Sexual Assault audience will enjoy a great dancer: Jeffery Tadlock; Ashley Shelley; Dance Style: Board of Education voted this community members pre - Darlington County chapter. night of dance …all for a very, Celebrity: Autumne Stuart; Cha Cha summer to place a sales tax ferred new schools instead of The event has been a sell out very good cause.” Dance Style: Swing bond referendum on the renovated schools. each year, as teams vie for the The Pee Dee Coalition is a November ballot for the voters winning dance team and the non-profit, volunteer organiza - Choreographer: Vera of our county to decide. Since DANCING ON 3A STATEMENT ON 3A Southeast Darlington caps A special parachute jump for the Burch Family Reunion revitalization project New owners of the Adam Marshall House in Society Hill share a look at the newly restored home on the hill ted a total of 276 Southeast By Jana E. Pye By Samantha Lyles Editor Staff Writer Darlington residents, of whom [email protected] [email protected] 215 (78 percent) are low and The Descendents of The City of Darlington cele - moderate income. Joseph Burch gathered this brated a milestone last week The South Carolina weekend in the Pee Dee area, with the installation of a new Department of Commerce and one of the highlights was Neighborhood Watch sign near Grants Administration (GA) the parachute jump of Andy Cain Elementary School. This awarded this Community Burch at his home in Society sign was the last of seven Development Block Grant Hill- the former home of installed as part of the Southeast (CDBG) to the City of Darlington Ashton Gandy across from St. Darlington Neighborhood on November 12, 2014 in the David’s Academy in Society Revitalization Program, which amount of $500,000. The City of Hill. included improvements for side - Darlington provided a local “He can land on a dime,” walks, drainage, lighting match for housing rehabilita - said his wife, Melissa. She improvements, exterior housing tion, engineering, and grant and her husband have loving - rehabilitation, and crime watch administration conducted by ly restored the historic Adam signage. Lathan Consulting. Marshall home on the hill in Eight single family, owner- Project goals were informed Society Hill, bringing it back occupied homes were slated for and helped along by members of to its former glory as as one receive exterior repairs of up to the Southeast Darlington of the many historic homes in $10,000 per unit, with work Revitalization Committee the township. including roof replacement, (SDRC), a dedicated group of Burch is a member of the All painting or siding. Drainage volunteers who've been working Veteran Group, is a unique col - Andy Burch parachutes in, landing in the pasture at his new home in Society Hill. improvements called for the alongside city officials and lection of highly experienced See more photos at www.newsandpress.net, including a video from the All Veterans Group. installation of 3,455 linear feet administrators every step of the parachutists of both active and PHOTOS BY JANA E. PYE way. of drainage pipe and 24 catch retired military and patriotic Andy Burch and his team - taped Andy’s landing. The This was the first time “We've been at this for a basins.