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Woods in the hunt at 2 under B1 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019 75 CENTS Sumter Police arrest 6 in drug-related sting A2 School district waiting on state for next move Financial recovery plan had $6.6M in budget cuts, but state board turned it down BY BRUCE MILLS enue levels. Because the state board de- its intention is to achieve necessary per- mean the state can take over the entire [email protected] nied the district’s appeal of state Super- sonnel cuts through attrition and re- district or take board members off their intendent of Education Molly Spear- structuring. seats, but it does allow them to lead the Though it will change because Sum- man’s fiscal emergency declaration in “I don’t know where the plan stands district financially. ter School District’s appeal of its state- Sumter, the state will recommend now, since we lost the appeal,” Miller In an email to all district employees declared fiscal emergency was denied changes to the plan and budget. said. “I’m waiting to hear from the state late Wednesday afternoon, Interim Su- Tuesday, the financial recovery plan District Chief Financial Officer Jenni- Department. I am not allowed to move perintendent Debbie Hamm also said presented at the hearing showed about fer Miller said Thursday that she and forward with anything, and we’re on administration is waiting on guidance $6.6 million in budget cuts.The cuts pre- administration are on hold now, waiting hold until the state Department con- from the state Department and doesn’t sented before the state Board of Educa- on those recommendations from the tacts us because they are technically in want to cut personnel. tion in Columbia largely reflected in- state Department of Education’s fi- charge of giving us financial recom- “In the meantime,” Hamm said, creases in expenditures — mostly due to nance department. However, the district mendations now.” state mandates — and basically flat rev- office is trying to assure employees that Being in a fiscal emergency does not SEE DISTRICT, PAGE A8 Final testimony gives details of Ginther’s arrest Had gun hidden in pants after crashing in Kentucky BY KEN BELL Special to The Sumter Item Following another day of testimo- ny and with the jury excused for the day, a direct verdict was requested in the trial of James Ginther III, charged with kidnapping and mur- der in the 2017 death of his ex-wife, Suzette Eileen “Suzi” Ginther. Ginther’s public defender, Jason Bridges, asked Circuit Court Judge Ferrell Cothran Jr., of Man- ning, for the direct verdict, meaning the judge can decide the case instead of waiting GRABSKI for a jury. Bridges argued the PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM evidence against his Men, women and children enjoy a day fishing off the bank behind Second Mill Dam. client was, for the most part, circum- stantial. “It might be circumstantial, but Fish, wildlife return; waters flowing, finally it’s a strong circumstantial,” coun- tered Third Circuit Solicitor Ernest “Chip” Finney. Second Mill Dam repairs completed after 4 years, multiple weather events Cothran denied the motion and said the jury will decide how much weight to give each piece of evi- BY KAYLA ROBINS dence. [email protected] The body of Suzette Ginther, 27, was discovered in a shallow grave Brim are back at the backside of the dam four years off Burnt Gin Road only hours after after the first of two extreme weather events tore it down. she was killed Nov. 16, 2017. Water levels and fishing spots are finally back to nor- Earlier Thursday, the prosecution mal levels at the Second Mill Dam, which received an S.C. called on SLED Agent Eric Grabski, Department of Health and Environmental Control certifi- who completed an analysis of the cate of completion and operation after an inspection in telephone records of both the ac- March. cused and the deceased. First came the 1,000-year flood in the aftermath of Hur- Grabski explained how cell towers ricane Joaquin. The dam at Second Mill Pond at West Lib- accepted information from cell- erty Street sustained serious damage. phones and processed the informa- Then came Hurricane Matthew. The first Category 5 At- tion. A record is kept of these trans- lantic hurricane since Felix in 2007 dumped disastrous actions and can show whether or amounts of rain almost exactly a year later. not a cellphone is in a certain area A fisherman casts his line at Second Mill Pond on West Liberty and at what time. SEE SECOND MILL, PAGE A8 Street. Using this information, authori- ties examined records for both Gin- thers in the days leading up to her disappearance. James Ginther’s phone showed Early Earth Day on Saturday at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens his phone to be pinging off of a tower closest to his Columbia resi- BY KAYLA ROBINS to noon. mato plants and flowers, Kennedy dence on the evening before she dis- [email protected] The family fun day will take place said. appeared. at the park’s gazebo, featuring earth- Rain barrels decorated by local Suzette Ginther’s phone showed Every city has certain natural and friendly visitors and organizations middle school students can be voted no calls after midnight. However, a outdoor amenities. that promote actions and opportuni- on and purchased as a fundraiser, call that came to her phone at 5:15 They all have parks, and they all ties for a healthier planet through and experts will be on hand to teach a.m. was received and lasted for 21 have trees. They all have landscap- education, product information and those interested how to use one to seconds, records showed. Then sud- ing and paths, places to sit. plant and flower sales. collect rain water naturally. denly, the phone stopped pinging off They do not all have a park that is “Relax and walk around and see Sumter Master Gardeners will be of the towers. home to all seven species of swan in how to do things to not harm the there, as will Duke Energy Progress “The call went to voicemail,” the world. earth, just get information and and Sunrun Solar to talk about solar Grabski testified. “This meant that On an April 22 holiday that cele- learn,” said Lynn Kennedy, events power options. the phone was either powered off or brates the natural world around us manager for the City of Sumter. “I always thought you had to live was on airplane mode.” and promotes healthy ways to keep it City departments will be repre- out by the solar fields to use them,” Grabski said a call went out from vibrant, Swan Lake-Iris Gardens is sented among vendors both educat- Kennedy said. “You don’t.” hosting Sumter’s annual Earth Day ing and selling products, from hang- SEE GINTHER, PAGE A8 celebration on Saturday from 8 a.m. ing baskets and bedding plants to to- SEE EARTH DAY, PAGE A8 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Loretta Salome Alexander Lewis David Lee Felder UMBRELLA NEEDED 3 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES VOL. 124, NO. 125 the .com Lillie Mae Wilson Mack Florentina C. Depra Mix of clouds and sun with Diane Marie Welch Robert Benjamin Fryer III a 60% chance of rain today Religion A4 Clarendon Sun C1 Jacqueline Lawson Mildred T. Anthony and tonight. Classifieds B5 Opinion A6 Mallory D. Richardson Sr. John Arthur Sullivan Jr. HIGH 81, LOW 66 Comics A9 Television C3 Barbara Ann Mack Randal Swinton Bobbie Jo Walker Frank Lee Jackson A2 | FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Drug-related sting yields arrest of 6 by Sumter Police Department encourages residents to report any suspicious activity FROM STAFF REPORTS Several months of investigation has led to the arrest of six people on cocaine charges in Sumter. The investigation, coordinated by the Sumter Police De- partment’s Organized Crime and Vice Control Unit, focused on reported illegal activity at 107 Palmetto St. according to a news release from Tonyia McGirt, public information offi- cer. With information gathered during the investigation, police PHOTOS BY U.S. AIR FORCE SENIOR AIRMAN CHRISTOPHER MALDONADO / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM Team Shaw and local community members wait at the starting line of a flightline 5K race at Shaw Air officers were able to obtain a Force Base on Saturday. Participants received a running bib, commemorative water bottle and other warrant and search the resi- dence at about 6 p.m. Wednesday. flightline 5K mementos. Six Sumterites were taken into custody and charged after offi- cers found 20.4 grams of cocaine BRADLEY DEBRUM and a stolen firearm. Shaw 5K brings community Each of the following is charged with possession with in- tent to distribute cocaine, posses- sion with intent to distribute co- to the flightline with 5K run caine within a half mile of a school and possession of a stolen BY SENIOR AIRMAN CHRISTOPHER their civilian counterparts in a weapon: GOLDEN PERRY MALDONADO healthy, lively way. • Charles Michael Bradley, 63, 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs “It’s great that everyone gets to see of Lincoln Avenue what we do here at Shaw,” said • Angela Davis Debrum, 45, of Strengthening relationships with Capt. Anthony Lemons, Air Forces Cecil Street local communities is one of the many Central Command logistics read- • Andrea Teresa Golden, 51, of factors of mission success for many iness officer. “There is a real East College Street Air Force installations. sense of camaraderie, and • Ruben O’Neal Perry, 56, of To show support for the community, there are a bunch of things Robert Perry Road RANDOLPH TINDAL the 20th Force Support Squadron Fit- for families to do, as well.” • Rachell Francia Randolph, ness Center hosted a 5K flightline run With these events, the 42, of Palmetto Street on April 6.

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