IN SPORTS: Wilson Hall catcher Dabbs signs with Francis Marion B1 NATION Group unveils its ‘worst toys’ list for holiday season THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A5 ‘Training of the future’ in Sumter Industry leaders, officials hope tech school will benefit workforce, community BY BRUCE MILLS
[email protected] Industry officials and oth- ers are hailing Sumter School District’s recent pur- chase of lots fronting Broad Street for a new technical high school/center as poten- tially a big win for workforce development in the commu- nity. On Oct. 27, the school dis- trict purchased Bubba’s Diner, 841 Broad St., and the adjoining lot, formerly the site of Central Park fast-food restaurant, for $890,000 with special one-time funding from the state Legislature in partnership with the state Technical College System and Central Carolina Tech- nical College. If the district’s construction plan comes to fruition, the new school will be next to Central Carolina’s state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Technology Training Center, 853 Broad St., which opened in August 2015. Last year, the district also purchased other com- mercial property lots in two strip plazas near CCTC’s training center with state funding. One plaza strip adjoins CCTC’s facility on the right, and the second runs perpendic- PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM ular to the first. Jayson Price, Martin Jackson and Morgan Jones work on circuit boards at Central Carolina Technical College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technolo- Kevin Johnson, BD plant gy Training Center on Tuesday.