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Food Truck Festival coming Sumter Green benefit to be held at fairgrounds March 4 A5 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894
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Chamber develops workforce plan Strategy sessions at retreat could help prep students BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com WILMINGTON, N.C. — Adopting a long-term approach to building the workforce pipeline, including mentor-
ing youth, work-based internships for older students, and having a centralized location for coordinating those efforts are main causes the Chamber can lead, community leaders say. The remarks were major themes Saturday from two education and workforce development sessions here at the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce’s annual retreat. Having students graduate high school that are college-ready or workforce-ready is critical to local industry and the entire community, said Eliza Buxton, manager of operations with the Sumter
Development Board staff. “As industry succeeds and grows and their employees spend money, then small business and retail in Sumter can be more profitable and grow,” Buxton said. Various business and community leaders said Saturday a more comprehensive, long-term approach to workforce development is needed in Sumter. Dennis Turner, of Duke Energy Progress and a vice chair on the Chamber’s board of directors, said having more businesses partner with public education is critical.
“We need more adults from the community to actually go in and talk to the students about what it takes to succeed,” Turner said. “It’s more than just grades; it’s a work ethic and other things. When we talk about workforce development, there’s the educational aspect of it, but more importantly there’s the character aspect of it, such as work ethic.” Turner said that outreach must start early with students — definitely by the middle-school years.
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Presidents Day Parade Students and teachers line up to begin the 17th annual Presidents Day Parade at First Presbyterian Church preschool and kindergarten on Friday. Americans celebrate Presidents Day on Monday. Last week, students at the school learned about their presidents, what the honor guard represents and the meaning of the colors on the flag. RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM
James shares career memories Ex-Planned Parenthood BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com George “Buck” James Jr. was sworn in as a South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Feb. 7, after spending more than 10 years as a resident Third Circuit Judge covering Lee, Sumter, Clarendon and Williamsburg counties. The new jusJAMES tice says “nobody knows” where his nickname he has carried all of his life comes from. “I think my dad thought two Georges was just too much,”
he said. James said his family moved to Sumter when he was about 6 months old. “My dad was in the Air Force, and when he got out, he knew he wanted to live either in Clarendon County or Sumter County,” James said. George James Sr. was a major influence on his son’s life. The elder James was also a lawyer. “A good one, too,” James said. “He was a top-notch trial lawyer and taught me a lot personally and professionally.” James said his father practiced from 1960 to 1999, when he died. “We practiced together for
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four years,” he said. Milton Schwartz said he has been great friends with James since early childhood. “His dad would be very proud of all he has accomplished,” Schwartz said. James said he considers his dad his primary role model. “I think I still handle certain situations the way he would, either consciously or unconsciously,” he said. James graduated from Wilson Hall in 1978. “I was fortunate to play on some good athletic teams,” James said. Schwartz said James was talented at sports.
Harold G. Kirk Dorothy Wilson Naomi P. Walker Joseph. H. Neal James B. Snow
Elouise Gayle Dayton J. Walker Lola White Betty McCauley Kevin Wallace
Paul C. Hawes Miles J. Kepner William B. Ford Spencer McFadden Edith Browning
director to speak in Sumter FROM STAFF REPORTS Sumter Pregnancy Center invites the public to attend its annual fundraiser at Christ Community Church, 320 Loring Mill Road, on Thursday. During the unPlanned Social fundraiser, the public will learn about the services offered at the center as well as hear from a health care provider who has been on both sides of the abortion discussion. The guest speaker will be Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood
clinic director who now advocates for the pro-life movement. Johnson has always had a fierce determination to help women in need, according to a news release provided by a representative of Johnson. That desire led Johnson to a career with Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, and also caused her to flee the organization. During her eight years with Planned Parenthood,
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Nice and warm today with plenty of sunshine; tonight, clear and cool. HIGH 75, LOW 47
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