The Judge to Fourth decide of July coroner’s n July 4, 1776, the Con- Otinental Congress ap- proved the Declaration lawsuit of Independence, setting the Clarendon ballot dispute 13 colonies on the road to SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 freedom as a sovereign na- ruling postponed to after WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018 $1.00 tion. hearing of merit July 20 This most American of hol- idays is marked with typical BY SHARRON HALEY festivities ranging from Special to The Sumter Item fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual MANNING — Lawyers from Colum- family gatherings and bar- bia, Kingstree and Manning filed into becues across the coun- Clarendon County Courthouse on Tues- try. day morning for an injunction hearing As we celebrate this that will determine if La- Independence Day, we Nette Samuels-Cooper’s 56 reflect on how our name can remain on the Founding Fathers en- November ballot as the The Signers shrined the impor- Democratic candidate for tance of statistics in county coroner after the in- TheTh number of signers of the Declaration of Independence. our Constitution as a cumbent she beat on the BenjaminBe Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger vital tool for measur- MOCK June 12 primary claimed ShShermaner and Robert R. Livingston comprised the Committee of ing our people, plac- she is not qualified for the FiFivev that drafted the declaration. Jefferson, regarded as the es and economy. position. strostrongestng and most eloquent writer, wrote most of the document. In honor of this For two hours, attorneys special day in the representing Samuels-Coo- history of our na- per and Coroner Bucky tion, here are a Mock, who filed for the few facts about hearing, argued their cases our independence SAMUELS- before Third Circuit Court and celebrations. COOPER Judge Ferrell Cothran, who will ultimately decide on 2.5 Compiled by the whether to approve the in- 326 United States junction. More than 75 people filled the Census Bureau room for the public hearing. million million After a brief recess to allow attor- In July 1776, the The nation’s neys and Cothran to meet in chambers, estimated number estimated population SEE CASE, PAGE A6 of people living in the on July 1, 2017. newly independent nation. ‘When all signs point to same $296.2 direction’ to million The value of fireworks imported from China help others in 2016, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($307.8 million). U.S. Water heater leak leads exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $10 million in the same year. to senior’s big electric bill BY KEVIN HOWELL Special to The Sumter Item After traveling recently and navigat- ing the subway in a major city, one thought became evident to me: When all $5.4 signs are clear and understandable, it becomes easy to go in the right direction. 33 million As Crisis Relief Minis- places The value of U.S. imports try director at Sumter of American flags in 2016. United Ministries, it can The number of counties and census- be similar when con- incorporated places that contain the The vast majority of this ducting interviews with amount ($5.3 million) was clients and determining word “Liberty” in the name. Of the whether we should as- 33 areas, four are counties: Liberty imported from China. sist someone. Recently, an older woman who lives County, Texas (81,704); Liberty alone and off her Social Security in- County, Georgia (62,570); Liberty come visited Crisis Relief Ministry with County, Florida (8,202); and Liberty a financial request to assist with an electric bill’s final notice. Her total in- County, Montana (2,409). come is less than $1,000 a month. Seniors like her often have growing out-of-pocket medical costs and don’t qualify for food stamp benefits of any 70 substantial amount. Usually, if a senior in this income range has interviewed at the ministry before, I expect to see them 26 repeatedly in years to come. This and woman, however, had not requested as- sistance in years — a clear sign to all Signers’ ages of us at the ministry that something 2 Benjamin Franklin of unusual had occurred. ADAMS Pennsylvania was the oldest She had a modest budget and was presidents signer, and Edward Rutledge incredibly energy conscious. Her electric bills averaged less than $100 Future presidents John Adams (second of South Carolina was the youngest signer. a month, but recently her bill in- president) and Thomas Jefferson (third creased by 60 percent. It took three president) signed the declaration. Both trips by a handyman to conclude died on the 50th anniversary of signing a problem existed near the water the declaration (July 4, 1826). heater. JEFFERSON A leak had steadily worsened over three months before it was SEE CARING, PAGE A6 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B7 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Prince Albert NATURE’S FIREWORKS 3 SECTIONS, 20 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 VOL. 123, NO. 183 Marion Samuel McCaw Some sun and thunderstorms Classifieds: 774-1200 Verlie Johnson Delivery: 774-1258 today; a storm possible Classifieds B8 Panorama C1 News and Sports: 774-1226 early tonight Comics C2 Sports B1 HIGH 89, LOW 72 Food C4 Television C3 Opinion A7 A2 | WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Win a customized golf cart, support Crime Stoppers BY ADRIENNE SARVIS [email protected] In appreciation of its assis- tance in investigations by offer- ing rewards for information, the Sumter Police Department and two local organizations are spon- soring a fundraiser to give back to Sumter Crime Stoppers by holding a raffle for a customized golf cart. The East Coast Scoot- MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM ers golf cart has custom SS rims PHOTO PROVIDED Sandra Metzdorf, a U.S. Army veteran and a military spouse, is also the founder / owner with off-road tires, a custom This patriotically customized golf cart is of With These Hands Natural Gourmet Foods. paint job, a lift kit, chassis- the prize in a $10 raffle fundraiser that mounted lighting and a carbon will benefit Sumter Crime Stoppers. fiber dashboard. The cart also U.S. Army veteran continues to has a Pioneer Bluetooth stereo system and Memphis Audio Friday at Simpson Hardware on speakers donated by Power Wesmark Boulevard and at 6 p.m. serve with Sumter’s 1st food truck Audio. on Friday during the P-15's game Tickets for the raffle are $10 at Riley Park, 655 Church St. Why I Serve is a new series in partner- each, and the drawing will take For more information, call ship with With These Hands Natural place on Tuesday. Participants do (803) 720-4651. Gourmet Foods. Each month will bring not need to be present to win. This fundraiser is sponsored by you a glimpse into the life of a different Raffle tickets will be available Sumter Police Department, East military service member stationed at from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Coast Scooters and Power Audio. Shaw Air Force Base. To start the series, we're introducing you to the With These Hands founder and owner, Sandra Metz- dorf, a U.S. Army veteran and a military spouse of a retired Air Force officer who Local restaurant owner turns over served at Shaw. Go to The Item's Face- book and Instagram to watch the inter- ‘I serve and continue to view. complaint to insurance company serve out of gratitude Name: Sandra Metzdorf Title: Founder/owner of With These because of the sacrifice and BY BRUCE MILLS food restaurant. The and drove off. Hands Natural Gourmet Foods, Sum- [email protected] post received numer- Employees later saw ter's first food truck that provides commitment that active ous views and shares. the Facebook post healthy, nutritious, tasty meals that A local restaurant Wilson said he from Cox on the inter- also now serves directly on base. duty personnel, their family owner with a clean wasn't in the restau- net. Military branch: U.S. Army track record has rant at the time of the Wilson said Tuesday Duties: Enlisted at 18 and served for and the community gives turned over a custom- alleged occurrence, his five Sumter restau- four years as a heavy equipment me- er's complaint about but from what he un- rants — three KFCs chanic. After leaving to work in corpo- every day.’ finding a dead roach in derstands Cox went and two Arby's — have rate America, went back to serve in the his food to his insur- through the drive-thru never had anything transition assistance program to help ance company to han- window between 8:45 like this happen be- military personnel and their families na. He went to Korea ... We went all dle with the patron. and 9 p.m. Saturday fore. He said his KFCs transition and acclimate to civilian life around the country and the world, from Earl Wilson, owner for the purchase. have always been in- after their service. Israel to Australia, and when it came of KFC at 1014 Broad Later, he returned to spected by DHEC, Why did you enlist?: "I'm a second-gen- time to plan his retirement, we said St., said he met with the store's drive-thru KFC Corp. and an out- eration immigrant. I'm from Colombia, what's the quality of life we want to the customer from after the restaurant side vendor for KFC. South America, and there, serving in a have? ..