April 4, 2013

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BASEBALL: Matt Price starts first full season in minors; Jordan Montgomery close to returning from injury for USC

LOCAL: Sumter City Council approves work on locally maintained streets A3

B1 VOL. 118, NO. 141 WWW.THEITEM.COM

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013 | SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA

FOUNDED OCTOBER 15, 1894

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Chamber backs penny tax renewal BY BRADEN BUNCH bbunch@theitem.com The Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce will actively campaign in support of renewing the “Penny for Progress” sales tax with a referendum in 2014, the incoming chamber president announced at the organization’s annual luncheon Wednesday. “Everyone can see what that penny

has done for us,” said recently-elected chamber board Chairman Pete Flanagan to the group of about 150 people gathered at the Central Carolina Technical College. Flanagan referenced the Sumter County Judicial Center, nearing completion downtown, as a positive example of the tax. According to Flanagan, the chamber is considering renewing the “Penny for Progress” tax as one of its

top priorities and will begin its effort in the coming year by encouraging Sumter County Council to begin evaluating projects for the tax to fund. The current single-cent capital projects tax was narrowly approved by voters in 2008, after a similar measure had failed, receiving about 46 percent of the vote during the 2006 general election. Some of the projects funded by the

current tax include the Patriot Park Sportsplex, renovations to the Sumter County Civic Center, renovations to 16 fire stations and nine community centers in rural areas, as well as the new judicial center. In its current form, the sales tax must be used for the 16 pre-selected capital projects presented to voters SEE PENNY TAX, PAGE A6

MAINTAINING THE VEHICLE FLEET AT SHAW

EMTs winners of skills contest BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com After almost eight years competing together in paramedic skills competitions, Sumter EMTs Kent Hall and Bobby Hingst put their combined experience into winning first place in the South Carolina Paramedic Championship in Myrtle Beach. “It was a humbling experience,” said Hingst, who is also director of Sumter Emergency Medical Services, “and a real good feeling.” The duo competed March 22 against paramedic teams from four other counties across the state after they won the Pee Dee regional in February. Each team had a set amount of time to treat actors portraying patients in a disaster scenario, with experienced first responders watching and acting as judges. This year, the scenario revolved around a cruise ship engine exploding off shore — admittedly, an unlikely call for Sumter EMS to receive. “They had firefighters and the Coast Guard pulling patients out of the water and treating them on the beach,” Hingst said. “They set up a treatment center in the pool house at the hotel where we were staying.” Paramedics who showed up at this simulated scene

ABOVE: U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Donald Lord, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintainer, inflates a tire at Shaw Air Force Base on April 1. The vehicle management flight is responsible for overall maintenance of the wing’s vehicle fleet and accountability of vehicle assets, ensuring their integrity for mission capability. BELOW: Airman 1st Class Caleb Farmer, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintainer, puts safety markings on a crane.

AIRMAN 1ST CLASS NICOLE SIKORSKI / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM

ABOVE: Airman Matthew Holloway, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintainer, greases a break chamber from underneath a truck. LEFT: Airman 1st Class Caleb Farmer, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintainer, puts safety markings on a crane.

SEE EMS COMPETITION, PAGE A6

Elks Lodge 855 gives $10,000 grant to homeless mission BY JADE ANDERSON janderson@theitem.com A local ministry is getting some help from a national organization.

Members of the Sumter Elks Lodge 855 recently presented a $10,000 community impact grant to 323! Missions, a ministry designed to help those in

homeless situations, those who have suffered substance abuse problems or both. “This is a very important mission to us,” said

20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC 29150 (USPS 525-900)

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Larry Nichols, exalted ruler. “We have and will continue to support it. It was a very lengthy process, and we’re very proud to get this.”

DEATHS Information: 774-1200 Advertising: 774-1236 Classifieds: 774-1234 Delivery: 774-1258 News, Sports: 774-1226

Patricia Brogdon Allene H. Weeks Junior Irick Walter Weaver Jr. Brenda Canty

Reginald Webster Charlie Montgomery Kevin Jennings Mattie J. Brown B5

His lodge was one of only 53 out of the 2,200 in the country to receive a community improvement SEE GRANT, PAGE A8

OUTSIDE BREEZY, COOLER Expect rain today; storms, possible flooding tonight HIGH: 56 LOW: 51 A8

INSIDE New thrift store benefits homeless mission A2

INSIDE 3 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES

Classifieds Comics Daily Planner Opinion Television

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