City receives $3.4 M to remove blight BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2015
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SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 2 SECTIONS, 22 PAGES | VOL. 120, NO. 142
The City of Sumter and SanteeLynches Regional Development Corporation have been awarded $3.4 million by the South Carolina State Housing Authority for the purchase and demolition of approximately 100 blighted single and
multi-family residential properties across the city. Mayor Joe McElveen announced the grant during Sumter City Council’s workshop to review proposed amendments to the city property maintenance code on Tuesday. The grant comes from the state Housing Authority’s Neighborhood Initiative Program which
aims to stabilize property values and prevent foreclosures by removing dilapidated housing structures from neighborhoods. McElveen said the initiative will give owners of substandard housing a chance to gain something when their property is demolished.
SEE GRANT, PAGE A12
THE AMERICAN WATER SPANIEL CLUB’S SOUTHEASTERN REGION HUNT TEST
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An American Water Spaniel jumps into the water during the American Water Spaniel Club’s Southeastern Regional Hunt test on Saturday in Clarendon County. This was the second year the event was held in the Wilson Community.
Skills assessment draws dogs, handlers from across the U.S. BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com
only one dog being declared the winner. The event featured land, water and upland flushing tests for the 14 The American Water Spaniel canines. Club held its Southeastern RegionThere are four certification leval Hunt test Saturday in the Wilson els that these hunt tests are Community of Clarendon conducted for under the County. American Water Spaniel This was the second year See more Club. These include: starter that the event was held at Clarendon dog, working dog, working the location, attracting 14 stories A7 dog excellent and working dogs and their owners from dog superior. With each across the nation. level, there is an increasingA hunt test is an event at which the natural ability and train- ly difficult required level of skill and training. ing of dogs are evaluated against a The event on Saturday was written standard. Each dog that breed-specific to test the versatile meets this standard earns a pass. dogs’ hunting abilities. Hunts are not the same as field “This is one of the few breeds trials in which dog-handler teams that does all three tests, including compete against one another with
land, water and upland flushing,” said Sue Liemohn, president of the club. “Passing one of these tests is no small task. It allows the dog to be have more opportunities for developing its ability to handle complex hunting scenarios. “Once they do pass a test, which for the American Water Spaniel breed is held only twice a year, the dogs earn a title which increases their level of prestige for both the dog and its offspring.” The American Water Spaniel is a rare breed of spaniel which originated in Wisconsin during the 19th century. Its ancestors trace to a number of other breeds, including
SEE SPANIELS, PAGE A12
Don’t let your spring cleaning spark brush fires BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com With spring cleaning underway, fire officials say the season is ripe for an increase of wildfires. This is the time of year where homeowners traditionally begin tending to their yards, and many will resort to burning leaves and weeds as a measure to beautify the yard. And as home gardeners begin to sprout up for the traditional months of lawn maintenance, fire authorities urge residents to use precautions to prevent their controlled burns from growing unmanageable. S.C. Forestry Commission Sumter County Supervisor Donna Green said this season has been relatively cool compared to past years about this time because of rains that have doused the region during the past several weeks. That trend, however, is subject to change if temperatures rise and the humidity drops. Green said she’s seen controlled fires spread out of control quickly burning up homes and trailers and leaving residents hospitalized from smoke inhalation sustained when they tried to chase the escaped blazes. “A lot of our fires now are escaped debris fires,” Green said. “People go
PROVIDED PHOTO
Sumter Fire Department firefighters Byron James, Harold Nash, Selena Smith and Wayne Holmes train on the process of extinguishing a liquid propane gas fire during a March 26 training exercise at its training facility on Green Swamp Road. outside to burn, and for whatever reason, they may leave it to go back inside for a minute or just not pay enough attention to it, and it gets
away. “I guess with it just warming up right now, people think the leaves are starting to turn green and they’re
safe. But it really depends on the humidity. When that humidity drops and you’ve got the temperature, that green stuff can really burn quickly, too.” State law requires individuals who plan on doing outdoor burns to notify the Forestry Commission beforehand by dialing its toll-free number. The commission updates its estimations every day and gives each caller guidelines based on weather projections. Callers, for instance, are cautioned not to burn on days when humidity levels are low and winds are high, as it poses a high risk of spreading the flames. Residents who fail to notify the commission or who disobey the agency’s guidelines can be ticketed and fined as much as $425 if their burns grow out of hand. Burners are also liable for any damage caused to neighbors’ property in those cases. State statistics indicate that more than 40 percent of South Carolina’s wildfires are caused by careless debris burns. Fire officials encourage people to surround their burns with a fire break to keep them from spreading if it grows volatile. Burners should also keep a water source readily available
SEE FIRES, PAGE A12