The Alternative Solution for all your propanep needs. • Agricultural Announcing thee newest memberer • Commerical of the team: • Residential Brian Amickk start play in Eastern (803)468-66533 Serving you since 1928 24 Hour Service 803-774-4GAS (4427) District tourney www.tmpropane.com SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 1B Propane • Fuel • Gasoline WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018 $1.00 School district budget nears final approval Next year’s plan, mill request moves on to county council BY BRUCE MILLS [email protected] Brewington Sumter School District's Board of Trustees gave unani- Academy’s mous approval of the second reading Monday to the dis- trict's balanced budget for relocation next school year and a 5.48- mill increase request it plans to ask Sumter County Council still up in air for later this month. IVY MOORE / SPECIAL TO THE SUMTER ITEM Monday's regularly sched- BY BRUCE MILLS Many passersby have long wanted to see the interior of the Greek Revival Home at 24 Warren St. On Fri- uled monthly board meeting [email protected] day, they’ll have that opportunity during an open house sponsored by the Main Street Society. The at Chestnut Oaks Middle home will open as a bed and breakfast in late June. School served as the official In the school district's public hearing on the 2018-19 whirlwind of activities in budget. the recent months, one Historic home to be 1912 B&B Similar to what he did on important piece of the April 30 at the first reading, puzzle still remains un- district Chief Financial Offi- solved — Brewington cer Chris Griner initially pre- Academy. Main Street Society hosting open house sented a balanced $131,854,396 Brewington is the dis- general fund budget to the trict's alternative school BY IVY MOORE While the house was their main reason for board that doesn't include the for middle and high school Special to The Sumter Item moving to Sumter from the Atlanta area, the millage request. However, children with disciplinary McLaughlins said Sumter itself was an impor- that budget forecast does not issues and is located on Many a person has driven or walked past the tant factor. include certain major goals the campus of Mayewood stately Greek revival home at 24 Warren St. “There’s so much going on here,” Tracey the district would like to Middle School. wishing they could see the interior. From 5 to 7 McLaughlin said Friday. “We’re going to the achieve next year, such as With Mayewood closing p.m. Friday, thanks to the owners and the Main (Carolina Backcountry Springtime) tomorrow adding teachers in a long- at the end of this school Street Society, that option will be available to at the (Sumter County) Museum.” term process to inch down year and its students con- the public for an open house. “The people are friendly. The neighborhood student-teacher ratios and solidating onto the cam- Owners Tracey and Tommy McLaughlin did is nice,” Tommy McLaughlin said. “We love this adding money to the fund bal- pus of R.E. Davis Elemen- an extensive nationwide search for a large house, and we love the area.” ance next year after it is pro- tary School about two house “with character” they could turn into a He said he was also pleased to find the jected to be $6 million at the miles away as a revamped bed and breakfast. About seven months ago, 106-year-old house had been very well taken end of this fiscal year on June K-8 school, what will hap- they found and purchased the house, which had care of. 30, 2018. pen to Brewington and its been owned by the same Sumter family since it “The original inlaid flooring is sturdy with no The 5.48-mill request — estimated 180 students? was built in 1912. When it opens in June, the sagging at all, and you can see that each board which translates to $1,057,121 Interim Superintendent house will be known as the 1912 Bed & Break- fast. SEE B&B, PAGE A4 SEE BOARD, PAGE A5 SEE BREWINGTON, PAGE A5 Carolina Backcountry entertains, teaches Deborah Watts, manager of the event and homestead, prepares bites for attendees on Saturday. Ryan Carter plays a traditional children’s game at the Back- country event. PHOTOS BY KAYLA ROBINS / THE SUMTER ITEM David Barnes tests out Frank Holloway’s period gun on Saturday afternoon at the Sumter County Museum’s Carolina Backcountry Springtime program. VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B5 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Samuel Prioleau III A GULLY WASHER? 3 SECTIONS, 18 PAGES the .com VOL. 123, NO. 148 Advertising: 774-1246 John W. Scarborough Whatever you call it, expect a Classifieds: 774-1200 Gloria Jean C. Sumpter heavy downpour with Classifieds B6 Panorama C1 Delivery: 774-1258 Ralph P. Cowley Jr. News and Sports: 774-1226 thunderstorms. Food C4 Opinion A7 Hattie P. Gibson HIGH 83, LOW 67 C2 C3 Joseph Wright Comics Television A2 | WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] 2 mothers, newborns test positive for illegal drugs Arrests made after amphetamine, opiates found in babies’ systems BY KAYLA ROBINS daughter Bell said both women tested for sub- [email protected] reportedly stances they are illegal. tested pos- Both women were tested at Pal- Two new mothers in their 20s have itive for metto Health Tuomey and face the been arrested on child neglect amphet- charge of unlawful neglect of a charges after they and their new- amine, ac- child. borns tested positive for illegal cording to GRIMSLEY GUIFFRIDA Both are scheduled to appear in drugs. the arrest general sessions court on June 8. PHOTO PROVIDED Both were arrested in the separate warrant. This is the second and third time A monument to Lt. Charles H. Jones recog- incidents on May 14 after warrants Taryn Leigh Giuffrida, 25, of in two months a mother has been ar- nizes him as a recipient of the Confederate were issued on May 11, according to Whisperwood Drive in Dalzell, and rested for her newborn child report- Medal of Honor. Ken Bell, public information officer her newborn daughter reportedly edly testing positive for illegal sub- for the Sumter County Sheriff's Of- tested positive for opiates and meth- stances. An 18-year-old mother was fice. adone, according to another arrest arrested on April 13 after she and Dingle’s Mill Sharli Camille Grimsley, 27, of warrant. her newborn son tested positive for Beulah Cuttino Road in southern While amphetamine and opiates marijuana in October 2017. A war- battle topic at Sumter County, and her newborn can be used in prescription pills, rant was issued in December 2017. Monday meeting BY IVY MOORE Sen. Johnson at prayer breakfast: We owe Special to The Sumter Item “Heroics at Manning the Day Before law enforcement a ‘debt of gratitude’ Lee Surrendered” is the topic for the Monday, May 21, meeting of the Sum- ter County Genealogical Society, its BY ADRIENNE SARVIS The community owes officers a debt of gratitude be- last until September. [email protected] cause they are brave and fearless, he said. Sumter native Bobby Thigpen will If anyone doubts the bravery of law enforcement offi- be the guest speaker at the 7:30 p.m. cers, think back to Sept. 11, 2001, Johnson said. meeting at Swan Lake Presbyterian Sumter's law enforcement officers from various agen- While civilians ran away from that gruesome scene as Church, 912 Haynsworth St. cies spent Tuesday morning in fellowship during the fast as they could, officers and other first responders Thigpen said his talk will be “about 2018 Police Week Prayer Breakfast at Church of the rushed toward the danger, he said. three men that by circumstance were Holy Comforter. "You have to be devoted and dedicated to do that," he in Sumter at the same time but had no Attendees listened to prayers from offi- said. prior connections and were brave cers and a speech from Sen. Kevin John- Officers show up to help families even though show- enough to go on this scouting mission son, D-Manning, about owing a debt of ing up means leaving their own families behind, John- against overwhelming odds.” gratitude to law enforcement. son said. The most interesting fact about his "There seems to be a deep level of dissat- They go to work not knowing if that will be the shift talk, Thigpen said, is “the main char- isfaction with law enforcement, maybe be- where they make the ultimate sacrifice, he said, and acter is Charles H. Jones, (my) wife’s cause of incorrect perceptions of what law JOHNSON some officers lay down their lives not just for friends but relative, and William Alexander enforcement does and what law enforce- for strangers, no matter the color of their skin. Brunson and Jesse N. Hodge are my ment stands for," he said. Sometimes, officers confront suspects who are larger, relatives. They just knew they were Bad apples exist in every profession, Johnson said, but stronger, quicker and even more equipped, but they still going to scout an army of Yankee in- the vast majority of officers are themselves law abiding show up to work with their agency badges and their vaders.” and take their responsibilities seriously. badges of courage, Johnson said. The men, motivated by their “loyalty Officers take an oath to uphold the law, and that's ex- Law enforcement officers are regular people doing to the cause of Southern indepen- actly what they do, he said.