IN CLARENDON SUN: LMA gets new headmaster in June A7 Exhibit features students’ work Portraits of famous blacks A6 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 are in Summerton gallery FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018 75 CENTS From to S.C. bill REALITY allows electric chair If passed, electrocution would be alternative to lethal injection drugs COLUMBIA (AP) — South Carolina law- makers on Thursday advanced legislation to shield the identities of companies that sell lethal injection drugs — and, if the state somehow remains unable to buy the PHOTOS BY BRUCE MILLS / THE SUMTER ITEM pharmaceuticals, to permit execution by Dream Team co-founders, Greg Thompson, far left, and Calvin Hastie, far right, stand with Dreamers on Wednesday during electrocution. a celebration at Thompson Construction Group. The four Dreamers, from left, are Carolyn Alston, Will Drose, Andrew Le- Both proposals, which now move to the neau and Kelvin Peterson. Senate floor for debate, are intended as remedies to the state’s ongoing troubles ob- taining drugs needed to carry out lethal in- Community leaders help people overcome barriers to find jobs jection. South Carolina hasn’t put any in- mates to death since 2011, in part because BY BRUCE MILLS Hastie, left, shares of a lack of the right drugs. [email protected] the story of a former Drug companies, fearful of the stigma, YouthBuild partici- have become hesitant to sell the drugs. So What started out nearly two pant who was unsuc- far, more than a dozen states have adopted years ago with two community cessful to serve as so-called “shield laws” keeping the drug leaders taking a drive through motivation for Dream suppliers’ names secret, in the hopes that South Sumter and seeing young Team participants. that protection will assuage their fears of people on street corners instead of retribution by members of the public who in school or at work turned into a oppose the death penalty. celebration Wednesday of which South Carolina’s primary execution all Sumterites can be proud. method is lethal injection, and 36 inmates Attorney and Sumter City Coun- have been put to death that way since 1995. cilman Calvin Hastie took that But the choice is officially up to inmates, drive that day through his district who can choose electrocution. None have with Greg Thompson, owner of velopment Board. experience with a government- done that since 2008, when James Earl Reed Thompson Construction Group Hastie said he explained to funded, out-of-school, youth pro- was put to death for the 1996 murders of his and chairman of the Sumter De- Thompson that many young peo- gram called YouthBuild where ex-girlfriend’s parents. ple today young adults took classes each day The Dec. 1, 2017, execution of Bobby just don’t toward earning their GED and Wayne Stone, 52, who was sentenced to know how worked in a skilled trade. Govern- death for killing Sumter County Sheriff’s to get start- ment funding for that program had Sgt. Charlie Kubala in 1996, was delayed in ed looking stopped, though, Hastie said, and response to a court order from his attor- for a job or many of the program’s youth left neys, but the order was not the only thing may have the area and haven’t returned. keeping what would be the first execution JOB-HUNTING TIPS FROM THE DREAM TEAM made mis- He and Thompson decided to in South Carolina in six years from going takes in start a new support group to help • Be ready to work hard • Be self-confident through. The fate of the execution was al- their past steer young adults and others who • Utilize available local resources • Learn some information on the ready uncertain because S.C. does not pos- company that pre- were out of work. sess one of the three drugs needed. • Have a clear, concise resume vent them The group, called the “Dream • Share how you can benefit a One measure approved Thursday by a from get- Team,” began meeting in April • Dress appropriately for interviews future employer Senate panel would allow prison officials to ting em- 2016. electrocute inmates — even those who ployed. Thompson provided resources, opted for lethal injection — if the state isn’t EMPLOYED ‘DREAMERS’ After the including his company’s human able to buy the drugs. The state’s current drive, resource manager, Teresa Nor- Thoney Williams injection protocol requires three drugs: Garfield Williams Thompson man. A few more local human re- pentobarbital, pancuronium bromide and Andrew Leneau Erica Williams asked Has- source professionals and motiva- potassium chloride. The state’s supply of Will Drose Carolyn Alston tie how he tional leaders also voluntarily could help. pentobarbital expired in 2013, and officials Jaleesa Johnson Shan Green joined the team that meets twice a have said that continual efforts to buy more Debra Service Both had have failed. Shanique Newsome previous SEE DREAM TEAM, PAGE A11 Kelvin Peterson Andrew Service Rocket Girls, C-17s and the Free Willie orca ary to serve as role models for Summerton Town Hall and Air Force Capt. Kayla Hill wanted to Summerton exhibit women wanting careers in once housed the town’s police be a gymnast growing up. It wasn’t aviation, is on display at 4 and fire departments, to until her thoughts turned to col- showcases women Main in Summerton. browse through the aviation lege did she give flying a thought. in the aviation field “Not all education is in the items on display from the In- Her college counselor suggested a classroom,” Summerton ternational Women’s Air & career in the Air Force, but she had BY SHARRON HALEY Mayor Mac Bagnal told the Space Museum Traveling Ex- to convince her mother first. Hill Special to The Sumter Item students when the exhibit hibit: Rocket Girls. Along with thought flying was “kinda cool” kicked off on Jan. 23 in Sum- the traveling exhibit, 4 Main and took her first lessons in a Cess- SUMMERTON — Rocket merton. “College isn’t for ev- will also feature an exhibit na. She applied at the Air Force Girls, an educational exhibi- eryone. The military is anoth- from the South Carolina Air- Academy, and her talents as a gym- tion highlighting female pilots er choice.” plane Museum in Columbia. nast helped pave the way. and astronauts who decades Bagnal invited everyone to ago pushed the gender bound- visit 4 Main, which is west of SEE ROCKET GIRLS, PAGE A11 SHARRON HALEY / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B5 and B6 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Vivian T. Cox Louise B. Kelly Barbara Miller COLD TONIGHT 3 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 76 James R. West William Carter Catherine B. Ballard Turning sunny and cooler Ernest McKnight John W. Nicholes Earl C. Robertson Jr. today; partly cloudy and Classifieds B7 Television C4 George Smith Carlene W. Burgess Maggie S. Copeland much colder tonight Comics C6 Sports B1 Serena Louard Mildred M. Boyd Marvin Hammett Kenneth E. Welker III Pauline D. Walker HIGH 55, LOW 23 Opinion A10 USA Today C1 Shawnique D. Brunson Elma C. Belser A2 | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Sheriff’s office arrests 5 for trafficking cocaine base — 28 grams or more but less All caught in 1 Lynchburg motel room than 100 grams; and first-offense manufacture, distribution, etc., of BY KAYLA ROBINS wich bags; white powder residue cocaine base. [email protected] from the front of a microwave oven; Dennis said this group of arrests is and a plastic bottle converted to a just one more part of his agency's Five South Carolinians were ar- crack-smoking device, according to TYLER MOORE SINGLETON campaign against drugs and drug rested on drug charges this week Ken Bell, public information officer dealers in Sumter County. after Sumter County Sheriff's Office for the sheriff's office. Reese "Unfortunately, people never seem deputies executed a search warrant "This is the culmination of many Hickman, to learn," he said. "If you are buying on one Lynchburg motel room. hours spent investigating these indi- 31, of or selling drugs, you will eventually Deputies entered a room at the viduals," Sumter County Sheriff An- Baker get caught. And getting caught by us Relax Inn Motel, 10320 Lynches River thony Dennis said. "Our officers Street in is better than dying from a drug Road, on Tuesday and were able to were able to stop a large quantity of Olanta; overdose." charge every person in the room for drugs from hitting the streets of and Des- HICKMAN WASHINGTON All five were taken to Sumter-Lee some part in what they seized — 29.1 Sumter County and arrest the people mond An- Regional Detention Center and are grams of suspected crack cocaine; responsible in the process." quan scheduled for a March 16 court date. 12.9 grams of cocaine; a Taurus 9mm David Bryan Tyler, 55, of Tyler Washington, 30, of Fullard Street in The bond for Singleton was denied. handgun; $203 in cash; four digital Lane in Sumter; April Brown Moore, Lynchburg were each charged with Bonds for Tyler and Washington scales; a plastic cup that contained 37, of Old Manning Road in Scran- trafficking cocaine — 10 grams or were each set at $65,000 surety, and baking soda, which is used to manu- ton; Jimmy Devette Singleton, 31, of more but less than 28 grams; first-of- bonds for Moore and Hickman were facture crack cocaine; a box of sand- Trinity Road in Lynchburg; Michael fense trafficking in meth or cocaine each set at $40,000 surety.