Think twice about finances at the altar C1 SPORTS COMMENTARY Decision to delay 2nd round of Legion playoffs puzzling B1 SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 $1.75 Play date: Chance to get outside South Sumter Park hosts learning opportunities for children BY CAITLAN WALZER and learn from volunteers about community play dates and once ap- [email protected] how to keep their attitudes in check proved, she told Hastie that the as- as well as how to play softball and sociation would provide the tennis Every Thursday evening while now tennis.” equipment, put up small nets on the weather and schedules permit, On Thursday the United States basketball court at the park and from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., children and Tennis Association South Carolina teach the children the ins and outs adults participate in a community (USTA SC) and the Sumter Tennis of tennis. play date at South Sumter Park. Association came out to the park to At the event, Hastie said children At the events, children are wel- teach the game of tennis to the chil- of all ages are welcome. However, comed with open arms by volun- dren. Hastie said that this past Thursday, teers who offer valuable life lessons According to Hastie, this was the teenagers and children, as young as as well as tips on softball and ten- first time many of the children had 7, were participating with adult vol- nis. the opportunity to learn the game. unteers of all ages. Sumter City Councilman Calvin USTA SC Representative and Di- The events last all summer and Hastie said the event has been tak- rector of Community Development Hastie said, depending on the de- ing place for three years and with Sheryl McAlister said the objective mand, they may continue into the each year the number of children for the tennis classes are “to create school year where they will likely doubles in size. an active community using tennis end with football season. CAITLAN WALZER / THE SUMTER ITEM “Every week during the sum- as the vehicle.” Timisha Johnson, 9, hits a tennis ball over the net to mer,” Hastie said, “we have these McAlister said she spoke to Has- United States Tennis Association’s school tennis co- days for the children to come out tie about getting involved with the SEE OPPORTUNITIES, PAGE A10 ordinator Pamela Banks on Thursday’s play date. ‘Wrong Sumter’ High 2 counties 400 miles apart often confuse many anxiety BY BRUCE MILLS Nicole Bailey, vice president [email protected] of operations with the local Greater Sumter Chamber of Tropical depression Two Sumter counties are Commerce, says that’s pretty about 400 miles apart, but hav- funny. raises hurricane ing the same name often con- “We get the same thing,” fuses people. Bailey said. “We get emails, concerns locally If you have spent any con- we get inquiries, we get phone siderable time in Sumter and calls, we get that all the time, BY JIM HILLEY search the internet regularly, too.” [email protected] you have probably come Like Kelly in Florida, Bailey across Sumter County, Flori- said people will frequently With Hurricane Matthew da, in a web search and at call and ask her about some- still fresh in many people’s least initially scratched your thing and she has no idea memory, the appearance of a head in confusion about some- what they are talking about. tropical depression far to the thing. According to Bailey, they east of the lesser Antilles has A phone call to the Sumter will say, “But, it’s on your many residents County Chamber of Com- website.” of the Palmetto merce in tiny Sumterville, “Finally, they will reference State concerned. Florida, and Administrator something, and I’ll say, ‘Oh, Battered by Jessica Kelly will tell you oh, oh, wrong Sumter,’” Bai- hurricanes and quickly she knows the confu- ley said. “‘You have called the floods in the last sion of the two Sumters all too wrong Sumter.’” two years, South well. The two chambers’ websites Carolinians can’t “Yes, it happens a lot,” have very similar URL’s and HILLEY be blamed for Kelly said. “People will call can be easily confused: www. grasping for their here and start to ask me sumterchamber.com for the television remotes, desperately about some road or business local chamber, and www.sum- Above: Image provided hoping to tune in to the Weath- or some highway or some- terchamber.org for Sumter by Sumter County, er Channel for reassuring thing that I have no clue what County, Florida. South Carolina. Right: clips of inclement weather they are talking about. And, The two Sumters do have Image provided by ravishing distant locations. it’s because they’ve called Sumter County, Florida. However, meteorologist Florida instead of South Car- Whitney Smith, with the Na- olina.” SEE WRONG, PAGE A8 tional Weather Service in Co- lumbia, said Friday that Tropic Depression Four, shouldn’t concern area residents just yet. Comparing our Sumter to Sumter County, Florida “Right now, it is much too early to say if it will have any BY BRUCE MILLS lutionary War. Our Sumter was estab- last few decades at or slightly above the effect on South Carolina,” she [email protected] lished first: the year was 1800. Sumter 100,000 mark and historically one of the said. County, Florida, was established in largest counties in our state, according For those who must find Ever wonder what are the similari- 1853. to the census. But you could say “times something to worry about, ties and differences in our Sumter Like us, Sumter County, Florida, has are a changin’” in Sumter County, Flor- Smith did say it is predicted to County and Sumter County, Florida, its roots as a farming community, ac- ida, in the past 30 years, according to be an active hurricane season. which we are often confused with? cording to Carolyn Shaw, president of the census bureau and locals. “The outlook from the Na- The Sumter Item recently decided to the Sumter County (Florida) Historical In 1980, Sumter County, Florida, had tional Hurricane Center for look further into the matter and identi- Society. a population of about 24,000, according 2017 in the Atlantic basically fy just what is Sumter County, Florida, Next, according to the U.S. Census to the census. But then, the retiree calls for an above normal sea- known for, compared to Sumter Coun- Bureau, our Sumter County is a little movement hit the Sunshine State. sonal probability of hurri- ty, South Carolina. larger in actual physical size: 682 After talking with local officials canes,” Smith said. So, we looked at the two Sumters. square miles versus 580 square miles. First, both are named after Gen. Traditionally, our Sumter has had Thomas Sumter of the American Revo- more residents as well, spending the SEE SUMTER, PAGE A8 SEE ANXIETY, PAGE A10 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, A11 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Rose Mary Mickens Wade L. Hickson STORMY SUNDAY 4 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Azalee S. Dingle Franklin Potts VOL. 121, NO. 190 Classifieds: 774-1200 A heavy thunderstorm in Carrie G. Harvin Katrin Ross the afternoon. Tonight, Classifieds C8 Delivery: 774-1258 Jim W. Nettles Harold Yates News and Sports: 774-1226 mostly cloudy with a Opinion A9 Levi McDonald Arthur J. Folmar thunderstorm late. Enoch Johnson Jr. James McKinley Outdoors C7 Margie M. Richardson HIGH 90, LOW 72 Stocks C6 With BOC Mobile, The Bank of Clarendon Is In Your Pocket. bankofclarendon.com 803.469.0156 A2 | SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Mental health campus under construction Lee County Council BY JIM HILLEY meets Tuesday [email protected] The Lee County Council will Construction has begun on a new meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Santee Wateree Mental Health Center the Main Court Room on the on North Pike Road West. The second floor of the Lee County 35,000-square-foot building will house Courthouse, 123 N. Main St., mental health programs now residing Bishopville. in three separate buildings in the Sum- The agenda includes the ter area, according to material provided consideration of the second by the South Carolina Department of reading of an ordinance Mental Health. changing the zoning of the Ken Roey, physical plant director for property owned by Lee County the SCDMH, said the entire project will Landfill LLC from rural to cost about $10.7 million, and the build- heavy industrial. ing should be ready for occupation in Council will also receive an May 2018. The building contractor is update of leases for the Wood- Hogan Construction out of Charleston, row Playground and the Wood- he said. row Basketball Court. “In addition to the base facility, it is The new Santee Wateree Mental Health Center is under construction on North Pike West. Council will consider updat- going to have a conference and training ing and revising the host center in large part funded by the constructed by the SCDMH. ees and the new facility will allow for agreement with the Lee Coun- Logan Foundation,” Roey said. “The Santee Wateree Mental Health future growth. ty Landfill. He said the conference center, which Center has long outgrown their origi- “The center has projected growth in A resolution to approve a will be used primarily by Santee Water- nal offices and currently leases other the future,” Roey said. “How much, we memorandum of agreement ee Mental Health, will be available for spaces in Sumter for clinicians and ad- can’t be sure, but there has been between Lee County and the use by the community when not in use ministration,” he said growth in that area.” Department of Juvenile Jus- by the center.