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Readers’ Choice WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015
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More changes coming for maintenance code BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Proposed amendments to the city’s property maintenance code have been the cause of confusion and discourse since being introduced during a special Sumter City Council meeting on Jan. 27. On Tuesday, council met in a special workshop to take them up once again.
Before the workshop, however, members of council took a tour around the city to observe the kinds of property conditions that would be addressed in the maintenance code amendments. Council saw abandoned and dilapidated houses on Hampton Avenue, Dingle Street, Wright Street, Loring Drive and West Moore Street. City Planning Director George McGregor said some of the proposed
changes do not include new information but rather the relocation and clarification of existing regulations. He said two of the biggest additions to the code are the way in which the city will handle demolition orders and a vacant property registration with the city. Under the regulations of the amendments, the city would take demolition orders to the circuit court instead of the magistrate for consideration.
John Macloskie, city quality assurance manager, said the regulations about demolition will be changed to reflect state law to ensure that the city will be protected when it demolishes property. He said property owners will have the opportunity to appeal the demolition order through the circuit court.
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Old McCaskill’s Farm hosts hundreds for sheep shearing day Working farm that doubles as bed and breakfast brings big crowd to Rembert BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com
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ore than 1,300 people from across the Midlands ventured out to see a plethora of traditional farm day activities on Sunday, which was sheep shearing day at Old McCaskill’s Farm in Rembert. “According to admissions, it was a record-breaking day,” said owner Kathy McCaskill said. Visitors were able to see a blacksmith and a working saw mill, and kids were able to help with a working grist mill.
The weather was perfect, McCaskill said. “My goodness, it was gorgeous. Everything just fell into place. We were blessed.” She said that although it got a little crowded, there were never any problems. “It was an all-day event, and people came and went,” she said. A big attraction is always the farm animals. Besides the sheep, the farm has chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats, horses and pigs, some of which were available for a hands-on fur or hands-on feather experience. Visitors also enjoyed a border collie
SEE FARM, PAGE A5
Above, a crowd gathers as a week-old goat is fed during Sunday’s Farm Day at Old McCaskill’s Farm bed and breakfast. Some 1,300 people enjoyed the events at the farm on Sunday, including sheep shearing, border collie demonstrations, a grist mill, live music, quilting, spinning, weaving and more. A country store on the property sold fresh meats, local honey, yarns, wool blankets and decorations. PHOTOS BY MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM
Drones to deliver The Sumter Item beginning April 15 BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com In its ongoing commitment to continually improve its service to subscribers, The Sumter Item plans to add the latest in technology to its arsenal in a pilot program beginning April 15. “We’re among a small group of newspapers in the country to begin delivering papers by drone to a limited number of select customers,” said Sumter Item publisher Jack Osteen. Drone On®, a company that caters to business customers, will supply 50 drones each over a six-month period to 25 newspapers in the pilot project. If the papers find the program effective, they can buy the drones for continued use at a special reduced price.
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“We will control delivery from the newsroom,” Osteen said. “It will be similar to the way Amazon is now delivering packages in some markets.” The drones, which are small and virtually silent, will be equipped with cameras, and operators in The Sumter Item headquarters will be able to control them so that the papers are left in convenient locations for customers to pick up, Osteen said. “If the operator sees that a paper has been dropped in the wrong place, say on a roof or in the street, it can be programmed to drop another paper in the right place,” he explained. “We expect delivery might be a little erratic as we get started. Of course, any participating customers can always call us should they not get their paper.”
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Osteen also said there are safeguards built into the drones to keep them from “’going rogue,’ like in the car commercial that’s airing on TV right now. The drones we will be using are perfectly safe,” he said. He foresees the drones being utilized in increasing numbers, especially during inclement weather, such as ice or snow storms. Osteen said customers will have to opt in to participate in the trial. “Since they are equipped with cameras, there may be some privacy issues,” he said. “Of course, we will make every effort not to capture our customers on tape, and all our tapes will be erased at the end of each day. They will be viewed only by the drone operators, who are committed to confi-
DEATHS, B7 Anna Ball Vance Louise Roberson David Canty Stanley Kinder
Theresa Overton Mary Lee Mickens Lee Ernest Abraham Hermean R. Johnson
dentiality. Once we’ve gotten comfortable with the drones, no tapes will be made at all.” That is the main reason for customers’ being required to request drone delivery. They can opt out at any time they become dissatisfied with the delivery method and be returned to human carrier delivery, Osteen said. “From our website to increasingly computerized reporting technology,” he said, “The Sumter Item strives for the best methods of keeping our subscribers informed about what’s going on in our area, the state, the U.S. and the world.” Those customers interested in becoming part of the drone delivery pilot program can call The Sumter Item at (800) APRIL-FOOLS!
WEATHER, A12
INSIDE
ANOTHER PERFECT DAY
3 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 141
Mostly sunny and warm today, vanishing chance of rain; tonight, partly cloudy and chilly. HIGH 75, LOW 48
Food C8 Lotteries A12 Classifieds B8 Opinion A11 Comics C6 Television C7