IN SPORTS: Wilson Hall baseball hosts Cardinal Newman B1 Crestwood Chamber Choir to present Mother’s Day concert A5 TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Financial consultant Scott Allan discusses the draft budget Draft budget adds presented to the Sumter School Dis- trict Board of Trust- ees on Monday night at Oakland Primary School. The $469K to balance budget calls for a year-end balance of $469,695 on June Hearing included in school board meeting 30, 2018. BY BRUCE MILLS the board’s regular monthly meeting. The RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER [email protected] draft 2018 budget is projected to increase ITEM the district’s low general fund balance by Sumter School Board’s financial consul- $469,695 by June 30, 2018. tant presented a balanced budget to the board for next fiscal year Monday night at SEE DRAFT, PAGE A7 Hats come out for Derby Day Sumter Ministry aims to help single moms as they go to college United Ministries looking for co-sponsoring churches BY BRUCE MILLS [email protected] Sumter United Ministries is trying to roll out a new ministry initiative it feels led to lead locally, and now it just needs prospective students and churches to answer the call, accord- ing to the agency’s executive director. SUM Executive Director Mark Champagne laid out the vision for its Education Assistance Ministry last week. In the big picture, the agency’s hope is for the community or a church to provide services for a single mom so she can complete a post-secondary ed- PHOTOS BY JIM HILLEY / THE SUMTER ITEM ucation at a local college and become As the Kentucky Derby post time nears, revelers at Derby Day Sumter watch the pre-race festivities on large video screens at a more productive citizen. United Way of Sumter, Clarendon and Lee Counties’ Derby Day Sumter at La Piazza on Main Street on Saturday. Champagne said support could come in the form of child care for the mother while she attends classes full Event held at La Piazza raises time during the day at Central Caroli- na Technical College, the University of South Carolina Sumter or Morris nearly $85K for United Way College. Other resources could be helping to get a car fixed when broken BY JIM HILLEY sented an opportunity for the down, maintaining Internet access or [email protected] ladies to show off a few of those providing garments needed for a par- special hats. ticular program of study at one of the nly a few attendees This year’s Derby Day was three colleges. at Saturday’s United held at La Piazza on Main “It’s a great opportunity for the Street, which provided an excel- church to really get around somebody Way of Sumter, lent venue for the Derby Day and use all those gifts and all those O festivities. talents that are there waiting to help Clarendon and Lee Coun- Storm Owens, Michelle Logan-Owens and Karee United Way Sumter Commu- this person along the way,” Cham- ties’ annual Derby Day Gaines add a little air guitar action to a jam by an nications and Marketing Spe- Ultimate Sound Band guitarist. pagne said. Sumter seemed concerned cialist Megan Ray said nearly According to Champagne, United 300 people attended the event, Ministries is ideally looking for that there was a horse race presented by Thompson Turner churches to “co-sponsor” with the going on a few hundred Construction. agency in support of a local single “We raised about $85,000,” mom, who is self-motivated to pursue miles to the west, but that Ray said Monday. a degree or certificate program as a didn’t seem to lessen the en- The Derby Day revelers en- full-time student. joyed entertainment by the College expenses will be covered joyment. Rhythm Section and Friends through the Federal Pell Grant Pro- during the early part of the eve- gram. Because classes are covered The evening was all about lis- ning, and later, Atlanta’s Ulti- through the grant, “expenses are just tening to good music, imbibing mate Sound Band kept the whatever comes our way, based on the some beverages, tasting some music coming from the La Piaz- student,” Champagne said. great local food and raising za stage. money for a good cause. Norma Stone, Dee Carraway and Danielle Thomp- And of course, the event pre- SEE DERBY, PAGE A6 son show their Kentucky Derby hats on Saturday. SEE EDUCATION, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Joseph A. Eadon Janet B. Sublette GETTING WARMER 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 VOL. 122, NO. 147 Eleanor W. James Carolyn Burns Sunny to partly cloudy Classifieds: 774-1200 Gloria J. Denton Betty T. Hurst Delivery: 774-1258 today; partly cloudy Classifieds B6 News and Sports: 774-1226 Dexter W. Moses Marion Martin tonight Comics A9 James R. Munn Evelyn D. Driggers Opinion A8 Thelma J. McFadden Barbara Farmer-Dorsey HIGH 83, LOW 63 Television Ophelia Howard Mary S. Livingston B5 A2 | TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Program offers seniors checks House, 2 vehicles destroyed in fire A house and two vehicles were destroyed during a to use at local farmers markets house fire in Rembert about 1 p.m. Sunday. FROM STAFF REPORTS • Sumter County — Shiloh St. John Cen- first-served basis while supplies last. According to an incident re- ter, 475 Puddin Swamp Road, Lynchburg, Oct. 15 will be the last day to use the port from Sumter Fire Depart- The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutri- from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 6; Delaine checks. Checks must be signed before ment, the call came in about tion Program is returning to Sumter, Center, 5400 Cane Savannah Road, use and are only accepted with autho- 12:50 p.m., and firefighters Lee and Clarendon counties. The goals Wedgefield, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 7; rized farmers and farmers markets. Nu- were on scene about 1:10 p.m. of the program are to supplement the and Sumter Senior Services, 119 S. Sum- trition education will be provided to se- When firefighters arrived at diets of low-income seniors with fresh, ter St., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 8. niors. the residence in the 7300 block nutritious produce and to support • Clarendon County — Plantation Vil- Individuals interested in applying for a of Odell Lane, the structure South Carolina’s small farmers. lage Apartments, 1400 Plantation Vil- home-bound senior must provide a state- was heavily involved, and the The program allows low-income se- lage, Turbeville, from 10 a.m. to noon ment from the senior granting permis- “roof area” was already on nior citizens — age 60 and older — to June 6; Summerton Senior Center, 1154 sion to submit an application on his or the ground, according to the purchase fresh, nutritious, unpro- B.O. Butler St., Summerton, from 1:30 her behalf. Proof of identity and proof report. The fire was under cessed fruits and vegetables from au- to 3:30 p.m. June 7; Paxville Communi- of income for the home-bound senior control by 4:40 p.m. thorized farmers markets, roadside ty Center, 1018 Lewis Road, Manning, must be presented at the time of applica- As of Monday, the cause stands and community-supported agri- from 10 a.m. to noon June 8; and Man- tion. and origin of the fire are un- culture programs. The program will be ning Senior Center, 206 S. Church St., Persons with disabilities who require determined. available in 41 counties in South Caro- Manning, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 9. alternative means of communication for The fire department report- lina between May and Oct. 15. • Lee County — Lee County Council on program information (e.g. Braille, large ed a total loss of the struc- Participants are awarded $25 in the Aging, 51 Wilkinson Road, Bishopville, print, audiotape, American Sign Lan- ture, $300,000, and approxi- form of five checks of $5 to spend at from 9 a.m. to noon June 3, 10, 17 and 24. guage, etc.), should contact the agency mately $100,000 in lost con- authorized farmers markets and To be eligible for the $25 benefit, the (state or local) where they applied for tents. stands. Checks are distributed on a senior must attend a distribution benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard Two vehicles that were first-come, first-served basis. The pro- event; complete the application; pro- of hearing or have speech disabilities parked in the garage were gram is administered by the South vide proof of identity and residence in may contact USDA through the Federal also destroyed in the blaze, Carolina Department of Social Servic- the county; and self-declare amount of Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Program adding more than $44,000 to es and county Agencies on Aging. household income. information may be made available in the losses. The vouchers will be issued in: Checks are issued on a first-come, languages other than English. No occupants were at home when the fire started, accord- ing to the report. Fire stations from Shaw Air Force Base and Kershaw County also responded to the house fire. County council to meet, hold budget workshop Sumter County Council will meet at 6 p.m. today in County Council Chambers, Sumter County Administration Build- ing, 13 E.