IN SPORTS: Manning-Santee looks to even best-of-5 series against Horry B1 THE CLARENDON SUN Children enjoy holiday week at Camp Happy Days A6 FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents SUMTER SCHOOL DISTRICT Putting their names in the ring In mid-June, the delegation work experience and five with for 31 years from 1970-2001. the previous Sumter School 20 apply for called on Sumter County resi- no education-related work ex- Bonnie Disney was also a District Two and the current dents interested in serving as perience listed on their re- teacher from 1970-2001, before consolidated Sumter district. at-large members to the Sum- sumes. being employed for four years For the past 14 years, she has 2 board seats ter board to submit a resume At least five of the appli- with the S.C. Department of been a school counselor at and letter of interest by June cants with full-time educa- Education through 2005. Dis- Oakland Primary School. BY BRUCE MILLS 26. tion-related work experience, ney then worked from 2008-13 Other applicants with full- [email protected] The local delegation initiat- could be considered career — with the S.C. state Board of time work education experi- ed and helped pass a bill in or lifelong — educators with Education. ence or a school district staff Twenty applicants have offi- the General Assembly that 20-plus years of experience in Lloyd Hunter served many member include Joseph Ort- cially thrown their names in added two at-large members the field. years in education adminis- mann (teacher and assistant the hat for the two new at- to the board. With the new Lamar Atkins’ resume lists tration as an assistant princi- principal); the Rev. Ron Un- large seats available on the legislation, the board expands that he has 42 years’ experi- pal and principal in Sumter derwood (university instruc- Sumter School District Board from seven voting members to ence in the Sumter school dis- and Richland counties, before tor and school board mem- of Trustees. nine. tricts to include time as a becoming district superinten- ber); Gretchen Meyers (teach- State Rep. Murrell Smith, R- The list of applicants in- classroom teacher, assistant dent for McCormick County er); Frank Ladson (Junior Sumter, and the local delega- cludes 11 with full-time educa- principal and director of at- School District and later Lee ROTC instructor); John Lee tion’s chairman, supplied the tion-related work experience tendance and transportation. County School District. list to The Sumter Item on on their resumes, four with Rose Colclough’s applica- And Eula Osborne has Thursday. part-time education-related tion shows she was a teacher spent more than 30 years in SEE RING, PAGE A4 60+ pounds of pot seized Sheriff seeks to regain control of detention center BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis is hoping the agency regains control of Sumter- Lee Regional Detention Center after making a request to Sumter County Council in June. Dennis sent a letter on June 16 to council re- questing that council consider transferring Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center back under the jurisdic- tion of the sheriff’s office and pre- sented his request to council in person during an executive ses- sion meeting on June 27. Dennis said the sheriff’s office lost control of the detention cen- DENNIS ter in the 1970s. He said it seems like a good time to transfer custody of the jail because for- mer detention center director Simon Major re- signed in early June. Sumter County administration is currently taking steps to hire a new detention center di- rector but if the sheriff’s office regains control of the jail, Dennis said he could appoint the new director. Employees with both agencies would be con- sidered personnel of the sheriff’s office, he said. RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM Dennis said he does not think the transition The items seized during Wednesday’s drug bust in Dalzell included 62 vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana — each con- would be difficult because the sheriff’s office’s taining approximately 1 pound of marijuana — stored inside travel bags. command staff frequently attend training ses- sions regarding jail operations and some depu- ties have experience working at detention cen- Trio allegedly got drugs from state of Washington ters. He said the consolidation would also help each agency with understaffed positions be- BY ADRIENNE SARVIS Bell, public information officer According to the information cause deputies and correctional officers could [email protected] for the sheriff’s office. provided, the marijuana was sup- complete shifts at the sheriff’s office and deten- Sheriff Anthony Dennis said posed to be brought into the coun- tion center, with the proper training, when Sumter County Sheriff’s Office the arrests are part of an ongoing ty on Tuesday, but deputies did needed. arrested a family of three after investigation into large amounts not locate the vehicle until Dennis said he would also like to see more they brought nearly 63 pounds of of marijuana being brought into Wednesday, he said. assistance programs, such as a GED program, marijuana into the the county. Bell said the suspects parked the brought back to the detention center so those county from the He said there has vehicle at a neighbor’s residence who have been arrested can better themselves state of Washington been an increase in in Dalzell, but it was later identi- before they are released. There is personnel on Wednesday. the amount of mari- fied as the Hendrix’s vehicle. who can search for grants to receive those ser- Deputies arrested juana brought into A sheriff’s office K-9 unit indi- vices, he said. 59-year-old Robert the area because a cated there were drugs inside the Dennis said he also foresees the transfer will W. Hendrix and number of other vehicle and deputies found suit- be financially beneficial to both agencies as 61-year-old Mari- R. HENDRIX MA. HENDRIX states have legalized cases and duffle bags containing well as the county. anne Hendrix, both the use of medical or the vacuum-sealed packages. Consolidation would cutback on the costs of of 5465 Catchall recreational marijua- The drug bust resulted in the some duties that are being duplicated, such as Road, Dalzell. The couple’s son, na in recent years. seizure of 62 vacuum-sealed plas- prisoner transportation and courthouse securi- Michael A. Hendrix, 30, of 3660 The suspects sup- tic bags containing 28,376 grams ty, he said. Furman Field Road, Rembert, posedly brought in of marijuana with an estimated Dennis said he was asked by council if the turned himself in at the sheriff’s the drugs from street value of $180,000. transfer would be a good move because the office on Thursday evening with- Washington state Dennis said Wednesday it was sheriff is an elected position and it is not guar- out incident. where medical and the largest marijuana drug bust anteed that he will remain for more terms. All three suspects are charged MI. HENDRIX recreational mari- that the sheriff’s office has con- In a letter addressed to council chairman with trafficking marijuana, more juana uses are per- ducted during his time at the agen- James McCain, Dennis said he believes it is a than 10 pounds and less than 100 mitted. cy. longstanding practice of general law in South pounds, and could be sentenced to Dennis said deputies were able 10 years in prison each, if they to make the arrests thanks to tips are convicted, said deputy Ken from county citizens. SEE POT, PAGE A4 SEE SHERIFF, PAGE A4 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B4 WEATHER, A10 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 James R. Young II Rosa Lee Holmes-Scarborough STAYING WARM 3 SECTIONS, 22 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Bessie G. Blackwell Miller Ham VOL. 121, NO. 189 Classifieds: 774-1200 Clouds and sunshine. Booker T. Witherspoon Jr. Vernard Black Tonight, partly cloudy. Classifieds B5-B6 Delivery: 774-1258 Hampton Alford Jordan B. Collins Comics C6 News and Sports: 774-1226 Sarah R. McCutchen Quinton Burgess Sr. HIGH 96, LOW 75 Opinion A9 Television C4-C5 A2 | FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2017 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Cat lover volunteers 3 days a week at SPCA BY CAITLAN WALZER we ended up having all of the cats out, [email protected] and it developed to become my pas- sion.” In an effort to applaud those who While Richards has two cats of her dedicate their time to others or to the own at home, she claims that the time Sumter community through acts of spent with the cats at the SPCA is re- kindness, The Sumter Item will be laxing and gives her pleasure to see starting a new series called Sumter them out of their cages. Thumbs Up. Kitty recess, as Richards calls it, is a This idea came from resident Debbie time for children, adults and especial- Ehlers. If you have a person you’d like ly cat lovers to come out to the SPCA to recommend, cat room and spend some time with send an email the cats and kittens of the SPCA while to Managing playing with them and cuddling them. Editor Rick “The more people there are, the Carpenter at more time the cats get to play with the rick@theitem. toys and with each other,” Richards com. said. The first However, Richards does warn those Sumter who want to come out to the SPCA to Thumbs Up be prepared for a few ground rules.