INSIDE: After Britain leaves the European Union, what’s next? A6 Thinking about voting absentee? Sumter County Voter Registration Office, 141 N. Main St., will be open from 9 a.m. to noon today to allow voters to cast absentee ballots for Tuesday’s Primary Election Runoff. For more information, call (803) 436-2310. SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Unemployment continues to drop in S.C. ing new facilities in the state. This has much steady as she goes,” said Rich- led to another record high employ- ard Kaglic, regional research econo- Tri-county area reflects trend ment month, meaning more people mist with Federal Reserve Bank of are able to provide for themselves and Richmond. BY JIM HILLEY South Carolina Department of Em- their families.” Kaglic said the vast majority of in- [email protected] ployment and Workforce. The rate was The number of people employed in- creasing payroll numbers in South 6.1 percent in May 2015. creased by 2,988 to 2,184,782 during the Carolina is from the private sector and The addition of nearly 3,000 jobs “I continue to be encouraged to see month and by 71,401 in the past year, is broad-based. and a drop of more than 1,500 people the commitment businesses are mak- according to seasonally adjusted num- “(There was) a little softness in in the labor force helped the South ing to South Carolina,” said Cheryl bers released. trade, transportation and utilities and Carolina unemployment rate drop to Stanton, executive director of the de- The number of unemployed people financial services but nothing major,” 5.6 percent in May, down from 5.8 per- partment. “They trust that we can dropped by 4,493 for the month and he said. “Year-over-year employment cent in April, according to seasonally provide them with skilled workers as 7,243 from May 2015. adjusted numbers released Friday by they create jobs by expanding or open- “In South Carolina, it is pretty SEE JOBS, PAGE A3 Penny Dancing with the band at Fourth Friday projects managed in house Sumter, Richland take different approaches BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] In light of the legal battle between South Carolina De- partment of Revenue and Richland County regarding the issuance of penny sales tax funds, Sumter County Ad- ministrator Gary Mixon ex- plained Sumter’s process for managing penny projects and funds. During the past couple of months, DOR and Richland have filed lawsuits against one another after DOR refused to transfer penny sales tax money to Richland until the county conducts its penny sales program properly. DOR accuses Richland of having improper relationships between county decision-mak- ers and contractors and for using funds for things other than approved uses. Sumter County receives KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM penny sales tax funds from Members of the crowd dance along with Too Much Sylvia during the Fourth Friday concert at the downtown green space. Concerts will DOR every quarter and proj- continue until September. ects are managed in house, Mixon said. Downtown Development Manager Howie Owens han- dles downtown projects; Sum- ter County Public Works Di- rector Eddie Newman and as- Assistant principal named finalist sistant director Karen Hyatt manage transportation proj- ects; Sumter Planning Depart- ment Director George Mc- Ivey 1 of 34 in national Einstein program Gregor and senior transporta- tion planner Allan Yu manage BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY As one of the leaders of Alice Drive, intersection projects; Sumter [email protected] Ivey worked with the administration County Recreation and Parks and teachers in helping the school be- Director Phil Parnell manages Alice Drive Middle School assistant come one of only two schools in the recreation projects; and Sum- principal Trevor T. Ivey was recently state, and one of 12 in the nation, to re- ter Economic Development named as a finalist for the national Al- ceive an AdvancED certification for CEO and President Jay bert Einstein Distinguished Educator being a STEM school in May 2015. Schwedler manages economic Fellowship Program. Ivey is one of 34 Ivey was a 2014 finalist for South Car- development projects funded science, technology, engineering and olina State Teacher of the Year, 2014 through the penny sales tax. math educators nationwide to be select- South Carolina Honor Roll Teacher of Mixon said the officials meet ed for the honor. the Year, 2013 Sumter School District once a month to discuss the Fellowship recipients are placed in a Teacher of the Year and 2013 Alice Drive status of projects. federal agency, such as the U.S. Depart- Middle School Teacher of the Year. The county does not use out- ment of Energy, National Science Agen- Ivey, a Lakewood High School gradu- SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO side consultants or companies, cy or NASA, in the nation’s capital for ate, earned a bachelor’s degree in ele- Jeannie Pressley, right, principal of Alice which could be part of the 11 months to assist in informing on na- mentary education from USC Upstate. Drive Middle School, hugs and congratu- issue with Richland which tional science, technology, engineering He went on to earn two master’s of edu- lates Trevor Ivey for being named one of uses private corporations to and math education efforts, according to cation degrees, one from Lesley Univer- five finalists in the State Teacher of the assist in the management of a news release from the University of sity with a concentration in technology Year Program in March 2013. projects, he said. South Carolina Upstate. in education and one from Harvard Uni- Another difference that sets Ivey, who also serves as an adjunct in- versity with a concentration in educa- School, Cherryvale Elementary School Sumter apart from Richland is structor in the school of education at tion policy and management. He also and Alice Drive Middle School. He also that Sumter County is not University of South Carolina Upstate, earned an education specialist degree has taught math at Sumter County dealing with the same amount has gone through the interview process from South Carolina State University. Adult Education and sixth-grade sci- and will find out in late summer if he is Ivey has been an educator for 10 years ence at Achievement First in New York SEE PENNY, PAGE A3 one of the recipients of the fellowship. and has taught at High Hills Elementary City. VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, A7 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Joe Nathan Preston Sr. Nathaniel Joe EXPECT SOME RAIN 2 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES the .com VOL. 121, NO. 211 Ethelea B. Watson Pearl F. Pringle A shower and a thunderstorm Rev. Malachi Gibson Robert Andrews possible today; mostly cloudy Classifieds B7 Reviews A5 Helen D. Buddin Richard F. Martin and humid tonight. Comics B6 Television A4 Leon Samuels HIGH 93, LOW 72 A2 | SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Sheriff’s deputy retires after 40 years of service BY KEN BELL iff’s office once a week for the sheriff’s office, there were getting out of bed and dread- ture for a long time. Special To The Sumter Item joint meetings and liked what four deputies covering Sumter ing putting on my uniform. “He was a huge asset to our he saw. County. I’m really going to miss it.” office," Dennis said. "Frank is Capt. Frank Thompson re- “I decided I’d just ask him “If you had a situation, you Thompson eventually be- an excellent trainer and some- tired from Sumter County every week until had to handle it yourself,” he came a training officer and one who loves law enforce- Sheriff’s Office on Thursday he hired me — said. “I was the hero because served under four sheriffs ment. He really will be after 40 years in law enforce- and that’s what you had to be or you got hurt.” during his time as a deputy. missed.” ment. happened,” The closest call of Thomp- For the person considering Thompson said he plans to Thompson developed a love Thompson said. son’s career came when a a career in law enforcement, take up some hobbies in re- of law enforcement after first After four man got his gun from him and Thompson advised, “Law en- tirement. riding along with his brother- weeks of asking, pointed it at his stomach forcement is good if that is "I’m going to go fishing for in-law, a police officer, on pa- THOMPSON he got the job threatening to kill him. what someone really wants to the first time in a long time," trols. For years he scheduled with the sheriff’s But the officer was able to do. But I’d say, get an educa- he said. "I also bought our his vacation to be able to ride office. recapture his weapon and end tion first. Set a goal of what family farm after mom and along with his brother-in-law Thompson said that the the situation without blood- you want to be and then work dad died. I think I’m going to on the night shift. chief deputy, when told to shed. toward that goal.” do a little work on the farm. Thompson’s career in law hire him, said: “I thought he Despite the danger and Sumter County Sheriff It’s going to be different, and I enforcement began as a game already worked here.” pressures of the job, Thomp- Anthony Dennis said sure will miss everybody. But warden. He went to the sher- When Thompson began at son said, “I never remember Thompson has been a fix- it’s time for me to go.” University of Passing the gavel South Carolina approves largest hike in 5 years COLUMBIA (AP) — Univer- sity of South Carolina has passed its biggest tuition hike in five years.