March 4, 2016

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IN SPORTS: Sumter High girls basketball looking for 1st state championship B1 INSIDE

PBS’ American Masters features ‘Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl’ A7 Sumter delinquent tax notices C1 FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016

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Sumter Habitat receives check SHS teacher for $2K, help from students hospitalized after wreck Will Floyd teaches physical education and environmental science BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

Ohio Northern University student Taylor Berelsman, middle, cuts a piece of wood as Anna Crolker, left, and Riley Sember hold the wood in place on the sawhorse. The students are in Sumter working on the Habitat For Humanity home during their spring break.

Crew on spring break from Ohio Northern University works on local home BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Sumter Board of Realtors presented Sumter Habitat for Humanity with a check for a little more than $2,000 on Thursday afternoon to help fund future affordable housing projects. Darlene Hebert, executive director of Sumter Board of Realtors, said the grant was funded from sales of South Carolina Association of Realtors license plates.

Hebert said the board is excited it can contribute to the betterment of the Sumter community. “We will always support the local Habitat mission,” she said. Also on Thursday, Habitat had about 30 volunteers from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, working on the 119th house in Fuller Gardens, the nonprofit’s neighborhood site. Theresa White, executive director of Habitat, said it costs about $60,000 to build the three-bedroom house and about $25,000 of

that cost is donated. She said paint, doorknobs and other supplies are donated to the organization along with Whirlpool washers and dryers. White said students are volunteering through the nonprofit’s alternative spring break program called Collegiate Challenge. The first group to make the trip to Sumter were students from Brock University of Saint Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

SEE HABITAT, PAGE A4

Will Floyd was only a few blocks from work Wednesday morning when his Harley Davidson motorcycle was struck by a car on McCrays Mill Road causing the Sumter High School science teacher to be hospitalized. According to Sumter Police Department Public Information Office Tonyia McGirt, a Dodge Journey was turning left onto McCrays Mill Road when it struck Floyd’s motorcycle traveling south on McCrays Mill. Floyd was airlifted to Palmetto Health Richland and later transferred to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Georgia. A GoFundMe.com page created by Dustin Campbell said Floyd suffered a broken right arm in two places, a lacerated foot, two broken ribs, three fractured vertebrae and burns to his face and left arm. A long recovery is expected, Campbell said. The driver of the Dodge, Ruby James, of Cherryvale, was not injured and is charged with failure to yield the right of way, McGirt said. Sumter Public Schools Public Information Strategic Partnerships Coordinator Shelly Galloway said counseling has been made available to students who ask for assistance in dealing with the situation. Galloway said Floyd has worked for Sumter Public Schools since February 2009 and was teaching physical science, international baccalaureate environmental systems and environmental studies at Sumter High. Floyd’s aunt, Lyn Barbour, who lives in Charlotte, said her nephew and his wife, Lauren, have an infant daughter, Emma, who is only a few months old. “The kids adore him,” she said of Floyd. “He’s sweet; thoughtful; a great guy. He likes to ride motorcycles; and he was just in the wrong place at the right time.” Barbour said Floyd was scheduled for surgery Thursday morning but had not heard any additional news about how he is doing. Administrators at Sumter Public Schools expressed their support for their co-worker. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Will and his family as he recovers from the injuries sustained in the accident,” said Superintendent Frank Baker. “We are definitely sorry to hear what happened,” said the school’s Principal Nicholas Pearson. “Naturally, the students do miss him and are waiting for him to get back as soon as possible.” Pearson said no official fundraising project has been set up to assist Floyd in dealing with his medical bills. “Currently, everyone is directing their funds toward the GoFundMe page some of his friends started,” Pearson said. Any interested in donating may visit https:// www.gofundme.com/jjsby8ss. As of Thursday afternoon, more than $9,000 had been pledged to help Floyd’s pay expenses related to his injuries.

Roads bill up for debate not a long-term fix, senators say BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com State Sen. Thomas McElveen said the roads bill that is set for debate in the Senate next week is being called “The Patch Act” around the General Assembly, because it is a patch and not a long-term fix for the Palmetto State’s deteriorating road system. McElveen, D-Sumter, also

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said it does nothing to restructure the South Carolina Department of Transportation Commission, which many state lawmakers have said needs major changes. The saga of finding revenue for South Carolina highways took another twist Thursday when Senate Republicans voted for cloture to shut off a filibuster by conservative members of their own party that has stymied efforts to

come up with a bill for more than a year. Senate Republicans then put forth the current proposal, which would take $400 million from the General Fund for the DOT, gives the governor the power to appoint DOT commissioners, contains no reduction in income taxes and drops any increase in gas taxes, which is what the filibustering senators had objected to.

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According to reports, Gov. Nikki Haley has praised the plan. She had originally called for three-part legislation, including money for roads, DOT restructuring and an income HALEY tax decrease. Sen. Kevin Johnson, D-Manning, said that he is not happy with the

bill but is glad the debate can start. “At least it gives us something we can work with,” he said. “That’s all we were saying all along, just give us a chance to debate the bill; don’t roadblock, but give us a chance to debate the bill and amend the bill.’” Still, Johnson called it a “Band-Aid” approach.

SEE ROADS, PAGE A4

WEATHER, A10

INSIDE

SUNNY AND COOL

3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES VOL. 121, NO. 118

Mostly sunny today and pleasantly cool; tonight, chilly and clear. No chance of rain HIGH 59, LOW 37

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March 4, 2016 by The Sumter Item - Issuu