NATION: Here’s how the elections could affect the economy A2 FOOD Kick your brownies up a notch with one SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 fiery ingredient C1 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 $1.00 Candidate says sorry for using slur appear she knew Facebook page. board race on the SUMTER School board hopeful Bowman was heard on she was being re- Alston, a Rem- Democratic Party site. Our recording using term about opponent Alston corded — calling bert resident, told site is monitored and your one of her three The Sumter Item school board post was re- BY BRUCE MILLS calling a fellow candidate a opponents, Brian on Thursday he moved. This is a non-partisan and KAYLA ROBINS gay slur. Alston, the slur received a Face- race. Thank you!” Barbara Bowman, who is in reference to book message on Multiple posts on the party [email protected] ALSTON BOWMAN seeking the Area 1 Sumter his confrontation Oct. 14 from Bow- page could be seen on Thurs- A Sumter School District School District seat in the with her over man, who is the day of Bowman promoting Board of Trustees candidate Nov. 6 midterm general elec- making campaign posts for Sumter County Democratic her school board campaign. is being asked by state Demo- tion, can be heard on a re- the nonpartisan school Party chairwoman, saying, She also posted a promotional cratic officials to apologize corded conversation given to board race on the partisan “Brian DO NOT post (sic) any after a recording revealed her The Sumter Item — it did not Sumter County Democrats information about school SEE CANDIDATES, PAGE A8 Willow Drive students parade as favorite characters Grow your own library with help from sale Annual event starts Thursday in Sumter BY IVY MOORE Special to The Sumter Item The days most highly antici- pated by local readers begin Thursday, when the large meet- ing room at Sumter County Li- brary, 111 N. Harvin St., opens its door to reveal thousands of books of all genres for sale. The Friends of the Sumter County Library get first look that night at the books priced at $1 for most hardcovers and 50 cents for paperbacks. There is good news if you’re not yet a mem- ber — you can join at the door throughout Thursday’s 5-to- 7:30 p.m. sale. The big book sale continues from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday and Sat- urday and again Nov. 8, 9 and 10, also from 2 to 6 p.m., and 1 PHOTOS PROVIDED to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, which Principal Preston Spratt leads Willow Drive Elementary School students in their recent Storybook Character Parade. Enthusiastic stu- is Bag O’Books Day. On that dents and teachers celebrated their favorite books and characters as they paraded throughout the halls this week. day, shoppers can fill a bag sup- plied by the Friends for just $5. The annual fee is $15 for an individual to become a mem- ber, and there are graduated rates for families, sponsors and other categories. Early admis- sion to the book sale is the greatest perk of membership, other than knowing your dues support library programs. Among the most popular of the genres available at the sale are children’s books, fiction and mysteries; however, nonfic- tion, religion, science and tech- nology, young adult fiction, classic cookbooks, poetry and SEE BOOK SALE, PAGE A8 JOSEPH ALLBRITTON Wilson Hall grad on missing plane loved fishing, outdoors Joseph Allbritton Allbritton 1 of 5 aboard twin-engine presumed gone loved the outdoors, and his friends said BY KAYLA ROBINS ally — and was good at it, his than 76 hours, the U.S. Coast he was a selfless [email protected] friends say. Guard announced “with a person and great The Sumter native and heavy” heart it was suspend- boat captain. Joseph Allbritton grew up Charleston resident was one ing the search. 100 miles from the coast, went of five people aboard a twin- Officials never released the PHOTO COURTESY OF JIMMY to school 300 miles from the engine Piper PA-31 when it names of the five presumably McCORMICK coast, but always gravitated disappeared about 110 miles lost at sea to respect the wishes toward the ocean. east of Charleston last week. of another passenger’s family, He loved fishing and hunt- After searching more than ing — anything outdoors, re- 3,500 square miles in more SEE ALLBRITTON, PAGE A8 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Edna Singleton Blair Jessie Mae Martin Weaver SUNNY HALLOWEEN 3 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES the .com VOL. 124, NO. 12 Winnifred Wilder Morris Anna Ruth McKnight Partly sunny and pleasant Thornal Brunson Juliette Choice today; partly cloudy and Food C1 and C4 Sports B1 Alex Dubose Jr. Mary Cannon mild tonight Classifieds B6 Opinion A9 Joseph Wayne Allbritton Jr. Nora Frierson Scott HIGH 77, LOW 59 Comics C2 Television C3 Ellen Richardson A2 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] How midterm vote could affect U.S. economy WASHINGTON (AP) — President plans for more tax cuts and a 5 percent also possible that the Republicans the second-longest on record. Donald Trump has warned that if cut to Cabinet department budgets. could maintain their hold on both the But annual growth is widely expect- Democrats regain political power in What instead would likely result is House and the Senate. ed to dip back to its long-term average the midterm elections, the U.S. econo- continued gridlock — perhaps even Analysts at Goldman Sachs and Mor- of near 2 percent by 2020. It's even pos- my would essentially implode. more entrenched than what exists now gan Stanley foresee a divided govern- sible that the economy could slip into Democrats, he insists, would push in Washington. Arrayed against a stout ment as most probable. So do their a recession within a few years as tax hikes and environmental restric- Republican majority in the Senate, a peers at Oxford Economics and Keefe growth inevitably stalls — for reasons tions that stifle growth. Undocumented Democratic House majority couldn't do Bruyette & Woods. unrelated to who controls the White immigrants would steal jobs and un- much to reorder the economy, which "The most likely political conse- House or Congress. A global slowdown leash a crime wave that would halt typically hinges more on the willing- quences would be an increase in inves- could, for example, spill over into the commerce. Health insurance would de- ness of consumers and businesses to tigations and uncertainty surrounding United States. Or higher interest rates, volve into a socialist program offering spend and on the state of the global fiscal deadlines," Goldman Sachs con- spurred by the Federal Reserve, might shoddy care at unsustainable cost. economy than on government policy cluded in a client note. depress economic activity. "At stake in this election," Trump de- priorities. Oxford Economics' senior economist, Trump would still have plenty of clared at a rally in Houston, "is wheth- "It's probably not that much of a Nancy Vanden Houten, has suggested discretion on some key economic is- er we continue the extraordinary pros- change," Beth Ann Bovino, chief U.S. that the Republicans' legislative agenda sues. His trade war with China and his perity that we've all achieved or wheth- economist at S&P Global, said of the would stall if they lost the House. drive to reduce regulations are two of er we let the radical Democrat mob likely outcome. "While you might see "A Democrat-controlled House them. The president has managed to take a giant wrecking ball and destroy further gridlock if the Democrats take would, in our view, be a line of defense pursue those priorities without Con- our country and our economy." the House, that doesn't mean it would against further tax cuts, reduced enti- gress' involvement, though his updated Almost no private economist agrees tip the boat and slow growth." tlement spending and efforts to repeal trade agreement with Canada and with Trump's portrait of a financial Many polls and analyses suggest — the Affordable Care Act," she said Mexico would need congressional ap- apocalypse. though hardly assure — that the Dem- The economy has enjoyed an accel- proval. If Democrats win control of the ocrats could regain a majority in the eration in growth this year — to a "Trade stuff is being done adminis- House in next week's congressional House if their voters turn out in suffi- gain estimated to be 3 percent after tratively; regulatory stuff is being elections, their legislative priorities cient numbers in key races. If so, deficit-funded tax cuts. Unemploy- done administratively," said Douglas wouldn't likely much alter a $20 trillion Trump would have to contend with a ment is at a 49-year low of 3.7 per- Holtz-Eakin, president of the right-of- economy. For one thing, Trump would divided government instead of one cent, and employers continue to post center American Action Forum. remain able to block Democratic initia- with Republicans in complete control. a record number of jobs openings. "There's just not that much on the tives — just as they could stop his Yet depending on voter turnout, it's The economic expansion is already table legislatively." Lemira celebrates National School Lunch Week The Lemira Pre-K Lions showed their love for school lunch by wearing chef hats and aprons while they cheered for healthy meals. This year’s National School Lunch Week theme was “School Lunch: Lots 2 Love.” PHOTO PROVIDED Sumter Elks begin annual turkey shoot Business news BY IVY MOORE Comfort Keepers Sumter Special to The Sumter Item Elks Lodge No.