IN USA TODAY: Trump makes series of executive actions C1 STATE ‘Professional gypsy’ recalls life with the circus SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 75 CENTS A4 Board rolls back stipend cuts Payments now reduced by 25 percent; consultant says school district needs loan BY BRUCE MILLS by only 25 percent of their annual session came after much public Since starting with the district [email protected] amount. On Jan. 12, the board had outcry concerning the stipend on Jan. 10, Scott Allan of School approved Superintendent Frank cuts. Support Inc., has conducted a 12- After exiting executive session Baker’s emergency financial plan, Also at Monday night’s meeting, month cash-flow analysis and de- Monday night, the Sumter School which cut all stipends in the dis- the outside financial consultant re- termined the district will need a District Board of Trustees voted trict by 50 percent. cently hired by the board updated loan, or tax-anticipation note, ALLAN unanimously to approve a recom- The response by the board Mon- the board on his work to date and mendation to reduce all stipends day at its regularly scheduled work goals. SEE DISTRICT, PAGE A7 Breaking ground on the Public Safety Complex PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM Sumter city and county officials as well as promoters of the 2014 Penny for Progress campaign don hardhats with a penny to symbolize the groundbreaking of a Public Safety Complex funded through the ballot question. The $10.6 million complex, on the east side of Lafayette Drive between Loring Drive and Calhoun Street, will house a 36,000-square- foot headquarters building for Sumter Police Department and a 21,600-square-foot headquarters for Sumter Fire Department as well as a four-bay fire station. Engineers predict- ed it will take about 14 months to complete the project. Shovels with Sumter Police Chief hardhats await Russell Roark, left, and Sumter city and City of Sumter Fire Chief county dignitar- Karl Ford don hardhats ies to break for the ceremony on ground on a new Monday. public safety building on Monday. Recent area Crime Stoppers provides retiree gets resource for public to help help through solve cases in community Fireside Fund BY ADRIENNE SARVIS each month. BY JIM HILLEY [email protected] Calls are answered by a [email protected] secretary in the police de- The Crime Stoppers or- partment’s investigation Kevin Howell, crisis relief ganization was created in division during the day on director for Sumter United JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM 1976 after information from weekdays, and 911 dispatch Ministries, said Fireside Fund The Shaw Firefighters Association presents a check for $1,000 to The the public was used to answers calls on week- has provided the ministry Sumter Item Publisher Jack Osteen for Fireside Fund. The group’s solve a murder case in Al- nights and during the with the resources to address members conducted two boot drives in December to raise money for buquerque, New Mexico, weekend, Hodge said. urgent heating needs and to local charities, including Fireside Fund, which helps needy residents after a monetary reward Tips called in to the state make a lasting impact. stay warm during the winter months. was advertised on TV. number are sent to the ap- Recently, a senior visited Sumter Crime Stoppers, propriate law enforcement the Crisis Relief Ministry and Her income is extremely the first Crime Stoppers agency by email, she said. needed assistance with a pro- modest, he said. program in South Caroli- Most of the tips Crime pane account, Howell said. “She owns her home, which na, was organized in Octo- Stoppers receives lead to The woman is from Pine- is a great benefit to her,” How- ber 1981. the arrest of fugitives, she wood, he said, which is one of ell said. “However, with no Marie Hodge, Sumter said. the many smaller communi- house payment, her living ex- Crime Stoppers coordina- Some really good calls ties Sumter United Ministries cost-effective heat source,” pense totals cause her to be tor and latent print exam- come in, Hodge said. About assists throughout the county. Howell said. “She recently re- disqualified from some forms iner at Sumter Police De- four years ago, a tip helped “She has used electric space tired at 71 years old but had of assistance that she greatly partment, said the organi- solve a three-year-old cold heaters in the past but has ac- hopes of receiving some addi- needs.” zation receives about 10 case, she said. cess to propane in her home tional income, which never cases per month from calls and felt it would be a more materialized.” SEE FIRESIDE, PAGE A7 and solves about two calls SEE SOLVED, PAGE A7 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Lucille Y. Pechinka Cynthia Maple-Hudson THE SUN IS BACK 3 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES the .com VOL. 122, NO. 72 Travis Lee Barger Ruth Johnson Sunny and nice today; a clear George W. Clemmons Wesley Kind sky tonight Classifieds B6 Opinion A9 Michael P. Tennant Timothy T. Brooks HIGH 65, LOW 41 Comics C4 Television B5 A2 | TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEF FROM STAFF REPORTS Downtown Sumter man charged with criminal sexual assault launches Sumter police officers placed Mar- cus Carlo Garrick, 43, of 1 Peach St., in custody Friday after he was iden- marketing tified in the assault of a woman ear- lier in the week and in an unrelated attempted assault of another woman the previous month. campaign Garrick is charged with criminal sexual conduct, first degree; BY IVY MOORE than they're primarily known for, assault with intent to [email protected] ‘We want people to Kile noted. "For example, what you commit criminal sexu- can get from Naomi and Warner. al conduct; and kid- There is a lot going on in Down- realize the construction It's not just a wedding or gift shop; napping. He is being town Sumter, and that doesn't refer you can get lunch there, for exam- GARRICK held at Sumter-Lee only to the construction, although a is making downtown ple. We'll post photos of the inside Regional Detention new public service initiative takes of businesses, not just their en- Center. Bond has been denied on its title from the work that seems to better. There is a lot trances. " each charge. some to cover the area. Dig It! Downtown Development Coordi- Police were called after 6 a.m. Downtown has been created to let going on. Downtown is nator Leigh Newman, whom Kile Tuesday, Jan. 17, when an injured residents know what's going on in describes as "the driving force be- woman went to an area convenience the center of town and that nothing still the place to come. hind Dig It! Downtown," said there store. Garrick, who was also in- is stopping because of the construc- will soon be about six construction jured, was later found sitting inside tion. We’re just in a transition sites downtown, but that there will a disabled car in his driveway. He, City of Sumter Communications be parking and business will go on however, said he did not remember and Tourism Director Shelley Kile as usual during the next 18 months what led to his injuries. said Dig It! Downtown will soon be phase.’ to two years of construction. The 32-year-old victim, a friend of accessible online and will empha- Events such as 4th Fridays con- the suspect, said she was held size that "even though there seems MATTHEW MORSE certs will continue, as will the con- against her will and assaulted after to be a lot of construction, that certs and other entertainment at asking Garrick to take her home. doesn't mean businesses or streets City webmaster the Sumter Opera House, Newman Both the victim and suspect were are closed. We want people to con- said. Already, she said, plans are treated for injuries and released tinue coming downtown, and Dig It! being made for several new events, from Palmetto Health Tuomey. will be a resource for them." signs across the city that read "Dig a new restaurant will soon begin During the investigation, Garrick The city's webmaster, Matthew It! Downtown" and information construction, new office space is was accused of an unrelated at- Morse, has created the website highlighting downtown businesses being created and other initiatives tempted sexual assault of another where Dig It! Downtown will be ac- on the website. In addition, there are coming up. All will be on the woman in December. cessible to the public as well as to will be a variety of promotions on- Dig It! website. Investigations into both incidents downtown businesses. line, and downtown businesses will "We want Dig It! to be the place are continuing. "We want people to realize the be listed by category with a link to people go to online when they're construction is making downtown the city's calendar listings. looking for something to do or a better," he said. "There is a lot "Dig It! will be strong in social good meal. We don't want anything going on. Downtown is still the media," she said, "and there will be to be pared down," Kile said. "We CORRECTION place to come. We're just in a tran- maps online and available in print. want to beef up. We want a lot more In Bob Reagan’s extended obitu- sition phase." Businesses can list daily specials, going on downtown because of the ary published in the Sunday edi- Morse said the website digitdown- for example, and we'll keep adding construction.