Ex-school employee sues district for $5M Claims defamation, forced resignation, endangerment of current job BY BRUCE MILLS Cromer, Babb, Porter and Hicks Debbie Hamm and Chief Human WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 $1.00 [email protected] LLC, of Columbia, discussed re- Resources Officer John Kuomus SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 cently that Vivian “Libby” DuBose, are named in the suit for defama- A former Sumter School District the district’s former director of tion. employee accused last year in at early childhood education, filed a The suit has claims brought 3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES | VOL. 123, NO. 218 least one anonymous letter of mis- summons and complaint in late against multiple defendants for dif- use of programmatic funds has June against the district for defa- ferent reasons. Some of the case in- FOOD filed a lawsuit against the district mation after her separation from volves conduct before DuBose’s and others in an employment case. employment in 2017. Paul Porter, an attorney with Interim District Superintendent SEE LAWSUIT, PAGE A7 Train together to fight together If you love pimento cheese, bourbon and burgers, this recipe’s for you C4 PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM PANORAMA Officials with the Kazakhstan Army, the United States Army and the British Army listen during the closing ceremonies of Organic dairy farmers joint training during Exercise Steppe Eagle at Fort Jackson on Monday. vow to compete in Exercise Steppe Eagle builds bonds, armies tough market C1 between USARCENT and coalition forces BY KAYLA ROBINS tional level,” ARCENT Command [email protected] Sgt. Maj. Joseph Cornelison said. The annual exercise has been DEATHS, B6 By the time the five different na- held in Kazakhstan and across Eu- tional anthems finished playing in rope during the last decade, but Amie Carolyn Magazine Ruth a gym at the South Carolina Army this was the first time it was held Rebecca Mary Lee Ann Carter Holliday National Guard’s McCrady Train- in the United States. Shelby J. Driggers Floyd ing Center at Fort Jackson, the sol- Exercises like Steppe Eagle are Deacon Sam Larry Gibson diers had gained more than mili- important for ARCENT, Cornelison United States Henry Lee Alston tary operations training. They had said, because the United States is Lycenia Fortune Isaac gained partnered Emanuel Gene McCray knowledge with 20 coun- Barbara Jean Martin Johnson of different tries across cultures the region, and a broth- primarily in WEATHER, A10 erhood the Middle aimed at East, “work- NICE AND WARM continuing ing on collab- Partly sunny today; partly cloudy tonight peacekeep- orative efforts HIGH 89, LOW 68 ing efforts to make all of across the our countries world. bigger, faster Exercise and strong INSIDE CONTACT US Steppe militarily.” United Kingdom Classifieds B7 Info: 774-1200 Eagle 2018 “What Comics C2 Advertising: 774-1237 concluded we’ve deter- after 10 days A USO member serves food to a member of mined in the Food C4 Classifieds: 774-1200 on Monday, the Kazakhstan Army. United States Sports B1 Delivery: 774-1258 and soldiers is we’re not Opinion A9 News and Sports: from the U.S. Army Central, which going to do anything unilaterally, Panorama C1 774-1226 is headquartered at Shaw Air militarily, ever again. It’s a coali- Television C3 Force Base, the South Carolina Na- tion any time we operate anything tional Guard, the Arizona National across the globe. We’re stronger to- Guard, the United Kingdom, Tur- gether,” he said. “Our partners and VISIT US ONLINE AT the .com key, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan allies, when we train together, not gathered for a closing ceremony. only do we exchange military tech- The partnership training in- niques and procedures, but there’s volved “scenario-type exercises to a cultural exchange, too, so we bet- train the Kazakhs to work through ter understand each other, and, the process of peacekeeping opera- tions they’re going to have on a na- SEE EXERCISE, PAGE A7 Tajikistan Clients gain long-term perspective of hope from Crisis Relief Ministry BY KEVIN HOWELL Crisis Relief Ministry After surgery was performed a few without the stress of being without Special to The Sumter Item often experiences a months ago, she lost her voice tempo- electricity and air conditioning. How- deeper response from rarily. When her voice returned, it ever, it was our holistic approach that As the brunt of August’s high tem- clients every time we wasn’t the same. left her knowing what needed to peratures makes you feel like you provide financial as- She receives Social Security disabili- change in her life, steps she could take could fry an egg on the sidewalk and sistance toward an ty income for the spinal issue but to improve her circumstances and en- sends people running for shade, it’s electric bill final no- works as self-employed to supplement couragement that comes from caring easy to equate the finan- tice. It could be her income. Between the two incomes, people investing in her life. cial assistance we provide summed up in the word “hope.” she barely covers basic necessities. A material need was met, and one toward electric bills dur- When a single mother of two inter- Since the surgery, her income was more family was ensured of safe tem- ing the summer as simply viewed last week for just such a re- reduced in half since she cannot work peratures at home during the hottest providing air condition- quest, she shared how her world was and earn extra income. When she part of the summer. However, the cli- ing. turned upside down with a cancer di- came in for assistance, the financial ent’s perspective was greater. She had It would be the likely agnosis. Though she’s young, she has voucher from us was accompanied by hope for both today and the future. HOWELL first thought once some- had a lifelong battle with seizures be- lengthy counsel — from family mat- We at the Crisis Relief Ministry one received a final notice cause of a growth that presses her spi- ters to budgeting money and how to would never have the opportunity to and wasn’t able to pay it: “I can’t live nal cord. develop a long-term plan. talk about life with clients if the finan- in a house without air conditioning in Recently, she was told she had Her immediate need was met with cial resources were not there to assist. the summer!” throat cancer and tumors were the voucher and, for at least one bill- However, Sumter United Ministries’ wrapped around her vocal chords. ing cycle, she could breathe again SEE CARING, PAGE A7 A2 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Former Lee County sheriff’s deputy Banquet to raise funds for women’s facility charged with 5 counts of forgery The Sumter Behavioral Health Services Women’s Resi- dential Facility will be hosting BY ADRIENNE SARVIS Highway on April 22, April 27, April 28 former employee of Lee County Sheriff's its annual banquet at 7 p.m. [email protected] and April 29, respectively, according to a Office, who was fired in May 2011 after Saturday at the Love Covenant news release from the sheriff's office. an internal investigation determined she RAUCH Banquet Room, 245 Sumter County Sheriff's Office She also reportedly presented a forged broke agency policy by using her patrol Oswego Road, Sumter. charged a woman, 41, check for $800 at a bank on Broad Street vehicle outside of jurisdiction while off The speaker for the evening Tuesday with allegedly on Aug. 6. duty. festivities will be Rep. Wendy presenting five forged All five forged checks were drawn A Greenville County sheriff's deputy C. Brawley, D-Richland and checks totaling $1,775 at a from SAFE Federal Credit Union, states reported seeing Feagin's patrol vehicle Sumter counties. Sumter County conve- a release. parked outside of a nightclub in Green- This will be an evening of nience store and at a bank Feagin is charged with five counts of ville County on May 20, 2011. support for the Women’s Resi- earlier this year. forgery of less than $10,000. Feagin was suspended without pay for dential Center including food, Melissa G. Feagin, of Si- FEAGIN She was transported to Sumter-Lee three days and demoted from sergeant to the speaker and dancing. Tick- erra Street, is accused of Regional Detention Center where she is corporal before Lee County Sheriff ets are $25 per person in ad- presenting forged checks in awaiting a first appearance hearing. Danny Simon decided to terminate her vance, $35 at the door. All the amounts of $225, $210, $240 and $300 According to previous articles pub- employment with the agency following money raised will be used to at a convenience store on North Kings lished by The Sumter Item, Feagin is a the internal investigation. help support the women living at the residential center as they try to better their lives. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Sum- ter Behavioral Health Services SPCA reaches out to Drake Women's Residential Facility Sumter SPCA seems to be advertising to rapper Drake in its sign on at (803) 436-2462. Saturday. Drake sings "In My Feelings," in which he asks if Kiki loves him. The shelter has dozens of pets available for adoption. Sumter Alice Drive flow tests SPCA is at 1140 S. Guignard Drive, (803) 773-9292, and is open 11 scheduled for Thursday a.m.