Fire in the hole! Shaw team blows up old explosives A3 THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents 4 schools will become 2 PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM Sumter School District Board of Trustees voted Tuesday night 5-3 to close Mayewood Middle School and F.J. DeLaine Elementary School at the end of this school year. Mayewood will be consolidated into R.E. Davis Elementary School, and F.J. DeLaine will consolidate into Cherryvale Elementary School. School board votes 5-3 to pass OFFICIAL ENROLLMENT TRENDS revised consolidation proposal School 2001-02 2006-07 2016-17 This year 2018-19 projection % change Mayewood 263 180 153 141 135 (-48.7%) F.J. DeLaine 230 176 149 110 107 (-53.5%) BY BRUCE MILLS miles away, as a combined K-5 elementary magnet school. Source: S.C. Department of Education, official spring enrollment totals. Mayewood’s totals represent 6th through 8th grade; [email protected] DeLaine’s totals are Kindergarten through 5th grade. The consolidated Cherryvale In a 5-3 split vote, Sumter will have a science, technolo- (Projections for next year from Sumter School District) School District’s Board of gy, engineering, arts and Trustees passed the district math concentration. administration’s revised con- The five board members solidation pro- who voted in favor of NAACP legal arm concerned with process posal on Tuesday Hamm’s revised proposal night to close two were Johnny Hilton, William low-enrollment Byrd, Bonnie Disney, Lucille Letter highlights at-large board members, ‘rushed’ decision-making schools and McQuilla and the Rev. Ralph merge them into Canty. BY BRUCE MILLS The legal defense fund School and F.J. DeLaine Ele- other larger The three board members [email protected] also said in its letter it is mentary School at the end HAMM schools in the who voted against the motion concerned with the electoral of this school year and con- same general were Barbara Jackson — who The NAACP Legal Defense changes that occurred last solidate those students and areas of the county. represents the district in Fund based in New York has year in Sumter County to teachers into nearby schools With the vote in favor of In- which Mayewood is; Linda expressed concern to Sum- specially appoint two at- to create magnet schools terim Superintendent Debbie Alston — who represents the ter School District officials large board members to the with special programming. Hamm’s revised proposal, district in which F.J. DeLaine and local and state elected school board. Sumter’s legis- The vote was 5-3, with one Mayewood Middle School in is; and board Chairman the leaders regarding the dis- lative delegation appointed absent. the eastern portion of the Rev. Daryl McGhaney, who trict administration’s school the members —William Aden said Wednesday af- county and F.J. DeLaine Ele- had asked at a previous meet- consolidation proposal pro- Byrd and Bonnie Disney — ternoon those two votes mentary School in Wedge- ing to slow the process of de- cess. on July 31, 2017. weighed heavily in the out- field will close at the end of ciding what to do down. Leah Aden, senior counsel Both of their spots will be come and that her agency is this school year. Board member Karen Mi- for the fund, distributed a up for public vote for the still reviewing the electoral Mayewood will consolidate chalik didn’t attend Tuesday’s letter of concern on its be- first time in the November changes in Sumter to ensure into R.E. Davis Elementary meeting, which was conduct- half and on behalf of a local general election. they comply with federal School, two miles away, next ed at Lakewood High School nonprofit agency on Friday On Tuesday night, both laws and do not violate the school year as a K-8 magnet in front of about 40 communi- night detailing both agen- Byrd and Disney voted in civil rights of anyone affect- school, and F.J. DeLaine will ty members, because of an cies’ concern with what she favor of Interim Superinten- ed. consolidate into Cherryvale described as a “rushed” pro- dent Debbie Hamm’s propos- Elementary School, three SEE CLOSINGS, PAGE A5 cess. al to close Mayewood Middle SEE NAACP, PAGE A5 Tuomey’s Dickerson wins award half in 2017. Central lines are tubes on venous thromboembolism prophy- Doctor honored for his that doctors may place in a large vein laxis in 2013, the hospital was 89 per- in the neck, chest or groin to give cent compliant in the Intensive Care work combatting errors medication or fluids or to collect blood Unit and 56 percent compliant outside for medical tests. Central lines are dif- the ICU. Dickerson formed a team that SUBMITTED BY PALMETTO ferent from IVs because they access a created a respected in-house VTE risk HEALTH TUOMEY major vein that is close to the heart assessment that is still in use. Tuom- and can remain in place for weeks or ey’s current VTE prophylaxis rates Dr. Gene Dickerson, physician exec- months. This long-term implantation are 100 percent in the ICU and 94 per- utive at Palmetto Health Tuomey, was is what can lead to an infection in the cent outside ICU. named the recipient of this year’s line if proper precautions are not con- Palmetto Health Tuomey Nurse Ex- Lewis Blackman Award for his “dili- stantly and aggressively maintained. ecutive Terrie Carlton calls Dickerson gent and relentless work” to establish To combat these risks, Dickerson “a transformational leader who is measurable ways to combat potential began championing hands-on training very passionate about creating a posi- medical errors within the hospital, ac- for improved insertion and mainte- tive and healthy culture of safety for cording to a news release from Pal- nance techniques. He advocated for our organization. He continues to be a metto Health. caregivers to remain current in their leader who encourages all team mem- PHOTO PROVIDED This prestigious award highlights knowledge of delivering care. He also bers to speak up and take an active Dr. Gene Dickerson consults with Jamie Dickerson’s passion for excellence. created the CLABSI Eradication part in every aspect of patient and Shorter, RN, from the Palmetto Health Tu- The surgeon and Palmetto Health Tu- Team, a rapid-response, multidisci- worker safety.” omey ICU about a patient recently. Dicker- omey’s chief medical officer has led a plinary crew tasked with reporting, “I am very honored to have received son recently was awarded this year’s Lewis successful, multi-faceted strategy that investigating and preventing infec- this award,” said Dickerson. “Patient Blackman Award for his work in decreas- cut the hospital’s Central Line-associ- tions. ing medical errors at Palmetto Health Tu- ated Bloodstream Infections events in When Tuomey began collecting data SEE DICKERSON, PAGE A5 omey. VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B3 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Walter L. Broadway David W. Mills PERFECT THURSDAY 2 SECTIONS, 14 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 125 Bogan Carl Dees John King Mostly sunny and nice Frank L. Bruce Belma M. China today; clear tonight Classifieds B6 Sports B1 Karla Howard Green Charles Joe Wilson Sr. HIGH 76, LOW 52 Comics B4 Television B5 Charles Levine Howard J. Pugh Opinion A7 A2 | THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Police week events 37-year-old man charged to benefit Sumter with sexual assault on child 8 years old between April 1, Officials: Victim came forward 2016, and March 25, 2018, ac- law enforcement cording to Ken Bell, public in- BY KAYLA ROBINS formation officer for the FROM STAFF REPORTS is inviting the public to give [email protected] Sumter County Sheriff's Of- Three upcoming events will blood on Friday, May 18, in fice. benefit Sumter law enforce- honor of Chuck Nesbitt to A 37-year-old Sumter man was arrested LYNCH The supposed crimes oc- ment and other related agen- celebrate the on Wednesday on charges of criminal sex- curred at two different loca- cies for National Police Week. Eighth Annual ual conduct with a minor after the ele- tions — Lynch's house and GOLF TOURNAMENT Memorial Blood mentary-aged victim came forward to re- another residence in Cherryvale. Drive. port the abuse that is thought to have An arrest warrant was issued on April The 2018 National Police Between 10 spanned two years. 10. Week Golf Tournament is set a.m. and 4 p.m., Jason Allan Lynch, who lives south of He said the girl reportedly came for- for Monday, May 14, at Sunset the drive will be Furman Middle School, is accused of rap- ward after realizing the repeated acts Country Club, 1005 Golfcrest NESBITT at Sumter City ing a girl over the time when she was 6 to were wrong. Road, with a rain date of May Centre, 21 N. 21. Main St. Registration for the four- An express line will be man captain's choice begins at open to donors in uniform. LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS black-and-tan Ford Expedition after the store 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at To make an appointment, clerk refused to cash the check on April 7. 9 a.m. contact Debi Rice at (803) 436- FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS He is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, about All proceeds benefit Sumter 2739 or visit www.redcross- Sumter City Council to convey 145 pounds with blue eyes. CrimeStoppers. blood.org and enter sponsor Anyone with information is asked to call Regular registration is $200 code SumterPolice.