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SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2013 | SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA
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Furloughs worry officials Government-ordered leave without pay could gash local economy BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com
BRADEN BUNCH / THE ITEM
Champ Edmunds, a former resident of Sumter, talks about his campaign to become a U.S. Senator during his recent home visit.
Former Sumterite aims to win U.S. Senate seat in 2014
Looming furloughs for civilian Air Force employees in Sumter will take a big chunk out of those workers’ take-home pay and out of the local economy. Because of mandatory budget cuts brought on by sequestration, some 2,000 civilians employed by Shaw Air Force Base face 11 days off without pay this year.
Furlough days at the base will be staggered so each employee will take one day off a week between July 8 and Sept. 30. When employees take furBLACKWELDER lough days will ultimately be decided by GOOGLE IMAGES the employees affected Shaw Air Force Base employs thousands of civilians throughout its grounds. They, along with other civilian and the commanders workers across all military branches, will soon take a series SEE FURLOUGHS, PAGE A7 of government-ordered furloughs.
Lee to select schools’ chief this week
BY BRADEN BUNCH bbunch@theitem.com When the national mid-term elections come up next year, Republicans nationwide will be looking to find a few candidates who can turn the balance of the U.S. Senate to their favor, and a Sumter native is hoping to represent his party in what is expected to be a battleground state. Champ Edmunds, a 1981 graduate of Wilson Hall who has lived in Montana for the past 16 years, declared his candidacy last month, hoping to convince Big Sky Country voters to support SEE EDMUNDS, PAGE A7
BY RANDY BURNS Special to The Item BISHOPVILLE — The Lee County Board of Education could make known its choice for district superintendent as early as Thursday, according to Chairwoman Sanya Moses. “We will have a called meeting on Thursday, and we will then begin to start the decision-making process,” she said. “We have
had all the interviews, and we’ve had community receptions for the three finalists. We are asking for feedback from those who attended the community receptions.” The district is asking that all community feedback be MOSES submitted to the district office no later than Tuesday. Moses said she hopes the new
superintendent will be in place by July 1. The school board’s three finalists for superintendent — Dr. Wanda Andrews, assistant superintendent of personnel and student services in Spartanburg District 7; Terri Mozingo, assistant superintendent of research and accountability for Durham, N.C., public schools; SEE LEE, PAGE A4
CRESTWOOD, LAKEWOOD 2013 CLASS RECEIVES DIPLOMAS
ABOVE LEFT: Jasmin Reshae Moses, Crestwood High School 2013 valedictorian, delivers her speech “Success is Not Optional” on Friday. ABOVE RIGHT: William Kolby Geddings, Lakewood High School’s 2013 valedictorian, shares his speech “Success” with his graduating class.
PHOTOS BY KEITH GEDAMKE / SPECIAL TO THE ITEM
Anteni Holley-Taylor and Josh Lane greet each other prior to the start of Crestwood High School’s graduation ceremony on Friday afternoon at the Sumter County Civic Center. LEFT: Lakewood High School seniors participate in their graduation ceremony Friday evening at the civic center. See more photos from the graduations on page A3.
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Lucinda G. Epps James E. Taylor Jr. Stella C. Waring Geoffrey L. Gibson Robert E. Bannister Jr. Henry Dotson
Josephine F. Elliott Philip L. Hilbish Jr. William J. Holmes Sr. Benny Lowery Preston Moses A4, A9
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