Manning boys, girls both 8-0 after wins B1 Palmetto Gas 820 S. Pike 803-775-4321 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 $1.75 Mon. - Fri. 8 am - 5 pm Sumter County enters litigation against opioid manufacturers BY ADRIENNE SARVIS counties, to bring a lawsuit jority of counties in South yet to bring forward the op- said, and most counties in this [email protected] against multiple pharmaceu- Carolina to address the opioid tion of litigation in this issue, state have elected to prosecute tical companies and pharma- crisis through litigation, said as of Thursday. at the local level. Sumter County has entered cies as the fight against the Sumter County Administrator Some areas throughout the Sumter, at no cost, signed into an attorney-client agree- opioid crisis continues. Gary Mixon. country are prosecuting ment, along with 12 other There’s an effort by the ma- About seven counties have through federal court, Mixon SEE OPIOIDS, PAGE A10 New commander shows his human side PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM “Why do I need a parking space? Col. Derek J. O’Malley has goals of positivity Why does rank afford me some privi- lege? I can walk to the commissary or continuing winning mentality at Shaw wherever. Rank gives me more of a re- sponsibility to take care of more peo- BY KAYLA ROBBINS not a random act. Removing parking ple,” O’Malley said as he sat in his of- [email protected] space privilege, reducing administra- fice on base, surrounded by memora- tive meetings to favor trust in squadron bilia, documents, awards, photos, and The top dog of the 20th Fighter commanders and telling airmen’s sto- a couple Star Wars statuettes in the Wing can be spotted on any given day ries, many of whom are 18, 19 and in corner, all representing his personal parking toward the middle or back of their early 20s, on social media are just and military life. “You’re going to tell came from later), has only been at any lot on Shaw Air Force Base. a few of the ways Col. Derek J. the airmen, the young pregnant air- Shaw since June, having previously All the colonels and chiefs, too. O’Malley is trying to empower the men men, that you need that spot more served as vice commander of the 388th The lack of designated parking spac- and women stationed at Shaw and cre- than her?” Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base in es for those with the highest rank at ate a positive culture at his first assign- O’Malley, or “Maestro” as his call the base in Sumter is not a mistake and ment as a wing commander. sign designates (we’ll get to where that SEE HUMAN, PAGE B10 Massive $400B farm bill also legalizes growing hemp for industrial purposes Trump expected to sign measure; Sumter farmer grows plant under S.C. program BY JULIET LINDERMAN After months of debate and ne- grams and pays for trade pro- The Associated Press gotiation, the House voted 369-47 grams, bioenergy production and for the legislation, which sets fed- organic farming research. It also WASHINGTON — Congress eral agricultural and food policy reduces the cost for struggling voted final approval Wednesday for five years, after the Senate ap- dairy producers to sign up for to a massive farm bill that will proved it 87-13 on Tuesday. It is support programs and legalizes provide more than $400 billion for now headed to the desk of Presi- the cultivation of industrial MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM agriculture subsidies, conserva- dent Donald Trump, who is ex- hemp. Hemp farmer Nat Bradford and Agriculture Commission- tion programs and food aid that pected to sign it. Hemp has been in headlines er Hugh Weathers check out Bradford’s hemp crop during includes the legalizing cultivating The measure reauthorizes crop the summer. industrial hemp. insurance and conservation pro- SEE FARM BILL, PAGE A10 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B6 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Cleo Nixon Anderson Brandon Taylor FINALLY NICE 4 SECTIONS, 30 PAGES the .com Ronald H. Weymouth Matthew Richardson A lovely fall day in store, VOL. 124, NO. 43 Jimmy Williams Lottie Coots mostly sunny and warm today Outdoors C1 Panorama A5 Edward Porter Debra Bailey with no chance of rain; tonight, Classifieds C8 Reflections C2 Albertus Nelson Kie Aunta Clarity mainly clear and chilly. Comics D1 Television C7 Sarah Briggs Nelson Morris Ford HIGH 61, LOW 41 Sports B1 Yesteryear C3 Leroy Ragins Pearl Ardis Opinion A11 Evelyn Davis A2 | SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS Officials continue crackdown on drug, FROM STAFF REPORTS Commission to consider shooting suspects in Sumter County Wesmark office building BY ADRIENNE SARVIS tent to distribute marijuana within a was known to frequent, said Tonyia Mc- Sumter City-County Plan- [email protected] half mile of a school or park. Girt, public information officer for the ning Commission will meet at Martiz Peterson, Harry Peterson and police department. 3 p.m. Wednesday in Sumter In a joint effort, Sumter law enforce- Singleton are each charged with posses- Efforts to identify others involved in City Council Chambers, fourth ment agencies have arrested seven indi- sion with intent to distribute marijuana Brown’s shooting are continuing, she floor of Sumter Opera House, viduals in the past week for their sus- and intent to distribute marijuana with- said. 21 N. Main St., to consider a pected involvement in illegal drug activ- in a half mile of a school or park. Sin- In addition to Brown, she said law en- request to/for: ity and shooting incidents reported pri- gleton is additionally charged with pos- forcement officials said the true victims • Major site plan and high- marily in southern and western parts of session with intent to distribute crack are the many residents who live in these way corridor protection design the county. cocaine and intent to dis- areas who are not associated with the review approval for a As a result of a strategic tribute crack within a half ongoing dispute between these neigh- 36,000-square-foot office build- enforcement effort, city and mile of a school or park. borhood groups. ing at 185 W. Wesmark Blvd.; county authorities were The brothers were Individuals associated with these • Revision to phase 8 of the able to further stymie an booked at Sumter-Lee Re- groups and areas tend to be repeat of- Hunters Crossing Planned De- emerging pattern of illegal gional Detention Center fenders who are out on bond for previ- velopment to change the road incidents associated with where their bonds were set, ous criminal activity or who were re- network layout, sidewalk plan, rival neighborhood groups MARTIZ MARKUS ranging from $5,000 to cently released from custody, she said. open space and to approve an by arresting four brothers PETERSON PETERSON $40,000. Both the police department and Sum- 83-unit townhouse develop- allegedly involved in illegal On Dec. 7, the combined ter County Sheriff’s Office would like to ment plan on the northwest drug activity on Wednes- efforts of city and county encourage residents to contact law en- side adjacent to Stamey Live- day, states a release from law enforcement resulted forcement anytime they suspect illegal stock Road; Sumter Police Department. in the arrests of Kalvin activity in their neighborhood, she said. • Rezone 46.99 acres at 2320 Markus D. Peterson, 28, Epps, 21; Rakim Butler, 27; Forming a neighborhood watch group Beckwood Road from agricul- and his twin brother, Mar- and Hikeem Ward, 20, for can be an effective way to discourage il- tural conservation to residen- tiz L. Peterson; Harry Javon multiple firearms and drug legal activity in a community, she said. tial-15; Peterson, 30; and Cortez Je- H. PETERSON SINGLETON offenses. For more information on how to form • Rezone a 15-acre parcel and rome Singleton, 34, all of Bond was denied for a neighborhood watch group or to re- a 1.39-acre parcel at 160 Jeffer- South Guignard Drive, were arrested at Epps and Butler, and Ward was released port suspicious activity, call Sumter Po- son Road from general resi- a residence on South Guignard Drive on a $60,000 surety bond. lice Department at (803) 436-2700 or dential to heavy industrial; where marijuana, crack cocaine, drug Epps is also charged with discharging Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at (803) • Preliminary plat approval to paraphernalia and more than $3,500 in a firearm into a dwelling in connection 436-2000. develop an up-to-54-lot, three- cash were found, states the release. to the shooting death of 54-year-old Mar- Always dial 911 in case of an emergen- phase subdivision on a 62.34- Markus Peterson is charged with cus Brown on Oct. 30. cy. acre parcel on Peach Orchard three counts of distribution of marijua- Authorities said Epps fired shots at a Tips can also be submitted anony- Road and Red Land Road; and na, three counts of distribution of mari- home on Silver Street and Brown, who mously by calling Crime Stoppers at • Amend the water supply juana within a half mile of a school or was not the intended target, was killed 1-888-CRIME-SC or by going to www. and sanitary sewer sections of park, possession with intent to distrib- when individuals retaliated with gunfire P3tips.com and clicking on the “Submit the city’s zoning and develop- ute marijuana and possession with in- at a house on Salem Street where Epps a New Tip” tab.