LOCAL Don’t miss out on Sumter High’s ‘Addams Family’ Musical comedy starts SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019 75 CENTS Wednesday A2 A prayer for the government Shutdown is projected to cause $3B hit to economy BY ANDREW TAYLOR plus economy. By year’s The Associated Press end, CBO says, GDP would be just 0.02 smaller because WASHINGTON — The of the shutdown, which federal government shut- shuttered many domestic down will cause slight per- agencies. Most of the manent harm to the econo- 800,000 furloughed federal my — about $3 billion — ac- workers returned to their cording to a report Monday jobs Monday. by the Congressional Bud- More broadly, the report get Office. estimates a drop in GDP The report says the five- growth to 2.3 percent this week shutdown has slowed year as the effects of Presi- growth in the near term but dent Donald Trump’s tax that most of the lost growth cut on business investment “will eventually be recov- begin to drop off. It also ered.” says that the U.S. budget Overall, CBO predicts deficit will hit $897 billion that just $3 billion in lost this year. gross domestic product will The CBO credits the 2017 be permanently lost, a mod- est figure in a $20 trillion- SEE ECONOMY, PAGE A4 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Transportation Security Administration workers screen airline passengers at Reagan Washington National Airport in Washing- ton on Monday as federal workers and government contract workers return to work, ending the record 35-day partial federal shutdown that began before Christmas. PHOTOS BY ADRIENNE SARVIS / THE SUMTER ITEM Members of Christ Community Church, Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, Church of the Holy Comforter, First Presbyterian Church and other churches gathered in front of Sumter County Judicial Center on Satur- day to pray for the government regarding the 35-day shutdown. Noting the recent decision by President Donald Trump to sign a bill to temporarily reopen the government until Feb. 15, attendees prayed that a Sumter to get low temps resolution be reached before that date. Though the attendees may have different political beliefs, those who spoke prayed that political leaders in the country be guided to look past their political affiliations to make decisions for the good of their constituents. but no snow this week Storm to bring generational lows to Midwest BY BRUCE MILLS in Tuesday afternoon will [email protected] take overnight lows down to the mid-20s tonight and Sumter will experience a Wednesday night. Wednes- cold front with moisture in day is expected to be the the next couple days, but colder of the two nights by because it will not arrive in a couple degrees, he said, that exact order, do not ex- possibly reaching the lower pect any snow this week in 20s. the area, according to the Rain will arrive ahead of National Weather Service the cold front today, with based in Columbia. moisture expected anytime Tony Petrolito, a 29-year between noon and early veteran of the weather ser- evening in the local area. vice, told The Sumter Item Monday a cold front coming SEE WEATHER, PAGE A4 Clarendon deputies search for 17-year-old suspect in car theft BY SHARRON HALEY this weekend and recently. Jan. 22. Sumter Highway and that, a wooded area, incurring heavy Special to The Sumter Item “Deputies have active arrest shortly after the vehicle was damage. Two suspects fled the TEEN WANTED IN CAR warrants on and are currently taken, deputies spotted it trav- vehicle on foot, Baxley said. MANNING — Clarendon THEFT, CRASH searching for Jordan Trevon eling on U.S. 521 toward Sumter “A juvenile subject (was) County Sheriff’s Office dep- The sheriff’s office is asking Hanson,” Clarendon County and attempted to stop the vehi- taken into custody,” Baxley uties are looking for a for assistance in finding a Sheriff Tim Baxley said in a cle, which resulted in a pursuit. said. “The suspects were identi- 17-year-old suspect and ar- 17-year-old man who is wanted news release Monday. After traveling into Sumter fied by investigators, and the rested two other men in in connection with the larceny Baxley said the theft oc- County, the vehicle turned onto three unrelated cases from of a 2016 Dodge Challenger on curred about 5:40 p.m. at 2125 a dead-end road and drove into SEE SUSPECT, PAGE A4 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Maria Kokotinis Jackie Simpson Motley I’LL BELIEVE IT 2 SECTIONS, 14 PAGES the .com VOL. 124, NO. 72 Kenny Creel Thelma Wilson Rogers WHEN I SEE IT Wilhemena Nelson Sanders Claudia Davis Davis Classifieds B6 Sports B1 Vinson Smith Jr. Nelson Ridgill A little rain late in the Comics A5 Television B5 Robert B. Jaxthiemer James W. Phillips afternoon; some snow early Harry L. Herrington Dorothy Bates Martin tonight and mostly cloudy Opinion A7 Elijah Pearson HIGH 59, LOW 24 A2 | TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] SHS Drama presents ‘The Addams Family’ produced by students Musical comedy a showcase of talent BY IVY MOORE technical side, they are in Special to The Sumter Item charge of lighting, sound, properties and all other ele- Wednesday and Pugsley Ad- ments that make the show run dams, the children of Gomez smoothly. Melton said several and Morticia Addams, are alumni of Sumter High Drama practically grown in the musi- also contributed their talents: cal comedy “The Addams Lexi Melton painted the set. Family,” being presented this While several of the stu- week by Sumter High School dents were not familiar with Drama. the “creepy and … kooky, The group produces a musi- mysterious and spooky” fami- cal each year, offering a show- ly, as described in the 1964- case of the award-winning tal- 1966 TV comedy “The Addams ents of the high school’s stu- Family,” many had seen it and dents and faculty. In this show, the films based on the family. MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM presented at the school Sophomore Sarah Floyd, who Donovan Green, a Sumter High School drama student, rehearses for “The Addams Family,” a musical com- Wednesday to Saturday, the plays Wednesday, said her edy that students will be performing from Jan. 30 through Feb. 2. The comedy is $10 for students, mili- character Wednesday is 18, character is “very creepy and tary, first responders and seniors and $12 for adults. and she is bringing change to loves to torture her little her set-in-their- brother” Pugs- spooky-ways ley, played by SHOW DETAILS family. Haley Melton. What: “The Addams Family” Kelly Melton, It is Wednes- musical comedy Drama Depart- day’s secret When: Wednesday-Saturday, 7 ment head at that is at the p.m., also at 1 p.m. Saturday SHS, directed heart of the Where: Sumter High School, the play based plot. 2580 McCrays Mill Road on Charles Ad- It seems she dams’ popular has met and Tickets: $12 for adults; $10 for cartoons in The fallen in love students, military, seniors and first responders New Yorker with Lucas magazine. Beineke, a Purchase: www.shs.booktix.com Ashlee Poole, young man or at the door choir teacher at from a “nor- SHS, and Fran mal” family, Liam Pemberton rehearses for “The Addams Family.” Glaze, school played by Don- ovan’s mother, Alice Beineke; secretary, are ovan Green. she said the musical comedy talking about it.” In addition ancestors of the Addamses, musical direc- Wednesday “is very similar to (The Ad- to taking first place for who serve as a sort of Greek tor and chore- Maggie Morse and Hutson Self fears her moth- dams Family) movies, but the “Chronicle Simpkins Will Cut chorus. ographer, re- play Morticia and Gomez Ad- er, Morticia, plot is very different. I think You,” Savannah Hynes and Tickets are $12 for adults spectively. dams in Sumter High Drama’s played by Mag- everybody will enjoy it.” Hutson Self won the All Star and $10 for students, military, Melton said “The Addams Family.” The gie Morse, “will “The music is really catchy, acting awards, and Sarah seniors and first responders. his students show is suitable for all ages. It go crazy if she ranging from Broadway style Floyd was named Best Actress Proceeds will be used to help worked on will be presented in the Sum- finds out the se- to tango and Vaudeville, and overall. fund the drama group’s trip to “every aspect of ter High Drama Room theater. cret.” Her fa- there are ballads, too,” Melton Completing the cast of “The Knoxville, Tennessee, where the production. ther, Gomez, said. Addams Family” are Monty they will compete in the That’s why they appreciate ev- played by Hutson Self, is not Sumter High Drama has fin- Morse as Lurch, Liam Pem- March Southeastern Theatre erything.” quite as volatile. ished in first place three times berton as Fester and Madison Conference with their play The students first selected Much of the humor in the at the South Carolina Theatre Hammond as Grandma. Logan “Chronicle Simpkins Will Cut the musical, then did research show happens when the Association conference, which Smith plays the “normal” Mal You,” which took first place in to construct a set, put together Beineke family is invited to Melton called the “Super Bowl Beineke, father of Lucas. The the South Carolina Theatre their costumes, design their dinner with the Addamses. of theater for us. If we were a remaining actors in the Association competition at the makeup and more.