SPORTS Trump welcomes national champs to White House TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents B1 TinyWHAT YOUR GOVERNMENT house IS DOING: SUMTER retail COUNTY COUNCIL plans on hold Beckwood Road area subdivision plans, BD expansion rezoning move forward at Sumter council meeting BY ADRIENNE SARVIS PLANS FOR TINY HOUSE PROJECT City-County Planning Commission said removing to deny the request, and councilman Artie Baker [email protected] DEFERRED residential developments from the property by seconded. Reading: Second of three rezoning the parcel supports the county’s 2030 Council voted 4-3 to deny the motion. Vivian Jim McCain and plan as well as the military protection area which Agenda item: A request to rezone a 1.48-acre Fleming-McGhaney, Jimmy Byrd, Gene Baten and Jimmy Byrd remained encourages low-density developments near Shaw parcel at 2110 and 2115 Loring Mill Road and an Jim McCain voted in opposition of the denial. chairman and vice Air Force Base. chairman, respectively, adjoining .74-acre parcel from agricultural Councilman Chris Sumpter made a motion to defer of Sumter County conservation to light industrial-warehouse. In December, property owner Randolph Black second reading to allow for additional discussion told council the property is currently an eyesore Council after an elec- Background: If the property, located south of the between the property owner, the planning and his plans to construct the manufacturing and tion of officers for the intersection of Loring Mill Road and Broad Street, department and neighbors regarding the retail facility would make the land an asset to the 2019-20 term during is rezoned the applicant intends to develop an on- conditional uses in an agricultural conservation zone. area. council’s first meeting site fabrication and retail facility for tiny houses. of the year on Jan. 8. Vote: Councilman Charles Edens made a motion SEE COUNCIL, PAGE A6 During its meeting regarding the request, Sumter Sumter United Ministries celebrates 25 years of service TY CORNETT / THE SUMTER ITEM Sumter United Ministries held an anniversary celebration on Saturday to mark 25 years of helping the Sumter community through service projects, food and utility aid, education assistance and more. The event was meant to recognize volunteers, donors and other contributors to the ministry’s success. Mark Champagne, executive director of the ministry, said that the community’s connections in helping others is Sumter’s greatest strength. Champagne said he is excited to see what the future will bring for the ministry. DANNY KELLY / THE SUMTER ITEM DANNY KELLY / THE SUMTER ITEM TY CORNETT / THE SUMTER ITEM ABOVE LEFT: Sumter United Ministries Executive Director Mark Champagne presents Katy Greenawalt with flowers at the anniversary party at The O’Donnell House on Saturday night. Greenawalt served as the ministry’s first executive director for 13 years. ABOVE MIDDLE: A patron cuts the cake during the event on Saturday night. S.C. State pact allows another Employees charged ‘pathway’ for CCTC students in armed robbery of System streamlines transfers to 4-year Orangeburg campus Little Caesars worker BY BRUCE MILLS President Tim Hardee signed a memorandum [email protected] of understanding with S.C. State President BY ADRIENNE SARVIS ployees of the restaurant. James Clark at the Orangeburg campus. [email protected] Shaun Rafael Enrique Park- Central Carolina Technical College stu- Under the pact, students who take classes er Jr., 18, of West Sherwood dents now have an additional pathway to a at any of the state’s 16 technical colleges — Three teens are facing Drive and Justice Reese bachelor’s degree after the state Technical including Central Carolina — will be able to charges for allegedly taking Green, 19, of Robin Hood Ave- College System signed an agreement last transfer to S.C. State to complete a bache- an undisclosed amount of nue, are accused of approach- week with South Carolina State University lor’s degree in about 20 programs of study. cash from a Little Caesars em- ing the pizza restaurant em- to streamline transfers to the four-year uni- Those include degree programs in various ployee at gunpoint in a bank ployee who was walking versity in nearby Orangeburg. parking lot on Friday. Two of On Jan. 8, S.C. Technical College System SEE DEGREE, PAGE A6 the suspects were also em- SEE ROBBERY, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Lewis Charles Milliner Henry Livingston Holland Jr. SOME SUN 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES the .com VOL. 124, NO. 62 Yvonne Boone Rene Oliver Tindal Partly sunny today; clear Regina Century Ada Mae Hall sky tonight and cold Classifieds B7 Sports B1 Charles Tiller Jo Griffin Marshall HIGH 51, LOW 31 Comics B6 Television B5 Diane Elizabeth Moses Lena Bell Kennedy Fleming H. James “Jim” White III Opinion A7 A2 | TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] 2 shows opening at Sumter Gallery of Art FROM STAFF REPORTS The Sumter County Gallery of Art presents two of its most popular annual exhibitions to begin its 2019 season. The 42nd- annual South Carolina Water- media Society Traveling Exhi- bition and the 42nd Sumter Artists’ Guild Winners Show will open with a 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday reception open to the public. Karen Watson, executive di- rector of the gallery, said the guild winners’ exhibition is “exciting because the work for the 2018 Sumter Artists’ Guild Show was so strong, and the People’s Choice Winner gave visitors a chance to get in- volved.” She noted that the guild’s presence in Sumter has grown under the leadership of President Laura Cardello and guild officers Vicki Hagner, Jennifer Franklin, Erin Duffie PHOTOS PROVIDED and Lisa Melton. LEFT: Winner of Best in Show in the S.C. Watermedia Society’s 2018 Traveling Show was Lynda English’s “Through the Eyes of a Child.” It can be “The exhibition includes a seen at the Sumter County Gallery of Art from Thursday evening through Feb. 15, along with the 42nd annual Sumter Artists’ Guild Show. broad range of styles with an RIGHT: emphasis on representational Genevieve Rath won first place in the Sumter Artists’ Guild Show with her painting titled “Calm Evening.” Paintings by Rath and the and mixed media,” Watson other winners from the 2018 show will be on exhibit at the Sumter County Gallery of Art, beginning with the opening reception Thursday eve- said. ning and continuing through Feb. 15. Genevieve Rath won first place for the second time in two to the public (since 1977). The tic teachers and mentors … wonderful selection of diverse mission during regular gal- years with her painting titled Society works toward achiev- (and has) been so fortunate to work by artists, with a little lery hours is free to the public “Calm Evening.” Myra Bar- ing its goals by making the ac- be successful in this field,” with something for everybody. at all times. ton’s monoprint “Finding complishments of its members her artwork having been exhib- “The variety of imagery and Watson said, “As with all of America” won second place, available to a broad base of ited around the U.S., Canada, subject matter is stunning, the gallery’s exhibitions, this and Denise L. Greer’s mixed- South Carolinians.” China and Japan. In addition to from mixed-media abstract popular show would not be media collage “About Face” The SCWS is “the largest making her own art, she teach- works to more traditional rep- possible without our commu- was third. statewide visual arts group es workshops and juries exhibi- resentational work including nity partners: Synovus, Cove- Honorable mentions went to (and) an active presenting orga- tions across the country. landscapes, figural and still life nant Place Continuing Care Randy Abbott, Dominique nization. (The Society) pro- Lynda English won the Best compositions. The South Caro- Community and the Sumter Hodge and Jim Wade, while Mi- motes South Carolina artists by of Show award with “Through lina Watermedia Society Show Artists’ Guild, which does the chael McGuirt’s painting titled providing exhibition opportuni- the Eyes of a Child,” second- showcases the incredible talent wonderful reception. Flowers “Gathering Courage” was ties, special programs to mar- place winner was Anne Hight- of South Carolina artists.” are courtesy of Poinsett- voted the 2018 Sumter Artists’ ket their original works and co- ower-Patterson with her “Wad- The 42nd-annual Sumter Bland Garden Club and the Guild Show People’s Choice ordinate educational programs. ing Out,” and third place went Artists’ Guild Winners Show Council of Garden Clubs of Award. Works by all seven of … goals (also) include public to Suzanne Accetta, who paint- and the S.C. Watermedia Soci- Sumter.” the winners will be included in outreach and participation in ed “Unspeakable Praise.” ety Traveling Exhibition open The Sumter County Gallery the exhibition. the arts.” Watson noted that “The Thursday at the Sumter Coun- of Art is located at 200 Hasell According to its website, the Juror for the 2018 SCWS South Carolina Watermedia So- ty Gallery of Art with a 5:30 to St., adjacent to Patriot Hall at South Carolina Watermedia So- Traveling Exhibition was Lau- ciety show is one of the most 7:30 p.m. reception. Admission 135 Haynsworth St. For more ciety “has been promoting the rie Goldstein Warren, a West popular shows the gallery pres- to gallery members is free and information about these exhi- artistic and professional inter- Virginia artist, who noted that ents each year; it has been pre- a $5 donation for nonmembers. bitions and the gallery, call ests of its members as well as she studied watercolor for sented by the gallery for more The exhibitions will remain in (803) 775-0543 or visit the web- providing visual arts programs many years “with some fantas- than 30 years.