2 Schools Could Close

Four tips toward financial enlightment C1 PANORAMA Black Cowboy Festival returns Event scheduled for May 4-6 at Greenfield Farms near Rembert A5 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017 $1.75 IN SPORTS: WH baseball defeats LMA 9-7 B1 2 schools could close Chairman McGhaney wants more details Finance committee recommends shuttering doors BY BRUCE MILLS BY BRUCE MILLS clusion of its monthly meeting Fri- tion Group, William Byrd of Wil- [email protected] [email protected] day at the district office with the liam Levan Byrd, CPA, PC, and board’s financial consultant, Scott Ben Griffith of State Farm Insur- In response to Friday’s Sumter School Board The Sumter School Board Fi- Allan. The board of trustees will ance. The fourth business leader, of Trustees Finance Committee recommenda- nance Committee voted unani- now address the committee’s rec- Bobby Anderson, was not present. tion to accept a financial consultant’s proposal mously Friday to recommend to ommendation at its next meeting, School board chairman and com- to close two low-enrollment schools, the board’s the full board of trustees to close which is set for Monday at 6 p.m. mittee member the Rev. Daryl Mc- chairman says he’s unsure board members will two schools at the end of this It’s uncertain what action, if any, Ghaney was also absent. He had in- take action at their Monday work session. school year in the wake of the dis- the board will take. formed Superintendent Frank Baker Board Chairman the Rev. Daryl McGhaney trict’s financial crisis. Those The finance committee consists beforehand that he had a meeting ob- made his comments Friday evening to The schools are F.J. DeLaine Elementa- of four local private-business own- ligation in Columbia on Friday, but Sumter Item after learning of the committee’s ry School and Mayewood Middle ers and three board members. he did speak with The Sumter Item School. Three of the business leaders were The committee made its recom- present Friday including Greg SEE DETAILS, PAGE A15 mendation to the board at the con- Thompson of Thompson Construc- SEE SCHOOLS, PAGE A15 Community gathers to celebrate Earth Day Swan Lake hosts festivities focusing on environment BY KASEY MEREDITH [email protected] Swan Lake-Iris Gardens was bustling with people from all walks of life on Saturday for Earth Day festivities. For some, like Nichole Head, this year’s Earth Day festival was a first. “I would come again,” said Head. “It’s something for the kids to do, and the Walmart stand gives away free plants.” Head, a Sumter resident, came with her mother and kids to see her daughter, Kay- dence Baxley, perform with the Pocalla Springs Elementa- ry School chorus. Madison Cox was there for Earth Day for the first time. “I come a lot to see the lights during the winter,” said Cox. “It’s some of my most cher- ished memories of Sumter.” Cox said she’ll try to keep her flower that she got from KASEY MEREDITH / THE SUMTER ITEM SEE DAY, PAGE A12 Pocalla Springs Elementary School performed “Shake, Rattle and Roll” with choreography at the Swan Lake-Iris Gardens Earth Day celebration. Missing person case still baffling after 17 years; new clues sought BY ADRIENNE SARVIS Thursday, Feb. 4, Shannon went missing ing because she thought it was out of [email protected] 1999. a few days before she was character for Shannon to miss her Almost from the supposed to make an ap- wedding without calling ahead of In its continued effort to work with start of the search pearance at Kershaw time. local authorities to possibly bring up for Shannon, called County Family Court on Investigators also thought it was new information regarding unsolved Dianne by those Feb. 10 to receive a prop- strange that nothing seemed to be out cases, The Sumter Item has researched close to her, investi- SHANNON erty settlement from her of place inside of Shannon’s house in the missing person’s case of Theresa gators with Sumter divorce. She also missed the 2600 block of Thomas Sumter Dianne Shannon who was last seen County Sheriff’s Office suspected foul her mother’s wedding on Highway. driving from Lugoff to her home in play because she went missing at a Feb. 15. Dalzell in her burgundy two-door 1988 time when things in her life seemed to On Feb. 16, Doris Reid, Shannon’s Oldsmobile Cutlass about 2:30 p.m. on be going well. mother, reported her daughter miss- SEE CLUES, PAGE A12 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, A11 &A13 WEATHER, A16 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Shirley McCray William V. Keenan Jr. Joe Lewis Lawson NOT AS WARM 4 SECTIONS, 34 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Dale L. Anderson James E. Gee Deloris F. Smith VOL. 122, NO. 136 Classifieds: 774-1200 Chance of a shower. Ada M. Moylan Pinease M. Caldwell Franklin McCants Sr. Tonight, cloudy with Classifieds C7-C8 Delivery: 774-1258 Michael M. Motley Theodore Davis Sr. Jimmy Lowery Sr. a thunderstorm. Opinion A14 News and Sports: Mary L. Williams Smith Bertha S. Lee Redden Clyde McCain Jr. 774-1226 Malik Ali Quron Evans Raymond A. Barnhill Sr. Trenton Harry HIGH 79, LOW 60 Outdoors C6 William Sims Propst Mildred D. Koepsel Sports B1 Not too big. Not too small. Our home loans are just right for you. Sumter: 803.469.0156 Manning: 803.433.4451 bankofclarendon.com ."//*/(t46.5&3t4"/5&&t46..&350/t8:#00 A2 | SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Teacher Appreciation Event goes off well for all BY BRUCE MILLS [email protected] Sumter Teachers of the Year Thursday’s event also allowed Sum- A yearly gathering that ter School District to say another has become a “win-win” for “thank you” and provide final recogni- the local community went tion for its schools’ teachers of the year off well again Thursday for this academic year. night with Community They are: Broadcasters’ annual Teach- • Alice Drive Elementary - Brittni Buitureira er Appreciation Event, ac- • Cherryvale Elementary - Nickie Massey cording to many in atten- • Crosswell Drive Elementary - Stephanie dance. Sims The popular event, hosted • High Hills Elementary - Rebecca Griffin by the radio station compa- • Kingsbury Elementary - Michelle Snyder ny, brings together local • Lemira Elementary - LaCharles Harris businesses who get to say a • Manchester Elementary - Jennifer Ged- heart-felt “thank you” to dings area teachers for their hard • Millwood Elementary - Rebecca Osteen work and dedication, while • Oakland Primary - Jessica L. Greene also allowing them the op- • Pocalla Springs Elementary - Lawonda portunity to market their Wheeler products and services to a • R.E. Davis Elementary - Kimberly Single- large crowd. tary About 300 teachers were • Rafting Creek Elementary - Ureka D. Hilton on hand Thursday for the • Shaw Heights Elementary - Jacqui Wither- event at University of South spoon Carolina Sumter’s Nettles BRUCE MILLS / THE SUMTER ITEM • Wilder Elementary - Jennifer Hoffman Gymnasium. Public and pri- From left, Millwood Elementary School teacher Elizabeth Roach and Kingsbury Elementary’s Louise • Willow Drive Elementary - Tiffany L. Mar- vate school teachers from Robinson take in information from Mary Kay consultant Allison Hines on Thursday night at Communi- shall Sumter, Clarendon and Lee ty Broadcasters’ Teacher Appreciation Event at University of South Carolina Sumter. Hines also serves • Alice Drive Middle - Elma L. Strong counties were invited to at- as assistant principal at Bates Middle School. • Bates Middle - Tahara Mellette tend, as well as professors • Chestnut Oaks Middle - Gina Hilger and instructors from the ar- and Community Broadcast- ent vendors come out and good opportunity to out- • Ebenezer Middle - Lindsay Yaroch ea’s colleges. ers gave away some gifts as support us as teachers, and reach to a lot of people in • Furman Middle - Eric Masaitis The teachers mingled with well. According to officials, they give back, and I appre- Sumter and to also show our • Hillcrest Middle - Laura Diggs the business representatives, about 20 businesses were ciate it greatly,” Davis said. appreciation to teachers and • Mayewood Middle - Charles Capers who each had a vendor represented Thursday night. For Jennifer Russell, of what they do for us, through • Crestwood High - Deborah Horton booth with product displays. Cassandra Davis, a teacher Sweet & Unique Catering/ our children,” Russell said. • Lakewood High - Herbert Johnson Teachers also had the oppor- at Sumter Career and Tech- Rentals in Pinewood, the The presenting sponsor for • Sumter High - Erik Hines tunity to register for door nology Center, has attended event allows her to say thanks Thursday’s event was Pal- • Brewington Academy - Tal Johnson prizes from each booth. Free the annual gathering for to area teachers and also mar- metto Health Tuomey, and • Sumter Career and Technology Center - refreshments were also pro- many years and enjoys it. ket her small business. the supporting sponsor was Larry Culick vided by some businesses, “I like the fact that differ- “I think tonight is a really SAFE Federal Credit Union. LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Drop off unused medication at sheriff’s office Group hosts business FROM STAFF REPORTS systems and the environment. The com- People can drop off unused pills and networking event mon method of flushing prescription patches at the sheriff’s office, 1281 N. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday medication down the drain or throwing Main St., and the police department, The organization Our Broth- Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and medication in the trash poses potential 107 E. Hampton Ave., to be picked up er’s Keeper Society for the Sumter Police Department will collect safety and health hazards, states a news and properly disposed of by Drug En- Poor and Disadvantaged will unused and unwanted prescription release from the sheriff’s office.

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