January 15, 2017

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Reflections on changes in Sumter since late ’60s C4 PANORAMA

Into the Woods Furman Middle School presents a new take on some old fairy tales A5 SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2017

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Personnel cuts and protest

Canty blames Baker for financial ‘mess’

School board axes jobs, outlines further actions, freezes

BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com

BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com

A school board member who cast one of two dissenting votes Thursday against Superintendent Frank Baker’s emergency financial plan said in a statement Friday he thinks Baker is the “culprit” for the current financial crisis and was the rationale for his negative vote. On Thursday night at a special called meeting, the trustees approved by a 5-2 vote the superintendent’s recommendation for cash-reduction items and budget

The Sumter School District Board of Trustees’ actions Thursday to immediately cut jobs and freeze budget items, among other measures, were made to preserve cash so other bills could be paid and the district end this fiscal year with as close to a balanced budget as possible, the board’s attorney said. At Thursday night’s special

called meeting, the school board voted to approve Superintendent Frank Baker’s emergency financial plan recommendations totaling $6.8 million. The cuts included eliminating 47 jobs, overtime pay and BAKER non-teaching stipends totaling $2.8 million; preserving $1.2 million in flex funding that doesn’t have to be

spent this fiscal year; and freezing another $2.8 million from several budget line items. The board’s action comes after the release last month of the 201516 audit report, which showed the district had gone over budget by $6.2 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016. The audit report also revealed the district had $106,449 in its ending general fund

SEE BOARD, PAGE A4

SEE CANTY, PAGE A4

A better class of clowns Clowns from The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus paid a visit to Palmetto Health Tuomey on Thursday. They spent time spreading smiles, laughter and red noses to patients and employees, including a visit to the room of Ineshia McFadden and her daughter Riley Gamble. The clowns were in town for the upcoming circus being held in Columbia later this month. CHRIS MOORE / PHOTO PROVIDED

Clowning around

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Shaw named ‘preferred’ site for Reaper mission control center FROM STAFF REPORTS Shaw Air Force Base has been selected as the “preferred” location to base a new MQ-9 Reaper group, including mission control elements, according to an article published on the Air Force News website. The Reaper is a remotely piloted aircraft used for reconnaissance and intelligence missions and as a hunter-killer attack aircraft. Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona; Moody AFB, Georgia; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; and Offutt AFB, Nebraska, were named as reasonable alternatives and will be considered as part of the environmental impact analysis process, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said in the article, “In-

telligence, surveillance and reconnaissance continues to be the No. 1 most-requested capability of combatant commanders, and I believe adding additional remotely piloted aircraft locations will help our efforts to retain experienced RPA operators that contribute to this vital mission.” “Shaw AFB was selected because it was the best option to help us diversify assignment opportunities for personnel within the MQ-9 enterprise, provide increased opportunities for leadership from within the community and provide flexibility to enhance integration with other organizations and capabilities,” James said. “The intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance remotely piloted aircraft provide

.com

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY SENIOR AIRMAN CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN

MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line on Nov. 22 at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The Reaper is an evolution of the MQ-1 Predator and can carry four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and two 500-pound bombs and also fly 18- to 24-hour missions. sonnel. Shaw has also been among the bases under consideration for housing the wing. It is unclear how selec-

tion of Shaw as the preferred site for the mission control element affects the base’s status concerning the wing location.

DEATHS, A12 and A13

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is a critical Air Force capability,” Shaw AFB Commander Col. Daniel Lasica said. “At this time, Shaw is the preferred location for a new RPA unit, and a final decision is still forthcoming from the Air Force. If Shaw is selected, we look forward to serving with our fellow airmen from the MQ-9 community.” The first airmen assigned to the new group are expected to begin arriving there in fiscal year 2018, although no RPAs will be based at the location as a result of the action. In addition, the Air Force is considering locations to host an MQ-9 wing that includes as many as 24 MQ-9s, launch and recovery elements, a mission control element, a maintenance group and support per-

Marion L. Boyd Gertrude E. Bogier Ahmad Samuel Arthur McCoy Jr. Stacey J. Gadsden Shaqueannya Jackson

Angela White James E. Corbett Barbara Ann Larson George R. Spangler Margaret G. Kelly Steven Todd Sanders

Victoria H. Stevenson Elvis Pringle Gloria F. Bertha Willie M. Clodfelter Henry Jeter William T. Fort Jr.

INSIDE Willie M. Barwick Jackie H. Coker Jackson Miles Gladys Gilmore & Blanch M. Williams

4 SECTIONS, 34 PAGES VOL. 122, NO. 66

Classifieds C8 Comics D1 Opinion A14 USA Today C1

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