May 20, 2015

Page 1

IN SPORTS: Gamecocks’ postseason hopes up in air after SEC tournament loss B1

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

| Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894

75 cents

Nighttime parade promises unusual spectacle for Iris Festival C1

Senate 1 step closer to roads bill BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com The South Carolina Senate adopted a compromise on an anti-abortion bill Tuesday, but Sen. Kevin Johnson, D-Manning, said that doesn’t necessarily clear the way for the body to debate a bill on funding the state’s roads. The Senate approved an amended bill that bans abortions past 19 weeks.

The 37-7 vote occurred after senators shut down a threatened filibuster by Sen. Lee Bright, R-Roebuck, who opposes exceptions to the abortion ban for victims of rape and MCELVEEN incest. Next on the calendar, Johnson said, is the Capital Reserve Fund Bill and then the road funding bill.

Subdivision residents oppose development

“I think Sen. Bright is already threatening to have a bunch of amendments on both of those bills,” Johnson said. “He may start filibustering and offering a bunch of amendments. I hope that doesn’t happen because I think we can get through both of those bills.” Sen. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, said with only nine days left in the session, even if Bright doesn’t filibuster or offer amendments, the roads bill is

not a sure thing. “I would assume a lot of people are going to offer amendments to the roads bill,” McElveen said. “Including me. I have the first amendment in line. I want to make sure rural counties have a seat at the table. “ McElveen pointed out that that besides the Capital Reserve Fund Bill, the budget has not been finalized either. “We have a good bit to do and not a whole lot of time,” he said.

HOT PURSUIT 5K

Slow speed chase for a good cause

BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Sumter City Council voted to defer action on two separate requests authorizing the development of townhomes in the Beach Forest and Hunter’s Crossing subdivisions after holding a public hearing about the matter during its regular meeting on Tuesday. The majority of residents of both subdivisions who were present during the meeting spoke against the requests because they believe the structures would bring down the value of the surrounding single family homes. City Planning Director George McGregor said to his knowledge, the townhomes would not affect the value of single family homes in the neighborhood. He said the townhomes would add diversity to the neighborhoods and provide individuals with a variety of housing options. In regards to the Beach Forest subdivision, he said the development trend is leaning toward single family homes in the portion of the neighborhood that is planned for townhomes. Louis Tisdale, a representative of the owner of both subdivisions, stated that the townhomes would have the same square-footage and quality as the single family structures. Related to housing development, Clarence Gaines, city community development director, stated that the city demolished 15 blighted residential structures with last year’s entitlement funds and built two houses through the city’s Affordable Housing Program during a public hearing regarding how city entitlement funds in the amount of $298,862 were spent between April 2014 and March 2015.

SEE COUNCIL, PAGE A6

KEITH GEDAMKE / THE SUMTER ITEM

Anna House stumbled during the Hot Pursuit 5k on Saturday and Officers 1st Class Eric Johnson and Cameron Bryant not only stopped to check on her but ran the race with her. Part of the 3rd annual Sumter Series of road races, the Hot Pursuit 5K benefitted Sumter Police Department.

Restrictions on military gear to have little impact locally BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com An executive order by President Obama restricting what surplus military equipment may be procured by domestic law enforcement agencies from the federal government will have little effect on Sumter County Sheriff’s Office or on Sumter Police Department, according to agency personnel. “We do not have any of the banned equipment” said Braden Bunch, public information officer with the sheriff’s office. Likewise, Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark III said the Sumter Police Department has not requested or received any equipment that would be prohibited under the executive order. “What equipment we do have are items that can be used in real-world applications — training, common day incidents or emergency management type situations —

VISIT US ONLINE AT

the

.com

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO

Capt. Terrance Colclough helps the MRAP Caiman back out in the parking lot of the Sumter County Sherrif’s Office recently. but at a cost savings to the department,” Roark said. According to www.whitehouse.gov, the president’s executive order is based on the recommendations of the Task

Force on 21st Century Policing, a group of community leaders and law enforcement personnel that is charged with helping to build trust and transparency between law enforcement and

DEATHS, B4 AND B5 Elias Rivera Mary F. Shuler Steven C. Moody Thomas B. Warren Lula Dunlap Anthony T. Cooper Elliott L. Hardee

Cynthia Ann McCoy Emily Sanders Juanita A. Alsbrook Billie Ann Thornton James E. Sanders Edward Johnson III

local communities. Bunch said the executive order puts equipment into two categories: banned equipment including tracked vehicles, grenade launchers, large cali-

ber weapons and vehicles with mounted armaments, and controlled equipment, including the MRAP, (a mine resistant armored personnel carrier) and other wheeled vehicles and smaller caliber weapons. The executive order does not prohibit law enforcement agencies from possessing or obtaining banned equipment, only from procuring it from the federal government, Bunch said. “We recognize that the efforts of the task force created by the executive order is part of an effort by President Obama to try to ease tensions between some law enforcement agencies in the country and the communities they serve” said Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis. “We agree with the overlying concept that law enforcement should be viewed as guardians of their communities as opposed to a military force.” Dennis said SCSO does not

SEE MRAP, PAGE A6

WEATHER, A8

INSIDE

CHANCE OF STORMS

3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES VOL. 120, NO. 182

Partly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon; 25 percent chance of evening rain. HIGH 88, LOW 68

Food C8 Classifieds B7 Comics C6

Lotteries A8 Opinion A7 Television C7


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.