SPORTS: Sumter, Crestwood square off in rivalry B1 FAITH Should you still give to Catholic Church? Some members question support SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 A4 FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2018 75 CENTS after sex abuse allegations A hole-in-one for a Democrats try one-in-a-million man to keep focus on corruption BY BILL BARROW longtime fixer Michael Co- The Associated Press hen’s plea deal implicating the president in an illegal cam- CHICAGO — Democrats paign finance scheme. They’ve aren’t ready to embrace the I- also got the indictment Tues- word. day of a second Republican A day after separate legal member of Congress. hammers dropped nearly si- As the party faithful gath- multaneously on two former ered in Chicago on Wednesday members of President Donald for the Democratic National Trump’s inner circle, Demo- Committee’s summer meet- crats in Washington and ing, Chairman Tom Perez across the country faced a del- ticked off the growing list of icate balance as they sought to legal troubles for Trump and take political advantage of his other Republicans. An “out-of- growing troubles without control” situation, he said, de- alienating moderates and in- mands that voters “put up dependents turned off by talk guardrails” by returning of impeachment. Democrats to power. Instead of calling for With less than three months Trump’s removal, corruption before the midterms, that is the new buzzword in Demo- could be a potent political ar- cratic circles. They’re not just gument. House Minority pointing to former Trump Leader Nancy Pelosi, who campaign chairman Paul could return to the speaker’s Manafort’s conviction on tax evasion and other charges and SEE DEMOCRATS, PAGE A11 Local Citadel alumni share praise for new college president General officer served 39 years in U.S. Marines BY BRUCE MILLS He must officially retire [email protected] from the Marines before tak- ing the command position at Given its military roots, The Citadel. proximity to Charleston and A member of The Citadel’s other factors, Sumter is home class of 1979, Walters has to more than “a few good served his entire men,” who are alumni of The 39-year career in Citadel. the Marines as a According to The Citadel career aviator. Alumni Society, there are According to a currently 226 Citadel alumni college news re- who are Sumter County resi- lease, as second dents, and some of them this in command of week spoke highly of The WALTERS the Marines, Military College of South Walters oversees Carolina’s new incoming the branch’s $42 billion bud- president, Marine Corps’ get and about 184,000 active- Gen. Glenn Walters. duty and 38,000 reserve Walters is currently the troops. Corps’ second-highest-rank- The Citadel Board of Visi- ing officer, serving as the 34th tors made the presidential se- Assistant Commandant, and lection in April, and board will assume his role as the Chairman Col. Fred Price TOM CUTTINO / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM college’s 20th president in noted Walters is a “principled Sumter Item archivist and Sumter historian Sammy Way got a hole-in-one recently at Sunset Coun- early October, according to try Club on No. 16. He hit his 128-yard shot with a three wood. college officials. SEE WALTERS, PAGE A11 Protester Bill Christeson holds up a Manafort juror says 1 holdout sign saying “guilty” as the first count of guilty comes in at the trial of former Donald prevented 18-count conviction Trump campaign chairman Paul BY ERIC TUCKER and CHAD DAY suade the holdout to “look at the heated that there were “tears” Manafort at federal The Associated Press paper trail,” but she insisted among the 12 jurors. “But in the court in Alexandria, there was reasonable doubt, end, she held out, and that’s why Virginia, on Tuesday. WASHINGTON — A juror in juror Paula Duncan told Fox we have 10 counts that did not get Paul Manafort’s financial fraud News. a verdict.” trial says a lone holdout prevent- “We didn’t want it to be hung, The federal jury on Tuesday THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ed the jury from convicting the so we tried for an extended peri- found Manafort guilty on eight onetime Trump campaign chair- od of time to convince her,” Dun- counts; the judge declared a man on all 18 counts. can said, adding that the four Jurors repeatedly tried to per- days of deliberations were so SEE JURY, PAGE A11 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Cynthia H. Robinson Norma J. Gamble SUNNY AND NICE 3 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 220 Larry Gibson Lycenia Fortune Isaac Mostly sunny and pleasant Pansy M. Guins Annie Walker Brown today; clear sky tonight Clarendon Sun A7 Opinion A10 General Maceo Johnson Mary Ann Oliver Classifieds B6 Television C4 Emanuel Gene McCray Barbara Jean M. Johnson HIGH 86, LOW 66 Roland Hayes Richburg Comics C6 USA Today C1 A2 | FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] WHAT YOUR GOVERNMENT IS DOING: SUMTER CITY COUNCIL Flood prevention ordinance could save money BY ADRIENNE SARVIS ORDINANCE MAKES CITY SAFER, SAVES each proposed site is reasonably safe from flooding; Department Director George McGregor said. [email protected] HOMEOWNERS MONEY the addition of a section to address standards for areas He presented city council with a plaque from FEMA Reading: First of two with base flood elevations but no floodways; the recognizing the municipality for working to protect Sumter City Council Agenda item: A request to amend the city's flood addition of language that clarifies flood proofing citizens with effective flood plain management. approved first reading damage prevention ordinance to adopt the Wateree requirements for commercial buildings; and the reorganization of the ordinance. A class 7 community rating provides a 15 percent of an ordinance to up- Watershed Maps and Flood Insurance Study revisions reduction, about $132 in savings, in flood insurance date the city's flood that will go into effect on Sept. 28. The amendment Roodman said the city already requires all new premiums for properties in the special flood hazard damage prevention or- would also update the flood damage prevention developments and substantial structure area and a 5 percent reduction, about $45 in savings, dinance on Tuesday ordinance to make corrections and clarifications noted improvements in floodplains to be elevated 2 feet for flood premiums in a non-special flood hazard area, which could, over time, in the 2014 South Carolina Department of Natural above base elevation for residential but commercial Roodman said. The reduction benefits do not affect save more money for Resources Community Assistance Visit and the 2017 structures can be flood proofed through an preferred risk policies for properties outside of flood homeowners with flood Community Rating System Cycle Visit. engineering certification process in lieu of raising the plain, she said. structure above the base line. insurance. Background: Sumter participates in Federal Emergency As of 2017, Roodman said the city had approximately Management Agency's Community Rating System That specific language just needs to be added to the 400 flood insurance policies in effect and about 240 of program which affords citizens a discount on their ordinance, she said. those were in the special flood hazard area. flood insurance premiums, said Helen Roodman, Roodman said the city has also been recognized by Public hearing: No comments. Sumter City-County Zoning Administrator and senior FEMA for its upgrade on the community rating scale. staff planner for Sumter Planning Department, said. Discussion: Councilman David Merchant made a The city and county are both class 7 communities on motion for approval, and councilman Robert Galiano The five main changes to the ordinance will include: a scale of 10 where one is the best rating, she said. seconded. required updates; the addition of language stating all "That increase means that citizens get direct discounts Vote: Unanimous approval permit applications will be reviewed to determine from their flood insurance rates," Sumter Planning Quote of the week Planning commission in favor of "I want to study dinosaurs a lot because in the future, I kinda want to be a paleontologist, but I just started increasing locations for schools BY ADRIENNE SARVIS thinking about other things, but I still want to be a [email protected] paleontologist, but, um, if I can't get to paleontologist, Sumter City-County Planning Commission voted to recommend approv- als of requests that would benefit two property owners in their endeavors I'll just grow up to be an original scientist." for residential and educational projects. BRANDON, A FOURTH-GRADER AT CHERRYVALE REZONING WILL OPEN LAND TO strip-zoned general commercial, he said. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT Crum said the existing pattern of Agenda Item: A request to rezone two development for the subdivision is low- Talking about his first day of school for yesterday's episode parcels totaling 2.45 acres at 2800 Dock density rural residential development so the Road from general commercial and agricultural conservation zoning would be of Sumter Today and what he is excited about for this agricultural conservation to agricultural more appropriate for the property despite school year. conservation. the county's 2030 Comprehensive Plan Background: Both parcels — which are which supports commercial use along that currently undeveloped and split zoned portion of Thomas Sumter Highway. general commercial and agricultural He said the applicant intends to place conservation — have frontage on Dock manufactured mobile homes on the Road in the Dock Road subdivision. properties if they are rezoned. A general The other lots in the subdivision are zoned commercial zoning prohibits that action, agricultural conservation, said Daniel Crum, according to a staff report from the planning Crestwood High alumnus named a planner with Sumter Planning department.