Council members to get health benefits WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
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SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES | VOL. 121, NO. 179
Manning ordinance won’t take effect until after 2018 election BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com Manning City Council approved second reading of an ordinance to amend a city code that will poten-
tially see taxpayers paying a share of health benefits for council members and the mayor. By law, the ordinance will not take effect until after the April 2018 election.
According to the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority 2016 state health code manual, elected members of county and city councils are eligible to receive health insurance and are considered full-time employees. Manning City Administrator Scott Tanner said the ordinance was an amendment to another
SEE MANNING, PAGE A5
Command changes hands Lending libraries Sumter Girl Scout creates tiny book houses C1 FOOD
Even meat lovers may eat this veggie burger C2 Learn how to grill eggplant parmigiana C3
Zobrist takes charge of Ninth Air Force
DEATHS, B7 Helen D. Mahon Wanda R. Welch Sallie Nunnery
Joseph A. Walker Johnnie Lee Thames Sr.
WEATHER, A8 KEEP YOUR UMBRELLA HANDY Mostly cloudy today with a thunderstorm possible; humid tonight with a chance of showers. HIGH 79, LOW 64
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PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM
Staff Sgt. Alan Dorman peels off Maj. Gen. Mark D. Kelly’s name from an F-16 to reveal new Ninth Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Scott J. Zobrist’s name.
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BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Maj. Gen. Scott Zobrist assumed command of the Ninth Air Force at a ceremony at Shaw Air Force Base Tuesday. In the Change of Command Ceremony officiated by Gen. Herbert Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, Zobrist took over the position from Maj. Gen. Mark D. Kelly, who held the position for nine months. Zobrist will now be responsible for eight active duty wings and three direct reporting units with more than 400 aircraft and 29,000 active duty and civilian personnel. The new Ninth Air Force Commander was previously deputy commander at U.S. Air Force Central Command and deputy commander of the Combined Force Air Component. Zobrist has commanded two fighter wings and has more than 2,500 flying hours as a command pilot, according to his official biography.
Carlisle noted the Ninth Air Force as “the most heralded command in the entire Air Force,” which has participated in every combat action by the Air Force since Sept. 11, 2001, and lauded the outgoing commander. “Kelly has been a phenomenal part of this command,” he said. “His laser-like focus on every project and command has been a part of its success.” He said Kelly’s most impressive achievement was setting an example of caring and compassion for his airmen. “Every airman knows Kelly has their back,” Carlisle said. He welcomed Zobrist to his new position. “Zobrist is definitely up to the task,” he said. “He will continue to take the Ninth Air Force to the next level.” He said Zobrist is known Gen. Herbert J. “Hawk” Carlisle hands off the Ninth for improving the environAir Force flag to Maj. Gen. Scott J. Zobrist on Tuesment for those working day. The passing of the flag represents officially takaround him.
ing over the Ninth Air Force command from Maj. SEE COMMAND, PAGE A5 Gen. Mark Kelly.
Haley’s farm bill veto plowed under in House BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com The South Carolina House made short work of overriding Gov. Nikki Haley’s veto of the Farm Aid bill, voting 102 to 2 Tuesday to establish a $40-million fund to help the state’s farmers after last year devastating floods. A gallery full of farmers in Columbia to protest Haley’s veto cheered after the vote was called, and Rep. Grady Brown, D-Bishopville, the most senior House member, stood up to proclaim, “The farmers in this state have our backs.” Brown was making reference to the governor’s statement to South Carolinians after the floods: “We’ve got
your backs.” A line of House members strode to the podium to speak in favor of overriding the governor’s veto. Rep. Harry Limehouse, RCharleston, said even in the state’s major port city, South Carolina farmers are important. “We have what we call ‘nouveau South cuisine,’” he said. “People are flocking from all over to taste it, but without South Carolina farmers, we don’t have nouveau Southern cuisine.” Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell, D-Lancaster, talked about how many farmers have been seeking Chapter 12 bankruptcy, something she said she had never seen before last year, as farmers bat-
‘We’ve got your backs.’ REP. GRADY BROWN, D-BISHOPVILLE Reacting to the House overriding Haley’s veto of the farm aid bill tled low commodity prices and a scorching dry summer. “Our farmers were having a hard time before the floods,” she said. After the vote, House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, said the General Assembly was forced to take action. “The South Carolina House recognizes the unprecedented loss our farmers experienced
last October and understands the economic impact at stake if these concerns are ignored. Gov. Haley’s factually inaccurate justification for vetoing the Farm Aid bill is inconsistent with South Carolina values.” Haley said she was against the fund because it was a fairness issue, and other small business did not receive help from the state. She called the farm bill a “bail out,” before vetoing the bill Monday. Lucas chided Haley for not supporting the farmers. “When Gov. Haley petitioned the federal government for flood relief assistance last fall, she included homeowners and small businesses but intentionally ig-
nored our farmers’ plea for help by leaving them out of the request,” Lucas said. According to Lucas, the Farm Aid bill establishes a grant process that will assist farmers with the rebuilding process by providing the agriculture industry with state disaster assistance that has already been afforded to small businesses and homeowners by the federal government. He said he hopes the Senate will also act to ensure farmers are able to recover from last October’s flood. Sen. Kevin Johnson said he thinks the Senate will take up the override today. “I really think the vote will be overwhelming in the Senate, also,” he said.