Happy Mother’s Day! Sumter Item employees share some of their favorite photos of motherhood. - A2 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2019 $1.75 Sumter to observe National 634 CCTC grads receive surprise Central Carolina Technical College honored 634 stu- Police Week dents Friday graduating this year with a total of 759 degrees / certification Events to raise money, awards. Two ceremonies were held at Sumter County Civic Center. As icing on the honor fallen officers cake, the college formally BY DANNY KELLY recognized a mascot — the [email protected] Central Carolina Technical College Titan. Officials said Next week is National Police Week, and Sumter the mascot will help the County is participating in the annual event with college in its marketing and several events of its own. branding efforts. “Each one of the Police Week activi- PHOTOS BY BRUCE MILLS / ties (in the past) has been greatly sup- THE SUMTER ITEM ported by the community,” Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said. “I think that shows, especially here in Sumter County, that there is a good relationship between law enforce- DENNIS ment and the community.” National Police Week started in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating the week of May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is now known as National Police Week, to honor those who have given their lives in the line of duty. To kick off National Police Week, Sumter Police Department and Sumter County Sheriff’s Office will hold the 2019 National Police Week Golf Tour- nament at the Links at Lakewood on Monday, May 13. The format is a four-man captain’s choice. Reg- istration begins at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. The tournament is limited to 20 teams, with a fee of $200 per team. “There are still a few slots left,” SPD Public In- formation Officer Tonyia McGirt said. Those interested can register up until Monday morning. SEE POLICE, PAGE A9 Sumter organizations receive $18K during Midlands Gives Online giving day for 415 nonprofits in 11 counties breaks $2 million for 1st time BY KAYLA ROBINS many diverse communities come to- MONEY RAISED IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA [email protected] gether to lift up the Midlands,” said JoAnn Turnquist, president and CEO SUMTER CART Fund: $701 The time-span of the fundraiser of CCCF, which organized the giving Saving Sumter’s Strays: $4,059 Sumter County Gallery of Art: $656 may have shortened, but the giving challenge. Sumter County Museum: $3,407 Sumter Habitat for Humanity Inc.: $525 was so big it broke records. Since its inception, CCCF has Sumter United Ministries: $3,167 Ragin Preparatory Christian Academy: $83 Midlands Gives broke its all-time raised more than $9.3 million for hun- record when it raised an estimated dreds of local nonprofits. In 2018, Freedom Rings Rescue: $2,100 CLARENDON $2,028,966 via 14,272 individual gifts Midlands Gives raised $1.7 million via #WeBall4Destin Foundation: $1,944 JCMC-Haven of Rest: $3,958 that were donated to 415 nonprofits in 14,664 gifts. The year before that, the Sumter Family YMCA: $1,000 Forgotten Tails Animal Rescue Inc.: $1,865 the 11-county territory served by the group raised $1.6 million via 13,765 Sumter Little Theatre: $747 RBA Corp.: $52 Central Carolina Community Foun- gifts. The inaugural year in 2014 col- dation. The online giving challenge lected $704,932 via 5,186 gifts for 150 took place over an 18-hour period on charities. May 7, down from a 24-hour period in Midlands Gives is one of almost 100 gifts. sponsored prizes in Midlands Gives previous years. giving days that take place across the During Midlands Gives, Dominion history. Corporate Philanthropy “It’s exciting to see what happens nation throughout the year. In 2015 Energy doubled both of their incen- Champions — including Dominion when nonprofits, the business com- and 2016, it ranked in the top 10 in the tive prizes, increasing the total prizes munity and givers from across so country in number of individual to $194,500 — the largest number of SEE MIDLANDS, PAGE A9 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B6 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Mark Lee Wilder Dollie Mae Carter STORMY SUNDAY 4 SECTIONS, 26 PAGES the .com VOL. 124, NO. 145 Margaret Campbell Phelps Joseph Simon Warm today but storms around Clara Mae Cureton Chambers Frances Oxendine with flooding possible; tonight, Classifieds C4 Reflections C2 Mary Fairlane Still Roberts James Simmons showers and storms lingering. Comics D1 Sports B1 Merrell Shear Daniel Thomas Stacey HIGH 83, LOW 65 Opinion A11 Television A10 Dean Johnson Outdoors C1 Yesteryear C3 For more than 75 years, the Iris Festival has been providing entertainment, arts & crafts, great food and family fun! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! SUMTER at Swan Lake Iris Gardens Memorial Day Weekend MORE INFO AT IRISFESTIVAL.ORG A2 | SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] S.C. taxpayers claim $1.8M of gas tax credit BY KAYLA ROBINS ceive a benefit for the increase fee was $15.21, according to the data. The TO CLAIM THE CREDIT: [email protected] they pay at the pump,” SCDOR Direc- average credit is expected to rise next Taxpayers should save all South Car- tor Hartley Powell said in a news re- year because of the increased motor olina receipts of gas purchases and ve- More than 120,000 South Carolina lease. “We expect more taxpayers to fuel user fee that goes into effect this hicle maintenance expenses, whether taxpayers received a total of $1.8 mil- file for this credit as the fee increases summer. by pump receipt, credit card state- lion in tax credits because they lis- again next year.” Eligible taxpayers can get a credit ments or invoices. Since gas pump re- tened when they were told at the be- The numbers are preliminary be- on the lesser of the increase in the ceipts can become illegible over time, ginning of 2018 to keep their gas re- cause taxpayers filing extensions have motor fuel user fee, which is paid taxpayers may want to photocopy their ceipts. until October 15 to submit their tax re- when you purchase gas, or preventa- receipts. The receipts are not to be sent Preliminary South Carolina Depart- turn. tive maintenance costs during the to the SCDOR, but taxpayers should ment of Revenue data as of May 3 show The $1.8 million in credits was same year. save them for their records. 120,585 taxpayers have received claimed in 77,744 returns and amounts The credit is available for expenses The gas receipts should show the $1,834,727 in motor fuel income tax cred- to 4.5% of the 2018 cap, which increas- tied to a vehicle registered in South number of gallons purchased in South its, well below the $40 million cap set by es in 2019 to $65 million. Carolina in the name of a resident tax- Carolina. The maintenance receipts lawmakers for the credit’s first year. According to the data provided by payer. The qualifying gas or mainte- should show the car model, amount The credit went into effect in Janu- the SCDOR, the group that filed for nance work must be purchased in and type of work performed in South ary to offset the increased motor fuel motor fuel income tax credits in- South Carolina. Carolina. fee established by the General Assem- cludes: From July 1, 2017, when the motor The credit is claimed on the I-385, bly in the South Carolina Infrastruc- • 43,011 married couples filing joint fuel user fee increased, through available at www.dor.sc.gov/forms and ture and Economic Development Re- returns; March 2019, more than $615 million included in many vendor’s online filing form Act. The $0.02 per gallon in- • 22,902 single taxpayers; has been deposited in the state Infra- products. crease began on July 1, 2017 and will • 2,355 married couples filing single structure Maintenance Trust Fund, For more information about the increase by the same amount every returns; and including $172.4 million in increased motor fuel income tax credit including year on July 1 until 2022, according to • 9,262 head of household returns. motor fuel user fee revenues, accord- Q&As, guidance and examples regard- the S.C. Department of Revenue. The average credit per return was ing to figures from the South Carolina ing the provisions of the tax credit, “This credit allows taxpayers to re- $23.65, while the average per taxpayer Department of Transportation. check out SC Revenue Ruling #17-6. Executive editor Kayla Robins and her mom, Jodi Robins Copy editor and page designer Newsroom clerk Sandra Holbert Melanie Smith is held by her and her mom, Ann McJunkin Ann Johnson, mother of Cary How- mom, Nancy Byer. ard, creative director The Sumter Item honors Customer service represen- its mothers tative Jordan Barton, with FROM STAFF REPORTS her mom, Stacy Barton It’s Mother’s Day and to Newsroom manager fit the occasion we, at The Rhonda Barrick and her Sumter Item, wanted to do mom, Verena Matthews something unique in the Chief digital officer Micah paper. First, we wanted to Green and his mom, Rhonda News reporter Bruce Mills and his mom, Martha Mills show you — our readers — Green that we are humans, too, and we have moms! Secondly, and perhaps Customer most importantly, we want- service man-- ed to honor our moms or ager Kathy the mothers in the office Stafford, with their children and/or right, with grandchildren.