Celebrate at Swan Lake on Saturday SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 A3 FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018 75 CENTS Byrd, Disney plan to run in election Delegation members defend appointing at-large school board members for the short term BY BRUCE MILLS Disney said dur- members, the two they look forward to running votes in a 5-3 vote. [email protected] ing the Board at-large seats will in November and that, as at- Community members in op- Communications remain at-large large members, they would position to any schools closing Members of the Sumter leg- portion of Sumter for about three base their decisions on what have claimed the appoint- islative delegation who au- School District’s years. In 2021, is in the best interests of all ments of Byrd and Disney thored a bill last summer to Board of Trustees with reapportion- public school students. were an effort to overcome an create and appoint two at- meeting on Tues- BYRD DISNEY ment after the Both voted Tuesday in favor April 2017 split vote by the large seats to the school board day at Lakewood next Census, the of the administration’s pro- seven-member board to not defended their decision amid High School that two seats will posal to close two low-enroll- close two schools and public an announcement that both they plan to run for election convert to single-member ment schools — Mayewood opposition to school closures. of those new board members in November after being ap- seats, like the seven others Middle and F.J. DeLaine Ele- New York-based NAACP plan to run for election in No- pointed last year. that are by district. The Board mentary — and merge them Legal Defense Fund discussed vember and amid dissatisfac- With the new law last year of Trustees will then have into larger schools in the the issue in a letter of concern tion from a concerned group. to expand the school board nine district seats. same general areas of the William Byrd and Bonnie from seven to nine voting Both Byrd and Disney said county. They were two yes SEE MEMBERS, PAGE A6 Public safety HQ is almost finished New $10.6M building will house Sumter fire, police BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] On North Lafayette Drive, crews are finishing the final steps on the con- struction of two new buildings that will benefit local first responders as well as Sumter residents. The $10.6 million Public Safety Complex — a 2014 Capital Penny Sales Tax project — to construct new fire and police department headquar- ters began in January 2017 and is an- PHOTOS BY ADRIENNE SARVIS / THE SUMTER ITEM ticipated to be complete by the end of Contractors add final touches to the new police and fire department buildings on Lafayette Drive. Once the interior work is complete, the month. landscaping and concrete work will finish off the project. If everything falls into place, said Michael Geddings, construction man- ager for the city of Sumter, the plan is to begin final inspections of both buildings near the end of April and to start moving in during May. The complex will include a 36,000-square-foot police department building and a 21,600-square-foot fire department building with a four-bay garage. Both buildings are down to the final stages, Geddings said, which includes connecting equipment, installing ap- pliances, testing systems and cleaning. Flooring at the fire department build- ing is expected to be complete by today or sometime next week, he said. The 2014 Capital Penny Sales Tax project will include 36,000 square feet for Sumter Police Department and more than 21,000 square SEE COMPLEX, PAGE A6 feet including a four-bay garage for Sumter Fire Department. It’s scheduled to be finished this month, with move-in beginning in May. Trump puts off Syria strike decision, will talk to allies BY ROBERT BURNS would consult further with al- British officials said up to 75 partners and allies.” icy not to be involved directly and CATHERINE LUCEY lies. people were killed. Sanders said Trump would in Syria’s civil war. The Associated Press Defense Secretary Jim Mat- The White House press sec- speak later with French Presi- “Our strategy remains the tis warned such an attack car- retary, Sarah Huckabee Sand- dent Emmanuel Macron and same as a year ago,” he said. WASHINGTON — President ried the risk of spinning out ers, said in a brief statement British Prime Minister There- “It is to drive this to a U.N.- Donald Trump on Thursday of control, suggesting caution after Trump met with Mattis sa May. brokered peace but, at the put off a final decision on pos- ahead of a decision on how to and other members of his Na- Although Mattis noted that same time, keep our foot on sible military strikes against respond to an attack against tional Security Council: “No military action carried risks, the neck of ISIS until we suf- Syria after tweeting earlier civilians last weekend that final decision has been made. he also emphasized that Syri- focate it,” referring to the Is- that they could happen “very U.S. officials are increasingly We are continuing to assess an use of chemical weapons lamic State extremist group. soon or not so soon at all.” certain involved the use of intelligence and are engaged should not be tolerated. And The White House said he banned chemical weapons. in conversations with our he insisted it remains U.S. pol- SEE SYRIA, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B5 and B6 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Lisa LaFrell Lane Marjorie J. Robinson WARM OUT THERE 3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES the .com James Holland Katina Hunter VOL. 123, NO. 126 Mostly sunny and nice; Washington Bennette Lucile C. Robinson B7 B1 Caretha M. Green Christene H. Williams partly cloudy tonight Classifieds Sports C6 C4 Jean Swensen John E. King HIGH 80, LOW 59 Comics Television Douglas W. Elvington Rebecca B. Hilton Opinion A9 USA Today C1 Nathaniel Epps Walter Toney Wilhemena McLaughlin A2 | FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] STATE BRIEFS State takes over district amid money, academic issues Sumter man charged with FROM WIRE REPORTS COLUMBIA — A South Carolina Woman, 89: Neighbor stole school district is now the second taken after giving her drug brownie over by the state Department of Educa- sexual assault of 2 minors tion in less than a year. CHARLESTON — Authorities say a News outlets report state Education 19-year-old man brought his 89-year-old Superintendent Molly Spearman de- BY ADRIENNE SARVIS for allegedly sexually assaulting a neighbor brownies laced with a tran- clared a state of emergency Wednesday [email protected] 5-year-old female and then having quilizer and then stole from her. for the Williamsburg County School the victim perform a sex act on Charleston police said in a report the District, among the state’s poorest. Sumter County Sheriff's Office him at a location on Avins Road. woman told officers Christian Jellico Spearman says the district’s financial has charged a 34-year- He also reportedly sexually as- would come over to her home every few decisions, hiring and other daily opera- old Sumter man with saulted a 6-year-old female during weeks, and they would talk and she tions will be controlled indefinitely. She two counts of crimi- the same time frame, states a news would give him money. says high school graduation rates are nal sexual conduct release. Police say when Jellico came over also one of the district’s academic prob- with a minor after it Barefoot was arrested after a Saturday, he offered the woman brown- lems. was reported he sexu- warrant was issued on Wednesday, ies. She said the next thing she remem- The state Revenue and Fiscal Affairs ally assaulted two and he is charged with two counts bered was waking up on her couch. Office says the district receives nearly children under the of first-degree criminal sexual Authorities say a television and $500 $17,000 per student when all sources are BAREFOOT age of 10 between No- conduct. were taken from the woman’s home. combined. Spearman says 74 percent of vember 2017 and April He is being held at Sumter-Lee Police say a high level of a tranquiliz- the per student funding is from state 2018. Regional Detention Center where er was found in her system. and federal aid and the district has Brian Edward Barefoot, of Avins he is awaiting a first appearance Jellico is charged with abuse of a vul- failed to use the money “effectively Road, was arrested on Thursday hearing. nerable adult and larceny. and efficiently.” SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTOS The Sumter Community Concert Band Jazz Ensemble, along with the Sumter High School Jazz Ensemble and the Lakewood High School Band, will be in concert at Patriot Hall Tuesday night. Admission is free, and the public is invited. 3 jazz bands share Patriot Hall stage Tuesday BY IVY MOORE semble, Mitchum said. Special to The Sumter Item Fans of the classic 1942 film “Casa- blanca” will recognize Herman Hup- The spring concert by the Sumter feld’s “As Time Goes By.” Community Concert Band Jazz En- Bob Lee will have the alto saxo- semble traditionally features the Sum- phone solo on Henry Mancini’s origi- ter High School Jazz Ensemble, and nal arrangement of the theme from this year’s program will feature the “Peter Gunn,” the popular TV detec- Lakewood High School Jazz Ensemble.