Johnson Says Roads Bill Is at the Top of Senate's List
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
USA TODAY: China is sending ‘signals’ it will rein in North Korea C1 Get your tickets for Thursday’s Shrimp Feast now TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A3 Be safe around snakes this spring Johnson says roads bill is at the top of Senate’s list General Assembly returns today BY JIM HILLEY senators is pushing for the in- [email protected] come tax reductions and more reform to the Department of As the General Assembly Transportation Commission. reconvenes today after being “I hope they don’t let that on furlough last week, state keep us from having a roads Sen. Kevin Johnson, D-Man- bill,” Johnson said. “If they ning, said several big issues want to cut taxes or reform still await Senate DOT, those need to be sepa- consideration. rate pieces of legislation.” At the top of He said he is for a straight the list is the up-or-down vote on a desig- roads bill, which nated source of revenue for Johnson said he roads and highways. supports. Johnson said a 12-cents-a- JOHNSON He said every- gallon gas tax increase phased where he goes, in over six years would not be nearly everyone wants the “overbearing.” roads to be fixed, and they are “A good percentage of that willing to pay for it. would be paid by people from “I know we have some sena- out of state that use our roads tors who are trying to throw also,” he said. things in there like income tax He complimented the S.C. reductions that we can’t af- House for again passing a ford,” Johnson said. “It would roads bill by an overwhelming be nice to be able to cut taxes; majority. we just can’t afford it.” He said a small group of SEE BILLS, PAGE A6 States outline new PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM Central Carolina Technical College Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Chairman ways to track schools Joshua Castleberry illustrates the tameness of an Eastern rat snake, the most common snake found in the Sumter area. The snakes help control pests, are not venomous and, at least this one, are WASHINGTON (AP) — How whether they have improved somewhat friendly to humans. often do students miss school? over time. Are they ready for college? Mike Petrilli, president of Are they physically fit? Is the Thomas B. Fordham Insti- Experts offer tips, advice their school a welcoming tute, said that’s a big change place? from the No Child Left Behind for what to do when you States are beginning to out- Act, the previous version of line new ways to evaluate the education law. encounter these reptiles their schools, rather than re- “Schools and educators BY JIM HILLEY lying just on traditional mea- should feel good about that; [email protected] sures such as test scores. that will be a fairer way to The plans are required measure school quality,” he With snakes more active as the weather under a federal education law, said. warms up, people are more likely to en- the Every Student Succeeds But while most experts counter them, and snake experts are re- Act, which was signed by for- praised the flexibility and minding people that killing snakes when mer President Obama in 2015 innovation offered by the you see one is a bad idea. and takes effect in the coming new law, some think that in “In South Carolina, we have 38 species of school year. the absence of federal guide- snakes, and only six of them are venom- Under the new law, states lines some states may over- ous,” said Will Dillman, herpetologist for are focusing more on academ- look groups of students who the state Department of Natural Resources. ic growth, meaning not just need additional support, Seeing snakes in the wild is a pretty un- whether students have such as minorities, students usual occurrence, he said, and seeing a ven- achieved a certain academic omous snake is even more rare. level in reading and math, but SEE TRACKING, PAGE A6 “Unequivocally, the best thing you can do, A copperhead snake ties itself into a knot while and the safest thing you can do, with a Castleberry holds it on a stick out of striking dis- snake is to leave it alone — period,” Dill- tance from him. Castleberry said the copper- man said. head is the most likely venomous snake that Austin Jenkins, biology instructor at Uni- people in the area will see. versity of South Carolina Sumter, said our fear of snakes makes the problem worse “They would walk by them, walk over than it needs to be. them, and they made a mechanical hand to “If you place some pictures of things that pick them up.” do cause a lot of deaths, like guns and In most cases, it took actual contact with knives, in front of infants, the infants aren’t the snake, mostly by picking it up, before afraid of them, but infants have this primal the snake would strike, he said. fear — probably for good reason — of Many times, when a venomous snake snakes.” does bite, it does not inject any venom, he That fear can be overcome, he said. said. He cited a study out of the Savannah “It knows it cannot swallow you, so it’s River Ecology Lab at University of Georgia, not going to waste its hard-earned energy,” which explored what it takes to get a snake Jenkins said. “Only about half of bites from AP FILE PHOTO to strike. venomous snakes are envenomated.” President Obama signs the Every Student Succeeds Act, a major edu- “They did a study with venomous snakes, cation law setting U.S. public schools on a new course of accountabili- moccasins and rattlesnakes,” he said. SEE SNAKES, PAGE A6 ty, in Washington in December 2015. VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Carrie Mae Billie Moore Bertha S. Redden Margery N. Cowles RAIN POSSIBLE 3 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES the .com Lucy Carter Mary A. Tidwell Carrie L. Gantt VOL. 122, NO. 132 Not as warm with a storm Classifieds B7 J. Beatrice Purvis Vivian H. Burnside James A. Beard possible; mostly cloudy Comics C4 Josephine Franklin Agnes E. Stavrou Jimmy L. Moore tonight Karen Dow Coard Billy Miller Gloria K. Ford Opinion A7 HIGH 79, LOW 60 Television B6 USA Today C1 A2 | TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Private, historic lands open for trail ride FROM STAFF REPORTS English and Western riders will have the opportunity to ride their horses through the rolling fields, pine planta- tions and pristine forested trails of his- BOYKIN SPRING FLING toric Cantey Lane Farm and other pri- UNTIMED TRAIL RIDE vate property during the Boykin WHERE: Cantey Lane Farm, 1200 Sumter Spring Fling Trail Ride on Saturday, Highway, Rembert. April 29. Advance registration is re- WHEN: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29 quested. Judy Ferrell, spokeswoman for the TICKETS: $40 for adults, $30 for juniors, which ride, said it "benefits the South Caroli- includes lunch na Thoroughbred Retirement Founda- PHONE: William B. Cox at (803) 234-0034 or tion and its work to provide a secure Judy Ferrell at (803) 669-4499 retirement for ex-racehorses and to provide a highly successful groom training program for inmates at Water- ee River Correctional Institute in Rem- bert." The Boykin Spring Fling Untimed Trail Ride will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29, starting at Cantey Lane Farm, 1200 Sumter High- way, Rembert. The fee, which includes lunch, is $40 for adults, $30 for juniors. Ferrell said the foundation expects a "fair number of riders from the Man- chester Trail Riders group, and I know they'll really enjoy this opportunity to ride over historic private land not gen- erally open to the public." The ride includes a 5-mile short loop and a 9-mile long loop and is suited for English and Western riders of all skill levels, she said. Riders will be asked to wear proper headgear, sign a release, provide a negative Coggins test and carry a working cellphone. Ample PHOTO PROVIDED parking is available for horse trailers. Participants in the April 29 Boykin Spring Fling Trail Ride will have the opportunity to ride over private historic land not generally No alcohol, smoking or camping will open to the public. be permitted. Proceeds from the trail ride benefit the South Carolina Thoroughbred Re- after incarceration. Over the years, enthusiasts of all ages to promote registration, check out the SCTRF at tirement Foundation and the Palmetto graduates of the program have gone on sportsmanship, stewardship and lead- www.trfsc.org. Also, like South Caroli- Pony Club. The SCTRF provides a safe to active, productive lives in the com- ership through riding and proper care na Thoroughbred Retirement Founda- and secure future for retired Thor- munity. In addition, many horses have of horses. The club works with young tion on Facebook for ongoing updates oughbred race horses at Wateree River found new homes and second lives as people in Kershaw, Sumter, Lee and on its horses and programs. Correctional Institute and the groom hunters, show horses or riding com- Richland counties through a variety For questions about the ride and training program for Wateree inmates panions. Others simply enjoy a peace- of educational programs and activi- SCTRF sponsorships, contact William designed to teach them all aspects of ful retirement. ties.