Was Manning Police Chief Really Fired? Council Disbands Committees, Then Abolishes Its Vote; Item Reporter Challenges Executive Session
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SPECIAL SECTION The Sumter Senior Living 2018 special section that should have been in Sunday’s paper will run Wednesday. We apologize for the printer error. TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Was Manning police chief really fired? Council disbands committees, then abolishes its vote; Item reporter challenges executive session BY SHARRON HALEY Manning City Council to committees was abolished Davis LLC, could not be Carolina Highway Patrol Special to The Sumter Item disband all the city’s com- after Mayor Julia Nelson taken up. If it had stood, it Capt. Anthony K. Grice as mittees, including the Pub- and council members re- seemed likely the firing interim police chief. In a full-circle round of lic Safety Committee that turned from executive ses- would have been voided. Discussion on disbanding voting Monday night cen- voted to fire Shaffer last sion and stated the matter Blair Shaffer was fired the committees was heated tering on the firing of Blair week, was blocked after an was not on the agenda and, from the position he held during the council meeting, SHAFFER Shaffer as Manning’s po- executive session. therefore, according to at- for eight years and re- lice chief, a 4-1 vote by The vote to disband the torneys from Boykin and placed with retired South SEE COUNCIL, PAGE A6 A summer evening at the lake PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM Animal residents of Swan Lake-Iris Gardens were out in droves Saturday around sunset, and passersby even witnessed a duckling sighting near the “Recovery” sculpture. See more photos from the lake on page A6. Trump questions U.S. intel, not Putin, on election meddling BY JONATHAN LEMIRE, JILL benefit and seemed to accept the most disgraceful perfor- will tell you that President press conference closing out COLVIN and VLADIMIR Putin’s insistence that Rus- mances by an American presi- Putin was extremely strong the Trump-Putin summit, in ISACHENKOV sia’s hands were clean. dent in memory.” Sen. Bob and powerful in his denial which the American president The Associated Press Trump’s comments, at a Corker of Tennessee said today,” said Trump, repeated- delivered what amounted to a joint news conference Monday Trump made the U.S. “look ly denouncing the special warm embrace of the man HELSINKI — Standing next after summit talks with Putin, like a pushover.” counsel investigation into who for years has been isolat- to Russia’s Vladimir Putin, drew heavy criticism back in In Helsinki, Putin said he Russian interference efforts, ed by the U.S. and Western al- President Donald Trump the U.S., including from prom- did indeed want to Trump to which intelligence officials lies for Russia’s activities in openly questioned his own in- inent Republicans. Sen. John win in 2016 — because of his warn are ongoing. Ukraine, Syria and beyond. telligence agencies’ conclu- McCain was most outspoken, policies — but took no action “I don’t see any reason why Trump said he and Putin sions that Moscow was to declaring that Trump made a to make it happen. Russia would interfere in the “spent a great deal of time” blame for meddling in the “conscious choice to defend a “I have great confidence in 2016 election,” Trump said. 2016 U.S. election to Trump’s tyrant” and achieved “one of my intelligence people, but I It was an extraordinary SEE RUSSIA, PAGE A8 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B3, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Rebecca Reyes Sylvester Nancy Ruth Clayton Spor STORMS RETURN 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 192 Wilma Jean Nipper Taylor Anthony Eugene Pringle A thunderstorm around Richard Lee Brookes Thomas Lewis Garson Faw in the afternoon; storms Classifieds B6 Sports B1 Homer McLaurin Ridgeway Hezekiah Gibson Jr. tonight possible, too Comics B7 Television B5 Linda Goodson Sharp Hance Rowena Reese Pratt HIGH 91, LOW 72 Loretta N. Papczynski Dorothy J. Clark Deas Opinion A9 Edwin Brandao McDill Larry Grantham A2 | TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Gov. McMaster to Medicaid: Cover Broad Street Waffle House medical care, not abortion clinics regains A grade BY KAYLA ROBINS COLUMBIA (AP) — South Carolina Medicaid agency. clinics had violated any state or federal Gov. Henry McMaster has ordered the Spokesman Brian Symmes told media rules. [email protected] state's Medicaid agency to continue cov- outlets McMaster intended to impact as Lawmakers will return to Columbia ering "necessary medical care and im- few of them as possible in his bid to stop this fall to address McMaster's budget After four food grades in- portant women's health and family plan- government money from vetoes, including his removal of $16 spections that included two ning services" but also "to terminate flowing to Planned Parent- million for health care from the state's “As”, one “B” and one failing abortion clinics as Medicaid providers." hood. $8 billion spending plan. In slashing “C” grade, a Broad Street The executive order, directed at the To exclude abortion pro- the funding, McMaster — who is cam- Waffle House has regained state Department of Health and Human viders from the Medicaid paigning this year for his first full its "A" grade standing after a Services late last week, comes after the family planning provider term in office — said he was keeping a July follow-up inspection. Republican vetoed $16 million in family network, the agency must promise he has made repeatedly, dis- An inspection on July 9 at planning funds from the state budget. establish that the clinics agreeing with Democrats and some Re- 1041 Broad St. resulted in a MCMASTER Federal laws mandate that Medicaid were otherwise disqualified publicans who said Planned Parent- 99 percent overall score and patients may seek family planning ser- for some legitimate reason, hood gets less than $100,000 of the no need for another follow- vices at health care clinics of their own such as billing fraud. State Medicaid money and all of it goes for family up. choosing. Federal money may not be spokeswoman Colleen Mullis told the planning and not abortion. The eatery failed in June used to pay for abortion, except in cases Post and Courier of Charleston last week Planned Parenthood called the veto a after multiple reports of of rape, incest or when a mother's life is the governor's actions "result in abortion "political stunt" and the practical effect cockroaches and dirty uten- in danger. But hundreds of thousands clinics no longer being qualified to pro- will be to remove birth control, testing sils in the kitchen. of low-income South Carolinians vide family planning services to South for sexually transmitted diseases and The only point that was qualify for family planning benefits Carolina Medicaid beneficiaries." even cancer screenings for hundreds of taken off was for nonfood like pelvic exams through the state She did not elaborate on whether the thousands of poor women on Medicaid. contact surfaces of the cook line equipment having an "accumulation of grease, carbon and debris." That vio- LOCAL & tion and Force Main Project. Florence County Coroner Keith von lation was not a priority Job fair in Bishopville to Lutcken said 68-year-old Jethro Benja- foundation violation. min died a few hours later at the hospi- Scores are based on a 100- STATE BRIEFS feature almost 40 employers tal. point scale and are assigned FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Wukela said in a statement that offi- a letter grade that is posted BISHOPVILLE — The Santee-Lynches cers came to the hotel because of a 911 at each facility based on the City council to consider final Regional Council of Governments and SC call about a man with a gun, and Ben- calculated numerical score Works and its business partners are host- jamin was ordered to drop the weapon and the establishment's past vote on food trucks today ing a job fair in Bishopville on Wednes- before he fired. SLED is investigating. scores and any repeated day, Aug. 8, at Old Bishopville High major violations, called pri- Sumter City Council will meet today at School Gymnasium, 121 E. College St. Missing man died of heat ority foundation violations. 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Sum- Doors will be open to veterans only from A "C" grade is considered ter Opera House, 21 N. Main St., to con- 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The general public will stroke at home near Camden failing. There may be times sider: be allowed inside starting at 9:30 a.m. The CAMDEN— A coroner in South Caro- when the posted letter grade • Second and final reading of an ordi- job fair will end at 1 p.m. lina says a man reported missing died differs from the numerical nance to amend portions of the city's zon- Many area employees, including Coca- of heat stroke last week. score of the most recent in- ing and development standards to make Cola, International Paper, Continental Kershaw County Coroner David West spection, according to food trucks a temporary use, subject to Tire the Americas, Palmetto Corp., Sykes said in a news release the victim was DHEC. annual review, in certain districts; Enterprises, Carolina Metal Finishing 77-year-old George James Clark, who Routine inspections are • Final reading of an ordinance to re- and South Carolina Department of Cor- lived alone at his home near Camden. unannounced and generally zone .99 acres at 835 S. Harvin St. from rections are among the almost 40 employ- Sheriff's deputies found the body Sat- range from one to four times residential-6 to general commercial; ers who are expected to participate.