IN SPORTS: East Clarendon faces Timmonsville for 1A state title Saturday B1 LOCAL Shaw activates MQ-9 Reaper group today TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents A2 Group adopts S.C. road safety goals evaluate the success of Sumter improvement projects is benefi- Administration — include the Wrecks, fatalities will be measured to find County’s long-range transpor- cial to motorists and non-mo- number of fatalities, rate of fa- tation projects, or road im- torists by evaluating things talities, number of serious inju- out if Sumter projects make a difference provement projects. such as wrecks and fatalities, ries, rate of serious injuries The group had until today to Mark Pleasant, SCDOT direc- and the number of non-motor- BY ADRIENNE SARVIS Study approved a motion to adopt locally or state-estab- tor of planning, said. ized fatalities and non-motor- [email protected] adopt safety performance mea- lished safety performance mea- “It shows where the money ized serious injuries with the sure goals established by South sures. makes a difference,” he said. goal of reducing the numbers With one day to spare, Sum- Carolina Department of Trans- The goals will let the public The safety targets — require- ter Urban Area Transportation portation, which will be used to know if money spent on road ments of the Federal Highway SEE GOALS, PAGE A7 Hospital leaders eyeing future Palmetto Health Tuomey invests in employees, buildings, tech BY BRUCE MILLS [email protected] COLUMBIA — In the con- stantly changing health care services industry with ever- increasing costs to do busi- ness, it was a move for the better. That’s the way Palmetto Health Tuomey Chief Operat- ing Officer Dr. Michelle Lo- gan-Owens de- scribed the Sum- ter hospital’s partnership with Palmetto Health — a multi-hospi- tal health care LOGAN- system based in OWENS the state’s capital. It has been a lit- tle more than two years since Pal- metto Health ac- quired the former Tuomey Health- care System, and SINGERLING the partnership became opera- tional on Jan. 1, 2016. Since then, Logan-Owens has added 16 physicians and 13 advance-practice providers to a staff that had immediate CHRIS MOORE / PALMETTO HEALTH TUOMEY needs after Tuomey’s $72 mil- M. Todd Warrick, M.D., an interventional pain medicine physician, performs a procedure recently in an operating room at Palmetto Health Tu- lion settlement in late 2015 to omey. The Tuomey system campus includes more than 220 physicians and other high-level providers. the U.S. government in a Medicare fraud suit that last- — and salary increases. place, Singerling said. ed multiple years. It is all part of Palmetto “The entire health care in- ANNUALLY BY THE NUMBERS Palmetto Health Tuomey’s Health’s commitment to re-in- dustry is under a massive employee turnover rate in vest $80 million to $100 million amount of change at one peri- 300,000 1,300 2017 was down to 13 percent, during a 10-year period to the od of time,” Singerling said. patient visits/services babies welcomed into the world she said, after ranging from 22 Tuomey campus, Logan-Ow- “A lot of this is driven by the to 25 percent in 2013-15. The ens said. A newly expanded fact the federal government, 150,000 301 current national average for emergency room department, which funds Medicare and outpatient visits/services beds hospitals is 16 percent, accord- valued at $15 million to $20 helps fund states’ Medicaid, ing to Palmetto Health Presi- million, is also on the horizon it’s struggling with how to 65,000 226 dent John Singerling. and might be the most-recog- make all the numbers work in Emergency Room visits active medical staff members (physicians, In the two years, Palmetto nizable piece in the capital in- Washington. States’ budgets, other high-level providers) Health has also made $16 mil- vestment campaign. when they pick up Medicaid, 11,000 lion in direct investment to But many future invest- an expansion or additional inpatient admissions 25+ Tuomey that includes capital ments will not be in building dollars, they’re struggling to medical specialties improvements at the hospital expansions and high-cost say, ‘How are we ultimately 1,432 — in technology, medical fixed assets, given the chal- full-time employees Source: Palmetto Health Tuomey equipment and infrastructure lenging health care market- SEE TUOMEY, PAGE A6 Fund helps pay electrical bill for client undergoing chemo BY BRUCE MILLS families in critical need visited the ministry, he said, run more than $300 per [email protected] through financial assistance with an electrical bill of near- month, Howell said, and co- with heating utilities in the ly $500, and she had no ability pays for various medical tests In a shortened holiday week late fall and winter months. to pay any of the bill. and scans cost her on average last week, Sumter United In detailing one client’s “She’s a cancer patient and another $300 a month. Ministries continued to have story, Howell said it might be is currently undergoing che- According to Howell, her large crowds of residents in surprising for some to know motherapy,” Howell said. electrical heat usage with the legitimate danger of losing how many of the ministry’s “She receives Social Security bill was well above average, their heat and electricity, ac- Fireside Fund provides do- clients are affected by medical Disability, but it barely covers but she complained of how cording to Crisis Relief Minis- nations to the relief ministry, issues. her necessary expenses.” try Director Kevin Howell. which, in turn, helps local A single woman recently Her various medications SEE FIRESIDE, PAGE A7 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES Sandra H. Pack Nida C. Reynolds Barbara Ann C. Ware SUNNY TODAY VOL. 123, NO. 93 the .com William H. Heckle Jennie Lee Cooper Persa M. Kusserow Mostly sunny and nice; Dr. Robert P. Bland Jr. Carolyn G. Ragin James H. Ardis Sr. Classifieds B6 increasing clouds tonight Robert H. Windham Mary W. James Cleo Lemmon-Goodman Comics A8 HIGH 66, LOW 43 Sandra P. Beard Florrie Frotten Thomas W. Bellinger Sr. Opinion A9 Alice W. Mitchell William Lee Morris Sports B1 Television B5 A2 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Harlem Rockets return to Sumter for fundraiser Game benefits Midlands “We’re all about fathers and fami- lies. We want dads to be able to bring Fatherhood Coalition their children and spend quality time with them. This fundraising event BY RHONDA BARRICK will allow us to do more family events [email protected] and provide support for dads as they work to be a positive presence in their children’s lives,” Keith Ivey, site di- Lace up your sneakers, grab your rector for the Midlands Fatherhood children and head out to a basketball Coalition in Sumter, stated in a news game — if you're lucky, you might get release. to play. Tickets are: $6 in advance and $8 at The Midlands Fatherhood Coalition the door for students and seniors; $8 in Sumter will host a comedy basket- in advance and $10 at the door for the ball game fundraiser at 6 p.m. Satur- general public. Purchase tickets at day at Lakewood High School, 305 Old Midlands Fatherhood Coalition, 687 Manning Road, featuring The Harlem N. Guignard Drive, Sumter, or call Rockets, a professional comedy bas- (803) 774-2140. ketball team from New York, playing MFC is part of a statewide network the Fatherhood All-Stars — a team of of 17 program centers, supported by MFC program participants and com- the South Carolina Center for Fa- munity leaders. thers and Families, and serves Aiken, During the halftime show, a few se- Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Claren- lect audience members will get the don, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, chance to hit the court and learn a Lee, Lexington, McCormick, Newber- few tricks from the Rockets. Players ry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda and will also sign autographs, and there Sumter counties. The coalition offers PHOTO PROVIDED will be giveaways during the game. education and services tailored for fa- The Harlem Rockets will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday at Lakewood High School, 305 Old The goal of the event is to raise thers trying to rebuild their lives and Manning Road. money to support MFC’s mission to their families. Programs at MFC in- provide the tools for fathers to be- clude personal development, parent- come barriers preventing them from thers and Families is a ministry of come positively engaged in the lives ing, economic stability, health and being a positive presence in the lives the Sisters of Charity Health System. of their children, family and commu- wellness, job readiness training and of their children. Learn more at www.scfathersandfam- nity. other resources to help fathers over- The South Carolina Center for Fa- ilies.com. Shaw MQ-9 Reaper squadron Committee to activates, appoints commander receive annual update from BY KAYLA ROBINS [email protected] Sheriff Dennis Shaw Air Force Base's newest ad- BY ADRIENNE SARVIS dition, the MQ-9 Reaper group, is ac- [email protected] tivating its 50th Attack Squadron this morning and holding an as- Sumter County Council will meet sumption of command ceremony. at 6 p.m. today in County Council Col. Joseph Campo, commander Chambers, third floor of Sumter of the 432nd Operations Group at County Administration Building, 13 Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, is E. Canal St., to consider: presiding over the ceremony in • Third and final reading of an or- which Col.