PANORAMA: How old is your pet in dog or cat years? C1 Another side to the bacon craze Secret video shows abuse of pigs on SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 farms, highlights common practices WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018 $1.00 A6 City’s audit No terms expired on shows growth financially Manning committee BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] Council calls meeting to fill an expired term City of Sumter received a positive opin- ion in its audit report for fiscal year 2016- BY SHARRON HALEY The agenda for the cil meetings. 17, according to an independent auditor’s Special to The Sumter Item meeting was received Four items are listed on the agen- report from Sheheen, Hancock & Godwin by The Sumter Item at da: a welcome and introductory re- LLP. MANNING — Manning City 4:53 p.m. Tuesday, marks from Mayor Julia Nelson; The report states the city’s financial Council will hold a special called meeting the state Free- approval of the agenda; discussion statements for its $62.58 million 2016-17 meeting at 5:30 p.m. today to fill an dom of Information of the Municipal Grievance Com- budget fairly present the respective fi- expired term on the city’s Griev- Act’s requirement of mittee to replace an expired term nancial position of governmental activi- SHAFFER ance Committee, though public re- at least a 24-hour no- ending June 30, 2018; and adjourn- ties for the fiscal year that ended on June cords appear to show none of the tice before any meet- ment. 31, 2017. committee members’ terms are ex- ings, including special called meet- pired. ings, committee meetings or coun- SEE COUNCIL, PAGE A4 SEE AUDIT, PAGE A4 Can you recognize Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease? Common illness can keep kids out of school BY ADRIENNE SARVIS enpox with small red dots on [email protected] the body. As parents prepare to go shopping WHAT IS HAND, FOOT for school supplies, they should add AND MOUTH DISEASE? an extra bottle of hand sanitizer to It is a common viral infection, the shopping list to help prevent the caused by several different virus- spread of illnesses that could keep es, that usually affects infants children out of school. One illness parents should be SEE DISEASE, PAGE A4 aware of is Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, which could resemble Chick- HOW CAN I TELL IF I OR MY CHILD HAVE IT? Symptoms of hand, foot, and Hand, Foot and Mouth mouth disease often include: Disease is usually caused • Fever by two strains of entero- • Reduced appetite viruses: coxsackievirus • Sore throat A16 and enterovirus 71. • Feeling unwell The strain at left is • Painful mouth sores that enterovirus. usually begin as flat red spots • Rash of flat red spots that may blister on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and sometimes the knees, elbows, buttocks and/or genital area. These symptoms usually appear in stages, not all at once. Not everyone will have all of these symptoms. Some people may show no symptoms at all, but they can still pass the virus to others. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Reasons behind clients’ requests touching, ministry director says BY BRUCE MILLS As the sum- help them. “We talked to a woman who hol addiction, and he had ne- [email protected] mer tempera- Howell recently explained lost her full-time job after an glected to pay the power bill tures climb, though many of the Crisis Re- emergency hysterectomy and for months. Thanks to donations to energy bills lief Ministry’s requests are re- recovery lasted longer than “As she is picking up the Summer of Caring, Sumter are soaring to lated to electric final notices, her allowed medical leave,” pieces of her life and asking, United Ministries’ Crisis Re- peak levels, the reasons behind the re- Howell said. “She’s complete- ‘What’s next for me?’, we en- lief Ministry is able to answer he said, and quests are often very different. ly without income now.” couraged her and provided fi- the call when a crisis arises in many of the He noted just in the last Howell shared the story of nancial assistance,” Howell the life of one of our neigh- ministry’s clients are unable week, the ministry has en- another woman the ministry said. bors, according to director to keep up with bills and turn countered a wide variety of talked with after she discov- Kevin Howell. to the caring community to situations facing clients. ered her husband had an alco- SEE CARING, PAGE A4 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B6 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Sarah Whitfield Gibson STORMY 3 SECTIONS, 32 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 VOL. 123, NO. 203 Pearly Rose Dyson Johnson Partly sunny with a Classifieds: 774-1200 Mary Elizabeth Hamer Stevens Delivery: 774-1258 thunderstorm; cloudy Classifieds B8 Opinion A9 News and Sports: 774-1226 tonight with storms possible Comics C2 Panorama C1 HIGH 87, LOW 73 Sports B1 Television C3 A2 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Palmetto Voices to present 12th free concert Performance will include lowing a successful tenure — and a Palmetto Voices has also been se- WANT TO GO? Grammy Award — at Lakewood High lected to perform on Oct. 25 for the classical and the spirituals WHERE: Trinity United Methodist Church, 226 School, explained. South Carolina American Choral Di- W. Liberty St. He said, “This group is more than rectors conference in Charleston. WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday just an organization or a musical en- Sepulveda received her bachelor of BY IVY MOORE semble. We are a family and literally COST: Free music education degree and her mas- Special to The Sumter Item a group of lifelong friends. Many of ter of music degree in choral con- TO HEAR PERFORMANCES BY PALMETTO our members are leaders in various ducting from Winthrop University. The Palmetto Voices Spiritual En- VOICES: Visit http://bit.ly/2utSHY0 and http://bit. professions from bank executives She also holds a doctor of musical ly/2v4zUUw semble will present its 12th-annual and project managers to college pro- arts degree in conducting from the free concert in Sumter at 7:30 p.m. fessors and retired school adminis- University of South Carolina. Sepul- Saturday at Trinity United Methodist trators. Although we are a profes- veda is currently the director of cho- Church. The concert comes three Powell is recognized as one of the sional performing group on a nation- ral activities and professor of music weeks after several of the vocalists country’s premier composers of cho- al level, the ensemble provides us a theory at Salem College, Winston-Sa- performed in the 14th Annual Festival ral music. platform to exercise our gifts and tal- lem, North Carolina. of the Aegean in Syros, Greece. Most of the songs will be “the spiri- ents as a personal hobby as well … . She works frequently as a choral Sumter native Sonja Sepulveda di- tuals, which we’re known for, and (That) balances out our somewhat adjudicator, clinician and director of rected the chorus that also included we’ll pepper in some gospel songs demanding and stressful lives as pro- honor choirs. Her choirs have toured the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus and that have an upbeat and powerful fessionals in our own various fields Europe, Mexico and Canada and have Salem College Choirs. She said sever- message,” Sepulveda said. and career.” performed at the National Cathedral, al of the pieces the Palmetto Voices Palmetto Voices is known for its Sepulveda said Johnson is one of Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, South will sing are those they included in dedication to preserving the legacy of the soloists for Saturday’s concert. Carolina Music Educators Associa- the festival in Greece. the spiritual. Sepulveda and many She said, “He’ll sing a new solo, ‘My tion, National and Southern Ameri- “We sang in St. Nicholas Church,” members of the ensemble have been God is So High,’ and Shonda English can Choral Directors Association, Na- Sepulveda said. “We did some African involved since the group started in will play piano and sing.” tional Association for Music Educa- music, some gospel.” 2006. Byron Barr and English will also be tion, Lincoln Center and many other Sepulveda said Saturday’s concert What keeps them coming back from featured on “That Old Time Religion,” prestigious venues. will also include “a little classical their current homes around the U.S.? arranged by Moses Hogan. Palmetto Voices Spiritual Ensemble music, like Rosaphanye Powell’s Non Longtime member Herbert John- The program will close, as it does will present a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Nobis Domine, which she composed son, soon to assume duties as the as- traditionally, with Robert Ray’s “He Saturday at Trinity United Methodist and conducted for Auburn Universi- sistant professor of music and direc- Never Failed Me Yet,” featuring Eng- Church, 226 W. Liberty St., Sumter. ty.” tor of choirs for Morris College fol- lish and Beth Tuten. The public is invited to attend. Senior airman was 1st female to serve in her military-centered family Why I Serve, presented by With These How is it to both be in the military? “We Hands Natural Gourmet Foods, is a have unique challenges because it's a monthly series that brings you a little more uncommon. My husband is glimpse into the life of a different mili- on remote tour in Korea, and I'm at tary service member stationed at Shaw Shaw.