Sheriff Requests 15 Percent Salary Increase
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IN SPORTS: Sumter’s Montgomery shines in debut appearance with Yankees B1 THE CLARENDON SUN County employees will be paying lower insurance premiums A6 THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Sheriff requests 15 percent salary increase In the letter, Dennis said the offi- Association of Counties, in Sumter Dennis fears officers leaving for greener pastures cers’ efforts in training and serving County the starting salary for a depu- their community carry great benefits ty without any experience, patrol offi- BY ADRIENNE SARVIS other budget items. as well as costs regarding the agency’s cer I classification, is $29,000 and the [email protected] On March 28, Sumter County Sher- reputation among neighboring law starting salary for a shift commander iff Anthony Dennis sent a letter ad- agencies. “That reputation is responsi- is about $36,100. The maximum salary With its budget process just begin- dressed to Sumter County Council- ble for other agencies seeking our offi- for a deputy with a patrol officer I ning, Sumter County Council and man Chris Sumpter, also chairman of cers to bring their training and exper- classification is $37,000 and the maxi- administration have been asked to the county public safety committee, tise to their respective jurisdictions,” mum salary for a shift commander is consider a request for a 15 percent requesting the salary increase on be- he said. approximately $49,500. salary increase for Sumter County half of the law enforcement officers at According to the 2016 wage and sala- Sheriff’s Office personnel among the agency. ry report provided by South Carolina SEE RAISE, PAGE A9 Renovated ALDI ahead of schedule McElveen: School board bill moving forward BY BRUCE MILLS [email protected] A bill introduced last month to add two at-large board mem- bers to the Sumter School Dis- trict Board of Trustees has passed through the state Sen- ate and is currently in the House, according to a state senator. State Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, intro- duced the legislation March 16 with state Sen. Kevin Johnson, D-Manning. After three readings in the Senate, the bill had first read- ing in the House RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM of Representa- Jim Carroll of Inlet Pressure Cleaning applies a pressure wash to newly laid bricks at the ALDI Food Store at Broad Street and Wise Drive. tives on March The store has added about 3,000 square feet of space and Spencer Schimmel, director of real estate for ALDI, said the expansion is 28, McElveen said ahead of schedule. He said the store could reopen with a “soft opening” as soon as the end of next week and the official reopening the Wednesday. If the weekend of April 28. bill passes and becomes law — which appears MCELVEEN likely — the two at-large board members would initially be ap- U.S.-Russia relations at ‘all-time low?’ pointed by the county legisla- tive delegation that includes both senators and four repre- WASHINGTON (AP) — ence. It was stark evidence in America’s U.S. presiden- reached a “low point” in re- sentatives in the House. After Laying bare deep and dan- that the president is moving tial election. lations. being initially appointed, both gerous divisions on Syria ever further from his cam- “It’d be a fantastic thing if Trump, who last week or- appointees would serve on the and other issues, President paign promises to establish we got along with Putin and dered airstrikes on a Syrian board until the next scheduled Trump declared Wednesday better ties with Moscow. if we got along with Russia,” air base in retaliation for a non-partisan election, which that U.S. relations with Rus- Only weeks ago, it ap- Trump said. But he clearly chemical weapons attack, will be in November 2018. Both sia “may be at an all-time peared that Trump, who wasn’t counting on it. was asked Wednesday if board-member appointees low.” His top diplomat of- praised Putin throughout “That could happen, and it Syria could have launched would be eligible to run for fered a similarly grim as- the U.S. election campaign, may not happen,” he said. “It the attack without Russia’s election. sessment from the other side was poised for a potentially may be just the opposite.” knowledge. Trump said it Previously, McElveen said of the globe after meeting historic rapprochement with Not long before Trump was “certainly possible” he and Johnson had the full with Russian President Russia. But any such expec- spoke in Washington, Sec- though “probably unlikely.” support of the entire delega- Vladimir Putin in Moscow. tations have crashed into re- retary of State Rex Tiller- The newly hardened view tion with the bill’s introduc- “Right now we’re not get- ality amid the nasty back- son struck a similar tone of Moscow comes as the tion. He has said the move to ting along with Russia at all,” and-forth over Syria and on- after an almost two-hour president has tried to shake add two at-large board mem- Trump said flatly during a going U.S. investigations into meeting with Putin, saying bers was something the delega- White House news confer- Russia’s alleged interference the two countries had SEE RUSSIA, PAGE A9 tion has considered for a long time, but the recent financial crisis of the school district pushed the need for the legisla- tion to the forefront. Broadcaster to host teacher appreciation event April 20 The board of trustees cur- rently includes seven elected BY BRUCE MILLS marketing consultant with Community EDUCATORS INVITED positions representing differ- [email protected] Broadcasters-Sumter, the radio station ent areas of the school district company has hosted the event for WHAT: Community Broadcasters’ Teacher and one honorary, non-voting What initially started as a request about 25 years. Public and private- Appreciation Event position representing Shaw from a local school district to help rec- school teachers from schools in the tri- WHEN: Wed., April 20, 5-8 p.m. Air Force Base. ognize teachers for their hard work, county area of Sumter, Clarendon and WHERE: USC Sumter gymnasium In December, the fiscal year has turned into an annual event that Lee counties are invited to attend, as 2016 audit report was released attracts hundreds of area teachers and well as professors and instructors from and revealed the district over- the support of the business communi- the area’s colleges. gives away some gifts as well. spent by $6.2 million last fiscal ty. This year’s Community Broadcast- Each business represented at the “The vendor booths sell out every year and had an ending gener- ers’ Teacher Appreciation Event is event has a vendor booth, and teachers time we do it because it’s such a huge al fund balance on June 30, scheduled for Thursday, April 20, at the visit the various booths and register draw,” Welle said. “The teachers are 2016, of $106,449 — a critically University of South Carolina Sumter’s for door prizes from each one, Welle very appreciative because they know low level for a key catch-all Nettles Gymnasium. said. Free refreshments are provided, According to Sherry Welle, senior and Community Broadcasters also SEE EVENT, PAGE A9 SEE BILL, PAGE A9 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Annie Bell P. Wright MIXED BAG 2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 James R. Perry VOL. 122, NO. 129 Classifieds: 774-1200 Clouds and sun today with Berthenia R. Willis shower likely; tonight, Classifieds B6 Delivery: 774-1258 Dolly Mae McClary partly cloudy and mild. Comics B5 News and Sports: 774-1226 John Roberts Loraine G. Alston HIGH 81, LOW 54 Opinion A9 Ricky Goings Television A10 A2 | THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Gallery 135 presents ‘Super Heroines’ SCDOT to replace New Hope Church Road bridge FROM STAFF REPORTS South Carolina Department The Sumter County Cul- of Transportation plans to re- tural Commission presents place the bridge on New Hope an exhibition titled “Super Church Road (S-43-263) over Heroines” by artist Nicole Rafting Creek in Sumter Coun- Heere at Gallery 135 in the ty, according to a press release Patriot Hall Performing Arts from SCDOT. Center, 135 Haynsworth St. The bridge will be replaced The show will open with a with a 120 foot pre-stressed con- reception from 6 to 8 p.m. crete bridge. The project is today and remain in the gal- scheduled to begin Monday, lery through May 12. The re- May 1. Barring any unforeseen ception featuring music by delays, the bridge will reopen Johnny Hilton, Donny Floyd on July 14. and Darren Polutta is free Traffic will be detoured along and open to the public. Frye Road, Camden Highway Texas native Heere creates PHOTO PROVIDED (US 521), Dais Road, Borden art from a feminist perspec- Nicole Heere’s exhibition titled “Super Heroines” opens with a reception Thursday in Gallery 135 at Road and Cimmaron Road. tive, citing her goal as “to Patriot Hall. For additional information, ridicule both male and fe- the public may contact the Dis- male stereotypes in the hope ative and empowering paint- trict 1 Office at (803) 737-6660. of empowering women and ings that challenge cultural challenging the notion of identities and stereotypes.” Absentee voting begins hyper masculinity.” Heere worked with re- She continues in her artist nowned artists Alex Rubio The Sumter County Voter statement: “Playing on and Milica Tomic and was Registration Office is open for America’s obsession with the mentored by the late Chicano absentee voting for the Special pin-up model and our naive artist Bruno Andrade while Primary Election for U.S.