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Lawmakers debate medical marijuana BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com A proposal to legalize medical marijuana merits serious debate this year in the Statehouse, say members of the local legislative delegation. State Reps. David Weeks, D-SumAP FILE PHOTO ter, and Will Wheeler, D-Bishopville, People line up to be among the first in Nevada to and state Sen. Thomas McElveen, Dlegally purchase medical marijuana. Members in Sumter, made their comments last the South Carolina Statehouse say a proposal to le- week on the controversial bill in galize medical marijuana merits serious debate. front of the state Legislature again.
Supporters of the bill tout that medical marijuana helps people in treatment for chronic pain, severe epilepsy and other debilitating ailments. Opponents of the bill — which include members of the lawenforcement community — say the proposal essentially asks the state to endorse a street drug to treat nearly everything and is a pathway to recreational use. Weeks and Wheeler are both interested in seeing what amendments
Lady Generals are state basketball champs
and tweaks are made to the bill while it’s in the full Medical Military Municipal Affairs Committee of the House. Wheeler is a member of that committee. He said he expects the committee to take up the legislation in the next week or so. If the bill passes through the committee, it will then reach the House floor. Last year, it didn’t reach the House floor, he said.
SEE DEBATE, PAGE A10
School board will address procurement audit findings BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com A separate audit of purchase processes that found Sumter School District didn’t follow its own procurement policy will be before the Sumter School District Board of Trustees on Monday at its regularly scheduled monthly work session. Independent accountant Robin Poston completed the procurement audit in early December, and it revealed McGHANEY five findings. Among those included two sole source procurements that didn’t have adequate documentation to provide justification for sole-source determination and “numerous instances” of approved “emergency procurements” that should have been solicited during a longer time frame for the most competitive pricing. Poston, of Harper, Poston & Moree, P.A., also conducted the district’s annual audit of financial statements last fall that
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The Thomas Sumter Academy Lady Generals give one giant group hug after winning the SCISA Class 2A state basketball tournament Saturday at Sumter County Civic Center. For more details, turn to B1.
SEE AUDIT, PAGE A7
Shaw cuts ribbon on its medical facility BY JACK OSTEEN jack@theitem.com Col. Daniel T. Lasica, 20th Fighter Wing commander, said even though a lot has changed since 1944 when it comes to the facilities for the 20th Medical Group, taking care of airmen has not. Lasica cut the ribbon Friday on a new $57 million, 116,000-square-foot, three-story, state-of-the-art medical facility before a crowd of young and old airmen as well as many civic leaders from Sumter.
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The new medical facility, in conjunction with local specialty providers, is now prepared to support the medical needs of approximately 31,000 eligible beneficiaries, according to information released from Shaw Air Force Base. Of the region’s eligible beneficiaries, there are approximately 12,500 active-duty service members, retirees and family members enrolled with the 20th Medical Group for primary care. The clinic replaces the existing clinic, built in 1976, and
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in addition to assisting service members, dependents and retirees of Shaw Air Force Base offers additional services ranging from TRICARE administration to radiology for Team Shaw members. Throughout its more than 70-year history, the 20th Medical Group provided care both to stateside and overseas airmen and soldiers. The clinic consolidates services currently located in various JACK OSTEEN / THE SUMTER ITEM
Young airmen and other 20th Medical Group members prepare to cut SEE SHAW, PAGE A7 the ribbon on the new clinic at Shaw Air Force Base on Friday.
DEATHS, A13 Vivian N. King Steven Eric Kinsley Naham McBride Sr. Earthalee H. Carroway Lewis T. Roacher Shirley M. Gregg Mitchell S. King
Henry Parker Mary Mayrant Earlese T. Holmes Abraham McCray Barbara A. Hodge Lee Colclough
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