IN SPORTS: Jordan Montgomery turns in another solid start for the Yankees B1 INSIDE What do we want to do on vacation? Nothing! A5 THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents SUMTER SCHOOL DISTRICT Administrators accept principal positions Their positions eliminated, both are filing lawsuits against Baker, district BY BRUCE MILLS principal at Crosswell Drive Elementa- SUMTER SCHOOL DISTRICT PRINCIPAL REASSIGNMENTS [email protected] ry School. The announcements came as part of a district release late Tues- Cornelius Leach Millwood Elementary (Stella Hall) Two Sumter School District admin- day of six new principals filling posts Shawn Hagerty Crosswell Drive Elementary (Anne McFadden) istrative employees, who are filing vacated by retirees at six schools in Vanessa Canty Lemira Elementary (Delcia Harper-Baxter) lawsuits against the superintendent the district. The district board of Josh Campbell Oakland Primary (Shirley Tomlin) and the district because trustees approved the ap- Jennifer Howard Rafting Creek Elementary (Ida Barboza) their district-level jobs pointments on a split will be eliminated June vote Monday night fol- Trevor Ivey Willow Drive Elementary (Liz Compton) 30, have accepted princi- lowing an executive ses- pal positions in the dis- sion but would not re- Hagerty will maintain their current trict generally make in the range of trict. lease the names and posi- pay level for the upcoming school $90,000 to $95,000. Cornelius Leach, the tions until the adminis- year. Leach will be paid his annual Both said Tuesday they are excited district’s assistant super- LEACH HAGERTY tration had time to notify salary of $124,500 next year, and about the new opportunities to lead, intendent for curriculum the appointees. All prin- Hagerty will receive $98,760. After but they are still going forward with and instruction, has been cipals will officially begin next year, however, if the two remain filing their lawsuits against Superin- named the new principal at Millwood on July 1, the first day of the new fis- in the principal positions their pay tendent Frank Baker and the dis- Elementary School for next year, and cal year. will be readjusted to the appropriate trict. Shawn Hagerty, the district’s director Despite moving down from their pay scale. According to Leach, ele- of specialized programs, is the new district-level positions, Leach and mentary school principals in the dis- SEE PRINCIPALS, PAGE A4 Civil War history comes to life ISIS destroys iconic al-Nuri mosque in Mosul BY BALINT SZLANKO The Associated Press IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — The Is- lamic State group destroyed Mosul’s al-Nuri mosque and its iconic leaning minaret known as al-Hadba when fight- ers detonated explosives inside the structures Wednesday night, Iraq’s Ministry of De- fense said. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi tweeted early Thurs- day that the destruction was an admission by the militants that they are losing the fight for Iraq’s second-largest city. “Daesh’s bombing of the al- Hadba minaret and the al-Nuri PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER/THE SUMTER ITEM David Decker slices a watermelon while racing by it on his horse, Gentry, to illustrate how a Federal Cavalry soldier would use a sword Mosque is a formal declaration during the Civil War. Decker is teaching the class “From Sumter to Appomattox,” which explores the strategies and military tactics of the of their defeat,” al-Abadi said, using the Arabic acronym for Civil War through a hands-on, interactive summer camp this week at the University of South Carolina Sumter. Decker wore authentic the Islamic State group. Federal Cavalry uniform for the Wednesday class. The mosque, which is also known as Mosul’s Great Students in Decker’s “From Sum- Mosque, is where IS leader ter to Appomattox” summer his- Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi de- tory camp were able to fire off a clared a so-called Islamic ca- Civil War-era cannon as part of liphate in 2014 shortly after their history lesson Tuesday at Mosul was overrun by the mil- the University of South Carolina itants. The minaret that leaned Sumter campus. Janson Cox, like Italy’s Tower of Pisa had dressed in uniform helps Gabe stood for more than 840 years. Dagesse pull the string that ig- An IS statement posted on- nites the cannon while Matthew line shortly after the Ministry Taylor and Maricellyn McDonald of Defense reported the perform other cavalry duties with mosque’s destruction blamed the cannon. an airstrike by the United SEE ISIS, PAGE A4 Americorps reading program gives back to volunteers BY CAITLAN WALZER mately provided her what she needed. The longest-serving member of the than I could ever thank them for.” [email protected] “The children gave me so much AmeriCorps reading success program, Thomas said during the last four love, and this program is 83-year-old Marion Thom- years as an active member of Ameri- Searching to fill a void left by the such a blessing,” Consen- as, said this organization Corps, she has given her heart and death of her husband in 2016, Shan- tino said. has given her a plethora her whole being to the children. non Consentino, among 26 other As a member of the of comfort and happiness “They need us,” Thomas said. “They AmeriCorps members, decided that AmeriCorps for one year, during her past four really do need our love, and I think tutoring children would be the best Consentino said she no- years in the program. anyone would be blessed to be a part way to dedicate her time. Consentino ticed her three third- “I’m about to retire be- of this successful program.” said she was hopeful she would find CONSENTINO grade classes and three THOMAS cause I turn 84 soon,” Wanting to do something she was fa- something that would fill her life with first-grade classes were Thomas said. “But I just miliar with, first-year member Virgin- joy and love, which led her to tutoring capable of filling her can’t imagine leaving ia Brown found that the children she children through the AmeriCorps with hope and a feeling of accomplish- these children. I just love them; they all reading success program which ulti- ment. mean so much to me and give me more SEE PROGRAM, PAGE A4 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Patricia Ann L. Vose Wilton T. Watkins SPOTTY STORMS 2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 John B. Raffield III Frank Ellerbe Thunderstorm in spots VOL. 122, NO. 179 Classifieds: 774-1200 Wilhelmina B. Chandler O’Donnell McKenzie today, still cooler; tonight, Classifieds B7-B8 Delivery: 774-1258 Wanda Gregg Elreeda M. Blanding News and Sports: 774-1226 cloudy and humid with Comics B6 Mary C. Ardis Barbara S. Smith a late shower. Lillie Mae E. McDowell James Edmond Opinion A9 HIGH 85, LOW 74 Television A8 A2 | THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] SAFE promotes Ceremony marks bridge dedication regional BY JIM HILLEY Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, and David Sanders said they were married in [email protected] Weeks, D-Sumter, will read the General 1960, when she graduated from nursing Assembly Proclamation asking the De- school. Her husband was too young to branch director A ceremony to mark the dedication of partment of Transportation to desig- be a patrolman but became a patrol- the Lafayette Street Bridge as the South nate the bridge in honor of Patrolman man in 1963. FROM STAFF REPORTS Carolina Highway Patrolman Jimmy A. Traylor and present framed copies to She said he was loyal to his friends Traylor Memorial Bridge will be at 2 the family. Also on hand will be the and his job and a good father to his SAFE Federal Credit p.m. Friday at Northside Memorial Bap- Highway Patrol Honor Guard, Pastor girls, who were 9 and 5 years old when Union has promoted Jay tist Church, 1004 N. Main St. Neal Sweet and other invited guests. he was killed, she said. Montgomery to vice presi- Traylor was killed in the line of duty Other representatives of law enforce- “We have missed him all of these dent of operations at the on Dec. 25, 1970 — Christmas Day — ment will present a tribute to fallen of- years,” Sanders said. credit union. when he was called to assist another ficers. Sanders said there is a sign already Montgomery succeeds Mi- patrolman with an arrest. Two men as- Carolyn Sanders, widow of Patrolman in place on the bridge. chael Baker, saulted the patrolmen, and Traylor Traylor, said her husband was a “people “We were going to keep it covered who recently died from gunshot wounds. person with a great personality.” until the dedication,” she said, “but the moved up to the SCHP Maj. Mark Wright will be mas- “We had been high school sweet- wind kept blowing (the cover) off, so executive vice ter of ceremonies. South Carolina Reps. hearts,” she said. we decided to leave it.” president posi- tion at SAFE. After joining SAFE as a man- MONTGOMERY agement trainee following gradu- GOP holds 5th District Congressional seat ation from the University of South Carolina with a busi- ness administration degree, COLUMBIA (AP) — Re- Montgomery moved into publicans held onto Mick branch management. Mulvaney’s South Carolina He served as a branch congressional seat in Tues- manager at SAFE’s St. An- day’s special election, but drews Road branch in Co- the 3-point margin was lumbia, then at the Bishop- hardly what they may have ville branch and later at the been presuming, given Mul- Lewis Road branch in Sum- vaney’s 20-point victory in ter.