Cap-and-gown videos to be added to graduations WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020 $1.00 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 3 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES | VOL. 125, NO. 148 LOCAL PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM Amber Gregory, a senior at Lakewood High School, gets signatures on a “petition to walk” sign outside the Sumter School Dis- trict administration office on Monday during a protest to allow seniors in the district a cap-and-gown, in-person graduation. Each senior can be filmed crossing stage on personal item pickup days BY BRUCE MILLS to accompany each graduate as Shaw F-16s will fly [email protected] his or her name is announced while crossing the stage in the Sumter School District gradu- student’s high school auditori- over downtown to ation ceremonies for seniors will um, Martin-Knox said. The remain virtual, but administra- guests will be able to take their tion has added a video perk to own video and photos. honor front line the programs to personalize The letter details that all par- Students stand outside the Sumter School them for individual students ticipants and visitors must wear District administration office. A3 while saying the community’s masks, remain in compliance workers today safety remains a top priority. with social distancing guide- School board’s split vote In a letter distributed Tuesday lines and refrain from any per- afternoon, Super- sonal contact keeps public participation SPORTS intendent Penelo- with others, such pe Martin-Knox DISTRICT VIRTUAL as hugging and suspended in pandemic detailed that on GRADUATION shaking hands. upcoming pickup CEREMONIES At the end of BY BRUCE MILLS NASCAR will return [email protected] days for seniors of • Sumter Career and the recognition, Sunday at Darlington personal items Technology Center – seniors and from their high Thursday, June 4, 6 p.m. guests must go Though it appeared apparent Mon- schools, adminis- back to their ve- day afternoon to some that there Raceway B1 • Sumter Adult Education – tration wants to Thursday, June 4, 7:30 p.m. hicles and leave would be a special-called meeting of capture video foot- the school’s the Sumter school board to hear high age of students • Crestwood High School – premises without school seniors’ thoughts on gradua- Friday June 5, 9 a.m. DEATHS, B3 crossing the stage congregating. tion ceremonies, it turns out there in their caps and • Lakewood High School – Virtual gradua- won’t be one. Billy N. Shorter Sr. gowns. That foot- Friday, June 5, 1 p.m. tion ceremonies After a two-plus-hour executive ses- James M. Dwyer Jr. age will then be • Sumter High School – including the se- sion behind closed doors Monday Luther W. Worrell Jr. incorporated into Saturday, June 6, 9 a.m. niors’ video foot- night, Sumter School District’s Board Charles Emmet Warren the virtual gradu- age will still occur of Trustees returned to open session Daisy Agnes Wright ations for the at the same time about 9:10 p.m. and in a split 6-3 vote Mary E. Bilton three high schools — Crestwood, as previously scheduled, which turned down a motion to rescind sus- Sandra M. Plock Lakewood and Sumter. was communicated in a May 1 pension of public participation during Wilson Bradley As far as days, times and letter from the superintendent. the COVID-19 pandemic. Beverly Cogdill Griffin other specifics, the superinten- Each virtual ceremony will in- If seniors’ current concerns against dent said each high school will clude pre-recorded remarks from planned virtual commencement cere- communicate with families the all presenters, including the vale- monies were to be formally heard by WEATHER, A10 program outline and logistics dictorian, salutatorian and senior the full board, it would have to be dur- for capturing video footage and class president, Martin-Knox ing a public participation session. LAST DAY IN THE 70s distribution of personal items. Partly sunny and pleasant; mostly cloudy tonight Two guests will be permitted SEE GRADUATION, PAGE A7 SEE MEETING, PAGE A7 HIGH 77, LOW 55 INSIDE CONTACT US Museum collecting living history to record pandemic Classifieds B4 Info: 774-1200 Comics C1 Advertising: 774-1237 Sumterites can donate materials chronicling experience Sometimes, stories can be told Sports B1 Classifieds: 774-1200 with written words. Tangible ob- Opinion A9 Delivery: 774-1258 BY KAYLA GREEN impact from COVID-19. jects best tell other stories. The [email protected] “Fifty years down the road, peo- museum wants both. Television C2 News and Sports: ple will want to learn about this 774-1226 Even in the midst of a global cri- time and how it affected the world, DIGITAL MATERIALS sis, Sumter’s county museum is their own communities, their own The museum is looking for digital thinking ahead to the day when friends and their own families,” content that represents the econom- VISIT US ONLINE AT the .com our present will be past. wrote Amanda Cox, education and ic, medical, education, personal/ The Sumter County Museum is visitor services manager for the community impact the pandemic asking people to participate in its museum. has had on you, your family or your “Our Living History” initiative by “Every person’s perspective is friends. That can include typed per- submitting digital content and distinct, and we would love to un- sonal stories or reflections, images, physical materials that relay testi- derstand what your life has been mony of Sumter’s response to and like and how it has changed.” SEE HISTORY, PAGE A7 Item to host virtual Best of Sumter 2020 winners reveal Thursday ing for the annual readers’ the same day at www.theitem. Zoom event to honor more than 300 winners choice contest was held in Feb- com/bestof. in business, medical, education and more ruary and garnered nearly The Thompson family of 400,000 votes. companies is the title sponsor FROM STAFF REPORTS an awards show with a twist. The Best of Sumter 2020 mag- of the event. Because of COVID-19 and for azine will be inserted into the “We certainly anticipated the The Sumter Item will reveal the first time, the more than May 16-17 Weekend Edition of excitement of an in-person the winners of Best of Sumter 300 winners will be revealed via The Sumter Item, and the win- 2020 on Thursday, but it will be Zoom at 6 p.m. Thursday. Vot- ners’ website will be revealed SEE BEST OF SUMTER, PAGE A7 A2 | WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] ELECTION 2020 Candidate Q&A: Prosecutors under State Senate District 62 investigation in BY TIM LEIBLE Revolution. [email protected] Why should people vote for you? I’m a team player who cares more about the outcome This year’s primary race for the District 29 than credit. Georgia slaying seat in the state Senate features two people: Anything else about yourself you want to add? Republicans J.D. Chaplin and Ronald Reese I got involved in S.C. politics in 1997 shadow- ATLANTA (AP) — The dermined in any way.” Page. ing any House or Senate members who Georgia prosecutors who Justice Department spokes- District 29 in the state Senate covers much would allow me to come along and learn first handled the fatal shoot- woman Kerri Kupec said fed- of Darlington, Lee and Marlboro counties from them. I graduated from Wofford Col- ing of a black man, before eral prosecutors have asked and some of Chesterfield County. All regis- lege with a BA in political science in 2008. In charges were filed more than Carr to share any results. tered voters who live in District 29 can vote. 2010, I became a Republican third-vice chair two months later, were Federal officials are also con- The winner of this Republican primary and was chairman of Rep. Mick Mulvaney’s placed under investigation sidering whether hate crimes will face incumbent state Sen. Gerald Mal- victory campaign for Darlington County. In Tuesday for their conduct in charges are warranted. loy, a Democrat from Hartsville who has 2012, I ran for the state House District 62 seat the case, which has fueled a Gregory McMichael told served in the position since 2002. and helped with Tom Rice’s congressional national outcry and ques- police he and his grown son Statewide partisan primaries will be held campaign. I am very grateful Congressman tions about whether the slay- armed themselves and pur- June 9. Gov. Henry McMaster has said he Tom Rice allowed me to intern for him in ing was racially motivated. sued the young man because does not plan to postpone voting because of Washington, D.C. Georgia Attorney General they thought he matched the COVID-19. Chris Carr announced that description of a burglary Any registered voter can vote in the pri- J.D. CHAPLIN he asked the Georgia Bureau suspect. maries. South Carolina does not require vot- Why are you running? I’m running because of Investigation and federal Brunswick Circuit District ers to declare a party, so voters can choose I’m sick of all of the corruption in our state. authorities to investigate Attorney Jackie Johnson de- any party’s primary to vote in, but you can Year after year, it goes on and on. Our lead- how local prosecutors han- fended her office’s involve- only vote in one. ers are more interested in helping them- dled the killing of 25-year-old ment, which she insisted was Keep following The Sumter Item in print selves than helping us. They’re more inter- Ahmaud Arbery, who was minimal because the elder and online at www.TheItem.com/election2020 ested in lining their pockets than paving our pursued by a white father McMichael worked for her as for all our coverage of local candidates.