IN SPORTS: Duke’s Zion Williamson enters NBA draft B1 1,200 die of measles in Madagascar, illness spreads in N.Y. A4 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 75 CENTS Residents wrote to support Spearman Of 18 letters and emails, 16 in favor intendent of Education Molly ing out the school board for better, than the current Spearman and state depart- its recent actions were six school board’s behavior. In ap- of state education superintendent’s ment staff before the district’s teachers or former teachers, pealing the state superinten- appeal hearing with the state the Sumter Development dent’s declaration, the trust- Board of Education last week Board, Mayor Joe McElveen ees allowed the district to decision on school district finances showed 18 total emails and/or and Sumter County Council incur at least about $20,000 in letters from Sumter residents Chairman Jim McCain. attorneys’ fees, according to BY BRUCE MILLS ous local residents have made or agencies. Of those, 16 were In general, those in support information obtained previ- [email protected] their feelings known to the in support of Spearman de- of Spearman called for the ously by The Sumter Item. state Department of Educa- claring a fiscal emergency in state board to uphold her fis- State Department of Edu- In the weeks since Sumter tion. Sumter School District. Two cal emergency declaration in cation spokesman Ryan School District’s Board of A review by The Sumter emails were in favor of the the district from Feb. 27 and Brown also said he was told Trustees voted to reopen Item of official written corre- school board. wrote that Sumter residents numerous other emails were Mayewood Middle School and spondence by letters and Among the 16 favoring the and business/industry want the state intervened, numer- email directed to state Super- state superintendent and call- better, and students deserve SEE SUPPORT, PAGE A5 McMaster: ‘Fritz’ Hollings ‘The more was ‘among the best of us’ everything pointed to James’ Slain Sumterite’s father, boyfriend speak about ex convicted in case BY KEN BELL Special to The Sumter Item He asked the judge for the maximum penalty as a sentence for his daughter’s murder, and he got it. John Bates said he and the family of Suzette “Suzy” Ginther were concerned that anything less than a life sentence for James Ginther III would cause a safety concern when he got out. Ginther III was found guilty last week of kidnapping and murder in the death of his ex-wife, a 27-year-old Sumterite who never showed up one November 2017 morning to her Columbia job at PetSmart. He was sentenced to spend the rest of his natural life in prison. Bates said the family had discussed PHOTOS BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS several scenarios before the sentence A member of the public prays over the casket of former U.S. Sen. Ernest “Fritz” Hollings as his casket lies in repose on the sec- was handed down. ond-floor lobby of the South Carolina Statehouse on Monday in Columbia. “Our main concern was for her safe- ty,” he said, referring to his former wife, Hundreds pay respects to former S.C. representative at Statehouse Eileen Bates. “The children are with her. We are comfortable with the sen- BY MEG KINNARD lings’ casket, pausing to view a tence. Everyone in the family believes The Associated Press board showing photos dating back divine intervention helped solve the to Hollings’ days at The Citadel and case so quickly.” COLUMBIA — Friends, col- Army service during World War II. He said his daughter’s disappearance leagues and longtime admirers re- Afterward, the Republican governor and ultimate death still haunt him. membered Ernest F. “Fritz” Hol- recalled Hollings as a figure for “I wake up in the middle of the night lings on Monday as a hard-working whom representation of the state wondering what if we never found her,” campaigner and representative who transcended political party at times. he said. “I know the horror we went served South Carolina, in one way “I think we ought to remember through, and my heart goes out to the or another, for 50 years. that politics is a part of life, but it’s families whose loved ones are never More than 100 mourners filed not all of life,” McMaster told re- found.” past the casket of the former South porters. “Fritz worked hard. He cam- Bates said it didn’t take long for, at Carolina governor and longtime paigned hard, but he did a great job, least in his mind, James Ginther to be- U.S. senator as it lay in repose in the and I’m proud to have known him. ... come a prime suspect. South Carolina Capitol, in a second- He was among the best of us.” “I hadn’t heard from him in about 11 floor lobby between the House and McMaster is expected to speak at months, and then he texts me at 8:42 Senate chambers. Surrounded by an Hollings’ funeral at The Citadel a.m. on the day she goes missing? When honor guard and draped in an today. House Majority Whip Jim he started texting me about it, it con- American flag, the casket lay before Clyburn of South Carolina, a Sum- cerned me,” Bates said. a smiling portrait of Hollings, be- ter native, and former Vice Presi- Asked if the family ever suspected stowing his wide, trademark smile. dent Joe Biden, Hollings’ longtime Billy Parker, the man his daughter had Hollings died April 6 at his home desk mate in the U.S. Senate, are been dating for two years at the time of on Isle of Palms at age 97. also scheduled to deliver eulogies. her disappearance, Bates quickly re- Hollings helped shepherd South On Sunday, relatives, friends and plied, “Never.” Carolina through desegregation as former colleagues paid their re- He said he was relieved his daughter governor before embarking on his The casket carrying former U.S. Sen. Er- spects at a Charleston funeral had found a good man to help raise her long and colorful career in the Sen- nest “Fritz” Hollings is carried up the home. children, who she had with Ginther, and ate, from which he retired in 2005 steps of the South Carolina Statehouse Running for governor in 1958, Hol- to spend the rest of her life with. after six terms. At that point, the on Monday in Columbia. lings initially campaigned against “I’ve never seen Suzy as happy as she Democrat had served 38 years and desegregation, later building a na- was with her children and (Parker),” two months, making him the eighth Following Hollings’ family, Gov. tional reputation as a moderate on Bates said. “I know he would have never longest-serving senator in U.S. his- Henry McMaster and his wife, tory. Peggy, were the first to file past Hol- SEE HOLLINGS, PAGE A5 SEE TRIAL, PAGE A5 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Suzanne Matthews Sammie Anderson Ann Johnson Brown BEAUTIFUL DAY 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES the .com Funderburke Elijah Phillips Jacob Thames VOL. 124, NO. 127 Sunny and beautiful Randal Swinton Joseph Hart Mildred T. Anthony B6 B1 Shelby Compton Willie Edward Lloyd Sr. Queen Brunson today; moonlit Classifieds Sports A7 A8 James H. Lowery Leroy McDonald Rosa Lee Blanding sky tonight Comics Television Carolyn Prioleau Elleby Margie Huges HIGH 74, LOW 51 Opinion A9 Pattie Jefferson Gibson Shamur Tyrek Wells A2 | TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] USC Sumter presents contemporary Shakespeare comedy BY IVY MOORE into the audience, who sit on three the death of her brother. The young speare comedies. “It has the best Special to The Sumter Item sides. Shakespeare’s language is Viola falls in love with Orsino, who characters.” also intact. The actors are dressed is tricked into thinking Olivia loves The cast of “Twelfth Night” com- Cross dressing, mistaken identi- in raincoats and slickers. him. With disguises and dissem- prises Andrew Lawrence as the ties, gender bending, love triangles “It’s a ‘carnival’ or ‘festival’ play,” bling and with additional charac- Duke Orsino; Philip Parker as Oliv- and more – all are elements of Wil- Bucker said. “The conceit is a ters finding love — though the ia; Colton Rivers as Malvolio and liam Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night, bunch of commuters stuck in the matches might be inappropriate and Valentine; Destiny Edwards as or What You Will,” to be presented rain until the jester shows up. It are prone to change — the plot be- Maria; Jazmyne Jacobs as Sir Toby Friday and Saturday at the Univer- pops then.” comes more and more convoluted. Belch; Faith Litchfield as Feste; sity of South Carolina Sumter. The Twelfth Night — the 12th and Bucker noted that “Shakespeare Emily Courson as Viola; Taylor play will be performed twice Friday final day of Christmas — “is a was not a realistic playwright. You Parker as Sebastian; Ethan Hall as and again on Saturday by Dr. Park break from routine,” Bucker ex- can do Shakespeare in your back- Antonio; and Bucker as Sir Andrew Bucker’s Shakespeare in Perfor- plained. “Rules are relaxed, and the yard. In Shakespeare, anybody can and the Sea Captain. mance class’ Theatre 181. world is turned upside down. play any part. Everybody has a “Twelfth Night” will be presented Bucker, who directs the play, has Things do get out of hand.” good part.” at 2 and 7 p.m. Friday and at 2 p.m.