Girl, 5, Drowns in Pool at Hotel
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Remembering World War II enthusiasts walk on Omaha Beach, Normandy, on Wednes- day. Extensive com- memorations were held D-DAY in the U.K. and France to honor the nearly 160,000 troops from Britain, the United 75 States, Canada and years later other nations who land- ed in Normandy on June 6, 1944, in histo- SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCT. 15, 1894 A5-7 ry’s biggest amphibious THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 75 CENTS invasion. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Girl, 5, From Sumter to Southern Cal drowns in pool at hotel Incident under investigation; no signs of foul play involved BY KAYLA ROBINS [email protected] A 5-year-old girl drowned in a Sumter hotel pool during the weekend. Sumter Police Department detectives are investigating after officers re- sponded to reports of a pool drowning Saturday afternoon at the Econo Lodge on North Washington Street, according to Barron Hite, public informa- BRUCE MILLS / THE SUMTER ITEM tion officer with the depart- GILMORE Mitchell Matthews and Callie McAdams are recent Wilson Hall graduates who will continue their education in sunny, ment. Southern California at USC. Southern Cal is known nationally to be one of the most competitive in its admissions. Faith Gilmore was trans- ported by ambulance to Prisma Health Tu- omey Hospital, where she later died. Sum- Wilson Hall duo destined for Los Angeles and prestigious university ter County Coroner Robbie Baker said he BY BRUCE MILLS SEE DROWNING, PAGE A3 [email protected] t’s a college that has every- Ithing any aspiring student School board would look for: high aca- demic prestige, access to Hol- lywood, sun, surf, the beach may adjust tax and perfect weather, just to name a few. hike request It’s the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and in- terest in the prestigious private County informs district it will get school of 40,000-plus students is so high that some celebrities have re- $840K more next year after growth cently been associated with a col- BY BRUCE MILLS lege admissions bribery scandal [email protected] related to their children’s admis- sion to the university. After Sumter County recently increased Southern Cal is known for hav- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS its estimated total assessed property values ing one of the lowest admission The University of Southern California’s admission rate this year was 11%, ac- by 2%, it’s a step backward now for Sumter rates of any university in the U.S., cording to university sources. School District on its official millage re- down to just 11% in this year’s ad- quest to county council. mission cycle, according to univer- from across the country. alums credit a strong academic That was the outcome Monday night sity sources. Southern Cal’s admis- After graduating last week, foundation and motivating teach- when district Chief Financial Officer Jen- sion rate is on par with Duke, Mitchell Matthews and Callie Mc- ers at the private school for much nifer Miller made her request at a budget North Carolina and Vanderbilt. Adams, both 18, discussed their fu- of their success. workshop meeting to council for a $1.2 mil- With all the recent scandal, ture destination for higher educa- In the honors program in a lion tax increase, or 9.01 mills, to balance there’s still a way to get into the tion some 2,450 miles away at the graduating class of 58 students, the district’s budget for next year. Hollywood school through the USC in the “City of Angels” — as Matthews and McAdams said they Shortly into her presentation, county front door via honest, hard work. opposed to the USC just down the Two recent Wilson Hall graduates road in Columbia. SEE REQUEST, PAGE A6 are proof you can even get there Both newly minted Wilson Hall SEE STUDENTS, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B3 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 James Abrams MORE STORMS 2 SECTIONS, 14 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 VOL. 124, NO. 161 Classifieds: 774-1200 A storm in some spots in the Delivery: 774-1258 afternoon and early tonight Classifieds B6 Sports B1 News and Sports: 774-1226 HIGH 87, LOW 71 Comics B4 Television B5 Opinion A7 A2 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Reynard Whittleton, a Main Street store owner, Mayor, 1 of 2 council looks over the concept plan for downtown creat- ed through the Downtown Sumter Master Plan that members retain seat was presented Monday. in Lynchburg election KAYLA ROBINS / THE SUMTER ITEM BY KAYLA ROBINS Major won the second at- [email protected] large seat with 26 votes. Lytch received nine votes. The Town of Lynchburg There was a total of five in Lee County held nonpar- other write-in votes spread tisan elections for mayor among four people. and two of its four council Rebecca Major was the seats on Tuesday, with two only person election-wide incumbents winning and who officially filed to be a one being unseated. candidate. Andre Laws retained his Barnhill said having most- Final Sumter Master Plan includes position as mayor of the ly if not all write-ins for 373-population town, accord- elections in Lynchburg is ing to recent numbers from normal. green space, remodeling streets the Municipal Association “I think they do it to save of South Carolina. Lee a dime. They’ve done it that BY KAYLA ROBINS downtown and “ensure equita- Mayor Joe McElveen said the County Voter Registration way since I’ve been here, [email protected] ble opportunity and a commu- next day when the consultants and Elections Director Stan and I’ve been here for five nity that is welcoming to all.” presented the plan to Sumter Barnhill said Laws did not years,” he said. Sumterites got the chance to County Council during the officially file as a candidate Rebecca Major and Ger- see what their city may look RECOMMENDATIONS June 4 meeting. and won as a write-in with trude Major join Charles like downtown in 20 years, and While TSW drew out detailed It won’t happen overnight, 44 votes. Nelson Jr. and Pamela Rob- they seemed ready for the maps and plans down to the McElveen said, but the Central Barnhill said Laws did de- inson, who received two change. street and block for what Business District has come clare his write-in candidacy write-in votes, on the coun- Consulting firm TSW pre- should go where, the overall such a long way already in the in a letter, which may be cil. sented its Downtown Sumter summary of what they recom- last 20 years — and that was useful if there were to be a A total of 73 ballots were Master Plan before a crowd of mended is to infill mixed-use without a focused long-range dispute in the election re- cast out of 275 registered about 50 who came to the open development with a focus on plan that specifically looked at sults. voters, Barnhill said. MASC house at City Centre to either adding residential units down- the core of the city. Also as write-ins, David data shows Lynchburg has see how their ideas were incor- town. The plan includes recom- McClam won 23 votes, and two full-time employees. porated into the concept plan Major highlights include cre- mendations for the city to con- Lashawn Gregg received The Lee County Board of or to learn about it for the first ating a 2-acre civic green cross- sider taking over S.C. Depart- one vote. Voter Registration and Elec- time. ing North Harvin Street and ment of Transportation-con- Rebecca Major and Ken- tions will conduct a canvass The master plan is a first of connecting the courthouse and trolled streets to implement neth Lytch’s Lynchburg and certification hearing its kind for the downtown Sum- judicial center to include an streetscape goals. Immediate Town Council seats were up after a provisional ballot ter area — within Washington amphitheater and splash pad; short-term steps could be to for election. Major was the hearing Thursday at 11 a.m., Street, Calhoun Street, North landscaping and streetscaping, test some of the recommenda- top vote-getter with 58 votes, after which the board will Magnolia Street, South Harvin especially on Washington and tions by re-striping streets and and challenger Gertrude certify the final vote totals. Street and West Oakland Ave- Harvin; and providing better using colorful crosswalks to nue — a conceptual and poten- connectivity between the his- inch toward remodeling streets tially literal blueprint for land toric district and downtown. and sidewalks. use and land and streetscaping. Reynard Whittleton spent With a good new foundation “I can’t make this strong time at the open house after the of commercial businesses offer- enough of a point. This can be presentation Monday examin- ing dining and shopping op- done here, and this is the place ing the maps and concept tions, along with the new Hyatt to do it,” said Thomas Walsh, a plans. He opened 3T’s Unlimit- Place, the next major move- consultant with the Atlanta- ed at 11 S. Main St. downtown ment needs to be residential, based firm that specializes in in 2005 and said business has the firm is saying. More retail revitalizing and bringing ener- picked up in recent years. will follow residential, and the gy and economic growth and “It looks good,” he said about city must get people to move people to small city centers. the ideas presented in the plan.