NATION: Trump threatens ‘total destruction’ of North Korea A3 RELIGION Rockin’ nuns attract big crowds 11 sisters make up Siervas band SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 $1.00 A4 Shaw-Sumter welcome center gets go-ahead The resolution includes a contract The purchase of the land and the were updated during a year-long pro- City approves contract between the city of Sumter and Hard- construction of the welcome center cess using input from local property ee Construction Co. Inc. of Sumter to shows what the community will do to owners and members of the historic for $1.95M facility complete the project for approximate- protect the base, he said. preservation design review committee. BY ADRIENNE SARVIS ly $1,950,000. McCormick said the construction The guidelines pertain to residen- [email protected] City Manager Deron McCormick project will be funded by a grant given tial and commercial properties in the said the 1,000-acre property, which in- to the city by its local legislative delega- Hampton Park, Central Business During its meeting on Tuesday, Sum- cludes a pond, was selected years ago tion. District and the historic district in- ter City Council approved a resolution and purchased during the 2008 Capital Later, council approved a resolution cluded in the National Register of to construct a welcome center on land Penny Sales Tax to protect Shaw from to adopt new guidelines for Historic Historic Places. near Shaw Air Force Base to provide a encroaching civilian developments Preservation Design Review. location for members of the municipal and to provide space for the base to Planning department senior planner SEE CITY, PAGE A5 and military communities to interact. expand in the future if needed. Helen Roodman said the guidelines Transforming PVC pipe to visions of birds District’s CFO will give report on surplus Finance meeting will be Thursday BY BRUCE MILLS [email protected] The monthly financial re- port for August and discussion of the revised district capital projects list for this year head- line Sumter School District Board of Trust- ees’ Finance Com- mittee meeting set for Thursday at the district office. District staff sent out the agen- GRINER da to the media Tuesday. New district Chief Financial Officer Chris Griner will pres- ent the August financial re- port to the committee, which consists of a few board mem- bers and also local private- business owners who are ap- PHOTOS BY CAITLAN WALZER / THE SUMTER ITEM pointed by the full board of Sheldon Etheridge, 71, works in his “man cave” at Lake Marion to make decorative birds from PVC pipe. trustees. The updated, or revised, cap- new challenge began, and ital projects list for this school Retiree finds I’ve been making them ever year was passed by the full since.” board at its last meeting Sept. new hobby in For about six years, Ether- 8. The list — consisting of idge has dedicated his time classroom instructional tech- unique, colorful and efforts to making birds nology needs and school main- out of PVC pipe. He said that tenance/operational needs in decorations to make the birds, it usually the district — totals about takes him a full day or two, $10.8 million. BY CAITLAN WALZER depending on the size and The projects list previously [email protected] number of birds he is mak- amounted to $11.4 million, but ing. the board decided in late Au- inding a hobby Etheridge said he likes to gust to decrease short-term and move to Lake Marion make several kinds of birds borrowing by about $3 million after retirement is his favorite leisure activity ranging from ducks and for this year via a standard- something many for endless water fun. as a retired man is to spend hummingbirds to his favor- bond resolution. In its place, F time in his “man cave” cre- ite, a shore bird. the district decided it will use individuals struggle While working for the ating pieces of artwork out To make the birds come to more than $2 million in leftover with. But Sheldon Ether- school district, Etheridge of PVC pipe. life, Etheridge uses the Fibo- capital projects money it has would spend his spare time “It all started when I nacci series, a mathematic on hand from previous years idge, 71, said his retire- building houses, and once he walked into a gift shop at the sequence used to make and trimmed the list a little. ment from 40 years with moved to the lake, he knew Chesapeake Bridge many things visually appealing. Griner said district staff pri- his extra time would be dedi- years ago, and I saw beauti- The first step in the pro- oritized the updated projects the Berkeley County cated to doing something a ful birds made from PVC cess, Etheridge said, is to list based on the biggest needs school district gave him little less strenuous but just pipe,” Etheridge said. “I took start by sketching the ideas in the district. Some painting as venturesome. a picture and thought, ‘I the chance to pack up Etheridge discovered that could do that,’ and so, the SEE BIRDS, PAGE A5 SEE FINANCES, PAGE A5 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Jerry J. Blackmon Verna B. Moore SURPRISE! IT’LL BE HUMID 3 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES the .com VOL. 122, NO. 242 Lucinda F. Holliday Betty Jean S. Bethel OUT THERE ... AGAIN Jerry M. Peebles Mary Gibson Classifieds B6 Sports B1 Edith Mae D. Edwards Marie H. McCoy Mostly sunny and warm; Comics C2 Television C3 Roosevelt Harvin Clarence Davis III mainly clear and Bessie A. Cooper Margaret Brookins humid tonight Opinion A7 HIGH 91, LOW 68 62 Years Of Mortgage Lending Ready To Work For You. Sumter: 803.469.0156 Manning: 803.433.4451 bankofclarendon.com ."//*/(t46.5&3t4"/5&&t46..&350/t8:#00 A2 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Search continues for missing man Sumter County Sheriff's Of- fice is asking for the public's assistance in locating 55-year- old Michael J. Thomson, who went missing after being treat- ed at Palmetto Health Tuomey on Sept. 10. Thomson was last seen at the hospital wearing blue scrub pants, a green T-shirt and brown flip THOMSON flops. He is 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighs 255 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Thomson suffers from men- tal illness, cannot stand for long periods of time and has fainting spells. He requires glasses to see well. He is not thought to be a danger to the community. Anyone with information PHOTO PROVIDED can call 911, (803) 436-2000 or Terence Lonon and the Untouchables will play the final concert of the 2017 Fourth Fridays series from 6:30 to 9 p.m. this Friday. The mu- 1-800-CRIMESTOPPERS. sicians come from a variety of musical backgrounds, so the concert will be diverse but heavy on rhythm and blues. Voters can register Friday at courthouse Terence Lonon and the Untouchables Sumter County Voter Regis- tration Office will celebrate National Voter Registration Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fri- close out free Fourth Fridays season day at the Sumter County Courthouse, 141 N. Main St. BY IVY MOORE Friday night's concert, sure to be "With the many construction proj- Voters will have the oppor- [email protected] heavy on the rhythm and blues exem- ects happening on Main Street, we re- tunity at this time to register plified by Pinkney and his Drifters, ally do appreciate the partnership to vote and make changes to Downtown Sumter's popular con- will also feature soul, rock, jazz, with Sumter County to use the court- an existing registration such cert series, Fourth Fridays, ends its country and beach music. house lawn during this transitional as updating a name and ad- season Friday with a performance by Lonon himself has performed with year," he said. "Folks really seemed to dress. Terence Lonon and the Untouchables. several different, acclaimed bands, in- enjoy the location. There’s plenty of You can also receive a photo They'll be in concert from 6:30 to 9 cluding the 1960s Shirelles, the Plat- room for families to enjoy the con- ID free of charge if you do not p.m. Friday on the front lawn of the ters, Archie Bell and several others. cert, for kids to play and for everyone already have one. Photo IDs Sumter County Courthouse on North Untouchables guitarist Gary Oxten to dance. We hope to end the season make voting faster and easier. Main Street for the free concert pre- played previously with Bill Haley and with a huge crowd downtown with For additional information, sented by Downtown Sumter. the Comets, and drummer-vocalist Terence Lonon and the Untouch- call (803) 436-2310, 2311, 2312 or Lonon, a former member of the late Michael West was with Stevie Won- ables." 2313. Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters, der. The remaining versatile and ex- The Fourth Fridays concerts are formed the band with the goal of hav- perienced musicians are vocalist Har- family friendly, and admission is free. ing the most talented musicians sur- old Barno, saxophonist Tom Ross and Refreshments will be available for rounding him. And they had to be keyboard players Johnnie McElveen purchase, and no coolers are allowed. versatile, also, able to play all kinds and Bert Taylor. Bring a lawn chair or blanket if you'd CORRECTION of music. As he always says, Lonon Downtown Development Manager like to be assured a seat.