Governor Takes 'Emergency' Hiring Action for SC Prisons
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TSA’s Cookey-Gam to play volleyball with USC Aiken B1 TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Governor takes ‘emergency’ hiring action for S.C. prisons PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM Chuck Costner has been shearing sheep at Old McCaskill’s Farm for 20 years. His work led to the opening BY MEG KINNARD in Bishopville, about 40 miles of the farm each spring for people to watch. Right: his wife, Candy, holds one sheep’s worth of wool. Associated Press east of Columbia. One by one, Stirling said three dorms at the maximum-security COLUMBIA — South Car- prison erupted into fights, Have you any wool? olina's governor announced communication aided by in- Monday he's taking "emer- mates with cellphones. gency" action in hopes of Once officers were finally making state prisons safer able to regain control, seven Sheep shearer sheds light on following last week’s deadly inmates lay dead, slashed rioting. with homemade knives and Gov. Henry McMaster is- beaten. Twenty-two others sued an executive order were injured. State police are daily farm life at Old McCaskill’s waiving state procurement still investigating the deaths, regulations and the Cor- BY KAYLA ROBINS and professional sheep shear- for hiring by rections De- [email protected] er, has been making the trip to the Depart- ‘We believe this partment has Old McCaskill’s Farm each ment of Cor- asked an out- spring for the last 20 years to rections. De- executive order gives side group to He has been shearing sheep alleviate the family’s about 30 claring an do a thorough since 1986 (for the public. He ewes of their thick wool coats. shearing day, which hundreds, "emergency Director Stirling the review. learned when he was 15 at the About 10 years ago, after the if not a couple thousand, at- due to the For years, farm where he worked.) He McCaskills and Costner real- tended on Saturday. contraband tools the department Stirling has may be an inch shorter than ized people were curious “I would start at 4 a.m. and and staffing needs to properly said contra- when he was 20, but he can about his work and wanted to sheer lambs until 12,” Costner levels" in band cell- still get through 150 in a day. watch, they began holding a said of his shearing begin- state pris- compensate the phones — Chuck Costner, a sheriff’s sheep nings. “Two years ago was the ons, McMas- banned under deputy in North Carolina first year I done less than ter says his brave men and agency policy 1,000 in a year. Before that, I action will but smuggled was doing several thousand allow Cor- women who serve inside the in a year.” rections Di- state's prisons Costner said the sheep rector Bryan our state as a variety of population has diminished in Stirling to ways — rep- the last 12-14 years. Goats are hire and correctional officers.’ resent his No. keep officers 1 security SEE SHEEP, PAGE A8 by increas- GOV. HENRY MCMASTER threat behind ing salaries bars. He's and provid- spent millions ing opportunities to work installing netting at some overtime, as well as more prison perimeters, intended quickly purchase equipment to catch any contraband to keep out contraband. launched over the fences. "We believe this executive Aside from that, Stirling order gives Director Stirling has revamped agency hiring the tools the department efforts, running ads promot- needs to properly compen- ing employment at Correc- sate the brave men and tions and increasing start- women who serve our state ing officer pay during his as correctional officers," Mc- five years at its helm. Pend- Master said in a news re- ing legislative budget pro- lease. "This order will also posals would give a slight allow the department to ex- boost to officer pay. pedite important security Ryan Alphin, executive di- measures following the un- rector of the South Carolina precedented and premeditat- Law Enforcement Officers' ed gang violence that oc- Association, called the curred at the Lee Correction- order an important first al Facility, facilitated by the step. flow of illegal contraband, "Recruiting and retaining namely cellphones." correctional officers contin- Stirling has said that a ues to be very difficult, and gang fight over territory led allowing Director Stirling to to the seven-hour riot that ease the regulations in the began the night of April 15 at interim should prove to be Lee Correctional Institution very helpful," Alphin said. Shrimp lovers fill their plates at a Fill your belly with shrimp, help past Sumter County Museum’s Shrimp Feast. This year’s event will raise funds for museum Thursday be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday at the BY ADRIENNE SARVIS Lowcountry boil and barbe- Annie Rivers, museum di- museum, 122 N. [email protected] cued. Beer, wine and soft rector. Washington St. drinks will also be served. Advance tickets are $30 Sumterites are asked to Fried shrimp will be pro- for museum members and SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO bring a big appetite for all- vided by Logan's Roadhouse, $40 for the public. Tickets you-can-eat shrimp at the and the shrimp and grits will are $45 the day of the event. 2018 Sumter County Muse- be prepared by the museum's Proceeds from ticket sales um's Shrimp Feast from 6 to 9 backcountry manager, Debo- will go toward the muse- p.m. on Thursday at the mu- rah Watts. All other dishes um's education program to seum, 122 N. Washington St. will be prepared by volun- preserve, promote and in- Each spring, the event teers. terpret local history. draws hundreds of people to Shrimp Feast, which has For more information, the museum grounds to feast been going on for almost 20 call Sumter County Muse- on locally prepared seafood. years, is a fun and casual way um at (803) 775-0908 or go to Shrimp will be served fried, to spend time with family in www.sumtercountymuseum. boiled, grilled, with grits, in a the museum's garden, said org. VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE the .com Charles D. Nelson Jr. Glenna B. Robertson RAIN EARLY ON 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES James Taylor Samuel Wells Slightly warmer with a 55 percent chance of VOL. 123, NO. 133 Joe F. Portillo Scottie Anderson showers in the morning. Mostly cloudy skies Classifieds B6 Daily Planner A10 Yvette M. Morris Evans Porcher at night. Chance of rain 15 percent. Comics A7 Sports B1 David L. Wright Willie Sanders Sr. HIGH 79, LOW 57 Larry Tindal Isaac Johnson Opinion A9 Television B5 A2 | TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEF John Harris facility to open in July FROM STAFF REPORTS Boyfriend faces BY BRUCE MILLS Clark said. He indicated that Harris’ cycle times are nearly John Harris is also building charges after [email protected] Jones Chevrolet has other two days quicker than the av- a new facility in the Augusta, plans for the property for the erage body shop, Clark said. Georgia, market, and when Sumter teen found Sumter’s only chain brand future, so his company decid- He’s also excited about the that’s completed it will have At least one person body shop will soon be mov- ed to build a new top-of-the- new location farther down 10 locations in South Carolina will be facing charges ing just down the road and line, 20,000-square-foot shop Broad Street and thinks it will and Georgia, he said. now that Zyarriah into a new facility to better about 1 1/2 miles down Broad be a good spot to serve both Clark said the multi-shop Myers, 15, who re- serve its customers, according Street. the community and service operator considers its custom- portedly ran away to the collision repair store’s According to Clark, the new members at Shaw Air Force er service index to be its most from home on area manager. shop will also have a rede- Base. important business indicator. Wednesday, has been David Clark, Charleston signed building layout that John Harris has about 20 “If the customer is happy, located. area manager for John Harris will increase efficiencies in employees in its facility next then obviously we’ll continue Myers’ boyfriend, Body Shops, made his com- how employees work on vehi- to Jones Chevrolet, and all to have customers that come who she was thought ments recently about the op- cles. will be moving to the new fa- through the door,” Clark said. to have been with erator’s new shop under con- Those operational process- cility in July. “It’s not really about how while away from struction at 2945 Broad St. es, which he describes as simi- The operator has done well many cars we can put out the home, will be facing that’s planned to open in July. lar to a manufacturing pro- in Sumter so far, and Clark door in a day but how we can charges, according to John Harris has been rent- duction line facility, are what hopes the new paint and body make that experience a good Ken Bell, public infor- ing its current space at 1196 set John Harris apart from its shop will be able to grow busi- one so that they will go out mation officer for Broad St., next to Jones Chev- competitors in the collision ness and potentially add new and share that with other peo- Sumter County Sher- rolet, for about five years now, repair business, he said.