OPINION Treatments exist for those struggling with suicidal thoughts A7 THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents WHAT YOUR GOVERNMENT IS DOING: SUMTER CITY COUNCIL City budget passes with no tax hike BY ADRIENNE SARVIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK LEASE-PURCHASE AGREEMENT WEST HAMPTON AVENUE WATER AND [email protected] GRANT ENTITLEMENT ALLOCATION FOR PUBLIC WORKS VEHICLES SEWER REPLACEMENT PROJECT AMENDMENT AND EQUIPMENT Reading: Resolution, which requires only one vote from Sumter City Council ap- Reading: Second and final Reading: Final council proved second and final What it means: CDBG entitlement funds are allocated What it means: A financial agreement not to What it means: Water and sewer lines located along reading of the city’s 2019 to the city of Sumter annually by the U.S. Department exceed $1,407,000 to purchase vehicles and Hampton Avenue, between Salem Avenue and Purdy fiscal year budget. of Housing and Urban Development to address issues equipment for the public works department, Street, will be replaced. They were installed nearly 100 Balanced at $67,218,077, unique to the community and its residents. In the city, including a street sweeper valued at $277,052.31; a years ago. Barwick Construction Co. of Sumter was this the 11th consecutive CDBG funds are used to provide housing, economic fire pumper truck valued at $426,9494.32; a front- selected as the contractor for the project after budget without a millage development opportunities and other assistance to load garbage truck valued at $261,557; a recycling submitting the lowest bid of $470,593.50. increase, according to city low- and moderate-income households. For federal truck valued at $190,487; trash trailers valued at Discussion: “This is a project continuing to rehab an manager Deron McCor- fiscal year 2018-19, HUD originally allocated $291,838 $64,726.64; and a rear-load garbage truck valued older part of our water and sewer system,” Assistant City mick. to the city, which adopted the funds on March 6. at $180,271. Manager Al Harris said. “We will begin as quickly as we Total revenues and ex- However, the city received a letter from HUD on May 1 Discussion: The city received bids for the lease- possibly can, but we want to have a lot of meetings penditures for the up- announcing the municipality would be receiving purchase agreement on Tuesday, and the winning before we do so. It’s going to take some time, but we’re coming fiscal year have $5,463 in additional funds for that same fiscal year, so bid had an interest rate of 3.06 percent from BB&T, going to try to accommodate the public the best we been balanced at an amendment was necessary to show that change. City Attorney Eric Shytle said. It’s a very good can.” $39,365,543 with the city Vote: Unanimous approval interest rate and a routine lease-purchase The neighborhood association would be a good place to projecting revenues for What it means for you: City of Sumter has more agreement. start, said Councilman Steve Corley, who represents Ward property taxes to reach funds to assist with issues such as local housing Vote: Unanimous approval 4 where the project will take place. $14,092,296. repairs, housing demolition, summer youth What it means for you: Newer equipment to Vote: Unanimous approval The budget will go into employment, YMCA youth services, Sumter United assist city public works and Sumter Fire effect on July 1. Ministries and historic preservation. Department operations. SEE BUDGET, PAGE A6 Trump halts family separations at border IVAN PIERRE AGUIRRE / THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS VIA AP Protesters stand outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an execu- tive order to stop separation of families crossing the U.S. border. The “zero-tolerance” policy to prosecute adults crossing the border illegally is still in effect. The news in recent days has said Trump could do it with President signs been dominated by searing his signature alone. That’s images of children held in what he did on Wednesday. executive order; cages at border facilities, as “We’re going to have strong, well as audio recordings of very strong borders, but we’re ‘zero-tolerance’ young children crying for going to keep the families to- their parents — im- gether,” said ages that have Trump, who added policy won’t end sparked fury, ques- READ MORE that he didn’t like BY JILL COLVIN tions of morality the “sight” or “feel- and concern from U.S. has split ing” of children sep- and COLLEEN LONG up families Republicans about arated from their The Associated Press throughout a negative impact its history parents. WASHINGTON — Bowing on their races in The order does A5 to pressure from anxious al- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS November’s mid- not end the “zero- lies, President Donald Trump More than 100 protestors demonstrated outside the federal courthouse term elections. tolerance” policy abruptly reversed himself where a federal judge will hear arguments over the U.S. Justice Depart- Until Wednesday, that criminally Wednesday and signed an ex- ment’s request to block three California laws that extend protections to the president, Homeland Se- prosecutes all adults caught ecutive order halting his ad- people in the country illegally Wednesday in Sacramento, California. curity Secretary Kirstjen crossing the border illegally. ministration’s policy of sepa- Nielsen and other officials It keeps families together rating children from their It was a dramatic turn- choice but to separate families had repeatedly argued the while they are in custody, ex- parents when they are de- around for Trump, who has apprehended at the border be- only way to end the practice pedites their cases and asks tained illegally crossing the been insisting, wrongly, that cause of federal law and a was for Congress to pass new U.S. border. his administration had no court decision. legislation, while Democrats SEE ORDER, PAGE A6 BOBBY L. MATTHEWS • 1932 - 2018 Former Sumter High principal remembered as top educator BY BRUCE MILLS ter High School educator Manning High School in Sumter with his wife, Mary military in 1988 as a briga- [email protected] and principal Bobby Mat- 1950. After graduating from Anne, in 1959. dier general. thews. Presbyterian College, work- He would go on to a de- Matthews served 10 years An “outstanding leader” Matthews passed away ing as a high school teacher cades-long career in public from 1959 to 1969 at Sumter and “a man of integrity” last week, surrounded by in Georgetown County and education in Sumter and High School as a teacher, are just a few words that his family, at the age of 86. serving a couple years in also served as a reserve in coach, guidance counselor MATTHEWS friends and colleagues used Born in Lake City, Mat- active duty in the U.S. the S.C. Army National to describe longtime Sum- thews graduated from Army, Matthews moved to Guard. He retired from the SEE MATTHEWS, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B3 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Mary Elizabeth Brunson Mathis Shirley L. Black ANOTHER SCORCHER 2 SECTIONS, 14 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 174 Edith Driggers Coker James Columbus Gibson Partly sunny and very Josephine Anthony Magazine Eva Bell Wilson hot; clouds breaking Classifieds B6 Sports B1 Maud Stroud Turbeville Richard Williams Jr. and humid tonight Comics B4 Television B5 Raymond Frierson Kannie Loretta Byrd HIGH 98, LOW 75 Opinion A7 A2 | THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Absentee voting for Republican runoff is open through Monday BY KAYLA ROBINS [email protected] In-house absentee voting for the June 26 primary runoffs is open today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be open weekdays through Monday only at the Sumter County Voter Registra- tion and Elections Office, locat- ed on the first floor of the Sum- ter County Courthouse, 141 N. Main St., Room 114. Friday is the deadline to apply for absentee ballots by mail. They must be returned to the office by 7 p.m. on June 26. Elections for this runoff are for the Republican ballot only, as there were no Democratic races either in Sumter or state- wide that apply to Sumter that did not have an outright win- ner in the primary. Only those who voted on the Republican ticket and those who did not vote in the prima- PHOTO PROVIDED ry can vote in this runoff. Eddie Rogers, Vicki Parnell and Jay Parnell, collectively known as the Front Porch Junkies, will perform Friday night on Main Street. Sumterites will see two races: Gov. Henry McMaster and challenger John Warren for governor and Attorney General Alan Wilson and chal- Front Porch Junkies come downtown lenger Todd Atwater for attor- ney general. BY ADRIENNE SARVIS members, Vicki Lea Parnell, Jay Par- ones recorded on the group's first If you voted in the Democrat- [email protected] nell and Eddie Rogers, formed in album, "Howlin in the Wind," which ic primary on June 12, there 2011 and performs modern country, was released in February. are no runoffs for you to vote Heading into its second week, city old country, top 40 hits and older Anyone interested is encouraged to in. of Sumter's Fourth Friday Concert rock songs. bring a lawn chair and a smile to the If you voted in the Republi- Series will feature local band Front From 6:30 to 9 p.m.