The appeal: Did Spearman overstep her boundaries? Sumter school board hopes state board approves plan, lifts fiscal emergency BY BRUCE MILLS hearing at the state De- member Sumter school board [email protected] partment of Education voted to reopen Mayewood Middle SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019 $1.75 headquarters in down- School, which was not part of the Did the state superintendent of town Columbia. district’s previously submitted SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 education have the right by law to Officials from the plan from May 2018 that estab- declare a “fiscal emergency” in state Department of lished benchmarks for increasing Sumter School District, even when Education, school its fund balance. SPEARMAN the board of trustees failed to com- board and the law firm After overspending its budget by ply with its own financial recovery representing the dis- $6.2 million in fiscal 2016, the dis- plan? trict and its trustees spoke last trict’s general fund balance slipped That’s the argument before the week on the upcoming hearing. to $106,449. In 2017, the state depart- 4 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES | VOL. 124, NO. 121 17-member state Board of Education On Feb. 27, state Superintendent ment placed the district on “fiscal on Tuesday afternoon when the dis- Molly Spearman made the emer- trict has its fiscal emergency appeal gency declaration after the nine- SEE APPEAL, PAGE A10 Chamber honors of the CBD oil laws confuse sellers, ‘At least me, I never thought of myself as fortunate enough to be standing in those shoes customers to be honored among these privileged people.’ A9 CARY COKER, After winning Business Person of the Year SPORTS Lots of photos from the T-Ball Jamboree B1 DEATHS, B6 Stacy Windell Rhodes James Clark Emma L. McLeod Wilson Sheila Kathleen Small Cournoyer Myrtle Annette D. Schuhly Carol Teal Berry Bobby Dow Bobbie Jo Walker Harry Lee Davis Jacqueline Lawson Reinnod Montgomery WEATHER, A12 RAINY AND WARM Morning fog and chance of rain today; tonight, mostly cloudy and warm HIGH 77, LOW 64 TY CORNETT / THE SUMTER ITEM Cary Coker accepts his award after being named Business Person of the Year at the Greater Sumter Chamber of Com- INSIDE CONTACT US merce’s annual gala on Thursday evening. Coker is president and CEO of Nu-Idea School Supply. Classifieds C6 Info: 774-1200 Comics D1 Advertising: 774-1237 President, CEO of Nu-Idea wins annual award during gala Thursday night Outdoors C1 Classifieds: 774-1200 Opinion A11 Delivery: 774-1258 BY KAYLA ROBINS familiar but never expected to est honor it bestows on a member. Reflections C2 News and Sports: [email protected] win. Then his four daughters “Things like this are things that Sports B1 774-1226 you see all these other people that Television C5 walked in. are more deserving,” Coker said. “At s they were de- least me, I never thought of myself VISIT US ONLINE AT the .com scribing the man Cary Coker, president and CEO as fortunate enough to be standing of Nu-Idea School Supply, was pre- in those shoes to be honored among who was about to sented with the 2019 Greater Sum- these privileged people.” be named Business Person of ter Chamber of Commerce’s Phillip The honor was the culmination L. Edwards Business Person of the the Year, he thought it sounded Year award, the organization’s high- SEE COKER, PAGE A10 Former U.S. Senator Ernest ‘Fritz’ Hollings dies at 97 Peatsy Hollings, second COLUMBIA (AP) — Ernest F. "Fritz" 2005, one of the last of the larger-than- from left, smiles at her Hollings, the silver-haired Democrat life Democrats who dominated politics husband, retired U.S. who helped shepherd South Carolina in the South. Sen. Ernest “Fritz” Hol- through desegregation as governor He had served 38 years and two lings, after unveiling and went on to serve six terms in the months, making him the eighth lon- his portrait during a U.S. Senate, has died. He was 97. gest-serving senator in U.S. history. 2005 special ceremony Family spokesman Andy Brack, who Nevertheless, Hollings remained the in the Senate Chamber also served at times for Hollings as junior senator from South Carolina for at the Statehouse in spokesman during his Senate career, most of his term. The senior senator Columbia. The portrait said Hollings died at his home on the was Strom Thurmond, first elected in is on permanent dis- Isle of Palms early Saturday. 1954. He retired in January 2003 at age play in the chambers. Hollings, whose long and colorful 100 as the longest-serving senator in political career included an unsuccess- history. ful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, retired from the Senate in SEE HOLLINGS, PAGE A10 $PBDI%BE#BOLFS 1VU+PTI.D(SFHPSPOZPVSUFBN Josh is one example of how our bank does business. His career, his work with young people, and his devotion to his family make 4VNUFSt.BOOJOHt4BOUFFt4VNNFSUPOt8ZCPP Josh who he is. 88FTNBSL#MWE 4VNUFS 4$ Just like Josh, our team works hard for our customers everyday. 803 469-0156 CBOLPGDMBSFOEPOCBOL A2 | SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Clarendon native named Troop 1 Trooper of the Year BY SHARRON HALEY During 2018, Welsh appre- Special to The Sumter Item hended 62 motorists who were driving under the influence COLUMBIA — A Clarendon while also serving as a field County native and graduate of training officer. He also assist- East Clarendon High School ed with traffic control during has been named South Caroli- the University of South Caroli- na Highway Patrol’s Trooper of na football games, a special as- the Year for Troop One at cere- signment that he did not allow monies held Wednesday in Co- to deter from his enforcement lumbia. efforts. Trooper First Class James C. “He is committed to remov- Welsh of Turbeville received ing DUI motorists from the the top honor for Troop One, roadways of South Carolina which covers Clarendon, Sum- and doing his part to reach the ter, Lee, Kershaw, Richland and goal of Target Zero,” they Lexington counties. added. “Trooper Cam Welsh has a Wednesday’s top honor isn’t true passion for saving lives,” the first award that Welsh has said Col. Chris Williamson. received during his career with “This is particularly evident in the SCHP. his work taking impaired driv- In 2015, Welsh was named ers off the roadway and his the Troop One Trooper of the performance as a drug recogni- Year for DUI Arrests after ap- tion expert for the department. prehending 119 motorists for In addition to his outstanding driving under the influence in performance of his duties, TFC 2015. Welsh has a positive attitude, is Welsh is a May 2014 graduate PHOTO PROVIDED always flexible and willing to of the Criminal Justice Acade- Trooper First Class James C. Welsh, center, of the South Carolina Highway Patrol was honored as the Troop- adjust his schedule to help with my and a 4.5-year veteran of er of the Year for Troop One at ceremonies held Wednesday in Columbia. Welsh, a graduate of East Claren- special enforcement efforts.” the SCHP. don High School, is shown with SCHP Col. Chris Williamson, left, and SCDPS Director Leroy Smith. Air Force Heritage Band to hold free concert Elks’ 37th Turkey Shoot begins Attorneys, new FROM STAFF REPORTS FROM STAFF REPORTS dards, movie music and pa- The United States Air triotic favorites. The Sumter Elks Lodge No. 855 is budget plan before Force Heritage of America For six decades, the band sponsoring its 37th-annual turkey shoot Concert Band, under the has educated, inspired and at 5 p.m. on Saturdays through June 29. leadership of Capt. Mi- entertained more than 1.5 Proceeds from the shoot will benefit area chael D. Hoerber, will per- million people annually by veterans. Sumter school form a free concert at 7:30 providing music for events The public is invited to participate in p.m. Tuesday at Patriot that support airmen and the charity events at the lodge, 1100 W. Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. their families, while inspir- Liberty St. Children must have adult su- board Monday The band is comprised of ing public patriotism and pervision. more than 40 professional enhancing esprit de corps The maximum barrel size permitted is BY BRUCE MILLS airmen musicians who among all the U.S. military 30 inches with a two-inch choke. No [email protected] tour throughout the East service branches. The mu- scopes or red dot sights are allowed. Do- Coast with a variety of or- sicians are stationed at nation for each round is $2.50, with a $10 Before its appeal hearing on state Superinten- chestral classics, marches, Joint Base Langley-Eustis prize for the winner of each round. dent Molly Spearman’s “fiscal emergency” decla- Broadway hits, jazz stan- in Hampton, Virginia. For information, call (803) 773-6324. ration on Tuesday, Sumter School District’s Board of Trustees will meet one more time on Monday night. A highlight item on the agenda — which was distributed Friday by a district spokeswoman — is the board’s executive session behind closed Lee County School District to hold its Spring Plant Sale doors for receipt of legal advice related to the ap- peal. Andrea White of Columbia-based White and SUBMITTED the Adopt-A-Highway program along Wisacky Story LLC is helping district administration and Get ready to spruce up that yard. Highway as one of their community service initia- the trustees in that appeal, which will include a Lee County School District is kicking off its tives.