April 13, 2014

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See photos from the Swan Lake egg hunt D4 Spieth, Watson tied atop Masters Golfers up by only 1 shot on 2 others in tournament B1 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894

SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2014

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IN BUSINESS: Man renovating shop that burned in 2013

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Sunday suds sipping: Yay or nay?

JADE REYNOLDS / THE SUMTER ITEM

Jordan Hatfield applies peanut butter to a pine cone to make a bird feeder Saturday. It was the 11-year-old’s first time at Earth Day and first time making the craft.

Earth Day celebration draws crowd Green activities, family fun highlight Swan Lake event BY JADE REYNOLDS jade@theitem.com (803) 774-1250 Swan Lake-Iris Gardens was a bustling place Saturday morning as families came out to celebrate Earth Day. Sponsored by Sumter Green, the City of Sumter’s celebration of the planet featured about 25 exhibitors and vendors. Live music was provided by area schools, activities abounded for the young and adults could learn more about ways of being more environmentally friendly. For some, it was a new experience. “It’s my first time (at Earth Day),” said Jordan Hatfield, 11. “It’s very cool.” For others, it’s a tradition. “We always come,” said Kim Wilber. “This is our fourth year. The kids usually have performances, and we learn all about new stuff.” It was also a family affair for some of the vendors, too. Malyiah Spann, 11, and Enyia Spann, 9, helped their mom, Edith Spann, give away plants. “We’re giving away flowers we sell in our garden center,” said the Walmart department manager. “We want people to see the different things we offer so that they may want to come in, see us and purchase something.” Her station was also offering snacks, drinks and reusable bags. It was a popular station. Another one getting a lot of foot traffic was the station where Josh Castleberry, program manager for environmental engineering technology degree program with Central Carolina Technical College, was holding a king snake, which is not venomous. “I thought I’d feel something gooey,” said Tatiana Martin, 7, after she touched it and didn’t. Children of all ages also gathered at the Reinforcing and Expanding Artistic and Creative Horizons station, a Sumter School District arts focused program for which students audition. This year, children took old CDS, used acrylic paint on

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Gray Shuler, manager of J. O’Grady’s on South Main Street, pours a drink on a recent weekday evening. Shuler and other local restaurateurs and retailers are supporting a Chamber of Commerce initiative that would allow the sale of alcoholic drinks seven days a week. If approved by Sumter City Council, residents will vote on allowing Sunday alcohol sales inside the city limits in November.

Chamber probes impact of law change BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272 When the Big Game is on, sometimes you want to get together with your friends, have a couple drinks, and enjoy the experience in a convivial atmosphere. But if that day happens to be a Sunday, that atmosphere won’t be in Sumter. That’s because South Carolina blue laws have long prohibited the sale of any alcoholic beverages on the day traditionally set aside for church-going and strictly sober rest. But in recent years, may local governments have opted out of the traditional prohibition.

‘By law, no governing body can do this on their own. It has to be put to the people for a vote, and we hope city council will let them decide.’ GRIER BLACKWELDER Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce president Cities and counties around the state have voted to allow stores to sell beer and wine to Sunday shoppers, and for restaurants and bars to open their taps on the Christian Sabbath. As long as Sumter remains dry on the day, more and more business owners fear

they’re losing customers to other areas that allow them to pour a glass with their buddies. “We have a private room with two 60-inch TVs, and there’s nobody in there because there’s no alcohol,” said Tommie Sorrell, general manager of Logan’s Roadhouse on

Broad Street Extension. Sorrell and 13 other local business owners signed a petition circulated by the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce late last year asking Sumter City Council to allow Sunday alcohol sales within the city limits. On April 1, Chamber President Grier Blackwelder reiterated that call at a city council meeting, asking for a public vote on the issue. Council is scheduled to consider a referendum on Sunday sales this week. “By law, no governing body can do this on their own,” Blackwelder said later. “It has to be put to

SEE CHAMBER, PAGE A11

Council to vote on Sunday sales referendum BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272 Five months after they received a request from the Chamber of Commerce, Sumter City Council is scheduled to vote on Sunday alcohol sales. The issue will come up for discussion at Tuesday’s council meeting, when council members are expected to have their first vote to allow a November referendum on Sunday sales, putting the question to city residents to decide. The Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce originally sent a letter asking for the vote to Mayor Joe McElveen last November. At the April 1 city council meeting, Cham-

ber president Grier Blackwelder and several members of the Chamber board appeared before council to reiterate their call to permit a referendum on the issue. “I know it has the potential for some controversy,” McElveen said, “but we received a strong call from the Chamber, which represents a thousand businesses, from restaurants, and even from ordinary citizens asking us for this.” At the same time, McElveen said, “I have some good friends who oppose even having a vote.” By law, city council cannot vote on its own to void state blue laws on Sunday sales, but it can call for a public referendum allowing voters to permit the sale of alcohol on

Sunday within the city limits. Across the state, 24 other municipalities and 11 counties already allow Sunday sales. If council approves, the issue will be put to the voters in the November election. McElveen said he wanted council to vote on the most narrow terms possible, and the draft ordinance only calls for “on-premises consumption” of beverages on Sundays, and not sales from convenience stores. Even then, the ordinance is expected to draw opposition. “In principle, I can’t go along with it,” said Councilman Calvin Hastie.

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April 13, 2014 by The Sumter Item - Issuu