LOCAL Band’s Jazz Ensemble hosts Big Band Dance FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A2 Mother found dead, father charged Friend finds 2-year-old uninjured in Sumter apartment with woman’s body FROM STAFF REPORTS called to 36 Friendship Apartments the police department, in the re- murder early Thursday morning. A Sumter woman was found dead after 36-year-old Lois Smith was lease. Smith’s 2-year-old child also Sumter County Coroner’s Office inside her apartment Wednesday found by a friend inside her home. was found inside the home but was has notified Smith’s next of kin. night, and the father of her child After being unable to reach not injured. An autopsy was planned for has been charged with murder. Smith since sometime Tuesday, The father of the child, 50-year- Thursday morning. According to a news release from family and friends became con- old Alonzo Shaw, of Sally Street in According to the release, Shaw Sumter Police Department, officers cerned, according to Tonyia Mc- Wedgefield, was taken into custody may face additional charges as the SHAW and Sumter County EMS were Girt, public information officer for Wednesday night and charged with investigation continues. ‘It’s all about choice’ Prom Promise at SHS shows the dangers of drinking and driving BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] “You don’t plan to bury your child.” This is what Alphene Bligen Holland said in front of the Sumter High School senior class Thursday morning, three days before prom. Holland’s son, Myles Avery Holland, was killed by a drunk- en driver on Nov. 19, 2017, in Or- angeburg. He was 23. The mother HOLLAND urged students to be cautious when Phhotoss are nott of a real accident. driving this Saturday during They are a dramatization. her speech at the Prom Prom- ise program, which was put on by Sumter Police Department PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM and other first-responder Sumter first responder agencies work a mock drunken driving wreck at Sumter High School on Thursday as part of Prom Promise, highlighting for agencies to reinforce the real students the dangers of drinking and driving. During the program, a passenger died while two drivers were injured, with the drunken driver at fault dangers of driving under the getting 30 years in prison. Sumter High’s prom is on Saturday, and Principal Nicholas Pearson said the staged wreck was a reality check for students. influence. Driving under the influence can affect your life even if you are not the person who has been drinking, Holland said. It only takes one poor decision. “I got that call that no one wants to get,” Holland said. The night that changed Hol- land’s life, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, started with that call from one of her son’s fraternity brothers who said Myles had been in a bad acci- dent. Holland immediately headed to Orangeburg with one of her sons. After arriving at the hospi- tal, Holland desperately wait- ed to hear news of Myles’ con- dition, all while receiving hints that he did not make it. LEFT: Students look on as the aftermath of a drunken driving incident is acted out by their peers and local emergency responders. His name was not in the hos- pital’s computer system, but RIGHT: Alphene Bligen Holland speaks to students at Sumter High School about losing her son, Crestwood High School alum Myles Avery Hol- land, to a drunken driver while he was in school at Claflin University. SEE PROMISE, PAGE A11 Hilton says he plans to run for re-election to school board BY BRUCE MILLS represent Area 4. the chairman of the board’s The last year and a half has tion efforts, and the county’s [email protected] Hilton original- advisory Finance Committee. been a whirlwind period for legislative delegation added ly won the seat, Citing his nearly 40 years of the school board. A school dis- two at-large members to the One Sumter School Board which mostly rep- experience in the field as a trict financial crisis was dis- board as a result of the crisis. member has announced his resents the sub- teacher and then principal, covered with the release of The delegation appointed the intention to run for re-elec- urbs on the west- Hilton said he considers pub- the fiscal year 2016 audit re- two at-large members on July tion in November. HILTON ern side of the lic education as the most im- port in December of that year. 31, 2017. Johnny Hilton announced City of Sumter, in portant factor in any commu- Shortly thereafter, the board Earlier that same month, Monday at the Board of the 2014 general nity, benefiting economic de- implemented an emergency fi- the full board and former Trustees’ regular meeting election and has served four velopment and overall quality nancial plan that amounted to that he plans to run again to years on the board. He’s also of life in a major way. $6.3 million in cash-preserva- SEE HILTON, PAGE A11 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B6 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Donald H. Miller Evans Porcher CLOUDS AND SUN 3 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES the .com Samuel Wells Geneva A. Scarborough VOL. 123, NO. 136 Clouds and some sun later; Bertie C. McCray Jr. Loretta H. Halley a moonlit sky tonight Clarendon Sun A7 USA Today C1 Christopher Lee Adams Essie R. Lewis Classifieds B7 Opinion A10 Lillian R. Barwick Charles June HIGH 76, LOW 54 Clarence V. Brooks Jr. Leslie Mae Cummings Comics C6 Television C4 Bobby E. Pierce A2 | FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] PHOTO PROVIDED The Sumter Community Concert Band Jazz Ensemble will host its eighth-annual Big Band Dance on Saturday at the Lakewood High School Fine Arts Center from 7 to 11 p.m. The event is a fundraiser to help defray the cost of sheet music. SCCB Jazz Ensemble hosts Big Band Dance BY IVY MOORE out of the Great Depression. The Big Ray Graham coming down from Nash- dancers can shag to, also, Mitchum Special to The Sumter Item Band Era is generally placed from the ville to play with us. He’ll have two said. mid-1930s through the 1950s, but the solos, ‘God Bless the Child’ and There is comfortable tableside seat- Spring seems to be here at last, and music has never died, Mitchum said. ‘Stranger on the Shore.’” ing for those who wish simply to listen what better way to celebrate than with The band’s theme song, which opens Those who attended the ensemble’s or rest between dances, and hors a happy dance? The Sumter Commu- each of its performances, is Glenn April 17 jazz concert at Patriot Hall d’oeuvres and beverages will be nity Concert Band Jazz Ensemble of- Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade.” The will recognize much of the music, and served. fers the perfect opportunity Saturday band will play several of the tunes there will be much more at the dance Tickets to the Saturday, April 28, Big night with its eighth-annual Big Band Miller made famous, as well as some at Lakewood, not all of it from the Band Dance at the Lakewood High Dance. Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, original Big Band Era. Mitchum said School Performing Arts Center, 350 Old From 7 to 11 p.m., the band will play Tommy Dorsey, Paul Whiteman and the number of tunes will be tripled Manning Road, are $25 for a couple, three sets of very danceable tunes, others. with the three sets, and the audience $12.50 for an individual. Ticket includes most from the Big Band Era, in a Soloists Betsy Ridgeway and Mit- can expect to hear the Beatles’ “Yes- hors d'oeuvres and beverages and can nightclub-like setting at Lakewood chum will add vocals to each set, as terday,” “Last Night” by the Mar-Keys be purchased from any member of the High School’s Performing Arts Center. well. Mitchum plans to sing “Can’t and Sade’s “Smooth Operator.” SCCB Jazz Ensemble or at the door. SCCB Jazz Ensemble director and Help Falling in Love (with You)” in the Pharell Williams’ “Happy” is also Call Rick Mitchum at (803) 775-9265 trumpet player Rick Mitchum said the style of Elvis Presley and “What a among the selections, and the band for more information. To get to Lake- center has proved to be “a great space Wonderful World.” mixes in some Latin music, as well. wood High School, take U.S. 15 South for a dance.” He said, “Betsy does a wonderful And this time, the audience won’t from Sumter, turn left onto Old Man- A dance floor directly in front of the ‘Over the Rainbow,’ and she’ll sing have to confine their movement to ning Road (at the Shrine Club), proceed bandstand and tables around the pe- several other songs.” foot tapping — they can get up and 1 mile to the school on your right. Take rimeter echo the atmosphere that per- Mitchum said the band “is excited dance. the second entrance and drive back to vaded the country as it was coming about having (former band regular) The band always plays some music the center. LOCAL BRIEF Luxury apartments coming to Broad Street FROM STAFF REPORTS Plant sale Saturday at 50-acre property to Lee Central High School feature 336 units in The Lee County Career and Technology Center Future 14 3-story buildings Farmers of America has re- scheduled its annual Spring BY BRUCE MILLS Plant Sale for Saturday from 9 [email protected] a.m.