LOCAL Showcase presents ‘Under the Big Top’ this weekend THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A3 Company to launch solar projects in Lee at $100M Biggest benefit to county will be tax revenue generated, administrator says BY BRUCE MILLS Southern Current, based out of electrical use in the greater region. [email protected] Charleston, will invest $100 million Watkins said the investment will in solar farm development at six not necessarily directly generate Lee County is entering the new, rural sites in Lee County during jobs in Lee, but it will create more PHOTO PROVIDED high-tech, clean energy production the next five years, County Admin- of a tax base in the form of com- A solar farm built by Southern Current and co-de- realm with the announcement istrator Alan Watkins said. mercial property taxes collected veloped by Strata Solar on 40 acres is seen in Wednesday of a major capital in- Solar panels at each site will pro- from Southern Current. Goldsboro, North Carolina. Southern Current will vestment by a solar energy facili- duce electrical power from the sun, The only jobs created with the invest $100 million in six solar farm develop- ties developer, according to offi- and, in turn, Southern Current will ments in Lee County. cials. sell that power to Duke Energy for SEE SOLAR, PAGE A6 The Rev. Billy Graham 1918-2018 Famous evangelist remembered by his friend, former Yankees star BY KAYLA ROBINS [email protected] obby Richardson recently visit- ed Billy Graham for the last time with his wife and grand- daughter. B Graham could barely see. He could not hear well, but the friend of the Sumterite and former New York Yan- kees second baseman, the man who became the most widely heard Chris- tian evangelist in history, put his arms around the Richardsons and prayed with them. “And what an honor to have a prayer with Billy Graham,” said Richardson, who himself is a born-again Christian and heavily SEE GRAHAM, PAGE A6 SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO The Rev. Billy Graham is shown on the stage set up for him to deliver his sermon to a packed football stadium on the Sumter fairgrounds in 1950. Graham died on Wednesday at 99 at his home in North Carolina. Zoning appeals board member to run for Sumter City Council Davis, part owner If elected, Davis said he panding infrastructure. Davis seeking election in west Sumter’s Ward 5 of Barnette’s Auto would like to bring a fresh per- The introduction of more in- Parts on North St. spective to a City Council that dustries will directly result in BY ADRIENNE SARVIS vironment in his hometown by Pauls Church is already doing a good job of the creation of more jobs, [email protected] running for office on a larger Road. supporting residents. more economic activity and stage. As a business He is running on a platform greater opportunity for resi- A member of the Sumter Colin Davis recently an- DAVIS owner and resi- of continuing the development dents, according to a release City-County Board of Zoning nounced he is seeking election dent of Sumter, of a well-trained workforce, of from Davis. Appeals wants to continue his to Sumter City Council Ward 5. Davis said he feels downtown Sumter and of at- Further, Davis said he would efforts to improve the local “I feel like we’ve got a good a need to participate in facili- tracting more industries to quality of life and business en- thing going in Sumter,” said tating the success of the city. Sumter by improving and ex- SEE DAVIS, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B3 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Angela Brewer Earle L. Beatson Jr. A BIT OF DRIZZLE 2 SECTIONS, 14 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 90 James A. Hilton Barbara F. Lemmon Rain and drizzle in Sherricka L. Simon Rose Rogers the morning; partly cloudy Classifieds B5 Sports B1 Josh Fraiser Ty’Ceiona S. York and mild tonight Comics B4 Television A5 Donald R. Palmer HIGH 82, LOW 58 Opinion A7 A2 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] City approves alcohol sales at annual events BY ADRIENNE SARVIS $136,525 for housing repair; $39,946 for resource officers who also transport bie Fest Halloween Event and Sip & [email protected] youth employment; $2,500 for YMCA students to their jobs, Community De- Stroll. youth services; $24,500 for youth servic- velopment Director Clarence Gaines The city of Sumter will not be selling Sumter City Council approved first es; and $58,367 would be allocated for said. alcohol during these events but will au- reading on Tuesday to accept the pro- administration. ALCOHOL SALES APPROVED FOR thorize other entities to do so, Mayor posed 2018 Community Development The proposed budget is almost the ANNUAL PUBLIC EVENTS Joe McElveen said. Block Grant that would allocate $291,838 same as the previous year except that Councilman Calvin Hastie voted in among six city programs. YMCA has requested an $800 increase, Council approved a resolution to au- opposition of the resolution as he said If approved after a third reading, the and housing repair will receive $1,000 thorize the sale of beer and wine during he always does because of the adverse grant, appropriated to the city by HUD, less than it did in 2017. multiple events held downtown each effects alcohol can have. would be used for multiple community Each project is meant to benefit the year. Those events include: Sumter De- COUNCIL RECOGNIZES LOCAL HEROES projects such as youth employment, public or residents from moderate- to velopment Board Building Grand Open- YMCA youth services, Sumter United low-income households. ing, Sumter Green Untapped Food Council members shook hands with Ministries, housing repair and demoli- For example, the youth employment Truck Festival, Fourth Fridays on Main Nicholas Hill from Sumter Fire Depart- tion and historic preservation, as well program, held during the summer, Concert Series, United Way Downtown ment and Sumter Police Department's as the administrative costs to operate helps teenage students in moderate- to Derby Day, Downtown Microbrew Festi- Lead Cpl. Cameron Bryant and Patrol- each project. low-income households gain work expe- val, Taste at the Gardens/Iris Festival, man Joseph Kellahan who dove into a According to a draft budget, $20,000 rience and develop a connection with Sumter Green Fall Feast, Downtown retention pond to rescue a family and would be allocated toward demolition; their communities. OktoberFest, Porches of Sumter, Sum- performed CPR after their vehicle went $10,000 for historic preservation; The students are monitored by school ter Downtown Market, Downtown Zom- over an embankment on June 22, 2017. Sumter High IB students visit Clemson Pancake Day marks 56th year of helping children in Sumter FROM STAFF REPORTS WANT TO GO? The Kiwanis Club of Sum- WHERE: Alice Drive Middle ter will flip pancakes for its School, 40 Miller Road 56th year on Saturday, March WHEN: Saturday, March 3, 7 to 3, at Alice Drive Middle 10:30 a.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. School, 40 Miller Road. Sum- TICKETS: $6 for adults and $3 ter Kiwanians will raise for children 4 to 12 years old funds for Sumter children in two shifts, from 7 to 10:30 a.m. PHONE: For advance tickets or and again from 5 to 8 p.m. sponsorships, call Chuck Wilson at (803) 972-9060. Last year, 2,000 people showed up to support the fund- raiser and enjoy pancakes for breakfast or supper. “I want to help finance food and gift call on all the people of Sum- drive programs during the ter to come out and support holiday season for Sumter's deserving children by attend- needy. With education being ing Pancake Day,” Pancake one of its focuses, the club Day Co-Director Chuck Wilson sponsors scholarships to USC said in a news release. “Kiwan- Sumter, Central Carolina is programs help children and Technical College and Morris young folks who otherwise College. might not be able to achieve Tickets for the all-you-can- the things in life they should. eat Pancake Day can be pur- We believe in helping children chased from any Sumter Ki- all over the world, and espe- wanian or at the door. The cially here in Sumter.” cost is $6 for adults and $3 for PHOTO PROVIDED Through its foundation, children 4 to 12 years old. For Sumter High School IB biology classes traveled to Clemson University for a STEM adventure recent- The Kiwanis Club of Sumter advance tickets or sponsor- ly. At the Clemson University Life Science Outreach Center, students transformed E. coli with the sponsors numerous youth ships, call Chuck Wilson at pGlo plasmid, which carries a phosphorescence gene from jellyfish. The plates of bacteria were programs including the Key (803) 972-9060. boxed up for transport back to SHS so they could be studied further. After lunch in the dining hall, Clubs at area high schools, The Kiwanis Club of Sum- students extracted their DNA from cheek cells. Activities at the CULFSOC concluded with a discus- the Kiwanis Terrific Kids ter is the community’s oldest sion on GMOs in society. Before loading back onto the bus for the ride home, the group stopped by program and others. Pro- civic club, dating back to the 55 Exchange for some of Clemson’s famous in-house ice cream. ceeds from Pancake Day also 1922. SCAL encourages Sumterites to join Memorial Park Walk The Centers for Disease Control and fat or fat-free yogurt and fruits and Complimentary light refreshments Prevention recommends that healthy vegetables.