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IN SPORTS: Sumter baseball opens playoffs with 1-0 victory over Blythewood B1 ART OPENING Pair of young artists’ exhibits challenge viewers A3 THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Officers cleared PHOTO PROVIDED Morris College President Luns Richardson, left, is greeted by alum and state Rep. David Weeks, D-Sumter, on Tuesday night. Retirement celebration Longtime Morris College President Luns Richardson steps down after 43 years BY BRUCE MILLS [email protected] “Where there is no vision, the people perish PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM ... “ is an often-cited Biblical proverb. Many Third Judicial District Solicitor Ernest “Chip” Finney III points to evidence Wednesday from a Sumter police officer’s dignitaries who spoke Tuesday night during body camera that illustrates the suspect had an automatic weapon when he was tackled by a police officer. Police offi- Luns Richardson’s retirement celebration at cers fired 19 shots into Waltki Cermoun Williams’ body after they think he fired the weapon during a foot chase. Morris College portrayed him as the leader needed to provide the proper direction for the college when he arrived on campus in 1974 as 3 Sumter policemen justified in deadly shooting the school’s new president. At that time, the college was non-accredited and struggling to keep its doors open. BY ADRIENNE SARVIS “It takes vision to see a way out of nowhere,” [email protected] said Roy Jones, executive director of the Call Me Mister program headquartered at Clemson Third Judicial Circuit Solicitor University. “President Richardson has been a Ernest “Chip” Finney III an- man of that vision. ... He’s persevered through nounced on Wednesday that three the tough times and given us the opportunity city police officers involved in the to be here tonight.” Dec. 10, 2016, shooting death of Jones said Richardson’s vision helped estab- Waltki Cermoun Williams, 35, lish the Call Me Mister project in 2000 at Mor- would not be charged. Finney ris and two other predominately black colleges held a press conference at Sumter in the state in association with Clemson. The County Judicial Center to an- teacher-prep program’s mission is to help nounce his decision and show equip black males to complete a teaching de- body camera video evidence as gree and enter the profession at the elementary well as play 911 calls. school level in the state, serving as role models Finney said after reviewing the to students. evidence of the investigation pro- After beginning at Morris, Claflin University vided by South Carolina Law En- in Orangeburg and Benedict College in Colum- forcement Division — including bia, the initiative is now in 22 colleges across audio and video recordings and Solicitor Finney showed the media Wednesday the automatic weapon that the state, according to Jones. The program has recovering a firearm held by Wil- was recovered after Sumter police officers shot and killed Waltki Cermoun also gained national recognition and is licensed liams — he thinks the officers Williams on Dec. 10, 2016. Finney said one shot had been fired out of the 30 with colleges and universities in 10 other acted responsibly after hearing a rounds it had in it. states. shot fired from the gun Williams “It’s a proud program, with a proud tradi- was seen holding. In two separate calls made to said he was driving a red Honda. tion, and it couldn’t be embodied better than The incident started after a call dispatch, William’s ex-girlfriend Finney said Williams’ ex-girl- with President Luns Richardson,” Jones said. was made to dispatch about 9:30 and her sister both said that Wil- friend, who was 16 years old at the Tuesday night’s celebration was a time for p.m. on Dec. 10 that Williams was liams threatened to kill the ex- time of the incident, had broken friends and colleagues to pay tribute and honor outside of Sumter Mall and had girlfriend. Both the ex-girlfriend threatened to shoot his ex-girl- and her sister identified Williams friend if she came outside. by his first and last name and SEE CLEARED, PAGE A9 SEE RICHARDSON, PAGE A5 Finance committee thinks closing schools was valid BY BRUCE MILLS $4.1 million to the district’s fund balance was [email protected] in support of the district’s financial consul- tant’s draft budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year. After Sumter School Board’s action Monday Scott Allan has served as a financial consul- night to vote down its recommendation to close tant to the board since early January. He has two low-enrollment schools, private business provided regular briefings to the finance com- leaders who serve on the board’s finance com- mittee and the full board at its regular meet- mittee had mixed reviews on the vote, but all ings. said they think they made the best recommen- The finance committee serves in an advisory dation they could based on the facts and infor- role to help the board in financial decision- mation. making. Private-business leaders are appoint- The three business owners who were a part ed, not elected, to the committee. of the recommendation include Ben Griffith of “I was simply asked to make the best recom- State Farm Insurance, Greg Thompson of mendation I could based on the information Thompson Construction Group and William that I have at hand, and that’s what the adviso- Byrd of William Levan Byrd, CPA, PC. ry committee has been asked to do, and that’s RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM Their recommendation to close F.J. DeLaine Some people held up signs asking for board members to resign when Elementary School and Mayewood Middle financial consultant Scott Allan, right, recommended closing schools School as part of cost-saving measures to add SEE FINANCE, PAGE A9 to get the district back on solid financial ground. VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 William J. Hentges Richard Johnson PARTLY SUNNY 2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Lawrence C. Morse III James McIntosh VOL. 122, NO. 139 Classifieds: 774-1200 Some clouds during James S. Atkinson Jr. Gardenia McElveen the day. Tonight, spotty Classifieds B6 Delivery: 774-1258 Franklin McCants Sr. Lewis B. Konemann Jr. thunderstorms early. Comics B5 News and Sports: 774-1226 Kenneth Hill HIGH 83, LOW 66 Opinion A11 Television A10 A2 | THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Bodybuilding: Less about Escapee apprehended vanity than about confidence FROM STAFF REPORTS According to a news release from Sumter County Sheriff’s BY KASEY MEREDITH Office, Sumter deputies quickly [email protected] apprehended a man who jumped from a Camden Police As they applied a third coat of spray Department vehicle while trav- tan and glue on their swimwear, body- eling in Sumter builders from throughout South Caro- County near the lina prepared for the final delibera- intersection of tions at the South Carolina Body Build- U.S. 15 and 521 on ing Championship at Sumter Opera Wednesday after- House on Saturday. But even given the noon. tense conditions, it’s not as cutthroat About 2:30 p.m., as you might think. Sumter deputies SLATER “They’re all here for different rea- were notified that sons, and they’re all here for one an- handcuffed other,” said Missy Corrigan, the event 23-year-old Dekwan Octavaian promoter for the championship. Slater of Camden escaped “They’re not out to get each other.” while being transported by a Bodybuilding requires a rigorous Camden police officer. personal lifestyle change that requires Nearby schools were tempo- intense training and diet. However, the rarily put on lockdown as a competitive spirit surrounding body- precaution. building is less about winning trophies About 3 p.m., deputies appre- and more about winning personal vic- hended the man, who was orig- tories. inally arrested for shoplifting. “They’re judged individually, but it’s PHOTOS BY KASEY MEREDITH / THE SUMTER ITEM Camden Police Department very much a team sport,” Corrigan said. Julian Duran, who is also competing, applies the third round of spray tan lotion on his will determine other charges Meredith Edquid has always loved wife, Susan Duran. that might be forthcoming. fitness but never really thought about “We are proud of our depu- bodybuilding as an outlet for stress. athlete his entire life, Westmoreland ties who quickly responded to Like some new mothers, she fell into decided to take up bodybuilding be- apprehend this man,” Sumter postpartum depression after having cause of its flexibility with time. County Sheriff Anthony Dennis her child, alongside her friend, Kasey Westmoreland gets up at 4 a.m. so said. “No one was injured, and Simon, who is facing similar issues. that he can spend as much time as pos- no shots were fired. Deputies re- “I’ve always liked fitness, but having a sible with his two sons. lied on their training to bring concrete goal to focus on and help my “I want to set an example for my kids this escape quickly to an end.” stress made me want to do it,” Edquid that you can achieve goals if you work said. hard,” Westmoreland said. “I’m an in- This was Edquid’s first show, which spiration to them.” can be nerve wracking, but having a But because of the rigorous nature friend in the competition makes it easi- of a bodybuilder’s schedule, Westmore- LOCAL BRIEFS er when it comes to stripping down to land is always looking for ways to in- FROM STAFF REPORTS apply spray tan, apply bikini glue and corporate his kids in his daily exercis- relieve tension.

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